超积累植物伴矿景天镉耐受基因SpMT2的分离及功能鉴定

超积累植物由于其对重金属具有地上部超积累以及超耐受等特性,不仅是研究植物离子转运及毒性耐受的理想模式,而且在植物修复的发展和应用中具有不可替代的作用。伴矿景天是近年在我国境内发现的一种景天科镉(Cd)/锌(Zn)超积累植物。为鉴定其富集和耐受Cd的关键基因,笔者构建了其酵母表达cDNA文库,利用酵母的遗传互补系统筛选到一个极大提高了酵母抗Cd能力的基因SpMT2。SpMT2属于富含半胱氨酸(Cys)的金属硫蛋白(Metallothionein)家族。亚细胞定位表明SpMT2表达于酵母细胞质中,并特异地提高酵母对Cd的抗性。进一步研究发现SpMT2的表达显著降低了酵母液泡中Cd含量,但酵母吸收的总Cd含量无显著变化。推测抗性增加是由于SpMT2在酵母细胞质中通过螯合Cd从而降低Cd对酵母的毒害。qRT-PCR分析表明SpMT2在伴矿景天的根和地上部都高丰度表达,且不受Cd诱导变化。鉴于SpMT2也定位于植物细胞质中,结合上述结果,推测SpMT2可能在伴矿景天细胞质中螯合Cd,在降低Cd毒害的同时可能还保持Cd在细胞质中的流动性,从而在Cd长途转运过程中也发挥重要作用。     

Characteristics and antifungal activity of a chitin binding protein from Ginkgo biloba

An antifungal peptide from leaves of Ginkgo biloba, designated GAFP, has been isolated. Its molecular mass of 4244.0 Da was determined by mass spectrometry. The complete amino acid sequence was obtained from automated Edman degradation. GAFP exhibited antifungal activity towards Pellicularia sasakii Ito, Alternaria alternata (Fries) Keissler, Fusarium graminearum Schw. and Fusarium moniliforme. Its activities differed among various fungi. GAFP could also cause increased hyphal membrane permeabilization and a rapid alkalization of the medium when applied at 100 microgram/ml to Pellicularia sasakii Ito hyphae. The amino acid sequence of GAFP shows characteristics of the cysteine/glycine-rich chitin binding domain of many chitin binding proteins. The cysteine residues are well conserved.     

Spermidine promotes nucleus pulposus autophagy as a protective mechanism against apoptosis and ameliorates disc degeneration

Spermidine has therapeutic effects in many diseases including as heart diastolic function, myopathic defects and neurodegenerative disorders via autophagy activation. Autophagy has been found to mitigate cell apoptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Accordingly, we theorize that spermidine may have beneficial effects on IDD via autophagy stimulation. In this study, spermidine's effect on IDD was evaluated in tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)‐treated nucleus pulposus cells of SD rats in vitro as well as in a puncture‐induced rat IDD model. We found that autophagy was actuated by spermidine in nucleus pulposus cells. In addition, spermidine treatment weakened the apoptotic effects of TBHP in nucleus pulposus cells. Spermidine increased the expression of anabolic proteins including Collagen‐II and aggrecan and decreased the expression of catabolic proteins including MMP13 and Adamts‐5. Additionally, autophagy blockade using 3‐MA reversed the beneficial impact of spermidine against nucleus pulposus cell apoptosis. Autophagy was thus important for spermidine's therapeutic effect on IDD. Spermidine‐treated rats had an accentuated T2‐weighted signal and a diminished histological degenerative grade than vehicle‐treated rats, showing that spermidine inhibited intervertebral disc degeneration in vivo. Thus, spermidine protects nucleus pulposus cells against apoptosis through autophagy activation and improves disc, which may be beneficial for the treatment of IDD.     

Metagenome plasticity of the bovine abomasal microbiota in immune animals in response to Ostertagia ostertagi infection

Infections in cattle by the abomasal nematode Ostertagia ostertagi result in impaired gastrointestinal function. Six partially immune animals were developed using multiple drug-attenuated infections, and these animals displayed reduced worm burdens and a slightly elevated abomasal pH upon reinfection. In this study, we characterized the abomasal microbiota in response to reinfection using metagenomic tools. Compared to uninfected controls, infection did not induce a significant change in the microbial community composition in immune animals. 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic analysis identified 15 phyla in the bovine abomasal microbiota with Bacteroidetes (60.5%), Firmicutes (27.1%), Proteobacteria (7.2%), Spirochates (2.9%), and Fibrobacteres (1.5%) being the most predominant. The number of prokaryotic genera and operational taxonomic units (OTU) identified in the abomasal microbial community was 70.8±19.8 (mean ± SD) and 90.3±2.9, respectively. However, the core microbiome comprised of 32 genera and 72 OTU. Infection seemingly had a minimal impact on the abomasal microbial diversity at a genus level in immune animals. Proteins predicted from whole genome shotgun (WGS) DNA sequences were assigned to 5,408 Pfam and 3,381 COG families, demonstrating dazzling arrays of functional diversity in bovine abomasal microbial communities. However, none of COG functional classes were significantly impacted by infection. Our results demonstrate that immune animals may develop abilities to maintain proper stability of their abomasal microbial ecosystem. A minimal disruption in the bovine abomasal microbiota by reinfection may contribute equally to the restoration of gastric function in immune animals.     

