Sulfated glycosaminoglycans and low-density lipoprotein receptor mediate the cellular entry of Clostridium novyi alpha-toxin

Dear Editor, Clostridium novyi(C.novyi)is a spore-forming anaerobic bacterium and opportunistic pathogen causing severe infectious diseases in humans and animal...     

HDAC6 inhibitor WT161 performs anti-tumor effect on osteosarcoma and synergistically interacts with 5-FU

Background: WT161, as a selective HDAC6 inhibitor, has been shown to play anti-tumor effects on several kinds of cancers. The aim of the present study is to explore the roles of WT161 in osteosarcoma and its underlying mechanisms.Methods: The anti-proliferative effect of WT161 on osteosarcoma cells was examined using MTT assay and colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometer. The synergistic effect was evaluated by isobologram analysis using CompuSyn software. The osteosarcoma xenograft models were established to evaluate the anti-proliferative effect of WT161 in vivo.Results: WT161 suppressed the cell growth and induced apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mechanistically, we found that WT161 treatment obviously increased the protein level of PTEN and decreased the phosphorylation level of protein kinase-B (AKT). More importantly, WT161 showed synergistic inhibition with 5-FU on osteosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo.Conclusions: These results indicate that WT161 inhibits the growth of osteosarcoma through PTEN and has a synergistic efficiency with 5-FU.     

哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林不同生长基质苔藓植物的组成与分布特征

苔藓植物是构成山地原生常绿阔叶林结构及景观的重要组分之一,在生态系统生物多样性的维系等方面发挥重要的生态功能。本研究以云南哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林为对象,对林冠树干和林下木质残体、林地及岩石表面四类不同生长基质上苔藓植物的物种分布特征进行了调查研究,并运用Kendall一致性指数计算了各生长基质上苔藓植物物种之间的相关联程度,用聚类的方法对不同生长基质上苔藓植物物种进行了分类。研究结果表明：本区山地森林具有丰富的苔藓植物,共记录141种,分属38科69属,其中林冠树干上分布的苔藓植物的物种数量最多,为94种,林地上最少,仅29种;有27种苔藓植物同时分布在这3种以上的生长基质上。通过对不同类型生长基质之间苔藓植物种间关联程度的分析,发现在微生境的尺度上,随着优势苔藓植物种类间的关联程度的增加,苔藓植物多样性呈现出逐渐减少的趋势。     

Production in Escherichia coli of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) with differing monomer compositions from unrelated carbon sources

The industrial production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) has been hindered by high cost and a complex control strategy caused by the addition of propionate. In this study, based on analysis of the PHBV biosynthesis process, we developed a PHBV biosynthetic pathway from a single unrelated carbon source via threonine biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. To accomplish this, we (i) overexpressed threonine deaminase, which is the key factor for providing propionyl-coenzyme A (propionyl-CoA), from different host bacteria, (ii) removed the feedback inhibition of threonine by mutating and overexpressing the thrABC operon in E. coli, and (iii) knocked out the competitive pathways of catalytic conversion of propionyl-CoA to 3-hydroxyvaleryl-CoA. Finally, we constructed a series of strains and mutants which were able to produce the PHBV copolymer with differing monomer compositions in a modified M9 medium supplemented with 20 g/liter xylose. The largest 3-hydroxyvalerate fraction obtained in the copolymer was 17.5 mol%.     

The feasibility of using a two-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal process to treat sewage

The feasibility of using a two-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal process to treat sewage was examined in this study. The obtained results showed that total nitrogen (TN) could be efficiently removed by 88.38% when influent TN and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 45.87 and 44.40 mg/L, respectively. In the first stage, nitritation was instantly achieved by the bioaugmentation strategy, and can be maintained under limited oxygen condition (below 0.2mg/L). The ratio of nitrite to ammonium in the effluent of the nitritation reactor can be controlled at approximate 1.0 by adjusting aeration rate. In the second stage, anammox was realized in the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, where the total nitrogen removal rate was 0.40 kg Nm(-3)d(-1) under limited-substrate condition. Therefore, the organic matter in sewage can be firstly concentrated in biomass which could generate biogas (energy). Then, nitrogen in sewage could be removed in a two-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal process.     

微流控芯片技术在细胞生物学研究中的应用进展

20世纪90年代以来,微流控芯片技术得到了快速发展。由于具有小型化、集成化、高通量、低消耗、分析快速等特点,微流控芯片作为一种新型的生物学研究平台,能够提供传统方法不具备的精细和可控制的细胞研究条件,在细胞生物学研究领域中得到了广泛关注。该文主要介绍其在细胞培养、分选、裂解、计数、凋亡检测、迁移、单细胞捕获、细胞间作用等方面的研究进展。     

Arylsulfonamidopiperidone derivatives as a novel class of factor Xa inhibitors

The design, synthesis and SAR of a novel class of valerolactam-based arylsulfonamides as potent and selective FXa inhibitors is reported. The arylsulfonamide–valerolactam scaffold was derived based on the proposed bioisosterism to the arylcyanoguanidine-caprolactam core in known FXa inhibitors. The SAR study led to compound 46 as the most potent FXa inhibitor in this series, with an IC₅₀ of 7 nM and EC_2×PT of 1.7 μM. The X-ray structure of compound 40 bound to FXa shows that the sulfonamide–valerolactam scaffold anchors the aryl group in the S1 and the novel acylcytisine pharmacophore in the S4 pockets.     

Organ-dependent responses of Periploca sepium to repeated dehydration and rehydration

Plant responses to water deficit occur in a complex framework of organ interactions, but few studies focus on the effect of drought stress on all organs in a whole-plant. The effects of repeated dehydration and rehydration (DH) on physiological and biochemical responses in various organs of Periploca sepium Bunge (P. sepium) were investigated. The leaf relative water content decreased significantly during drought, but recovered and showed an increase when compared to well-watered control plants. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased in mature and old leaves, but decreased in young leaves, new stems and fine roots during drought, indicating that the young and vigorous tissues of a whole-plant are protected preferentially from the oxidative stress. Among all organs, the fine roots showed the highest levels of proline, total free amino acids (TFAA) and Na⁺, while the leaves showed the highest levels of total soluble sugars (TSS), soluble proteins (SP), Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. The response to DH differed in different organs, both in magnitude and in the type of solutes involved. Drought stress increased the contents of proline, TFAA, TSS, SP and K⁺ in all organs of P. sepium plants, while the accumulation amounts were obviously different among the organs. The storage starch in stems and roots plays an important role in providing carbohydrates for growth. Changes in Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ under DH presented a high degree of organ specificity. Our data indicates that response strategies are different between different organs; therefore, evidence the needs to integrate all the information in order to better understand plant tolerance mechanisms.     

蝎毒对人肝癌细胞（SMMC7721）和宫颈癌（Hela）细胞抑制作用的研究

目的：探讨蝎毒粗粉及经初步纯化的蝎毒对人肝癌细胞（SMMC7721）和Hela细胞株的抑制作用。方法：以四甲基偶氮唑盐法（MTT）,Western Blotting,免疫细胞化学以及荧光标记的方法,对人肝癌细胞（SMMC7721）和Hela细胞株的凋亡相关蛋白进行检测。结果：蝎毒粗毒及经初步纯化的蝎毒具有诱导SMMC7721和Hela凋亡的作用。结论：蝎毒粗毒及经初步纯化的蝎毒对人肝癌细胞（SMMC7721）及Hela细胞的生长具有明显的抑制作用。