Selective antibacterial activity of the cationic peptide PaDBS1R6 against Gram-negative bacteria

Infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa foremost among them, constitute a major worldwide health problem. Bioinformatics methodologies are being used to rationally design new antimicrobial peptides, a potential alternative for treating these infections. One of the algorithms used to develop antimicrobial peptides is the Joker, which was used to design the peptide PaDBS1R6. This study evaluates the antibacterial activities of PaDBS1R6 in vitro and in vivo, characterizes the peptide interaction to target membranes, and investigates the PaDBS1R6 structure in contact with mimetic vesicles. Moreover, we demonstrate that PaDBS1R6 exhibits selective antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. In the presence of negatively charged and zwitterionic lipids the structural arrangement of PaDBS1R6 transits from random coil to α-helix, as characterized by circular dichroism. The tertiary structure of PaDBS1R6 was determined by NMR in zwitterionic dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelles. In conclusion, PaDBS1R6 is a candidate for the treatment of nosocomial infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, as template for producing other antimicrobial agents.     

我国落叶松林生物量碳计量参数的初步研究

通过整理归纳落叶松(Larix)天然林和人工林的生物量文献数据,研究探讨了有关生物量碳计量参数,结果表明:1) 落叶松生物量转化与扩展因子(Biomass conversion and expansion factor, BCEF)的平均值为0.683 4 Mg·m^-3 (n=113, SD=0.355 1),其中天然林为0.555 1 Mg·m^-3 (n=56, SD=0.058 2),明显小于人工林的0.809 5 Mg·m^-3 (n=57, SD=0.465 0)(p<0.05);生物量扩展因子(Biomass expansion factor,BEF)的平均值为1.349 3 (n=134, SD=0.384 4),其中天然林为1.176 3 (n=63, SD=0.039 9),也明显小于人工林的1.502 9 (n=71, SD=0.478 0)(p<0.05)。天然林与人工林的BCEF和BEF随林龄(Stand age, A)、平均胸径(Diameter at breast height, DBH)和林分密度(Stand density, D)的增加呈现相反的变化趋势。天然林的BCEF和BEF随A和DBH的增加而增加,随D的增加而呈降低趋势。人工林随A和DBH的增加呈指数降低并趋于稳定值,随D的增加而呈增加趋势。2) 根茎比(Root∶shoot ratio,R)的平均值为0.245 6 (n=156, SD=0.092 6),其中天然林为0.237 6 (n=64, SD=0.061 8)),人工林为0.251 1 (n=92, SD=0.109 0),二者无明显差异(p<0.05)。天然林的R随A和DBH的增加分别呈明显的指数和幂函数增加,而随D的增加呈幂函数下降,而人工林的R与A、DBH和D没有显著相关性(p<0.05)。3) 群落生物量扩展因子(Community biomass expansion factor,CBEF)的平均值为1.079 2 (n=49, SD=0.100 5),其中天然林为1.103 9 (n=29, SD=0.114 9),明显大于人工林的1.043 4 (n=20, SD=0.061 4) (p<0.05)。由于天然林和人工林的某些碳计量参数(如BCEF、BEF、CBEF)间存在明显差异,在进行落叶松林生物量碳计量时需分别天然林和人工林计算,在使用有关参数时还需考虑A、DBH和D等因素,有利于降低计量中的不确定性。但是人工林的有些参数(如人工林BCEF和BEF与D的关系、天然林和人工林的CBEF等)尚需进一步研究。     

Functional Effects of a Restrictive-Cardiomyopathy-Linked Cardiac Troponin I Mutation (R145W) in Transgenic Mice

The human cardiac troponin I (hcTnI) mutation R145W has been associated with restrictive cardiomyopathy. In this study, simultaneous measurements of ATPase activity and force in skinned papillary fibers from hcTnI R145W transgenic mice (Tg-R145W) were explored. Tg-R145W fibers showed an ∼ 13-16% increase in maximal Ca²⁺-activated force and ATPase activity compared to hcTnI wild-type transgenic mice. The force-generating cross-bridge turnover rate (g) and the energy cost (ATPase/force) were the same in all groups of fibers. Also, the Tg-R145W fibers showed a large increase in the Ca²⁺ sensitivity of both force development and ATPase. In intact fibers, the mutation caused prolonged force and intracellular [Ca²⁺] transients and increased time to peak force. Analysis of force and Ca²⁺ transients showed that there was a 40% increase in peak force in Tg-R145W muscles, which was likely due to the increased Ca²⁺ transient duration. The above cited results suggest that: (1) there would be an increase in resistance to ventricular filling during diastole resulting from the prolonged force and Ca²⁺ transients that would result in a decrease in ventricular filling (diastolic dysfunction); and (2) there would be a large (approximately 53%) increase in force during systole, which may help to partly compensate for diastolic dysfunction. These functional results help to explain the mechanisms by which these mutations give rise to a restrictive phenotype.     

