hrpZ基因在大肠杆菌中的高效表达与活性检测

PCR扩增hrpZ基因片段,克隆到pGEM-T载体中,经EcoRI／Xho1酶切、连接将hrpZ基因插人大肠杆菌表达载体pET32b（＋）硫氧还蛋白下游,构建重组表达质粒pET-hrpZ,再将其转化至E．coli BL21（DE3）中,经筛选得到阳性克隆子,IPTG诱导表达HrpZ蛋白。SDS-PAGE显示,目的蛋白在重组菌株中得到了可溶性高效表达。该重组蛋白分子量为55．8kD,与理论值大小相符。采用叶片穿刺法,融合蛋白具有诱导烟草过敏反应的生物功能。     

低氧对巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α和IL-6的影响及其机制

目的:观察低氧对巨噬细胞(Mφ)前炎症因子TNF-α和IL-6分泌的影响及其机制.方法:收集分离小鼠腹腔Mφ,建立Mφ的低氧(1% O2,5%CO2)培养模型,并用非特异性酯酶染色法进行鉴定;ELISA法检测上清液中TNF-α和IL-6的含量;RT-PCR法检测TNF-α和IL-6的转录物水平;用Western blot法检测Mφ核内NF-κB的激活量;通过在培养液中加入氢化可的松(5 mg/L),观察低氧时TNF-α和IL-6分泌量的变化.结果:TNF-α和IL-6分泌量在低氧12 h时明显增加(P＜0.01);低氧6 h时,TNF-α mRNA和IL-6 mRNA表达量明显高于对照组(P＜0.01);M中核内NF-κB的激活量在低氧2 h时明显增高(P＜0.05),低氧5 h内持续存在;而当培养液中加入氢化可的松抑制NF-κB活性后,TNF-α和IL-6的分泌水平无明显变化.结论:低氧可通过核转录因子NF-κB途径促进细胞因子TNF-α和IL-6基因的表达和分泌.     

Structural role of glycine in amyloid fibrils formed from transmembrane alpha-helices

Amyloid fibrils associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's are often derived from the transmembrane helices of membrane proteins. It is known that the fibrils have a cross-beta-sheet structure where main chain hydrogen bonding occurs between beta-strands in the direction of the fibril axis. However, the structural basis for how the membrane-spanning helix is converted into a beta-sheet or how protofibrils associate into fibrils is not known. Here, we use a model peptide corresponding to a portion of the single transmembrane helix of glycophorin A to investigate the structural role of glycine in amyloid-like fibrils formed from transmembrane helices. Glycophorin A contains a GxxxG motif that is found in many transmembrane sequences including that of the amyloid precursor protein and prion protein. We propose that glycine, which mediates helix interactions in membrane proteins, also provides key packing motifs when it occurs in beta-sheets. We show that glycines in the glycophorin A transmembrane helix promote extended beta-strand formation when the helix partitions into aqueous environments and stabilize the packing of beta-sheets in the formation of amyloid-like fibrils. We demonstrate that fibrillization can be disrupted with a new class of inhibitors that target the molecular grooves created by glycine.     

CART: an Hrs/actinin-4/BERP/myosin V protein complex required for efficient receptor recycling

Altering the number of surface receptors can rapidly modulate cellular responses to extracellular signals. Some receptors, like the transferrin receptor (TfR), are constitutively internalized and recycled to the plasma membrane. Other receptors, like the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), are internalized after ligand binding and then ultimately degraded in the lysosome. Routing internalized receptors to different destinations suggests that distinct molecular mechanisms may direct their movement. Here, we report that the endosome-associated protein hrs is a subunit of a protein complex containing actinin-4, BERP, and myosin V that is necessary for efficient TfR recycling but not for EGFR degradation. The hrs/actinin-4/BERP/myosin V (CART [cytoskeleton-associated recycling or transport]) complex assembles in a linear manner and interrupting binding of any member to its neighbor produces an inhibition of transferrin recycling rate. Disrupting the CART complex results in shunting receptors to a slower recycling pathway that involves the recycling endosome. The novel CART complex may provide a molecular mechanism for the actin-dependence of rapid recycling of constitutively recycled plasma membrane receptors.     

