白色生物技术在可持续大规模化学生产中的应用

目前几乎所有有机化学品和塑料是从原油和天然气中生产的, 而生物技术的应用使得利用可再生资源进行大规模化工生产成为可能。以下主要综述了白色生物技术, 即利用细菌、酵母或酶将可发酵糖转化为特定的化学产品的技术。白色生物技术极大节省了不可再生能源的消耗, 减少了温室气体的排放。在有利条件下, 如果化工生产中相关技术有了发展并且可以成功以木质纤维素为原料, 那么到2050年不可再生能源的消耗将减少将近2/3 (67%)。欧洲（EU-25）地区的分析表明, 白色生物技术相关的用地在未来几年的欧洲不会受到制约, 尤其是有大量闲置资源的东欧。另外, 虽然原则上可以在白色生物技术中使用自然的细菌和酶, 但是很多专家认为, 利用经遗传改造生物体(GMO)可以达到高产量、高浓度、高效率, 这对实现经济活力是必要的。值得注意的是, 目前并不是所有的重组基因和其他物种间的相互作用所带来的后果都可预见, 因此化工生产释放的GMOs的安全失活和处理非常重要, 但是如果采取足够的预防措施, 在白色生物技术中应用GMOs的风险是可以控制的。我们认为, 生物生产过程的技术突破、下游生产过程的控制、化石燃料的高价格、可发酵糖的低价获得是生物质化学产业发展中的关键因素, 这4个因素及其他伴随策略是发展整体白色生物技术的要求。     

Computed tomography or necropsy diagnosis of multiple bullae and the treatment of pneumothorax in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Pulmonary bullae and pneumothorax have various etiologies in veterinary medicine. We diagnosed multiple pulmonary bullae combined with or without pneumothorax by computed tomography (CT) or necropsy in seven rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) imported from China. Two of seven rhesus macaques accompanied by pneumothorax were cured by fixation of ruptured lung through left or right 3rd intercostal thoracotomy. Pneumonyssus simicola, one of the etiologies of pulmonary bullae, was not detected from tracheobronchiolar lavage. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report on the CT‐aided diagnosis of pulmonary bullae and the successful treatment of combined pneumothorax by thoracotomy in non‐human primates (NHPs).     

Toothpicking and Periodontal Disease in a Neanderthal Specimen from Cova Foradà Site (Valencia,Spain)

We present a Neanderthal maxilla (CF-1) from Cova Foradà site (Oliva, Valencia, Spain) with periodontal disease and evidence of attempts to alleviate pain with the use of a toothpick. Two interproximal grooves have been found on the distal surfaces of the upper left Pm³ and M¹ of CF-1 maxilla. The location, morphology and size of the grooves coincide with other interproximal grooves found on the teeth of other fossil specimens. Heavy dental wear and periodontal disease would have caused the Cova Foradà Neanderthal specimen pain and discomfort, which the individual attempted to mitigate using some kind of dental probe.     

Colorimetric detection of eukaryotic gene expression with DNA-derivatized gold nanoparticles

Thiol-linked DNA-gold nanoparticles were used in a novel colorimetric method to detect the presence of specific mRNA from a total RNA extract of yeast cells. The method allowed detection of expression of the FSY1 gene that encodes a specific fructose/H+ symporter in Saccharomyces bayanus PYCC 4565. FSY1 is strongly expressed when the yeast is grown in fructose as the sole carbon source, while cells cultivated in glucose as the sole carbon source repress gene expression. The presence of FSY1 mRNA is detected based on color change of a sample containing total RNA extracted from the organism and gold nanoparticles derivatized with a 15-mer of complementary single stranded DNA upon addition of NaCl. If FSY1 mRNA is present, the solution remains pink, changing to blue-purple in the absence of FSY1 mRNA. Direct detection of specific expression was possible from only 0.3 microg of unamplified total RNA without any further enhancement. This novel method is inexpensive, very easy to perform as no amplification or signal enhancement steps are necessary and takes less than 15 min to develop after total RNA extraction. No temperature control is necessary and color change can be easily detected visually.     

Prehistoric funerary complexity in northern Iberia studied by using dental morphology

During the Neolithic Age and afterwards, several funerary practices coexisted in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. According to archaeological data, there was a coexistence of sepulchral caves and megalithic monuments at the end of the Neolithic, following the dominance of open-air pit burials during the Middle Neolithic. The aim of this work is to analyze the biological relationships between individuals representing those cultures, based on their dental morphology – the first such attempt. This study presents data of 156 individuals from this period, and will allow elucidate the population dynamics including the role of migrations and other factors.The results indicate that there were no significant differences between the groups living in Atlantic and Mediterranean areas. Moreover, pairwise comparisons for each trait only show two significant results. This lack of differences could be related to trade activities between the two basins, which would contribute to individual exchanges between groups. Furthermore, according to biological affinities, trade activities along the Mediterranean Sea had a more marked influence over the Catalan populations than those from the Atlantic basin. There are no biological differences between groups representing the open-air pit culture and the sepulchral caves in each area. Finally, the megalithic groups from the Atlantic basin differ the most from the surrounding populations. This could be indicative of a slightly different biological origin of the people related to this culture.     

