Identification of four novel DC-SIGN ligands on Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Dendritic-cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN; CD209) has an important role in mediating adherence of Mycobacteria species, including M. tuberculosis and M. bovis BCG to human dendritic cells and macrophages, in which these bacteria can survive intracellularly. DC-SIGN is a C-type lectin, and interactions with mycobacterial cells are believed to occur via mannosylated structures on the mycobacterial surface. Recent studies suggest more varied modes of binding to multiple mycobacterial ligands. Here we identify, by affinity chromatography and mass-spectrometry, four novel ligands of M. bovis BCG that bind to DC-SIGN. The novel ligands are chaperone protein DnaK, 60 kDa chaperonin-1 (Cpn60.1), glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and lipoprotein lprG. Other published work strongly suggests that these are on the cell surface. Of these ligands, lprG appears to bind DC-SIGN via typical protein-glycan interactions, but DnaK and Cpn60.1 binding do not show evidence of carbohydrate-dependent interactions. LprG was also identified as a ligand for DC-SIGNR (L-SIGN; CD299) and the M. tuberculosis orthologue of lprG has been found previously to interact with human toll-like receptor 2. Collectively, these findings offer new targets for combating mycobacterial adhesion and within-host survival, and reinforce the role of DC-SIGN as an important host ligand in mycobacterial infection.     

The hunt for plant nitric oxide synthase (NOS): Is one really needed?

Nitric oxide (NO) production is associated with many physiological situations in plants, and NO is a key signaling molecule throughout the lifespan of a plant. The complexity of the underlying signaling events are just starting to be unraveled. The basis for nitric oxide signaling, the production of the signaling molecule itself, is far from understood in plants. While in animals, three homologous NO synthases (NOS) isoforms have been identified, yet in higher plants no corresponding enzymes are known so far. More than half a dozen NO productive reactions have been observed in plants but only few of them have been thoroughly investigated. It remains to be elucidated how these parts act together to form the sophisticated NO signaling network observed in plants.     

Cell wall-associated malate dehydrogenase activity from maize roots

Isolated cell walls from maize (Zea mays L.) roots exhibited ionically and covalently bound NAD-specific malate dehydrogenase activity. The enzyme catalyses a rapid reduction of oxaloacetate and much slower oxidation of malate. The kinetic and regulatory properties of the cell wall enzyme solubilized with 1 M NaCl were different from those published for soluble, mitochondrial or plasma membrane malate dehydrogenase with respect to their ATP, Pi, and pH dependence. Isoelectric focusing of ionically-bound proteins and specific staining for malate dehydrogenase revealed characteristic isoforms present in cell wall isolate, different from those present in plasma membranes and crude homogenate. Much greater activity of cell wall-associated malate dehydrogenase was detected in the intensively growing lateral roots compared to primary root with decreased growth rates. Presence of Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ in the assay medium inhibited the activity of the wall-associated malate dehydrogenase. Exposure of maize plants to excess concentrations of Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ in the hydroponic solution inhibited lateral root growth, decreased malate dehydrogenase activity and changed isoform profiles. The results presented show that cell wall malate dehydrogenase is truly a wall-bound enzyme, and not an artefact of cytoplasmic contamination, involved in the developmental processes, and detoxification of heavy metals.     

Host-derived pericytes and Sca-1+ cells predominate in the MART-1- stroma fraction of experimentally induced melanoma

Identification of cell types in tumor-associated stroma that are involved in the development of melanoma is hampered by their heterogeneity. The authors used flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry to demonstrate that anti-MART-1 antibodies can discriminate between melanoma and stroma cells. They investigated the cellular composition of the MART-1-, non-hematopoietic melanoma-associated stroma, finding it consisted mainly of Sca-1+ and CD146+ cells. These cell types were also observed in the skin and muscle adjacent to developing melanomas. The Sca-1+ cell population was observed distributed in the epidermis, hair follicle bulges, and tumor capsule. The CD146+ population was found distributed within the tumor, mainly associated with blood vessels in a perivascular location. In addition to a perivascular distribution, CD146+ cells expressed α-smooth muscle actin, lacked expression of endothelial markers CD31 and CD34, and were therefore identified as pericytes. Pericytes were found to be associated with CD31+ endothelial cells; however, some pericytes were also observed associated with CD31-, MART-1+ B16 melanoma cells that appeared to form blood vessel structures. Furthermore, the authors observed extensive nuclear expression of HIF-1α in melanoma and stroma cells, suggesting hypoxia is an important factor associated with the melanoma microenvironment and vascularization. The results suggest that pericytes and Sca-1+ stroma cells are important contributors to melanoma development.     

