外植体与不同理化因子对虎杖愈伤组织诱导及次生代谢产物形成的影响

考察了外植体、培养基及光照条件对中药植物虎杖愈伤组织形成及次生代谢产物生产的影响。总的来看,所有愈伤组织中总酚和总黄酮含量比原植物的含量高2—3倍;而蒽醌的含量比原植物中含量低。外植体对愈伤组织形成及次生代谢产物生产的影响很大,所考察的3种外植体中。叶外植的愈伤组织诱导率最高而源于根外植体的愈伤组织具有最好的次生代谢能力。所考察的6种培养基中,MS＋0．5mg／L 2,4-D＋1．0mg／L 6-BA和N6＋0．5mg／L 2,4-D＋1．0mg／L 6-BA无论对于愈伤组织的产生还是次生代谢产物的累积都有较优表现。光照对愈伤组织诱导及次生代谢产物产生有明显影响。但二者无规律性联系。     

Presynaptic Targeting of ��4��2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Is Regulated by Neurexin-1��

The mechanisms involved in the targeting of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), critical for their functional organization at neuronal synapses, are not well understood. We have identified a novel functional association between α4β2 AChRs and the presynaptic cell adhesion molecule, neurexin-1β. In non-neuronal tsA 201 cells, recombinant neurexin-1β and mature α4β2 AChRs form complexes. α4β2 AChRs and neurexin-1β also coimmunoprecipitate from rat brain lysates. When exogenous α4β2 AChRs and neurexin-1β are coexpressed in hippocampal neurons, they are robustly targeted to hemi-synapses formed between these neurons and cocultured tsA 201 cells expressing neuroligin-1, a postsynaptic binding partner of neurexin-1β. The extent of synaptic targeting is significantly reduced in similar experiments using a mutant neurexin-1β lacking the extracellular domain. Additionally, when α4β2 AChRs, α7 AChRs, and neurexin-1β are coexpressed in the same neuron, only the α4β2 AChR colocalizes with neurexin-1β at presynaptic terminals. Collectively, these data suggest that neurexin-1β targets α4β2 AChRs to presynaptic terminals, which mature by trans-synaptic interactions between neurexins and neuroligins. Interestingly, human neurexin-1 gene dysfunctions have been implicated in nicotine dependence and in autism spectrum disorders. Our results provide novel insights as to possible mechanisms by which dysfunctional neurexins, through downstream effects on α4β2 AChRs, may contribute to the etiology of these neurological disorders.The clustering of ion channels or receptors and precise targeting to pre- and postsynaptic specializations in neurons is critical to efficiently regulate synaptic transmission. Within the central nervous system, neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs)⁵ regulate the release of neurotransmitters at presynaptic sites (1) and mediate fast synaptic transmission at postsynaptic sites of neurons (2). These receptors are part of a family of acetylcholine-gated ion channels that are assembled from various combinations of α2–α10 and β2–β4 subunits (3). AChRs participate in the regulation of locomotion, affect, reward, analgesia, anxiety, learning, and attention (4, 5).The α4β2 subtype is the most abundant AChR receptor expressed in the brain. Multiple lines of evidence support a major role for α4β2 AChRs in nicotine addiction. α4β2 AChRs show high affinity for nicotine (6) and are located on the dopaminergic projections of ventral tegmental area neurons to the medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens (7, 8). Furthermore, β2 AChR subunit knock-out mice lose their sensitivity to nicotine in passive avoidance tasks (9) and show attenuated self-administration of nicotine (10). α4 AChR subunit knock-out mice also exhibit a loss of tonic control of striatal basal dopamine release (11). Finally, experiments with knock-in mice expressing α4β2 AChRs hypersensitive to nicotine demonstrate that α4β2 AChRs indeed mediate the essential features of nicotine addiction including reward, tolerance, and sensitization (12). High resolution ultrastructural studies show that α4 subunit-containing AChRs are clustered at dopaminergic axonal terminals (13), and a sequence motif has been identified within the α4 AChR subunit cytoplasmic domain that is essential for receptor trafficking to axons (14). However, the mechanisms underlying the targeting and clustering of α4β2 AChRs to presynaptic sites in neurons remain elusive.Recently, bi-directional interactions between neurexins and neuroligins have been shown to promote synapse assembly and maturation by fostering pre- and postsynaptic differentiation (reviewed in Refs. 15–17). The neurexins are encoded by three genes corresponding to neurexins I–III (18, 19), each encoding longer α-neurexins and shorter β-neurexins, because of differential promoter use. Neurexins recruit N- and P/Q-type calcium channels via scaffolding proteins, including calmodulin-associated serine/threonine kinase (20), to active zones of presynaptic terminals (21, 22). Recently, α-neurexins were shown to specifically induce GABAergic postsynaptic differentiation (23). Neuroligins, postsynaptic binding partners of neurexins, cluster N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors and GABA_A receptors by recruiting the scaffolding proteins PSD-95 (post-synaptic density 95) and gephyrin, respectively (24, 25). Interestingly, neurexins and neuroligins also modulate the postsynaptic clustering of α3-containing AChRs in chick ciliary ganglia (26, 27). In this study, using multiple experimental strategies, we provide evidence for the formation of complexes between neurexin-1β and α4β2 AChRs and a role for neurexin in the targeting of α4β2 AChRs to presynaptic terminals of neurons.     