Pooled CRISPR/Cas9 reveals redundant roles of plastidial phosphoglycerate kinases in carbon fixation and metabolism

Phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) is a highly conserved reversible enzyme that participates in both glycolysis and photosynthesis. In Arabidopsis thaliana, one cytosolic PGK (PGKc) and two plastidial PGKs (PGKp) are known. It remains debatable whether the two PGKp isozymes are functionally redundant or specialized in plastidial carbon metabolism and fixation. Here, using a pooled clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (Cas9) strategy, we found that plants with single mutations in pgkp1 or pgkp2 were not significantly affected, whereas a pgkp1pgkp2 double mutation was lethal due to retarded carbon fixation, suggesting that PGKp isozymes play redundant functional roles. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that the sugar‐deficient pgkp1pgkp2 double mutation was partially complemented by exogenous sugar, although respiration intermediates were not rescued. Chloroplast development was defective in pgkp1pgkp2, due to a deficiency in glycolysis‐dependent galactoglycerolipid biosynthesis. Ectopic expression of a plastid targeting PGKc did not reverse the pgkp1pgkp2 double‐mutant phenotypes. Therefore, PGKp1 and PGKp2 play redundant roles in carbon fixation and metabolism, whereas the molecular function of PGKc is more divergent. Our study demonstrated the functional conservation and divergence of glycolytic enzymes.     

复苏植物旋蒴苣苔J结构域蛋白编码基因BhDNAJC2的 克隆、表达与功能

热激蛋白(HSP)是一类在受到逆境刺激后大量表达的蛋白质, 能够帮助蛋白质正确折叠, 促使变性蛋白质降解, 缓解逆境胁迫对生物体的损伤。为揭示热激蛋白在耐旱的复苏植物中的保护作用, 该研究对复苏植物旋蒴苣苔(Boea hygrometrica)HSP40家族中J结构域蛋白BhDNAJC2的编码基因进行了克隆、表达与功能分析。Real-time PCR检测表明, 该基因受脱水、低温、热激等多种逆境条件和脱落酸(ABA)诱导表达。BhDNAJC2-YFP定位于细胞质、内质网和细胞核。过表达BhDNAJC2的拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)株系在干旱、热激、盐胁迫和碱胁迫下均表现出明显的抗逆性。综上所述, BhDNAJC2可能在旋蒴苣苔抗旱、耐热及耐盐碱等胁迫反应中起关键作用。     

Nogo A和srGAP蛋白在NIH 3T3细胞中的共表达

为检测Nogo A和srGAPs蛋白在NIH 3T3细胞上的表达,应用Western印迹的方法检测Nogo A蛋白的表达. 从NIH 3T3细胞抽提物中检测到约230 kD特异性的Nogo A反应条带;利用双重免疫细胞荧光化学标记法和激光共聚焦显微镜成像技术分别检测Nogo A与srGAPs或Rho蛋白在NIH 3T3细胞上的共表达状况,可观察到Nogo A与srGAPs共存于3T3细胞的细胞浆、突起和生长锥样结构上,亦可观察到Nogo A与Rho蛋白的共存.结果表明,NIH 3T3细胞中共表达Nogo A、srGAPs和Rho分子. 这为研究Nogo A与Rho信号转导途径间的关系奠定了基础.     

人源乳酸菌对2型糖尿病小鼠的缓解效果

为考察人源乳酸菌(发酵乳杆菌Lactobacillus fermentum 11、305和植物乳杆菌Lactobacillus plantarum 22、25)对2型糖尿病的缓解效果,对2型糖尿病小鼠连续灌胃菌粉溶液12周.每周记录各组小鼠体重、进食量和血糖.实验结束前进行口服葡萄糖耐量试验和胰岛素抵抗试验.实验结束后...     

三聚氰胺胶体金免疫层析试纸条的研制

通过胶体金免疫层析技术建立一种特异、便捷、快速的三聚氰胺抗原检测方法,对奶制品及饲料中的三聚氰胺残留水平监测提供参考。用柠檬酸三钠还原法制备的胶体金,标记纯化的三聚氰胺单克隆抗体,喷于试纸的金标垫。将MEL-OVA(三聚氰胺和卵清白蛋白的偶练物)和纯化的羊抗鼠IgG分别喷于试纸的T(检测线)处和C(质控线)处,通过挑选试纸条材料和调试工艺参数,并最终组装成试纸条。结果显示,制备的试纸监测体系方法检出限为50 g/L。试纸条对牛奶、奶粉和饲料中的三聚氰胺残留的检出限分别为100 g/L、100 ng/g和200 ng/g。将该法与LC-MS/MS法对比检测牛奶、奶粉和饲料样品,在试纸条检测范围内,与LC-MS/MS法检测结果一致性好,从而验证了该方法的有效性。制备的三聚氰胺胶体金检测试纸在常温干燥环境下至少可保质6个月,能够检测出三聚氰胺含量大于50 g/L的样品,适用于现场实际样品三聚氰胺残留水平监测,具有良好的应用前景。