蛋白质组学技术在植物类囊体膜蛋白研究中的应用

类囊体作为植物光合作用光反应的重要场所,在植物亚细胞蛋白质组学研究中倍受关注.介绍了植物蛋白质组学相关技术,包括双向凝胶电泳(2DE)、高效液相色谱(HPLC)、高效毛细管电泳(HPCE)、质谱(MS)和蛋白质组学数据库在植物类囊体膜蛋白研究中的应用.同时对类囊体膜蛋白质组学的研究趋势进行了探讨.     

Synthesis and characterization of thermosensitive graft copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide with biodegradable carboxymethylchitosan

A novel thermosensitive and hydrogel was designed and synthesized by graft copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) with biodegradable carboxymethylchitosan (CMCS). The influence of the content of CMCS grafted on the properties of the resulted hydrogels was examined. The morphology of the hydrogels was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), their thermal property was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and deswelling/swelling kinetics upon external temperature changes. In comparison with the conventional PNIPAAm hydrogels, the resulted hydrogels have improved thermosensitive properties, including enlarged water content at room temperature and faster deswelling/swelling rate upon heating. The strategy described here presents a potential alternative to the traditional synthesis techniques for thermosensitive hydrogels.     

Preferential proliferation and differentiation of double-positive thymocytes into CD8(+) single-positive thymocytes in a novel cell culture medium

The identification of factors that regulate the proliferation and differentiation of double-positive (DP) into CD4(+) and CD8(+) single-positive (SP) thymocytes has proven difficult due to the inability of DP thymocytes to proliferate, expand, and differentiate into SP thymocytes in available cell culture media. Here we report on the ability of DP thymocytes to differentiate in a novel conditioned medium, termed XLCM, derived from the supernatant of mitogen activated human cord blood mononuclear cells. During a 5-day culture in XLCM in the absence of thymic stromal cells, DP thymocytes from normal mice and MHC double knockout mice (lack SP thymocytes) proliferate, expand, and differentiate into several (alphabetaTCR(+), NK1.1(+)alphabetaTCR(+), and gammadeltaTCR(+)) subsets of CD4(+) and predominantly CD8(+) SP thymocytes. These studies suggest that the use of XLCM may aid in the characterization of factors that regulate the differentiation of DP thymocytes into CD8(+) SP thymocytes.     

Theoretical Insights into Catalytic Mechanism of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 1

Protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1), the major arginine asymmetric dimethylation enzyme in mammals, is emerging as a potential drug target for cancer and cardiovascular disease. Understanding the catalytic mechanism of PRMT1 will facilitate inhibitor design. However, detailed mechanisms of the methyl transfer process and substrate deprotonation of PRMT1 remain unclear. In this study, we present a theoretical study on PRMT1 catalyzed arginine dimethylation by employing molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculation. Ternary complex models, composed of PRMT1, peptide substrate, and S-adenosyl-methionine (AdoMet) as cofactor, were constructed and verified by 30-ns MD simulation. The snapshots selected from the MD trajectory were applied for the QM/MM calculation. The typical S_N2-favored transition states of the first and second methyl transfers were identified from the potential energy profile. Deprotonation of substrate arginine occurs immediately after methyl transfer, and the carboxylate group of E144 acts as proton acceptor. Furthermore, natural bond orbital analysis and electrostatic potential calculation showed that E144 facilitates the charge redistribution during the reaction and reduces the energy barrier. In this study, we propose the detailed mechanism of PRMT1-catalyzed asymmetric dimethylation, which increases insight on the small-molecule effectors design, and enables further investigations into the physiological function of this family.     

