Ventilatory and hematopoietic responses to chronic hypoxia in two rat strains.

Hilltop (H) and Madison (M) strains of Sprague-Dawley rats exhibit strikingly different susceptibilities to the effects of chronic altitude exposure. The H rats develop greater polycythemia, hypoxemia, and pulmonary hypertension. We studied ventilation, pulmonary gas exchange, tissue oxygenation, and hematologic adaptations in the two rat strains during a 50-day exposure to a simulated altitude (HA) of 5,500 m (18,000 ft). There were no strain differences among the variables we studied under sea level (SL) conditions. Within the first 14 days of hypoxic exposure, the only significant strain differences were that erythropoietin (EPO) rose much higher and erythroid activity was greater in the H rats, even though arterial Po2 and PCo2 (Pao2 and PaCo2, respectively), renal venous PO2 (Prvo2), and ventilation (VE) were equivalent in the two strains during this time. By day 14 at HA, the H rats had significantly higher erythroid activity, hematocrit (Hct), and EPO levels, significantly lower PaO2 and PrvO2, but equivalent VE and PaCO2. These changes persisted for the remainder of the exposure, except that the Hct continued to rise and the increase was greater in H rats. Despite the greater O2-carrying capacity of H rats in the later stages of hypoxic exposure, PaO2 and PrvO2 were significantly lower in H rats. There were no strain differences at either SL or HA in ventilatory responses to hypercapnia or hypoxia, in blood O2 affinity or 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, in extrarenal production of EPO, or in EPO clearance. We conclude that early in the hypoxic exposure the H rats produce more EPO at apparently equivalent levels of hypoxia, and this is the first step in the pathogenesis of the maladaptation to HA manifest by H rats. We find no consistent evidence that differences in VE contribute to the variable susceptibility to hypoxia in the two rat strains.     

Screening and analysis of differentially expressed genes from an alien addition line of wheat Thinopyrum intermedium induced by barley yellow dwarf virus infection.

The alien addition line TAI-27 contains a pair of chromosomes of Thinopyrum intermedium that carry resistance against barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). A subtractive library was constructed using the leaves of TAI-27, which were infected by Schizaphis graminum carrying the GAV strain of BYDV, and the control at the three-leaf stage. Nine differentially expressed genes were identified from 100 randomly picked clones and sequenced. Two of the nine clones were highly homologous with known genes. Of the remaining seven cDNA clones, five clones matched with known expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences from wheat and (or) barley whereas the other two clones were unknown. Five of the nine differentially expressed sequences (WTJ9, WTJ11, WTJ15, WTJ19, and WTJ32) were highly homologous (identities >94%) with ESTs from wheat or barley challenged with pathogens. These five sequences and another one (WTJ18) were also highly homologous (identities >86%) with abiotic stress induced ESTs in wheat or barley. Reverse Northern hybridization showed that seven of the nine differentially expressed cDNA sequences hybridized with cDNA of T. intermedium infected by BYDV. Three of these also hybridized with cDNA of line 3B-2 (a parent of TAI-27) infected by BYDV. The alien chromosome in TAI-27 was microdissected. The second round linker adaptor mediated PCR products of the alien chromosomal DNA were labeled with digoxygenin and used as the probe to hybridize with the nine differentially expressed genes. The analysis showed that seven differentially expressed genes were homologous with the alien chromosome of TAI-27. These seven differentially expressed sequences could be used as ESTs of the alien chromosome of TAI-27. This research laid the foundation for screening and cloning of new specific functional genes conferring resistance to BYDV and probably other pathogens.     

First chemical synthesis of a scorpion alpha-toxin affecting sodium channels: the Aah I toxin of Androctonus australis hector.

Aah I is a 63-residue alpha-toxin isolated from the venom of the Buthidae scorpion Androctonus australis hector, which is considered to be the most dangerous species. We report here the first chemical synthesis of Aah I by the solid-phase method, using a Fmoc strategy. The synthetic toxin I (sAah I) was renatured in DMSO-Tris buffer, purified and subjected to thorough analysis and comparison with the natural toxin. The sAah I showed physico-chemical (CD spectrum, molecular mass, HPLC elution), biochemical (amino-acid composition, sequence), immunochemical and pharmacological properties similar to those of the natural toxin. The synthetic toxin was recognized by a conformation-dependent monoclonal anti-Aah I antibody, with an IC50 value close to that for the natural toxin. Following intracerebroventricular injection, the synthetic and the natural toxins were similarly lethal to mice. In voltage-clamp experiments, Na(v) 1.2 sodium channel inactivation was inhibited by the application of sAah I or of the natural toxin in a similar way. This work describes a simple protocol for the chemical synthesis of a scorpion alpha-toxin, making it possible to produce structural analogues in time.     

THE DISCOVERY OF THE GENUS SHELFORDIA CAMERON (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONTOAE: BRACONINAE) IN CHINA, WITH DESCRIPTION OF ONE NEW SPECIES

The genus Shelfordia is discovered in China for the first time, and one new species of this genus (S. chinensis sp. nov.) is fully described and illustrated in the present paper. The type specimen is deposited in the Parasitic Hymenoptera Collection, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.     

