Rotary torque produced by proton motive force in FoF1 motor

We have attempted direct observation of the light-driven rotation of a FoF(1)-ATP motor. The FoF(1)-ATP motor was co-reconstituted by the deletion-delta subunit of FoF(1)-ATP synthase with bacteriorhodopsins (BRs) into a liposome. The BR converts radiation energy into electrochemical gradient of proton to drive the FoF(1)-ATP motor. Therefore, the light-driven rotation of FoF(1)-ATP motor has been directly observed by a fluorescence microscopy using a fluorescent actin filament connected to beta-subunit as a marker of its orientation. The rotational torque value of the Fo motor was calculated as 27.93+/-1.88pNnm. The ATP motor is expected to be a promising rotary molecular motor in the development of nanodevices.     

探讨模拟冷空气降温过程对健康大鼠和高血压大鼠凝血功能的影响

目的:通过模拟冷空气温度变化过程给予健康大鼠和高血压大鼠冷刺激,以此探讨冷空气过程对机体凝血功能的影响。方法:收集张掖市2011年3月一次典型冷空气过程数据,利用气象环境模拟箱模拟其温度变化过程。将24只雄性健康大鼠和24只雄性高血压大鼠分别随机分成最低温组(Tmin组)、Tmin对照组、复温组(Tr组)和Tr对照组。将Tmin组和Tr组大鼠放入气候箱中暴露冷空气温度变化过程。在Tmin和Tr时点分别停止Tmin组大鼠和Tr组大鼠冷空气暴露,并采血以测定其凝血功能指标—凝血四项。结果:与对照组相比,健康大鼠和高血压大鼠活化部分凝血酶原时间(APTT)、凝血酶原时间(PT)、凝血酶时间(TT)在降温后与对照组相比没有显著差异(P>0.05),但血浆纤维蛋白原(Fbg)含量在高血压大鼠和健康大鼠Tmin组明显高于其对照组(P<0.01)。温度恢复后,其在健康组含量仍然高于其对照组(P<0.05),而在高血压大鼠中没有差异(P>0.05)。同Fbg,反应Fbg的纤维蛋白原时间(Fbg-time)在健康大鼠Tmin和Tr组中短于对照组(P<0.01,),而在高血压大鼠中仅在Tmin组短于对照组(P<0.01)。高血压大鼠血中的Fbg含量和Fbgt明显高于和短于健康大鼠(P<0.01)。结论:①冷空气降温过程能增加机体血中Fbg含量,使凝血功能增强,可能增加心血管疾病危险性;②冷空气刺激对健康大鼠凝血功能影响强于高血压大鼠。     

Identification of calmodulin isoform-specific binding peptides from a phage-displayed random 22-mer peptide library

Plants express numerous calmodulin (CaM) isoforms that exhibit differential activation or inhibition of CaM-dependent enzymes in vitro; however, their specificities toward target enzyme/protein binding are uncertain. A random peptide library displaying a 22-mer peptide on a bacteriophage surface was constructed to screen peptides that specifically bind to plant CaM isoforms (soybean calmodulin (ScaM)-1 and SCaM-4 were used in this study) in a Ca2+-dependent manner. The deduced amino acid sequence analyses of the respective 80 phage clones that were independently isolated via affinity panning revealed that SCaM isoforms require distinct amino acid sequences for optimal binding. SCaM-1-binding peptides conform to a 1-5-10 ((FILVW)XXX(FILV) XXXX(FILVW)) motif (where X denotes any amino acid), whereas SCaM-4-binding peptide sequences conform to a 1-8-14 ((FILVW)XXXXXX(FAILVW)XXXXX(FILVW)) motif. These motifs are classified based on the positions of conserved hydrophobic residues. To examine their binding properties further, two representative peptides from each of the SCaM isoform-binding sequences were synthesized and analyzed via gel mobility shift assays, Trp fluorescent spectra analyses, and phosphodiesterase competitive inhibition experiments. The results of these studies suggest that SCaM isoforms possess different binding sequences for optimal target interaction, which therefore may provide a molecular basis for CaM isoform-specific function in plants. Furthermore, the isolated peptide sequences may serve not only as useful CaM-binding sequence references but also as potential reagents for studying CaM isoform-specific function in vivo.     

