北京稠李属一新种

本文发表了北京产稠李属一新种,北京稠李Padus Beijingensis Y.L.Han et C.Y.Yang.     

GABA神经元在金黄地鼠视觉中枢的分布

本文用免疫细胞化学技术研究了GABA在金黄地鼠视觉中枢的分布特征,同时用统计学方法作了定量分析,结果表明:GABA阳性神经元分布在整个视皮层和上丘中,呈不均匀分布,外膝体中GABA阳性神经元密度较低.视皮层中GABA阳性神经元密度为781mm~2,占视皮层细胞总数的19.7%,上丘中其密度为812/mm~2,占22.3%,视皮层Ⅰ层中GABA阳性神经元为52%,上丘表层(浅灰层及视觉层GABA阳性神经元为56%,GABA阳性神经元包括不同类型的细胞.在视皮层中可观察到GABA免疫疫应阳性的锥体细胞.     

Expressions and purification of a mature form of recombinant human Chemerin in Escherichia coli

Chemerin is a novel chemokine that binds to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) ChemR23, also known as chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1). It is secreted as a precursor and executes pro-inflammatory functions when the last six amino acids are removed from its C-terminus by serine proteases. After maturation, Chemerin attracts dendritic cells and macrophages through binding to ChemR23. We report a new method for expression and purification of mature recombinant human Chemerin (rhChemerin) using a prokaryotic system. After being expressed in bacteria, rhChemerin in inclusion bodies was denatured using 6 M guanidine chloride. Soluble rhChemerin was prepared by the protein-specific renaturation solution under defined conditions. It was subsequently purified using ion-exchange columns to more than 95% purity with endotoxin level <1.0 EU/μg. We further demonstrated its biological activities for attracting migration of human dendritic cells and murine macrophages in vitro using established chemotaxis assays.     

Complete nucleotide sequence and organization of the mitogenome of the red-spotted apollo butterfly, Parnassius bremeri (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) and comparison with other lepidopteran insects

The 15,389-bp long complete mitogenome of the endangered red-spotted apollo butterfly, Parnassius bremeri (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) was determined in this study. The start codon for the COI gene in insects has been extensively discussed, and has long remained a matter of some controversy. Herein, we propose that the CGA (arginine) sequence functions as the start codon for the COI gene in lepidopteran insects, on the basis of complete mitogenome sequences of lepidopteran insects, including P. bremeri, as well as additional sequences of the COI start region from a diverse taxonomic range of lepidopteran species (a total of 53 species from 15 families). In our extensive search for a tRNA-like structure in the A+T-rich region, one tRNA^Trp-like sequence and one tRNA^Leu (UUR)-like sequence were detected in the P. bremeri A+T-rich region, and one or more tRNA-like structures were detected in the A+T-rich region of the majority of other sequenced lepidopteran insects, thereby indicating that such features occur frequently in the lepidopteran mitogenomes. Phylogenetic analysis using the concatenated 13 amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences of PCGs of the four macrolepidopteran superfamilies together with the Tortricoidea and Pyraloidea resulted in the successful recovery of a monophyly of Papilionoidea and a monophyly of Bombycoidea. However, the Geometroidea were unexpectedly identified as a sister group of the Bombycoidea, rather than the Papilionoidea.     

Gene cloning and heterologous expression of a serine protease from Streptomyces fradiae var.k11

The gene sfp1, which encodes a predicted serine proteinase designated SFP1, was isolated by the screening of a gene library of the feather-degrading strain Streptomyces fradiae var.k11. The open reading frame of sfp1 encodes a protein of 454 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 46.19 kDa. Sequence analysis reveals that SFP1 possesses a typical pre-pro-mature organization that consists of a signal sequence, an N-terminal propeptide region, and a mature proteinase domain. The pre-enzyme of SFP1 was expressed in Escherichia coli and consequently purified. The 25.6 kDa fraction with protease activity separated by gel filtration chromatography indicated that the mature enzyme of SFP1 was formed by autolysis of the propeptide after its expression. The purified SFP1 is active under a broad range of pH and temperature. SFP1 has pH and temperature optima of pH 8.5 and 65 degrees C for its caseinolytic activity and pH 9 and 62 degrees C for its keratinolytic activity. SFP1 was sharply inhibited by the serine proteinase inhibitor phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride and exhibited a good stability to solvents, detergents, and salts. Comparison of the protease activity of SFP1 with other commercial proteases indicates that SFP1 has a considerable caseinolytic and keratinolytic activity as does proteinase K.     

Effect of pathogenic cysteine mutations on FGFR3 transmembrane domain dimerization in detergents and lipid bilayers

Mutations in fibroblast growth factor receptors are known as the genetic basis of skeletal growth disorders. The mechanism of pathogenesis, as determined by mutation-induced changes in receptor structure, interactions, and function, is elusive. Here we study three pathogenic Cys mutations, associated with either thanatophoric dysplasia or achondroplasia, in the TM domain of fibroblast growth factor receptors 3 (FGFR3). We characterize the dimerization propensities of the mutant TM domains in detergents and in lipid bilayers, in the presence and absence of reducing agents, and compare them to previous measurements of wild-type. We find that the Cys mutations increase the propensity for dimerization in detergent, with the Cys370 mutant exhibiting the highest propensity for disulfide bond formation, the Cys371 mutant having an intermediate propensity, and Cys375 the lowest. Thus, disulfide bonds readily form in detergents, with efficiency that correlates with the severity of the phenotype. In lipid bilayers, however, the Cys370 mutant, which dimerizes strongly in detergent, behaves as the wild-type, suggesting that Cys370-mediated disulfide bonds do not form between the isolated TM domains in bilayers. Thus, the nature of the hydrophobic environment plays an important role in defining the structure and flexibility of transmembrane dimers. These results and previous findings from cellular studies lead us to propose a conformational flexibility mechanism of receptor stabilization as a basis for disregulated FGFR3 signaling in thanatophoric dysplasia and achondroplasia.