原核生物毒素-抗毒素系统的研究进展

毒素-抗毒素系统(toxin-antitoxin system,TA)由具有杀菌或抑菌作用的毒素和能中和毒素毒性的抗毒素组成,在细菌和古菌的染色体和可移动遗传元件中分布广泛。TA系统具有结构和功能的多样性,目前分为八大类型(Ⅰ-Ⅷ型)。研究发现TA系统与细菌生物膜的形成、细菌毒力、耐药性细菌感染、质粒拷贝数的调控及原噬菌体切离后在细胞中的稳定维持等相关。文章综述了近年来TA系统的最新分类、TA系统的功能及抗毒素的其他调控功能等进展,并对TA领域的应用做了简要描述。     

原核生物Ⅶ型毒素-抗毒素系统研究进展北大核心

毒素-抗毒素(toxin-antitoxin,TA)系统是普遍存在于细菌、古细菌及原噬菌体中的遗传元件,通常由分别编码毒素和编码抗毒素的基因组成。毒素在细菌细胞中较为稳定,而抗毒素则容易被降解。大多数毒素为蛋白并具有酶的活性,通过影响蛋白质的翻译、DNA的复制等重要生命活动从而对细菌产生毒性,抑制细菌生长。抗毒素为蛋白质或非编码RNA,通过极其多样的方式,中和毒素的毒性。目前发现TA在调控质粒拷贝数、流产性感染、生物被膜的形成等过程中发挥着重要作用。随着研究的不断深入,新型TA不断被发现,极大地促进了我们对于TA的认识。目前TA已经扩展到I‒Ⅷ型,本文总结了近期发现的新型TA,并重点介绍了最新发现的Ⅶ型TA及其特殊的中和机制。由于TA与病原微生物的致病性密切相关,因此,深入研究这些TA可以为耐药微生物的治疗提供新的靶点。     

细菌II型毒素-抗毒素系统活性的调控

细菌毒素-抗毒素系统(Toxin-antitoxin system,TA)由稳定的毒素和不稳定的抗毒素构成,几乎存在于所有细菌中。已证明染色体编码的II型TA系统作为胁迫反应因子,通过毒素作用于不同的细胞靶点来调控重要的细胞活动过程,使细菌适应不同的环境胁迫。因此,毒素活性的调控是II型TA系统介导细菌适应性胁迫反应的关键。本文总结了II型TA系统毒素活性调控机制的研究进展,并介绍了作者近年来对模式蓝藻Synechocystis sp.PCC6803中II型TA毒素活性调控的研究结果。     

毒素-抗毒素系统的调控、生理功能及应用

毒素-抗毒素（toxin-antitoxin,TA）系统是由抗毒素及其同源毒素组成的小遗传元件,毒素可以抑制细胞生长或诱导细胞死亡,抗毒素则可以中和毒素的毒性。根据TA系统的组成和抗毒素的作用方式,TA系统可分为Ⅰ～Ⅷ型共八类,其中Ⅱ型TA系统存在最广泛,调控机制研究得最清楚。TA系统可以维持质粒等遗传元件的稳定性,同时在压力应激、促进生物膜形成、维持细菌致病力、抗噬菌体等方面都扮演着重要角色。研究TA系统的调控与生理功能能丰富人们对于生物多样性的认知,对于微生物资源的开发和利用具有重要的科学意义与应用价值。基于毒素和抗毒素的特点,TA系统被应用于生物医学领域和生物技术领域。本文综述了TA系统的分类、调控机制、生理功能和应用并简单描述了TA系统目前研究面临的问题和未来展望。     

原核生物毒素-抗毒素系统的研究进展

毒素-抗毒素系统(toxin-antitoxin system,简称TA系统)广泛存在于原核生物(细菌和古菌)的基因组中，通常TA系统由毒素和抗毒素两部分组成，毒素发挥毒性抑制细菌生长，抗毒素可以解除抑制，它们通过体内的调控作用来对细菌或古菌的生长活动进行调节。研究发现，TA系统根据其性质及抗毒素中和毒素的方式不同可以分为8种类型Ⅰ～Ⅷ,不同类型的TA系统之间又存在着错综复杂的交互作用，而且此系统在细菌中发挥的作用也一直是近年来学者们研究的热点。现就TA系统的最新分类、TA系统的功能以及应用作一概述。     

细菌毒素-抗毒素系统的功能

毒素-抗毒素(Toxin-Antitoxin,TA)系统广泛存在于原核生物和古细菌的染色体和质粒中。此系统由2个共表达的基因组成,分别编码稳定的毒素蛋白和易降解的抗毒素,毒素通常发挥毒性作用抑制细菌生长,而抗毒素则可中和毒性,二者相互作用对细菌生长状态起精密调节作用。根据TA的组成和抗毒素的性质,目前已经发现有6型TA,这些TA系统在细菌中发挥的作用一直是近年来学者们研究的热点,文中对细菌TA的功能研究进展进行了综述。     

