川楝子中两个新的苯丙三醇甙

从川楝子（fruitsofMeliatoosendanSieb．etZucc．）的水溶性成分中分离出两个新的苯丙三醇甙：川楝甙A（3-甲氧基-5-羟基-9－（1’-O-β-D-葡萄糖）-苏式-苯丙三醇）和川楝甙B（4-羟基-7,8-（2’,1’－O－β-D-葡萄糖）-苯丙三醇）;同时首次分离出苏式-愈创木基甘油。通过波谱解析和化学方法确定了它们的结构。     

FramePlot: a new implementation of the Frame analysis for predicting protein-coding regions in bacterial DNA with a high G+C content

FramePlot is a web-based tool for predicting protein-coding regions in bacterial DNA with a high G + C content, such as Streptomyces. The graphical output provides for easy distinction of protein-coding regions from non-coding regions. The plot is a clickable map. Clicking on an ORF provides not only the nucleotide sequence but also its deduced amino acid sequence. These sequences can then be compared to the NCBI sequence database over the Internet. The program is freely available for academic purposes at http://www.nih.go.jp/jun/cgi-bin/frameplot.pl.     

Serum‐free medium with osteogenic supplements induces adipogenesis in rat bone marrow stromal cells

Adult BMSCs (bone marrow stromal cells) contain MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells). MSCs can differentiate into osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes and myoblasts and are thus considered useful in tissue engineering for therapeutic and clinical purposes. FCS (fetal calf serum) is usually included in the differentiation medium, but the clinical application of FCS may pose a problem for some patients. To improve the efficiency and safety of BMSC cultivation, the effect of SF (serum‐free) conditions on the osteogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs was examined. In the presence of 10% FCS and osteogenic supplements, the cells formed mineralized von Kossa‐positive deposits. Under SF conditions with osteogenic supplementation, however, the cells possessed cytosolic lipid vacuoles that could be stained with Oil Red O. The mRNA expression of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ), an adipogenic marker, increased under the SF condition with osteogenic supplements. These data indicate that rat BMSCs differentiate into adipocytes under SF conditions even with osteogenic supplementation and that FCS is needed to induce proper osteogenic differentiation in rat BMSCs.     

Selenite and ebselen supplementation attenuates <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-galactose-induced oxidative stress and increases expression of SELR and SEP15 in rat lens

Selenite and ebselen supplementation has been shown to possess anti-cataract potential in some experimental animal models of cataract, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The present study was designed to evaluate the anti-cataract effects and the underlying mechanisms of selenite and ebselen supplementation on galactose induced cataract in rats, a common animal model of sugar cataract. Transmission electron microscopy images of lens fiber cells (LFC) and lens epithelial cells (LEC) were observed in d-galactose-induced experimental cataractous rats treated with or without selenite and ebselen, also redox homeostasis and expression of proteins such as selenoprotein R (SELR), 15kD selenoprotein (SEP15), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), catalase (CAT), β-crystallin protein, aldose reductase (AR) and glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) were estimated in the lenses. The results showed that d-galactose injection injured rat lens and resulted in cataract formation; however, selenite and ebselen supplementation markedly alleviated ultrastructural injury of LFC and LEC. Moreover, selenite and ebselen supplementation could mitigate the oxidative damage in rat lens and increase the protein expressions of SELR, SEP15, SOD1, CAT and β-crystallin, as well as decrease the protein expressions of AR and GRP78. Taken together, these findings for the first time reveal the anti-cataract potential of selenite and ebselen in galactosemic cataract, and provide important new insights into the anti-cataract mechanisms of selenite and ebselen in sugar cataract.     

