Screening and isolation of an organic solvent-tolerant bacterium for high-yield production of organic solvent-stable protease

Forty-three strains were screened from crude oil-contaminated samples by toluene and cyclohexane enrichment in medium. Ten of these strains demonstrated high protease activity on skim-milk agar. Among them, the PT121 isolate, identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was selected based on its extracellular protease stability in the presence of hydrophilic organic solvents. The crude protease also retained most of its activity up to at least 14 days in the presence of various organic solvents at 50% concentration, and the protease activity in production medium was 10,876U/ml after 72h incubation. This protease showed high activity as a catalyst for aspartame precursor Cbz-Asp-Phe-NH2 synthesis in the presence of 50% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).     

Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence, and marker exchange mutagenesis of the exo-poly-alpha-D-galacturonosidase-encoding pehX gene of Erwinia chrysanthemi EC16.

The pehX gene encoding extracellular exo-poly-alpha-D-galacturonosidase (exoPG; EC 3.2.1.82) was isolated from a genomic library of the pectate lyase-deficient Erwinia chrysanthemi mutant UM1005 (a Nalr Kanr delta pelABCE derivative of EC16) by immunoscreening 2,800 Escherichia coli HB101 transformants with an antibody against exoPG protein. The cloned pehX gene was expressed highly from its own promoter in E. coli, and most of the enzyme was localized in the periplasm. The nucleotide sequence of pehX revealed the presence of an amino-terminal signal peptide and an open reading frame encoding a preprotein of 64,608 daltons. The cloned pehX gene was insertionally inactivated with TnphoA and used to mutate the chromosomal pehX gene of E. chrysanthemi AC4150 (Nalr) and CUCPB5006 (Nalr Kans delta pelABCE) by marker exchange mutagenesis. Analysis of the resulting mutants, CUCPB5008 (Pel+ Peh-) and CUCPB5009 (Pel- Peh-), indicated that exoPG can contribute significantly to bacterial utilization of polygalacturonate and the induction of pectate lyase in the presence of extracellular pectic polymers. CUCPB5009 retained a slight ability to pit polygalacturonate semisolid agar and macerated chrysanthemum pith tissues when large numbers of bacteria were inoculated.     

蜀柏毒蛾生物学特性及防治

1990～1991年,作者在四川平昌县对蜀柏毒蛾生物学特性及防治进行了调查研究。结果如下：蜀柏毒蛾在四川1年发生2代,以幼虫越冬;常年以越冬代的5、6龄幼虫危害较重,危害盛期从5月上旬至6月上旬,林间高温干旱气候和天敌种类及数量的锐减是导致蜀柏毒蛾猖獗的主要因素;提出以科学营林增加灭敌种类和数量的营林防治和生物防治为主的综合防治措施。     

Degradation of the Retinoblastoma Tumor Suppressor by the Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E7 Oncoprotein Is Important for Functional Inactivation and Is Separable from Proteasomal Degradation of E7

The steady-state level and metabolic half-life of retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein pRB are decreased in cells that express high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E7 proteins. Here we show that pRB degradation is a direct activity of E7 and does not reflect a property of cell lines acquired during the selection process for E7 expression. An amino-terminal domain of E7 that does not directly contribute to pRB binding but is required for transformation is also necessary for E7-mediated pRB degradation. Treatment with inhibitors of the 26S proteasome not only blocks E7-mediated pRB degradation but also causes the stabilization of E7. Mutagenic analyses, however, reveal that the processes of proteasomal degradation of E7 and pRB are not linked processes. HPV type 16 E7 also targets the pRB-related proteins p107 and p130 for destabilization by a proteasome-dependent mechanism. Using the SAOS2 flat-cell assay as a biological indicator for pRB function, we demonstrate that pRB degradation, not solely binding, is important for the E7-induced inactivation of pRB.     

Epistatic partners of neurogenic genes modulate Drosophila olfactory behavior

The extent to which epistasis affects the genetic architecture of complex traits is difficult to quantify, and identifying variants in natural populations with epistatic interactions is challenging. Previous studies in Drosophila implicated extensive epistasis between variants in genes that affect neural connectivity and contribute to natural variation in olfactory response to benzaldehyde. In this study, we implemented a powerful screen to quantify the extent of epistasis as well as identify candidate interacting variants using 203 inbred wild‐derived lines with sequenced genomes of the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP). We crossed the DGRP lines to P[GT1]‐element insertion mutants in Sema‐5c and neuralized (neur), two neurodevelopmental loci which affect olfactory behavior, and to their coisogenic wild‐type control. We observed significant variation in olfactory responses to benzaldehyde among F₁ genotypes and for the DGRP line by mutant genotype interactions for both loci, showing extensive nonadditive genetic variation. We performed genome‐wide association analyses to identify the candidate modifier loci. None of these polymorphisms were in or near the focal genes; therefore, epistasis is the cause of the nonadditive genetic variance. Candidate genes could be placed in interaction networks. Several candidate modifiers are associated with neural development. Analyses of mutants of candidate epistatic partners with neur (merry‐go‐round (mgr), prospero (pros), CG10098, Alhambra (Alh) and CG12535) and Sema‐5c (CG42540 and bruchpilot (brp)) showed aberrant olfactory responses compared with coisogenic controls. Thus, integrating genome‐wide analyses of natural variants with mutations at defined genomic locations in a common coisogenic background can unmask specific epistatic modifiers of behavioral phenotypes.     