不同地理种源云南红豆杉的遗传多样性与紫杉醇含量相关性分析

应用AFLP和HPLC方法研究了云南红豆杉（Taxus wallichiana var．wdlwhiana）的遗传多样性与紫杉醇含量之间的关系。AFLP指纹图谱显示7个居群谱带明显分为两种式样。PopGenel．31和Arlequin3．1软件分析结果表明：云南红豆杉居群内遗传比较稳定,居群间遗传分化极其显著（L=0．67）。测定当年生小枝叶紫杉醇含量结果表明：紫杉醇含量在居群间和居群内个体差异都较大。天然林中潞西居群的紫杉醇平均含量为0．0185％;腾冲和永德居群的紫杉醇含量比较低,分别为0．0049％和0．0087％;禄丰栽培居群紫杉醇含量比较高,平均为0．0225％。在居群水平上,遗传多样性和紫杉醇含量有一定程度的关联,但在个体水平上明显无对应关系。     

刺槐叶瘿蚊发育起点温度和有效积温

在实验室条件下对刺槐叶瘿蚊Obolodiplosis robiniae(Haldemann)发育历期、发育起点温度和有效积温进行研究。结果表明,随着温度的升高,发育历期缩短;刺槐叶瘿蚊的卵、幼虫、蛹、成虫和全世代的发育起点温度分别为4.51,6.15,4.79和14.17℃,有效积温分别为62.20,281.42,124.45和55.48日.度;整个世代的发育起点温度为8.01℃,有效积温为506.93日.度;刺槐叶瘿蚊在秦皇岛年发生代数的预测值为5.12~5.76代。     

Synergy between Proteasome Inhibitors and Imatinib Mesylate in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Background

Resistance developed by leukemic cells, unsatisfactory efficacy on patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) at accelerated and blastic phases, and potential cardiotoxity, have been limitations for imatinib mesylate (IM) in treating CML. Whether low dose IM in combination with agents of distinct but related mechanisms could be one of the strategies to overcome these concerns warrants careful investigation.

Methods and Findings

We tested the therapeutic efficacies as well as adverse effects of low dose IM in combination with proteasome inhibitor, Bortezomib (BOR) or proteasome inhibitor I (PSI), in two CML murine models, and investigated possible mechanisms of action on CML cells. Our results demonstrated that low dose IM in combination with BOR exerted satisfactory efficacy in prolongation of life span and inhibition of tumor growth in mice, and did not cause cardiotoxicity or body weight loss. Consistently, BOR and PSI enhanced IM-induced inhibition of long-term clonogenic activity and short-term cell growth of CML stem/progenitor cells, and potentiated IM-caused inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis of BCR-ABL+ cells. IM/BOR and IM/PSI inhibited Bcl-2, increased cytoplasmic cytochrome C, and activated caspases. While exerting suppressive effects on BCR-ABL, E2F1, and β-catenin, IM/BOR and IM/PSI inhibited proteasomal degradation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), leading to a re-activation of this important negative regulator of BCR-ABL. In addition, both combination therapties inhibited Bruton''s tyrosine kinase via suppression of NFκB.

Conclusion

These data suggest that combined use of tyrosine kinase inhibitor and proteasome inhibitor might be helpful for optimizing CML treatment.     

