Protein extraction from plant tissues for 2DE and its application in proteomic analysis

Plant tissues contain large amounts of secondary compounds that significantly interfere with protein extraction and 2DE analysis. Thus, sample preparation is a crucial step prior to 2DE in plant proteomics. This tutorial highlights the guidelines that need to be followed to perform an adequate total protein extraction before 2DE in plant proteomics. We briefly describe the history, development, and feature of major sample preparation methods for the 2DE analysis of plant tissues, that is, trichloroacetic acid/acetone precipitation and phenol extraction. We introduce the interfering compounds in plant tissues and the general guidelines for tissue disruption, protein precipitation and resolubilization. We describe in details the advantages, limitations, and application of the trichloroacetic acid/acetone precipitation and phenol extraction methods to enable the readers to select the appropriate method for a specific species, tissue, or cell type. The current applications of the sample preparation methods in plant proteomics in the literature are analyzed. A comparative proteomic analysis between male and female plants of Pistacia chinensis is used as an example to represent the sample preparation methodology in 2DE‐based proteomics. Finally, the current limitations and future development of these sample preparation methods are discussed. This Tutorial is part of the International Proteomics Tutorial Programme (IPTP17).     

Flow‐injection chemiluminescence determination of acetylsalicylic acid based on its enhancing effect on the lucigenin–hydrogen peroxide system

A sensitive flow‐injection chemiluminescence method for the determination of acetylsalicylic acid is described. It is based on the enhanced chemiluminescent emission of the alkaline lucigenin–H₂O₂ system by acetylsalicylic acid. The difference in chemiluminescent intensity of alkaline lucigenin–H₂O₂ in the presence of acetylsalicylic acid from that in the absence of acetylsalicylic acid was linear at acetylsalicylic acid concentrations in the range of 0.0029–47.37 µg/mL, with detection and quantification limits of 0.0011 and 0.0029 µg/mL_, respectively. The correlation coefficient of the working curve was 0.9983. The relative standard deviation (n = 10) for 25 µg/mL acetylsalicylic acid is 1.95%. All experimental parameters were optimized. The method was successfully applied to the determination of acetylsalicylic acid in pharmaceutical preparations. The recovery results obtained by the method were satisfactory. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice

The mouse olfactory system comprises 6-10 million olfactory sensory neurons in the epithelium lining the nasal cavity. Olfactory neurons extend a single dendrite to the surface of the epithelium, ending in a structure called dendritic knob. Cilia emanate from this knob into the mucus covering the epithelial surface. The proteins of the olfactory signal transduction cascade are mainly localized in the ciliary membrane, being in direct contact with volatile substances in the environment. For a detailed understanding of olfactory signal transduction, one important aspect is the exact morphological analysis of signaling protein distribution. Using light microscopical approaches in conventional cryosections, protein localization in olfactory cilia is difficult to determine due to the density of ciliary structures. To overcome this problem, we optimized an approach for whole mount labeling of cilia, leading to improved visualization of their morphology and the distribution of signaling proteins. We demonstrate the power of this approach by comparing whole mount and conventional cryosection labeling of Kirrel2. This axon-guidance adhesion molecule is known to localize in a subset of sensory neurons and their axons in an activity-dependent manner. Whole mount cilia labeling revealed an additional and novel picture of the localization of this protein.     

Evaluation of spice and herb as phyto-derived selective modulators of human retinaldehyde dehydrogenases using a simple in vitro method

Selective modulation of retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDHs)—the main aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzymes converting retinal into retinoic acid (RA), is very important not only in the RA signaling pathway but also for the potential regulatory effects on RALDH isozyme-specific processes and RALDH-related cancers. However, very few selective modulators for RALDHs have been identified, partly due to variable overexpression protocols of RALDHs and insensitive activity assay that needs to be addressed. In the present study, deletion of the N-terminal disordered regions is found to enable simple preparation of all RALDHs and their closest paralog ALDH2 using a single protocol. Fluorescence-based activity assay was employed for enzymatic activity investigation and screening for RALDH-specific modulators from extracts of various spices and herbs that are well-known for containing many phyto-derived anti-cancer constituents. Under the established conditions, spice and herb extracts exhibited differential regulatory effects on RALDHs/ALDH2 with several extracts showing potential selective inhibition of the activity of RALDHs. In addition, the presence of magnesium ions was shown to significantly increase the activity for the natural substrate retinal of RALDH3 but not the others, while His-tag cleavage considerably increased the activity of ALDH2 for the non-specific substrate retinal. Altogether we propose a readily reproducible workflow to find selective modulators for RALDHs and suggest potential sources of selective modulators from spices and herbs.     

