The cDNA and genomic DNA organization of a novel toxin SHT-I from spider Ornithoctonus huwena

Spider venoms are complex mixtures of neurotoxicpeptides, proteins and low molecular mass organicmolecules. Their neurotoxic activity is due to the interac-tion of the venom components with cellular receptors, inparticular ion channels. Spider venoms have…     

鸬鹚雏鸟的生长发育

对青海省青海湖国家级自然保护区内鸬鹚（Phalacrocorax carbo)雏鸟的生长发育进行了观察和研究。结果表明,在发育过程中,鸬鹚雏鸟跗足迹和嘴峰的发育早于翅和尾;通过体长与其它各生长指标的相对生长指数的计算。得出跗足迹和翅长的生长比体长快,嘴峰和尾长的生长比体长慢,另外,根据各生长指标特性的变化,将整个生长期划分为0-9日龄,10-23日龄,24-33日龄和34-离巢出飞4个生长阶段。     

Current perspectives in pulmonary surfactant — Inhibition, enhancement and evaluation

Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is a complicated mixture of approximately 90% lipids and 10% proteins. It plays an important role in maintaining normal respiratory mechanics by reducing alveolar surface tension to near-zero values. Supplementing exogenous surfactant to newborns suffering from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), a leading cause of perinatal mortality, has completely altered neonatal care in industrialized countries. Surfactant therapy has also been applied to the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) but with only limited success. Biophysical studies suggest that surfactant inhibition is partially responsible for this unsatisfactory performance. This paper reviews the biophysical properties of functional and dysfunctional PS. The biophysical properties of PS are further limited to surface activity, i.e., properties related to highly dynamic and very low surface tensions. Three main perspectives are reviewed. (1) How does PS permit both rapid adsorption and the ability to reach very low surface tensions? (2) How is PS inactivated by different inhibitory substances and how can this inhibition be counteracted? A recent research focus of using water-soluble polymers as additives to enhance the surface activity of clinical PS and to overcome inhibition is extensively discussed. (3) Which in vivo, in situ, and in vitro methods are available for evaluating the surface activity of PS and what are their relative merits? A better understanding of the biophysical properties of functional and dysfunctional PS is important for the further development of surfactant therapy, especially for its potential application in ARDS.     

肝X受体α在泡沫细胞胆固醇流出中的调控作用

以THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞为研究对象,观察肝X受体α(LXRα)在THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞胆固醇流出中的调控作用.结果发现,22(R)-羟基胆固醇剂量依赖性增加THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞胆固醇流出, 而DIDS剂量依赖性减少THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞胆固醇流出.逆转录聚合酶链反应显示, 22(R)-羟基胆固醇可增加THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞LXRα mRNA的表达, DIDS可抑制THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞LXRα mRNA的表达.结果提示,LXRα在巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞胆固醇流出中起着重要的调控作用,这为开发和寻找抗动脉粥样硬化药物提供了新的思路.     

pcsk9 siRNA对oxLDL诱导的THP-1源性巨噬细胞凋亡的影响

为研究pcsk9基因沉默后对氧化型低密度脂蛋白(oxLDL)诱导THP-1源性巨噬细胞凋亡的影响,用不同浓度oxLDL 处理THP-1源性巨噬细胞48 h,Hoechst33258染色检测细胞凋亡,RT-PCR、Western blot分别检测pcsk9 mRNA、NARC-1蛋白的表达．应用Lipofectamine2000转染3对pcsk9 siRNAs进THP-1源性巨噬细胞中,筛选出最有效的siRNA再转染入THP-1源性巨噬细胞,24 h后加入oxLDL处理 48 h,Hoechst33258染色观察细胞评价细胞凋亡,流式细胞术计数检测细胞凋亡率．结果发现,75 mg/L oxLDL处理THP-1源性巨噬细胞48 h后,Hoechst33258染色可见大量凋亡细胞．同时RT-PCR、Western blot检测发现,pcsk9 mRNA和NARC-1蛋白质表达量均随oxLDL浓度的增加而增加,75 mg/L oxLDL组增加最明显．不同浓度siRNA转染THP-1源性巨噬细胞后,RT-PCR筛选出3对siRNAs的终浓度为80 nmol/L均可出现明显的沉默效应．选取此浓度在蛋白质水平检测基因抑制情况,筛选出最有效的一对siRNA．将筛选出来的siRNA转染细胞24 h后,再用oxLDL处理48 h,Hoechst33258染色及流式细胞计数结果显示,转染siRNA组凋亡明显被抑制．结果表明,在本研究的浓度范围内,随着oxLDL浓度增加pcsk9的表达随之增加,同时,THP-1源性巨噬细胞凋亡也明显增加,75 mg/L oxLDL最明显,pcsk9 mRNA和蛋白质的表达也在该浓度最高．提示pcsk9 siRNA能有效抑制pcsk9基因的表达,从而有效抑制由oxLDL诱导的THP-1源性巨噬细胞的凋亡．     

Identification of flavonoids as regulators of YbeY activity in Liberibacter asiaticus

Liberibacter asiaticus is the prevalent causative pathogen of Huanglongbing or citrus greening disease, which has resulted in a devastating crisis in the citrus industry. A thorough understanding of this pathogen's physiology and mechanisms to control cell survival is critical in the identification of therapeutic targets. YbeY is a highly conserved bacterial RNase that has been implicated in multiple roles. In this study, we evaluated the biochemical characteristics of the L. asiaticus YbeY (CLIBASIA_01560) and assessed its potential as a target for antimicrobials. YbeY_Las was characterized as an endoribonuclease with activity on 3′ and 5′ termini of 16S and 23S rRNAs, and the capacity to suppress the E. coli ΔybeY phenotype. We predicted the YbeY_Las protein:ligand interface and subsequently identified a flavone compound, luteolin, as a selective inhibitor. Site-directed mutagenesis was subsequently used to identify key residues involved in the catalytic activity of YbeY_Las. Further evaluation of naturally occurring flavonoids in citrus trees indicated that both flavones and flavonols had potent inhibitory effects on YbeY_Las. Luteolin was subsequently examined for efficacy against L. asiaticus in Huanglongbing-infected citrus trees, where a significant reduction in L. asiaticus gene expression was observed.     

