The Orphan Nuclear Receptor NR4A1 Protects Pancreatic β-Cells from Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress-mediated Apoptosis

The role of NR4A1 in apoptosis is controversial. Pancreatic β-cells often face endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress under adverse conditions such as high free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations and sustained hyperglycemia. Severe ER stress results in β-cell apoptosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of NR4A1 in ER stress-mediated β-cell apoptosis and to characterize the related mechanisms. We confirmed that upon treatment with the ER stress inducers thapsigargin (TG) or palmitic acid (PA), the mRNA and protein levels of NR4A1 rapidly increased in both MIN6 cells and mouse islets. NR4A1 overexpression in MIN6 cells conferred resistance to cell loss induced by TG or PA, as assessed by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, and TUNEL assays indicated that NR4A1 overexpression also protected against ER stress-induced apoptosis. This conclusion was further confirmed by experiments exploiting siRNA to knockdown NR4A1 expression in MIN6 cells or exploiting NR4A1 knock-out mice. NR4A1 overexpression in MIN6 cells reduced C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression and Caspase3 activation induced by TG or PA. NR4A1 overexpression in MIN6 cells or mouse islets resulted in Survivin up-regulation. A critical regulatory element was identified in Survivin promoter (−1872 bp to −1866 bp) with a putative NR4A1 binding site; ChIP assays demonstrated that NR4A1 physically associates with the Survivin promoter. In conclusion, NR4A1 protects pancreatic β-cells against ER stress-mediated apoptosis by up-regulating Survivin expression and down-regulating CHOP expression, which we termed as “positive and negative regulation.”     

Altering the Divalent Metal Ion Preference of RNase E

RNase E is a major intracellular endoribonuclease in many bacteria and participates in most aspects of RNA processing and degradation. RNase E requires a divalent metal ion for its activity. We show that only Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ will support significant rates of activity in vitro against natural RNAs, with Mn²⁺ being preferred. Both Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ also support cleavage of an oligonucleotide substrate with similar kinetic parameters for both ions. Salts of Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ permitted low levels of activity, while Ca²⁺, Co³⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe²⁺ did not. A mutation to one of the residues known to chelate Mg²⁺, D346C, led to almost complete loss of activity dependent on Mg²⁺; however, the activity of the mutant enzyme was fully restored by the presence of Mn²⁺ with kinetic parameters fully equivalent to those of wild-type enzyme. A similar mutation to the other chelating residue, D303C, resulted in nearly full loss of activity regardless of metal ion. The properties of RNase E D346C enabled a test of the ionic requirements of RNase E in vivo. Plasmid shuffling experiments showed that both rneD303C (i.e., the rne gene encoding a D-to-C change at position 303) and rneD346C were inviable whether or not the selection medium was supplied with MnSO₄, implying that RNase E relies on Mg²⁺ exclusively in vivo.     

Investigation of dual-layer membrane cloaking method by surface plasmon resonance for direct chronoamperometric immunoassay of serum sample

A "dual-layer membrane cloaking" (DLMC) method was developed to construct disposable electrochemical immunosensor for direct determination of serum sample. Mouse IgG (MIgG) molecules were firstly immobilized on a substrate. After the formation of a didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) membrane on the MIgG modified substrate, an additional bovine serum albumin (BSA) thin layer was formed to build a BSA/DDAB dual-layer membrane (DLM). When alkaline phosphatase conjugated anti-mouse IgG antibodies (anti-MIgG-ALP) in human serum were incubated on the substrate, anti-MIgG-ALP was recognized specifically by the immobilized MIgG while all nonspecifically adsorbed proteins were selectively removed together with BSA/DDAB DLM by 5% Triton X-100 (v/v) before final measurements. The BSA/DDAB DLM was characterized and optimized by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique, and further employed in a disposable immunoassay based on an ITO chip. Under optimal conditions, MIgG in human serum was directly detected in the range of 2.0-18.0 ng mL(-1) without dilution or separation. A limit of detection as low as 0.922 ng mL(-1) (6.15 pM) was obtained. The proposed DLMC method can efficiently prevent the penetration of matrix proteins through single cloaking membrane and completely eliminate nonspecific adsorption. It has great potential in providing a versatile way for direct determination of serum sample with ultra-sensitivity.     

Impacts of changes in climate variability on regional vegetation in China: NDVI-based analysis from 1982 to 2000

Three methods were used to distinguish the characteristics of changes in climate variability and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) during the period from 1982 to 2000 in China. Great changes in climate variability and an increased trend in NDVI were observed. The changes in precipitation variability were greater than the changes in temperature variability in each month, which is attributed to changes in the monsoon system in East Asia. The abrupt changes in climate and NDVI were more significant in 1983 than in the other years due to the impacts of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Using these results, the influences of changes in climate variability on vegetation were studied in the whole nation, and eight regions were defined according to the vegetation division map of China. The results show that abrupt climate changes at a small scale cannot cause abrupt NDVI changes directly. At a nationwide level, over a longer time scale the persistence of above/below average temperature determines the changes in NDVI; at a shorter time scale, changes in the magnitude of precipitation influence NDVI significantly. Such regional climate variability affects vegetation in different ways owing to the diversity of vegetation types, climatic conditions and topography of the land.     

