In vitro stability and in vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy of synthetic jasmonates

A chlorinated methyl jasmonate analog (J7) was elaborated as an in vitro anti-inflammatory lead. However, its in vitro efficacy profile was not reproduced in a subsequent in vivo evaluation, presumably due to its rapid enzymatic hydrolysis in a biological system. In an attempt to improve the metabolic stability of the lead J7 by replacement of its labile methyl ester with reasonable ester groups, several analogs resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis were synthesized. In vivo evaluation of the stability-improved analogs showed that these compounds displayed higher efficacy than the lead J7, suggesting that these new jasmonate analogs may serve as potential anti-inflammatory leads.     

Identification of a novel endochitinase from a marine bacterium Vibrio proteolyticus strain No. 442

Chitin binding proteins prepared from Vibrio proteolyticus were purified and the N-terminal amino-acid sequence of a protein from a 110-kDa band on SDS-PAGE was found to be 85-90% identical to the 22nd-41st residues of the N-termini of chitinase A precursor proteins from other vibrios. We cloned the corresponding gene, which encodes a putative protein of 850 amino acids containing a 26-residue signal sequence. The chitinase precursor from V. proteolyticus was 78-80% identical to those from Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio carchariae. However, the proteolytic cleavage site for C-terminal processing between R597 and K598 in the chitinase precursor of other vibrios was not observed in the amino acid sequence of V. proteolyticus, which instead had the sequence R600 and A601. Subsequently, full-length and truncated chitinases were generated in Escherichia coli. The specific activity of full-length chitinase expressed in E. coli was 17- and 20-folds higher for colloidal and alpha-chitins (insoluble substrate), respectively, than that of the C-terminal truncated enzyme. However, both recombinants showed similar hydrolysis patterns of hexa-N-acetyl-chitohexaose (soluble substrate), producing di-N-acetyl-chitobiose as major product on TLC analysis. We showed that the C-terminus of the V. proteolyticus chitinase A was important for expression of high specific activity against insoluble chitins.     

Correction to: Spirosoma profusum sp. nov., and Spirosoma validum sp. nov., radiation-resistant bacteria isolated from soil in South Korea

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek -     

Effect of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate on Cu2+ removal by Spirulina platensis strain (FACHB‐834)

The removal efficiency of Cu²⁺ by Spirulina platensis (strain FACHB‐834), in viable and heat‐inactivated forms, was investigated in the presence and absence of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). When the initial Cu²⁺ concentration was in the range of 0.5–1.5 mg · L^?1, a slight increase in growth rate of FACHB‐834 was observed. In contrast, when Cu²⁺ or LAS concentrations were at or higher than 2.0 or 6.0 mg · L^?1, respectively, the growth of FACHB‐834 was inhibited and displayed yellowing and fragmentation of filaments. The presence of LAS improved Cu²⁺ removal by ~20%, and accelerated attainment of Cu²⁺ retention equilibrium. For the 2‐ mg · L^?1 Cu²⁺ treatments, retention equilibrium occurred within 2 d and showed maximum Cu²⁺ removal of 1.83 mg · L^?1. In the presence of LAS, the ratio of extracellular bound Cu²⁺ to intracellular Cu²⁺ taken up by the cells was lower (1.05–2.26) than corresponding ratios (2.46–7.85) in the absence of LAS. The percentages of extracellular bound Cu²⁺ to total Cu²⁺ removal (both bound and taken up by cells) in the presence of LAS ranged from 51.2% to 69.3%, which was lower than their corresponding percentages (71.1%–88.7%) in the absence of LAS. LAS promoted biologically active transport of the extracellular bound form of Cu²⁺ into the cell. In contrast, the addition of LAS did not increase the maximum removal efficiency of Cu²⁺ (61.4% ± 5.6%) by heat‐inactivated cells compared to that of living cells (59.6% ± 6.0%). These results provide a theoretical foundation for designing bioremediation strategies using FACHB‐834 for use in surface waters contaminated by both heavy metals and LAS.     

