布氏田鼠对低温的适应性产热

将布氏田鼠置１到３０天的低温（６±１℃）环境下暴露,其体重与体温没有明显变化;静止代谢率（ＲＭＲ）、非震颤性产热（ＮＳＴ）及血清中三碘甲腺原氨酸（Ｔ３）含量,随冷暴露时间的延长而增加;肝线粒体状态３呼吸及细胞色素Ｃ氧化酶活力亦随冷暴露时间的延长而升高。肝线粒体蛋白质含量经冷暴露３０天时有明显升高,表明动物在低温适应中肝线粒体蛋白合成增加与呼吸功能增强是个体ＲＭＲ提高的细胞学机制之一。布氏田鼠褐色脂     

低温酶及其冷适应性机制研究进展

生活在极地、深海等常年低温环境中的低温微生物和部分变温生物,能够通过产生低温酶来适应在低温环境中的生长、繁殖和代谢。这些酶在低温或常温条件下具有很高的催化活性,对热却很敏感,在高温时能够快速失活,因此在实际的生产和生活中具有广泛的应用前景。基于这些特性,低温酶的冷适应性机制研究成为了当前的一个热点。较系统地综述了低温酶的来源、特点、生产状况以及具有代表性的几种低温酶的冷适应性机制。     

微生物对低温极端环境适应性的研究进展

嗜冷微生物是地球寒冷环境中最主要的生物类群,并且是驱动全球生物地球化学循环的关键环节。嗜冷微生物在适应策略上显示出应对多种极端环境因素的巨大潜力,研究其适应和进化机制有助于更好地理解微生物与环境之间相互作用过程,并有效利用极端环境微生物资源。近年来,随着分子生物学和基因组学技术的高速发展,对微生物适应寒冷环境的机制及嗜冷微生物在指示气候变化和工农业应用方面均有一系列的突破。在此,本文将从基因组的GC含量、蛋白质稳定性、转录翻译调控、细胞膜流动性、渗透压调节、抗氧化损失和基因组适应性进化等方面总结当前在微生物适应低温环境机制上所取得的进展,并展望低温环境微生物在指示气候变化和工农业应用中的前景。     

低温微生物适应低温的分子机制

根据Ｍｏｒｉｔａ和Ｒｕｓｓｅｌ的定义 ,低温微生物可分为两类 :一类是其最高生长温度低于2 0℃的微生物称嗜冷菌 (ｐｓｙｃｈｒｏｐｈｉｌｅｓ) ,另一类是指在 0～ 40℃可以生长的微生物称耐冷菌 (ｐｓｙｃｈｒｏｔｒｏｐｈｓ)。这些微生物体内的温度与环境温度很接近。尽管低温对生化反应有着强烈的负效应 ,但低温微生物在低温下却能成功地生长与繁殖 ,它们因此产生了各种各样的适应机制 ,主要是细胞膜、蛋白质、酶分子水平上发生了精细的组成和结构的变化[1] ,因此弥补了低温对生长的有害影响。催化生物体内所有生化反应的酶是生物体适…     

α-淀粉酶低温适应性分子机制的研究进展

低温酶由于在低温下仍能保持高催化活性而具有很高的工业应用价值。而关于低温酶是如何适应低温环境以及在低温下如何保持高催化活性等问题,同样引起了各国科学家们的广泛关注。其中低温α-淀粉酶是在结构和功能方面研究得最为透彻的酶,它也是第一个被结晶的低温酶,其热、动力学特征已通过内荧光法、圆二色性和差示扫描量热法等进行了深入研究。建立在三维结构分析和热力学特征研究的基础上,科学家们目前正尝试着解开低温酶的低温适应性之谜。对低温α-淀粉酶的研究进展作一简要的综述。     

微生物多不饱和脂肪酸的研究进展

介绍了多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFAs)的微生物来源在微生物体内的代谢途径、分子生物学研究进展以及微生物的发酵生产状况。重点论述了微生物PUFAs的最新分子生物学研究进展。     

