Redesign of the monomer–monomer interface of Cre recombinase yields an obligate heterotetrameric complex

Cre recombinase catalyzes the cleavage and religation of DNA at loxP sites. The enzyme is a homotetramer in its functional state, and the symmetry of the protein complex enforces a pseudo-palindromic symmetry upon the loxP sequence. The Cre-lox system is a powerful tool for many researchers. However, broader application of the system is limited by the fixed sequence preferences of Cre, which are determined by both the direct DNA contacts and the homotetrameric arrangement of the Cre monomers. As a first step toward achieving recombination at arbitrary asymmetric target sites, we have broken the symmetry of the Cre tetramer assembly. Using a combination of computational and rational protein design, we have engineered an alternative interface between Cre monomers that is functional yet incompatible with the wild-type interface. Wild-type and engineered interface halves can be mixed to create two distinct Cre mutants, neither of which are functional in isolation, but which can form an active heterotetramer when combined. When these distinct mutants possess different DNA specificities, control over complex assembly directly discourages recombination at unwanted half-site combinations, enhancing the specificity of asymmetric site recombination. The engineered Cre mutants exhibit this assembly pattern in a variety of contexts, including mammalian cells.     

The jmzQuantML programming interface and validator for the mzQuantML data standard

The mzQuantML standard from the HUPO Proteomics Standards Initiative has recently been released, capturing quantitative data about peptides and proteins, following analysis of MS data. We present a Java application programming interface (API) for mzQuantML called jmzQuantML. The API provides robust bridges between Java classes and elements in mzQuantML files and allows random access to any part of the file. The API provides read and write capabilities, and is designed to be embedded in other software packages, enabling mzQuantML support to be added to proteomics software tools ( http://code.google.com/p/jmzquantml/ ). The mzQuantML standard is designed around a multilevel validation system to ensure that files are structurally and semantically correct for different proteomics quantitative techniques. In this article, we also describe a Java software tool ( http://code.google.com/p/mzquantml‐validator/ ) for validating mzQuantML files, which is a formal part of the data standard.     

猫延髓吻侧腹外侧区NPY、SOM和NT免疫反应物质的分布

生理学研究表明,延髓吻侧腹外侧区(RVL)在维持血压稳定方面起着关键的作用。本文用免疫组化ABC技术,观察了猫RVL神经肽Y(NPY)、生长抑素(SOM)和神经降压肽(NT)免疫反应(IR)细胞和纤维的分布,以便为研究此区血压调节功能的机制提供形态学资料。结果表明:NPY—、SOM—IR细胞和少量NT—IR细胞主要分布于旁巨细胞外侧核、外侧网状核吻侧部以及外侧网状核背侧紧邻的网状结构。这些细胞从RVL尾侧向吻侧逐渐减少。NPY—IR纤维分布于旁巨细胞外侧核以及外侧网状核吻侧部的腹内侧区。NT—IR纤维较多,可见两丛中等密度的NT—IR纤维:一丛位于旁巨细胞外侧核;另一丛位于面后核、疑核以及二核紧邻的区域。此外还可见少量SOM—IR纤维。     

采用稳定碳同位素法分析白羊草在不同干旱胁迫下的水分利用效率

本研究以黄土高原乡土草种白羊草(Bothriochloa ischaemum(L.)Keng.)为研究对象,采用盆栽控制实验,比较白羊草在3个水分处理(CK80%FC、MS60%FC和SS 40%FC)下的生物量积累和分配模式、瞬时水分利用效率(WUE)、不同部位(新叶、老叶、茎、细根、粗根)的稳定碳同位素组成(δ~(13)C)和碳同位素分辨率(Δ~(13)C)及其相互关系,以及干旱胁迫下影响水分利用效率的主导环境因子。结果表明:1)重度干旱胁迫显著降低植物整体生物量,显著增加根冠比和细根生物量比例;2)随着干旱胁迫加剧,白羊草各器官的δ~(13)C均呈上升趋势,Δ~(13)C呈减小趋势,SS处理不同器官δ~(13)C和Δ~(13)C没有显著差异,CK和MS处理的各器官δ~(13)C均值表现分别为细根粗根老叶新叶茎、细根新叶老叶粗根茎,CK和MS处理Δ~(13)C的值总体呈根叶茎。3)新叶的δ~(13)CNL和Δ~(13)CNL与WUE的相关系数均最大,说明利用稳定碳同位素方法测定白羊草水分利用效率具有可行性。4)不同水分处理的WUE的主导影响因子不同,CK、MS、SS水分处理WUE分别受到叶面温度、大气水汽压亏缺和空气温度的影响最大。为采用稳定碳同位素方法指示白羊草水分利用效率可行性及阐明植物的胁迫响应机制提供理论依据。     

