降雨格局变化对白刺幼苗根系形态特征的影响

为探讨荒漠植物白刺幼苗根系形态对降雨格局变化的响应特征,设置3个降雨量梯度(W-、W、W+)和2个降雨间隔时间梯度(T、T+)进行人工模拟试验,结果表明,1)降雨量和降雨间隔时间对白刺幼苗根系形态有不同程度的影响,且降雨量的作用效应更大。2)降雨量相同时,延长降雨间隔时间均使白刺幼苗主根长、根系平均直径、根体积和根表面积减小,但总根长和根系生物量和总生物量却增加,在高降雨量条件下(W+)延长降雨间隔时间白刺幼苗比根长和比表面积分别增加了45.09%和20.20%,但差异均不显著。3)降雨间隔时间相同时,降雨量减少30%仅使主根长平均增加12.06%,总根长、根平均直径、根体积和根表面积等根系形态指标均显著减少,比根长和比表面积变化不大;降雨量增加30%仅使比表面积显著增加,其余各形态指标差异均不显著,低降雨量条件下(W-)主根长与根冠比达到最大,其他指标均在高降雨量条件下(W+)达到最大。4)对8个根系形态参数进行主成分分析,根系生物量、总根长、总根表面积、比根长、比表面积和根体积6个根系生态参数受降雨格局影响显著。     

牛分枝杆菌Mb0950c的免疫特性及其血清学检测方法的建立

【目的】利用原核表达系统对牛分枝杆菌Mb0950c蛋白进行表达和纯化,通过小鼠模型评价其免疫原性,建立血清学间接ELISA方法用于牛结核病的临床检测。【方法】构建pET32a-Mb0950c原核表达质粒,并转化至BL21(DE3)中诱导蛋白的表达,对蛋白进行纯化。使用流式细胞术(flow cytometry,FCM)、ELISA等对该蛋白在小鼠中的免疫原性进行分析。建立基于Mb0950c的间接ELISA方法,评价该方法的临床检测潜力。【结果】SDS-PAGE和Western blotting结果显示,成功获得了可溶性Mb0950c蛋白,且具有良好免疫反应性;FCM结果显示,Mb0950c蛋白上调了T细胞表面CD69分子的表达。细胞因子和抗体结果表明,该蛋白能够诱导特异性的IFN-γ和IL-4的分泌,同时能诱导机体分泌特异性的抗体,且以IgG1型为主。建立了ELISA检测方法应用于牛结核临床检测,结果显示,该方法与牛结核外周血IFN-γ外释放试验和皮试试验结果的阳性符合率、阴性符合率和总符合率分别为65.7%、97.9%和72.4%。【结论】在原核表达系统中可溶性表达Mb0950c蛋白,...     

Binding,selectivity and sequence recognition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 to oligopeptides

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

Synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy of single natural silk fibers

Synchrotron FTIR (S-FTIR) microspectroscopy was used to monitor the silk protein conformation in a range of single natural silk fibers (domestic and wild silkworm and spider dragline silk). With the selection of suitable aperture size, we obtained high-resolution S-FTIR spectra capable of semiquantitative analysis of protein secondary structures. For the first time, we have determined from S-FTIR the β-sheet content in a range of natural single silk fibers, 28 ± 4, 23 ± 2, and 17 ± 4% in Bombyx mori, Antheraea pernyi, and Nephila edulis silks, respectively. The trend of β-sheet content in different silk fibers from the current study accords quite well with published data determined by XRD, Raman, and (13)C NMR. Our results indicate that the S-FTIR microspectroscopy method has considerable potential for the study of single natural silk fibers.     

Prolonged dry periods between rainfall events shorten the growth period of the resurrection plant Reaumuria soongorica

The resurrection plant Reaumuria soongorica is widespread across Asia, southern Europe, and North Africa and is considered to be a constructive keystone species in desert ecosystems, but the impacts of climate change on this species in desert ecosystems are unclear. Here, the morphological responses of R. soongorica to changes in rainfall quantity (30% reduction and 30% increase in rainfall quantity) and interval (50% longer drought interval between rainfall events) were tested. Stage‐specific changes in growth were monitored by sampling at the beginning, middle, and end of the growing season. Reduced rainfall decreased the aboveground and total biomass, while additional precipitation generally advanced R. soongorica growth and biomass accumulation. An increased interval between rainfall events resulted in an increase in root biomass in the middle of the growing season, followed by a decrease toward the end. The response to the combination of increased rainfall quantity and interval was similar to the response to increased interval alone, suggesting that the effects of changes in rainfall patterns exert a greater influence than increased rainfall quantity. Thus, despite the short duration of this experiment, consequences of changes in rainfall regime on seedling growth were observed. In particular, a prolonged rainfall interval shortened the growth period, suggesting that climate change‐induced rainfall variability may have significant effects on the structure and functioning of desert ecosystems.     

