The Differential Interaction of Brucella and Ochrobactrum with Innate Immunity Reveals Traits Related to the Evolution of Stealthy Pathogens

Background

During evolution, innate immunity has been tuned to recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. However, some α-Proteobacteria are stealthy intracellular pathogens not readily detected by this system. Brucella members follow this strategy and are highly virulent, but other Brucellaceae like Ochrobactrum are rhizosphere inhabitants and only opportunistic pathogens. To gain insight into the emergence of the stealthy strategy, we compared these two phylogenetically close but biologically divergent bacteria.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In contrast to Brucella abortus, Ochrobactrum anthropi did not replicate within professional and non-professional phagocytes and, whereas neutrophils had a limited action on B. abortus, they were essential to control O. anthropi infections. O. anthropi triggered proinflammatory responses markedly lower than Salmonella enterica but higher than B. abortus. In macrophages and dendritic cells, the corresponding lipopolysaccharides reproduced these grades of activation, and binding of O. anthropi lipopolysaccharide to the TLR4 co-receptor MD-2 and NF-κB induction laid between those of B. abortus and enteric bacteria lipopolysaccharides. These differences correlate with reported variations in lipopolysaccharide core sugars, sensitivity to bactericidal peptides and outer membrane permeability.

Conclusions/Significance

The results suggest that Brucellaceae ancestors carried molecules not readily recognized by innate immunity, so that non-drastic variations led to the emergence of stealthy intracellular parasites. They also suggest that some critical envelope properties, like selective permeability, are profoundly altered upon modification of pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and that this represents a further adaptation to the host. It is proposed that this adaptive trend is relevant in other intracellular α-Proteobacteria like Bartonella, Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Wolbachia.     

NaCl胁迫对构树幼苗内质网膜脂肪酸及蛋白质组成的影响

采用气相色谱法和SDS-PAGE电泳法研究了经过50～150 mmol·L-1 NaCl胁迫处理后构树[Broussonetia papyrifera (L. ) L'Hrit. ex Vent. ]组培苗根和叶片内质网膜脂肪酸和蛋白质组成的变化.结果表明,构树根和叶片内质网膜脂肪酸组成差异较大,但均为不饱和脂肪酸相对含量较高;脂肪酸基本成分为棕榈酸、硬脂酸、棕榈油酸、油酸、亚油酸及反亚油酸,但根中还含花生酸、山萮酸、木蜡酸、亚麻酸和二十碳二烯酸,叶片中还含反油酸;根中的不饱和脂肪酸指数(IUFA)大于叶片.不同浓度NaCl胁迫对构树组培苗根和叶片内质网膜脂肪酸组成和蛋白质组成均有一定的影响.在NaCl胁迫条件下,根内质网膜饱和脂肪酸相对含量呈增加趋势,不饱和脂肪酸相对含量趋于减少,且随着NaCl浓度的提高,IUFA逐渐降低;叶片内质网膜中各脂肪酸成分相对含量的变化趋势各异,但在低浓度NaCl条件下,IUFA较对照有所提高,随NaCl浓度的升高IUFA又低于对照,且叶片内质网膜IUFA的降幅小于根.根和叶片内质网膜中蛋白质组成明显不同;不同浓度NaCl胁迫除对内质网膜各蛋白质组分表达量有一定影响外,还导致根中相对分子质量70 000 的蛋白质条带消失,叶片中则出现了相对分子质量95 000 的新蛋白质条带.     

生黑醋酸杆菌在高浓度山梨醇下的半连续发酵特性

目的：调节生黑醋酸杆菌生物和代谢特性,以提高发酵效率。方法：通过改变种液特性,采用半连续培养的方式,对生黑醋酸杆菌在高醇浓度下的生长特性进行了研究。结果：通过优化可以提高VC一步发酵底物山梨醇浓度达38%,32h左右发酵率达95%,山梨糖产量达360mg/ml,半连续培养连续5批之间产糖稳定,没有明显差别。结论：通过优化,有效地提高了山梨糖的产率。     

Presence of Thrombin-Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor in Helicobacter pylori-Associated Gastroduodenal Disease

