Purification and properties of the Escherichia coli nucleoside transporter NupG, a paradigm for a major facilitator transporter sub-family

NupG from Escherichia coli is the archetype of a family of nucleoside transporters found in several eubacterial groups and has distant homologues in eukaryotes, including man. To facilitate investigation of its molecular mechanism, we developed methods for expressing an oligohistidine-tagged form of NupG both at high levels (>20% of the inner membrane protein) in E. coli and in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In E. coli recombinant NupG transported purine (adenosine) and pyrimidine (uridine) nucleosides with apparent K(m) values of approximately 20-30 microM and transport was energized primarily by the membrane potential component of the proton motive force. Competition experiments in E. coli and measurements of uptake in oocytes confirmed that NupG was a broad-specificity transporter of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides. Importantly, using high-level expression in E. coli and magic-angle spinning cross-polarization solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, we have for the first time been able directly to measure the binding of the permeant ([1'-(13)C]uridine) to the protein and to assess its relative mobility within the binding site, under non-energized conditions. Purification of over-expressed NupG to near homogeneity by metal chelate affinity chromatography, with retention of transport function in reconstitution assays, was also achieved. Fourier transform infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopy provided further evidence that the purified protein retained its 3D conformation and was predominantly alpha-helical in nature, consistent with a proposed structure containing 12 transmembrane helices. These findings open the way to elucidating the molecular mechanism of transport in this key family of membrane transporters.     

In vitro chromosome doubling of nineZantedeschia cultivars

Tetraploid plants have been produced from nineZantedeschia cultivars usingin vitro colchicine treatment. Rapidly-multiplying shoot cultures were treated on a medium containing 0.05% colchicine for 1, 2 or 4 days to induce chromosome doubling. Following the treatment, most shoots were killed but the surviving shoots were multiplied for several subcultures. These shoots were then rootedin vitro and transferred to a greenhouse. Plants were screened 2 months later by measuring stomatal length, and 110 out of 565 plants were selected as putative tetraploids with a stomatal length significantly greater than in diploid control plants. Chromosome counts were carried out on root tips from 44 plants and confirmed that 38 were tetraploids, 2 were chimeras (predominantly tetraploid with a few octoploid cells), and 4 were diploids. Stomatal length has been rechecked in mature tetraploid plants of the cultivar Black Magic, demonstrating that stomatal length is a good indicator of ploidy level inZantedeschia. This study has shown that multiplying colchicine-treated shootsin vitro for several subcultures prior to transfer to soil produced very few chimeras. The stomatal length measurements are non-destructive and allow the rapid screening of a population for tetraploids.     

NF-κB p65的敲减加重结肠上皮HCT116细胞氧化损伤

炎症细胞诱导的活性氧类生成和肠道氧化应激与慢性炎症性肠疾病以及结直肠肿瘤的发病密切相关。NF-κB信号通路参与氧化应激反应以及在结直肠炎症和肿瘤发生中的作用还并不完全清楚。本研究将化学合成一对编码小干扰RNA 序列、靶向人NF-κB 基因的长60 bp寡核苷酸链定向克隆至pSUPER小干扰RNA表达载体中,通过单酶切、双酶切及测序证实重组RNA干扰载体构建成功. 将构建成功的质粒转染至结肠上皮细胞HCT116中敲减p65,分别采用Western blot方法检测NF-κB p65蛋白表达水平,（3-(4,5-二甲基噻唑-2)-3,5-二苯基四氮唑溴盐（MTT）方法检测细胞存活情况. 结果显示,pSUPER-NF-κB p65载体可特异性下调NF-κB p65蛋白表达;下调p65表达可导致过氧化氢诱导的HCT116内活性氧类物质生成增高,存活细胞数目显著减少,氧化损伤加重。研究表明,在人结肠上皮细胞内NF-κB p65通路的抑制显著加重了结肠上皮细胞氧化损伤情况.     

