Solution structure of Escherichia coli PapI, a key regulator of the pap pili phase variation

Pyelonephritis-associated pili (pap) allow uropathogenic Escherichia coli to bind to epithelial cells and play an important role in urinary tract infection. Expression of pap is controlled by a phase-variation mechanism, based on the two distinct heritable states that are the result of adenine N6-methylation in either of the two GATC sequences in its regulatory region. The methylation status of these two sequences is sensed by the action of two proteins, Lrp and PapI, and they play a central role in determining pap gene expression in both phase-ON and phase-OFF cells. We used modern NMR techniques to determine the solution structure and backbone dynamics of PapI. We found its overall fold resembles closely that of the winged helix-turn-helix family of DNA-binding proteins. We determined that PapI possesses its own DNA-binding activity, albeit non-sequence-specific, independent of Lrp. PapI appears to bind to DNA with a K(d) in the 10 microM range. Possible mechanisms by which PapI might participate in the regulation of the pap operon are discussed in light of these new findings.     

敲除trim47基因斑马鱼脑和脾的比较转录组学分析

用CRISPR/Cas9技术敲除斑马鱼(Danio Rerio)的trim47, 收集TRIM47–/–(trim47基因敲除)和WT(野生型)斑马鱼的大脑和脾脏进行RNA-seq分析, 以鉴定差异表达基因(DEGs)。总共确定了271个DEGs, 经过简要分析, 将这些DEGs注释为KEGG途径和GO富集分析, 与WT组相比, TRIM47-/-组的脑中DEGs集中在细胞黏附和谷氨酸能突触信号传导途径中。在脾脏中, 与野生型组相比, TRIM47-/-组的DEGs在补体和凝血级联信号通路中发生了变化。使用qRT-PCR验证了脑和脾中与补体途径相关的基因, 与转录组数据一致。这些结果表明, Trim47在脾脏和大脑中起着重要的生物学作用, 尤其是通过补体途径参与先天免疫功能。体内感染实验表明, trim47基因敲除可提高斑马鱼中鲤春病毒血症病毒(SVCV)的感染率。总之, 这些发现为TRIM成员在先天免疫中的功能提供了新线索。     

MACC1 蛋白在食管癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的：探讨结肠癌转移相关基因1（metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1, MACC1）在食管癌组织中的表达及其临床意义。方 法：采用免疫组化EnVinsion 法检测MACC1蛋白在88 例食管癌组织中的表达,统计学分析MACC1 蛋白在不同病理分级、TNM 分期中表达的差异性。结果：免疫组化结果显示MACC1 蛋白的阳性表达主要位于胞浆中。MACC1蛋白在食管癌组织中的总阳 性率为88.64%;在I、II、III 级食管癌组织中的阳性率分别为14.29%、93.65%、100%,经Kruskal-Wallis H检验差异性非常显著 （P=0.0000）;在I、IIa、IIb、III 期食管癌中的阳性率分别是16.67%、89.47%、100%、100%,经Kruskal-Wallis H检验差异性非常显著 （P=0.0000）。结论：MACC1 蛋白在食管癌中呈过度表达,其表达与病理分级、TNM 分期相关,提示MACC1 可能在食管癌的发 生、发展中起重要作用。MACC1蛋白可能成为检测食管癌的发病及判断预后的生物学指标之一。     

Global signatures of protein binding on structured RNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Protein binding is essential to the transport,decay and regulation of almost all RNA molecules.However,the structural preference of protein binding on RNAs and their cellular functions and dynamics upon changing environmental conditions are poorly understood.Here,we integrated various high-throughput data and introduced a computational framework to describe the global interactions between RNA binding proteins(RBPs)and structured RNAs in yeast at single-nucleotide resolution.We found that on average,in terms of percent total lengths,~15%of mRNA untranslated regions(UTRs),~37%of canonical non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs)and~11%of long ncRNAs(lncRNAs)are bound by proteins.The RBP binding sites,in general,tend to occur at single-stranded loops,with evolutionarily conserved signatures,and often facilitate a specific RNA structure conformation in vivo.We found that four nucleotide modifications of tRNA are significantly associated with RBP binding.We also identified various structural motifs bound by RBPs in the UTRs of mRNAs,associated with localization,degradation and stress responses.Moreover,we identified>200 novel lncRNAs bound by RBPs,and about half of them contain conserved secondary structures.We present the first ensemble pattern of RBP binding sites in the structured non-coding regions of a eukaryotic genome,emphasizing their structural context and cellular functions.     

