Fungi isolated from asthmatic homes in the Taipei area.

Indoor fungi in Taipei were surveyed during 1969-1974 using Sabouraud's agar plates. No remarkable yearly variation of fungal incidence was observed. The fungal population was found to be different from home to home. The dominant members were Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mycelia sterila, Oospora, Rhodotorula, Hormodendrum and yeasts. The order of frequency of fungi found indoors was quite different from that of outdoor fungi. The fungal spores were more numerous during summer months, and this trend was more apparent for Aspergillus, Oospora, Rhodotorula, and Hormodendrum. The kind and the incidence of fungi found in asthmatic homes were not different from those detected in non-asthmatic homes, except that in asthmatic homes there were greater numbers of fungi.     

Effect of pH, carbamylation and other hemoglobins on deoxyhemoglobin S aggregation inside intact erythrocytes as detected by proton relaxation rate measurements.

Measurement of the transverse water proton relaxation rate has been used to study the effect of pH, carbamylation, and other hemoglobins on the aggregation of deoxyhemoglobin S inside intact erythrocytes. Upon complete deoxygenation, cyanate-treated ($\text{S}\text{S}$) erythrocytes and erythrocytes heterozygous with respect to hemoglobin S ($\text{A}\text{S}$, $\text{C}\text{S}$, and $\text{S}\text{D}$) have high transverse water proton relaxation rates very similar to the values obtained with homozygous ($\text{S}\text{S}$) erythrocytes. These results suggest extensive intermolecular interactions between deoxyhemoglobin S molecules and a resultant increase in the correlation time for the small fraction of “irrotationally bound” water. When the transverse relaxation rate in deoxygenated ($\text{S}\text{S}$) erythrocytes was measured as a function of pH, the maximum rate was observed between pH 7.0 and 7.5. Upon increasing the pH beyond this range the observed relaxation rate decreases as does the number of sickled cells. Upon decreasing the pH, the observed transverse relaxation rate also decreases but the ratio of values from $\text{deoxy}\text{oxy}$ ($\text{S}\text{S}$) erythrocytes remains in the normal range of 4–6 and the number of sickled cells does not change. Therefore, the deoxyhemoglobin S aggregate inside sickled erythrocytes, as observed by water proton relaxation rates, is not altered by carbamylation or by the presence of nongelling hemoglobins. In addition, the enhancement of the relaxation rates as a function of pH is consistent with the number of sickled forms observed.     

菜豆环氧化物水解酶的表达及其催化特性研究

【背景】光学纯环氧化物及邻二醇是一类多功能手性砌块。与化学合成法相比,环氧化物水解酶(EHs)介导的生物转化法因环境友好而成为当前的研究热点。【目的】从菜豆(Phaseolus vulgaris)中克隆一种EH基因并进行原核表达,研究重组酶催化环氧苯乙烷(Styrene oxide,SO)的水解特性。【方法】通过计算机辅助分析EHs的一级结构,推测一种菜豆来源的未知功能蛋白(PvEH4)可能具有EH活性。利用RT-PCR技术,以菜豆总RNA为模板,扩增编码PvEH4的基因pveh4,并实现其在Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)中的表达。利用重组菌E.coli/pveh4全细胞催化SO水解,分析PvEH4的对映选择性和区域选择性。【结果】一级结构分析表明,PvEH4具有α/β折叠型EH特有的保守区域。SDS-PAGE结果显示PvEH4的表观分子量为39.4 kD。PvEH4针对SO的对映选择率(E值)为10.1,区域选择性系数αS和βR分别为99.5%和82.5%。当外消旋SO转化率达到68.1%时,可同时获得99.9%ees的(R)-SO和92.3%eep的(R)-苯乙二醇(Phenyl-1,2-ethanediol,PED),两者的产率分别为31.9%和65.6%。【结论】PvEH4的挖掘不仅增加了植物类EHs的数量,同时也为EHs的蛋白分子改造提供参考。     

