紫外照射对葡萄果实莽草酸途径相关基因表达的影响

本文以花后11周的‘赤霞珠’葡萄果实为试材,应用荧光实时定量PCR技术,研究6种剂量的UV-A、UV-B和UV-C照射对莽草酸途径及后分支酸途径关键酶基因表达量的影响。结果表明,这些基因在转录水平上对紫外诱导的响应不同步,且有照射剂量的依赖性。一定剂量的紫外照射可显著地诱导莽草酸途径的大部分基因和后分支酸途径的VvCM-1、VvCM-2和VvAS的表达;高于或低于该剂量,表达量明显降低。不同基因对紫外诱导的响应也存在差异：3种类型紫外线对莽草酸途径入口酶的两个同源基因VvDAHPS-1和VvDAHPS-2的诱导效应均最为显著。随紫外波长减小,这两个基因受诱导表达的量有所下降。VvSK和VvCS的表达只受1.2kJ·m^-2UV-A的诱导,而不受UV-B和UV-C照射的影响,在后分支酸途径中紫外对VvCM-1表达的诱导作用明显大于VvCM-2和VvAS。     

Two human ACAT2 mRNA variants produced by alternative splicing and coding for novel isoenzymes

Acyl coenzyme A：cholesterol acyltransferase 2 （ACAT2） plays an important role in cholesterol absorption. Human ACAT2 is highly expressed in small intestine and fetal liver, but its expression is greatly diminished in adult liver. The full-length human ACAT2 mRNA encodes a protein, designated ACAT2a, with 522 amino acids. We have previously reported the organization of the human ACAT2 gene and the differentiation-dependent promoter activity in intestinal Caco-2 cells. In the current work, two human ACAT2 mRNA variants produced by alternative splicing are cloned and predicted to encode two novel ACAT2 isoforms, named ACAT2b and ACAT2c, with 502 and 379 amino acids, respectively. These mRNA variants differ from ACAT2a mRNA by lack of the exon 4 （ACAT2b mRNA） and exons 4-5 plus 8-9-10 （ACAT2c mRNA）. Significantly, comparable amounts of the alternatively spliced ACAT2 mRNA variants were detected by RT- PCR, and Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of their corresponding proteins in human liver and intestine cells. Furthermore, phosphorylation and enzymatic activity analyses demonstrated that the novel isoenzymes ACAT2b and ACAT2c lacked the phosphorylatable site SLLD, and their enzymatic activities reduced to 25%-35% of that of ACAT2a. These evidences indicate that alternative splicing produces two human ACAT2 mRNA variants that encode the novel ACAT2 isoenzymes. Our findings might help to understand the regulation of the ACAT2 gene expression under certain physiological and pathological conditions.     

Azoalkyl ether imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles as potentially antimicrobial agents with novel structural skeleton

A series of new azoalkyl ether imidazo[2,1-b]benzothiazoles were developed via a convenient synthetic procedure. The antimicrobial assays showed that a good number of the prepared derivatives exhibited significant inhibitory properties against most of the tested strains. Especially 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole derivative 5a presented superior inhibit activity against MRSA and B. typhi with MIC?=?4?μg/mL and MIC?=?1?μg/mL, respectively. The highly active compound 5a showed low toxicity against mammalian cells without obvious triggering of the development of bacterial resistance, and it also possessed rapid bactericidal efficacy. Molecular docking study exposed that the active molecule 5a could interact with the active site of S. aureus gyrase through hydrogen bond. Quantum chemical studies were also performed to explain the high antibacterial activity. Further investigation revealed that compound 5a could significantly associate with gyrase–DNA complex by mean of hydrogen bonds and could efficiently intercalate into MRSA DNA to form 5a–DNA supramolecular complex, which impart potent bioactivity.     

