Theoretical electrical conductivity of hydrogen-bonded benzamide-derived molecules and single DNA bases

A benzamide molecule is used as a “reader” molecule to form hydrogen bonds with five single DNA bases, i.e., four normal single DNA bases A,T,C,G and one for 5methylC. The whole molecule is then attached to the gold surface so that a meta-molecule junction is formed. We calculate the transmission function and conductance for the five metal–molecule systems, with the implementation of density functional theory-based non-equilibrium Green function method. Our results show that each DNA base exhibits a unique conductance and most of them are on the pS level. The distinguishable conductance of each DNA base provides a way for the fast sequencing of DNA. We also investigate the dependence of conductivity of such a metal–molecule system on the hydrogen bond length between the “reader” molecule and DNA base, which shows that conductance follows an exponential decay as the hydrogen bond length increases, i.e., the conductivity is highly sensitive to the change in hydrogen bond length.     

Src-inducible association of CrkL with procaspase-8 promotes cell migration

Procaspase-8, the zymogen form of the apoptosis-initiator caspase-8, undergoes phosphorylation following integrin-mediated cell attachment to an extracellular matrix substrate. Concordant with cell attachment to fibronectin, a population of procaspase-8 becomes associated with a peripheral insoluble compartment that includes focal complexes and lamellar microfilaments. Phosphorylation of procaspase-8 both impairs its maturation to the proapoptotic form and can promote cell migration. Here we show that the cytoskeletal adaptor protein CrkL promotes caspase-8 recruitment to the peripheral spreading edge of cells, and that the catalytic domain of caspase-8 directly interacts with the SH2 domain of CrkL. We show that the interaction is abolished by shRNA-mediated silencing of Src, in Src-deficient MEFs, and by pharmacologic inhibitors of the kinase. The results provide insight into how tyrosine kinases may act to coordinate the suppression caspase-8 mediated apoptosis, while promoting cell invasion.     

Purification and characterization of recombinant human testis angiotensin-converting enzyme expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Enzymatically active human testis angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with each of three vectors: p omega-ACE contains a full-length testis ACE cDNA under the control of a retroviral promoter; and pLEN-ACEVII and pLEN-ACE6/5, in which full-length and membrane anchor-minus testis ACE cDNAs, respectively, are under the control of the human metallothionein IIA promoter and SV40 enhancer. In every case, active recombinant human testis ACE (hTACE) was secreted in a soluble form into the culture media, up to 2.4 mg/liter in the media of metal-induced, high-producing clones transfected with one of the pLEN vectors. In addition, membrane-bound recombinant enzyme was recovered from detergent extracts of cell pellets of CHO cells transfected with either p omega-ACE or pLEN-ACE-VII. Recombinant converting enzyme was purified to homogeneity by single-step affinity chromatography of conditioned media and detergent-extracted cell pellets in 85 and 70% overall yield, respectively. Purified hTACE from all sources comigrated with the native testis isozyme on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with M(r) approximately 100 kDa. The native and recombinant proteins cross-reacted equally with anti-human kidney ACE antiserum on Western blotting. The catalytic activity of recombinant angiotensin-converting enzyme, in terms of angiotensin I and 2-furanacryloyl-Phe-Gly-Gly hydrolysis, chloride activation, and lisinopril inhibition, was essentially identical to that of the native enzyme. The facile recovery in high yield of fully active hTACE from the media of stably transfected CHO cells provides a suitable system for investigating structure-function relationships in this enzyme.     

UV-B辐射对蚕豆叶片气孔运动的间接效应与NO和H2O2有关

0.2 W.m-2的UV-B辐射不仅能诱导整体蚕豆叶片气孔导度和开度的显著降低,而且能明显降低蚕豆叶肉光合活性,但该强度的UV-B辐射却不能明显影响离体表皮条的气孔开度.说明0.2W.m-2的UV-B主要通过间接途径调控了蚕豆叶片气孔运动.借助药理学试验和激光扫描共聚焦显微镜技术,进一步对该间接效应过程中是否有NO和H2O2的参与进行了探讨.结果显示:NO专一性清除剂cPT IO和一氧化氮合酶(NO S)抑制剂L-NAM E均能有效地抑制UV-B辐射诱导的叶片气孔关闭和保卫细胞内源NO水平的升高;H2O2清除剂抗坏血酸(A SC)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)也能有效地逆转UV-B辐射诱导的气孔关闭和保卫细胞内源H2O2含量的升高.另外,外源NO或H2O2处理也能有效地诱导叶片气孔关闭.结果说明0.2W.m-2的UV-B辐射对蚕豆叶片气孔关闭的间接诱导与NO和H2O2有关.     