淹水对两种甜樱桃砧木根系无氧呼吸酶及发酵产物的影响

以美早/东北山樱桃、美早/马哈利为试材,研究了淹水过程中两种甜樱桃砧木生长根、褐色木质根中无氧呼吸酶——丙酮酸脱羧酶(PDC)、乙醇脱氢酶(ADH)和乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性及褐色木质根的发酵产物——乙醛、乙醇和乳酸含量变化,结果表明:两类根系PDC、LDH活性均呈先升后降趋势,ADH活性变化在生长根中亦先升后降,而在褐色木质根中为上升趋势,三种酶活性变化幅度表现为生长根大于褐色木质根;美早/东北山樱桃两类根系中ADH和LDH活性增加幅度大于美早/马哈利,PDC则相反;两种砧木褐色木质根乙醛、乙醇含量呈升高趋势,乳酸含量先升后降;最终美早/东北山樱桃褐色木质根中乙醛含量低于美早/马哈利,乙醇含量则相反,而乳酸含量前者较早达峰值且高于后者峰值。     

广东连州田心省级自然保护区珍稀濒危植物资源现状及优先保护初步研究

掌握保护区珍稀植物本底与受威胁状态,完善保护区珍稀植物的优先保护评价体系,可为保护区制定保护对策、科学管理提供依据。通过资料收集和实地考察,对连州田心省级自然保护区珍稀植物资源开展研究,结果表明,田心省级自然保护区共有珍稀植物35科63属94种,其中国家重点保护野生植物有25科33属46种,广东省重点保护野生植物有7科10属10种,中国植物红皮书稀有濒危植物20科25属25种,CITES公约附录植物5科23属46种。采用优先保护评价体系对41种代表性珍稀濒危植物进行排序,结果属Ⅰ级保护的有2种,占评价总数的4.88%;属Ⅱ级保护的有22种,占评价总数的53.66%;属Ⅲ级保护的有17种,占评价总数的41.46%。田心省级自然保护区生境良好,珍稀濒危植物种类多,数量丰富,具有较高的生态保护价值。该评价体系对41种植物的评价与分级结果更真实地反映了它们在田心保护区受威胁状态和优先保护顺序,对该区珍稀濒危植物的优先保护工作具有一定指导意义。     

Mechanism of cooperative effects of rhinovirus and atopic sensitization on airway responsiveness

To elucidate the mechanistic interplay between rhinovirus (RV) exposure and atopic sensitization in regulating airway smooth muscle (ASM) responsiveness, isolated rabbit ASM tissue and cultured human ASM cells were passively sensitized with sera from atopic asthmatic or nonatopic nonasthmatic (control) subjects in the absence and presence of inoculation with RV serotype 16. Relative to control subjects, atopic asthmatic serum-sensitized and RV-inoculated ASM exhibited significantly increased contractility to acetylcholine, impaired relaxation to isoproterenol, and enhanced release of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta. These effects were potentiated in atopic asthmatic serum-sensitized ASM concomitantly inoculated with RV and inhibited by pretreating the tissues with monoclonal blocking antibodies against intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 (CD54), the host receptor for RV serotype 16, or lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 (CD11a/CD18), the endogenous counterreceptor for ICAM-1. Moreover, RV inoculation was found to potentiate the induction of mRNA and surface protein expression of FcepsilonRII (CD23), the low-affinity receptor for IgE, in atopic asthmatic serum-sensitized ASM. Collectively, these observations provide new evidence demonstrating that 1) RV exposure and atopic sensitization act cooperatively to potentiate induction of proasthmatic changes in ASM responsiveness in association with upregulated proinflammatory cytokine release and FcepsilonRII expression and 2) the effects of RV exposure and atopic sensitization are mediated by cooperative ICAM-1-coupled LFA-1 signaling in the ASM itself.     

