Enhanced learning and memory in GAT1 heterozygous mice

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. The termination of GABA transmission is through the action of a family of membrane proteins, called GABA transporters (GAT1-4). It is well established that GABA system is involved in the modulation of memory. Our previous study showed that homozygous GAT1(-/-) mice exhibited impaired hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. To evaluate the impact of endogenous reduced GABA reuptake on mice cognitive behaviors, the ability of learning and memory of heterozygous GAT1(+/-) mice was detected by the passive avoidance paradigm and Morris water maze. The hole board paradigm was also used to measure changes in anxiety-related behavior or exploratory behavior in such mice. As one form of synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation was recorded in the mouse hippocampal CA1 area. We found that GAT1(+/-) mice displayed increased learning and memory, decreased anxiety-like behaviors, and highest synaptic plasticity compared with wild-type and homozygous GAT1(-/-) mice. Our results suggest that a moderate reduction in GAT1 activity causes the enhancement of learning and memory in mice.     

组织工程的新来源--原始生殖细胞

原始生殖细胞具备发育全能性,因数量较多,所以进行分离克隆将优于数目较少的内细胞团细胞。可作为组织工程的新来源：原始生殖细胞是研究基因组印迹与胚胎早期发育关系的最佳材料,还是研究生殖细胞发育分化的体外模型和研究转基因动物遗传操作的有效载体．具有广泛的应用前景。     

The crystal structure of the plexin-semaphorin-integrin domain/hybrid domain/I-EGF1 segment from the human integrin beta2 subunit at 1.8-A resolution

Integrins are modular (alphabeta) heterodimeric proteins that mediate cell adhesion and convey signals across the plasma membrane. Interdomain motions play a key role in signal transduction by propagating structural changes through the molecule, thus controlling the activation state and adhesive properties of the integrin. We expressed a soluble fragment of the human integrin beta2 subunit comprising the plexin-semaphorin-integrin domain (PSI)/hybrid domain/I-EGF1 fragment and present its crystal structure at 1.8-A resolution. The structure reveals an elongated molecule with a rigid architecture stabilized by nine disulfide bridges. The PSI domain is located centrally and participates in the formation of extended interfaces with the hybrid domain and I-EGF1 domains, respectively. The hybrid domain/PSI interface involves the burial of an Arg residue, and contacts between PSI and I-EGF1 are mainly mediated by well conserved Arg and Trp residues. Conservation of key interacting residues across the various integrin beta subunits sequences suggests that our structure represents a good model for the entire integrin family. Superposition with the integrin beta3 receptor in its bent conformation suggests that an articulation point is present at the linkage between its I-EGF1 and I-EGF2 modules and underlines the importance of this region for the control of integrin-mediated cell adhesion.     

纳他霉素对芒果采后胶孢炭疽菌的抑菌效果及机理

以纳他霉素为抑菌剂, 实验测定了离体条件下不同浓度纳他霉素对胶孢炭疽菌(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)的孢子萌发及菌丝生长的抑制效果, 以及活体损伤接种炭疽病菌后, 纳他霉素对芒果(Mangifera indica)果实炭疽病的防治效果。通过测定纳他霉素处理后胶孢炭疽菌的细胞膜相对渗透率、可溶性蛋白含量、细胞膜完整性、孢子内活性氧水平和线粒体分布情况, 初步探明其抑菌机理。结果表明, 3 mg∙L ^-1纳他霉素可显著抑制胶孢炭疽菌孢子萌发、芽管伸长和菌落生长, 80 mg∙L ^-1纳他霉素可有效抑制芒果贮存过程中果实炭疽病斑的扩展。纳他霉素处理后胶孢炭疽菌细胞膜相对渗透率和可溶性蛋白含量增加; 2 mg∙L ^-1纳他霉素处理8小时, 处理组胶孢炭疽菌孢子细胞膜损伤染色率为33.6%, 对照组染色率为13.9%; 处理组胞内活性氧产生染色率达46.9%, 比对照组高39.7%; 同时观察到纳他霉素使胞内线粒体分布不均且荧光信号微弱。以上结果表明, 纳他霉素可以破坏胶孢炭疽病菌细胞膜, 诱导活性氧大量积累, 并降低线粒体活性, 从而干扰菌体正常生理活性, 使其代谢活动受影响, 从而达到抑菌目的。     

Effects of sequential deletions of residues from the N- or C-terminus on the functions of epsilon subunit of the chloroplast ATP synthase

Ten truncated mutants of chloroplast ATP synthase epsilon subunit from spinach (Spinacia oleracea), which had sequentially lost 1-5 amino acid residues from the N-terminus and 6-10 residues from the C-terminus, were generated by PCR. These mutants were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted with soluble and membrane-bound CF(1), and the ATPase activity and proton conductance of thylakoid membrane were examined. Deletions of as few as 3 amino acid residues from the N-terminus or 6 residues from the C-terminus of epsilon subunit significantly affected their ATPase-inhibitory activity in solution. Deletion of 5 residues from the N-terminus abolished its abilities to inhibit ATPase activity and to restore proton impermeability. Considering the consequence of interaction of epsilon and gamma subunit in the enzyme functions, the special interactions between the epsilon variants and the gamma subunit were detected in the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro binding assay. In addition, the structures of these mutants were modeled through the SWISS-MODEL Protein Modeling Server. These results suggested that in chloroplast ATP synthase, both the N-terminus and C-terminus of the epsilon subunit show importance in regulation of the ATPase activity. Furthermore, the N-terminus of the epsilon subunit is more important for its interaction with gamma and some CF(o) subunits, and crucial for the blocking of proton leakage. Compared with the epsilon subunit from E. coli [Jounouchi, M., Takeyama, M., Noumi, T., Moriyama, Y., Maeda, M., and Futai, M. (1992) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 292, 87-94; Kuki, M., Noumi, T., Maeda, M., Amemura, A., and Futai, M. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 4335-4340], the chloroplast epsilon subunit is more sensitive to N-terminal or C-terminal truncations.     

青霉菌立体选择性环氧化顺丙烯磷酸产生磷霉素

由土壤中分离出一株青霉 (Penicilliumsp .) ,编号F5,能选择性的将顺丙烯磷酸环氧化为磷霉素 ,在pH7 5、2 8℃、2 80r min条件下培养 6d ,底物浓度 0 3%时 ,产物浓度达 2 2mg mL ,产率 41 % ;底物浓度 0 6%时产率 8%。转化产物经磷霉素敏感菌生物检测 ,TLC检测 ,并与标准品比较 ,确证为磷霉素。