The Ras GTPase-activating-like protein IQGAP1 is downregulated in human diabetic nephropathy and associated with ERK1/2 pathway activation

Podocyte injury may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN), but the underlying mechanism of hyperglycemia induced podocyte damage is not fully understood. The Ras GTPase-activating-like protein IQGAP1 is associated to the slit diaphragm proteins and the actin cytoskeleton in podocyte. Here, we studied IQGAP1 expression alterations in human DN biopsies and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent pathways of IQGAP1 expression in podocyte under high glucose (HG) media. In vivo, analysis of renal biopsies from patients with DN revealed a significant reduction in IQGAP1 expression compared to controls. In vitro, IQGAP1 mRNA and protein expression were observed to decline under HG media at 48 h. But phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was activated under HG media at 24 h and 48 h. However, HG-induced downregulation of IQGAP1 protein was attenuated by specific ERK1/2 activation inhibitor PD98059. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of IQGAP1 in DN, and suggest that IQGAP1 expression in podocyte under HG media is modulated by the ERK1/2 pathway, which may lead to the future development of therapies targeting IQGAP1 dysfunction in podocytes in DN.     

The Drosophila caspase Ice is important for many apoptotic cell deaths and for spermatid individualization, a nonapoptotic process

Caspase family proteases play important roles in the regulation of apoptotic cell death. Initiator caspases are activated in response to death stimuli, and they transduce and amplify these signals by cleaving and thereby activating effector caspases. In Drosophila, the initiator caspase Nc (previously Dronc) cleaves and activates two short-prodomain caspases, Dcp-1 and Ice (previously Drice), suggesting these as candidate effectors of Nc killing activity. dcp-1-null mutants are healthy and possess few defects in normally occurring cell death. To explore roles for Ice in cell death, we generated and characterized an Ice null mutant. Animals lacking Ice show a number of defects in cell death, including those that occur during embryonic development, as well as during formation of adult eyes, arista and wings. Ice mutants exhibit subtle defects in the destruction of larval tissues, and do not prevent destruction of salivary glands during metamorphosis. Cells from Ice animals are also markedly resistant to several stresses, including X-irradiation and inhibition of protein synthesis. Mutations in Ice also suppress cell death that is induced by expression of Rpr, Wrinkled (previously Hid) and Grim. These observations demonstrate that Ice plays an important non-redundant role as a cell death effector. Finally, we demonstrate that Ice participates in, but is not absolutely required for, the non-apoptotic process of spermatid differentiation.     

武汉桂子山地区冬季鸟类群落结构及多样性研究

2005年11月～2006年3月,对武汉桂子山地区冬季鸟类群落进行了调查,共记录鸟类44种,隶属10目22科。有国家Ⅱ级保护鸟类2种,湖北省重点保护鸟类16种;留鸟32种,冬候鸟11种,旅鸟1种,留鸟构成了冬季鸟类的主体;该地区冬季鸟类密度为4．30只／hm^2,物种多样性指数为2．6477,均匀性指数为0．6997。居民点、乔灌林、绿地和水域生境中,乔灌林鸟类多样性最高,数量最多。     

TaqMan-MGB探针检测文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种实时荧光定量PCR方法的建立及应用

【目的】应用TaqMan-MGB探针技术,建立具有种水平特异性、高敏感性的荧光定量PCR方法,用于快速检测文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种。【方法】在序列特异性扩增区标记(Sequence characterized amplifiedregion,SCAR)技术基础上,依据文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种一段特有的基因序列设计探针和引物,分别优化扩增反应的退火温度、探针和引物的反应浓度;分析此方法的特异性、敏感性及重复性;绘制标准曲线,评估PCR反应的扩增效率和稳定性。【结果】本研究设计的TaqMan-MGB探针具有种水平特异性;最低检出限为每个PCR反应11个拷贝;组内和组间的变异系数CV值分别为0.12%-0.70%和0.14%-0.55%,在允许范围内;标准曲线线性关系良好(R2=1),扩增效率高(E=104.7%)。【结论】本研究建立的基于TaqMan-MGB探针技术的荧光定量PCR方法能够在种水平特异性、高灵敏度检出文森巴尔通体博格霍夫亚种,为这种巴尔通体所引起的一系列疾病的早期快速诊断、监测和流行病学调查等研究提供有效手段。