Hemolytic activity of a cyclic peptide Ro09-0198 isolated from Streptoverticillium

Ro09-0198, a cyclic peptide isolated from culture filtrates of Streptoverticillium griseoverticillatum, induced lysis of erythrocytes. Preincubation of the peptide with phosphatidylethanolamine reduced the hemolytic activity, whereas other phospholipids present in erythrocytes in nature had no effect. A study of the structural requirements on phosphatidylethanolamine necessary for interaction with the peptide indicates that Ro09-0198 recognizes strictly a particular chemical structure of phosphatidylethanolamine: dialkylphosphoethanolamine as well as 1-acylglycerophosphoethanolamine showed the same inhibitory effect on hemolysis induced by Ro09-0198 as diacylphosphatidylethanolamine, whereas phosphoethanolamine gave no inhibitory effect. Neither phosphatidyl-N-monomethylethanolamine nor alkylphosphopropanolamine had an inhibitory effect. Consequently, the hydrophobic chain is necessary for the interaction and the phosphoethanolamine moiety is exactly recognized by the peptide. Ro-09-0198-induced hemolysis was temperature-dependent and the sensitivity of hemolysis differed greatly among animal species.     

Unguisin C, a GABA-containing cyclic peptide from the fungus Emericella unguis

Besides the known unguisins A and B, a new cyclic heptapeptide, unguisin C, containing a GABA-derived moiety in the ring, was isolated from the fungus Emericella unguis. The structure was determined by 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Marfey's method was used to determine the absolute stereochemistry. Precursor-directed biosynthesis of the unguisins was performed by supplementation of the culture medium with amino acids ( -Ala, -Ser, -Phe and -Leu). A related cyclic heptapeptide, unguisin D, was detected by HPLC and characterized by sequence analysis using LC-QITMS.     

Highly enantioselective reduction of 4-(trimethylsilyl)-3-butyn-2-one to enantiopure (R)-4-(trimethylsilyl)-3-butyn-2-ol using a novel strain Acetobacter sp. CCTCC M209061

The biocatalytic reduction of 4-(trimethylsilyl)-3-butyn-2-one to enantiopure (R)-4-(trimethylsilyl)-3-butyn-2-ol was successfully conducted with high enantioselectivity using immobilized whole cells of a novel strain Acetobacter sp. CCTCC M209061, newly isolated from kefir. Compared with other microorganisms that were investigated, Acetobacter sp. CCTCC M209061 was shown to be more effective for the bioreduction reaction, and afforded much higher yield and product enantiomeric excess (e.e.). The optimal buffer pH, co-substrate concentration, reaction temperature, substrate concentration and shaking rate were 5.0, 130.6 mM, 30 °C, 6.0 mM and 180 r/min, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the maximum yield and the product e.e. were 71% and >99%, respectively, which are much higher than those reported previously. Additionally, the established biocatalytic system proved to be efficient for the bioreduction of acetyltrimethylsilane to (R)-1-trimethylsilylethanol with excellent yield and product e.e. The immobilized cells manifested a good operational stability under the above reaction conditions since they retained 70% of their catalytic activity after ten cycles of use.     

