A novel property of spider silk: chemical defence against ants

Spider webs are made of silk, the properties of which ensure remarkable efficiency at capturing prey. However, remaining on, or near, the web exposes the resident spiders to many potential predators, such as ants. Surprisingly, ants are rarely reported foraging on the webs of orb-weaving spiders, despite the formidable capacity of ants to subdue prey and repel enemies, the diversity and abundance of orb-web spiders, and the nutritional value of the web and resident spider. We explain this paradox by reporting a novel property of the silk produced by the orb-web spider Nephila antipodiana (Walckenaer). These spiders deposit on the silk a pyrrolidine alkaloid (2-pyrrolidinone) that provides protection from ant invasion. Furthermore, the ontogenetic change in the production of 2-pyrrolidinone suggests that this compound represents an adaptive response to the threat of natural enemies, rather than a simple by-product of silk synthesis: while 2-pyrrolidinone occurs on the silk threads produced by adult and large juvenile spiders, it is absent on threads produced by small juvenile spiders, whose threads are sufficiently thin to be inaccessible to ants.     

Identification of blapsins A and B as potent small-molecule 14-3-3 inhibitors from the insect Blaps japanensis

In this study, we report three novel naturally occurring compounds, blapsins A (1) and B (2), and blapsamide (3) from the ethanol extract of the stink beetle, Blaps japanensis. The structures of these compounds were determined using spectroscopic methods. Compound 3 is a phenolic compound bearing a formamido group in the structure. Functional studies revealed that compounds 1 and 2 potently inhibited 14-3-3 protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with IC(50) values of 9.2 and 10.0 μM as determined by an ELISA assay, and 2.0 and 2.5 μM in an FP assay, respectively. These compounds represent the first example of natural small-molecule 14-3-3 inhibitors.     

抗肿瘤疫苗MAGE1-MAGE3-HSP70蛋白特性及其纯化策略的研究

目的:对MAGE1-MAGE3-HSP70(M1-M3-HSP70)融合蛋白的理化性质及其纯化策略进行初步研究,为后期的临床前试验提供数据和依据。方法:以本实验室构建的菌种(BL21(DE3)pLysS-M1-M3-HSP70)为材料,采用常规细菌培养及诱导方法进行诱导表达,用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶(SDS-PAGE)电泳、免疫印迹(Western blotting)对目的蛋白进行分析,然后确定盐析条件,使用ButylSepharose HP疏水相互作用层析以及阴离子交换(Source 30Q填料)对目的蛋白的纯化进行分析。结果:M1-M3-HSP70蛋白在大肠杆菌中表达后,目的蛋白分为两部分,一部分为包涵体形式(44.9%),一部分为可溶表达(55.1%)。对其可溶部分进行研究发现,细菌裂解后,目的蛋白存在聚合和降解现象;确定了盐析条件、洗脱缓冲液以及稳定的PH值范围,基本确定了目的蛋白的纯化工艺。结论:明确了M1-M3-HSP70融合蛋白的基本性质,确定了目的蛋白的纯化方法,为基于融合蛋白的肿瘤疫苗的进一步研究提供了参考。     

Over-expression of human carcinoma-associated antigen in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the expression status of human carcinoma antigen (HCA) in human cholangiocellular carcinomas, and to determine the relationship between HCA and clinical features. Methods: Tissues from 60 intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC) patients, and normal liver tissues from 20 hepatic hemangioma patients selected randomly were assayed for the expression of HCA by immunohistochemistry, and Western blots. Areas of poorly differentiated (n = 20), moderately-well differentiated (n = 30), highly differentiated tumors (n = 10) from different cases were evaluated. Results were recorded as positive (?5% of cells staining and staining intensity 2+ or 3+) or negative (<5% of cells staining and staining intensity <2+) and analyzed using the χ² test. Results: BCE075 and BDD048 antibodies showed similar staining patterns. The positive immunostaining of BCE075 was mainly localized in the cytoplasm and cell secretions. The staining was positive in 15% of poorly differentiated ICC, 72% of moderately-well differentiated, 100% of highly differentiated tumors. But, staining was not detected in adjacent normal tissue. The differences in HCA expression among these tissues were statistically significant. Also, we found expression of HCA to be closely associated with the degree of differentiation of ICC and tumor cell morphology. There was a correlation between expression of HCA and serum CA19-9. Conclusion: The data suggest that HCA is a potential marker for the diagnosis of cholangiocellular carcinoma.     

