SO_2对胸主动脉血管平滑肌细胞钾离子通道的影响

为了探讨二氧化硫(SO2)引起大鼠血管平滑肌的降压机制,采用急性酶分离法分离大鼠单个血管平滑肌细胞,运用全细胞膜片钳技术记录平滑肌细胞外向钾电流(IKv),观察SO2及其衍生物对平滑肌细胞膜钾电流的作用,从离子通道角度研究SO2对血压的影响。结果发现:SO2衍生物可使外向IKv显著增大,10μmol/L SO2衍生物可使电流-电压曲线(I-V曲线)显著上移,即增大IKv,且呈一定的电压依赖性,并且,SO2衍生物可使IKv增大呈现出剂量-效应关系。当使用5 mmol/L 4-氨基吡啶(4-AP)抑制IKv后,加入10μmol/L SO2衍生物,IKv有一定程度增加。TEA能抑制SO2衍生物对IKv的增大效应。10μmol/L SO2衍生物可使IKv的激活曲线显著向超极化方向移动,但并不影响其斜率因子。说明SO2衍生物作用于血管平滑肌细胞,可引起外向钾电流幅度增大,使钾电流提前激活,这是SO2及其衍生物降压的作用机制之一;TEA、4-AP对SO2衍生物引起的血管平滑肌细胞钾电流的增大具有拮抗作用。     

低能离子束生物技术的应用

自从我国科学家发现离子注入生物学效应后,低能离子束生物技术的研究就在我国率先兴起。随后,越来越多的科学家基于低能离子与生物体之间存在的能量沉积、动量传递、质量沉积及电荷中和与交换的相互作用,对生物体内的遗传物质进行加工、修饰、重组,开辟了农作物和微生物等遗传改良及转基因的新方法。本文简要介绍了低能离子束生物技术产生的背景、低能离子束与生物体之间相互作用的机理和特点以及目前低能离子束在诱变育种和转基因等生物技术领域的研究进展,并展望了离子束技术在藻类基因工程方面的发展潜力。     

High-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels; Structure,pharmacology, and function

High-conductance calcium-activated potassium (maxi-K) channels comprise a specialized family of K⁺ channels. They are unique in their dual requirement for depolarization and Ca²⁺ binding for transition to the open, or conducting, state. Ion conduction through maxi-K channels is blocked by a family of venom-derived peptides, such as charybdotoxin and iberiotoxin. These peptides have been used to study function and structure of maxi-K channels, to identify novel channel modulators, and to follow the purification of functional maxi-K channels from smooth muscle. The channel consists of two dissimilar subunits, and . The subunit is a member of theslo Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel gene family and forms the ion conduction pore. The subunit is a structurally unique, membrane-spanning protein that contributes to channel gating and pharmacology. Potent, selective maxi-K channel effectors (both agonists and blockers) of low molecular weight have been identified from natural product sources. These agents, together with peptidyl inhibitors and site-directed antibodies raised against and subunit sequences, can be used to anatomically map maxi-K channel expression, and to study the physiologic role of maxi-K channels in various tissues. One goal of such investigations is to determine whether maxi-K channels represent novel therapeutic targets.     

Activation and conductance properties of ryanodine-sensitive calcium channels from brain microsomal membranes incorporated into planar lipid bilayers

Summary Rat brain microsomal membranes were found to contain high-affinity binding sites for the alkaloid ryanodine (k _d 3nm.B _max 0.6 pmol per mg protein). Exposure of planar lipid bilayers to microsomal membrane vesicles resulted in the incorporation, apparently by bilayer-vesicle fusion, of at least two types of ion channel. These were selective for Cl^– and Ca²⁺, respectively. The reconstituted Ca²⁺ channels were functionally modified by 1 m ryanodine, which induced a nearly permanently open subconductance state. Unmodified Ca²⁺ channels had a slope conductance of almost 100 pS in 54mm CaHEPES and a Ca²⁺/TRIS⁺ permeability ratio of 11.0. They also conducted other divalent cations (Ba²⁺>Ca²⁺>Sr²⁺>Mg²⁺) and were markedly activated by ATP and its nonhydrolysable derivative AMPPCP (1mm). Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (1–10 m) partially activated the same channels by increasing their opening rate. Brain microsomes therefore contain ryanodine-sensitive Ca²⁺ channels, sharing some of the characteristics of Ca²⁺ channels from striated but not smooth muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. Evidence is presented to suggest they were incorporated into bilayers following the fusion of endoplasmic reticulum membrane vesicles, and their sensitivity to inositol trisphosphate may be consistent with a role in Ca²⁺ release from internal membrane stores.     

