Electrochemical biosensor for the detection of cauliflower mosaic virus 35 S gene sequences using lead sulfide nanoparticles as oligonucleotide labels

Lead sulfide (PbS) nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution and used as oligonucleotide labels for electrochemical detection of the 35 S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) sequence. The PbS nanoparticles were modified with mercaptoacetic acid and could easily be linked with CaMV 35 S oligonucleotide probe. Target DNA sequences were covalently linked on a mercaptoacetic acid self-assembled gold electrode, and DNA hybridization of target DNA with probe DNA was completed on the electrode surface. PbS nanoparticles anchored on the hybrids were dissolved in the solution by oxidation of HNO₃ and detected using a sensitive differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric method. The detection results can be used to monitor the hybridization reaction. The CaMV 35 S target sequence was satisfactorily detected with the detection limit as 4.38 × 10⁻¹² mol/L (3σ). The established method extends nanoparticle-labeled electrochemical DNA analysis to specific sequences from genetically modified organisms with higher sensitivity and selectivity.     

Activation of STAT6 by STING is critical for antiviral innate immunity

STAT6 plays a prominent role in adaptive immunity by transducing signals from extracellular cytokines. We now show that STAT6 is required for innate immune signaling in response to virus infection. Viruses or cytoplasmic nucleic acids trigger STING (also named MITA/ERIS) to recruit STAT6 to the endoplasmic reticulum, leading to STAT6 phosphorylation on Ser(407) by TBK1 and Tyr(641), independent of JAKs. Phosphorylated STAT6 then dimerizes and translocates to the nucleus to induce specific target genes responsible for immune cell homing. Virus-induced STAT6 activation is detected in all cell-types tested, in contrast to the cell-type specific role of STAT6 in cytokine signaling, and Stat6(-/-) mice are susceptible to virus infection. Thus, STAT6 mediates immune signaling in response to both cytokines at the plasma membrane, and virus infection at the endoplasmic reticulum.     

The roles of autophagy in development and stress responses in Arabidopsis thaliana

Autophagy is a dynamic process that involves the recycling process of the degradation of intracellular materials. Over the past decade, our molecular and physiological understanding of plant autophagy has greatly been increased. Most essential autophagic machineries are conserved from yeast to plants. The roles that autophagy-related genes (ATGs) family play in the lifecycle of the Arabidopsis are proved to be similar to that in mammal. Autophagy is activated during certain stages of development, senescence or in response to starvation, or environmental stress in Arabidopsis. In the progression of autophagy, ATGs act as central signaling regulators and could develop sophisticated mechanisms to survive when plants are suffering unfavorable environments. It will facilitate further understanding of the molecular mechanisms of autophagy in plant. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in our understanding of autophagy in Arabidopsis, areas of controversy, and highlight potential future directions in autophagy research.     

P63和TTF-1在肺癌组织中的表达及意义

目的研究P63和TTF-1在肺癌各种类型组织中的表达及其意义。方法随机收集原发性肺癌组织标本53例（其中鳞癌16例,腺癌16例,小细胞癌14例,大细胞癌7例,均为中低分化程度癌组织）,采用免疫组织化学S-P法分别检测P63蛋白和TTF-1蛋白在各种类型肺癌组织中的表达并结合二者表达的结果进行分析。结果二者的表达在肺癌细胞中定位于细胞核,呈棕黄色。在肺鳞癌、肺腺癌、肺小细胞癌和肺大细胞癌中,P63的阳性表达率分别为93.8%（15/16）、37.5%（6/16）、21.4%（3/14）、28.6%（2/7）;TTF-1的阳性表达率分别为18.8%（3/16）、75%（12/16）、78.6%（11/14）、0%（0/7）。结论①P63在肺鳞癌中的表达水平较高,可以作为鉴别低分化鳞癌与低分化腺癌,小细胞癌的指标;②TTF-1在低分化腺癌和小细胞癌中的表达水平较高,对于肺癌组织类型和非癌组织的鉴别具有一定意义;③根据P63和TTF-1在肺癌组织的特异性表达,将二者联合起来有助于对低分化鳞癌和低分化腺癌以及低分化鳞癌和小细胞癌的鉴别诊断。     

