N, N' (p-Xylylidene)-bis-aminoguanidine (2HCI) resistant mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and their relation to the amino acid transport system

N,N'-(p-Xylylidene)-bis-aminoguanidine 2HCl proved to be an efficient inducer of non-chromosomal petite mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in either growing or non-growing conditions. A mutant Agr-7 resistant to this compound was obtained. Resistance proved to dominate over its XBAG-sensitive allele in the diploid formed in cross. Mutant Agr-7 is characterized by slow growth rate on YEPG or minimal medium and small colony size. Studies on uptake of amino acids and sugars indicate that the phenomenon of resistance is involved in alteration of the general amino acid permease activity.     

Solution-phase secondary-ion mass spectrometry of protonated amino acids

Although sulfolane proved unexpectedly to be a poor solvent for solution-phase secondary-ion mass spectrometry of underivatized amino acids in the presence of thallium(I) salts, glycerol was somewhat more effective. Also, the addition of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid proved more effective than addition of the metal in generating molecular ion complexes. A convenient and reliable method for rapidly determining amino acid molecular ions is based on these observations.     

2,4-Diaminopyridine δ-opioid receptor agonists and their associated hERG pharmacology

A number of libraries were produced to explore the potential of 2,4-diaminopyridine lead 1. The resulting diaminopyridines proved to be potent and selective δ-opioid receptor agonists. Several rounds of lead optimisation using library chemistry identified compound 17 which went on to show efficacy in an electromyography model of neuropathic pain. The structure–activity relationship of the series against the hERG ion channel proved to be a key selectivity hurdle for the series.     

Effect of hypercapnia on tyrosine and tryptophan metabolism]

Experiments were conducted on albino rats; it was revealed that an increase in CO2 content in the inspired air (3.8%) caused disturbances in tyrosine and tryptophane metabolism. The activity of tyrosine-aminotranspherase and of tryptophane-oxygenase proved to increase in the liver; blood serum displayed a reduced concentration of free tyrosine and free total tryptophane, but the level of free tryptophane obtained by dialysis proved to rise. A possible significance of these deviations in endogenous blastomogenesis is discussed.     

Size comparisons among integral membrane transport protein homologues in bacteria, Archaea, and Eucarya

Integral membrane proteins from over 20 ubiquitous families of channels, secondary carriers, and primary active transporters were analyzed for average size differences between homologues from the three domains of life: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eucarya. The results showed that while eucaryotic homologues are consistently larger than their bacterial counterparts, archaeal homologues are significantly smaller. These size differences proved to be due primarily to variations in the sizes of hydrophilic domains localized to the N termini, the C termini, or specific loops between transmembrane alpha-helical spanners, depending on the family. Within the Eucarya domain, plant homologues proved to be substantially smaller than their animal and fungal counterparts. By contrast, extracytoplasmic receptors of ABC-type uptake systems in Archaea proved to be larger on average than those of their bacterial homologues, while cytoplasmic enzymes from different organisms exhibited little or no significant size differences. These observations presumably reflect evolutionary pressure and molecular mechanisms that must have been operative since these groups of organisms diverged from each other.     

Recent advances in N- and C-terminus cysteine protein bioconjugation

Advances in the site-specific chemical modification of proteins, also referred to as protein bioconjugation, have proved instrumental in revolutionary approaches to designing new protein-based therapeutics. Of the sites available for protein modification, cysteine residues or the termini of proteins have proved especially popular owing to their favorable properties for site-specific modification. Strategies that, therefore, specifically target cysteine at the termini offer a combination of these favorable properties of cysteine and termini bioconjugation. In this review, we discuss these strategies with a particular focus on those reported recently and provide our opinion on the future direction of the field.     

Silanediol-based inhibitor of thermolysin

The first silanediol inhibitor of thermolysin is reported, prepared by analogy with the Grobelny/Bartlett phosphinate inhibitor. A Cbz group on nitrogen proved to be unstable to the triflic acid mediated silanediol deprotection and was replaced with a dihydrocinnamoyl group. The silanediol was prepared in high purity by hydrolysis of a difluorosilane intermediate and proved to be an effective inhibitor, differing from the phosphinate by a factor of 4 (K_i=41 nM).     

