Biodegradation of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) by a new Penicillium oxalicum strain DSYD05-1

In this study, fungi isolated from soil were screened for their ability to form clear zones on agar plates with emulsified poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). The most active strain, designated as DSYD05, was identified as Penicillium oxalicum on the basis of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis. Mutant DSYD05-1, obtained by ultraviolet-light mutagenesis from strain DSYD05, was more effective in PCL degradation. In liquid cultures of the mutant strain with PCL emulsion, DSYD05-1 showed the highest PCL-degrading activity after 4?days of cultivation. The products of PCL degradation were analysed by mass spectrometry; the results indicated that 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid was produced and assimilated during cultivation. The degradation of PCL film by DSYD05-1 was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and was indicative of a three-stage degradation process. The degradation of amorphous parts of the film preceded that of the crystalline center and then the peripheral crystalline regions. In addition, DSYD05-1 showed a wide range of substrate specificity, with capability to degrade PCL, poly(β-hydroxybutyrate), and poly(butylene succinate), but not poly(lactic acid), indicating that the strain could have potential for application in the treatment or recycling of bio-plastic wastes.     

MiR‐616‐3p modulates cell proliferation and migration through targeting tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 in preeclampsia

Objectives

Despite improvements in diagnosis and treatment, preeclampsia (PE) continues to pose a significant risk of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality if not addressed promptly. An increasing number of studies have suggested that tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2) acts as a suppressor gene, possibly inhibiting multiple serine proteases affecting cell proliferation and migration. It plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of PE, but the pathogenesis remains unclear.

Materials and methods

In our research, we performed western blotting, immunohistochemistry and qPCR assays to investigate TFPI2 and miR‐616‐3p expression in preeclamptic placental tissues. Cell assays were performed in HTR‐8/SVneo and JEG3 cell lines. Cell proliferation and migration events were investigated by MTT, EdU and transwell assays. In conjunction with bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays were performed to elucidate the mechanism by which miR‐616‐3p binds to TFPI2 mRNA.

Results

We established that TFPI2 protein levels were significantly upregulated in PE placental tissues. In addition, we found that miR‐616‐3p binds specifically to the 3′‐UTR region of TFPI2 mRNA. Furthermore, miR‐616‐3p knockdown or TFPI2 overexpression substantially impaired cell growth and migration, whereas miR‐616‐3p upregulation or TFPI2 knockdown stimulated cell proliferation and migration. This miR‐616‐3p / TFPI2 axis was also found to affect the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition process in PE.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that TFPI2 plays a vital role in the progression of PE and might provide a prospective therapeutic strategy to mitigate the severity of the disorder.

     

湖北单子叶植物新记录

于2011~2013年对湖北神农架国家级自然保护区进行了第四次全国中药资源普查,发现若干湖北植物新记录。该研究报道了湖北单子叶植物2个新记录属——顶冰花属(Gagea Salisbury)和筒距兰属(Tipularia Nuttall),8个新记录种分别为:少花顶冰花[Gagea pauciflora(Turczaninow ex Trautvetter)Ledebour]、凤凰蜘蛛抱蛋(Aspidistra fenghuangensis K.Y.Lang)、卷瓣重楼(Paris undulata H.LiV.G.Soukup)、筒距兰(Tipularia szechuanica Schlechter)、大黄花虾脊兰(Calanthe sieboldii Decaisne ex Regel)、小杜若[Pollia miranda(H.Léveillé)H.Hara]、长耳南星(Arisaema auriculatum Buchet)、大针薹草(Carex uda Maximowicz)。包含3种国家二级保护植物——卷瓣重楼、筒距兰、大黄花虾脊兰。IUCN将筒距兰列为易危级别,卷瓣重楼和大黄花虾脊兰被列为极危级别,其中大黄花虾脊兰还是我国极小种群野生植物资源。该文对这些物种分布新区域的报道,扩大了这些植物的分布范围,也丰富和加深了对湖北植物多样性的认识与了解。     

