An abundant, highly conserved tonoplast protein in seeds

We have isolated the membranes of the protein storage vacuoles (protein bodies) from Phaseolus vulgaris cotyledons and purified an integral membrane protein with M_r 25,000 (TP 25). Antiserum to TP 25 recognizes an abundant polypeptide in the total cell extracts of many different seeds (monocots, dicots, and a gymnosperm), and specifically labels the vacuolar membranes of thin-sectioned soybean embryonic axes and cotyledons. TP 25 was not found in the starchy endosperm of barley and wheat or the seed coats of bean but was present in all seed parts examined that consist of living cells at seed maturity. The abundance of TP 25 was not correlated with the amount of storage protein in seed tissue, and the protein was not found in leaves that accumulate leaf storage protein. On the basis of its abundance, evolutionary conservation, and distribution in the plant, we propose that TP 25 may play a role in maintaining the integrity of the tonoplast during the dehydration/rehydration sequence of seeds.     

出、入肺血中ET-1、VEGF含量与慢性低氧性肺动脉高压的相关性研究

目的：观察间断性减压低氧大鼠出、入肺血血浆、肺组织匀浆和体循环动脉匀浆中内皮素-1（ET-1）的含量变化,以及出、入肺血血清中血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）的含量变化及其与低氧性肺动脉高压的关系。方法：建立间断性减压低氧模型,采用插管法分别测定左侧颈总动脉压力（CAP）、右心室平均压分别代表体循环压力和平均肺动脉压力（mPAP）,放射免疫测定法测定ET-1含量,双抗体夹心ABC—ELISA法测定VEGF含量。结果：①低氧2周组（H2）、低氧3周组（H3）大鼠平均肺动脉压力、右心肥厚指数（RV／LV＋S）均分别显著高于对照组,而各组平均颈动脉压力之间无明显变化（P〉0．05）。②对照组大鼠出肺血中ET含量比入肺血中低（P〈0．05）。H2、H3组大鼠出、入肺血中ET-1含量较对照组均明显增高（P〈0．01）,且H2、H3组大鼠出肺血中ET-1含量均高于入肺血中ET-1含量（P〈0．05）,刚好与对照组相反。H2、H3组大鼠肺组织匀浆中ET—1含量与对照组肺组织和低氧组体循环动脉组织匀浆比较,均明显增高（P〈0.01）,而各组体循环动脉组织匀浆中ET-1含量间无明显差异（P〉0．05）：③对照组大鼠出、入肺血中VEGF含量无明显差异（P〉0．05）,H2、H3组大鼠出肺血血清中VEGF含量较对照组明显增高（P〈0.01）。结论：在慢性低氧可使肺组织产生ET-1和VEGF增多,这可能是慢性肺动脉高压发生、发展的重要机制之一。肺动脉局部缩血管物质ET-1增高,而体循环动脉局部ET-1不增高。可能是长期慢性低氧可导致肺动脉高压的形成,却不发生高血压的机制之一。     

An X-autosome fusion chromosome of Caenorhabditis elegans

Summary The translocation mnT12(IV;X) is a fusion of holocentric chromosomes IV and X, the breakpoints occurring near the left end of IV and the right end of X. Animals homozygous for mnT12 are viable and fertile; they contain five pairs of chromosomes rather than the normal set of six pairs. The mnT12 chromosome is larger than all wild-type chromosomes and thus identifies linkage groups IV and X cytologically. Hermaphrodites heterozygous for mnT12 show high frequency meiotic nondisjunction both between mnT12 and the X chromosome, which results in a high incidence of male self progeny (27% compared to the wild-type incidence of 0.2%), and between mnT12 and chromosome IV, which results in a high incidence of self progeny essentially trisomic for chromosome IV (karyotype IV/mnT12/mnT12). The viability of chromosome IV trisomics has been confirmed by constructing animals trisomic for only normal copies of chromosome IV; these animals are morphologically wild type. Meiotic chromosome disjunction in mnT12 homozygotes appears to be normal, although the frequency of recombination between markers that are normally X-linked is significantly reduced. Males of genotype IV/mnT12/0 are fertile. They can be thought of as having a neo-X(mnT12) neo-Y(normal IV) karyotype since it is possible to maintain a male-hermaphrodite stock of C. elegans consisting of such males and hermaphrodites carrying two neo-X chromosomes and no neo-Y; the organism is thus converted from an XO:XX type of sex determination to an XX:XX system.     