Design and synthesis of 4-(2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazol-7-yl)-N-(5-(piperazin-1-ylmethyl)pyridine-2-yl)pyrimidin-2-amine as a highly potent and selective cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors and the discovery of structure-activity relationships

Cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 play an important role in regulation of cell cycle, and overexpress in a variety of cancers. Up to now, new CDK inhibitors still need to be developed due to its poor selectivity. Herein we report a novel series of 4-(2,3-dihydro-1H-benzo[d]pyrrolo[1,2-a]imidazole-7-yl)-N-(5-(piperazin-1-ylmethyl)pyridine-2-yl)pyrimidin-2-amine anologues as potent CDK 4/6 inhibitors based on LY2835219 (Abemaciclib). Compound 10d, which exhibits approximate potency on CDK4/6 (IC₅₀?=?7.4/0.9?nM), has both good pharmacokinetic characters and high selectivity on CDK1 compared with LY2835219. Overall, compound 10d could be a promising candidate and a good starting point as anticancer drugs.     

LncRNA CRNDE promotes cell proliferation,migration and invasion of ovarian cancer via miR-423-5p/FSCN1 axis

Ovarian cancer seriously threatens the health of women. LncRNA CRNDE is known to be upregulated in ovarian cancer. However, the mechanism by which CRNDE regulates the progress of ovarian cancer is largely unknown. MTT assay was applied to measure the cell viability. Colony formation assay was used to measure the cell proliferation. Cell migration was tested by wound healing, and Transwell assay was performed to detect cell invasion. In addition, the expression of miR-423-5p, CRNDE and FSCN1 were detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. Meanwhile, dual-luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay were performed to explore the correlation between miR-423-5p and CRNDE (or FSCN1). CRNDE and FSCN1 were upregulated in ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3, CAOV-3, IGROV1, A2780 and C13K), while miR-423-5p was downregulated. Moreover, silencing of FSCN1/CRNDE significantly decreased proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3 and CI3K) via suppressing MMP-2 and MMP-9. In addition, CRNDE could sponge miR-423-5p, and FSCN1 was confirmed to be the direct target of miR-423-5p. Furthermore, CRNDE knockdown-induced inhibition of FSCN1 was notably reversed by miR-423-5p downregulation. Knockdown of CRNDE inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer via miR-423-5p/FSCN1 axis. Thus, CRNDE may serve a new target for ovarian cancer.

     

MicroRNA通路中的关键因子Dicer-1和Argonaute-1对豌豆蚜免疫防御的影响

【目的】研究microRNA(miRNA)通路中两个关键组分Dicer-1和Argonaute-1(Ago-1)在豌豆蚜Acyrthosiphon pisum抵御细菌和真菌侵染中的作用,加深对豌豆蚜免疫防御系统的了解。【方法】用qRT-PCR检测细菌金黄色葡萄球菌Staphylococcus aureus和大肠杆菌Escherichia coli以及真菌球孢白僵菌Beauveria bassiana分别侵染后豌豆蚜成蚜体内Dicer-1和Ago-1的表达量;通过注射法利用RNAi技术对豌豆蚜成蚜Dicer-1和Ago-1进行沉默后,感染金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌和球孢白僵菌,检测豌豆蚜体内细菌和真菌的增殖和统计豌豆蚜成蚜存活率。【结果】与0.85% NaCl溶液处理的对照组相比,金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌和球孢白僵菌侵染豌豆蚜成蚜后,其体内Dicer-1和Ago-1的表达量发生了一定程度的上调。RNAi干扰Dicer-1后,感染金黄色葡萄球菌36 h时豌豆蚜成蚜中细菌菌落数显著高于对照组(注射dsLTA)的,但感染后7 d时的存活率与对照组无显著差异;感染大肠杆菌12和24 h时豌豆蚜成蚜体内的细菌菌落数均显著高于对照组的,但感染后7 d时的存活率显著低于对照组的;感染球孢白僵菌后6 d,豌豆蚜成蚜体内真菌孢子数显著高于对照组的,但感染后7 d时的存活率显著低于对照组的。RNAi敲降Ago-1后感染金黄色葡萄球菌,豌豆蚜成蚜体内细菌菌落数在36 h时显著高于对照组的,但感染后7 d时的存活率显著低于对照组的;感染大肠杆菌后,在24 h时豌豆蚜成蚜体内细菌菌落数显著高于对照组的,感染后7 d时的存活率略低于对照组的,但无显著差异;感染球孢白僵菌后6 d,豌豆蚜成蚜体内真菌孢子数显著高于对照组的,但感染后7 d时的存活率显著低于对照组的。【结论】豌豆蚜miRNA通路中的两个关键组分Dicer-1和Ago-1参与了豌豆蚜抵御细菌和真菌侵染的免疫防御反应,尤其在抵御真菌的防御反应中有重要作用。     