抗生素对溶藻弧菌SXT/R391元件转移频率的影响北大核心CSCD

【目的】研究萘啶酸、诺氟沙星、卡那霉素3种抗生素对溶藻弧菌(Vibrio alginolyticus)SXT/R391元件ICEVal A056-1转移频率的影响。【方法】利用PCR检测溶藻弧菌A056中ICEVal A056-1的自我剪切、转移潜力。通过溶藻弧菌A056与大肠杆菌菌株VB111的接合实验,研究溶藻弧菌分别在含不同浓度萘啶酸、诺氟沙星、卡那霉素的LB培养基中培养15 min或30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率的变化规律。【结果】溶藻弧菌A056细胞中有环状形式的ICEVal A056-1分子存在,具有水平转移潜力;溶藻弧菌A056在含40μg/m L萘啶酸的LB中培养30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率是对照组的19.59倍;在含50μg/m L诺氟沙星的LB中培养15 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率是对照组的31.25倍;在含不同浓度卡那霉素的LB中培养30 min后,ICEVal A056-1转移频率与对照组没有显著差别。【结论】部分抗生素的使用可以明显促进溶藻弧菌ICEVal A056-1向大肠杆菌的转移,因此海洋环境中抗生素的滥用及随意排放很可能加剧ICEs(integrating conjugative elements)从溶藻弧菌到其他细菌的传播。     

The relationship between soil seed bank,above‐ground vegetation and disturbance intensity on old‐field successional permanent plots

Questions: How does disturbance and successional age influence richness, size and composition of the soil seed bank? What is the potential contribution of the soil seed bank to the plant community composition on sites differing in their successional age or disturbance intensity? Location: Experimental Botanical Garden of Göttingen University, central Germany. Methods: Above‐ground vegetation and soil seed bank were studied on formerly arable fields in a 36‐year‐old permanent plot study with five disturbance intensities, ranging from yearly ploughing via mowing to long‐term uninterrupted succession. We compared species compositions, seed densities and functional features of the seed bank and above‐ground vegetation by using several methods in parallel. Results: The seed bank was mainly composed of early successional species typical of strongly disturbed habitats. The difference between seed bank composition and above‐ground vegetation decreased with increasing disturbance intensity. The species of greatest quantitative importance in the seed bank was the non‐native forb Solidago canadensis. Conclusions: The ability of a plant community to regenerate from the soil seed bank dramatically decreases with increasing time since abandonment (successional age) and with decreasing disturbance intensity. The present study underlines that plant species typical of grasslands and woodlands are limited by dispersal capacity, owing to low capacity for accumulation of seeds in the soil and the fact that most species do not build up persistent seed banks. Rare and target species were almost absent from the seed bank and will, after local elimination, depend on reintroduction for continuation of their presence.     

The Expression of Connexins and SOX2 Reflects the Plasticity of Glioma Stem-Like Cells

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant primary brain tumor, with an average survival rate of 15 months. GBM is highly refractory to therapy, and such unresponsiveness is due, primarily, but not exclusively, to the glioma stem-like cells (GSCs). This subpopulation express stem-like cell markers and is responsible for the heterogeneity of GBM, generating multiple differentiated cell phenotypes. However, how GBMs maintain the balance between stem and non-stem populations is still poorly understood. We investigated the GBM ability to interconvert between stem and non-stem states through the evaluation of the expression of specific stem cell markers as well as cell communication proteins. We evaluated the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of GSCs derived from differentiated GBM cell lines by comparing their stem-like cell properties and expression of connexins. We showed that non-GSCs as well as GSCs can undergo successive cycles of gain and loss of stem properties, demonstrating a bidirectional cellular plasticity model that is accompanied by changes on connexins expression. Our findings indicate that the interconversion between non-GSCs and GSCs can be modulated by extracellular factors culminating on differential expression of stem-like cell markers and cell-cell communication proteins. Ultimately, we observed that stem markers are mostly expressed on GBMs rather than on low-grade astrocytomas, suggesting that the presence of GSCs is a feature of high-grade gliomas. Together, our data demonstrate the utmost importance of the understanding of stem cell plasticity properties in a way to a step closer to new strategic approaches to potentially eliminate GSCs and, hopefully, prevent tumor recurrence.     

