Trans‐repression of NFκB pathway mediated by PPARγ improves vascular endothelium insulin resistance

Previous study has shown that thiazolidinediones (TZDs) improved endothelium insulin resistance (IR) induced by high glucose concentration (HG)/hyperglycaemia through a PPARγ‐dependent‐NFκB trans‐repression mechanism. However, it is unclear, whether changes in PPARγ expression affect the endothelium IR and what the underlying mechanism is. In the present study, we aimed to address this issue. HG‐treated human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) were transfected by either PPARγ‐overexpressing (Ad‐PPARγ) or PPARγ‐shRNA‐containing (Ad‐PPARγ‐shRNA) adenoviral vectors. Likewise, the rats fed by high‐fat diet (HFD) were infected by intravenous administration of Ad‐PPARγ or Ad‐PPARγ‐shRNA. The levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) and cytokines (TNFα, IL‐6, sICAM‐1 and sVCAM‐1) and the expression levels of PPARγ, eNOS, AKT, p‐AKT, IKKα/β and p‐IKKα/β and IκBα were examined; and the interaction between PPARγ and NFκB‐P65 as well as vascular function were evaluated. Our present results showed that overexpression of PPARγ notably increased the levels of NO, eNOS, p‐AKT and IκBα as well as the interaction of PPARγ and NFκB‐P65, and decreased the levels of ET‐1, p‐IKKα/β, TNFα, IL‐6, sICAM‐1 and sVCAM‐1. In contrast, down‐expression of PPARγ displayed the opposite effects. The results demonstrate that the overexpression of PPARγ improves while the down‐expression worsens the endothelium IR via a PPARγ‐mediated NFκB trans‐repression dependent manner. The findings suggest PPARγ is a potential therapeutic target for diabetic vascular complications.     

The roles of age,parentage and environment on bacterial and algal endosymbiont communities in Acropora corals

The bacterial and microalgal endosymbiont (Symbiodiniaceae spp.) communities associated with corals have important roles in their health and resilience, yet little is known about the factors driving their succession during early coral life stages. Using 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 metabarcoding, we compared these communities in four Acropora coral species and their hybrids obtained from two laboratory crosses (Acropora tenuis × Acropora loripes and Acropora sarmentosa × Acropora florida) across the parental, recruit (7 months old) and juvenile (2 years old) life stages. We tested whether microbiomes differed between (a) life stages, (b) hybrids and purebreds, and (c) treatment conditions (ambient/elevated temperature and pCO₂). Microbial communities of early life stage corals were highly diverse, lacked host specificity and were primarily determined by treatment conditions. Over time, a winnowing process occurred, and distinct microbial communities developed between the two species pair crosses by 2 years of age, irrespective of hybrid or purebred status. These findings suggest that the microbial communities of corals have a period of flexibility prior to adulthood, which can be valuable to future research aimed at the manipulation of coral microbial communities.     

Purification and Characterization of a Substrate-Size-Recognizing Metalloendopeptidase from Streptococcus cremoris H61

During the ripening of Gouda-type cheese, two kinds of endopeptidases were found to participate in the degradation of αs1-CN(f1-23), a specific product from αs1-casein hydrolyzed by chymosin. One of the endopeptidases, lactic acid bacteria endopeptidase (LEP-II), which can recognize the size of its substrates, has already been purified and characterized (T. R. Yan, N. Azuma, S. Kaminogawa, and K. Yamauchi, Eur. J. Biochem. 163:259-265, 1987). The other endopeptidase, LEP-I, was purified to homogeneity by conventional chromatographic techniques from Streptococcus cremoris H61. The enzyme appeared to be monomeric, with an apparent molecular weight of 98,000, and its isoelectric point was 5.1. For the hydrolysis of αs1-CN(f1-23), the enzyme had an optimum pH and temperature of 7.0 to 7.5 and 40°C, respectively. Its activity was inhibited by such chelating agents as EDTA and 1,10-phenanthrolin, and it could be fully reactivated by Mn²⁺. Inhibitors specific for serine and thiol proteases had no effect on the protease activity. The enzyme showed a high affinity toward the Glu-Asn peptide bond of αs1-CN(f1-23) and αs1-CN(f91-100) but showed no hydrolysis activity toward αs1-CN(f1-52), αs1-CN(61-122), αs1-CN(136-196), αs1-casein, β-casein, κ-casein, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin. The K_m and V_max of LEP-I for αs1-CN(f1-23) were 14.2 pM and 139 U, respectively.     

An unstructured kinetic model for the improvement of triterpenes production by Ganoderma lucidum G0119 based on nitrogen source effect

The kinetics of cell growth and triterpenes production for liquid submerged fermentation of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum were investigated. A kinetic model was developed based on the Logistic and Luedeking-Piret equations for cell growth, substrate consumption and triterpene formation. The kinetic parameters of the model were optimized by specifically designed Runge-Kutta genetic algorithms. The mathematical model simulated the experimental data well and was capable of explaining the behavior of triterpenes production. The predictions of the kinetics from this model are very good both for normal fermentation kinetics under nitrogen limitation as well as for predictions of transitions to sluggish fermentations. The resulting model is very useful for scaling up liquid submerged fermentation of the mushroom G. lucidum and its application to the industrial production of triterpene.     

