Redox‐modulated colorimetric detection of ascorbic acid and alkaline phosphatase activity with gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) exhibit characteristic absorption peaks in the ultraviolet visible region due to their special surface plasmon resonance effect. This characteristic absorption peak would change with the relative colour varying from wine red to orange‐yellow upon sequential addition of ascorbic acid (AA) into the mixture of AuNPs and Ag(I). Similar observations also could be found when the hydrolysis product of sodium l ‐ascorbyl‐2‐phosphate with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was used as an alternative to AA. Results of structure characterization confirmed that the phenomena were due to the reduction of Ag(I) to Ag(0) on the surface of AuNPs and the formation of core‐shell AuNPs@Ag. Therefore, a colorimetric assay for rapid visual detection of AA and ALP based on redox‐modulated silver deposition on AuNPs has been proposed. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the absorbance variation ΔA_{522 nm}/A_{370 nm} of AuNPs was proportional to the concentration of AA (5–60 μmol/L) and ALP (3–18 U/L) with the corresponding detection limit of 2.44 μmol/L for AA and 0.52 U/L for ALP. The assay showed excellent selectivity towards AA and ALP. Moreover, the assay has been applied to detect AA and ALP activity in real samples with satisfying results.     

2′-Functional group of adenosine in 10–23 DNAzyme promotes catalytic activity

10–23 DNAzyme is an artificially selected catalytic DNA molecule. Its great potential as genetic therapeutics promoted chemical modifications for more efficient DNAzymes. Here, 10–23 DNAzyme was modified on its six deoxyadenosine residues (A5, A9, A11, A12, A15 in the catalytic domain and A0 of the recognition arm next to the cleavage site) with compound 1, an adenosine analogue with 2′-O-[N-(aminoethyl)carbamoyl]methyl group. A positive effect of compound 1 at A15 was observed (HJDS-05, k_obs = 0.0111 min⁻¹). Compared to the effect of 2′-H and 2′-OMe at A15, this result provided an approach for more efficient DNAzyme by combining 2′-substituted amino group of adenosine with A15 as the lead structure.     

大兴安岭泥炭地不同菌根类型木本植物叶片凋落物分解及其温度敏感性差异

以我国大兴安岭多年冻土区泥炭地常见的3种外生菌根木本植物(细叶沼柳Salix rosmarinifolia、白桦Betula platyphylla和柴桦B.fruticosa)和4种欧石楠菌根木本植物(笃斯越桔Vaccinium uliginosum、狭叶杜香Ledum palustre、甸杜Chamaedaphne calyculata和小叶杜鹃Rhododendron parrifolum)为研究对象,通过315天培养试验测定10和20℃叶片凋落物分解过程中的碳(C)累积矿化量和重量损失,并分析其温度敏感性。结果表明:外生菌根植物叶片凋落物的C矿化量和重量损失在10和20℃均高于欧石楠菌根植物;外生菌根植物凋落物分解过程中C矿化量的温度敏感性系数高于欧石楠菌根植物,但重量损失的温度敏感性系数低于欧石楠菌根植物;在每一培养温度下,C矿化量和重量损失均与凋落物全氮(N)和全磷(P)浓度呈正相关,与C/N和C/P呈负相关;尽管C矿化量的温度敏感性系数与凋落物初始化学组成无显著相关性,但重量损失的温度敏感性系数与凋落物全N和全P浓度呈负相关,与C/N和C/P呈正相关。本研究结果为认识和预测气候变暖及其引起的物种组成变化对北方泥炭地植物凋落物分解的影响提供理论依据。     

长江三角洲核心区绿地系统时空演变特征及生态服务价值评估

在经济建设与环境保护矛盾突出的背景下,研究区域绿地系统时空演化特征,探讨人为因素对绿地系统生态服务的影响,对于改善绿地资源管理、促进区域永续协调发展具有重要意义。本研究基于景观生态学研究方法和生态服务价值当量因子评估法,运用ArcGIS 10.2软件的空间分析功能,对1990-2015年长江三角洲核心区绿地系统时空演化特征及生态服务价值进行了分析。结果表明:(1)长三角核心区绿地景观规模随时间的变化具有阶段性特征,呈现先扩大后缩减的态势;绿地景观与其他土地利用类型的转移存在阶段性与指向性特征;绿地景观格局总体上表现为初期集聚同质化、后期破碎异质化。(2)长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务价值随时间变化明显,不同绿地景观类型有不同的阶段性特征;长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务类型中,调节服务对于绿地系统整体生态服务价值贡献最大。(3)长三角核心区绿地系统生态服务价值在空间上呈现南北不均衡的特征,总体上呈南高北低态势,其中杭州市绿地系统生态服务价值在不同阶段均最高。区域地形地貌是影响区域生态服务价值的一个重要因素。     