呼吸道合胞病毒感染促进豚鼠产生气道高反应性及其机制研究

目的：通过检测气道反应性和M2受体功能,研究呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）感染与哮喘发病的关系及机制。方法：34只豚鼠随机分为4组：Hep-2滴鼻＋生理盐水雾化（Hep-2／NS,A）组,RSV滴鼻＋生理盐水雾化（RSV／NS,B）组,Hep-2滴鼻＋鸡卵蛋白（OVA）雾化（Hep-2／OVA,C）组和RSV滴鼻＋OVA雾化（RSV／OVA,D）组,其中A和B纽各9只,C和D组各8只,以A组为对照组。21d通过电刺激迷走神经检测各组气道反应性和M2受体功能,行嗜酸性粒细胞计数以及病理学观察。结果：B组气道内压力（mmH2O）与A组无明显差异（P〉0．05）,给予匹罗卡品,IP下降幅度高于A组,但差别无显著性（P〉0．05）。C组IP明显高于A且（P〈0．05）,且给予匹罗卡品,IP下降幅度明显低于A组,差别有显著性（P〈0．05）。D组IP明显高于C组（P〈0．05）,给予匹罗卡品后IP下降幅度明显低于C组（P〈0．05）。结论：RSV感染可促进过敏原引起的M2R功能障碍,从而促进AHR发生。     

香菇135菌株特异SCAR标记在其原生质体单核中的分布

以香菇保藏菌种庆元135以及庆元出菇的135新鲜子实体组织分离得到的菌丝为材料制备原生质体,分别获得58和83个原生质体单核体;经交配型鉴定后,用已获得的135特异SCAR引物对单核进行PCR扩增,统计SCAR条带的分布。结果显示：原生质体单核体分为A1B1和A2B2两种交配型,而特异条带仅存在于后者中,证明135特异SCAR标记是稳定遗传的,也为鉴定以带标记核为亲本之一的杂交后代提供了依据,这就进一步拓宽了分子标记应用于菌株鉴定的适用范围。     

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence of ruthenium complex immobilized in a highly cross‐linked polymer and its analytical applications

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of a ruthenium complex polymer modified carbon paste electrode and its analytical applications were investigated. The ruthenium complex polymer was prepared using bis(2,2‐bipyridine) (4,4‐dicarboxy‐2,2‐bipyridine) ruthenium(II). The ECL behaviours of ruthenium complex polymer modified carbon paste electrode were investigated in the absence and presence of tripropylamine (TPA). The modified carbon paste electrode exhibited long‐term stability and fine reproducibility. The ECL intensity of the modified carbon paste electrode was linear with the concentration of TPA in the range 2.0 × 10^–6–3.8 × 10^–3 mol/L, with a detection limit (S:N = 3) of 6 × 10^–7 mol/L. It was also found that raceanisodamine could enhance the ECL intensity of the modified electrode. The ECL intensity of the modified carbon paste electrode was linear with the concentration of raceanisodamine in the range 1.1 × 10^–5–6.0 × 10^–4 mol/L, with a detection limit (S:N = 3) of 6 × 10^–6 mol/L. This work demonstrates that the entrapment of ruthenium complex in a highly cross‐linked polymer is a promising approach to construct an ECL modified electrode with long‐term stability and fine reproducibility. The modified electrode designed has a potential application in the ECL detector. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国垂幕菇属新记录种——瘤核垂幕菇的形态学鉴定及ITS系统发育分析

报道了中国垂幕菇属新记录种-瘤核垂幕菇(Hypholoma tuberosum).对SWUST2007101001号标本的分离菌株Ht.1的形态特征进行了观察,对其ITS区序列进行了测定和系统发育分析,同时对相关类群的形态和分子分类进行了讨论.将该菌株鉴定为瘤核垂幕菇,与其亲缘关系较近的是Stropharia ambi...     

黏菌代谢产物及其生物活性的研究进展

黏菌代谢产物的研究显示出其较高的应用价值,并取得了较大的进展。本文综述了从黏菌中分离得到的100余个代谢产物,主要包括:脂肪酸、氨基酸、生物碱、萘醌、芳香族化合物、萜类化合物以及酯或其衍生品等。阐述了其抑菌、抗肿瘤、细胞毒及抗氧化活性,简要介绍了化合物的构效关系,同时对黏菌生物活性的研究方法及生物化学特征进行了总结,分析了不同黏菌类群代谢产物的异同。最后对黏菌代谢产物的研究提出了问题与展望。