乳酸乳球菌表达重组牛乳铁蛋白肽的抑菌活性分析

牛乳铁蛋白肽是由牛乳铁蛋白经消化酶水解产生的一类具有广谱抑菌活性的短肽;乳酸乳球菌作为食品级微生物,既有天然的益生作用,又是理想的表达牛乳铁蛋白肽的载体。【目的】探究重组乳酸乳球菌pAMJ399-LFcinBA/MG1363表达牛乳铁蛋白肽的抑菌活性。【方法】利用牛乳铁蛋白肽标准品绘制定量标准曲线来确定重组牛乳铁蛋白肽的含量,利用牛津杯法及微量肉汤稀释法测定重组牛乳铁蛋白肽对大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌等35株细菌的抑菌活性及最小抑菌浓度,利用扫描电镜、透射电镜、荧光显微镜、凝胶阻滞试验、黏附试验来探究重组牛乳铁蛋白肽对菌体结构、细菌DNA及黏附力的影响,利用CCK-8检测其对RAW 264.7细胞的毒性作用,并对小鼠红细胞溶血率进行测定。【结果】重组乳酸乳球菌上清中牛乳铁蛋白肽的浓度为24.39μg/mL,重组牛乳铁蛋白肽对测试的25株致病菌均有不同程度的抑制作用,抑菌浓度范围在16–128μg/mL,但对9株乳酸菌以及粪肠球菌没有明显的抑制作用,对大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、多杀性巴氏杆菌、鸡白痢沙门菌的菌体完整性具有不同程度的破坏作用,其主要作用靶点为细菌的细胞膜,可以与细菌DNA结合...     

Photosynthetic activity of isolated chloroplasts from Euglena gracilis

Functional chloroplasts from photoheterotrophic Euglena gracilis can be isolated in isoosmotic gradients of 10–80% Percoll. The chloroplasts display rates of CO₂ dependent O₂ evolution and CO₂ fixation of 30–50 mol mg^-1 chlorophyll h^-1 or 25–35% of the net O₂ evolution by the whole cells and appear to be strikingly different from spinach chloroplasts in several respects: 1. tolerance to high concentration of orthophosphate in the assay medium; 2. inability to support oxaloacetate-dependent O₂ evolution; 3. ability to support only low to moderate rates of 3-phosphoglycerate-dependent O₂ evolution; 4. an apparent absence of a phosphate translocator in the terms described by Heldt and Rapley ([1970] FEBS Lett. 10, 143–148).University of California, Dept. of Plant and Soil Biology, 108 Hilgard Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA     

Synthesis of (E)-9-(1-pyrenyl)-4-hydroxynon-2-enal, a fluorescent probe of the (E)-4-hydroxynon-2-enal with retained biological properties

(E)-9-(1-pyrenyl)-4-hydroxynon-2-enal (FHNE), a fluorescent probe of (E)-4-hydroxynon-2-enal (HNE) is synthesised in seven steps and in 35% overall yield, starting from commercially available 1-pyrencarboxyaldehyde. When incubated with cultured HeLa cells this fluorescent probe penetrates cells and particularly concentrates in the region surrounding the nucleus. As the parent compound, HNE it is able to induce the activation of heat shock factor (HSF) and it is able to induce the binding of HSF to heat shock element (HSE).     

Anticariogenic activity of macelignan isolated from Myristica fragrans (nutmeg) against Streptococcus mutans

The occurrence of dental caries is mainly associated with oral pathogens, especially cariogenic Streptococcus mutans. Preliminary antibacterial screening revealed that the extract of Myristica fragrans, widely cultivated for the spice and flavor of foods, possessed strong inhibitory activity against S. mutans. The anticariogenic compound was successfully isolated from the methanol extract of M. fragrans by repeated silica gel chromatography, and its structure was identified as macelignan by instrumental analysis using 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR and EI-MS. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of macelignan against S. mutans was 3.9 microg/ml, which was much lower than those of other natural anticariogenic agents such as 15.6 microg/ml of sanguinarine, 250 microg/ml of eucalyptol, 500 microg/ml of menthol and thymol, and 1000 microg/ml of methyl salicylate. Macelignan also possessed preferential activity against other oral microorganisms such as Streptococcus sobrinus, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguis, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei in the MIC range of 2-31.3 microg/ml. In particular, the bactericidal test showed that macelignan, at a concentration of 20 microg/ml, completely inactivated S. mutans in 1 min. The specific activity and fast-effectiveness of macelignan against oral bacteria strongly suggest that it could be employed as a natural antibacterial agent in functional foods or oral care products.     

