Purification and properties of the Escherichia coli nucleoside transporter NupG, a paradigm for a major facilitator transporter sub-family

NupG from Escherichia coli is the archetype of a family of nucleoside transporters found in several eubacterial groups and has distant homologues in eukaryotes, including man. To facilitate investigation of its molecular mechanism, we developed methods for expressing an oligohistidine-tagged form of NupG both at high levels (>20% of the inner membrane protein) in E. coli and in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In E. coli recombinant NupG transported purine (adenosine) and pyrimidine (uridine) nucleosides with apparent K(m) values of approximately 20-30 microM and transport was energized primarily by the membrane potential component of the proton motive force. Competition experiments in E. coli and measurements of uptake in oocytes confirmed that NupG was a broad-specificity transporter of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides. Importantly, using high-level expression in E. coli and magic-angle spinning cross-polarization solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, we have for the first time been able directly to measure the binding of the permeant ([1'-(13)C]uridine) to the protein and to assess its relative mobility within the binding site, under non-energized conditions. Purification of over-expressed NupG to near homogeneity by metal chelate affinity chromatography, with retention of transport function in reconstitution assays, was also achieved. Fourier transform infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopy provided further evidence that the purified protein retained its 3D conformation and was predominantly alpha-helical in nature, consistent with a proposed structure containing 12 transmembrane helices. These findings open the way to elucidating the molecular mechanism of transport in this key family of membrane transporters.     

Cells scaffold complex for Intervertebral disc Anulus Fibrosus tissue engineering: in vitro culture and product analysis

The study was designed to investigate feasibility of tissue culture in vitro utilizing static culture method. Annulus fibrosus cells obtained from spine of rabbits were cultured. Results showed that fibrous tissue infiltration could be detected in shallow layer. With extended time, tissue infiltration depth increased, but there were still a large amount of holes in central part. Fibrous tissue infiltration was detected in the control side products and inner infiltration wasn't obvious. Hydroxyproline content of the control side products gradually increased with extended culture time. Hydroxyproline content of the control side products in the third and fourth month was significantly higher than that in the first month, but lower than those of the experimental side products and normal annulus fibrosus cells. DNA content of the control side products in the third and fourth month was significantly increased compared to the first month. DNA content of the control side products at each phase point was significantly lower than that of the experimental side and normal annulus fibrosus cells. Furthermore, there was lower expression levels of the type I, II collagen mRNA and protein in the experimental side scaffolds compared to the control side product. This study demonstrates the successful formation of Intervertebral disc Anulus Fibrosus in vitro by static culture method.     

天然雌核发育贵州普安鲫(A型)染色体组型的初步研究

普安鲫(Carassius auratus)原产于贵州省普安县青山镇一带的天然水体中,它有3个不同类型(A、B和C型)的种群。目前除了A型在野外未见雄性个体外,B和C型都是两性型种群,它们同地共栖,且行天然雌核发育。       

Climate‐driven speedup of alpine treeline forest growth in the Tianshan Mountains,Northwestern China

Forest growth is sensitive to interannual climatic change in the alpine treeline ecotone (ATE). Whether the alpine treeline ecotone shares a similar pattern of forest growth with lower elevational closed forest belt (CFB) under changing climate remains unclear. Here, we reported an unprecedented acceleration of Picea schrenkiana forest growth since 1960s in the ATE of Tianshan Mountains, northwestern China by a stand‐total sampling along six altitudinal transects with three plots in each transect: one from the ATE between the treeline and the forest line, and the other two from the CFB. All the sampled P. schrenkiana forest patches show a higher growth speed after 1960 and, comparatively, forest growth in the CFB has sped up much slower than that in the ATE. The speedup of forest growth at the ATE is mainly accounted for by climate factors, with increasing temperature suggested to be the primary driver. Stronger water deficit as well as more competition within the CFB might have restricted forest growth there more than that within the ATE, implying biotic factors were also significant for the accelerated forest growth in the ATE, which should be excluded from simulations and predictions of warming‐induced treeline dynamics.     

