植物肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶基因克隆研究进展

木质素单体合成的过程中涉及了许多酶的参与,而肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶(cinnamoyl-CoA reductase,CCR)是该过程中的一个关键酶。综述了CCR基因在植物体内的克隆、基因功能及在植物组织中的表达情况,并介绍了该基因在植物的抗病虫害和抗逆性研究、饲草和能源上的应用潜力,为进一步研究CCR基因生物学功能和利用奠定了基础。     

Specific features of ex‐obese patients significantly influence the functional cell properties of adipose‐derived stromal cells

Adipose‐derived stromal cells (ADSC) are increasingly used in clinical applications due to their regenerative capabilities. However, ADSC therapies show variable results. This study analysed the effects of specific factors of ex‐obese patients on ADSC functions. ADSC were harvested from abdominal tissues (N = 20) after massive weight loss. Patients were grouped according to age, sex, current and maximum body mass index (BMI), BMI difference, weight loss method, smoking and infection at the surgical site. ADSC surface markers, viability, migration, transmigration, sprouting, differentiation potential, cytokine secretion, telomere length and mtDNA copy number were analysed. All ADSC expressed CD73, CD90, CD105, while functional properties differed significantly among patients. A high BMI difference due to massive weight loss was negatively correlated with ADSC proliferation, migration and transmigration, while age, sex or weight loss method had a smaller effect. ADSC from female and younger donors and individuals after weight loss by increase of exercise and diet change had a higher activity. Telomere length, mtDNA copy number, differentiation potential and the secretome did not correlate with patient factors or cell function. Therefore, we suggest that factors such as age, sex, increase of exercise and especially weight loss should be considered for patient selection and planning of regenerative therapies.     

盐穗木功能未知蛋白 (HcUKPP)的亚细胞定位

藜科的极端盐生植物盐穗木（Halostachys caspica）的高盐胁迫抑制差减文库中有39%的功能未知蛋白（proteins with obscure features, POFs）,利用亚细胞定位分析可以初步判断其可能的功能.将盐穗木的1个POF-cDNA序列HcUKPP的编码区构建至pCAMBIA1301-GFP植物表达载体上,冻融法将重组质粒pCAMBIA1301-HcUKPP-GFP转化农杆菌EH105A,利用花序浸染法将基因导入拟南芥,经潮霉素筛选获得T1代阳性幼苗.通过激光扫描共聚焦显微镜观察转基因拟南芥植株的根部细胞. 结果显示,表达GFP蛋白的对照转基因植株中,绿色荧光在细胞核、细胞膜以及细胞质中均能检测到,而表达HcUKPP-GFP融合蛋白的转基因植株中,绿色荧光只在细胞质膜上表达,说明HcUKPP蛋白为细胞质膜相关蛋白.本研究为深入探讨盐穗木未知蛋白的功能奠定了基础.     

Royal jelly: can it reduce physiological strain of growing rabbits under Egyptian summer conditions?

Exposure of growing rabbits to heat stress during summer adversely affects their performance leading to major production losses. A total number of 48 rabbits, unsexed V-line weaned rabbits, were randomly divided into four experimental groups, temperature ranged from high at 32°C to low at 23°C. Animals of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th group were individually orally given 200, 400 or 800 mg royal jelly (RJ)/kg BW once a week, respectively, to evaluate RJ ability to reduce physiological strain resulted from heat stress. Weekly BW gain increased by 10.4, 11.8 and 10.8%, and feed conversion ratio was significantly improved by 20, 24 and 18% with RJ treatments. Serum total protein, albumin and globulin increased, whereas serum total lipids, cholesterol and triglycerides decreased with RJ treatments. Creatinine was reduced by 21, 30 and 18% and uric acid by 14, 25 and 18% compared with the heat stressed control with the three doses of RJ. Glucose level increased significantly to reach 116, 125, and 120% of heat stressed control. Calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase increased significantly with RJ treatments indicating the occurrence of active bone deposition. Thyroid hormone levels increased significantly to reach 108, 111, and 112% of heat stressed control rabbits with the three doses of RJ, counteracting the hypothyroid state resulted from heat stress. It can be concluded that RJ administration to heat stressed growing rabbits can reduce physiological strain resulted from heat stress.     