Enzymatic desymmetrization of 3-(4-fluorophenyl)glutaric anhydride through enantioselective alcoholysis in organic solvents

The enzymatic desymmetrization of 3-(4-fluorophenyl)glutaric anhydride (3-FGA) was investigated through lipase-catalyzed enantioselective alcoholysis in organic solvents. An immobilized Lipase B from Candida Antarctica (Novozym 435) was found to be an efficient biocatalyst for the enantioselective alcoholysis of 3-FGA. Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and methanol were chosen as the suitable reaction medium and acyl acceptor, respectively. The optimum reaction temperature, molar ratio of methanol to 3-FGA and 3-FGA concentration were 25°C, 2:1 and 100 mM, respectively. Under these conditions, complete conversion was achieved and methyl (S)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)glutarate ((S)-MFG) was obtained in a moderate ee value of 80%. Furthermore, the reaction was performed on a gram scale and the ee value of (S)-MFG was enriched to 96% after treatment with a toluene/hexane (2/1, v/v) mixture.     

32份辣椒种质遗传多样性的同工酶分析

基于叶片的过氧化物酶(POD)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及花蕾的酯酶(EST)同工酶酶谱的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(PAGE)分析,对32份辣椒种质的遗传多样性进行了研究。结果表明:(1)共产生29种谱带,其中POD谱带13种234条,多态性位点比例(PPL)和相对迁移率(Rf)变化范围分别为50.0%~80.0%和0.05~0.69;SOD谱带8种140条,PPL、Rf分别为100.0%、0.38~0.88;EST谱带8种163条,PPL、Rf分别为50.0%~87.5%、0.16~0.89。(2)共发现多态位点26个,PPL、总基因频率(Pt)、等位基因平均数(A)、Nei基因多样性指数(He)、Shannon信息指数(SII)、平均遗传一致度(GI)和遗传距离(GD)分别为89.66%、0.578 7、1.896 6、0.272 2、0.415 2、0.736 6和0.314 3;32份辣椒材料的Jaccard遗传相似系数为0.348~0.905,并聚类为4个栽培种群。(3)4个栽培种群内基因多样度(HS)为0.143 6;种群间基因多样度(DST)、基因分化系数(GST)、GI和GD分别为0.149 4、0.51、0.784 4和0.246 6。(4)9份紫色辣椒种质共发现多态位点16个,PPL、Pt、A、He、SII、GI和GD分别为55.17%、0.611 1、1.551 7、0.194 1、0.291 9、0.781 6和0.249 4。研究认为,32份辣椒材料的总体、栽培种间和种内以及紫色材料间遗传分化程度大,为紫色辣椒杂交育种的亲本选配与绿色品种的遗传改良提供了参考依据。     

中东呼吸综合征冠状病毒假病毒系统的建立及其在中和抗体检测中的应用

目的:为了避免中东呼吸综合征冠状病毒(MERS-CoV)感染与中和试验中操作活病毒带来的生物安全隐患,构建只具有一次感染能力而无复制能力的MERS假病毒,建立MERS假病毒系统,并应用于中和抗体检测。方法:构建含有MERS-CoV S基因的重组质粒pcDNA3.1-MERS-S,与缺失Env基因、含有萤光素酶报告基因的HIV-1骨架质粒pNL4-3.Luc.RE共转染293T细胞,收获含有假病毒的上清;通过Western印迹、细胞感染实验和血清中和试验,确定是否包装出MERS假病毒,及是否能有效应用于细胞感染与中和试验。结果:MERS假病毒pMERS-S培养上清经Western印迹鉴定出相对分子质量为25×103的HIV-1 P24蛋白和相对分子质量为180×103的MERS-CoV S蛋白;与阴性对照假病毒pEnv-相比,pMERS-S能有效感染MERS-CoV敏感细胞系Huh-7,在感染细胞中产生荧光信号,感染细胞的假病毒量与产生的荧光信号呈明显的量效关系;在MERS假病毒中和试验中,pMERS-S能被MERS-CoV中和抗体中和而失去感染力,反映抗体对MERS-CoV的中和活性。结论:建立了不依赖于BSL-3高等级生物安全条件的MERS假病毒系统,并有效应用于中和抗体检测,为MERS-CoV疫苗、药物评价及病毒致病机制研究提供了良好的技术支撑手段。     

Recent advances in extracellular biopolymer flocculants

Extracellular biopolymer flocculants (EBFs) are flocculating substances, consisting of polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, which are secreted in the culture broth by many microorganisms. Some of EBFs have attracted much attention as biodegradable and nontoxic substitutes for conventional chemical flocculants. This paper reviews the recent development of EBFs. Aspects discussed include an introduction to conventional chemical flocculants and EBFs, isolation of novel bioflocculant-producing microorganisms, culture conditions, chemical structure and molecular weight of EBFs, the physico-chemical factors affecting flocculating activity, fermentation process design and recent and emerging application fields of EBFs.