多聚赖氨酸在悬浮细胞转染中的应用

目的:悬浮细胞的转染较贴壁细胞存在一定难度,用多聚赖氨酸包被的细胞培养板培养悬浮细胞使其贴壁,用脂质体2000按照贴壁细胞转染的方法转染悬浮细胞,提供一种高效的转染悬浮细胞的方法。方法:悬浮细胞Jurkat或CCRF-CEM培养于包被了0.1 mg/mL多聚赖氨酸的细胞培养板,16 h后洗掉未贴壁的细胞,用脂质体2000分别将pWPXLd质粒或靶向人ABL1基因的小干扰RNA(siRNA)转染细胞,24 h后于荧光显微镜下观察绿色荧光蛋白印迹鉴定siRNA的干扰效率。结果:pWPXLd成功转染2种细胞,siRNA成功抑制了ABL1的表达。结论:质粒和siRNA均能成功转染,提供了一种高效可行的转染悬浮细胞的方法。     

不同日龄大鼠颈上交感神经节神经元电转染方法

目的 建立一种高效电转染不同日龄大鼠颈上交感神经节(superior cervical sympathetic ganglion,SCG)神经元细胞的方法.提高转染后细胞的成活率、转染效率和干扰效率.方法 用传统的及经改良的神经元培养液分别培养电转染后的7日龄、14日龄和40日龄SD大鼠SCG细胞,24 h后用台盼蓝染色方法观察并计算细胞成活率;通过改变质粒DNA和siRNA与转染液比例,优化转染条件,于转染24h后在共聚焦显微镜下观察并计算转染效率或干扰效率.结果 改良培养液可使14日龄以上SD大鼠SCG细胞转染后成活率达到75％以上,明显高于传统培养液转染后的成活率(P＜0.01),且结果稳定,细胞状态良好,能够满足后续实验研究的要求;优化转染条件后,DNA 的转染率及siRNA的干扰率显著提高,当DNA与转染液比例为1∶100(μg∶μL)时,细胞转染率最高;当siRNA与转染液比例为1∶50(μg∶ μL)时干扰率最高.结论 通过改良神经元培养液及优化转染条件,成功提高了电转染后细胞的成活率、转染效率和干扰效率,利用电转染方法可成功转染不同日龄SD大鼠SCG神经元.     

巨噬细胞RAW264.7不同转染方法的比较

目的:采用不同的转染方法介导siRNA片段转染小鼠巨噬细胞,对不同细胞转染方法进行比较。方法:分别采用脂质体转染、罗氏转染试剂转染、电穿孔法和慢病毒介导siRNA片段转染小鼠巨噬细胞,然后通过流式细胞仪分析不同转染方法的转染效率,并测定对细胞活性的影响以及目的基因的表达水平。结果:慢病毒介导siRNA转染小鼠巨噬细胞效率最高,可达34.75±5.30%,且RNA干扰效果最好;其次为罗氏转染试剂转染和电穿孔法,但电穿孔法细胞活力最低;脂质体转染效率最低,仅为12.17±1.53%,但细胞活力最好。结论:通过对4种小鼠巨噬细胞转染方法的比较,明确了4种转染方法的优缺点,为小鼠巨噬细胞转染提供了实验依据。     

电穿孔法转染293T细胞条件的优化

为筛选电穿孔转染人胚肾293T细胞的最优条件,将增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)基因克隆至启动子p CMV前,获得的重组质粒在不同电压、质粒浓度和电击次数条件下电穿孔转染293T细胞,继而在倒置荧光显微镜下观察转染细胞,根据EGFP表达情况评价转染效率。结果表明400 V电压、45 mg质粒电穿孔转染293T细胞2次时转染效率达到44%,与脂质体转染效率(51%)无统计学差异。     

电穿孔介导小干扰RNA高效转染小鼠附植前胚胎

使用Cy3标记的阴性对照小干扰RNA(siRNA)转染小鼠附植前胚胎,建立向小鼠附植前胚胎导入siRNA的电穿孔方法。通过控制透明带弱化程度、电压、脉冲时间和脉冲次数等条件,采用不同参数组合并结合使用不同介质作为电转缓冲液将Cy3标记的阴性对照siRNA转染小鼠附植前胚胎。在荧光倒置显微镜下,观察胚胎的存活率、siRNA转染率以及阳性转染存活胚胎的囊胚发育率。结果显示小鼠附植前胚胎在使用台氏液消化胚胎透明带10 s后,以opti-MEM作为电转缓冲液,电穿孔参数设置为30 V,1 ms,3次的条件下取得最佳转染效果。总之,电穿孔方法可实现siRNA简便、高效地转染小鼠附植前胚胎。     

