Differential modulation of carbachol and trans-ACPD-stimulated phosphoinositide turnover following traumatic brain injury

In the fluid percussion model of traumatic brain injury (TBI), we examined muscarinic and metabotropic glutamate receptor-stimulated polyphosphoinositide (PPI) turnover in rat hippocampus. Moderate injury was obtained by displacement and deformation of the brain within the closed cranial cavity using a fluid percussion device. Carbachol and (±)-1-Aminocyclopentane-trans-1,3.-dicarboxylic acid (trans-ACPD)-stimulated PPI hydrolysis was assayed in hippocampus from injured and sham-injured controls at both 1 hour and 15 days following injury. At 1 hour after TBI, the response to carbachol was enhanced in injured rats by up to 200% but the response to trans-ACPD was diminished by as much as 28%. By contrast, at 15 days after TBI, the response to carbachol was enhanced by 25% and the response to trans-ACPD was enhanced by 73%. The ionotropic glutamate agonists N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), and -amino-3 hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), did not increase PPI hydrolysis in either sham or injured rats and injury did not alter basal hydrolysis. Thus, hippocampal muscarinic and metabotropic receptors linked to phospholipase C are differentially altered by TBI.Abbreviations used TBI traumatic brain injury - EAA excitatory amino acids - PPI polyphosphoinositides - IP inositol phosphates - NMDA N-methyl-D-aspartate - AMPA -amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate - trans-ACPD (±)-1-Aminocyclopentanetrans-1,3-dicarboxylic acid - LTP long term potentiation     

Human DNA helicase IV is nucleolin, an RNA helicase modulated by phosphorylation

The cDNA encoding human DNA helicase IV (HDH IV), a 100-kDa protein which unwinds DNA in the 5′ to 3′ direction with respect to the bound strand, was cloned and sequenced. It was found to be identical to the human cDNA encoding nucleolin, a ubiquitous eukaryotic protein essential for pre-ribosome assembly. HDH IV/nucleolin can unwind RNA-RNA duplexes, as well as DNA-DNA and DNA-RNA duplexes. Phosphorylation of HDH IV/nucleolin by cdc2 kinase and casein kinase II enhanced its unwinding activity in an additive way. The Gly-rich C-terminal domain possesses a limited ATP-dependent duplex-unwinding activity which contributes to the helicase activity of HDH IV/nucleolin.     

High-level 2H/13C/15N labeling of proteins for NMR studies

Summary The protein human carbonic anhydrase II (HCA II) has been isotopically labeled with ²H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N for high-resolution NMR assignment studies and pulse sequence development. To increase the sensitivity of several key ¹H/¹³C/¹⁵N triple-resonance correlation experiments, ²H has been incorporated into HCA II in order to decrease the rates of ¹³C and ¹H_N T₂ relaxation. NMR quantities of protein with essentially complete aliphatic ²H incorporation have been obtained by growth of E. coli in defined media containing D₂O, [1,2-¹³C₂, 99%] sodium acetate, and [¹⁵N, 99%] ammonium chloride. Complete aliphatic deuterium enrichment is optimal for ¹³C and ¹⁵N backbone NMR assignment studies, since the ¹³C and ¹H_N T₂ relaxation times and, therefore, sensitivity are maximized. In addition, complete aliphatic deuteration increases both resolution and sensitivity by eliminating the differential ²H isotopic shift observed for partially deuterated CH_nD_m moieties.     

Strong adjuvant action of Klebsiella O3 lipopolysaccharide and its inhibition of systemic anaphylaxis

Abstract Immunization with lipopolysaccharide from Klebsiella O3 as an immunological adjuvant did not cause the death of mice in systemic anaphylaxis to bovine serum albumin. On the other hand, most mice immunized with lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli O111, Klebsiella O4 and Salmonella minnesota did die. Klebsiella O3 lipopolysaccharide enhanced IgM and IgG antibody response to BSA more markedly than Escherichia coli O111 lipopolysaccharide, while it affected the production of IgE antibody only slightly. Therefore, it is suggested that the inhibition of systemic anaphylaxis by Klebsiella O3 lipopolysaccharide adjuvant might be related to its strong adjuvant action on IgM and IgG class antibody production, and that high levels of circulating IgM and IgG antibodies might act as blocking antibodies in the development of IgE-mediated systemic anaphylaxis.     

New taxol assay method using tubulin-assembly stimulation

Summary A novel taxol determination method which involves the tubulin-assembly stimulation is described. The tubulin-assembly was monitored by turbidity change at 350nm. In a limited range of taxol concentration (0 to 24 M), taxol stimulated tubulin-assembly linearly. And this linear relation was observed from 20min to 30min after the reaction started. Bioactive derivatives of taxol, such as cephalomanin and 7-epi-10-deacetyltaxol also stimulated the tubulin-assembly. However, baccatin III, which was known as less active taxol derivative did not stimulate tubulin assembly. This result showed that the stimulation of tubulin assembly has a relationship with the antimiotic activity. This assay method have several advantages. 1) Time required for the measurement is relatively short. 2) Multiple samples can be measured simultaneously. 3) It can remove interference of less active taxane compounds more selectively than immuno-assay. Consequently, this method can be used to determine taxol concentration in biological samples. Especially, this method can be used for large scale selection of cell line and primary screening of new antimiotic compounds.     