毒素-抗毒素系统介导滞留菌形成机制

滞留菌是一类处于低代谢休眠状态的抗生素耐受细菌亚群，能够在致死性压力应激后存活下来，是抗生素治疗失败和复发性感染的主要原因之一。毒素-抗毒素系统(toxin-antitoxin system, TA)作为压力应激模块普遍存在于各种细菌中，由稳定的毒素和不稳定但可以中和毒素的同源抗毒素组成。压力情况下，第二信使(p)ppGpp激活Lon,随后大多数II型TA系统被激活，诱导滞留菌形成。同样在(p)ppGpp存在的情况下，Obg刺激hokB转录，使毒素积累，抑制细菌DNA复制、转录、翻译等重要的生理过程，驱动细菌形成滞留菌。SOS反应是激活TA系统的另一个主要途径，解除了对tisB转录的抑制，使其在细胞内积累并插入细胞膜，破坏质子动力势，降低胞内ATP水平，诱使休眠和滞留菌形成。讨论TA系统介导滞留菌形成的机制有助于提出新型抗菌策略。     

毒素-抗毒素系统介导持留菌形成机制的研究进展

毒素-抗毒素(toxin-antitoxin,TA)系统是广泛存在细菌基因组上的由两个基因组成的操纵子,分别编码稳定的毒素蛋白和不稳定的抗毒素,其中毒素蛋白具有多种生物学功能。持留菌是指能够耐受高浓度抗生素或不利环境的一类细菌,它们同样具有TA系统。现就毒素-抗毒素系统介导持留菌形成机制的研究进展作一综述。     

细菌毒素-抗毒素系统的研究进展

毒素-抗毒素系统(toxin-antitoxin system,TA)由两个共表达的基因组成,其中一个基因编码不稳定的抗毒素蛋白(antitoxin),另一个基因编码稳定的毒素蛋白(toxin).毒素-抗毒素系统最早发现于一些低拷贝的质粒,用来维持低拷贝质粒在菌群中的稳定存在.随后的研究表明,毒素-抗毒素系统广泛存在于细菌,包括一些致病菌的染色体上.在营养缺乏等不良生长条件下,由于基因表达的抑制和蛋白酶的降解作用,不稳定的抗毒素蛋白减少,从而产生游离的毒素蛋白,导致细菌的生长抑制和死亡.毒素-抗毒素系统的生理功能目前还存在争议,有学者认为细茼染色体上的毒素-抗毒素系统可以在不良生长状况下介导细菌的死亡,即细茼程序性细胞死亡(baeterial programmedcell death).但也有证据显示,毒素-抗毒素系统的功能更偏向于应激状态下的生理调节方面,即只起应激状态下的抑菌作用而不是杀菌作用.对细菌生长调控中毒素-抗毒素系统的作用机理进行综述,并探讨毒素-抗毒素系统研究的理论和应用价值.     

大肠埃希菌TA系统mazEF的研究进展

大部分细菌的遗传物质中含有毒素-抗毒素系统(TA)的遗传基因.mazEF是大肠埃希菌染色体上的一对毒素抗毒素基因,由毒素基因mazF和抗毒素基因mazE组成.其在细菌的生长调控和细胞程序性死亡中发挥了重要的作用.环境压力激活mazEF后,MazF可以通过对mRNA的剪切作用造成翻译停止.mazEF的存在可以增加细菌对环境压力的耐受性、保持细菌遗传物质的稳定、参与抗生素引起的细胞死亡、也在细菌的耐药性中发挥重要作用.     

白蚁与动物及微生物的共生类型及其机制

综述了白蚁螱客的主要种类、共生关系及相关机制的研究进展。白蚁螱客中,已报道的动物种类达170种。在与动物的共生关系中存在偏利共生（宾主共栖和异种共栖）、互利共生和无关共生三种;在与微生物的共生关系中,存在与内生菌（原生动物、细菌、真菌和放线菌）和外生菌（蚁巢伞菌等）间的互利关系。指出了白蚁与螱客研究中存在的问题,给出了解决方案,并提出了今后可能的研究热点或方向,为白蚁的综合利用（如纤维素酶）及今后研究物种间的协同进化提供了基础资料。     

New amino-dithiaphospholanes and phosphoramidodithioites and their rhodium and iridium complexes

New sulfur derivatives of phosphoramidite ligands were synthesized and the impact of the sulfur unit on the spectroscopic properties of their rhodium and iridium complexes was investigated. The new ligands Bn₂NPSCH₂CH₂S^a(P-S^a) (Bn = benzyl, 4), Bn₂NPSCHCHS^a(CH₂)₃C^aH₂(P-S^a)(C^a-S^a) (6) and Bn₂NP(4-XC₆H₄OMe)₂ (X = S, 7a; X = O, 7b) were converted to the rhodium and iridium complexes trans-[Rh(CO)Cl(L)₂] (L = 4, 6, 7), [RhCl(COD)(L)] (L = 4, 6, 7), [IrCl(COD)(7a)] and [IrCl₂Cp∗(6)]. For comparison, some phosphoramidite complexes of these formulations also were synthesized. The new metal complexes were spectroscopically analyzed. For the carbonyl complexes, the ν_CO IR stretching frequencies were lower than for the corresponding phosphite and phosphoramidite ligands. The ¹J_PRh coupling constants for the rhodium complexes with the new ligands were also smaller than for the respective phosphoramidite and phosphite complexes. Finally, the ¹J_PSe coupling constants of the selenides of the new ligands were lower than those of the phosphoramidite ligands but higher than for PPh₃. The spectroscopic data reveal that the new thio ligands 4, 6 and 7a are more electron donating than phosphites and phosphoramidites but less electron donating than PPh₃.     

