香蕉MaASR1基因的抗干旱作用

ASR(ABA, stress, ripening induced protein)是一类响应植物干旱胁迫的关键转录因子, 在许多植物中已有报道, 然而尚未见香蕉(Musa acuminata)中ASR与抗旱作用的相关研究。该实验从香蕉果实cDNA文库中筛选出1个ASR基因, 即MaASR1(登录号为AY628102)。干旱胁迫下, 该基因在叶片中的表达量高于根部。将MaASR1转入拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana), Southern检测确定了两株独立表达的转基因株系(命名为L14和L38)。表型观察发现, 此两转基因株系的叶片变小且变厚; Northern和Western检测结果表明, MaASR1在L14和L38中表达。控水处理后, L14和L38的存活率及脯氨酸含量均高于野生型。经干旱胁迫和外源ABA处理后, 对MaASR1转基因株系中ABA/胁迫响应基因的表达分析, 发现MaASR1可增强转基因株系对ABA信号的敏感度, 但不能增强植株依赖于ABA途径的抗旱性。     

RNA结合蛋白调节mRNA稳定性的作用机制

免疫稳态的维持涉及多种细胞因子的基因表达调控,其中在转录后水平对mRNA稳定性的调控起重要作用。ARE(AU-rich element)位于mRNA 3'UTR(非编码区),富含AU碱基,某些RNA结合蛋白通过识别结合ARE影响mRNA的稳定性。本文综合最新研究,概述了TTP、HUR等RNA结合蛋白对mRNA稳定性的调节机制及其在信号通路中的作用。     

Fabrication of degradable carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) microneedle with laser writing and replica molding process for enhancement of transdermal drug delivery

Transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) may provide a more reliable method of drug delivery than oral delivery by avoiding gut absorption and first-pass metabolism, but needs a method for efficiently crossing the epidermal barrier. To enhance the delivery through the skin, we have developed a biocompatible, dissolvable microneedle array made from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Using laser ablation for creating the mold greatly improved the efficiency and reduced the cost of microneedle fabrication. Mixing CMC with amylopectin (AP) enhanced the mechanical and tunable dissolution properties of the microneedle for controlled release of model compounds. Using the CMC microneedle array, we observed significant enhancement in the skin permeability of a fluorescent model compound, and also increase in the anti-oxidant activity of ascorbic acid after crossing the skin. Our dissolvable microneedle array provides a new and biocompatible method for delivery of drugs and cosmetic compounds through the skin.     

Preparation of (2S, 3R)-methyl-3-phenylglycidate using whole cells of Pseudomonas putida

Preparation of (2S, 3R)-methyl 3-phenylglycidate via enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic phenylglycidate was carried out using whole cells of Pseudomonas putida. Under optimal conditions (2S, 3R)-methyl-3-phenylglycidate could be got with ee value 99 and 48% chemical yield.     

Activated PAK4 regulates cell adhesion and anchorage-independent growth

The serine/threonine kinase PAK4 is an effector molecule for the Rho GTPase Cdc42. PAK4 differs from other members of the PAK family in both sequence and function. Previously we have shown that an important function of this kinase is to mediate the induction of filopodia in response to activated Cdc42. Since previous characterization of PAK4 was carried out only with the wild-type kinase, we have generated a constitutively active mutant of the kinase to determine whether it has other functions. Expression of activated PAK4 in fibroblasts led to a transient induction of filopodia, which is consistent with its role as an effector for Cdc42. In addition, use of the activated mutant revealed a number of other important functions of this kinase that were not revealed by studying the wild-type kinase. For example, activated PAK4 led to the dissolution of stress fibers and loss of focal adhesions. Consequently, cells expressing activated PAK4 had a defect in cell spreading onto fibronectin-coated surfaces. Most importantly, fibroblasts expressing activated PAK4 had a morphology that was characteristic of oncogenic transformation. These cells were anchorage independent and formed colonies in soft agar, similar to what has been observed previously in cells expressing activated Cdc42. Consistent with this, dominant-negative PAK4 mutants inhibited focus formation by oncogenic Dbl, an exchange factor for Rho family GTPases. These results provide the first demonstration that a PAK family member can transform cells and indicate that PAK4 may play an essential role in oncogenic transformation by the GTPases. We propose that the morphological changes and changes in cell adhesion induced by PAK4 may play a direct role in oncogenic transformation by Rho family GTPases and their exchange factors.     

