小鼠海马内HDAC2的表达及其与NMDA受体、PSD-95的共定位

目的探讨组蛋白去乙酰化酶2（HDAC2）在成年C57BL/6小鼠海马内的分布及其与突触后致密区（PSD）蛋白成员的共定位,为揭示HDAC2与PSD蛋白复合物之间的内在联系及在海马相关的学习记忆过程中可能起到的调控作用提供形态学依据。方法应用免疫组化方法观察HDAC2在C57BL/6小鼠海马各区的表达分布。应用免疫荧光双标技术研究HDAC2与PSD蛋白成员N-甲基-D-天冬氨酸（NMDA）受体亚单位1（NR1）、PSD-95之间是否存在共定位。结果 HDAC2在小鼠海马CA1～CA3区锥体细胞和齿状回颗粒细胞均具有明显表达,而在各区的始层、辐射层、腔隙-分子层以及齿状回多形细胞层表达均较少。免疫荧光双标染色图片的重叠表明,HDAC2与NR1、PSD-95在小鼠海马CA1～CA3区锥体细胞层和齿状回颗粒细胞层内均可见显著共表达现象,其他区域偶见散在分布的双染神经元。结论 HDAC2在小鼠海马锥体细胞层和颗粒细胞层表达丰富,并与PSD蛋白成员间存在共定位现象。本实验结果为探讨HDAC2对谷氨酸能突触后神经元依赖的突触可塑性的调节机制提供了形态学依据。     

荚蒾属植物花期物候及生长对引种地年际气候波动的响应

专属引种植物的物候及生长研究能够掌握特定物候相在专属水平上的阈值,并为评估引种专属的适应潜力提供参考。通过对中国科学院植物研究所北京植物园内引种多年的9种荚蒾（Viburnum）的花期及2种荚蒾的生长动态进行观测,分析讨论了花期对冬春两季异常低温的响应及营养与生殖生长的关联机制。结果表明：2009–2010年冬春异常低温后,荚蒾始花期的整体延迟是由春季环境热量供应不及时所致,种间延迟程度的差异则与原产地的气候有紧密联系：分布于寒温带地区的欧洲绣球（V.opulus）和修枝荚蒾（V.burejaeticum）延迟天数最少（分别为10和12天）,分布于我国亚热带的琼花（V.macrocephalum）和桦叶荚蒾（V.betulifolium）延迟天数最多（分别为21和26天）。荚蒾花前有效积温介于39–368°C之间。经历异常低温后,花前有效积温呈上升和下降两种格局,与物种冷量和热量的内在需求有关。荚蒾属植物的生殖与营养生长呈现两种关联方式,早花种类开花座果伴随着营养生长的竞争,晚花种类花后即出现营养生长的支持,对果实发育的保障性较强。     

橡胶树未成苗体细胞胚的茎芽分化及利用

以橡胶树未成苗体细胞胚为试材,选取未成苗双子叶胚、连体胚、多子叶胚、单子叶胚和子叶愈伤化胚作为外植体,研究不同体细胞胚类型的外植体分化茎芽的情况,并利用其进行幼态微型芽条的培育研究。结果表明:在植株诱导培养基中培养80d后,未成苗双子叶胚、连体胚、多子叶胚、单子叶胚、子叶愈伤化胚均能分化出芽,双子叶胚分化率最高(达90%),单子叶胚最低(20%),多子叶胚和连体胚最多可分化出芽3个,双子叶胚2个。幼态微型芽条增殖的最优培养基为MS+6-BA2mg·L-1或MS+6-BA2mg·L-1+KT1mg·L-1,而添加NAA对芽的伸长有抑制作用;适宜幼态微型芽条伸长培养的基本培养基为MS。     

Conditioned mesenchymal stem cells attenuate progression of chronic kidney disease through inhibition of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and immune modulation

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to improve the outcome of acute renal injury models; but whether MSCs can delay renal failure in chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. In the present study, the were cultured in media containing various concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor and ascorbic acid 2‐phosphate to investigate whether hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) secretion could be increased by the stimulation of these growth factors. Then, TGF‐β1‐treated renal interstitial fibroblast (NRK‐49F), renal proximal tubular cells (NRK‐52E) and podocytes were co‐cultured with conditioned MSCs in the absence or presence of ascorbic acid 2‐phosphate to quantify the protective effects of conditioned MSCs on renal cells. Moreover, male Sprague‐Dawley rats were treated with 1 × 10⁶ conditioned MSCs immediately after 5/6 nephrectomy and every other week through the tail vein for 14 weeks. It was found that basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor and ascorbic acid 2‐phosphate promoted HGF secretion in MSCs. Besides, conditioned MSCs were found to be protective against TGF‐β1 induced epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition of NRK‐52E and activation of NRK‐49F cells. Furthermore, conditioned MSCs protected podocytes from TGF‐β1‐induced loss of synaptopodin, fibronectin induction, cell death and apoptosis. Rats transplanted with conditioned human MSCs had a significantly increase in creatinine clearance rate, decrease in glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis and increase in CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells counts in splenocytes. Together, our studies indicated that conditioned MSCs preserve renal function by their anti‐fibrotic and anti‐inflammatory effects. Transplantation of conditioned MSCs may be useful in treating CKD.     