BAK1 is not a target of the Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrPto

Plant cell surface-localized receptor kinases such as FLS2, EFR, and CERK1 play a crucial role in detecting invading pathogenic bacteria. Upon stimulation by bacterium-derived ligands, FLS2 and EFR interact with BAK1, a receptor-like kinase, to activate immune responses. A number of Pseudomonas syringae effector proteins are known to block immune responses mediated by these receptors. Previous reports suggested that both FLS2 and BAK1 could be targeted by the P. syringae effector AvrPto to inhibit plant defenses. Here, we provide new evidence further supporting that FLS2 but not BAK1 is targeted by AvrPto in plants. The AvrPto-FLS2 interaction prevented the phosphorylation of BIK1, a downstream component of the FLS2 pathway.     

Development of a method for the purification and culture of rodent astrocytes

The inability to purify and culture astrocytes has long?hindered studies of their function. Whereas astrocyte progenitor cells can be cultured from neonatal brain, culture of mature astrocytes from postnatal brain has not been possible. Here, we report a new method to prospectively purify astrocytes by immunopanning. These astrocytes undergo apoptosis in culture, but vascular cells and HBEGF promote their survival in serum-free culture. We found that some developing astrocytes normally undergo apoptosis in?vivo and that the vast majority of astrocytes contact blood vessels, suggesting that?astrocytes are matched to blood vessels by competing for vascular-derived trophic factors such as HBEGF. Compared to traditional astrocyte cultures, the gene profiles of the cultured purified postnatal astrocytes much more closely resemble those of in?vivo astrocytes. Although these astrocytes strongly promote synapse formation and function, they do not secrete glutamate in response to stimulation.     

Mechanisms underlying host plant selection by Holcocerus hippophaecolus adults

We determined the mechanisms underlying host selection by adults of the seabuckthorn carpenterworm, Holcocerus hippophaecolus Hua, Chou, Fang et Chen. Four sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) subspecies (varieties) with different degrees of resistance to H. hippophaecolus were chosen for artificial insect infection in cages. The results showed that olfactory and visual cues are very important for the selection of host plants by H. hippophaecolus, but that olfactory stimuli play a more vital role in this process. The relative abundance of branches and leaves had no effect on the likelihood that adults landed on plants from four subspecies (varieties), but did influence landing rates within the same subspecies (varieties). When considering only the most resistant sea buckthorn subspecies (varieties), the presence of luxuriant branches and leaves led to lower landing rates. These results provide a theoretical basis for the understanding of H. hippophaecolus damage to sea buckthorn and the means to implement effective measures of control.     

Synthesis of purine-scaffold fluorescent probes for heat shock protein 90 with use in flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy

Fluorescent ligands for the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) were synthesized containing either fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), 4-nitrobenzo[1,2,5]oxadiazole (NBD) or the red shifted dye sulforhodamine 101 (Texas Red) conjugated to PU-H71. Two of the compounds, PU-H71-FITC2 (9) and PU-H71-NBD1 (8), were shown to be suitable for fluorescence-activated flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Thus these molecules serve as useful probes for studying Hsp90 in heterogeneous live cell populations.     

发酵性丝孢酵母HWZ004利用水稻秸秆水解液发酵产油脂

为高效利用水稻秸秆中的纤维素和半纤维素产油脂,采用稀酸预处理和酶水解两步法对水稻秸秆进行水解,然后以水解液为碳源,培养发酵性丝孢酵母Trichosporon fermentans HWZ004产微生物油脂。结果表明,经简单overliming法脱毒后水稻秸秆水解液中乙酸、糠醛和5-羟甲基糠醛的浓度分别为0.4 g/L、0.1 g/L和0.05 g/L。只需添加少量氮源和微量CuSO4?5H2O,该水解液即可满足T. fermentans HWZ004发酵产油脂的要求。发酵最适接种量、初始pH和温度分别是5.0％、7.0和25 ℃。T. fermentans HWZ004在优化条件下培养7 d的生物量、油脂含量和油脂产量分别是26.4 g/L,52.2％和13.8 g/L;油脂得率系数为17.0,大大高于驯化前菌株T. fermentans CICC 1368在脱毒水稻秸秆半纤维素水解液中的对应值 (11.9)。所产油脂的脂肪酸组成与植物油相似,不饱和脂肪酸含量达70％以上,宜作为生物柴油的生产原料。