HCV NS5A基因表达及其在血清学检测中的应用评估

人丙型肝炎病毒 (ＨＣＶ)感染可引起丙型肝炎、肝硬化和肝细胞癌[1] 。丙型肝炎病毒是单股正链ＲＮＡ病毒 ,基因组约长 9.5ｋｂ ,仅有一个开放阅读框 ,编码一个大的聚蛋白前体 ,由宿主蛋白酶和病毒编码的蛋白酶加工成多个成熟蛋白。非结构蛋白ＮＳ5Ａ分子量为 56ｋＤ/ 58ｋＤ。目前对ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白的功能尚不清楚 ,ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白可降低干扰素治疗效果[2 ] ;ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白含核定位序列 ,因此人们推测它在ＨＣＶＲＮＡ复制过程中可能起一定的作用[3～ 4 ] 。本研究在大肠杆菌中表达全长ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白 ,提纯后ＮＳ5Ａ蛋白能与大多数丙肝阳性血清起强烈…     

Influence of trace elements and nitrogen sources on versicolorin production by a mutant strain of Aspergillus parasiticus

A mutant strain of Aspergillus parasiticus blocked in aflatoxin biosynthesis accumulates versicolorin A and versicolorin C. The effect of trace elements on the growth and versicolorin production by this strain was studied in a defined medium. The omission of manganese was slightly stimulatory to versicolorin production; when zinc was omitted from the medium, no detectable versicolorins were produced. Experiments on nitrogen sources in a highsucrose medium indicated that fourfold to fivefold increases in versicolorin yields could be obtained by substituting 3 ml/l corn steep liquor or 0.1 M NH₄NO₃ for the 0.023 M (NH₄)₂SO₃ used previously as the nitrogen source in studies on versicolorin production by this strain. These improved yields will facilitate attempts to accumulate enough versicolorin A and versicolorin C for toxicity and carcinogenicity testing. Chromatographic profiles of mycelial extracts of cultures grown in a defined medium with 0.1 M NH₄NO₃ as the nitrogen source revealed 2 previously unrecognized compounds. The accumulation of these new metabolites in a mutant blocked in aflatoxin production may indicate that they are biosynthetically related to aflatoxin.     

Modification of blood group A antigen expression in a pancreatic cancer cell line (PC-1) by inhibitors of N-glycan processing.

Pancreatic adenocarcinomas induced in Syrian hamsters by treatment with N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl) amine express blood group A antigen, which is absent in normal pancreatic cells. On membrane glycoproteins purified from tumors, blood group A antigen has been found to be expressed on multiantennary Asn-linked complex glycans. In this study, we investigated the effect of inhibitors of Asn-glycan processing on blood group A antigen bearing glycan structures in a cell line (PC-1) established from a primary induced pancreatic cancer. Expression of blood group A antigen on cells and in membrane preparations was blocked by treatment with 1-deoxymannojirimycin, an inhibitor of mannosidase I, but was retained after treatment with swainsonine, an inhibitor of mannosidase II. However, swainsonine treatment altered the glycan structure associated with blood group A antigen from an endoglycosidase H resistant type to a sensitive type, indicating that the blood group A structure might shift from a complex type to a hybrid type glycan by this treatment. These results demonstrate that Asn-linked glycans carry the major blood group A antigens in PC-1 cells.     

The point mutation and polymorphism in keratoconus candidate gene TGFBI in Chinese population

Objective

To understand the region point mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms characteristic of keratoconus candidate gene in Chinese population, the TGFBI.

Methods

Polymerase chain reaction–single strand conformation polymorphism and DNA direct sequencing were performed on blood samples from 30 cases of keratoconus patients and 30 normal controls. 17 exons from the coding region of TGFBI gene were examined for point mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms.