血管活性物质对大鼠低氧性肺血管结构重建作用的研究

目的：探讨内皮素-1（ET-1）、血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）在低氧性肺血管结构重建中的调节作用。方法：将2260m处的Wistar大鼠带到3417m的高度饲养24h,2周、3周后进行实验并和在当地捕捉到的高原鼠兔进行比较。取血,测定血液中的ET-1、VEGF的含量,然后取肺组织固定切片染色,40倍光镜下计数整个切片内的肺泡水平位上直径小于100μm的肌性动脉（AM）、部分肌性动脉（PAM）和非肌性动脉（NMA）的数目,分别计算它们各占肺小血管总数的百分比。左右心室室间隔分别称重．计算右室／左室＋室间隔。结果：高原鼠兔与缺氧不同时间大鼠VEGF及ET-1经组间方差分析均有显著差异（P〈0．01,随着缺氧时间的延长,大鼠MA及PMA的比例增加,NMA减少,RV／LV＋S逐渐增加（和高原鼠免比P〈0．01）,经组间方差分析亦有显著差异（P〈0．01）。结论：低氧环境下VEGF及ET-1共同参与了肺小血管的肌化过程,在低氧性肺动脉高压的发生发展中起到了重要作用,但在高原鼠兔体内仅具有维持组织器官发育和维持其正常功能的作用。     

Characterization of zinc-binding properties of a novel imidase from Pseudomonas putida YZ-26

The imidase from Pseudomonas putida YZ-26 consisting of 293-amino acid residues is a novel imidase with four subunits as the holo-enzyme and low molecular weight which is significantly different from known mammalian imidase. This study measured the zinc-binding properties of the imidase using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and competition assay combined with activity determinations. Results show that each subunit of the imidase binds the zinc ion by 1:1 stoichiometry with apparent binding constant of 9.5 × 10⁸ M⁻¹. The activity of the apo-imidase (20 μM) was recovered with the addition of zinc in the lower concentration (0-20 μM), whereas the enzymatic activity is decreased in the presence of high concentration of zinc (above 100 μM). The site-directed mutagenesis of His₂₄₇, His₈₆ or Cys₇, Cys₁₀₈ in imidase resulted in loss of activity and zinc-binding abilities at different degrees, showing that these residues may critically affect both enzymatic activity and conformation.     

TabSQL: a MySQL tool to facilitate mapping user data to public databases

Background  

With advances in high-throughput genomics and proteomics, it is challenging for biologists to deal with large data files and to map their data to annotations in public databases.     

Bioactive Dimeric Diterpenoids from Taiwania cryptomerioides (Hayata) and Their Biological Activities

Taiwania cryptomerioides Hayata is an endangered relict plant belonging to Taxodiaceae, and it is also an endemic plant to China. The decay-resistant of Taiwania timber can provide highly quality wood for building and furniture. Plenty of regenerative of leaves of T. cryptomerioides also has been used as a resource for the discovery of new dimeric diterpenoids. In a search for structurally diverse dimeric diterpenoids and potent bioactive isolates, ten new heterodimeric diterpenoids, taiwaniadducts K−T ( 1 – 4 , 6 , 8 – 11 , and 14 ), along with five known ones ( 5 , 7 , 12 , 13 , and 15 ), were isolated from the leaves of T. cryptomerioides. These new compounds were defined by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, putative biosynthetic pathways, and the values of optical. Biologically, anti-multidrug resistance (MDR) activities of compounds were evaluated. Compounds 4 and 10 exerted a 9.18-fold potentiation effect on bortezmib (BTZ) susceptibility at a tested concentration (20 μM) better than the positive control verapamil. The research of the leaves of T. cryptomerioides not only added the new data to the structural diversity and activities of dimeric diterpenoids but also could provide support for the medical and industrial application of the leaves of this endangered relict plant.     

Patterns and impacting factors of gene evolutionary rate between wild and cultivated emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum)

Tetraploid emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum L., BBAA) is the founder progenitor of bread wheat, providing the valuable genetic resource and gene pool for wheat improvement. However, the evolutionary trajectory of tetraploid wheat, especially the evolutionary fate of different types of genes has not been well studied. In this study, the rate of non-synonymous substitution (d_N) and synonymous substitution (d_S) was calculated by comparing the orthologs between the wild emmer and cultivated durum wheat at the whole genome and subgenome levels to obtain the positively selected genes (PSGs) and negatively selected genes (NSGs). Then, mutation rate, gene length, exon number, GC content, codon bias, and expression level were comprehensively investigated and compared between the PSGs and NSGs. Within both wild emmer and cultivated durum wheat, PSGs between A and B subgenome displayed shorter gene and exon lengths as well as fewer exon numbers compared with NSGs, whereas from wild emmer to cultivated durum wheat, PSGs showed longer gene length and more exon numbers. Furthermore, PSGs displayed much higher expression levels and stronger codon usage bias, but lower genetic diversity compared with NSGs. Finally, two PSGs TdER1-6B, and TdLC7-2A, were found to play the crucial roles in regulating grain width and plant height of tetraploid wheat, respectively. This study systematically investigated the evolutionary, structural, and functional difference between PSGs and NSGs in tetraploid wheat, which will contribute to a better understanding of the selective mode and evolutionary trajectory during wheat domestication and evolution.