Field experiments on the control of sheep maggots

Field experiments on about 4700 sheep at about forty different farms in North Wales are discussed. Crutching is the most effective control measure for lambs. Regular dipping with commercial arsenic-sulphur dips gives reasonable control except during adverse weather conditions. Dipping with zinc arsenite or with calomel proved, on the whole, less effective than dipping with commercial dip. Addition of calomel to commercial dip proved to be more effective than commercial dip alone. Preliminary observations are presented on the variation of the surface tension and viscosity of the dipping fluid as the number of sheep passing through the dip increased.     

原核基因组的进化方向和癌／正常细胞的熵产生

本文评述了理论生物学的两个基础实验。一是用离子束辐照加速大肠杆菌进化的方法研究原核基因组的进化方向,证明进化中的缺失偏好性和编码信息量扩增律不矛盾。二是提出用导热法测量细胞的熵产生,比较研究了癌细胞和正常细胞的熵产生和外加电场的关系,证明在一定强度的电场作用下正常细胞的熵产生可以明显超过癌细胞,从而实现改变两类细胞间熵流方向的目的。     

Carbonic anhydrase and matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. Inhibition of human tumor-associated isozymes IX and cytosolic isozyme I and II with sulfonylated hydroxamates

A series of sulfonylated hydroxamates were synthesized and evaluated as dual inhibitors of both human carbonic anhydrases (hCAs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), two metalloenzyme families involved in carcinogenesis and tumor invasion processes. The new derivatives were tested on three CA isozymes, the cytosolic isozymes I and II, and the transmembrane, tumor-associated isozyme IX, and also on human gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9). Some of the new derivatives proved to be potent and selective inhibitors of CA II, but only compounds 3b and 6b, devoid of the arylsulfonyl moiety, proved to have a better inhibitory activity on hCA IX than on hCA I and II, in the micromolar range.     

一种乙肝表面抗原结合蛋白可作为疫苗佐剂

乙肝表面抗原结合蛋白(HBsAg binding protein, SBP)是本实验室发现的一种可以与乙肝表面抗原HBsAg特异性结合的人源蛋白,该蛋白已经被证实具有增强乙肝疫苗免疫效果的作用.目前,我们已经利用毕赤酵母表达系统获得了能够分泌表达SBP的毕赤酵母表达菌株.本研究通过对上述菌株的发酵产物进行超滤和亲和层析纯化,获得了一定量的高纯度重组SBP蛋白,并利用酶联免疫吸附检测(ELISA)法和表面等离子体共振(SPF)法分别对重组SBP进行了体内外生物学活性的初步检测,证实其具有与HBsAg结合的能力,并求得了二者之间的亲和常数.将重组SBP作为乙肝疫苗增效剂与乙肝疫苗共同免疫小鼠,SBP增效组小鼠与对照组相比,血清中HBsAg抗体显著升高,表明SBP在体液免疫方面对乙肝疫苗具有显著的增效作用.上述结果表明,SBP有望作为乙肝疫苗的免疫佐剂,在乙型肝炎防治方面有重要意义.     

Bisphosphonates derived from fatty acids are potent inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase

Studies on the mode of action of a series of bisphosphonates derived from fatty acids, which had previously proved to be potent inhibitors against Trypanosoma cruzi proliferation in in vitro assays, have been performed. Some of these drugs proved to be potent inhibitors against the intracellular form of the parasite, exhibiting IC(50) values at the low micromolar level. As bisphosphonates are FDA clinically approved for treatment of bone resorption disorders, their potential innocuousness makes them good candidates to control tropical diseases.     

Yield-forming effect of sandovit on field bean and its influence on the degree of damage to seeds by bruchus rufimanus

The paper presents the yield-forming effect of Sandovit on field bean. The field experiments, carried out in the experimental field of the Regional Experimental Centre in Boguchwala near Rzeszów, showed the significant effect this product has on accelerating the growth of plants and their yield. A significant difference was proved between the experimental object and the control one regarding the number of pods set on a plant and filling them with seeds. The result was an increase in the seed crop by 22.3% in relation to the control object. The effect of Sandovit on decreasing the degree of damage to the field bean seeds was also proved.     

Purification of a corpuscular influenza vaccine by means of immunoaffinity chromatography

Two immunoaffinity chromatographic methods for the purification of corpuscular influenza vaccine from the admixture of chick embryo components have been examined. The isolation of the virus on immobilized antiviral antibodies has proved to be unsuitable for preparative purposes. The method for the purification of the vaccine from ovalbumin with the use of immobilized anti-ovalbumin antibodies has proved to be highly effective. When introduced into guinea pigs in 3 injections, the vaccine purified by immunosorption has been found to produce no anaphylactic reactions.     

