Topology and transport of membrane lipids in bacteria

The last two decades have witnessed a break-through in identifying and understanding the functions of both the proteins and lipids of bacterial membranes. This development was parallelled by increasing insights into the biogenesis, topology, transport and sorting of membrane proteins. However, progress in research on the membrane distribution and transport of lipids in bacteria has been slow in that period. The development of novel biochemical in vitro approaches and recent genetic studies have increased our understanding of these subjects. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the current knowledge of the distribution and transport of lipids in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Special attention is paid to recently obtained results, which are expected to inspire further research to finally unravel these poorly understood phenomena.     

Estrogen receptor alpha interaction with estrogen response element half-sites from the rat prolactin gene

Estrogen regulation of the rat prolactin gene requires sequences within the DNase I hypersensitive site II (HSII). We have used overexpressed mouse estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) protein to study interactions of ERalpha with an imperfect estrogen response element (ERE) and four ERE half-site sequences from HSII. We confirmed that ERalpha has higher affinity for ERE half-sites than for the imperfect ERE. As expected, the imperfect ERE formed a complex with ERalpha similar to that between mERalpha and a consensus ERE in gel shift assays. The ERalpha complex with half-sites, however, had faster mobility on a 4% polyacrylamide gel than the ERalpha complex with a consensus ERE, indicating that the complexes had different compositions. Ferguson analysis revealed that the ERalpha/half-site complex had a larger molecular weight and higher negative charge than the ERalpha/consensus ERE complex. Similar results were observed with purified human ERalpha, showing that the ERalpha/half-site complex contained only ERalpha and oligonucleotides. These results are best explained by a model in which a dimer of ERalpha is bound to two half-site oligonucleotides. We propose that two ERalpha dimers may interact with the four ERE half-sites in HSII to influence estrogen regulation of this gene.     

根黄酮在植物生长和营养中的作用

 本文简要综述了80年代以来国际上对根黄酮在调节植物根生长、完善根功能、影响氮素循环及在施加他感作用方面的研究进展,并对有关方面作了一些展望,以期引起植物营养工作者对植物次生物质的注意。     

鄂西南五种野生荚蒾属植物种群结构与动态特征研究

为探明鄂西南地区野生荚蒾属(Viburnum)植物的种群数量特征及区域分布状况，并揭示宜昌荚蒾(V.erosum)、桦叶荚蒾(V.betulifolium)、合轴荚蒾(V.sympodiale)、茶荚蒾(V.setigerum)、荚蒾(V.dilatatum)5种荚蒾属植物种群的生存现状及发展趋势，在鄂西南金子山国有林场、木林子国家级自然保护区及七姊妹山国家级自然保护区，共布设27 hm²固定动态监测样地对荚蒾属植物进行调查，通过对5种荚蒾属植物种群进行年龄结构、动态量化分析和静态生命表以及相关曲线等研究，探讨荚蒾属植物种群结构与动态特征及未来发展潜力。结果表明：(1)鄂西南荚蒾属植物在分布区域及种群数量大小上均存在明显差异。(2)种群结构与动态分析显示，5种荚蒾属植物种群年龄结构呈现为金字塔型，幼龄阶段种群个体数量较多，具有较强的增长潜力，但对外界干扰均具有较强的敏感性。(3)静态生命表显示，5种荚蒾属植物存活量均随着龄级的增加而单调递减；消失率与死亡率曲线变化趋势相似，但不同植物消失率与死亡率曲线波动具有差异性；种群存活曲线均趋近于Deevey-Ⅱ型。(4)4...     

