Vaccination with gamma-irradiated Neospora caninum tachyzoites protects mice against acute challenge with N. caninum

Neospora caninum, an apicomplexan parasite, is a leading cause of bovine abortions worldwide. The efficacy of gamma-irradiated N. caninum strain NC-1 tachyzoites as a vaccine for neosporosis was assessed in C57BL6 mice. A dose of 528 Gy of gamma irradiation was sufficient to arrest replication but not host cell penetration by tachyzoites. Female C57BL6 mice were vaccinated with two intraperitoneal inoculations of 1 x 10(6) irradiated tachyzoites at 4-wk intervals. When stimulated with N. caninum tachyzoite lysates, splenocytes of vaccinated mice, cultured 5 and 10 wk after vaccination, secreted significant (P<0.05) levels of interferon gamma, interleukin (IL)-10, and small amounts of IL-4. Antibody isotype-specific ELISA of sera from vaccinated mice exhibited both IgG1 and IgG2a isotypes of antibodies. Vaccinated mice were challenged intraperitoneally with 2 x 10(7)N. caninum tachyzoites. All vaccinated mice remained healthy and showed no obvious signs of neosporosis up to the 25th day post-challenge when the study was terminated. All unvaccinated control mice died within 1 wk of infection. Gamma-irradiated N. caninum tachyzoites can serve as an effective, attenuated vaccine for N. caninum.     

增强UV-B辐射对拟南芥叶肉细胞蛋白的影响

采用不同剂量的UV-B辐射处理4周龄的野生型拟南芥幼苗(Columbia-0),分别采用丙酮沉淀法和TCA-丙酮法提取其叶肉细胞中的蛋白质,进而研究分析拟南芥叶肉细胞中蛋白质的含量与组成对不同强度UV-B辐射的响应。结果显示,两种方法相比较,TCA-丙酮法所提取得到的蛋白含量相对较多,更适合于分析增强UV-B辐射对拟南芥叶肉细胞蛋白质的影响;而两种方法所提取得到的蛋白质含量的变化趋势相同,随着UV-B辐射剂量的增加,蛋白质含量呈先增加后减少的趋势,B₂组达到了最大。此外,蛋白条带的数目和表达量也都发生了显著变化,同样也是以中剂量处理组（B₂组）变化最为明显,既有新增条带,又有消失条带。这可能是由于拟南芥在受到低剂量的UV-B辐射时,可以激活自身一些抗性基因的表达而诱导产生抗性蛋白,进而抵御UV-B的伤害;而当受到高剂量的UV-B辐射时,损伤自身的蛋白质合成途径,影响蛋白的合成。     

拟南芥芥子酸酯对UV-B辐射的响应

芥子酸酯(sinapate esters)是拟南芥和其他十字花科植物中大量存在的一类具有紫外吸收作用的羟基肉桂酸衍生物,有研究表明其紫外吸收能力甚至强于类黄酮。以模式植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)为实验材料,通过施加低强度(40 μW/cm²)、相对长时间(7 d)的UV-B辐射,考察了拟南芥幼苗和成苗芥子酸酯组分(芥子酰葡萄糖、芥子酰苹果酸)和含量及合成途径关键酶编码基因表达水平对UV-B辐射的响应。经过7 d的UV-B辐射处理,拟南芥幼苗和成苗的芥子酰葡萄糖、芥子酰苹果酸含量均高于对照植株,芥子酸酯表现为响应UV-B辐射而积累。无论是幼苗还是成苗,叶片中芥子酰苹果酸的含量都要比芥子酰葡萄糖高出一个数量级,而且在UV-B处理过程中观察到芥子酰葡萄糖含量减少而芥子酰苹果酸含量增加,催化芥子酰葡萄糖生成芥子酰苹果酸的芥子酰葡萄糖苹果酸转移酶编码基因的表达水平也显著提高,说明芥子酰苹果酸在拟南芥叶片响应UV-B辐射过程中起重要作用并优先合成。另外,拟南芥幼苗中两种芥子酸酯的含量是成苗中的数十倍之多,芥子酸酯合成途径关键酶编码基因fah1和sng1的相对表达量也显著高于成苗。同时,在响应UV-B辐射的过程中,幼苗中芥子酰葡萄糖、芥子酰苹果酸含量的变化幅度(分别是7.01％、6.05％)远远低于成苗叶片中芥子酰葡萄糖、芥子酰苹果酸含量的变化幅度(分别是21.88％、70.63％),这可能意味着拟南芥叶片中芥子酸酯对于UV-B辐射的防护作用,幼苗属于组成型防御(constitutive defense),而到成苗则转变为诱导型防御(inducible defense)。     

Response of barley seedlings to UV-B radiation as affected by NaCl

The response of barley seedlings, subjected to 150 mmol/L NaCl for 4 days at different light regimes (4 d in the light, 4 d in darkness and a 12 h light/dark cycle) before UV-B radiation was investigated. NaCl treatment resulted in a decrease of total chlorophyll content and an increase in H2O2, free proline and lipid peroxidation, as quantified by measurement of malondialdehyde. Significantly more proline was accumulated in the light than in darkness. The combination of UV-B and NaCl treatment produced an additive effect on most of the parameters studied. UV-B radiation reduced the chlorophyll/carotenoids ratio and photochemical efficiency of PSII as estimated by chlorophyll fluorescence. NaCl pre-exposure decreased H2O2 generation and lipid peroxidation and alleviated the inhibitory effect of UV-B on PSII activity. Proline accumulated under salt stress conditions might be one of the reasons for the observed tolerance of barley seedlings to UV-B radiation.     

