人α-半乳糖苷酶、α-1,2-岩藻糖转移酶cDNA序列转染克服异种移植超急性排斥反应

半乳糖α 1,3 半乳糖抗原是引起异种器官移植超急性排斥反应 (hyperacuterejection ,HAR)的主要抗原 .α 半乳糖苷酶和α 1,2 岩藻糖转移酶基因可以以不同的方式降低半乳糖α 1,3 半乳糖抗原在内皮细胞表面的表达量 .将人α 半乳糖苷酶基因和α 1,2 岩藻糖转移酶基因单独或连接在一起导入猪血管内皮细胞PEDSV .15中 ,检测细胞表面的抗原及异种天然抗体对细胞杀伤作用 .结果表明α 半乳糖苷酶基因可以将猪血管内皮细胞表面的半乳糖α 1,3 半乳糖抗原清除 74 13%,而α 1,2 岩藻糖转移酶基因也可以清除 4 7 75 %的细胞表面异种抗原 ,但二者都不能达到完全清除的目的 .当α 半乳糖苷酶和α 1,2 岩藻糖转移酶双基因在内皮细胞内共表达时 ,则可以基本清除半乳糖α 1,3 半乳糖抗原 .抗原的减少也可以相应地减弱内皮细胞对异种天然抗体介导的杀伤作用的敏感性 ,尤其是双基因共表达时细胞基本不被杀伤 .结果表明 ,α 半乳糖苷酶基因和α 1,2 岩藻糖转移酶基因可以有效地清除血管内皮细胞表面的半乳糖α 1,3 半乳糖抗原 ,克服HAR的发生 ,为下一步进行动物实验 ,探讨克服异种移植HAR提供了技术途径     

INFLUENCE OF ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ON THE EXPRESSION OF PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN AND DNA POLYMERASE α IN SKELETONEMA COSTATUM (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

To evaluate the effects of UV radiation on the expression of DNA replication‐related genes in phytoplankton, the mRNA levels of DNA polymerase α and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in a marine diatom, Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve, were studied using the methods of real‐time quantitative PCR. Treating the algal cultures with UVC radiation for 15 min caused severe mortality during the 24‐h period after treatment. A significant amount of thymine dimers was detected in the treated cultures, and the mRNA levels of DNA polymerase α and PCNA increased by as much as 140 and 23 pmol·(g total RNA)^?1, respectively, compared with the control experiments. In contrast, massive cell deaths did not occur in cultures receiving UVA/B radiation, and the formation of thymine dimers was inconspicuous. Also, UVA/B did not enhance the expression levels of DNA polymerase α or PCNA. Based on the calculation of biologically effective UV doses, daily exposure to sunlight may increase the expression of DNA polymerase α or PCNA genes in S. costatum by 12% at sea surface. This level of increase does not seriously affect the value of using these genes as growth indicators, but caution is needed in the extrapolation of this conclusion to all phytoplankton species.     

基于CRISPR/Cas9技术的高通量筛选平台:发掘病毒复制相关宿主分子的新途径

病毒作为严格的细胞内寄生生物,需要多种宿主蛋白辅助其完成生命周期。寻找与病毒复制相关的宿主因子并揭示其作用机制,将有助于阐明病毒的感染机制,为疫病的防治提供新靶标。与RNA干扰技术相比,近年来兴起的CRISPR/Cas9技术能更特异、高效、准确地实现基因组编辑,因而在功能基因研究中得到更广泛应用。而基于CRISPR/Cas9系统的宿主全基因组sgRNA文库高通量筛选技术平台,可快速发现参与病毒侵入、复制等生物学过程的关键宿主因子,通过明确病毒-宿主分子相互作用进而揭示病毒的生命周期,为分子病毒学和免疫学提供了强大的研究工具。本文主要总结了基于CRISPR/Cas9技术的高通量筛选平台的具体筛选流程,归纳和讨论了该平台在筛选调控病毒复制相关宿主因子中的应用现状和发展前景。     

