Synthesis of radioactive and photoactivable ganglioside derivatives for the study of ganglioside-protein interactions

The procedures for the preparation of radioactive and photoactivable ganglioside derivatives have been continuously developed from 1989, when for the first time the synthesis of photoactivable tritium labeled GM1 ganglioside was presented. We described previously the synthesis of photoactivable derivatives of GM3 and GM1 gangliosides, tritium-labeled at acetyl group of sugar units, and of photoactivable GM1 and GD1b gangliosides, tritium-labeled at position 6 of the external galactose. These procedures are reviewed in detail in the present paper. The use of these ganglioside derivatives to study the ganglioside-protein interactions and to identify proteins that specifically interact with gangliosides (including GPI-anchored proteins of the outer membrane leaflet, proteins anchored to the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane through a fatty acyl chain, transmembrane proteins, and soluble cytoplasmic proteins) is discussed. Published in 2004. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Lipid-protein interactions in biological membranes: a structural perspective

Lipid molecules bound to membrane proteins are resolved in some high-resolution structures of membrane proteins. An analysis of these structures provides a framework within which to analyse the nature of lipid-protein interactions within membranes. Membrane proteins are surrounded by a shell or annulus of lipid molecules, equivalent to the solvent layer surrounding a water-soluble protein. The lipid bilayer extends right up to the membrane protein, with a uniform thickness around the protein. The surface of a membrane protein contains many shallow grooves and protrusions to which the fatty acyl chains of the surrounding lipids conform to provide tight packing into the membrane. An individual lipid molecule will remain in the annular shell around a protein for only a short period of time. Binding to the annular shell shows relatively little structural specificity. As well as the annular lipid, there is evidence for other lipid molecules bound between the transmembrane α-helices of the protein; these lipids are referred to as non-annular lipids. The average thickness of the hydrophobic domain of a membrane protein is about 29 Å, with a few proteins having significantly smaller or greater thicknesses than the average. Hydrophobic mismatch between a membrane protein and the surrounding lipid bilayer generally leads to only small changes in membrane thickness. Possible adaptations in the protein to minimise mismatch include tilting of the helices and rotation of side chains at the ends of the helices. Packing of transmembrane α-helices is dependent on the chain length of the surrounding phospholipids. The function of membrane proteins is dependent on the thickness of the surrounding lipid bilayer, sometimes on the presence of specific, usually anionic, phospholipids, and sometimes on the phase of the phospholipid.     

The influence of life-history strategy on lipid metabolism in overwintering juvenile Atlantic salmon

From November to May, the lipid mass in the viscera and carcass of juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar that were undergoing smolt transformation prior to seaward migration ('early migrants') were significantly greater than those of their siblings that would delay migration for at least a further year. During winter (November-February), the depletion of lipid associated with the viscera was significantly greater in early migrants, whilst lipid depletion in the remaining carcass was greater in delayed migrants. Early migrants continued to deplete both lipid compartments in spring (February-May), whereas delayed migrants depleted visceral lipid but replenished carcass lipid over the same period. Fatty acid accumulation rates (a measure of storage lipid synthesis rates) were two to six times greater in visceral than in carcass lipid throughout the study, suggesting that lipid turnover is much more rapid in the viscera. There were no differences in fatty acid accumulation rates between migrant groups in November, despite the much lower food consumption rate of delayed migrants at that time, suggesting that these fish allocated a larger proportion of their nutritional resources to lipid synthesis. In the carcass lipid of early migrants, and in both the visceral and carcass lipid of delayed migrants, the fatty acid accumulation rate was negatively correlated with lipid mass. Fatty acid accumulation rates increased from November to February in both visceral and carcass lipid in the two migrant groups. The fatty acid accumulation rate in carcass lipid was significantly higher in delayed migrants than in early migrants in February, but not in May. These results support the hypothesis that life history strategies involving rapid growth will result in a relatively low allocation of resources to lipid reserves.     

