Identification and characterization of carbapenem binding sites within the RND-transporter AcrB

Understanding the molecular determinants for recognition, binding and transport of antibiotics by multidrug efflux systems is important for basic research and useful for the design of more effective antimicrobial compounds. Imipenem and meropenem are two carbapenems whose antibacterial activity is known to be poorly and strongly affected by MexAB-OprM, the major efflux pump transporter in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, not much is known regarding recognition and transport of these compounds by AcrAB-TolC, which is the MexAB-OprM homologue in Escherichia coli and by definition the paradigm model for structural studies on efflux pumps. Prompted by this motivation, we unveiled the molecular details of the interaction of imipenem and meropenem with the transporter AcrB by combining computer simulations with biophysical experiments. Regarding the interaction with the two main substrate binding regions of AcrB, the so-called access and deep binding pockets, molecular dynamics simulations revealed imipenem to be more mobile than meropenem in the former, while comparable mobilities were observed in the latter. This result is in line with isothermal titration calorimetry, differential scanning experiments, and binding free energy calculations, indicating a higher affinity for meropenem than imipenem at the deep binding pocket, while both sharing similar affinities at the access pocket. Our findings rationalize how different physico-chemical properties of compounds reflect on their interactions with AcrB. As such, they constitute precious information to be exploited for the rational design of antibiotics able to evade efflux pumps.     

Identifying core habitats and corridors for giant pandas by combining multiscale random forest and connectivity analysis

Habitat loss and fragmentation are widely acknowledged as the main driver of the decline of giant panda populations. The Chinese government has made great efforts to protect this charming species and has made remarkable achievements, such as population growth and habitat expansion. However, habitat fragmentation has not been reversed. Protecting giant pandas in a large spatial extent needs to identify core habitat patches and corridors connecting them. This study used an equal‐sampling multiscale random forest habitat model to predict a habitat suitability map for the giant panda. Then, we applied the resistant kernel method and factorial least‐cost path analysis to identify core habitats connected by panda dispersal and corridors among panda occurrences, respectively. Finally, we evaluated the effectiveness of current protected areas in representing core habitats and corridors. Our results showed high scale dependence of giant panda habitat selection. Giant pandas strongly respond to bamboo percentage and elevation at a relatively fine scale (1 km), whereas they respond to anthropogenic factors at a coarse scale (≥2 km). Dispersal ability has significant effects on core habitats extent and population fragmentation evaluation. Under medium and high dispersal ability scenarios (12,000 and 20,000 cost units), most giant panda habitats in the Qionglai mountain are predicted to be well connected by dispersal. The proportion of core habitats covered by protected areas varied between 38% and 43% under different dispersal ability scenarios, highlighting significant gaps in the protected area network. Similarly, only 43% of corridors that connect giant panda occurrences were protected. Our results can provide crucial information for conservation managers to develop wise strategies to safeguard the long‐term viability of the giant panda population.     

淋病流行株多重耐药性与mtrRCDE外排系统的关系

为了探讨mtrRCDE外排系统与淋病流行株多重耐药性的关系 ,应用K B法和琼脂稀释法从湛江地区分离出 6 2株淋球菌多重耐药株。利用煮沸法提取细菌DNA ,PCR扩增mtrR基因 ,并对扩增产物测序 ,比较敏感株与多重耐药株的差异。结果显示 :5株敏感株和 2株耐青霉素淋球菌无mtrR的突变 ,10株多重耐药株均有mtrR基因的突变 ,表现为第 12 4位和第 139位G→A。从而提示 ,mtrRCDE外排系统与淋病流行株的多重耐药性密切相关。     

基因枪介导甘蔗遗传转化几个影响因素的研究

用基因枪GJ1000介导将Bt基因转入甘蔗嫩叶、Ⅰ型愈伤组织和Ⅱ型愈伤组织。结果表明,用Ⅱ型愈伤组织作为受体最用利于转化;气体压力、轰击距离、轰击次数和真空度对转化效率有不同程度的影响。条件优化后,得到了大量的抗性愈伤组织和一些抗性植株,转化率分别为34.9％和3.36％。     

Fruit fly behavior in response to chemosensory signals

An important question in contemporary sensory neuroscience is how animals perceive their environment and make appropriate behavioral choices based on chemical perceptions. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster exhibits robust tastant and odor-evoked behaviors. Understanding how the gustatory and olfactory systems support the perception of these contact and volatile chemicals and translate them into appropriate attraction or avoidance behaviors has made an unprecedented contribution to our knowledge of the organization of chemosensory systems. In this review, I begin by describing the receptors and signaling mechanisms of the Drosophila gustatory and olfactory systems and then highlight their involvement in the control of simple and complex behaviors. The topics addressed include feeding behavior, learning and memory, navigation behavior, neuropeptide modulation of chemosensory behavior, and I conclude with a discussion of recent work that provides insight into pheromone signaling pathways.     

