Efficient synthesis of d-xylo and d-ribo-phytosphingosines from methyl 2-amino-2-deoxy-β-d-hexopyranosides

A general and flexible synthetic approach to biologically important 5,6-unsaturated C₁₈-phytosphingosines was developed via olefin cross-metathesis employing truncated C₆-phytosphingosines as the key intermediates. These were efficiently prepared in high yields by zinc-mediated reductive opening of methyl 2-amino-2-deoxy-β-hexopyranosides.

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How type II diabetes-related islet amyloid polypeptide damages lipid bilayers

A leading hypothesis for the decimation of insulin-producing β-cells in type 2 diabetes attributes the cause to islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) for its deleterious effects on the cell membranes. This idea has produced extensive investigations on human IAPP (hIAPP) and its interactions with lipid bilayers. However, it is still difficult to correlate the peptide-lipid interactions with its effects on islet cells in culture. The hIAPP fibrils have been shown to interact with lipids and damage lipid bilayers, but appear to have no effect on islet cells in culture. Thus, a modified amyloid hypothesis assumes that the toxicity is caused by hIAPP oligomers, which are not preamyloid fibrils or protofibrils. However, so far such oligomers have not been isolated or identified. The hIAPP monomers also bind to lipid bilayers, but the mode of interaction is not clear. Here, we performed two types of experiments that, to our knowledge, have not been done before. We used x-ray diffraction, in conjunction with circular dichroism measurement, to reveal the location of the peptide bound to a lipid bilayer. We also investigated the effects of hIAPP on giant unilamellar vesicles at various peptide concentrations. We obtained the following qualitative results. Monomeric hIAPP binds within the headgroup region and expands the membrane area of a lipid bilayer. At low concentrations, such binding causes no leakage or damage to the lipid bilayer. At high concentrations, the bound peptides transform to β-aggregates. The aggregates exit the headgroup region and bind to the surface of lipid bilayers. The damage by the surface bound β-aggregates depends on the aggregation size. The initial aggregation extracts lipid molecules, which probably causes ion permeation, but no molecular leakage. However, the initial β-aggregates serve as the seed for larger fibrils, in the manner of the Jarrett-Lansbury seeded-polymerization model, that eventually disintegrate lipid bilayers by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.     

Adhesion and merging of lipid bilayers: a method for measuring the free energy of adhesion and hemifusion

Lipid bilayers can be induced to adhere to each other by molecular mediators, and, depending on the lipid composition, such adhesion can lead to merging of the contacting monolayers in a process known as hemifusion. Such bilayer-bilayer reactions have never been systematically studied. In the course of our studies of membrane-active molecules, we encountered such reactions. We believe that they need to be understood whenever bilayer-bilayer interactions take place, such as during membrane fusion. For illustration, we discuss three examples: spontaneous adhesion between phospholipid bilayers induced by low pH, polymer-induced osmotic depletion attraction between lipid bilayers, and anionic lipid bilayers cross-bridged by multicationic peptides. Our purpose here is to describe a general method for studying such interactions. We used giant unilamellar vesicles, each of which was aspirated in a micropipette so that we could monitor the tension of the membrane and the membrane area changes during the bilayer-bilayer interaction. We devised a general method for measuring the free energy of adhesion or hemifusion. The results show that the energies of adhesion or hemifusion of lipid bilayers could vary over 2 orders of magnitude from −1 to −50 × 10⁻⁵ J/m² in these examples alone. Our method can be used to measure the energy of transition in each step of lipid transformation during membrane fusion. This is relevant for current research on membrane fusion, which focuses on how fusion proteins induce lipid transformations.     

CST-II's recognition domain for acceptor substrates in α-(2→8)-sialylations

CST-II is a bacterial sialyltransferase known for its ability to perform α-(2→8)-sialylations using GM(3) related trisaccharide substrates. Previously, we probed the enzyme's substrate specificity and developed an efficient synthesis for α-(2→8)-oligosialosides, and we suggested that CST-II could have a very small substrate recognition domain. Here we report our full studies on CST-II's recognition feature for acceptor substrates. The current study further demonstrates the versatility of CST-II in preparing complex oligosaccharides that contain α-(2→8)-oligosialyl moieties.     

川西高山林线交错带凋落物纤维素分解酶活性研究

以川西高山林线交错带3种典型植被类型(针叶林、高山灌丛、高山草甸)下两个层次(LF层: 新鲜凋落物层和发酵层; H层: 腐殖质层)的凋落物为研究对象, 分别模拟凋落物分解的前期和后期阶段, 对凋落物分解过程中的纤维素酶活性及凋落物质量进行了研究。结果表明, 凋落物分解前期的纤维素酶活性和纤维素含量均显著高于分解后期, 但植被类型对LF和H层的纤维素含量的影响都不显著。双因素方差分析结果表明, 凋落物分解阶段对纤维素酶活性和纤维素含量的影响比植被类型对纤维素酶活性和纤维素含量的影响更大。不同种类的纤维素酶活性在分解前期和分解后期受到不同因子的限制。凋落物分解前期, 微晶纤维素酶和β-葡萄糖苷酶活性可能受N、P含量的限制, 而羧甲基纤维素酶主要受底物纤维素含量控制; 凋落物分解后期, 羧甲基纤维素酶和β-葡萄糖苷酶可能受C、N含量的限制。生态化学计量学的理论预测, 底物质量比C:N > 27或C:P > 186时会限制微生物生长, 因此判断高山林线交错带凋落物微生物生物量和纤维素酶活性同时受到底物N、P的限制, 尤其是高山草甸上微生物生物量在凋落物分解前期受到底物N、P的限制比分解后期更显著, 这充分说明了底物质量调控着凋落物分解过程中的纤维素酶活性和微生物生物量。     

