注意缺陷多动障碍低觉醒模型的新证据

注意缺陷多动障碍（Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,ADHD）是儿童期常见的一种发展性的异常,其病因及发生机理至今未明。低觉醒模型是ADHD成因的一种假设。本文从睡眠障碍导致的低觉醒探讨ADHD发生机理。通过对ADHD儿童的睡眠障碍进行分析以及将ADHD外在表现与睡眠剥夺后的表现进行对比分析,得出ADHD儿童存在的低觉醒是由于外显的或内隐的睡眠障碍引起的,一方面间接证明了低觉醒模型,另一方面为ADHD的成因研究开拓了新的思路。     

Mutations in the Type II protein arginine methyltransferase AtPRMT5 result in pleiotropic developmental defects in Arabidopsis

Human PROTEIN ARGININE METHYLTRANSFERASE5 (PRMT5) encodes a type II protein arginine (Arg) methyltransferase and its homologs in animals and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe) are known to regulate RNA processing, signal transduction, and gene expression. However, PRMT5 homologs in higher plants have not yet been reported and the biological roles of these proteins in plant development remain elusive. Here, using conventional biochemical approaches, we purified a plant histone Arg methyltransferase from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) that was nearly identical to AtPRMT5, an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) homolog of human PRMT5. AtPRMT5 methylated histone H4, H2A, and myelin basic protein in vitro. Western blot using symmetric dimethyl histone H4 Arg 3-specific antibody and thin-layer chromatography analysis demonstrated that AtPRMT5 is a type II enzyme. Mutations in AtPRMT5 caused pleiotropic developmental defects, including growth retardation, dark green and curled leaves, and FlOWERING LOCUS C (FLC)-dependent delayed flowering. Therefore, the type II protein Arg methyltransferase AtPRMT5 is involved in promotion of vegetative growth and FLC-dependent flowering time regulation in Arabidopsis.     

水通道蛋白1-C末端肽段/GST融合蛋白的原核表达(简报)

水通道蛋白(Aquaporin,AQP)是一类选择性高效转运水分子的细胞膜通道蛋白,广泛存在于原核和真核生物细胞的细胞膜上,主要介导自由水分子的被动跨膜转运,对保持细胞内外液环境的稳态平衡起着重要的作用.     

植物提取物微生物限量标准及检测技术进展

植物提取物的微生物检测是保证植物产品安全性的重要手段, 制定严格的植物提取物质量控制标准体系, 特别是功能性食品、食品添加剂和植物源日用化学品等产品中微生物的检测和控制, 对产品的质量及安全保证具有重要作用, 是影响植物提取业实现全面发展的关键问题。本文主要介绍了部分国家植物提取物的微生物限量标准和植物提取物微生物检测的国内外现状与发展趋势, 并就如何建立植物提取物微生物检测行业标准体系提出了若干建议。希望对我国植物提取业实现新时期跨越式发展提供参考。     

NaCl、KC1和NaNO3对盐地碱蓬生长以及植物体内离子组成和分布的效应

盐生植物盐地碱蓬(Suaeda salsa)的幼苗分别用0、50、100和200 mmol·L-1的NaCl、KCl和NaNO3处理15和30 d后取样并测定干鲜重、肉质化和离子含量的变化的结果显示(1)NaCl处理后植株鲜重和干重均随着NaCl浓度的增大而升高,NaNO3的效应次之,KCl则起抑制作用;(2)三种盐处理后植株肉质化水平依次为NaCl＞NaNO3＞KCl1(3)离子含量变化为,Na 含量依次为NaCl＞NaNO3＞KCl;K 含量依次为KCl＞NaCl＞NaNO3;Cl-含量依次为KCl＞NaCl＞NaNO3;(4)盐地碱蓬对NaCl的响应特别显著并具有很强的依赖性,200mmol·L-1NaCl处理30d后植物体内Na 和Cl-含量分别占干重的13.5%和10.1%.显然,盐地碱蓬是一种专性盐生植物,是一种钠和氯的超富集植物.     

