20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid causes endothelial dysfunction via eNOS uncoupling

Nitric oxide (NO), generated from L-arginine by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), is a key endothelial-derived factor whose bioavailability is essential to the normal function of the endothelium. Endothelium dysfunction is characterized by loss of NO bioavailability because of either reduced formation or accelerated degradation of NO. We have recently reported that overexpression of vascular cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 4A in rats caused hypertension and endothelial dysfunction driven by increased production of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), a major vasoconstrictor eicosanoid in the microcirculation. To further explore cellular mechanisms underlying CYP4A-20-HETE-driven endothelial dysfunction, the interactions between 20-HETE and the eNOS-NO system were examined in vitro. Addition of 20-HETE to endothelial cells at concentrations as low as 1 nM reduced calcium ionophore-stimulated NO release by 50%. This reduction was associated with a significant increase in superoxide production. The increase in superoxide in response to 20-HETE was prevented by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, suggesting that uncoupled eNOS is a source of this superoxide. The response to 20-HETE was specific in that 19-HETE did not affect NO or superoxide production, and, in fact, the response to 20-HETE could be competitively antagonized by 19(R)-HETE. 20-HETE had no effect on phosphorylation of eNOS protein at serine-1179 or threonine-497 following addition of calcium ionophore; however, 20-HETE inhibited association of eNOS with 90-kDa heat shock protein (HSP90). In vivo, impaired acetylcholine-induced relaxation in arteries overexpressing CYP4A was associated with a marked reduction in the levels of phosphorylated vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein, an indicator of bioactive NO, that was reversed by inhibition of 20-HETE synthesis or action. Because association of HSP90 with eNOS is critical for eNOS activation and coupled enzyme activity, inhibition of this association by 20-HETE may underlie the mechanism, at least in part, by which increased CYP4A expression and activity cause endothelial dysfunction.     

毕赤酵母表达的含前S1、前S2和S表位乙肝表面抗原疫苗的制备和免疫原性研究

整合了乙肝表面抗原嵌合基因SS1和SS2的毕赤酵母工程菌株GS115-SS1S2经高密度发酵培养,甲醇诱导,抗原表达量达到300~600mg/L发酵液。SS1S2抗原经细胞破碎、硅胶吸附、疏水层析和凝胶过滤纯化,纯度达99%以上,每升培养物可收获纯化抗原82mg。纯化的SS1S2抗原经Al(OH)3吸附,在NIH小鼠中进行免疫效果评价。三组NIH雌性小鼠,分别腹腔接种2.5μg、0.625μg和0.156μgSS1S2疫苗或商品化的单S疫苗。部分小鼠在30天时采血,测定各疫苗组的ED50值。在SS1S2疫苗组,前S1、前S2和S抗原的ED50值分别为0.46、0.29和0.84μg,而S疫苗组S抗原的ED50为0.99μg。另一部分小鼠分别在7天和14天时采血,考察抗体阳转率与时间的关系。SS1S2疫苗前S1、前S2抗体阳转率在7d和14d时比S抗体的阳转率为高,提示前S抗体出现的时间较早。上述结果显示SS1S2疫苗比单S疫苗具有更好的免疫原性。     

Assembly of Slx4 signaling complexes behind DNA replication forks

Obstructions to replication fork progression, referred to collectively as DNA replication stress, challenge genome stability. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cells lacking RTT107 or SLX4 show genome instability and sensitivity to DNA replication stress and are defective in the completion of DNA replication during recovery from replication stress. We demonstrate that Slx4 is recruited to chromatin behind stressed replication forks, in a region that is spatially distinct from that occupied by the replication machinery. Slx4 complex formation is nucleated by Mec1 phosphorylation of histone H2A, which is recognized by the constitutive Slx4 binding partner Rtt107. Slx4 is essential for recruiting the Mec1 activator Dpb11 behind stressed replication forks, and Slx4 complexes are important for full activity of Mec1. We propose that Slx4 complexes promote robust checkpoint signaling by Mec1 by stably recruiting Dpb11 within a discrete domain behind the replication fork, during DNA replication stress.     