弓形虫基因缺陷虫株建立方法的初步研究

目的:应用电穿孔技术转染TgP24基因敲除转染质粒于弓形虫RH,探讨电穿孔技术的应用条件,以及TgP24基因敲除质粒转染虫株在不同哺乳动物细胞中筛选的最适条件.方法:设定所需的电穿孔参数、条件,如电压,电容,脉冲次数,电击杯的大小,电转染缓冲液,电穿孔后,将弓形虫悬浮液分别转移到长有不同贴壁细胞的培养瓶中,37℃,5%CO2(体积分数)的培养箱中培养,观察弓形虫的生长状况,并对不同电穿孔参数、条件下的弓形虫存活率进行比较.12hr后换成加有福来霉素的完全培养基中选择培养,不同时间观察虫体及细胞生长情况;在细胞中选择培养10天后,收集虫体,4℃下福来霉素处理7天,再回复到细胞内用选择培养基培养5天,收集虫体,腹腔注射昆明小鼠,大量收集弓形虫用于提取RNA进行RT-PCR.结果:优化电穿孔条件后的弓形虫存活率得到提高(P＜0.05);在选择浓度为5.0μg/ml-7.5μg/ml的福来霉素培养基中,筛选虫株采用L929细胞做为宿主细胞最为适合;RT-PCR结果显示L929细胞筛选基因敲除虫株的效果较好.结论:初步确定了弓形虫电穿孔技术的应用条件,以及Tg P24基因敲除质粒转染虫株在不同哺乳动物细胞中的最佳筛选条件;获得了较好的转染效率,为进一步研究弓形虫Tg P24基因敲除株的生物学特性打下了良好的基础.     

siRNA对肝纤维化的抑制作用

目的：研究肝星状细胞（use）中smad2特异性小干扰RNA（siRNA）对I型胶原表达的抑制作用,探讨抗肝纤维化的基因治疗新方法。方法：设计合成靶向Smad2基因的siRNA,将筛选成功的siRNA瞬时转染入体外培养的肝星状细胞（HSC）,并给予转化生长因子p（TGF．B）刺激,应用RT—PCR和Westernblot技术检测对照组与实验组I型胶原mRNA水平和蛋白水平表达差异,研究siRNA对I型胶原表达的抑制作用。结果：siRNA能明显降低肝星状细胞中Smad2的RNA和蛋白的表达水平,证实筛选的siRNA有效,能特异性抑制Smad2的基因表达;TGF-β刺激肝星状细胞后,与对照组比较,siRNA转染组细胞外基质（ECM）成分I型胶原的表达水平明显降低（P〈0．05）。结论：siRNA能够抑制TGFβ对肝星状细胞的激活,阻断TGFB—Smads传导通路,使I型胶原分泌下调,有效抑制TGFB诱导的肝纤维化。     

应用siRNA技术探讨MCF-7乳腺癌细胞分泌的VEGF对树突状细胞的影响

为探讨MCF-7乳腺癌细胞分泌的血管内皮生长因子（ vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF）对树突状细胞（dendritic cell, DC）功能及其分化的影响,针对VEGF基因设计siRNA（small interfering RNA, siRNA),采用脂质体转染法以100 nmol/L最佳转染浓度导入MCF-7乳腺癌细胞（siRNA组）,以脂质体Lipofectamine　2000TM转染MCF-7 乳腺癌细胞培养上清培养正常DC作为对照（对照组）,采用ELISA法检测经siRNA 干扰VEGF基因后的MCF-7 乳腺癌细胞分泌的VEGF因子含量, Western 印迹检测VEGF蛋白表达,以探讨siRNA的基因沉默效果;以siRNA组和对照组培养上清分别培养外周血单个核细胞,用流式细胞仪检测所诱导DC表型CD1a、CD80、CD83、CD86和HLA-DR的表达,用MTT法检测转染前后两组DC 诱导的细胞毒性T淋巴细胞（cytotoxic T lymphocyte, CTL）对MCF-7细胞的细胞毒作用.结果显示,MCF-7 乳腺癌细胞培养上清能明显抑制正常DC分化成熟及抗原递呈能力,干扰VEGF基因后MCF-7 乳腺癌细胞培养上清对DC的影响明显降低,CD80、CD83、CD86和HLA-DR的表达较对照组显著升高,而CD1a表达下降（P＜0.01）.转染前后DC 诱导的CTL对MCF-7细胞的杀伤活性有明显差异（P＜0.01）.由此可见,siRNA可靶向抑制MCF-7乳腺癌细胞VEGF的表达,下调VEGF后的MCF-7 细胞上清对DC分化成熟及功能的抑制作用明显降低,从而推测VEGF在肿瘤的发生、发展和免疫抑制方面可能起着重要的作用.     

