Design,synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel carbazole derivatives as potent DNMT1 inhibitors with reasonable PK properties

The DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) were found in mammals to maintain DNA methylation. Among them, DNMT1 was the first identified, and it is an attractive target for tumour chemotherapy. DC_05 and DC_517 have been reported in our previous work, which is non-nucleoside DNMT1 inhibitor with low micromolar IC₅₀ values and significant selectivity towards other S-adenosyl-_L-methionine (SAM)-dependent protein methyltransferases. In this study, through a process of similarity-based analog searching, a series of DNMT1 inhibitors were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as anticancer agents. SAR studies were conducted based on enzymatic assays. And most of the compounds showed strong inhibitory activity on human DNMT1, especially WK-23 displayed a good inhibitory effect on human DNMT1 with an IC₅₀ value of 5.0 µM. Importantly, the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of WK-23 was obtained with quite satisfying oral bioavailability and elimination half-life. Taken together, WK-23 is worth developing as DNMT1-selective therapy for the treatment of malignant tumour.     

A new technique to expand human mesenchymal stem cells using basement membrane extracellular matrix

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) show a very short proliferative life span and readily lose the differentiation potential in culture. However, the growth rate and the proliferative life span of the stem cells markedly increased using tissue culture dishes coated with a basement membrane-like extracellular matrix, which was produced by PYS-2 cells or primary endothelial cells. Furthermore, the stem cells expanded on the extracellular matrix, but not those on plastic tissue culture dishes, retained the osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic potential throughout many mitotic divisions. The extracellular matrix had greater effects on the proliferation of MSC and the maintenance of the multi-lineage differentiation potential than basic fibroblast growth factor. Mesenchymal stem cells expanded on the extracellular matrix should be useful for regeneration of large tissue defects and repeated cell therapies, which require a large number of stem or progenitor cells.     

Non‐dormant Axillary Bud 1 regulates axillary bud outgrowth in sorghum

Tillering contributes to grain yield and plant architecture and therefore is an agronomically important trait in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Here, we identified and functionally characterized a mutant of the Non‐dormant Axillary Bud 1 (NAB1) gene from an ethyl methanesulfonate‐mutagenized sorghum population. The nab1 mutants have increased tillering and reduced plant height. Map‐based cloning revealed that NAB1 encodes a carotenoid‐cleavage dioxygenase 7 (CCD7) orthologous to rice (Oryza sativa) HIGH‐TILLERING DWARF1/DWARF17 and Arabidopsis thaliana MORE AXILLARY BRANCHING 3. NAB1 is primarily expressed in axillary nodes and tiller bases and NAB1 localizes to chloroplasts. The nab1 mutation causes outgrowth of basal axillary buds; removing these non‐dormant basal axillary buds restored the wild‐type phenotype. The tillering of nab1 plants was completely suppressed by exogenous application of the synthetic strigolactone analog GR24. Moreover, the nab1 plants had no detectable strigolactones and displayed stronger polar auxin transport than wild‐type plants. Finally, RNA‐seq showed that the expression of genes involved in multiple processes, including auxin‐related genes, was significantly altered in nab1. These results suggest that NAB1 functions in strigolactone biosynthesis and the regulation of shoot branching via an interaction with auxin transport.     

中国外来陆生草本植物: 多样性和生态学特性

构建包含基本生物学和生态学信息的外来物种数据库不仅对理解生物入侵分布格局至关重要, 同时也是制定外来种管理策略和解释生物入侵过程的重要一步。作者在前人研究的基础上构建了中国外来陆生草本植物数据库, 共收集到中国外来陆生草本植物800种, 分属37目72科; 其中约有60%集中在菊科、豆科、仙人掌科、禾本科、十字花科等10个优势科。中国外来陆生草本植物主要来源于美洲(407种, 占总数的47%), 主要分布在南亚热带—热带区(46%, 密度为4种/10⁴km²), 其次为温带湿润区(26%, 密度约2种/10⁴km²)和亚热带区(23%, 密度约2种/10⁴km²), 旱—寒区(5%, 密度小于1种/10⁴km²)分布较少。从生活型上看, 以多年生 (293种, 40%)和一年生 (272种, 37%)为主; 而从生境类型来看, 约有一半(46%)分布于“高养分高干扰”类型的生境。约有80%的物种属有意引入, 因此有意引入是陆生外来草本植物进入中国的主要途径。近2个世纪来, 外来陆生草本植物进入中国的速度快速增加, 约90%的物种在这个时期进入; 而近半个世纪以来, 外来陆生草本植物进入中国的速度快速增长, 约60%的物种在这个时期进入中国。本文所提供的中国外来陆生草本植物的生物学和生态学特征, 可以为管理层制定外来种相关管理和控制策略提供参考信息。     

