Determination on the binding of chlortetracycline to bovine serum albumin using spectroscopic methods

In this work, the interaction of chlortetracycline with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and molecular docking. Results indicated that chlortetracycline quenches BSA fluorescence mainly by a static quenching mechanism. The quenching constants (K_SV) were obtained as 5.64 × 10⁴, 4.49 × 10^4/, and 3.44 × 10^4/ M_?1 at 283, 295, and 307 K, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters of enthalpy change Δ H°, entropy change Δ S°, and free energy change Δ G° were ?5.12 × 10^4/ J mol?1, ?97.6 J mol?1 K?1, and ?2.24 × 10^4/ J mol?1 (295 K), respectively. The association constant (K_A) and the number of binding sites (n) were 9.41 × 10^3/ M?1 and 0.86, respectively. The analysis results suggested that the interaction was spontaneous, and van der Waals force and hydrogen‐bonding interactions played key roles in the reaction process. In addition, CD spectra proved secondary structure alteration of BSA in the presence of chlortetracycline. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 26:331–336, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10:1002/jbt.21424     

马氏珠母贝(Pinctada fucata martensii)细胞粘附分子3(Pm-CAM3)基因的克隆与表达分析

细胞粘附分子3 (cell adhesion molecule 3, CAM3)是免疫球蛋白家族(immunoglobulin family, IgSF)的一员,在细胞黏连、外源病原体的识别等方面具有重要作用。本实验利用末端快速克隆(RACE)技术,克隆获得马氏珠母贝(Pinctada facata martensii)细胞粘附分子3的全长序列(Pm-CAM3),并使用荧光定量PCR(Real-time PCR, q RT-PCR)技术检测了Pm-CAM3在马氏珠母贝不同组织中的表达模式。结果显示,Pm-CAM3基因全长2 245 bp。其中5'UTR 335 bp,3'UTR 166 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)长度为1 744 bp,共编码581个氨基酸;预测其相对分子量为63.21 kD,等电点为5.07,脂溶指数(aliphatic index)为67.21;总平均亲水性(grand averageofhydropathy, GRAVY)为-0.549,属于亲水性蛋白;Pm-CAM3具有跨膜结构域,其胞外区域具有一个Ig SF家族典型的Ig结构域以及一个Ig-like结构域。多序列比对结果显示,Pm-CAM3在物种间的保守性较低,其中Pm-CAM3与太平洋牡蛎的CAM3 (Crassostrea gigas, Cg-CAM3)的氨基酸序列相似性最高,但仅为37%。qRT-PCR分析表明Pm-CAM3在马氏珠母贝的9个组织中均有表达,其中在鳃中的表达量最高(p<0.05)。     

A colorimetric sensor array based on natural pigments for the discrimination of saccharides

A colorimetric sensor array based on natural pigments was developed to discriminate between various saccharides. Anthocyanins, pH‐sensitive natural pigments, were extracted from fruits and flowers and used as components of the sensor array. Variation in pH, due to the reaction between saccharides and boronic acids, caused obvious colour changes in the natural pigments. Only by observing the difference map with the naked eye could 11 common saccharides be divided into independent individuals. In conjunction with pattern recognition, the sensor array clearly differentiated between sugar and sugar alcohol with highly accuracy and allowed rapid quantification of different concentrations of maltitol and fructose. This sensor array for saccharides is expected to become a promising alternative tool for food monitoring. The link between anthocyanin and saccharide detection opened a new guiding direction for the application of anthocyanins in foods.     

New mechanism of nerve injury in Alzheimer’s disease: β‐amyloid‐induced neuronal pyroptosis

The present study was designed to investigate the role of β‐amyloid (Aβ_1‐42) in inducing neuronal pyroptosis and its mechanism. Mice cortical neurons (MCNs) were used in this study, LPS + Nigericin was used to induce pyroptosis in MCNs (positive control group), and Aβ_1‐42 was used to interfere with MCNs. In addition, propidium iodide (PI) staining was used to examine cell permeability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay was employed to detect cytotoxicity, immunofluorescence (IF) staining was used to investigate the expression level of the key protein GSDMD, Western blot was performed to detect the expression levels of key proteins, and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to determine the expression levels of inflammatory factors in culture medium, including IL‐1β, IL‐18 and TNF‐α. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to silence the mRNA expression of caspase‐1 and GSDMD, and Aβ_1‐42 was used to induce pyroptosis, followed by investigation of the role of caspase‐1‐mediated GSDMD cleavage in pyroptosis. In addition, necrosulfonamide (NSA), an inhibitor of GSDMD oligomerization, was used for pre‐treatment, and Aβ_1‐42 was subsequently used to observe the pyroptosis in MCNs. Finally, AAV9‐siRNA‐caspase‐1 was injected into the tail vein of APP/PS1 double transgenic mice (Alzheimer's disease mice) for caspase‐1 mRNA inhibition, followed by observation of behavioural changes in mice and measurement of the expression of inflammatory factors and pyroptosis‐related protein. As results, Aβ_1‐42 could induce pyroptosis in MCNs, increase cell permeability and enhance LDH release, which were similar to the LPS + Nigericin‐induced pyroptosis. Meanwhile, the expression levels of cellular GSDMD and p30‐GSDMD were up‐regulated, the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and GSDMD‐cleaved protein caspase‐1 were up‐regulated, and the levels of inflammatory factors in the medium were also up‐regulated. siRNA intervention in caspase‐1 or GSDMD inhibited Aβ_1‐42‐induced pyroptosis, and NSA pre‐treatment also caused the similar inhibitory effects. The behavioural ability of Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice was relieved after the injection of AAV9‐siRNA‐caspase‐1, and the expression of pyroptosis‐related protein in the cortex and hippocampus was down‐regulated. In conclusion, Aβ_1‐42 could induce pyroptosis by GSDMD protein, and NLRP3‐caspase‐1 signalling was an important signal to mediate GSDMD cleavage, which plays an important role in Aβ_1‐42‐induced pyroptosis in neurons. Therefore, GSDMD is expected to be a novel therapeutic target for AD.     

