Hyphal morphogenesis in Aspergillus nidulans

The formation of hyphae that grow solely by apical extension is a defining feature of filamentous fungi. Hyphal morphogenesis involves several key steps, including the establishment and maintenance of a stable polarity axis, as well as cell division via the deposition of septa. Several filamentous fungi have been employed in attempts to decipher the mechanisms underlying these steps. Amongst these fungi, Aspergillus nidulans has proven to be a particularly valuable model. The genetic tractability of this fungus coupled with the availability of sophisticated post-genomics resources has enabled the identification and characterization of numerous genes involved in hyphal morphogenesis. Here, we summarize current progress towards understanding the function of these genes and the mechanisms involved in polarized hyphal growth and septation in A. nidulans. We also highlight important areas for future investigation.     

Reliability of wavefront shaping based on coherent optical adaptive technique in deep tissue focusing

Wavefront shaping can compensate the wavefront distortions in deep tissue focusing, leading to an improved penetration depth. However, when using the backscattered signals as the feedback, unexpected compensation bias may be introduced, resulting in focusing position deviations or even no focus in the illumination focal plane. Here we investigated the reliability of wavefront shaping based on coherent optical adaptive technique in deep tissue focusing by measuring the position deviations between the foci in the illumination focal plane and the epi‐detection plane. The experimental results show that when the penetration depth reaches 150 μm in mouse brain tissue (with scattering coefficient ~22.42 mm^?1) using a 488 nm laser and an objective lens with 0.75 numerical aperture, the center of the real focus will deviate out of one radius range of the Airy disk while the optimized focus in the epi‐detection plane maintained basically at the center. With the penetration depth increases, the peak to background ratio of the focus in the illumination focal plane decreases faster than that in the epi‐detection plane. The results indicate that when the penetration depth reaches 150 μm, feedback based on backscattered signals will make wavefront shaping lose its reliability, which may provide a guidance for applications of non‐invasive precise optogenetics or deep tissue optical stimulation using wavefront shaping methods. A, Intensity distribution in the epi‐detection plane and the illumination focal plane before and after correction, corresponding to brain sections with 250 and 300 μm thickness, respectively. Scale bar is 2 μm. B, Averaged focusing deviations in the epi‐detection plane (optimized) and the illumination focal plane (monitored) after compensation. The unit of the ordinate is one Airy disk diameter. Black dashed line represents one Airy disk radius. Bars represent the SE of each measurement set.      

Effect of adenovirus and influenza virus infection on obesity

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the effects of adenovirus and influenza virus infections on obesity in various experimental models. We reviewed studies that were conducted within the past 10 years and were related to virus infection and obesity prevalence. Here, we discuss a different causal relationship between adenovirus and influenza infections with obesity. Adenovirus infection can cause obesity, whereas obesity can be a risk factor for increasing influenza virus infection and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of obesity due to adenovirus infections may be due to an increase in glucose uptake and reduction in lipolysis caused by an increase in corticosterone secretion. Adenovirus infections may lead to increases in appetite by decreasing norepinephrine and leptin levels and also cause immune dysfunction. The relationship between obesity and influenza virus infection could be summarized by the following features: decreases in memory T-cell functionality and interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ mRNA expression, increases in viral titer and infiltration, and impaired dendritic cell function in obese individuals. Moreover, leptin resistance may play an important role in increasing influenza virus infections in obese individuals. In conclusion, prevention of adenovirus infections could be a good approach for reducing obesity prevalence, and prevention of obesity could reduce influenza virus infections from the point of view of viral infections and obesity.     

Lactate from cultures of Lactobacillus casei recovered in a fluidized bed column using ion exchange resin

Summary Lactic acid produced by continuous culture of L.casei in an upflow packed bed reactor, was recovered with Amberlite IRA 400 in a fluidized bed column. Bed expansions of 1.25 and 2.25 were applied. Reutilization did not alter the capability of net recovery of 0.048 ± 0.01 g lactic acid/g resin. When 2200 cm/h of ascensional velocity was used, (bed expansion of 2.25), the resin adsorbed 39.3% of the initial lactic acid and 63.5% was eluted. This resin supported the highest exchange capacity of 0.126 g lactic acid/g resin. Applying high flow rates, the process has potential industrial applications due to the short time employed.     

