Intracellular sterol dynamics

We review the cellular mechanisms implicated in cholesterol trafficking and distribution. Recent studies have provided new information about the distribution of sterols within cells, including analysis of its transbilayer distribution. The cholesterol interaction with other lipids and its engagement in various trafficking processes will determine its proper level in a specific membrane; making the cholesterol distribution uneven among the various intracellular organelles. The cholesterol content is important since cholesterol plays an essential role in membranes by controlling their physicochemical properties as well as key cellular events such as signal transduction and protein trafficking. Cholesterol movement between cellular organelles is highly dynamic, and can be achieved by vesicular and non-vesicular processes. Various studies have analyzed the proteins that play a significant role in these processes, giving us new information about the relative importance of these two trafficking pathways in cholesterol transport. Although still poorly characterized in many trafficking routes, several potential sterol transport proteins have been described in detail; as a result, molecular mechanisms for sterol transport among membranes start to be appreciated.     

Elevation of a threonine phospholipid in polyoma virus transformed hamster embryo fibroblasts.

Analysis of the lipids of normal hamster embryo fibroblasts and polyoma virus transformed fibroblasts shows a decrease in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine and a marked increase in a threonine phospholipid after transformation. Transformed cells also react differently with fluorodinitrobenzene and trinitrobenzenesulfonate. phosphatidylethanolamine of transformed cells reacts to a greater extent with both probes. Phosphatidylserine and the threonine phospholipid of both cells do not react with trinitrobenzenesulfonate. The threonine phospholipid is provisionally identified as phosphatidylthreonine.     

Excitation energy transfer in Photosystem I from oxygenic organisms

This Review discusses energy transfer pathways in Photosystem I (PS I) from oxygenic organisms. In the trimeric PS I core from cyanobacteria, the efficiency of solar energy conversion is largely determined by ultrafast excitation transfer processes in the core chlorophyll a (Chl a) antenna network and efficient photochemical trapping in the reaction center (RC). The role of clusters of Chl a in energy equilibration and photochemical trapping in the PS I core is discussed. Dimers of the longest-wavelength absorbing (red) pigments with strongest excitonic interactions localize the excitation in the PS I core antenna. Those dimers that are located closer to the RC participate in a fast energy equilibration with coupled pigments of the RC. This suggests that the function of the red pigments is to concentrate the excitation near the RC. In the PS I holocomplex from algae and higher plants, in addition to the red pigments of the core antenna, spectrally distinct red pigments are bound to the peripheral Chl a/b-binding light-harvesting antenna (LHC I), specifically to the Lhca4 subunit of the LHC I-730 complex. Intramonomeric energy equilibration between pools of Chl b and Chl a in Lhca1 and Lhca4 monomers of the LHC I-730 heterodimer are as fast as the energy equilibration processes within the PS I core. In contrast to the structural stability of the PS I core, the flexible subunit structure of the LHC I would probably determine the observed slow excitation energy equilibration processes in the range of tens of picoseconds. The red pigments in the LHC I are suggested to function largely as photoprotective excitation sinks in the peripheral antenna of PS I. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于16S rDNA和COⅠ基因序列探讨四种溞类的系统关系和分类地位

为了检验已记录的4个溞属种类（(隆线溞Daphnia carinata、透明溞D. hyalina、蚤状溞D. pulex和大型溞D. magna）的系统分类, 用试剂盒法分别提取4种溞类的基因组DNA。利用特异性引物, 通过PCR扩增了4种溞属种类的16S rDNA和COⅠ基因部分序列, 并与来自GenBank中每个种类相似度较高的同种序列进行分析。结果表明, 基于16S rDNA和COⅠ基因, 4个溞属种类的平均种间相似度分别为85.56%和80.67%, 碱基中A+T含量均明显高于G+C含量。基于COⅠ基因, 巢湖隆线溞与来自GenBank上的拟同形溞（(Daphnia similoides AB549199）)相似度为99%, 分歧度为0.4%0.9%。就16S rDNA和COⅠ基因而言, 巢湖透明溞更接近于盔形溞（Daphnia galeata）。基于16S rDNA和COⅠ基因构建的NJ树和贝叶斯树, 两者的主要分枝基本一致。结果暗示, 巢湖隆线溞与拟同形溞为一个种, 透明溞应属于盔形溞。由于缺乏核基因的研究, 有关巢湖溞属的分类地位还需进行更深入的探讨。       

Structure of antimicrobial peptides and lipid membranes probed by interface-sensitive X-ray scattering

The conformation and correlations of amphiphilic and antimicrobial peptides and the associated changes of lipid bilayers can be studied in oriented lipid membranes deposited on solid substrates. Here we review recent work on these systems, as studied by modern interface-sensitive X-ray and neutron scattering methods. Density profile, short range order of acyl chains and molecular conformations of peptides and lipids are probed in the fluid state of the bilayer. With an emphasis on technical aspects, we review recent work illustrating the potential of the methods and discuss its potential in the field.     