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) plays a role in the regulation of coagulation and inflammation. In addition to inhibiting the fibrinolytic system, TAFI may also regulate the bradykinin and complement systems. We hypothesized that TAFI also plays a role in defense mechanisms of the gastric mucosa during Helicobacter pylori infection. This study comprised 65 patients with gastroduodenal disorders: 41 patients with H. pylori infection, 13 without, and 11 patients with cured H. pylori infection. The gastric intramucosal concentrations of TAFI were measured by enzyme immunoassay. The gastric levels of TAFI and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were significantly increased in patients with H. pylori compared to those without infection or cured H. pylori . The presence of TAFI was detected in gastric mucosal epithelial cells. The concentration of TAFI was correlated with the degree of gastric mucosal atrophy, inflammation, and disease activity. These results show that TAFI is present in the gastric mucosa and that it may play a role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori infection-associated gastroduodenal disorders.     

Synthesis of structured lipids by two enzymatic steps: Ethanolysis of fish oils and esterification of 2-monoacylglycerols

This paper studies the synthesis of structured triacylglycerols (STAGs), rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) by a two-step enzymatic process: (i) alcoholysis of fish oils (cod liver and tuna oils) with ethanol to obtain 2-monoacylglycerols (2-MAGs), catalyzed by 1,3 specific lipases and (ii) esterification of these 2-MAGs with caprylic acid (CA, 8:0), also catalyzed by a 1,3 specific lipase, to produce STAGs of structure CA–PUFA–CA. As regards the alcoholysis reaction, three factors have been studied: the influence of the type of lipase used (lipase D from Rhizopus oryzae, immobilized on Accurel MP1000, and Novozym 435 from Candida antarctica), the operational mode of a stirred tank reactor (STR operating in discontinuous and continuous mode) and the intensity of treatment (IOT = lipase amount × reaction time/oil amount). Although higher 2-MAG yields were obtained with lipase D, Novozym 435 was selected due to its greater stability in the operational conditions. The highest 2-MAG yield (63%) was attained in the STR operating in discontinuous mode at an IOT of 1 g lipase × h g oil^?1 (at higher IOT the 2-MAGs were degraded to glycerol). This system was scaled up to 100 times the initial volume, achieving a similar yield (65%) at the same IOT. The 2-MAGs in the final alcoholysis reaction mixture were separated from ethyl esters by solvent extraction using solvents of low toxicity (ethanol and hexane); the 2-MAG recovery yield was over 90% and the purity was approximately 87–90%. Regarding the esterification of the 2-MAGs, the following factors were studied: the influence of the lipase type used, the presence or absence of solvent (hexane) and the reaction time or intensity of treatment (IOT = lipase amount × reaction time/2-MAG amount). Of the five lipases tested, the highest STAG percentages (over 90%) were attained with lipases D and DF, immobilized on Accurel MP1000. These STAGs contain 64% CA, of which 98% is at positions 1 and 3. Position 2 contains 5% CA and 45% PUFAs, which means that all the PUFAs that were located at position 2 in the original oil remain in that position in the final STAGs. The lipase D immobilized on Accurel MP1000 is stable in the operational conditions used in the esterification reaction. Finally the purification of STAGs was carried out by neutralization of free fatty acids with hydroethanolic solution of KOH and extraction of STAGs with hexane. By this method purity was over 95% and separation yields were about 80%.     

抗牛PrP多肽单克隆抗体的制备及其在牛PrP 检测中的应用

为获得广谱抗哺乳类动物PrP单克隆抗体(monoclonal antibody, McAb), 用牛朊蛋白(prion protein, PrP)多肽(209~228 aa)与匙孔槭血蓝蛋白(keyhole limpet hemocyanin, KLH)偶联物免疫Balb/C小鼠. 经细胞融合和克隆后获得针对上述多肽的杂交瘤细胞株. 分别用Western blot和免疫组化(immunohistochemistry, IHC)的方法检测这些McAbs与重组人(human, Hu)、牛(bovine, Bo)、仓鼠(hamster, Ha)PrP蛋白、牛脑组织中的正常朊蛋白(cellular PrP, PrPc)和致病性朊蛋白(scrapie of prion, PrPSc)的反应性. 本文为制备高效价抗PrP McAb提供了一个简单、易行的方法. 制备的抗体可用于研究哺乳类PrP生物学特性, 检测可传播性海绵样脑病, 特别是对牛海绵样脑病的诊断具有重要意义.     

