House dust mite extract activates apical Cl− channels through protease‐activated receptor 2 in human airway epithelia

Adequate fluid secretion from airway mucosa is essential for maintaining mucociliary clearance, and fluid hypersecretion is a prominent feature of inflammatory airway diseases such as allergic rhinitis. House dust mite extract (HDM) has been reported to activate protease‐activated receptors (PARs), which play various roles in airway epithelia. However, the role of HDM in regulating ion transporters and fluid secretion has not been investigated. We examined the effect of HDM on ion transport in human primary nasal epithelial cells. The Ca²⁺‐sensitive dye Fura2‐AM was used to determine intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) by means of spectrofluorometry in human normal nasal epithelial cells (NHNE). Short‐circuit current (Isc) was measured using Ussing chambers. Fluid secretion from porcine airway mucosa was observed by optical measurement. HDM extract (10 µg/Ml) effectively cleaved the PAR‐2 peptide and induced an increase of [Ca²⁺]_i that was abolished by desensitization with trypsin, but not with thrombin. Apical application of HDM‐induced Isc sensitive to both a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) inhibitor and a Ca²⁺‐activated Cl^? channel (CaCC) inhibitor. HDM extract also stimulated fluid secretion from porcine airway mucosa. HDM extract activated PAR‐2 and apical Cl^? secretion via CaCC and CFTR, and HDM‐induced fluid secretion in porcine airway mucosa. Our results suggest a role for PAR‐2 in mucociliary clearance and fluid hypersecretion of airway mucosa in response to air‐borne allergens such as HDM. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 1254–1263, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Depletion of invariant NKT cells reduces inflammation-induced preterm delivery in mice

This study sought to determine whether invariant NKT (iNKT) cells play an essential role in inflammation-induced preterm delivery. Preterm delivery and fetal death rates were determined in wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice and iNKT cell-deficient Jα18(-/-) mice injected i.p. with LPS. The percentages of decidual immune cells, including activated subsets, and costimulatory molecule expression were analyzed by flow cytometry. Th1 and Th2 cytokine production in the culture supernatants of decidual mononuclear cells was measured by ELISA. To some extent, Jα18(-/-) mice were resistant to LPS-induced preterm delivery. The proportions of decidual CD3(+) and CD49b(+) cells were slightly lower in Jα18(-/-) mice than in WT Jα18(+/+) mice, whereas almost no CD3(+)CD49b(+) cells could be found in Jα18-null mice. The percentages of activated decidual DCs, T cells, and NK cells were significantly lower in LPS-treated Jα18(-/-) mice than in WT mice. The CD40, CD80, and CD86 expression levels on decidual CD11c(+) cells from Jα18(-/-) mice were also significantly lower than in WT mice. Mean concentrations of Th1 cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12p70 in the culture supernatants of decidual mononuclear cells from LPS-treated Jα18(-/-) mice were apparently lower than those of LPS-induced WT mice. Additionally, the proportions of activated CD11c(+) cells, CD3(+) cells, and CD49b(+) cells in LPS-induced preterm delivery mice were strikingly higher in both WT and null mice when compared with the control PBS group and LPS-injected but normally delivered mice. Our results suggest that iNKT cells may play an essential role in inflammation-induced preterm birth.     

普洱熟茶后发酵优势菌臭曲霉的生物学特性

为了开发普洱熟茶生产的规范技术,本文对普洱茶后发酵优势芮之一的臭曲霉的生物学特性进行了研究.结果表明,该菌株对酸碱度有广幅的适应性;在以硫酸铵或豆饼粉为氮源,玉米粉或果糖为碳源的培养基中生长迅速;培养温度以30℃最为适宜.同时,对菌落的牛长规律及形态特征进行了观察与分析.研究结果为该菌株的大量培养,以及普洱茶的规范化生产技术提供了基础.     

Mapping-by-Sequencing Identifies HvPHYTOCHROME C as a Candidate Gene for the early maturity 5 Locus Modulating the Circadian Clock and Photoperiodic Flowering in Barley

Phytochromes play an important role in light signaling and photoperiodic control of flowering time in plants. Here we propose that the red/far-red light photoreceptor HvPHYTOCHROME C (HvPHYC), carrying a mutation in a conserved region of the GAF domain, is a candidate underlying the early maturity 5 locus in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). We fine mapped the gene using a mapping-by-sequencing approach applied on the whole-exome capture data from bulked early flowering segregants derived from a backcross of the Bowman(eam5) introgression line. We demonstrate that eam5 disrupts circadian expression of clock genes. Moreover, it interacts with the major photoperiod response gene Ppd-H1 to accelerate flowering under noninductive short days. Our results suggest that HvPHYC participates in transmission of light signals to the circadian clock and thus modulates light-dependent processes such as photoperiodic regulation of flowering.     