离子注入麦角甾醇酵母选育及发酵工艺

通过离子注入诱变筛选到产麦角甾醇酵母高产菌,得率较出发菌提高55％～60％。对高产菌进行发酵条件优化,发现其对发酵通氧量有更高的要求,培养基中添加10％的糖或0．1％的Ca（NO3）2对麦角甾醇发酵有明显促进作用。     

毛乌素沙地油蒿群落的循环演替

流动沙地→半流动沙地白沙蒿群落→半固定沙地油蒿＋白沙蒿群落→固定沙地油蒿群落→固定沙地油蒿＋本氏针茅＋苔藓群落→地带性的本氏针茅草原及其迅速沙化的植被发展过程是毛乌素沙地植被自发演替的基本过程。油蒿具有耐沙埋、抗风蚀、耐土壤贫瘠等特性,是该地区最主要的优良固沙植物和重要牧草。半固定、固定沙地池蒿群落在毛乌素沙地的生态环境保护和农牧业生产方面发挥着极其重要的作用,维持其稳定十分重要。然而,其沙化的现     

Compositionally Graded Cathode Material with Long‐Term Cycling Stability for Electric Vehicles Application

Al is introduced into a compositionally graded cathode with average composition of Li[Ni_0.61Co_0.12Mn_0.27]O₂ (FCG61) whose Ni and Mn concentrations are designed to vary continuously within the cathode particle. The Al‐substituted full concentration gradient (Al‐FCG61) cathode is tested for 3000 cycles in a full‐cell, mainly to gauge its viability for daily charge/discharge cycles during the service life of electric vehicles (≈10 years). The Al‐substitution enables the Al‐FCG61 cathode to maintain 84% of its initial capacity even after 3000 cycles. It is demonstrated that the Al‐substitution strengthens the grain boundaries, substantiated by the mechanical strength data, thereby delaying the nucleation of microcracks at the phase boundaries which is shown to be the main reason for the cathode failure during long‐term cycling. It also shows that the Al‐substitution decreases the cation mixing and suppresses the deleterious formation of the secondary phase that likely initiates the microcracks. Unlike an NCA cathode, whose depth of discharge (DOD) must be limited to 60% for long‐term cycling, the proposed Al‐FCG61 cathode is cycled at 100% DOD for 3000 cycles to fully utilize its available capacity for maximum energy density and subsequent reduction in cost of the battery.     

Exogenous Ca2+ Regulation of Pollen Tube Growth and Division of Generative Nucleus in Nicotiana tabacum

Cytological and statistical studies on the effects of exogenous Ca2 + on in vitro pollen tube growth and generative nucleus (GN) division of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. ) were conducted in an artificial experimental system. Under normal cultured conditions, the rate of GN division increased logarithmically in general, and reaches the climax at about 10 - 18 h. Among the treatments with various Ca2 + concentrations, 10- 3 mol/L was the optimal concentration for pollen tube growth, whereas other Ca2+ concentrations showed increasing inhibitory effect with the time of culture. Generally, Ca2 + concentrations at 10-2 and 10-3 mol/L favored GN division more than the others. Compared with 10-3 mol/L Ca2 + concentration at 10-2 mol/L benefitiated GN division at earlier stage of the treatment, but afterwards showed inhibitory effect gradually. Besides, the authors designed another series of experiments, in which 10-2, 10-1 mol/L Ca2+ (final concentrations) or 2,10 mmol/L EG-TA was respectively added to the medium containing 10-3 mol/L Ca2+ at 10 h of culture. Pollen tube growth was inhibited by the high Ca2+ treatments, especially being severely effected by 10-l mol/L Ca2 + from which wall, thickening of the tube tip, amitotic division of GN leading to micronucleus formation occurred. 10-2 mol/L Ca2 + treatment, however, promoted GN division at the earlier stage of treatment ( 10 - 12 h). EGTA treatments inhibited both pollen tube growth and GN division.     

