Early events in the fibrillation of monomeric insulin

Insulin has a largely alpha-helical structure and exists as a mixture of hexameric, dimeric, and monomeric states in solution, depending on the conditions: the protein is monomeric in 20% acetic acid. Insulin forms amyloid-like fibrils under a variety of conditions, especially at low pH. In this study we investigated the fibrillation of monomeric human insulin by monitoring changes in CD, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 8-anilinonaphthalenesulfonic acid fluorescence, thioflavin T fluorescence, dynamic light scattering, and H/D exchange during the initial stages of the fibrillation process to provide insight into early events involving the monomer. The results demonstrate the existence of structural changes occurring before the onset of fibril formation, which are detectable by multiple probes. The data indicate at least two major populations of oligomeric intermediates between the native monomer and fibrils. Both have significantly non-native conformations, and indicate that fibrillation occurs from a beta-rich structure significantly distinct from the native fold.     

种植条件下海滨盐土理化性状与生物学特征

以苏北海滨盐土种植实验区7个不同特征的地块为对象,研究了海滨盐土基本理化性状及其生物学特征的季节变化,以及其与植物种植和植被条件的关系.结果表明:海滨盐土的土壤性状随种莓年限和植被状况的不同有较大的变异性,种植耐盐植物地块平均土壤电导率(0.95 dS·m-1)低于自然植被地块(2.77 dS·m-1),但部分地块电导率水平较种植前有所升高;土壤肥力普遍较低,水解性氮含量平均低于50 mg·kg-1,有效磷含量(除施肥地块)平均低于3 mg·kg-1,有机质含量低于1%,种植耐盐植物地块因施肥而有所改善.土壤电导率和养分水平是影响盐土植被生长与分布的主要因素,前者尤为关键;土壤氮磷含量与微生物数量密切相关.不同植被和干扰状况下土壤性状的季节变化差异明显,植被盖度高、人为干扰少的土壤环境相对稳定,反之则波动剧烈.     

孟氏隐唇瓢虫对产卵基质的颜色选择行为研究

在室内26±2℃,RH=50±10%,L:D=16h:8h环境下,使用白色、红色、蓝色、紫色、黑色5种棉花作为孟氏隐唇瓢虫Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant的产卵基质供其产卵,研究该瓢虫对产卵基质的颜色偏好性.结果表明连续10日内该瓢虫在红色棉花上的产卵次数和总产卵量最多,产卵次数与总产...     

一株副溶血弧菌噬菌体的分离鉴定及生理特性

为了探寻有效的控制副溶血弧菌的方法, 从水产品市场的污水中分离出来一株烈性噬菌体qdvp001。采用双层平板法分离纯化噬菌体qdvp001, 电镜观察其形态特征, 并利用双层平板法测定其生理特性, 包括热稳定性试验、最适pH、最佳感染复数及一步生长曲线, 然后提取基因组进行酶切和序列分析。结果显示该烈性噬菌体qdvp001头部直径大约为79 nm, 尾长大约118 nm, 属于肌尾噬菌体科。它对60 °C以下的温度耐受力较强, 最适pH为7.0?8.0左右, 最佳感染复数是0.000 1, 感染宿主菌的潜伏期约20 min, 裂解期约70 min, 并获得部分DNA片段的序列。将获得的DNA序列在NCBI上进行比对, 结果显示, qdvp001与其他噬菌体的同源性较低。该噬菌体很可能是一种新发现的噬菌体。     

北京市野生动物救护工作现状与研究

介绍了北京地区野牛动物救护工作的发展历程和现状,野生动物救护种类和伤病情况.根据在工作中遇到的实际情况,提出了野生动物救护中存在的问题和不足,并从野生动物管理和救护技术两个方面提出了相关建议和解决措施.     