多粘类芽胞杆菌KM2501-1杀南方根结线虫活性产物研究

【目的】南方根结线虫(Meloidogyne incognita)是一种危害严重的土传性植物病原线虫,给农业生产造成了巨大的经济损失,前期研究发现多粘类芽胞杆菌(Panebacillus polymyxa) KM2501-1具有很好的温室防治南方根结线虫效果,且可产生多种挥发性杀线虫活性物质,但对其非挥发性产物是否有杀线虫活性没有研究。本研究拟进一步分离鉴定其产生的杀线虫活性代谢产物,发掘新的杀线虫药物。【方法】对菌株KM2501-1进行液体发酵并离心收集发酵上清液,通过硅胶柱层析、高效液相色谱分离等方法得到高纯度的杀线虫活性物质,并通过液相色谱质谱联用分析、核磁共振等技术鉴定杀线虫活性物质的结构。【结果】生物活性检测显示,多粘类芽胞杆菌KM2501-1发酵上清液具有较强的南方根结线虫触杀活性,并能有效抑制南方根结线虫卵孵化,体外杀线虫效率高达87.66%,抑制卵孵化效率达92.26%。结构鉴定结果显示多粘类芽胞杆菌产生的杀线虫活性物质为环二肽类物质cyclo (Pro-Phe),800 mg/L的cyclo(Pro-Phe)杀线虫效率达84.75%。进一步的显微观测结果表明,与对照组相比,活性物质cyclo(Pro-Phe)处理后的根结线虫肠道组织紊乱、结构发生破坏。【结论】多粘类芽胞杆菌KM2501-1产生的cyclo (Pro-Phe)是一个具有杀线虫新功能的活性物质,其可能通过破坏线虫肠道杀死线虫。     

Antiviral activity and mode of action of a peptide isolated from Sorghum bicolor

In this paper, we describe the purification of an antiviral peptide from seeds of Sorghum bicolor L. by a procedure that included gel filtration, ion exchange, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in a reversed-phase column. Its molecular weight, determined by chromatographic mobility on the Shim-pack DIOL-150 gel permeation column in HPLC, was found to be 2000 Da. The peptide designated 2 kD peptide strongly inhibited the replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), dose-dependently, at 40–90% of the control level, after incubation with 10–50 μM of the peptide, with EC₅₀ and EC₉₀ values of 6.25 and 15.25 μM, respectively. The IC₅₀ value of the 2 kD peptide against Vero cells was 250 μM. Pre-incubation of HSV-1 with various concentrations of the 2 kD peptide showed dose-dependent cytopathic effects (CPE) reduction patterns at concentrations from 6.25 to 50 μM. The presence of the 2 kD peptide before HSV-1 infections showed moderate inhibition of virus-induced CPE as compared to during or after infections, with EC₅₀ values of 12.5, 6.25, and 6.25 μM, respectively. Similar results were observed when the 2 kD peptide was assayed against bovine herpes virus (BHV), an enveloped virus like HSV-1. On the other hand, the 2 kD peptide showed weak activity against poliovirus type 1, a non-enveloped virus. Taken together, these results indicate that the 2 kD peptide was able not only to inhibit the initiation and the spread of infection, but also had an in vitro prophylactic effect against HSV-1 infection.     

Mutations induced by 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in the lacZ and cII genes of Muta™ Mouse

