Noggin and bFGF cooperate to maintain the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells in the absence of feeder layers

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are typically maintained on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeders or with MEF-conditioned medium. However, these xenosupport systems greatly limit the therapeutic applications of hES cells because of the risk of cross-transfer of animal pathogens. Here we showed that the bone morphogenetic protein antagonist noggin is critical in preventing differentiation of hES cells in culture. Furthermore, we found that the combination of noggin and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was sufficient to maintain the prolonged growth of hES cells while retaining all hES cell features. Since both noggin and bFGF are expressed in MEF, our findings suggest that they may be important factors secreted by MEF for maintaining undifferentiated pluripotent hES cells. Our data provide new insight into the mechanism how hES cell self-renewal is regulated. The newly developed feeder-free culture system will provide a more reliable alternative for future therapeutic applications of hES cells.     

降解水稻秸秆的复合菌系及其微生物群落结构演替北大核心CSCD

【目的】比较和分析从堆肥中富集的水稻秸秆降解菌系F1和F2的纤维素分解能力、微生物群落结构及其在秸秆降解过程中的演替,从而探究微生物群落结构与秸秆降解效率的相关性。【方法】采用DNS(3,5-二硝基水杨酸,3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid)定糖法测定发酵液中的外切纤维素酶活;采用范氏(Van Soest)洗涤纤维分析法测定发酵前与发酵后的秸秆纤维素、半纤维素、木质素的含量,并计算降解率;采用16S r RNA基因序列分析和实时荧光定量PCR(Quantitative real-time PCR,Q-PCR)对秸秆降解过程中的微生物物种组成及特定的功能微生物进行定性和定量分析。【结果】复合菌系F1的水稻秸秆总降解率、纤维素降解率、半纤维素降解率显著高于复合菌系F2;2种复合菌系的外切纤维素酶活性与cel48基因的拷贝数变化趋势一致;复合菌系F1的物种较丰富,优势物种是好氧细菌,复合菌系F2的物种组成较单一,培养后期具有较高比例的厌氧纤维素分解菌;培养前4天,复合菌系F1和F2的优势物种均为Unclassified Bacillales和Bacillus;第4天之后,不同复合菌系的优势物种及丰度出现差异,F1的优势物种主要属于Bacteroidetes,F2的优势物种主要属于Firmicutes;虽然Petrimonas和Pusillimonas是培养后期的共有优势物种,但是Petrimonas在复合菌系F2中的相对丰度(38.30%)显著高于F1(9.47%),且培养第8天的F2中的Clostridiales OPB54增加至14.85%。【结论】cel48基因拷贝数变化与秸秆纤维素的降解效率、外切纤维素酶活性变化具有一定的相关性,cel48基因可作为潜在的生物分子标记监测秸秆纤维素的降解过程;微生物群落结构对秸秆纤维素的降解效率具有显著影响,Unclassified Bacillales,Bacillus,Petrimonas,Pusillimonas是复合菌系F1和F2降解秸秆纤维素过程中的重要物种。     

白腐真菌吸附铅的研究

含重金属废水的传统处理方法有化学沉淀法、离子交换法、吸附法、电解法和膜分离法等,它们虽然也能达到一定的净化效果,但因过程繁琐并易造成二次污染而不够理想,尤其是金属离子浓度较低时,往往操作费用和原材料成本相对过高。近年来采用生物吸附法去除废水中的重金属...     

白木香内生真菌的分离鉴定及其抑菌活性

从白木香Aquilaria sinensis（Lour．）Gilg木质部的树脂形成部位和健康部位中共分离获得42株内生真菌,经初步鉴定,产孢的33株分属于3目4科7属,其余未产孢的9株暂归为无孢菌群。采用杯碟法和MTT法分别测定了各菌株的发酵上清液对3种病原菌的体外抑菌活性和2种肿瘤细胞的体外细胞毒活性。结果表明,白木香木质部健康部位内生真菌以枝顶孢霉属为优势属,而树脂形成部位的内生真菌种类比健康部位要多,且以青霉属为优势属。其中26株至少能抑制一种指示菌,占总数的61．9％;7株对指示瘤株具有细胞毒活性,占总数的16．7％。抑菌活性菌株主要分布在枝顶孢霉属和青霉属。枝顶孢霉属菌株抑菌活性较强,其抗菌活性成分值得进一步研究。     

