噬菌体phi29 DNA包装马达磷脂膜嵌合体在单分子检测及纳米医学领域的应用

生命系统包含了具有不同功能的纳米机器和高度有序的大分子结构。所有的双链线性DNA病毒使用由ATP驱动的纳米分子马达将其基因包装在蛋白质外壳内。噬菌体phi29 DNA包装马达的核心组成部分连接器已被成功嵌入到脂双层中,极为稳定且可用于离子和DNA转运的精确测量。它在包装DNA时具有单向通行的阀门机制,同时其关闭和打开可由人工控制。这对于详细研究分子马达的操作机制及未来医药应用中DNA的包装、测序、采样和投递都具有重要意义。     

A comparison of nonlethal sampling methods for amphibian gut microbiome analyses

Noninvasive sampling methods for studying intestinal microbiomes are widely applied in studies of endangered species and in those conducting temporal monitoring during manipulative experiments. Although existing studies show that noninvasive sampling methods among different taxa vary in their accuracy, no studies have yet been published comparing nonlethal sampling methods in adult amphibians. In this study, we compare microbiomes from two noninvasive sample types (faeces and cloacal swabs) to that of the large intestine in adult cane toads, Rhinella marina. We use 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate how microbial communities change along the digestive tract and which nonlethal sampling method better represents large intestinal microbiota. We found that cane toads' intestinal microbiota was dominated by Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes and, interestingly, we also saw a high proportion of Fusobacteria, which has previously been associated with marine species and changes in frog immunity. The large and small intestine of cane toads had a similar microbial composition, but the large intestine showed higher diversity. Our results indicate that cloacal swabs were more similar to large intestine samples than were faecal samples, and small intestine samples were significantly different from both nonlethal sample types. Our study provides valuable information for future investigations of the cane toad gut microbiome and validates the use of cloacal swabs as a nonlethal method to study changes in the large intestine microbiome. These data provide insights for future studies requiring nonlethal sampling of amphibian gut microbiota.     

Precise mapping of a quantitative trait locus interval for spike length and grain weight in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The spike characteristics length, spikelet density and fertile floret number are related yield components and are important in cereal improvement. QSpl.nau-2D is a major quantitative trait locus controlling spike length (SPL) detected in the recombinant inbred line population developed by crossing wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars Nanda2419 with Wangshuibai. In this study, to validate its genetic effect and determine its precise location, QSpl.nau-2D’s near-isogenic line (NIL) was developed using Mianyang99-323 as the recurrent parent through marker-assisted selection. Field trials showed that the NIL not only had significantly longer spikes on average than the recurrent parent but also had significantly higher grain weight, but did not differ in spikelet number and kernel number per spike. In the F2 population derived from a cross of the NIL with Mianyang99-323, QSpl.nau-2D functioned like a single gene and conditioned the SPL in a partially dominant manner, and was thus designated as HL1 (for head length). To precisely map HL1, 89 recombinants, consisting of 11 genotypes, were identified in the NIL-derived F2 population of 674 plants by using markers in the Xwmc25–Xgpw4080 interval. Phenotyping these lines showed that the introduction of a 0.9-cM interval flanked by Xcfd53 and DG371 in Nanda2419 resulted in longer spikes and a higher grain weight in the NIL. The availability of markers closely linked to HL1 could facilitate its use in breeding programs.     

Caspase-3：治疗神经退行性疾病的新靶点

Caspase-3是caspases家族（一类天冬氨酸特异性酶切半胱氨酸蛋白酶）中的成员,是哺乳动物细胞凋亡的关键蛋白酶.随着研究的深入,发现caspase-3在神经退行性疾病的病理过程中起着很重要的角色.Caspase-3在这些疾病的病理过程中,不仅仅是起着凋亡的效应器作用,还能直接与老年性痴呆症、帕金森氏症、亨廷顿舞蹈病、脊椎小脑失调等疾病的致病蛋白质分子相互作用,参与致病机制.因此,caspase-3是治疗神经退行性疾病的新靶点,寻找caspase-3高效高选择性的抑制剂将为治疗神经退行性疾病提供新的途径.     

