High cell density culture of the diatom Nitzschia laevis for eicosapentaenoic acid production: fed-batch development

A fed-batch process was developed for high cell density culture of the diatom Nitzschia laevis for enhanced production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Firstly, among the various medium components, glucose (Glu) was identified as the limiting substrate while nitrate (NO₃⁻), tryptone (Tr) and yeast extract (Ye) were found to promote cell growth by enhancing specific growth rate. Therefore, these components were considered essential and were included in the feed medium for subsequent fed-batch cultivation. With the optimized ratio of NO₃⁻:Tr:Ye being 1:2.6:1.3 (by weight), the relative proportions of glucose to the nitrogen sources in the feed were investigated. The optimal ratios of Glu:NO₃⁻ for specific growth rate and EPA productivity were both determined to be 32:1 (by weight). Finally, based on the residual glucose concentration in the culture, a continuous medium feeding strategy for fed-batch fermenter cultivation was developed, with which, the maximal cell dry weight and EPA yield obtained were 22.1 g l⁻¹ and 695 mg l⁻¹, respectively, which were great improvements over those of batch cultures.     

Formation of Adeno-Associated Virus Circular Genomes Is Differentially Regulated by Adenovirus E4 ORF6 and E2a Gene Expression

A central feature of the adeno-associated virus (AAV) latent life cycle is persistence in the form of both integrated and episomal genomes. However, the molecular processes associated with episomal long-term persistence of AAV genomes are only poorly understood. To investigate these mechanisms, we have utilized a recombinant AAV (rAAV) shuttle vector to identify circular AAV intermediates from transduced HeLa cells and primary fibroblasts. The unique structural features exhibited by these transduction intermediates included circularized monomer and dimer virus genomes in a head-to-tail array, with associated specific base pair alterations in the 5′ viral D sequence. In HeLa cells, the abundance and stability of AAV circular intermediates were augmented by adenovirus expressing the E2a gene product. In the absence of E2a, adenovirus expressing the E4 open reading frame 6 gene product decreased the abundance of AAV circular intermediates, favoring instead the linear replication form monomer (Rf_m) and dimer (Rf_d) structures. In summary, the formation of AAV circular intermediates appears to represent a new pathway for AAV genome conversion, which is consistent with the head-to-tail concatemerization associated with latent-phase persistence of rAAV. A better understanding of this pathway may increase the utility of rAAV vectors for gene therapy.     

Prediction of protein structure class by coupling improved genetic algorithm and support vector machine

Structural class characterizes the overall folding type of a protein or its domain. Most of the existing methods for determining the structural class of a protein are based on a group of features that only possesses a kind of discriminative information for the prediction of protein structure class. However, different types of discriminative information associated with primary sequence have been completely missed, which undoubtedly has reduced the success rate of prediction. We present a novel method for the prediction of protein structure class by coupling the improved genetic algorithm (GA) with the support vector machine (SVM). This improved GA was applied to the selection of an optimized feature subset and the optimization of SVM parameters. Jackknife tests on the working datasets indicated that the prediction accuracies for the different classes were in the range of 97.8–100% with an overall accuracy of 99.5%. The results indicate that the approach has a high potential to become a useful tool in bioinformatics.     

饲料中狐狸、水貂、貉子和狗源性的五重实时荧光PCR检测方法的建立

为了快速鉴别饲料中的狐狸、水貂、貉子和狗源性成分,根据线粒体16S r DNA种间保守序列,设计合成针对狐狸、水貂、貉子和狗的特异性引物和探针,通过对荧光PCR反应体系和反应条件的优化筛选,建立了多重实时荧光PCR方法,在同一PCR反应体系中可以同时完成4种动物源性成分检测。通过对15种其他物种的源性成分的检测,结果表明所设计的引物和探针具有很好的物种特异性,且灵敏度高,狐狸、水貂、貉子和狗的DNA检出限为0.01ng。对40份样品检测,其中5份检测出貉子、狐狸和水貂源性成分。结果表明,该方法可以有效地鉴别出饲料中狐狸、水貂、貉子和狗源性成分,同时适用于相关动物产品中。     

辽宁黄海海岸交错带的景观变化与设计

辽宁黄海海岸交错带的景观近几十来年变化很快,其中许多景观变化是有意识的人类活动或人工管理形成的景观设计可以看作是已经出现或即将出现的景观变化。由于这一区域海岸交错带有不同的海岸带类型,因而也就有了不同的景观设计方案。     

