A Method for DNA Extraction from the Desert Cyanobacterium Chroococcidiopsis and Its Application to Identification of ftsZ

A method was developed for extraction of DNA from Chroococcidiopsis that overcomes obstacles posed by bacterial contamination and the presence of a thick envelope surrounding the cyanobacterial cells. The method is based on the resistance of Chroococcidiopsis to lysozyme and consists of a lysozyme treatment followed by osmotic shock that reduces the bacterial contamination by 3 orders of magnitude. Then DNase treatment is performed to eliminate DNA from the bacterial lysate. Lysis of Chroococcidiopsis cells is achieved by grinding with glass beads in the presence of hot phenol. Extracted DNA is further purified by cesium-chloride density gradient ultracentrifugation. This method permitted the first molecular approach to the study of Chroococcidiopsis, and a 570-bp fragment of the gene ftsZ was cloned and sequenced.     

Tumor Cells Genetically Labeled with GFP in the Nucleus and RFP in the Cytoplasm for Imaging Cellular Dynamics

Dual-color fluorescent cells with one color fluorescent protein in the nucleus and another color fluorescent protein in the cytoplasm were genetically engineered. The dual-color cancer cells enable real-time nuclear-cytoplasmic dynamics to be visualized in living cells in vivo as well as in vitro. To obtain the dual-color cells, red fluorescent protein (RFP) was expressed in the cytoplasm of a series of human and rodent cancer cells, and green fluorescent protein (GFP) linked to histone H2B was expressed in the nucleus. Nuclear GFP expression enabled visualization of nuclear dynamics, whereas simultaneous cytoplasmic RFP expression enabled visualization of nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios as well as simultaneous cell and nuclear shape changes. Using the Olympus OV100 Whole-Mouse Imaging System, total sub-cellular dynamics can be visualized in the living dual-color cells in real time in the live mouse after cell injection. Highly elongated cancer cells and nuclei in narrow capillaries were visualized where both the nuclei and cytoplasm deform. Both cytoplasm and nuclei were visualized to undergo extreme deformation during extravasation with cytoplasmic processing exiting vessels first and nuclei following along these processes. The dual-color cells described here thus enable the sub-cellular dynamics of cancer cell trafficking to be imaged in the living animal.     

Buoyancy Regulation and the Potential for Vertical Migration in the Oceanic Cyanobacterium Trichodesmium

Diel protein and carbohydrate content in Trichodesmium thiebautii was measured to evaluate the relationship to buoyancy status. Carbohydrate:protein ratio was the best predictor of buoyancy and fit a cosine curve with increasing values during the day and decreasing values at night in cycles that paralleled observed diel buoyancy patterns. This ratio also increased in short-term experiments as a function of light and increased in parallel with decreasing positive buoyancy. We used changes in this ratio to estimate the potential for vertical migration. Whereas limited vertical excursions in the upper 70 m are possible, deeper migrations appear unlikely unless respiration rates decrease significantly. N:P ratios in sinking and floating colonies were used to test for the P acquisition at depth (vertical migration). We noted that pooled N:P ratios were not significantly different between sinking and ascending colonies (N:P = 65.6 and 66.3, respectively) collected along the northern Australian coast, much like published results from north of Hawaii. Highly significant differences (p <0.0001) were observed in the western Gulf of Mexico between sinking and ascending colonies (N:P = 87.0 and 43.5, respectively) and provide the best direct evidence to date of vertical migration for P acquisition. Our physiological data on compositional changes during buoyancy reversals suggest a complex relationship between light and nutrients. It appears likely that light and P metabolism interact to regulate the vertical extent of migrations, with deep vertical migration regulated by P metabolism superimposed on a mixed-layer light-driven migration. The variability in N:P ratios suggests that care should be taken in assuming buoyancy reversals always result in P acquisition in this oceanic cyanobacterium.     