奇异果甜蛋白及其基因工程

奇异果甜蛋白(thaumatin)是迄今为止最甜的物质之一,对其研究具有很重要的意义。奇异果甜蛋白的生化性质基本清楚,基因序列和氨基酸序列都已测定。它的甜味可能是由奇异果甜蛋白上特定基团和受体结合引起的。对奇异果甜蛋白的生理功能知之甚少。近二十年来,在奇异果甜蛋白的基因工程上取得了一定进展,但仍然存在许多困难。 Abstract:Thaumatin is one of the sweetest substances known to date,it is important to study the thaumatin.The biochemical properties of thaumatin have been clarified clearly.Thaumatin had been isolated and sequenced.The mechanism of the sweetness of thaumatin may be due to the combination of some special groups and the receptors.The exact function of thaumatin is still not clear.Although gene engineering of thaumatin has been carried out for 20 years,there are still some difficulties to be solved for using in the market.     

Complete cysteine-scanning mutagenesis of the Salmonella typhimurium melibiose permease

The melibiose permease of Salmonella typhimurium (MelB_St) catalyzes the stoichiometric symport of galactopyranoside with a cation (H⁺, Li⁺, or Na⁺) and is a prototype for Na⁺-coupled major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters presenting from bacteria to mammals. X-ray crystal structures of MelB_St have revealed the molecular recognition mechanism for sugar binding; however, understanding of the cation site and symport mechanism is still vague. To further investigate the transport mechanism and conformational dynamics of MelB_St, we generated a complete single-Cys library containing 476 unique mutants by placing a Cys at each position on a functional Cys-less background. Surprisingly, 105 mutants (22%) exhibit poor transport activities (<15% of Cys-less transport), although the expression levels of most mutants were comparable to that of the control. The affected positions are distributed throughout the protein. Helices I and X and transmembrane residues Asp and Tyr are most affected by cysteine replacement, while helix IX, the cytoplasmic middle-loop, and C-terminal tail are least affected. Single-Cys replacements at the major sugar-binding positions (K18, D19, D124, W128, R149, and W342) or at positions important for cation binding (D55, N58, D59, and T121) abolished the Na⁺-coupled active transport, as expected. We mapped 50 loss-of-function mutants outside of these substrate-binding sites that suffered from defects in protein expression/stability or conformational dynamics. This complete Cys-scanning mutagenesis study indicates that MelB_St is highly susceptible to single-Cys mutations, and this library will be a useful tool for further structural and functional studies to gain insights into the cation-coupled symport mechanism for Na⁺-coupled MFS transporters.     

Spatial memory shapes migration and its benefits: evidence from a large herbivore

From fine‐scale foraging to broad‐scale migration, animal movement is shaped by the distribution of resources. There is mounting evidence, however, that learning and memory also guide movement. Although migratory mammals commonly track resource waves, how resource tracking and memory guide long‐distance migration has not been reconciled. We examined these hypotheses using movement data from four populations of migratory mule deer (n = 91). Spatial memory had an extraordinary influence on migration, affecting movement 2–28 times more strongly than tracking spring green‐up or autumn snow depth. Importantly, with only an ability to track resources, simulated deer were unable to recreate empirical migratory routes. In contrast, simulated deer with memory of empirical routes used those routes and obtained higher foraging benefits. For migratory terrestrial mammals, spatial memory provides knowledge of where seasonal ranges and migratory routes exist, whereas resource tracking determines when to beneficially move within those areas.     

乙肝免疫标志物与乙肝病毒核酸含量与肝功能的关系研究

目的:研究乙肝免疫标记物(HBV-M)与乙肝病毒脱氧核苷酸(HBV-DNA)载量与肝功能的关系。方法:检测104例乙肝患者HBs Ag、HBe Ag、HBc Ab、HBs Ab、HBe Ab5种HBV-M;用PCR法检测HBV-DNA含量;同时检测天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、胆碱酯酶(CHE)等肝功能指标,对三者关系采用Spearman相关性分析。结果:HBs Ag、HBc Ab、HBe Ag阳性组HBV-DNA阳性率及载量均大于其余组(P0.05);HBe Ag含量、ALT浓度与HBV-DNA载量均呈正相关(r=0.48,P0.05)、(r=0.36,P0.05);AST、CHE与HBV-DNA含量无明显相关性,但在无病毒载量与有病毒载量组之间AST比较有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:HBV-M、HBV-DNA与肝功能之间有一定的相关性,但HBe Ag阴转不代表病毒复制停止,HBV-DNA也不能完全反应肝损害程度,临床应加大重视。