不同颜色果袋对‘云红梨2号’果皮色泽形成的影响

研究了不同颜色果袋对‘云红梨2号’果实着色的影响,比较了不同套袋处理下果皮外观着色、叶绿素、类黄酮、总酚、花色素苷含量以及花色素苷合成相关酶活性的差异.结果表明: 发育期的黑暗处理有利于解袋后梨果皮着色;不同套袋处理中,采前解袋自然光照射下梨果皮中花色素苷含量最高,着色最好,白色纸袋次之.不同套袋处理显著影响果皮中叶绿素、类黄酮、总酚和花色素苷含量,从而影响梨果皮的外观色泽.不同套袋处理的花色素苷合成酶活性差异显著;相关性分析表明,果皮中花色素苷含量与二氢黄酮醇-4-还原酶(DFR)和类黄酮3-O-葡萄糖基转移酶(UFGT)活性呈显著正相关,而与苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)活性相关性不显著.     

大白菜细胞质雄性不育系和其保持系的RAPD分析

利用RAPD技术对大白菜细胞质雄性不育系CMS341-7和其保持系3411-7的基因组DNA进行了比较分析,共使用了269个随机引物,其中有163个引物在两系之间都得到了扩增产物,79个引物扩增结果在两系之间表现出了遗传多态性。找到了不育系和保持系的特异扩增条带CMSOPL01670和MOPB04600。并对这些特异片段的来源及其在细胞质雄性不育中的作用进行了讨论。     

Temporal expression of c-kit in spermatogenesis of two grasshopper species

Two species of grasshoppers, Calliptamus abbreviatus （Ikonn.） and Shirakiacris shirakii （I. Bol.）, were collected randomly in the Siping area of Jilin Province, China. By using immunohistochemical methods and statistical analysis, we observed and compared the temporal expression of c-kit protein in four representative stages of spermatogenesis of the two grasshoppers, namely： spermatogonia; primary spermatocyte; secondary spermatocyte; and mature sperm. Results showed that there was c-kit positive temporal expression at each stage of spermatogenesis, but there were different positive expression levels： （i） weak positive expression of c-kit protein appeared in spermatogonia and the positive granules were thinner; （ii） strong positive expression of c-kit protein existed in primary spermatocyte and positive granules became biggest among all developmental stages; （iii） c-kit positive expression stayed stronger in secondary spermatocyte while positive granules became thinner; （iv） there was a strong positive expression of c-kit and thinner positive granules in mature sperm, which distributed on head and tail; （v） the biggest c-kit positive granules had been found massing at the end of spermary; and （vi） significant differences of c-kit positive expression existed in spermatogenesis between two species of grasshoppers. The results indicated that c-kit protein may play a crucial role in spermatogenesis and even retain the physiological action of sperms and fertilization in grasshoppers.     

转基因小鼠和基因敲除小鼠

能够把基因功能作为生物体表现来观察的改变了基因的小鼠。即使在基因组信息泛滥的今天,这也是最重要的工具之一,基本原理的研究虽然很早,但目前仍在进行改良法的开发工作。本文由基因控制株式会社的三谷匡董事予以阐述。[编者按]     

Characteristics of novel dental composites containing 2,2-bis[4-(2-methoxy-3-methacryloyloxy propoxy) phenyl] propane as a base resin

Many dental restorative dental composites still utilize 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxy propoxy) phenyl] propane (Bis-GMA) as base resin. The high viscosity of Bis-GMA necessitates dilution with dimethacrylate ethers of low viscosity such as triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). However, increased amounts of the TEGDMA have adverse effects on properties such as water uptake and curing shrinkage. The viscosity of the base resin should be as low as possible to enable the preparation of dental composites with a minimum content of diluent. To overcome the disadvantage of Bis-GMA, i.e., its high viscosity caused by hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups, 2,2-bis[4-(2-methoxy-3-methacryloyloxy propoxy) phenyl propane (Bis-M-GMA) was prepared by substituting methoxy groups for hydroxyl groups in Bis-GMA. The viscosity of Bis-GMA was dramatically decreased from 574 (Pa.s) to 3.7 (Pa.s) by substitution of methoxy group. Consequently, the amount of TEGDMA included in the resin matrix could be minimized. Dental composites were prepared from Bis-M-GMA (or Bis-GMA) mixtures with TEGDMA filled with 75 wt % filler. Comparing the curing shrinkage of dental composite containing Bis-M-GMA with that prepared from Bis-GMA, the reduction in curing shrinkage was about 47%. Dental composites prepared from new resin matrixes also exhibited low water uptake and better properties in mechanical strength.     

弯蕊开口箭中的多羟基甾体皂甙元

从弯蕊开口箭(Tupistra wattii Hook．f．)的新鲜根茎中分离出2个新的多羟基甾体皂甙元,分别命名为弯蕊皂甙元B(wattigenin B)(1)和弯蕊皂甙元C(wattigenin C)(2),同时分离到2个已知的甾体皂甙元——凯替皂甙元kitigenin(3)和铃兰皂甙元B(convallagenin B)(4)。通过波谱解析鉴定了这4个皂甙元的结构,并测定了它们在体外对肿瘤细胞K562和A2780a的细胞毒活性。化合物1～4为首次从该种植物中分离得到。