Reductive activation of mitomycins A and C by vitamin C

The anticancer drug mitomycin C produces cytotoxic effects after being converted to a highly reactive bis-electrophile by a reductive activation, a reaction that a number of 1-electron or 2-electron oxidoreductase enzymes can perform in cells. Several reports in the literature indicate that ascorbic acid can modulate the cytotoxic effects of mitomycin C, either potentiating or inhibiting its effects. As ascorbic acid is a reducing agent that is known to be able to reduce quinones, it could be possible that the observed modulatory effects are a consequence of a direct redox reduction between mitomycin C and ascorbate. To determine if this is the case, the reaction between mitomycin C and ascorbate was studied using UV/Vis spectroscopy and LC/MS. We also studied the reaction of ascorbate with mitomycin A, a highly toxic member of the mitomycin family with a higher redox potential than mitomycin C. We found that ascorbate is capable to reduce mitomycin A efficiently, but it reduces mitomycin C rather inefficiently. The mechanisms of activation have been elucidated based on the kinetics of the reduction and on the analysis of the mitosene derivatives formed after the reaction. We found that the activation occurs by the interplay of three different mechanisms that contribute differently, depending on the pH of the reaction. As the reduction of mitomycin C by ascorbate is rather inefficiently at physiologically relevant pH values we conclude that the modulatory effect of ascorbate on the cytotoxicity of mitomycin C is not the result of a direct redox reaction and therefore this modulation must be the consequence of other biochemical mechanisms.     

Synthesis,biological evaluation and molecular docking analysis of novel benzopyrimidinone derivatives as potential anti-tyrosinase agents

2-substitued-benzopyrimidinones 2 were synthesized in high to excellent yields in a single step via condensation of 2-aminobenzamide 1 with some aryl-aldehydes in the presence of iodine. Cyclocondensation reaction of hydrazides 3 which were obtained in two steps from benzopyrimidinones 2, with some electrophilic species such as 2,4-pentandione, 2,5-hexandione, 1-phenylbutan-1,3-dione and cyclic anyhdrides provided the new compounds 4a–c, 5a–c, 6a–c, 7a–c, 8a–c and 9a–c. The synthesized compounds were characterized by spectroscopic means. They were also evaluated for their anti-tyrosinase potential. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) was discussed on the basis of the molecular docking analysis.     

小叶锦鸡儿灌丛化对典型草原群落结构与生态系统功能的影响

草原灌丛化是全球干旱半干旱地区面临的重要生态问题。灌丛化对草原生态系统结构与功能的影响较为复杂, 有待于在更广泛的区域开展研究。该研究在内蒙古锡林郭勒典型草原选择轻度、中度和重度灌丛化草地, 通过群落调查, 结合植物功能性状和土壤理化性质观测, 研究了小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)灌丛化对草原群落结构(物种多样性、功能多样性和功能群组成)和生态系统功能(初级生产力、植被和土壤养分库)的影响。结果表明: 1)不同程度灌丛化草地的物种丰富度、功能性状多样性和群落加权性状平均值差异显著, 其中, 中度灌丛化草地的物种多样性和功能多样性较高, 表明一定程度的灌丛化有利于生物多样性维持。2)重度灌丛化草地的地上净初级生产力(ANPP)显著高于轻度和中度灌丛化草地, 其原因主要是随着灌丛化程度加剧, 群落内一/二年生草本植物显著增加, 而多年生禾草和多年生杂类草显著减少。三个灌丛化草地的植被叶片和土壤碳、氮库差异均不显著。3)灌丛化对草原生态系统功能包括ANPP、植被和土壤养分库均没有直接的影响, 而是通过影响功能群组成、土壤理化性质和功能多样性, 间接地影响生态系统功能; 灌丛化导致功能群发生替代和土壤旱碱化是最重要的生物和非生物因素。     

Genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered alpine quillwort Isoetes hypsophila (Isoetaceae) revealed by SSR analysis

