DARPins recognizing the tumor-associated antigen EpCAM selected by phage and ribosome display and engineered for multivalency

Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins (DARPins) represent a novel class of binding molecules. Their favorable biophysical properties such as high affinity, stability and expression yields make them ideal candidates for tumor targeting. Here, we describe the selection of DARPins specific for the tumor-associated antigen epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), an approved therapeutic target on solid tumors. We selected DARPins from combinatorial libraries by both phage display and ribosome display and compared their binding on tumor cells. By further rounds of random mutagenesis and ribosome display selection, binders with picomolar affinity were obtained that were entirely monomeric and could be expressed at high yields in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli. One of the binders, denoted Ec1, bound to EpCAM with picomolar affinity (K_d = 68 pM), and another selected DARPin (Ac2) recognized a different epitope on EpCAM. Through the use of a variety of bivalent and tetravalent arrangements with these DARPins, the off-rate on cells was further improved by up to 47-fold. All EpCAM-specific DARPins were efficiently internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis, which is essential for intracellular delivery of anticancer agents to tumor cells. Thus, using EpCAM as a target, we provide evidence that DARPins can be conveniently selected and rationally engineered to high-affinity binders of various formats for tumor targeting.     

城市带状绿地结构类型与温湿效应的关系

利用小尺度定量测定的方法,选择北京典型的城市带状绿地--西四环旁侧4种不同内部结构以及5种不同郁闭度带状绿地(绿地宽度42 m)作为研究对象,研究带状绿地结构类型与温湿效应的关系.结果表明:与对照相比,草坪的降温增湿效应不显著,灌-草、乔-草和乔-灌-草绿地的降温增湿效果显著.当郁闭度为10%～31%时,绿地具有一定的降温增湿效应,但效应不显著;当郁闭度超过44%时,绿地降温增湿效应显著;当郁闭度超过67%时,绿地降温增湿效应显著且趋于稳定.     

Lipidome and proteome of lipid droplets from the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris

Lipid droplets (LD) are the main depot of non-polar lipids in all eukaryotic cells. In the present study we describe isolation and characterization of LD from the industrial yeast Pichia pastoris. We designed and adapted an isolation procedure which allowed us to obtain this subcellular fraction at high purity as judged by quality control using appropriate marker proteins. Components of P. pastoris LD were characterized by conventional biochemical methods of lipid and protein analysis, but also by a lipidome and proteome approach. Our results show several distinct features of LD from P. pastoris especially in comparison to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. P. pastoris LD are characterized by their high preponderance of triacylglycerols over steryl esters in the core of the organelle, the high degree of fatty acid (poly)unsaturation and the high amount of ergosterol precursors. The high phosphatidylinositol to phosphatidylserine of ~ 7.5 ratio on the surface membrane of LD is noteworthy. Proteome analysis revealed equipment of the organelle with a small but typical set of proteins which includes enzymes of sterol biosynthesis, fatty acid activation, phosphatidic acid synthesis and non-polar lipid hydrolysis. These results are the basis for a better understanding of P. pastoris lipid metabolism and lipid storage and may be helpful for manipulating cell biological and/or biotechnological processes in this yeast.     

丛枝菌根真菌状巨孢囊霉孢子伴生细菌的绿色荧光蛋白标记及定殖分析

摘要：【目的】分析丛枝菌根（Arbuscualr Mycorrhizal, AM）真菌珠状巨孢囊霉(Gigaspora margarita) MAFF 520054孢子伴生细菌的定殖情况,明确其生态位点,以及为进一步分析其种群生态或功能提供信息。【方法】以载体pNF8（gfp-mut1）对6株珠状巨孢囊霉MAFF 520054 孢子伴生细菌进行绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）标记,并通过荧光显微镜和平板计数的方法研究标记菌株对真菌宿主的定殖位点和不同条件下的定殖数量动态。【结果】对粘状芽孢杆菌（Peanibacillus spp.）M060106-1和M061122-6、芽孢杆菌（Bacillus sp.）M061122-10和短小芽孢杆菌（Brevibacillus sp.）M061122-12成功进行了GFP标记,其均具有较好的质粒稳定性,且与出发株的基本性状一致,适合短期内进行环境定殖研究。所有菌株均能定殖珠状巨孢囊霉MAFF 520054孢子壁,而M061122-6和M061122-12还能够定殖其菌丝;不同pH值条件下,各菌株定殖珠状巨孢囊霉MAFF 520054孢子的数量动态均为先上升后下降,pH值对各菌株的定殖数量有不同的影响;各GFP菌株对低活力的珠状巨孢囊霉孢子定殖数量高于高活力的孢子,且对高活力孢子的定殖数量动态不同。【结论】分离的珠状巨孢囊霉孢子伴生细菌能够重新定殖其孢子,菌株的定殖能力受其特性及外界因子的影响,为进一步分析AM真菌伴生细菌的种群生态及功能提供了信息。     