Hyperhydricity in shoot cultures of Scrophularia yoshimurae can be effectively reduced by ventilation of culture vessels

An effective procedure for obtaining healthy shoots from nodal segments of Scrophularia yoshimurae is described. Nodal segments cultured on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) basal medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L(-1) benzyladenine (BA) and 0.2 mg L(-1) alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) induced multiple shoots in conical flasks that differed in the way they were closed and sealed. Hermitically sealed culture vessels resulted in high hyperhydricity/vitrification. High concentrations of ethylene and CO2 were found to accumulate in these vessels. The hyperhydricity of the shoot cultures could be decreased by progressively ventilating the vessels. Exchange of gases was achieved by removing the Parafilm sealing without affecting sterility. This reduced the hyperhydricity rate and gave a good recovery of vitrified shoots, but resulted in decreased proliferation and a dehydration of proliferating nodal segments and the culture medium. The best number of normal shoots was observed when the parafilm was removed for gaseous exchange after four weeks of culture incubation. The results show that hyperhydricity in shoot cultures of S. yoshimurae could be prevented by sufficient gas exchange during culture.     

Deletion of peptide amidation enzymatic activity leads to edema and embryonic lethality in the mouse

Peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM) catalyzes the COOH-terminal amidation of peptide hormones. We previously had found high expression of PAM in several regions of the developing rodent. To determine the function of PAM during mouse embryogenesis, we produced a null mutant of the PAM gene. Homozygous mutants die in utero between e14.5 and e15.5 with severe edema that is likely due to cardiovascular deficits. These defects include thinning of the aorta and carotid arteries and are very similar to those of the recently characterized adrenomedullin (AM) gene KO despite the presence of elevated immunoreactive AM in PAM KO embryos. No peptide amidation activity was detected in PAM mutant embryos, and there was no moderation of the AM-like phenotype that could be expected if any alternative peptide amidation mechanism exists in the mouse. Despite the proposed contribution of amidated peptides to neuronal cell proliferation, no alteration in neuroblast proliferation was observed in homozygous mutant embryos prior to lethality. Mice heterozygous for the mutant PAM allele develop normally and express wildtype levels of several amidated peptides despite having one half the wildtype levels of PAM activity and PAM protein. Nonetheless, both an increase in adiposity and a mild glucose intolerance developed in aged (>10 months) heterozygous mice compared to littermate controls. Ablation of PAM thus demonstrates an essential function for this gene during mouse development, while alterations in PAM activity in the adult may underlie more subtle physiologic effects.     

cDNA sequence and tissues expression analysis of lipoprotein lipase from common carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyprinus carpio</Emphasis> Var. Jian)

A full-length cDNA coding lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was cloned from liver of adult common carp (Cyprinus carpio Var. Jian) by RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) approaches. The cDNA obtained was 2,411 bp long with a 1,524 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 507 amino acids. This amino acid sequence contains two structural regions: N-terminus (24–354 residues) and C-terminus (355–507 residues). Before N-terminus, 1–23 residues is signal peptide, 6–23 residues is transmembrance helix. At N-terminus, some conversed functional sites were found, including two N-linked glycosylation sites Asn⁴¹ and Asn⁸⁸; one catalytic triad Ser¹⁷⁴, Asp¹⁹⁸ and His²⁸³; one conserved heparin-binding site Arg³²¹ to Arg³²⁴ (RKNR); eight cysteines residues Cys⁶⁹ and Cys⁸², Cys²⁵⁸ and Cys²⁸¹, Cys³⁰⁶ and Cys³²⁵, Cys³¹⁷ and Cys³²⁰ which are involved in four disulfide bridges; one polypeptide “lid” that participates in substrate specificity. At C-terminus, Asn⁴⁰¹ is another N-linked glycosylation site, and Trp⁴³⁴ and Trp⁴³⁵ (WW) is lipid-binding site. The amino acid sequence has a high similarity, and shows similar structural features to LPL of other species. Tissue distribution of LPL mRNA in liver, head kidney, mesenteric adipose tissue, heart and white muscle of common carp was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR method using β-actin gene as internal control. The result showed that the expressions of LPL mRNA were detected in all examined tissues of common carp. The expression levels of LPL in the mesenteric adipose tissue was highest among these tissues, following in liver and head kidney, and the lowest expression was found in heart and white muscle.     

