Preheat treatment for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Hsp16.3: correlation between a structural phase change at 60 degrees C and a dramatic increase in chaperone-like activity.

The in vitro chaperone-like activity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis small heat shock protein Hsp16.3 was found to be dramatically enhanced to the same extent after preheat treatment at or over 60 degrees C. Structural analysis using gel filtration, native pore-gradient PAGE, nondenaturing PAGE, and far-UV CD spectroscopy consistently revealed no significant difference between the native and the preheated Hsp16.3 proteins. However, near-UV CD spectroscopy clearly demonstrated that the tertiary structure of preheated Hsp16.3 is quite similar to its native conformation, with a minor but significant difference. Further analysis using differential scanning calorimetry indicated that Hsp16.3 exhibited a structural transition near 60 degrees C. All these results together indicate that Hsp16.3 suffers a phase change at approximately 60 degrees C, which seem to remove a structural energy barrier for the protein to refold to a conformational status with increased chaperone-like activity.     

鲩鱼Ctenopharyngodon idellus鱼种生长阶段蛋白质最适需要量的研究

采用蛋白质梯度饲养法,进行了三期试验。试验饲料分别以酪蛋白和鱼肉蛋白为蛋白源,饲料蛋白质含量范围为0.44-50.16%,在水温26-30.5℃条件下,研究了鲩鱼鱼种生长阶段(平均体重2.4-8.0克)在日投喂量占体重5-9%情况下,饲料蛋白质最适需要量,经采用直线回归和抛物线回归计算确定为22.77-27.66%。鲩鱼对饲料蛋白质利用率,随饲料蛋白质含量增高而下降,成负的直线相关关系:Y=29.2786-0.5296X。在蛋白质最适需要量范围,鲩鱼对蛋白质利用率波动于14.72-17.11%。       

莲幼苗的胚根发育及其筛分子研究

报道了莲无初生根型幼苗的胚根发育过程,其胚根由分生组织转化成贮藏组织,致使胚根不突破种皮;莲幼苗初生维管系统中的筛分子为筛管分子。莲的子叶和胚根连为一体的特殊结构与其生活环境和系统演化密切相关。     

腾冲嗜热厌氧杆菌Cas2原核表达及生物信息学分析

为研究CRISPR/Cas系统及其相关蛋白Cas2(TTE2657)在腾冲嗜热厌氧杆菌热适应中的作用,应用PCR技术构建了原核重组质粒pET-28a::cas2,并在大肠埃希菌BL21表达Cas2蛋白;结合生物信息学软件对cas2编码蛋白的基本理化性质、氨基酸同源性、空间结构及蛋白质相互作用网络进行预测和分析。结果显示,成功构建了原核表达载体pET-28a::cas2并在大肠埃希菌BL21中得到表达,Cas2分子质量大小为9.9 ku,主要以可溶性形式存在;qRT-PCR显示cas2 mRNA在60℃和75℃高表达;生物信息学分析显示cas2基因其完整的ORF全长264 bp,编码88个氨基酸,其中Ile(14)、Ser(14)、Phe (12)含量较高,等电点为9.31,不存在跨膜结构。其蛋白质二级空间结构以α-螺旋、无规则卷曲、β-折叠为主,蛋白互作预测网络显示Cas2与Cas3、Cas5、Cas7等其家族大部分蛋白存在相互作用。进化树分析显示腾冲嗜热厌氧杆菌cas2基因与厌氧菌芽胞杆菌B7M1同源性最高(39.5%)。腾冲嗜热厌氧杆菌cas2编码蛋白是一种亲水性蛋白,在原核系统能高效表达。本研究为嗜热蛋白质的热稳定性机制的研究提供参考。     

根癌农杆菌介导真菌遗传转化的研究及应用

根癌农杆菌介导转化法（Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation,ATMT）具有转化效率高、遗传稳定、适用范围广等诸多优点,已成为真菌遗传转化研究中的强有力手段,在真菌基因资源开发、真菌性疾病研究和外源蛋白表达研究中发挥巨大作用。本文概述了根癌农杆菌转化法在真菌转化中的研究进展、技术优缺点、转化机制、实验方法和应用现状,着重介绍影响其转化效率的因素并对优化方法进行探讨,展望了该技术在真菌基因资源发掘、基因编辑等方面的应用前景,为今后真菌的遗传转化研究提供参考。     

分离自苏云金芽胞杆菌的首例细菌乌头酸异构酶TbrA的酶学性质研究(英文)