Toward a theory for diversity gradients: the abundance–adaptation hypothesis

The abundance–adaptation hypothesis argues that taxa with more individuals and faster generation times will have more evolutionary ‘experiments’ allowing expansion into, and diversification within, novel habitats. Thus, as older taxa have produced more individuals over time, and smaller taxa have higher population sizes and faster generation times, the Latitudinal Diversity Gradients (LDGs) of these clades should show shallower slopes. We describe the LDGs for archaea, bacteria, fungi, invertebrates and trees from six North American forests. For three focal groups – bacteria, ants, and trees – older taxa had shallower LDG slopes than the more recent, terminal taxa. Across 12 orders of magnitude of body mass, LDG slopes were steeper in larger taxa. The slopes of LDGs vary systematically with body size and clade age, underscoring the non‐canonical nature of LDGs. The steepest LDG slopes were found for the largest organisms while the smallest, from bacteria to small litter‐soil invertebrates, have shallower‐ to zero‐slope LDGs. If tropical niche conservatism is the failure of clades to adapt to, and diversify in temperate habitats, then the steep LDGs of chordates and plants likely arise from the decreased ability of clades with large individuals to adapt to the multiple challenges of extra‐tropical life.     

天然产物的C-糖基化研究进展

自然界中的天然产物在其结构上存在各种修饰,C-糖基化为其中一种比较稀少的修饰方式.C-C糖苷键的形成由C-糖基转移酶负责催化.含C-糖基的化合物多数来自微生物,但高等植物也会有少量积累.综述了近些年来在天然产物C-糖基化方面的研究工作,并对其在药物开发方面的潜力进行了展望.     

买麻藤根的异常次生生长

买麻藤(Cnetum montanum)根的异常次生生长与茎的异常次生生长相似,位于维管束外围的薄壁组织细胞可以形成维管束,以这种方式使根加粗。并且在生长过程中以同样的方式,在维管束的外围不断形成新的维管束。这些新的维管束成环状排列,因此,在老根中呈多圈的维管束。与茎唯一不同的是根的异常次生生长为不均等的,在两个宽大的射线区外侧,没有异常的维管束形成,因此,根主要向着与两条宽大射线相垂直的方向扩展,故外形呈扁圆形。     

不同佐剂对含S+PreS1融合抗原的乙型肝炎病毒颗粒疫苗免疫原性的影响

本研究在前期工作基础上,用CHO细胞表达的含PreS1+S融合抗原的新型基因工程HBV颗粒疫苗(HBSS1)与Al(OH)3、CpG及CpG+Al(OH)3等佐剂配伍,在Balb/C小鼠模型上研究不同佐剂对HBV颗粒疫苗肌肉注射后免疫应答的影响,主要包括抗体滴度、抗体亚型分类及特异性细胞免疫(γ-IFNELISpot检测)。结果表明:CpG佐剂结合HBSS1颗粒疫苗可快速诱导(单针免疫)高水平的抗PreS1及S抗体,IgG2a/IgG1比率1,同时可诱导较高抗原特异的细胞免疫应答;Al(OH)3+CpG双佐剂组一次免疫后可诱导产生最高的抗S抗体滴度(1:105),其产生的抗体亚类包括IgG1、IgG2a与IgG2b;在S抗原N端(13~49aa)存在优势CTL表位。结论:CpG佐剂结合HBSS1颗粒疫苗应是发展新型治疗性乙肝疫苗的较佳选项。     

水稻叶绿素合成缺陷突变体及其生物学研究进展

叶绿素是植物叶绿体内参与光合作用的重要色素,叶绿素合成缺陷突变是一类明显的性状突变,其在理论研究和实际应用方面均具有重要的意义。本文介绍了国内外在水稻叶绿素合成缺陷突变体的发掘、作用机理及其基因定位等方面的研究进展。     

Heterogeneous effects of cholecystokinin on neuronal response properties in deep layers of rat barrel cortex

Abstract

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is one of the most studied neuropeptides in the brain. In this study, we investigated the effects of CCK-8s and LY225910 (CCK₂ receptor antagonist) on properties of neuronal response to natural stimuli (whisker deflection) in deep layers of rat barrel cortex. This study was done on 20 male Wistar rats, weighing 230–260?g. CCK-8s (300?nmol/rat) and LY225910 (1?µmol/rat) were administered intracerebroventricularly (ICV). Neuronal responses to deflection of principal (PW) and adjacent (AW) whiskers were recorded in the barrel cortex using tungsten microelectrodes. Computer controlled mechanical displacement was used to deflect whiskers individually or in combination at 30?ms inter-stimulus intervals. ON and OFF responses for PW and AW deflections were measured. A condition-test ratio (CTR) was computed to quantify neuronal responses to whisker interaction. ICV administration of CCK-8s and LY225910 had heterogeneous effects on neuronal spontaneous activity, ON and OFF responses to PW and/or AW deflections, and CTR for both ON and OFF responses. The results of this study demonstrated that CCK-8s can modulate neuronal response properties in deep layers of rat barrel cortex probably via CCK₂ receptors.