Leucine-rich hydrophobic clusters promote folding of the N-terminus of the intrinsically disordered transactivation domain of p53

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on the intrinsically disordered 39-residue N-terminal transactivation domain of p53 (p53_1-39). Simulations not only revealed that p53_1-39 is natively compact, but also possesses a folded structure. Furthermore, leucine-rich hydrophobic clusters were found to play a crucial role in the formation and stabilization of the folded structure of p53_1-39. Collapsing in the sub-microsecond timescale might allow for rapid conformational turnovers of p53_1-39, necessary for its efficient transactivation activity and modulation. Fast collapsing might be the result of unique conformational landscapes, featuring several energy minima separated by small energy barriers. It is suggested that IDPs with highly specialized functions in the cell, such as transactivation, possibly display more ordered patterns than their less specialized counterparts.     

海南东寨港真红树植物内生放线菌多样性及其抗菌活性

【目的】勘探海南东寨港真红树植物内生放线菌多样性,为发现放线菌新物种和新抗生素奠定基础。【方法】样品经表面消毒后粉碎,用10种不同培养基分离放线菌;通过PCR扩增、测定并比对16S r RNA基因序列,开展放线菌多样性分析;通过发酵、萃取等处理方法得到四类样品,包括发酵原液、乙酸乙酯提取液及水层和菌体的丙酮浸泡提取液;采用纸片扩散法对样品进行抗菌活性筛选;基于PCR的基因筛选技术探测活性菌株可能存在的NRPS、PKS I、PKS II抗生素生物合成基因。【结果】经形态特征排重,从14种真红树植物样品中共得到放线菌146株,16S r RNA基因序列比对表明它们分布于13个科18个属,其中链霉菌属为优势菌属,菌株S3Cf-2和S3Af-1的16S r RNA基因序列分别与有效发表菌株Couchioplanes caeruleus DSM44103T(X93202)和Microlunatus terrae BS6T(JF806519)的相似率最高,分别为97.45%和97.43%,可能为新物种。对其中46株放线菌发酵样品的抗菌活性检测表明,40株具有抗菌活性,总阳性率为86.96%;活性菌株中,38株菌存在至少一种所探测的生物合成基因簇,阳性率为95%,其中14株同时具有所探测的3种抗生素生物合成基因簇。【结论】海南东寨港真红树植物中存在多样性丰富的药用放线菌资源,具有从中发现放线菌新物种及新抗生素的潜力。     

产鼠李糖脂生物表面活性剂大肠杆菌的构建与优化

目前鼠李糖脂生物表面活性剂主要由条件致病的铜绿假单胞菌生产获得,从而影响工业应用。为了开发一种相对安全的鼠李糖脂生产菌,将带有不同强度组成型合成启动子的鼠李糖基转移酶基因(Rhamnosyltransferase gene,rhl AB)以单、中、高3种拷贝数分别在大肠杆菌ATCC 8739中异源表达,实现了不同产量的鼠李糖脂异源合成。对rhl AB基因和rha BDAC基因簇(TDP-L-鼠李糖合成的基因簇)进一步利用合成启动子进行组合调控,筛选获得了最优生产鼠李糖脂工程菌——大肠杆菌TIB-RAB226。对大肠杆菌TIB-RAB226进行发酵温度优化,鼠李糖脂产量达到124.3 mg/L,是优化前的1.17倍。通过分批补料发酵,12h时鼠李糖脂产量达到209.2 mg/L。对发酵产物进行高效液相色谱-质谱联用技术分析,共检出相对含量变化的5类质核比不同的鼠李糖脂同系物。本研究可为异源合成产鼠李糖脂提供重要参考。     

Effect of Controlled Crossing on the Triglyceride and Fatty Acid Composition of Virgin Olive Oils

Our study reports the triglyceride (triacylglycerol, TAG) composition of five new Tunisian virgin olive oil cultivars obtained through controlled crossings of the cultivar (cv.) Chemlali Sfax. These cultivars have been selected among a progeny of 500 olive descendants, based on an evaluation of the fatty‐acid (FA) composition of their oils. Among these samples, two were derived from the crossing with the cv. Sigoise as pollinator (SM634) or pollen acceptor (SM1110) and the others from the crossing with the cv. Meski as pollen acceptor (SM513, SM514, and SM517). The five descendants were characterized by a good fat value, a balanced FA composition, and a high content of triolein, varying between 26.9 (SM514) and 45.46% (SM1110). They had an improved FA composition as compared to that of the cv. Chemlali Sfax and their fruits were slightly bigger. The principal component analysis suggested that the TAG variables were more suitable than the total FAs for an optimum classification of the cultivar samples analyzed. The cultivars obtained through the crossing with the cv. Sigoise (as pollen acceptor or pollinator) had a more favorable composition of FAs and TAG than those obtained through the crossing with the cv. Meski, which indicated that genetic factors had the most important influence on the quality of the virgin olive oils.     

炭样小单孢菌中抗生素生物合成相关蛋白的筛选

目的：筛选一株具有广谱抗菌活性的炭样小单孢菌JXNU-1中核苷类抗生素生物合成相关蛋白。方法：通过iTRAQ定量蛋白质组学技术对JXNU-1菌体生长期（36h）和产物合成期（108h）的差异蛋白进行鉴定和功能分析。结果：基于iTRAQ定量蛋白质组学技术共鉴定出炭样小单孢菌总蛋白质2390个,差异表达蛋白172个,在产物合成期（108h）表达上调76个、表达下调96个。通过蛋白GO和COG注释等功能分析,筛选出12个与抗生素合成密切相关蛋白和5个生物合成基因簇。结论：利用iTRAQ技术筛选出炭样小单孢菌JXNU-1的抗生素合成相关蛋白,为阐明该抗生素的生物合成机制奠定实验依据。     

Intraspecific variation in Licuala glabra Griff. (Palmae) in Peninsular Malaysia– a morphometric analysis

We studied vegetative and reproductive characters of 74 herbarium specimens of Licuala glabra Griff. (Palmae) collected from 22 localities throughout Peninsular Malaysia. To test the null hypothesis that there are no distinct groups within the species, cluster analysis (nearest neighbour), principal coordinates and principal components analyses were performed on the set of 43 qualitative and quantitative characters. The results obtained suggested that: (1) there are three infraspeciflc groups within the species, viz., the two published varieties glabra and selangorensis as well as a possible third novel taxon; (2) there is clustering of individuals corresponding to their geographic localities; (3) clusters generated using only reproductive characters indicate a biogeographic distribution of populations correlated with the mountain ranges in the peninsula.     

Classification of Chinese herbs based on the cluster analysis of delayed luminescence

Traditional Chinese material medica are an important component of the Chinese pharmacopeia. According to the traditional Chinese medicinal concept, Chinese herbal medicines are classified into different categories based on their therapeutic effects, however, the bioactive principles cannot be solely explained by chemical analysis. The aim of this study is to classify different Chinese herbs based on their therapeutic effects by using delayed luminescence (DL). The DL of 56 Chinese herbs was measured using an ultra‐sensitive luminescence detection system. The different DL parameters were used to classify Chinese herbs according to a hierarchical cluster analysis. The samples were divided into two groups based on their DL kinetic parameters. Interestingly, the DL classification results were quite consistent with classification according to the Chinese medicinal concepts of ‘cold’ and ‘heat’ properties. In this paper, we show for the first time that by using DL technology, it is possible to classify Chinese herbs according to the Chinese medicinal concept and it may even be possible to predict their therapeutic properties. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.