血管内皮舒张因子在氧自由基所致慢性缺氧大鼠肺内动脉收缩中的作用

以黄嘌岭(X)-黄嘌呤氧化酶(XO)系统产生氧自由基,应用微量生物测定法观察慢性缺氧(5000m,10d)对大鼠氧自由基所致肺内动脉收缩的影响及内皮舒张因子(EDRF)在其中的作用。慢性缺氧大鼠有内皮的肺内动脉环对氧自由基的收缩反应较正常环境中的对照动物明显增强,加入EDRF灭活剂还原型血红蛋白(RHb)后更加显著;而加入超氧化物歧化酶(铜锌SOD)后则减弱,甚至消除。反之,不论加入RHb或SOD对氧自由基所致去内皮肺内动脉环的收缩反应均无明显影响。上述结果表明慢性缺氧引起肺内动脉收缩增强与EDRF有密切关系:慢性缺氧可能使EDRF的作用减弱,肺内动脉对氧自由基的反应性增强。表示EDRF及其与氧自由基的关系在慢性缺氧性肺动脉高压的形成中可能具有十分重要的意义。     

Effect of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on steroidogenesis in women

The VIPergic nervous system appears to be the major peptide-containing neuronal component in the female genital tract. Evidence has been put forward that exogenous VIP is able to stimulate progesterone secretion. In the present study the effect of human VIP (900 pmol/kg body weight per h i.v. during 30 min) on steroidogenesis in six female volunteers was investigated. The experiments were performed between the 6th and 14th day of their menstrual cycle, and peripheral venous blood was collected before, during and after infusion of VIP. The concentrations of VIP, oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione (AD), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and cortisol were measured. The infusion of VIP was accompanied by a 15% increase (P less than 0.05) in serum oestradiol concentrations, from a mean basal concentration of 0.58 nmol/l. The concentrations of testosterone and DHT also increased significantly. No effect of VIP on progesterone, AD, DHAS, SHBG or cortisol was observed. In the light of the presence of VIP in nerve fibres of the steroid producing tissue, this stimulatory effect of VIP might reflect a direct action on the ovary or the adrenal gland.     

三苯基锡,二环己基碳二亚胺和寡霉素对叶绿体CF0与CF1功能联系的影响

作用于H~ —ATP酶复合体质子通道的能量传递抑制剂 TPT、DQCD和 OM能明显抑制叶绿体光合磷酸化反应和膜上 ATP酶活性,减小恒态ΛpH值,加速ΛpH和515 nm吸收衰减。这种在正常叶绿体加速H_(in)~ 经CF_0外流与在残缺膜中阻塞质子外流不一致。TPT等物质是干扰了CF_0与CF_1的构象连接,使 CF_0的质子传导失去CF_1的控制,H_(in)~ 无效漏失或质子逆向转移受影响,从而抑制与质子传导紧密相关的光合磷酸化反应和膜上ATP酶活性。     

A routine method for quantitative determination of soluble carbohydrates in small samples of plant material with gas-liquid chromatography

Aluminium in human tissue samples has been determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry using the nitrous oxide-acetylene flame and the graphite furnace atomizer. The two methods are compared. Flameless atomic absorption was found superior when standard addition was applied. A routine method is thus described in detail in which aluminium levels down to 0.1 mg/kg of freeze-dried tissue and 0.01 mg/liter of serum can be determined.     

Archaeal rRNA operons

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) operons of the archaea reflect both the unity and the diversity of this third primary taxon. They have proven to be a rich source of both molecular biological and phylogenetic information.     

Enhanced enzymatic cellulose degradation by cellobiohydrolases via product removal

Product inhibition by cellobiose decreases the rate of enzymatic cellulose degradation. The optimal reaction conditions for two Emericella (Aspergillus) nidulans-derived cellobiohydrolases I and II produced in Pichia pastoris were identified as CBHI: 52 °C, pH 4.5–6.5, and CBHII: 46 °C, pH 4.8. The optimum in a mixture of the two was 50 °C, pH 4.9. An almost fourfold increase in enzymatic hydrolysis yield was achieved with intermittent product removal of cellobiose with membrane filtration (2 kDa cut-off): The conversion of cotton cellulose after 72 h was ~19 % by weight, whereas the conversion in the parallel batch reaction was only ~5 % by weight. Also, a synergistic effect, achieving ~27 % substrate conversion, was obtained by addition of endo-1,4-β-d-glucanase. The synergistic effect was only obtained with product removal. By using pure, monoactive enzymes, the work illustrates the profound gains achievable by intermittent product removal during cellulose hydrolysis.     

