Protective Effect of Phosphatidylcholine on Restoration of Ethanol-Injured Hepatocytes Related with Caveolin-1

The absorption of phospholipid may improve the fluidity of membrane and enzyme activities. Phospholipids also play a role in promoting Caveolae formation and membrane synthesis. Caveolin-1 has a significant effect on signaling pathways involved in regulating cell proliferation and stress responsiveness. Thus, we can speculate that Caveolin-1 could affect the sense of environmental stress. We use Chang liver cell line to investigate the ability of Caveolin-1 to modulate the cellular response to ethanol injury. Caveolin-1 downregulate cells (Cav-1^?/?) were established by stable transfecting with psiRNA-CAV1 plasmids, which were more sensitive to toxic effects of ethanol than the untransfected parental cells (WT). Releasing of ALT and electric conductivity were changed significantly in Cav-1^?/? cells compared with WT. Caveolin-1 gene silencing could obviously down-regulate the activities of protein kinase C-α (PKC-α) and phospho-p42/44 MAP kinase, indicating cell proliferation and self-repairing abilities were inhibited. However, the levels of Caveolin-1 and PKC-α were increased by phosphatidylcholine administration. The results indicated that the inhibition of lipid peroxidation by phosphatidylcholine could lead to the prevention of membrane disruption, which closely correlated with the level of Caveolin-1. Since the protective effects of phosphatidylcholine against ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation might be regulated by phospholipid-PKC-α signaling pathway, related with Caveolin-1, the potential effects of phosphatidylcholine on membranes need to be verified.     

On the interaction of colicin E3 with the ribosome

Colicin E3 is a protein that kills Escherichia coli cells by a process that involves binding to a surface receptor, entering the cell and inactivating its protein biosynthetic machinery. Colicin E3 kills cells by a catalytic mechanism of a specific ribonucleolytic cleavage in 16S rRNA at the ribosomal decoding A-site between A1493 and G1494 (E. coli numbering system). The breaking of this single phosphodiester bond results in a complete cessation of protein biosynthesis and cell death. The inactive E517Q mutant of the catalytic domain of colicin E3 binds to 30S ribosomal subunits of Thermus thermophilus, as demonstrated by an immunoblotting assay. A model structure of the complex of the ribosomal subunit 30S and colicin E3, obtained via docking, explains the role of the catalytic residues, suggests a catalytic mechanism and provides insight into the specificity of the reaction. Furthermore, the model structure suggests that the inhibitory action of bound immunity is due to charge repulsion of this acidic protein by the negatively charged rRNA backbone     

青藏高原不同海拔高度下全缘叶绿绒蒿叶表皮特征研究

采用胶带粘取叶表皮法,利用光学显微镜观测不同海拔高度下全缘叶绿绒蒿叶片的表皮毛、气孔及表皮细胞结构特征,探讨全缘叶绿绒蒿叶表皮特征与海拔高度的关系。结果表明,随着海拔高度增加,全缘叶绿绒蒿叶片上、下表皮毛密度、气孔密度和表皮细胞密度逐渐增加;气孔器及表皮细胞的长度、宽度和面积逐渐减小;表皮细胞的形态随着海拔升高由无规则形向多边形变化,垂周壁由波状向弓形或平直变化。全缘叶绿绒蒿叶表皮结构在不同海拔高度下表现出的差异,可能是植物长期在高原生态环境下的综合反应,以结构上的变化来适应对高海拔地区的环境特点,为进一步研究高海拔地区植物的适应性提供一定依据。     

Genomic insights into the adaptation and evolution of the nautilus,an ancient but evolving “living fossil”

The nautilus, commonly known as a “living fossil,” is endangered and may be at risk of extinction. The lack of genomic information hinders a thorough understanding of its biology and evolution, which can shed light on the conservation of this endangered species. Here, we report the first high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of Nautilus pompilius. The assembled genome size comprised 785.15 Mb. Comparative genomic analyses indicated that transposable elements (TEs) and large-scale genome reorganizations may have driven lineage-specific evolution in the cephalopods. Remarkably, evolving conserved genes and recent TE insertion activities were identified in N. pompilius, and we speculate that these findings reflect the strong adaptability and long-term survival of the nautilus. We also identified gene families that are potentially responsible for specific adaptation and evolution events. Our study provides unprecedented insights into the specialized biology and evolution of N. pompilius, and the results serve as an important resource for future conservation genomics of the nautilus and closely related species.     

Akkermansia与高原牛肺水肿病相关性研究

【目的】本文通过对高原牛胃肠道菌群结构组成的分析,从微生物学角度探讨Akkermansia与高原牛肺水肿病的关系。【方法】本研究以沈阳地区健康娟姗牛为对照,以引进入拉萨半年的健康娟姗牛、拉萨本地健康黄牛以及引进入拉萨半年患肺水肿病的娟姗牛的粪便作为分析样本,采用Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术测定样本中微生物16S rRNA基因V3–V4区序列,通过比较4种粪便样本菌群组成及丰度的差异,探讨Akkermansia与高原牛肺水肿病的相关性。【结果】Verrucomicrobia中Akkermansia在拉萨本地健康黄牛的胃肠道中的含量显著高于引进入拉萨半年的健康娟姗牛,在引进入拉萨半年患肺水肿病的娟姗牛胃肠道中的含量显著高于引进入拉萨半年的健康娟姗牛。在属水平上,沈阳地区健康娟姗牛胃肠道菌群中Akkermansia丰度占比为0.07%;引进入拉萨半年的健康娟姗牛胃肠道菌群中Akkermansia丰度占比为0.09%;拉萨本地黄牛胃肠道菌群中Akkermansia丰度占比为6.62%,是优势菌属;引进入拉萨半年的患肺水肿病的娟姗牛胃肠道菌群中Akkermansia丰度占比为11.85%,且是第一优势菌属。【结论】首次从微生物学角度探讨Akkermansia与高原牛肺水肿病的关系,为将Akkermansia丰度作为诊断肺水肿病的监测指标提供参考,但具体丰度值还有待进一步研究。     

