Phylogenetic analysis and antifouling potentials of culturable fungi in mangrove sediments from Techeng Isle,China

To search for more microbial resources for screening environment-friendly antifoulants, we investigated the phylogenetic diversity and antifouling potentials of culturable fungi in mangrove sediments from Techeng Isle, China. A total of 176 isolates belonging to 57 fungal taxa were recovered and identified. The high levels of diversity and abundance of mangrove fungi from Techeng Isle were in accordance with previous studies on fungi from other mangrove ecosystems. Fifteen of the 176 isolates demonstrated high divergence (87–93%) from the known fungal taxa in GenBank. Moreover, 26 isolates recorded in mangrove ecosystems for the first time. These results suggested that mangrove sediments from Techeng Isle harbored some new fungal communities compared with other mangrove ecosystems. The antifouling activity of 57 representative isolates (belonging to 57 different fungal taxa) was tested against three marine bacteria (Loktanella hongkongensis, Micrococcus luteus and Pseudoalteromonas piscida) and two marine macrofoulers (bryozoan Bugula neritina and barnacle Balanus amphitrite). Approximately 40% of the tested isolates displayed distinct antifouling activity. Furthermore, 17 fungal isolates were found to display strong or a wide spectrum of antifouling activity in this study, suggesting that these isolates deserve further study as potential sources of novel antifouling metabolites. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of the phylogenetic diversity and antifouling potential of culturable fungi in mangrove sediments from Techeng Isle, China. These results contribute to our knowledge of mangrove fungi and further increases the pool of fungi available for natural bioactive product screening.     

A microfluidic cell array with individually addressable culture chambers

Microfluidic arrays of living cells have raised a lot of interests recently due to their potential for high throughput screening of cell-based assays. This report presents a microfluidic cell array with individually addressable chambers controlled by pneumatic valves for cell culture and treatment. There are two modes for the cell array to be operated. In the first mode, different groups of cells are directed into designated chambers for culturing and observation. We demonstrate the delivery and culture of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expressing and nonfluorescent Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells into specific chambers in the array. In the second mode, the chambers are first seeded with the same cell type and different reagents are delivered to specific chambers for cell treatment. We treat cells in designated chambers with Calcein AM and CellTrace calcein red-orange AM to demonstrate the principle. We envision that this microfluidic cell array technology will pave the way to automated high-throughput screening of biomolecules and drugs based on observing cellular phenotypes and responses.     

Systematic functional analysis of calcium-signalling proteins in the genome of the rice-blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, using a high-throughput RNA-silencing system

We developed an RNA-silencing vector, pSilent-Dual1 (pSD1), with a convergent dual promoter system that provides a high-throughput platform for functional genomics research in filamentous fungi. In the pSD1 system, the target gene was designed to be transcribed as a chimeric RNA with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) RNA. This enabled us to efficiently screen the resulting transformants using GFP fluorescence as an indicator of gene silencing. A model study with the eGFP gene showed that pSD1-based vectors induced gene silencing via the RNAi pathway with slightly lower efficiency than did hairpin eGFP RNA-expressing vectors. To demonstrate the applicability of the pSD1 system for elucidating gene function in the rice-blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae , 37 calcium signalling-related genes that include almost all known calcium-signalling proteins in the genome were targeted for gene silencing by the vector. Phenotypic analyses of the silenced transformants showed that at least 26, 35 and 15 of the 37 genes examined were involved in hyphal growth, sporulation and pathogenicity, respectively, in M. oryzae. These included several novel findings such as that Pmc1 -, Spf1 - and Neo1 -like Ca²⁺ pumps, calreticulin and calpactin heavy chain were essential for fungal pathogenicity.     

GST融合蛋白在杆状病毒系统中表达的可溶性研究

将构建好的可表达ＧＳＴ融合蛋白的重组病毒ＡｃＭＮＰＶ－ＯＣＣ＾－－ＧＳＴ－６ｘＨｉｓ－Ｅｔｐ２８感染Ｓｆ９细胞,一定时间后取感染了病毒的细胞裂解物上清液进行ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ分析,结果显示５３ｋＤａ的融合蛋白（ＧＳＴ－６ｘＨｉｓ－Ｅｔｐ２８）呈不溶状态。在原有裂解液的基础上,加固体十二烷基肌氨酸钠致终浓度１．５％,并将Ｔｒｉｔｏｎ Ｘ－１００的比例由１％提高到２％。ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ结果显示至少有１／     

BIIB021, a novel Hsp90 inhibitor,sensitizes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to radiation

BIIB021 is a novel, orally available inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) that is currently in phase I/II clinical trials. BIIB021 induces the apoptosis of various types of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of BIIB021 on the radiosensitivity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The results indicated that BIIB021 exhibited strong antitumor activity in ESCC cell lines, either as a single agent or in combination with radiation. BIIB021 significantly downregulated radioresistant proteins including EGFR, Akt, Raf-1 of ESCC cell lines, increased apoptotic cells and enhanced G₂ arrest that is more radiosensitive cell cycle phase. These results suggest that this synthetic Hsp90 inhibitor simultaneously affects multiple pathways involved in tumor development and progression in the ESCC setting and may represent a better strategy for the treatment of ESCC patients, either as a monotherapy or a radiosensitizer.     

