Isolation and Characterization of Anti-Inflammatory Sorbicillinoids from the Mangrove-Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. DM815

Marine derived fungus has gained increasing ground in the discovery of novel lead compounds with potent biological activities including anti-inflammation. Here, we first report the characterization of one new sorbicillinoid ( 1 ) and fourteen known compounds ( 2 – 15 ) from the ethyl acetate (AcOEt) extract of a cultured mangrove derived fungus Penicillium sp. DM815 by UV, IR, HR ESI-Q-TOF MS, and NMR spectra. We then evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of eleven sorbicillinoids ( 1 – 11 ) using cultured macrophage RAW264.7 cells. The results show that compound 9 , and to a lesser degree compound 5 , significantly inhibited the Gram-negative bacteria lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced upregulation of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Consistently, compounds 5 and 9 significantly reduced the level of nitric oxide (NO), the product of iNOS, induced by LPS. We further show that these two compounds dose-dependently inhibited LPS-triggered iNOS expression and NO production, but had no effect on proliferation of RAW264.7 cells in the presence of LPS. In conclusion, our study identifies novel and known sorbicillinoids as potent anti-inflammatory agents, holding the promise of developing novel anti-inflammation treatment in the future.     

Diversity of Archaea in marine sediments from Skan Bay, Alaska, including cultivated methanogens, and description of Methanogenium boonei sp. nov

Methanogenesis in cold marine sediments is a globally important process leading to methane hydrate deposits, cold seeps, physical instability of sediment, and atmospheric methane emissions. We employed a multidisciplinary approach that combined culture-dependent and -independent analyses with geochemical measurements in the sediments of Skan Bay, Alaska (53 degrees N, 167 degrees W), to investigate methanogenesis there. Cultivation-independent analyses of the archaeal community revealed that uncultivated microbes of the kingdoms Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota are present at Skan Bay and that methanogens constituted a small proportion of the archaeal community. Methanogens were cultivated from depths of 0 to 60 cm in the sediments, and several strains related to the orders Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcinales were isolated. Isolates were psychrotolerant marine-adapted strains and included an aceticlastic methanogen, strain AK-6, as well as three strains of CO(2)-reducing methanogens: AK-3, AK7, and AK-8. The phylogenetic positions and physiological characteristics of these strains are described. We propose a new species, Methanogenium boonei, with strain AK-7 as the type strain.     

VPS13D bridges the ER to mitochondria and peroxisomes via Miro

Mitochondria, which are excluded from the secretory pathway, depend on lipid transport proteins for their lipid supply from the ER, where most lipids are synthesized. In yeast, the outer mitochondrial membrane GTPase Gem1 is an accessory factor of ERMES, an ER–mitochondria tethering complex that contains lipid transport domains and that functions, partially redundantly with Vps13, in lipid transfer between the two organelles. In metazoa, where VPS13, but not ERMES, is present, the Gem1 orthologue Miro was linked to mitochondrial dynamics but not to lipid transport. Here we show that Miro, including its peroxisome-enriched splice variant, recruits the lipid transport protein VPS13D, which in turn binds the ER in a VAP-dependent way and thus could provide a lipid conduit between the ER and mitochondria. These findings reveal a so far missing link between function(s) of Gem1/Miro in yeast and higher eukaryotes, where Miro is a Parkin substrate, with potential implications for Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis.     

