力复霉素前体甲基丙二酰CoA合成途径的研究

力复霉素合成的碳前体之一(2R)—甲基丙二酰CoA至少可以有三条酶学合成途径。三条途径中的关键酶分别为甲基丙二酰CoA转羧基酶、丙二酰CoA羧化酶、甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶和甲基丙二酰CoA消旋酶。通过比较各个酶活性的时间进程和力复霉素合成时间的相关性,以及各个酶的底物亲合力,对它们在地中海拟无枝酸菌(Amycolatopsis mediterranei)甲基丙二酰CoA合成中的贡献作了排序,发现甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶途径是主要负责酶系。但是各个途径的贡献排序并不是固定不变的,能受到环境因素的调控,丙酸盐的加入将抑制甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶活力,而使得甲基丙二酰CoA转羧基酶成为主要酶系。甲基丙二酰CoA合成途径的多样性有助于细胞对环境变化的灵活反应。此外,对各个酶的调控特性也进行了研究。     

Biodegradation of the mixtures of 4-chlorophenol and phenol by Comamonas testosteroni CPW301

A 4-chlorophenol (4-CP)-degrading bacterium, strain CPW301, was isolated from soil and identified as Comamonas testosteroni. This strain dechlorinated and degraded 4-CP via a meta-cleavage pathway. CPW301 could also utilize phenol as a carbon and energy source without the accumulation of any metabolites via the same meta-cleavage pathway. When phenol was added as a additional substrate, CPW301 could degrade 4-CP and phenol simultaneously. The addition of phenol greatly accelerated the degradation of 4-CP due to the increased cell mass. The simultaneous degradation of the 4-CP and phenol is useful not only for enhanced cell growth but also for the bioremediation of both compounds, which are normally present in hazardous waste sites as a mixture.     

表达HSV－2 gD基因的重组痘苗病毒保护小鼠对抗致死量HSV病霉攻击

利用ＰＣＲ方法对单纯疱疹病毒Ⅱ型糖蛋白Ｄ（ＨＳＶ－２ｇＤ）基因进行了修饰,在其５＇端删去约５００ｂｐ的非编码区,仅保留ＡＴＧ上游７个ｂｐ。将修饰后的ＨＳＶ－２ｇＤ基因插入到带有痘苗病毒天坛株ＴＫ基因区段的痘苗表达质粒ｐＪＳＡ１１７５,置于痘苗病毒Ｐ７．５ｋ早／晚期启动子控制下。将此重组质粒用脂质体Ｌｉｐｏｆｅｃｔｉｎ方法转染已受野型ＴＫ￣＋痘苗病毒天坛株感染的ＴＫ￣－１４３细胞,通过同源重组机制和标志基因ＬａｃＺ产物的蓝斑显色作用,以及ＢｕｄＲ试剂对ＴＫ表型的选择压力,筛选出整合有ＨＳＶ－２ｇＤ基因的重组痘苗病毒。Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｍ杂交表明,ＨＳＶ－２ｇＤ基因已正确地插入痘苗病毒ＴＫ基因区内;间接免疫荧光检测显示,ＨＳＶ－２ｇＤ蛋白已得到有效表达,且主要分布于细胞膜。重组病毒免疫家兔可产生明显的抗ＨＳＶ－２ｇＤ中和抗体。用重组病毒免疫小鼠,３周后可使９４％（１７／１８）的小鼠对抗ＨＳＶ－２的致死量攻击,表明重组病毒具有明显的免疫保护作用。     