鲫鱼PKZ Zα结构域与d(GC)、d(TA)重组质粒的结合

Zα是能够特异性识别并结合左旋DNA(Z-DNA)的蛋白结构域,首先在人ADAR1中鉴定,随后又在ZBP-1(DLM-1)和E3L等蛋白质中发现了该结构域．鲫鱼PKZ是首次报道的具有Zα结构域的鱼类eIF2α激酶．为深入了解鲫鱼PKZ Zα的功能,原核表达并亲和层析纯化了3种多肽,即野生型PZα(Zα1Zα2)、替换型P(Zα1)2(Zα1Zα1)和点突变型（PZαK34A、PZαS35A、PZαR39A、PZαP57A）．同时,构建了含有d(GC)6、d(GC)13、d(TA)13特殊插入序列的3种重组质粒,用于体外模拟Z-DNA．凝胶阻滞实验分析了3种多肽分别与重组质粒的亲和性结果表明,PZα和P(Zα1)2能够与d(GC)重组质粒结合,并且随着多肽含量的增加,阻滞效应越明显．与野生型PZα相比,替换型P(Zα1)2结合d(GC)重组质粒的能力更强PZα和P(Zα1)2还能微弱地与d(TA)13重组质粒结合．点突变型多肽都不能与重组质粒结合,暗示鲫鱼PKZ Zα结构域中这4个氨基酸残基在结合核酸分子的过程中非常关键．该文结果有利于进一步揭示鱼类PKZ Zα结构域与Z-DNA结合的分子机理．     

C-terminal region amino acid substitutions contribute to catalytic differences between murine class alpha glutathione transferases mGSTA1-1 and mGSTA2-2 toward anti-diol epoxide isomers of benzo[c]phenanthrene

The molecular basis for catalytic differences between structurally closely related murine class alpha glutathione (GSH) transferases mGSTA1-1 and mGSTA2-2 in the GSH conjugation of anti-diol epoxide isomers of benzo[c]phenanthrene (anti-B[c]PDE) was investigated. GSH conjugation of both (-)- and (+)-enantiomers of anti-B[c]PDE was observed in the presence of mGSTA1-1 (60 and 40% GSH conjugation, respectively), whereas mGSTA2-2 exhibited a preference for the (-)-anti-isomer (>97%). In addition, the specific activity of mGSTA2-2 toward the (-)-anti-B[c]PDE isomer was relatively higher than that of mGSTA1-1. The amino acid sequences of mGSTA1-1 and mGSTA2-2 differ at 10 positions that are distributed in three sections. Section I contains amino acid residues in positions 65 and 95; section II contains residues in positions 157, 162, and 169, and section III contains residues in positions 207, 213, 218, 221, and 222. Enzyme activity measurements with chimeras of mGSTA1-1 and mGSTA2-2 revealed that amino acid substitutions in section III account for their differential enantioselectivity and catalytic activity toward anti-B[c]PDE. Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acid residues in section III of mGSTA2-2 with corresponding residues of mGSTA1-1 followed by activity measurements of the wild type and mutated enzymes indicates that leucine 207 and phenylalanine 221 may be critical for the high catalytic activity of mGSTA2-2 toward (-)-anti-B[c]PDE. Molecular modeling studies demonstrated that the active site of mGSTA1-1 accommodates both enantiomers of anti-B[c]PDE, whereas the (-)-anti-isomer interacts more favorably with active site residues in mGSTA2-2. The results of this study clearly indicate that amino acid substitutions in the C-terminal region contribute to catalytic differences between mGSTA1-1 and mGSTA2-2 with respect to anti-B[c]PDE.     

