Effects of a mixture of fatty acids from sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) wax oil in two models of inflammation: Zymosan-induced arthritis and mice tail test of psoriasis

A mixture of fatty acids obtained from sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) wax oil (FAM), in which the main constituents are palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids, was evaluated in two models of inflammation: zymosan-induced arthritis and in the tail test for psoriasis, both on mice. In the first model, FAM significantly reduced zymozan-induced increase of beta glucuronidase (DE(50) 90+/-7 mg/kg). Histopathological studies showed inhibition in cellular infiltration and reduction of synovial hyperplasia and synovitis, whereas in the second test, histopathological and ultrastructural studies showed that topical application of FAM induced orthokeratosis with the presence of keratohyalin granules in the previously parakeratotic adult mouse tail, and without effects on epidermal thickness. The ED(50) of FAM in this model was 155+/-10 mg. The results of our studies showed that topical application of FAM exerts an important anti-inflammatory activity in both tests without evidence of irritant effects. The anti-inflamatory effects exerted by FAM may be due to its inhibitory effects on arachidonic acid metabolism. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the anti-inflammatory effect of sugar cane by-products in experimental models of arthritis and psoriasis.     

Condensed,Microtubule-coating Thin Organelles for Orthogonal Translation in Mammalian Cells

Membraneless organelles are capable of selectively performing complex tasks in living cells despite dynamically exchanging with their surroundings. This is an exquisite example how self-organization of proteins and RNAs can lead to more complex functionalities in living systems. Importantly, the absence of a membrane boundary can enable easier access to larger macromolecular complexes that can be challenging to be transported across a membrane. We previously formed orthogonally translating designer membraneless organelles by combining phase separation with kinesin motor proteins to highly enrich engineered translational factors in large organelles. We also showed that even submicron thick designer organelles can be formed, by mounting them onto membranes, which, presumable assisted by 2D condensation, leads to thin film-like condensates. In this study we show that orthogonal translation can also be built with fiber-like appearing organelles. Here, the microtubule-end binding protein EB1 was used to form fiber-like OT organelles along the microtubule cytoskeleton that perform highly selective and efficient orthogonal translation. We also show an improved simplified design of OT organelles. Together this extends OT organelle technology and demonstrates that the microtubule cytoskeleton is a powerful platform for advanced synthetic organelle engineering.     

蜜蜂上颚腺及其分泌物研究进展

上颚腺是蜜蜂重要的外分泌腺体,其分泌物是维系蜂群社会性结构的重要物质。蜂王和工蜂上颚腺分泌物合成均以硬脂酸为合成前体,但在脂肪酸的β-氧化过程中表现出级型差异性,导致分泌物组分比例不同。蜂王上颚腺分泌物以9-羰基-2癸烯酸(9-ODA)为主,有吸引工蜂和雄蜂、抑制工蜂卵巢发育等作用;工蜂上颚腺分泌物以10-羟基-2癸烯酸(10-HDA)和10-羟基癸酸(10-HDAA)为主,是蜂王浆的重要组成部分。同时,这种具备典型级型差异的分泌物组成又具有级型间可塑性,在不同蜂种间也存在区别。近年来在转录水平和蛋白水平的一些研究进一步揭示了级型间差异的分子基础。针对蜜蜂上颚腺及其分泌物的研究在蜜蜂生物学、行为学和蜂产品质量控制等方面具有重要的意义。本文通过总结国内外相关研究进展,旨在为上颚腺分泌物的作用机制、生物合成机制等领域的进一步深入研究提供借鉴。     

Utilization of (18‐Crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic Acid as a Chiral NMR Solvating Agent for Diamines and β‐Amino Acids

