Characterization of extracellular proteins produced by Aeromonas hydrophila AH-1

Aeromonas hydrophila is a ubiquitous Gram-negative bacterium which can cause motile aeromonad septicemia in both fish and humans. A. hydrophila secretes many extracellular proteins associated with pathogenicity and environmental adaptability. In this study, an extracellular proteome map of A. hydrophila AH-1 was constructed. The major extracellular virulence factors were characterized by comparing the proteomes of various deletion mutants with that of the wild type. The results suggested that serine protease was involved in the processing of a toxin and secreted enzymes such as hemolysin, glycerophospholipid-cholesterol acyltransferase and metalloprotease. We also showed that expressions of polar and lateral flagellins were under the control of temperature, FlhA, LafK, and RpoN. In addition, three novel proteins (potential effector proteins including one ExoT-like protein) were revealed to be secreted via the type III secretion system (TTSS) of A. hydrophila AH-1. Another novel finding was the demonstration of a crosstalk between the lateral flagellar system and the TTSS in A. hydrophila. These results showed that proteomics is a powerful tool for characterizing virulence factors. The construction of proteome maps will provide a valuable means of finding potential candidates for developing suitable diagnostics and therapeutics for this emerging pathogen.     

Peripheral Effects of Nesfatin-1 on Glucose Homeostasis

Aims/hypothesis

The actions of peripherally administered nesfatin-1 on glucose homeostasis remain controversial. The aim of this study was to characterize the mechanisms by which peripheral nesfatin-1 regulates glucose metabolism.

Methods

The effects of nesfatin-1 on glucose metabolism were examined in mice by continuous infusion of the peptide via osmotic pumps. Changes in AKT phosphorylation and Glut4 were investigated by Western blotting and immnuofluorescent staining. Primary myocytes, adipocytes and hepatocytes were isolated from male mice.

Results

Continuous peripheral infusion of nesfatin-1 altered glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in mice fed either normal or high fat diet, while central administration of nesfatin-1 demonstrated no effect. Nesfatin-1 increases insulin secretion in vivo, and in vitro in cultured min6 cells. In addition, nesfatin-1 up-regulates the phosphorylation of AKT in pancreas and min6 islet cells. In mice fed normal diet, peripheral nesfatin-1 significantly increased insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of AKT in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and liver; similar effects were observed in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in mice fed high fat diet. At basal conditions and after insulin stimulation, peripheral nesfatin-1 markedly increased GLUT4 membrane translocation in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in mice fed either diet. In vitro studies showed that nesfatin-1 increased both basal and insulin-stimulated levels of AKT phosphorylation in cells derived from skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and liver.

Conclusions

Our studies demonstrate that nesfatin-1 alters glucose metabolism by mechanisms which increase insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity via altering AKT phosphorylation and GLUT 4 membrane translocation in the skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and liver.     

噬菌体抗体文库的构建及人源抗HIV-1 gp 160抗体的筛选

构建人源噬菌体抗体文库如下：ＨＩＶ感染者脾细胞中提取ｍＲＮＡ,经反转录再以人ＩｇＧ重链Ｆｄ两端及轻链“通用”引物分别扩增Ｆａｂ基因片段,依次插入到噬菌粒载体ｐＣｏｍｂ３中,电转化大肠杆菌ＸＬ１－Ｂｌｕｅ,经辅助噬菌体救助,重组噬菌体得以溶源裂解,Ｆａｂ表达于噬菌体包膜蛋白Ⅲ的Ｎ端．此噬菌体抗体库的容量为５×１０５．筛选抗ＨＩＶ－１同时又具有能被抗独特型抗体“ＩＦ７”所识别的独特型的阳性抗体：以重组包膜糖蛋白ｇｐ１６０及ｇｐ４１多肽对噬菌体抗体文库进行三次淘选,使抗ｇｐ１６０的特异性抗体得到１００倍的富集．然后通过直接ＥＬＩＳＡ和竞争性ＥＬＩＳＡ实验筛选出两株结合性较好的特异性抗ｇｐ１６０抗体－３Ｂ株与１Ｄ株．直接ＥＬＩＳＡ实验表明这两株克隆均能被“１Ｆ７”所识别,为抗独特型多肽的筛选奠定了基础．     

贡嘎山峨眉冷杉林原生扰动土壤溶质运移的持续降雨模拟研究

以人工持续(5d)降雨模拟方式研究了贡嘎山物眉冷杉林原生土壤地表覆被层破坏后土壤中矿质元素与营养盐的迁移输出动态与规律。模拟降雨采用当地最为常见的小到中雨雨型（5.7-26mm/h),壤中流以垂直入渗为主,并滞后于降雨0.2-4.2h,通过0模拟实验发现,降雨总量和降雨事件的持续时间对壤中流产生量的影响比单位时间降雨强度的影响更为明显,在持续降雨影响下,主要离子（Mg^2 ,Ca^2 ,Cl^-,SO4^2-和Na^ K^ ）和营养盐（NH4^ -N,NO3^--N和活性磷酸盐）在短期内急剧流失,模拟降雨的第1天,壤中流结束时离子浓度仅为初始时浓度的29%,营养盐浓度为初始浓度的21%-55%。至第3天,上述离子和营养盐输出浓度趋于恒定,约为首日降雨壤中流初始浓度的1%-15%,在主要矿质元素流失后,原生土壤内过程转为有机质控制的HCO3^-输出过程,伴随着土壤矿质养分的输出,土壤缓冲能力下降,壤中流pH值由6.1降为5.2,研究结果表明,贡嘎山区峨眉冷杉林原生土壤系统十分脆弱,养分易于流失,对人类活动的敏感性很高。     