Halogen Engineering for Operationally Stable Perovskite Solar Cells via Sequential Deposition

The performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) relies on the synthesis method and chemical composition of the perovskite materials. So far, PSCs that have adopted two‐step sequential deposited perovskite with the state‐of‐art composition (FAPbI₃)_1?x(MAPbBr₃)_x (x < 0.05) have achieved record power conversion efficiency (PCE), while their one‐step antisolvent dripping counterparts with typical composition Cs_0.05FA_0.81MA_0.14Pb(I_0.85Br_0.15)₃ with more bromine have exhibited much better long‐term operational stability. Thus, halogen engineering that aims to elevate bromine content in sequential deposited perovskite film would push operational stability of PSCs toward that of antisolvent dripping deposited perovskite materials. Here, a Br‐rich seeding growth method is devised and perovskite seed solution with high bromine content is introduced into a PbI₂ precursor, leading to bromine incorporation in the resulting perovskite film. Photovoltaic devices fabricated by Br‐rich seeding growth method exhibit a PCE of 21.5%, similar to 21.6% for PSCs having lower bromine content. Whereas, the operational stability of PSCs with higher bromine content is significantly enhanced, with over 80% of initial PCE retained after 500 h tracking at maximum power point under 1‐sun illumination. This work highlights the vital importance of halogen composition for the operational stability of PSCs, and introduces an effective way to incorporate bromine into mixed‐cation‐halide perovskite film via sequential deposition method.     

Disruption of Ssp411 causes impaired sperm head formation and male sterility in mice

Background

We previously cloned the Ssp411 gene. We found that the Ssp411 protein is predominantly expressed in elongated spermatids in the rat testis in a stage-dependent manner. Although our findings strongly suggested that Ssp411 might play an important role in mammalian spermatogenesis, this hypothesis has not been studied.

热带滨海植物红厚壳的抗逆生物学特性

为了解红厚壳(Calophyllum inophyllum)的抗逆特性,对西沙群岛自然生长的红厚壳叶片的形态解剖、生理生态、以及叶片和适生土壤的元素含量进行了研究。结果表明,红厚壳是阳生性植物,其上表皮厚,海绵组织发达且栅栏组织排列紧密,气孔排列松散且密度小(24.40 mm~(-2)),有利于叶片保水抵御干旱。叶片的叶绿素a、b含量低(分别为0.87和0.43 mg g~(-1)),表明红厚壳具适应强光环境的能力。叶片的MDA含量低(13.46 nmol g~(-1)),PRO含量高(127.89μg g~(-1)),SOD活性高(149.42 U g~(-1)),总抗氧化能力高(388.60 U g~(-1)),显示红厚壳能通过提高自身的抗氧化能力抵御膜脂过氧化伤害。红厚壳自然生长的珊瑚岛土壤较为贫瘠、营养元素含量低,但红厚壳植株体内具有较高的营养元素含量,表明红厚壳营养元素利用率高,对于贫瘠土壤具有很好的适应能力。因此,红厚壳具有较高的抗氧化胁迫能力和耐受干旱的能力,适宜生长在热带珊瑚岛等土壤贫瘠的生境,可以作为热带珊瑚岛防风固沙和植被恢复的工具种。     

结核分枝杆菌ABC转运蛋白与物质的跨膜转运

结核分枝杆菌作为一种胞内寄生菌,主要存在于巨噬细胞吞噬体内,并且通过与宿主细胞竞争摄取营养物质、主动排出有毒物质来维持生存。因此,参与上述过程的ABC转运蛋白在结核分枝杆菌的致病中发挥着举足轻重的作用。已有报道结核分枝杆菌基因组编码了38个ABC转运蛋白。这类蛋白质有着广泛的底物结合谱,参与了无机离子、糖类、氨基酸、寡肽、药物等多种物质的跨膜转运。本文将对结核分枝杆菌编码的ABC转运蛋白超家族中的不同成员及其底物特异性、转运机制以及与毒力的关系的研究进展进行综述。     

西双版纳聚果榕榕果小蜂种间联结性研究

应用方差比率法、2× 2列联表的 χ2 检验、联结系数、点相关系数、共同出现百分率、Pearson相关系数和秩相关系数等多指数比较的方法研究了西双版纳聚果榕榕果小蜂的种间联结性。研究表明 ,西双版纳聚果榕榕果小蜂种间总体联结性表现为极显著。 2× 2列联表的 χ2检验不能反映所研究昆虫种间联结性的真实情况。 6个聚果榕榕果小蜂种间共同出现率普遍较高。小蜂种间的联结程度多属极显著 (对于联结系数 15个种对中有 10个 ,对于秩相关系数15个种对中有 12个 )。传粉者Ceratosolenfusciceps同其它小蜂间的联结显著性最高 ,其中与Platyneuratestacea和P .mayri呈极显著负联结 ,与P .agraensis呈极显著正联结 ,但与Apoc rypta属 2小蜂的关系尚不十分明晰。Platyneura属 3种小蜂彼此之间呈极显著或显著的负联结关系 ,而Apocrypta属内 2个种之间呈极显著正联结。文章对该 6种榕果小蜂种间连接关系形成的原因及进化生态学后果作了较详尽的讨论。