B型酪氨酸激酶受体的轴浆转运

脑源性神经营养因子(brain-derived neurotrophic factor,BDNF)在发育及成熟的中枢神经系统(central nervoussystem,CNS)中起到举足轻重的调节作用,而其中绝大部分作用由其B型酪氨酸激酶受体(tyrosine kinase receptortype B,TrkB)介导,因此TrkB在神经元中的轴浆转运过程显得尤为重要。本文从动力蛋白、潜在调节分子、细胞骨架蛋白等方面对TrkB轴浆转运分子机制的研究进展进行综述,并就其进一步研究提出一系列的问题与展望。     

Relation between the radioprotective effect of helium-neon laser radiation on bacterial cells and the time period between 2 types of irradiation

The effect of helium-neon laser radiation (lambda = 633 nm) given to E. coli K-12 cells of various genotypes 4 h following X- or alpha-irradiation was shown to increase the number of viable cells. The irreversible ingradient of a radiation injury to cells remained invariable during the first 60 min after irradiation its values being minimal.     

Self-sustained rhythmic spike and wave activity and response of glial and nerve cells in the cat sensorimotor cortex

During acute experiments on unanesthetized cats, immobilized with myorelaxants, it was found that during rhythmic stimulation (8–14 Hz, duration: 10 sec) of the ventroposterolateral thalamic nucleus brief hyperpolarization is succeeded by depolarization in the pyramidal neurons of the sensorimotor cortex. Following this depolarization, rhythmic (approximately 3 Hz) paroxysmal depolarizing shifts in membrane potential are produced by ending stimulation, succeeded by protracted hyperpolarization and termination of rhythmic wave activity. Depolarization only is observed in glial cells, however, while hyperpolarization sets in after hyperpolarization is completed in the neurons. It is suggested that long-term changes in the membrane potential of cortical cells could make some contribution to the setting up and termination of rhythmic spike and wave activity.I. S. Beritashvili Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Georgian SSR, Tbilisi. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 319–325, May–June, 1986.     

真盐生植物盐地碱蓬根系边缘细胞在耐盐中的作用初探

以黄河三角洲潮间带盐地碱蓬种子生成的幼苗为材料,研究了NaCl胁迫对盐地碱蓬生长与根系边缘细胞的影响。盐地碱蓬的第一个边缘细胞几乎与根尖同步产生,当根长达到13mm时,边缘细胞数目达到最大值。NaCl胁迫抑制边缘细胞的活性,但低浓度的NaCl处理增加边缘细胞的数目。低浓度NaCl处理时果胶甲基酯酶（PME）的活性比对照有明显增加,超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性随着NaCl浓度的增加呈现先上升后下降的趋势,低浓度NaCl可以增加盐地碱蓬根内过氧化氢酶（CAT）的活性,NaCl处理时间和处理浓度都对过氧化物酶（POD）活性的影响不明显。这些结果表明,盐地碱蓬至少部分通过增加调控活性氧（ROS）水平增加PME活性及根系边缘细胞数目来抵抗NaCl胁迫。     

蠋蝽组织蛋白酶基因鉴定及表达特征分析

组织蛋白酶在昆虫的消化、发育与变态中起重要作用,是捕食性蝽唾液（毒液）中普遍存在的成分,但其生理功能尚不清楚。本文利用同源比对的方法从蠋蝽Arma custos基因组中鉴定出组织蛋白酶基因,使用生物信息学软件分析其序列特征和进化关系,采用RT-PCR技术分析它们在成虫不同组织中的表达特征。结果表明,蠋蝽基因组中有37个组织蛋白酶基因,根据结构域分为组织蛋白酶B（AcCAB1-4）、组织蛋白酶D（AcCAD1-13）和组织蛋白酶L（AcCAL1-20）。多序列比对及结构域预测结果表明,组织蛋白酶B和组织蛋白酶L均含有Peptidase_C1结构域、保守的酶催化位点（谷氨酰胺、半胱氨酸、组氨酸和天冬酰胺）以及1个由半胱氨酸残基（C）和组氨酸残基（H）构成的催化二联体,而组织蛋白酶D中存在保守Asp结构域和2个保守的酶催化位点（天冬氨酸）。RT-PCR结果显示,除AcCAL7和AcCAB2外,其余33个组织蛋白酶基因均在肠道中表达,且绝大多数表现特异性或高表达。AcCAL2、AcCAL5-7、AcCAL9等20个组织蛋白酶基因在唾液腺中表达,且AcCAL2仅在主腺后叶和副腺表达,AcCAL7仅在主腺前叶表达,AcCAD13仅在主腺后叶表达,AcCAB2仅在主腺前叶和主腺后叶表达。这些结果表明,多数组织蛋白酶基因在蠋蝽口外消化和肠道消化中发挥消化功能。     

四吡咯化合物生物合成研究进展

四吡咯化合物是存在于生物体中一类具有重要功能的化合物,已经广泛应用于农业、食品和医药等领域.由于化学合成法的烦琐流程和高昂成本以及动植物提取法存在品质不均一等缺点,大幅度限制了其工业化生产与相关应用.近年来,合成生物学的快速发展为微生物利用可再生生物质资源高效合成四吡咯化合物提供了新的技术手段.针对四吡咯化合物生物合成...     