转染GFP对结肠直肠癌细胞遗传物质稳定性的影响

为探究绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)对结肠直肠癌细胞遗传物质稳定性是否存在影响,选取3种常用的结肠直肠癌细胞系HCT116,SW480,DLD-1;采用脂质体转染法把GFP转入细胞,统计几种细胞系微核、核芽的比例;分别比较各种细胞系自发微核、核芽和GFP组的差异.结果发现,HCT116细胞中对照组与GFP组的微核细胞率分别为3...     

uPA基因重组GFP-腺相关病毒载体质粒的构建及其表达

利用基因重组技术,用RT-PCR法从幼鼠肾脏获得uPA cDNA,再克隆到质粒pAAV-IRES-hrGFP的多克隆位点,构建重组质粒pAAV-hrGFP-uPA,通过酶切和DNA测序鉴定重组质粒的正确性,采用磷酸钙共沉淀法,以重组质粒pAAV-hrGFP-uPA和pAAV-RC、pHelper共转染AAV-293细胞,产生具有传染性的病毒颗粒;用斑点杂交法测定重组病毒颗粒的滴度,再将此病毒颗粒体外转染到培养的肾小管细胞中,倒置荧光显微镜观察GFP的表达,用免疫组化法检测转染的uPA蛋白表达,结果表明：成功地构建uPA基因GFP-腺相关病毒重组质粒,病毒滴度达每mL 4×10^13病毒颗粒,60％～70％肾小管细胞感染了病毒颗粒,感染的肾小管细胞能稳定、高效表达外源uPA蛋白,为今后建立AAV-uPA基因治疗肾纤维化的模型奠定了良好的基础．     

Imaging the Perivascular Space as a Potential Biomarker of Neurovascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Although the brain lacks conventional lymphatic vessels found in peripheral tissue, evidence suggests that the space surrounding the vasculature serves a similar role in the clearance of fluid and metabolic waste from the brain. With aging, neurodegeneration, and cerebrovascular disease, these microscopic perivascular spaces can become enlarged, allowing for visualization and quantification on structural MRI. The purpose of this review is to: (i) describe some of the recent pre-clinical findings from basic science that shed light on the potential neurophysiological mechanisms driving glymphatic and perivascular waste clearance, (ii) review some of the pathobiological etiologies that may lead to MRI-visible enlarged perivascular spaces (ePVS), (iii) describe the possible clinical implications of ePVS, (iv) evaluate existing qualitative and quantitative techniques used for measuring ePVS burden, and (v) propose future avenues of research that may improve our understanding of this potential clinical neuroimaging biomarker for fluid and metabolic waste clearance dysfunction in neurodegenerative and neurovascular diseases.     

SLP-2荧光表达载体的构建及其在乳腺癌细胞MCF-7中的表达与定位

人的SLP-2基因是一个新的肿瘤相关基因,它在多个癌组织里高表达,如食管鳞状细胞癌组织和肺癌组织。其中在乳腺癌组织的高表达和病人的存活率负相关,这说明该基因很可能在乳腺癌的发生中发挥重要作用。为了研究SLP-2基因在肿瘤里的功能,将人类SLP-2基因全长编码区定向连入pEGFP—C3质粒,使SLP-2蛋白可以与绿色荧光蛋白在乳腺癌细胞MCF-7内融合表达。而且细胞荧光实验发现SLP-2蛋白主要定位在MCF-7细胞的胞质内,这为进一步研究SLP-2基因在乳腺癌中的功能奠定了实验基础。     

Functional Activity of Plasmid DNA after Entry into the Atmosphere of Earth Investigated by a New Biomarker Stability Assay for Ballistic Spaceflight Experiments

Sounding rockets represent an excellent platform for testing the influence of space conditions during the passage of Earth''s atmosphere and re-entry on biological, physical and chemical experiments for astrobiological purposes. We designed a robust functionality biomarker assay to analyze the biological effects of suborbital spaceflights prevailing during ballistic rocket flights. During the TEXUS-49 rocket mission in March 2011, artificial plasmid DNA carrying a fluorescent marker (enhanced green fluorescent protein: EGFP) and an antibiotic resistance cassette (kanamycin/neomycin) was attached on different positions of rocket exterior; (i) circular every 90 degree on the outer surface concentrical of the payload, (ii) in the grooves of screw heads located in between the surface application sites, and (iii) on the surface of the bottom side of the payload. Temperature measurements showed two major peaks at 118 and 130°C during the 780 seconds lasting flight on the inside of the recovery module, while outer gas temperatures of more than 1000°C were estimated on the sample application locations. Directly after retrieval and return transport of the payload, the plasmid DNA samples were recovered. Subsequent analyses showed that DNA could be recovered from all application sites with a maximum of 53% in the grooves of the screw heads. We could further show that up to 35% of DNA retained its full biological function, i.e., mediating antibiotic resistance in bacteria and fluorescent marker expression in eukariotic cells. These experiments show that our plasmid DNA biomarker assay is suitable to characterize the environmental conditions affecting DNA during an atmospheric transit and the re-entry and constitute the first report of the stability of DNA during hypervelocity atmospheric transit indicating that sounding rocket flights can be used to model the high-speed atmospheric entry of organics-laden artificial meteorites.     

