Induction of macrophage apoptosis by Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase-hemolysin

Abstract The addition of 1 mM glycine betaine to the growth medium of Chromatium sp. NCIMB 8379 relieved growth inhibition caused by exposure to supra-optimal Nad concentrations. Intracellular glycine betaine concentrations were dependent upon the NaCl concentration of the growth medium up to 3 M exogenous Nad. Kinetic data for the accumulation of [methyl-¹⁴C]-glycine betaine demonstrated that Chromatium sp. NCIMB 8379 possesses a constitutively expressed active transport system for glycine betaine. The transport system was saturable with respect to glycine betaine concentration and exhibited typical Michaelis-Menten type kinetics: K _m= 24 μ M, V _max= 306 nmol min⁻¹ mg protein⁻¹ at an external NaCl concentration of 1 M. The rate of glycine betaine transport decreased progressively with increasing growth medium NaCl concentration. This transport system may represent an adaptive response to growth in high osmolarity environments in this halotolerant isolate, allowing accumulation of glycine betaine from the external cell environment or recycling synthesised glycine betaine which has passively diffused from the cell.     

Testing models of female reproductive migratory behaviour and population structure in the Caribbean hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, with mtDNA sequences

Information on the reproductive behaviour and population structure of female hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata , is necessary to define conservation priorities for this highly endangered species. Two hypotheses to explain female nest site choice, natal homing and social facilitation, were tested by analyzing mtDNA control region sequences of 103 individuals from seven nesting colonies in the Caribbean and western Atlantic. Under the social facilitation model, newly mature females follow older females to a nesting location, and subsequently use this site for future nesting. This model generates an expectation that female lineages will be homogenized among regional nesting colonies. Contrary to expectations of the social facilitation model, mtDNA lineages were highly structured among western Atlantic nesting colonies. These analyses identified at least 6 female breeding stocks in the Caribbean and western Atlantic and support a natal homing model for recruitment of breeding females. Reproductive populations are effectively isolated over ecological time scales, and recovery plans for this species should include protection at the level of individual nesting colonies.     

三角帆蚌贝壳珍珠层颜色遗传规律的初步研究

为了探明三角帆蚌(Hyriopsis cumingii)贝壳珍珠层颜色的遗传规律,为珍珠层颜色的选择育种提供理论指导,利用三角帆蚌紫色和白色选育品系进行自交和正反杂交,建立了白色♂×白色♀、白色♂×紫色♀、紫色♂×白色♀和紫色♂×紫色♀4个交配组合,统计分析了每个交配组合子代的珍珠层颜色分离情况.结果显示,白色自交组合的子代贝壳珍珠层颜色全部表现为白色,没有发生颜色分离;杂交组合的子代珍珠层颜色出现两种情况,一是全部表现为紫色,二是颜色发生分离,且紫色和白色个体比例符合1∶1的比例关系;紫色自交组合的子代珍珠层颜色也出现两种情况,一是全部表现为紫色,二是颜色分离出紫色和白色,且比例符合3∶1的比例关系.结果表明,三角帆蚌贝壳珍珠层颜色受遗传基因控制,可以稳定遗传,属质量性状.珍珠层紫色性状对白色性状为显性,两种颜色性状均不存在母性遗传.白色个体为隐性纯合体,选育纯化较为容易,而紫色个体既有显性纯合体又有杂合体,选育纯化相对较困难.     

Purple carrot extract protects against cadmium intoxication in multiple organs of rats: Genotoxicity,oxidative stress and tissue morphology analyses

The aim of this study was to investigate if purple carrot extract is able to protect against the noxious activities induced by cadmium exposure in multiple organs of rats. For this purpose, histopathological analysis, genotoxicity and oxidative status were investigated in this setting. A total of twenty Wistar rats weighing 250 g on the average, and 8 weeks age were distributed into four groups (n = 5), as follows: Control group (non-treated group, CTRL); Cadmium group (Cd) and Purple carrot extract groups at 400 mg/L or 800 mg/L. Histopathological analysis revealed that liver from animals treated with purple carrot extract improved tissue degeneration induced by cadmium intoxication. Genetic damage was reduced in blood and hepatocytes as depicted by comet and micronucleus assays in animals treated with purple carrot extract. SOD-CuZn and cytocrome C gene expression increased in groups treated with purple carrot extract. Purple carrot extract also reduced the 8OHdG levels in liver cells when compared to cadmium group. Taken together, our results demonstrate that purple carrot extract is able to protect against cadmium intoxication by means of reducing tissue regeneration, genotoxicity and oxidative stress in multiple organs of Wistar rats.     