Robust design and optimization of retroaldol enzymes

Enzyme catalysts of a retroaldol reaction have been generated by computational design using a motif that combines a lysine in a nonpolar environment with water-mediated stabilization of the carbinolamine hydroxyl and β-hydroxyl groups. Here, we show that the design process is robust and repeatable, with 33 new active designs constructed on 13 different protein scaffold backbones. The initial activities are not high but are increased through site-directed mutagenesis and laboratory evolution. Mutational data highlight areas for improvement in design. Different designed catalysts give different borohydride-reduced reaction intermediates, suggesting a distribution of properties of the designed enzymes that may be further explored and exploited.     

中国绢蒿属新种(续)

本文补充发表绢蒿属一新种,即沙湾绢蒿Seriphidium sawanense Y. R. Ling & C. J. Humphries sp. nov.     

Nf1-deficient mouse Schwann cells are angiogenic and invasive and can be induced to hyperproliferate: reversion of some phenotypes by an inhibitor of farnesyl protein transferase.

We have developed a potential model of Schwann cell tumor formation in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). We show that mouse Schwann cells heterozygous or null at Nf1 display angiogenic and invasive properties, mimicking the behavior of Schwann cells from human neurofibromas. Mutations at Nf1 are insufficient to promote Schwann cell hyperplasia. Here we show that Schwann cell hyperplasia can be induced by protein kinase A activation in mutant cells. Removal of serum from the culture medium also stimulates hyperplasia, but only in some mutant cells. After serum removal, clones of hyperproliferating Schwann cells lose contact with axons in vitro, develop growth factor-independent proliferation, and exhibit decreased expression of the cell differentiation marker P0 protein; hyperproliferating cells develop after a 1-week lag in Schwann cells heterozygous at Nf1. The experiments suggest that events subsequent to Nf1 mutations are required for development of Schwann cell hyperplasia. Finally, an anti-Ras farnesyl protein transferase inhibitor greatly diminished both clone formation and hyperproliferation of null mutant cells, but not invasion; farnesyl transferase inhibitors could be useful in treating benign manifestations of NF1.     

不同生境外生菌根真菌对铝胁迫的响应

以南北方不同生境下的10株外生菌根真菌为研究对象,采用液体培养的方法,研究了铝对不同菌根真菌的生物量、有机酸分泌及养分含量的影响,以期筛选出抗铝性强的优良菌株,并探讨其抗铝机理。结果表明:外生菌根真菌Sl 08抗铝性最强;Pt 715、Ld 03、Bo 11、Sl 01、Bo 15也具有不同程度的耐铝性;Sl 14、Gc 99、Cg 04抗铝性较差;Sg 11抗铝性最差。来自南方酸性森林土壤的菌株总体抗铝性强于来自北方石灰性土壤的菌株,这表明外生菌根真菌的铝耐受能力与其原始生境有着密切的联系。外生菌根真菌能分泌多种有机酸,且不同菌株分泌的有机酸种类不同。其中,受铝胁迫分泌量增加最多的是草酸。研究中,铝胁迫能增加大多数铝抗性菌株的草酸分泌量,其中铝抗性最强的Sl 08表现最为明显。但铝胁迫并没有促进具备一定铝抗性的Bo 11和Sl 01草酸的分泌量,同时在铝敏感的菌株中均观察到了草酸分泌量的增加。这表明分泌草酸可能并不是外生菌根真菌抵抗铝毒的唯一途径。对各菌株铝胁迫下对氮,磷及钾的吸收研究表明,除铝敏感菌株Sl 14外,铝胁迫均能促进各供试菌株对氮,磷或钾的吸收。综上,在一定铝浓度下,一些外生菌根真菌可通过增加草酸分泌来抵御铝毒。此外,铝胁迫下外生菌根真菌还可通过调控氮、磷、钾等营养元素的吸收来抵抗铝毒,即通过增加对营养元素的吸收来增强其在铝胁迫下的生存能力,这可能是其抵御铝胁迫的应激反应之一。     

Microbiome engineering: Current applications and its future

Microbiomes exist in all ecosystems and are composed of diverse microbial communities. Perturbation to microbiomes brings about undesirable phenotypes in the hosts, resulting in diseases and disorders, and disturbs the balance of the associated ecosystems. Engineering of microbiomes can be used to modify structures of the microbiota and restore ecological balance. Consequently, microbiome engineering has been employed for improving human health and agricultural productivity. The importance and current applications of microbiome engineering, particularly in humans, animals, plants and soil is reviewed. Furthermore, we explore the challenges in engineering microbiome and the future of this field, thus providing perspectives and outlook of microbiome engineering.