Oscillatory burst discharge generated through conditional backpropagation of dendritic spikes.

Gamma frequencies of burst discharge (>40 Hz) have become recognized in select cortical and non-cortical regions as being important in feature extraction, neural synchrony and oscillatory discharge. Pyramidal cells of the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) of Apteronotus leptorhynchus generate burst discharge in relation to specific features of sensory input in vivo that resemble those recognized as gamma frequency discharge when examined in vitro. We have shown that these bursts are generated by an entirely novel mechanism termed conditional backpropagation that involves an intermittent failure of dendritic Na+ spike conduction. Conditional backpropagation arises from a frequency-dependent broadening of dendritic spikes during repetitive discharge, and a mismatch between the refractory periods of somatic and dendritic spikes. A high threshold class of K+ channel, AptKv3.3, is expressed at high levels and distributed over the entire soma-dendritic axis of pyramidal cells. AptKv3.3 channels are shown to contribute to the repolarization of both somatic and dendritic spikes, with pharmacological blockade of dendritic Kv3 channels revealing an important role in controlling the threshold for burst discharge. The entire process of conditional back-propagation and burst output is successfully simulated using a new compartmental model of pyramidal cells that incorporates a cumulative inactivation of dendritic K+ channels during repetitive discharge. This work is important in demonstrating how the success of spike backpropagation can control the output of a principle sensory neuron, and how this process is regulated by the distribution and properties of voltage-dependent K+ channels.     

Hydroxytyrosol glucuronides protect renal tubular epithelial cells against H(2)O(2) induced oxidative damage

Hydroxytyrosol (2-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol; HT), the most active ortho-diphenolic compound, present either in free or esterified form in extravirgin olive oil, is extensively metabolized in vivo mainly to O-methylated, O-sulfated and glucuronide metabolites. We investigated the capacity of three glucuronide metabolites of HT, 3′-O-β-d-glucuronide and 4′-O-β-d-glucuronide derivatives and 2-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol-1-O-β-d-glucuronide, in comparison with the parent compound, to inhibit H₂O₂ induced oxidative damage and cell death in LLC-PK1 cells, a porcine kidney epithelial cell line. H₂O₂ treatment exerted a toxic effect inducing cell death, interacting selectively within the pro-death extracellular-signal relate kinase (ERK 1/2) and the pro-survival Akt/PKB signaling pathways. It also produced direct oxidative damage initiating the membrane lipid peroxidation process. None of the tested glucuronides exhibited any protection against the loss in renal cell viability. They also failed to prevent the changes in the phosphorylation states of ERK and Akt, probably reflecting their inability to enter the cells, while HT was highly effective. Notably, pretreatment with glucuronides exerted a protective effect at the highest concentration tested against membrane oxidative damage, comparable to that of HT: the formation of malondialdehyde, fatty acid hydroperoxides and 7-ketocholesterol was significantly inhibited.     

白介素-6细胞因子家族新成员：心肌营养素-1

心肌营养素-1(cardiotrophin-1, CT-1)是一个新发现的白介素-6家族细胞因子,小鼠CT-1的mRNA长约1.4 kb,编码蛋白由203个氨基酸组成,以gp130和LIFR为受体.CT-1对心肌细胞既有肥大诱导作用,又有保护作用;能改变交感神经元的递质表型,促进多巴胺神经元、睫状神经元和运动神经元的存活;还能抑制骨髓白血病细胞M1的生长;诱导肝细胞急性相反应;小鼠腹腔注射给药可增加血小板、红细胞记数和血红蛋白浓度.     

Elicitation of different Panax ginseng transformed root phenotypes for an improved ginsenoside production

We tested the effect of the presence in the culture medium of chitosan, vanadyl sulfate or methyl jasmonate on growth and ginsenoside production of three stable hairy root lines of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer showing different morphological phenotypes C-M, HR-M and T-M. The response depended upon line phenotype, specificity of the elicitor and the stage of growth at which the lines were treated. The highest ginsenoside yield was found when methyl jasmonate was added during the progressive deceleration growth phase (on day 25 of culture). In this case, the ginsenoside content reached at the end of the culture (day 28) by root lines C-M, HR-M and T-M was, respectively, 2, 1.8 and 4 times higher than the highest content achieved, also at the end of the culture, by the corresponding untreated root lines. Under the same conditions, the ginsenoside content in the presence of vanadyl sulfate also increased considerably, while with chitosan it clearly decreased. The ginsenoside pattern in response to the presence of the elicitors is also considered.     