Environmental Profile of Brazilian Green Coffee (6 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background

Brazil is the world's biggest producer of coffee beans with approx. a 30% market share. Depending on climate conditions, approx. 30 million bags of coffee beans are exported annually from Brazil, while domestic consumption is around 10 million bags, which makes Brazil the world's third largest coffee-consuming country. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to present the LCA of green coffee produced in Brazil for the reference crops 2001/02 and 2002/03 in order to generate detailed production inventory data as well as to identify the potential environmental impacts of its tillage in order to realize how to reduce those impacts and increase the environmental sustainability of this product. Only the inputs and outputs relative to the coffee tillage were considered. The production of fertilizers, correctives and pesticides were not included in the boundary, but only their amounts. The functional unit selected for this study was 1,000 kg of green coffee destined for exportation.

Methods

The LCI was performed according to the ISO 14040 standard series. All information considered in this study (use of water, fossil based energy, fertilizers and chemicals) were taken up in in-depth data collection and evaluation by questionnaires applied on a farm level and/or received by mail. Four Brazilian coffee producer regions were evaluated: Cerrado Mineiro, South of Minas Gerais State, the Marília and Alta Mogiana regions in São Paulo State. These regions have the following geographic coordinates: 44 to 50° W longitude and 18 to 24° S latitude. The data refer to a production of 420,000 coffee bean bags and a productive area of approx. 14,300 ha. The varieties of coffee beans considered in this study were Mundo Novo, Catuaí (yellow and red), Icatu (yellow and red), Catucaí (yellow and red) and Obatã. Farm specific data along with agricultural production data have been combined to elaborate a coffee cultivation inventory, which will be applied in an emissions estimation.

Results and Conclusion

The production of 1,000 kg of green coffee in Brazil requires approx. 11,400 kg of water, 94 kg of diesel, 270 kg of fertilizers as NPK, 900 kg of total fertilizers, 620 kg of correctives, 10 kg of pesticides and 0.05 hectare of annual land use. Outputs related to these functional units are approx. 3,000 kg of waste water from coffee washing, 8,500 kg of waste water from the wet method and 750 kg of organic residue that is reincorporated to the tillage as fertilizer. The publication of an LCI of agricultural products is a fundamental step for understanding the potential environmental impacts of each tillage and then establishes the basis for product sustainability. In this way, this work is the first Brazilian initiative for applying LCA to coffee cultivation.

Recommendation and Perspective

Different agricultural practices demonstrate different environmental profiles. The amount of agricultural pesticide is directly related to agricultural practices as tillage rotation, density of plants, etc. This study supplied important results for a better correlation of the agricultural practices and potential environmental impacts of coffee. Future updates of this study will show the evolution of the natural resource management such as land use, new agricultural practices, lower fertilizers and chemicals use.     

