Screening of binding proteins that interact with human Salvador 1 in a human fetal liver cDNA library by the yeast two-hybrid system

Salvador promotes both cell cycle exit and apoptosis through the modulation of both cyclin E and Drosophila inhibitor of apoptosis protein in Drosophila. However, the cellular function of human Salvador (hSav1) is rarely reported. To screen for novel binding proteins that interact with hSav1, the cDNA of hSav1 was cloned into a bait protein plasmid, and positive clones were screened from a human fetal liver cDNA library by the yeast two-hybrid system. hSav1 mRNA was expressed in yeast and there was no self-activation and toxicity in the yeast strain AH109. Twenty proteins were found to interact with hSav1, including HS1 (haematopoietic cell specific protein1)-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1); neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 9, pyruvate kinase, liver and RBC, cytochrome c oxidase subunit Vb, enoyl coenzyme A hydratase short chain 1, and NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1 beta subcomplex, demonstrating that the yeast two-hybrid system is an efficient method for investigating protein interactions. Among the identified proteins, there were many mitochondrial proteins, indicating that hSav1 may play a role in mitochondrial function. We also confirmed the interaction of HAX-1 and hSav1 in mammalian cells. This investigation provides functional clues for further exploration of potential apoptosis-related proteins in disease biotherapy.     

铜藻中β-丙氨酸的分离及结构鉴定

非蛋白质氨基酸在抗癌、抗菌、抗结核、抗坏血病等方面有着重要的作用。本文主要对铜藻中的游离氨基酸进行检测分析和部分分离纯化及结构鉴定方面的研究,为更好的开发利用这些天然产物提供技术支持。采用离子交换树脂层析法分离铜藻粗提液中的游离氨基酸,收集3 mol/L的氨水洗脱液,用PITC-HPLC柱前衍生反相高效液相色谱法对其进行检测分析,结果显示粗提液中除含有多种组成蛋白质的氨基酸外还有3种未知组分,且含量较高的常见蛋白质氨基酸为丙氨酸、脯氨酸、缬氨酸。采用半制备高效液相色谱系统制备分离了其中一种未知组分的衍生物MWZ2,经真空冷冻干燥后为略黄固体粉末,结合核磁共振波谱、高分辨质谱、红外光谱数据,最终鉴定MWZ2去掉已知取代基团PITC后的成分为β-丙氨酸,分子式为C3H7NO2,分子量为89.09。     

Diallyl trisulfide induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of A549 cells in vitro and in vivo

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality all over the world. In recent years, pulmonary adenocarcinoma has surpassed squamous cell carcinoma in frequency and is the predominant form of lung cancer in many countries. Epidemiological investigations have shown an inverse relationship between garlic (Allium sativum) consumption and death rate from many cancers. Diallyl trisulfide (DATS) is one of the garlic-derived compounds (also known as: organosulfer compounds, OSC). DATS can induce apoptosis and inhibit the growth of many cancer cell lines. Our study demonstrated that the apoptotic incidents induced by DATS were a mitochondria-dependent caspase cascade through a significant decrease of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 that resulted in up-regulation of the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and the activity of caspase-3, -8, and -9. Eventually, DATS induced the apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, by establishing an animal model of female BALB/c nude mice with A549 xenografts, we found that oral gavage of DATS significantly retarded growth of A549 xenografts in nude mice without causing weight loss or any other side effects compared with the control group. All the evidence both in vitro and in vivo suggested that DATS could be an ideal anti-cancer drug.     

A combined A431 cell membrane chromatography and online high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method for screening compounds from total alkaloid of Radix Caulophylli acting on the human EGFR

We have developed an online analytical method that combines A431 cell membrane chromatography (A431/CMC) with high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC/MS) for identifying active components from Radix Caulophylli acting on human EGFR. Retention fractions on A431/CMC model were captured onto an enrichment column and the components were directly analyzed by combining a 10-port column switcher with an LC/MS system for separation and preliminary identification. Using Sorafenib tosylate as a positive control, taspine and caulophine from Radix Caulophylli were identified as the active molecules which could act on the EGFR. This A431/CMC-online-LC/MS method can be applied for screening active components acting on EGFR from traditional Chinese medicines exemplified by Radix Caulophylli and will be of great utility in drug discovery using natural medicinal herbs as a source of novel compounds.     

不同基因型甘蔗种质资源的表型遗传多样性

为探明甘蔗原种和地方种的遗传多样性和亲缘关系,以期筛选出优良甘蔗种质和优良杂交亲本.该研究对18份甘蔗原种和地方种的14个数量性状进行了表型遗传多样性分析.结果表明：通过14个数量性状的变异系数(coefficient of variance,CV)和性状之间的相关分析,18份甘蔗原种和地方种的数量性状遗传变异主要来自甘蔗蔗糖分、单茎重、叶宽、茎径和纤维分;对14个数量性状进行主成分分析提取获得了4个主成分因子,分别命名为“品质因子”、“生长因子”、“成熟度因子”和“光合因子”,主成分因子累积贡献率达83．482％;进一步通过对主成分因子开展综合评价分析,获得数量性状综合表型高于平均水平的10份材料,依次为 Sampana→甜圪塔→合庆草甘蔗→桂林竹蔗→坦桑尼亚→芒戈→古芝蔗→大岛再来→托江红→春尼;聚类分析基于不同的遗传距离可将18份种质聚为5个类别,潜在的优良杂交组合是 Sampana 和甜圪塔或 Sampana 和合庆草甘蔗,表明在甘蔗遗传育种亲本选择上既要考虑各性状主要因子的互补,又要保持一定的遗传距离.该研究认为,在甘蔗育种工作中,利用因子分析法进行表型遗传多样性分析,将更加有助于亲本和杂交组合的选择.     