Neuroprotective effect of the endogenous neural peptide apelin in cultured mouse cortical neurons

The adipocytokine apelin and its G protein-coupled APJ receptor were initially isolated from a bovine stomach and have been detected in the brain and cardiovascular system. Recent studies suggest that apelin can protect cardiomyocytes from ischemic injury. Here, we investigated the effect of apelin on apoptosis in mouse primary cultures of cortical neurons. Exposure of the cortical cultures to a serum-free medium for 24 h induced nuclear fragmentation and apoptotic death; apelin-13 (1.0-5.0 nM) markedly prevented the neuronal apoptosis. Apelin neuroprotective effects were mediated by multiple mechanisms. Apelin-13 reduced serum deprivation (SD)-induced ROS generation, mitochondria depolarization, cytochrome c release and activation of caspase-3. Apelin-13 prevented SD-induced changes in phosphorylation status of Akt and ERK1/2. In addition, apelin-13 attenuated NMDA-induced intracellular Ca²⁺ accumulation. These results indicate that apelin is an endogenous neuroprotective adipocytokine that may block apoptosis and excitotoxic death via cellular and molecular mechanisms. It is suggested that apelins may be further explored as a potential neuroprotective reagent for ischemia-induced brain damage.     

RCPs气候情景下珠江三角洲地区城市用地扩展的预测与模拟

随着社会经济的快速发展,中国城市规模和数量不断扩大,城市土地利用系统内部变化错综复杂.本研究以珠江三角洲地区城市群为例,研究了在自然环境条件和社会经济条件共同作用下城市化进程中城市用地动态变化的驱动机制,并设计了规划情景和RCPs气候情景,运用决策树元胞自动机模型对这几种情景下珠江三角洲地区城市用地的动态变化进行预测模拟.结果表明: 非农业人口和社会经济的增长对城市化过程起着决定性的推动作用,交通干线在整个城市化进程中始终起着重要的基础性作用,高程较高和坡度较大的区域制约了该地区的城市化进程.随着时间的推移,无论哪种情景,城市用地扩张的态势不变,但扩张速度到一定时间节点将会减缓,不同情景下减缓的时间点不同;规划情景、MESSAGE模式和AIM模式下的城市用地发展速度依次增加,但MESSAGE气候模式下的城镇发展较符合当前的城镇发展态势;城市用地扩张的区域主要集中在广州、东莞、佛山、珠海、深圳、湛江和潮汕等城市化相对较高的区域.
     

大气CO_2增加对不同生长光强下龙须菜光合生理特性的影响

为了探讨未来大气CO2升高对不同生长光强下大型海藻的影响,选取经济红藻龙须菜为实验材料,研究了其生长速率、光合作用、呼吸作用、叶绿素荧光参数以及光合色素对CO2和光强的响应。实验设置两个CO2浓度,正常空气水平CO2浓度(390μL/L)和高CO2浓度(1000μL/L);两个光强梯度,高光(300μmol m-2s-1)和低光(100μmol m-2s-1)。结果表明,CO2和光强对龙须菜的生长和光合作用有明显的交互作用。大气CO2升高并没有显著影响龙须菜的生长速率,但在不同CO2处理下,龙须菜对光强的响应不同。在空气水平下,光强的变化对其生长速率影响不显著。而在高CO2作用下,高光处理下的藻体有更高的生长速率。CO2显著促进高光生长下龙须菜的呼吸作用速率,但是在低光下作用不明显。而对于光合作用速率来说,低光培养下的藻体CO2表现为负面效应,但对高光下生长的藻体作用不明显。CO2增加没有改变龙须菜生长状态下的电子传递速率,但在高光下,CO2表现为一定的抑制作用。CO2显著降低了龙须菜天线色素藻红蛋白和叶绿素a的含量。这些CO2与光强的结合效应表明,大气CO2的升高对龙须菜光合生理特性的影响随着光强的变化而呈现不同的效应,在未来评估CO2的增加对大型海藻的影响时,要充分考虑其他环境因子的耦合效应。