Stress-induced interaction between p38 MAPK and HSP70

p38 MAPK, one of the four MAPK subfamilies in mammalian cells, is activated by environmental stresses and pro-inflammatory cytokines, playing fundamental roles in many biological processes. Despite all that is known on the structure and functions of p38, many questions still exist. The coupling of activation and nuclear translocation represents an important aspect of p38 signaling. In our effort in exploring the potential chaperone for p38 translocation, we performed an endogenous pull-down assay and identified HSP70 as a potential interacting protein of p38. We confirmed the interaction between p38 and HSP70 in vitro and in vivo, and identified their interaction domains. We also showed stress-induced nuclear co-localization of these two proteins. Our preliminary result indicated that HSP70 was related to the phosphorylation of MK2, a specific nuclear downstream target of p38, suggesting HSP70 is a potential chaperone for the nuclear translocation of p38.     

Effects of different land use patterns on nifH genetic diversity of soil nitrogen-fixing microbial communities in Leymus Chinensis steppe

Biological nitrogen fixation through prokaryotic microbe is an important source of nitrogen been input into many natural ecosystems. In this study the active diazotrophic community was investigated in the three treatments of mowed, grazed and enclosed Leymus chinensis steppes in Hulunbeier grassland of Inner Mongolia by using approaches of polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR–DGGE) and sequence analysis. The community structure and diversity of the bacterial groups from the different samples was further analyzed by using different techniques, such as statistical analysis and diversity index evaluation of the band patterns etc. The results showed that grazing activity significantly reduced the number of species and quantities of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, as well as the nifH gene diversity. However, enclosed plots had the lowest diversity of nifH gene. While the highest one found in mowing plots. A total of 30 sequences representing 25 different sequence types were recovered from the DGGE gels after phylogenetic constructions. The results also revealed that most sequences were coming from Alphaproteobacteria of Proteobacteria, and characterized by sequences of members of Rhodobacter, Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium, Rhodopseudomonas, Xanthomonas, Azospirillum, Gluconacetobacter, Methylobacterium and Methylocystis. Symbiotic nitrogen-fixers existed in grazing, mowing and enclosed plots accounted for 21.4%, 47.3% and 31.3% respectively in their dominant nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The result of principal components analysis showed that the influence of different land use patterns on nitrogen-fixing microbial communities composition can be ordered as grazing plots > enclosed plots > mowing plots. Nitrogen-fixing microbial communities in L. chinensis steppe were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the levels of nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus contents and pH value when canonical correspondence analysis was employed to identify relationship between nifH gene and soil physicochemical factors under different land use patterns. The result obtained from correlation analysis showed that there was a significant (P < 0.05) negative relationship between the nitrate nitrogen and the total phosphorus content, furthermore, the available phosphorus content was strongly correlated (P < 0.01) with the pH value.     

Determination of microbial diversity in Daqu, a fermentation starter culture of Maotai liquor, using nested PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

This study endeavored to investigate the diversity of microbes present during the shaping, ripening and drying of Daqu, a fermentation starter culture and substrata complex of Maotai alcoholic spirit. A nested PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis technique was utilized with different combinations of primers. The results showed the presence of bacteria, yeasts and molds. The microflora, which originate from wheat, were readily detectable during every stage of the fermentation process. However, the microbial structure had clear differences in the shaping, ripening and drying processes. In the shaping stage, there was a high level of diversity of the LAB (lactic acid bacteria) and fungi in the shaped samples. In the ripening stage, however, a reduction of diversity of fungi with a high level of diversity of the Bacilli was observed in the ripened samples. In the drying stage, the diversity of Bacilli and fungi, especially acid-producing bacteria, reduced dramatically. Interestingly, uncultured Lactococcus sp., Microbacterium testaceum, Cochliobolus sp., and Thermoascus crustaceus were the first to be detected in the fermentation starters used in liquor production. This study revealed the microbial diversity and distributions during the shaping, ripening and drying of Daqu-making, facilitating evaluation of the hygienic conditions and aiding in the design of specific starter and/or adjunct cultures.     