The compound (18‐crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic acid was evaluated as a chiral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) solvating agent for a series of diamines and bicyclic β‐amino acids. The amine must be protonated for strong association with the crown ether. An advantage of (18‐crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic acid over many other crown ethers is that it undergoes a neutralization reaction with neutral amines to form the protonated species needed for binding. Twelve primary diamines in neutral and protonated forms were evaluated. Diamines with aryl and aliphatic groups were examined. Some are atropisomers with equivalent amine groups. Others have two nonequivalent amine groups. Association equilibria for these systems are complex, given the potential formation of 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 crown‐amine complexes and given the various charged species in solution for mixtures of the crown ether with the neutral amine. The crown ether produced enantiomeric differentiation in the ¹H NMR spectrum of one or more resonances for every diamine substrate. Also, a series of five bicyclic β‐amino acids were examined and (18‐crown‐6)‐2,3,11,12‐tetracarboxylic acid caused enantiomeric differentiation in the ¹H NMR spectrum of three or more resonances of each compound. Chirality 27:708–715, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Preparative Enantioseparation of β‐Substituted‐2‐Phenylpropionic Acids by Countercurrent Chromatography With Substituted β‐Cyclodextrin as Chiral Selectors

Preparative enantioseparation of four β‐substituted‐2‐phenylpropionic acids was performed by countercurrent chromatography with substituted β‐cyclodextrin as chiral selectors. The two‐phase solvent system was composed of n‐hexane‐ethyl acetate‐0.10 mol L‐1 of phosphate buffer solution at pH 2.67 containing 0.10 mol L^‐1 of hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (HP‐β‐CD) or sulfobutylether‐β‐cyclodextrin (SBE‐β‐CD). The influence factors, including the type of substituted β‐cyclodextrin, composition of organic phase, concentration of chiral selector, pH value of the aqueous phase, and equilibrium temperature were optimized by enantioselective liquid–liquid extraction. Under the optimum separation conditions, 100 mg of 2‐phenylbutyric acid, 100 mg of tropic acid, and 50 mg of 2,3‐diphenylpropionic acid were successfully enantioseparated by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography, and the recovery of the (±)‐enantiomers was in the range of 90–91% for (±)‐2‐phenylbutyric acid, 91–92% for (±)‐tropic acid, 85–87% for (±)‐2,3‐diphenylpropionic acid with purity of over 97%, 96%, and 98%, respectively. The formation of 1:1 stoichiometric inclusion complex of β‐substituted‐2‐phenylpropionic acids with HP‐β‐CD was determined by UV spectrophotometry and the inclusion constants were calculated by a modified Benesi‐Hildebrand equation. The results showed that different enantioselectivities among different racemates were mainly caused by different enantiorecognition between each enantiomer and HP‐β‐CD, while it might be partially caused by different inclusion capacity between racemic solutes and HP‐β‐CD. Chirality 27:795–801, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

苜蓿中华根瘤菌desA基因功能的鉴定

为研究苜蓿中华根瘤菌脂肪酸脱饱和酶desA基因在不饱和脂肪酸合成、共生结瘤固氮以及应对逆境胁迫中的功能,为高效利用苜蓿中华根瘤菌提供理论依据,本文通过异体遗传互补和脂肪酸组成薄层层析,分析SmdesA编码蛋白是否具有脱饱和酶的活性并参与不饱和脂肪酸的合成,构建SmdesA的缺失突变株和互补菌株,比较各菌株在不同逆境胁迫条件下的生长速率以及回接宿主植物后与紫花苜蓿共生结瘤的能力.结果表明SmdesA不能互补大肠杆菌CY57中EcfabA的突变,但具有将饱和脂肪酸脱饱和形成不饱和的棕榈油酸和十八碳烯酸的能力.另外,SmdesA缺失突变对苜蓿中华根瘤菌的脂肪酸组成影响不大,但会显著影响低温和高盐条件下菌株的生长速率以及与紫花苜蓿共生结瘤的能力.我们推测,SmdesA参与的脱饱和途径可能是苜蓿中华根瘤菌不饱和脂肪酸合成的补偿途径,其编码的蛋白DesA不是不饱和脂肪酸合成的关键酶,但在应对逆境胁迫和共生结瘤中具有重要的生物学功能.     

