Glucose biosensor based on electrodeposited platinum nanoparticles and three-dimensional porous chitosan membranes

The chitosan with three-dimensional porous structure greatly increased the effective electrode surface for loading of platinum nanoparticles and promoted efficient electron transfer. The resulting biosensor had a response time (within 5 s) and a linear response from 6 μM to 4.2 mM glucose with a detection limit of 2 μM (S/N = 3). Moreover, the methodology can be applied for the immobilization of other enzymes.     

Phytochelatin synthase of Thlaspi caerulescens enhanced tolerance and accumulation of heavy metals when expressed in yeast and tobacco

Phytochelatin synthase (PCS) is key enzyme for heavy metal detoxification and accumulation in plant. In this study, we isolated the PCS gene TcPCS1 from the hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens. Overexpression of TcPCS1 enhanced PC production in tobacco. Cd accumulation in the roots and shoots of TcPCS1 transgenic seedlings was increased compared to the wild type (WT), while Cd translocation from roots to shoots was not affected under Cd treatment. The root length of the TcPCS1 transgenic tobacco seedlings was significantly longer than that of the WT under Cd stress. These data indicate that TcPCS1 expression might increase Cd accumulation and tolerance in transgenic tobacco. In addition, the malondialdehyde content in TcPCS1 plants was below that of the wild type. However, the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase were found to be significantly higher than those of the WT when the transgenic plant was exposed to Cd stress. This suggests that the increase in PC production might enhance the Cd accumulation and thus increase the oxidative stress induced by the cadmium. The production of PCs could cause a transient decrease in the cytosolic glutathione (GSH) pool, and Cd and lower GSH concentration caused an increase in the oxidative response. We also determined TcPCS1 in Thlaspi caerulescens was regulated after exposure to various concentrations of CdCl₂ over different treatment times. Expression of TcPCS1 leading to increased Cd accumulation and enhanced metal tolerance, but the Cd contents were restrained by adding zinc in Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformants.     

Phenology of the rhodomelarian algae Neorhodomela aculeata and Ceramium kondoi and their survival strategies against herbivorous snails

The seasonal growth and reproductive phenology of Neorhodomela aculeata (Perestenko) Masuda and Ceramium kondoi Yendo, and the food preferences of herbivorous snails were examined to elucidate (i) why snails select the fronds of N. aculeata for their habitat; and (ii) the survival strategies of the two red algae under grazing pressures. The maximal lengths and weights of both algal species were recorded for each season over a 12‐month period beginning with the spring of 2003. C. kondoi grew in length at a faster rate than N. aculeate, whereas the turf alga N. aculeata produced new branches from the tips of broken branches. The reproductive period of C. kondoi was between the spring and summer but the reproductive organs of N. aculeata were observed throughout the year. The algal loss rate of fresh N. aculeata to snails was low but snails had a food preference for N. aculeata when compared to C. kondoi in an artificial food experiment. These results indicate that snails may adapt to chemical compounds characteristic of N. aculeata and that the alga further reduces predation damage by its structural resistance. In conclusion, the survival strategies of C. kondoi appear to be rapid growth, seasonal sexual reproduction, and a delicately branched frond morphology that reduces stable feeding patterns of its predators plus high tissue nitrogen content, whereas the survival strategy of N. aculeata includes regenerative growth responses, structural toughness and chemical defenses while under the grazing pressure of herbivorous snails.     

Chloride channel activity of vascular smooth muscle in the spontaneous hypertensive rats

To characterize the activity of the Ca2+-activated Cl- channels in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) of the spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR), the isolated mesenteric vascular beds and tail artery strips were preparated from SHR and Wistar rats aged 7-8 weeks. The changes in contractile response to norepinphrine (NE) were taken as an index of vascular mortion. Results showed that the contractile responses of mesenteric arteries and tail arteries to NE in SHR were significantly greater than that in Wistar rats. The inhibition magnitude of the contractile response by Ca2+-activated Cl- channel blocker, niflumic acid in SHR was significantly less than that in Wistar rats. Decreasing the extracellular Cl- concentration increased the contractile response to NE significantly, but the amplitude of enhanced contractile response in SHR was greater than that in Wistar rats. It can be concluded that NE-induced contraction was enhanced in SHR, which is partly due to an increase in Cl- efflux through the Ca2+-activated Cl- channels. The chloride channel activity may be increased in association with the elevation of blood pressure.     

Molecular steps of G‐overhang generation at human telomeres and its function in chromosome end protection

Telomeric G‐overhangs are required for the formation of the protective telomere structure and telomerase action. However, the mechanism controlling G‐overhang generation at human telomeres is poorly understood. Here, we show that G‐overhangs can undergo cell cycle‐regulated changes independent of telomerase activity. G‐overhangs at lagging telomeres are lengthened in S phase and then shortened in late S/G2 because of C‐strand fill‐in, whereas the sizes of G‐overhangs at leading telomeres remain stable throughout S phase and are lengthened in G2/M. The final nucleotides at measurable C‐strands are precisely defined throughout the cell cycle, indicating that C‐strand resection is strictly regulated. We demonstrate that C‐strand fill‐in is mediated by DNA polymerase α (polα) and controlled by cyclin‐dependent kinase 1 (CDK1). Inhibition of CDK1 leads to accumulation of lengthened G‐overhangs and induces telomeric DNA damage response. Furthermore, depletion of hStn1 results in elongation of G‐overhangs and an increase in telomeric DNA damage. Our results suggest that G‐overhang generation at human telomeres is regulated by multiple tightly controlled processes and C‐strand fill‐in is under the control of polα and CDK1.     

