海南椰心叶甲病原菌金龟子绿僵菌的分离、鉴定及其生防潜力

椰心叶甲[Brontispa longissima（Gestro）]是椰子的重要害虫,近年来,该虫在海南岛发生普遍,椰子受害严重。由于椰心叶甲受到自然界中某些致病微生物的侵袭,在受害的椰子树心叶上常可发现椰心叶甲僵虫,并发现大部分僵虫表面长出了霉菌,本研究的目的在于从椰心叶甲僵虫表面的霉菌中分离出绿僵菌,并对分离菌株进行鉴定和致病性测定。从僵虫表面刮下孢子或菌丝体,置于绿僵菌选择性培养基（DOA）上培养,挑出真菌菌落,经纯化后,进行生物学特性、菌落生长速率及产孢量的测定,并从PPDA、OMA、VSA和PDA中筛选菌落生长及产孢最适培养基,同时对所分离的菌株进行对椰心叶甲的致病性测定。结果表明,所有分离菌株均鉴定为金龟子绿僵菌[Metarhizium anisopliae（Metschnikoff）],PPDA是菌落生长及产孢的最适培养基,大多数菌株对椰心叶甲有较强的致病力。选取强毒菌株MA4在田间进行防治效果的初步测定,结果表明,该菌株能显著降低椰心叶甲成虫的虫口密度。这些金龟子绿僵菌菌株是首次从海南的椰心叶甲僵虫中分离到的昆虫病原真菌,该菌对海南的椰心叶甲具有很好的生防潜能。     

Engineering flavonoid glycosyltransferases for enhanced catalytic efficiency and extended sugar-donor selectivity

Flavonoids are predominantly found as glycosides in plants. The glycosylation of flavonoids is mediated by uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGT). UGTs attach various sugars, including arabinose, glucose, galactose, xylose, and glucuronic acid, to flavonoid aglycones. Two UGTs isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana, AtUGT78D2 and AtUGT78D3, showed 89 % amino acid sequence similarity (75 % amino acid sequence identity) and both attached a sugar to the 3-hydroxyl group of flavonols using a UDP-sugar. The two enzymes used UDP-glucose and UDP-arabinose, respectively, and AtUGT78D2 was approximately 90-fold more efficient than AtUGT78D3 when judged by the k _cat/K _m value. Domain exchanges between AtUGT78D2 and AtUGT78D3 were carried out to find UGTs with better catalytic efficiency for UDP-arabinose and exhibiting dual sugar selectivity. Among 19 fusion proteins examined, three showed dual sugar selectivity, and one fusion protein had better catalytic efficiency for UDP-arabinose compared with AtUGT78D3. Using molecular modeling, the changes in enzymatic properties in the chimeric proteins were elucidated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the construction of fusion proteins with expanded sugar-donor range and enhanced catalytic efficiencies for sugar donors.     

广州地区中华按蚊生理年龄的组成

中华按蚊是我国平原地区的传疟媒介,研究中华按蚊的生态学,对于疟疾的流行病学及预防均具有重要的意义。生理年龄及生殖营养环的研究,不但可以进一步认识中华按蚊在自然界的一些生态学问题,更重要的是有助于分析其传疟的作用,作为防制的依据。     

The beta-amyloid peptide of Alzheimer's disease decreases adhesion of vascular smooth muscle cells to the basement membrane

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a major feature of Alzheimer's disease pathology. In CAA, degeneration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) occurs close to regions of the basement membrane where the amyloid protein (Abeta) builds up. In this study, the possibility that Abeta disrupts adhesive interactions between VSMCs and the basement membrane was examined. VSMCs were cultured on a commercial basement membrane substrate (Matrigel). The presence of Abeta in the Matrigel decreased cell-substrate adhesion and cell viability. Full-length oligomeric Abeta was required for the effect, as N- and C-terminally truncated peptide analogues did not inhibit adhesion. Abeta that was fluorescently labelled at the N-terminus (fluo-Abeta) bound to Matrigel as well as to the basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) perlecan and laminin. Adhesion of VSMCs to perlecan or laminin was decreased by Abeta. As perlecan influences VSMC viability through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 signalling pathway, the effect of Abeta1-40 on ERK1/2 phosphorylation was examined. The level of phospho-ERK1/2 was decreased in cells following Abeta treatment. An inhibitor of ERK1/2 phosphorylation enhanced the effect of Abeta on cell adhesion. The studies suggest that Abeta can decrease VSMC viability by disrupting VSMC-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion.     