柠条锦鸡儿肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶基因克隆和分析

肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶(cinnamoyl-CoA reductase,CCR)是木质素特异合成途径中的关键酶。根据已报道的植物CCR基因序列设计简并引物,利用RACE技术,首次从柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinkii Kom.)中克隆得到CCR基因全长cDNA序列,命名为CkCCR,GenBank登录号为HQ829859。该序列长1 270bp,具备长度为1 014bp的完整开放阅读框(ORF)。推导该基因编码的蛋白质有434个氨基酸,预测等电点6.69,分子量36.76kDa。序列分析发现,柠条锦鸡儿CCR基因推导的氨基酸序列与其它植物来源的CCR序列高度相似,并且具有植物CCR共有的氨基酸序列"KNWYCYGKA"以及NADPH的结合序列。系统进化分析显示,柠条锦鸡儿CCR与拟南芥CCR2处于同一分支,与同属豆科的银合欢CCR亲缘关系最近。利用荧光定量PCR技术对柠条锦鸡儿一个月龄幼苗基因转录水平进行检测,结果显示CkCCR基因在根、茎、叶中广泛表达,并且干旱处理初期表达量有所下降,处理后期又恢复到未处理时的表达水平。     

The interaction between viral protein and host actin facilitates the virus infection to host

Although the virus-host interaction has attracted extensive studies, the host proteins essential for virus infection remain largely unknown. To address this issue, the shrimp Penaeus stylirostris densovirus (PstDNV), belonging to the family Parvoviridae, was characterized. PstDNV, a single-stranded DNA virus with a 3.9-kb genome, encoded only three open reading frames (ORFs). Among the three viral proteins, the PstDNV ORF2-encoded protein was discovered to interact with the shrimp actin, suggesting that the host actin played a very important role in virus infection. The RNAi assays revealed that the ORF2-encoded protein was required for the PstDNV infection. The confocal evidence demonstrated that the interaction between the ORF2-encoded protein and actin was essential for the virus infection. Therefore our study indicated that the manipulation of the host actin cytoskeleton was a necessary strategy for viral pathogens to invade host cells.     

杉木半同胞子代林的遗传测定和综合指数选择

本研究对四年生杉木半同胞子代林49个家系的遗传测定结果表明：树高、胸径、冠幅等性状呈高度遗传;枝粗、枝数等性状呈弱度遗传;枝数与大多性状间呈不显著遗传负相关;树高、胸径之间遗传相关显著;冠幅、年轮盘数、枝粗及枝长四者之间遗传相关极显著;该四性状与高、径之间呈极显著遗传相关．采用综合指数选择摸式得指数方程为I=1.647P1 2.993P2 1.522P3 0.086P4-0.ll7P5-1.779P6-1.995P7,据此选出遗传型最佳家系,并分析了综合指数选择法的合理性和有效性．     

The role of autophagy in endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced pancreatic β cell death

In pancreatic β-cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the crucial site for insulin biosynthesis, as this is where the protein-folding machinery for secretory proteins is localized. Perturbations to ER function of the β-cell, such as those caused by high levels of free fatty acid and insulin resistance, can lead to an imbalance in protein homeostasis and ER stress, which has been recognized as an important mechanism for type 2 diabetes. Macroautophagy (hereafter referred to as autophagy) is activated as a novel signaling pathway in response to ER stress. In this review, we outline the mechanism of ER stress-mediated β-cell death and focus on the role of autophagy in ameliorating ER stress. The development of drugs to take advantage of the potential protective effect of autophagy in ER stress, such as glucagon like peptide-1, will be a promising avenue of investigation.     

海洋环境来源的淀粉酶AmyP对生玉米 淀粉的降解特性

来自海洋宏基因组文库的 α-淀粉酶（AmyP）属于最新建立的糖苷水解酶亚家族GH13₃7。AmyP 是一个生淀粉降解酶,能有效降解玉米生淀粉。在最适反应条件 pH 7.5和 40 °C 下,生玉米淀粉的比活达到 39.6 ± 1.4 U/mg。酶解反应动力学显示 AmyP 可以非常快速的降解生玉米淀粉。对 1%的生玉米淀粉仅需要 30 min;4%和 8%的生玉米淀粉只需 3 h。DTT 可以显著提高 AmyP 对生玉米淀粉的降解活性,1% DTT 促使活性增加 1倍。根据电镜观察和产物分析,认为 AmyP 是以内腐蚀的模式降解生玉米淀粉颗粒,释放出葡萄糖、麦芽糖和麦芽三糖作为终产物。