Identification of NaCl and NaHCO3 stress responsive proteins in tomato roots using iTRAQ-based analysis

Soil salinity and alkalinity are common constraints to crop productivity in low rainfall regions of the world. However, the physiological difference of plant response to these two stresses was short of deep investigation. This study has identified a set of differentially expressed proteins of tomato root exploring to NaCl and NaHCO₃ stress by iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) assay. A total of 313 proteins responsive to NaCl and NaHCO₃ were observed. Among these proteins, 70 and 114 proteins were up-regulated by salt and alkali stress, respectively. While down-regulated proteins were 80 in salt treatment and 83 in alkali treatment. Only 39 up-regulated proteins and 30 down-regulated proteins were shared by salt and alkali stresses. The majority of the down-regulated proteins accounted for metabolism and energy conversion, and the up-regulated proteins were involved in signaling or transport. Compared with salt stress, alkali stress down-regulated proteins related with the respiratory metabolism, fatty acid oxidative metabolism and nitrogenous metabolism of tomato roots, and up-regulated protein with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and ion transport. This study provides a novel insight into tomato roots response to salt and alkali stress at a large translation level.     

The thymic stromal cell line MTSC4 induced thymocyte apoptosis in a non-MHC-restricted manner

Mouse thymic stromal cell line 4 (MTSC4) is one of the stromal cell lines established in our laboratory. While losing the characteristics of epithelial cells, they express some surface markers shared with thymic dendritic cells (TDCs). To further study the biological functions of these cells, we compared the capability of MTSC4 with TDCs in the induction of thymocyte apoptosis, using thymic reaggregation culture system. Apoptosis of thymocytes induced by MTSC4 and TDCs was measured by Annexin V and PI staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. We found that MTSC4 selectively augmented the apoptosis of CD4^ 8^ (DP) thymocytes. This effect was Fas/FasL independent and could not be blocked by antibodies to MHC class I and class II molecules. In addition, MTSC4 enhanced the apoptosis of DP thymocytes from different strains of mice, which implies that MTSC4-induced thymocyte apoptosis is not mediated by the TCR recognition of self peptide/MHC molecules. In contrast to MTSC4, thymocyte apoptosis induced by TDCs was MHC-restricted. Thus, MHC-independent fashion of stromal-DP thymocyte interaction may be one of the ways to induce thymocyte apoptosis in thymus. Our study has also shown that the interaction of MTSC4 stromal cells and thymocytes is required for the induction of thymocyte apoptosis.     

Roles of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) Depolymerase and 3HB-Oligomer Hydrolase in Bacterial PHB Metabolism

Many poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB)-degrading enzymes have been studied. But biological roles of 3HB-oligomer hydrolases (3HBOHs) and how PHB depolymerases (PHBDPs) and 3HBOHs cooperate in PHB metabolism are not fully elucidated. In this study, several PHBDPs and 3HBOHs from three types of bacteria were purified, and their substrate specificity, kinetic properties, and degradation products were investigated. From the results, PHBDP and 3HBOH seemed to play a role in PHB metabolism in three types of bacteria, as follows: (A) In Ralstonia pickettii T1, an extracellular PHBDP degrades extracellular PHB to various-sized 3HB-oligomers, which an extracellular 3HBOH hydrolyzes to 3HB-monomers. (B) In Acidovorax sp. SA1, an extracellular PHBDP hydrolyzes extracellular PHB to small 3HB-oligomers (dimer and trimer), which an intracellular 3HBOH efficiently degrades to 3HB in the cell. (C) In Ralstonia eutropha H16, an intracellular 3HBOH helps in the degradation of intracellular PHB inclusions by PHBDP.     

N-Acetylcysteine ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced organ damage in conscious rats

Lipopolysaccharide is strongly associated with septic shock, leading to multiple organ failure. It can activate monocytes and macrophages to release proinflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and nitric oxide (NO). The present experiments were designed to induce endotoxin shock by an intravenous injection ofKlebsiella pneumoniae lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/kg) in conscious rats. Arterial pressure and heart rate (HR) were continuously monitored for 48 h after LPS administration. N-Acetyl-cysteine was used to study its effects on organ damage. Biochemical substances were measured to reflect organ functions. Biochemical factors included blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate transferase (GOT), alanine transferase (GPT), TNF-, IL-1, methyl guanidine (MG), and nitrites/nitrates. LPS caused significant increases in blood BUN, Cre, LDH, CPK, GOT, GPT, TNF-, IL-1, MG levels, and HR, as well as a decrease in mean arterial pressure and an elevation of nitrites/nitrates. N-Acetylcysteine suppressed the release of TNF-, IL-1, and MG, but enhanced NO production. These actions ameliorate LPS-induced organ damage in conscious rats. The beneficial effects may suggest a potential chemopreventive effect of this compound in sepsis prevention and treatment.     