Time course of meiotic progression after transferring primary spermatocyte into ooplasm at different stages

This study attempted to investigate the time course of meiotic progression after transferring primary spermatocyte (PS) into ooplasm at different maturing stages. In present experiments, PSs were introduced into maturing ooplasts or oocytes by electrofusion. Higher fusion rate was obtained by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) agglutination than by perivitelline space (PVS) insertion. When the ooplasms prepared at 0, 2, 5, and 8.5 hr of in vitro maturation (IVM) were used as recipients and PSs were used as donors, the reconstructed cells extruded the first polar body (PB1) approximately 8.5, 7, 5.5, and 3 hr after electrofusion, respectively. Especially, when ooplasm cultured for 8.5 hr in vitro after GV removal was fused with PS, the PB1 was emitted 7-11 hr after electrofusion. Additionally, the PB1 extrusions of GV and pro-MI oocytes fertilized with PSs were 2.5 hr earlier than control oocytes. The results suggest that (1) PSs undergo the first meiosis in different time courses when introduced into ooplasm at different maturing stages; (2) GV material plays an important role in determining the timing of PB1 extrusion; and (3) first meiotic division of GV and pro-MI oocytes can be accelerated by introducing PS.     

Regulation of ICAM‐1 expression in gingival fibroblasts infected with high‐glucose‐treated P. gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major pathogen in the initiation and progression of periodontal disease, which is recognized as a common complication of diabetes. ICAM‐1 expression by human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) is crucial for regulating local inflammatory responses in inflamed periodontal tissues. However, the effect of P. gingivalis in a high‐glucose situation in regulating HGF function is not understood. The P. gingivalis strain CCUG25226 was used to study the mechanisms underlying the modulation of HGF ICAM‐1 expression by invasion of high‐glucose‐treated P. gingivalis (HGPg). A high‐glucose condition upregulated fimA mRNA expression in P. gingivalis and increased its invasion ability in HGFs. HGF invasion with HGPg induced increases in the expression of ICAM‐1. By using specific inhibitors and short hairpin RNA (shRNA), we have demonstrated that the activation of p38 MAPK and Akt pathways is critical for HGPg‐induced ICAM‐1 expression. Luciferase reporters and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays suggest that HGPg invasion increases NF‐κB‐ and Sp1‐DNA‐binding activities in HGFs. Inhibition of NF‐κB and Sp1 activations blocked the HGPg‐induced ICAM‐1 promoter activity and expression. The effect of HGPg on HGF signalling and ICAM‐1 expression is mediated by CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Our findings identify the molecular pathways underlying HGPg‐dependent ICAM‐1 expression in HGFs, providing insight into the effect of P. gingivalis invasion in HGFs.     

Study of the photodegradation of 2-chlorobenzoic acid by TiO2 and the effects of eutrophicated water on the reaction

The photodegradation of 2-chlorobenzoic acid (2-CBA) in suspensions of TiO₂ was examined under different operational parameters. The optimal condition could be obtained through the experiment, i.e. that the concentration of 2-CBA was 30 mg/L and the dosing quantity of TiO₂ was 0.01 g under UV light in the case of pH 3.5. Above reaction process was in accordance with first order kinetics model. The influence on photocatalytic degradation caused by typical anions in eutrophicated water body such as NO₃⁻ and H₂PO₄⁻ was explored in this work, which revealed that both two anions had inhibitory effect on the degradation process. In addition, alcohol was introduced into the process to identify the degradation mechanism of 2-CBA with TiO₂, and the reaction route of 2-CBA could be predicted through the analysis on the intermediate.     

澳门城市生态系统格局变化研究

澳门回归祖国近20年间,社会经济快速发展、填海造地工程加速推进、海岸带人口不断集聚,生态系统格局发生巨大变化。以2001年和2017年两期高分辨率遥感影像数据为基础,首先分析土地利用转移矩阵及重心转移状况;然后,通过粒度上推法确定最佳分析粒度,并利用移动窗口法研究澳门城市生态系统格局时空变化;最后,结合实地调研情况,对研究发现展开讨论。研究结果表明:(1)澳门城市总面积由26.19 km2增加到32.77 km2,增长率为25.12%,其中裸地和建设用地扩张显著;(2)澳门城市生态系统受人为干扰作用显著,城市景观破碎度增加、多样性降低,景观形状趋于复杂、不规则,城市生境质量存在下降风险;(3)澳门半岛和离岛各景观组分和空间构型差异性显著,优势景观分别为建设用地和有林地;(4)澳门半岛主要填海方式为离岛围填,而离岛区域则为海滨围填。