微波诱变结合化学诱变选育酸性蛋白酶高产菌

酸性蛋白酶是酶制剂工业比较重要的酶种,广泛应用于饲料、食品、皮革、医药和酿造工业中［１～４］,具有较大的市场潜力。本研究以宇佐美曲霉（Ａｓｐｅｒｇｉｌｕｓｕｓａｍｉ）白色突变株Ｂ１为出发菌株,通过微波诱变和亚硝基胍、硫酸锂复合诱变剂点试平板法诱变,选...     

Comparison of responses of bean, pea and rape plants to UV-B radiation in darkness and in light

Effect of UV-B radiation on leaves of bean, pea and rape plants was studied. UV-B radiation (11.2 kJ·m⁻²) induced more distinct reduction of the primary photosynthesis activity when applied in darkness than the same UV-B dose, extended in time, and applied with photosynthetic active radiation (PAR). The pea plants were more susceptible to UV-B in darkness, but in the presence of PAR their tolerance was higher. The CO₂ fixation in the bean and rape plants, exposed to UV-B was decreased, but for the pea plants it remained unchanged. The UV-B irradiation caused an increase in the content of ultraviolet-absorbing pigments. Additionally, the bean plants grown at UV-B increased the thickness of leaves, described as SLW.     

A Simple Method to Functionalize PCL Surface by Grafting Bioactive Polymers Using UV Irradiation

Background

Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a biodegradable polymer which is used in tissue engineering applications thanks to its many favorable characteristics. However, PCL surfaces are known as hydrophobic leading to a lack of favorable cell response. To overcome this problem, PCL surfaces will undergo a surface functionalization by grafting bioactive polymers bearing ionic groups.

乌龟脑细胞辐射损伤的研究

在细胞培养的基础上,利用透射电镜和流式细胞术对乌龟脑细胞的辐射损伤进行了研究。在电镜下观察,未辐射脑细胞为不规则的几何形状,有突起伸出;细胞核不规则,几何状或椭圆形,核仁和核周间隙明显;线粒体基质电子密度均匀,内部嵴结构清晰;内质网清晰可见;细胞质匀质,内部充满大量糖原颗粒。乌龟脑细胞受辐射后,细胞外碎片增多;核出现明显的分叶,并可见核碎片;核染色质固缩、边集;线粒体、内质网和部分细胞质出现空泡化;可见凋亡小体。流式细胞术的检测结果显示:辐射组和未辐射组的细胞大部分都处于G₀/G₁期,分别占检测细胞总数59.7%和61.9%:在主峰前,辐射组细胞出现细胞凋亡峰:在G₂/M期,辐射组细胞的细胞数较未辐射组有所减少。研究结果表明,乌龟脑细胞经辐射后出现了凋亡现象。     

Influence of growth environment on tolerance to UV-B radiation, germination speed, and morphology of Metarhizium anisopliae var. acridum conidia

We previously reported wide variability in UV-B tolerance among different Metarhizium anisopliae isolates [Braga, G.U.L., Flint, S.D., Miller, C.D., Anderson, A.J., Roberts, D.W., 2001a. Variability in response to UV-B among species and strains of Metarhizium isolated from sites at latitudes from 61 degrees N to 54 degrees S. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 78, 98-108] as well as wide phenotypic variability in some of these isolates in response to alterations in their growth environments [Rangel, D.E.N., Braga, G.U.L., Flint, S.D., Anderson, A.J., Roberts, D.W., 2004. Variations in UV-B tolerance and germination speed of M. anisopliae conidia produced on artificial and natural substrates. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 87, 77-83]. Studies on other biological systems have demonstrated that strong selective pressure for tolerance to a stress factor may reduce the phenotypic variability of this trait. In the present study, conidia of the isolate most tolerant to radiation and heat, ARSEF 324, presented very little phenotypic variability in UV-B tolerance in response to production on either artificial culture medium or infected insects. The phenotypic plasticities in two other traits (conidial morphology and germination speed), however, were considerably higher.     

Application of microwave-irradiation technique in deglycosylation of ginsenosides for improving apoptosis induction in human melanoma SK-MEL-2 cells

To increase the contents of medicinally effective ginsenosides, we used high-temperature and high-pressure thermal processing of ginseng by exposing it to microwave irradiation. To determine the anti-melanoma effect, the malignant melanoma SK-MEL-2 cell line was treated with an extract of microwave-irradiated ginseng. Microwave irradiation caused changes in the ginsenoside contents: the amounts of ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd were disappeared, while those of less polar ginsenosides, such as Rg3, Rg5, and Rk1, were increased. In particular, the contents of Rk1 and Rg5 markedly increased. Melanoma cells treated with the microwave-irradiated ginseng extract showed markedly increased cell death. The results indicate that the microwave-irradiated ginseng extract induced melanoma cell death via the apoptotic pathway and that the cytotoxic effect of the microwave-irradiated ginseng extract is attributable to the increased contents of specific ginsenosides.