Structural and morphological characterization of hemozoin produced by Schistosoma mansoni and Rhodnius prolixus

Hemozoin (Hz) is a heme crystal produced upon the digestion of hemoglobin (Hb) by blood-feeding organisms as a main mechanism of heme disposal. The structure of Hz consists of heme dimers bound by reciprocal iron-carboxylate interactions and stabilized by hydrogen bonds. We have recently described heme crystals in the blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni, and in the kissing bug, Rhodnius prolixus. Here, we characterized the structures and morphologies of the heme crystals from those two organisms and compared them to synthetic β-hematin (βH). Synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction showed that all heme crystals share the same unit cell and structure. The heme crystals isolated from S. mansoni and R. prolixus consisted of very regular units assembled in multicrystalline spherical structures exhibiting remarkably distinct surface morphologies compared to βH. In both organisms, Hz formation occurs inside lipid droplet-like particles or in close association to phospholipid membranes. These results show, for the first time, the structural and morphological characterization of natural Hz samples obtained from these two blood-feeding organisms. Moreover, Hz formation occurring in close association to a hydrophobic environment seems to be a common trend for these organisms and may be crucial to produce very regular shaped phases, allowing the formation of multicrystalline assemblies in the guts of S. mansoni and R. prolixus.     

Gender differences in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific CD8 responses in the reproductive tract and colon following nasal peptide priming and modified vaccinia virus Ankara boosting

Induction of mucosal anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) T-cell responses in males and females will be important for the development of a successful HIV-1 vaccine. An HIV-1 envelope peptide, DNA plasmid, and recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (rMVA) expressing the H-2D(d)-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte P18 epitope were used as immunogens to test for their ability to prime and boost anti-HIV-1 T-cell responses at mucosal and systemic sites in BALB/c mice. We found of all prime-boost combinations tested, an HIV-1 Env peptide subunit mucosal prime followed by systemic (intradermal) boosting with rMVA yielded the maximal induction of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) spot-forming cells in the female genital tract and colon. However, this mucosal prime-systemic rMVA boost regimen was minimally immunogenic for the induction of genital, colon, or lung anti-HIV-1 T-cell responses in male mice. We determined that a mucosal Env subunit immunization could optimally prime an rMVA boost in female but not male mice, as determined by the magnitude of antigen-specific IFN-gamma responses in the reproductive tracts, colon, and lung. Defective mucosal priming in male mice could not be overcome by multiple mucosal immunizations. However, rMVA priming followed by an rMVA boost was the optimal prime-boost strategy for male mice as determined by the magnitude of antigen-specific IFN-gamma responses in the reproductive tract and lung. Thus, prime-boost immunization strategies able to induce mucosal antigen-specific IFN-gamma responses were identified for male and female mice. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of gender-determined immune responses will be important for optimizing induction of anti-HIV-1 mucosal immune responses in both males and females.     

Antibacterial activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Acacia aroma Gill. ex Hook et Arn

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of seven ethanolic extracts and three aqueous extracts from various parts (leaves, stems and flowers) of A. aroma against 163 strains of antibiotic multi-resistant bacteria. The disc diffusion assay was performed to evaluate antibacterial activity of the A. aroma crude extracts, against several Gram-positive bacteria (E. faecalis, S. aureus, coagulase-negative stahylococci, S. pyogenes, S. agalactiae, S. aureus ATCC 29213, E. faecalis ATCC 29212) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli., K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, E. cloacae, S. marcescens, M morganii, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, S. maltophilia, E. coli ATCC 35218, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853, E. coli ATCC 25922). All ethanolic extracts showed activity against gram-positive bacteria. Among all obtained extracts, only leaf and flower fluid extracts showed activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Based on this bioassay, leaf fluid extracts tended to be the most potent, followed by flower fluid extracts. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of extracts and antibiotics were comparatively determined by agar and broth dilution methods. Both extracts were active against S. aureus, coagulase-negative stahylococci, E. faecalis and E. faecium and all tested Gram-negative bacteria with MIC values from 0.067 to 0.308 mg/ml. In this study the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were identical or twice as high than the corresponding MIC for leaf extracts and four or eight times higher than MIC values for flower extracts. This may indicate a bactericidal effect. Stored extracts have similar antibacterial activity as recently obtained extracts. The A. aroma extracts of leaves and flowers may be useful as antibacterial agents against Gram- negative and Gram-positive antibiotic multi-resistant microorganisms.     

腾冲嗜热厌氧菌热休克蛋白60及其基因表达的热激动态变化分析

热休克蛋白60(HSP60)是细菌体内一种非常重要的分子伴侣,其可以协助蛋白质或肽链的正确折叠和构型,防止变性和降解。基于本实验室的早期观察,腾冲嗜热厌氧菌的HSP60是一个典型的温度相关蛋白质,在80℃的表达水平最高。为了进一步了解嗜热菌应急的分子机制,继续进行了在热激后HSP60基因表达的动态研究。将最适温度(75℃)下培养的腾冲嗜热厌氧菌迅速地转移至80℃继续培养,然后在不同的时间点上分别取样,并通过双向电泳、Western blot和Real_time PCR等方法,分析了HSP60在mRNA和蛋白质水平上的表达量的改变。试验结果表明,在80℃热处理4h内的短期应急过程中,HSP60蛋白水平一直呈上升趋势,而它的mRNA水平则表现为先升高后下降的一个非对称性的峰形变化。HSP60的mRNA和蛋白质的对温度的应答快慢程度是不同的。HSP60的mRNA水平的显著变化在1h内便可观察到,而蛋白质水平的显著改变要延迟3h左右。此外,HSP60的mRNA和蛋白质对温度的应答量变大小也是不同的。     