蕨类植物叶绿体rps12基因的分子进化研究

以68种蕨类植物和2种石松类植物的rps12基因为对象,在系统发育背景下,结合最大似然法,使用HyPhy和PAML软件对该基因进行进化速率和适应性进化研究。结果显示:位于IR区的外显子2~3,其替换率明显降低,rps12基因编码序列的替换率也随之降低,且rps12基因密码子第3位的GC含量明显升高;在蕨类植物的进化过程中,3′-rps12更倾向定位于IR区,以保持较低的替换率;rps12基因编码的123个氨基酸位点中,共检测到4个正选择位点和116个负选择位点。研究结果表明基因序列进入到IR区后,显示出降低的替换率;强烈的负选择压力表明RPS12蛋白的高度保守性以及rps12基因的功能和结构已经趋于稳定。     

Ultrasound‐assisted swelling of bacterial cellulose

Bacterial cellulose (BC) was obtained by static cultivation using commercial BC gel from scoby. BC membranes (oven dried and freeze‐dried) were swelled with 8% NaOH, in the absence and in the presence of ultrasound (US), for 30, 60, and 90 min. The influence of swelling conditions on both physico‐chemical properties and molecules entrapment was evaluated. Considering the highest levels of entrapment, an optimum swelling procedure was established: 8% NaOH for 30 min at room temperature in the presence of US. Native and PEGylated laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila was immobilized on BC membranes and a different catalytic behaviour was observed after immobilization. Native laccase presented activity values similar to published reports (5–7 U/gBC) after immobilization whereas PEGylated enzymes showed much lower activity (1–2 U/gBC). BC swelled membranes are presented herein as a potential support for the preparation of immobilized enzymes for industrial applications, like phenolics polymerization.     

Synergistic effects of heat and diatomaceous earth treatment for the control of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Plodia interpunctella is a major economic pest that commonly infests most stored and processed agricultural products. Currently, heating at 50–60°C for at least 48 h is applied in facilities for disinfestation. However, this condition requires a great deal of time and expense. To improve the control efficiency of this system, we conducted combined treatments with heating and diatomaceous earth (DE), which is known to be toxic to pest insects. The DE effect was compared to heating at 25°C or 40°C to wandering fifth instar larvae, which is the stage most tolerant to heat. When larvae were brushed with DE powder, mortality was only 15.0–18.3% at 25°C for 10 days, but rapidly increased to 100% at 40°C within 4 h post‐treatment. In addition, when larvae were kept in a plastic cage with DE [4 mg/L (w/v)], their mortality was 100% in 24 h at 40°C post‐treatment; otherwise mortality was only 8.8% without DE. Thus, the control efficiency of heating significantly improved with the combination of DE. These effects increased further at higher temperatures and with longer exposure. Our results clearly showed that DE treatment showed synergistic effects with heating systems for the control of P. interpunctella.     

Isoflurane-induced spatial memory impairment in mice is prevented by the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil

Although many studies have shown that isoflurane exposure impairs spatial memory in aged animals, there are no clinical treatments available to prevent this memory deficit. The anticholinergic properties of volatile anesthetics are a biologically plausible cause of cognitive dysfunction in elderly subjects. We hypothesized that pretreatment with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, prevents isoflurane-induced spatial memory impairment in aged mice. In present study, eighteen-month-old mice were administered donepezil (5 mg/kg) or an equal volume of saline by oral gavage with a feeding needle for four weeks. Then the mice were exposed to isoflurane (1.2%) for six hours. Two weeks later, mice were subjected to the Morris water maze to examine the impairment of spatial memory after exposure to isoflurane. After the behavioral test, the mice were sacrificed, and the protein expression level of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), choline acetylase (ChAT) and α7 nicotinic receptor (α7-nAChR) were measured in the brain. Each group consisted of 12 mice. We found that isoflurane exposure for six hours impaired the spatial memory of the mice. Compared with the control group, isoflurane exposure dramatically decreased the protein level of ChAT, but not AChE or α7-nAChR. Donepezil prevented isoflurane-induced spatial memory impairments and increased ChAT levels, which were downregulated by isoflurane. In conclusions, pretreatment with the AChE inhibitor donepezil prevented isoflurane-induced spatial memory impairment in aged mice. The mechanism was associated with the upregulation of ChAT, which was decreased by isoflurane.     

