Correlation between arrested secondary plasmodesmal development and onset of accelerated leaf senescence in yeast acid invertase transgenic tobacco plants

Mature leaves of a transgenic tobacco plant ( Nicotiana tabacum L var. Samsun, line A41-10) that constitutively express a yeast-derived acid invertase gene develop symptoms which are characterized by the presence of greenish-yellow and green sectors in the same leaf, and onset of early, leaf senescence. Previous studies indicated that invertase activity was two- to threefold higher in the greenish-yellow sectors than in the green sectors. Our structural analyses revealed that development of secondary plasmodesmata, via modification of existing primary plasmodesmata, between mesophyll cells was inhibited severely in the greenish-yellow sectors, but only marginally in the green sectors. In contrast, the structure and function of primary plasmodesmata in the same symptomatic sectors remained unaltered as determined by structural and dye coupling studies. It is hypothesized that secondary plasmodesmata differ from primary plasmodesmata in having special abilities to traffic information molecules to coordinate leaf development and physiological function(s). Arrest of secondary plasmodesmal development by high invertase activity in the transgenic tobacco leaf may have prevented this type of trafficking and hence resulted in early leaf senescence. The results also indicate that the yeast acid invertase-expressing tobacco may provide an effective experimental system for the molecular characterization of cellular mechanisms that regulate the development, function, and possible turnover of secondary plasmodesmata.     

Thermostability enhancement of polyethylene terephthalate degrading PETase using self- and nonself-ligating protein scaffolding approaches

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hydrolase enzymes show promise for enzymatic PET degradation and green recycling of single-use PET vessels representing a major source of global pollution. Their full potential can be unlocked with enzyme engineering to render activities on recalcitrant PET substrates commensurate with cost-effective recycling at scale. Thermostability is a highly desirable property in industrial enzymes, often imparting increased robustness and significantly reducing quantities required. To date, most engineered PET hydrolases show improved thermostability over their parental enzymes. Here, we report engineered thermostable variants of Ideonella sakaiensis PET hydrolase enzyme (IsPETase) developed using two scaffolding strategies. The first employed SpyCatcher-SpyTag technology to covalently cyclize IsPETase, resulting in increased thermostability that was concomitant with reduced turnover of PET substrates compared to native IsPETase. The second approach using a GFP-nanobody fusion protein (vGFP) as a scaffold yielded a construct with a melting temperature of 80°C. This was further increased to 85°C when a thermostable PETase variant (FAST PETase) was scaffolded into vGFP, the highest reported so far for an engineered PET hydrolase derived from IsPETase. Thermostability enhancement using the vGFP scaffold did not compromise activity on PET compared to IsPETase. These contrasting results highlight potential topological and dynamic constraints imposed by scaffold choice as determinants of enzyme activity.     

A Meaningful Attempt: Applying Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma to Induce Polarization of Macrophages

Macrophage polarization plays an important role in many macrophage-related diseases. This study was designed to preliminarily explore the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on the polarization direction and cell activity of macrophages with different phenotypes (ie, M0, M1, and M2). The M1 macrophage marker inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and M2 macrophage marker cluster of differentiation 206 (CD206) were detected by western blot (WB). The effects of DBD plasma on macrophage viability were analyzed by using a cell counting kit-8 detection kit. M0, M1, and M2 macrophages exhibited a decrease in iNOS expression and an increase in CD206 expression after the DBD plasma intervention. Additionally, the decrease in macrophage viability remained non-significant after initiating the intervention. DBD plasma can promote the transformation of M0 and M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages, and can further enhance the expression of the M2 macrophage phenotype marker CD206. Our study not only demonstrates the potential therapeutic value of DBD plasma for macrophage-related diseases, but it also provides a new direction for research to improve the treatment of macrophage-related diseases. © 2023 Bioelectromagnetics Society.     

乌鲁木齐市道路林带土壤抗重金属细菌的筛选及重金属去除能力

【背景】道路重金属污染问题日益严峻,寻找高效的微生物资源用于环境修复已迫在眉睫。【目的】从乌鲁木齐市道路林带土壤中筛选抗重金属菌株,并对其重金属去除能力进行探究。【方法】使用含5种重金属离子(铅、镉、锌、铜、镍)的4种培养基进行抗性菌株筛选,通过形态学特征和16S rRNA基因序列进行鉴定,采用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱仪(inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer,ICP-OES)检测分离株对重金属离子的去除情况。【结果】4种分离培养基中,TSA是抗重金属菌株筛选的最适培养基,共筛选出16株抗重金属菌,其中4株抗Pb菌、4株抗Cd菌、4株抗Zn菌、3株抗Cu菌和1株抗Ni菌,其抗性分别高达3 000、800、600、300和400mg/L,16株菌中以芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)数量最多。在初始浓度为700mg/L Pb²⁺下,菌株Pb6的去除率高达92.48%,菌株Pb11、Pb3和Pb9的去除率分别为27.70%、40.37%和58.88%;在200mg/L Cd²⁺...     