Isoetes hypsophila Hand.-Mazz. (Isoetaceae) is an endangered alpine quillwort endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). A total of 247 individuals of I. hypsophila from 11 populations were analyzed using ten pairs simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers. Seventy-seven alleles were recorded, with an average of 7.7 alleles per locus (ranging from 3 to 12) and the expected heterozygosity (H_E) ranged from 0.392 to 0.536 (average 0.471). Clear population structure among I. hypsophila populations was found and the proportion of genetic differentiation among populations accounted for about 20% of total genetic diversity (F_ST = 0.178; probability of allelic co-ancestory F_coal = 0.238). This genetic structure was probably due to limited gene flow hindered by complex terrains, bottlenecks resulting from water fluctuation in habitats, and repeated population retreat and recolonization during the ice ages. In conservation, four management units corresponding to four geographic regions were suggested, and the populations from different management units with higher genetic variation should be the priority targets of both in situ and ex situ conservation.     

Microsatellite genetic variation in the Chinese endemic Eucommia ulmoides (Eucommiaceae): implications for conservation

Eucommia ulmoides, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, is endangered as a consequence of long‐term and widespread harvest in the late 20th century. It has been widely cultivated as a source of herbal medicine and for use in the organic chemical industry in China. In this study, eight microsatellite markers were applied to investigate genetic diversity in E. ulmoides. Three hundred individuals from one semi‐wild population and nine cultivated populations across its main production area were collected. A high level of genetic diversity at population levels (H_E = 0.716) was observed. The highly outcrossed mating system, high longevity of E. ulmoides and seed admixture may be responsible for high genetic variation within populations. A genetic bottleneck was observed in one population. Populations were only slightly differentiated from one another (F_ST = 0.063); this was also supported by AMOVA, which revealed that 94.05% of the total variation resided within populations. This is probably attributable to long‐distance gene flow mediated by the exchange of seeds by local farmers. Implications of these results for the conservation of genetic resources of E. ulmoides are discussed. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 173 , 775–785.     

钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株构建及其缺失对精氨酸生物合成途径相关基因转录水平的影响

[目的]钝齿棒杆菌AS 1.542中argR基因编码的蛋白ArgR在精氨酸生物合成途径中扮演负调控的角色,但其对相关基因在转录水平的影响还未见报道.因此,本课题组构建了钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株,并在转录水平上比较野生株与缺失株精氨酸生物合成途径相关基因的变化.[方法]采用无痕敲除的方法构建了钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株,并采用荧光定量PCR方法分析缺失株和野生株精氨酸生物合成途径相关基因在转录水平的变化.[结果]利用pK18mobsacB质粒中蔗糖致死基因sacB反向筛选标记及PCR方法成功筛选到钝齿棒杆菌argR基因缺失株;荧光定量PCR结果表明,argR基因缺失株精氨酸生物合成途径中相关基因在转录水平获得大量提高,平均约上调162.13倍.[结论]钝齿棒杆菌精氨酸生物合成途径的相关基因受负调控蛋白ArgR的显著调控,但其基因的敲除并没有引起精氨酸产量发生明显的变化.     

从烟草EST微卫星标记中筛选合子胚中优势表达的基因

为获得烟草合子胚中的优势表达基因,利用CAP3程序对来自烟草公共数据库的EST序列进行组装,利用MISA程序从组装后的EST中筛选SSR位点,将多态性的SSR位点在烟草合子文库中进行扩增并对等位基因进行分析。结果表明:具有多态性的16个SSR标记中,有9个基因能从烟草的合子库中成功扩增得到。该研究为筛选烟草合子胚中优势表达基因提供新的途径。     

Improvement of bilirubin adsorption capacity of cellulose acetate/polyethyleneimine membrane using sodium deoxycholate

