Human telomeric G-quadruplex formation and highly selective fluorescence detection of toxic strontium ions

Strontium ions play important roles in biological systems. The inhalation of strontium can cause severe respiratory difficulties, anaphylactic reaction and extreme tachycardia. Strontium can replace calcium in organisms, inhibit normal calcium absorption and induce strontium "rickets" in childhood. Thus, the development of sensitive and selective methods for the determination of trace amounts of Sr(2+) in aqueous media is of considerable importance for environmental and human health protection. A number of methodologies, such as X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry, inductively coupled argon plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and instrumental thermal neutron activation analysis, have been reported. However, these methods are somewhat complex, costly, time consuming and, especially, need special instruments. Thus, the design of convenient and inexpensive approaches for the sensitive and selective detection of Sr(2+) with rapid, easy manipulation is in ever-increasing demand. To the best of our knowledge, using DNA conformational change to detect Sr(2+) has not yet been reported. Herein we utilized thiazole orange (TO) as a signal reporter to devise a simple Sr(2+) detection assay based on Sr(2+) induced human telomeric DNA conformational change in the presence of SWNTs. The limit of detection is 10 nM Sr(2+) (0.87 μg L(-1)), far below 4 mg L(-1), the U.S. Federal threshold in drinking water defined by the U.S. EPA.     

Molecular cloning, expression analysis and chromosomal mapping of salt-responsive cDNAs in rice ( Oryza sativa L.)

By using differential display PCR (DD-PCR) technique, two salt-inducible and one salt-repressed cDNA fragments were isolated from rice. The three cDNA fragments were characterized respectively as partial sequence of rice S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) gene, a new member of translation elongation factor 1A gene (namedREF1 A), and a novel gene whose function is unknown (namedSRG1). The full-length cDNA of SAMDC gene (namedSAMDC1) was further isolated by RT-PCR approach and the deduced polypeptide was found to be homologous to SAMDC proteins of other plants, yeast and buman. Northern hybridization revealed that expression of SAMDCl and REFlA was induced, while SRGl was dramatically repressed, by salinity stress. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that SAMDCl and SRGl were present as a single copy gene in rice genome, whereas riceREF1 A gene was organized as a gene family. TheREF1 A,SAMDC1, andSRG1 genes were located on chromosome 3,4, and 6 respectively by RFLP mapping approach using ZYQ8/JX17 DH population and RFLP linkage maps. Project supported by the National “863” High-Technology Program.     

灯盏花产黄酮内生放线菌筛选及产黄酮能力的初步研究

通过黄酮类物质特异颜色反应和可见分光光度法,筛选产黄酮的灯盏花内生放线菌,研究灯盏花产黄酮内生放线菌在PDA、高氏1号和淀粉3种培养基上的产黄酮能力。结果表明:59株灯盏花内生放线菌中,8株菌的镁粉+浓盐酸、氯化铝、浓氨水3种颜色反应均成阳性,能够产生黄酮。形态学观察初步鉴定这8株菌均为链霉菌属(Streptomyces)。3种培养基中,在PDA培养基上灯盏花产黄酮内生放线菌的菌丝体生物量、黄酮含量和产量较高。8株灯盏花产黄酮内生放线菌中,菌株RA′1-7生长较好,菌株ELA′3-2和RA2-1菌丝体黄酮含量较高,菌株ELA′3-2菌丝体黄酮产量较高。     

Involvement of HAb18G/CD147 in T cell activation and immunological synapse formation

HAb18G/CD147, a glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin super‐family (IgSF), is a T cell activation‐associated molecule. In this report, we demonstrated that HAb18G/CD147 expression on both activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells was up‐regulated. In vitro cross‐linking of T cells with an anti‐HAb18G/CD147 monoclonal antibody (mAb) 5A12 inhibited T cells proliferation upon T cell receptor stimulation. Such co‐stimulation inhibited T cell proliferation by down‐regulating the expression of CD25 and interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), decreased production of IL‐4 but not interferon‐γ. Laser confocal imaging analysis indicated that HAb18G/CD147 was recruited to the immunological synapse (IS) during T cell activation; triggering HAb18G/CD147 on activated T cells by anti‐HAb18G/CD147 mAb 5A12 strongly dispersed the formation of the IS. Further functional studies showed that the ligation of HAb18G/CD147 with mAb 5A12 decreased the tyrosine phosphorylation and intracellular calcium mobilization levels of T cells. Through docking antibody–antigen interactions, we demonstrated that the function of mAb 5A12 is tightly dependent on its specificity of binding to N‐terminal domain I, which plays pivotal role in the oligomerization of HAb18G/CD147. Taken together, we provide evidence that HAb18G/CD147 could act as a co‐stimulatory receptor to negatively regulate T cell activation and is functionally linked to the formation of the IS.     