EFFECTS OF HELPER PROTEINS ENCODED BY p19 AND orf1-orf2 GENES ON Cyt1Aa PROTEIN EXPRESSION IN ACRYSTALLIFEROUS STRAIN OF BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

A series of plasmids were constructed to examine the effects of p19 and orf1‐orf2 genes from Bacillus thuringiensis on Cyt1Aa synthesis and inclusion formation. The plasmids expressed the cyt1Aa gene along with either p19 or orf1‐orf2, or each of them coordinatively with p20 in the acrystalliferous strain of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis 4Q7. No effect on the expression of Cyt1Aa protein was found when P19 or Orf1‐Orf2 co‐expressed with Cyt1Aa. However, when including p20 gene, the constructs with p19 or orf1‐orf2 gene produced lower yield of Cyt1Aa proteins than without p19 or orf1‐orf2 gene. Electron microscopy observation and bioassay showed that P19 and Orf1‐Orf2 have no influence on the crystal size and toxicity of Cyt1Aa protein. It is presumed that P19 and Orf1‐Orf2 might have negative effects on Cyt1Aa synthesis in B. thuringiensis.     

用分子生物学技术对草菇进行菌株鉴别

利用AP-PCR和RAPD技术对三个草菇菌株进行鉴别,其结果与用草菇菌株V34基因文库中的中等重复序列为探针进行限制性内切酶长度多态性分析(RFLP),及对编码核糖体5.8SrRNA的DNA(rDNA)进行PCR扩增后的产物进行限制性内切酶长度多态性分析(PCR-RFLP)的结果相一致。这一结果显示出用这四种方法对草菇菌株进行鉴别具有相似的效果。同时用这四种方法构建的分子生物学标记显示出这三个菌株中的两个菌株在遗传上有着较大程度的相似性。     

华北蓟属植物的化学分类初探

本文对华北地区蓟属ＣｉｒｓｉｕｍＡｄａｎｓ．１６种植物的甲醇提取液紫外吸收光谱（ＵＶ）进行了比较研究。结果表明,蓟属植物的叶较其它部位的ＵＶ具有较好的稳定性和代表性,其光谱的特征可以作为属下分类的重要依据,其化学分类结果与形态分类基本一致。根据光谱特征,结合形态学及有关的细胞学和同工酶方面的资料,重新确立了Ｓｅｃｔ．Ｐｓｅｕｄｏ－Ｅｒｉｏｌｅｐｉｓ（Ｎａｋａｉ）Ｋｉｔａｍ．和Ｃ．ｓｅｇｅｔｕｍＢｇｅ．的组级和种级地位,最后,作者进一步讨论了光谱特征在化学分类中的意义。     

Genetic metabolic polymorphisms and the risk of cancer: a review of the literature

The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyse the design and results of epidemiological studies on the association between various types of cancer (lung, bladder, breast, colon, stomach) and four genetically-based metabolic polymorphisms, involved in the metabolism of several carcinogens (glutathione-S-transferase M1, debrisoquine hydroxylase, N acetyltransferase, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase). These inherited polymorphisms usually cause modifications in the quality or quantity of the relevant enzymes. Such enzymes are involved in the activation/inactivation of known carcinogens and seem to modify the extent to which carcinogens interact with DNA in target tissues. Two enzymes, debrisoquine hydroxylase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, activate procarcinogens to carcinogens (phase I enzymes). The other two, glutathione-S-transferase M1 and N-acetyltransferase, mainly detoxity carcinogenic substances (phase II enzymes). Because of their role as host factors (modulating the action of carcinogens), it has been hypothesized that subjects presenting a specific phenotype for such polymorphisms could be at a greater risk of developing various types of cancer. A number of epidemiological studies have investigated such associations, often with discordant results. We examine and discuss the design of the studies, and present a meta-analysis of the available data.     

Production of chitinolytic enzymes from a novel species ofAeromonas

A bacterial strain secreting potent chitinolytic activity was isolated from shrimp-pond water by enrichment culture using colloidal crab-shell chitin as the major carbon source. The isolated bacterium, designated asAeromonas sp No. 16 exhibited a rod-like morphology with a polar flagellum. Under optimal culture conditions in 500-ml shaker flasks, it produced a chitinolytic activity of 1.4 U ml^–1. A slightly higher enzymatic activity of 1.5 U ml^–1 was obtained when cultivation was carried out in a 5-liter jar fermentor using a medium containing crystalline chitin as the carbon source. The secretion of the enzyme(s) was stimulated by several organic nitrogenous supplements. Most carbon sources tested (glucose, maltose, N-acetylglucosamine, etc) enhanced cell growth, but they slightly inhibited enzyme secretion. Glucosamine (0.5% w/v) severely inhibited cell growth (16% of the control), but it did not significantly affect enzyme secretion. The production of chitinolytic enzymes was pH sensitive and was enhanced by increasing the concentration of colloidal chitin to 1.5%. The observed chitinolytic activity could be attributed to the presence of -N-acetylglucosaminidase and chitinase. Chitinase was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation and preparative gel electrophoresis to three major bands on SDS-PAGE. An in-gel enzymatic activity assay indicated that all three bands possessed chitinase activity. Analysis of the enzymatic products indicated that the purified enzyme(s) hydrolyzed colloidal chitin predominantly to N,N-diacetyl-chitobiose and, to a much lesser extent, the mono-, tri, and tetramer of N-acetylglucosamine, suggesting that they are mainly endochitinases.     

大肠杆菌rpoH基因的克隆,表达及其产物的纯化

本文用ＰＣＲ方法获得大肠杆菌热休克蛋白转录因子σ３２的编码基因ｒｐｏＨ,并克隆在含有ｔａｃ启动子的表达载体ｐＵＨＥ中,经ＩＰＴＧ诱导,在大肠杆菌中表达了Ｃ端融合有６个寡聚组氨酸的σ３２。表达产物经金属螯合层析一步纯化,达到ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ银染一条带纯度,氨基酸组成分析及Ｎ端序列分析结果与文献报道一致。３５Ｓ细胞内参入实验表明：即使在较低的温度下,表达产物σ３２（Ｈｉｓ）６也能导致热休克蛋白如ＧｒｏＥｌ、ＤｎａＫ、Ｈｔｐ的大量合成．