顺反式肉桂醛对肉源隆德假单胞菌生物被膜和致腐性的抑制作用

【目的】为比较反式和顺式肉桂醛对肉源假单胞菌生物被膜和致腐性的影响。【方法】通过平板计数测定两种肉桂醛对隆德假单胞菌的最小抑菌浓度(MIC),结晶紫法、珠涡流法、激光共聚焦显微镜观察、福林法等检测亚抑菌浓度肉桂醛处理下隆德假单胞菌生物被膜形成、运动性和胞外酶活性变化。荧光定量RT-PCR检测肉桂醛对隆德假单胞菌粘附lapA、鞭毛fliC、蛋白酶aprX和脂肪酶lip基因表达量的影响。【结果】反式和顺式肉桂醛对隆德假单胞菌的MIC分别为200μg/mL和225μg/mL,1/8 MIC、1/4MIC、1/2MIC亚抑菌浓度肉桂醛显著降低隆德假单胞菌生物被膜结晶紫和粘附性,其中1/2MIC反式和顺式肉桂醛处理下被膜分别减少60.27%和52.05%,菌体粘附降低56.35%和61.10%。亚抑菌浓度肉桂醛显著减少被膜厚度,反式肉桂醛还能显著杀灭被膜菌。且肉桂醛能显著抑制菌体的泳动性,反式肉桂醛对生物被膜和泳动性的抑制效果更强。肉桂醛还能抑制隆德假单胞菌蛋白酶和脂肪酶活性,其中1/2MIC反式和顺式肉桂醛处理下菌体蛋白酶分别减少61.90%和76.19%,脂肪酶降低40.17%和47.01%。且发现肉桂醛显著降低lapA、fliC、aprX和lip表达量,其中1/2MIC反式和顺式肉桂醛分别降低4个基因表达量至对照组的0.05–0.16和0.02–0.12倍。【结论】两种亚抑菌浓度肉桂醛异构体显著抑制隆德假单胞菌生物被膜和致腐性,其中反式肉桂醛对生物被膜抑制较强,而顺式肉桂醛更有效地降低致腐酶活性,其与肉桂醛下调相应基因表达密切相关。     

Wild-type rabies virus induces autophagy in human and mouse neuroblastoma cell lines

Different rabies virus (RABV) strains have their own biological characteristics, but little is known about their respective impact on autophagy. Therefore, we evaluated whether attenuated RABV HEP-Flury and wild-type RABV GD-SH-01 strains triggered autophagy. We found that GD-SH-01 infection significantly increased the number of autophagy-like vesicles, the accumulation of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-LC3 fluorescence puncta and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II, while HEP-Flury was not able to induce this phenomenon. When evaluating autophagic flux, we found that GD-SH-01 infection triggers a complete autophagic response in the human neuroblastoma cell line (SK), while autophagosome fusion with lysosomes was inhibited in a mouse neuroblastoma cell line (NA). In these cells, GD-SH-01 led to apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction while triggering autophagy, and apoptosis could be decreased by enhancing autophagy. To further identify the virus constituent causing autophagy, 5 chimeric recombinant viruses carrying single genes of HEP-Flury instead of those of GD-SH-01 were rescued. While the HEP-Flury virus carrying the wild-type matrix protein (M) gene of RABV triggered LC3-I to LC3-II conversion in SK and NA cells, replacement of genes of nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P) and glycoprotein (G) produced only minor autophagy. But no one single structural protein of GD-SH-01 induced autophagy. Moreover, the AMPK signaling pathway was activated by GD-SH-01 in SK. Therefore, our data provide strong evidence that autophagy is induced by GD-SH-01 and can decrease apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, the M gene of GD-SH-01 may cooperatively induce autophagy.     