Effects of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) in vitro and in vivo on reovirus replication

We have utilized growth factors in in vitro and in vivo systems to examine the role of cellular proliferation in reovirus replication. In vitro, proliferating RIE-1 cells can be infected with whole reovirus virions, but are relatively resistant to infection once confluent (Go arrest). It has been shown that TGF-alpha, which signals through the EGF-receptor (EGF-R), is capable of dramatically increasing the number of RIE-1 cells entering the S-phase in the presence of additional serum factors. Stimulation of the EGF-R without serum results in minimal increases in cells entering the S-phase with a restriction in reovirus replication. Therefore, other factors in serum are essential for fully permissive infection. In vivo, we used metallothionein (MT) promoter/enhancer-TGF-alpha transgenic mice to study the effect of cytokine activation on reovirus type 1 infection. Virus replication decreased following oral infection in these transgenic mice at 1 month of age, concordant with increased mucin production. Titers of reovirus obtained from the livers of 1 year old transgenic mice were approximately 10-fold higher than titers obtained in control mice. Taken together, these data indicate that while growth factor activation ultimately leads to an increase in virus infectivity, other factors may be necessary for reovirus replication.     

Tiny telomere DNA

We describe the design, synthesis and biophysical characterization of a novel DNA construct in which a folded quadruplex structure is joined to a standard double helix. Circular dichroism, gel electrophoresis, three-dimensional UV melting and differential scanning calorimetry were all used to characterize the structure. Rigorous molecular dynamics simulations were used to build a plausible atomic-level structural model of the DNA construct. This novel DNA construct provides a model for the duplex–quadruplex junction region at the end of chromosomal DNA and offers a system for the study of structure-selective ligand binding.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of diene and enyne sugar-modified nucleosides and their interaction with S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase

Conjugated diene 5-7 and enyne 8 analogs derived from adenosine and uridine were synthesized employing Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.     

分枝杆菌脂聚糖的分离、纯化及其结构和功能分析

【目的】建立分离、纯化分枝杆菌脂聚糖的方法,初步比较分析不同菌株来源的脂阿拉伯甘露聚糖(Lipoarabinomannan,LAM)和脂甘露聚糖(Lipomannan,LM)的结构差异及研究脂聚糖刺激对巨噬细胞环氧合酶-2(Cyclooxygenase-2,COX-2)蛋白表达的影响。【方法】应用Triton X-114液相法提取脂聚糖,电洗脱法分离纯化,基质辅助激光解析电离串联飞行时间质谱(MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS)进行分子量鉴定;基于特异性识别非还原性末端α-D-甘露糖基的刀豆球蛋白(Concanavalin A,Con A)分析新诺分枝杆菌JDM601、结核分枝杆菌H37Rv标准株和耻垢分枝杆菌mc2155脂聚糖的结构差异;进一步用Western blot检测脂聚糖刺激的RAW 264.7巨噬细胞COX-2蛋白的表达。【结果】通过电洗脱法成功纯化出3种菌株脂聚糖;MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS鉴定发现,分子量从小到大依次为新诺分枝杆菌JDM601、耻垢分枝杆菌mc2155和结核分枝杆菌H37Rv来源的脂聚糖。Western blot显示,Con A能与结核分枝杆菌H37Rv标准株来源的LAM相互作用,而不能与新诺分枝杆菌JDM601和耻垢分枝杆菌来源的LAM相互作用;并且发现Con A与新诺分枝杆菌JDM601来源的LM有很强的反应,然而与其余两种来源的LM反应很弱。3种菌株来源的脂聚糖均能刺激RAW 264.7巨噬细胞COX-2蛋白的表达。【结论】首次成功对来源于中国临床分枝杆菌分离株的脂聚糖进行了分离纯化,初步探讨了不同菌株来源分枝杆菌脂聚糖的结构差异,并表明LAM和LM均能刺激巨噬细胞诱导COX-2蛋白的表达,为进一步研究其对宿主的毒力和免疫机制奠定了基础。     

植物乳杆菌培养上清对不同血清型沙门氏菌的抑制效果及作用机理

【目的】探究植物乳杆菌培养上清(Lactobacillus plantarum culture supernatant,LPC)对3种血清型沙门氏菌猪霍乱(Salmonella cholerae,SC)、肠炎(Salmonella enteritidis,SE)和鸡白痢(Salmonella pullorum, SP)的生长和致病性的抑制作用效果及机理。【方法】将2%LPC与3种沙门氏菌分别共培养后,采用比浊法及牛津杯抑菌圈试验检测沙门氏菌生长情况及LPC中的主要抑菌物质,使用实时荧光定量PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, qRT-PCR)探究沙门氏菌致病性相关基因表达水平,最后通过结晶紫染色法检测沙门氏菌的生物被膜。【结果】2%LPC能够显著抑制3种沙门氏菌的生长,其作用效果与庆大霉素(gentamicin, GM)相近且对SE的生长抑制效果优于GM,其主要抑菌物质为有机酸;2%LPC对3株沙门氏菌SPI-1编码的主要毒力基因(InvA、InvF、SopE、SopB、SipB、HilA和SipA)、SPI-2毒...