Protective effects of EphB2 on Aβ1–42 oligomer-induced neurotoxicity and synaptic NMDA receptor signaling in hippocampal neurons

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized pathologically by the abnormal deposition of extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers. However, the nature and precise mechanism of the toxicity of Aβ oligomers are not clearly understood. Aβ oligomers have been previously shown to cause a major loss of EphB2, a member of the EphB family of receptor tyrosine kinases. To determine the effect of EphB2 on Aβ oligomer-induced neurotoxicity and the underlying molecular mechanisms, we examined the EphB2 gene in cultured hippocampal neurons. Using a cellular model of AD, Aβ_1–42 oligomers were confirmed to induce neurotoxicity in a time-dependent manner and result in a major decrease of EphB2. EphB2 overexpression could prevent the neurotoxicity of hippocampal neurons from exposure to Aβ_1–42 oligomers for 1 h. Further analysis revealed that EphB2 overexpression increased synaptic NR1 and NR2B expression in Aβ_1–42 oligomer-treated neurons. Moreover, EphB2 overexpression prevented Aβ_1–42 oligomer-induced downregulation of dephosphorylated p38 MAPK and phosphorylated CREB. Together, these results suggest that EphB2 is a factor which protects hippocampal neurons against the toxicity of Aβ_1–42 oligomers, and we infer that the protection of EphB2 is achieved by increasing the synaptic NMDA receptor level and downstream p38 MAPK and CREB signaling in hippocampal neurons. This study provides new molecular insights into the neuroprotective effect of EphB2 and highlights its potential therapeutic role in the management of AD.     

肺炎链球菌cps操纵子的启动子序列点突变可导致细菌荚膜缺失

摘要:【目的】明确肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖合成操纵子的启动子序列出现的点突变313713 T→C是否可导致细菌荚膜缺失。【方法】Western blot检测肺炎链球菌突变株SPY1 (NC_008533.1 313713 T→C)荚膜多糖含量;实时定量荧光PCR分析荚膜多糖合成基因cps2A、cps2B、cps2C以及cps2D的表达量;构建重组质粒pEVP3-cps promoterD39和pEVP3-cps promoterSPY1,分别转化D39和SPY1菌株,通过β-半乳糖苷酶活性检测来验证转入的启动子序列对细菌荚膜合成的影响,并通过电镜观察荚膜结构和荚膜肿胀试验进一步验证。【结果】肺炎链球菌SPY1 的荚膜多糖含量较野生型显著下降,其相关基因cps2A、cps2B、cps2C以及cps2D的表达量较野生型D39均显著降低;与D39-pEVP3-cps promoterD39对比,D39-pEVP3-cps promoterSPY1的β-半乳糖苷酶活性下降了76%,与SPY1-pEVP3-cps promoterD39相比,SPY1-pEVP3-cps promoterSPY1的β-半乳糖苷酶活性下降了约79%;电镜结果显示,重组SPY1-pEVP3-cps promoterD39荚膜可恢复至野生型水平,并且重组D39-pEVP3-cps promoterSPY1 (NC_008533.1 313713 T→C)荚膜肿胀试验呈阴性。【结论】荚膜多糖合成操纵子的启动子序列点突变313713 T→C可导致荚膜多糖合成基因表达显著下调,从而引起菌株SPY1的荚膜显著减少甚至缺失。