茶毛虫性引诱剂诱杀效果分析

20 0 2年在贵州省都匀茶场研究了茶毛虫性信息素引诱剂大面积诱杀茶毛虫的防治效果 ,并观察了不同浓度以及不同高度设置对诱蛾效果的影响。结果表明 :越冬代试验 2 0d ,诱杀成虫 42 60头 ,第1代试验 44d ,诱杀成虫 1 3 42 3头 ;防治后田间落卵量以及后代幼虫数分别比对照区减少 5 3 3 3 %和60 5 3 % ;诱蛾效果以浓度为 1 5mg 枚的诱芯效果最好 ,诱盆设置高度以 90cm左右为佳。     

Candida cloacae长链脂肪酸醇氧化酶基因的克隆与表达

Ｃａｎｄｉｄａｃｌｏａｃａｅ是利用链烃和长链脂肪酸作为碳源来生长的一种工业酵母 .长链脂肪酸在单加氧酶作用下 ,使远离羧基的甲基羟化 ,生成ω 羟脂肪酸 .后者在生物体中通过两条连续的氧化通路进行氧化 (ω氧化通路和 β氧化通路 ) .醇氧化酶是ω氧化通路中的重要组成酶 ,它可以催化链烃或长链脂肪酸分子中的羟基氧化为醛基 ,后者再经其它酶氧化为羧基 .长链脂肪酸通过ω氧化通路生成二羧基化合物 ,它可作为重要的化工原料 ,广泛应用于香料、多聚酰胺、多聚酯、胶类和环内酯抗生素的生成[1] .ω氧化通路中产生的羧基化合物再经 β 氧…     

大肠杆菌代谢工程改造合成L-高丝氨酸及其衍生物研究进展

l-高丝氨酸及其衍生物(O-琥珀酰-l-高丝氨酸和O-乙酰-l-高丝氨酸)是生物合成l-甲硫氨酸的前体,同时也是合成多种C4化合物(异丁醇、g-丁内酯、1,4-丁二醇、2,4-二羟基丁酸等)和l-草铵膦等的平台化合物。因此,发酵法生产l-高丝氨酸及其衍生物成为近年内研究的热点。然而,利用生物法合成l-高丝氨酸及其衍生物仍存在一些不足之处,如发酵产量不高或糖酸转化率过低等。此外,对l-高丝氨酸及其衍生物合成的总体代谢和调控机制鲜有报道。本文综述了大肠杆菌代谢工程改造合成l-高丝氨酸及其衍生物O-琥珀酰-l-高丝氨酸和O-乙酰-l-高丝氨酸的研究进展,从底物摄取、关键节点碳流分配改造、辅酶NADPH的循环供应以及目标产物的外运输出等方面,系统分析了大肠杆菌全发酵法生产l-高丝氨酸及其衍生物的代谢途径及改造策略,为其后续代谢改造及生物法生产提供一定的研究思路。     

毛竹和雷竹地下系统结构及生物力学性质

利用植物稳定山体边坡是一种环保、经济、可持续的生物工程措施,符合生态文明建设新理念。以亚热带典型散生竹种毛竹和雷竹地下系统结构为研究对象,描述毛竹和雷竹根系在土壤中的空间分布状况,探究影响毛竹和雷竹地下系统生物力学性质的因素。结果表明:随着土层的深入,3个径级的毛竹和雷竹根系长度和体积所占比重均表现出逐渐减少的趋势,0—40 cm土层中集中了80%以上的根系。毛竹和雷竹径级D≤1 mm根系占全部根系长度的比重均为最大,大小依次为雷竹鞭根(83.62%)>雷竹竹根(80.46%)>毛竹鞭根(75.70%)>毛竹竹根(70.45%),毛竹径级D≥2mm根系体积所占比重最大,分别为竹根78.73%和鞭根70.23%,雷竹径级D≥2mm(43.60%)和D=1—2mm(39.76%)竹根体积比例相当,径级D=1—2mm鞭根体积为最大(50.78%);毛竹和雷竹不同生长阶段竹鞭抗拉强度和弹性模量之间均存在显著差异,中龄竹鞭抗拉强度显著高于幼龄和老龄,而中龄竹鞭的弹性模量显著低于幼龄和老龄,说明生长阶段是影响竹鞭抗拉强度和弹性模量的因素;饱和含水率条件下,毛竹和雷竹根系抗拉强度与...     

A New Green Species of Frog,Genus Eleutherodactylus,from Bolivia and Perú (Amphibia,Anura, Leptodactylidae)

Eleutherodactylus olivaceus sp. n., a member of the E. unistrigatus group is described. The new species is known from montane rainforests of the Departamento Cochabamba, Bolivia, as well as from lowland rainforest of the Departamento Madre de Dios, Perú. E. olivaceus is mainly characterized by its predominantly olive green dorsal color and a papilla on the tip of the snout. Advertisement call and habitat of E. olivaceus are described. The occurrence of Eleutherodactylus mendax in Bolivia is briefly discussed.