Mutant cell lines resistant to azetidine carboxylic acid: Quantitative and qualitative differences in pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase activity

Mutant Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts were selected that are resistant to the proline analog L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid. Resistance in the two mutant cell lines is associated with two distinct alterations in pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase, the enzyme that catalyzes the proline biosynthetic step leading from glutamic acid to pyrroline-5-carboxylate. In one mutant cell line, pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase specific activity is increased 30-fold over the level in control cells. In the other mutant line, pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase activity is not increased, but the enzyme has become insensitive to inhibition by ornithine and proline.     

Effects of metabolic inhibitors on cell lethality and mutation induction in Chinese hamster cells. I. Inhibitors of de novo purine synthesis and a comparison with the effects of caffeine

The effect of pre- and posttreatment incubation of UV-irradiated and ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) treated cells with non-toxic concentrations of inhibitors of de novo purine synthesis (dnPS) on expression of potentially lethal and premutational damage at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus in V79 cells has been examined. The concentrations of inhibitors used were shown to profoundly perturb de novo DNA synthesis, by measurements of [¹⁴C]formate uptake, and cell cycle progression by flow cytofluorimetry. Postincubation in 6-methyl mercaptopurine ribonucleoside (MMPR) usually but not invariably potentiated the cytotoxic effects of UV and EMS but azaserine (AZS) and methotrexate (MTX) were without effect. No effects on mutant frequencies were observed on posttreatment with any of these agents. Caffeine produced the least effect on dnPS, but invariably potentiated lethal damage. This potentiation of lethal damage is not mediated by dnPS inhibition as has been suggested for Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.     

On the Estimation of the Population Mean with Known Coefficient of Variation

For the estimation of population mean a class of estimators has been proposed when the coefficient of variation is known and its efficiency is compared with the usual unbiased estimator and the estimators suggested by various researchers. The properties of the proposed class of estimators have been also discussed in the case of normal population.     

Effect of externally added carnitine on the synthesis of acetylcholine in rat cerebral cortex cells

Acetylcholine synthesis from radiolabelled glucose was monitored in cerebral cortex cells isolated from brains of suckling and adult rats. Acetylcholine synthesis was found much higher in suckling animals, both in the absence and presence of acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) inhibitor, paraoxon. Together with choline (20 μM), carnitine was found to stimulate acetylcholine synthesis in a synergistic way in cortex cells from adult rats (18%). Choline, however, was incapable of reversing an inhibitory effect exerted by carnitine on acetylcholine synthesis in cortex cells from suckling animals. Distribution of carnitine derivatives was found significantly different in the cells from young and old animals, the content of acetylcarnitine decreased with age with a corresponding increase of free carnitine. The observed differences in carnitine effect on acetylcholine synthesis suggested that high acetylcarnitine in cells capable of β-oxidation might be correlated with the lower level of acetylcholine synthesis.     

乳源耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌icaA/D基因缺失株的构建及其生物被膜形成能力与耐药性分析

【背景】耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌(Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus,MRSA)是一种具有多重耐药性的人畜共患病原菌,常引起奶牛乳房炎等疾病。形成生物被膜是MRSA重要的耐药机制之一。研究发现ica操纵子调控的胞间多糖黏附素(Polysaccharide Intercellular Adhesin,PIA)通过促进MRSA的黏附与聚集介导生物被膜形成,icaA和icaD基因共表达可显著提高MRSA的N-乙酰葡聚糖转移酶活性,但icaA/D蛋白对MRSA生物被膜形成和耐药性的影响仍不清楚。【目的】探讨icaA/D基因、MRSA生物被膜形成及耐药性三者之间的相关性,为寻找药物作用新靶点提供科学依据。【方法】以具有多重耐药性且生物被膜形成能力强的乳源MRSA M5分离株为研究对象,利用同源重组技术构建其icaA/D基因缺失株;利用FITC-ConA染色结合激光共聚焦显微镜观察野生株与icaA/D基因缺失株的生物被膜形成过程与能力;采用微量肉汤稀释法测定14种抗菌药物对野生株与icaA/D基因缺失株的最小抑菌浓度(MinimumInhibitoryConcentration,MIC)。【结果】构建了MRSA M5的icaA/D基因缺失株。激光共聚焦显微镜下观察到野生株在培养16 h后形成了一层厚的成熟生物被膜,随后开始解离,直至120 h完全解离;而icaA/D基因缺失株在培养后16 h仅形成一薄层生物被膜,48h完全解离。10种受试抗菌药物对缺失株的MIC较野生株减小,而且缺失株对8种药物的敏感性由原来的耐药或中介转变为中介或敏感。【结论】icaA/D基因缺失可明显降低MRSA的生物被膜形成能力与耐药性。     

Sampling and distribution pattern of Trioza erytreae Del Guercio, 1918 (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in citrus orchard