Nitricoxide synthase-induced oxidative stress in prolonged alcoholic myopathies of rats

Previous studies showed that nitricoxide synthase (NOS) and oxidative stress can induce skeletal muscle atrophy in the muscular dystrophy and inclusion-body myopathy. There is a correlation between NOS and oxidative stress. However, it is not clear, whether there are some changes of the NOS activity in prolonged alcoholic myopathy (PAM), and whether NOS activity has relation to amyotrophy of PAM. We established experimental alcoholic myopathy model of rats by prolonged alcohol intake. We found that there is a reduction in GSH-px (P < 0.05) and an increase of SOD (P < 0.05), MDA (P < 0.05) and iNOS (P < 0.05) in the plantaris of the experimental group by spectrophotometer. In the soleus of the experimental group, except for MDA showed an increase (P < 0.05), the other enzymes showed no obvious difference (P > 0.05). The immunohistochemistry results showed that there was obvious expression of iNOS in the cytoplasm of plantaris in the experimental group and there was no expression of iNOS in the control group. There was a decrease of nNOS expression on the membranes of the plantaris cells in the experimental group by immunofluorescence. Meanwhile, we found the expression of nNOS in some cytoplasm. Our results suggested that NOS might be an important factor during the development of PAM. We could infer that there are some disturbances with regard to output and scavenging of free radical in PAM. Alcohol can induce the oxidative stress reaction and further result in imbalance of the oxidant-antioxidant status in the organism. Haiying Chu is the co-first author.     

GPR40 is expressed in glucagon producing cells and affects glucagon secretion

The free fatty acid receptor, GPR40, has been coupled with insulin secretion via its expression in pancreatic beta-cells. However, the role of GPR40 in the release of glucagon has not been studied and previous attempts to identify the receptor in alpha-cells have been unfruitful. Using double-staining for glucagon and GPR40 expression, we demonstrate that the two are expressed in the same cells in the periphery of mouse islets. In-R1-G9 hamster glucagonoma cells respond dose-dependently to linoleic acid stimulation by elevated phosphatidyl inositol hydrolysis and glucagon release and the cells become increasingly responsive to fatty acid stimulation when overexpressing GPR40. Isolated mouse islets also secrete glucagon in response to linoleic acid, a response that was abolished by antisense treatment against GPR40. This study demonstrates that GPR40 is present and active in pancreatic alpha-cells and puts further emphasis on the importance of this nutrient sensing receptor in islet function.     

Microbial degradation of sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen heterocycles

Sulfur (S), nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) heterocycles are among the most potent environmental pollutants. Microbial degradation of these pollutants is attracting more and more attention because such bioprocesses are environmentally friendly. The biotechnological potential of these processes is being investigated, for example, to achieve better sulfur removal by immobilized biocatalysts with magnetite nanoparticles or by solvent-tolerant bacteria, and to obtain valuable intermediates from these heterocycles. Other recent advances have demonstrated the mechanisms of angular dioxygenation of nitrogen heterocycles by microbes. However, these technologies are not yet available for large-scale applications so future research must investigate proper modifications for industrial applications of these processes. This review focuses on recent progress in understanding how microbes degrade S, N and O heterocycles.     

Species-specific cell-matrix interactions are essential for differentiation of alveoli like structures and milk gene expression in primary mammary cells of the Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus).

Few models are in place for analysis of extreme lactation patterns such as that of the fur seals which are capable of extended down regulation of milk production in the absence of involution. During a 10-12 month lactation period, female fur seals suckle pups on shore for 2-3 days, and then undertake long foraging trips at sea for up to 28 days, resulting in the longest intersuckling bouts recorded. During this time the mammary gland down regulates milk production. We have induced Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) mammary cells in vitro to form mammospheres up to 900 microm in diameter, larger than any of their mammalian counterparts. Mammosphere lumens were shown to form via apoptosis and cells comprising the cellular boundary stained vimentin positive. The Cape fur seal GAPDH gene was cloned and used in RT-PCR as a normalization tool to examine comparative expression of milk protein genes (alphaS2-casein, beta-lactoglobulin and lysozyme C) which were prolactin responsive. Cape fur seal mammary cells were found to be unique; they did not require Matrigel for rapid mammosphere formation and instead deposited their own matrix within 2 days of culture. When grown on Matrigel, cells exhibited branching/stellate morphogenesis highlighting the species-specific nature of cell-matrix interactions during morphological differentiation. Matrix produced in vitro by cells did not support formation of human breast cancer cell line, PMC42 mammospheres. This novel model system will help define the molecular pathways controlling the regulation of milk protein expression and species specific requirements of the extracellular matrix in the cape fur seal.     

