植物基因打靶效率的研究进展

基因打靶技术是将外源DNA定向整合入基因组中对特定基因进行精确修饰,从而改变生物遗传性状的技术。它在特定基因功能研究、遗传育种和生理机制的理解方面有着重要意义,但植物中较低的基因打靶效率制约着它的进一步推广和应用。本文着重从载体构建、筛选策略、受体细胞状态等方面对打靶效率的提高进行分析,并介绍同源重组酶系、锌指核酶和寡核苷酸技术在基因打靶中的应用。     

Zn诱导的菹草叶抗氧化酶活性的变化和超微结构损伤

本文以培养在不同浓度梯度Zn 溶液中的菹草为材料, 研究Zn 对植物的影响。培养第5天, 测定叶内抗氧化酶系统活性等指标的变化, 并用透射电镜观察对细胞超微结构的损伤。结果表明:低浓度(<20mg/L)在短期内(5d)未对菹草产生影响, 各生理指标呈上升趋势。当培养浓度为50mg/L 时SOD 和CAT 活性达到峰值, 而其他指标则下降:其中POD 活性和叶绿素含量高于对照, 而可溶性蛋白含量则比对照低。100mg/L 培养浓度各指标均明显降低。同时电镜观察发现过量Zn 损伤了细胞的超微结构。当培养浓度大于50mg/L 时, 叶绿体被膜断裂, 叶绿体解体。线粒体脊突膨大, 线粒体空泡化。细胞核核膜断裂, 核仁散开。这说明过量Zn 削弱了细胞抗氧化酶的活性, 同时对细胞超微结构产生致死性损伤, 从而导致细胞死亡。     

开放条件下烟管菌XX-2对孔雀石绿染料的高效降解

[目的]评价白腐真菌Bjerkandera adusta XX-2处理孔雀石绿染料废水的能力,为其在染料废水中的应用提供参考依据.[方法]采用批次实验在开放条件下研究通气、pH、温度、染料初始浓度、培养时间、碳源、氮源、金属离子、盐度等因子对该菌降解孔雀石绿的影响.同时利用植物萌发、微生物抑菌和水生动物致死实验对降解产物进行毒性测试.[结果]B.adusta XX-2菌株在开放的非灭菌条件下也能高效降解孔雀石绿.例如,在初始浓度为120 mg/L且以孔雀石绿为唯一营养源的条件下降解率也能达到60％.静置培养和摇动培养呈现出几乎相同的降解率,这可以为技术应用节约动力成本.最适降解pH与温度分别为7.0和25℃.在上述参数体系的优化基础上,分别进行了碳源、氮源与金属离子的添加优化实验,结果显示低浓度的碳源(如柠檬酸钠)、氮源(如氯化铵)和金属离子(如Zn2+)均可大大提高B.adusta XX-2对孔雀石绿的脱色效率.同时B.adusta XX-2的降解也能在很高的盐浓度下进行.毒性测试表明降解后的染料对植物、微生物、水生生物的毒性大大减少.[结论]B.adusta XX-2菌株在处理染料废水方面具有很大的应用潜力.     

Effect of overdose zinc on mouse testis and its relation with sperm count and motility

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of excessive zinc intake on the testes and on sperm count and motility in mice. Thirty Balb c mice were divided randomly into 3 groups of 10 animals in each. Group I acted as controls; group II was supplied with drinking water containing 1.5 g/100 mL Zn, and group III was supplied with drinking water containing 2.5 g/100 mL Zn. The animals were sacrificed after 3 wk supplementation and the epididymis and testis were quickly excised. A negative correlation between Zn dose and sperm count and motility was found. The sperm count in group III was significantly lower than in groups II and I (p<0.05). The sperm motility in group III was significantly lower than in the controls (p<0.05). Degenerative changes, including spermatic arrest, degeneration of seminiferous tubules, and fibrosis in interstitial tissue, were observed in group III animals. These results show that high doses of zinc significantly alter sperm motility.     