The angiosomes of the head and neck: anatomic study and clinical applications

The angiosome concept was introduced over a decade ago by Taylor and Palmer, whereby the body was considered to be composed anatomically of multiple three-dimensional composite blocks of tissue supplied by particular source arteries. Since then, detailed studies of the forearm and leg have been examined by Taylor and his coworkers. This study focuses on another region--the head and neck. Six fresh head and neck cadaver specimens were examined after infusion with a radio-opaque lead oxide mixture and correlated with over 24 previous body studies. The vascular anatomy of the skin, superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), muscles, brain, dura, and bone was examined. Each layer was painstakingly removed, photographed, labeled, and mapped to the respective arteries and veins. A radiologic subtraction technique was used to allow successive layers to be compared. This information was then scanned into a computer, analyzed, color coded, and labeled, thereby producing a three-dimensional study of the head and neck region to identify the respective angiosomes. As in previous detailed examinations of the leg and forearm, the angiosomes were found to be connected usually within tissues, such as muscle, skin, specialized organs or glands, rather than between the tissues. The muscles usually had vessels of two or more angiosomes supplying them and fell into three major groups based on the similarity of their arterial supply. In some areas, the midline anastomoses were rich, especially in the integument of the scalp, forehead, and lips. In other regions, the midline vascular connections were poor, especially in the tongue and palate. No fewer than 13 angiosomes of the head and neck, supplied by the branches of the external carotid, internal carotid, and subclavian arteries, have been defined, mapping their three-dimensional territories in the skin, the deep soft tissues, and the bones. Although most angiosomes spanned between skin and bone, three territories, those of the vertebral, lingual, and ascending pharyngeal vessels, were confined to the deep tissues without cutaneous representation. Finally, this study provides additional data for the surgeon to help plan safer incisions and better reconstructive flap procedures. It also gives information that may help explain the etiology and treatment of head and neck arteriovenous vascular malformations.     

球毛壳菌(Chaetomium globosum)NK102 纤维素酶基因及其表达条件

[目的]生物质的利用是当前生物技术研究的一个热点.本小组分离到一株高效降解纤维素球毛壳菌(Chaetomium globosum)NK102,本文拟探索研究此菌的纤维素酶表达系统并寻找影响酶基因表达的关键因素.[方法]通过对NK102测序,本文界定了球毛壳菌NK102的主要纤维素酶编码基因,使用数字基因表达谱升级版(RNA-Seq)的方法得到纤维素酶基因的表达差异,然后观察了营养、物理条件下纤维素酶基因表达和酶活性变化的情况.[结果]发现随着培养时间的延长,纤维素酶基因整体上表达量升高.在所选基因中,外切葡聚糖酶、纤维二糖脱氢酶和内切葡聚糖酶基因(cbh1,cdh和egl1)的表达量最高.糖代谢的负调控因子ACE I和CreA的随时间表达量均降低,而Hap2/3/5复合体的表达量反而升高.之后检测了不同碳源培养基对纤维素酶基因表达量和酶活性的影响,发现葡萄糖为强阻遏因子,纤维二糖为其诱导物,而山梨醇没有影响.特别是,我们发现光照也影响纤维素酶基因的表达,黑暗条件明显抑制酶基因的表达.[结论]转录组学的方法可以初步探索纤维素酶表达的规律,酶基因的表达受到营养、物理条件的影响.本研究为揭示球毛壳菌降解纤维素分子机理和阐释生物质糖代谢途径提供了有用参考.     

Human liver alkaline phosphatase, purification and partial sequencing: homology with the placental isozyme

Human liver alkaline phosphatase (AP) has been purified to homogeneity. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 150,000 in its native state and consists of two identical subunits of Mr 75,000. After treatment with endoglycosidase F the molecular weight is reduced to 50,000 indicating a high degree of glycosylation. The amino-terminal sequence up to 22 residues was found to be Leu-Val-Pro-Glu-Lys-Glu-Lys-Asp-Pro-Lys-Tyr-(Ala)-Arg-Asp-Gln-Ala-Gln-?- Thr-Leu-Lys-Tyr. The amino-terminal portions of human and bovine liver AP are identical. The amino termini of the human liver and human placental AP isozymes have appreciable homology. Conformationally the amino termini are very similar.