Design and synthesis of 4-phenyl piperidine compounds targeting the mu receptor

Small molecule mu agonists based on the 4-phenyl piperidine scaffold were designed and synthesized to further investigate the therapeutic potential of loperamide analogs. The resulting compounds show excellent agonistic activity towards the human mu receptor with interesting SAR trends within the series.     

中国海南内生拟盘多毛孢

2004 至 2005 年期间,从我国海南地区 95 种植物中分离鉴定了 43 种内生拟盘多毛孢,包括 5 个新组合,16 个内生拟盘多毛孢新记录种。5 个原归在盘多毛孢属 Pestalotia 的种重组到拟盘多毛孢属Pestalotiopsis 中,它们是二色拟盘多毛孢 P. bicolor,金鸡纳树拟盘多毛孢 P. cinchonae,密花拟盘多毛孢P. lambertiae,草原拟盘多毛孢 P. pampeana 和露兜树拟盘多毛孢 P. pandani。对 5 个新组合进行了重新描述和图解,其它 16 个内生拟盘多毛孢新记录种列出名录。     

脂肪分化相关蛋白基因多态性与优质鸡屠宰性状和肌内脂肪含量的相关性研究

对脂肪分化相关蛋白(Adipocyte Differentiation-Related Protein, ADFP)基因的外显子进行SNPs 检测, 探讨其作为鸡脂肪性状候选基因的可能性。实验以四川省畜牧科学研究院和大恒家禽育种有限公司培育的优质肉鸡新品系为素材, 采用PCR-SSCP的方法进行SNPs 检测和基因型的分析。结果找到3个SNPs位点: 4 079位由A→T(位点A)、4 843位由C→T(位点B)和7 070位由A→G(位点C)。单位点基因型对屠宰性状的遗传效应分析表明, 位点A的基因型对腿肌率、腹脂重、腹脂率和肌内脂肪含量有显著性影响(P < 0.05), 位点B的基因型对活重和屠体重均有显著性影响(P < 0.05), 位点C的基因型对胸肌重和肌内脂肪含量有显著性影响(P < 0.05), 对胸肌率有极显著性影响(P < 0.01)。初步推断ADFP基因可能是影响鸡脂肪性状的主效基因或与主效基因连锁, 推测可以利用多态位点A和C对鸡腹脂重、腹脂率和肌内脂肪含量进行标记辅助选择。     

The MIG-2/integrin interaction strengthens cell-matrix adhesion and modulates cell motility

Integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesion plays an important role in control of cell behavior. We report here that MIG-2, a widely expressed focal adhesion protein, interacts with beta1 and beta3 integrin cytoplasmic domains. Integrin binding is mediated by a single site within the MIG-2 FERM domain. Functionally, the MIG-2/integrin interaction recruits MIG-2 to focal adhesions. Furthermore, using alphaIIbbeta3 integrin-expressing Chinese hamster ovary cells, a well described model system for integrin activation, we show that MIG-2 promotes integrin activation and enhances cell-extracellular matrix adhesion. Although MIG-2 is expressed in many cell types, it is deficient in certain colon cancer cells. Expression of MIG-2, but not of an integrin binding-defective MIG-2 mutant, in MIG-2-null colon cancer cells strengthened cell-matrix adhesion, promoted focal adhesion formation, and reduced cell motility. These results suggest that the MIG-2/integrin interaction is an important element in the cellular control of integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesion and that loss of this interaction likely contributes to high motility of colon cancer cells.     

The embryonic leaf identity gene FUSCA3 regulates vegetative phase transitions by negatively modulating ethylene-regulated gene expression in Arabidopsis

Background

Protein kinase CK2 is a pleiotropic serine/threonine protein kinase with hundreds of reported substrates, and plays an important role in a number of cellular processes. The cellular functions of Plasmodium falciparum CK2 (PfCK2) are unknown. The parasite's genome encodes one catalytic subunit, PfCK2??, which we have previously shown to be essential for completion of the asexual erythrocytic cycle, and two putative regulatory subunits, PfCK2??1 and PfCK2??2.