Rate of iron transfer through the horse spleen ferritin shell determined by the rate of formation of Prussian Blue and Fe-desferrioxamine within the ferritin cavity

Iron (2+ and 3+) is believed to transfer through the three-fold channels in the ferritin shell during iron deposition and release in animal ferritins. However, the rate of iron transit in and out through these channels has not been reported. The recent synthesis of [Fe(CN)6]3-, Prussian Blue (PB) and desferrioxamine (DES) all trapped within the horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) interior makes these measurements feasible. We report the rate of Fe2+ penetrating into the ferritin interior by adding external Fe2+ to [Fe(CN)6]3- encapsulated in the HoSF interior and measuring the rate of formation of the resulting encapsulated PB. The rate at which Fe2+ reacts with [Fe(CN)6]3- in the HoSF interior is much slower than the formation of free PB in solution and is proceeded by a lag period. We assume this lag period and the difference in rate represent the transfer of Fe2+ through the HoSF protein shell. The calculated diffusion coefficient, D approximately 5.8x10(-20) m2/s corresponds to the measured lag time of 10-20 s before PB forms within the HoSF interior. The activation energy for Fe2+ transfer from the outside solution through the protein shell was determined to be 52.9 kJ/mol by conducting the reactions at 10 approximately 40 degrees C. The reaction of Fe3+ with encapsulated [Fe(CN)6]4- also readily forms PB in the HoSF interior, but the rate is faster than the corresponding Fe2+ reaction. The rate for Fe3+ transfer through the ferritin shell was confirmed by measuring the rate of the formation of Fe-DES inside HoSF and an activation energy of 58.4 kJ/mol was determined. An attempt was made to determine the rate of iron (2+ and 3+) transit out from the ferritin interior by adding excess bipyridine or DES to PB trapped within the HoSF interior. However, the reactions are slow and occur at almost identical rates for free and HoSF-encapsulated PB, indicating that the transfer of iron from the interior through the protein shell is faster than the rate-limiting step of PB dissociation. The method described in this work presents a novel way of determining the rate of transfer of iron and possibly other small molecules through the ferritin shell.     

Differential expression of MHC class II molecules in highly metastatic breast cancer cells is mediated by the regulation of the CIITA transcription Implication of CIITA in tumor and metastasis development

We analyzed the differential gene expression between variants of MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer cell line that share an identical genetic background but have different metastatic ability. The major histocompatibility complex class II was found down-regulated in highly metastatic cells and correlated with MHC transactivator (CIITA) expression. Constitutive CIITA expression observed in poorly metastatic is driven by promoters III and IV of CIITA gene. Conversely, both promoters were ineffective in highly metastatic cells. The MHC class II and CIITA expression was restored in these cells upon stimulation with IFNgamma or by the treatment with a hypomethylating agent. Both treatments induced USF-1 and IRF binding complexes to promoter IV but only IFNgamma induced the binding of 435-Lung2 nuclear proteins to an ARE-1 site at the promoter III. Neither Southern blot nor bisulfite sequencing of promoter IV demonstrated strong hypermethylation of this promoter at the IFNgamma-responsive elements such as GAS, E-box or IRF-1. We suggest that partial or hemimethylation of promoter IV is sufficient to silence the CIITA expression in highly metastatic cells and that this epigenetic mechanism is responsible for the lack of MHC-II expression. Forced CIITA expression restored the MHC-II antigen expression in 435-Lung2 cells and abrogates spontaneous lung metastasis in both SCID and nude mice but also affected the tumorigenicity in nude mice. The increase in NK cell infiltration in nude mice bearing CIITA-tumors correlated with sign of tumor cell apoptosis and the increase in the number of NK cells in the spleens, suggesting that NK cells might be responsible for the observed antitumor activity.     

HBV X基因的表达及在真核细胞中对内质网压力的作用

运用PCR技术获得HBx基因,分别克隆到原核表达载体pET-his和真核表达载体pcDNA3.1(-)上。重组质粒pET-his-HBx转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)后,IPTG诱导表达,利用Ni柱纯化后的蛋白免疫家兔,获得特异性的抗-HBx兔抗血清。重组质粒pcDNA3.1(-)-HBx分别转染HepG2和Hep3B细胞系后,经RT-PCR和Westernblot检测,证明HBx可以在这两种细胞系中表达。通过报告基因的表达研究了HBx对XBP1和GRP78启动子的激活活性,结果表明瞬时转染HBx的细胞系中,XBP1和GRP78启动子介导的荧光素酶活性比相应的对照细胞增加了3～7倍。通过RT-PCR分析证明,转染了HBx的细胞中XBP1mRNA发生了剪切。因此,可以初步推断HBx在HepG2和Hep3B细胞中的表达可以引起内质网压力反应,为进一步阐明HBx表达对内质网的影响和肝脏病原发生机制奠定了基础。