AHL类似物作为细菌群体感应系统促进剂的研究进展

应用N-酰基高丝氨酸内酯（N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones，AHL）介导的群体感应（quorum sensing，QS）系统调控生物膜形成和次级代谢物合成具有巨大的商业价值，但自然界中许多微生物能够产生群体淬灭（Quorum Quenching，QQ）酶，QQ酶能够降解天然AHL信号分子，使外源天然 AHL 信号分子的半衰期缩短，限制了天然AHL 信号分子的应用范围。化学合成的AHL类似物作为QS促进剂，通过与天然信号分子类似的结合方式形成转录二聚体，激活下游基因表达，但与天然AHL信号分子相比，化学合成的QS促进剂具有活性高、半衰期长等优点。本文综述了化学合成AHL类似物的设计思路、种类、作用机制及其在提高次级代谢物产量和生物浸矿方面的应用，并讨论了QS促进剂今后主要的研究方向，以期为QS促进剂的合成设计和实际应用提供参考。     

基于Loxp-Cre系统的FBXL15基因敲除小鼠模型的建立

建立FBXL15基因条件型敲除小鼠模型,为研究该基因所发挥的重要生理功能提供材料和思路。采用KO first策略,构建打靶载体,将1st loxP插入1~2号内含子,在3~4号内含子之间插入FRT-SAIRES-lacZ-loxP-neo-loxP元件,通过Long Range PCR及Southern blot筛选出中靶克隆,随后进行囊胚注射,并将发生同源重组的ES细胞注射进C57BL/6J小鼠囊胚,移入受体小鼠子宫,最后将得到的嵌合体雄鼠与C57BL/6J雌鼠交配获得FBXL15-LoxP小鼠。PCR结果显示FBXL15的Loxp小鼠模型构建成功,该模型可为进一步研究FBXL15在胚胎发育和骨代谢中的调控作用提供工具。     

骨碎补科植物叶表皮特征及其系统学意义

基于骨碎补科(Davalliaceae)植物属的界定和属下等级的划分一直存在较大争议,本研究首次对骨碎补科6属39种(秦仁昌系统)植物的叶表皮进行了扫描电镜观察。结果显示,骨碎补科有9种类型的角质层,其中,阴石蕨属(Humata)的角质层有密集的孔状凹陷结构;Wibelia条纹突起较厚,排列整齐且细密紧致;广义钻毛蕨属(Davallodes)内存在多种角质层类型,需要在属下进一步细分。本研究还根据角质层特征讨论了骨碎补科与一些近缘种类的关系。角质层特征是骨碎补科内种属分类的重要依据,而保卫细胞形状和气孔密度,均不能用来界定骨碎补科的属和种。本研究按角质层分类的结果与Kato和Tsutsumi的分子系统学分类观点一致。     

Interleukin-10 blocks in vitro replication of human cytomegalovirus by inhibiting the virus-induced autophagy in MRC5 cells

Background

Interleukin-10 is an important cytokine that regulates immune response. Previous studies have shown that human cytomegalovirus can trigger cell autophagy during the early stages of infection. To our knowledge, whether IL-10 inhibits HCMV-induced autophagy and virus replication has not been studied previously.

Objectives

We investigated whether IL-10 affects cell viability and autophagy under the conditions of starvation and HCMV infection by using the MRC5 cell line. We also explored the role of IL-10-mediated autophagy on HCMV replication.

Results

Our data showed that IL-10 inhibited the autophagic flux of the MRC5 cells irrespective of starvation or HCMV infection, and suppressed HCMV replication. The promotion of autophagy with either a pharmacological inducer (rapamycin), or a technique to over-express the BECN1 gene reversed the effect of IL-10 on virus replication. Furthermore, the PI3K/Akt signal pathway was activated when the cells were pretreated with IL-10.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that IL-10 can suppress HCMV replication by inhibiting autophagy in host cells during the early stages of infection.     

微生物原生质体融合育种技术及其应用

工业微生物菌种选育在发酵工业中占有重要地位。微生物原生质体融合(microbial protoplast fusion)技术具有重组频率高、受结合型或致育型限制小以及遗传物质传递完整等优点,是微生物育种最常用的方法之一。结合相关研究进展,分析了原生质体融合技术的组成,包括制备、再生、融合的影响因素以及融合子的筛选方法,重点评述了原生质体融合技术应用在微生物育种中的最新进展,以及微生物原生质体融合技术的发展前景。     

Endophilin functions as a membrane-bending molecule and is delivered to endocytic zones by exocytosis

Two models have been proposed for endophilin function in synaptic vesicle (SV) endocytosis. The scaffolding model proposes that endophilin's SH3 domain recruits essential endocytic proteins, whereas the membrane-bending model proposes that the BAR domain induces positively curved membranes. We show that mutations disrupting the scaffolding function do not impair endocytosis, whereas those disrupting membrane bending cause significant defects. By anchoring endophilin to the plasma membrane, we show that endophilin acts prior to scission to promote endocytosis. Despite acting at the plasma membrane, the majority of endophilin is targeted to the SV pool. Photoactivation studies suggest that the soluble pool of endophilin at synapses is provided by unbinding from the adjacent SV pool and that the unbinding rate is regulated by exocytosis. Thus, endophilin participates in an association-dissociation cycle with SVs that parallels the cycle of exo- and endocytosis. This endophilin cycle may provide a mechanism for functionally coupling endocytosis and exocytosis.     