Enzymatic condensation of dopamine and acetaldehyde: a salsolinol synthase from rat brain

Salsolinol (1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline; Sal) is structurally similar to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, which is supposed to have a role in the development of Parkinson-like syndrome in both human and non-human subjects. In the human brain, the amount of (R)-enantiomer of Sal is much higher than (S)-enantiomer, suggesting that a putative enzyme may participate in the synthesis of (R)-salsolinol, called (R)-salsolinol synthase. In this study, the (R)-salsolinol synthase activity in the condensation of dopamine and acetaldehyde was investigated in the crude extracts from the brains of Sprague Dawley rats. Identification of the enzymatic reaction products and enzyme activity detection were achieved by HPLC-electrochemical detection. The discovery of this enzyme activity in rat’s brain indicates the natural existence of (R)-salsolinol synthase in the brains of humans and rats, and it is distributed in most brain regions of rat with higher activity in soluble proteins extracted from striatum and substantia nigra.     

秸秆还田条件下灌水模式对冬小麦产量和水肥利用效率的影响

于2008-2010年,在山西省临汾市尧都区半干旱、半湿润季风气候区,通过大田试验研究了玉米秸秆连续还田条件下灌水模式对冬小麦籽粒产量、干物质转移及水肥利用效率的影响.结果表明:浇越冬水可促进小麦分蘖;浇拔节水可提高分蘖成穗率,增加成穗数;浇孕穗水可促进穗部干物质积累,提高千粒重.浇2水时,推迟第2次浇水时期使叶片干物质转移量和穗粒数增加;浇2水比浇l水的肥料表观利用率高,可促进穗部干物质积累.越冬水灌水量和总灌水量对分蘖、穗部干物质积累的影响较小;拔节期或孕穗期增加灌水量则更有利于养分吸收及干物质积累与转移,提高籽粒水分利用效率,产量构成因素协调,增产效果明显.因此,确保越冬水可实现稳产,在越冬水基础上,拔节期增量灌水(900 m3·hm-2)可满足冬小麦中后期生长发育的需要,提高籽粒水分利用效率,实现节水高产栽培.     

细柱五加茎中6种化合物体外对人肺癌细胞株A549的生长抑制作用

目的:观察细柱五加茎中6个化合物对人肺癌细胞株A549的抑制作用.方法:从细柱五加茎中提取得到16-α-羟-19-贝壳杉烷酸、16αH,17 - isovaleryloxy - ent - kauran - 19 - oic acid、贝壳杉烷酸苷A、紫丁香苷、松柏苷、刺五加苷D等6个化合物,采用MTT法测定其对人肺癌细胞株A549的生长抑制.结果:发现化合物16-α-羟-19 -贝壳杉烷酸、16αH,17 - isovaleryloxy - ent - kauran - 19 - oic acid、贝壳杉烷酸苷A、紫丁香苷、松柏苷对人肺癌A549细胞均具有不同程度的抑制作用,与空白对照相比具有显著性差异(P＜0.05).刺五加苷D对人肺癌A549细胞的增殖抑制率与其浓度成负相关,随着浓度的增加细胞生长抑制率不断降低.结论:6个化合物呈现不同的体外抗肿瘤作用,为细柱五加茎中的抗肿瘤活性成分.     

Properties of anti-gp41 core structure antibodies, which compete with sera of HIV-1-infected patients

To determine the correlation between the immunoreaction against the core structure of human immunodeficiency virus type (HIV-1) transmembrane protein gp41 epitopes and the disease progression, it is essential to evaluate the anti-core structure antibody epitopes and the humoral immunity against the epitopes. For this purpose we evaluated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the gp41 core structure such as mAbs 50.69, 98.6 and T26, by Western blotting (WB) and flow cytometry. WB showed mAbs 50.69 and 98.6 bound to both monomeric and oligomeric gp41, and mAb T26 exclusively bound to oligomeric gp41. We evaluated the sera from Pneumocystis pneumonia patients (PCP; n=7) and long-term survivors (LTS; n=7). Competition assay with sera and mAbs for binding to H9 cells infected with HIV-1 IIIB virus was done using flow cytometry. The results revealed that PCP sera as well as LTS sera inhibited the binding of all the three mAbs, and the PCP sera inhibited mAb T26 binding more efficiently than LTS. Therefore, PCP patients retain competing immunity to antibodies against not only the shared epitopes of the core structure (binding sites of mAbs 50.69 and 98.6) but also against oligomeric gp41 specific epitope (binding site of mAb T26).