除草剂对桉树人工林下植物及土壤微生物群落的影响

除草剂在桉树人工林中的应用越来越普遍,但关于除草剂对桉树人工林林下植物和土壤微生物群落的影响知之甚少。通过桉树人工林低剂量高频率(LHF)、中剂量中频率(MMF)、高剂量低频率(HLF)除草剂喷施试验,并与人工除草(MT)为对照,比较分析不同剂量、不同频率除草剂施用对林下植物和土壤微生物群落的影响。结果表明,施用除草剂导致桉树人工林林下植物种类和功能群组成发生显著变化,但并未显著降低林下植物群落物种丰富度和多样性,随除草剂施用频率的降低及恢复时间的增加,物种丰富度及多样性指数呈恢复趋势。除草剂施用也导致土壤养分含量降低。除草剂通过对林下植物群落和土壤养分的负面影响间接影响土壤微生物群落。LHF显著降低藤本植物而显著提高蕨类植物功能群的重要值,从而显著降低了微生物群落、真菌和放线菌的磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)含量。MMF显著降低木本和藤本植物而显著提高禾草植物功能群的重要值,导致土壤微生物群落和放线菌的PLFA含量显著降低。HLF未显著影响林下植物及土壤微生物群落,但土壤全磷含量显著降低,速效磷含量也大幅下降。施用除草剂显著降低了土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的含量。因此,生产上应减少除草剂的施用,...     

Genetic differentiation and connectivity of morphological types of the broadcast‐spawning coral Galaxea fascicularis in the Nansei Islands,Japan

Population connectivity resulting from larval dispersal is essential for the maintenance or recovery of populations in marine ecosystems, including coral reefs. Studies of species diversity and genetic connectivity within species are essential for the conservation of corals and coral reef ecosystems. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequence types and microsatellite genotypes of the broadcast‐spawning coral, Galaxea fascicularis, from four regions in the subtropical Nansei Islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Two types (soft and hard types) of nematocyst morphology are known in G. fascicularis and are significantly correlated with the length of a mitochondrial DNA noncoding sequence (soft type: mt‐L; hard type: mt‐S type). Using microsatellites, significant genetic differentiation was detected between the mitochondrial DNA sequence types in all regions. We also found a third genetic cluster (mt‐L+), and this unexpected type may be a cryptic species of Galaxea. High clonal diversity was detected in both mt‐L and mt‐S types. Significant genetic differentiation, which was found among regions within a given type (F _ST = 0.009–0.024, all Ps ≤ 0.005 in mt‐L; 0.009–0.032, all Ps ≤ 0.01 in mt‐S), may result from the shorter larval development than in other broadcast‐spawning corals, such as the genus Acropora. Nevertheless, intraspecific genetic diversity and connectivity have been maintained, and with both sexual and asexual reproduction, this species appears to have a potential for the recovery of populations after disturbance.     

Comparison of lung cancer cell lines representing four histopathological subtypes with gene expression profiling using quantitative real-time PCR

Background  

Lung cancers are the most common type of human malignancy and are intractable. Lung cancers are generally classified into four histopathological subtypes: adenocarcinoma (AD), squamous cell carcinoma (SQ), large cell carcinoma (LC), and small cell carcinoma (SC). Molecular biological characterization of these subtypes has been performed mainly using DNA microarrays. In this study, we compared the gene expression profiles of these four subtypes using twelve human lung cancer cell lines and the more reliable quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR).     

Redescription of Enneapterygius erythrosoma Shen 1994 and a synopsis of Enneapterygius similis Fricke 1997, with comments on the taxonomic status of Enneapterygius rubicauda Shen 1994 (Perciformes: Tripterygiidae)

Ichthyological Research - Enneapterygius erythrosoma Shen 1994 is considered a valid species, being redescribed on the basis of 87 specimens (33 males and 54 females in total, 14.2–32.3 mm in...