产丁二酸工程菌的构建及其厌氧发酵

为了考察过量表达苹果酸酶对于E.coli NZN111(ldhA::Kan pfl::Cam)厌氧发酵产丁二酸的影响, 将连接有苹果酸酶基因sfcA的表达载体pTrc99a-sfcA转化进NZN111中, 构建了重组NZN111(pTrc99a-sfcA)。0.5 mmol/L IPTG诱导8 h后, 测定的苹果酸酶比酶活为30.67 u/mg, 比受体菌提高了140倍。采用两阶段发酵模式, 结果表明: 过量表达的苹果酸酶在NZN111体内催化了从丙酮酸到苹果酸的逆向反应, 丁二酸是发酵过程中积累的主要有机酸, 且当加入0.7 mmol/L IPTG诱导, 初始葡萄糖糖浓度为18.5 g/L时, 选择对数生长期后期的菌种以10%的接种量转入厌氧发酵, 发酵结束时发酵液中丁二酸的浓度为12.84 g/L, 对葡萄糖的收率为69.43%, 乙酸为0.58 g/L, 二者浓度比为22:1, 没有检测到甲酸和乳酸。构建的菌种具有高产丁二酸和副产物极少的优点, 在同类菌种中处于先进水平。     

The metalloproteinase ADAM‐12 regulates bronchial epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis

Abstract. Objectives: The ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) enzymes compose a family of membrane‐bound proteins characterized by their multi‐domain structure and ADAM‐12 expression is elevated in human non‐small cell lung cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles played by ADAM‐12 in critical steps of bronchial cell transformation during carcinogenesis. Materials and methods: To assess the role of ADAM‐12 in tumorigenicity, BEAS‐2B cells were transfected with a plasmid encoding human full‐length ADAM‐12 cDNA, and then the effects of ADAM‐12 overexpression on cell behaviour were explored. Treatment of clones with heparin‐binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)‐like growth factor (HB‐EGF) neutralizing antibodies as well as an EGFR inhibitor allowed the dissection of mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis. Results: Overexpression of ADAM‐12 in BEAS‐2B cells promoted cell proliferation. ADAM‐12 overexpressing clones produced higher quantities of HB‐EGF in their culture medium which may rely on membrane‐bound HB‐EGF shedding by ADAM‐12. Targeting HB‐EGF activity with a neutralizing antibody abrogated enhanced cell proliferation in the ADAM‐12 overexpressing clones. In sharp contrast, targeting of amphiregulin, EGF or transforming growth factor‐α failed to influence cell proliferation; moreover, ADAM‐12 transfectants were resistant to etoposide‐induced apoptosis and the use of a neutralizing antibody against HB‐EGF activity restored rates of apoptosis to be similar to controls.Conclusions: ADAM‐12 contributes to enhancing HB‐EGF shedding from plasma membranes leading to increased cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis in this bronchial epithelial cell line.     

马占相思叶片液汁碳同位素甄别率和水分利用效率

利用PMS压力室压取叶片液汁并借助稳定碳同位素质谱仪测定碳同位素比率,分析了马占相思(Acacia mangium )叶片液汁光合产物的甄别率(△)和估测了水分利用效率.结果表明:阴天马占相思林冠层日平均空气CO2 的碳同位素比率(δa)为-7.57‰±1.41‰,晴天则为-8.54‰±0.67‰;阴天叶片液汁的光合产物碳同位素比率(δp)日变化呈鞍型,而晴天则从早上至黄昏逐步降低;晴天δp与叶片/空气水汽压亏缺(D)明显呈负相关,阴天的δp变化相对较小;δp随叶片水势(ψ)降低而降低,显示水分胁迫引起δp降低;叶片液汁的D和经气体交换法获得的细胞胞间(Pi)和外界(Pa)CO2分压之比呈正相关,测定结果与理论上碳同位素相关扩散和生化分馏相一致.分析结果显示,田间马占相思空气CO2经气孔扩散的稳定同位素效应口a=4.6‰,有关Pi的净固定的稳定碳同位素效应6=28.2‰.认为液汁碳同位素甄别率是外围空气CO2进入光合产物的净甄别率,由叶片液汁△估测的水分利用效率与气体交换法所得结果相一致(R2=0.86,P＜0.001).本文所采用的叶片液汁光合产物测定即时△以及计算水分利用效率的方法,可减少田间条件下环境因素明显变化对水分和碳同位素的影响,该方法有助于进一步开展由植株至冠层扩展的碳和水分平衡的生理生态研究.     