库木塔格沙漠土壤细菌多样性及具有群体感应抑制活性放线菌筛选

【背景】群体感应抑制剂(quorum sensing inhibitor,QSI)作为抗生素潜在替代品,可有效降低致病菌传染性和毒性。沙漠土壤蕴藏着丰富的放线菌资源,是挖掘群体感应抑制剂的重要来源。【目的】解析库木塔格沙漠土壤细菌群落多样性,筛选并挖掘群体感应抑制活性放线菌资源。【方法】采用Illumina Nova Seq高通量测序技术揭示库木塔格沙漠土壤细菌群落组成,利用可培养方法进行土壤放线菌分离和鉴定;选用紫色杆菌CV026模型筛选群体感应抑制活性放线菌,并对其功能特性进行初步评价。【结果】Illumina Nova Seq高通量测序结果显示,样品土壤细菌涉及23门96目150属,优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria,61%)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria,28%),其中分枝杆菌属(Mycobacterium)为放线菌门最优势菌属(87.3%),其次为红球菌属(Rhodococcus,6.8%)和丙酸杆菌属(Cutibacterium,0.9%)。可培养方法共分离到108株放线菌,归属9科10属,其中优势菌属为链霉菌属(Streptomyces),占65....     

制药工程“微生物学实验”课程的项目化教学探索与实践

为了培养学生的自主学习能力和实践创新能力,按照工程教育专业认证要求基于成果导向教育(outcome based education, OBE)理念设计课程教学,将制药工程微生物学实验课实验教学项目设置成入门、进阶和自主3种项目等级。实验项目内容由浅入深、逐级递进、层层相关,教学过程以学生为中心,并结合线上教学手段和竞赛机制的支持。实践结果表明,经过项目化教学改革,在教师教学和学生学习成效两个方面均得到明显提升,学生在论文撰写能力、动手能力等方面也有了明显的进步,值得后续进一步总结和推广。     

Biochemical and Physiological Responses of Cucumis sativus Cultivars to Different Combinations of Low-Temperature and High Humidity

Low-temperature and high humidity are typical environmental factors in the plastic tunnel and solar greenhouse during the cold season that restricts plant growth and development. Herein, we investigated the impact of different combinations of low-temperature and high humidity (day/night: T1 15/10 °C?+?95%, T2 12/8 °C?+?95%, and T3 9/5 °C?+?95%) along with a control (CK 25/18 °C?+?80%) on cucumber cultivars viz: Zhongnong37 (ZN37: resistant) and Shuyanbailv (SYB: sensitive). The low-temperature and high humidity stresses increased electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and intercellular concentration of carbon dioxide (Ci), and reduced morphological indices, relative water content (RWC), net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (E) and leaf pigments in both cultivars as compared to control (CK). Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR) were decreased in cv. SYB under stress conditions as compared to cv. ZN37. Low-temperature and high humidity treatments showed an increase in proline and soluble protein content in cv. ZN37 as compared to cv. SYB. Abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were augmented while indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin (ZT), zeatin riboside (ZR), and gibberellic acid (GA) were decreased in both cultivars. Under T3 (9/5 °C?+?95%), Pn, protoporphyrin, and ZT were extremely decreased by 71.3%, 74.3%, and 82.4%, respectively, in cv. SYB compared to control. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) based on physiochemical traits confirmed that cv. ZN37 had the strongest correlation with antioxidant enzymes, proline, and soluble protein content than cv. SYB under low-temperature and high humidity treatments. Our results suggest that a stress-tolerant cultivar mitigates stress damage in cucumber transplants by regulating photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant capacity and hormonal profile when compared to a stress-sensitive cultivar.

     

陕北黄土高原蒿属植物的分类与分析

陕北黄土高原有蒿属植物30种1变种,居该地产种子植物属中所含种数的首位。所产蒿属植物在不同的植被带中梯度变化明显,替代现象显著。在生态类型上,旱生类型从南向北递增,中生类型从南向北递减。在区系组成上可分为6种分布区类型,即:我国特有分布,3种;温带亚洲分布,14种1变种;北温带及中亚分布各4种;旧世界温带分布,3种;东亚分布的2种。可见陕北黄土高原蒿属植物种类丰富,梯度变化明显,旱化现象显著,地理成分复杂,但以温带亚洲分布类型为主,兼有其它成分,属典型的温带性质。     

蛋白质结构成对比较的新方法

介绍一种蛋白质三维结构的快速比较方法.此方法毋需初始联配,而能自动寻找和智能迭代.利用本程序对珠蛋白、丝氨酸蛋白酶、天冬氨酸蛋白酶、钙结合蛋白和溶菌酶作了系统的结构比较,取得了满意的结果.本文也讨论了衡量联配结果好坏的要素问题.     

蛋白质侧链的预测

根据Ｄｅｓｍｅｔ的死端排除定则制作了一种蛋白质侧链观测的快速软件系统,用一批实例结构数据和不同的侧链转子来检验上定则的可行性;并讨论预测的ＲＭＳ与溶剂可及性和结构元素的关系。