Schizosaccharomyces pombe switches mating type by the synthesis-dependent strand-annealing mechanism

Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells can switch between two mating types, plus (P) and minus (M). The change in cell type occurs due to a replication-coupled recombination event that transfers genetic information from one of the silent-donor loci, mat2P or mat3M, into the expressed mating-type determining mat1 locus. The mat1 locus can as a consequence contain DNA encoding either P or M information. A molecular mechanism, known as synthesis-dependent strand annealing, has been proposed for the underlying recombination event. A key feature of this model is that only one DNA strand of the donor locus provides the information that is copied into the mat1. Here we test the model by constructing strains that switch using two different mutant P cassettes introduced at the donor loci, mat2 and mat3. We show that in such strains wild-type P-cassette DNA is efficiently generated at mat1 through heteroduplex DNA formation and repair. The present data provide an in vivo genetic test of the proposed molecular recombination mechanism.     

New polygalacturonases from Trichoderma reesei: characterization and their specificities to partially methylated and acetylated pectins

Two extracellular isoenzymes of polygalacturonases PG1 and PG2 were isolated from 3-day-old culture filtrates of Trichoderma reesei. The two enzymes were purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange, gel filtration and hydrophobic interaction chromatographies. PG1 and PG2 exhibit similar molecular weights from gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. Their properties, including optimal pH and temperature, thermal stability and Km were compared. Characterization of substrate specificity showed that the two enzymes had higher affinity toward PGA (B0100) derived from sugar beet pectin (SBP) than PGA from lime pectin. A series of SBPs with different distribution patterns of methyl and acetyl groups, produced by treatment with either plant pectin methylesterase (P-series) or fungal pectin methylesterase (F-series) or base catalysis (B-series), was used as substrates for PG1 and PG2. Substrates with a low degree of esterification were preferred substrates. The activities of PG1 and PG2 were strongly correlated to the degree of methylation and very little effect from acetylation. The products generated by digestion of selected lime and SBPs were analysed using matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation time of flight (MALDI TOF) MS. A mode of action revealed a random cleavage pattern for PG1 and PG2, confirming that these enzymes are endopolygalacturonases.     

N-losses and energy use in a scenario for conversion to organic farming

The aims of organic farming include the recycling of nutrients and organic matter and the minimisation of the environmental impact of agriculture. Reduced nitrogen (N)-losses and energy (E)-use are therefore fundamental objectives of conversion to organic farming. However, the case is not straightforward, and different scenarios for conversion to organic farming might lead to reduced or increased N-losses and E-use. This paper presents a scenario tool that uses a Geographical Information System in association with models for crop rotations, fertilisation practices, N-losses, and E-uses. The scenario tool has been developed within the multidisciplinary research project Land Use and Landscape Development Illustrated with Scenarios (ARLAS). A pilot scenario was carried out, where predicted changes in N-losses and E-uses following conversion to organic farming in areas with special interests in clean groundwater were compared. The N-surplus and E-use were on average reduced by 10 and 54%, respectively. However, these reductions following the predicted changes in crop rotations, livestock densities, and fertilisation practices were not large enough to ensure a statistically significant reduction at the 95% level. We therefore recommend further research in how conversion to organic farming or other changes in the agricultural practice might help to reduce N-surpluses and E-uses. In that context, the presented scenario tool would be useful.     

Microbial spoilage and formation of biogenic amines in fresh and thawed modified atmosphere-packed salmon (Salmo salar) at 2 degrees C

AIMS: To evaluate the microbial spoilage, formation of biogenic amines and shelf life of chilled fresh and frozen/thawed salmon packed in a modified atmosphere and stored at 2 degrees C. METHODS AND RESULTS: The dominating microflora, formation of biogenic amines and shelf life were studied in two series of storage trials with naturally contaminated fresh and thawed modified atmosphere-packed (MAP) salmon at 2 degrees C. Photobacterium phosphoreum dominated the spoilage microflora of fresh MAP salmon at more than 10(6) cfu g(-1) and the activity of this specific spoilage organism (SSO) limited the shelf life of the product to ca 14 and 21 d in the two experiments. Despite the high levels of P. phosphoreum, less than 20 mg kg(-1) histamine was observed in fresh MAP salmon prior to sensory spoilage. Freezing eliminated P. phosphoreum and extended the shelf life of MAP salmon at 2 degrees C by 1-2 weeks. Carnobacterium piscicola dominated the spoilage microflora of thawed MAP salmon and probably produced the ca 40 mg kg(-1) tyramine detected in this product at the end of its shelf life. CONCLUSIONS: Photobacterium phosphoreum dominated the spoilage microflora of fresh MAP salmon but produced only small amounts of biogenic amines in this product. The elimination of P. phosphoreum by freezing allowed this bacteria to be identified as the SSO in fresh MAP salmon. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The identification of P. phosphoreum as the SSO in fresh MAP salmon facilitates the development of methods to determine and predict the shelf life of this product, as previously shown with fresh MAP cod.