酮古龙酸菌细胞色素c的表达、成熟及活性分析

目的:从酮古龙酸菌Y25中扩增细胞色素c基因,在大肠杆菌中表达、成熟并进行生物活性分析。方法:从酮古龙酸菌Y25基因组中PCR扩增细胞色素c基因,构建pET22b表达载体;从大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中扩增细胞色素c成熟基因簇ccmABCDEFGH,连接到带有山梨糖脱氢酶组成型启动子的pBBR1MCS2-P200载体中;将构建的2个质粒共转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),经IPTG诱导表达后进行血红素染色检测;通过氧化还原光谱法对Ni柱亲和纯化的重组蛋白进行活性分析。结果:扩增得到1404 bp的细胞色素c基因及6481 bp的ccmABCDEFGH基因簇;重组菌株经IPTG诱导表达后行SDS-PAGE分析,可见相对分子质量为50×103的表达条带;血红素染色显示重组蛋白结合有血红素;经氧化还原光谱扫描,显示亲和层析纯化得到的目的蛋白有细胞色素c特征吸收峰。结论:从酮古龙酸菌Y25中扩增得到了细胞色素c基因,在大肠杆菌中进行了表达和成熟,表达蛋白具有细胞色素c生物活性。     

Expression profiles of iron transport molecules along the duodenum

Duodenal biopsies are considered a suitable source of enterocytes for studies of dietary iron absorption. However, the expression level of molecules involved in iron absorption may vary along the length of duodenum. We aimed to determine whether the expression of molecules involved in the absorption of heme and non‐heme iron differs depending on the location in the duodenum. Analysis was performed with samples of duodenal biopsies from 10 individuals with normal iron metabolism. Samples were collected at the following locations: (a) immediately post‐bulbar, (b) 1–2 cm below the papilla of Vater and (c) in the distal duodenum. The gene expression was analyzed at the mRNA and protein level using real‐time PCR and Western blot analysis. At the mRNA level, significantly different expression of HCP1, DMT1, ferroportin and Zip8 was found at individual positions of duodenum. Position‐dependent expression of other molecules, especially of FLVCR1, HMOX1 and HMOX2 was also detected but with no statistical significances. At the protein level, we observed statistically significantly decreasing expression of transporters HCP1, FLVCR1, DMT1, ferroportin, Zip14 and Zip8 with advancing positions of duodenum. Our results are consistent with a gradient of diminishing iron absorption along the duodenum for both heme and non‐heme iron.     

Simultaneous determination of citalopram and tadalafil by the second derivative synchronous fluorescence method in biological fluids; application of Box–Behnken optimization design

This is the first study focusing solely on that determination of tadalafil in the presence of citalopram as an antidepressant drug. The determination in biological fluids of a co‐administered antidepressant drug and a sexual stimulation drug is a very critical and important step for psychotic and ischaemic heart disease patients, especially in cases of emergency and this requires therapeutic drug monitoring. A sensitive, efficient and rapid assay was selected satisfactorily and applied for simultaneous determination of citalopram and tadalafil either in their pure forms, in tablet dosage forms or in spiked human plasma. There was a large overlap for both drugs, forming the broad band found in conventional fluorescence spectra and their related synchronous fluorescence intensity. Therefore, the development of a highly sensitive second derivative synchronous fluorescence method was demonstrated that removed this overlap. The proposed method depended on measuring the amplitudes of the second derivative of synchronous fluorescence intensity at suitable wavelengths of 301 nm and 367 nm for citalopram and tadalafil at Δλ = 60 nm, respectively. Box–Behnken design as a response surface methodology was used to fit models and create an optimization process encompassing a set of factors and resulting in an optimum response value specifically designed for this method. Under optimum conditions, the linear dynamic ranges for citalopram and tadalafil estimation were 20–900 and 5–400 ng ml^?1 with detection limits of 5.40 and 1.43 ng ml^?1, respectively.     