药用植物肿节枫诱导前噬菌体有效组分的分析

在11种溶原性细菌系统中,以双层琼脂平板-纸片法检测药用植物肿节枫对前噬菌体的诱导作用,表明温和性噬菌体φ52 Ⅰ溶原化的金黄色葡萄球菌2009,对肿节枫的诱导反应最为敏感。其它溶原性菌株,包括曾用以筛选抗肿瘤药物的大肠杆菌K_(12)(λ)-K_(12)S系统都呈阴性反应。化学成分的进一步分析说明,仅肿节枫黄酮糖苷组分Ⅰ具有诱导活性。并与丝裂霉素C作了比较。     

麻黄碱抑制小鼠输精管电场刺激致收缩的机制

麻黄碱(10 nmol/L~(-0.1) mmol/L)对电场刺激所致输精管收缩的浓度依赖性抑制作用可被育亨宾(0.1 μmol/L)减弱。去甲肾上腺素(0.1 nmol/L~(-10)μmol/L )和酪胺(0.1 μmol/L~(-0.1) mmol/L)也有类似麻黄碱的作用,去氧肾上腺素则缺乏此种作用。利血平处理和可卡因(10 μmol/L)可减弱麻黄碱和酪胺的抑制效应,但能增敏去甲肾上腺素的作用。高 Ca~( )和4-氨基吡啶(50 μmol/L)明显减弱甚至取消麻黄碱对电场刺激的抑制效应。以上结果提示麻黄碱抑制电场刺激所引起的输精管收缩。至少部分通过促进神经末梢释放去甲肾上腺素间接作用,后者激动突触前α_2-肾上腺素受体,从而抑制去甲肾上腺素的进一步释放。麻黄碱和其释放的去甲肾上腺素的作用,又可能与阻遏 Ca~( )内流有关。     

A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON SPORAE DISPERSAE FROM THE LOWER SHIHHOTZE SERIES OF HOKÜ DISTRICT,NW SHANSI

The literatures on the Permian Sporae dispersae are rather meagre and scattered ascompared with those on the Carboniferous.The correlation of sediments of long geo-graphical distance in this period is thus nearly impossible at this moment.As far as isknown to the present writer,the contributors to the Permian microflora are Dalhunty(1945,49),Balme(1952,1955,1956),Imgrund(1952,1960),Klause(1953),Potonie& Klause(1954),Leschik(1956);Luber(1938),Kara-Murza(1952),Samoilovich(1953),Zoricbeva & Sedova(1954),Andreeva(1956),Zauer(1960),Medvedeva(1960)andothers.     

光敏核不育水稻61kD特异性蛋白质的纯化和N—端序列分析

用制备型聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和制备型等电聚焦纯化了曾报道的光敏核不育水稻 (Oryza sativa)农垦 58S叶绿体的特异性蛋白质 P2 ,得到 SDS- PAGE和等电聚焦 (IEF )纯的 P2。经 SDS- PAGE和 IEF测定 ,该纯蛋白质的分子量是 61 k D,等电点是 5.8。现称 P2为 P61。氨基酸序列分析表明 P61的 N-端氨基酸序列与水稻和大麦叶绿体 ATPaseβ亚基的 N-端氨基酸序列同源。     

The human glucagon receptor encoding gene: structure, cDNA sequence and chromosomal localization

Characterization of the human glucagon-receptor-encoding gene (GGR) should provide a greater understanding of blood glucose regulation and may reveal a genetic basis for the pathogenesis of diabetes. A cDNA encoding a complete functional human glucagon receptor (GGR) was isolated from a liver cDNA library by a combination of polymerase chain reaction and colony hybridization. The cDNA encodes a receptor protein with 80% identity to rat GGR that binds [¹²⁵I] glucagon and transduces a signal leading to increases in the concentration of intracellular cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate. Southern blot analysis of human DNA reveals a hybridization pattern consistent with a single GGR locus. In situ hybridization to metaphase chromosome preparations maps the GGR locus to chromosome 17q25. Analysis of the genomic sequence shows that the coding region spans over 5.5 kb and is interrupted by 12 introns.