Damage-dependent regulation of MUS81-EME1 by Fanconi anemia complementation group A protein

MUS81-EME1 is a DNA endonuclease involved in replication-coupled repair of DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs). A prevalent hypothetical role of MUS81-EME1 in ICL repair is to unhook the damage by incising the leading strand at the 3′ side of an ICL lesion. In this study, we report that purified MUS81-EME1 incises DNA at the 5′ side of a psoralen ICL residing in fork structures. Intriguingly, ICL repair protein, Fanconi anemia complementation group A protein (FANCA), greatly enhances MUS81-EME1-mediated ICL incision. On the contrary, FANCA exhibits a two-phase incision regulation when DNA is undamaged or the damage affects only one DNA strand. Studies using truncated FANCA proteins indicate that both the N- and C-moieties of the protein are required for the incision regulation. Using laser-induced psoralen ICL formation in cells, we find that FANCA interacts with and recruits MUS81 to ICL lesions. This report clarifies the incision specificity of MUS81-EME1 on ICL damage and establishes that FANCA regulates the incision activity of MUS81-EME1 in a damage-dependent manner.     

Reversibly shielded DNA polyplexes based on bioreducible PDMAEMA-SS-PEG-SS-PDMAEMA triblock copolymers mediate markedly enhanced nonviral gene transfection

Reversibly shielded DNA polyplexes based on bioreducible poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-SS-poly(ethylene glycol)-SS-poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA-SS-PEG-SS-PDMAEMA) triblock copolymers were designed, prepared and investigated for in vitro gene transfection. Two PDMAEMA-SS-PEG-SS-PDMAEMA copolymers with controlled compositions, 6.6-6-6.6 and 13-6-13 kDa, were obtained by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) using CPADN-SS-PEG-SS-CPADN (CPADN: 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithionaphthalenoate; PEG: 6 kDa) as a macro-RAFT agent. Like their nonreducible PDMAEMA-PEG-PDMAEMA analogues, PDMAEMA-SS-PEG-SS-PDMAEMA triblock copolymers could effectively condense DNA into small particles with average diameters less than 120 nm and close to neutral zeta potentials (0 ～ +6 mV) at and above an N/P ratio of 3/1. The resulting polyplexes showed excellent colloidal stability against 150 mM NaCl, which contrasts with polyplexes of 20 kDa PDMAEMA homopolymer. In the presence of 10 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), however, polyplexes of PDMAEMA-SS-PEG-SS-PDMAEMA were rapidly deshielded and unpacked, as revealed by significant increase of positive surface charges as well as increase of particle sizes to over 1000 nm. Release of DNA in response to 10 mM DTT was further confirmed by gel retardation assays. These polyplexes, either stably or reversibly shielded, revealed a low cytotoxicity (over 80% cell viability) at and below an N/P ratio of 12/1. Notably, in vitro transfection studies showed that reversibly shielded polyplexes afforded up to 28 times higher transfection efficacy as compared to stably shielded control under otherwise the same conditions. Confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) studies revealed that reversibly shielded polyplexes efficiently delivered and released pDNA into the perinuclei region as well as nuclei of COS-7 cells. Hence, reduction-sensitive reversibly shielded DNA polyplexes based on PDMAEMA-SS-PEG-SS-PDMAEMA are highly promising for nonviral gene transfection.     

二项分布在遗传学概率计算中的应用

二项分布是概率论中描述离散型随机变量的一个理论分布。举例介绍了二项分布在遗传学概率计算中的重要应用。     

Tyrosine phosphatases SHP-1 and SHP-2 are associated with distinct tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins.

SHP-1 and SHP-2 are two SH2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatases. They share significant overall sequence identity but their functions are often opposite. The mechanism underlying this is not well understood. In this study, we have investigated the association of SHP-1 and SHP-2 with tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in mouse tissues and in cultured cells treated with a potent tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, pervanadate. Pervanadate was introduced into mice by intravenous injection. It induced robust tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins in a variety of tissues. Both SHP-1 and SHP-2 were phosphorylated on tyrosyl residues upon pervanadate treatment, and they became associated with distinct tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in different tissues and cells. Among these proteins, PZR and PECAM were identified as major SHP-2-binding proteins while LAIR-1 was shown to be a major SHP-1-binding protein. A number of other proteins are to be identified. We believe that the different binding proteins may determine the distinct physiological functions of SHP-1 and SHP-2. The present study also provides a general method to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins and to study protein-protein interactions involving tyrosine phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro.     

枸杞多糖对甲型H1N1流感裂解疫苗黏膜接种的免疫增强作用

探讨枸杞多糖(Lycium barbarum polysaccharide,LBP)对不同剂量甲型H1N1流感裂解疫苗黏膜免疫的佐剂效力。设单独免疫LBP组和不免疫组作为对照,BALB/c小鼠以滴鼻方式免疫两次,间隔三周,二次免疫后两周收集小鼠血清、鼻洗液和脾脏淋巴细胞。结果显示血清中甲流特异性IgG和HI抗体滴度与接种疫苗剂量呈正相关,LBP的添加可提高体内抗体水平。高剂量组小鼠鼻洗液中也检测到特殊异性sIgA。单独疫苗组和添加佐剂组均能在体内诱导产生IgG1和IgG2a,所有组别IgG1抗体水平均略高于IgG2a,表明滴鼻接种裂解疫苗诱导Th1/Th2混合型免疫,LBP对Th1和Th2型免疫反应均有增强作用。高剂量疫苗添加LBP佐剂组小鼠脾脏细胞分泌IFN-γ水平显著高于其他组别,表明其在小鼠体内诱导了较强烈的细胞免疫反应。以上实验结果均证实LBP可以作为佐剂增强甲流裂解疫苗经黏膜途径免疫时的免疫效力。     