Syntheses,structures, and magnetic properties of heterobimetallic complexes based on tetracyanometallic building blocks

Two tetracyanometalate building blocks, [Fe(5,5′-dmbipy)(CN)₄]^? (2) and [Fe(4,4′-dmbipy)(CN)₄]^? (3) (5,5′-dmbipy = 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine; 4,4′-dmbipy = 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine), and two cyano-bridged heterobimetallic complexes, [Cu₂(bpca)₂(H₂O)₂Fe₂(5,5′-dmbipy)₂(CN)₈] · 2[Cu(bpca)Fe(5,5′-dmbipy)(CN)₄] · 4H₂O (4) and [Cu(bpca)Fe(4,4′-dmbipy)(CN)₄]_n (5) (bpca = bis(2-pyridylcarbonyl)amidate), have been synthesized and structurally characterized. Complex 4 contains two dinuclear and one tetranuclear heterobimetallic clusters in an asymmetric unit whereas the structure of complex 5 features a one-dimensional heterobimetallic zigzag chain. The Cu(II) ion is penta-coordinated in the form of a distorted square-based pyramid. Magnetic studies show ferromagnetic coupling between Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions with g = 2.28, J₁ = 2.64 cm^?1, J₂ = 5.40 cm^?1 and TIP = ?2.36 × 10^?3 for complex 4, and g = 2.17, J = 4.82 cm^?1 and zJ′ = 0.029 cm^?1 for complex 5.     

Prestin's role in cochlear frequency tuning and transmission of mechanical responses to neural excitation

The remarkable power amplifier [1] of the cochlea boosts low-level and compresses high-level vibrations of the basilar membrane (BM) [2]. By contributing maximally at the characteristic frequency (CF) of each point along its length, the amplifier ensures the exquisite sensitivity, narrow frequency tuning, and enormous dynamic range of the mammalian cochlea. The motor protein prestin in the outer hair cell (OHC) lateral membrane is a prime candidate for the cochlear power amplifier [3]. The other contender for this role is the ubiquitous calcium-mediated motility of the hair cell stereocilia, which has been demonstrated in vitro and is based on fast adaptation of the mechanoelectrical transduction channels [4, 5]. Absence of prestin [6] from OHCs results in a 40-60 dB reduction in cochlear neural sensitivity [7]. Here we show that sound-evoked BM vibrations in the high-frequency region of prestin(-/-) mice cochleae are, surprisingly, as sensitive as those of their prestin(+/+) siblings. The BM vibrations of prestin(-/-) mice are, however, broadly tuned to a frequency approximately a half octave below the CF of prestin(+/+) mice at similar BM locations. The peak sensitivity of prestin(+/+) BM tuning curves matches the neural thresholds. In contrast, prestin(-/-) BM tuning curves at their best frequency are >50 dB more sensitive than the neural responses. We propose that the absence of prestin from OHCs, and consequent reduction in stiffness of the cochlea partition, changes the passive impedance of the BM at high frequencies, including the CF. We conclude that prestin influences the cochlear partition's dynamic properties that permit transmission of its vibrations into neural excitation. Prestin is crucial for defining sharp and sensitive cochlear frequency tuning by reducing the sensitivity of the low-frequency tail of the tuning curve, although this necessitates a cochlear amplifier to determine the narrowly tuned tip.     

Analysis of ammonia loss mechanisms in microbial fuel cells treating animal wastewater

Ammonia losses during swine wastewater treatment were examined using single- and two-chambered microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Ammonia removal was 60% over 5 days for a single-chamber MFC with the cathode exposed to air (air-cathode), versus 69% over 13 days from the anode chamber in a two-chamber MFC with a ferricyanide catholyte. In both types of systems, ammonia losses were accelerated with electricity generation. For the air-cathode system, our results suggest that nitrogen losses during electricity generation were increased due to ammonia volatilization with conversion of ammonium ion to the more volatile ammonia species as a result of an elevated pH near the cathode (where protons are consumed). This loss mechanism was supported by abiotic tests (applied voltage of 1.1 V). In a two-chamber MFC, nitrogen losses were primarily due to ammonium ion diffusion through the membrane connecting the anode and cathode chambers. This loss was higher with electricity generation as the rate of ammonium transport was increased by charge transfer across the membrane. Ammonia was not found to be used as a substrate for electricity generation, as intermittent ammonia injections did not produce power. The ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea was found on the cathode electrode of the single-chamber system, supporting evidence of biological nitrification, but anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were not detected by molecular analyses. It is concluded that ammonia losses from the anode chamber were driven primarily by physical-chemical factors that are increased with electricity generation, although some losses may occur through biological nitrification and denitrification.