【目的】乌头酸异构酶(aconitate isomerase,AI)可介导具有多重生物学活性及应用潜力的小分子物质反式乌头酸(trans-aconiticacid,TAA)的合成。本文通过表征来自苏云金芽胞杆菌的生物体首条AI基因(tbrA)的产物——TbrA蛋白的催化性质,填补人们对于AI酶学特性的认识。【方法】我们利用大肠杆菌Rosetta菌株和Ni²⁺柱亲和纯化获得了His6-TbrA蛋白,并在体外通过HPLC检测了产物生成及对应酶活。【结果】TbrA蛋白的最适pH、温度与离子强度分别为8.0,37°C和25 mmol/L。TbrA在10°C时仍保留约60%的活性,展现了较好的耐低温特性。金属离子Mg²⁺、Ca²⁺与还原剂DTT可显著增强TbrA活性,而Fe²⁺、Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺、Mn²⁺则强烈抑制TbrA活性。TbrA将顺式乌头酸(cis-aconitic acid,CAA)异构为TAA的正反应K_m、V...     

Increased Levels of Monoamine-Derived Potential Neurotoxins in Fetal Rat Brain Exposed to Ethanol

Pregnant SD rats were exposed to ethanol (25 % (v/v) ethanol at 1.0, 2.0 or 4.0 g/kg body weight from GD8 to GD20) to assess whether ethanol-derived acetaldehyde could interact with endogenous monoamine to generate tetrahydroisoquinoline or tetrahydro-beta-carboline in the fetuses. The fetal brain concentration of acetaldehyde increased remarkably after ethanol administration (2.6 times, 5.3 times and 7.8 times as compared to saline control in 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g/kg ethanol-treated groups, respectively) detected by HPLC with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine derivatization. Compared to control, ethanol exposure induced the formation of 1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (salsolinol, Sal), N-methyl-salsolinol (NMSal) and 1-methyl-6-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (6-OH-MTHBC) in fetal rat brains. Determined by HPLC with electrochemical detector, the levels of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine in whole fetal brain were not remarkably altered by ethanol treatment, while the levels of homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid in high dose (4.0 g/kg) of ethanol-treated rats were significantly decreased compared to that in the control animals. 4.0 g/kg ethanol administration inhibited the activity of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase (51.3 % as compared to control) and reduced the activity of respiratory chain complex I (61.2 % as compared to control). These results suggested that ethanol-induced alteration of monoamine metabolism and the accumulation of dopamine-derived catechol isoquinolines and 5-hydroxytryptamine-derived tetrahydro-beta-carbolines may play roles in the developmental dysfuction of monoaminergic neuronal systems.     

Macrophage prostaglandin E2 and oxidative responses to endotoxin during immunosuppression associated with anaesthesia and transfusion

The widespread use of blood transfusion in major surgical procedures has led to concern about the immunosuppressive effect of transfusion on patients with underlying malignancy. Transfusion may also suppress the host response to infection. The cellular mechanisms of transfusion-associated immunosuppression may involve macrophage prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) in modulating the host response to cancer and infection. We previously observed that the transfusion of blood increased PGE₂ production by unstimulated macrophages. To investigate this PGE₂ associated immunosuppression, we studied the effect of transfusion of rats using a physiological stimulus of macrophage PGE₂ production, bacterial endotoxin. In the same macrophages, we analysed intracellular oxidative activity. Both allogeneic and syngeneic blood transfusion were associated with increased PGE₂ release by macrophages. This stimulation of PGE₂ increased with duration of storage of blood. A similar effect of serum indicated that a humoral factor was involved. Endotoxin (50 ng/ml–500 μg/ml) stimulated PGE₂ production in all transfused subjects. The lowest endotoxin concentration gave proportionately the greatest stimulation. Oxidative activity was down-regulated in macrophages of transfused rats, supporting an immunosuppressive role of PGE₂ within the macrophage. An effect of surgery on the oxidative response was also detected.     

Genetic context determines susceptibility to intraocular pressure elevation in a mouse pigmentary glaucoma

Background  

DBA/2J (D2) mice develop an age-related form of glaucoma. Their eyes progressively develop iris pigment dispersion and iris atrophy followed by increased intraocular pressure (IOP) and glaucomatous optic nerve damage. Mutant alleles of the Gpnmb and Tyrp1 genes are necessary for the iris disease, but it is unknown whether alleles of other D2 gene(s) are necessary for the distinct later stages of disease. We initiated a study of congenic strains to further define the genetic requirements and disease mechanisms of the D2 glaucoma.