Purification and Characterization of Biliverdin-binding Protein from Larval Hemolymph of the Swallowtail Butterfly,Papilio xuthus L.

The biliverdin-binding protein from the larval hemolymph of the swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus L., was purified and characterized. The crude biliverdin-binding protein, obtained by ammonium sulfate fractionation, was purified in two steps, the first one by gel filtration chromatography and the second one by ion-exchange chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified protein was analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and estimated to be 21 kDa. The N-amino terminal sequence of P. xuthus biliverdin-binding protein analyzed up to the 19th residue showed that 42% of the amino acid sequence are sequence similarity to the bilin-binding protein from Pieris brassicae. These results suggest that the P. xuthus biliverdin-binding protein belongs to the insecticyanin-type.     

Immunological importance of the second gut segment of carp. III. Systemic and/or mucosal immune responses after immunization with soluble or particulate antigen

Mucosal and systemic (serum) immune responses were studied after oral, anal or intramuscular (i.m.) immunization with particulate ( Vibrio anguillarum ) or soluble (ferritin) antigen. Antigen specific antibodies were found by ELISA in skin mucus after repeated oral or anal administration of bacteria, but not after immunization with ferritin. Daily feeding with bacteria did not give detectable antibodies in serum, while regular oral administration of ferritin resulted in an increase of specific antibodies during the first 3 weeks. From that time immunosuppression was observed, as the antibody titre decreased despite the continued ferritin feeding. Immunosuppression was also found after a second anal intubation or i.m. injection with ferritin, independent of the route of priming (i.m. or anal). On the contrary, a second anal intubation of bacteria resulted in a secondary serum response. These results combined with those reported in Parts I and II of the study indicate an important immunological role for the second gut segment. Because mucosal as well as serum responses can be obtained by anal immunization with bacteria, the significance for oral vaccination is discussed.     

Identification of amine receptors from a swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus L.: cloning and mRNA localization in foreleg chemosensory organ for recognition of host plants

The swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus L., feeds exclusively on members of the plant family, Rutaceae. Female butterflies lay eggs in response to specific chemicals contained in their host plants. They perceive a variety of polar compounds as oviposition stimulants through the tarsal chemosensilla of the foreleg by drumming upon the leaf surface. Some biogenic amine analogs have been characterized as oviposition stimulants. We have cloned three amine receptors, serotonin, tyramine, and dopamine, from cDNA derived from foreleg tarsus of P. xuthus, and determined structures of both cDNA and genomic genes. The phenylethylamine (tyramine and dopamine) receptors were expressed preferentially in brain and chemosensory organs. Moreover, we observed the localized expression of dopamine receptors at the base of tarsal chemosensilla by in situ hybridization. These results suggest that amine receptors in tarsal chemosensilla have a functional role in chemoreception for host plant recognition.     

Mineralization in Ferritin: An Efficient Means of Iron Storage

Ferritins are a class of iron storage and mineralization proteins found throughout the animal, plant, and microbial kingdoms. Iron is stored within the protein shell of ferritin as a hydrous ferric oxide nanoparticle with a structure similar to that of the mineral "ferrihydrite." The eight hydrophilic channels that traverse the protein shell are thought to be the primary avenues by which iron gains entry to the interior of eukaryotic ferritins. Twenty-four subunits constitute the protein shell and, in mammalian ferritins, are of two types, H and L, which have complementary functions in iron uptake. The H chain contains a dinuclear ferroxidase site that is located within the four-helix bundle of the subunit; it catalyzes the oxidation of ferrous iron by O(2), producing H(2)O(2). The L subunit lacks this site but contains additional glutamate residues on the interior surface of the protein shell which produce a microenvironment that facilitates mineralization and the turnover of iron(III) at the H subunit ferroxidase site. Recent spectroscopic studies have shown that a di-Fe(III) peroxo intermediate is produced at the ferroxidase site followed by formation of a mu-oxobridged dimer, which then fragments and migrates to the nucleation sites to form incipient mineral core species. Once sufficient core has developed, iron oxidation and mineralization occur primarily on the surface of the growing crystallite, thus minimizing the production of potentially harmful H(2)O(2).     