紫金山南坡森林立地的数值分类

森林立地分类是林业生产的重要基础。林业发达国家对此都相继开展了深入细致的研究,许多研究成果已在林业实践中发挥了重要作用。我国森林立地分类研究始于50年代,其间几经中断,近年来又日益受到重视,在“七五”期间被列为国家科技重点(攻关)项目。无疑,这对我国林业现代化将起到重要的推动作用。森林立地分类与评价的方法各异,流派众多,对此作者曾有详细的评介。随着数学     

天然落葵红色素研究初报

落葵紅色素系以成熟的落葵果实为原料,经由物理方法提取获得的一种水溶性天然食用红色素。该色素在酸性至中性的介质中呈鲜艳的紫红色;经毒理学实验和卫生学检验,证明它是一种安全无毒,符合一般食品添加剂卫生学要求的良好的食品着色剂。据实验结果分析,落葵红色素中主要化学成分是甜菜花青素(betacyanines):甜菜苷(betanin)。     

Influence of magnetic fields on the P-870 triplet state in Rps. sphaeroides reaction centers

Magnetic fields influence two properties of the P-870 triplet state observed in Rps. sphaeroides reaction centers: the yield of formation and the kinetics of decay. These effects have been studied in reaction centers which were prepared in three different states: state Q_A ^–, state Q_A ^2– and state (– Q_A) (Q_A depleted). The triplet yields decrease with increasing magnetic fields, with B1/2's of about 140, 41 and 57 Gauss, respectively. The half-time of ³P-870 decay is not influenced by the field in state Q_A ^–; it increases at increasing fields, in state Q_A ^2– and state (– Q_A), with the same B1/2 as the triplet yield. These results are discussed in the framework of current theories of the radical-pair dynamics and of the mechanism of triplet decay.Abbreviations I primary electron acceptor - LDAO lauryldimethylamine oxide - P-870 primary electron donor - Q_A first quinone acceptor - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate - YAG Yttrium Aluminum Garnet     

Resonance raman spectroscopy of chemically modified and isotopically labelled purple membranes. I. A critical examination of the carbon-nitrogen vibrational modes

Resonance Raman spectra of bacteriorhodopsin are compared to the spectra of this protein modified in the following ways: (1) selective deuteration at the C-15 carbon atom of retinal, (2) full deuteration of the retinal, (3) the addition of a conjugated double bond in the β-ionone ring (3-dehydroretinal), (4) full deuteration of the protein and lipid components, (5) ¹⁵N enrichment of the entire membrane and (6) deuteration of the entire membrane (including the retinal). A detailed comparison of the ¹⁵N-enriched membrane and naturally occurring purple membrane from 800 cm^?1 to 1700 cm^?1 reveals that ¹⁵N enrichment affects the frequency of only two vibrational modes. These occur at 1642 cm^?1 and 1620 cm^?1 in naturally occurring purple membrane and at 1628 cm^?1 and 1615 cm^?1 in the ¹⁵N-enriched samples. Therefore, this pair of bands reflects the states of protonation of the Schiff base. However, our data also indicate that neither of these modes are simple, localized $\text{C}\text{=}\textcolor{red}{}\text{?}\text{H}$ or C=N stretching vibrations. In the case of the 1642 cm^?1 band motions of the retinal chain beyond C-15 are not significantly involved. On the other hand, in the 1620 cm^?1 band atomic motions in the isoprenoid chain beyond C-15 are involved.     

A new pathway in the photoreaction cycle of trans-bacteriorhodopsin and the absorption spectra of its intermediates

The intermediates of trans-bacteriorhodopsin (trans-bR) in the photoreaction cycle were investigated under two different conditions. In a low salt and neutral pH medium (10 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.6), trans-bR was irradiated with 500 nm light at –190 C, resulting in formation of batho-trans-bR (batho-bR^t). On warming in the dark, batho-bR^t converted to lumi-trans-bR (lumi-bR^t), meta-trans-bR (meta-bR^t) and finally to trans-bR. The intermediates N and O, which had been detected by others by flash photolysis, were not observed. The thermal decay of lumi-bR^t in a high salt and high pH medium (10 mM borate buffer with l M NaCl, pH 10.0) proceeded simultaneously through two pathways; one to meta-bR^t and another to trans-bR. About 72% of lumi-bR^t converted to trans-bR directly and the residue converted to meta-bR^t. By use of this value, the absorption spectra of batho-bR^t (_max: 626 nm), lumi-bR^t (_max: 543 nm) and meta-bR^t (_max: 418 nm) were calculated. A photoreaction cycle of bacteriorhodopsin was proposed on the basis of the above findings.     

Retinal-protein interactions in bacteriorhodopsin monomers,dispersed in the detergent L-1690

Bacteriorhodopsin monomer dispersed in a solution of the detergent L-1690 could maintain the specific interaction between retinal and protein in the pH range 9.0-0.0 at 25°C. λ_max of the absorbance spectrum was 550 nm at pH 9.0, 556 nm at pH 5.5, 609 nm at pH 2.1 and 570 nm at pH 0.0. Increasing the NaCl concentration in the solution promoted formation of the 609 nm product at pH 5.0-3.0 and also its transition to the 570 nm product at pH 2.5-1.0. Retinal isomer analysis gave a ratio of 13-cis- to all-trans-retinal of 53 : 47 at pH 5.5. When the pH of the solution was reduced, the relative content of all-trans-retinal increased and the ratio of 13-cis- to all-trans-retinal was 14 : 86 at pH 0.0. Illumination of the solution at pH 7.2 yielded a product containing 9-cis-retinal or 9-cis, 13-cis-retinal, which may be due to a reaction other than the photoreaction cycle.