DFT investigation on the decarboxylation mechanism of <Emphasis Type="Italic">ortho</Emphasis> hydroxy benzoic acids with acid catalysis

A density functional theory (DFT) study was performed to explore the mechanisms of the acid-catalyzed decarboxylation reaction of salicylic acids using the B3LYP method with 6-31++G(d,p) basis set in both gas phase and aqueous environment. The α-protonated cation of carboxylate acid was formed during the decarboxylation process in acidic conditions, and the presence of hydrogen ions promotes decarboxylation greatly by significantly decreasing the overall reaction energy barriers to 20.98 kcal mol^?1 in gas phase and 20.93 kcal mol^?1 in water, respectively. The hydrogen in the α-carbon came directly from the acid rather than from the carboxyl group in neutral state. Compared with the reaction in gas phase, water in aqueous state causes the reaction to occur more easily. Substituents of methyl group, chlorine and fluorine at the ortho-position to the carboxyl of salicylic acid could further lower the decarboxylation energy barriers and facilitate the reaction.     

Jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase regulates development and herbivory‐induced defense response in rice

Jasmonic acid(JA) and related metabolites play a key role in plant defense and growth. JA carboxyl methyltransferase(JMT) may be involved in plant defense and development by methylating JA to methyl jasmonate(Me JA) and thus influencing the concentrations of JA and related metabolites. However, no JMT gene has been well characterized in monocotyledon defense and development at the molecular level. After we cloned a rice JMT gene,Os JMT1, whose encoding protein was localized in the cytosol, we found that the recombinant Os JMT1 protein catalyzed JA to Me JA. Os JMT1 is up-regulated in response to infestation with the brown planthopper(BPH; Nilaparvata lugens). Plants in which Os JMT1 had been overexpressed(oeJMT plants) showed reduced height and yield. These oe-JMT plants also exhibited increased Me JA levels but reduced levels of herbivore-induced JA and jasmonoyl-isoleucine(JAIle). The oe-JMT plants were more attractive to BPH female adults but showed increased resistance to BPH nymphs,probably owing to the different responses of BPH female adults and nymphs to the changes in levels of H_2O_2 and Me JA in oe-JMT plants. These results indicate that Os JMT1,by altering levels of JA and related metabolites, plays a role in regulating plant development and herbivore-induced defense responses in rice.     

Gene expression profiles in different stem internodes reveal the genetic regulation of primary and secondary stem development in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Betula platyphylla</Emphasis>

Secondary growth of stems is an important process for the radial increase of trees. To gain an insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying stem development from primary to secondary growth and to provide information for molecular research and breeding in Betula platyphylla (birch), the gene expression profiles of material from the first, third, and fifth internodes (IN) of 3-month-old seedlings were analyzed. Compared with the first IN, 177 genes were up-regulated and 157 genes down-regulated in the third IN; in the fifth IN, 180 genes were up-regulated and 275 genes were down-regulated. The expressions of 24 genes were up-regulated and 6 genes were down-regulated in the fifth IN relative to the third IN. The differentially expressed genes were annotated as having roles in cambium, xylem, and phloem development and formation; including cell wall expansion, cellulose biosynthesis, lignin biosynthesis and deposition, xylem extension, cell wall modification, and growth hormone responses. The expressions of genes related to cell wall expansion and cellulose biosynthesis in the primary cell wall were down-regulated in the third and fifth IN relative to the first IN. Genes involved in lignin biosynthesis, xylem extension, and cellulose synthesis in the secondary cell wall were up-regulated in the third and fifth IN relative to the first IN. These results described the patterns of gene expression during stem development in birch and provided candidate genes for further functional characterization.     

Integrated Intercalation‐Based and Interfacial Sodium Storage in Graphene‐Wrapped Porous Li4Ti5O12 Nanofibers Composite Aerogel

Sodium storage in both solid–liquid and solid–solid interfaces is expected to extend the horizon of sodium‐ion batteries, leading to a new strategy for developing high‐performance energy‐storage materials. Here, a novel composite aerogel with porous Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (PLTO) nanofibers confined in a highly conductive 3D‐interconnected graphene framework (G‐PLTO) is designed and fabricated for Na storage. A high capacity of 195 mA h g^?1 at 0.2 C and super‐long cycle life up to 12 000 cycles are attained. Electrochemical analysis shows that the intercalation‐based and interfacial Na storage behaviors take effect simultaneously in the G‐PLTO composite aerogel. An integrated Na storage mechanism is proposed. This study ascribes the excellent performance to the unique structure, which not only offers short pathways for Na⁺ diffusion and conductive networks for electron transport, but also guarantees plenty of PLTO–electrolyte and PLTO–graphene interfacial sites for Na⁺ adsorption.