A New Functional Site W115 in CdtA Is Critical for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Cytolethal Distending Toxin

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a specific pathogen of localized aggressive periodontitis, produces a cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) that arrests eukaryotic cells irreversibly in G0/G1 or G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Although structural studies show that the aromatic patch region of CdtA plays an important role in its biological activity, the functional sites of CdtA have not been firmly established. In this study, site-specific mutagenesis strategy was employed for cdtA point mutations construction so as to examine the contributions of individual amino acids to receptor binding and the biological activity of holotoxin. The binding ability was reduced in CdtA^Y181ABC holotoxin and the biological function of CDT was not weaken in CdtA^Y105ABC, CdtA^Y125ABC, CdtA^F109ABC and CdtA^S106NBC holotoxin suggesting that these sites were not critical to CDT. But the binding activity and cell cycle arrest ability of holotoxin complexes were inhibited in CdtA^W115GBC. And this site did not affect the holotoxin assembly by size exclusion chromatography. Therefore, W115 might be a critical site of CdtA binding ability. These findings suggest that the functional sites of CdtA are not only in the aromatic patch region. W115, the new functional site is critical for receptor binding and cell cycle arrest, which provides potential targets for pharmacological disruption of CDT activity.     

Impaired long-term potentiation and long-term memory deficits in xCT-deficient sut mice

xCT is the functional subunit of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc-, which exchanges intracellular glutamate with extracellular cystine. xCT has been reported to play roles in the maintenance of intracellular redox and ambient extracellular glutamate, which may affect neuronal function. To assess a potential role of xCT in the mouse hippocampus, we performed fear conditioning and passive avoidance for long-term memories and examined hippocampal synaptic plasticity in wild-type mice and xCT-null mutants, sut mice. Long-term memory was impaired in sut mice. Normal basal synaptic transmission and short-term presynaptic plasticity at hippocampal Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses were observed in sut mice. However, LTP (long-term potentiation) was significantly reduced in sut mice compared with their wild-type counterparts. Supplementation of extracellular glutamate did not reverse the reduction in LTP. Taken together, our results suggest that xCT plays a role in the modulation of hippocampal long-term plasticity.     

Review of the South American leafhopper genus Parandanus (Hemiptera,Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae)

The South American leafhopper genus Parandanus Linnavuori & DeLong (Deltocephalinae: Deltocephalini) is reviewed and four of its six species are illustrated and male genital characters are provided. Three new species from Peru, Parandanus longistylus Duan, sp. n., Parandanus nigricephalus Duan, sp. n. and Parandanus paracruciatus Duan, sp. n. are described. A key to species is also provided.     

中国"三江并流"纵谷地蚤类丰富度与区系沿纬度梯度的水平分布格局

为探讨横断山区蚤类物种丰富度与区系沿纬度梯度变化的基本规律以及影响它们分布的主要生态因子,作者就云南西部横断山区21o-28oN的8个纬度梯度带目前所知分布的9科45属153种(亚种)蚤类的水平分布资料进行了综合整理和统计分析。结果表明:(1)这一区域蚤类科、属、种丰富度,特有种丰富度和特有度,以及东洋界和古北界区系成分物种丰富度沿纬度梯度的变化,都呈现了随纬度增加先增高后降低的单峰分布格局,最大峰值出现在25o-27oN之间,研究认为,形成物种密度高峰的主要因素是两大区系分界线和交错区的边缘效应;(2)东洋和古北两大区系成分构成比的水平分布格局截然不同,前者随纬度的增加递减,后者则随纬度的增加呈递增的趋势,两区系成分过渡或交错区的跨度在23o-29oN之间,并在25o-27oN形成交汇和分异的中心;(3)聚类分析结果表明,横断山8个纬度梯度带的蚤类总体上归为3个主要地域区系类型,反映出纬度、地理气候环境等因素对蚤类区系及物种分布的影响,以及蚤类区系和物种组成沿纬度梯度的水平分布格局与地理和气候环境的统一性;(4)蚤类的属、种β多样性沿纬度梯度的水平分布基本呈现双峰格局,峰值反映出蚤类的组成及分布在不同纬度梯度、气候带之间的过渡与转变,说明β多样性的水平分布格局与纬度梯度的气候、环境变化程度的关系密切,以及过渡区的边缘效应对两区系物种丰富度高峰的形成具有重要影响;(5)横断山区蚤类物种丰富度与区系的水平分布与垂直分布的规律和格局基本相同,显示了具有同源性的水平地带性与垂直地带性对蚤类空间分布格局所产生的类似影响,证实了横断山区蚤类物种丰富度与区系的水平分布格局理应出现近似于它们垂直分布的一般规律与格局的推论;(6)横断山25o-27oN的区域形成了两大区系物种交汇和分异的中心,由于边缘效应和复杂的地理景观,这里蚤类科、属、种、特有种都具有较高多样性,据此作者推断,这里可能是我国横断山区多物种保存、分布和分化的核心区。     