HAX-1抑制过氧化氢诱发的乳腺癌细胞MCF-7凋亡

目的：应用RNA干扰（RNAi）技术特异地干扰HAX-1在乳腺癌细胞MCF-7中的表达,研究其在过氧化氢诱导的细胞凋亡中的作用。方法：应用载体pSR-GFP／Neo构建针对HAX-1基因的小干扰RNA（siRNA）表达质粒;转染MCF-7细胞,G418筛选稳定细胞系,Western blot鉴定筛选的细胞克隆;用流式细胞仪检测筛选的细胞系在过氧化氢条件下的凋亡率。结果：电泳和测序证实合成的siRNA序列正确并准确克隆到pSR-GFP／Neo载体中;Western blot证实获得MCF-7／HAX-1 siRNA稳定细胞株,其HAX-1蛋白水平降低95％左右;用1mmol／L过氧化氢处理获得的稳定细胞株8h,细胞凋亡率明显高于对照组。结论：HAX-1能够保护乳腺癌细胞MCF-7免于过氧化氢诱导的细胞凋亡。     

BDNF RNA干扰在多巴胺能PC12细胞凋亡中的作用研究

目的：探讨脑源性神经营养因子（brain derived neurotrophic factor,BDNF）在PC12细胞凋亡中的作用。方法：设计并合成针对BDNF mRNA序列的小片段干扰RNA（siRNA）,利用lipofectamine 2000将siRNA转染入PC12细胞中或给与6-OHDA损伤,给与/不给予BDNF蛋白保护,采用定量PCR和免疫荧光法检测BDNF mRNA和蛋白表达水平;采用上清液乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）释放量测定和流式细胞仪法检测siRNA对细胞凋亡的影响。结果：转染siRNA的细胞的BDNF mRNA的表达量比正常组细胞减少73%,而转染作为对照的scrambled siRNA的细胞的BDNF mRNA的表达没有明显变化。BDNF RNA干扰与6-OHDA神经毒性一样可诱导PC12细胞的LDH释放和细胞凋亡。给予BDNF蛋白保护后细胞毒性减轻。结论：BDNF基因下调可以导致PC12细胞的凋亡,BDNF蛋白对PC12细胞有保护作用,为进一步进行动物体内研究奠定了基础。     

Organelle pH in the Arabidopsis Endomembrane System

The pH of intracellular compartments is essential for the viability of cells. Despite its relevance, little is known about the pH of these compartments. To measure pH in vivo, we have first generated two pH sensors by combining the improved-solubility feature of solubility-modified green fluorescent protein （GFP） （smGFP） with the pH-sensing capabil- ity of the pHluorins and codon optimized for expression in Arabidopsis. PEpHluorin （plant-solubility-modified ecliptic pHluorin） gradually loses fluorescence as pH is lowered with fluorescence vanishing at pH 6.2 and PRpHluorin （plant- solubility-modified ratiomatric pHluorin）, a dual-excitation sensor, allowing for precise measurements. Compartment- specific sensors were generated by further fusing specific sorting signals to PEpHluorin and PRpHluorin. Our results show that the pH of cytosol and nucleus is similar （pH 7.3 and 7.2）, while peroxisomes, mitochondrial matrix, and plastidial stroma have alkaline pH. Compartments of the secretory pathway reveal a gradual acidification, spanning from pH 7.1 in the endoplasmic reticulum （ER） to pH 5.2 in the vacuole. Surprisingly, pH in the trans-Golgi network （TGN） and mul- tivesicular body （MVB） is, with pH 6.3 and 6.2, quite similar. The inhibition of vacuolar-type H＋-ATPase （V-ATPase） with concanamycin A （ConcA） caused drastic increase in pH in TGN and vacuole. Overall, the PEpHluorin and PRpHluorin are excellent pH sensors for visualization and quantification of pH in vivo, respectively.     