细菌几丁质酶结构、功能及分子设计的研究进展

几丁质是仅次于纤维素的第二大天然多糖,由N-乙酰-D-氨基葡萄糖聚合而成,具有重要的应用价值。自然界中几丁质可被细菌高效降解。细菌可分泌多种几丁质降解酶类,主要分布在GH18家族和GH19家族中。细菌中几丁质降解酶基因存在明显的基因扩增及多结构域组合现象,不同家族、不同作用模式的几丁质酶系协同作用打破复杂的抗降解屏障,完成结晶几丁质的高效降解。因此,深入分析细菌几丁质酶结构与功能,对几丁质高效降解与高值转化应用具有重要意义。本文介绍了细菌几丁质酶的分类、结构特点与催化作用机制;总结了不同细菌胞外几丁质降解酶系的协同降解模式;针对几丁质酶家族分子改造的研究进展,展望了以结构生物信息学及大数据深度学习为基础的蛋白质工程设计策略在今后改造中的作用,为几丁质酶的设计与理性改造提供新的视角与思路。     

ARC-1, a sequence element complementary to an internal 18S rRNA segment, enhances translation efficiency in plants when present in the leader or intercistronic region of mRNAs

The sequences of different plant viral leaders with known translation enhancer ability show partial complementarity to the central region of 18S rRNA. Such complementarity might serve as a means to attract 40S ribosomal subunits and explain in part the translation-enhancing property of these sequences. To verify this notion, we designed β-glucuronidase (GUS) mRNAs differing only in the nature of 10 nt inserts in the center of their 41 base leaders. These were complementary to consecutive domains of plant 18S rRNA. Sucrose gradient analysis revealed that leaders with inserts complementary to regions 1105–1114 and 1115–1124 (‘ARC-1’) of plant 18S rRNA bound most efficiently to the 40S ribosomal subunit after dissociation from 80S ribosomes under conditions of high ionic strength, a treatment known to remove translation initiation factors. Using wheat germ cell-free extracts, we could demonstrate that mRNAs with these leaders were translated more than three times more efficiently than a control lacking such a complementarity. Three linked copies of the insert enhanced translation of reporter mRNA to levels comparable with those directed by the natural translation enhancing leaders of tobacco mosaic virus and potato virus Y RNAs. Moreover, inserting the same leaders as intercistronic sequences in dicistronic mRNAs substantially increased translation of the second cistron, thereby revealing internal ribosome entry site activity. Thus, for plant systems, the complementary interaction between mRNA leader and the central region of 18S rRNA allows cap-independent binding of mRNA to the 43S pre-initiation complex without assistance of translation initiation factors.     

The Role of Oxidative Stress in the Longevity and Insecticide Resistance Phenotype of the Major Malaria Vectors Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles funestus

Oxidative stress plays numerous biological roles, both functional and pathological. The role of oxidative stress in various epidemiologically relevant biological traits in Anopheles mosquitoes is not well established. In this study, the effects of oxidative stress on the longevity and insecticide resistance phenotype in the major malaria vector species An. arabiensis and An. funestus were examined. Responses to dietary copper sulphate and hydrogen peroxide were used as proxies for the oxidative stress phenotype by determining the effect of copper on longevity and hydrogen peroxide lethal dose. Glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were determined colorimetrically. Oxidative burden was quantified as protein carbonyl content. Changes in insecticide resistance phenotype were monitored by WHO bioassay. Insecticide resistant individuals showed an increased capacity for coping with oxidative stress, mediated by increased glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity. This effect was observed in both species, as well as in laboratory strains and F₁ individuals derived from wild-caught An. funestus mothers. Phenotypic capacity for coping with oxidative stress was greatest in strains with elevated Cytochrome P450 activity. Synergism of oxidative stress defence enzymes by dietary supplementation with haematin, 3-Amino-1, 2, 4-triazole and Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate significantly increased pyrethroid-induced mortality in An. arabiensis and An. funestus. It is therefore concluded that defence against oxidative stress underlies the augmentation of the insecticide resistance phenotype associated with multiple blood-feeding. This is because multiple blood-feeding ultimately leads to a reduction of oxidative stress in insecticide resistant females, and also reduces the oxidative burden induced by DDT and pyrethroids, by inducing increased glutathione peroxidase activity. This study highlights the importance of oxidative stress in the longevity and insecticide resistance phenotype in malaria vectors.