Prevalence of Gymnophalloides seoi infection in coastal villages of Haenam-gun and Yeongam-gun, Republic of Korea

One coastal village in Haenam-gun and two in Yeongam-gun, Jeollanam-do were surveyed for intestinal parasite infections by fecal examination. The egg positive rates of Gymnophalloides seoi were high, 24.1% (14/58) in Haenam-gun and 9.3% (11/118) in Yeongam-gun. The egg positive rates of heterophyids, including Heterophyes nocens, and of Clonorchis sinensis were 10.3% and 6.9% in Haenam-gun, and 14.4% and 8.5% in Yeongam-gun, respectively. After praziquantel treatment and purgation, a total of 37,761 fluke specimens were recovered from 17 patients; 11 in Haenam-gun and 6 in Yeongam-gun. Gymnophalloides seoi was the most commonly recovered species, with 37,489 specimens in total (2,205 per person). Other recovered flukes included Heterophyes nocens, Stictodora fuscata, Heterophyopsis continua, Pygidiopsis summa, and undetermined species. These results indicate that the areas surveyed are new endemic foci of G. seoi.     

A Modified Valley Restrained Monte Carlo Method to Efficiently Search the Low Energy Structures of Peptides

Abstract

A new Monte Carlo sampling scheme, namely the Modified Valley Restrained Monte Carlo procedure, is used to obtain the global energy minimum conformations for polypeptides, such as Met-enkephalin and Melittin. For each peptide, we found close agreement with previous results from both theoretical and experimental studies. The simple idea for controlling the step size according to the Valley Function, provides useful suggestions in searching the global energy minimum structures, and furthermore helps solve the multiple minima problem.     

A hybrid of bees algorithm and flux balance analysis with OptKnock as a platform for in silico optimization of microbial strains

Microbial strain optimization focuses on improving technological properties of the strain of microorganisms. However, the complexities of the metabolic networks, which lead to data ambiguity, often cause genetic modification on the desirable phenotypes difficult to predict. Furthermore, vast number of reactions in cellular metabolism lead to the combinatorial problem in obtaining optimal gene deletion strategy. Consequently, the computation time increases exponentially with the increase in the size of the problem. Hence, we propose an extension of a hybrid of Bees Algorithm and Flux Balance Analysis (BAFBA) by integrating OptKnock into BAFBA to validate the result. This paper presents a number of computational experiments to test on the performance and capability of BAFBA. Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Clostridium thermocellum are the model organisms in this paper. Also included is the identification of potential reactions to improve the production of succinic acid, lactic acid and ethanol, plus the discussion on the changes in the flux distribution of the predicted mutants. BAFBA shows potential in suggesting the non-intuitive gene knockout strategies and a low variability among the several runs. The results show that BAFBA is suitable, reliable and applicable in predicting optimal gene knockout strategy.     

Seasonal Distribution and Diversity of Ground Arthropods in Microhabitats Following a Shrub Plantation Age Sequence in Desertified Steppe

In desertified regions, shrub-dominated patches are important microhabitats for ground arthropod assemblages. As shrub age increases, soil, vegetation and microbiological properties can change remarkably and spontaneously across seasons. However, relatively few studies have analyzed how ground arthropods respond to the microhabitats created by shrubs of different plantation ages across seasons. Using 6, 15, 24 and 36 year-old plantations of re-vegetated shrubs (Caragana koushinskii) in the desert steppe of northwestern China as a model system, we sampled ground arthropod communities using a pitfall trapping method in the microhabitats under shrubs and in the open areas between shrubs, during the spring, summer and autumn. The total ground arthropod assemblage was dominated by Carabidae, Melolonthidae, Curculionidae, Tenebrionidae and Formicidae that were affected by plantation age, seasonal changes, or the interaction between these factors, with the later two groups also influenced by microhabitat. Overall, a facilitative effect was observed, with more arthropods and a greater diversity found under shrubs as compared to open areas, but this was markedly affected by seasonal changes. There was a high degree of similarity in arthropod assemblages and diversity between microhabitats in summer and autumn. Shrub plantation age significantly influenced the distribution of the most abundant groups, and also the diversity indices of the ground arthropods. However, there was not an overall positive relationship between shrub age and arthropod abundance, richness or diversity index. The influence of plantation age on arthropod communities was also affected by seasonal changes. From spring through summer to autumn, community indices of ground arthropods tended to decline, and a high degree of similarity in these indices (with fluctuation) was observed among different ages of shrub plantation in autumn. Altogether the recovery of arthropod communities was markedly affected by seasonal variability, and they demonstrated distinctive communal fingerprints in different microhabitats for each plantation age stage.