Astrocytes and Synaptosomes Transport and Metabolize Lactate and Acetate Differently

Astrocytes transport the monocarboxylate acetate, but synaptosomes do not. The reason for this is unknown, because both preparations express monocarboxylate transporters (MCT). The transport and metabolism of lactate, another monocarboxylate, was examined in these two preparations, and the results were compared to those for acetate. Lactate transport is more rapid in astrocytes than in synaptosomes, but of lower affinity (Kms of 17 and 4 mM, respectively). Lactate (0.2 mM) is metabolized to CO2 more rapidly in synaptosomes than in astrocytes (rates of 0.37 and 0.07 nmol x mg protein(-1) x min(-1), respectively). The reason for this is unclear, but cellular differences in lactate dehydrogenase isotype expression may be involved. Acetate is metabolized to CO2 more rapidly in astrocytes than in synaptosomes (rates of 0.43 and 0.02 nmol x mg protein(-1) x min(-1), respectively). This is likely due to cellular differences in the expression of monocarboxylate transporter subtypes.     

Rapporteur report: Basics and technology and metrology and standards

The first and second sessions of the Workshop focussed on the basics of ultrasound and infrasound, their applications in both industry and medicine, and metrology and protection standards for ultrasound applications.     

Relative and combined effects of ethanol and protein deficiency on strontium and barium bone content and fecal and urinary excretion

To elucidate accumulation of minerals in human iliac arteries with aging, the content of minerals was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Bilateral common, internal, and external iliac arteries of 16 men and 8 women, ranging ages from 65 to 93 yr, were examined. It was found that an extremely high accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the common iliac artery at old age, being higher than that of the internal and external iliac arteries. It should be noted that the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus is the highest in the common iliac artery among the human arteries examined to date. Regarding sexual differences, the content of calcium and phosphorus in the common and internal iliac arteries was higher in women than in men, whereas their content in the external iliac artery was lower in women than in men.     

Prostaglandin and thromboxane production by human and guinea-pig macrophages and leucocytes

The ability of partially purified human and guinea-pig haematogenous cell populations, when cultured in vitro, to metabolise arachidonic acid (AA) has been studied. Supernatants from 24 hour cell culture have been subjected to analysis for products of AA metabolism by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection.The cell types studied were human peripheral blood monocytes (both glass adherent and non-adherent), neutrophils, eosinophils and leukemic leucocytes; thoracic duct lymphocytes and lung alveolar macrophages. From the guinea-pig, induced and non-induced macrophage or neutrophil enriched peritoneal exudate populations, lymph node cells, peritoneal eosinophils and peripheral blood platelets were examined. Supernatants were assayed for the presence of PGE₂, PGD₂, PGF_2α, TXB₂ and 6-keto-PGF_1α. In all types studied PGE₂ and TXB₂ were the major products formed. The identification of PGE₂ and TXB₂ was confirmed by GC/MS with multiple ion monitoring.The results have been compared with other reports and their possible significance discussed in relation to the proposed role of prostaglandins as mediators and modulators in immunopathology.     

Chemokines and cytokines: axis and allies in asthma and allergy

Allergic asthma can be precipitated by many factors. For the atopic person, fungus, pollen, dust mites, cockroach antigens, and diesel exhaust are all agents that may trigger an allergic attack. Cytokines and chemokines are integral mediators of fungal asthma. From the earliest time points, they recruit and activate the cells required for the clearance of fungus as well as being critical factors involved in the immunopathology of this disease. In the final analysis, it is clear that these mediators can act to the benefit or the detriment of the host.     

Oxidation and nitration of ribonuclease and lysozyme by peroxynitrite and myeloperoxidase

In spite of the many studies on protein modifications by reactive species, knowledge about the products resulting from the oxidation of protein-aromatic residues, including protein-derived radicals and their stable products, remains limited. Here, we compared the oxidative modifications promoted by peroxynitrite and myeloperoxidase/hydrogen peroxide/nitrite in two model proteins, ribonuclease (6Tyr) and lysozyme (3Tyr/6Trp). The formation of protein-derived radicals and products was higher at pH 5.4 and 7.4 for myeloperoxidase and peroxynitrite, respectively. The main product was 3-nitro-Tyr for both proteins and oxidants. Lysozyme rendered similar yields of nitro-Trp, particularly when oxidized by peroxynitrite. Hydroxylated and dimerized products of Trp and Tyr were also produced, but in lower yields. Localization of the main modified residues indicates that peroxynitrite decomposes to radicals within the proteins behaving less specifically than myeloperoxidase. Nitrogen dioxide is emphasized as an important protein modifier.