白血病图像分割方法的适应性分析与改进算法

系统介绍了几种对白血病骨髓图像进行分割的算法,比较各类算法的优缺点,分析各自的适用范围,并在此基础上根据所处理图像的实际情况对传统算法做出一些改进,综合应用上述技术实现对图片更准确地分割。     

水稻苗期吸收积累硅素的品种差异研究

为探讨水稻品种间苗期对硅素吸收积累的差异,筛选高效吸收积累硅素的材料,2002、2003年利用28个常规水稻品种,采用水培试验方法,研究了在较低硅素浓度条件下不同水稻品种间茎蘖数、根系和地上部的干物质重量、硅素含量和吸硅量的差异.结果表明,水稻品种间对硅素的吸收积累存在显著或极显著差异.初步确定TN1、白香粳、早大穗、IR36和特青为硅素高效吸收积累品种,Lemont、中平选、一目惚、武运粳7号和卷叶粳为硅素低效吸收积累品种.     

Differential expression and regulation of expansin gene family members during fruit growth and development of ‘Shijia’ longan fruit

In this work, five expansin cDNAs (DlExp1–5) from ‘Shijia’ longan fruit were isolated and characterized. Moreover, the expression profiles of five expansin genes and the effect of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and thidiazuron (TDZ) on their expressions were investigated. The results showed that five expansins exhibited different expression patterns during fruit growth and development. DlExp1 was constitutively expressed in the pericarp while the levels of DlExp1 mRNA in the aril were very high at early stage of fruit development, and decreased gradually from 28 to 77 days after anthesis (DAA). DlExp2 and DlExp4 were related to the growth of pericarp, whereas the expression of DlExp2 and DlExp5 in the aril decreased from 28 to 77 DAA. In addition, NAA and TDZ applied at the stage of rapid pericarp (21 DAA) or aril growth (56 DAA) increased the accumulations of DlExp1 and DlExp2 mRNA in the pericarp and aril, while NAA and TDZ had no or little effect on the accumulations of DlExp3, DlExp4 and DlExp5. DlExp1 and DlExp2 also accumulated highly in rapidly growing tissues, such as young stems and leaves. These findings indicated that Exp genes played a different role in longan fruit growth and showed different response to plant growth substances.     

Synthesis, characterization and supramolecular structures of two Ni(II) complexes with potentially heptadentate ligand N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-bis[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-2-propanol

A potentially heptadentate ligand H₃L (N,N^′-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-bis[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-2-propanol) and its two Ni(II) complexes, [Ni(H₂L)H₂O](H₂O)₃ClO₄ (1) and [Ni(H₂L)(H₂O)](H₂O)Cl (2) were prepared and characterized. X-ray structural analyses indicate that complex 1 has a distorted octahedral coordination geometry, with four amine N atoms of H₂L⁻ defining the equatorial plane, one aqua O atom and one phenoxo O atom of the ligand occupying two axial positions, respectively. The Ni(II) center of 2 has coordination geometry similar to that of 1. IR and electronic spectra of 1 and 2 are in agreement with their crystal structural features. Approximately along the ab plane, 2D supramolecular structure of 1 is assembled through multiple hydrogen bonds between hydroxy groups of the ligands, coordinated and crystal lattice H₂O and π-π stacking interactions between adjacent phenyl rings of the ligands, while for that of 2, probably along the a axis, 1D chain structure is also formed by multiple hydrogen bonds, but lack of π-π stacking interactions.     

Genome sequence of duck pathogen Mycoplasma anatis strain 1340

Mycoplasma anatis, a member of the class Mollicutes, is the causative agent of a contagious infectious disease of domestic ducklings, wild birds, and eggs. Increasing reports show that coinfection of M. anatis with Escherichia coli results in substantial economic impacts on the duck farms in China. Here, we announce the first genome sequence of M. anatis.