Extracellular production of a glycolipid biosurfactant, mannosylerythritol lipid, from Candida antarctica

Candida antarctica (sp. SY16) required avegetable oil as the carbon source to produce a biosurfactant, mannosylerythritol lipid (MEL-SY16). Biosurfactant production was 31 g l^–1 after 7 days in a batch culture and was not growth associated. In a two-stage culture, glycerol and oleic acid were used as an initial and a feeding carbon source, respectively, and 41 g l^–1 biosurfactant was produced after 8 days.     

Topical application of Pya-AKH stimulates lipid mobilization and locomotion in the flightless bug, Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Heteroptera)

Abstract Two different methods of applying Pya -AKH to long-winged (macropterous) females of the firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus (Linnaeus) (Heteroptera) were compared: both injection and topical application increased the levels of lipids in the haemolymph and stimulated locomotor activity. Lipid mobilization was maximal when 10 pmol was applied by injection or 40–100 pmol by topical application, with the first significant responses occurring 1.5 h after injection and 2 h after topical application. The highest elevations of lipid concentration in the haemolymph were comparable between the treatments, i.e. 14.36 ± 3.59 mg/mL for injection and 14.43 ± 4.07 mg/mL for topical application. However, these maximal elevations were achieved at different times: 3 h after the injection and 7 h after the topical application.
Injection of 10 and 40 pmol of Pya -AKH stimulated locomotor activity with maximal activity 3 h later but, surprisingly, injection of 80 pmol showed no effect initially and than a slight inhibitory effect after 6–8 h.
Increased locomotor activity was found after topical application of Pya -AKH, but the response was lower than after injection and appeared later, 5–9 h after the hormone application. In addition, the greatest increase in walking activity required topical application of 300 pmol and was still less dramatic than the response to injection. The stimulatory effect of Pya -AKH on locomotion was positively correlated with its effect on lipid mobilization only for injection of the hormone. It is argued that a stress caused by injection could play a role in the appearance of the complex response to adipokinetic hormone.     

平菇多糖清除O_2~-及对红细胞膜自由基氧化的影响

平菇经热水抽提 ,Sevag法去蛋白后 ,用乙醇沉淀 ,得平菇粗糖。上SephadexG - 10 0层析 ,可得精制多糖。在体外反应产生O2 -,此体系中 ,加入不同浓度的平菇多糖。平菇多糖在较低浓度时 (<2 0 0mg/L)具有清除O2 -作用 ,而在较高浓度 (>2 0 0mg/L)时 ,作用不明显。同时 ,用荧光法研究平菇多糖对小鼠红细胞脂质过氧化的影响 ,结果表明平菇多糖能够抑制小鼠红细胞的脂质过氧化     

洋刀豆植物资源的综合开发利用

本文通过对洋刀豆的生物学特征以及其中的营养成分和药用成分的系统介绍 ,为其植物资源在食品及医药工业和农业生态环境治理中的综合开发利用提供参考     

野生香料植物小鱼仙草资源开发利用

利用GC -MS -DC及计算机联用技术对小鱼仙草全草挥发油的成分进行分析研究 ,结果表明小鱼仙草挥发油主要成分为 :香荆芥酚 ,百里香酚、1,8-桉叶油素、侧柏酮、丁香烯、草烯和檀香烯等。不同产地 ,其挥发油成分存在一定的相似性 ,又具有较大差异。种子油中含有大量人体必需不饱和脂肪酸 :亚麻酸、油酸和亚油酸等 ,其种子油和种子具有较高的营养价值 ,值得进一步开发利用。其挥发油在香精香料、医药、化妆品等行业具有广大开发利用前景     

云南高黎贡山地区主要药用蕨类植物

通过对高黎贡山地区的民间访谈和集市药摊调查 ,从高黎贡山地区已纪录的 5 38种蕨类植物中总结、整理出主要的药用蕨类植物 85种 ,分属 2 7科 ,4 4属。本文主要对其中对 17种常见药用蕨类植物的药用功效进行介绍     

云南食用菌资源应用开发前景与展望

从栽培食用菌和野生食用菌两方面综述了云南食用菌的资源状况 ,通过对云南食用菌研究、开发现状的总结 ,就其存在的问题提出了相应的建议。简述了食用菌资源在云南应用开发中的广阔前景 ,并提出可持续利用发展的战略。