Zinc-aggravated M1 microglia regulate astrocytic engulfment via P2×7 receptors

BackgroundGlial cells such as astrocytes and microglia play an important role in the central nervous system via communication between these glial cells. Activated microglia can exhibit either the inflammatory M1 phenotype or the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype, which influences astrocytic neuroprotective functions, including engulfment of cell debris. Recently, extracellular zinc has been shown to promote the inflammatory M1 phenotype in microglia through intracellular zinc accumulation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation.PurposeHere, we investigated whether the zinc-enhanced inflammatory M1 phenotype of microglia affects the astrocytic engulfing activity.MethodsEngulfing activity was assessed in astrocytes treated with microglial-conditioned medium (MCM) from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated or from ZnCl₂-pretreated LPS-activated M1 microglia. The effect of zinc on microglia phenotype was also validated using the zinc chelator N,N,N’,N’-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) and the ROS scavenger Trolox.ResultsAlthough treatment of astrocytes with LPS showed no significant effect on the engulfing activity, MCM from LPS-induced M1 microglia increased the beads uptake by astrocytes. This increased uptake activity was suppressed when MCM from LPS-induced M1 microglia pretreated with ZnCl₂ was applied to astrocytes, which was further abolished by the intracellular zinc chelator TPEN and the ROS scavenger Trolox. In addition, expression of P2×7 receptors (P2×7R) was increased in astrocytes treated with MCM derived from M1 microglia but not in the M1 microglia pretreated with ZnCl₂.ConclusionThese findings suggest that zinc pre-treatment abolishes the ability of LPS-induced M1 microglia to increase the engulfing activity in astrocytes via alteration of astrocytic P2×7R.     

Phallus impudicus loaded with γ-Fe2O3 as solid phase bioextractor for the preconcentrations of Zn(II) and Cr(III) from water and food samples

We investigated the application of fungus Phallus impudicus loaded γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles as a biosorbent for magnetic solid phase extractions of trace levels of Zn(II) and Cr(III) ions from natural samples before their measurements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The characterization of magnetized P. impudicus was performed using the scanning electron microscope, the energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Important experimental factors were investigated. The experimental results fitted well to the Langmuir adsorption model and pseudo-second order kinetic model. Limit of detections of targeted ions by magnetic solid phase extraction method based on use of P. impudicus were found as 10.5 ngL⁻¹ and 12.6 ngL⁻¹ respectively for Cr(III) and Zn(II). The sorption capacities of the biosorbent were 22.8 mgg⁻¹ for Cr(III) and 25.6 mgg⁻¹ for Zn(II). The preconcentration factors were achieved as 100 for both of ions. RSDs for inter- and intraday precisions were found as lower than 2.0% and 2.1% respectively for both of targeted ions. The accuracy of the recommended process was tested by recovery measurements on the certificated reference materials and successfully applied for quantification recoveries of Cr(III) and Zn(II) ions from water and food samples.     

Zinc binding ligands and cellular zinc trafficking: apo-metallothionein, glutathione, TPEN, proteomic zinc, and Zn-Sp1

Many cell types contain metal-ion unsaturated metallothionein (MT). Considering the Zn(2+) binding affinity of metallothionein, the existence of this species in the intracellular environment constitutes a substantial "thermodynamic sink". Indeed, the mM concentration of glutathione may be thought of in the same way. In order to understand how apo-MT and the rest of the Zn-proteome manage to co-exist, experiments examined the in vitro reactivity of Zn-proteome with apo-MT, glutathione (GSH), and a series of common Zn(2+) chelating agents including N,N,N',N'-(2-pyridylethyl)ethylenediammine (TPEN), EDTA, and [(2,2'-oxyproplylene-dinitrilo]tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Less than 10% of Zn-proteome from U87mg cells reacted with apo-MT or GSH. In contrast, each of the synthetic chelators was 2-3 times more reactive. TPEN, a cell permeant reagent, also reacted rapidly with both Zn-proteome and Zn-MT in LLC-PK(1) cells. Taking a specific zinc finger protein for further study, apo-MT, GSH, and TPEN inhibited the binding of Zn(3)-Sp1 with its cognate DNA site (GC-1) in the sodium-glucose co-transporter promoter of mouse kidney. In contrast, preformation of Zn(3)-Sp1-(GC-1) prevented reaction with apo-MT and GSH; TPEN remained active but at a higher concentration. Whereas, Zn(3)-Sp1 is active in cells containing apo-MT and GSH, exposure of LLC-PK(1) cells to TPEN for 24h largely inactivated its DNA binding activity. The results help to rationalize the steady state presence of cellular apo-MT in the midst of the many, diverse members of the Zn-proteome. They also show that TPEN is a robust intracellular chelator of proteomic Zn(2+).     

