Simazine application inhibits nitrification and changes the ammonia-oxidizing bacterial communities in a fertilized agricultural soil

s-Triazine herbicides are widely used for weed control, and are persistent in soils. Nitrification is an essential process in the global nitrogen cycle in soil, and involves ammonia-oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing Archaea (AOA). In this study, we evaluated the effect of the s-triazine herbicide simazine on the nitrification and on the structure of ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities in a fertilized agricultural soil. The effect of simazine on AOB and AOA were studied by PCR-amplification of amoA genes of nitrifying Bacteria and Archaea in soil microcosms and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses. Simazine [50?μg g(-1) dry weight soil (d.w.s)] completely inhibited the nitrification processes in the fertilized agricultural soil. The inhibition by simazine of ammonia oxidation observed was similar to the reduction of ammonia oxidation by the nitrification inhibitor acetylene. The application of simazine-affected AOB community DGGE patterns in the agricultural soil amended with ammonium, whereas no significant changes in the AOA community were observed. The DGGE analyses strongly suggest that simazine inhibited Nitrosobacteria and specifically Nitrosospira species. In conclusion, our results suggest that the s-triazine herbicide not only inhibits the target susceptible plants but also inhibits the ammonia oxidation and the AOB in fertilized soils.     

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of spruce budworm antifreeze protein.

Antifreeze proteins have the ability to bind to ice with high affinity and inhibit further crystal growth. The insect antifreeze protein from spruce budworm exhibits very high thermal hysteresis activity and is implicated in the protection of overwintering larvae from freezing. This protein has been crystallized in 20-25% polyethylene glycol (Mr 6000), 0.4 M NaCl, 0.1 M Tris-HCl, pH 8.5, by vapor diffusion using the hanging drop method. The resulting crystals are very thin (typically <0.01 mm in the shortest dimension), and only after repeated seeding could crystals be grown large enough for data collection using synchrotron radiation. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group C2, with cell dimensions a = 82.28 A, b = 62.29 A, c = 63.63 A, and beta = 113.7 degrees. Molecules in the asymmetric unit are related by a twofold axis of symmetry with two molecules present. Native data to a resolution of 2.6 A have been collected with 90.3% completeness and a Rsym of 6.9%.     

植物防御反应中活性氧的产生和作用

活性氧在植物抗病性中起着重要的作用。本文将对其在防御反应中的产生和作用进行简要的论述。     

Overexpression of fucosyltransferase IV in A431 cell line increases cell proliferation

Fucosyltransferase IV is an essential enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of fucosylated oligosaccharides by transferring GDP-fucose to the terminal N-acetylglucosamine with the alpha1,3-linkage. Lewis Y oligosaccharide has a terminal alpha1,3-linked fucose residue and elevation of Lewis Y level is seen in many epithelial cancers. The mechanism of Lewis Y elevation in neoplastic cells is still largely unknown. To study the impact of fucosyltransferase IV on Lewis Y expression and its role on neoplastic cell proliferation, a pEGFP-N1-FUT4 recombinant plasmid was developed and stably transfected into A431 cells. We found that fucosyltransferase IV overexpression promoted cell proliferation and increased the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen that correlated with Lewis Y augmentation. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that fucosyltransferase IV overexpression facilitated cell cycle progression. In conclusion, fucosyltransferase IV overexpression augments Lewis Y expression to trigger neoplastic cell proliferation. These studies suggest that fucosyltransferase IV may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of Lewis Y-positive epithelial cancers.     

准噶尔盆地荒漠灌丛对融雪水空间分布的反馈初探

温带荒漠的积雪沿灌丛始融,并以灌丛为中心形成融雪漏斗,导致融雪水向灌丛基部汇集。观测资料表明:通过灌丛对融雪水分布的反馈,使灌丛周围的沙层含水量明显增加,为裸沙区的152.1-228.9％,从而提高融雪水的利用率并改善灌丛自身的供水条件,对荒漠植被的分布格局亦起一定影响。     

妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症发生的分子机制研究进展

妊娠肝内胆汁淤积症（Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, ICP）是发生在妊娠中晚期,以皮肤瘙瘁、黄疸、血清胆汁酸升高,伴轻度肝功能损害为特征的妊娠并发症,严重影响母儿健康。ICP的发病机制尚未完全阐明,但有研究表明在遗传易感性妇女中,性激素及其代谢产物导致胆汁酸代谢异常与本病的发生密切相关。现就目前国内外有关ICP发病机制的研究进展做一综述,一方面为探寻更深层次的机制提供理论基础,另一方面为临床治疗ICP提供思路和方法。     

ELK-1/JNK/c-Fos对左归降糖解郁方(ZGJTJYF)体外培养的模拟糖尿病并发抑郁症(DD)大鼠海马神经元凋亡中的作用

目的:研究信号通路ELK-1/JNK/c-Fos在左归降糖解郁方(ZGJTJYF)对模拟糖尿病并发抑郁症(DD)环境下抗海马神经元凋亡中的作用。方法:原代培养海马神经元,加入高糖(150 mmol/L)+皮质酮(200μmol/L),构建DD体外细胞模型;将培养的海马神经元细胞随机分为5组:空白血清组、正常组、左归降糖解郁方含药血清组、阳性药(二甲双胍+氟西汀)含药血清组和模型组(每组3个复孔)。模型组和正常组给予等量培养液,其余组加入相应体积分数10%的相应血清,均干预18 h。分别采用Hoechst染色、高内涵细胞成像分析技术和RT-PCR技术分别检测海马神经元凋亡情况及检测凋亡相关ELK-1、JNK和c-Fos蛋白和基因的表达。结果:与空白组比较,模型组细胞凋亡明显,其海马神经元凋亡数量明显增多,ELK-1、JNK和c-Fos的mRNA及蛋白表达水平均显著升高(P<0.05);与模型组比较,左归降糖解郁方含药血清组和阳性药含药血清组大鼠海马神经元可见局部亮点明显减少,凋亡细胞数显著减少,ELK-1、JNK和c-Fos蛋白及mRNA表达均明显下调(P<0.05),且神经网络及树突连接情况得到明显改善。结论:左归降糖解郁方可以减低DD环境下海马神经元中Elk-1、JNK、c-fos表达而起到抗凋亡的效果。     

Quantitative determination of helicid in rat biosamples by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A simple liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS) method with highly improved sensitivities for the determination of helicid in rat bile, urine, feces and most tissues was developed. The tissues and feces were firstly homogenized mechanically using deionized water as the media. Bile, urine, tissues and feces homogenates were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction with n-butyl alcohol for sample preparation. The subsequent analysis procedures were performed on a Shimadzu LCMS2010A system (electrospray ionization single quadrupole mass analyzer). A Luna C₁₈ column (150 mm × 2.00 mm, 5 μm) was used as the analytical column, while a mixture of acetonitrile and ammonium chloride water solution was used as the mobile phase. The proportions of mobile phase were changed timely according to gradient programs. Chlorinated adducts of molecular ions [M+Cl]^? at m/z 319.00 and 363.05 were used to quantify helicid and bergeninum (internal standard), respectively. The method was validated to be accurate, precise and rugged with good linearity. The proposed method was successfully applied to the preclinical tissue distribution and excretion studies of helicid in rats.     

Neuroprotective and nootropic drug noopept rescues α-synuclein amyloid cytotoxicity

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by α-synuclein (α-Syn)-containing Lewy body formation and selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. We have demonstrated the modulating effect of noopept, a novel proline-containing dipeptide drug with nootropic and neuroprotective properties, on α-Syn oligomerization and fibrillation by using thioflavin T fluorescence, far-UV CD, and atomic force microscopy techniques. Noopept does not bind to a sterically specific site in the α-Syn molecule as revealed by heteronuclear two-dimensional NMR analysis, but due to hydrophobic interactions with toxic amyloid oligomers, it prompts their rapid sequestration into larger fibrillar amyloid aggregates. Consequently, this process rescues the cytotoxic effect of amyloid oligomers on neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells as demonstrated by using cell viability assays and fluorescent staining of apoptotic and necrotic cells and by assessing the level of intracellular oxidative stress. The mitigating effect of noopept against amyloid oligomeric cytotoxicity may offer additional benefits to the already well-established therapeutic functions of this new pharmaceutical.