Synthesis and application of a “turn on” fluorescent probe for glutathione based on a copper complex of coumarin hydrazide Schiff base derivative

Discrimination and quantification of intracellular biothiols, such as cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), glutathione (GSH) under physiological conditions is significant for academic research and disease diagnosis. A new fluorescent probe (complex 1-Cu²⁺) for discriminate detection of GSH was prepared by copper ions coordinate with coumarin carbohydrazide Schiff base derivative 1. In suitable buffer solution (CH₃CN: HEPES = 3:2, v/v) and under appropriate pH condition (pH = 7.2–7.4), the UV–vis spectroscopy experiments showed that compound 1 and copper ion exhibited a 1:1 ratio binding mode and moderate binding ability. Fluorescence quenching of compound 1 was observed when it complexed with Cu²⁺ ions. An obviously fluorescence restoration appeared after addition of GSH to the solution of probe, which also exhibited a highly selectivity relative to cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) in the amino acid competitive experiments. The minimum detection limit was calculated to 0.12 μM by fluorescent method, which was distinctly below the physiological concentration of GSH in live cells. Its biological application to detect the endogenous GSH was further proved by the HepG2 cell fluorescence image test.     

Synthesis of derivatives of cleistopholine and their anti-acetylcholinesterase and anti-β-amyloid aggregation activity

A series of 6- and 9-substituted cleistopholine derivatives has been designed, synthesized and investigated to inhibit the aggregation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and β-myloid (A β). Results showed that these synthetic compounds had excellent AChE inhibitory activity and a significant in vitro inhibitory potency toward the self-induced A β aggregation. When SH-SY5Y cells were treated with these substituted cleistopholine derivatives during they overexpressed the Swedish mutant form of human β -amyloid precursor protein (APPsw), A β 42 secretion levels were significantly reduced. According to a parallel artificial membrane permeation assay for BBB, seven out of these sixteen synthetic compounds probably could cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to reach their targets in the central nervous system (CNS).     

Isopimarane diterpenes and flavan derivatives from the twigs of Caesalpinia furfuracea

The first phytochemical investigation of Caesalpinia furfuracea twigs led to the isolation and identification of four new compounds including two isopimarane diterpenes, caesalfurfuric acids A (1) and B (2), and two flavans, (2R)-caesalflavans A (5) and B (6), together with four known compounds, 4-epi-isopimaric acid (3), methyl (E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)acrylate (4), (E)-resveratrol (7) and oxyresveratrol (8). Their structures were elucidated by intensive spectroscopic analysis. Compound 1 was found to exhibit antibacterial activity against MRSA SK1 with an MIC value of 16 μg/mL.     

A diterpene,a sesquiterpene quinone and flavanones from Wyethia helenioides

The aerial parts of Wyethia helenioides afforded a new geranyl nerol derivative (a 16-hydroxy-18-oic acid), two isomeric prenylated lavanones and a quinone derived from bisabolene. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and some chemical transformations. The chemotaxonomic situation is discussed briefly.     

Template-independent synthesis of guanosine tetra- and pentaphosphates on ribosomes

It is shown that Escherichia coli ribosomes carrying poly(Lys)-tRNA can form (p)ppGpp in the presence of stringent factor in the absence of the poly(A) template. Template-independent synthesis of (p)ppGpp is suppressed by tetracycline and partially decreases if deacylated tRNA is omitted.     

Nagilactones as an Anti-Feedant from Podocarpus nagi for Herbivorous Mammals

Various phosphatidylsaccharides can be produced in good yields by a one-step transphosphatidylation reaction catalyzed by the purified phospholipase D from Actinomadura sp. strain No. 362.

With glucose as the saccharide, the optimal conditions of transphosphatidylation were investigated. Several solvents such as diethylether or tert-butanol and several salts such as NaCl or CaCl₂ were effective for phosphatidylglucose production. The optimal concentration of glucose for phosphatidylglucose production was 0.8 part of the water.

With optimal conditions, the conversion rate of egg lecithin to phosphatidylglucose reached about 85%. With this condition of phosphatidylglucose production, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, soya lecithi.., phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, dihexadecylphosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin were found to be good substrates.

Pentoses, hexoses, and heptoses with primary alcohol groups were also found to be good acceptors of transphosphatidylation.