PIK-75 promotes homology-directed DNA repair

Homo!ogy-directed repair(HDR)is one of two major DNA repair pathways to mend the double-strand breaks(DSBs)formed in the genome(Liang et al.,1998;Pardo et al.,2009).Although less efficient compared with another DNA repair pathway,nonhomologous end joining(NHEJ),HDR is a type of precise repair to restore DNA damage and sustain genomic stability(Pardo et al.,2009;Ceccaldi et al.,2016).By contrast,NHEJ usually introduces mutations into the repaired site,thus probably harming the genomic integrity(Lieber et al.,2003).The error-free property enables HDR to be harnessed to correct a faulty mutation for therapeutic purpose in cells or in the body(Wu et al.,2013).In add让ion,HDR possesses great potential in the generation of genome-edited animals with precise genetic modifications,such as point mutation,DNA replacement,and DNA insertion in a specific genomic site(Wang et al.,2013).However,the low repair frequency mediated by HDR significantly limits让s application for efficient gene correction or establishment of various genetically modified animal models.Currently,multiple site-specific endonucleases have emerged as highly efficient tools to create targeted DSBs and markedly promote subsequent DNA repair either via HDR or NHEJ(Gaj et al.,2013).Nonetheless,the HDR-mediated modifications following the cleavage of engineering nucleases are still inefficient,usually with an efficiency less than 20%in cultured mammalian cells and embryos(Mali et al..2013;Wang et al.,2013;Yang et al.,2013).     

尖峰岭自然保护区扩大区域植物多样性研究

尖峰岭自然保护区2002年由省级上升为国家级自然保护区, 面积由原来的7,762 hm²增加至20,170 hm²。为建立一个比较完善的国家级自然保护区管理体系, 海南大学于2003年10月通过路线调查与标准样方相结合的方法对保护区扩大区域展开了植被资源调查工作。本次调查共记录到43种尖峰岭地区新记录种, 其中黄毛马兜铃(Aristolochia fulvicoma)、海南地不容(Stephania hainanensis)、卵叶石笔木(Tutcheria ovalifolia)、蜜茱萸(Melicope patulinervia)和南烛(Lyonia ovalifolia)等5种为海南特有种。在本次调查的9,600 m²天然林标准样方中共记录到高1.5 m以上的立木3,466株398种, 隶属于69科161属。在扩大区域内共有国家级珍稀濒危和保护植物41种, 其中国家I级保护植物4种, 新记录到的尖峰岭地区国家级濒危植物2种, 即毛茶(Antirhea chinensis)和琼棕(Chuniophoenix hainanensis), 并基本确定了这些植物的垂直分布状况。扩大区域热带低地雨林、热带山地雨林、热带山顶矮林3种群落类型的物种多样性指数均较高, 且Simpson指数(D)及Shannon-Wiener指数(H＇)均是热带山地雨林>热带低地雨林>热带山顶矮林; 均匀度则是热带山地雨林>热带山顶矮林>热带低地雨林。表明经过多年封山育林及实施天然林保护工程, 扩大区域内曾经受过强烈干扰的热带低地雨林和山地雨林已经得到了很好的恢复。     

Origins and functional diversification of salinity‐responsive Na+, K+ ATPase α1 paralogs in salmonids

The Salmoniform whole‐genome duplication is hypothesized to have facilitated the evolution of anadromy, but little is known about the contribution of paralogs from this event to the physiological performance traits required for anadromy, such as salinity tolerance. Here, we determined when two candidate, salinity‐responsive paralogs of the Na⁺, K⁺ ATPase α subunit (α1a and α1b) evolved and studied their evolutionary trajectories and tissue‐specific expression patterns. We found that these paralogs arose during a small‐scale duplication event prior to the Salmoniform, but after the teleost, whole‐genome duplication. The ‘freshwater paralog’ (α1a) is primarily expressed in the gills of Salmoniformes and an unduplicated freshwater sister species (Esox lucius) and experienced positive selection in the freshwater ancestor of Salmoniformes and Esociformes. Contrary to our predictions, the ‘saltwater paralog’ (α1b), which is more widely expressed than α1a, did not experience positive selection during the evolution of anadromy in the Coregoninae and Salmonine. To determine whether parallel mutations in Na⁺, K⁺ ATPase α1 may contribute to salinity tolerance in other fishes, we studied independently evolved salinity‐responsive Na⁺, K⁺ ATPase α1 paralogs in Anabas testudineus and Oreochromis mossambicus. We found that a quarter of the mutations occurring between salmonid α1a and α1b in functionally important sites also evolved in parallel in at least one of these species. Together, these data argue that paralogs contributing to salinity tolerance evolved prior to the Salmoniform whole‐genome duplication and that strong selection and/or functional constraints have led to parallel evolution in salinity‐responsive Na⁺, K⁺ ATPase α1 paralogs in fishes.