毛药忍冬花蕾抗氧化活性部位化学成分研究

毛药忍冬(Lonicera serreana)为忍冬属(Lonicera)植物,其花和果实入药,具有清热解毒、凉散风热之功效,但至今缺乏系统化学成分及药理活性研究。为了寻找毛药忍冬中天然抗氧化活性成分,进一步开发利用忍冬属药用植物资源,该研究以DPPH自由基清除法为活性指导,首次对毛药忍冬干燥花蕾75%乙醇提取物的不同极性萃取部位进行抗氧化活性测试,结果发现乙酸乙酯萃取物表现出最强的抗氧化活性(平均清除率为89.45%)。进一步应用现代色谱手段(硅胶柱色谱、Sephadex LH-20凝胶柱色谱等),从毛药忍冬花蕾的乙酸乙酯萃取物中分离单体化合物,运用现代光谱分析技术(MS、1 H-NMR、13 C-NMR、COSY、HSQC、HMBC、ROESY),并结合文献数据鉴定化合物的化学结构。结果表明:从毛药忍冬干燥花蕾75%乙醇提取物中共分离得到9个化合物,分别鉴定为4个酚酸类化合物:绿原酸(1)、绿原酸甲酯(2)、绿原酸乙酯(3)、咖啡酸(4);4个黄酮类化合物:木犀草素(5)、木犀草素-7-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷(6)、槲皮素(7)、槲皮素-3-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷(8);1个甾醇类化合物:β-谷甾醇(9)。所有化合物均为从毛药忍冬花蕾中首次分离得到。研究结果可为抗氧化类相关产品的开发提供科学依据。     

Increased palmitate intake: higher acylcarnitine concentrations without impaired progression of β-oxidation

Palmitic acid (PA) is associated with higher blood concentrations of medium-chain acylcarnitines (MCACs), and we hypothesized that PA may inhibit progression of FA β-oxidation. Using a cross-over design, 17 adults were fed high PA (HPA) and low PA/high oleic acid (HOA) diets, each for 3 weeks. The [1-¹³C]PA and [13-¹³C]PA tracers were administered with food in random order with each diet, and we assessed PA oxidation (PA OX) and serum AC concentration to determine whether a higher PA intake promoted incomplete PA OX. Dietary PA was completely oxidized during the HOA diet, but only about 40% was oxidized during the HPA diet. The [13-¹³C]PA/[1-¹³C]PA ratio of PA OX had an approximate value of 1.0 for either diet, but the ratio of the serum concentrations of MCACs to long-chain ACs (LCACs) was significantly higher during the HPA diet. Thus, direct measurement of PA OX did not confirm that the HPA diet caused incomplete PA OX, despite the modest, but statistically significant, increase in the ratio of MCACs to LCACs in blood.     

A broad pH range indicator-based spectrophotometric assay for true lipases using tributyrin and tricaprylin

A continuous assay is proposed for the screening of acidic, neutral, or alkaline lipases using microtiter plates, emulsified short- and medium-chain TGs, and a pH indicator. The lipase activity measurement is based on the decrease of the pH indicator optical density due to protonation which is caused by the release of FFAs during the hydrolysis of TGs and thus acidification. Purified lipases with distinct pH optima and an esterase were used to validate the method. The rate of lipolysis was found to be linear with time and proportional to the amount of enzyme added in each case. Specific activities measured with this microplate assay method were lower than those obtained by the pH-stat technique. Nevertheless, the pH-dependent profiles of enzymatic activity were similar with both assays. In addition, the substrate preference of each enzyme tested was not modified and this allowed discriminating lipase and esterase activities using tributyrin (low water solubility) and tricaprylin (not water soluble) as substrates. This continuous lipase assay is compatible with a high sample throughput and can be applied for the screening of lipases and lipase inhibitors from biological samples.