Specific ion effects on macromolecular interactions in Escherichia coli extracts

Protein characterization in situ remains a major challenge for protein science. Here, the interactions of ΔTat‐GB1 in Escherichia coli cell extracts were investigated by NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). ΔTat‐GB1 was found to participate in high molecular weight complexes that remain intact at physiologically‐relevant ionic strength. This observation helps to explain why ΔTat‐GB1 was not detected by in‐cell NMR spectroscopy. Extracts pre‐treated with RNase A had a different SEC elution profile indicating that ΔTat‐GB1 predominantly interacted with RNA. The roles of biological and laboratory ions in mediating macromolecular interactions were studied. Interestingly, the interactions of ΔTat‐GB1 could be disrupted by biologically‐relevant multivalent ions. The most effective shielding of interactions occurred in Mg²⁺‐containing buffers. Moreover, a combination of RNA digestion and Mg²⁺ greatly enhanced the NMR detection of ΔTat‐GB1 in cell extracts.     

褛裳夜蛾的交配行为及雄蛾对性腺提取物的反应节律

详细观察了褛裳夜蛾成虫的交配行为,利用风洞、触角电位技术研究了雄蛾对性腺提取物的反应节律,通过林间诱蛾试验进行了验证,旨在为褛裳夜蛾性信息素的精确提取及性信息素组份分离、鉴定提供依据。研究结果表明:成虫的求偶、交配行为均发生在暗期,有一定的节律性:雌蛾在羽化3d以后开始求偶,1周左右表现最为强烈,3-4日龄雌蛾在暗期4-6h开始求偶,最大求偶率在暗期6-8h;5-9日龄在进入暗期就开始求偶,最大求偶率出现在暗期4-6h。风洞试验表明,3-7日龄的雄蛾对性腺提取物均有明显的性行为反应,5日龄雄蛾在暗期4-6h对性腺提取物的反应最为强烈。3-6日龄的成虫在暗期4-6h开始交配,而7-8日龄的成虫于暗期2-4h开始交配,6日龄的成虫交配率最高,交配高峰在暗期4-8h。雄蛾对性腺提取物的触角电位反应也有一定的节律性:雄蛾对4日龄雌蛾性腺提取物开始有电生理反应,对6-7日龄暗期5h性腺提取物反应最为强烈。林间诱蛾试验测定了性腺提取物的引诱活性,7日龄雌蛾性腺提取物林间诱蛾量最高,引诱高峰在暗期4-6h,该结果也验证了褛裳夜蛾雄蛾对性腺提取物的反应节律。     

Assessing the Mutagenic Potential of Surface Sediments from Beijing Guanting Reservoir to Salmonella typhimurium

Mutagenicity of organic extracts from Beijing Guanting Reservoir sediments was investigated with TA98 and TA100 of Salmonella typhimurium. TA98 and TA100 were employed to detect frameshift mutation and base-pair substitution mutation, respectively. For TA100, no positive result was found, while TA98 was more sensitive and pro-mutagenic frameshift mutagens were mainly detected in sediments. Sediments from northern and southern Guanting Reservoir were at potential mutagenic risk. No mutagenicity was found in the sediments from the entrance of the tributaries, but strong mutagenicity was observed in the sediments from the outlet of the reservoir. Chemical analysis was also performed, and poor correlation was found between mutagenicity and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). However, significant positive correlation was found for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (r = 0.603–0.946), which showed that PAHs were dominated for the tested mutagenicity in the sediments. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) might induce mutagenicity or promote the mutagenicity of other substances.     

Recent Findings in the Chemistry of Odorants from Four Baccharis Species and Their Impact as Chemical Markers

Baccharis is a widespread genus belonging to the Asteraceae family that includes almost 400 species exclusively from the Americas. Even when studied in detail, the taxonomic classification among species from this genus is not yet fully defined. Within the framework of our study of the volatile composition of the Baccharis genus, four species (B. trimera, B. milleflora, B. tridentata, and B. uncinella) were collected from the ‘Campos de Cima da Serra’ highlands of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The aerial parts were dried and extracted by the simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) procedure. This is the first time that SDE has been applied to obtain and compare the volatile‐extract composition in the Baccharis genus. Characterization of the volatile extracts allowed the identification of 180 peaks with many coeluting components; these latter being detailed for the first time for this genus. The multivariate statistical analyses allowed separating the volatile extracts of the four populations of Baccharis into two separate groups. The first one included the B. milleflora, B. trimera, and B. uncinella volatile extracts. The three species showed a high degree of similarity in their volatile composition, which was characterized by the presence of high contents of sesquiterpene compounds, in particular of spathulenol. The second group comprised the extract of B. tridentata, which contained α‐pinene, β‐pinene, limonene, and (E)‐β‐ocimene in high amounts.     