Interaction of HIV-1 Nef Protein with the Host Protein Alix Promotes Lysosomal Targeting of CD4 Receptor

Nef is an accessory protein of human immunodeficiency viruses that promotes viral replication and progression to AIDS through interference with various host trafficking and signaling pathways. A key function of Nef is the down-regulation of the coreceptor CD4 from the surface of the host cells. Nef-induced CD4 down-regulation involves at least two independent steps as follows: acceleration of CD4 endocytosis by a clathrin/AP-2-dependent pathway and targeting of internalized CD4 to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) for eventual degradation in lysosomes. In a previous work, we found that CD4 targeting to the MVB pathway was independent of CD4 ubiquitination. Here, we report that this targeting depends on a direct interaction of Nef with Alix/AIP1, a protein associated with the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) machinery that assists with cargo recruitment and intraluminal vesicle formation in MVBs. We show that Nef interacts with both the Bro1 and V domains of Alix. Depletion of Alix or overexpression of the Alix V domain impairs lysosomal degradation of CD4 induced by Nef. In contrast, the V domain overexpression does not prevent cell surface removal of CD4 by Nef or protein targeting to the canonical ubiquitination-dependent MVB pathway. We also show that the Nef-Alix interaction occurs in late endosomes that are enriched in internalized CD4. Together, our results indicate that Alix functions as an adaptor for the ESCRT-dependent, ubiquitin-independent targeting of CD4 to the MVB pathway induced by Nef.     

Expression of active hormone and DNA-binding domains of the chicken progesterone receptor in E. coli.

Bacterially-expressed fusion proteins containing the DNA-(region C) or hormone-binding (region E) domains of the chicken progesterone receptor (cPR) fused to the C terminus of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase were analysed for the specificity of interaction with natural and synthetic hormone-responsive elements (HREs) and progestins, respectively. The purified fusion protein containing the progestin-binding domain bound progesterone with an apparent Kd of 1.0-1.5 nM and was specifically photocross-linked with the synthetic progestin R5020 in crude bacterial lysates. Labelling of intact bacterial cells with [3H]R5020 revealed that the majority, if not all, of the bacterially produced hormone-binding domain was active. No differences in the binding to a synthetic palindromic glucocorticoid/progestin-responsive element (GRE/PRE) were found when the bacterially produced cPR DNA-binding domain was compared in methylation interference assays with the full-length chicken progesterone receptor form A expressed in eukaryotic cells. The study of dissociation kinetics, however, revealed differences in the half-life of the complexes formed between the palindromic GRE/PRE and either the receptor form A or the fusion protein containing the cPR DNA-binding domain. DNase I protection experiments demonstrated that the bacterially produced region C of the cPR generated specific 'footprints' on the mouse mammary tumour virus long terminal repeat (MMTV-LTR) which were nearly identical to those previously reported for the rat glucocorticoid receptor.     

Percepción de los endocrinólogos clínicos sobre los potenciales efectos perjudiciales del tratamiento supresor de la TSH en el carcinoma diferenciado de tiroides

ObjectiveTo explore the opinion of clinical endocrinologists as to the deleterious effects of thyrotropin (TSH) suppressive therapy in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).Materials and methodsA self-administered survey was sent by e-mail to a group of endocrinologists with expertise in the treatment of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The questionnaire consisted of three questions related to: 1) the possible adverse effects of this therapy on different organ systems, 2) the clinical significance of these effects and 3) the usefulness of treatment guidelines for DTC.ResultsA total of 91 endocrinologists responded with a wide divergence of opinions. No question had more than 80% of answers in a particular option. Of the possible side effects of suppressive therapy, a high degree of ignorance to three of them (increased left ventricular mass, reentrant tachycardia and diastolic dysfunction). Most respondents felt that the seven items, dementia and Alzheimer, decreased quality of life, decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal women and men, thromboembolic disease, signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism and increased risk of fractures were not affected by suppressive therapy, while most responded positively to two items (increased heart rate and decreased BMD in postmenopausal women). Eighty percent of the respondents felt that in any case these effects were not clinically significant and 33% considered that treatment guidelines should be reviewed.ConclusionsClinical endocrinologists seem to have a very heterogeneous opinion regarding the potential harmful effects of TSH-suppressive therapy for DTC