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Ameliorates Anxiety-Like Behavior and Impaired Sensorimotor Gating in a Rat Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

BackgroundRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been employed for decades as a non-pharmacologic treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although a link has been suggested between PTSD and impaired sensorimotor gating (SG), studies assessing the effects of rTMS against PTSD or PTSD with impaired SG are scarce.AimTo assess the benefit of rTMS in a rat model of PTSD.MethodsUsing a modified single prolonged stress (SPS&S) rat model of PTSD, behavioral parameters were acquired using open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze test (EPMT), and prepulse inhibition trial (PPI), with or without 7 days of high frequency (10Hz) rTMS treatment of SPS&S rats.ResultsAnxiety-like behavior, impaired SG and increased plasma level of cortisol were observed in SPS&S animals after stress for a prolonged time. Interestingly, rTMS administered immediately after stress prevented those impairment.ConclusionStress-induced anxiety-like behavior, increased plasma level of cortisol and impaired PPI occur after stress and high-frequency rTMS has the potential to ameliorate this behavior, suggesting that high frequency rTMS should be further evaluated for its use as a method for preventing PTSD.     

Sonic hedgehog signaling regulates Gli3 processing, mesenchymal proliferation, and differentiation during mouse lung organogenesis

Lack of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, mediated by the Gli proteins, leads to severe pulmonary hypoplasia. However, the precise role of Gli genes in lung development is not well established. We show Shh signaling prevents Gli3 proteolysis to generate its repressor forms (Gli3R) in the developing murine lung. In Shh(-/-) or cyclopamine-treated wild-type (WT) lung, we found that Gli3R level is elevated, and this upregulation appears to contribute to defects in proliferation and differentiation observed in the Shh(-/-) mesenchyme, where Gli3 is normally expressed. In agreement, we found Shh(-/-);Gli3(-/-) lungs exhibit enhanced growth potential. Vasculogenesis is also enhanced; in contrast, bronchial myogenesis remains absent in Shh(-/-);Gli3(-/-) compared with Shh(-/-) lungs. Genes upregulated in Shh(-/-);Gli3(-/-) relative to Shh(-/-) lung include Wnt2 and, surprisingly, Foxf1 whose expression has been reported to be Shh-dependent. Cyclins D1, D2, and D3 antibody labelings also reveal distinct expression patterns in the normal and mutant lungs. We found significant repression of Tbx2 and Tbx3, both linked to inhibition of cellular senescence, in Shh(-/-) and partial derepression in Shh(-/-); Gli3(-/-) lungs, while Tbx4 and Tbx5 expressions are less affected in the mutants. Our findings shed light on the role of Shh signaling on Gli3 processing in lung growth and differentiation by regulating several critical genes.     

新疆伊犁河不同河段鱼类的物种多样性和优势种

为了了解伊犁河鱼类群落结构和多样性特征, 于2012—2014年连续3年对我国境内新疆伊犁河上、中和下游不同河段进行鱼类资源调查。获得27种鱼类样本, 隶属于6目9科23属。伊犁河中、上游河段主要以斯氏高原鳅、新疆裸重唇鱼、新疆高原鳅和伊犁裂腹鱼等土著鱼类为优势种, 下游河段的优势种主要有鲤、草鱼和鲫等外来种。伊犁河中、上游河段鱼类种类稀少, 大中型鱼类资源稀少, 鱼类群落多样性低。梯级水电站的开发、过度捕捞以及外来种入侵对伊犁河鱼类鱼类群落造成了很大的影响。     

Na+K+-ATP酶抑制引起的细胞凋亡和杂合性细胞死亡

Na^ -K^ -ATP酶也称Na^ 泵或Na^ -K^ 泵,是哺乳类细胞膜进行离子转运的跨膜载体蛋白。其基本作用是维持细胞膜内外Na^ -K^ 电化学梯度的平衡。近来研究表明,Na^ -K^ -ATP酶在细胞死亡中起重要作用,细胞K 缺失导致凋亡,在某些类型的细胞中,同一细胞兼具细胞肿胀、细胞器溶解等坏死特征和染色质凝集、DNA梯带、caspase级联反应等凋亡特征,呈现一种特殊的细胞死亡形式,即杂合性细胞死亡。