Direct Bio-Utilization of Untreated Rapeseed Meal for Effective Iturin A Production by Bacillus subtilis in Submerged Fermentation

The feasibility of using untreated rapeseed meal as a nitrogen source for iturin A production by Bacillus subtilis 3–10 in submerged fermentation was first evaluated by comparison with two different commercial nitrogen sources of peptone and ammonium nitrate. A significant promoting effect of rapeseed meal on iturin A production was observed and the maximum iturin A concentration of 0.60 g/L was reached at 70 h, which was 20% and 8.0 fold higher than that produced from peptone and ammonium nitrate media, respectively. It was shown that rapeseed meal had a positive induction effect on protease secretion, contributing to the release of soluble protein from low water solubility solid rapeseed meal for an effective supply of available nitrogen during fermentation. Moreover, compared to raw rapeseed meal, the remaining residue following fermentation could be used as a more suitable supplementary protein source for animal feed because of the great decrease of major anti-nutritional components including sinapine, glucosinolate and its degradation products of isothiocyanate and oxazolidine thione. The results obtained from this study demonstrate the potential of direct utilization of low cost rapeseed meal as a nitrogen source for commercial production of iturin A and other secondary metabolites by Bacillus subtilis.     

Dissecting Solidago canadensis–soil feedback in its real invasion

The importance of plant–soil feedback (PSF) has long been recognized, but the current knowledge on PSF patterns and the related mechanisms mainly stems from laboratory experiments. We aimed at addressing PSF effects on community performance and their determinants using an invasive forb Solidago canadensis. To do so, we surveyed 81 pairs of invaded versus uninvaded plots, collected soil samples from these pairwise plots, and performed an experiment with microcosm plant communities. The magnitudes of conditioning soil abiotic properties and soil biotic properties by S. canadensis were similar, but the direction was opposite; altered abiotic and biotic properties influenced the production of subsequent S. canadensis communities and its abundance similarly. These processes shaped neutral S. canadensis–soil feedback effects at the community level. Additionally, the relative dominance of S. canadensis increased with its ability of competitive suppression in the absence and presence of S. canadensis–soil feedbacks, and S. canadensis‐induced decreases in native plant species did not alter soil properties directly. These findings provide a basis for understanding PSF effects and the related mechanisms in the field conditions and also highlight the importance of considering PSFs holistically.     

细菌(Pseudomonas maltophilia)之绒毛膜促性腺激素(hCG)结合物质之研究

 细菌(Pseudomonas moltophilia)与hCG及LH有特异的亲和力,实验发现,细菌之生长曲线与hCG结合活性成平行关系,96小时达高峰,细菌之培养液中含有可溶性结合蛋白,该蛋白经硫酸铵沉淀(80％饱和度)、Sephadex G-100柱层析、DEAE-纤维素柱0.5mol/L NaCl梯度洗脱,再过Sepharose CL-AB柱,收集之活性部分经SDS电泳测得其分子量为70,000,凝胶层析测Stokes radius为41A,Schiff氏染色未见着色带。     

昆虫抗菌肽及其基因工程研究进展

昆虫抗菌肽是昆虫免疫后存在于血淋巴中的一类活性肽,具有广谱的抗菌、抗病毒、抑制肿瘤的生物活性,具有很高的应用潜力。本文主要介绍昆虫抗菌肽的类型、生理活性、基因的克隆与表达及转基因工程研究进展。 Insect Antibacterial Peptides and Its Progress in Advance on Genetic Engineering GONG Xia,YUE Guo-wei,SHI Yong-hui Laboratory for Animal Nutrition Research,College of Food Science,Southern Yangtze University,Wuxi 214036,China Abstract:Insect antibacterial peptides produced are kinds of bioactive peptides in hameolymph hen insect has been immunized.These peptides have the wide range of antibacterial,antiviral spectrum and inhibiting growth of tumor cell.The types of antibacterial peptides and its physiological activities,cloning and expression of the genes and transgenetic research are summarized.Its application on medicine and gene engineering are prospected. Key words：insect antibacterial peptides; physiological activity; gene     

