Synthesis and biological activity of 4-methylestradiol

The synthesis of 4-methylestradiol (4-ME2) was carried out by reductive aromatization of 4-methyl-1,4-androstadiene-3-one-17 beta-ol. The relative binding affinity of 4-ME2 was found to be 10 and 25% of estradiol at 0 and 25 degrees C, respectively. 4-ME2 had considerably weaker uterotrophic activity relative to estrone and was found to have no antiuterotrophic activity.     

Deubiquitylase OTUD3 prevents Parkinson’s disease through stabilizing iron regulatory protein 2

Iron deposits are neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) is a key factor in regulating brain iron homeostasis. Although two ubiquitin ligases that promote IRP2 degradation have been identified, the deubiquitylase for stabilization of IRP2 in PD remains undefined. Here, we report OTUD3 (OTU domain-containing protein 3) functions as a deubiquitylase for IRP2, interacts with IRP2 in the cytoplasm, de-polyubiquitylates, and stabilizes IRP2 protein in an iron-independent manner. Depletion of OTUD3 results in a disorder of iron metabolism. OTUD3 knockout mice display nigral iron accumulation, motor deficits, and nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration, which resembles the pathology of PD. Consistently, decreased levels of OTUD3 are detected in transgenic PD mice expressing A53T mutant of human α-synuclein. Five single nucleotide polymorphism mutations of OTUD3 are present in cases of sporadic PD or controls, although no significant associations of OTUD3 SNPs with sporadic PD are detected. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that OTUD3 is a bona fide deubiquitylase for IRP2 and plays a critical role in the nigral iron deposits in PD.Subject terms: Ubiquitylation, Parkinson''s disease     

Stoichiometric network theory for nonequilibrium biochemical systems.

We introduce the basic concepts and develop a theory for nonequilibrium steady-state biochemical systems applicable to analyzing large-scale complex isothermal reaction networks. In terms of the stoichiometric matrix, we demonstrate both Kirchhoff's flux law sigma(l)J(l)=0 over a biochemical species, and potential law sigma(l) mu(l)=0 over a reaction loop. They reflect mass and energy conservation, respectively. For each reaction, its steady-state flux J can be decomposed into forward and backward one-way fluxes J = J+ - J-, with chemical potential difference deltamu = RT ln(J-/J+). The product -Jdeltamu gives the isothermal heat dissipation rate, which is necessarily non-negative according to the second law of thermodynamics. The stoichiometric network theory (SNT) embodies all of the relevant fundamental physics. Knowing J and deltamu of a biochemical reaction, a conductance can be computed which directly reflects the level of gene expression for the particular enzyme. For sufficiently small flux a linear relationship between J and deltamu can be established as the linear flux-force relation in irreversible thermodynamics, analogous to Ohm's law in electrical circuits.     

中国东北地区黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）P因子分布和来源

真核生物的转座因子(transposable elements)特别是果蝇P因子在研究生物进化上有重要的意义。以我国东北地区13个地方及毗邻的北京、烟台和呼和浩特三个地方共130个黑腹果蝇(D.melanogaster)单雌系为材料,对P因子序列的ORF2-ORF3区段进行PCR扩增,统计不同地方黑腹果蝇群体的P因子在此区段的缺失频率,再从整个地区来分析P因子缺失的分布规律,以推导东北地区黑腹果蝇中P因子的传递和扩散途径。结果显示P因子缺失频率由边境地区向内地逐渐递减,群体相对隔离的地方也较低,推断我国东北地区黑腹果蝇中P因子由朝鲜和俄罗斯向中国边境入侵后,逐步向中国内地扩散。     

Synthesis and antiviral activity of novel HCV NS3 protease inhibitors with P4 capping groups

We have synthesized and evaluated a series of novel HCV NS3 protease inhibitors with various P4 capping groups, which include urea, carbamate, methoxy-carboxamide, cyclic carbamate and amide, pyruvic amide, oxamate, oxalamide and cyanoguanidine. Most of these compounds are remarkably potent, exhibiting single-digit to sub-nanomolar activity in the enzyme assay and cell-based replicon assay. Selected compounds were also evaluated in the protease-inhibitor-resistant mutant transient replicon assay, and they were found to show quite different potency profiles against a panel of HCV protease-inhibitor-resistant mutants.