Regulation of the L-Type Ca2+ Channel Current in Rat Pinealocytes

Abstract : In the present study, the role of phosphoprotein phosphatase in the regulation of L-type Ca²⁺ channel currents in rat pinealocytes was investigated using the whole-cell version of the patch-clamp technique. The effects of three phosphatase inhibitors, calyculin A, tautomycin, and okadaic acid, were compared. Although all three inhibitors were effective in inhibiting the L-type Ca²⁺ channel current, calyculin A was more potent than either tautomycin or okadaic acid, suggesting the involvement of phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. To determine the kinase involved in the regulation of these channels, cells were pretreated with H7 (a nonspecific kinase inhibitor), H89 (a specific inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent kinase), KT5823 (a specific inhibitor of cyclic GMP-dependent kinase), or calphostin C (a specific inhibitor of protein kinase C). Pretreatment with either H7 or calphostin C decreased the inhibitory effect of calyculin A on the L-type Ca²⁺ channel current. In contrast, pretreatment with H89 or KT5823 had no effect on the inhibition caused by calyculin A. Based on these observations, we conclude that basal phosphatase activity, probably phosphoprotein phosphatase-1, plays an important role in the regulation of L-type Ca²⁺ channel currents in rat pinealocytes by counteracting protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation.     

双向凝胶电泳-飞行时间质谱技术鉴定小鼠胚泡黏附时子宫内膜nm23-M2／NDPK B的表达

运用双向聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(2DPAGE)分析未交配小鼠子宫内膜和妊娠第五天(D5)小鼠子宫内膜胚泡黏附时植入位点及其旁组织蛋白质组。差异蛋白质组学显示,等电点(isoelectric point,pI)约7．1、分子量(molecular weight,Mw)约18kDa的蛋白质点在D5小鼠子宫内膜特别是植入位点表达上调。对此蛋白质点用基质辅助激光解析电离飞行时间质谱(matrix-assisted laser desorption／ionization time of flying mass spectrometry,MALDI—TOF—MS)测定其胶内酶解后的肽质量指纹谱(Peptide Mass Fingerprint,PMF),经Mascot：Peptide Mass Fingerprint中SWISS-PROT数据库查询后,鉴定该蛋白质为鼠源性nm23-M2／NDPKB。RT—PCR和免疫组织化学结果也显示D5小鼠子宫内膜nm23-M2／NDPK B mRNA和蛋白表达明显增加。提示nm23-M2／NDPKB参与胚泡着床这一重要生命活动过程。     

N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖化在信号转导中的作用

蛋白质磷酸化在生命活动以及信号转导过程中的重要作用已经被研究证实,但不少研究发现在大多数核,胞液蛋白质上不仅存在磷酸化动态修饰,还存在广泛的动态N－乙酰氨基葡萄糖修饰,N－乙酰氨基葡萄糖基转移酶和N－乙酰氨基葡萄糖基酶以类似于蛋白质激酶和磷酸酶的方式调节蛋白质是否发生N－乙酰氨基葡萄糖化。N－乙酰氨基葡萄糖化蛋白质主要分布在细胞核与胞液,其生理功能涉及细胞基本生命活动和调节信号传递。N－乙酰氨基葡萄糖的作用基础与阻断或影响蛋白质的磷酸化有关。     

几种昆虫病毒交叉感染玉米螟的研究

银纹夜蛾NPV(P_aNPV)、柞蚕NPV(ApNPV)和赤松毛虫CPV(D_aCPV)可感染玉米螟。D_aCPV对玉米螟1龄幼虫的ID_(50)为5.9×10~5PIB/ml饲料,对幼虫的生长发育、蛹重、羽化率和成虫寿命有显著影响。D_aCPV主要侵染幼虫中肠柱状细胞,在细胞质中增殖;P_aNPV和A_pNPV主要侵染幼虫的体壁细胞和气管壁细胞。D_aCPV在玉米螟幼虫体内增殖后,多角体形态由正六角形变为锥形或四方形;成虫羽化时排出的蛹便可观察到多角体,病毒可传递给子代。利用其他昆虫病毒有防治玉米螟的可能性。     

Role of myosin light chain kinase in regulation of basal blood pressure and maintenance of salt-induced hypertension

Vascular tone, an important determinant of systemic vascular resistance and thus blood pressure, is affected by vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contraction. Key signaling pathways for VSM contraction converge on phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain (RLC) of smooth muscle myosin. This phosphorylation is mediated by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) but Ca(2+)-independent kinases may also contribute, particularly in sustained contractions. Signaling through MLCK has been indirectly implicated in maintenance of basal blood pressure, whereas signaling through RhoA has been implicated in salt-induced hypertension. In this report, we analyzed mice with smooth muscle-specific knockout of MLCK. Mesenteric artery segments isolated from smooth muscle-specific MLCK knockout mice (MLCK(SMKO)) had a significantly reduced contractile response to KCl and vasoconstrictors. The kinase knockout also markedly reduced RLC phosphorylation and developed force. We suggest that MLCK and its phosphorylation of RLC are required for tonic VSM contraction. MLCK(SMKO) mice exhibit significantly lower basal blood pressure and weaker responses to vasopressors. The elevated blood pressure in salt-induced hypertension is reduced below normotensive levels after MLCK attenuation. These results suggest that MLCK is necessary for both physiological and pathological blood pressure. MLCK(SMKO) mice may be a useful model of vascular failure and hypotension.