TAT-凋亡素融合蛋白的表达及其抗肿瘤活性

凋亡素(apoptin)由鸡贫血病毒vp3基因编码,能特异地诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡而对正常细胞 没有毒性,为了获得可转导入细胞内部的凋亡素,将人工合成的编码TAT蛋白转导结构域的DNA片段与凋亡素编码基因克隆入质粒pET-28a内,构建出表达融合蛋白TAT-apoptin的原核表达载体pET-28a-TAT-apoptin.在大肠杆菌Rosetta（DE3）中表达融合蛋白,利用IDA -Ni2+ 亲和柱纯化,葡聚糖凝胶G 25除去尿素后得到可溶的变性蛋白.纯化后的TAT apoptin加入体外培养的人脐静脉内皮细胞(HUVECs)和人肺癌Anip973细胞,对照组加入TAT-麦芽糖结合蛋白（TAT-MBP）. 经免疫组化检测,转导1 h后TAT-MBP分布于以上两种细胞的胞浆和胞核,TAT-apoptin则主要分布于2种细胞的胞浆内,转导24 h后TAT-MBP的亚细胞定位没有变化,TAT-apoptin分别定位于HUVECs的胞浆和Anip973的胞核中.脱氧核糖核苷酸末端转移酶介导的缺口末端标记法（TUNEL）显示转导48 h后,TAT-MBP处理过的 HUVECs和Anip973细胞、TAT-apoptin处理过的HUVECs没有明显改变,而TAT-apoptin处理过的Anip973细胞大量凋亡.以上结果表明TAT apoptin融合蛋白在肿瘤治疗上有潜在的应用价值.     

中国昆明小鼠亚群蛋白质多态性的研究

本文报道采用电泳技术对北京、上海、长春3市的4个中国昆明小鼠(简称KM)实验群体中24个蛋白质标志研究的结果,与我国1981年从美国引进的NIH小鼠进行比较,显示出:(1)KM小鼠亚群间等位基因组成无明显差异,它们间遗传距离为0.008—0.027,与群体封闭时间成正相关;(2)4个KM小鼠群体间聚类分析发现S:KM群体为特殊一类,该结果与KM亚群间下颌骨分析结果相符;(3)KM与Swiss来源的NIH小鼠群体间在E(?)-3、Es-10、Got-2、Glo-1、Gpt-1、和Mpi-1座位上的等位基因组成存在显著差异,它们之间的遗传距离平均值为0.131±0.011,证实中国KM小鼠为非Swiss来源的一个亚种。     

应用意愿价值评估法评价河流生态恢复的时间稳定性——以上海城市内河为例

意愿价值评估法 (CVM)的评估结果是否具有时间稳定性是其可靠性检验中的重要问题,决定其能否应用于我国的生态系统服务价值评估.本文以上海城市内河生态恢复为评估对象,设计相隔1个月和2年的3次意愿价值评估方案,分别对3次调查的426、498和200份问卷进行了对比分析.结果表明： 3次支付意愿均值分别为14.2、14.1和18.0元,中位数分别为5、5和10元.进一步对支付意愿分布和主要统计值、影响因素、模型时间变量的显著性分析结果表明,相隔1个月的CVM 结果具有时间上的稳定性,而相隔2年的CVM 结果表现出一定差异.     

不同碳源对须糖多孢菌生长发育及丁烯基多杀菌素生物合成的影响

本文研究了不同碳源对须糖多孢菌生长以及丁烯基多杀菌素生物合成的影响,通过寻找优势碳源优化发酵培养基配方,促进须糖多孢菌丁烯基多杀菌素的生物合成。试验共设11个处理,1个对照,通过单因素试验比较不同处理组菌体OD600值和丁烯基多杀菌素产量,筛选获得最优碳源及其发酵培养基配方。结果表明,除可溶性淀粉和木糖外,须糖多孢菌在9种碳源中都能进行生长,对不同构型碳源显示较好的利用率。在以半乳糖、葡萄糖、果糖和甘露糖作为碳源时具有较好的生长速率,而以甘露糖为碳源时能显著促进丁烯基多杀菌素的合成。选择甘露糖最佳添加浓度为5 g/L,须糖多孢菌最高菌体浓度和丁烯基多杀菌素产量分别是初始配方条件的1. 32倍和1. 78倍,显著提高了丁烯基多杀菌素的产量。上述结果为培养基碳源对丁烯基多杀菌素生物合成影响机制的研究及丁烯基多杀菌素大规模工业化发酵生产提供了科学依据和新的技术途径。