试谈常绿植物叶绿体对低温胁迫的适应性--兼答徐敏老师

徐敏老师来信中提到 ,在回答学生“常绿植物叶片中的叶绿素在秋冬天为什么不被破坏”的问题时 ,做了一些解释 ,但感到没有完全到达该问题的核心 ,希望得到更多的解释 ,现就这个问题谈一些看法。绝大部分常绿阔叶植物分布在温带以南的地区 ,秋冬季气温相对较高 ,植物体内的叶绿体受秋冬季低温的影响较小 ,对于我国的北方地区生活的一些常绿植物 (主要是针叶树和灌木类 ) ,这些植物之所以能够在冬季保持绿色 ,是因为这些植物在长期的进化过程中形成了一系列的生理生化机制来保护植物的细胞 (包括叶绿体和其它细胞器 )不受伤害 ,逐渐适应了冬季…     

多不饱和脂肪酸对细胞膜功能影响的研究进展

多不饱和脂肪酸是细胞膜磷脂的重要组成成份,影响细胞膜的稳定性.它具有广泛的生物学功能,包括细胞内信号传导通路、基因表达和细胞凋亡的调控等.主要从细胞膜脂质的组成,细胞膜的流动性及膜脂质过氧化等方面对多不饱和脂肪酸对细胞膜功能的影响进行了综述.     

黑莓对水分、盐分和低温逆境的适应性

在南京盆栽条件下,黑莓（Rubus L.spp.)“Hull”品种1年生扦插苗在土壤相对含水量为70%以上时,地上部分和地下部分均生长良好,正常开花结实;土壤相对含水量下降到50%-60%时,地上部分生长明显减弱,地下部分生长受到一定影响,但植株都能存活;土壤相对含水量下降到45%-50%时,地上部分及地下部分均生长不良,部分植株死亡;土壤相对含水量降到30%-35%时,植株无法生存。黑莓“Hull”品种扦插苗是对盐（NaCl)敏感的植物,中度（0.2%)以上盐浓度对生长有明显的抑制作用,相对于地上部分和根系,根颈部所受的影响较小,表现为地上部无新的枝条萌出,无叶片产生;地下部无新根产生;根颈部萌芽数量减少,长度变小,随着盐浓度的增加,生长减慢甚至死亡。轻度（0.1%)盐处理未见有抑制作用。黑莓不同品种的枝条抗冻性不同,所测定的3个品种中,“HuLL”抗冻性最差,LT50为-25.5℃,“Chester”与“Navoho”的抗冻性相近,LT50均为-29℃。     

多不饱和脂肪酸对人体的作用

多不饱和脂肪酸又叫多烯酸,是指分子结构中含有２个或２个以上不饱和双键的脂肪酸。双键愈多,不饱和程度愈高,营养价值也愈高［１］。随着科学的发展,某些多不饱和脂肪酸对人体的作用进一步被认识,特别是以廿二碳六烯酸、廿碳五烯酸和一般植物油中的亚油酸（常与亚麻...     

Effect of selenium supplementation on polyunsaturated fatty acids in rats

The purpose of this work was to study plasma, adipose tissue, and liver fatty acids percentages of Wistar rats that drank water supplemented with several levels of sodium selenite for 1, 3, and 6 mo. In a general way, percentages of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids of supplemented groups were not different from those obtained with nontreated animals in the analyzed tissues. However, in rats supplemented with 0.5 ppm Se, mainly in adipose tissue, a polyunsaturated fatty acids increase (p<0.005) was observed for all times of treatment. This could suggest that 0.5 ppm Se supplement probably exercises a protective role on polyunsaturated fatty acids in that tissue. Supplements of 6.0, 15.0, and 54.0 ppm Se did not change unsaturation levels of fatty acids in the analyzed tissues.     