Developing efficient sampling protocols is essential to monitor crop pests. One vector of the citrus disease HLB, the African citrus psyllid Trioza erytreae Del Guercio, 1918 (Hemiptera: Triozidae), currently threatens the lemon industry throughout the Mediterranean region. In this work, a pool of sampling methods devoted to monitoring the population of T. erytreae was compared, its spatial distribution in the orchard was assessed, and the minimum sampling effort for the best sampling method was estimated. Three lemon orchards in North-western Portugal were sampled for one year using two types of yellow sticky traps (standard yellow and fluorescent Saturn yellow), B-vac sampling and sweep net sampling. The method that best performed, in terms of cost-efficiency, was the yellow sticky traps. The two colours of the sticky traps tested did not yield a significantly different number of catches. The spatial distribution throughout the orchards was found to be aggregated towards the borders. A minimum of three sticky traps per hectare was found to be enough to estimate the population at 90% accuracy for the mean during the outbreak. These results should help to monitor and anticipate outbreaks that may even colonize neighbour orchards. Studies on the local dispersion patterns of T. erytreae throughout the orchard are mandatory to further refine and optimize efficient monitoring protocols.     

起测径对南盘江流域次生林中枯立木空间结构的影响

树木大小是林分的基础属性,反映个体在森林生态系统过程中扮演的角色和地位。作者于2016-2018年在中国西南地区南盘江流域松栎混交林中建立3块永久性标准固定样地(A、B、C),并用双相关函数g(r)、标记相关函数k_(mm)(r)、标记变差函数γ(r)和k-邻体距离分布函数D~k(r)分析不同大小枯立木的空间结构特征,以揭示林分水平上枯立木的大小和空间结构之间的关系。结果显示:(1)枯立木的起测径(minimum measured diameter, mmd)越小,小尺度上(r=0～5 m)的分布格局趋向聚集状态,但随着起测径的增大(mmd=5～8 cm),随机分布格局几乎占据每个尺度(r=0～20 m)。(2)当起测径等于1～2 cm时,枯立木的大小在小尺度上(r=0～1 m)接近聚集分布,除此之外它一直保持随机分布。(3)当起测径≤4 cm时,枯立木的树种分布集中;反之,它在每个尺度上越接近或成为随机状态。(4)当起测径由1 cm增大至8 cm时,r=0～10 m之内相邻木的株数减少且距离增加,其变化程度受到林分株数的影响。研究表明,枯立木的起测径与其分布格局类型、标记特征以及距离分布紧密相关,暗示同种小树易呈团块死亡,而大径的枯立木偏向随机分布;对比分析枯死木的空间结构需使用统一的起测径标准。     

Phytochemical screening and anti-oxidant activity of Sargassum wightii enhances the anti-bacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

In this study, the phytochemical, phenolic, flavonoid and bioactive compounds were successfully screened from crude extract of Sargassum wightii by LC-MS analysis after NIST interpretation. Bacterial growth inhibition study result was shown with 24 mm zone inhibition at 200 µg/mL concentration against P. aeruginosa. The increased phenolic content was much closed to gallic acid and the range was observed at 250 μg/mL concentration. In addition, flavonoid contents of the algae extract was indicated more significant with rutin at 200 μg/mL. In result, both the phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were more correlated with gallic acid and rutin. Further, the total anti-oxidant and DPPH radical scavenging activities were shown increased activity at 200 μg/mL concentrations. Furthermore, the excellent anti-bacterial alteration result was observed at 200 μg/mL concentration by minimum inhibition concentration. Therefore, the result was revealed that the marine algae Sargassum wightii has excellent phytochemical and anti-oxidant activities, and it has improved anti-bacterial activity against P. aeruginosa.     

Optimal Design of a Series of GSTR's Performing Reversible Reactions Catalyzed by Soluble Enzymes: A Theoretical Study

The condition for the minimum overall reactor volume of a given number of CSTR's in series is theoretically determined for a reversible, single reactant-single product (Uni-Uni) enzyme catalyzed reaction. The reactor network is assumed to operate in steady-state, isothermal conditions with a single phase and a constant activity of biocatalyst. The method is based on a mathematical analysis of the discrete substrate concentration profile along the CSTR's assuming complete micromixing. The algebraic equations describing the critical loci are obtained for the general case, the mathematical proof that these equations define a minimum is presented, and an exact solution arising from an asymptotic situation is found. An approximate analytical method of optimization based on the aforementioned critical behavior is reported and its validity and usefulness discussed. The formulae introduced can be used in more general situations as tools for getting the approximate range where the optimal overall volume of the series of CSTR's lies. Hence, the reasoning developed is important for the preliminary CSTR design and relevant in the initial steps of the more involved methods of numerical optimization. Finally, the enzymatic conversion of fumarate to L-malate is examined as a model system in order to assess the usefulness and applicability of the analysis developed.