Dissecting the Heat Stress Response in Chlamydomonas by Pharmaceutical and RNAi Approaches Reveals Conserved and Novel Aspects

To study how conserved fundamental concepts of the heat stress response （HSR） are in photosynthetic eukaryotes, we applied pharmaceutical and antisense/amiRNA approaches to the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The Chlamydomonas HSR appears to be triggered by the accumulation of unfolded proteins, as it was induced at ambient temperatures by feeding cells with the arginine analog canavanine. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine strongly retarded the HSR, demonstrating the importance of phosphorylation during activation of the HSR also in Chlamydomonas. While the removal of extracellular calcium by the application of EGTA and BAPTA inhibited the HSR in moss and higher plants, only the addition of BAPTA, but not of EGTA, retarded the HSR and impaired thermotoler- ance in Chlamydomonas. The addition of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of cytosolic protein synthesis, abolished the attenu- ation of the HSR, indicating that protein synthesis is necessary to restore proteostasis. HSP90 inhibitors induced a stress response when added at ambient conditions and retarded attenuation of the HSR at elevated temperatures. In addition, we detected a direct physical interaction between cytosolic HSP90A/HSP70A and heat shock factor 1, but surprisingly this interaction persisted after the onset of stress. Finally, the expression of antisense constructs targeting chloroplast HSP70B resulted in a delay of the cell＇s entire HSR, thus suggesting the existence of a retrograde stress signaling cascade that is desensitized in HSP7OB-antisense strains.     

Emerging roles of miR-210 and other non-coding RNAs in the hypoxic response

Hypoxia is a key component of the tumor microenviron- merit and represents a well-documented source of thera- peutic failure in clinical oncology. Recent work has provided support for the idea that non-coding RNAs, and in particular, microRNAs, may play important roles in the adaptive response to low oxygen in tumors. Specifically, all published studies agree that the induction of microRNA- 210 （miR-210） is a consistent feature of the hypoxic re- sponse in both normal and malignant cells, miR-210 is a robust target of hypoxia-inducible factors, and its overex- pression has been detected in a variety of diseases with a hypoxic component, including most solid tumors. High levels of miR-210 have been linked to an in vivo hypoxic sig- nature and to adverse prognosis in breast and pancreatic cancer patients. A wide variety of miR-210 targets have been identified, pointing to roles in mitochondrial metabol- ism, angiogenesis, DNA damage response, apoptosis, and cell survival. Such targets are suspected to affect the devel- opment of tumors in multiple ways; therefore, an increased knowledge about miR-210＇s functions may lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in cancer.     

Cell Wall,Cytoskeleton, and Cell Expansion in Higher Plants

To accommodate two seemingly contradictory biological roles in plant physiology, providing both the rigid structural support of plant cells and the adjustable elasticity needed for cell expansion, the composition of the plant cell wall has evolved to become an intricate network of cellulosic, hemicellulosic, and pectic polysaccharides and protein. Due to its complexity, many aspects of the cell wall influence plant cell expansion, and many new and insightful observations and technologies are forthcoming. The biosynthesis of cell wall polymers and the roles of the variety of proteins involved in polysaccharide synthesis continue to be characterized. The interactions within the cell wall polymer network and the modification of these interactions provide insight into how the plant cell wall provides its dual function. The complex cell wall architecture is controlled and organized in part by the dynamic intracellular cytoskeleton and by diverse trafficking pathways of the cell wall polymers and cell wall-related machinery. Meanwhile, the cell wall is continually influenced by hormonal and integrity sensing stimuli that are perceived by the cell. These many processes cooperate to construct, maintain, and manipulate the intricate plant cell wall--an essential structure for the sustaining of the plant stature, growth, and life.     

Regulation of Cytokinesis by Exocyst Subunit SEC6 and KEULE in Arabidopsis thaliana

Proper vesicle tethering and membrane fusion at the cell plate are essential for cytokinesis. Both the vesicle tethering complex exocyst and membrane fusion regulator KEULE were shown to function in cell plate formation, but the exact mechanisms still remain to be explored. In this study, using yeast two-hybrid （Y-2-H） assay, we found that SEC6 interacted with KEULE, and that a small portion of C-terminal region of KEULE was required for the interaction. The direct SEC6-KEULE interaction was supported by further studies using in vitro pull-down assay, immunoprecipitation, and in vivo bimolecular florescence complementation （BIFC） microscopy, sec6 mutants were male gametophytic lethal as reported; however, pollen-rescued sec6 mutants （PRsec6） displayed cytokinesis defects in the embryonic cells and later in the leaf pavement cells and the guard cells. SEC6 and KEULE proteins were co-localized to the cell plate during cytokine- sis in transgenic Arabidopsis. Furthermore, only SEC6 but not other exocyst subunits located in the cell plate interacted with KEULE in vitro. These results demonstrated that, like KEULE, SEC6 plays a physiological role in cytokinesis, and the SEC6-KEULE interaction may serve as a novel molecular linkage between arriving vesicles and membrane fusion machin- ery or directly regulate membrane fusion during cell plate formation in plants.     

