不同底物与固氮酶及其钼铁蛋白相互作用的荧光光谱分析

 本文研究了不同底物(N_2,H_2,N_2O,NaN_3,C_2H_2)对棕色固氮菌固氮酶及其钼铁蛋白荧光光谱的影响。结果表明,上述底物均能络合在钼铁蛋白及固氮酶上,但络合程度不同,从而为固氮酶系统有多个不同的底物络合中心,底物络合中心在钼铁蛋白分子上,铁蛋白对钼铁蛋白有变构作用,提供了光谱学证据。     

Genome dynamics and diversity of Shigella species, the etiologic agents of bacillary dysentery

The Shigella bacteria cause bacillary dysentery, which remains a significant threat to public health. The genus status and species classification appear no longer valid, as compelling evidence indicates that Shigella, as well as enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, are derived from multiple origins of E.coli and form a single pathovar. Nevertheless, Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 causes deadly epidemics but Shigella boydii is restricted to the Indian subcontinent, while Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei are prevalent in developing and developed countries respectively. To begin to explain these distinctive epidemiological and pathological features at the genome level, we have carried out comparative genomics on four representative strains. Each of the Shigella genomes includes a virulence plasmid that encodes conserved primary virulence determinants. The Shigella chromosomes share most of their genes with that of E.coli K12 strain MG1655, but each has over 200 pseudogenes, 300 approximately 700 copies of insertion sequence (IS) elements, and numerous deletions, insertions, translocations and inversions. There is extensive diversity of putative virulence genes, mostly acquired via bacteriophage-mediated lateral gene transfer. Hence, via convergent evolution involving gain and loss of functions, through bacteriophage-mediated gene acquisition, IS-mediated DNA rearrangements and formation of pseudogenes, the Shigella spp. became highly specific human pathogens with variable epidemiological and pathological features.     

Structures of Sarcorucinine D and Pachyaximine A,B

In this paper, three new alkaloids, sarcorucinine D (1), and paehyaximine A, B (2, 3) were isolated from Sarcococca ruscifolia Stapf and Pachysandra axillaris Franch, respectively. The structures of sarcorucinine D (1) and pachyaximine A, B (2, 3) were elucidated to be 3β-hydroxyl-20α-dimethylamino-5α-pregnane (1); and 3β-methoxyl-20α-dimethylamino-pregne-5-ne (2); and 3β-methoxyl-16-hydroxyl-20α-dimethylaminopregne-5-ne (16-hydroxyl-pachyaxi- mine A) (3), respectively.     

低氧对巨噬细胞分泌TNF-α和IL-6的影响及其机制

目的:观察低氧对巨噬细胞(Mφ)前炎症因子TNF-α和IL-6分泌的影响及其机制.方法:收集分离小鼠腹腔Mφ,建立Mφ的低氧(1% O2,5%CO2)培养模型,并用非特异性酯酶染色法进行鉴定;ELISA法检测上清液中TNF-α和IL-6的含量;RT-PCR法检测TNF-α和IL-6的转录物水平;用Western blot法检测Mφ核内NF-κB的激活量;通过在培养液中加入氢化可的松(5 mg/L),观察低氧时TNF-α和IL-6分泌量的变化.结果:TNF-α和IL-6分泌量在低氧12 h时明显增加(P＜0.01);低氧6 h时,TNF-α mRNA和IL-6 mRNA表达量明显高于对照组(P＜0.01);M中核内NF-κB的激活量在低氧2 h时明显增高(P＜0.05),低氧5 h内持续存在;而当培养液中加入氢化可的松抑制NF-κB活性后,TNF-α和IL-6的分泌水平无明显变化.结论:低氧可通过核转录因子NF-κB途径促进细胞因子TNF-α和IL-6基因的表达和分泌.     

城市不同植被配置类型空气负离子效应评价

通过对南宁城区、城郊绿地及农田开发区进行负离子含量的测定,找出不同植被配置类型空气负离子效应的差别。结果表明,就空气负离子而言,城郊大规模绿地的空气质量〉农田开发区〉城区;植被配置的复层结构（乔灌草）〉简单植被配置结构（乔灌、乔草、灌草）〉单一配置结构（草坪、稀乔、稀灌草）。溪流和瀑布对增加负离子浓度的作用显著。随着海拔和郁闭度的增加,空气负离子含量有上升的趋势。空气负离子含量随季节有一定的波动。     

Differential effects of interleukin-7 and interleukin-15 on NK cell anti-human immunodeficiency virus activity

The ability of interleukin-7 (IL-7) and IL-15 to expand and/or augment effector cell functions may be of therapeutic benefit to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. The functional effects of these cytokines on innate HIV-specific immunity and their impact on cells harboring HIV are unknown. We demonstrate that both IL-7 and IL-15 augment natural killer (NK) function by using cells (CD3(-) CD16(+) CD56(+)) from both HIV-positive and -negative donors. Whereas IL-7 enhances NK function through upregulation of Fas ligand, the effect of IL-15 is mediated through upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. The difference in these effector mechanisms is reflected by the ability of IL-15-treated but not IL-7-treated NK cells to reduce the burden of replication-competent HIV in autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (infectious units per million for control NK cells, 6.79; for IL-7-treated NK cells, 236.17; for IL-15-treated cells, 1.01; P = 0.01 versus control). In addition, the treatment of PBMC with IL-15-treated but not IL-7-treated NK cells causes undetectable HIV p24 (five of five cases), HIV RNA (five of five cases), or HIV DNA (three of five cases). These results support the concept of adjuvant immunotherapy of HIV infection with either IL-7 or IL-15 but suggest that the NK-mediated antiviral effect of IL-15 may be superior.     