Protection of Pyruvate against Glutamate Excitotoxicity Is Mediated by Regulating DAPK1 Protein Complex

The neuroprotective activity of pyruvate has been confirmed in previous in vivo and in vitro studies. Here, we report a novel mechanism that pyruvate prevents SH-SY5Y cells from glutamate excitotoxicity by regulating death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) protein complex. Our results showed pyruvate regulated DAPK1 protein complex to protect cells by two ways. First, pyruvate induced the dissociation of DAPK1 with NMDA receptors. The disruption of the DAPK1-NMDA receptors complex resulted in a decrease in NMDA receptors phosphorylation. Then the glutamate-stimulated Ca²⁺ influx was inhibited and intracellular Ca²⁺ overload was alleviated, which blocked the release of cytochrome c and cell death. In addition, increased Bcl-xL induced by pyruvate regulated Bax/Bak dependent death by inhibiting the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial inter-membrane space into the cytosol. As a result, the cytochrome c-initiated caspase cascade, including caspase-3 and caspase-9, was inhibited. Second, pyruvate promoted the association between DAPK1 and Beclin-1, which resulted in autophagy activation. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine reversed the protection afforded by pyruvate. Furthermore, the attenuation of mitochondrial damage induced by pyruvate was partly reduced by 3-methyladenine. This suggested autophagy mediated pyruvate protection by preventing mitochondrial damage. Taken together, pyruvate protects cells from glutamate excitotoxicity by regulating DAPK1 complexes, both through dissociation of DAPK1 from NMDA receptors and association of DAPK1 with Beclin-1. They go forward to protect cells by attenuating Ca²⁺ overload and activating autophagy. Finally, a convergence of the two ways protects mitochondria from glutamate excitotoxicity, which leads to cell survival.     

大豆重复序列的克隆,特性分析及在染色体上的定位

从大豆栽培品种Ｕｎｉｏｎ（Ｇ．ｍａｘ）基因组ｐＵＣ１８质粒文库中,以基因组ＤＮＡ为探针,筛选出一个重复序列家族。序列分析表明,此重复序列的重复单位为９１ｂｐ,拷贝数约为１０￣５,其序列约占基因组ＤＮＡ的０．９％。基因组ＤＮＡ不同限制酶片段Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交分析和染色体原位杂交分析表明此重复序列主要以串联方式集中分布在Ｍ２和Ｍ１１号染色体的臂上,而另外一些则散布于整个Ｍ１２和Ｓｍ７号染色体上。以该序列为探针片大豆属不同亚属１３个种的１８个品系的Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交结果表明,此重复序列为Ｓｏｊａ亚属所特有。这一Ｓｏｉａ亚属特异重复序列的发现,从另一个角度支持应把Ｓｏｊａ亚属的３个种Ｇ．ｓｏｊａ、Ｇ．ｇｒａｃｉｌｌｉｓ、Ｇ．ｍａｘ划分为一个种的观点。     

混料设计优化黑木耳菌丝生长的农业剩余物配方

【背景】菌林矛盾日益突出,农业剩余物资源丰富,可作为食用菌栽培主要基质。【目的】筛选出适合黑木耳菌丝生长的农业剩余物配方。【方法】以大豆秸秆、油菜秸秆、玉米秸秆、花生秸秆、小麦秸秆和杂木屑等6种基质为原料,运用单纯形格子法进行配方设计,分析不同基质交互作用对黑木耳菌丝生长速率、菌丝生长指数、漆酶酶活、多酚氧化酶酶活和纤维素酶酶活的影响。【结果】在这些农业剩余物基质中,大豆秸秆基质最适合黑木耳菌丝生长,其次是油菜秸秆。3种主料共同作用可以优化出最适合黑木耳菌丝生长的基质配比。【结论】最终优化出一个适合黑木耳菌丝生长的农业剩余物配方：杂木屑49.4%、油菜秸秆16.4%、大豆秸秆12.2%、麦麸20%、蔗糖1%、CaSO₄ 1%。本研究为“以草代木”栽培黑木耳提供了理论基础。     

Role of IL-17 Variants in Preeclampsia in Chinese Han Women

Previous studies have suggested an important role for IL-17, mainly secreted by Th17 cells, in the development of systemic inflammation in preeclampsia (PE). This study therefore investigated the association between genetic variants in IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-17RA and susceptibility to PE in Chinese Han women. We recruited 1,031 PE patients and 1,298 controls of later pregnant women, and used TaqMan allelic discrimination real-time PCR to genotype the polymorphisms of IL17A rs2275913, IL-17F rs763780, and IL-17RA rs4819554. No significant differences in genotypic or allelic frequencies were found at all three polymorphic sites between PE patients and controls (rs2275913: genotype χ² = 0.218, p = 0.897 and allele χ² = 0.157, p = 0.692, OR = 1.024, 95%CI 0.911–1.152; rs763780: genotype χ² = 1.948, p = 0.377 and allele χ² = 1.242, p = 0.265, OR = 0.897, 95%CI 0.741–1.086; rs4819554: genotype χ² = 0.633, p = 0.729 and allele χ² = 0.115, p = 0.735, OR = 1.020, 95%CI 0.908–1.146). There were also no significant differences in genetic distributions between mild/severe PE or early/late-onset PE and control subgroups. Our data indicate that the genetic variants of rs2275913 in IL-17A, rs763780 in IL-17F, and rs4819554 in IL-17RA may not play a role in the pathogenesis of PE in Chinese Han women. However, these findings should be confirmed in other ethnic populations.