中华补血草多酚提取物对自由基的清除能力

采用超声波辅助浸提—大孔树脂吸附法从中华补血草[ Limonium sinense (Girard) Kuntze]根、根茎、叶和花中获得多酚提取物,并对它们的得率和组成成分进行了初步分析;在此基础上,比较研究了不同部位多酚提取物对DPPH·、·OH和O2的清除能力.实验数据表明:中华补血草根、根茎、叶和花多酚提取物的得率分别为12.42％、5.98％、5.27％和3.98％,差异明显;多酚提取物中总酚、原花色素、黄烷醇和总黄酮含量变化幅度较大,分别为51.87％ ～61.60％、5.62％～39.47％、3.69％～12.46％和2.53％ ～35.97％;其中,总酚、原花色素和黄烷醇含量均以根多酚提取物最高,总黄酮含量以花多酚提取物最高,均与其他部位多酚提取物有显著差异.随质量浓度提高,4个部位多酚提取物对3种自由基的清除率总体上逐渐增大;其中根多酚提取物对DPPH·的清除作用最强,半数清除质量浓度(ρSC50)为38.52 μg·L-1,显著低于阳性对照芦丁和BHT(ρSC50分别为67.40和74.25 μg·L-1);花多酚提取物对·OH和O2的清除能力最强,ρSC50分别为53.51和74.00 μg·L-1,均低于芦丁;总体上,4个部位多酚提取物对DPPH·的清除能力由强至弱依次为根、根茎、叶、花,对·OH和O2的清除能力由强至弱依次为花、根、叶、根茎.结果显示:中华补血草不同部位多酚提取物均具有较强的自由基清除能力,其中,根和花多酚提取物中高含量的原花色素和黄酮类成分分别与其自由基清除能力密切相关.     

中草药提取物中缩合类单宁的选择性脱除

以皮胶原纤维为原料,通过甲醛交联反应制备吸附材料。采用外加单宁的方法研究了这种吸附材料对中草药提取物中缩合类单宁的选择性吸附能力。结果表明,胶原纤维吸附材料对落叶松单宁、黑荆树单宁和杨梅单宁等3种典型的缩合类单宁都具有非常好的吸附选择性,在实验条件下单宁的去除率达到100％,而对有效成份的吸附率较低。该吸附材料对与缩合类单宁具有相似结构的低聚原花青素的吸附率也较低。对比试验表明,胶原纤维吸附材料对单宁的吸附选择性优于聚酰胺。     

大孔吸附树脂对紫锥菊提取物中菊苣酸分离纯化的研究

采用大孔吸附树脂分离纯化紫锥菊提取物中免疫活性成分菊苣酸,7％(v／v)的甲醇-水溶液洗脱,HPLC法对产品中菊苣酸含量进行检测分析。该法能把紫锥菊提取物中菊苣酸含量(4％)提高9倍左右,回收率达到95％以上,且操作简单,可用于菊苣酸的分离纯化。     

地木耳提取物水溶液对花卉营养生长及开花的影响

在温室条件下,用1%的地木耳提取物水溶液对瓜叶菊(Seneciocruentus)、万寿菊(Tageteserecta)、矮牵牛(Petuniahybrida)、香石竹(Dianthuscaryophyllus)、一品红(Euphorbiapulcherrima)、仙客来(Cyclamenpersium)、一串红(Salviasplendens)等7种花坛花进行叶面喷施后,结果表明,7种花的株高、冠径、株鲜重、叶片数目、叶长、根长比对照均有显著增加(P<0.05);万寿菊,矮牵牛,一品红,一串红的平均株干重有显著增加,而瓜叶菊,香石竹,仙客来的平均株干重增加不显著(P>0.05);除了香石竹的叶宽有显著增加外,其余6种花的叶宽对1%地木耳提取物水溶液的反应不敏感;而7种花卉的叶厚都没有显著的变化。提取物水溶液还可促进花提早开花,增加花数目,并延长花期。     

鲍姆木层孔菌（桑黄）脂溶性提取物对PC12神经元细胞衰老的保护作用

鲍姆木层孔菌（桑黄）Phellinus baumii脂溶性提取物对叠氮钠诱导PC12神经元细胞衰老的保护作用。用叠氮钠作用于体外培养的PC12细胞,并用该菌脂溶性提取物对其进行保护,分别用MTT法、流式细胞仪法、细胞核染色法和β-半乳糖苷酶检测试剂盒检测细胞活力、早期凋亡率、晚期凋亡率和β-半乳糖苷酶阳性细胞率变化,筛选出具有延缓细胞衰老的有效部位和有效作用浓度。通过细胞活力检测发现正丁醇萃取的活性部位可以有效保护叠氮钠诱导的细胞活力下降,其有效工作浓度为200mg/L。流式细胞仪和细胞核染色测定结果均表     

Allelopathic Effects,Physiological Responses and Phenolic Compounds in Litter Extracts of Juniperus rigidaSieb. et Zucc.

The allelopathic effects of Juniperus rigida litter aqueous extract (LE) on wheat and Pinus tabuliformis were studied, as well as the physiological responses to the extract. High concentration LE (0.10 g Dw/ml) significantly inhibited the seed germination and seedling growth in receptor plants. The chlorophyll content and root activity in the wheat seedlings were reduced significantly across all treatments; however, those were more prominently reduced at high concentration (0.10 g Dw/ml) but received little stimulation at low concentration (0.025 g Dw/ml) in P. tabuliformis. The content of malonaldehyde (MDA) increased with increasing concentrations of LE, except at 0.025 g Dw/ml. Activities of antioxidant enzymes (POD, CAT and SOD) in receptor plants were all significantly inhibited at high concentrations but stimulated at low concentrations. These results demonstrate that the aqueous extract from J. rigida litter has allelopathic potential. Various phenolic compounds were identified in litter aqueous extract and litter ethanol extract by HPLC. The phenolic compound content in the aqueous extract was significantly lower than that in the ethanol extract. Chlorogenic acid and podophyllotoxin were the predominant phenolic compounds in both types of litter extracts. These findings suggest that the seed germination and seedling growth of P. tabuliformis and wheat would be inhibited when planted near large amounts J. rigida litter.