Conformation transition in silk protein films monitored by time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: effect of potassium ions on Nephila spidroin films

We used time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to follow a conformation transition in Nephila spidroin film from random coil and/or helical structures to beta-sheet induced by the addition of KCl from 0.01 to 1.0 mol/L in D(2)O. Time series difference spectra showed parallel increases in absorption at 1620 and 1691 cm(-)(1), indicating formation of beta-sheet, together with a coincident loss of intensity of approximately 1650 cm(-)(1), indicating decrease of random coil and/or helical structures. Increase in KCl concentration produced an increased rate of the conformation transition that may attributable to weakening of hydrogen bonds within spidroin macromolecules. The conformation transition was a biphasic process with [KCl] > or = 0.3 mol/L but monophasic with [KCl] < or = 0.1 mol/L. This suggests that, at high KCl concentrations, segments of the molecular chain are adjusted first and then the whole molecule undergoes rearrangement. We discuss the possible significance of these findings to an understanding of the way that spiders spin silk.     

沙土微生物多样性与土壤肥力质量的咸水滴灌效应

采用Biolog-eco法、PLFA法和PCR-DGGE法,对塔里木沙漠公路防护林中不同矿化度滴灌水作用下的土壤微生物多样性进行了研究,利用土壤综合肥力指数(IFI)定量评价了土壤综合肥力质量,分析了土壤肥力质量与土壤微生物的关系。结果表明:滴灌水条件下,土壤微生物的多样性(碳源代谢、遗传基因和脂肪酸种类)差异明显,而高矿化度滴灌水条件下土壤微生物活性较低。IFI值在不同矿化度灌水的林地间差异极显著,在不同土层间差异显著;IFI值随灌水矿化度升高而减小;0—5 cm表层土壤的IFI值明显小于其下层的土壤。土壤微生物代谢多样性和脂肪酸多样性指数与土壤IFI值存在乘幂函数关系,而土壤微生物遗传多样性指数与IFI值有多项式关系,对土壤肥力质量起着明显的正向贡献。     

Murine Flt3 ligand-generated plasmacytoid and conventional dendritic cells display functional differentiation in activation,inflammation, and antigen presentation during BCG infection in vitro

Dendritic cells (DCs) are composed of distinct subsets. Their immunologic functions (especially in pathogenic infection, such as with mycobacteria) are poorly understood, largely because of their rarity and difficulty of preparation. We used the murine Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (Flt3) ligand to generate conventional DCs (FL-cDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (FL-pDCs) and further evaluated their immunological responses to bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) infection in vitro. BCG cells were observed inside both FL-cDCs and FL-pDCs by confocal microscopy, as confirmed by flow cytometric analysis showing a low infection rate of approximately 6 %, which was similar to in vivo results. The CD40, CD80, CD86, and MHC-II proteins were significantly upregulated in both FL-cDCs and -pDCs beginning at 4 h post-BCG exposure. FL-pDCs secreted TNF-α and IL-6 earlier and at significantly higher levels in the first 12 h following infection, but demonstrated delayed and weak activation and maturation compared to FL-cDCs. Although both subsets proved capable of presenting a mycobacterial antigen, FL-pDCs exhibited weaker activity in this respect than did FL-cDCs. In summary, the existence of FL-generated cDCs and pDCs imply functional differentiation in activation, inflammation, and antigen presentation, although both cells types participated extensively in the immune response to BCG infection.     

Hydroxyapatite/regenerated silk fibroin scaffold-enhanced osteoinductivity and osteoconductivity of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells

A novel hydroxyapatite/regenerated silk fibroin scaffold was prepared and investigated for its potential to enhance both osteoinductivity and osteoconductivity of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in vitro. Approx. 12.4 ± 0.06 % (w/w) hydroxyapatite was deposited onto the scaffold, and cell viability and DNA content were significantly increased (18.5 ± 0.6 and 33 ± 1.2 %, respectively) compared with the hydroxyapatite scaffold after 14 days. Furthermore, alkaline phosphatase activity in the novel scaffold increased 41 ± 2.5 % after 14 days compared with the hydroxyapatite scaffold. The data indicate that this novel hydroxyapatite/regenerated silk fibroin scaffold has a positive effect on osteoinductivity and osteoconductivity, and may be useful for bone tissue engineering.