One-dimensional lanthanide coordination polymers as promising luminescent materials

Four one-dimensional coordination polymers, [Ln(H₂O)₄(HTDA)(H₂TDA)] · H₂O [Ln = Sm (1) and Eu (2)]; (H₃TDA = 1H-[1,2,3]-triazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid), [Ln(H₂O)₄(HTDA)] · (H₂TDA) · H₂O [Ln = Tb (3) and Dy (4)] were prepared and characterized by IR, elemental analysis, PXRD and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The powder and single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies of 1-4 reveal that all compounds are one-dimensional zigzag chain structures. Luminescent studies reveal that they are potential luminescent materials. Moreover, in solution, the emission intensity of 2 increases upon the addition of Ca²⁺ ions, while introduction of other metal ions leads to either unchanged or decreased intensity, which indicates that 2 may be applied as a promising Ca²⁺-ion-selective luminescent probe. The basic magnetic properties of 1-4 were also studied.     

Regulation of convergence and extension movements during vertebrate gastrulation by the Wnt/PCP pathway

Vertebrate gastrulation entails massive cell movements that establish and shape the germ layers. During gastrulation, the individual cell behaviors are strictly coordinated in time and space by various signaling pathways. These pathways instruct the cells about proliferation, shape, fate and migration into proper location. Convergence and extension (C&E) movements during vertebrate gastrulation play a major role in the shaping of the embryonic body. In vertebrates, the Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (Wnt/PCP) pathway is a key regulator of C&E movements, essential for several polarized cell behaviors, including directed cell migration, and mediolateral and radial cell intercalation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the acquisition of Planar Cell Polarity by highly dynamic mesenchymal cells engaged in C&E are still not well understood. Here we review new evidence implicating the Wnt/PCP pathway in specific cell behaviors required for C&E during zebrafish gastrulation, in comparison to other vertebrates. We also discuss findings on the molecular regulation and the interaction of the Wnt/PCP pathway with other signaling pathways during gastrulation movements.     

Antioxidative defense and proline/phytochelatin accumulation in a newly discovered Cd-hyperaccumulator, Solanum nigrum L.

Changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), chlorophyll, free proline and phytochelatins (PCs) in Solanum nigrum, the newly discovered Cd-hyperaccumulator were examined and compared with a non-hyperaccumulator Solanum melongena. It was indicated that leaf SOD and POD activity of S. nigrum was significantly higher than that of S. melongena. The Cd treatments significantly increased root SOD activity, leaf POD activity, and CAT activity and free proline content in the leaves and roots of S. nigrum. On the contrary, the Cd treatments decreased SOD activity, and did not change CAT activity in the leaves and roots of S. melongena. Moreover, there were no significant differences in free proline levels in the roots of S. melongena. These results validated that S. nigrum had a greater capacity than S. melongena to adapt to oxidative stress caused by Cd and free proline accumulation might be responsible for the tolerance of S. nigrum to Cd. Treated with 10 μg Cd g⁻¹, growth of S. nigrum and its contents of chlorophyll and MDA were basically unaffected. In contrast, there were a decrease in the growth and chlorophyll content, and an increase in MDA in the roots of S. melongena. Although lipid peroxidation was promoted in both the hyperaccumulator and non-hyperaccumulator by high Cd stress, the greater increase took place in the tissues of S. melongena. The PCs level in roots of S. nigrum was significantly lower than that of S. melongena. On the contrary, the content of leaf PCs was much higher in S. nigrum than that in S. melongena. These results further suggested that antioxidative defense in the Cd-hyperaccumulator might play an important role in Cd tolerance, and PCs synthesis is not the primary reason for Cd tolerance although PCs in S. nigrum increased significantly by Cd.     

Characterization of melanin produced by a wild-type strain of Bacillus cereus

Bacillus cereus 58 (Bc58) is a UV-resistant wild type strain that has an ability to produce a sorrel pigment induced by L-tyrosine. The Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and chemical tests of its pigment are similar to that of the standard melanin (Sigma). A bioassay shows that the LC₅₀ of a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulation added with the melanin of Bc58 and exposed to UV for 5 h is 16.1 μg/ml, which is similar to that of the Bt formulation without UV treatment, however, it is almost double that of the Bt formulation exposed to UV without the melanin of Bc58. The result of SDS-PAGE indicates that the melanin of Bc58 can protect the insecticidal crystal proteins from degradation. This suggests that it is an excellent UV protective agent for the insecticidal crystal proteins of the Bt formulation. Translated from Microbiology, 2006, 33(1): 42–45 [译自: 微生物学通报]     