秦岭北坡不同生境栓皮栎种子雨和土壤种子库动态

为了阐明栓皮栎种子雨和种子库动态,以秦岭北坡林下、林窗、林缘3种生境栓皮栎天然林为对象,采用离地和地面收集种子的方法,连续定位观测了栓皮栎种子雨、种子库的数量、质量动态,以及幼苗发育过程.结果表明:栓皮栎种子雨从8月中旬开始,9月中旬到10月上旬达到高峰期,11月上旬结束;3种生境种子雨降落历程、发生时间和组成不同;林下种子雨强度最大,为(39.55±5.56)粒·m-2,林窗种子雨降落时间最早,持续时间最长,种子活力最高,而林缘成熟种子占其种子雨的比例最大,达58.7％.从种子雨降落结束到翌年8月,土壤种子库总储量均以林下最大,林缘最小;各生境的土壤种子库中成熟、未成熟、被啃食种子数量和种子活力均随时间变化呈递减趋势,而霉烂种子数量则相反.各生境的土壤种子库中的种子均主要集中在枯落物层,其次为0～2 cm土层,2～5 cm土层中只有极少量种子存在.3种生境中栓皮栎幼苗的密度差异显著,林窗幼苗最多,林缘次之,林下最少.说明林窗更适合栓皮栎种子的萌发和幼苗生长.在栓皮栎林的经营中,通过适当间伐、增加林窗数量,可以促进栓皮栎林的天然更新.     

海南猕猴岭自然保护区海南锥+黄牛木群落特征研究

采用样地调查法,对海南猕猴岭自然保护区海南锥+黄牛木（Castanopsis hainanensis Merr.+Cratoxylum cochinchinense（Lour.）Blume）群落的植物区系组成、结构特征和物种多样性进行研究。结果显示：（1）在2500 m²样地中,有维管束植物39科73属85种;种子植物区系以热带性质为主。（2）生活型以高位芽为主,占94.12%;叶级以中型叶为主,占71.76%。（3）优势种群处于增长阶段;群落物种频度等级分布为A > C > B > E > D。（4）群落物种丰富度指数为9.85,均匀度指数为0.74,Simpson指数为0.95,Shannon-Wiener指数为3.29;优势种群的优势地位明显,但幼苗更新不足,群落均匀度和多样性指数较低,应加强就地保护力度。     

Preparation of amino-acid-type selective isotope labeling of protein expressed in Pichia pastoris

We report the culture conditions for successful amino-acid-type selective (AATS) isotope labeling of protein expressed in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris). Rhodostomin (Rho), a six disulfide-bonded protein expressed in P. pastoris with the correct fold, was used to optimize the culture conditions. The concentrations of [alpha-15N] selective amino acid, nonlabeled amino acids, and ammonium chloride, as well as induction time, were optimized to avoid scrambling and to increase the incorporation rate and protein yield. The optimized protocol was successfully applied to produce AATS isotope-labeled Rho. The labeling of [alpha-15N]Cys has a 50% incorporation rate, and all 12 cysteine resonances were observed in HSQC spectrum. The labeling of [alpha-15N]Leu, -Lys, and -Met amino acids has an incorporation rate greater than 65%, and the expected number of resonances in the HSQC spectra were observed. In contrast, the labeling of [alpha-15N]Asp and -Gly amino acids has a low incorporation rate and the scrambling problem. In addition, the culture condition was successfully applied to label dendroaspin (Den), a four disulfide-bonded protein expressed in P. pastoris. Therefore, the described condition should be generally applicable to other proteins produced in the P. pastoris expression system. This is the first report to present a protocol for AATS isotope labeling of protein expressed in P. pastoris for NMR study.     

蝗虫生境监测方法研究进展

蝗虫是一种能对农业生产带来毁灭性打击的害虫。预测、监测蝗虫的发生、发展对于防治蝗虫、减轻蝗灾具有重要意义。在分析蝗虫的发生和消长与其生存环境的关系基础上,概述了以往蝗虫发生、发展预测、监测的主要方法。然后,从监测蝗虫生境采用的指标、卫星数据、算法等方面进一步阐述了运用现代遥感、地理信息系统技术监测蝗虫生境、预测蝗虫发生、发展的理论基础和最新进展;最后,结合现代对地观测技术、网络、快速计算和模拟等技术的发展探讨了蝗虫生境监测的发展方向。