Results

Two types of base mutation were found in exon 12, which were both heterozygous. In 1 patient the site 535 showed GGA→TGA substitution, which was the change from glycine to stop codon (G535X). This was not found in all control cases. In 2 patients and 1 control case the site 540 showed TTT→TTC substitutions without changing of the coding for phenylalanine (F540F), suggesting for the polymorphism.

Conclusion

The candidate keratoconus gene TGFB1 showed genetic variation and mutation in keratoconus population. The gene might play a role in the development of keratoconus in Chinese population.     

Inhibitory effects on phospholipase A2 and antivenin activity of melanin extracted from Thea sinensis Linn

Antivenin activity of melanin extracted from black tea (MEBT) was reported for the first time. The antagonistic effect of MEBT was evaluated for Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus (broadbanded copperhead), Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii (Japanese mamushi), and Crotalus atrox (western diamondback rattlesnake) snake venoms administered i.p. to ICR mice. MEBT was injected i.p. immediately after the venom administration in dose of 3 mg per mouse in the same place of venom injection. MEBT demonstrated neutralization effect against all venoms tested. The greatest antivenin effect of MEBT was found against Japanese mamushi snake venom. In this case, half the mice died within 2.5 +/- 0.7 h after injection of 0.9 mg/kg of venom. An immediate injection of MEBT substantially reduced the toxic effect of venom and extended time at the 50% level of survival up to 52.3 +/- 2.3 h. The antivenin activity of MEBT is due to chelating of Ca++ and non-specific binding of phospholipase A2. The inhibitory effect of MEBT on phospholipase A2 assessed for different venoms was similar to that obtained with pure enzyme. Low toxicity of MEBT in combination with its antagonistic activity against different venoms may allow effective life-saving treatment against snakebites. Such application of MEBT is important when identification of the snake is impossible or if specific treatment is unavailable.     

表达甲型肝炎病毒抗原的重组痘苗病毒(VMS11 HAV25)的免疫原性

甲型肝炎(甲肝)病毒基因全部开放读码框架cDNA重组于痘苗病毒天坛株DNA的HindⅢM片段,获得了重组痘苗病毒VMS11HAV25。用10~7PFU或10~8PFU病毒量皮内免疫家兔,能诱生甲肝病毒抗体,其滴度与免疫剂量、免疫次数及间隔有关。组织培养中和试验表明,该抗体具有中和甲肝病毒的能力。VMS11HAV25的免疫效果似优于本实验室已报道的另一株甲肝病毒基因重组于TK区的重组痘苗病毒Re41。     

双波长分光光度法测定肝素钠效价

本文介绍了在室温条件下,以天青作显色剂,用双波长分光光度法测定肝素钠的效价。本法快速准确,测定浓度0—20u/ml,相对误差在±4％以内,标准偏差0.19,变异系数2.5‰,与羊血浆法测定结果相差±4u/ml以内。     

Chemical Structures of Reniformin A,B, and C

Three new cytotoxic diterpenoids reniformin A, B and C, have been isolated from the leaves of Rabdosia latifolia var. reniformis Z. W. Xue et X. W. Wang. Their structures were established as (1), (2), and (3) by spectroscopic and chemical data respectively.     

Construction of a fusion gene comprising the Taka-amylase A promoter and the Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase gene and analysis of its expression in Aspergillus oryzae

Summary Northern blot analysis of glucose-grown and starch-grown mycelia of Aspergillus oryzae R11340 was conducted using the cloned Taka-amylase A (TAA) gene as a probe. The amount of mRNA homologous to the TAA gene was increased when this fungus was grown with starch as a sole carbon source. In order to analyze the induction mechanism, we inserted the Escherichia coli uidA gene encoding -glucuronidase (GUS) downstream of the TAA promoter and introduced the resultant fusion gene into the A. oryzae genome. Production of a functional GUS protein was induced by starch, but not by glucose. When the effects of various sugars on expression of the fusion gene were examined, the results suggested that the expression of the fusion gene was under control of the TAA gene promoter.