Internalized Gold Nanoparticles Do Not Affect the Osteogenesis and Apoptosis of MG63 Osteoblast-Like Cells: A Quantitative,In Vitro Study

The long-term toxicity effects of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the proliferation and differentiation of a progenitor cell line, MG63 osteoblast-like cells, was investigated. These cells were treated for 20 hours with two media that contained 10 nm GNPs at concentrations of 1 ppm and 10 ppm. The mitosis of the GNP-treated MG63 was observed after at least 21 hours using dark-field and fluorescence microscopy. The TEM, LSCM and dark-field hyperspectral images indicated that the late endosomes in cells that contained aggregated GNPs were caused by vesicle fusion. Subsequently, after 21 days of being cultured in fresh medium, the specific nodule-like phenotypes and bone-associated gene expression of the treated MG63 cells exhibited the same behaviors as those of the control group. Statistically, after 21 days, the viability of the treated cells was identical to that of the untreated ones. During the cell death program analysis, the apoptosis and necrosis percentages of cells treated for 8 or fewer days were also observed to exhibit no significant difference with those of the untreated cells. In summary, our experiments show that the long-term toxicity of GNPs on the osteogenetic differentiation of MG63 is low. In addition, because of their low toxicity and non-biodegradability, GNPs can potentially be used as biomarkers for the long-term optical observation of the differentiation of progenitor or stem cells based on their plasmonic light-scattering properties.     

Molecular Evolution of Threonine Dehydratase in Bacteria

Threonine dehydratase converts L-threonine to 2-ketobutyrate. Several threonine dehydratases exist in bacteria, but their origins and evolutionary pathway are unknown. Here we analyzed all the available threonine dehydratases in bacteria and proposed an evolutionary pathway leading to the genes encoding three different threonine dehydratases CTD, BTD1 and BTD2. The ancestral threonine dehydratase might contain only a catalytic domain, but one or two ACT-like subdomains were fused during the evolution, resulting BTD1 and BTD2, respectively. Horizontal gene transfer, gene fusion, gene duplication, and gene deletion may occur during the evolution of this enzyme. The results are important for understanding the functions of various threonine dehydratases found in bacteria.     

Draft Genome Sequence of a Novel Bacterial Strain,LSJC7, Belonging to the Family Enterobacteriaceae with Dual Resistance to Arsenic and Tetracycline

Strain LSJC7, with dual resistance to arsenic and tetracycline, was isolated from an antimony tailing in China. Its 16S rRNA gene sequence has the highest similarity to that of Enterobacter cloacae subsp. dissolvens LMG 2683^T (97.02%). Here we present the approximately 4.6-Mbp draft genome sequence of strain LSJC7.     

Prediction of the Mechanism of Action of Fusaricidin on Bacillus subtilis

Long-term use of antibiotics has engendered a large number of resistant pathogens, which pose a serious threat to human health. Here, we investigated the mechanism of fusaricidin antibacterial activity toward Bacillus subtilis and characterized the pathways responsible for drug resistance. We found that σ^w, an extracytoplasmic function sigma factor, plays an important role in the resistance to fusaricidins during the initial 5 minutes of drug addition. Approximately 18 genes were induced more than 3-fold, of which 66.7% are known to be regulated by σ^w. Over the following 3 h, fusaricidins induced 194 genes more than three-fold, and most were associated with classes of antibiotic-responsive stimulons. Moreover, the fusaricidin treatment increased the catabolism of fatty and amino acids but strongly repressed glucose decomposition and gluconeogenesis. In summary, our data provide insight into the mechanism of fusaricidin activity, on which we based our suggested strategies for the development of novel antibiotic agents.     