4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) found in chewing tobacco, snuff, cigarettes, and cigars is a tobacco-specific nitrosamine and classified as a possible human carcinogen (Class 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). NNK given intraperitoneally was seen to induce lung and liver adenomas.To evaluate the genotoxicity of NNK in vivo, NNK was intraperitoneally administered to Muta™ Mouse at two concentrations (125 and 250 mg/kg, once a week for 4 weeks) followed by the measurement of mutant frequencies in the lacZ and cII genes from lung and liver in the same mice. Characterization of the types of the mutation was determined by sequencing the cII genes from mutant plaques. The mutant frequencies in both target genes from both organs dose-dependently increased up to 10 times compared to those of the control group. For the types of mutations, the ratio of the G:C to A:T mutation in the total number of mutants was less than the ratio of A:T to T:A and A:T to C:G transversion, contrary to a previous report [Cancer Res, 49 (1989) 5305]. The A:T to T:A transversion was the most highly induced mutation both in the lung and liver cII genes. The increasing rate of mutant frequencies in lung and liver over the vehicle control was 55 and 56 times, respectively, while the increasing rate of G:C to A:T transition was only 1.9 and 2.8 times, respectively.These observations show that NNK predominantly induces DNA adducts leading to A:T to T:A and/or A:T to C:G mutations in the transgene.     

(Na + K)-ATPase activity of crude homogenates of rat skeletal muscle as estimated from their K-dependent 3-O-methylfluorescein phosphatase activity

A highly sensitive fluorimetric assay using 3-O-methylfluorescein phosphate as substrate was used in the determination of K⁺-dependent phosphatase activity in preparations of rat skeletal muscle. The gastrocnemius muscle was chosen because of mixed fibre composition. Crude, detergent treated homogenate was used so as to avoid loss of activity during purification. K⁺-dependent phosphatase activities in the range 0.19–0.37 μmol · (g wet weight)⁻¹ · min⁻¹ were obtained, the value decreasing with age and K⁺-deficiency. Complete inhibition of the K⁺-dependent phosphatase was obtained with 10⁻³ M ouabain. Using a KSCN-extracted muscle enzyme the intimate relation between K⁺-dependent phosphatase activity and (Na⁺ + K⁺)-activated ATP hydrolysis could be demonstrated. A molecular activity of 620 min⁻¹ was estimated from simultaneous determination of K⁺-dependent phosphatase activity and [³H]ouabain binding capacity using the partially purified enzyme preparation. The corresponding enzyme concentration in the crude homogenates was calculated and corresponded well with the number of [³H]ouabain binding sites measured in intact muscles or biopsies hereof.     

抗菌肽AMP-17抗白念珠菌作用靶点鉴定

白念珠菌(Candida albicans)是侵袭性真菌感染的主要致病性病原体。抗菌肽AMP-17有较强的抗念珠菌活性,经AMP-17作用白念珠菌后的蛋白组学结果显示,细胞壁(XOG1)和氧化应激(SRR1)蛋白基因表达差异显著,提示AMP-17可能通过影响XOG1和SRR1基因发挥其抗白念珠菌作用。为进一步探究XOG1和SRR1基因是否为AMP-17的作用靶点,本研究利用规律成簇间隔短回文重复序列相关蛋白9(clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein 9,CRISPR/Cas9)系统构建了白念珠菌xog1Δ/Δ和srr1Δ/Δ缺失菌;表型观察结果发现除XOG1基因缺失可影响白念珠菌的体外应激和菌丝形成,2个基因缺失对白念珠菌生长繁殖和生物膜形成无明显影响;药敏实验分析显示AMP-17对xog1Δ/Δ和srr1Δ/Δ缺失菌的MIC₈₀值从野生菌的8μg/mL增至16μg/mL,而对srr1Δ/Δ::srr1回补菌的MIC₈₀值降至野...     

Composition of cyclic peptide toxins among strains ofMicrocystis aeruginosa (blue-green algae,cyanobacteria)

The distribution of the cyclic heptapeptide toxin, microcystin, was studied among 31 strains of Microcystis aeruginosa. Microcystins-RR, -YR and -LR were detected in fifteen strains and microcystin-LR was in two strains, but no toxin was found in fourteen strains. All three toxins were detected in all 12 strains belonging to the large cell-size group recognized by cell size and allozyme genotype. This pattern of toxin composition is compatible with that of M. viridis. The small cell-size group showed variation in the toxin composition as in the case of allozyme genotype.     