色彩对茶园昆虫的引诱力

为评估色板用于监测和诱捕茶园害虫的可能性,于10月份茶园昆虫盛发期在绍兴和杭州分别选有机、无公害茶园,同时使用10种粘性色板大面积诱捕茶园昆虫和蜘蛛.每种色彩重复10次.结果表明:(1)在两片供试茶园捕获的目、科和种类基本相同.蜘蛛很少.24 h后,绍兴茶园中10种色板共捕获9目53科10200个昆虫和蜘蛛;72 h 后杭州茶园中捕获10目63科21526个昆虫和蜘蛛.(2)同翅目为优势类群.绍兴茶园中,纯白色板诱捕的同翅目种数占该色板捕获的总物种数的15.2%、同翅目个体数占该色板捕获的总个体数的34.1%;其它9种色板诱捕同翅目种数占各自捕获总种数的21.2%～31.0%、同翅目个体数占各自捕获总个体数的45.8%～75.4%.杭州茶园中,纯白、湖蓝和天蓝色板诱捕同翅目种数小于各自捕获的总种数的20%、同翅目个体数小于各自捕获的总个体数的51%;其它7种色板诱捕同翅目种数大于各自捕获的总种数的22.7%,果绿和墨绿诱捕的同翅目个体数占各自诱捕的总个体数的48.6%和49.8%,桃红、素馨黄、土黄、芽绿和桔黄诱捕的同翅目个体数占各自诱捕的总个体数的55.5%～78.1%.绍兴茶园中,素馨黄和芽绿诱捕的粉虱、假眼小绿叶蝉和广翅蜡蝉分别占两种色板诱捕的总个体数的67.7%和50.1%;杭州茶园中,素馨黄和芽绿诱捕的这几种害虫总数分别占二者诱捕的总个体数的70.7% 和59.2%.(3) 捕获的主要是害虫,绍兴茶园中诱捕的害虫数是天敌的1.63倍,杭州茶园中诱捕的害虫数是天敌的2.23倍.(4)色板之间引诱的种数和个体数差异显著.素馨黄和芽绿诱捕的种数和个体数最多、被捕昆虫的群落多样性指数很小,对叶蝉、粉虱和蜡蝉的引诱力最强;土黄和桔黄诱捕的种数和个体数较多、多样性指数较小,对同翅目昆虫的引诱力较强;纯白色诱捕的种数和个体数居中、多样性指数最大,即诱捕的各种昆虫的个体数差别小;果绿、桃红、墨绿和湖蓝诱捕的种数和个体数明显较少、多样性指数也较小;天蓝色诱捕的种数和个体数最少.(5) 寄生蝇类偏嗜蓝色,缨小蜂类、茧蜂类和小蜂类偏嗜芽绿色.建议将素馨黄和芽绿色板与信息素组合,分别用于监测和诱捕叶蝉和粉虱.     

Conjugation morphology of Zygogonium ericetorum (Zygnematophyceae,Charophyta) from a high alpine habitat

Reproductive characteristics are important for defining taxonomic groups of filamentous Zygnematophyceae, but they have not been fully observed in the genus Zygogonium. Specimens of Z. ericetorum previously studied and used to clarify the generic concept lacked fertile material, which was obtained recently. This study illustrates for the first time, using color light microscopic and fluorescence images, a consequent conjugation stage in Z. ericetorum, including completely developed zygospores and purple cytoplasmic residue content left outside the zygospores, similar to aplanospore formation. Structures confirmed earlier reports and provided new observation informative regarding phylogenetically relevant reproductive characters of Z. ericetorum.     

城市公园绿地可达性分析——以沈阳市铁西区为例

公园绿地作为城市重要的自然景观元素,其可达性是体现公园绿地所提供的自然服务能否被市民便捷、公平享用的一个重要指标.对可达性理论进行深入研究,从而更加准确、真实地对公园绿地可达性进行评价是目前亟需解决的问题.本文基于QuickBird卫星影像和GIS平台,以沈阳市铁西区为例,选取步行、非机动车、机动车和公共交通4种方式来定量评价公园绿地的可达性,并对4种交通方式下公园绿地可达区的空间分布、可达面积及可达人口的数量差异进行对比分析.结果表明： 沈阳市铁西区公园绿地数量较少且分布不均衡,表现为西南部及中心区域公园绿地的可达性较好,边缘区域可达性较差,东部和北部边缘可达性最差;各交通方式下公园绿地的可达性存在较大差异,机动车可达性最好,其次为非机动车和公共交通,步行可达性最差：近九成的居民可以采用步行30 min、非机动车和公共交通15 min、机动车10 min的方式到达最近的公园绿地.该研究对城市公园绿地可达性理论的深入、系统研究提供了一种新思路,对基于可达性的绿地空间布局优化具有重要的现实意义.     

城市绿地对热岛效应缓解作用研究——以保定市中心城区为例

随着中国城镇化建设的进行,城市热岛效应逐渐成为城市发展的显著问题之一,而城市绿地能有效地缓解城市热岛效应,在城市规划中,可以通过对城市绿地进行合理布局,从而减缓城市热岛效应的影响。本文采用遥感数据反演的方法,综合应用地理信息系统（GIS）和遥感（RS）技术,得到不同时期保定市中心城区地表温度和植被覆盖度的时空演变图,分析近10年的时空演变规律,并用网格法对植被覆盖度与地表温度之间的耦合关系进行研究,得出研究区内的植被覆盖度每增加10%,其地表的平均温度可减少0.9℃~1.3℃。选取研究区域内的8个城市绿地,利用缓冲区分析的方法,定量研究城市绿地面积与其降温范围之间的关系,结合保定市热岛效应集中区域及周边土地利用现状,提出增加城市绿地的可能位置,为城市绿地布局提供科学依据。