人canstatin基因转化新型生物反应器－杜氏盐藻(Dunaliella salina)的初步研究

本文采用RT-PCR技术从人的胎盘组织中克隆canstatin基因，定向连接到表达载体pUΩ上，然后与筛选标记bar盒连接得到真核表达载体pUΩ-Can-Bar。采用玻璃珠转化法将该表达载体转化杜氏盐藻（以下简称盐藻），通过草丁膦固体平板筛选得到转化株，进而对转化株进行阳性鉴定。PCR结果显示，在盐藻转化株中均能够扩增出约700 bp特异的条带，而在阴性对照中没有扩增出该条带。Southern blot结果进一步证明人canstatin基因已经整合到盐藻细胞的基因组中。此外，本文对盐藻转化株的遗传稳定行进行了分析，结果表明canstatin基因能够在转化藻株中稳定遗传。人canstatin转基因盐藻株的成功制备为利用盐藻反应器大规模生产人canstatin蛋白提供了实验依据，为及早实现canstatin蛋白在治疗肿瘤上的临床应用提供了前期工作基础。     

Do environmental violations affect corporate loan financing? Evidence from China

This article reports an empirical study suggesting that environmental violations generally have a negative influence on the level of loans that the violating firms hold in China and that after a violation announcement involving waste water discharge, firms are forced to take secured loans. These effects are found to be mitigated for state-owned firms and the media coverage of a certain violation event has a negative effect on the level of loans that firms obtain. Our work presents the evidence of a penalty mechanism in the credit market that fines firms for their environmental violations in a transition economy, and has some implications for business management and governmental policy.     

高糖通过诱导HT22细胞衰老和凋亡抑制细胞生长

目的探讨高糖(High glucose,HG)对小鼠海马神经元细胞HT22细胞的生长抑制作用,分析其是否通过HG诱导细胞衰老以及凋亡而实现。方法采用台盼蓝染色计数法检测细胞生长状况并绘制生长曲线,β-半乳糖苷酶(Senescence associated acidic-β-galactosidas,SA-β-Gal)染色法检测衰老的HT22细胞,Hoechst 33258染色法检测HT22细胞凋亡形态。结果(1)HG(13.5、27、40.5mg/ml,48h)能显著抑制HT22细胞生长(P0.05,P0.01);(2)HG(13.5、27、40.5mg/ml)处理48h可明显诱导SA-β-Gal染色阳性率增加(P0.001);(3)HG(13.5、27、40.5mg/ml,48h)能诱导HT22细胞发生凋亡(P0.001),且呈浓度依赖性。结论 HG可通过诱导HT22细胞衰老和凋亡而抑制HT22细胞生长。     

Direct Regulation of Osteocytic Connexin 43 Hemichannels through AKT Kinase Activated by Mechanical Stimulation

Connexin (Cx) 43 hemichannels in osteocytes are thought to play a critical role in releasing bone modulators in response to mechanical loading, a process important for bone formation and remodeling. However, the underlying mechanism that regulates the opening of mechanosensitive hemichannels is largely unknown. We have recently shown that Cx43 and integrin α5 interact directly with each other, and activation of PI3K appears to be required for Cx43 hemichannel opening by mechanical stimulation. Here, we show that mechanical loading through fluid flow shear stress (FFSS) increased the level of active AKT, a downstream effector of PI3K, which is correlated with the opening of hemichannels. Both Cx43 and integrin α5 are directly phosphorylated by AKT. Inhibition of AKT activation significantly reduced FFSS-induced opening of hemichannels and disrupted the interaction between Cx43 and integrin α5. Moreover, AKT phosphorylation on Cx43 and integrin α5 enhanced their interaction. In contrast to the C terminus of wild-type Cx43, overexpression of the C-terminal mutant containing S373A, a consensus site previously shown to be phosphorylated by AKT, failed to bind with α5 and hence could not inhibit hemichannel opening. Together, our results suggest that AKT activated by FFSS directly phosphorylates Cx43 and integrin α5, and Ser-373 of Cx43 plays a predominant role in mediating the interaction between these two proteins and Cx43 hemichannel opening, a crucial step to mediate the anabolic function of mechanical loading in the bone.     

Cucurbitacin I Induces Protective Autophagy in Glioblastoma in Vitro and in Vivo

There is an urgent need for new therapeutic avenues to improve the outcome of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Current studies have suggested that cucurbitacin I, a natural selective inhibitor of JAK2/STAT3, has a potent anticancer effect on a variety of cancer cell types. This study showed that autophagy and apoptosis were induced by cucurbitacin I. Exposure of GBM cells to cucurbitacin I resulted in pronounced apoptotic cell death through activating bcl-2 family proteins. Cells treatment with cucurbitacin I up-regulated Beclin 1 and triggered autophagosome formation and accumulation as well as conversion of LC3I to LC3II. Activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin/p70S6K pathway, but not the PI3K/AKT pathway, occurred in autophagy induced by cucurbitacin I, which was accompanied by decreased hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. Stable overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α induced by FG-4497 prevented cucurbitacin I-induced autophagy and down-regulation of bcl-2. Knockdown of beclin 1 or treatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine also inhibited autophagy induced by cucurbitacin I. A coimmunoprecipitation assay showed that the interaction of Bcl-2 and Beclin 1/hVps34 decreased markedly in cells treated with cucurbitacin I. Furthermore, knockdown of beclin 1 or treatment with the lysosome inhibitor chloroquine sensitized cancer cells to cucurbitacin I-induced apoptosis. Finally, a xenograft model provided additional evidence for the occurrence of cucurbitacin I-induced apoptosis and autophagy in vitro. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cucurbitacin I-mediated GBM cell death and may provide an efficacious therapy for patients harboring GBM.