影响杏黄兜兰种子萌发的因素

通过在不同条件下杏黄兜兰 (Paphiopedilumarmeniacum)种子萌发的观察 ,对影响其萌发的诸因子报道如下 :1)果实的生长期与种子的萌发率有关。实验表明种子采自生长期为 6 0d的果实 ,发芽率为 3 5 % ,采自 12 0d的果实 ,发芽率为 4 0 % ,采自 180d的果实 ,发芽率为 18 3%。 2 )培养基也会影响到种子的萌发 ,种子在 1 5MS内培养 ,萌发率明显高于培养于MS ,RE和改良HyponexNo 1内的种子。 3)培养基 (1 5MS)掺入添加物也会影响到种子的萌发率 ,如掺入 10 %椰子水会促使种子的萌发率达到很高的水平 ,掺入马铃薯泥 (5 0g L)或胰化胨 (2g L) ,种子的萌发率会达到较高的水平 ,而掺入香蕉泥则会对种子的萌发率产生负面影响 ,掺入活性炭 (2g L)会促使种子萌发和幼苗发育。 4 )与固态培养基相比 ,种子在液体悬浮培养基内的萌发速度更快 ,幼苗更为整齐划一。     

用核糖体ITS区序列验证自然杂交种Meconopsis × cookei G.Taylor

对被认为是自然杂交种的绿绒蒿植物Meconopsis×cookeiG .Taylor及其可能的亲本红花绿绒蒿(M punicea)和五脉绿绒蒿 (M .quintuplinervia)的核糖体DNAITS区进行了序列测定 ,所得序列的长度为 6 6 7～ 6 6 8bp ,其中红花绿绒蒿的序列长度为 6 6 7bp ,另外两个种的序列长度均为 6 6 8bp。利用软件ClustalX对所得序列进行排序和碱基比较 ,排序后的序列长度为 6 6 8bp ,其中ITS1长度为 2 5 4bp ,5 8S长度为 16 2bp ,ITS2长度为 2 5 2bp。整个ITS区序列共有 16个变异位点 ,占序列总长度的 2 4 0 % ,其中ITS1的变异位点 9个 ,占 5 6 2 5 % ,占整个序列长度的 1 35 % ;ITS2的变异位点 6个 ,占 37 5 0 % ,占整个序列长度的 0 89% ;5 8S的变异位点 1个 ,占 6 2 5 % ,占整个序列长度的 0 15 %。分析结果表明 ,M .×cookei同时具有红花绿绒蒿和五脉绿绒蒿的两种ITS序列 ,也就是说M .×cookei与红花绿绒蒿和五脉绿绒蒿之间在ITS基因上的变化规律符合孟德尔遗传学定律 ,从而从分子水平上证明M .×cookei是红花绿绒蒿和五脉绿绒蒿的杂交后代。     

超声波提取的当归多糖化学修饰及其抗氧化活性研究

采用超声波辅助法从当归中提取水溶性当归粗多糖(ASP),经过4种化学修饰分别得到硫酸化当归多糖(S-ASP)、磷酸化当归多糖(P-ASP)、乙酰化当归多糖(Ac-ASP)、羧甲基化当归多糖(C-ASP)。通过红外光谱对化学修饰前后ASP的结构进行表征,并进行抗氧化活性和清除自由基能力的测定,以获得一种抗氧化活性较强的当归多糖。结果显示:经化学修饰后的ASP分别具有相应的特征吸收峰,表明当归多糖的4种化学修饰均已成功;经化学修饰的4种当归多糖总还原能力均弱于未修饰多糖,且清除羟基自由基(·OH)的能力无明显变化,但清除1,1-二苯基-2-苦苯肼(DPPH·)自由基和抑制Fe2+诱发的脂质过氧化反应的能力有所增强,其中P-ASP清除超氧阴离子(O2·-)自由基的能力最强;Ac-ASP抑制Fe2+诱发的脂质过氧化反应的能力最强,且均呈现出一定的量效关系。本实验结果为当归多糖的进一步研究与开发利用提供了一定的科学依据。     

CCCTC结合因子在HeLa细胞中调控X染色体连锁的凋亡抑制蛋白的表达

目的:确定HeLa细胞的CCCTC结合因子(CTCF)表达水平是否与细胞的抗凋亡能力相关,并研究其具体分子机制。方法:用顺铂和阿糖胞苷分别诱导HeLa细胞和CTCF敲降的HeLa-CTCF-II-11细胞凋亡,比较两者的凋亡率;用基因表达芯片检测CTCF敲降后HeLa细胞的表达谱变化,寻找并验证受CTCF调控的与凋亡相关的蛋白。结果:用顺铂和阿糖胞苷诱导后,HeLa-CTCF-II-11细胞的凋亡率显著高于HeLa细胞;HeLa细胞的CTCF敲降后,X染色体连锁的凋亡抑制蛋白(XIAP)的表达显著下降。结论:CTCF敲降使HeLa细胞的抗凋亡能力下降,CTCF对XIAP基因的表达调控在这个过程中起了重要作用。