pcDNA3.1/CXCR7真核细胞表达载体的构建及其在内皮细胞中的表达鉴定

目的:CXCR7是基质衍生因子1(stroma derived factor-1,SDF-1)的新受体,且该受体在血管新生部位的内皮细胞中表达上调,故本研究拟构建CXCR7的真核表达载体pcDNA3.1/CXCR7,并检测其在人脐静脉内皮细胞中的表达.方法:采用RT-PCR法从人肝癌细胞HepG2的cDNA中扩增出约1100 bp的CXCR7基因片段.采用KpnI、XbaI将目的基因和载体pcDNA3.1进行双酶切,将酶切产物加入T4 DNA连接酶16℃连接过夜.将连接产物转化到感受态大肠杆菌中.挑取阳性克隆、提质粒,用双酶切、质粒DNA PCR扩增及DNA序列分析鉴定正确后,采用阳离子脂质体LipofectamineTM 2000将其转染人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUwc),通过western-blot检测目的基因在内皮细胞中的表达.结果:阳性克隆经双酶切法鉴定含有CXCR7基因片段,质粒DNAPCR扩增出与CXCR7同等大小的基因片段,基因测序结果与GenBank中序列相同.转染HUVEC后,细胞中CXCR7的表达水平显著上升.结论:成功构建了CXCR7的真核表达栽体,可在内皮细胞中正常表达并.为进一步研究其作用机制奠定了基础.     

Motor Control Based on the Internal Representation System on the Earth and in Space

Human Physiology - In 2020, Inesa Benediktovna Kozlovskaya and Viktor Semenovich Gurfinkel passed away. Their scientific legacy is enormous and will be used repeatedly by researchers in various...     

小鼠脂联素与绿色荧光蛋白融合基因表达载体的构建及在COS-7细胞中的表达

以绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因(gfp)为报告基因,构建小鼠脂联素(mADPN)基因(mAd)与gfp的融合基因mAd/gfp表达载体pCI-neo-apoEHCR-hAATp-mAd-gfp,脂质体法转染体外培养的COS-7细胞,荧光显微镜观察GFP在细胞中的表达可间接反映mADPN的表达,并通过RT-PCR在核酸水平进一步确证mAd的表达.荧光显微镜观察及RT-PCR结果均证明mADPN在COS-7细胞中获得了高效表达,表明mADPN重组表达载体pCI-neo-apoEHCR-hAATp-mAd可以在真核细胞COS-7中高效表达mADPN,为进一步探讨mAd在小鼠体内的表达提供了可行性依据.     

Studies on the Induction of Reversible Hydrogenase from Cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis and its Properties

The reversible hydrogenase in vegetative cells of A. variabilis cultured on NH4+ or N-free medium was induced by sparging with N2 for 24 hours under light. Both anaerobic condition and illumination appear to be necessary for the induction of hydrogenase in this algae. The properties of the hydrogenase in cell-free extract obtained from the cells grown on two nitrogen sources are similar: (1) Both the enzymes are able to evolve H2 in the presence of reduced methyl viotogen as electron donor, and to uptake H2 in the presence of benzyl viologen as electron acceptor. (2) The enzymes posses the thermal stability and are stable to O2. (3) The optimum pH required for H2 evolution activity of the enzymes is 7.0–7 5. (4) The Km of the enzymes obtained from NH4+ grown cells and N-free grown cells is 300 mmol/l and 295 mmol/l, respectively. So the high Km measured here suggests that the enzymes in both cases function physiologically as H2 evolution. (5) The activities of both enzymes are inhibited by CO but are not affected by C2H2. The induced H2 evolution activity of the reversible hydrogenase in cells grown on NH4+ reached 1530 nmol H2/mg dry wt, h, which was 3 to 5 times higher than from cells grown on N-free medium. Our experiment results indicate that the appearance of heterocysts of A. variabilis cultured on N-free medium affects the synthesis of reversible hydrogenase and the regulation of its activity.     