Factors affecting gene delivery by particle bombardment ofDendrobium orchids

Summary Five parameters were examined for their effect on transformation ofDendrobium tissues by microprojectile bombardment. The superpromoter in pBI426 produced at least 1.5 times as many transient transformants as the single cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter in pBI121 (37 to 69% vs. 0 to 44%) with dark and frequent GUS (β-glucuronidase) staining. Tissue, genotype, and type of microparticle significantly affected transient GUS activity. Higher expression was seen in protocormlike bodies and in hybrid UH44 compared to etiolated shoots and protocorms and to hybrids M61 and K1329-39. Microparticles of 1.6-μm Bio-Rad gold were more effective than 1.0-μm ASI gold. Transient GUS activity did not differ among protocormlike bodies bombarded using helium propellant pressures of 650, 900, or 1100 psi. Transgenic plants were recovered fromDendrobium UH800 protocormlike bodies bombarded with pBI426-coated, 1.1-μm tungsten particles using an early-model gunpowder-driven apparatus with an estimated stable transformation rate of 11.7%. One transgenic plant ofDendrobium UH44 was recovered from etiolated shoot explants bombarded with pBI121-coated, 1.1-μm tungsten particles using the Dupont PDS-1000 with a stable transformation rate of 0.17%. Positive selection results showed 100 to 200 mg·liter⁻¹ kanamycin to be appropriate for regeneration of transgenic plants from protocormlike bodies, protocorms, and etiolated shoot explants over a 3- to 9.5-mo. period.     

Comparative biochemical studies of carotenoids in sea urchins—III. Relationship between developmental mode and carotenoids in the Australian echinoids Heliocidaris erythrogramma and H. tuberculata and a comparison with Japanese species

The sea urchin Heliocidaris tuberculata is typical of most echinoids in having a small egg and a feeding larva, while H. erythrogramma has a large egg and modified development through a non-feeding larvae. The carotenoids in the gonads of these two species were investigated from the comparative biochemical points of view. The carotenoid content of the buoyant eggs of H. erythrogramma was approximately 60 times that of the negatively-buoyant eggs of H. tuberculata. With respect to cytoplasmic volume, however, the carotenoid concentration in the eggs of H. tuberculata was approximately twice that in the eggs of H. erythrogramma. In both species β-echinenone was the principal carotenoid found and their carotenoid patterns were similar. It is very interesting from a functional point of view that carotenoid levels per cytoplasmic volume are conserved across most of the species we have examined irrespective of phylogeny and egg size. In light of this result we suggest that carotenoids may play an important role in developing stage in all echinoids including indirect and direct developers.     

The biotechnology and applications of antibody engineering

The exquisite specificity of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) has long provided the potential for creating new reagents for the in vivo delivery of therapeutic drugs or toxins to defined cellular target sites or improved methods of diagnosis. However, many difficulties associated with their production, affinity, specificity, and use in vivo have largely confined their application to research or in vitro diagnostics. This situation is beginning to change with the recent developments in the applied molecular techniques that allow the engineering of the genes that encode antibodies rather than the manipulation of the intact antibodies themselves. Techniques, such as the polymerase chain reaction, have provided essential methods with which to generate and modify the genetic constituents of antibodies, allow their conjugation to toxins or drugs, provide ways of humanizing murine antibodies, and allow discrete modular antigen binding components to be produced. More recent developments of in vitro expression systems and powerful phage surface display technologies will without doubt play a major role in future antibody engineering and in the successful development of new diagnostic and therapeutic antibody-based reagents.     

Changes in basin geomorphology after implementation of the Oosterschelde estuary project

The completion in 1986/87 of an open storm-surge barrier in the inlet and of secondary dams in the landward parts of the Oosterschelde tidal basin (SW Netherlands) has had and will continue to have a significant impact on geomorphological developments. An analysis of historic data, and of recent detailed bathymetric and morphodynamic process data, indicates that former trends have reversed. At present the Oosterschelde is a sedimentation basin with a degrading intertidal area and silting up of channels. The continuing reduction in intertidal area, the decreasing geomorphological gradients, the increasing fine sediment content of channel deposits, combined with a general reduction in hydrodynamics, imply significant ecological effects.     