Plasticity in R/S ratio, morphology and fitness-related traits in response to reciprocal patchiness of light and nutrients in the stoloniferous herb, Glechoma longituba L

Clonal fragments of the stoloniferous herb Glechoma longituba were subjected to a complementary patchiness of light and soil nutrients including two spatially homogeneous treatments (SR–SR and IP–IP) and two spatially heterogeneous treatments (IP–SR and SR–IP). SR and IP indicate patches (shaded, rich) with low light intensity (shaded, S), high nutrient availability (rich, R) and patches (illuminated, poor) with high light intensity (illuminated, I) and low nutrient availability (poor, P), respectively. Plasticity of the species in root–shoot ratio, fitness-related traits (biomass, number of ramets and dry weight per ramet) and clonal morphological traits (length and specific length of stolon internodes, area and specific area of laminae, length and specific length of petioles) were experimentally examined. The aim is to understand adaptation of G. longituba to the environment with reciprocal patches of light and soil nutrients by plasticities both in root–shoot ratio and in (clonal) morphology. Our experiment revealed performance of the clonal fragments growing from patches with high light intensity and low soil nutrient availability into the adjacent opposite patches was increased in terms of the fitness-related characters. R/S ratio and clonal morphology were plastic. Meanwhile, the capture of light resource from the light-rich patches was enhanced while the capture of soil nutrients from either the nutrient-rich or the nutrient-poor patches was not. Analysis of cost and benefit disclosed positive effects of clonal integration on biomass production of ramets in the patches with low light intensity and high soil nutrient availability. These results suggest an existence of reciprocal translocation of assimilates and nutrients between the interconnected ramets. The reinforced performance of the clonal fragments seems to be related with specialization of clonal morphology in the species.     

人X染色体间期细胞遗传学研究

应用人X染色体α卫星DNA探针进行X染色体正常或异常个体的外周血淋巴细胞染色体和间期核的原位杂交,在R显带的中期分裂相上,绝大部分杂交颂粒位于X染色体着丝粒区(p11→q11);在间期核内则显现与X染色体数相一致的银颗粒簇,其中相当部分位于核边缘区。实验结果表明,用原位杂交来检测X染色体数目,比记数Barr小体的方法可靠。本文还就α卫星DNA探针在间期细胞遗传学方面广泛的应用做了讨论。     

Preparation of (2S, 3R)-methyl-3-phenylglycidate using whole cells of Pseudomonas putida

Preparation of (2S, 3R)-methyl 3-phenylglycidate via enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic phenylglycidate was carried out using whole cells of Pseudomonas putida. Under optimal conditions (2S, 3R)-methyl-3-phenylglycidate could be got with ee value 99 and 48% chemical yield.     

鸭疫里默氏杆菌RecA作为一种内参蛋白的评价

由于缺少适合的内参蛋白,所以用Western blot的方法来研究鸭疫里默氏杆菌蛋白表达的调节尚未见报道。以鸭疫里默氏杆菌基因组为模板,PCR扩增含有组氨酸标签His-tag的rec A基因和截段的rec AP基因,并分别将其克隆于原核表达载体p ET32a。将重组质粒转化到表达菌Rosetta中,经1mmol/L的IPTG诱导进行蛋白质表达。用组氨酸标签亲和试剂镍-琼脂糖进行重组蛋白质的纯化。用纯化的重组蛋白对4周龄的昆明鼠进行免疫,制备多克隆抗体。Western blot实验表明,截段表达的Rec AP的多克隆抗体血清比全长Rec A蛋白的多克隆抗体血清与鸭疫里默氏杆菌总蛋白反应更特异;在铁离子限制性环境和血红素丰富环境中培养的鸭疫里默氏杆菌的Rec A蛋白表达量一致。因此,鸭疫里默氏杆菌的Rec A蛋白可以在铁离子和血红素代谢等研究中作为Western blot的内参蛋白。