Results

We now show that the genes encoding both regulatory PfCK2 subunits (PfCK2??1 and PfCK2??2) cannot be disrupted. Using immunofluorescence and electron microscopy, we examined the intra-erythrocytic stages of transgenic parasite lines expressing hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged catalytic and regulatory subunits (HA-CK2??, HA-PfCK2??1 or HA-PfCK2??2), and localized all three subunits to both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments of the parasite. The same transgenic parasite lines were used to purify PfCK2??1- and PfCK2??2-containing complexes, which were analyzed by mass spectrometry. The recovered proteins were unevenly distributed between various pathways, with a large proportion of components of the chromatin assembly pathway being present in both PfCK2??1 and PfCK2??2 precipitates, implicating PfCK2 in chromatin dynamics. We also found that chromatin-related substrates such as nucleosome assembly proteins (Naps), histones, and two members of the Alba family are phosphorylated by PfCK2?? in vitro.

Conclusions

Our reverse-genetics data show that each of the two regulatory PfCK2 subunits is required for completion of the asexual erythrocytic cycle. Our interactome study points to an implication of PfCK2 in many cellular pathways, with chromatin dynamics being identified as a major process regulated by PfCK2. This study paves the way for a kinome-wide interactomics-based approach to elucidate protein kinase function in malaria parasites.     

长江口及其邻近水域冬季浮游植物群集

应用Uterm hl方法分析了2005年2月28日至3月10日在长江口及其邻近水域进行的大面调查所获浮游植物采水样品,报道了该水域浮游植物的群落特征.初步鉴定浮游植物5门67属130种(含未定名25种).调查水域浮游植物群落主要由硅藻组成,其次为甲藻,此外还有少量的金藻、蓝藻和绿藻.主要优势种为具槽帕拉藻(Paralia sulcata)、中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum)、圆海链藻(Thalassiosira rotula)、标志布莱克里亚藻(Bleakeleya nota-ta)、辐射圆筛藻(Coscinodiscus radiatus)和离心列海链藻(Thalassiosira excentrica).调查区浮游植物的细胞丰度介于0.1~90.0cells.ml-1,平均值为10.1cells.ml-1.浮游植物的水平分布特征是近岸处浮游植物丰度高,远岸处丰度低.水体表层的浮游植物细胞丰度最高,表层之下细胞丰度略有降低,但变化不大.浮游植物的细胞丰度和叶绿素a与硝酸盐、亚硝酸盐、铵盐、磷酸盐和硅酸盐浓度呈显著正相关,而与盐度呈负相关.调查区中部香农-威纳多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数较高,而东北部和近岸水域较低.     

茄科劳尔氏菌单克隆抗体的制备及其特性鉴定

茄科劳尔氏菌(Ralstonia solanacearum,RS)是番茄、茄子、辣椒、马铃薯等茄科蔬菜青枯病害的致病菌。为实现对RS的快速高效检测,以茄科劳尔氏菌株1.76免疫BALB/c小鼠,经细胞融合后利用间接酶联免疫吸附分析(Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay,ELISA)筛选出3株能稳定分泌抗茄科劳尔氏菌株1.76的单克隆杂交瘤细胞株1C1、1B3和9D7。然后利用小鼠体内诱生腹水,1C1、1B3和9D7效价分别为1:1 024 000、1:64 000、1:256 000。采用饱和硫酸铵沉淀及Protein-G亲和层析法纯化腹水,经SDS-PAGE鉴定显示纯化后的单克隆抗体(Monoclonal Antibodies,mAb)纯度较高。纯化后单克隆抗体(2 mg/mL)效价分别为1:17 529、1:35 819、1:50 000,抗体亚型均为IgG1。对3株抗体进行特异性检测结果显示,1C1和9D7均不能与RS-5结合,1B3不能结合1.74和RS-5。此外,检测结果还表明3株单克隆抗体与桑肠杆菌JX-6、苏云金芽胞杆菌SYJ及实验室现有11株燕麦嗜酸菌卡特莱兰亚种、燕麦嗜酸菌西瓜亚种、玉米细菌性条斑菌、嗜酸菌魔芋亚种,梨火疫病菌QB0809、 XL-4,玉米细菌性枯萎病菌QB0241、QB0242,水稻细菌性谷枯病菌QB0017、QB0753、QB0755均无交叉情况。此次茄科劳尔氏菌抗体的制备,为后期青枯病菌的快速检测提供参考。     