旋唇纲纤毛虫系统发育分子树构建的影响因素

以36种旋唇类高等类群纤毛虫的核糖体小亚基核苷酸(Small subunit ribosomal RNA,SS rRNA)基因序列为素材,比较研究了不同条件(包括外类群、内类群的选择,同一基因不同序列长度的组合,不同建树方法和不同分析软件的使用)对纤毛虫分子系统树构建结果的影响。结果表明,上述因素均可不同程度地影响拓扑结构。结果同时提示,在利用有限数据进行相关研究,特别是在对未明类群的系统关系分析中,必须充分考虑因建树条件的不同所带来的影响。作者同时也建议,在当前可用的分子信息欠充分的前提下,对于纤毛虫任何类群的分子系统学探讨而言,慎重形成结论并尽可能地结合和参照形态学、发生学等资讯,仍是需优先考虑的工作路线。     

中华通草蛉自然越冬成虫在长、 短光周期下滞育解除中体内相关酶活力变化

光周期信号在昆虫的环境适应中发挥着重要作用, 昆虫能够通过感受光周期的变化来调节体内生理生化过程, 以适应环境的变化。为明确光周期对中华通草蛉Chrysoperla sinica越冬成虫滞育解除过程中酶活力的影响, 本研究测定了长光周期（15L∶9D）和短光周期（9L∶15D）条件下, 成虫体内过氧化氢酶（CAT）、 超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、 Na⁺K⁺-ATP酶和乳酸脱氢酶（LDH） 4种重要酶活力的变化。结果表明： 中华通草蛉雌、 雄成虫CAT活性在长光周期处理5 d达最高值后呈下降趋势; 短光周期处理CAT活性在处理5 d达最高值, 且高于长光周期处理, 在处理10 d迅速下降至最低值, 且均显著低于长光周期处理的CAT活性（P=0.005）, 后迅速上升并在处理15 d （P<0.05）和20 d （P<0.005）活性显著高于长光周期处理。雌、 雄成虫SOD活性在长光周期下处理10 d达最高值, 且显著高于对照（P<0.001）, 且除处理5 d雄虫SOD活性与对照无显著性差异外（P=0.558）其余处理活性均显著低于对照（P<0.05）。雌成虫长光周期处理5 d 的SOD活性显著低于短光周期（P<0.001）, 其余处理活性均显著高于短光周期; 雄成虫长光周期下处理的SOD活性均高于短光周期下, 且处理5 d （P=0.04）, 15 d （P<0.001）和20 d （P=0.003）的活性差异显著。两种光周期条件下雌、 雄成虫Na⁺K⁺-ATP酶活性随处理时间延长呈上升-下降-上升趋势, 且均显著高于处理0 d成虫酶活性（P<0.001）; 短光周期处理不同时间Na⁺K⁺-ATP酶活性均高于长光周期处理, 且除雄成虫处理15 d无显著性差异（P=0.142）外, 其余均差异显著（P<0.05）。两种光周期条件下雌、 雄成虫LDH活性随处理时间延长呈下降趋势, 且均显著低于对照（P<0.001）。中华通草蛉越冬成虫在长、 短两种光周期条件下体内酶活力的差异可能是影响两种光周期下成虫滞育解除过程中体内不同生化物质含量与生殖状态的重要因子。     

昆虫嗅觉相关蛋白的结构和功能

昆虫在长期进化的过程中形成了复杂的嗅觉系统,气味剂结合蛋白(odorant binding proteins,OBPs)、嗅觉受体(olfactory receptors,ORs)是其最主要的组分.其主要作用是结合外围挥发性的气味分子并将信号传递给细胞内的第二信使.OBPs和ORs的结构、功能、表达、进化是昆虫行为与进化关系的重要研究领域和研究热点.本文主要总结了近年来昆虫OBPs和ORs的结构特点、生理功能、表达特点、遗传进化等方面研究的最新进展,对OBPs和ORs的研究趋势进行了展望,为昆虫嗅觉系统进化研究及寻找害虫防治新途径提供参考信息.