Pleiotropic effects of the twin-arginine translocation system on biofilm formation, colonization, and virulence in Vibrio cholerae

Background  

The Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) system serves to translocate folded proteins, including periplasmic enzymes that bind redox cofactors in bacteria. The Tat system is also a determinant of virulence in some pathogenic bacteria, related to pleiotropic effects including growth, motility, and the secretion of some virulent factors. The contribution of the Tat pathway to Vibrio cholerae has not been explored. Here we investigated the functionality of the Tat system in V. cholerae, the etiologic agent of cholera.     

Cell therapy for ischaemic heart disease: focus on the role of resident cardiac stem cells

Myocardial infarction results in loss of cardiomyocytes, scar formation, ventricular remodelling, and eventually heart failure. In recent years, cell therapy has emerged as a potential new strategy for patients with ischaemic heart disease. This includes embryonic and bone marrow derived stem cells. Recent clinical studies showed ostensibly conflicting results of intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow derived stem cells in patients with acute or chronic myocardial infarction. Anyway, these results have stimulated additional clinical and pre-clinical studies to further enhance the beneficial effects of stem cell therapy. Recently, the existence of cardiac stem cells that reside in the heart itself was demonstrated. Their discovery has sparked intense hope for myocardial regeneration with cells that are obtained from the heart itself and are thereby inherently programmed to reconstitute cardiac tissue. These cells can be detected by several surface markers (e.g. c-kit, Sca-1, MDR1, Isl-1). Both in vitro and in vivo differentiation into cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells has been demonstrated, and animal studies showed promising results on improvement of left ventricular function. This review will discuss current views regarding the feasibility of cardiac repair, and focus on the potential role of the resident cardiac stem and progenitor cells. (Neth Heart J 2009;17:199–207.)     

荒漠绿洲边缘不同粒径砂砾凝结水量

根据临泽荒漠绿洲边缘的凝结水观测数据,分析了砂砾粒径与凝结水形成量的关系。结果表明：粒径＜0.02 mm的粉砂凝结量最大,7—10月日平均凝结量为(0.097±0.032) mm,其次是砂壤土,日平均凝结量(0.072±0.026) mm;而粒径为5.0～2.0 mm、2.0～0.2 mm和0.2～0.02 mm的砂砾凝结量较小,日平均凝结量分别为(0.052±0.021) mm、(0.057±0.018) mm和(0.059±0.016) mm。总之,凝结量随砂砾粒径的减小而增大,同时本文还分析了旱季农田砂土覆盖对土壤水分蒸发的抑制作用。     

Isolation and molecular characterization of a new CRT binding factor gene from Capsella bursa-pastoris

A new CRT binding factor (CBF) gene designated Cbcbf25 was cloned from Capsella bursa-pastoris, a wild grass, by the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA of Cbcbf25 was 898 bp with a 669 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a putative DRE/CRT (LTRE)-binding protein of 223 amino acids. The predicted CbCBF25 protein contained a potential nuclear localization signal (NLS) in its N-terminal region followed by an AP2 DNA-binding motif and a possible acidic activation domain in the C-terminal region. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that Cbcbf25 has a high level of similarity with other CBF genes like cbf1, cbf2, and cbf3 from Arabidopsis thaliana, and Bncbf5, Bncbf7, Bncbf16, and Bncbf17 from Brassica napus. A cold acclimation assay showed that Cbcbf25 was expressed immediately after cold triggering, but this expression was transient, suggesting that it concerns cold acclimation. Our study implies that Cbcbf25 is an analogue of other CBF genes and may participate in cold-response, by for example, controlling the expression of cold-regulated genes or increasing the freezing tolerance of plants.     

播散性浅表性光线性汗孔角化症DSAP1位点的精细定位和候选基因的突变检测

播散性浅表性光线性汗孔角化症(DSAP)是一种以多个浅表的角化性皮损,边缘轻微嵴状角化性隆起为特征的少见的慢性角化性皮肤病,呈常染色体显性遗传。以往的研究将该病基因定位于12q23．2—24．1区域(DSAP1)和15q25．1-26．1区域(DSAP2)。本研究对2个无关的六代DSAP家系进行了全基因组扫描和连锁分析,结果显示,这2个DSAP家系在D12窝4位点的最高累积LOD值为8．28(θ=0．00)。单倍型分析结果显示,这2个DSAP家系致病基因位于12q24．1-q24．2(D12S330和D12S354)之间8．0cM的区域内。该区域与DSAP1的致病区域部分重叠。对重叠区域内6个候选基因(CRY1,PWP1,ASCL4,PRDM4,KIAA0789和CMKLR1)的编码区进行序列分析,在DSAP病人中未发现突变位点。提示该6个候选基因可能与这2个DSAP家系的发病机理无关。     