河西走廊不同产地‘赤霞珠’酿酒葡萄果实品质评价

为了确定河西走廊地区‘赤霞珠’酿酒葡萄核心品质指标,建立‘赤霞珠’酿酒葡萄品质综合评价模型。从张掖、武威、嘉峪关3个酿酒葡萄主产市的代表性果园采集6份‘赤霞珠’葡萄样品进行品质测定,通过主成分分析和聚类分析法确定‘赤霞珠’葡萄核心品质指标,运用层次分析法确定指标权重并建立‘赤霞珠’葡萄品质综合评价模型。结果表明:(1)不同产地‘赤霞珠’酿酒葡萄品质指标存在明显差异性,张掖市国风葡萄酒庄园的‘赤霞珠’葡萄果糖、蔗糖、草酸、柠檬酸含量均高于其他地区,且可溶性固形物、可溶性糖、总酚、苹果酸含量在各产地中也均保持在最高水平。(2)相关性分析发现,葡萄果实葡萄糖含量与可溶性固形物含量、果糖与可溶性糖含量之间呈极显著正相关,固酸比和糖酸比均与可滴定酸含量呈极显著负相关关系。(3)综合主成分分析、聚类分析和相关性分析结果,确定维生素C(Vc)、单宁、果糖和固酸比是‘赤霞珠’葡萄核心品质指标,应用层次分析法建立了‘赤霞珠’葡萄品质综合评价模型为Y=0.0960×Vc含量+0.1611×单宁含量+0.2771×果糖含量+0.4568×固酸比(各指标含量均经过标准化处理)。研究发现,河西走廊地区‘赤霞珠’葡萄果实品质最佳产地是张掖市,果实Vc、单宁、果糖和固酸比是‘赤霞珠’葡萄的核心品质指标,以其建立的评价模型可用于‘赤霞珠’葡萄品质的综合评价。     

38个榛种质资源叶功能性状与光合特征变异及其相关性

研究了38个榛种质资源叶功能性状与光合特征参数的变异特征及其相关关系,为优良种质资源的选择以及进一步理解叶功能性状对光合特征的影响机制提供科学依据。结果表明:38个种质资源的叶面积(LA)、叶形指数(LI)、叶干重(LDW)、比叶面积(SLA)和叶干物质含量(LDMC)平均值分别为78.39 cm²、1.24、0.73 g、109.95 cm²·g^-1和38.31%,LDW变异最大,其次为LA和SLA,LI和LDMC变异最小;净光合速率(Pn)、蒸腾速率(Tr)、气孔导度(gs)、胞间CO2浓度(Ci)、气孔限制值(Ls)和水分利用效率(WUE)平均值分别为9.92μmol·m^-2·s^-1、3.88 mmol·m^-2·s^-1、153.04μmol·m^-2·s^-1、238.73μmol·mol^-1、0.41和2.54μmol·mmol-1,gs变异最大(27.89%),Pn、Ci、Ls和WUE次之(10.37%~15.14%),Tr最小(9.99%)。不同种质资源叶功能性状与光合特征参数之间均存在极显著差异。Pearson相关分析表明:Pn与LA、LDW、LDMC均呈显著正相关,与SLA则呈显著负相关;Tr与LA呈显著正相关;gs和Ci与LDMC分别呈显著负相关和正相关;WUE与LDW、LDMC均呈显著正相关,与SLA则呈显著负相关。冗余分析表明:第1、2排序轴共同解释了叶片光合特征总变异的88.6%,其中,对光合特征产生显著影响的叶功能性状因子为SLA和LDMC。平欧210号、F-03、平欧11号、平欧88号、平欧119号、85-162、平欧48号、玉坠、平欧110号表现出较高的水分和光能利用效率。     

Development Of A Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Strip For Detection Of Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) Core Antigen

The object of this study was to develop a simple, rapid, specific, and highly sensitive method to detect HCV core antigen. A nucleic acid aptamer was designed with the high specificity and sensitivity in a nucleic acid lateral flow strip to compete with HCV core antigen and DNA probes. The lower detection limit of the test strip was calculated to be 10 pg/mL with the scanner and 100 pg/mL with naked eyes. Results showed that there were no cross-interactions with other proteins such as HCV NS3, E1/E2 antigens, HIV p24 antigens, or BSA proteins (HCV unrelated protein). When the viral load exceeded 10⁴ copies/mL, the positive coincidence rates of ELISA and strip detection, when compared with the HCV RNA assay, were 98.44% and 97.28%, respectively. The results indicated that the ELISA detection and strip assay were in good agreement with the measured value. The results indicated that a nucleic acid lateral flow strip was a simple, rapid, specific, highly sensitive, and cost-effective field-based method for detecting HCV core antigen. The strip assay is an acceptable alternative to diagnose HCV core antigen and to investigate its epidemiology in clinical laboratories lacking specialized equipment and skills.     

The spliceosome catalyzes debranching in competition with reverse of the first chemical reaction

Splicing of nuclear pre-mRNA occurs via two steps of the transesterification reaction, forming a lariat intermediate and product. The reactions are catalyzed by the spliceosome, a large ribonucleoprotein complex composed of five small nuclear RNAs and numerous protein factors. The spliceosome shares a similar catalytic core structure with that of fungal group II introns, which can self-splice using the same chemical mechanism. Like group II introns, both catalytic steps of pre-mRNA splicing can efficiently reverse on the affinity-purified spliceosome. The spliceosome also catalyzes a hydrolytic spliced-exon reopening reaction as observed in group II introns, indicating a strong link in their evolutionary relationship. We show here that, by arresting splicing after the first catalytic step, the purified spliceosome can catalyze debranching of lariat-intron-exon 2. The debranching reaction, although not observed in group II introns, has similar monovalent cation preferences as those for splicing catalysis of group II introns. The debranching reaction is in competition with the reverse Step 1 reaction influenced by the ionic environment and the structure of components binding near the catalytic center, suggesting that the catalytic center of the spliceosome can switch between different conformations to direct different chemical reactions.