Structure and Functional Analysis of LptC, a Conserved Membrane Protein Involved in the Lipopolysaccharide Export Pathway in Escherichia coli

LptC is a conserved bitopic inner membrane protein from Escherichia coli involved in the export of lipopolysaccharide from its site of synthesis in the cytoplasmic membrane to the outer membrane. LptC forms a complex with the ATP-binding cassette transporter, LptBFG, which is thought to facilitate the extraction of lipopolysaccharide from the inner membrane and release it into a translocation pathway that includes the putative periplasmic chaperone LptA. Cysteine modification experiments established that the catalytic domain of LptC is oriented toward the periplasm. The structure of the periplasmic domain is described at a resolution of 2.2-Å from x-ray crystallographic data. The periplasmic domain of LptC consists of a twisted boat structure with two β-sheets in apposition to each other. The β-sheets contain seven and eight antiparallel β-strands, respectively. This structure bears a high degree of resemblance to the crystal structure of LptA. Like LptA, LptC binds lipopolysaccharide in vitro. In vitro, LptA can displace lipopolysaccharide from LptC (but not vice versa), consistent with their locations and their proposed placement in a unidirectional export pathway.     

Temporal dynamics of soil bacterial network regulate soil resistomes

Soil bacteria are diverse and form complicated ecological networks through various microbial interactions, which play important roles in soil multi-functionality. However, the seasonal effects on the bacterial network, especially the relationship between bacterial network topological features and soil resistomes remains underexplored, which impedes our ability to unveil the mechanisms of the temporal-dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Here, a field investigation was conducted across four seasons at the watershed scale. We observed significant seasonal variation in bacterial networks, with lower complexity and stability in autumn, and a wider bacterial community niche in summer. Similar to bacterial communities, the co-occurrence networks among ARGs also shift with seasonal change, particularly with respect to the topological features of the node degree, which on average was higher in summer than in the other seasons. Furthermore, the nodes with higher betweenness, stress, degree, and closeness centrality in the bacterial network showed strong relationships with the 10 major classes of ARGs. These findings highlighted the changes in the topological properties of bacterial networks that could further alter antibiotic resistance in soil. Together, our results reveal the temporal dynamics of bacterial ecological networks at the watershed scale, and provide new insights into antibiotic resistance management under environmental changes.     

股骨头负重区松质骨的压缩力学特性

本文对19具新鲜青年(30左右)尸体股骨负重区的松质骨进行了压缩测试,测算并提供了一组松质骨弹性模量,极限应力,应变,屈服载荷及能量吸收值。试验表明松质骨力学性能主要缓解外力冲击加压。     

Screening and degradation performances of dominant strains in high-salinity landfill leachate

In order to enhance the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the high-salinity landfill leachate, the dominant strains were isolated from high-salinity landfill leachate. The dominant strains and bacteria consortium were screened for COD treatment potential using an aerobic COD concentration decrease test. Ten strains, TJ01–TJ10, were isolated, of which six strains TJ02, TJ03, TJ05, TJ06, TJ07, and TJ09 were found to have higher COD removal when the single bacteria were added, all more than 20%. The most effective combination was TJ06 + TJ09; the COD removal efficiency reached 45.57%. 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis revealed that TJ06 and TJ09 belonged to the genus Bacillus. The effects of the dominant bacteria consortium on the high-salinity landfill leachate varied with pH value and the volume fraction of leachate. The COD removal efficiencies maintained higher when the pH value was 6–8 and the volume fractions of leachate were less than 80%. The result also suggested that there is little effect on the growth of TJ06 and TJ09 when the range of Cl⁻ concentration is 0–30,000 mg/L.     

Selection for High Oridonin Yield in the Chinese Medicinal Plant Isodon (Lamiaceae) Using a Combined Phylogenetics and Population Genetics Approach

Oridonin is a diterpenoid with anti-cancer activity that occurs in the Chinese medicinal plant Isodon rubescens and some related species. While the bioactivity of oridonin has been well studied, the extent of natural variation in the production of this compound is poorly known. This study characterizes natural variation in oridonin production in order to guide selection of populations of Isodon with highest oridonin yield. Different populations of I. rubescens and related species were collected in China, and their offspring were grown in a greenhouse. Samples were examined for oridonin content, genotyped using 11 microsatellites, and representatives were sequenced for three phylogenetic markers (ITS, rps16, trnL-trnF). Oridonin production was mapped on a molecular phylogeny of the genus Isodon using samples from each population as well as previously published Genbank sequences. Oridonin has been reported in 12 out of 74 species of Isodon examined for diterpenoids, and the phylogeny indicates that oridonin production has arisen at least three times in the genus. Oridonin production was surprisingly consistent between wild-collected parents and greenhouse-grown offspring, despite evidence of gene flow between oridonin-producing and non-producing populations of Isodon. Additionally, microsatellite genetic distance between individuals was significantly correlated with chemical distance in both parents and offspring. Neither heritability nor correlation with genetic distance were significant when the comparison was restricted to only populations of I. rubescens, but this result should be corroborated using additional samples. Based on these results, future screening of Isodon populations for oridonin yield should initially prioritize a broad survey of all species known to produce oridonin, rather than focusing on multiple populations of one species, such as I. rubescens. Of the samples examined here, I. rubescens or I. japonicus from Henan province would provide the best source of oridonin.