一种单个胚胎的DNA模板制备方法

建立了一种简单处理单个卵子和早期胚胎制备DNA模板的方法——KOH/DTT-Triton X裂解法,并与TE-蛋白酶K法比较了PCR扩增效率。结果,采用KOH/DTT-Triton X裂解法处理单个卵子或2-细胞胚、8-细胞胚、桑椹胚、囊胚后,作为DNA模板直接进行PCR扩增线粒体DNA片段,3对引物的PCR扩增总成功率为100%（70/70）,而TE-蛋白酶K法处理的单个卵子的PCR扩增总成功率为92.9%（65/70）,二者差异显著（P<0.05）。但两种方法所制备模板的PCR假阳性率均为0。实验设计的KOH/DTT-Triton X裂解法是一种有效的单个早期胚胎的DNA模板制备方法,经一次PCR扩增即能获得清晰的目的DNA条带,能够满足早期胚胎遗传物质检测的需要。     

丹参对心肌低氧/复氧损伤的保护作用的研究

目的：研究中药丹参（ＳＭ）对心肌低氧／复氧损伤的保护作用。方法：运用＾３１Ｐ－ＮＭＲ技术对离体灌流大鼠心脏的高能磷酸化合物含量及细胞内的ｐＨ值（ｐＨｉ）进行动态跟踪。结果：丹参注射液能明显减轻低氧期间心肌高能磷酸合物含量的下降,促使复氧期间ＰＣｒ、ＡＴＰ相对含量的恢复,减少低氧及复氧阶段心肌ｐＨｉ的下降。结论：丹参参改善低氧及复氧期间心肌能量代谢水平,减轻心肌低氧／复氧损伤,并能显著改善细胞内酸碱     

Evaluation of a creosote-based medium for the growth and preparation of a PAH-degrading bacterial community for bioaugmentation

Creosote was evaluated as an inexpensive carbon source for growing inocula of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacterial community (community five). Creosote was a poor growth substrate when provided as sole carbon source in a basal salts solution (BSM). Alternatively, peptone, yeast extract or glucose in BSM supported high growth rates, but community five could not subsequently degrade pyrene. A combination of creosote and yeast extract in BSM (CYEM) supported growth and maintained the pyrene-degrading capacity of community five. Optimum pyrene-degrading activity occurred when the inocula were grown in creosote and yeast extract concentrations of 2 ml L⁻¹ and 1 g L⁻¹ respectively: concentrations outside these values resulted in either low biomass yields or loss of PAH-degrading activity. CYEM-grown community five inocula degraded 250 mg L⁻¹ of pyrene in BSM at a rate comparable to cultures inoculated with community five grown in BSM-pyrene. However, the CYEM-grown community showed a 40% lower rate of PAH degradation in a synthetic PAH mixture compared with pyrene-grown cells and there was an increase in the lag period before the onset of PAH degradation. This appears to reflect a weaker induction of PAH catabolism by CYEM compared to BSM-pyrene. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 277–284. Received 24 August 1999/ Accepted in revised form 20 January 2000     

抗果蝇Dxl6蛋白抗体的制备及特异性分析

为了研究果蝇中SR蛋白家族新成员Dxl6的功能,通过RT-PCR得到Dxl6的全长cDNA,并根据Dxl6基因产物的功能区,分别将Dxl6中间区域（Dxl6 middle part, Dxl6MP）、Dxl6 C末端RS结构域（Dxl6 RS domain, Dxl6RSD）序列亚克隆至pGEX-4T-1(His)6C 及pET32a 表达载体中,表达和纯化获得融合蛋白。用纯化的融合蛋白GST-Dxl6RSD-His和GST-Dxl6MP-His免疫家兔,分别得到抗Dxl6RSD和抗Dxl6MP两种抗体。WESTERN BLOT结果显示两种抗体能特异地识别在原核表达系统内表达的抗原,抗Dxl6RSD的抗体对果蝇组织中的Dxl6具有较高的特异性。Abstract: In order to study the function of Dxl6 which is a novel member of SR protein family, its cDNA was cloned by RT-PCR, and the sequences of its RS domain and its middle part were subcloned into two fusion express vectors, pGEX-4T-1His（6）C and pET32a. After expressing in E.coli BL21, the truncated proteins of Dxl6 RS domain part and Dxl6 middle part in pGEX-4T-1His（6）C were purified and used to immunize rabbits. Purified antibodies against the RS domain and Dxl6 middle part were obtained by affinity chromatography with the expressed products of Dxl6 RS domain part and Dxl6 middle part in pET32a, respectively. The result shows the antibody against Dxl6 RS domain has a good specificity to Dxl6 in Drosophila larvae by Western blot analysis.     

活菌制剂活菌数急剧衰降的原因与减缓衰降的方法

市售活菌制剂口服液活菌数急剧衰降的原因是营养缺乏,特别是缺乏部分氨基酸及某些维生素。增加动物性蛋白胨及强化酵母膏,添加适量维生素可使活菌数一年后保持在１０^６／ｍｌ以上。     

贺兰山林区马麝隔离种群的生存现状及保护

贺兰山林区是一个孤立的“林岛”,区内马麝总数量估计为１８３￣２２７头,主要零星地分布于陡林中,已牌濒危状态。１９８０年以前马麝种群衰退的主要原因是灌木林的急剧减少,１９８０年以后种群衰退的主要原因则是钢丝套偷猎。建立严厉的“奖励制度”,严格控制放牧区是拯求贺兰山马麝的途径。