Slit2 Inactivates GSK3β to Signal Neurite Outgrowth Inhibition

Slit molecules comprise one of the four canonical families of axon guidance cues that steer the growth cone in the developing nervous system. Apart from their role in axon pathfinding, emerging lines of evidence suggest that a wide range of cellular processes are regulated by Slit, ranging from branch formation and fasciculation during neurite outgrowth to tumor progression and to angiogenesis. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms downstream of Slit remain largely unknown, in part, because of a lack of a readily manipulatable system that produces easily identifiable traits in response to Slit. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of using the cell line CAD as an assay system to dissect the signaling pathways triggered by Slit. Here, we show that CAD cells express receptors for Slit (Robo1 and Robo2) and that CAD cells respond to nanomolar concentrations of Slit2 by markedly decelerating the rate of process extension. Using this system, we reveal that Slit2 inactivates GSK3β and that inhibition of GSK3β is required for Slit2 to inhibit process outgrowth. Furthermore, we show that Slit2 induces GSK3β phosphorylation and inhibits neurite outgrowth in adult dorsal root ganglion neurons, validating Slit2 signaling in primary neurons. Given that CAD cells can be conveniently manipulated using standard molecular biological methods and that the process extension phenotype regulated by Slit2 can be readily traced and quantified, the use of a cell line CAD will facilitate the identification of downstream effectors and elucidation of signaling cascade triggered by Slit.     

双酶法制备螺旋藻多肽的工艺研究

选用碱性蛋白酶和木瓜蛋白酶结合的双酶法对螺旋藻蛋白进行水解。其中,对木瓜蛋白酶水解螺旋藻蛋白的工艺进行优化。以水解度为指标,研究了酶解时间、酶与底物比、pH和酶解温度4种因素对酶解反应的影响。在此基础上设计了3因素(加酶量、酶解温度和pH)3水平的响应面试验。结果表明碱性蛋白酶水解螺旋藻蛋白的最佳酶解条件为:加酶量4300 U/g,pH 7.0,酶解温度55℃,酶解时间160 min;木瓜蛋白酶的最佳酶解条件为:酶底比为4.5%,酶解温度60℃,pH 6.5,酶解时间210 min。利用碱性蛋白酶和木瓜蛋白酶结合的双酶法制得的多肽水解度可达32.90%,与单酶法相比,水解度明显提高。     

烯效唑浸种对干旱胁迫下红小豆生长及其根系生理特性的影响

以‘京农8号’红小豆为试验材料,通过盆栽试验方法,采用不同浓度(0、10、20、40和80mg·L~(-1))烯效唑浸种,测定不同水分环境(重度干旱、中度干旱和正常水分)下烯效唑浸种对红小豆生长及根系生理指标,明确干旱环境下红小豆高产优质的最佳烯效唑浸种浓度。结果显示:(1)与正常水分条件相比,干旱胁迫降低了红小豆幼苗叶片叶绿素含量、PSⅡ最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m)、PSⅡ潜在活性(F_v/F_0)和根系抗氧化酶活性、渗透调节物质含量,增加了叶片初始荧光(F_0)、根系MDA含量、根冠比,抑制了红小豆的生长和产量。(2)在不同水分条件下,烯效唑浸种均可有效促进红小豆根系的生长,提高根系SOD活性、POD活性、可溶性糖含量和可溶性蛋白质含量,增强植株抗氧化能力,降低根系MDA的积累量,从而缓解干旱胁迫对质膜的过氧化伤害。(3)烯效唑浸种提高了干旱胁迫下红小豆植株叶片叶绿素含量、F_v/F_m和F_v/F_0,降低了叶片F_0,有效促进干物质的积累,从而有助于红小豆产量构成因素和籽粒产量的提高。研究表明,适宜浓度烯效唑浸种可显著增强红小豆幼苗在干旱胁迫和正常水分环境下光合作用、抗氧化能力和渗透调节能力,有效促进红小豆植株的生长,从而提高了植株的抗旱性和产量,且以20mg·L~(-1)烯效唑浸种处理的效果最好。