Perturbation of Auxin Homeostasis Caused by Mitochondrial FtSH4 Gene-Mediated Peroxidase Accumulation Regulates Arabiclopsis Architecture

Reactive oxygen species and auxin play important roles in the networks that regulate plant development and morphogenetic changes, However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between them are poorly understood. This study isolated a mas （More Axillary Shoots） mutant, which was identified as an allele of the mitochondrial AAA-protease AtFtSH4, and characterized the function of the FtSH4 gene in regulating plant development by medi- ating the peroxidase-dependent interplay between hydrogen peroxide （H2Oz） and auxin homeostasis. The phenotypes of dwarfism and increased axillary branches observed in the mas （renamed as ftsh4-4） mutant result from a decrease in the IAA concentration. The expression levels of several auxin signaling genes, including IAA1, IAA2, and IAA3, as well as several auxin binding and transport genes, decreased significantly in ftsh4-4 plants. However, the H202 and peroxidases levels, which also have IAA oxidase activity, were significantly elevated in ftsh4-4 plants. The ftsh4-4 phenotypes could be reversed by expressing the iaaM gene or by knocking down the peroxidase genes PRX34 and PRX33. Both approaches can increase auxin levels in the ftsh4-4 mutant. Taken together, these results provided direct molecular and genetic evidence for the interaction between mitochondrial ATP-dependent protease, H2O2, and auxin homeostasis to regulate plant growth and development.     

Genotoxicity biomarkers in aquatic bioindicators

Pollution of the aquatic environment is an ever-growing problem, as waters are the ultimate sink for the large number of xenobiotics from multiple sources. DNA damaging agents have a significant ecological relevance since they are implicated in many pathological processes and exert effects beyond that of individual being active through following generations. A large number of methods have been applied to evaluate genotoxic damage in different aquatic species. Comet assay, as method for de- tecting DNA alterations, and micronucleus test, as an index of chromosomal damage are the most widely applied and validated methods in field studies. These methods were applied in different vertebrate and invertebrate aquatic species, but only mollusk and fish species have been employed in routine biomonitoring programs. Mussels, due to their widely geographical distribution and the suitability for caging represent the bioindicator of choice in field studies. Mytilus species is the most used marine mussel. The use of fish is limited to specific geographic areas. The present review mainly focuses on the application of comet assay and micronucleus test in mussels. A number of biomonitoring studies in mussels, using comet assay or micronucleus test, revealed exposure to different classes of genotoxic compounds with a good discrimination power. The different evidence from the two as- says, reflects different biological mechanisms for the two genetic endpoints, DNA damage and chromosomal damage, suggesting their combined application in the field. Different endogenous and exogenous factors have been shown to modulate the genotoxic responses in mussels, acting as confounding factors in environmental monitoring. The use of standardized protocol for caging, sampling and genotoxity evaluation is critical in biomonitoring studies. The use of a multimarker approach coupling genotoxicity biomarkers with physiological and biochemical factors allows to have a complete picture of the environmental pollution [Current Zoology 60 （2）： 273-284, 2014].     

Cybertaxonomy to accomplish big things in aphid systematics

Biodiversity sciences have progressed at such a pace that the taxonomic community has been unable to grow concomitantly to keep up with the influx of biologicaldata. This ＂taxonomic impediment＂ has led some to suggest that taxonomy is no longer pertinent and to the development of methodologies that circumvent the taxonomic process.This article does not seek to argue for the importance of taxonomy but rather is a call to the aphid taxonomy community to rise to the challenge by dramatically increasing the volume and comprehensiveness of its output without sacrificing quality. Recent informatics technology allows us to mobilize the 2 most important aphid taxonomy resources： expertsand specimens, both distributed globally. ＂Cyberspecimens,＂ museum specimens digitally rendered at a resolution sufficient for remote identification, and open ＂cybertaxonomic＂tools will allow the international aphid taxonomic community to carry out large, ambitious, projects. The global aphid cybertaxonomy proposed here will serve not only the ends ofresearch aphidologists, but also provide a model for other taxonomic communities to adapt and adopt as we confront both the taxonomic impediment and the taxonomic naysayers.