纯化膜蛋白质复合体Cytb6f的新方法

建立了纯化光合膜蛋白质复合体Ｃｙｔｂ６ｆ的新方法。与现有方法相比,新方法简单明了,只包括透析离心和用硫酸铵分级沉淀两个步骤,而且适于大批量制备。按此方法从菠菜叶绿体分离纯化的制剂含９．８ｎｍｏｌＣｙｔｆ·ｍｇ－１;ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ显示４条主要区带及１条低分子量区带,背景干净;Ｃｙｔｂ６（ｂ型血红素）∶Ｃｙｔｆ＝２∶１（ｍｏｌ∶ｍｏｌ）,Ｃｈｌａ∶Ｃｙｔｆ＝１∶１（ｍｏｌ∶ｍｏｌ）;酶活性（ＰＱ２Ｈ２→Ｃｙｔｃ）８０μｍｏｌＣｙｔｃ·ｎｍｏｌＣｙｔｆ－１·ｈ－１左右;产率可达３８％。     

Intragenic spatial patterns of codon usage bias in prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes

To study the roles of translational accuracy, translational efficiency, and the Hill-Robertson effect in codon usage bias, we studied the intragenic spatial distribution of synonymous codon usage bias in four prokaryotic (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Sulfolobus tokodaii, and Thermotoga maritima) and two eukaryotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Drosophila melanogaster) genomes. We generated supersequences at each codon position across genes in a genome and computed the overall bias at each codon position. By quantitatively evaluating the trend of spatial patterns using isotonic regression, we show that in yeast and prokaryotic genomes, codon usage bias increases along translational direction, which is consistent with purifying selection against nonsense errors. Fruit fly genes show a nearly symmetric M-shaped spatial pattern of codon usage bias, with less bias in the middle and both ends. The low codon usage bias in the middle region is best explained by interference (the Hill-Robertson effect) between selections at different codon positions. In both yeast and fruit fly, spatial patterns of codon usage bias are characteristically different from patterns of GC-content variations. Effect of expression level on the strength of codon usage bias is more conspicuous than its effect on the shape of the spatial distribution.     

Preliminary results on nematicidal activity from culture filtrates of Basidiomycetes against the pine wood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Aphelenchoididae)

One hundred and eighty one fungal species that were isolated from the fresh fruiting bodies collected in the Mountains of Pu Er County of Yunnan Province, China were tested on the pine wood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in vitro. Each fungal species was grown in Czapek broth and potato dextrose broth (PDB). Fifteen filtrates fromAmauroderma austrosinense, Amauroderma macer, Filoboletus sp.,Laccaria tortilis, Lactarius gerardii, Lentinula edodes, Oudemansiella longipes, Oudemansiella mucida, Peziza sp.,Pleurotus sp.,Sinotermitomyces carnosus (two strains),Strobilomyces floccopus, Termitomyces albuminosus, Tylopilus striatulus grown on PDB were found to be pathogenic to the tested nematodes. Eleven filtrates fromAmanita junguillea, Amanita sp.,Daedalea sepiaria, Fistulina hepatica, Omphalotus olearius, Oudemansiella mucida, Peziza sp.,Pleurotus pulmatus, Ramaria sp.,Tricholoma conglobatum, Tylopilus striatulus grown on Czapek broth were also pathogenic to the nematodes. When screening for nematicidal potential of fungi, it is important to study the growth medium conditions necessary to obtain the optimal nematicidal effect as fungal filtrates growing on different liquid media showed a very inconsistent toxicity towards nematodes.     

