干旱胁迫下拟南芥磷脂酶Dδ与一氧化氮在种子萌发中的信号关系

以拟南芥野生型（WT）、一氧化氮合酶（NOS）缺失型突变体（noa1）、硝酸还原酶（NR）缺失型突变体（nia1,nia2）及磷脂酶Dδ（PLDδ）缺失型突变体（pldδ）幼苗为材料,研究了0.3 mol·L^-1甘露醇模拟干旱胁迫响应过程中PLDδ和一氧化氮（NO）之间的信号转导关系。结果显示：干旱胁迫下NO含量,PLD和NR活性及基因相对表达量显著升高,pldδ和nia2较其他突变体对干旱胁迫更敏感;外源添加NO供体硝普钠（SNP）可以提高干旱胁迫下WT,nia2和pldδ的种子萌发,而外源添加磷脂酸（PA）可以促进WT和pldδ的种子萌发,但不能促进nia2的种子萌发;PA可以促进干旱胁迫下WT和pldδ的NO产生,但不能促进nia2中NO的产生。表明：干旱胁迫下PLDδ/PA位于NO信号的上游,且PLDδ/PA主要通过NR2途径产生的NO促进干旱胁迫下拟南芥的种子萌发。     

Monolayer autoxidation of arachidonic acid to epoxyeicosatrienoic acids as a model of their potential formation in cell membranes

In light of the importance of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) in mammalian pathophysiology, a nonenzymatic route that might form these monoepoxides in cells is of significant interest. In the late 1970s, a simple system of arranging linoleic acid molecules on a monolayer on silica was devised and shown to yield monoepoxides as the main autoxidation products. Here, we investigated this system with arachidonic acid and characterized the primary products. By the early stages of autoxidation (～10% conversion of arachidonic acid), the major products detected by LC-MS and HPLC-UV were the 14,15-, 11,12-, and 8,9-EETs, with the 5,6-EET mainly represented as the 5-δ-lactone-6-hydroxyeicosatrienoate as established by ¹H-NMR. The EETs were mainly the cis epoxides as expected, with minor trans configuration EETs among the products. ¹H-NMR analysis in four deuterated solvents helped clarify the epoxide configurations. EET formation in monolayers involves intermolecular reaction with a fatty acid peroxyl radical, producing the EET and leaving an incipient and more reactive alkoxyl radical, which in turn gives rise to epoxy-hydro(pero)xides and other polar products. The monolayer alignment of fatty acid molecules resembles the arrangements of fatty acids in cell membranes and, under conditions of lipid peroxidation, this intermolecular mechanism might contribute to EET formation in biological membranes.     

Chemical space screening around Phe3 in opioid peptides: Modulating µ versus δ agonism by Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings

In this study, affinities and activities of derivatized analogues of Dmt-dermorphin[1–4] (i.e. Dmt-d-Ala-Phe-GlyNH₂, Dmt?=?2′,6′-dimethyl-(S)-tyrosine) for the µ opioid receptor (MOP) and δ opioid receptor (DOP) were evaluated using radioligand binding studies, functional cell-based assays and isolated organ bath experiments. By means of solid-phase or solution-phase Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings, various substituted regioisomers of the phenylalanine moiety in position 3 of the sequence were prepared. An 18-membered library of opioid tetrapeptides was generated via screening of the chemical space around the Phe³ side chain. These substitutions modulated bioactivity, receptor subtype selectivity and highly effective ligands with subnanomolar binding affinities, contributed to higher functional activities and potent analgesic actions. In search of selective peptidic ligands, we show here that the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction is a versatile and robust tool which could also be deployed elsewhere.     

Apical membrane segregation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate influences parathyroid hormone 1 receptor compartmental signaling and localization via direct regulation of ezrin in LLC-PK1 cells

The parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R), a primary regulator of mineral ion homeostasis, is expressed on both the apical and basolateral membranes of kidney proximal tubules and in the LLC-PK1 kidney cell line. In LLC-PK1 cells, apical PTH1R subpopulations are far more effective at signaling via phospholipase (PLC) than basolateral counterparts, revealing the presence of compartmental signaling. Apical PTH1R localization is dependent upon direct interactions with ezrin, an actin-membrane cross-linking scaffold protein. Ezrin undergoes an activation process that is dependent upon phosphorylation and binding to phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), a lipid that is selectively concentrated to apical surfaces of polarized epithelia. Consistently, the intracellular probe for PIP2, GFP-PLCδ1-PH, localizes to the apical membranes of LLC-PK1 cells, directly overlapping ezrin and PTH1R expression. Activation of the apical PTH1R shifts the GFP-PLCδ1-PH probe from the apical membrane to the cytosol and basolateral membranes, reflecting domain-specific activation of PLC and hydrolysis of PIP2. This compartmental signaling is likely due to the polarized localization of PIP2, the substrate for PLC. PIP2 degradation using a membrane-directed phosphatase shifts ezrin localization to the cytosol and induces ezrin de-phosphorylation, processes consistent with inactivation. PIP2 degradation also shifts PTH1R expression from brush border microvilli to basolateral membranes and markedly blunts PTH-elicited activation of the MAPK pathway. Transient expression of ezrin in HEK293 cells shifts PTH1R expression from the plasma membrane to microvilli-like surface projections that also contain PIP2. As a result, ezrin enhances PTH mediated activation of the PLC pathway in this cell model with increasing total receptor surface expression. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the apical segregation of PIP2 to the apical domains not only promotes the activation of ezrin and the subsequent formation of the PTH1R containing scaffold, but also ensures the presence of ample substrate for propagating the PLC pathway.     

Molecular dynamics insights for PI3K-δ inhibition & structure guided identification of novel PI3K-δ inhibitors

Conjugated structure based and ligand based drug design techinques have been used previously to unearth putative binding ligands for kinase inhibition. PI3K-δ is a lipid kinase and it has been found abberant in diseases such as cancer,inflammation etc. Preliminarily, protein crystal structure analysis suggest avaibility of two crystal structures with varying degree of root mean square de throughtion in protein back bone and root mean square fluctuation in side chain geometry. Therefore, PI3K-δ crystal structure was selected based on charactristic reciever operating characterstic curve and % enrichment of actives analysis. Active site analysis through molecular dynamics simulations provided insights about four residues Ile910, Asp911, Met752, Lys755, which act as flap. These residues fecilitate ligand binding in a unique manner.Thereafter, a validated designed protocol has been used to screen asinex ligand database using molecular docking and binding energy calculations. Based on binding affinity & energy scores and interaction pattern analysis total top 50 ligands were selected for PI3K-δ inhibition studies. Moreover, two molecules ethyl 2-(2-((4-chloro-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonyl) oxy)acetamido) benzo[1]thiazole-6-carboxylate and 1,6,7-trimethyl-8-((tetrahydrofuran-2-yl) methyl)-1H-imidazo [1',2':1,5] pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine-2,4(3H,8H)-dione have been identified, which could be potential hits for PI3K-δ using insights provided by molecular modelling studies. The identified compunds were subjected to pan assay interference compound filter and were found to be compliant. Quantum mechanical calculations were perfromed for identified hits. The above strategy could be implemented as a strategy for rational drug design.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

磷脂酶Dδ对拟南芥叶片衰老过程中内源ROS和激素含量的影响

活性氧(ROS)和植物激素是植物衰老过程中重要的内在或者外在的调控因子.我们发现,相对于离体诱导的衰老过程,在脱落酸(ABA)和乙烯(ethylene)促进的衰老过程中有较多的活性氧积累;在对拟南芥磷脂酶Dδ (PLDδ)缺失型突变体的研究中发现,与野生型相比,突变体在衰老过程中产生较少的活性氧.我们比较了上述两种基因型的离体叶片在离体、ABA和ethylene三种衰老处理下内源的ABA、茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)、玉米素核苷(Zeatin Riboside,ZR)和吲哚乙酸(IAA)的含量变化,发现每一种激素对上述三种衰老处理的响应模式都很相似.在离体诱导的衰老中,两种基因型拟南芥的内源激素含量没有差异;而在ABA促进的衰老过程中,PLDδ缺失型突变体叶片中的MeJA的含量较低,ZR和IAA含量较高;在乙烯促进的衰老过程中,突变体中的ABA和MeJA的含量较低,ZR和IAA含量较高.上述内源激素的这种变化可能有助于延缓突变体的衰老.     