Cloning, expression, purification, and characterization of AmphiTip30, a member of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases family from the amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense

In this paper we describe the cloning, expression and identification study of the TIP30 gene from amphioxus (Branchiostoma belcheri). The amphioxus TIP30 cDNA is comprised of 1499 bp and is translated in one open-reading frame to give a protein of 237 amino acids, with a predicted 23 amino acids signal peptide, a 147 bp 5'-UTR and a 638 bp 3'-UTR. A multiple alignment of TIP30 from amphioxus with other known TIP30 sequences shows the conservation of most amino acid residues involved in the peculiar structural domains found within TIP30's. Phylogenetic analysis places AmphiTIP30 at the base of the phylogenetic tree, suggesting that AmphiTIP30 is the archetype of the vertebrate TIP30 genes. We express the amphioxus TIP30 gene in Escherichia coli. driven by T7 promoter. The recombinant amphioxus TIP30 protein was purified by HisTrap affinity column. Subsequently, the binding constant and enzyme activity was mensurated. Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis confirmed that amphioxus has a native molecular mass of approximately 26 kDa, and TIP30 was strongly expressed in ovary. Finally, the initial function of TIP30 is discussed.     

对6个国外城市街道规划设计导则的解析——“如何规划步行友好的城市街道开放空间？”

本文将“如何通过街道规划设计,营建步行友好的城市开放空间环境,提高居民生活质量？”作为研究视角,抽取了6个国外城市街道规划设计导则中与“如何规划设计步行友好的城市开放空间？”密切相关的内容,根据相关导则编制的逻辑将内容进行提炼、归纳和重组。针对中国通过改善街道步行环境建设高品质城市的诉求以及相关导则中缺少对使用者需求关注的现状,提出了将需求调查纳入规划规定环节、从环境特征角度出发进行街道分类与定位、关注地域特征与集约性生态设施的环境营造方法以及提升步行道功能多样性和空间相容性的建议。     

Difference in microchip electrophoretic mobility between partially and fully PEGylated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers

The objective of this study was to investigate the difference in electrophoretic mobility between partially and fully poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers (part-PEG-PAMAM and full-PEG-PAMAM, respectively) using a microchip capillary gel electrophoresis (MCGE). While MCGE allowed size-based separation of PEG-PAMAMs prepared with monomethoxy PEG-nitrophenyl carbonate, full-PEG-PAMAMs migrated slower than part-PEG-PAMAMs that were similar in size or larger. When the measured molecular weights obtained from MCGE analysis and the calculated molecular weights were plotted, each part-PEG-PAMAM and full-PEG-PAMAM showed correlation coefficients greater than 0.98. This study indicates that MCGE would be useful for characterizing PEG-PAMAMs with different PEGylation degrees.     

Who Is the King? The α‐Hydroxy‐β‐oxo‐α,β‐enone Moiety or the Catechol B Ring: Relationship between the Structure of Quercetin Derivatives and Their Pro‐Oxidative Abilities

Quercetin and other flavonoids have been reported to exhibit both antioxidant and pro‐oxidant properties. Most studies about the pro‐oxidative ability were conducted in the presence of metal ions, and the essential functional moiety of quercetin responsible for the pro‐oxidative effect is still unclear. In this study, we evaluated the pro‐oxidative abilities in the absence of metal ions of two quercetin derivatives, i.e., quercetin‐3′‐O‐β‐D ‐glucoside ( 1 ) and quercetin‐3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucoside ( 2 ), by assessing DNA cleavage and HO^.‐radical production. The binding mode between these compounds and DNA was studied by fluorescence and viscometric titrations. The results showed that 1 can efficiently induce oxidative damage to plasmid DNA, while 2 shows poor activity. Both 1 and 2 bind to DNA via groove‐binding. These results proved that the α‐hydroxy‐β‐oxo‐α,β‐enone moiety contributes to the pro‐oxidative activity of quercetin.