CD138免疫磁珠细胞分选的FISH技术在多发性骨髓瘤诊断中的应用

为了分析CD138免疫磁珠细胞分选的染色体荧光原位杂交(FISH)技术在提高多发性骨髓瘤(MM)细胞遗传学异常检测敏感性的作用。本研究选取我院收治的30例确诊MM的患者为研究对象,分离骨髓单个核细胞,应用探针组合,同时采用2种方法进行细胞遗传学检测:实验组采用CD138免疫磁珠分选浆细胞后行荧光原位杂交技术(MACS-FISH)检测;对照组直接荧光原位杂交技术(D-FISH)检测。结果:30例MM患者,实验组采用CD138 MACS-FISH检出率为83.3%,对照组D-FISH法细胞遗传异常检出率为46.7%,两组差异具有统计学意义(p<0.05)。研究结果表明:分析不同类型的细胞遗传异常,MACS-FISH法1q21检出率为46.7%,RB1检出率为50.0%,Ig H检出率为70.0%,P53检出率为20.0%;D-FISH法检出率分别为23.3%,30.0%、36.7%、10.0%。通过细胞核型分析,30例MM患者中,发现5例患者为异常核型,仅为16.7%,其中1例患者为单一结构异常,复杂异常核型患者为4例。我们的研究结论表明:进行CD138免疫磁珠分选浆细胞的FISH技术在多发性骨髓瘤诊断应用中可显著提高细胞遗传学异常检测敏感性,具有临床推广应用的价值。     

A new unconventional HLA-A2-restricted epitope from HBV core protein elicits antiviral cytotoxic T lymphocytes

Cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) play a key role in the control of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and viral clearance. However, most of identified CTL epitopes are derived from HBV of genotypes A and D, and few have been defined in virus of genotypes B and C which are more prevalent in Asia. As HBV core protein (HBc) is the most conservative and immunogenic component, in this study we used an overlapping 9-mer peptide pool covering HBc to screen and identify specific CTL epitopes. An unconventional HLA-A2-restricted epitope HBc141–149 was discovered and structurally characterized by crystallization analysis. The immunogenicity and anti-HBV activity were further determined in HBV and HLAA2 transgenic mice. Finally, we show that mutations in HBc141–149 epitope are associated with viral parameters and disease progression in HBV infected patients. Our data therefore provide insights into the structure characteristics of this unconventional epitope binding to MHC-I molecules, as well as epitope specific CTL activity that orchestrate T cell response and immune evasion in HBV infected patients.     

Effect of N-terminal deletions on the activity of pokeweed antiviral protein expressed in E. coli

Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) from Phytolacca americana is a highly specific N-glycosidase removing adenine residues (A⁴³²⁴ in 28S rRNA and A²⁶⁶⁰ in 23S rRNA) from intact ribosomes of both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Due to the ribosome impairing activity the gene coding for mature PAP has not been expressed so far in bacteria whereas the full-length gene (coding for the mature 262 amino acids plus two signal peptides of 22 and 29 amino acids at both N- and C-termini, respectively) has been expressed in Escherichia coli. In order to determine: 1) the size of the N-terminal region of PAP which is required for toxicity to E. coli; and 2) the location of the putative enzymatic active site of PAP, 5′-terminal progressive deletion of the PAP full-length gene was carried out and the truncated forms of the gene were cloned in a vector containing a strong constitutive promoter and a consensus Shine-Dalgarno ribosome binding site. The ribosome inactivation or toxicity of the PAP is used as a phenotype characterized by the absence of E. coli colonies, while the mutation of PAP open reading frames in the small number of survived clones is used as an indicator of the toxicity to E. coli cells. Results showed that the native full-length PAP gene was highly expressed and was not toxic to E. coli cells although in vitro ribosome inactivating activity assay indicated it was active. However, all of the N-terminal truncated forms (removal of seven to 107 codons) of the PAP gene were toxic to E. coli cells and were mutated into either out of frame, early termination codon or inactive form of PAP (i.e., clone PAPΔ107). Deletion of more than 123 codons restored the correct gene sequence but resulted in the loss of the antiviral and ribosome inactivating activities and by the formation of a large number of clones. These results suggest that full-length PAP (with N- and C-terminal extensions) might be an inactive form of the enzyme in vivo presumably by inclusion body formation or other unknown mechanisms and is not toxic to E. coli cells. However, it is activated by at least seven codon deletions at the N-terminus. Deletions from seven through to 107 amino acids were lethal to the cells and only mutated forms (inactive) of the gene were obtained. But deletion of more than 123 amino acids resulted in the loss of enzymatic activity and made it possible to express the correct PAP gene in E. coli. Because deletion of Tyr94 and Va195, which are involved in the binding of the target adenine base, did not abolish the activity of PAP, it is concluded that the location previously proposed for PAP enzymatic active site should be reassessed.