气候变化对6种荒漠植物分布的潜在影响

分析气候变化对植物分布的影响,对保护生物多样性具有重要意义。利用CART(分类和回归树)模型及A2和B2情景,分析了气候变化对短叶假木贼(Anabasis brevifolia)、裸果木(Gymnocarpos przewalskii)、梭梭(Haloxylon ammoden-dron)、膜果麻黄(Ephedra przewalskii)、驼绒藜(Ceratoides latens)和喀什膜果麻黄(Ephedra przewalskii var.kaschgarica)分布范围及空间格局的影响。结果表明:气候变化下,这些植物目前适宜分布范围减小;从新适宜及总适宜分布范围而言,短叶假木贼和梭梭从1991-2020年到2051-2080年时段增加,之后减小,其它植物从1991-2020年到2081-2100年时段减小;喀什膜果麻黄和驼绒藜适宜分布范围减小并破碎化,其它植物向目前适宜分布的西部、西北部(或青海西南部)、昆仑山、阿尔金山和祁连山区扩展;除驼绒藜和喀什膜果麻黄与年均气温变化具显著相关性外,其它植物分布范围与年均气温和降水量变化的相关性较弱(P0.05),除驼绒藜、喀什膜果麻黄和裸果木目前分布范围与年均气温和降水量变化的回归关系较强外,其它植物分布范围与年均气温和年降水量变化多元线性回归关系较弱。上述研究结果表明,气候变化下,这些植物空间分布格局改变,目前分布范围减少,新适宜及总适宜分布范围近期增加,随着气候变化程度的增强,又逐渐减小。     

气候变化对6种荒漠植物分布的潜在影响

分析气候变化对植物分布的影响,对保护生物多样性具有重要意义。利用CART（分类和回归树）模型及A2和B2情景,分析了气候变化对短叶假木贼（Anabasis brevifolia）、裸果木（Gymnocarpos przewalskii）、梭梭（Haloxylon ammoden-dron）、膜果麻黄（Ephedra przewalskii）、驼绒藜（Ceratoides latens）和喀什膜果麻黄（Ephedra przewalskii var.kaschgarica）分布范围及空间格局的影响。结果表明：气候变化下,这些植物目前适宜分布范围减小;从新适宜及总适宜分布范围而言,短叶假木贼和梭梭从1991-2020年到2051-2080年时段增加,之后减小,其它植物从1991-2020年到2081-2100年时段减小;喀什膜果麻黄和驼绒藜适宜分布范围减小并破碎化,其它植物向目前适宜分布的西部、西北部（或青海西南部）、昆仑山、阿尔金山和祁连山区扩展;除驼绒藜和喀什膜果麻黄与年均气温变化具显著相关性外,其它植物分布范围与年均气温和降水量变化的相关性较弱（P〉0.05）,除驼绒藜、喀什膜果麻黄和裸果木目前分布范围与年均气温和降水量变化的回归关系较强外,其它植物分布范围与年均气温和年降水量变化多元线性回归关系较弱。上述研究结果表明,气候变化下,这些植物空间分布格局改变,目前分布范围减少,新适宜及总适宜分布范围近期增加,随着气候变化程度的增强,又逐渐减小。     

Stability of Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells: from Built‐in Potential and Interfacial Passivation Perspectives

