Synthesis and mutagenicity of 2-aryl-substitute ( o -hydroxy-, m -bromo-, o -methoxy-, o -nitro-phenyl or 4-pyridyl) benzothiazole derivatives on Salmonella typhimurium and human lymphocytes exposed in vitro

Derivatives of 2-aryl-substitute (o-hydroxy-, m-bromo-, o-methoxy-, o-nitro-phenyl or 4-pyridyl) benzothiazole were synthesized and tested for their mutagenicity in in vitro assays: (i) in the Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains; and (ii) in the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in cultured human lymphocytes. The four of compounds (BT-11, B-12, BT-14 and BT-15) caused statistically significant increase in revertant colonies of TA98 and TA100. Treatment of lymphocytes with compounds also caused a significant increase in SCE/cell in association with high levels and long exposure (300 μg/mL and 48 h) of the four compounds. It can be concluded that benzothiazole derivatives showed mutagenic activity and were also able to exert a genotoxic effect reducing both the replication index and mitotic index.     

Glucose biosensor based on nano-SiO2 and “unprotected” Pt nanoclusters

The “unprotected” Pt nanoclusters (average size 2 nm) mixed with the nanoscale SiO₂ particles (average size 13 nm) were used as a glucose oxidase immobilization carrier to fabricate the amperometric glucose biosensor. The bioactivity of glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilized on the composite was maintained and the as-prepared biosensor demonstrated high sensitivity (3.85 μA mM⁻¹) and good stability in glucose solution. The Pt–SiO₂ biosensor showed a detection limit of 1.5 μM with a linear range from 0.27 to 4.08 mM. In addition, the biosensor can be operated under wide pH range (pH 4.9–7.5) without great changes in its sensitivity. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed a mixed controlled electrode reaction.     

Expression of inflammatory cytokines in mesenchymal stromal cells is sensitive to culture conditions and simple cell manipulations

Background

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can be used in several clinical applications. While MSCs are frequently cultured in fetal bovine serum for in vitro experimentation, human serum supplements are required for cells to be used in patients. Here we show how different human serum supplements and in vitro manipulations used during the cell culture impact on MSC proliferation rate and expression of inflammatory molecules.

HIV-1 Neutralizing Antibody Signatures and Application to Epitope-Targeted Vaccine Design

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The Implication of Early Chromatin Changes in X Chromosome Inactivation

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渤海湾两株H2亚型禽流感病毒的 遗传进化分析

野鸟是禽流感病毒的自然储存库,病毒可以随着宿主的迁徙传播给其他野鸟与家禽。渤海湾是鸟类南北迁徙的重要停歇地,也是东亚-澳大利西亚鸟类迁徙通道的重要组成部分,每年有大量水鸟在渤海湾停歇,促进了禽流感病毒的传播。为了解渤海湾地区禽流感病毒的传播及进化与水鸟迁徙的相关性,2018年春季鸟类迁徙期间的4和5月份,在渤海湾采集鸻鹬类粪便样品2 120份,对样品进行检测,分离出2株H2亚型禽流感病毒。对这2株H2亚型禽流感病毒进行了分子特征及遗传进化分析,并结合渤海湾水鸟的环志回收数据,对H2亚型病毒的重组及遗传进化与水鸟迁徙的联系进行了分析。结果表明,2株分离株的HA蛋白裂解位点符合低致病性禽流感病毒的分子特征,它们的8个基因片段同源性均不高,其中879-H2N7的8个基因片段分别与我国福建和澳大利亚的毒株同源性最高,遗传关系最近;854-H2N8的8个基因片段分别与我国湖南以及日本、韩国、孟加拉国和越南的毒株同源性最高,遗传关系最近。渤海湾水鸟的环志回收数据分析表明,879-H2N7随着野鸟的迁徙在渤海湾、福建沿海和澳大利亚之间进行传播与扩散;854-H2N8可能跨越东亚-澳大利西亚和中亚-印度两条通道之间进行基因重组和进化,并会随着鸟类迁徙进行传播和扩散。     

