寡聚脱氧核苷酸d(G-C)_3的激光喇曼谱及其分析

用改进的固相磷酰三酯法合成了oligo-d(G-C)_3。以氩离子激光为激发光源,波长488nm.,在室温条件下,分别测定了纯化后的oligo-d(G-C)_3和其组分单体5’-dGMP和5’-dCMP的激光喇曼谱。观察到被测定的物质在300-2500cm~(-1)频率区间,各自都有其特征的谱形和喇曼峰。5’-dGMP和5’-dCMP谱中大多数特征峰在寡聚体的谱中消失,而在oligo-d(G-C)_3谱中出现了几处新的喇曼峰。经查证,峰832,851和899cm~(-1)系糖-磷酸主链的特征喇曼峰,另外几处峰与DNA的构象有关。实验结果表明oligo-d(G-C)_3在水溶液中(室温)主要以B-构象存在。     

Modulation of hepatic level of microsomal testosterone 7 alpha-hydroxylase, P-450a (P450IIA), by thyroid hormone and growth hormone in rat liver

The effects of thyroid hormone and growth hormone on microsomal testosterone 7 alpha-hydroxylase, P-450a, were studied to understand the interaction of these hormone-mediated regulations in rats. In Western blots using anti-P-450a IgG, 1.7-fold higher content of P-450a was observed in livers of female than male adult rats, while no appreciable sex-related difference was detected in prepubertal rats and rats of 24 months of age. Treatment with n-propyl-2-thiouracil or thyroidectomy of male rats increased by 2-fold the hepatic content of P-450a, but neither regimen had a significant effect on the content in female rats. Levels of P-450a in both sexes of thyroidectomized rats were decreased by the supplementation of triiodothyronine (T3, 50 micrograms per kg, i.p. for 7 days) to levels similar to that observed in normal male rats. Hypophysectomy also caused an increase in microsomal P-450a content in male rats. Continuous infusion of human growth hormone, which mimicked the female secretion, further significantly increased the content in hypophysectomized rats to a level similar to that observed in normal female rats. In contrast, hepatic level of P-450a in hypophysectomized male and female rats was reduced by intermittent injection, which mimicked the male secretion. Clear suppression on the level of hepatic P-450a was also observed by the treatment of hypophysectomized rats with 5 or 50 micrograms/kg of T3 and of hGH-infused hypophysectomized rat with 50 micrograms/kg of T3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cytostatic and growth-stimulating effects of alveolar macrophages of rats on tumor cells

Cytostatic and growth-stimulating effects of alveolar macrophages (AM) of rats on tumor cells were studied. The experimental results are summarized as follows. 1. The cytotoxicity of AM activated with BCG to tumor cells was increasing with the increase of effector cells/target cells (E/T) ratio. AM without the treatment with BCG expressed slight cytotoxicity to tumor cells at a high E/T, and growth-stimulating effect on tumor cells, at a low E/T. 2. AM after 24-hour culture had a lower manifestation of cytotoxicity to human lung adenocarcinoma cell line than that of AM without 24-hour culture, and had a growth-stimulating effect on B-16 cell line. 3. Cytostatic and growth-stimulating effects of AM without or with 24-hour culture were decreasing with the increase of irradiation doses.     

JQ-1 ameliorates schistosomiasis liver granuloma in mice by suppressing male and female reproductive systems and egg development of Schistosoma japonicum

Schistosomiasis is a serious and widespread parasitic disease caused by infection with Schistosoma. Because the parasite’s eggs are primarily responsible for schistosomiasis dissemination and pathogenesis, inhibiting egg production is a potential approach to control the spread and severity of the disease. The bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins represent promising targets for the development of epigenetic drugs against Schistosoma. JQ-1 is a selective inhibitor of the BET protein family. In the present study, JQ-1 was applied to S. japonicum in vitro. By using laser confocal scanning microscopy and EdU incorporation assays, we showed that application of JQ-1 to worms in vitro affected egg laying and the development of both the male and female reproductive systems. JQ-1 also inhibited the expression of the reproductive-related genes SjPlk1 and SjNanos1 in S. japonicum. Mice infected with S. japonicum were treated with JQ-1 during egg granuloma formation. JQ-1 treatment significantly reduced the size of the liver granulomas and levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in mice and suppressed both egg laying and the development of male and female S. japonicum reproductive systems in vivo. Moreover, the mRNA expression levels of some proinflammatory cytokines were decreased in the parasites. Our findings suggest that JQ-1 treatment attenuates S. japonicum egg–induced hepatic granuloma due at least in part to suppressing the development of the reproductive system and egg production of S. japonicum. These findings further suggest that JQ-1 or other BET inhibitors warrant additional study as a new approach for the treatment or prevention of schistosomiasis.     

The structural dynamics of full-length divisome transmembrane proteins FtsQ,FtsB, and FtsL in FtsQBL complex formation

FtsQBL is a transmembrane protein complex in the divisome of Escherichia coli that plays a critical role in regulating cell division. Although extensive efforts have been made to investigate the interactions between the three involved proteins, FtsQ, FtsB, and FtsL, the detailed interaction mechanism is still poorly understood. In this study, we used hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry to investigate these full-length proteins and their complexes. We also dissected the structural dynamic changes and the related binding interfaces within the complexes. Our data revealed that FtsB and FtsL interact at both the periplasmic and transmembrane regions to form a stable complex. Furthermore, the periplasmic region of FtsB underwent significant conformational changes. With the help of computational modeling, our results suggest that FtsBL complexation may bring the respective constriction control domains (CCDs) in close proximity. We show that when FtsBL adopts a coiled-coil structure, the CCDs are fixed at a vertical position relative to the membrane surface; thus, this conformational change may be essential for FtsBL’s interaction with other divisome proteins. In the FtsQBL complex, intriguingly, we show only FtsB interacts with FtsQ at its C-terminal region, which stiffens a large area of the β-domain of FtsQ. Consistent with this, we found the connection between the α- and β-domains in FtsQ is also strengthened in the complex. Overall, the present study provides important experimental evidence detailing the local interactions between the full-length FtsB, FtsL, and FtsQ protein, as well as valuable insights into the roles of FtsQBL complexation in regulating divisome activity.     

陕北风沙区不同植被覆盖下的土壤养分特征

选取了陕北定边县板凳滩风沙区四种典型植被覆盖下的风沙土壤,对其基本养分含量进行了测定。分析不同类型植被覆盖下的土壤养分含量特征、土壤养分含量层次特征以及土壤各层次养分含量之间的相关性,为风沙区土壤生态恢复重建及侵蚀土壤质量的恢复保育提供了科学依据。结果表明:(1)不同植被覆盖下的土壤对有机质、全氮、速效氮、速效磷的保持能力均为:小蒿草>羊草>沙蒿>苦豆子>无植被;对全磷的保持能力,各植被覆盖条件下差异不显著,但小蒿草覆盖下含量最高,羊草最低,且低于无植被;从土壤对全钾的保持能力来看,羊草覆盖下的全钾含量最高,小蒿草最低。(2)不同植被覆盖下的土壤养分含量层次变化除全磷和全钾变化微弱外,土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮、速效磷、速效钾含量均随着土层深度的增加而逐渐下降,且降低速度基本呈现出小蒿草>羊草>沙蒿>苦豆子>无植被。(3)不同植被覆盖下的土壤各层次养分含量之间的相关性以羊草最为密切,大体呈显著中度及以上正相关;沙蒿和苦豆子覆盖下的相关性稍弱,基本呈中度正相关;而小蒿草覆盖下的相关系数正负均有,相关性较为复杂。