PPARγ2 Pro12Ala polymorphism is associated with improved lipoprotein lipase functioning in adipose tissue of insulin resistant obese women

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) plays a pivotal role in lipid metabolism, contributes to metabolic disorders related to insulin action and body weight regulation, and is influenced by inflammation. The Pro12Ala polymorphism of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ2 gene seems to influence LPL functioning, but its role in obesity and insulin resistance status, which usually coexist in the clinical setting, has not been explored. Our aim was to analyze the association of obesity and insulin resistance with adipose LPL activity and expression, and the influence of the PPARγ2 Pro12Ala polymorphism. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 58 reproductive-age women who underwent elective abdominal surgery. Free-fatty acids, glucose, insulin, and selected adipokines were measured in fasting blood samples. DNA was isolated and the polymorphism genotyped. Biopsies of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained during surgery were used to determine enzymatic LPL activity and expression; and expression of selected cytokines. Overweight/obese women presented lower LPL activity (P = 0.022) and higher circulating TNF-α (P = 0.020) than controls. Insulin resistant women also showed borderline lower LPL activity than non-resistant (P = 0.052), but adiposity and inflammatory molecules were comparable. Nevertheless, LPL activity was higher in Pro12Ala carriers than in non-carriers after adjusting for obesity, insulin resistance and inflammation. Likewise, adipose LPL expression was increased in carriers while expression of cytokines was decreased. Our data suggest that insulin resistance is associated with low adipose LPL activity independently of obesity, but the PPARγ2 Pro12Ala polymorphism seems to protect the LPL functioning of obese insulin resistant women, likely through regulating inflammation in adipose tissue.     

101例肺炎死亡病例分析

目的：探讨成年肺炎死亡病例的特征,以提高救治率。方法：利用医院住院病案管理系统软件及人工收集我院2008年1月1日-2011年4月26日的全部成年肺炎死亡病例临床资料,共计101例,对其进行回顾性分析。结果：101例观察病例中男性共计71例（占70_30％）,女性共计30例（占29．70％）,大于65岁者共计95例（占94．06％）,44-58岁者共计6例（占5．9％）,平均年龄80．30岁。单侧肺部病变22例（占21．78％）,双侧肺部病变79例（占78．22％）,观察病例均伴有多种基础病及并发症,并且多数病例存在多种致病茵感染及多重耐药茵感染。结论：成年肺炎死亡的发生与患者年龄（65岁以上）、性别（男性）、双侧肺部病变、基础病及并发症、多种致病茵感染及多重耐药茵感染等因素密切相关。     

迟缓爱德华菌的外膜蛋白图谱及耐药性分析

分析 2 7株不同来源的迟缓爱德华菌 (Et)的外膜蛋白 (OMP) ,可分为A～H 8个型。 2 1株致病株与 6株非致病株有明显不同的图谱。致病株OMP条带多而深浓 ,并且相同来源的菌株有几乎一致的图谱。其中国内致病株以E型为主 ,与ATCC参考株相似。非致病株OMP条带则浅而稀疏 ,来源虽不同 ,但图谱极类似。另外 ,6株非致病株对磺胺、庆大、四环素等抗生素普遍耐药 ,而致病株除少数几株外 ,均对抗生素有不同程度的敏感     

Effect of Some Antibiotics on the In Vitro Morphogenetic Response from Callus Cultures of Coryphantha Elephantidens

The effect of five antibiotics: carbenicillin, chloramphenicol, cefotaxime, kanamycin and hygromycin on the organogenesis from callus cultures of Coryphantha elphantidens (Lem.) Lem. have been studied. Carbenicillin and cefotaxime stimulated shoot regeneration from callus. All antibiotics under study suppressed rooting of in vitro formed shoots. After five sequential subcultures on kanamycin supplemented medium, antibiotic resistant callus was obtained. To study the impact of kanamycin on resistant callus, total protein content was also studied. Selected callus showed a remarkable increase in callus mass. Antibiotic resistant plants have been selected by screening callus pieces on kanamycin supplemented media. Total protein content increased with subsequent subcultures in kanamycin resistant callus. The kanamycin selected shoots withstood the stability test after 2 months on antibiotic free medium. Plants were raised from the callus, which formed roots in 20 mg dm^–3 kanamycin, which was under study.     

Alterations in the number of rRNA operons within the Bacillus subtilis genome

Deletions and additions of rRNA gene sets in Bacillus subtilis were observed by Southern hybridizations using cloned radiolabeled rDNA sequences. Of the ten rRNA gene sets found in B. subtilis 168M or NCTC3610, one was deleted in strains possessing the leuB1, ilvC1, argA2 and pheA1 mutations. Among EcoRI restriction fragments of genomic DNA products, a 2.9-kb 23S rRNA homolog was missing. In HindIII digest, both 5.5- and 5.1-kb hybrid bands were lost with 16S and 23S probes, respectively. Similarly, genomic DNAs digested with SmaI showed the absence of both 2.1- and 2.0-kb fragments that hybridized to 16S and 5S sequences, respectively, in wild-type genomes. In contrast, B. subtilis strain 166 and its derivatives displayed a gain of a 3.3-kb HindIII fragment homologous to 16S rRNA. Transforming the ilvC1 and leuB1 mutations into new genetic backgrounds revealed in some clones the concomitant introduction of the ribosomal defect. Transformations with the slightly heterologous donor DNA from strain W23 yielded some Leu+ and Arg+ transformants with altered hybridization patterns when probed with cloned sequences. We propose that the deletion of the rRNA operon occurred in the ilv-leu gene cluster of the B. subtilis genome as a result of unequal recombination between redundant sequences.