草木樨状黄芪抗甲硫氨酸变异系的离体筛选及鉴定

通过组织培养体系进行了草木樨状黄芪(Astragalus melilotoides Pall.)抗甲硫氨酸变异系的筛选。无菌苗幼茎切段诱导的愈伤组织经NaN3诱变后,经过筛选获得了抗14mmol/L甲硫氨酸的变异细胞系,并分化出大量植株。再生植株已经在大田中开花结实。经分析表明：抗性细胞系脱离选择压6个月后,放在含15mmol/L甲硫氨酸的培养基上培养25天后,其相对增长率是对照的10．2倍。抗性系再生植株游离甲硫氨酸是对照的2．12倍,并且天冬族氨基酸都有明显增加。SDS-PAGE及过氧化物酶同工酶分析表明：在蛋白质及同工酶酶谱上抗性系再生植株均出现与对照不同的差异。     

Combinatorial signals of activin/nodal and bone morphogenic protein regulate the early lineage segregation of human embryonic stem cells

Cell fate commitment of pre-implantation blastocysts, to either the inner cell mass or trophoblast, is the first step in cell lineage segregation of the developing human embryo. However, the intercellular signals that control fate determination of these cells remain obscure. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide a unique model for studying human early embryonic development. We have previously shown that Activin/Nodal signaling contributes to maintaining pluripotency of hESCs, which are derivatives of the inner cell mass. Here we further demonstrate that the inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling results in the loss of hESC pluripotency and trophoblast differentiation, similar to BMP4-induced trophoblast differentiation from hESCs. We also show that the trophoblast induction effect of BMP4 correlates with and depends on the inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling. However, the activation of BMP signaling is still required for trophoblast differentiation when Activin/Nodal signaling is inhibited. These data reveal that the early lineage segregation of hESCs is determined by the combinatorial signals of Activin/Nodal and BMP.     

迟缓爱德华氏菌中甘油醛-3-磷酸脱氢酶的胞外分泌调控

【目的】迟缓爱德华氏菌甘油醛-3-磷酸脱氢酶(GAPDH)是糖酵解途径中关键酶之一,前期研究证实是一种广谱性抗原,可作为水产养殖细菌病免疫防治中疫苗的开发靶点。本文探究迟缓爱德华氏菌甘油醛-3-磷酸脱氢酶的胞外分泌机制。【方法】通过Western blot和ELISA方法考察迟缓爱德华氏菌经典分泌系统缺失株GAPDH胞外分泌情况;使用ELISA方法对迟缓爱德华氏菌突变体文库的GAPDH胞外分泌进行了大规模筛查,并结合q RT-PCR对筛查得到的插入失活株进行了表达分析。【结果】经典分泌系统与GAPDH的胞外分泌存在一定相关性。突变体文库的大规模筛查得到两株GAPDH分泌量明显增加的插入失活株Δesr A和Δesr C,这两个基因的失活会导致GAPDH的胞外分泌量显著上调。【结论】迟缓爱德华氏菌GAPDH的胞外分泌受Esr A和Esr C负调控。     

吸附剂及培养基组成对香荚兰细胞悬浮培养产生香兰素的影响

本文报道了培养基的组成及添加吸附剂对香荚兰细胞悬浮培养产生香兰素的影响。结果表明,添加吸附剂活性炭及XAD-2后,香荚兰细胞产生的香兰素含量明显增加,而且活性炭的效果优于XAD-2;香荚兰细胞在全组成的MS培养基中香兰素含量均低于由矿物质盐组成培养基中的含量。可以考虑采用二步培养法来培养香荚兰细胞及产生香兰素。     

脉冲电场对真皮成纤维细胞生长和膜流动性的影响

采用MTT比色分析法检测脉冲电场(f=50Hz,t=20μs,Epp=1V/m),对真皮成纤维细胞增殖的影响,结果表明,电场作用1分钟和5分钟,均产生促进细胞增殖的效果(P<0.05和P<0.001),而较长时间(t≥10分钟)的电场作用则显著抑制细胞的正常增殖(P<0.001)。 采用荧光偏振法研究了脉冲电场对真皮成纤维细胞膜流动性的影响。结果表明,电场作用5分钟后即刻引起膜流动性的显著增加。而电场作用45分钟后,需经过一段时间的温育(30 分钟),才表现出膜流动性的降低。说明不同作用时间的电场可以造成膜流动性的增加或降低,而且对膜流动性的影响是可逆的。我们认为,脉冲电场所引起的膜流动性改变是细胞分裂能力发生变化的原因之一。     

嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌基因组分泌蛋白的初步分析

利用信号肽预测软件SignalP v3.0、跨膜螺旋结构预测软件TMHMM v2.0和非经典分泌蛋白预测软件SecretomeP对嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌全基因组的3 218个氨基酸序列进行预测分析.结果表明在嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌中有507个蛋白为分泌蛋白,其中分泌型信号肽120个(其中有9个为RR-motif亚组型信号肽),脂蛋白信号肽3个,Prepilin-like信号肽4个,非经典分泌蛋白380个.并对分泌型信号肽的长度分布、氨基酸使用频率和酶切位点的氨基酸使用频率作了统计.得分最高的100个非经典分泌蛋白中,有36个具有功能分类,主要是参与细胞壁、能量代谢及转运和结合的蛋白质.嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌的这507个分泌蛋白所参与的生化过程可能发生在膜外的周质空间或是菌体外的场所,为该物种与矿物相互作用,以及对环境做出响应服务.