Water molecules participate in proteinase-inhibitor interactions: crystal structures of Leu18, Ala18, and Gly18 variants of turkey ovomucoid inhibitor third domain complexed with Streptomyces griseus proteinase B.

Crystal structures of the complexes of Streptomyces griseus proteinase B (SGPB) with three P1 variants of turkey ovomucoid inhibitor third domain (OMTKY3), Leu18, Ala18, and Gly18, have been determined and refined to high resolution. Comparisons among these structures and of each with native, uncomplexed SGPB reveal that each complex features a unique solvent structure in the S1 binding pocket. The number and relative positions of water molecules bound in the S1 binding pocket vary according to the size of the side chain of the P1 residue. Water molecules in the S1 binding pocket of SGPB are redistributed in response to the complex formation, probably to optimize hydrogen bonds between the enzyme and the inhibitor. There are extensive water-mediated hydrogen bonds in the interfaces of the complexes. In all complexes, Asn 36 of OMTKY3 participates in forming hydrogen bonds, via water molecules, with residues lining the S1 binding pocket of SGPB. For a homologous series of aliphatic straight side chains, Gly18, Ala18, Abu18, Ape18, and Ahp18 variants, the binding free energy is a linear function of the hydrophobic surface area buried in the interface of the corresponding complexes. The resulting constant of proportionality is 34.1 cal mol-1 A-2. These structures confirm that the binding of OMTKY3 to the preformed S1 pocket in SGPB involves no substantial structural disturbances that commonly occur in the site-directed mutagenesis studies of interior residues in other proteins, thus providing one of the most reliable assessments of the contribution of the hydrophobic effect to protein-complex stability.     

高度耐盐双价转基因烟草的研究

随着全球性人口的增长和土地退化的加剧,开发利用广阔盐碱地和干旱土地的需要日益迫切。植物生物技术的日臻完善,为培育高效耐盐植物迎来了一丝曙光。在高渗条件下,耐盐的微生物或植物细胞通过增加胞内一些相溶性溶质的浓度来维持渗透压的平衡。这些可溶性溶质包括无机离子、糖类、多元醇、氨基酸和生物碱等。通过基因工程手段,使细胞内积累脯氮酸⑴、甜菜碱⑵、甘露醇⑶、海藻糖⑷,能够不同程度地提高转基因烟草的耐盐性。多元醇含有多个羟基,亲水性能强,能有效维持细胞内水活度。山梨醇、甘露醇等己糖分子结构、理化性质和生理功能相近。故此．我们认为：不同糖醇在转基因烟草中的积累．可能具有协同(或累加)效应,有希望更大地提高植物耐盐性。我们在获得大肠杆菌mtlD基因(编码l-磷酸甘露醇脱氢酶)和gutD基因(编码6-磷酸山梨醇脱氢酶)克隆⑸的基础上,获得了分别表达mtlD和gutD基因的单价转基因烟草,并首次证实了gucD基因的表达,能显著地提高转基因烟草的耐盐性⑹。本文工作进一步报道同时表达大肠杆菌mtlD和gutD基因双价转基因烟草的高效高度耐盐性。     

应用草型塘模型生态系统研究化学品的整体生态效应

本文叙述草型塘模型生态系统的结构、功能及应用于评价化学品引起生态效应的可能性。模型塘由８个３ｍ×１ｍ×１ｍ（Ｖ＝３ｍ￣３）的玻璃钢水槽组成。每个槽的底部铺设１０ｃｍ厚的带有水生生物种子、孢子和卵子的河泥,灌注自来水,添加一定量的ＫＮＯ＿３和ＮａＨ＿２ＰＯ＿４．使起始氮、磷含量达到中－富营养水平。在室外自然光照条件下培养,实验历时４个多月。经１个多月的培养,各槽即形成结构复杂的沉水植物群落,除各种常见的沉水植物外,尚有多种藻类、浮游动物、底栖动物及微生物。各群落之间的相似性较好,藻类、浮游甲壳类及底栖动物多样性指数变异系数分别为１７．７％、１８．０％和３６．０％。群落功能稳定,９月中旬各槽群落总产氧量平均为５．７５±０．３０ｇ／ｍ￣２·ｄ’Ｐ／Ｒ比值平均为１．２６±０．０７,二者的变异系数分别为５．２％和５．６％。经单甲脒农药污染影响实验,本模型生态系统中的群落结构及功能产生一系列明显反应。说明草型塘模型生态系统结构、功能比较复杂,稳定,可比性较强,对药物污染反应灵敏,是生态系统水平上生态效应评价的良好工具。     

银杏速生早实示范栽培试验

本研究是在我区银杏主产区兴安进行的８０多亩,３０００多株的示范栽培试验。其综合技术措施是选用良种嫁接苗、适当密植、配置雄株、整形修剪、合理施肥、防治病虫害及促花早实等。种后５—６年取得速生、早实、高产的良好效果。     

互叶白千层油化学成分的研究

采用水蒸汽蒸馏收集互叶白千层芳香油,对该油进行ＧＣ／ＭＳ／ＤＳ定性分析及其总离于流图的面积归一化定量分析,鉴定出２５种化合物,其中含氧化合物６种,碳氢化合物１９种。直接影响该油商品价值的化学成分４－萜品醇含量约为１７％,桧樟脑含量约为２．４％。