青岛出土颅骨某些径的测量

对国人颅骨径的测量已不少见,但多为依据骨骼人类学性别特征进行性别鉴定、或未经性别鉴定的材料,而对已知生前性别者的测量并不甚多,为了积累国人体质材料,并为人类学、解剖学及法医学等研究提供参考依据,我们按《人体骨骼测量方法》（吴汝康等,1965）和《人体测量手册》（邵象清,1985）等所列标准为主要依据,对青岛出土、已知性别（据墓碑记载）、多为汉族、较完整的312例（男154,女158）成人颅骨进行了十四项径的直线测量,对所测数据进行了统计学处理和性别差异检验。现将主要结果列于上页表。     

稀土元素对生物机体剂量效应机理的研究

综述了稀土元素对生物机体剂量效应的机理,从稀土对细胞质膜、细胞周期及细胞凋亡、CaM水平调节的作用到对蛋白质、DNA的影响等不同层次和水平进行了探讨,以期为稀土在生物学领域的进一步广泛应用奠定理论基础.     

双歧杆菌及其WPG对S180荷瘤小鼠免疫调节和抑瘤的作用研究

目的 通过观察双歧杆菌及其细胞壁肽多糖（Cell Wall Preparation,whole peptidoglycon,WPG)对S180荷瘤小鼠抑瘤作用及在体内外对IL－6和TNF－α生态的影响,探讨双歧杆菌及其WOG的免疫调节和抑瘤作用机制。方法 采用经驯化而具有一定耐氧能力的两歧双歧杆菌C149株及其WPG腹腔免疫S180荷瘤小鼠,应用放射免疫检测小鼠外周血中的IL－6和TNF－α的含量,同时在体外观察小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞产生IL－6和TNF－α的影响。结果 双歧杆菌及其WPG在体内外对IL－6和TNF－α的生成有明显的促进作用,对S180荷瘤小鼠均有明显抑瘤作用。结论 双歧杆菌及其WPG可能通过刺激小鼠的巨噬细胞产生一些免疫活性因子而间接发挥抑瘤作用。     

被孢霉cDNA文库的构建及△９脂肪酸脱饱和酶cDNA序列的筛选

为了克隆被孢霉不饱和脂肪酸生物合成途径的相关酶基因,构建了基于λgt10的被孢霉cDNA文库。cDNA文库库容量为2×１０.６pfu。以已克隆的被孢霉△９脂肪酸脱饱和酶保守区cDNA为探针对被孢霉cDNA文库进行筛选。经过两轮筛选获得1个阳性克隆,其插入片段长度大于16kb。     

Ablation of Ggnbp2 impairs meiotic DNA double‐strand break repair during spermatogenesis in mice

Gametogenetin (GGN) binding protein 2 (GGNBP2) is a zinc finger protein expressed abundantly in spermatocytes and spermatids. We previously discovered that Ggnbp2 resection caused metamorphotic defects during spermatid differentiation and resulted in an absence of mature spermatozoa in mice. However, whether GGNBP2 affects meiotic progression of spermatocytes remains to be established. In this study, flow cytometric analyses showed a decrease in haploid, while an increase in tetraploid spermatogenic cells in both 30‐ and 60‐day‐old Ggnbp2 knockout testes. In spread spermatocyte nuclei, Ggnbp2 loss increased DNA double‐strand breaks (DSB), compromised DSB repair and reduced crossovers. Further investigations demonstrated that GGNBP2 co‐immunoprecipitated with a testis‐enriched protein GGN1. Immunofluorescent staining revealed that both GGNBP2 and GGN1 had the same subcellular localizations in spermatocyte, spermatid and spermatozoa. Ggnbp2 loss suppressed Ggn expression and nuclear accumulation. Furthermore, deletion of either Ggnbp2 or Ggn in GC‐2spd cells inhibited their differentiation into haploid cells in vitro. Overexpression of Ggnbp2 in Ggnbp2 null but not in Ggn null GC‐2spd cells partially rescued the defect coinciding with a restoration of Ggn expression. Together, these data suggest that GGNBP2, likely mediated by its interaction with GGN1, plays a role in DSB repair during meiotic progression of spermatocytes.