Molecular imprinted polymer with cloned bacterial protein template enriches authentic target in cell extract

Here we describe a new method for preparing a protein-imprinted polymer with a cloned bacterial protein template, which recognizes/adsorbs authentic target protein present at a relatively low level in cell extract. In this work, cloned pig cyclophilin 18 (pCyP18) was used as a template. The template protein was selectively assembled with memory molecules from their library, which consists of numerous limited length polymer chains with randomly distributed recognition sites and immobilizing sites. These assemblies of protein and memory molecules were adsorbed by porous polymeric beads and immobilized by cross-linking polymerization. After removing the template, binding sites that were complementary to the target protein in size, shape and the position of recognition groups were exposed, and their confirmation was preserved by the cross-linked structure. The synthesized imprinted polymer was used to adsorb authentic pCyP18 from cell extract, and its proportional content was enriched 300 times.     

非磷酸化肌球蛋白在血小板衍生生长因子诱导的血管平滑肌细胞迁移中的作用

为了阐明非磷酸化肌球蛋白在平滑肌细胞迁移中的作用,研究探讨了非磷酸化肌球蛋白是否介导了血小板衍生生长因子(PDGF)诱导豚鼠脑基底动脉平滑肌细胞(GbaSM-4)的迁移。研究结果显示,20ng/ml以下剂量的PDGF可诱导GbaSM-4细胞发生迁移,此时肌球蛋白轻链(MLC20)磷酸化水平无变化。该迁移作用可被肌球蛋白特异性抑制剂blebbistatin所拮抗。应用RNA干扰技术抑制肌球蛋白轻链激酶表达,经免疫印迹检测经果显示,MLC20的磷酸化水平发生了显著下降;但对PDGF诱导的迁移作用无影响;在RNA干扰后blebbistatin也可抑制其迁移作用。体外ATP酶活性测定结果显示,blebbistatin对从平滑肌中提取的非磷酸化肌球蛋白的ATP酶活性有明显的抑制作用,其主要作用位点位于肌球蛋白头的头部S1。上述结果提示,非磷酸化的肌球蛋白参与了PDGF诱导的平滑肌细胞迁移。     

刺槐幼苗根茎过渡区初生维管组织的观察

对不同苗龄(1-12d)的刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)幼苗进行观察,比较了其初生维管组织的发育变化。结果表明:根中的初生维管组织借助下胚轴过渡到子叶中,而茎中的初生维管组织与下胚轴中的维管组织仅是简单的连接。这与Esau等认为幼苗的外部形态可以分为根-下胚轴-子叶和上胚轴苗两个系统的观点是一致的。本研究亦证实了可以将刺槐幼苗的外部形态描述为这两个系统,二者的维管组织只是简单的连接,不存在过渡。     

AtSARK互作蛋白的筛选与鉴定

植物LRR型类受体蛋白激酶在植物生命活动中发挥着重要作用。前期研究发现了一个通过生长素和乙烯的协同作用参与拟南芥叶片衰老过程正调控的类受体蛋白激酶, AtSARK。为深入研究 AtSARK 蛋白的作用机制, 文章采用酵母双杂交系统, 以AtSARK胞内域（AtSARK-CD）为诱饵蛋白, 对拟南芥均一化cDNA文库进行筛选, 得到83个AtSARK的候选互作组分, 经过复筛, 初步发现AtSARK的互作组分包括14-3-3蛋白、FKBP-型肽脯氨酰顺反异构酶、醛缩酶超家族成员、RING/U-box 超家族成员以及WRKY转录因子家族成员。我们对其中一个功能未知的醛缩酶家族基因AtFBA5 （AT4G26530）的表达模式进行了分析, 并用GST pulldown实验证实了AtSARK-CD与 AtFBA5间存在直接的相互作用。At-SARK互作组分的文库筛选及AtFBA5的分离有利于进一步研究 AtSARK 基因在衰老信号通路中的作用机制。     

CaM BP－10对NAD激酶的抑制效应

ＮＡＤ激酶在光合作用等植物生理过程中起重要作用。ＮＡＤ激酶的激活依赖于钙离子和钙调素（ＣａｌｍＯｄｕｌｉｎ,ＣａＭ）．从植物中分离得到的一种新的ＣａＭ结合蛋白ＣａＭＢＰ－１０（ＢＰ－１０）明显抑制ＮＡＤ激酶的激活活性,抑制作用可被ＣａＭ所克服．动力学研究表明,抑制效应是ＢＰ－１０与ＣａＭ之间特异性相互作用的结果。实验证实ＢＰ－１０对ＮＡＤ激酶活性起着重要调节作用．