Effects of a moderate-intensity static magnetic field and adriamycin on K562 cells

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a moderate‐intensity static magnetic field (SMF) can enhance the killing effect of adriamycin (ADM) on K562 cells, and to explore the effects of SMF combined with ADM on K562 cells. We analyzed the metabolic activity of cells, cell cycle distribution, DNA damage, change in cell ultrastructure, and P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) expression after K562 cells were exposed continuously to a uniform 8.8 mT SMF for 12 h, with or without ADM. Our results showed that the SMF combined with ADM (25 ng/ml) significantly inhibited the metabolic activity of K562 cells (P < 0.05), while neither ADM nor the SMF alone affected the metabolic activity of these cells. Cell ultrastructure was altered in the SMF + ADM group. For example, cell membrane was depressed, some protuberances were observable, and vacuoles in the cytoplasm became larger. Cells were arrested at the G2/M phase and DNA damage increased after cells were treated with the SMF plus ADM. ADM also induced the P‐gp expression. In contrast, in the SMF group and SMF + ADM group, the P‐gp expression was decreased compared with the ADM group. Taken together, our results showed that the 8.8 mT SMF enhanced the cytotoxity potency of ADM on K562 cells, and the decrease in P‐gp expression may be one reason underlying this effect. Bioelectromagnetics 32:191–199, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

抗IFITM1 单克隆抗体的制备及检测

目的：制备抗干扰素诱导的跨膜蛋白-1(interferon-induced transmembrane protein 1, IFITM1)的单克隆抗体,为检测IFITM1 及进一步研究其在结肠肿瘤发生过程中的作用提供实验基础。方法：以结肠癌患者的癌组织为材料,提取总RNA,以RT-PCR扩 增得到IFITM1 cDNA 序列,经ECoRⅠ和HindⅢ双酶切后,克隆入pGEX-4T-3 进行原核表达并纯化得IFITM1-GST;以该融合蛋 白免疫BALB/c 小鼠,淋巴细胞杂交瘤法制备单克隆抗体;采用ELISA、Western-blot及免疫组织化学法以制备的抗体检测结肠癌 患者结肠癌组织中的IFITM1。结果：成功构建了IFITM1 原核表达载体,获得了IFITM1-GST 重组蛋白;制备得到了1 株抗 IFITM1 单克隆抗体,腹水ELISA 效价为1:30000,抗体亚类为IgG1,可用于ELISA、Western-blot及免疫组织化学法检测结肠癌患 者结肠癌组织中的IFITM1。结论：获得了1 株可用于ELISA、Western-blot及免疫组织化学法的抗IFITM1 单克隆抗体2F-1,为进 一步研究IFITM1在结肠肿瘤发生过程中的作用提供了实验基础。     

UV-B-induced DNA damage and repair pathways in polar Pseudogymnoascus sp. from the Arctic and Antarctic regions and their effects on growth,pigmentation and conidiogenesis

Solar radiation regulates most biological activities on Earth. Prolonged exposure to solar UV radiation can cause deleterious effects by inducing two major types of DNA damage, namely, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and pyrimidine 6-4 pyrimidone photoproducts. These lesions may be repaired by the photoreactivation (Phr) and nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathways; however, the principal UV-induced DNA repair pathway is not known in the fungal genus Pseudogymnoascus. In this study, we demonstrated that an unweighted UV-B dosage of 1.6 kJ m⁻² d⁻¹ significantly reduced fungal growth rates (by between 22% and 35%) and inhibited conidia production in a 10 d exposure. The comparison of two DNA repair conditions, light or dark, which respectively induced photoreactivation (Phr) and NER, showed that the UV-B-induced CPDs were repaired significantly more rapidly in light than in dark conditions. The expression levels of two DNA repair genes, RAD2 and PHR1 (encoding a protein in NER and Phr respectively), demonstrated that NER rather than Phr was primarily activated for repairing UV-B-induced DNA damage in these Pseudogymnoascus strains. In contrast, Phr was inhibited after exposure to UV-B radiation, suggesting that PHR1 may have other functional roles. We present the first study to examine the capability of the Arctic and Antarctic Pseudogymnoascus sp. to perform photoreactivation and/or NER via RT-qPCR approaches, and also clarify the effects of light on UV-B-induced DNA damage repair in vivo by quantifying cyclobutene pyrimidine dimers and pyrimidine 6-4 pyrimidone photoproducts. Physiological response data, including relative growth rate, pigmentation and conidia production in these Pseudogymnoascus isolates exposed to UV-B radiation are also presented.