镉、锌、铜胁迫对向日葵早期幼苗生长的影响

分析了3种重金属离子(Cd2+、Cu2+、Zn2+)对向日葵种子胚根伸长和早期幼苗生长的影响.结果表明,3种重金属离子对向日葵胚根伸长的抑制作用依次为:Cd2+>Cu2+>Zn2+.3种重金属胁迫明显降低了幼苗生长和叶绿素含量,并显著提高了H2O2水平.其中Cd2+胁迫引起幼苗H2O2爆发高于Cu2+和Zn2+胁迫.进一步分析植株抗氧化系统的变化发现,随着重金属离子浓度的增加,向日葵幼苗酶类抗氧化物质SOD和CAT的活性表现为先增加后降低的趋势;重金属胁迫提高了非酶类的抗氧化物质脯氨酸和GSH的含量.其中Cd2+和Zn2+胁迫对脯氨酸含量变化的影响大于Cu2+胁迫;而Cu2+胁迫对GSH含量变化的影响大于Cd2+和Zn2+胁迫.     

几种动物肝脏糖胺聚糖的醋酸纤维素薄膜电泳分析

采用酶解和离子交换色谱的方法,从兔、鸡、猪和羊肝组织中提取和纯化得到了糖胺聚糖（GAGs）.通过比较透明质酸（HA）、硫酸软骨素A（CS-A）、硫酸软骨素C（CS-C）、硫酸皮肤素（DS）、肝素（HP）、硫酸乙酰肝素（HS）等标准品在醋酸钡、醋酸锌、吡啶-甲酸等几种不同缓冲体系下的醋酸纤维素薄膜电泳行为,结合灰度积分建立了适合于微量GAGs定性和定量分析的电泳方法.将从不同动物肝脏组织中提取的GAGs运用该方法进行分析,发现 不同动物肝脏组织中,GAG含量和组成均有较大差异：羊肝中GAGs含量最高（0.52 mg/g 组织干粉）,种类也最丰富,含有HA、HS、DS和CS,其中HA所占比例最高;鸡肝中GAGs含量最少（0.18 mg/g组织干粉）,主要含有HA和DS;兔肝GAGs种类与猪肝相似,均含有HA、HS和DS,但HS是猪肝GAGs的主要成分,DS是兔肝GAGs的主要成分.     

杂交-渐渗进化理论在转基因逃逸及其环境风险评价和研究中的意义

转基因作物的商品化生产和大规模环境释放, 引起了全球对生物安全问题的广泛关注和争议, 其中转基因通过花粉介导的基因漂移逃逸到非转基因作物及其野生近缘种, 进而带来不同类型的环境风险就是备受争议的生物安全问题之一。有效的生物安全评价和研究能够为转基因作物的安全持久利用保驾护航。按照风险评价的原则, 对于转基因逃逸及其潜在环境风险的评价应包括两个重要步骤: (1)检测转基因向野生近缘种(包括杂草类型)群体逃逸的频率; (2)确定逃逸后的转基因能否通过遗传渐渗在野生近缘种群体中存留和扩散。杂交－渐渗是进化生物学中非常重要的科学命题和普遍的自然现象, 杂交－渐渗的进化理论与转基因逃逸及其潜在环境风险的研究和评价有密切的关系。杂交－渐渗过程往往导致物种形成、适应性进化和自然群体的濒危与灭绝, 这是因为在杂交－渐渗过程中, 不同的机制如遗传同化作用、群体湮没效应以及群体的选择性剔除效应等都会在很大程度上影响群体的进化过程。转基因通过杂交－渐渗进入野生群体, 使这一过程更加复杂化。如果转基因能提高群体的适合度, 则更有利于其渐渗速率, 从而在群体中迅速扩散并带来一定的生态后果。杂交－渐渗的进化理论和思想将有益于指导转基因逃逸及其潜在环境风险的研究和评价。     