Characterization of the βγ-crystallin domains of βγ-CAT, a non-lens βγ-crystallin and trefoil factor complex, from the skin of the toad Bombina maxima

βγ-CAT is a naturally existing 72-kDa complex of a non-lens βγ-crystallin (α-subunit, CAT-α) and a trefoil factor (β-subunit, CAT-β) that contains a non-covalently linked form of αβ₂ and was isolated from the skin secretions of the toad Bombina maxima. The N-terminal region of CAT-α (CAT-αN, residues 1–170) contains two βγ-crystallin domains while the C-terminal region (CAT-αC) has sequence homology to the membrane insertion domain of the Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin. To examine the biochemical characteristics of the βγ-crystallin domains of βγ-CAT, CAT-αN, CAT-αC and CAT-β were expressed in Escherichia coli. Co-immunoprecipitation of the naturally assembled βγ-CAT confirmed that the CAT-α and CAT-β complex always exists. Furthermore, recombinant CAT-β bound recombinant CAT-αN. Ca²⁺-binding motifs were identified in CAT-αN, and recombinant CAT-αN was able to bind the calcium probe terbium. However, the conformation of CAT-αN was not significantly altered upon Ca²⁺ binding. βγ-CAT possesses strong hemolytic activity toward human erythrocytes, and treatment of erythrocytes with βγ-CAT resulted in a rapid Ca²⁺ influx, eventually leading to hemolysis. However, in the absence of extracellular Ca²⁺, no significant hemolysis was detected, even though the binding and oligomerization of βγ-CAT in the erythrocyte membrane was observed. Our data demonstrate the binding of CAT-β (a trefoil factor) to CAT-αN (βγ-crystallin domains) and provide a basis for the formation of a βγ-crystallin and trefoil factor complex in vivo. Furthermore, the βγ-crystallin domains of βγ-CAT are able to bind Ca²⁺, and βγ-CAT-induced hemolysis is Ca²⁺ dependent.     

集胞藻PCC6803铜离子诱导表达平台的构建

在集胞藻PCC6803中,基因敲除是研究基因功能的最直接有效的方法,但是对于某些生存必需的基因则无法通过这种方法获得突变株。为研究集胞藻PCC6803中此类基因的功能,在其基因组中构建了一个petE基因启动子（PpetE）控制的铜离子诱导表达的平台。将集胞藻PpetE装配在lacZ报告基因的上游,通过同源双交换整合到这种蓝藻的基因组中。通过调节培养基中铜离子的浓度发现,lacZ的表达能够人为控制。特别是当铜离子浓度在6－400nmoL／L范围时,LacZ活力随铜离子浓度增加呈S型增长关系。利用这个铜离子诱导表达平台,可以控制某些必需基因的表达：提供铜离子维持细胞生存;而撤去铜离子时则关闭基因的表达,可以观察其对生命活动的影响。     

腾冲嗜酸热两面菌S5分子伴侣β亚基的表达、纯化和活性的初步分析

用NdeI和BamHI酶切回收腾冲嗜酸热两面菌S5的分子伴侣β亚基基因片段插入pET-23b的相应位置,并分别在BL21(DE3)和Rosetta-gami~(TM)B(DE3)pLysS中表达。表达的β亚基以可溶的形式存在。β亚基在Rosetta-gami~(TM)B(DE3)pLysS中表达较高,其占菌体总蛋白的16．2%,且以单体和聚体形式同时存在。表达的菌体经超声破碎、70℃热处理后,上清中β亚基蛋白含量达到30%,再经(NH_4)_2SO_4沉淀、Bio-Gel A-1．5m和DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B柱层析,得到在SDS-PAGE呈电泳均一的β亚基,Native-PAGE表明其为聚体,有弱的ATPase活性。