Critical contribution of immunoproteasomes in the induction of protective immunity against Trypanosoma cruzi in mice vaccinated with a plasmid encoding a CTL epitope fused to green fluorescence protein

Acquired immunity against infection with Trypanosoma cruzi is dependent on CD8(+)T cells. Here, to develop a vaccine strategy taking advantage of activated CD8(+)T cells, we constructed a DNA vaccine, designated pGFP-TSA1, encoding a fusion protein linking GFP to a single CTL epitope of TSA1, a leading candidate for vaccine against T. cruzi. C57BL/6 mice vaccinated with this plasmid showed suppressed parasitemia and prolonged survival. Vaccination with pGFP-TSA1 enhanced epitope-specific cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma secretion by CD8(+)T cells. Furthermore, the depletion of CD8(+)T cells prior to challenge infection with T. cruzi completely abolished this protection, indicating that CD8(+)T cells are the principal effector T cells involved. When mice deficient in the proteasome activator PA28alpha/beta or the immunoproteasome subunits LMP2 and LMP7 were used, the protective immunity against infection was profoundly attenuated. Our findings clearly demonstrate that vaccination with pGFP-TSA1 successfully induces protection dependent on CD8(+)T cell activation, in which immunoproteasomes play a crucial role. It is noteworthy to document that physical binding of the epitope and GFP is required for induction of this protection, since mice vaccinated with pTSA1-IRES-GFP failed to acquire resistance, probably because the epitope and GFP are separately expressed in the antigen-presenting cells.     

内蒙古根瘤菌的数值分类

对63株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌与6株来自Rhizobiumleguminosarum及Sinorhizobiummililoti的参比菌株一起进行了数值分类。结果表明：所有测试菌株在67％的相似性水平上分为三个表观群,群Ⅰ包括3株Sinorhizobiummeliloti的参比菌和9株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌;群Ⅱ包括3株RhizobiumLoguminosarum参比菌和37株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌;群Ⅲ全部由20株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌组成。在78％的相似     

Long-Term Prognostic Analysis after Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Olfactory Neuroblastoma: A Retrospective Study of 13 Cases

ObjectivesTo summarize the characteristics and long–term outcomes of olfactory neuroblastoma through the analysis of 13 cases in single institution, with the assessment of treatment modality, prognostic factors.MethodA retrospective study of thirteen cases diagnosed as olfactory neuroblastoma and underwent combined treatments during the period 2000–2010. Statistical analysis was performed to search for prognostic factors and compared different treatment modalities.Results13 patients were enrolled in this study, including 8 male and 5 female, ranging from 15 to 69 (median 43) years old. One patient at stage A was only treated with endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES). Seven patients were treated with preoperative radiotherapy and EES, two with EES and postoperative radiotherapy, and the other three with combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The range of follow-up time varied from 23 to 116 months (median 65 months). The 5-year overall survival rate was 46.2% (6/13). To date, these thirteen patients have not suffered local recurrences while two patients had lymph node recurrences and one had distant metastasis in the bone marrow. In 13 patients, 61.5% were diagnosed as late T stage (T3/4), 69.2% late Kadish stage (C/D) and 53.8% were high Hyams grade (I/ II), which indicated poor prognosis. Related prognostic factors were the TNM stage (T stage P = 0.028, N stage P = 0.000, M stage P = 0.007), Kadish stage (P = 0.025) and treatment modality (P = 0.015).ConclusionLate stage of TNM and Kadish staging system indicated a poor prognosis. Combined treatment modality, including endoscopic endonasal surgery, achieved a better outcome than non-surgical approach.     

新疆地区小麦白粉病菌寄主范围的研究

用小麦白粉病菌11个生理小种的混合菌种,对新疆地区的小麦近缘植物的7个属22个种的47份材料进行接种,除6份免疫外,其余均接种成功.用其中6个属19个种的29份小麦近缘植物产生的白粉病菌,对小麦回接,参试的29份材料全部回接成功.小麦白粉病菌对小麦近缘植物的寄生像在小麦上一样,有明显的寄生专化性.感病的小麦近缘植物的78.0%对小麦白粉病菌的感病性,随生育期增长而急剧下降.文中并对小麦白粉病中间寄主的作用进行了讨论.     

皂荚化学成分和生物活性的研究进展

我国的皂荚植物主要有皂荚、山皂荚、野皂荚和三刺皂荚.对皂荚的萜类、黄酮类、酚酸类、甾体类等化学成分及其抗菌、杀虫、抗病毒、抗肿瘤、免疫调节作用等生物学活性进行了综述.