寡居种悦目金蛛若蛛群居机制初步研究

对寡居种悦目金蛛Argiope amoena若蛛群居生活对其结网的影响、温度和种群大小对若蛛存活率的影响、若蛛对限制性空间的利用及其扩散方式进行了观察和研究.结果表明,若蛛从卵袋出蛰后不经历群居扩散即具备结网能力,可结完整网,也具备在扩散前不进食水存活的能力;在变温条件下若蛛存活率要远远高于室温条件下的存活率,而在室温条件下若蛛开始死亡和半数死亡的时间比其聚居期长得多;若蛛主要通过群体空中扩散的方式进行扩散,可以减小能耗与敌害的威胁;不同种群大小的若蛛在限制性空间的分布均从第5d左右开始发生较大变化的,这与在空间不受限的条件下若蛛在第5d开始扩散的结果是一致的.据此我们推断:个体扩散代价最小化(包括御敌和能耗)和维持种群较高的生存率可能是寡居种悦目金蛛若蛛群居生活的主要原因.     

西安城市热环境格局的动态演变

以TM和ETM+热红外数据为基础,采用单窗算法,研究了西安1995-2006年间热岛效应景观分布及其动态变化特征.研究表明:西安城市热岛效应明显,热场空间分布格局与城市的建成区基本一致;随着城市化进程的加快,西安市热环境格局表现出异质性加剧的趋势;东西和南北方向上,温度剖面线与土地利用与覆被关系密切,以建设用地地表温度最高、水域最小,其大小关系依次为建设用地＞未利用地＞耕地＞草地＞林地＞水域.相关性分析表明,地表温度与归一化裸露指数( NDBI)呈正相关,与归一化植被指数(NDVI)呈负相关.     

N-糖基化位点突变的人IFN-λ1在毕赤酵母中的表达、纯化及表征

IFN-λ1是Ⅲ型干扰素家族的一个成员,具有与Ⅰ型干扰素相似的功能。此前,我们已经从毕赤酵母表达获得了可溶性重组人干扰素-λ1。然而,毕赤酵母表达中的高糖基化带来了免疫原性,影响了蛋白质的生产纯化效率。为了克服这个缺点,文中构建了一种干扰素突变体 (rhIFN-λ1-Nm),定点突变潜在糖基化位点。AOX1启动子与α因子信号序列存在的情况下,用甲醇诱导成功地实现了rhIFN-λ1-Nm在毕赤酵母GS115胞外分泌表达。对rhIFN-λ1-Nm进行纯化,获得了纯度>98%的产品,并对糖化水平、分子量、二级结构、N末端序列等理化性质和生物活性进行了研究。研究结果表明,rhIFN-λ1-Nm糖基化水平明显降低,蛋白质生产纯化收率显著提高,而对结构和生物活性无影响;糖基化位点突变rhIFN-λ1可以被开发为IFN-λ1的替代品,有望发展成为未来的生物免疫制剂。     

Polymorphic phase behaviour of dilinoleoylphosphatidylethanolamine and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine mixtures: Structural changes between hexagonal,cubic and bilayer phases

The polymorphic phase behaviour of dilinoleoylphosphatidyethanolamine (DLPE) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) is investigated by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and ³¹P-NMR. The structures at 5% or less POPC are predominantly inverted hexagonal (H_II), whereas at 15% or more POPC, the structure is mostly bilayer (L), interrupted by defects (lipidic particles). A cubic phase structure is observed in the transition range between H and L phases; the cubic arrangement deteriorates at higher temperatures into an amorphous aggregate of spherical units. Both cubic and amorphous structures contribute to the isotropic ³¹P resonance, with no preference for PC or PE partitioning in the isotropic motion as observed by high resolution NMR. The existence of the cubic phase seems to depend critially on the homogeneity and the degree unsaturation of the phospholipids.     

F43Y及I354M,L358F定点突变对植酸酶热稳定性及酶活性的改善

对重组酵母PPNPm8的植酸酶phyAm基因进行PCR介导的定点突变,即将植酸酶43位的苯丙氨酸替换为酪氨酸(F43Y),将其354、358位的异亮氨酸、亮氨酸分别替换为甲硫氨酸和苯丙氨酸(I354M,L358F),得到了2个突变体PPNPm-1(F43Y)及PPNPm-2(I354M,L358F).含突变基因的重组表达载体pPIC9kphyAm-1,pPIC9kphyAm-2在毕赤酵母GS115中表达,对表达产物进行酶活性测定及热稳定性检测.结果表明:突变体PPNPm-1最适反应温度比未突变体PPNPm8上升了3℃,75℃处理10min,热稳定性提高15%,比活力提高11%;PPNPm-2最适反应温度未改变,热稳定性比PPNPm8仅提高3%,比活力降低6.5%.对突变前后的植酸酶空间结构进行比较预测,发现突变氨基酸Tyr43与空间位置相邻的Asn416之间形成氢键,增强了酶的热稳定性.