Secretion of firefly luciferase in E.coli

Summary A DNA segment carrying the full-length, intronless firefly luciferase gene was inserted into the high expression secretion vector, pIN-III -ompA. Upon induction of gene expression, luciferase activity was detected in extracts prepared from periplasmic fractions. The results indicated that the OmpA signal peptide was able to direct secretion of firefly luciferase across the cytoplasmic membrane. This has important implications for using this luciferase as a reporter in studying protein export and targeting.     

Effect of silicon-doped calcium phosphate cement on angiogenesis based on controlled macrophage polarization

Vascularization is an important early indicator of osteogenesis involving biomaterials.Bone repair and new bone formation are associated with extensive neovascu...     

Which Urban Migrants Default from Tuberculosis Treatment in Shanghai,China?

Background

Migration is a major challenge to tuberculosis (TB) control worldwide. TB treatment requires multiple drugs for at least six months. Some TB patients default before completing their treatment regimen, which can lead to ongoing infectiousness and drug resistance.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 29,943 active TB cases among urban migrants that were reported between 2000 to 2008 in Shanghai, China. We used logistic regression models to identify factors independently associated with treatment defaults in TB patients among urban migrants during 2005-2008.

Results

Fifty-two percent of the total TB patients reported in Shanghai during the study period were among urban migrants. Three factors increased the odds of a treatment default: case management using self-administered therapy (OR, 5.84, 95% CI, 3.14-10.86, p<0.0005), being a retreatment case (OR, 1.47, 95% CI, 1.25-1.71, p<0.0005), and age >60 years old (OR, 1.33, 95% CI, 1.05-1.67, p=0.017). The presence of a cavity in the initial chest radiograph decreased the odds for a treatment default (OR, 0.87, 95% CI, 0.77-0.97, p=0.015), as did migration from central China (OR, 0.85, 95% CI, 0.73-0.99, p=0.042), case management by family members (OR, 0.73, 95% CI 0.66-0.81, p<0.0005), and the combination of case detection by a required physical exam and case management by health care staff (OR, 0.64, 95% CI, 0.45-0.93, p=0.019).

Conclusion

Among TB patients who were urban migrants in Shanghai, case management using self-administered therapy was the strongest modifiable risk factor that was independently associated with treatment defaults. Interventions that target retreated TB cases could also reduce treatment defaults among urban migrants. Health departments should develop effective measures to prevent treatment defaults among urban migrants, to ensure completion of therapy among urban migrants who move between cities and provinces, and to improve reporting of treatment outcomes.     

A highly selective and colorimetric assay of lysine by molecular-driven gold nanorods assembly

In this contribution, a simple, rapid, colorimeteric and selective assay for lysine was achieved by a controllable end-to-end assembly of gold nanorods (AuNRs) in the presence of Eu(3+) and lysine. This one-pot end-to-end assembly of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) modified AuNRs was occurred in Britton-Robinson buffer of pH 6.0, which involves the coordination binding between Eu(3+) and COO(-) groups as well as the electrostatic interaction of the COO(-) groups of MUA with the -NH(3)(+) group of lysine. As monitored by absorption spectra, scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement, the end-to-end chain assembly results in large red-shift in the longitudinal plasmon resonance absorption (LPRA), giving red-to-blue color change of AuNRs. Importantly, it was found that the red-shift of LPRA is linearly proportional to the concentrations of lysine in the range of 5.0×10(-6)-1.0×10(-3)M with the limit of detection (LOD) being 1.6×10(-6)M (3σ/k). This red-shift of LPRA is highly selective, making it possible to develop a rapid, selective and visual assay for lysine in food samples.     

桉树幼苗对难溶性磷的吸收及其根系对低磷胁迫的响应

以‘广林9号’桉树幼苗为试验材料,采用水培和土培试验方法研究了桉树幼苗对难溶性磷酸盐的吸收及其在低磷胁迫下的根构型和根系的生理反应,以揭示桉树高效吸收磷素的机制。结果显示:(1)桉树幼苗在含磷酸铝的缺磷培养液中吸收的磷达4.24mg/株,与供应水溶性磷和磷酸钙处理的相当。(2)土壤缺磷或仅在上土层(0~20cm)施磷肥处理均有利于桉树幼苗浅层根的分布,使根表面积及根数在上土层与下层(20~40cm)比值明显增高。(3)桉树幼苗根尖的H+-ATPase活性在缺磷处理15d后显著提高,其根尖周围的溴甲酚紫指示剂变黄,根基环境明显酸化;根尖分泌的酸性磷酸酶活性在低磷胁迫也显著提升,且随着处理时间(10、15、20d)的延长而进一步提高;铝和低磷胁迫能明显诱导桉树根系分泌草酸,其分泌量显著高于对照和缺磷处理。研究结果表明,桉树幼苗具有较强的难溶性磷吸收能力,而在缺磷及磷铝胁迫下根系的浅层化、根尖酸化及根分泌的酸性磷酸酶及草酸量增加可能是桉树幼苗适应酸性土壤铝毒和缺磷环境的重要机制。     

融合位置特征与序列进化信息的磷酸化位点预测

磷酸化是蛋白质翻译后的主要修饰,可分为激酶特异性和非激酶特异性两种类型．以非激酶特异性磷酸化位点Dou数据集为基础,本文发展了一种基于位置的卡方差表特征χ²-pos,融合伪氨基酸序列进化信息PsePSSM表征序列,构建正负样本均衡的支持向量机分类器,S, T, Y独立测试Matthew相关系数、ROC曲线下面积分及准确率分别达到了(0.59、0.87、79.74%),(0.55、0.85、77.68%)和(0.50、0.81、75.22%),明显优于文献报道结果． χ²-pos、PsePSSM两种特征的融合在蛋白质磷酸化位点预测中有广泛应用前景．     

循环包装回收技术在筛选肝癌细胞相关耐药基因中的应用

肝癌先天性多表达多药耐药基因,严重影响肝癌的化疗效果,筛选肝癌细胞中的耐药基因,研究其耐药机制有助于提高肝癌化疗效果,提高肝癌的治愈率。首先构建肝癌细胞逆转录病毒的cDNA文库,感染成纤维细胞,使得逆转录病毒基因整合进细胞,加药筛选,存活细胞中的基因再次包装成病毒,用于下一轮筛选。采用循环包装回收(Cyclical packaging rescue,CPR)技术进行肝癌细胞耐药基因的筛选即是通过病毒包装将基因从细胞中钓取出来,相比于常规筛选方法,仅通过一轮筛选可能会出现很多假阳性基因,采用CPR技术则是通过多轮筛选,很大程度减少了假阳性细胞的出现。通过该方法经过四轮筛选获得核糖体蛋白S11(RPS11)、核糖体蛋白L6(RPL6)、核糖体蛋白L11(RPL11)、核糖体蛋白L24(RPL24)等几种基因,经初步检测,增加了细胞的耐药性。