不同生境间红树科植物水分利用效率的比较研究

通过测定采自4个地区(海南、厦门、北海和西双版纳)的红树科6个属共9种植物,包括竹节树(Carallia brachiata)、锯叶竹节树(C. diphopetala)、山红树(Pellacalyx yunnanensis)、红树(Rhizophora apiculata)、红海榄(R. stylosa)、海莲(Bruguiera sexangula)、木榄(B. gymnorhiza)、秋茄(Kandelia candel)和角果木(Ceriops tagal)的叶片碳同位素比值(δ¹³C),比较了不同地区分布的红树科植物(尤其是内陆生长的和沿海生长的红树科植物之间)、同一地区分布不同种红树科植物间以及不同季节红树科植物δ¹³C值及其所反映的胞间CO₂浓度和水分利用效率的差异。研究结果表明,红树科植物叶片的δ¹³C变化在-32‰~-26‰之间,大部分种类在两个生长季之间(春季和秋季)没有明显的差异,而内陆和沿海分布的红树科植物有着显著不同的δ¹³C值,以海水中生长的红树科植物δ¹³C值较高。此外,在海水中生长的红树科植物以北海地区分布的为最高,而在厦门和海南之间则较少有显著性的差异。从所取得的结果来看,植物δ¹³C值之间的差异可能有遗传学的基础,但环境的影响也起很大的作用。     

Structural Insights into Yeast DNA Polymerase δ by Small Angle X-ray Scattering

DNA polymerase δ (Polδ) is a multisubunit polymerase that plays an indispensable role in replication from yeast to humans. Polδ from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is composed of three subunits: Pol3, Pol31, and Pol32. Despite the elucidation of the structures and models of the individual subunits (or portions, thereof), the nature of their assembly remains unclear. We present here a small-angle X-ray scattering analysis of a yeast Polδ complex (Polδ_T) composed of Pol3, Pol31, and Pol32N (amino acids 1-103 of Pol32). From the small angle X-ray scattering global parameters and reconstructed envelopes, we show that Polδ_T adopts an elongated conformation with a radius of gyration (R_g) of ∼ 52 Å and a maximal dimension of ∼ 190 Å. We also propose an orientation for the accessory Pol31-Pol32N subunits relative to the Pol3 catalytic core that best agrees with the experimental scattering profile. The analysis also points to significant conformational variability that may allow Polδ to better coordinate its action with other proteins at the replication fork.     

Discovery of a natural PI3Kδ inhibitor through virtual screening and biological assay study

Phosphoinositide-3-kinase-δ (PI3Kδ) is a key regulator in the process of IgE mediated mast cell degranulation, which directly induces allergic diseases, such as asthma. This study is aimed at discovery of natural PI3Kδ inhibitors from Chinese medicine and evaluating their anti-mast cell degranulation activity. A combined virtual screening based on 3D pharmacophore model and molecular docking was used to screen for bioactive ingredients directly targeting PI3Kδ. Then, an in vitro kinase inhibition assay was conducted to evaluate the PI3Kδ inhibitory activity of the virtual screening hits. Subsequently, a β-hexosaminidase release assay was performed to verify the anti-mast cell degranulation activity of the active compounds. Finally, ginkgoneolic acid was identified as a PI3Kδ inhibitor (IC₅₀?=?2.49?μM) and exhibited anti-mast cell degranulation activity in vitro (IC₅₀?=?2.40?μM). Docking studies showed that Glu826, Val827 and Val828 were key amino acid residues for PI3Kδ inhibitory activity. Ginkgoneolic acid may be a potential lead compound for developing effective and safe PI3Kδ-inhibiting drugs.     

Isolation and expression analysis of proline metabolism-related genes in Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium

Proline plays a significant role in plant resistance to abiotic stresses, and its level is determined by a combination of synthesis, catabolism and transport. The primary proteins involved are Δ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), proline dehydrogenase (PDH) and proline transporter (ProT). To utilise proline metabolism to improve the stress resistance of Chrysanthemum × morifolium, we isolated two P5CS-homologous genes (ClP5CS1 and ClP5CS2), one PDH gene (ClPDH) and four ProT-homologous genes (ClProT1-4) (GenBANK accession numbers: KF743136–KF743142) from Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium, which is closely related to chrysanthemums and exhibits strong resistance to stresses. Expression analysis of these genes in different organs and under various stresses indicated that ClP5CSs showed substantial constitutive expression, while ClPDH was only strongly expressed in the capitulum and was inhibited under most stresses. The expression patterns of four ClProT genes presented characteristics of organ specificity and disparity under stresses. Above all, the expression of ClProT2 was restricted to above-ground organs, especially strong in the capitulum and could be obviously induced by various stress conditions. Promoters of ClPDH and ClProTs contained many cis-acting regulatory elements involved in stress responses and plant growth and development. High levels of free proline were found in flower buds, the capitulum under the non-stress condition and later periods of stress conditions except cold treatment. Interestingly, organ specificity and disparity also exist in the level of free proline under different stress conditions. Our study indicates that ClProTs play significant roles in proline accumulation and stress responses, and that ClProT2 could be used to genetically modify the stress resistance of chrysanthemums. In addition, proline metabolism might be closely related to plant flowering and floral development.