RNAi载体导入黄瓜的遗传转化体系

以黄瓜(Cucumis sativus)子叶和子叶节为外植体,利用农杆菌(Agrobacterium tumefaciens)介导法建立黄瓜遗传转化体系并进行优化,将南方根结线虫(Meloidogyme incognita)寄生相关基因的RNA干扰载体导入黄瓜,通过潮霉素(Hyg)浓度梯度筛选得到99株潮霉素抗性植株。经PCR和Southern-blot检测,获得10株目的基因以单拷贝形式整合的转基因黄瓜,子叶和子叶节的Southern-blot阳性率分别为13.9%和6.9%。该研究建立并优化了RNA干扰载体导入黄瓜的高效遗传转化体系,成功获得了转基因黄瓜植株。     

干旱区绿洲土地利用/覆被及景观格局变化特征——以新疆精河县为例

从宏观上运用3S技术,利用1972年MSS、1990年Landsat TM、2001年Landsat ETM+和2005年CBERS 4个时期遥感影像数据,将GIS和景观生态学的数量分析方法相结合,运用ArcGIS以及Fragstats,分析了干旱区绿洲精河县1972～2005年间的土地利用/覆被和景观格局的变化.结果表明:(1)1972～2005年的33a中,精河县LUCC的总体变化趋势是绿洲面积有小幅度扩张,其中人工绿洲面积扩张尤为显著,天然绿洲面积减少.(2)研究区水域面积的变化受艾比湖湖面面积的变化影响较大,变化不显著,但总体上呈缓慢增长的趋势.(3)盐渍地面积的变化经历了先扩张后减小的一个过程.1990年达到最大值,但到2005年面积又有很大程度减少.沙地面积小幅度减小,其他地类的面积始终呈增加趋势.(4)景观在各个研究时段也发生显著变化.总的来说,整个研究区景观的密度持续增大,最大斑块指数先减小后增大,面积加权形状指数减小,形状趋于规则;斑块间的最邻近距离减小.表明1972年时景观中的优势斑块类型的连接性较2005年好,逐渐向具有多种要素的密集格局演变,景观更加破碎.同时不同斑块间的分离度增大,也说明景观破碎化程度加深.从香农多样性指数和香农均度指数的变化可以看出,景观的多样性增加,且均度增强.景观多样性及破碎化程度增加,也反映了土地利用越来越丰富.总之,要实现区域土地资源的可持续发展和景观生态功能的良性发挥,必须注重土地利用格局优化,维护景观生态过程与格局的连续性.     

湖南小白菜病毒病毒原种类鉴定

1983—1988年从湖南各地(以衡阳市郊为重点,包括湘北的岳阳,湘中的长沙、湘潭,湘南的郴州、零陵等地区)采集了小白菜病毒病标样812个,经指示植物鉴定、酶联检测、稳定性测定等方法将它们分为8个类型,其中有3类是单独侵染的,4类是复合侵染的,还有一类反应不明(待鉴定)。鉴定结果表明,湖南小白菜病毒病毒原的优势种类是芜菁花叶病毒(Tursip mosaic virus, TuMV),其次是黄瓜花叶病毒(Cucumber mosaic virus, CMV)和烟草花叶病毒(     

A 10-miRNA risk score-based prediction model for pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

Patients with hormone receptor(HR)-positive tumors breast cancer usually experience a relatively low pathological complete response(p CR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC). Here, we derived a 10-micro RNA risk score(10-mi RNA RS)-based model with better performance in the prediction of p CR and validated its relation with the disease-free survival(DFS) in 755 HRpositive breast cancer patients(273, 265, and 217 in the training, internal, and external validation sets, respectively). This model,pres...     

烟粉虱内共生菌16S rDNA的特性研究

对烟粉虱内共生菌16SrDNA的酶切结果及部分生物体16SrDNA的(G C)%分析结果表明:烟粉虱初生内共生菌的16SrDNA能够被EcoRI酶切成两个片段、而不能够分别被BamHI与SacI酶切;烟粉虱次生内共生菌的16SrDNA没有BamHI内切酶位点、而能够分别被EcoRI或Sac I酶切成大小不同的两个片段。(G C)mol%与菌的分类地位有关,同时还与菌的可培养能力有关。Proteobacteriaγ亚纲的烟粉虱初生内共生菌与α亚纲的Rickettsia、线粒体的16SrDNA相似,富含(A T)mol%,具低的(G C)mol%。而γ亚纲的次生内共生菌及大肠杆菌与β亚纲的mealybugs初生内共生菌的16SrDNA相似,富含(G C)mol%。说明初生内共生菌可能与烟粉虱同时发生,并且形成一种非常紧密的共生关系,次生内共生菌与烟粉虱关系松散一些,其特性近似于自由生活的细菌,更有可能获得纯培养体。16SrDNA的系统进化树表明,烟粉虱次生内共生菌属于Proteobacteriaγ-3亚纲,而初生内共生菌属于Proteobacteriaγ亚纲的另一分支。     

趋化因子CXCL2及其受体CXCR2在子宫颈鳞状细胞癌和子宫颈上皮内瘤变组织中的表达

目的 探讨子宫颈鳞状细胞癌(cervical squamous cell carcinoma,CSCC)组织和子宫颈上皮内瘤变(cervical intraepithelial neoplasia,CIN)组织中趋化因子(C-X-C基元)配体2[chemokine(C-X-C motif)ligand 2,CXCL2]...