棉铃虫叉头框蛋白A类似蛋白基因HarmFoxAl的克隆及表达谱分析

【目的】本研究旨在克隆并分析一种棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera叉头框蛋白A (forkhead box protein A, FoxA)类似蛋白基因HarmFoxAl,探讨2-十三烷酮胁迫下棉铃虫中肠中HarmFoxAl的表达情况,为进一步明确棉铃虫FoxA的功能和参与棉铃虫生长发育的调控通路提供依据。【方法】从棉铃虫幼虫中肠中扩增得到HarmFoxAl的cDNA序列,并对其氨基酸序列和蛋白结构进行分析。将HarmFoxAl的ORF序列连接至pET32a载体并转化大肠杆菌Escherichia coli Transetta菌株,IPTG诱导后检测目的蛋白的表达形式,并利用镍柱亲和层析法纯化融合蛋白。通过qPCR检测棉铃虫不同发育阶段(1-6龄幼虫和预蛹),6龄幼虫不同组织(脂肪体、中肠、体壁和头部)以及10 mg/g 2-十三烷酮处理6龄幼虫不同时间后中肠中HarmFoxAl的表达谱。【结果】HarmFoxAl(GenBank登录号:XM021331806)的开放阅读框为669 bp,编码222个氨基酸,蛋白的相对分子质量和等电点分别为25.03 kD和6.34。氨基酸序列分析表明,HarmFoxAl单体蛋白无信号肽、跨膜区和二硫键,核心区域是由4个α螺旋和3个β折叠组成的球状结构。将重组的Transetta (pET32a-HarmFoxAl)菌株用0.5 mmol/L IPTG在25℃条件下诱导5 h,约45 kD的融合蛋白His-HarmFoxAl能以可溶的形式存在于重组菌中,这与预测的分子量(42.8 kD)相一致。发育阶段特异性表达谱表明,HarmFoxAl在棉铃虫1-3龄幼虫期、6龄幼虫期和预蛹期均有表达,且预蛹期的表达量最高。组织表达谱结果表明,该基因在6龄幼虫的脂肪体、中肠和体壁中表达,且脂肪体内的表达量最高,而在头部中不表达。10 mg/g 2-十三烷酮处理棉铃虫6龄幼虫后中肠中HarmFoxAl的表达量显著降低,但随着时间延长其表达量逐渐升高,处理48 h后表达量显著高于对照。【结论】棉铃虫HarmFoxAl在预蛹期和幼虫脂肪体中表达量最高,2-十三烷酮处理幼虫后HarmFoxAl的表达量急速降低后逐渐升高,推测其在棉铃虫变态发育和解毒代谢过程中发挥重要作用。     

Metabolic rate in diapause and nondiapause brown locust eggs correlated with embryonic development

Insects use dormancy to survive adverse conditions. Brown locust Locustana pardalina (Walk.) eggs offer a convenient model to study dormancy (diapause and quiescence), which contributes to their survival under arid conditions. The metabolic rates of developing nondiapause, diapause and quiescent eggs are compared in the present study using closed‐system respirometry. The embryo becomes committed to continue development and hatch or to enter diapause 6 days after the eggs are placed on moist soil. The metabolic rate of nondiapause eggs increases exponentially until hatching, whereas that of diapause eggs is low and stable. The metabolic rate of diapause laboratory eggs (1.9 ± 0.6 µL CO₂ mg^?1 h^?1) is significantly higher than that of field eggs (0.5 ± 0.3 µL CO₂ mg^?1 h^?1), although the ranges of metabolic rate overlap and the embryos are all in late anatrepsis. The metabolic rate of quiescent eggs is similar to that of diapause eggs but decreases with time. Low metabolic rates during arrested development allow eggs to persist over long periods before hatching.