Genome shuffling筛选ε-聚赖氨酸高产菌及其对代谢流量分配的影响

【目的】从代谢流量分配的角度,探讨Genome shuffling导致链霉菌ε-聚赖氨酸合成量提升的原因。【方法】从葡萄糖耐受型的亲本菌株Streptomyces sp.AS32和ε-聚赖氨酸耐受型的亲本菌株Streptomyces albulus F15出发,进行三轮Genome shuffling,筛选得到ε-聚赖氨酸产量提高的链霉菌株Streptomyces sp.AF3-44,采用通量分析方法构建链霉菌ε-聚赖氨酸合成代谢网络,并对上述3株菌的代谢通量进行比较。【结果】AF3-44的ε-聚赖氨酸摇瓶产量为3.1 g/L,较AS32和F15分别提高了34%和29%。3株菌株中AS32三羧酸循环(TCA)的代谢通量最高;F15磷酸戊糖途径(PPP)代谢通量最高;AF3-44流向赖氨酸合成前体天冬氨酸以及ε-聚赖氨酸的通量最高,TCA和PPP通量位于两亲本菌株的中间水平,其中TCA中流向异柠檬酸的通量分别为AS32和F15的77%和116%,PPP中流向5-磷酸核酮糖的通量分别为AS32和F15的149%和92%。【结论】Genome shuffling导致了代谢流的重新分布,流向前体赖氨酸和ε-聚赖氨酸通量的增加,以及PPP和TCA通量配比的改变是链霉菌ε-聚赖氨酸合成量增加的重要因素。     

重组人骨形成蛋白—3成熟肽的表达,纯化及诱骨活性的研究

推测人骨形成蛋白３羧基端的１２７氨基酸的肽段为其成熟肽（ｈＢＭＰ３ｍ）。将编码此成熟肽的ｃＤＮＡ插入含ＰＬ启动子的表达质粒ｐＤＨ中,构建表达质粒ｐＤＨＢ３ｍ,转化大肠杆菌ＤＨ５α。４２℃热诱导６ｈ后表达量达到最高水平,约占菌体总蛋白２８％;表达产物以包涵体形式存在。包涵体经分离和洗涤后,溶解于尿素,在变性溶解状态下经阳离子交换层析,目的蛋白纯度至少在９５％以上。再经稀释复性。然后将纯化、复性的重组人骨形成蛋白３成熟肽（ｒｈＢＭＰ３ｍ）植入小鼠肌肉间隙,于不同时间取材观察,在局部可见典型的软骨形成、软骨内成骨以及骨组织形成的过程,证实所制备的ｒｈＢＭＰ３ｍ具有明显的异位诱骨活性。     

Overexpression of Jatropha curcas Defensin (JcDef) Enhances Sheath Blight Disease Resistance in Tobacco

Plant defensins are small, basic, cysteine‐rich peptides, belonging to the antimicrobial peptide superfamily, commonly found in the plant kingdom. In this study, we cloned and characterized a plant defensin gene from Jatropha curcas (JcDef). JcDef carried conserved receptor binding sites and a cysteine motif, and it was phylogenetically grouped together with defensin Ec‐AMP‐D2‐like in Elaeis guineensis. JcDef is localized to cytoplasm and highly expressed in young tissues with fast metabolism such as cotyledons and stem apexes. Transgenic expression of JcDef in tobacco showed enhanced resistance against sheath blight disease caused by R. solani, indicating the antibacterial function.     

Fragile X mental retardation protein is required for chemically-induced long-term potentiation of the hippocampus in adult mice

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a common form of inherited mental retardation, is caused by the lack of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). The animal model of FXS, Fmr1 knockout mice, have deficits in the Morris water maze and trace fear memory tests, showing impairment in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. However, results for synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP), a key cellular model for learning and memory, remain inconclusive in the hippocampus of Fmr1 knockout mice. Here, we demonstrate that FMRP is required for glycine induced LTP (Gly-LTP) in the CA1 of hippocampus. This form of LTP requires activation of post-synaptic NMDA receptors and metabotropic glutamateric receptors, as well as the subsequent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. However, paired-pulse facilitation was not affected by glycine treatment. Genetic deletion of FMRP interrupted the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, suggesting the possible role of FMRP in the regulation of the activity of ERK1/2. Our study provide strong evidences that FMRP participates in Gly-LTP in the hippocampus by regulating the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and that improper regulation of these signaling pathways may contribute to the learning and memory deficits observed in FXS.     

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from leaf, root and stem-derived callus cultures of Areca catechu

Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis of Areca catechu L. was established using leaf, root and stem segments as explants. Embryogenic callus was induced and maintained on medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid (dicamba) at concentrations 2, 4, 6 and 8 mg dm⁻³ in darkness. Somatic embryos were found on primary callus in the presence of 2 and 4 mg dm⁻³ dicamba and during subculture on 2 – 8 mg dm⁻³ 2,4-D or 2 – 4 mg dm⁻³ dicamba-containing media. Plantlet conversion from embryos was successfully achieved on growth regulator-free medium. The plants grew well when transplanted to containers in shaded greenhouse.     

Tumor necrosis factor-α accelerates apoptosis of steatotic hepatocytes from a murine model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) develops in a subset of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the exact mechanisms involved in the progression of NAFLD to NASH remain poorly understood. We investigated the role of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the apoptosis of hepatocytes that is related to the severity of NASH. We separated primary hepatocytes from the NAFLD liver caused by a high-fat diet. The production of intracellular reactive oxygen species was increased in steatotic hepatocytes, which were also sensitive to TNF-α. This factor induced significant apoptosis through the signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. We describe here a novel culture model of steatotic hepatocytes separated from the NAFLD liver, and demonstrate that TNF-α induces their apoptosis in vitro.