传染性法氏囊病毒的抗原及分子特征

用鸡胚成纤维细胞对来自野外的 5 个传染性法氏囊病毒株 (IBDV-JD1 、 JD2 、 NB 、 HZ1 、 HZ2) 进行分离,测定理化特性、致病性,同时进行血清亚型测定及 A 片段基因组的克隆分析 . 试验所用 5 个法氏囊组织悬液在鸡胚成纤维细胞盲传 2~14 代后适应细胞并产生细胞病变 . 细胞适应的 IBDV 毒株的理化和形态特征与经典传染性法氏囊病毒株一致 . 除 IBDV-HZ1 、 HZ2 属经典 IBDV 血清型外, IBDV-JD1 、 JD2 和 NB 毒株分属不同的血清亚型 . 人工感染实验结果显示,分离的 IBDV 毒株产生与野外病例相似的临床症状和病变,出现法氏囊滤泡髓质的淋巴细胞变性、坏死和消失 . 基因组序列分析显示, IBDV-NB 毒株 A 片段由 3 264 个核苷酸组成,编码由 145 个氨基酸残基组成的 VP5 和由 1 012 个氨基酸残基组成的多聚蛋白 . 与来自 GenBank 的 IBDV Ⅰ型毒株比较, NB 毒株 A 片段编码的多聚蛋白与 JD1 毒株的同源性最高,达 99.5% , VP2 与 JD1 、 CEF94 、 D78 的同源性为 99.8% , VP3 与 JD1 的同源性为 99.2% , VP4 与 JD1 的同源性为 100% , VP5 与 JD1 , HZ2 , P2 , CEF94 , CT , Cu-1 和 D78 毒株的同源性为 99.3%. NB 毒株 VP2 蛋白的第 253 、 280 、 284 位氨基酸残基与 IBDV 变异毒株和经典毒株一致,但不同于 IBDV 超强毒株 . 这些结果暗示 IBDV 的抗原表位是构象依赖性表位, IBDV 血清亚型的形成与 IBDV 弱毒疫苗病毒株密切相关 .     

有关SARS病原冠状病毒合并感染组织胞浆菌的探讨

目的探讨SARS病原学的冠状病毒复合组织胞浆菌感染的问题。方法对象为SARS患者尸检1例和南猴(某猴场病死猴)尸检1例,采用病理组织学和免疫组化荧光检测的方法作检查,观察和比较两者尸检材料肺、脾、淋巴结和肝的病理变化和组织内组织胞浆菌的存在。结果1.人SARS和南猴的病理组织学改变极为相似。2.免疫组化结果表明,用人SARS恢复期血清和兔抗组织胞浆菌血清与组织胞浆菌抗原均呈阳性反应,显示此例SARS患者曾感染组织胞浆菌,其次用此两种抗血清分别与人SARS和南猴肺、脾、淋巴结尸检材料反应,均有组织胞浆菌阳性菌体的存在,说明人SARS和南猴脏器均有组织胞浆菌的感染。结论人SARS病原除冠状病毒外,还有组织胞浆菌的合并感染。     

静脉注射41BBLGFP融合表达质粒体内表达及其生物学活性

通过RTPCR方法扩增小鼠41BBLcDNA,以pEGFPN1为载体,构建融合蛋白41BBLGFP重组表达质粒p41BBLGFP.采用基于流体力学原理建立的裸DNA体内转染技术,从小鼠尾静脉快速(15s)注射质粒p41BBLGFP进行体内转染.荧光显微镜观察组织切片,见小鼠肝、脾、肾及肺中均有报告基因GFP表达,尤以肝细胞中荧光最强.进一步用Western印迹和免疫组织化学染色法确定肝细胞表面表达41BBL,用Hsp70H22细胞抗原肽皮下免疫小鼠,同时尾静脉注射质粒p41BBLGFP,检测血清中IL2和IFNγ的分泌.结果显示,质粒注射联合免疫组小鼠血清IL2和IFNγ的浓度分别较生理盐水对照组增加了3倍和4倍;脾细胞对H22细胞的杀伤率则由单独免疫组的45.74%±3.27%增至86.74%±9.36%.结果表明,体内(主要在肝脏)转染质粒p41BBLGFP可以成功表达,表达产物具有41BBL的生物学活性,为进一步研究体内转染41BBL用于基因治疗奠定了基础.