筛选代表小鼠植入前胚胎紧密化相关基因的EST

分别收集181及241枚昆明白小鼠8细胞早期胚胎及8细胞紧密化胚胎,采用SMART PCR方法直接合成胚胎双链cDNA。进而运用抑制消减杂交技术（SSH）对8细胞早期胚胎及8细胞紧密化胚胎的基因表达进行研究,并将所获得的差异表达产物按片段大小分段分离纯化后克隆入pUCm-T载体中,经PCR鉴定后挑选阳性克隆进行测序,筛选出27个代表8细胞早期胚胎和紧密化8细胞胚胎差别表达基因的cDNA片段;经与GenBank中收录的序列进行同源性匹配分析,证实其中17个cDNA片段为新的EST,提交GeneBank后被接受并给予了新序列编号。这17个片段均可能为与紧密化密切相关的新基因的表达片段,为进一步克隆新的紧密化相关基因的全长cDNA及后续新基因的结构和功能研究打下基础。通过采用不同长度大小片段分别克隆的方法,可获得较长片段的EST,避免差异表达大片段的丢失。Abstract: A total of 181 8-cell embryos and 241 8-cell compacted embryos were collected respectively from Kunmingbai mouse and their cDNA was synthesized directly using SMART PCR. Genes, which expressed differently between early 8-cell embryos and 8-cell compacted embryos, were investigated using the method of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Then PCR production was cloned into pUCm-T vector respectively according to the size after isolated and purified. Twenty-seven ESTs (expressed sequence tags ) of genes expressed differently between early 8-cell embryos and 8-cell compacted embryos have been isolated and cloned. seventeen of those were novel ESTs after being confirmed by blaster matching in GenBank for homology analysis. And they were banked into GenBank with accession numbers. All 17 ESTs might be for novel genes related to compaction in compacted embryos. And longer ESTs may be obtained by cloning according to the size.     

Microwave-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction of piceid, resveratrol and emodin from Polygonum cuspidatum by ethanol/ammonium sulphate systems

Microwave-assisted, aqueous two-phase extraction was investigated to obtain effective constituents, including piceid, resveratrol and emodin in Polygonum cuspidatum. An aqueous two-phase system consisting of 25% (w/w) ethanol 21% (w/w) (NH₄)₂SO₄ gave equal yields of piceid, and 1.1- and 1.9-times higher yields of resveratrol and emodin, respectively, than that achieved by microwave-assisted extraction and heat reflux extraction. Three-separate operations, extraction, clarification and concentration, are hereby integrated into a single step to get higher yields at lower cost. This is therefore a potentially useful method for the extraction and purification of target products.     

用FISH技术研究人类体外未受精卵的21号染色体非整倍体

采用荧光原位杂交技术,选用人类21号染色体端粒探针（21qter）,检测人类体外未受精卵的21号染色体非整倍体发生率,并比较非整倍体率与25－30岁和31－35岁这两个女性年龄组、IVF指征、超排方案之间的关系,在54个未受精卵中,正常21号单体30枚,二体16枚,三体4枚,缺体4枚,非整倍体率为44.4％（24／54）;25－30岁和31－35岁这两个年龄组、IVF指征、超排方案的患者的21号染色体非整倍体率之间的差异无显著性,卵母细胞21号染色体的非整倍性是造成体外受精失败的重要原因之一。     

应用荧光原位杂交技术检测人类APPSWE基因在转基因小鼠染色体上的定位及位置效应

应用荧光原位杂交技术研究了人类淀粉样前体蛋白基因瑞典型突变（APPSWE）在转基因小鼠首建、F1及F2代小鼠染色体上的整合及定位,结果在2只首建转基因小鼠中,分别观察80个分裂相,出现杂交信号的核型分别为34及36个,检出率为42.5%和45%;1只F1及1只F2代转基因小鼠中,分别观察100个分裂相,出现杂交信号的核型分别为33及30个,检出率为33%和30%。转基因分别整合在8号、1号、17号和2号染色体上,提示转基因APPSWE已稳定整合到转基因小鼠的染色体上,并通过生殖细胞遗传给予子代,证实转基因在小鼠染色上的整合可能是随机的多点整合,同时,对不同整合位点的转基因小鼠进行了表型研究,结果发现不同整合位点对表型具明显影响。     

Genetic aberration in primary hepatocellular carcinoma：correlation between p53 gene mutation and loss—of—heterozygosity on chromosome 16q21—q23 and 9p21—p23

To elucidate the molecular pathology underlying the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),we used 41 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers to examine 55 HCC and corresponding non-tumor liver tissues on chromosome 9,16 and 17.Loss-of-heterozygosity(LOH) is observed with high frequency on chromosomal region 17p13(36k/55,65%),9q21-p23(28/55,51%),16q21-23(27/55,49%) in tumors.Meanwhile,microsatellite instability is rarely found in these microsatellite loci.Direct sequencing was performed to detect the tentative mutation of tumor wuppressor genes in these regions:p53,MTS1/p16,and CDH1/E-cadherin.Wihin exon 5-9 of p53 gene,14 out of 55 HCC specimens(24%) have somatic mutations,and nucleotide deletion of this gene is reported in HCC for the first time.Mutation in MTS1/p16 is found only in one tumor case.We do not find mutations in CDH1/E-cadherin.Furthermore,a statistically significant correlation is present between p53 gene mutation and loss of chromosome region 16q21-q23 and 9p21-p23,which indicates that synergism between p53 inactivation and deletion of 16q21-q23 and 9p21-p23 may play a role in the pathogenesis of HCC.