Association between Obesity and Cardiometabolic Health Risk in Asian-Canadian Sub-Groups

Objectives

To quantify and compare the association between the World Health Organizations’ Asian-specific trigger points for public health action [‘increased risk’: body mass index (BMI) ≥23 kg/m², and; ‘high risk’: BMI ≥27.5 kg/m²] with self-reported cardiovascular-related conditions in Asian-Canadian sub-groups.

Methods

Six cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2001–2009) were pooled to examine BMI and health in Asian sub-groups (South Asians, Chinese, Filipino, Southeast Asians, Arabs, West Asians, Japanese and Korean; N = 18 794 participants, ages 18–64 y). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle characteristics and acculturation measures, was used to estimate the odds of cardiovascular-related health (high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, ‘at least one cardiometabolic condition’) outcomes across all eight Asian sub-groups.

Results

Compared to South Asians (OR = 1.00), Filipinos had higher odds of having ‘at least one cardiometabolic condition’ (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.04–1.62), whereas Chinese (0.63, 0.474–0.9) and Arab-Canadians had lower odds (0.38, 0.28–0.51). In ethnic-specific analyses (with ‘acceptable’ risk weight as the referent), ‘increased’ and ‘high’ risk weight categories were the most highly associated with ‘at least one cardiometabolic condition’ in Chinese (‘increased’: 3.6, 2.34–5.63; ‘high’: 8.9, 3.6–22.01). Compared to normal weight South Asians, being in the ‘high’ risk weight category in all but the Southeast Asian, Arab, and Japanese ethnic groups was associated with approximately 3-times the likelihood of having ‘at least one cardiometabolic condition’.

Conclusion

Differences in the association between obesity and cardiometabolic health risks were seen among Asian sub-groups in Canada. The use of WHO’s lowered Asian-specific BMI cut-offs identified obesity-related risks in South Asian, Filipino and Chinese sub-groups that would have been masked by traditional BMI categories. These findings have implications for public health messaging, especially for ethnic groups at higher odds of obesity-related health risks.     

Se和V_E与克山病

以克山病病区粮配成基础饲料,另在基础饲料中分别补充Ｓｅ或ＶＥ,或Ｓｅ＋ＶＥ喂养大鼠,在细胞及亚细胞水平上以Ｃａ代谢为主研究并比较了Ｓｅ和ＶＥ在克山病病因中的作用。测量了心肌细胞和心肌线粒体的Ｃａ代谢及有关指标、心肌线粒体能量转换功能及心肌组织自由基含量。结果表明,在低Ｓｅ病区粮中补充Ｓｅ或ＶＥ均能在一定程度上预防病区粮中致病因素对心肌细胞及线粒体的损伤;并且补充Ｓｅ或ＶＥ均能使心肌组织中自由基含量减少。提示Ｓｅ和ＶＥ是通过清除体内过量自由基预防细胞和线粒体的损伤的。但值得注意的是,实验中所用病区粮ＶＥ含量不低于甚至高于非病区对照粮,在低Ｓｅ情况下,所补ＶＥ的量需要相当大（如本实验中补充２００μｇ／ｇ）才能较明显地预防心肌细胞和心肌线粒体的损伤。通过对这些结果的分析,进一步肯定低Ｓｅ是克山病形成的重要因素之一。     

镰刀菌Q7-31T内切葡聚糖酶Egn21的分离纯化及酶学性质

【目的】为进一步研究镰刀菌Q7-31T产生的植物细胞壁降解酶的酶系信息。【方法】以1%(W/V)蛋白胨为氮源,0.5%(W/V)燕麦秸秆为碳源,20°C、120 r/min振荡培养3 d,诱导发酵培养菌株,获得的粗酶液经过Sephacry S-100凝胶柱层析和DEAE琼脂糖弱阴离子交换柱层析,最终得到纯化的内切葡聚糖酶,并对其进行酶学性质分析及串联质谱鉴定。【结果】研究表明:Egn21的分子质量为44.25 kDa,等电点为4.91;酶学特性研究显示:Egn21降解羧甲基纤维素的最适反应温度为40°C,在45°C以下比较稳定。该酶最适pH为6.0,在pH为5.0–8.0条件之间比较稳定。Co~(2+)、Zn~(2+)和Mg~(2+)对其没有明显作用,而Fe~(2+)、Ca~(2+)、K~(+)、Na~(+)和Mn~(2+)对酶活性有抑制作用,Hg~(2+)会使酶失去活性。【结论】从Q7-31T中分离纯化得到的内切葡聚糖酶Egn21,经过酶学特性与串联质谱鉴定结果显示其属于GH5家族。     

Small molecules blocking the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus into host cells

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is the pathogen of SARS, which caused a global panic in 2003. We describe here the screening of Chinese herbal medicine-based, novel small molecules that bind avidly with the surface spike protein of SARS-CoV and thus can interfere with the entry of the virus to its host cells. We achieved this by using a two-step screening method consisting of frontal affinity chromatography-mass spectrometry coupled with a viral infection assay based on a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-luc/SARS pseudotyped virus. Two small molecules, tetra-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (TGG) and luteolin, were identified, whose anti-SARS-CoV activities were confirmed by using a wild-type SARS-CoV infection system. TGG exhibits prominent anti-SARS-CoV activity with a 50% effective concentration of 4.5 microM and a selective index of 240.0. The two-step screening method described here yielded several small molecules that can be used for developing new classes of anti-SARS-CoV drugs and is potentially useful for the high-throughput screening of drugs inhibiting the entry of HIV, hepatitis C virus, and other insidious viruses into their host cells.