PVA颗粒超选择栓塞支气管动脉治疗急性大咯血

目的:探讨应用介入技术,超选择支气管动脉,行PVA颗粒栓塞治疗急性大咯血的治疗价值.方法:对我院2001年以来34例采用PVA颗粒栓塞的大咯血病人的术后反应.并发症发生情况及止血情况进行随访和回顾性分析.结果:所有病人均为一次性栓塞成功,术后随访时间长迭36个月,随访率达100%.除一例肺癌病人因咯血死亡外,未发现复发性咯血.术后病人出现胸部疼痛症状,短期内对证治疗可以缓解.未见明显并发症发生.结论:应用PVA颗粒栓塞支气管动脉是治疗急性大咯血的一种有效方法.     

广东省南昆山伯乐树群落特征及其保护策略

在广东省南昆山自然保护区内调查了中国特有珍稀植物伯乐树种群的分布格局、龄级结构和伴生群落的物种组成.结果表明:该种群的分布范围狭窄且集中;龄级不完整,Ⅱ、Ⅲ级幼树少见,结构呈衰退型;伴生群落呈典型的亚热带植物区系的特点,其组成不稳定、优势种不显著.建议将伯乐树幼树作为就地保护的重点,适当去除周围的罗浮槭、羊角杜鹃和黄樟等速生树种,以创造有光照和水肥条件的生境;对于Ⅳ级以上成株,应注意拟赤杨和华润楠等空间生态位相近树种的数量和密度,适当疏剪枝条,以帮助成株占据较好的空间位;同时再积极引入异龄的伯乐树幼苗,促进种群恢复和发展.     

Prevalence of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens Isolates in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) area soils and home kitchens

In the United States and Europe, food poisoning due to Clostridium perfringens type A is predominantly caused by C. perfringens isolates carrying a chromosomal enterotoxin gene (cpe). Neither the reservoir for these isolates nor the point in the food chain where these bacteria contaminate foods is currently understood. Therefore, the current study investigated whether type A isolates carrying a chromosomal cpe gene are present in two potential reservoirs, i.e., soil and home kitchen surfaces. No C. perfringens isolates were recovered from home kitchen surfaces, but most surveyed soil samples contained C. perfringens. The recovered soil isolates were predominantly type A, but some type C, D, and E soil isolates were also identified. All cpe-positive isolates recovered from soil were genotyped as type A, with their cpe genes on cpe plasmids rather than the chromosome. However, two cpe-positive soil isolates did not carry a classical cpe plasmid. Both of those atypical cpe-positive soil isolates were sporulation capable yet failed to produce C. perfringens enterotoxin, possibly because of differences in their upstream promoter regions. Collectively these results suggest that neither soil nor home kitchen surfaces represent major reservoirs for type A isolates with chromosomal cpe that cause food poisoning, although soil does appear to be a reservoir for cpe-positive isolates causing non-food-borne gastrointestinal diseases.     

Downregulation of NADPH oxidase, antioxidant enzymes, and inflammatory markers in the heart of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by N-acetyl-L-cysteine

We investigated the effect of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) on the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, antioxidant enzymes, and inflammatory markers in diabetic rat hearts. Metabolic parameters, free 15-F(2t)-isoprostane level, protein expression of NADPH oxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), heme oxygenase (HO-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were analyzed in control and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats treated with or without NAC in drinking water for 8 wk. The cardiac protein expression of p67(phox) and p22(phox) was increased in diabetic rats, accompanied by increased NADPH-dependent superoxide production. As a compensatory response to the increased NADPH oxidase, the protein expression of Cu-Zn-SOD and HO-1 and the total SOD activity were also increased in diabetic rat hearts. Consequently, cardiac free 15-F(2t)-isoprostane, an index of oxidative stress, was increased in diabetic rats, indicating that the production of reactive oxygen species becomes excessive in diabetic rat hearts. Cardiac inflammatory markers IL-6 and COX-2 were also increased in diabetic rats. NAC treatment prevented the increased expression of p22(phox) and translocation of p67(phox) to the membrane in diabetic rat hearts. Subsequently, the levels of cardiac free 15-F(2t)-isoprostane, HO-1, Cu-Zn-SOD, total SOD, IL-6, and COX-2 in diabetic rats were decreased by NAC. Consequently, cardiac hypertrophy was attenuated in diabetic rats treated with NAC. The protective effects of NAC on diabetic rat hearts may be attributable to its protection of hearts against oxidative damage induced by the increased NADPH oxidase and to its reduction in cardiac inflammatory mediators IL-6 and COX-2.