Permeation of Ca2+ through K+ channels in the plasma membrane of Vicia faba guard cells

Summary The whole-cell patch-clamp method has been used to measure Ca²⁺ influx through otherwise K⁺-selective channels in the plasma membrane surrounding protoplasts from guard cells of Vicia faba. These channels are activated by membrane hyperpolarization. The resulting K⁺ influx contributes to the increase in guard cell turgor which causes stomatal opening during the regulation of leaf-air gas exchange. We find that after opening the K⁺ channels by hyperpolarization, depolarization of the membrane results in tail current at voltages where there is no electrochemical force to drive K⁺ inward through the channels. Tail current remains when the reversal potential for permeant ions other than Ca²⁺ is more negative than or equal to the K⁺ equilibrium potential (–47 mV), indicating that the current is due to Ca²⁺ influx through the K⁺ channels prior to their closure. Decreasing internal [Ca²⁺] (Ca _i ) from 200 to 2 nm or increasing the external [Ca²⁺] (Ca _o ) from 1 to 10 mm increases the amplitude of tail current and shifts the observed reversal potential to more positive values. Such increases in the electrochemical force driving Ca²⁺ influx also decrease the amplitude of time-activated current, indicating that Ca²⁺ permeation is slower than K⁺ permeation, and so causes a partial block. Increasing Ca _o also (i) causes a positive shift in the voltage dependence of current, presumably by decreasing the membrane surface potential, and (ii) results in a U-shaped current-voltage relationship with peak inward current ca. –160 mV, indicating that the Ca^2– block is voltage dependent and suggesting that the cation binding site is within the electric field of the membrane. K⁺ channels in Zea mays guard cells also appear to have a Ca _i -, and Ca _o -dependent ability to mediate Ca²⁺ influx. We suggest that the inwardly rectiying K⁺ channels are part of a regulatory mechanism for Ca _i . Changes in Ca _o and (associated) changes in Ca _i regulate a variety of intracellular processes and ion fluxes, including the K⁺ and anion fluxes associated with stomatal aperture change.This work was supported by grants to S.M.A. from NSF (DCB-8904041) and from the McKnight Foundation. K.F.-G. is a Charles Gilbert Heydon Travelling Fellow. The authors thank Dr. R. MacKinnon (Harvard Medical School) and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments.     

Molecular Cloning of a Putative Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channel cDNA from Limulus polyphemus

Abstract : Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels have been proposed to mediate the electrical response to light in the ventral photoreceptor cells of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus . However, a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel has not been identified from Limulus . We have cloned a putative full-length cyclic nucleotide-gated channel cDNA by screening cDNA libraries constructed from Limulus brain using a probe developed from Limulus ventral eye nerves. The putative full-length cDNA was derived from two overlapping partial cDNA clones. The open reading frame encodes 905 amino acids ; the sequence shows 44% identity to that of the α subunit of the bovine rod cyclic GMP-gated channel over the region containing the transmembrane domains and the cyclic nucleotide binding domain. This Limulus channel has a novel C-terminal region of ~200 amino acids, containing three putative Src homology domain 3 binding motifs and a putative coiled-coil domain. The possibility that this cloned channel is the same as that detected previously in excised patches from the photoreceptive membrane of Limulus ventral photoreceptors is discussed in terms of its sequence and its expression in the ventral eye nerves.