免疫荧光磁粒分离诱导CD34＋细胞转化为DC的实验研究

目的：建立一种磁荧光分离细胞的方法将CD34＋细胞转化为DC。方法：人脐带血单个核细胞,经免疫免疫荧光标记、外磁场分离CD34＋细胞,分别加入GM—CSF、IL-4和不同浓度黄芪多糖,诱导12—14天检测DC细胞数量和功能。结果：随黄芪多糖浓度的升高,DC细胞的百分率越大。结论：黄芪多糖可作为一种优良的诱导促进剂,联合使用GM-CSF和IL-4可将CD34＋细胞转化成为DC。     

产酸克雷伯氏杆菌发酵产2，3-丁二醇的培养基优化

采用不同设计方法相结合的策略对耐高糖产酸克雷伯氏杆菌（Klebsiella oxytoca）ME—UD-3-4发酵产2,3-丁二醇的培养基进行优化。首先在单因素实验的基础上采用Plackett—Burrnan设计法对影响ME—UD-3-4发酵产2,3-丁二醇的相关因素进行研究,筛选到3种有显著效应的因素（P〈0．05）：葡萄糖、玉米浆和MgSO4·7H2O。然后利用响应曲面法（Response Surface Methodology,RSM）对这3种因素的最佳水平范围进一步探讨;对得到的回归模型进行分析,得最佳条件（g／L）：葡萄糖220、玉米浆19和MgSO4·7H2O 0．4;在最佳条件下,发酵80h,2,3-丁二醇产量从原来的57．3 g／L提高到86．1 g／L,生产强度由0．72g／（L·h）提高到1．08g/（L·h）。     

Ancestry-related assortative mating in Latino populations

Background

While spouse correlations have been documented for numerous traits, no prior studies have assessed assortative mating for genetic ancestry in admixed populations.

Results

Using 104 ancestry informative markers, we examined spouse correlations in genetic ancestry for Mexican spouse pairs recruited from Mexico City and the San Francisco Bay Area, and Puerto Rican spouse pairs recruited from Puerto Rico and New York City. In the Mexican pairs, we found strong spouse correlations for European and Native American ancestry, but no correlation in African ancestry. In the Puerto Rican pairs, we found significant spouse correlations for African ancestry and European ancestry but not Native American ancestry. Correlations were not attributable to variation in socioeconomic status or geographic heterogeneity. Past evidence of spouse correlation was also seen in the strong evidence of linkage disequilibrium between unlinked markers, which was accounted for in regression analysis by ancestral allele frequency difference at the pair of markers (European versus Native American for Mexicans, European versus African for Puerto Ricans). We also observed an excess of homozygosity at individual markers within the spouses, but this provided weaker evidence, as expected, of spouse correlation. Ancestry variance is predicted to decline in each generation, but less so under assortative mating. We used the current observed variances of ancestry to infer even stronger patterns of spouse ancestry correlation in previous generations.

Conclusions

Assortative mating related to genetic ancestry persists in Latino populations to the current day, and has impacted on the genomic structure in these populations.     

植物根系吸水模型研究进展

植物根系吸水模型是当前生态水文和陆面过程建模领域最为活跃的研究方向,是研究流域水文、生态、环境以及水资源可持续利用等科学问题中最为关键的部分,研究植物根系吸水的物理和生理机制及其影响因素,是建立植物根系吸水模型的基础.本文通过对植物根系吸水模型研究的回顾,讨论了水分和盐分胁迫在根系吸水中的作用、根系吸水的多维模型、根系吸水在陆面过程中的作用等问题,指出植物根系吸水模型发展所面临的问题并展望了未来的发展方向.