丙型肝炎病毒E1蛋白活化MAPK／ERK信号通路促进肝癌细胞增殖

目的研究丙型肝炎病毒（hepatitisCvirus,HCV）编码蛋白E1的生物学功能。方法分别构建编码HCV重要蛋白E1、E2、NS3、NS5a、NS5b的腺病毒载体Ad—E1、Ad—E2、Ad—NS3、Ad—NS5a、Ad—NS5b;将重组并包装的腺病毒分别感染SMMC-7721细胞,测定感染滴度,通过RT—PCR方法在转录水平鉴定HCVE1、E2、NS3、NS5a、NSSb的表达,用Western印迹在蛋白水平鉴定E1蛋白的表达。腺病毒感染SMMC-7721细胞后,通过细胞增殖实验筛选生物学功能最明显的蛋白。将筛选到的Ad—E1感染SMMC-7721细胞,用MTS、结晶紫、细胞周期实验观察体外过表达E1蛋白对感染细胞增殖的影响;Western印迹检测p-ERK、ERK的表达;RT—PCR检测c—Myc、cyclinD1、c—Jun、c．Fos基因的表达。结果成功扩增了能够编码HCV重要蛋白E1、E2、NS3、NS5a、NS5b的高滴度腺病毒Ad—E1、Ad—E2、Ad—NS3、Ad—NS5a、Ad—NS5b,并且通过RT—PCR方法在转录水平鉴定了目的基因的表达,Western印迹方法在蛋白水平鉴定了E1蚩白的表达。通过细胞计数、MTS、结晶紫实验证实Ad—E1感染组细胞较对照组增殖速度加快,细胞周期显示Ad-E1感染组细胞34．38％处于S期,明显高于Ad—GFP（27．32％）（P〈0．05）对照组;Ad-E1感染绢p-ERK蛋白表达量增高,同时与细胞增殖相关的MAPK／ERK下游基因转录水平上凋。结论体外过表达HCVE1蛋白可以明显促进SMMC-7721细胞的增殖,其促增殖作用可能与MAPK／ERK信号通路的活化相关。     

Laparoscopic Nephrectomy versus Open Nephrectomy for Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

To compare efficacy and safety of laparoscopicnephrectomy (LN) versusopen nephrectomy (ON) in the management of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

A systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library was performed up to October 2014.This systematic review was performed based on observational comparative studies that assessed the two techniques. The weighted mean difference (WMD) and risk ratio (RR), with their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI), were calculated to compare continuous and dichotomous variables, respectively.

Results

Seven studies were identified, including 195 cases (118 LN / 77 ON). Although LN was associated with longer operative time (WMD 30.236, 95%CI 14.541 −45.932, P<0.001) and the specimen might not have been resected as heavy as the ON group (WMD -986.516, 95%CI -1883.24–-89.795, P = 0.031), patients in this group might benefit from a shorter length of hospital stay (WMD -3.576, 95%CI 4.976–-2.176, P <0.001), less estimated blood loss (WMD -180.245, 95%CI -317.939–-42.556, P = 0.010), and lower need of transfusion (RR 0.345, 95%CI 0.183–0.650, P = 0.001). The LN group also had less overall complications (RR 0.545, 95%CI 0.329–0.903, P = 0.018). The need of narcotic analgesics between the two groups might have no significant difference (WMD -54.66, 95%CI -129.76–20.44, P = 0.154).

Conclusion

LN for giant symptomatic ADPKD was feasible, safe and efficacious. Morbidity was significantly reduced compared with the open approach. For an experienced laparoscopist, LN might be a better alternative.     

The Synthesis of a Coumarin Carbohydrazide Dinuclear Copper Complex Based Fluorescence Probe and Its Detection of Thiols

Small-molecule thiols, such as cysteine (CYS) and glutathione (GSH), are essential for maintaining the cellular redox environment and play important roles in regulating various cellular physiological functions. A fluorescence probe (compound 1-Cu²⁺) for thiols based on coumarin carbohydrazide dinuclear copper complex was developed. Compound 1 was synthesized from the reaction of 7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carbohydrazide with 4-tert-butyl-2,6- diformylphenol. Accordingly, the copper complex (compound 1-Cu²⁺) was prepared by mixing compound 1 with 2 equivalents copper ions. Compound 1 had strong fluorescence while compound 1-Cu²⁺ hardly possessed fluorescence owing to the quenching nature of paramagnetism Cu²⁺ to the fluorescence molecule excited state. However, the fluorescence intensity of compound 1-Cu²⁺ was increased dramatically after the addition of thiol-containing amino acids, but not the other non-sulfhydryl amino acids. UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra indicated that compound 1-Cu²⁺ had good selectivity and sensitivity for thiols such as glutathione in CH₃CN:H₂O (3:2, v/v) PBS solution. The fluorescence imaging experiments implied that compound 1-Cu²⁺ has potential application in thiol-containing amino acids detection in living cells.     