The phospholipid requirement of the (Ca + Mg)-ATPase from human platelets

The phospholipid requirement of the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)-ATPase present in a membrane fraction from human platelets was studied using various purified phospholipases. Only those phospholipases, which hydrolyse the negatively charged phospholipids, inhibited the (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)-ATPase activity. The ATPase activity could be restored by adding mixed micelles of Triton X-100 and phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylinositol. Micelles with phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine or sphingomyelin could not be used for reconstitution and inhibited the activity of the native enzyme.     

三孢布拉霉crgA启动子的克隆和活性分析

【背景】CrgA是三孢布拉霉(Blakesleatrispora,Bt)中调控类胡萝卜素合成的关键负调控因子,其表达水平会影响类胡萝卜素的合成。【目的】克隆三孢布拉霉crgA启动子并分析其活性,为进一步解析CrgA表达调控机制奠定基础。【方法】通过综合微生物基因组(integrated microbial genomes, IMG)数据库提供的基因组序列,克隆crgA翻译起始位点上游2 000 bp序列,分析其顺式调控元件和转录起始区域预测,通过RT-qPCR分析不同光照时间对三孢布拉霉crgA相对转录水平的影响;构建4个不同长度的crgA启动子截短序列驱动的GUS-mGFP5重组表达载体p1303-procrgAF、F1、F2和F3,利用农杆菌侵染整合到三孢布拉霉基因组中,在黑暗和光照条件下测定β-D-葡萄糖苷酸酶(β-D-glucuronidase,GUS)酶活性并观察荧光信号。【结果】crgA启动子不仅包含基础的TATA-box和CAAT-box元件,还包括多个与光响应相关的元件。观察荧光结果显示CaMV35S和构建的4个突变启动子均能在三孢布拉霉体内驱动下游基因表达,检测GUS...     

Antifungal activity of strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from a semolina ecosystem against Penicillium roqueforti, Aspergillus niger and Endomyces fibuliger contaminating bakery products

Thirty samples of Italian durum wheat semolina and whole durum wheat semolina, generally used for the production of Southern Italy's traditional breads, were subjected to microbiological analysis in order to explore their lactic acid bacteria (LAB) diversity and to find strains with antifungal activity. A total of 125 presumptive LAB isolates (Gram-positive and catalase-negative) were characterized by repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR (REP-PCR) and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, leading to the identification of the following species: Weissella confusa, Weissella cibaria, Leuconostoc citreum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus rossiae and Lactobacillus plantarum. The REP-PCR results delineated 17 different patterns whose cluster analysis clearly differentiated W. cibaria from W. confusa isolates. Seventeen strains, each characterized by a different REP-PCR pattern, were screened for their antifungal properties. They were grown in a flour-based medium, comparable to a real food system, and the resulting fermentation products (FPs) were tested against fungal species generally contaminating bakery products, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium roqueforti and Endomyces fibuliger. The results of the study indicated a strong inhibitory activity – comparable to that obtained with the common preservative calcium propionate (0.3% w/v) – of ten LAB strains against the most widespread contaminant of bakery products, P. roqueforti. The screening also highlighted the unexplored antifungal activity of L. citreum, L. rossiae and W. cibaria (1 strain), which inhibited all fungal strains to the same or a higher extent compared with calcium propionate. The fermentation products of these three strains were characterized by low pH values, and a high content of lactic and acetic acids.     