双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸与5-氟尿嘧啶联用的抗肿瘤研究

目的探讨双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸与5-氟尿嘧啶（5-Fu）联用对H22荷瘤小鼠的抗肿瘤作用及免疫功能的影响。方法双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸单独或联合5-Fu处理H22荷瘤Balb／c小鼠,定期测量肿瘤大小,观察小鼠一般状况;计算抑瘤率、血红细胞数和白细胞数,取脾和胸腺计算脏器指数;HE染色分析肿瘤组织变化;MTT法检测小鼠脾T淋巴细胞增殖转化功能以及ELISA法检测小鼠脾淋巴细胞分泌IFN-γ含量。结果双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸及5-Fu单独应用均可抑制肿瘤生长,但单独5-Fu处理组小鼠一般状况差,毒性反应重;双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸与5-Fu联合应用,与单独5-Fu处理组比较,不仅抑瘤率明显提高（P〈0．01）,且荷瘤小鼠一般状况改善,白细胞数升高,脏器指数增加,小鼠脾T淋巴细胞增殖能力强,脾淋巴细胞分泌IFN-γ,水平提高;光镜观察HE染色瘤体组织,双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸处理组可见大量炎症细胞浸润。结论双歧杆菌脂磷壁酸联合5-FU能增强化疗的抑瘤作用,并能扭转化疗引起的免疫低下现象,起到增效减毒作用。     

黄芪对镉致大鼠睾丸支持细胞超微结构及波形蛋白、E-钙粘蛋白表达改变的保护作用

目的 探讨黄芪对镉致大鼠睾丸支持细胞损伤的保护作用.方法 21只成年雄性SD大鼠随机分成镉组(0.1％氯化镉腹腔内注射,1mg/Kg体重/天,5天/周,处理后1、2、3、4周取材)、镉加黄芪组(注射氯化镉的同时注射黄芪,10g/Kg体重/天,5天/周,处理后2、4周取材)和对照组(腹腔内注射等量生理盐水).睾丸取材作光镜、免疫组织化学染色和图像分析及超微结构观察.结果 光镜H.E染色对照组支持细胞核不规则,染色浅,核仁明显,镉处理后胞浆内有空泡形成,镉加黄芪组支持细胞未见明显改变.对照组波形蛋白阳性产物在支持细胞靠近基室腔的胞浆中表达,E-钙粘蛋白阳性产物则主要定位于生精上皮近腔室的支持细胞和部分生精细胞胞浆中.镉处理后支持细胞胞浆中波形蛋白和E-钙粘蛋白阳性产物表达的平均光密度值均明显降低(P＜0.05),镉加黄芪组阳性产物表达虽较对照组减弱但明显高于相应镉组(P＜0.05).镉处理组支持细胞胞质特化区和紧密连接破坏,镉加黄芪组支持细胞超微病变较相应镉组为轻.结论 镉降低大鼠睾丸支持细胞波形蛋白和E-钙粘蛋白的表达并造成支持细胞的超微结构损伤,黄芪具有较好的保护效果.     

‘Green tides’ are overwhelming the coastline of our blue planet: taking the world’s largest example

A broad spectrum of events that come under the category of green tide are recognized world-wide as a response to elevated levels of seawater nutrients in coastal areas. Green tides involve a wide diversity of sites, macroalgal species, consequences, and possible causes. Here we review the effect of natural and man-induced environmental fluctuations on the frequency and apparent spread of green tides. This article highlights the need for interdisciplinary research aimed at shedding light on the basic mechanisms governing the occurrence and succession of green algae in coastal seas. This will result in more effective management and mitigation of the effects of green tides, thus safeguarding the intrinsic and commercial value of coastal marine ecosystems.     

Principles of protein folding--a perspective from simple exact models.

General principles of protein structure, stability, and folding kinetics have recently been explored in computer simulations of simple exact lattice models. These models represent protein chains at a rudimentary level, but they involve few parameters, approximations, or implicit biases, and they allow complete explorations of conformational and sequence spaces. Such simulations have resulted in testable predictions that are sometimes unanticipated: The folding code is mainly binary and delocalized throughout the amino acid sequence. The secondary and tertiary structures of a protein are specified mainly by the sequence of polar and nonpolar monomers. More specific interactions may refine the structure, rather than dominate the folding code. Simple exact models can account for the properties that characterize protein folding: two-state cooperativity, secondary and tertiary structures, and multistage folding kinetics--fast hydrophobic collapse followed by slower annealing. These studies suggest the possibility of creating "foldable" chain molecules other than proteins. The encoding of a unique compact chain conformation may not require amino acids; it may require only the ability to synthesize specific monomer sequences in which at least one monomer type is solvent-averse.