天山北部拟南芥生存群落特征及其与环境的关系

为了解拟南芥在天山北部的分布状况及环境依赖特点, 分析拟南芥的自然选择特征, 本文对天山北部分布的13个拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)生存群落结构、组成及其与环境关系进行了研究, 并分析了拟南芥与群落主要物种的种间联结性。结果表明: 拟南芥生存的群落结构简单, 其中天山北坡中段的石河子、一四三团、沙湾、独山子地区的8个群落均为草本类型, 优势种相似, 而与伊犁果子沟、额敏和阿勒泰的5个群落差别较大。属的区系成分分析表明世界分布、北温带分布以及地中海、西亚至中亚分布型成分占大多数, 具有典型的地中海旱生植物区系分布特征, 体现了本地拟南芥分布及演化的干旱、半干旱的地理环境特点。采用双向指示种分析(TWINSPAN)将13个群落分为新疆绢蒿–猪毛菜–角果毛茛(Seriphidium kaschgaricum–Salsola collina–Ceratocephalus testiculatus)、新疆绢蒿–猪毛菜(S. kaschgaricum–S. collina)、新疆绢蒿–狭果鹤虱(S. kaschgaricum–Lappula semiglabra)、新疆绢蒿–旱麦草(S. kaschgaricum–Eremopyrum triticeum)、勿忘草–草原苔草(Myosotis sylvatica–Carex liparocarpos)5个群落类型。去势典范对应分析(DCCA)表明纬度、坡向、土壤有机质及pH值是决定天山北部拟南芥种群分布的主导因子。拟南芥分布与群落内其他物种有极强的依赖关系, 与13个群落62个主要物种的种间联结性分析表明, 共有119个正关联性种对, 明显高于72个负关联性种对, 与各群落优势种呈显著正关联。拟南芥种群分布数量在群落间差异较大, 分布于降雨较少的天山中部浅山地带拟南芥种群数量均高于降雨较丰富的天山西部伊犁果子沟地区, 是否发生适应性分化需要深入研究。     

The cardioprotection of the late phase of ischemic preconditioning is enhanced by postconditioning via a COX-2-mediated mechanism in conscious rats

The present study sought to determine whether the combination of late preconditioning (PC) with postconditioning enhances the reduction in infarct size. Chronically instrumented rats were assigned to a 45-min (subset 1) or 60-min (subset 2) coronary occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion. In each subset, rats received no further intervention (control) or were preconditioned 24 h before occlusion (PC), postconditioned at the onset of reperfusion following occlusion, or preconditioned and postconditioned without (PC + postconditioning) or with the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (3 mg/kg ip; PC + postconditioning + celecoxib) 10 min before postconditioning. Myocardial cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and COX-2 activity (assessed as myocardial levels of PGE(2)) were measured 6 min after reperfusion in an additional five groups (control, PC, postconditioning, PC + postconditioning, and PC + postconditioning + celecoxib) subjected to a 45-min occlusion. PC alone reduced infarct size after a 45-min occlusion but not after a 60-min occlusion. Postconditioning alone did not reduce infarct size in either setting. However, the combination of late PC and postconditioning resulted in a robust infarct-sparing effect in both settings, suggesting additive cardioprotection. Celecoxib completely abrogated the infarct-sparing effect of the combined interventions in both settings. Late PC increased COX-2 protein expression and PGE(2) content. PGE(2) content (but not COX-2 protein) was further increased by the combination of both interventions, suggesting that postconditioning increases the activity of COX-2 induced by late PC. In conclusion, the combination of late PC and postconditioning produces additive protection, likely due to a postconditioning-induced enhancement of COX-2 activity.     

大黄素提高HeLa细胞对三氧化二砷促凋亡敏感性的研究

活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)在三氧化二砷(arsenic trioxide,As2O3)诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡中扮演重要角色。本研究用一种天然蒽醌类物质——大黄素(emodin)作为提高HeLa细胞ROS水平的手段,考察其对As2O3促凋亡敏感性的影响,并探究可能涉及的信号传导机制。结果显示大黄素10μmol／L提高ROS并增加了HeLa细胞在As2O32μmol／L作用下的凋亡率,对正常成纤维细胞却无影响。该联合作用可以促进HeLa细胞线粒体跨膜电位降低;抑制转录因子NF-κB激活。本研究提示：大黄素通过提高ROS介导凋亡信号传导的增强和生存信号传导的抑制,增加HeLa细胞对As2O3促凋亡的敏感性。