Studies on well-coupled Photosystem-I-enriched subchloroplast vesicles. Discrimination of flash-induced fast and slow electric potential components

This work aimed at the resolution of the multi-component electric potential changes induced by single-turnover flash illumination of Photosystem-I-enriched subchloroplast vesicles. If supplemented with ferredoxin and under carefully adjusted redox poising, these vesicles show a pronounced slow-rising and -decaying electric potential component, as monitored by endogenous and exogenous field-sensitive probes, carotenoids and oxonol VI, respectively. The fast and slow potential components can be easily discriminated without the need for computer-assisted deconvolution after selective presaturation of the slow component by preillumination or a transmembrane ΔpH, after selective suppression of the slow component by low valinomycin or uncoupler concentrations or in the absence of ferredoxin. The slow electric potential component, as compared to the fast one, is relatively sensitive to low concentrations of ionophores and uncouplers, detergent, ageing and lower temperatures (4–12°C), is associated with electrogenic proton displacements and is interpreted to respond to a field that is more located on the membrane-bulk interface. Temperature effects show transition temperatures around 20°C for both the rise and decay of the slow potential component. The results provide further evidence that the carotenoids and oxonol VI sense the same (slow) electric field, but may be differently located in the thylakoid membrane.     

GST-His-Heparinase Ⅰ双标签融合蛋白的原核表达与纯化

以pET15b-HepⅠ为模板,通过PCR技术扩增出上游合有6×His标签的HepⅠ基因序列,克隆至表达载体pGEX-4T-1。测序鉴定后,将重组表达质粒pGEX-His-HepⅠ转入E.coli BL21(DE3)感受态细菌,经IPTG诱导表达。表达产物可溶部分用GSTrap FF和HisTrap HP柱两步亲和纯化,所得产物经SDS-PAGE检测,在66 kDa和43 kDa处显示特异条带,分别与GST-His-HepⅠ和His-HepⅠ融合蛋白预期分子量相符;最终His-HepⅠ融合蛋白的比酶活为86.45 IU/mg,纯度高达99%,与仅一步亲和纯化得到的GST-His-HepⅠ融合蛋白相比,进一步提高了纯化后重组肝素酶的纯度。本研究为制备高纯度的HepⅠ提供了一种方法,对制备高安全性的LMwH和解析HepⅠ晶体结构具有重要意义。     

亚硒酸钠对AH_(22)小鼠腹水型肝癌细胞中组织特异酶CPSⅠ的诱导及对细胞增殖酶ACT的抑制

通过连续四天腹腔给硒(1μgNa_2SeO_3/克体重)后,腹水型肝癌细胞中与细胞分化相关的CPS_(ase)Ⅰ活性显著上升,同时与细胞增殖相关的ACT_(ase)活性明显下降。而在正常鼠肝中,按相同方式给硒的结果是ACT_(ase)活性明显增高,CPS_(ase)Ⅰ活性则略有下降。该结果表明硒可能涉及对细胞分化与增殖的调控。     

MicroPET观察姜黄素对APPswe/PS1dE9双转基因小鼠脑葡萄糖代谢的影响

目的利用18氟-脱氧葡萄糖microPET(18F-FDG microPET)影像学技术观察正常对照组小鼠,模型组和姜黄素治疗组APPswe/PS1dE9双转基因小鼠的脑葡萄糖代谢情况。方法随机挑选6月龄正常对照组C57BL/6J小鼠3只,模型组和姜黄素治疗组APPswe/PS1dE9双转基因小鼠各3只,通过2%异氟烷吸入麻醉后,从尾静脉弹丸式注射放射性示踪剂18F-FDG每例约14.8～16.5 MBq,摄取45 min后进行10 min microPET图像采集。计算并比较各组小鼠每克脑组织(除小脑)18F-FDG的摄取率。结果姜黄素治疗组小鼠每克脑组织18F-FDG的摄取率高于正常对照组和模型组。结论姜黄素能明显提高APPswe/PS1dE9双转基因小鼠脑18 F-FDG的摄取及每克脑组织的摄取率,并可能通过影响脑葡萄糖代谢而发挥神经保护作用。     

Measurement of the relative electron-transport capacity of Photosystem I and Photosystem II in spinach chloroplasts

The ratio of Photosystem (PS) II to PS I electron-transport capacity in spinach chloroplasts was compared from reaction-center and steady-state rate measurements. The reaction-center electron-transport capacity was based upon both the relative concentrations of the PS II_α, PS II_β and PS I centers, and the number of chlorophyll molecules associated with each type of center. The reaction-center ratio of total PS II to PS I electron-transport capacity was about 1.8:1. Steady-state electron-transport capacity data were obtained from the rate of light-induced absorbance-change measurements in the presence of ferredoxin-NADP⁺, potassium ferricyanide and 2,5-dimethylbenzoquinone (DMQ). A new method was developed for determining the partition of reduced DMQ between the thylakoid membrane and the surrounding aqueous phase. The ratio of membrane-bound to aqueous DMQH₂ was experimentally determined to be 1.3:1. When used at low concentrations (200 μM), potassium ferricyanide is shown to be strictly a PS I electron acceptor. At concentrations higher than 200 μM, ferricyanide intercepted electrons from the reducing side of PS II as well. The experimental rates of electron flow through PS II and PS I defined a PS II/PS I electron-transport capacity ratio of 1.6:1.