Remarkable progress has been made in the development of high‐efficiency solution‐processable nonfullerene organic solar cells (OSCs). However, the effect of the vertical stratification of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) on the efficiency and stability of nonfullerene OSCs is not fully understood yet. In this work, we report our effort to understand the stability of nonfullerene OSCs, made with the binary blend poly[(2,6‐(4, 8‐bis(5‐(2‐ethylhexyl)thiophen‐2‐yl)‐benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene))‐alt‐(5,5‐(1′,3′‐di‐2‐thienyl‐5′,7′‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)benzo[1′,2′‐c:4′,5′‐c′] dithiophene‐4,8‐dione)] (PBDB‐T):3,9‐ bis(2‐methylene‐(3‐(1,1‐dicyanomethylene)‐indanone))‐5,5,11,11‐tetrakis(4‐hexylphenyl)‐ dithieno[2,3‐d:2′,3′‐d′]‐s‐indaceno[1,2‐b:5,6‐b′] dithiophene (ITIC) system. It shows that a continuous vertical phase separation process occurs, forming a PBDB‐T‐rich top surface and an ITIC‐rich bottom surface in PBDB‐T:ITIC BHJ during the aging period. A gradual decrease in the built‐in potential (V₀) in the regular configuration PBDB‐T:ITIC OSCs, due to the interfacial reaction between the poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) hole transporting layer and ITIC acceptor, is one of the reasons responsible for the performance deterioration. The reduction in V₀, caused by an inevitable reaction at the ITIC/PEDOT:PSS interface in the OSCs, can be suppressed by introducing a MoO₃ interfacial passivation layer. Retaining a stable and high V₀ across the BHJ through interfacial modification and device engineering, e.g., as seen in the inverted PBDB‐T:ITIC OSCs, is a prerequisite for efficient and stable operation of nonfullerene OSCs.     

表达重组别藻蓝蛋白质粒在工程菌株中的遗传稳定性研究

将含有表达重组别藻蓝蛋白基因的重组质粒pMal-2X的工程菌株P1分别在含有Amp的LB固体培养基上采用划线法连续传代至100代,其生长速度（在LB培养基中）、菌落形态和抗生素抗性等方面与原始种子库无明显差异;取第10,20,50,100代提取质粒DNA经EcoRI限制性内切酶酶切检查,酶切图谱没有改变。DNA测序未见apc基因变异。原代菌株与传代第10,20,50和100代菌株经诱导培养,其rAPC表达水平、菌体蛋白的SDS—PAGE图谱及重组蛋白的免疫原性均无明显差异。以上结果表明,重组质粒pMal-2X在工程菌株P1中具有良好的遗传稳定性。     

hAng-1真核表达载体的构建及其在MSCs中的表达

目的:通过基因重组技术,构建人血管生成素-1(human angiopoietin 1,hAng-1)真核表达载体体系,并将其转染至大鼠的骨髓间充质干细胞(marrow mesenchymal stem cells,MSCs)内进行培养,进而验证hAng-1的表达.方法:将hAng-1编码序列(互补脱氧核糖核酸)通过酶切,插入至pcDNA3.1(+)质粒的多克隆位点,构建质粒pcDNA 3.1 (+)/hAng-1真核表达质粒;重组质粒经脂质体介导转染鼠MSCs.应用逆转录聚合酶联反应(RT-PCR)、蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)等方法检测hAng-1的表达情况.结果:pcDNA 3.1 (+)/hAng-1真核表达质粒转染鼠MSCs后,应用流式细胞仪检测,转染效率约为15％.同时应用RT-PCR能够检测出目的基因mRNA,Western blot能够检出hAng-1的蛋白表达.结论:本实验通过基因重组技术,构建的pcDNA3.1 (+)/hAng-1真核表达载体能够在转染的鼠MSCs中表达,且表达较为持续,为hAng-1基因应用于基因治疗的研究奠定了基础.     

含有绿色荧光蛋白基因的质粒载体的构建及其在水稻白叶枯细菌中的表达

本文用绿色荧光蛋白基因（green fluorescent protein）标记水稻白叶枯细菌,观察其在白叶枯细菌中的表达情况。光激发后,白叶枯细菌发出绿色荧光,表明gfp在白叶枯细菌中得到了高效表达。后续工作意在利用gfp所发出的绿色荧光,来追踪白叶枯细菌侵染水稻的路径,以及检测水稻在遭受白叶枯病害时的一些生理生态变化,进一步探讨水稻对白叶枯细菌的抗生机理,希望能够为水稻抗性品种的检测提供新的理论依据。文中重点介绍了对质粒pM2464的改造过程,经gfp标记后的水稻白叶枯细菌,在紫外或蓝光的激发下,发出绿色荧光,证明了用标记有gfp基因的白叶枯细菌来观察其侵染水稻过程的想法是可行的。