菲菊头蝠回声定位信号特征及下丘神经元频率调谐

研究了菲菊头蝠自由飞行状态下的回声定位信号和下丘神经元的声反应特性。菲菊头蝠在自由飞行时发射的CF/FM型回声定位叫声含2-3个谐波,主频为105.3±1.7kHz,时程为39.5±9.6ms,脉冲间隔为73.9±16.0ms。在所记录到的159个下丘神经元中,E型(Echolocation)神经元为32.7%(52/159),其中CF1型(Constantfrequency)占11.3%(18/159),FM1型(Frequencymodulated)占20.1%(32/159),FM2型占1.3%(2/159);NE型(Nonecholocation)神经元的比例为67.3%(107/159)。这些神经元的最佳频率(Bestfrequency,BF)与记录深度之间存在线性关系(r=0.9471,P<0.01)。E型神经元的深度范围为349-1855(1027.5±351.6)μm,阈值范围为6-74(43.1±14.5)dBSPL,潜伏期范围为10.0-26.0(14.6±3.8)ms。NE型神经元的分别为93.0-1745.0(733.3±290.3)μm、2-70(36.5±23.8)dBSPL、5.0-23.0(13.5±3.7)ms。记录到的53个IC神经元的调谐曲线(Frequencytuningcurve,FTC)均为开放型,51个为单峰型,2个为双峰型。单峰型神经元中大部分为狭窄型(Q10dB>5),占70.6%(36/51),E型神经元全部为狭窄型,Q10dB为10.4±7.1(5.5-31.6),其中CF1型为18.3±11.2(5.5-31.6),FM1型为8.7±4.7(5.5-24.3),FM2型为6.9±0.3(6.7-7.1);NE型神经元既有宽阔型也有狭窄型,Q10dB为6.6±5.1(1.6-25.6)。两个双峰型FTC主、副峰分别偏向高、低频区,高频边对应的是E型神经元。     

运用微生物法测定保健食品中的维生素B6

介绍运用微生物法测定保健食品中维生素B6的含量。GB／T5009．154—2003将微生物法规定为测定食品中维生素B6的国家标准方法Ⅲ。其原理为卡尔斯伯酵母菌需在有维生素B6存在的条件下才能生长,在一定条件下维生素B6的量与其生长量成正比关系。用分光光度仪在550nm波长下测定该菌的生长．与标准曲线相比较,从而得出该样品中维生素B6的含量。通过对国标方法作较详细的注解,并对有些地方作适当的修改,以期对需要开展此项工作的实验室及其人员会有较大的帮助。     

黑曲霉中内切菊粉酶基因及其全合成基因在解脂耶氏酵母中表达的比较

利用酵母密码子偏爱性将黑曲霉(Aspergillus niger)中的内切菊粉酶(Endoinu linase)基因通过基因全合成的方式合成为酵母密码子偏爱性的内切菊粉酶基因。然后将原始和全合成的内切菊粉酶基因克隆到解脂耶氏酵母表达载体PINA1296上,得重组解脂耶氏酵母表达载体pHBM2020、pHBM2021,将两种质粒分别转化解脂耶氏酵母(Yarrowia lipolytica)CLIB725,筛选得到重组解脂耶氏酵母CLIB725(pHBM2020)、CLIB725(pHBM2021),将两种重组酵母摇瓶培养,经SDS-PAGE、测酶活检测表明两种基因在解脂耶氏酵母中都有表达,全合成菊粉酶比原始菊粉酶酶活要高。     

双歧杆菌DNA对巨噬细胞PKC的影响

目的探索青春型双歧杆菌的DNA对巨噬细胞PKC家族的影响.方法以激光共聚焦显微镜定量测定小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞PKCα、PKCβⅠ、PKCβⅡ、PKCγ、PKCε和PKCζ的含量.结果双歧杆菌DNA注射组小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞PKCα和PKCβⅡ的平均荧光强度明显高于对照组（P＜0.01）,而PKCβⅠ、PKCγ、PKCε和PKCζ的平均荧光强度在2组间则差异无显著性（P＞0.05）.结论青春型双歧杆菌的DNA能活化巨噬细胞的PKCα和PKCβⅡ.     

裂胸螨科3新种(蜱螨亚纲:革螨股)

记述裂胸螨科Aceosejidae3新种：修长蠊螨Blattisocius dolichussp．nov．,长江副加螨Paragarmania changjiangensis sp．nov．和江西肛厉螨Proctolaelaps jiangxiensis sp．nov．     

SARS康复患者血浆蛋白谱的双向凝胶电泳分析

以蛋白质双向凝胶电泳（2-DE）比较了不同中和抗体效价的SARS康复患者血浆样本（试验组）与正常人单采血浆样本（对照组）蛋白谱的异同。结果显示：对照组9份样本的2-DE 图谱出现蛋白斑点338±24个,试验组9份样本出现蛋白斑点348±45个,二者主要斑点的位置与数量基本一致;对照组中少量蛋白斑点的出现频度不同,且有4个蛋白点群的灰度值存在明显的差异;试验组有6个蛋白点群与对照组出现差异,并在相同区域Ⅲ内有4个蛋白斑点的灰度值出现变化,且灰度值与样本的中和抗体效价呈正相关性。结果表明,试验组与对照组的蛋白谱存在差异,且与SARS病毒中和抗体效价呈现相关性。