Influence of Phytase Transgenic Corn on the Intestinal Microflora and the Fate of Transgenic DNA and Protein in Digesta and Tissues of Broilers

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of phytase transgenic corn (PTC) on intestinal microflora, and the fate of transgenic DNA and protein in the digesta and tissues of broilers. A total of 160 1-day-old Arbor Acres commercial male broilers were randomly assigned to 20 cages (8 chicks per cage) with 10 cages (replicates) for each treatment. Birds were fed with a diet containing either PTC (54.0% during 1–21 days and 61.0% during 22–42 days) or non-transgenic isogenic control corn (CC) for a duration of 42 days. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) between birds fed with the PTC diets and those fed with the CC diets in the quantities of aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, colibacillus and lactobacilli, or microbial diversities in the contents of ileum and cecum. Transgenic phyA2 DNA was not detected, but phyA2 protein was detected in the digesta of duodenum and jejunum of broilers fed with the PTC diets. Both transgenic phyA2 DNA and protein fragments were not found in the digesta of the ileum and rectum, heart, liver, kidney, and breast or thigh muscles of broilers fed with the PTC diets. It was concluded that PTC had no adverse effect on the quantity and diversity of gut microorganisms; Transgenic phyA2 DNA or protein was rapidly degraded in the intestinal tract and was not transferred to the tissues of broilers.     

Electronic properties and stability phase diagrams for cubic BN surfaces

This contribution investigates structural and electronic properties as well as stability phase diagrams of surfaces of the cubic boron nitride (c-BN). Our calculated parameters for bulk c-BN agree reasonably well with both experimental and computed values available in the literature. Based on the energies of the three experimentally recognised phases of bulk boron, i.e. α-B₃₆, β-B₁₀₅ and γ-B₂₈, we estimate enthalpy of formation of c-BN to be ?2.8 eV. The c-BN(1?0?0) surface offers separate B and N terminations (denoted as c-BN(1?0?0)_B and c-BN(1?0?0)_N), whereas c-BN(1?1?1) and c-BN(1?1?0) are truncated with combinations of boron and nitrogen atoms (denoted as c-BN(1?1?1)_BN and c-BN(1?1?0)_BN). Optimised geometries of surfaces display interlayer displacements up to the three topmost layers. Downward displacement of surface boron atoms signifies a common geometric feature of all surfaces. Bulk c-BN and its most stable surface c-BN(1?0?0)_N possess no metallic character, with band gaps of 5.46 and 2.7 eV, respectively. We find that, only c-BN(1?0?0)_B configuration exhibits a metallic character. c-BN(1?1?0)_BN and c-BN(1?1?1)_BN surfaces display corresponding band gaps of 2.5 and 3.9 eV and, hence, afford no metallic property.     

狂犬病毒鼠脑复壮后的典型形态恢复及感染细胞内的形态发生学

[目的]观察比较鼠脑复壮前后狂犬病毒的形态变化,并观察病毒感染BHK-21细胞后不同时间的形态发生情况.[方法]以保存时间较长的SRV9毒株为原始材料,经乳鼠脑传代复壮后接种BHK-21细胞,浓缩、纯化后观察.[结果](1)未经复壮的病毒中DI粒子占较高比例,典型粒子只占少数,而复壮后典型粒子所占比例升高到病毒粒子总数的90%.(2)感染24h后在细胞浆内可以观察到典型病毒粒子,其数量随着培养时间的延长而增加.带毒传代之后的培养过程中细胞内病毒数量增加不明显.(3)病毒可以在细胞内的空泡膜表面以多种方式成堆出芽.[结论](1)鼠脑复壮可恢复狂犬病毒中典型粒子所占比例.(2)带毒传代1～2次时为狂犬病毒收获的最佳时机.(3)本研究为狂犬病毒的装配机制补充了数据.     

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。     

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.     

Chemical modification of the hydroxylase of soluble methane monooxygenase gives one form of the protein with significantly increased thermostability and another that functions well in organic solvents

Proteolysis of the hydroxylase component of soluble methane monooxygenase (MMO) with trypsin yielded a protein which retained 50% activity in a standard MMO assay. In an H₂O₂-driven assay, in which H₂O₂ replaced two of the protein components, NADH and O₂ used in the standard assay, the proteolysed hydroxylase retained full activity for ethane, propane and propene, but had a 2–3 fold increase with methane as substrate. Several crosslinking reagents have been tested for their ability to stabilise the proteolysed form of the hydroxylase. Using polyoxyethylene bis(imidazolyl carbonyl) (M_r 3350) as the crosslinking agent, increased thermostability of the hydroxylase was observed. Activated methoxypolyethylene glycol (M_r 5000) was used to modify the hydroxylase which was now soluble in organic solvents as well as water and could be activated by H₂O₂. The glycol-modified hydroxylase functioned well in organic solvents in the catalysis of propene oxidation.