Flowering-Related RING Protein 1 (FRRP1) Regulates Flowering Time and Yield Potential by Affecting Histone H2B Monoubiquitination in Rice (Oryza Sativa)

Flowering time is a critical trait for crops cultivated under various temperature/photoperiod conditions around the world. To understand better the flowering time of rice, we used the vector pTCK303 to produce several lines of RNAi knockdown transgenic rice and investigated their flowering times and other agronomic traits. Among them, the heading date of FRRP1-RNAi knockdown transgenic rice was 23–26 days earlier than that of wild-type plants. FRRP1 is a novel rice gene that encodes a C3HC4-type Really Interesting Novel Gene (RING) finger domain protein. In addition to the early flowering time, FRRP1-RNAi knockdown transgenic rice caused changes on an array of agronomic traits, including plant height, panicle length and grain length. We analyzed the expression of some key genes associated with the flowering time and other agronomic traits in the FRRP1-RNAi knockdown lines and compared with that in wild-type lines. The expression of Hd3a increased significantly, which was the key factor in the early flowering time. Further experiments showed that the level of histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub1) was noticeably reduced in the FRRP1-RNAi knockdown transgenic rice lines compared with wild-type plants and MBP-FRRP1-F1 was capable of self-ubiquitination. The results indicate that Flowering Related RING Protein 1 (FRRP1) is involved in histone H2B monoubiquitination and suggest that FRRP1 functions as an E3 ligase in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, FRRP1 probably regulates flowering time and yield potential in rice by affecting histone H2B monoubiquitination, which leads to changes in gene expression in multiple processes.     

昆明山海棠对中国仓鼠V79细胞二酰基甘油含量的影响

本研究以昆明山海棠根部水抽提物(Tripterygium Hypoglaucum(Level)Hutch,THH)处理中国仓鼠V79细胞,通过检测V79细胞C-M细胞频率以及二酰基甘油(1,2-diacylgcerol,DAG)的含量测定,分析了THH诱发非整倍体与细胞醇磷酯信号通路的关系.结果指出THH能在1mg/ml、2mg/ml两个剂量上使V79细胞的DAG含量显著升高(P＜0.001),并明显的提高C-M细胞频率(P＜0.05),提示肌醇酯信号通路是介导THH诱发非整倍体的途径之一.     

Comparing the Curative Effects between Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery and Conventional Phacoemulsification Surgery: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose

To compare the outcomes of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) with those of conventional phacoemulsification surgery (CPS) for age-related cataracts.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCT) and comparative cohort studies comparing FLACS with CPS. Endothelial cell loss percentage (ECL%), central corneal thickness (CCT), corrected and uncorrected distant visual acuity (CDVA and UDVA), and mean absolute error (MAE) of refraction were used as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), mean effective phacoemulsification time (EPT), phacoemulsification power and circularity of the capsulorhexis.

Results

Nine RCTs and fifteen cohort studies including 4,903 eyes (2,861 in the FLACS group and 2,072 in the CPS group) were identified. There were significant differences between the two groups in ECL% at one week, about one month and three months postoperatively, in CCT at one day, about one month postoperatively and at the final follow-up, in CDVA at one week postoperatively, and in UDVA at the final follow-up. Significant differences were also observed in MAE, EPT, phacoemulsification power, and the circularity of capsulorhexis. However, no significant differences were observed in CDVA at one week postoperatively or in surgically induced astigmatism.

Conclusions

Compared to CPS, FLACS is a safer and more effective method for reducing endothelial cell loss and postoperative central corneal thickening as well as achieving better and faster visual rehabilitation and refractive outcomes. However, there is no difference in final CDVA and surgically induced astigmatism between the two groups.     

辽宁碱蓬SlCMO基因盐胁迫表达分析及盐诱导启动子鉴定

胆碱单加氧酶（choline monooxygenase, CMO）是合成甜菜碱的关键酶,甜菜碱在植物抵抗渗透胁迫中起着重要的作用。本研究室前期克隆了盐生植物辽宁碱蓬CMO（Suaeda liaotungensis CMO）基因及启动子。本研究对SlCMO基因在盐胁迫下的表达及盐诱导启动子进行分析。qRT-PCR分析SlCMO基因在辽宁碱蓬不同器官及盐胁迫下的表达,结果表明,SlCMO基因在根、茎、叶中均有表达,其中茎、叶中的表达量较高,SlCMO基因在根、茎、叶中的表达均受盐胁迫诱导。5′端缺失分析SlCMO启动子的盐诱导区段,结果表明,pC5（-267~+128 bp）是SlCMO启动子的盐诱导功能区段,推测pC5调控SlCMO 基因的盐诱导表达。本研究为SlCMO 基因表达调控研究奠定基础,也为植物抗盐基因工程提供可用的启动子。     

高粱三系及其杂交F_1 G－显带核型的比较研究

本文首次报道了高粱（ＳｏｒｇｈｕｍｖｕｌｇａｒｅＬ．）雄性不育系及其保持系和恢复系以及不育系×恢复系杂交Ｆ１的Ｃ－显带结果,并进行了核型和带型的比较分析。保持系与不育系的核型和带型基本一致,相同的细胞核处于不同的细胞质中,其核型与带型没有明显的变化。三系第２染色体的臂长和臂比差异明显,第２、６和８染色体的带型也不同。父、母本的不同核型和带型特点在Ｆ１中为并显性。讨论了染色体多态及其应用的问题。