Narrowband Light Total Antireflection and Absorption in Metal Film–Array Structures by Plasmonic Near-Field Coupling

We study the cooperative effects between plasmon gap modes and optical cavity modes of a novel triple-layer structure consisting of double continuous gold films separated by a gold nanosphere array. Narrowband near-perfect antireflection of optical field is achieved for the first time due to the strong near-field light–matter interaction within the deep sub-wavelength gaps between adjacent nanospheres combined with the spatial field confinement effects of the optical cavity built by the double gold films. The coexistence cooperation of near-field dipole plasmon resonances and spatial optical field confinement presents more efficient light modification than that of the individual subsystem and may open a new approach to manage light flow. By varying the period of nanosphere array, the diameter of nanospheres, and the distance between the array and the film, optical behaviors of the proposed structure can be tuned in a wide range. High environmental sensitivity and large figure of merit factor are obtained using this structure as the detecting substrate. Furthermore, ultra-compact structure and high conduction suggest the proposed structure being a good candidate for potential applications in highly integrated optoelectronic devices, such as plasmonic filters and sensors.     

A novel thermophilic endo-β-1,4-mannanase from Aspergillus nidulans XZ3: functional roles of carbohydrate-binding module and Thr/Ser-rich linker region

The gene man5XZ3 from Aspergillus nidulans XZ3 encodes a multimodular β-mannanase of glycoside hydrolase family 5 that consists of a family 1 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM1), a Thr/Ser-rich linker region, and a catalytic domain. Recombinant Man5XZ3 and its two truncated derivatives, Man5ΔCBM (removing the CBM1) and Man5ΔCL (removing both the CBM1 and linker region), were produced in Pichia pastoris and showed significant variance in the secondary structure. The three enzymes had similar biochemical properties, such as optimal pH and temperature (pH 5.0 and 80 °C) and excellent pH stability at pH 4.0–10.0. Removal of the CBM1 alone could improve the thermostability of Man5XZ3, but further removal of the linker region resulted in worse thermostability. Man5XZ3 retained greater enzyme activity in the presence of an organic solvent (acetone), two detergents (SDS and Triton X-100), and a chaotropic agent (urea) compared with Man5ΔCBM and Man5ΔCL. This study provides an excellent β-mannanase candidate favorable for various industries and primarily demonstrates the relationship between enzyme structure and function.     

Genome engineering of Agrobacterium tumefaciens using the lambda Red recombination system

Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been widely used as a tool for transgenesis in plants. The availability of its genome sequence should facilitate the directed engineering of improved properties; however, the current genome engineering options are laborious. Here, we investigated whether the lambda R ed operon can be applied for recombineering of the A. tumefaciens genome. First, we built an expression plasmid for A. tumefaciens employing a tetracycline-inducible promoter to regulate the Red operon. This multicopy plasmid was then itself modified in A. tumefaciens to verify that the Red operon was functional. Then, we modified the endogenous A. tumefaciens tumor-inducing plasmid and the linear chromosome. These results extend recombineering technology to a new host and indicate a fast and convenient way to engineer the A. tumefaciens genome for functional genomics and strain improvements.     

猕猴桃驯化改良百年启示及天然居群遗传渐渗的基因发掘

猕猴桃(Actinidia chinensis Planch.)是近代由野生到人工商品化栽培最为成功的植物驯化范例。该文综述了我国猕猴桃资源流失国外及其驯化改良和产业发展的100年历史, 概述了我国野生猕猴桃资源的分布状况, 并在总结我国猕猴桃品种选育改良、科研与产业发展的基础上, 阐明了我国猕猴桃资源及其发掘利用对世界猕猴桃产业的重要影响。通过深入分析野生猕猴桃资源的可持续发掘利用问题, 提出了利用天然杂交带的遗传渐渗作用开展野生植物新种质和新基因型发掘的思路。     

A new screening method based on yeast-expressed human dipeptidyl peptidase IV and discovery of novel inhibitors

Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP) IV inhibitors provide a new strategy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Human DPP-IV gene was cloned from differentiated Caco-2 cells and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant enzyme was used in a new system for screening of DPP-IV inhibitors. By high throughput screening, a novel compound (W5188) was identified from 75,000 compounds with an IC₅₀ of 6.5 μM. This method is highly reproducible and reliable for discovery of DPP-IV inhibitors as shown by Z′ value of 0.73 and S/N ratio of 6.89.     

Exploring the stereochemistry of CXCR4-peptide recognition and inhibiting HIV-1 entry with D-peptides derived from chemokines

Chemokine receptor CXCR4 plays an important role in the immune system and the cellular entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). To probe the stereospecificity of the CXCR4-ligand interface, d-amino acid peptides derived from natural chemokines, viral macrophage inflammatory protein II (vMIP-II) and stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha), were synthesized and found to compete with (125)I-SDF-1alpha and monoclonal antibody 12G5 binding to CXCR4 with potency and selectivity comparable with or higher than their l-peptide counterparts. This was surprising because of the profoundly different side chain topologies between d- and l-enantiomers, which circular dichroism spectroscopy showed adopt mirror image conformations. Further direct binding experiments using d-peptide labeled with fluorescein (designated as FAM-DV1) demonstrated that d- and l-peptides shared similar or at least overlapping binding site(s) on the CXCR4 receptor. Structure-activity analyses of related peptide analogs of mixed chiralities or containing alanine replacements revealed specific residues at the N-terminal half of the peptides as key binding determinants. Acting as CXCR4 antagonists and with much higher biological stability than l-counterparts, the d-peptides showed significant activity in inhibiting the replication of CXCR4-dependent HIV-1 strains. These results show the remarkable stereochemical flexibility of the CXCR4-peptide interface. Further studies to understand the mechanism of this unusual feature of the CXCR4 binding surface might aid the development of novel CXCR4-binding molecules like the d-peptides that have high affinity and stability.     

腺苷及其类似物对猪血小板肌动蛋白聚合的抑制作用及可能机理

凝血酶和ADP刺激血小板肌动蛋白的聚合,腺苷、5′-氯-5′-脱氧腺苷及2′-脱氧腺苷抑制凝血酶和(或)ADP诱导的肌动蛋白聚合;腺苷和5′-氯-5′-脱氧腺苷对磷脂酰肌醇的磷酸化有抑制作用,且呈剂量效应关系;腺苷对凝血酶刺激的血小板中肌醇二磷酸的生成有抑制作用。本实验提示腺苷及其类似物对肌动蛋白聚合的抑制作用可能与它们对肌醇磷脂转换的抑制有关。     

Repression by a differentiation-specific factor of the human cytomegalovirus enhancer.

We detected a novel nuclear protein, MRF, that binds to multiple sites on the modulator which is located upstream of the human cytomegalovirus major immediate early gene enhancer. The expression of MRF is differentiation specific; the DNA binding activity is present in nuclear extracts from undifferentiated Tera-2 and THP-1 cells, but significantly reduced after these cells are induced to differentiate. In undifferentiated cells the enhancer activity is repressed by the modulator and upon differentiation the enhancer becomes active. Competitive binding assays demonstrate that MRF requires the presence of multiple A+T stretches for binding to DNA, rather than binding to a specific DNA sequence. Mutations of these stretches in the modulator reduce the binding activity of MRF, as well as the repressing activity on the enhancer. These results suggest that MRF may act as a repressor of enhancer function. We propose that MRF binds over the entire modulator and exerts repressor activity.