动物储铁蛋白研究进展

铁元素是生物体中必不可少的微量元素,在生物的生长发育中发挥着重要作用。铁蛋白是一种分布广泛的球形蛋白,能够以稳定的形式储存大量铁。铁蛋白通过储存和释放铁来维持机体内铁平衡。铁蛋白不仅是机体中重要的铁储存蛋白,同时也能有效保护生物体免受来自氧自由基的损伤。与此同时,铁蛋白含量可以作为一些疾病预防检测的明确指标。对铁的代谢吸收及铁对基因调控的研究,进一步说明了维持铁平衡对生物体有重要意义。     

柑橘凤蝶蛹发声器的显微结构及防御作用(英文)

【目的】动物界存在多种用于对抗捕食者的防御机制。一些鳞翅目昆虫的蛹在受到机械刺激时会发出蠕动的声音。【方法】在扫描电镜下对柑橘凤蝶Papilio xuthus蛹的发声器形态特征进行观察,并使用Audacity软件对捕获的声音进行特征分析。【结果】柑橘凤蝶蛹在腹部第4-5节和第5-6节之间的节间膜上存在发声器,有规律地发出嘶嘶声。发声器由多层甲壳素构成的刮器和板组成,刮器和板上有50~90个突起。当蛹的腹部被寄生蜂触角刺激30 s以上时,刮器和板会迅速相互摩擦,腹部反复摆动发出声音。蛹发出的声音是由一系列每2 000~3 000 ms发生3次的短脉冲组成的。频带很宽,主要分布在5~20kHz范围内。新鲜蛹和越冬蛹的活性不同,声强也不同。【结论】本研究首先描述了柑橘蝴蝶蛹发声器的结构,结果支持了一些蝴蝶蛹对寄生生物进化出一种特殊的防御机制(声学防御)的假说。此外,通过比较两种生境的柑橘凤蝶蛹的声波特征,我们提出了同一物种在不同地理区域可以产生方言的假说。关键词:     

柑橘凤蝶细胞克隆株RIRI-PX1-C24的生物学及重组蛋白表达特性

【目的】研究柑橘凤蝶Papilio xuthus细胞系RIRI-PX1的单细胞克隆株RIRI-PX1-C24的生物学和重组蛋白表达特性。【方法】用野生型苜蓿银纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒(wild-type Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrosis virus, wt-AcMNPV)侵染RIRI-PX1-C24与RIRI-PX1,检测细胞对野生型病毒的敏感性;使用重组绿色荧光蛋白杆状病毒(AcMNPV-GFP)、重组β-半乳糖苷酶杆状病毒(AcMNPV-Gal)以及重组分泌型碱性磷酸酶杆状病毒(AcMNPV-SEAP)分别侵染细胞系RIRI-PX1-C24和RIRI-PX1,在之后的24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144和168 h检测3种重组蛋白的表达量;通过简单重复序列区间(inter simple sequence repeat, ISSR)标记比较RIRI-PX1-C24与RIRI PX1的遗传相似性。【结果】亲本细胞系 RIRI-PX1和克隆株RIRI-PX1-C24均能被wt-AcMNPV侵染,其中RIRI-PX-C24对wt-AcMNPV的敏感性较RIRI-PX1有显著提高。3种重组蛋白均能在2个细胞系中表达,其中重组绿色荧光蛋白在RIRI-PX1-C24中的表达水平远高于在亲本细胞系RIRI-PX1中的表达水平,但重组β-半乳糖苷酶蛋白和重组分泌型碱性磷酸酶蛋白在RIRI-PX1-C24中的表达水平较在RIRI-PX1中的无显著提高。用10条ISSR引物进行的RIRI-PX1-C24和RIRI-PX1 2个细胞系的指纹图谱分析中,4条引物扩增条带在这2个细胞系间存在差异;2个细胞系的遗传相似性范围在0~83.33%之间,说明克隆株及其亲本细胞系在基因型上存在差异。【结论】通过对柑橘凤蝶细胞系RIRI-PX1进行单细胞克隆,确实获得了使重组绿色荧光蛋白表达水平有显著提高的克隆株RIRI-PX1-C24,其利用价值仍需进一步的研究。     

The relevance of iron in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease

Alterations of iron levels in the brain has been observed and documented in a number of neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease (PD). The elevated nigral iron levels observed in PD may reflect a dysfunction of brain iron homeostasis. Under normal physiological conditions excess iron can be sequestrated in ferritin and neuromelanin. Alternatively, the excess iron may represent a component of brain iron deposition associated with ageing. The aetiology of idiopathic PD largely remains an enigma. However, intensive investigations have provided a host of putative mechanisms that might contribute to the pathogenesis underlying the characteristic degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). The mechanisms proposed include oxidative (and nitrative) stress, inflammation, excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, altered proteolysis and finally apoptotic induced cell death. Iron-mediated cellular destruction is mediated primarily via reactive oxygen or/and nitrogen species induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, these pathogenic mechanisms appear to be closely interlinked to the cascade of events leading to cellular death. There are conflicting reports about the stage during disease progression at which nigral iron change occurs in PD. Some have found that there are no changes in iron content SN in asymptomatic incidental Lewy body disease, suggesting it may represent a secondary event in the cascade of neuronal degeneration. In contrast, others have found an elevation of iron in SN in pre-clinical stages. These discrepancies may be attributed to the occurrence of different sub-groups of the disease. This concurs with the notion that PD represents a group of related diseases with a number of potential pathogenic pathways.     