GDF11 prevents the formation of thoracic aortic dissection in mice: Promotion of contractile transition of aortic SMCs

Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is an aortic disease associated with dysregulated extracellular matrix composition and de-differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Growth Differentiation Factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily associated with cardiovascular diseases. The present study attempted to investigate the expression of GDF11 in TAD and its effects on aortic SMC phenotype transition. GDF11 level was found lower in the ascending thoracic aortas of TAD patients than healthy aortas. The mouse model of TAD was established by β-aminopropionitrile monofumarate (BAPN) combined with angiotensin II (Ang II). The expression of GDF11 was also decreased in thoracic aortic tissues accompanied with increased inflammation, arteriectasis and elastin degradation in TAD mice. Administration of GDF11 mitigated these aortic lesions and improved the survival rate of mice. Exogenous GDF11 and adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2)-mediated GDF11 overexpression increased the expression of contractile proteins including ACTA2, SM22α and myosin heavy chain 11 (MYH11) and decreased synthetic markers including osteopontin and fibronectin 1 (FN1), indicating that GDF11 might inhibit SMC phenotype transition and maintain its contractile state. Moreover, GDF11 inhibited the production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, 3, 9 in aortic SMCs. The canonical TGF-β (Smad2/3) signalling was enhanced by GDF11, while its inhibition suppressed the inhibitory effects of GDF11 on SMC de-differentiation and MMP production in vitro. Therefore, we demonstrate that GDF11 may contribute to TAD alleviation via inhibiting inflammation and MMP activity, and promoting the transition of aortic SMCs towards a contractile phenotype, which provides a therapeutic target for TAD.     

微小RNAs在肝癌中的作用机制及相关应用研究进展

微小RNAs(miRNAs)是一类内源性小型非编码RNA,可通过调控靶基因表达参与大多数生物学过程。近年来,miRNAs在肝癌发生发展进程中相关作用机制的研究逐渐深入,miRNAs作为其中关键调控因子和主要参与者,已成为肝癌早期诊断、靶向治疗和预后评估中的一个关键靶标。本文着重强调miRNAs在肝癌发生发展、多重耐药性中的作用以及作为肝癌潜在治疗靶点的价值,并就miRNAs在肝癌中的功能、分子作用通路以及应用三方面的相关研究进展进行综述。     

Deficiency of Macf1 in osterix expressing cells decreases bone formation by Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 pathway

Microtubule actin cross‐linking factor 1 (Macf1) is a spectraplakin family member known to regulate cytoskeletal dynamics, cell migration, neuronal growth and cell signal transduction. We previously demonstrated that knockdown of Macf1 inhibited the differentiation of MC3T3‐E1 cell line. However, whether Macf1 could regulate bone formation in vivo is unclear. To study the function and mechanism of Macf1 in bone formation and osteogenic differentiation, we established osteoblast‐specific Osterix (Osx) promoter‐driven Macf1 conditional knockout mice (Macf1^f/fOsx‐Cre). The Macf1^f/fOsx‐Cre mice displayed delayed ossification and decreased bone mass. Morphological and mechanical studies showed deteriorated trabecular microarchitecture and impaired biomechanical strength of femur in Macf1^f/fOsx‐Cre mice. In addition, the differentiation of primary osteoblasts isolated from calvaria was inhibited in Macf1^f/fOsx‐Cre mice. Deficiency of Macf1 in primary osteoblasts inhibited the expression of osteogenic marker genes (Col1, Runx2 and Alp) and the number of mineralized nodules. Furthermore, deficiency of Macf1 attenuated Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 signalling in primary osteoblasts of Macf1^f/fOsx‐Cre mice. Together, these results indicated that Macf1 plays a significant role in bone formation and osteoblast differentiation by regulating Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 pathway, suggesting that Macf1 might be a therapeutic target for bone disease.