Analysis of the distribution and phosphorylation state of ZO-1 in MDCK and nonepithelial cells

We have examined the distribution and extent of phosphorylation of the tight junction-associated protein ZO-1 in the epithelial MDCK cell line, and in three cell types that do not form tight junctions: S180 (sarcoma) cells, S180 cells transfected with E-cadherin (S180L), and primary cultures of astrocytes. In shortterm calcium chelation experiments on MDCK cells, removal of extracellular calcium caused cells to pull apart. However, ZO-1 remained concentrated at the plasma membrane and no change in ZO-1 phosphorylation was observed. Maintenance of MDCK cells in low calcium medium, conditions where no tight junctions are found, resulted in altered ZO-1 distribution and lower total phosphorylation of the protein. In S180 cells, ZO-1 was diffusely distributed along the entire cell surface, with concentration of the antigen in motile regions of the cell. Cell-cell contact was not a prerequisite for ZO-1 localization at the plasma membrane in this cell type, and the phosphate content of ZO-1 was found to be lower in S180 cells relative to MDCK cells. Expression of Ecadherin in S180L cells did not alter either the distribution or phosphorylation of ZO-1. In contrast to S180 cells, ZO-1 in primary cultures of astrocytes was concentrated at sites of cell-cell contact, and the phosphorylation state was the same as that in control MDCK cells. Comparison of one-dimensional proteolytic digests of ³²P-labeled ZO-1 revealed the phosphorylation of two peptides in control MDCK cells that was absent in both MDCK cells grown in low calcium and in S180 cells.We would like to thank Cheryl Richards for her help with the cell culture and immunohistochemistry; David Begg, Gary Firestone, Vik Maraj, Manijeh Pasdar and Colin Rasmussen for helpful discussions; Jaclyn Peebles and Greg Morrison for help with graphics and photography; and Grace Martin and Bob Campenot for rat tail collagen. We are grateful to all the members of our laboratories for their friendship, advice and support. This work was supported by an Establishment Award to B.R.S. from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and grants to B.R.S. from the Kidney Foundation of Canada and the Medical Research Council of Canada. A.H. is funded by a Studentship from the AHFMR. K.L.S. was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (DK-42799) to Gary L. Firestone. B.R.S. is a Medical Research Council of Canada and AHFMR Scholar.     

Improving protein extraction yield in reversed micellar systems through surface charge engineering

The mechanism of extraction of rat cytochrome b(5) from water into a sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate (AOT) micellar organic phase was studied using protein engineering of surface charged residues. The extraction behavior of native cytochrome b(5) and modified proteins with substitutions of the type glutamic acid --> lysine at positions 44 (E44K), 56 (E56K), and 92 (E92K), was studied as a function of pH. The results indicate that an important mechanism of extraction is an electrostatic interaction of this protein with the negatively charged surfactant. We demonstrate that it is possible to improve extraction by engineering the protein surface charge, increasing the driving force responsible for the protein transfer to the micellar phase. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Predictions for oxygen supply control to enhance population stability of engineered production strains

The simultaneous growth and product formation in a microbial culture is an important feature of several laboratory, industrial, and environmental bioprocesses. Metabolic burden associated with product formation in these bioprocesses may lead to growth advantage of a nonproducing mutant leading to a loss of the producing population over time. A simple population dynamics model demonstrates the extreme sensitivity of population stability to the engineered productivity of a strain. Here we use flux balance analysis to estimate the effects of the metabolic burden associated with product secretion on optimal growth rates. Comparing the optimal growth rates of the producing and nonproducing strains under a given processing condition allows us to predict the population stability. In order to increase stability of an engineered strain, we determine processing conditions that simultaneously maximize the growth rate of the producing population while minimizing the growth rate of a nonproducing population. Using valine, tryptophan, and lysine production as specific examples, we demonstrate that although an appropriate choice of oxygenation may increase culture longevity more than twofold, total production as governed by economic criterion can be increased by several orders of magnitude. Choice of optimal nutrient and oxygen supply rates to enhance stability is important both for strain screening as well as for culture of engineered strains. Appropriate design of the culture environment can thus be used to enhance the productivity of bioprocesses that use engineered production strains. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.