Bilirubin (BR) adsorbents have low removal efficiency because of the tight binding of BR with human albumin (HA) in a complicated blood system. Sodium deoxycholate (SDC) was selected as an adsorption promoter to improve the BR adsorption capacity of a cellulose acetate (CA)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) membrane. Static adsorption experiments show that the maximum BR adsorption capacity of the membrane with SDC in BR–HA mock solution is 100–200% at the molar ratio of SDC to HA ranging from 8 to 12, higher than that without SDC. It is also found that SDC is more efficiently adsorbed by the membrane than BR and HA. Absorption, circular dichroism, and zeta potential studies demonstrate that SDC can be bound with the BR–HA complex to form a ternary BR–HA-SDC_m complex. On the basis, the facilitated adsorption mechanism of BR with SDC was proposed that SDC aggregates or micelles form a quasi-multilayer adsorption on the membrane, increase approachable binding sites, and prolong the distance between the BR–HA complex and the membrane. Thus, SDC as a spacer reduces the influence of the steric hindrance of HA, resulting in an enhanced BR adsorption capacity. Dynamic adsorption results further evidence the facilitated adsorption mechanism.     

Genetic stability of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stromal cells in the Quantum System

Background aimsThe Quantum® Cell Expansion System (Quantum; Terumo BCT, Inc, Lakewood, CO, USA) is a novel hollow fiber-based device that automates and closes the cell culture process, reducing labor intensive tasks such as manual cell culture feeding and harvesting. The manual cell selection and expansion processes for the production of clinical-scale quantities of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-hMSCs) have been successfully translated onto the Quantum platform previously. The formerly static, manual, in vitro process performed primarily on tissue culture polystyrene substrates may raise the question of whether BM-hMSCs cultured on a hollow fiber platform yields comparable cell quality.MethodsA rigorous battery of assays was used to determine the genetic stability of BM-hMSCs selected and produced with the Quantum. In this study, genetic stability was determined by assessing spectral karyotype, micronucleus formation and tumorigenicity to resolve chromosomal aberrations in the stem cell population. Cell phenotype, adherent growth kinetics and tri-lineage differentiation were also evaluated. HMSC bone marrow aspirates, obtained from three approved donors, were expanded in parallel using T225 culture flasks and the Quantum.ResultsBM-hMSCs harvested from the Quantum demonstrated immunophenotype, morphology and tri-lineage differentiation capacity characteristics consistent with the International Society of Cell Therapy standard for hMSCs. Cell populations showed no malignant neoplastic formation in athymic mice 60 days post-transplant, no clonal chromosomal aberrations were observed and no DNA damage was found as measured by micronucleus formation.ConclusionsQuantum-produced BM-hMSCs are of comparable quality and demonstrate analogous genetic stability to BM-hMSCs cultured on tissue culture polystyrene substrates.     

炭样小单孢菌产抗生素对水稻细菌性条斑病菌的抗菌作用及其机理

【背景】水稻细菌性条斑病菌为水稻细菌性条斑病的病原菌,土壤中分离到的一株具有广谱抗菌活性的炭样小单孢菌JXNU-1,其发酵产物(即抗生素JX)对植物病原菌具有较强的抑菌活性。【目的】研究抗生素JX对水稻细菌性条斑病菌的抗菌作用及其机理。【方法】采用杯碟法测定抑菌圈大小,二倍稀释法测定最低抑菌浓度、最低杀菌浓度,并且从菌体形态观察、电导率变化、培养液大分子漏出、蛋白质合成、核酸合成和膜电位变化6个方面探究其作用机理。【结果】抗生素JX对水稻细菌性条斑病菌的抑菌圈直径达18.84±0.28mm,最低抑菌浓度和最低杀菌浓度分别为1.39μg/m L和2.78μg/mL,且杀菌速度很快,作用12 h的杀菌率达100%。在抗生素JX作用下,水稻细菌性条斑病菌的细胞形态发生改变,培养液电导率、膜电位和大分子漏出量均随抗生素浓度增加而增大,但菌体蛋白质含量随着抗生素浓度增加而降低,同时,通过实时荧光定量PCR方法检测发现ef-p表达量下调。【结论】抗生素JX对水稻细菌性条斑病菌具有较强的抗菌作用,推测其抑菌机理是通过抑制菌体蛋白质的生物合成和影响细胞膜完整性而起作用。