The systematic value of pollen morphology in Smilacaceae

Smilacaceae are a small family of dioecious, mostly climbing, net-veined monocotyledons with a cosmopolitan distribution. Relatively little is known about the variation of pollen morphology within the family. For this reason, and to investigate the systematic value of palynology in Smilacaceae, pollen from 125 species of Smilax, Heterosmilax, and Ripogonum was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Ten of these were examined further by transmission electron microscopy. Four distinct pollen types grouped into two major pollen classes were distinguished: Class 1, represented by the pollen of all Smilax and Heterosmilax species, is mostly spheroidal, inaperturate, and spinulate or microspinulate, with a thin, fragile exine of varied sculpturing; three pollen types are represented within this class. Class 2 is found only in Ripogonum and contains a single pollen type with prolate, monosulcate, reticulately-sculptured pollen. The unique pollen morphology of Ripogonum supports its removal from Smilacaceae. In contrast, the characteristics of Heterosmilax pollen intergrade with those seen in Smilax, suggesting that the former might be better reduced to synonymy with the latter. A key to the identification of these pollen types is presented along with a discussion of geographic and possible evolutionary trends among them.     

Collagen secretion screening in Drosophila supports a common secretory machinery and multiple Rab requirements

Collagens are large secreted trimeric proteins making up most of the animal extracellular matrix. Secretion of collagen has been a focus of interest for cell biologists in recent years because collagen trimers are too large and rigid to fit into the COPII vesicles mediating transport from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. Collagen-specific mechanisms to create enlarged ER-to-Golgi transport carriers have been postulated, including cargo loading by conserved ER exit site (ERES) protein Tango1. Here, we report an RNAi screening for genes involved in collagen secretion in Drosophila. In this screening, we examined distribution of GFP-tagged Collagen IV in live animals and found 88 gene hits for which the knockdown produced intracellular accumulation of Collagen IV in the fat body, the main source of matrix proteins in the larva. Among these hits, only two affected collagen secretion specifically: PH4αEFB and Plod, encoding enzymes known to mediate posttranslational modification of collagen in the ER. Every other intracellular accumulation hit affected general secretion, consistent with the notion that secretion of collagen does not use a specific mode of vesicular transport, but the general secretory pathway. Included in our hits are many known players in the eukaryotic secretory machinery, like COPII and COPI components, SNAREs and Rab-GTPase regulators. Our further analysis of the involvement of Rab-GTPases in secretion shows that Rab1, Rab2 and RabX3, are all required at ERES, each of them differentially affecting ERES morphology. Abolishing activity of all three by Rep knockdown, in contrast, led to uncoupling of ERES and Golgi. We additionally present a characterization of a screening hit we named trabuco (tbc), encoding an ERES-localized TBC domain-containing Rab-GAP. Finally, we discuss the success of our screening in identifying secretory pathway genes in comparison to two previous secretion screenings in Drosophila S2 cells.     

A 30-residue fragment of the carp granulin-1 protein folds into a stack of two beta-hairpins similar to that found in the native protein.

Upon air oxidation, a peptide corresponding to the 30-residue N-terminal subdomain of carp granulin-1 spontaneously formed the disulfide pairing observed in the native protein. Structural characterization using NMR showed the presence of a defined secondary structure within this peptide. The chemical shifts for most of the alphaCH protons of the peptide and the protein are very similar, and the observed NOE contacts of the peptide strongly resemble those in the protein. A structure calculation of the peptide using NOE distance constraints indicates that the peptide fragment adopts the same conformation as formed within the native protein. The 30-residue N-terminal peptide of carp granulin-1 is the first example of an independently folded stack of two beta-hairpins reinforced by two interhairpin disulfide bonds. Two key areas of the structure show a clustering of hydrophobic residues that may account for its exceptional conformational stability.     

Identification and characterization of a new naringinase-producing strain, Williopsis californica Jmudeb007

A new naringinase-producing strain, Jmudeb007 was indentified by means of morphological observation, gene homogeneous analysis and physiological and biochemical test. Its characteristics in expressing naringinase were investigated by batch culture in 7 L fermentors. Jmudeb007 grown white, circular, convex, and smooth edged colonies, and single, oval-shaped and nucleus contained cells. Its gene sequences of 26S rDNA D1/D2 region and 5.8S rDNA-ITS region both showed homogeneities at 99% to Williopsis californica. It appeared positive in glucose fermentation test, negative in urease test and diazo blue B (DBB) test. Strain Jmudeb007 was identified to W. californica. Cultivation of Jmudeb007 with three media containing different amount of glucose showed it was capable of expressing naringinase which hydrolyze naringin to naringenin. The naringinase synthesis of Jmudeb007 was regulated by glucose which depended on the concentration. Jumdeb007 could express naringinase in medium containing glucose no more than 4 g/L. The present work provides a new source of naringinase, W. californica Jmudeb007, which is non-pathogenic, convenient to conduct breeding operation, easy to develop fermentation process. It is the first report about yeast that can produce naringinase, which help to explore naringinase and other glycosidase from yeast.