HBV pre-c-Fc融合蛋白在杆状病毒表达系统中的表达及其生物学活性研究

目的:在杆状病毒表达系统中表达融合蛋白乙型肝炎病毒前C蛋白-小鼠IgG Fc蛋白(HBV precore protein-mouse IgG Fc,HBV pre-c-Fc),并鉴定其免疫原性。方法:目的基因HBV prec-Fc连接到pFastBac1载体,获得的pFastBac1-HBV pre-c-Fc质粒转化DH10Bac感受态,通过Tn7转座子将目的基因转座到Bacmid中,得到Bacmid-HBV pre-c-Fc穿梭载体,脂质体包被后转染Sf9昆虫细胞获得P1代病毒,重复转染Sf9获得高滴度病毒。收集细胞上清超滤后通过Protein G亲和层析柱纯化得到目的蛋白HBV pre-c-Fc。纯化的蛋白大腿内侧肌肉注射免疫BALB/c小鼠并检测血清中乙型肝炎病毒核心蛋白抗体产生量。结果:HBV pre-c-Fc在昆虫细胞中成功表达,纯化后蛋白纯度达90%以上,蛋白产量约为3.03mg/L,纯化蛋白能有效刺激BALB/c小鼠产生特异抗体。结论:成功地在杆状病毒表达系统中表达了具有免疫原性的HBV pre-c-Fc蛋白,为生产乙肝治疗性疫苗奠定了基础。     

Synergistic Effects of Sodium Chloride,Glucose, and Temperature on Biofilm Formation by Listeria monocytogenes Serotype 1/2a and 4b Strains

Biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes is generally associated with its persistence in the food-processing environment. Serotype 1/2a strains make up more than 50% of the total isolates recovered from food and the environment, while serotype 4b strains are most often associated with major outbreaks of human listeriosis. Using a microplate assay with crystal violet staining, we examined biofilm formation by 18 strains of each serotype in tryptic soy broth with varying concentrations of glucose (from 0.25% to 10.0%, wt/vol), sodium chloride (from 0.5% to 7.0%, wt/vol) and ethanol (from 1% to 5.0%, vol/vol), and at different temperatures (22.5°C, 30°C, and 37°C). A synergistic effect on biofilm formation was observed for glucose, sodium chloride, and temperature. The serotype 1/2a strains generally formed higher-density biofilms than the 4b strains under most conditions tested. Interestingly, most serotype 4b strains had a higher growth rate than the 1/2a strains, suggesting that the growth rate may not be directly related to the capacity for biofilm formation. Crystal violet was found to stain both bacterial cells and biofilm matrix material. The enhancement in biofilm formation by environmental factors was apparently due to the production of extracellular polymeric substances instead of the accumulation of viable biofilm cells.Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram-positive bacterium, is capable of causing severe food-borne infections in both humans and animals. The organism is ubiquitous in the environment and can grow in a wide variety of foods, including those stored at refrigeration temperatures. It is particularly difficult to eliminate this bacterium from ready-to-eat foods and food-processing equipment (19). The ability to form biofilms protects the bacterium from stresses in food-processing environments (13, 25). Among the 13 different serotypes described, serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b are involved in the majority of human cases of listeriosis. Serotype 4b strains have accounted for most human outbreaks, whereas the majority of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from foods or food-processing plants belong to serotype 1/2a (19).Comparative studies to link the phenotypic attributes of L. monocytogenes strains to serotypes have obtained variable results. Buncic et al. (4) have shown that serotype 1/2a isolates were more resistant to antilisterial bacteriocins than serotype 4b strains at 4°C. They also found that 4b isolates exhibited greater resistance to heat treatments at 60°C and were easier to recover than 1/2a strains immediately following cold storage. Bruhn et al. (3) observed that 1/2a strains (lineage II) grew faster than 4b and 1/2b (lineage I) strains in commonly used enrichment broth media (University of Vermont media I and II). However, other studies have indicated that similar differences could not be linked to a serotype (14), and sequencing results have shown a syntenic relationship between strains of the two serotypes (27).Some L. monocytogenes strains have consistently been isolated from food-processing plants over many years (1, 28). Although several studies have been carried out to identify differences in cell adherence and biofilm formation among different serotypes, conflicting results were obtained. Lineage I isolates (including serotypes 4b, 1/2b, 3c, and 3b) were found to produce higher-density biofilms than lineage II isolates (including serotypes 1/2a, 1/2c, and 3a) (8, 28). However, this conclusion was not supported by other studies (1, 7, 18). For serotype 4b strains, the capacity to form biofilms was reduced when the nutrient level in a medium decreased, while serotype 1/2a strains were not similarly affected (11).It has been suggested that the formation of a biofilm is a stress response by bacterial cells (15, 16). Biofilm research under laboratory conditions may not reflect biofilm formation in the environment. To investigate the behavior of L. monocytogenes in biofilms, a simulated food-processing (SFP) system including several stresses was designed (30). The SFP system was used to study 1/2a and 4b strains in mixed-culture biofilms (31). Bacterial cells from a 1/2a cocktail predominated over 4b strains when exposed to the SFP system for 4 weeks, but no competitive inhibition was observed. Environmental factors, including temperature, sugar, salt, pH, and nutrients that are common in foods and food-processing environments, have been demonstrated to have impacts on L. monocytogenes adhesion and biofilm formation (25). The objectives of this study were to investigate and compare biofilm formation between L. monocytogenes serotype 1/2a strains and serotype 4b strains under a variety of environmental conditions, including different temperatures and varying concentrations of salt, sugar, and ethanol, and to examine the synergistic effects of these factors on biofilm formation by both serotypes.     