Environmental factors and membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids in schizophrenia

There is accumulating evidence of reductions in red blood cell membrane essential fatty acids in patients with schizophrenia. The mechanisms that may underlie these reductions have yet to be determined. It is possible that the observed membrane fatty acid deficits are associated with the development of schizophrenia. Alternatively, the membrane fatty acid deficits may be due to environmental factors, such as smoking and variations in diet, which may not be associated specifically with the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia smoke cigarettes at very high rates. Cigarette smoke contains many pro-oxidants that contribute directly to oxidative stress. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are very susceptible to oxidative effects of free radicals. Thus, smoke-induced oxidative stress could plausibly account for reductions in membrane fatty acid in schizophrenia. Recent studies provide conflicting evidence for smoking effects on membrane fatty acid deficits. Likewise, the effects of diet on membrane PUFAs in schizophrenia are not entirely clear. Essential PUFAs need to be consumed in diet. Thus, differences in membrane PUFAs observed between patients and control subjects may be due to dietary variation. Few studies that have examined dietary effects differ in their interpretation of the effects of diet on membrane PUFAs. Thus, the jury is still out whether smoking or dietary effects are the primary causes of membrane PUFA deficits in patients with schizophrenia. Future studies will need to systematically examine the potential effects of smoking and diet, as well as other environmental factors such exercise, to definitively establish whether or not PUFA abnormalities are inherent to schizophrenia.     

Role of fatty acids in cold adaptation of Antarctic psychrophilic Flavobacterium spp.

Cold-loving microorganisms developed numerous adaptation mechanisms allowing them to survive in extremely cold habitats, such as adaptation of the cell membrane. The focus of this study was on the membrane fatty acids of Antarctic Flavobacterium spp., and their adaptation response to cold-stress. Fatty acids and cold-response of Antarctic flavobacteria was also compared to mesophilic and thermophilic members of the genus Flavobacterium. The results showed that the psychrophiles produced more types of major fatty acids than meso- and thermophilic members of this genus, namely C_15:1 iso G, C_15:0 iso, C_15:0 anteiso, C_15:1 ω6c, C_15:0 iso 3OH, C_17:1 ω6c, C_16:0 iso 3OH and C_17:0 iso 3OH, summed features 3 (C_16:1 ω7cand/or C_16:1 ω6c) and 9 (C_16:0 10-methyl and/or C_17:1 iso ω9c). It was shown that the cell membrane of psychrophiles was composed mainly of branched and unsaturated fatty acids. The results also implied that Antarctic flavobacteria mainly used two mechanisms of membrane fluidity alteration in their cold-adaptive response. The first mechanism was based on unsaturation of fatty acids, and the second mechanism on de novo synthesis of branched fatty acids. The alteration of the cell membrane was shown to be similar for all thermotypes of members of the genus Flavobacterium.     

多不饱和脂肪酸对成年雪貂心肌钾通道的作用

本研究是在成年雪貂的心肌上研究多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFA）对电压门控钾通道的效应。我们观察到,n-3 PUFA能抑制短时性外向钾电流（Ito)和延迟整流钾电流（IK),而对内向整流钾电流（IK1）则没有明显影响。二十二碳六烯酸（DHA）对Ito和Ik能产生浓度依赖性的抑制作用,其IC50分别为7.5和20μmol/L,但不影响IK1。二十碳五烯酸（EPA）对这三种钾通道的作用与DHA相似。花生四烯酸（5或10μmol/L)先引起IK的抑制,然后引起IK,AA的激活;用环氧合酶抑制剂消炎痛可以阻断花生四烯酸激活IK,AA的作用。不具有抗心律失常作用的单不饱和脂肪酸和饱和脂肪酸都不明显影响这些钾通道的活性。上述实验结果证明,n-3 PUFA能抑制心肌细胞的Ito和IK,但和我们以前报道的PUFA对心肌钠电流和钙电流的作用相比,其对Ito和IK抑制作用的效能较低。n-3 PUFA的抗心律失常效应可能与它们抑制心肌钠、钙、钾通道的作用有关。     

Binding of sulfosuccinimidyl fatty acids to adipocyte membrane proteins: Isolation and ammo-terminal sequence of an 88-kD protein implicated in transport of long-chain fatty acids