水曲柳腋芽离体快繁研究初报

以水曲柳带顶芽、腋芽茎段为外植体进行离体培养,研究其适宜的灭菌方法、基本培养基种类和激素对腋芽萌发、丛芽产生、芽苗增殖的影响。结果表明,水曲柳的腋芽茎段为快繁的适宜外植体,茎段灭菌以用0.05%HgCl₂处理2 min最好。在萌芽培养中,BA和2ip均可促进腋芽萌发,但以8 mg·L^-1 BA处理时萌发效果最好,萌发率达100％;将腋芽萌发后长成的新枝转入添加ZT的培养基中,出现丛芽,在添加1.0 mg·L^-1的ZT的培养基中增殖效果最好,增殖系数达到3.0。无论在萌芽培养还是增殖培养中均发现WPM培养基最适合水曲柳腋芽的离体快繁。     

Rapid method for distinction of gram-negative from gram-positive bacteria

Summary A rapid method for distinction between gram-negative and grampositive bacteria by means of a 3% solution of potassium hydroxide is tested on 71 gram-positive and 55 gram-negative bacterial strains. The method proved reliable with one exception only, a Bacillus macerans strain. That strain was definately gram-negative on staining. Other Bacillus strains were proved gram-positive by the test, even those being gram-negative on staining.     

Use of process data to assess chromatographic performance in production-scale protein purification columns

Transition analysis was performed on production-scale chromatography data in order to monitor column performance. Analysis of over 300 transitions from several different chromatography operations demonstrated the utility of the techniques presented. Several of the transitions analyzed occurred on columns with known integrity breaches. The techniques proved sensitive for detection of these breaches. Seven transition calculations are presented, which were combined to produce a single overall integrity value for each column. In addition, principal components analysis (PCA) was used to detect shifts in the transition pattern, including those attributed to integrity breaches. Besides detection of integrity breaches, transition analysis proved useful in monitoring column efficiency over multiple column uses.     

Doxorubicin and paclitaxel vs. 5-fluorouracyl,doxorubicin and cyclophosphamid in the first line treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Combined chemotherapy of breast cancer using antracyclins proved to be superior over classical drug combinations. Taxanes are considered even more effective agents against breast cancer than the previously used drugs. Based on these assumptions, multicentric phase III trial was initiated in Europe to compare the AT combination (doxorubicin and paclitaxel) with the classical FAC (5-fluorouracyl, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamid). AT combination proved to be more effective in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer than FAC as far as the overall response rate and the complete responses are concerned. Furthermore, the time to progression increased in the AT-arm too compared to the FAC-arm. Based on these data it is suggested to use AT combination for the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer.     

用差异显示技术寻找家蚕诱导前后特异表达的基因

分别抽取诱导和未诱导家蚕(Bombyx mori)蛹脂肪体总RNA进行DDRT-PCR反应。产物于非变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶上电泳展开,得到的差异条带扩增后大多可以在2%琼脂糖凝胶上得到一条以上的带。Northern blot证明为阳性的一条带克隆后得到6个阳性转化子,SSCP证明它们含有相同的插入片段。对其中之一进行测序,结果显示片段长241bp,没有发现同源性较高的基因。对此基因的进一步研究有望揭示它在昆虫免疫反应中可能扮演的角色。     

Insecticidal secondary metabolites from entomogenous fungi: Entomophthora virulenta

Two strains of the insect pathogenic fungus Entomophthora virulenta have been examined for their pathogenicity to adult blowflies, Calliphora erythrocephala, for their ability to grow on defined media, and for the production of biologically active secondary metabolites. The fungus proved highly pathogenic to blowflies and hyphal bodies isolated from diseased insects were successfully cultivated on egg yolk medium and subsequently grown in shake culture on a glucose-asparagine medium. Both strains were found to produce a mixture of 4,4′-azoxybenzene dicarboxylic acid and 4,4′-hydroxymethyl azoxybenzene carboxylic acid. The hydroxy acid proved toxic by intrahemocoelic injection into adult blowflies and accounted for all the extractable insecticidal activity.