Rapamycin attenuates BAFF‐extended proliferation and survival via disruption of mTORC1/2 signaling in normal and neoplastic B‐lymphoid cells

B cell activating factor from the TNF family (BAFF) stimulates B‐cell proliferation and survival, but excessive BAFF promotes the development of aggressive B cells leading to malignant and autoimmune diseases. Recently, we have reported that rapamycin, a macrocyclic lactone, attenuates human soluble BAFF (hsBAFF)‐stimulated B‐cell proliferation/survival by suppressing mTOR‐mediated PP2A‐Erk1/2 signaling pathway. Here, we show that the inhibitory effect of rapamycin on hsBAFF‐promoted B cell proliferation/survival is also related to blocking hsBAFF‐stimulated phosphorylation of Akt, S6K1, and 4E‐BP1, as well as expression of survivin in normal and B‐lymphoid (Raji and Daudi) cells. It appeared that both mTORC1 and mTORC2 were involved in the inhibitory activity of rapamycin, as silencing raptor or rictor enhanced rapamycin's suppression of hsBAFF‐induced survivin expression and proliferation/viability in B cells. Also, PP242, an mTORC1/2 kinase inhibitor, repressed survivin expression, and cell proliferation/viability more potently than rapamycin (mTORC1 inhibitor) in B cells in response to hsBAFF. Of interest, ectopic expression of constitutively active Akt (myr‐Akt) or constitutively active S6K1 (S6K1‐ca), or downregulation of 4E‐BP1 conferred resistance to rapamycin's attenuation of hsBAFF‐induced survivin expression and B‐cell proliferation/viability, whereas overexpression of dominant negative Akt (dn‐Akt) or constitutively hypophosphorylated 4E‐BP1 (4EBP1‐5A), or downregulation of S6K1, or co‐treatment with Akt inhibitor potentiated the inhibitory effects of rapamycin. The findings indicate that rapamycin attenuates excessive hsBAFF‐induced cell proliferation/survival via blocking mTORC1/2 signaling in normal and neoplastic B‐lymphoid cells. Our data underscore that rapamycin may be a potential agent for preventing excessive BAFF‐evoked aggressive B‐cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases.     

芽孢杆菌B3的鉴定及其对常见污染真菌的拮抗作用

从平菇废弃培养料中分离获得一株细菌B3,通过对其进行形态学、培养特征比较研究和16SrDNA序列分析,鉴定为解淀粉芽孢杆菌(Bacillus amyloliquefaciens)。在与常见的三种食用菌污染真菌脉孢菌(Neurospora sp.)、木霉(Trichoderma sp.)及鬼伞(Coprinus sp.)分别进行对峙培养时,都有明显的抑菌作用,形成的抑菌带分别为0.38cm、0.57cm及0.56cm,而与平菇(Pleurotus ostreatus)、鸡腿菇(Coprinus comatus)及草菇(Volvariella volvacea)分别进行对峙培养时,除对草菇有明显的抑制作用外,对平菇和鸡腿菇的抑制作用很小。在混接B3菌株麸皮菌剂栽培料培养基上,B3菌株对三种污染真菌的抑制作用都很明显;可抑制木霉分生孢子形成、脉孢菌分生孢子萌发及鬼伞菌丝扩展;但不抑制平菇菌丝的生长。     

Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone protects retinal pigment epithelium cells from oxidative stress through activation of melanocortin 1 receptor–Akt–mTOR signaling

Patients with age related macular degeneration (AMD) will develop vision loss in the center of the visual field. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell apoptosis is an important contributor of AMD. In this study, we explored the pro-survival effect of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) on oxidative stressed RPE cells. We found that α-MSH receptor melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) was functionally expressed in primary and transformed RPE cells. RPE cells were response to α-MSH stimulation. α-MSH activated Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Erk1/2 signalings in RPE cells, which were inhibited by MC1R siRNA knockdown. α-MSH protected RPE cells from hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis, an effect that was almost abolished when MC1R was depleted by siRNA. α-MSH-mediated S6K1 activation and pro-survival effect against H₂O₂ was inhibited by Akt inhibitors (perifosine, MK-2206 and LY294002). Further, mTOR inhibition by rapamycin, or by mTOR siRNA knockdown, diminished α-MSH’s pro-survival effect in RPE cells. Thus, Akt and its downstream mTOR signaling mediates α-MSH-induced survival in RPE cells. In summary, we have identified a new α-MSH–MC1R physiologic pathway that reduces H₂O₂-induced RPE cell damage, and might minimize the risk of developing AMD.