Polymorphic microsatellite markers in Thrips hawaiiensis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan, 1913) is an important insect pest of fruits and vegetables. At present, it is primarily distributed in tropical and subtropical area. For a better understanding of the genetic makeup and migration patterns of T. hawaiiensis throughout the world, we isolated 11 novel polymorphic microsatellite loci from an enriched genomic library based on a biotin/streptavidin capture protocol. Genetic parameters were estimated on 80 individual thrips from two natural populations. The results showed that all 11 loci were highly polymorphic; the number of alleles ranged from six to 37, and nine loci demonstrated polymorphic information content (PIC) > 0.5. The observed (H _O) and expected (H _E) heterozygosities ranged from 0.350 to 0.925 and 0.307 to 0.952, respectively. Furthermore, only four locus/population combinations significantly deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). These microsatellite markers have potential utility in population structure and gene flow studies of this species.     

Effect of duloxetine in patients with fibromyalgia: tiredness subgroups

Introduction  

This study tested the hypothesis that baseline ratings of fatigue/tiredness would be negatively associated with the efficacy of duloxetine on measures of pain and functional ability in patients with fibromyalgia.     

东亚飞蝗谷胱甘肽S-转移酶分离纯化

通过硫酸铵沉淀技术和GSH-agarose亲和层析对东亚飞蝗Locusta migratoria manilensis(Meyen)5龄若虫谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(glutathione S-transferases,GSTs)进行了分离纯化。结果表明GSTs活性在硫酸铵各沉淀段均有分布,但在55%～100%沉淀段活性较高,在硫酸铵饱和度为85%时比活力最高,达到420.33μmol/min/mg protein,纯化倍数为18.86。根据硫酸铵粗沉淀谷胱甘肽S-转移酶结果,选择硫酸铵浓度为60%～90%沉淀段进行GSH-agarose亲和层析,纯化后比活力最高达到1365.29μmol/min/mg protein,纯化倍数达到61.25。经SDS-PAGE鉴定,得到的GST为1条带,亚基的分子量约为24kDa。     

Silencing Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Capsid Protein Encoding Genes by siRNA: A Promising Antiviral Therapeutic Approach

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a member of the herpesviridae, causes a variety of human viral diseases globally. Although a series of antiviral drugs are available for the treatment of infection and suppression of dissemination, HSV-1 remains highly prevalent worldwide. Therefore, the development of novel antiviral agents with different mechanisms of action is a matter of extreme urgency. During the proliferation of HSV-1, capsid assembly is essential for viral growth, and it is highly conserved in all HSV-1 strains. In this study, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against the HSV-1 capsid protein were screened to explore the influence of silencing capsid expression on the replication of HSV-1. We designed and chemically synthesized siRNAs for the capsid gene and assessed their inhibitory effects on the expression of target mRNA and the total intracellular viral genome loads by quantitative real-time PCR, as well as on the replication of HSV-1 via plaque reduction assays and electron microscopy. Our results showed that siRNA was an effective approach to inhibit the expression of capsid protein encoding genes including UL18, UL19, UL26, UL26.5, UL35 and UL38 in vitro. Interference of capsid proteins VP23 (UL18) and VP5 (UL19) individually or jointly greatly affected the replication of clinically isolated acyclovir-resistant HSV-1 as well as HSV-1/F and HSV-2/333. Plaque numbers and intracellular virions were significantly reduced by simultaneous knockdown of UL18 and UL19. The total intracellular viral genome loads were also significantly decreased in the UL18 and UL19 knockdown groups compared with the viral control. In conclusion, interfering with UL18 and UL19 gene expression could inhibit HSV-1 replication efficiently in vitro. Our research offers new targets for an RNA interference-based therapeutic strategy against HSV-1.     

硫辛酸通过激活PI3K/Akt通路保护帕金森小鼠神经元的作用研究

目的:明确硫辛酸(lipoic acid,LA)是否通过活化脂酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B(Phosphoinositide 3-kinases/Protein kinase B,PI3K/Akt)通路保护小鼠帕金森(Parkinson's disease,PD)神经元损伤。方法:将130只健康C57BL雄性小鼠随机分为PD模型组(A组)、PD模型自然恢复组(B组)、硫辛酸干预组(C组)、硫辛酸加阻滞剂干预组(D组),对照组(E组)。采用免疫组化方法检测黑质内酪氨酸羟化酶(Tyrosine hydroxylase,TH)阳性细胞数,Western Blot方法检测中脑TH、总Akt和p-Akt蛋白表达,相应试剂盒检测中脑内GSH(Glutathione)和MDA(Malondialdehyde)的含量。结果:(1)与E组比较,A组TH阳性细胞数显著减少(P0.01),B组、D组明显减少(P0.05),C组无明显统计学意义(P0.05)。(2)与E组比较,A组、B组TH蛋白表达显著减少(P0.01),C组、D组TH表达明显减少(P0.05);分别与A组、B组比较,C组TH表达显著增多(P0.01),D组无明显统计学意义(P0.05)。(3)与E组比较,A组、B组、D组中脑内p-AKT表达显著减少(P0.01),C组差异无明显统计学意义(P0.05);分别与A组、B组比较,C组pAkt表达显著增多(P0.01),D差异无明显统计学意义(P0.05)。(4)与E组比较,C组中脑GSH水平明显增加(P0.05),A组、B组明显减少(P0.05),D组差异无统计学意义(P0.05;与E组比较,A组、B组MDA表达显著增加(P0.01),C组、D组差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:硫辛酸可能通过激活PI3K/Akt通路,减轻氧化应激损伤,进而发挥其保护神经元的作用。     

穿心莲中的三个二萜酸盐

从穿心莲（Andrographis paniculata Nees.)水溶性部位分离得到3个新的二萜酸盐：穿心莲酸镁，穿心莲酸二钠和穿心莲酸二钾葡萄糖甙，同时，首次从穿心莲中分得鸟瞟呤核苷，尿嘧啶核苷，6－epiharpagide,procumbide，三色堇黄苷和芹菜素－7－氧－葡萄糖甙。通过波谱解析和化学方法确定了它们的结构。