生物素-亲和素偶联探针蛋白芯片检测技术

自行制备一种新型生物素-亲和素偶联探针分子并用于反相蛋白芯片的检测。首先, 将生物素-羊抗鼠IgG与亲和素按照不同比例混合后与鼠IgG蛋白芯片反应, 观察荧光信号的放大情况; 然后以鼠IgG-羊抗鼠IgG体系为研究模式, 对反相蛋白芯片的制备条件进行了考察和优化, 包括荧光分子的非特异性吸附、点样缓冲液的选择以及蛋白的活性等。最后, 采用此偶联探针对反相蛋白芯片进行了检测。结果表明, BSA缓冲液制备的反相蛋白芯片可以防止非特异性吸附, 并有利于保持固定蛋白活性和提高检测限; 另外, 与传统的与生物素-亲和素检测技术相比, 采用生物素-亲和素偶联探针对反相芯片的检测限可以提高4倍左右。表明亲和素-生物素偶联探针成本低、易于合成、并可以与其它的信号放大技术联用进一步提高检测的灵敏度, 有望用于蛋白质芯片的检测。     

Pioglitazone suppresses advanced glycation end product-induced expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in vascular smooth muscle cells

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in vascular complications of diabetes, including fibrinolytic abnormalities.Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARΥ) agonist, has recently been shown to reduce circulating plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels in diabetes mellitus. In the present study, we investigated the effects of pioglitazone on the expression of local PAI-1 in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced by AGEs and the underlying mechanism. The result showed that AGEs could enhance the PAI-1 expression by 5.1-fold in mRNA and 2.7-fold in protein level, as evaluated by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting,respectively. Pioglitazone was found to down-regulate the AGE-stimulated PAI-1 expression in VSMCs. However, these inhibitory effects were partially attenuated by the PPARΥ antagonist, GW9662. Furthermore, we found that AGEs induced a rapid increase in phosphorylation and activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2). The ERK kinase inhibitor, UO126, partially prevented the induction of PAI-1 by AGEs. Moreover, pioglitazone was also found to inhibit the phosphorylation of ERKi/2. Taken together, it was concluded that pioglitazone could inhibit AGE-induced PAI-1 expression, which was mediated by the ERK1/2 and PPARΥ pathways. Our findings suggestedpioglitazone had a therapeutic potential in improving fibrinolytic activity, and consequently preventing thromboembolic complications of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.     

Effects of rare earth elements on telomerase activity and apoptosis of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

To study the effects of rare earth exposure on human telomerase and apoptosis of mononuclear cells from human peripheral blood (PBMNCs). The blood contents of 15 rare earth elements, including La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Y, were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay and flow cytometer analysis were carried out to analyze the telomerase activity and apoptosis of PBMNCs, respectively. The total content of rare earth elements in the blood showed significant differences between the exposed group and the control group. The rare earth exposure increased the telomerase activity and the percentages of cells in the S-phase and the G₂/M phase in PBMNCs, but it had no effect on the apoptotic rate of PBMNCs. Under the exposure to lower concentrations of rare earth elements, the telomerase activity of PBMNCs in the exposed group was higher than that of the control group, and there was no effect on the apoptotic rate of PBMNCs, but promoted the diploid DNA replication and increased the percentages of G₂/M- and S-phase cells.     

Design and application of highly responsive fluorescence resonance energy transfer biosensors for detection of sugar in living Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells

A protein sensor with a highly responsive fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) signal for sensing sugars in living Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells was developed by combinatorial engineering of the domain linker and the binding protein moiety. Although FRET sensors based on microbial binding proteins have previously been created for visualizing various sugars in vivo, such sensors are limited due to a weak signal intensity and a narrow dynamic range. In the present study, the length and composition of the linker moiety of a FRET-based sensor consisting of CFP-linker(1)-maltose-binding protein-linker(2)-YFP were redesigned, which resulted in a 10-fold-higher signal intensity. Molecular modeling of the composite linker moieties, including the connecting peptide and terminal regions of the flanking proteins, suggested that an ordered helical structure was preferable for tighter coupling of the conformational change of the binding proteins to the FRET response. When the binding site residue Trp62 of the maltose-binding protein was diversified by saturation mutagenesis, the Leu mutant exhibited an increased binding constant (82 microM) accompanied by further improvement in the signal intensity. Finally, the maltose sensor with optimized linkers was redesigned to create a sugar sensor with a new specificity and a wide dynamic range. When the optimized maltose sensors were employed as in vivo sensors, highly responsive FRET images were generated from real-time analysis of maltose uptake of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast).     

保护行为学: 正在兴起的保护生物学分支学科

过去的30年里, 人们利用动物行为的进化生物学方法来解决保护实践中遇到的问题, 行为学、行为生态学与保护生物学相结合, 产生了保护生物学的一个新分支学科--保护行为学。保护行为学的研究目的是: 从物种保护实践中发现环境对动物行为的影响以及行为的生态适应性, 并把动物行为学和行为生态学理论应用到物种保护实践中, 从而促进物种保护工作。目前全球有10%的物种濒临灭绝, 生物多样性保护日趋紧迫, 保护行为学的诞生为行为学和保护生物学研究带来了新的机遇, 也表明行为学家和保护生物学家正在担负起挽救濒危物种的使命。不久的将来, 保护行为学及其相关学科将更加繁荣。