不同信号分子参与M胆碱能受体激动剂对不同胚胎发育阶段小鼠心肌细胞起搏电流的调控

应用全细胞膜片钳技术,研究了M胆碱能对不同孕期的胚胎小鼠心肌细胞的起搏电流(If)的调节。我们发现,在胚胎发育的早期阶段,M胆碱能受体激动剂(muscarinic agonist carbachol,CCh)明显抑制If,但在胚胎发育的晚期阶段,CCh对If的抑制作用消失。腺苷酸环化酶(adeinylate cyclase,AC)激动剂毛喉素Forskolin和非选择性磷酸二酯酶(PDE)抑制剂IBMX均可增强发育早期阶段和晚期阶段的If。但有趣的是,尽管,Forskolin和IBMX可增加基础If,它们对CCh抑制的If的作用却大不相同。在胚胎发育的早期阶段,Forskolin不能拮抗CCh对If的抑制作用,但IBMX可以。在发育的中期阶段Forskolin可以拮抗CCh的抑制作用,但IBMX不可以。因此,我们推断,CCh可能是通过调控细胞内的CAMP水平来调节If的。但是在胚胎发育的早期阶段和中期阶段,CCh可能通过不同的信号转导通路来实现对胞内cAMP的水平调控。在发育的早期阶段,CCh主要是通过增强PDE的活性,加速cAMP的降解而实现对f的调控。而在发育的中期阶段,CCh则主要通过与AC耦联,抑制其活性,通过减慢cAMP的合成而实现对If的调控。     

长江中华鲟繁殖群体资源现状的初步研究

根据1994—1998年获得的246尾标本,对中华鲟繁殖群体的性比、性腺发育成熟个体比例、年龄结构、体长和体重特征等进行了研究。并结合历史资料,对其种群资源现状进行评价,提出了相应的资源保护措施建议。     

螺旋藻多糖的药理作用研究

螺旋藻多糖（Ｐｏｌｙｓａｃｃｈａｒｉｄｅ ｏｆ Ｓｐｉｒｕｌｉｎａ）是从螺旋藻中提取的一种无毒的天然产物,具有多种生物学活性。为进一步探讨螺旋藻多糖的作用,本文以小鼠为动物模型,观察极大藻多糖对小鼠生物功能的影响。螺旋藻多糖可以提高受γ射线致死剂量照射的小鼠３０天内的存活率促进小鼠多能干细胞和造血祖细胞的增殖和分化;促进受到辐射损伤的小鼠造血系统的恢复,增强小鼠的抗辐射能力。螺旋藻多糖可以提高小鼠     

Distinct functional sites for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and stromal cell-derived factor 1alpha on CXCR4 transmembrane helical domains

The entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into the cell is initiated by the interaction of the viral surface envelope protein with two cell surface components of the target cell, CD4 and a chemokine coreceptor, usually CXCR4 or CCR5. The natural ligand of CXCR4 is stromal cell-derived factor 1alpha (SDF-1alpha). Whereas the overlap between HIV-1 and SDF-1alpha functional sites on the extracellular domains of CXCR4 has been well documented, it has yet to be determined whether there are sites in the transmembrane (TM) helices of CXCR4 important for HIV-1 and/or SDF-1alpha functions, and if such sites do exist, whether they are overlapping or distinctive for the separate functions of CXCR4. For this study, by employing alanine-scanning mutagenesis, (125)I-SDF-1alpha competition binding, Ca(2+) mobilization, and cell-cell fusion assays, we found that the mutation of many CXCR4 TM residues, including Tyr(45), His(79), Asp(97), Pro(163), Trp(252), Tyr(255), Asp(262), Glu(288), His(294), and Asn(298), could selectively decrease HIV-1-mediated cell fusion but not the binding activity of SDF-1alpha. Phe(87) and Phe(292), which were involved in SDF-1alpha binding, did not play a significant role in the coreceptor activity of CXCR4, further demonstrating the disconnection between physiological and pathological activities of CXCR4 TM domains. Our data also show that four mutations of the second extracellular loop, D182A, D187A, F189A, and P191A, could reduce HIV-1 entry without impairing either ligand binding or signaling. Taken together, our first detailed characterization of the different functional roles of CXCR4 TM domains may suggest a mechanistic basis for the discovery of new selective anti-HIV agents.