酪氨酸激酶抑制剂类抗肿瘤药物研究方法进展

酪氨酸激酶(protein tyrosine kinases,PTKs)在肿瘤细胞的增殖、分化、迁移、侵袭等相关信号通路中起到了关键的调控作用,已经成为肿瘤靶向性治疗的重要靶点.本文对靶向酪氨酸激酶的小分子抑制剂的筛选和评价方法进行综述,以期促进酪氨酸激酶抑制剂类抗肿瘤药物的研究.     

卡托普利对高血压大鼠动脉血管平滑肌细胞内质网相关因子葡萄糖调节蛋白78和C/EBP同源蛋白表达的影响

目的:研究卡托普利对早期高血压大鼠动脉血管平滑肌细胞内质网相关因子葡萄糖调节蛋白78(glucose-regulated protein of 78kd,GRPT8)和C/EBP同源蛋白(CAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein,CHOP)表达的影响.方法:将18只成年雄性Sprague-Dawley(SD)大鼠随机分为对照组、模型组和卡托普利组(n=6),模型组和卡托普利组均采用大鼠腹主动脉结扎建立高血压大鼠模型.4周后测量血压,应用免疫组化方法检测主动脉血管平滑肌细胞GRP78和CHOP的表达;缺口末端标记法(TUNEL)检测细胞凋亡.结果:(1)模型组平均动脉压(mean arterial blood pressure,MAP)明显增加,卡托普利组血压低于模型组,高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);(2)模型组内质网因子GRP78、CHOP表达均增加,卡托普利组GRP78、CHOP表达低于模型组,高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01);(3)模型组血管平滑肌细胞凋亡率减少,卡托普利组血管平滑肌细胞凋亡率高于模型组,低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01).结论:卡托普利可降低高血压大鼠动脉血管平滑肌细胞GRP78和CHOP的表达,增加细胞凋亡.可能与其减弱高血压所致内质网反应,维持血管平滑肌细胞的增殖/凋亡平衡有关.     

藏酋猴外周血细胞及血清生化指标测定与分析

目的 通过对原代藏酋猴进行外周血细胞及血液生化指标测定,了解不同年龄段藏酋猴的生理指标差异.方法 在清醒状态下采集30只藏酋猴后肢静脉血,检测血液学和血液生化指标.结果 与同属灵长类动物检测结果比较,具有较高的一致性,但也存在种属特点.结论 藏酋猴随着体重和年龄增大,血糖有增高的趋势.