Tim‐2 is the receptor for H‐ferritin on oligodendrocytes

Oligodendrocytes stain more strongly for iron than any other cell in the CNS, and they require iron for the production of myelin. For most cell types transferrin is the major iron delivery protein, yet neither transferrin receptor protein nor mRNA are detectable in mature oligodendrocytes. Thus an alternative iron delivery mechanism must exist. Given the significant long term consequences of developmental iron deficiency and the iron requirements for normal myelination, identification of the iron delivery mechanism for oligodendrocytes is important. Previously we have reported that oligodendrocytes bind H‐ferritin and that H‐ferritin binds to white matter tracts in vivo. Recently, T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain‐containing protein‐2 (Tim‐2) was shown to bind and internalize H‐ferritin. In the present study we show that Tim‐2 is expressed on oligodendrocytes both in vivo and in vitro. Further, the onset of saturable H‐ferritin binding in CG4 oligodendrocyte cell line is accompanied by Tim‐2 expression. Application of a blocking antibody to the extracellular domain of Tim‐2 significantly reduces H‐ferritin binding to the differentiated CG4 cells and primary oligodendrocytes. Tim‐2 expression on CG4 cells is responsive to iron; decreasing with iron loading and increasing with iron chelation. Taken together, these data provide compelling evidence that Tim‐2 is the H‐ferritin receptor on oligodendrocytes suggesting it is the primary mechanism for iron acquisition by these cells.     

厌氧氨氧化细菌Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis铁的吸收利用研究进展

铁是影响微生物生长代谢的关键元素,它与蛋白质结合,起催化、氧化还原或调节作用.厌氧氨氧化(ANAMMOX)细菌的生长代谢严重依赖铁,尤其是含铁蛋白.ANAMMOX细菌的厌氧生活方式和厌氧氨氧化体的存在使其对铁代谢的模式不同于其他微生物.弄清ANAMMOX细菌的铁吸收代谢模式,可为获得其纯培养物奠定基础,有利于促进其在环...     

Iron induces ferritin synthesis in maize plantlets

The iron-storage protein ferritin has been purified to homogeneity from maize seeds, allowing to determine the sequence of the first 29 NH₂-terminal amino acids of its subunit and to raise specific rabbit polyclonal antibodies. Addition of 500 M Fe-EDTA/75 M Fe-citrate to hydroponic culture solutions of maize plantlets, previously starved for iron, led to a significant increase of the iron concentration of roots and leaves, albeit root iron was mainly found associated with the apoplast. Immunodetection of ferritin by western blots indicated that this iron treatment induced ferritin protein accumulation in roots and leaves over a period of 3 days. In order to investigate this induction at the ferritin mRNA level, various ferritin cDNA clones were isolated from a cDNA library prepared from poly(A)⁺ mRNA isolated from roots 48 h after iron treatment. These cDNAs were classified into two groups called FM1 and FM2. Upstream of the sequence encoding the mature ferritin subunit, both of these cDNAs contained an in-frame coding sequence with the characteristics of a transit peptide for plastid targeting. Two members of the FM1 subfamily, both partial at their 5 extremity, were characterized. They are identical, except in their 3 untranslated region: FM1A extends 162 nucleotides beyond the 3 terminus of FM1B. These two mRNAs could arise from the use of two different polyadenylation signals. FM2 is 96% identical to FM1 and contains 45 nucleotides of 5 untranslated region. Northern analyses of root and leaf RNAs, at different times after iron treatment, revealed ferritin mRNA accumulation in response to iron. Ferritin mRNA accumulation was transient and particularly abundant in leaves, reaching a maximum at 24 h. The level of ferritin mRNA in roots was affected to a lesser extent than in leaves.     

Clearance rates of biotinylated ferritins in canine: A possible physiological role of canine serum ferritin as an iron transporter

To elucidate the physiological role of canine serum ferritin, we measured clearance rates of biotinylated ferritins in beagle. Biotinylated canine tissue ferritins were cleared rapidly from circulation. The clearance time (T_1/2) of liver ferritin (H/L subunit ratio=0.43) was 6.8 to 11.8 min, and that of heart ferritin (H/L=3.69) was 9.3 to 25.0 min. T_1/2 of biotinylated canine liver ferritin was independent of iron content, whereas canine heart apoferritin (T_1/2=31.2 and 32.7 min) was more slowly removed from circulation than the holoferritin. On the other hand, biotinylated recombinant bovine H-chain ferritin homopolymer show a much slower rate of removal (T_1/2=153.8 and 155.0 min) compared with the L-chain ferritin homopolymer (T_1/2=26.4 and 31.3 min). The rapid clearance of canine tissue ferritin suggests that serum ferritin is an iron transporter in canines.