ICPBCZin: a red emitting ratiometric fluorescent indicator with nanomolar affinity for Zn2+ ions

A new fluorescent Zn²⁺ indicator, namely, ICPBCZin was synthesized and the spectral profile of its free and Zn²⁺ bound forms was studied. The newly synthesized zinc indicator incorporates as chromophore the chromeno [3′,2′:3,4]pyrido[1,2a] [1,3]benzimidazole moiety and belongs to the dicarboxylate-type of zinc probes. The compound is excited with visible light, exhibits high selectivity for zinc in the presence of calcium and other common biological ions, and its Zn²⁺ dissociation constant is 4.0 nM. Fluorescence spectra studies of ICPBCZin indicated a clear shift in its emission wavelength maxima upon Zn²⁺ binding, as it belongs to the class of Photoinduced Charge Transfer (PCT) indicators, along with changes in fluorescence intensity that enable the compound to be used as a ratiometric, visible-excitable Zn²⁺ probe.     

Hexavalent chromium reduction in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Desulfovibrio vulgaris</Emphasis> Hildenborough causes transitory inhibition of sulfate reduction and cell growth

Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough is a well-studied sulfate reducer that can reduce heavy metals and radionuclides [e.g., Cr(VI) and U(VI)]. Cultures grown in a defined medium had a lag period of approximately 30 h when exposed to 0.05 mM Cr(VI). Substrate analyses revealed that although Cr(VI) was reduced within the first 5 h, growth was not observed for an additional 20 h. The growth lag could be explained by a decline in cell viability; however, during this time small amounts of lactate were still utilized without sulfate reduction or acetate formation. Approximately 40 h after Cr exposure (0.05 mM), sulfate reduction occurred concurrently with the accumulation of acetate. Similar amounts of hydrogen were produced by Cr-exposed cells compared to control cells, and lactate was not converted to glycogen during non-growth conditions. D. vulgaris cells treated with a reducing agent and then exposed to Cr(VI) still experienced a growth lag, but the addition of ascorbate at the time of Cr(VI) addition prevented the lag period. In addition, cells grown on pyruvate displayed more tolerance to Cr(VI) compared to lactate-grown cells. These results indicated that D. vulgaris utilized lactate during Cr(VI) exposure without the reduction of sulfate or production of acetate, and that ascorbate and pyruvate could protect D. vulgaris cells from Cr(VI)/Cr(III) toxicity. J.D. Wall and M.W. Fields are both affiliated to the Virtual Institute of Microbial Stress and Survival (). M.E. Clark and S.B. Thieman contributed equally to this work.     

八种植物提取物对蔬菜害虫的室内毒力研究

研究了巴豆 (Croton tiglium L.)等八种植物的提取物对几种常见蔬菜害虫的非选择性拒食和毒杀作用。研究结果表明 :巴豆、青蒿、米仔兰等三种植物提取物在 0 .5 %浓度时对菜粉蝶 5龄幼虫的拒食率分别达到96 .36 %、82 .4 2 %和 86 .30 % ,对菜粉蝶 3龄幼虫的毒杀死亡率分别为 5 9.38%、2 8.1 3%和 4 3.75 % ;对黄曲条跳甲成虫的毒杀死亡率为 77.5 0 %、5 6 .2 5 %和 4 8.75 % ;对美洲斑潜蝇幼虫的毒杀死亡率分别为 83.33%、5 6 .6 7%和 73.33%。