Simultaneous Binding of the Anti-Cancer IgM Monoclonal Antibody PAT-SM6 to Low Density Lipoproteins and GRP78

The tumour-derived monoclonal IgM antibody PAT-SM6 specifically kills malignant cells by an apoptotic mechanism linked to the excessive uptake of plasma lipids. The mechanism is postulated to occur via the multi-point attachment of PAT-SM6 to the unfolded protein response regulator GRP78, located on the surface of tumour cells, coupled to the simultaneous binding of plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL). We prepared and characterised LDL and oxidized LDL using sedimentation velocity and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) techniques indicated apparent dissociation constants of approximately 20 nM for the binding of LDL or oxidized LDL to PAT-SM6. ELISA experiments showed cross competition with LDL inhibiting PAT-SM6 binding to immobilised GRP78, while, in the reverse experiment, GRP78 inhibited PAT-SM6 binding to immobilized LDL. In contrast to the results of the ELISA experiments, sedimentation velocity experiments indicated relatively weak interactions between LDL and PAT-SM6, suggesting immunoabsorbance to the microtiter plate is driven by an avidity-based binding mechanism. The importance of avidity and the multipoint attachment of antigens to PAT-SM6 was further investigated using antigen-coated polystyrene beads. Absorption of GRP78 or LDL to polystyrene microspheres led to an increase in the inhibition of PAT-SM6 binding to microtiter plates coated with GRP78 or LDL, respectively. These results support the hypothesis that the biological action of PAT-SM6 in tumour cell apoptosis depends on the multivalent nature of PAT-SM6 and the ability to interact simultaneously with LDL and multiple GRP78 molecules clustered on the tumour cell surface.     

Animal models to study Mycobacterium tuberculosis and HIV co-infection

Mycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tb) and human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) co-infection has become a public health issue worldwide. Up to now, there have been many unresolved issues either in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of M.tb/HIV coinfection or in the basic understanding of the mechanisms for the impairments to the immune system by interactions of these two pathogens. One important reason for these unsolved issues is the lack of appropriate animal models for the study of M.tb/HIV coinfection. This paper reviews the recent development of research on the animal models of M.tb/HIV co-infection, with a focus on the non-human primate models.     

The Anti-Cancer IgM Monoclonal Antibody PAT-SM6 Binds with High Avidity to the Unfolded Protein Response Regulator GRP78

The monoclonal IgM antibody PAT-SM6 derived from human tumours induces apoptosis in tumour cells and is considered a potential anti-cancer agent. A primary target for PAT-SM6 is the unfolded protein response regulator GRP78, over-expressed externally on the cell surface of tumour cells. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies of human GRP78 showed a two-domain dumbbell-shaped monomer, while SAXS analysis of PAT-SM6 revealed a saucer-shaped structure accommodating five-fold symmetry, consistent with previous studies of related proteins. Sedimentation velocity analysis of GRP78 and PAT-SM6 mixtures indicated weak complex formation characterized by dissociation constants in the high micromolar concentration range. In contrast, enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays (ELISAs) showed strong and specific interactions between PAT-SM6 and immobilized GRP78. The apparent binding constant estimated from a PAT-SM6 saturation curve correlated strongly with the concentration of GRP78 used to coat the microtiter tray. Experiments using polyclonal antiGRP78 IgG antibodies or a monoclonal IgG derivative of PAT-SM6 did not show a similar dependence. Competition experiments with soluble GRP78 indicated more effective inhibition of PAT-SM6 binding at low GRP78 coating concentrations. These observations suggest an avidity-based binding mechanism that depends on the multi-point attachment of PAT-SM6 to GRP78 clustered on the surface of the tray. Analysis of ELISA data at high GRP78 coating concentrations yielded an apparent dissociation constant of approximately 4 nM. We propose that the biological action of PAT-SM6 in tumour cell apoptosis may depend on the multivalent nature of PAT-SM6 and the high avidity of its interaction with multiple GRP78 molecules clustered on the tumour cell surface.     

Physicochemical studies of two major subpopulations of low density lipoproteins by differential scanning calorimetry and n.m.r. spectroscopy

Two subpopulations, layer 2 (density 1.025-1.029 g/ml) and layer 3 (density 1.032-1.043 g/ml) of low density lipoproteins (LDL) were isolated from fresh human plasma of normal lipidaemic subjects by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Chemical analyses demonstrated the ratios of triglyceride/cholesterol ester decreased with increasing densities of subfractions. These subfractions together with triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (layer 1, density less than 1.019 g/ml) were subjected to physicochemical studies by differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.) and nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) spectroscopy. The average transition temperature (Tt) of layer 2 was 34.20 +/- 0.83 degrees C and that of layer 3 was 37.25 +/- 0.35 degrees C. In addition, many of the layer 3, but not layer 2 and layer 1, samples showed structural alteration and gave rise to an average Tt of 39.18 +/- 1.24 degrees C. The structural alteration could be detected with polarizing light microscopy showing birefringent spherulites at body temperature. The peak Tt values obtained by d.s.c. were in good agreement with those by n.m.r. spectroscopy. These results demonstrate the physicochemical heterogeneity within the LDL density region and suggest that layer 3 subpopulation is much more labile than the others.