Sub-Cellular Distribution of Zinc in Different Vegetative Organs and Their Contribution to Grains Zinc Accumulation in Rice Under Different Nitrogen and Zinc Supply

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Zinc is an important micronutrient for the growth and development of human body and plants. Proper use of nitrogen fertilizer and foliar application of Zn have...     

Fulvic Acid,Brassinolide, and Uniconazole Mediated Regulation of Morphological and Physiological Traits in Maize Seedlings Under Water Stress

Water stress is one of the most important factors limiting sustainable crop production. Therefore, the effects of the plant growth regulators (PGRs) fulvic acid (FA), brassinolide (BR), and uniconazole (Uni) on seedling growth and physiology of two maize (Zea mays L.) varieties were evaluated under???0.7 MPa water stress induced by polyethylene glycol-6000. Under drought stress, the PGRs promoted seedling growth, altered the root-to-shoot ratio, and significantly increased root biomass, length, surface area, diameter, and volume. In addition, depending on the PGR, net photosynthesis rate, SPAD value (indicating chlorophyll content), and water use efficiency increased significantly, under drought stress, whereas transpiration rate decreased. The PGRs also significantly increased antioxidant enzyme activities and significantly decreased malondialdehyde accumulation in leaves and roots under drought stress. Zhengdan958 showed greater variation in physiological responses and stronger drought resistance than Xundan20. In alleviating drought stress in maize seedlings, FA had the greatest effects on shoot growth and leaf physiology; Uni exerted its effects by regulating root structure, and BR effects were intermediate. Under drought stress, the three PGRs increased maize seedling growth, which reduced drought stress-induced damage and improved plant ability to resist the adversity. Based on a comprehensive analysis of physiological indices of drought resistance, Uni is recommended as the best PGR to improve maize seedlings resistance to drought.

     

Loss of chloroplast-localized NAD kinase causes ROS stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

Journal of Plant Research - Chloroplast-localized NAD kinase (NADK2) is responsible for the production of NADP+, which is an electron acceptor in the linear electron flow of photosynthesis. The...     

单链抗体展示系统研究进展

单链抗体(single chain antibody fragment,scFv)是由抗体重链可变区(variable region of heavy chain,VH)和轻链可变区(variable region of light chain,VL)通过柔性短肽连接组成的小分子,是具有完整抗原结合活性的最小功能片段,包含抗体识别及抗原结合部位。相比于其他抗体,scFv具有分子量小、穿透性强、免疫原性弱、易构建表达等优点。目前,scFv最常用的展示系统主要有噬菌体展示系统、核糖体展示系统、mRNA展示系统、酵母细胞表面展示系统和哺乳动物细胞展示系统等。近年来,随着scFv在医学、生物学、食品安全学等领域的发展,使得其在生物合成和应用研究方面备受关注。本文对近年来scFv展示系统的研究进展作一综述,以期为scFv的筛选及应用提供理论基础。     

苄基异喹啉类化合物 D20抑制钙调素激活磷酸二酯酶的研究

苄基异喹啉化合物是一类钙调素拮抗剂.对新合成的双苄基异喹啉化合物 D₂₀对钙调素依赖的磷酸二酯酶的抑制作用进行了研究,IC₅₀=5μmol/L,表明其拮抗作用大于三氟啦嗪,是强的拮抗剂.荧光分析表明,钙调素与化合物 D₂₀的结合常数为2.64(μmol/L)^-1,一个化合物 D₂₀分子与两个钙调素分子结合,并显示了结合方向性及空间位阻影响.     

齐墩果酸抗炎抗氧化研究进展

齐墩果酸是从植物中提取的一种天然有效成分,毒性低,具有广泛的药理作用,如抗炎、抗氧化等。由于其经济价值,已成为开发热点。本文就齐墩果酸在抗炎、抗氧化两方面的有关研究及其可能机制予以综述。     

N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Palladium Polymers Network: Recyclable Pre-catalyst for Effective Suzuki–Miyaura Coupling Reaction in Water

Rational design of high-efficiency N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) palladium catalyst is of great importance to modern organic synthesis, especially in chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Herein, we fabricate a polymer network containing N-heterocyclic carbene palladium (PNNHC-Pd) catalytic active sites via an immobilization process. The N-heterocyclic carbene palladium can serve as a promising linkage of polymer network as well as an effective catalytic active site owing to its structural preference and strong σ-donating ability with palladium species. The results display that N-heterocyclic carbene palladium disperses homogeneously in polymer network, thus rendering PNNHC-Pd excellent catalytic activity, high stability and superior reusability in palladium-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction in aqueous medium. This work provides a new insight into the development of heterogenization of homogeneous catalysts based on polymer network.     

Butanol Extract of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms Alleviates Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

This study investigated the effect of butanol extract of AS (ASBUE) on atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE^−/−) mice. The mice were administered ASBUE (390 or 130 mg/kg/day) or rosuvastatin (RSV) via oral gavage for eight weeks. In ApoE^−/− mice, ASBUE suppressed the abnormal body weight gain and improved serum and liver biochemical indicators. ASBUE remarkably reduced the aortic plaque area, improved liver pathological conditions, and lipid metabolism abnormalities, and altered the intestinal microbiota structure in ApoE^−/− mice. In the vascular tissue of ASBUE-treated mice, P-IKKβ, P-NFκB, and P-IκBα levels tended to decrease, while IκB-α increased in high fat-diet-fed atherosclerotic mice. These findings demonstrated the anti-atherosclerotic potential of ASBUE, which is mediated by the interaction between the gut microbiota and lipid metabolism and regulated via the Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. This work paves the groundwork for subsequent studies to develop innovative drugs to treat atherosclerosis.     

Engeletin alleviates cerebral ischemia reperfusion-induced neuroinflammation via the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB network

High-mobility group box1 (HMGB1) induces inflammatory injury, and emerging reports suggest that it is critical for brain ischemia reperfusion. Engeletin, a natural Smilax glabra rhizomilax derivative, is reported to possess anti-inflammatory activity. Herein, we examined the mechanism of engeletin-mediated neuroprotection in rats having transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) against cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. Male SD rats were induced using a 1.5 h tMCAO, following by reperfusion for 22.5 h. Engeletin (15, 30 or 60 mg/kg) was intravenously administered immediately following 0.5 h of ischemia. Based on our results, engeletin, in a dose-dependent fashion, reduced neurological deficits, infarct size, histopathological alterations, brain edema and inflammatory factors, namely, circulating IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-γ. Furthermore, engeletin treatment markedly reduced neuronal apoptosis, which, in turn, elevated Bcl-2 protein levels, while suppressing Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3 protein levels. Meanwhile, engeletin significantly reduces overall expressions of HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-κB and attenuated nuclear transfer of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 in ischemic cortical tissue. In conclusion, engeletin strongly prevents focal cerebral ischemia via suppression of the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory network.