Summary We recently reported (Harmon et al., J. Membrane Biol. 124:261–268, 1991) that sulfo-N-succinimidyl derivatives of long-chain fatty acids (SS-FA) specifically inhibited transport of oleate by rat adipocytes. These compounds bound to an 85–90 kD membrane protein which was also labeled by another inhibitor of FA transport [³H]DIDS (4,4-diisothiocyanostilbene-2-2-sulfonate). These results indicated that the protein was a strong candidate as the transporter for long-chain fatty acids. In this report we determined that the apparent size of the protein is 88 kD and its isoelectric point is 6.9. We used [³H]SS-oleate (SSO), which specifically labels the 88-kD protein, to isolate it from rat adipocyte plasma membranes. Identification of 15 amino acids at the N-terminus region revealed strong sequence homology with two previously described membrane glycoproteins: CD36, a ubiquitous protein originally identified in platelets and PAS IV, a protein that is enriched in the apical membranes of lipidsecreting mammary cells during lactation. Antibody against PAS IV cross-reacted with the adipocyte protein. This, together with the N-terminal sequence homology, suggested that the adipocyte protein belongs to a family of related intrinsic membrane proteins which include CD36 and PAS IV.     

Biohydrogenation of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids by anaerobic bacteria

The PUFAs include many bioactive lipids. The microbial metabolism of C₁₈ PUFAs is known to produce their bioactive isomers, such as conjugated FAs and hydroxy FAs, but there is little information on that of C₂₀ PUFAs. In this study, we aimed to obtain anaerobic bacteria with the ability to produce novel PUFAs from C₂₀ PUFAs. Through the screening of ∼100 strains of anaerobic bacteria, Clostridium bifermentans JCM 1386 was selected as a strain with the ability to saturate PUFAs during anaerobic cultivation. This strain converted arachidonic acid (cis-5,cis-8,cis-11,cis-14-eicosatetraenoic acid) and EPA (cis-5,cis-8,cis-11,cis-14,cis-17-EPA) into cis-5,cis-8,trans-13-eicosatrienoic acid and cis-5,cis-8,trans-13,cis-17-eicosatetraenoic acid, giving yields of 57% and 67% against the added PUFAs, respectively. This is the first report of the isolation of a bacterium transforming C₂₀ PUFAs into corresponding non-methylene-interrupted FAs. We further investigated the substrate specificity of the biohydrogenation by this strain and revealed that it can convert two cis double bonds at the ω6 and ω9 positions in various C₁₈ and C₂₀ PUFAs into a trans double bond at the ω7 position. This study should serve to open up the development of novel potentially bioactive PUFAs.     

Anti-HCV activities of selective polyunsaturated fatty acids

HCV infection can lead to chronic infectious hepatitis disease with serious sequelae. Interferon-alpha, or its PEGylated form, plus ribavirin is the only treatment option to combat HCV. Alternative and more effective therapy is needed due to the severe side effects and unsatisfactory curing rate of the current therapy. In this study, we found that several polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) including arachidonic acid (AA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are able to exert anti-HCV activities using an HCV subgenomic RNA replicon system. The EC(50) (50% effective concentration to inhibit HCV replication) of AA was 4microM that falls in the range of physiologically relevant concentration. At 100microM, alpha-linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic, and linoleic acid only reduced HCV RNA levels slightly and saturated fatty acids including oleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and steric acid had no inhibitory activities toward HCV replication. When AA was combined with IFN-alpha, strong synergistic anti-HCV effect was observed as revealed by an isobologram analysis. It will be important to determine whether PUFAs can provide synergistic antiviral effects when given as food supplements during IFN-based anti-HCV therapy. Further elucidation of the exact anti-HCV mechanism caused by AA, DHA, and EPA may lead to the development of agents with potent activity against HCV or related viruses.     

Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids improve cholinergic transmission in the aged brain

The cholinergic theory of aging states that dysfunction of cholinergic neurons arising from the basal forebrain and terminating in the cortex and hippocampus may be involved in the cognitive decline that occurs during aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Despite years of research, pharmacological interventions to treat or forestall the development of Alzheimer’s disease have primarily focused on enhancing cholinergic transmission, either through increasing acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis or inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme responsible for ACh hydrolysis. However, recent studies have indicated that dietary supplementation can impact the cholinergic system, particularly during aging. The purpose of the present review is to examine the relevant research suggesting that cholinergic functioning may be maintained during aging via consuming a diet containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The data reviewed herein indicate that, at least in animal studies, inclusion of PUFAs in the diet can improve cholinergic transmission in the brain, possibly leading to improvements in cognitive functioning.     

Effects of fatty acids on membrane currents in the squid giant axon

Summary The effects of fatty acids on the ionic currents of the voltage-clamped squid giant axon were investigated using intracellular and extracellular application of the test substances. Fatty acids mainly suppress the Na current but have little effect on the K current. These effects are completely reversed after washing with control solution. The concentrations required to suppress the peak inward current by 50% and Hill number were determined for each fatty acid. ED₅₀ decreased about 1/3 for each increase of one carbon atom. The standard free energy was –3.05 kJ mole^–1 for CH₂. The Hill number was 1.58 for 2-decenoic acid. The suppression effect of the fatty acids depends on the number of carbon atoms in the compounds and their chemical structure. Suppression of the Na current was clearly observed when the number of carbon atoms exceeded eight. When fatty acids of the same chain length were compared, 2-decenoic acid had strong inhibitory activity, but sebacic acid had no effect at all on the Na channel. The currents were fitted to equations similar to those proposed by Hodgkin and Huxley (J. Physiol. (London) 117:500–544, 1952) and the changes in the parameters of these equations in the presence of fatty acids were calculated. The curve of the steady-state activation parameter (m ) for the Na current against membrane potential and the time constant of activation ({ie113-1}) were shifted 20 mV in a depolarizing direction by the application of fatty acids. The time constant for inactivation ({ie113-2}) was almost no change by application of the fatty acids. The time constant for activation ({ie113-3}) of K current was shifted 20 mV in a depolarizing direction by the application of the fatty acids.     

Effect of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on hare reproductive performances

The study was carried out on 42 breeder couples (42 males and 42 females) of European brown hare (Lepus europaeus), divided into three groups fed three different experimental diets (14 couples/treatment). Two diets were supplemented with n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; 2% of linseed oil and soybean oil, respectively) and were compared with a control diet supplemented with a monounsaturated fatty acids (2% of olive oil). During the experimental period (from 15 April to 30 September), the following parameters were recorded: days from the beginning of trial to the first parturition, parturition interval, number of parturitions, number of leverets born (alive and dead), dead during suckling, the total number of leverets weaned and feed intake per cage (of males, females and leverets until weaning). Feed intake was not influenced by treatments. In hares fed n-3 and n-6 diets, the days from the beginning of the trial to the first parturition and the parturition interval were similar and were lower compared with control group (63.1 v. 70.6 days, and 37.8 v. 40.9 days, respectively; P < 0.05). Hares from n-6 group had a higher (P < 0.05) number of parturitions per cage during the experimental period than the n-3 and control group that showed a similar value (3.00 v. 2.36, respectively). The total number of leverets born per cage and parturition in n-6 and n-3 groups increased with respect to those fed control diet (P < 0.05). The leverets' mortality rate at birth was higher in n-6 than in n-3 and control group (3.50 v. 2.17, respectively; P < 0.05). In control group, leverets' mortality rate during suckling was lower with respect to n-3 (P < 0.05) and n-6 (P < 0.05), showing the highest value for the latter (P < 0.05). In spite of this higher mortality, the number of leverets weaned per cage and parturition was higher (P < 0.05) in n-6 compared with n-3 group, being the latter higher than the control group (3.12, 2.79 and 2.43, respectively). Our results show that the dietary PUFAs, particularly n-6 supplementation, have a positive influence on the reproductive performances of the European brown hare.