川蔓藻内生及根际细菌多样性与抑菌活性研究

该研究采用稀释涂布法结合形态观察、16S rRNA基因序列分析,对广西北海川蔓藻(Ruppia maritima)内生及根际细菌的物种多样性进行了研究,并采用琼脂扩散法和光度计法分析了其粗提物抑制马尔尼菲青霉菌活性。结果表明:从川蔓藻中分离到可培养内生细菌26株,根际可培养细菌31株。分别将内生细菌归属为10科12属13种,根际分离出细菌归属为9科14属19种,其中5株根际细菌可能为潜在新种。获得8株细菌对马尔尼菲青霉菌有抑制活性,总阳性率为25.0%。其中,菌株BGMRC 2015、BGMRC 2059、BGMRC 2043的粗提物表现出较强的抑制马尔尼菲青霉菌效果,其MIC分别为(1.800±0.045)、(1.881±0.061)、(1.604±0.021)mg·m L~(-1)。川蔓藻中可培养细菌具有较高的物种多样性,蕴藏着丰富的新物种资源,且富含抑菌活性良好的菌株。     

47株空肠弯曲菌湖北禽源株的多位点序列分型

【目的】为了解湖北地区家禽空肠弯曲菌的流行状况及其分子特征,应用多位点序列分型方法对2013–2014年的47株禽源空肠弯曲菌湖北分离株进行分子分型研究。【方法】以空肠弯曲菌的7个管家基因aspA、glnA、gltA、glyA、pgm、tkt和uncA为目的基因,提取样本基因组后PCR扩增,测序和分析。将测序结果上传数据库进行比对,制作成多位点序列分型(Multilocus sequence typing,MLST)遗传进化树。【结果】分离株共有38个ST型,10个克隆群,其中最多的克隆群为ST-353CC和ST-464CC,发现2个新的等位基因编号和25个新的ST型。遗传进化树显示,不同家禽宿主中空肠弯曲菌序列型存在一定的差异,不同地区和来源的空肠弯曲菌呈现出遗传多样性。【结论】本研究对湖北分离的47株禽源空肠弯曲菌进行了MLST分析,其结果显示菌株多样性较为丰富,将为我国家禽空肠弯曲菌的流行病学调查提供科学的数据。     

小花草玉梅正常和自然变异植株的AP3-3基因研究

野生小花草玉梅(Anemone rivularis var.flore-minore)正常植株和花被片自然变异植株的外观形态差异很大,该研究以二者为材料,利用常规PCR和高效热不对称PCR(Hi-Tail PCR)技术从其正常和变异植株的基因组中各分离得到1个B类基因。序列分析证明,二者隶属于B类MADS-box基因AP3家族的旁系同源基因AP3-3分枝,分别命名为NArAP3-3(正常植株)和VArAP3-3(变异植株)。NArAP3-3基因全长3 795bp,VArAP3-3基因全长3 898bp,二者均含有1个666bp的开放阅读框(ORF),可编码221个氨基酸,具有典型的植物MADS-box基因结构,其编码肽链包含了MADS区、K区、Ⅰ区和C区。对比NArAP3-3和VArAP3-3基因的全长序列,发现VArAP3-3基因比NArAP3-3多了1段49bp的插入,且在ORF序列与NArAP3-3基因相比有4个碱基突变。对二者的全长序列、所编码的221个氨基酸及插入序列的生物信息学分析显示,二者在基因启动子、蛋白质基本性质、结构功能域、二级三级预测结构等方面均有差异,推测这些差异可能是花被片变异产生的原因之一。该研究结果为进一步探索其变异机制奠定了基础。     

Determination of (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2′-deoxyuridine in plasma and urine by capillary electrophoresis

(E)-5-(2-Bromovinyl)-2′-deoxyuridine is an antiviral drug used for treatment of infections with Herpes simplex virus type 1 as well as Varicella zoster virus. Two fast methods for the determination of the drug and its metabolite in plasma and urine by capillary electrophoresis have been developed. The plasma method can be used for measurement of total as well as unbound drug and metabolite. Plasma and urine samples are prepared for measuring by liquid/liquid extraction resulting in a limit of quantification of 40 ng/ml for total and 10 ng/ml for free BVdU in plasma and 170 ng/ml in urine. Inter- as well as intra-day precision were found to be better than 10% and both methods have been used for drug monitoring of patients.