A review on digestive TAG-lipases of insects

Digestion in insects is a multi-step process to afford nutritional requirements of biological activities. The process starts with nervous stimuli and continues with biochemical activities of digestive enzymes as well as several pumps to digest and absorb the obtained molecules. Carbohydrases, lipases and proteases are the three main digestive enzymes involved in digestion process. Lipases seem to be very important not only for digestive role but also for esteratic activity so that some experts consider lipases as the Class 3 of general esterases. Digestive lipases divided into different groups based on their biological roles namely triacylglycerol lipases, phospholipases and two types of phosphatases. Briefly, triacylglycerol lipases (TAG-lipases) are the hydrolysing enzymes that affect the outer esteric links of triacylglycerols in ingested food. Phospholipases including PLA2 and PLA1 remove phosphatide fatty acids attached to the Position 2 and Position 1. Finally, Alkaline and acid phosphatases are the enzymes that hydrolyse phosphomonoesters under alkaline or acid conditions, respectively. In this review, presence and physiological role of digestive TAG-lipases are explained and their possible importance will be discussed in insect.     

Species‐specific detection of the antiviral small‐molecule compound CMA by STING

Extensive research on antiviral small molecules starting in the early 1970s has led to the identification of 10‐carboxymethyl‐9‐acridanone (CMA) as a potent type I interferon (IFN) inducer. Up to date, the mode of action of this antiviral molecule has remained elusive. Here we demonstrate that CMA mediates a cell‐intrinsic type I IFN response, depending on the ER‐resident protein STING. CMA directly binds to STING and triggers a strong antiviral response through the TBK1/IRF3 route. Interestingly, while CMA displays extraordinary activity in phosphorylating IRF3 in the murine system, CMA fails to activate human cells that are otherwise responsive to STING ligands. This failure to activate human STING can be ascribed to its inability to bind to the C‐terminal ligand‐binding domain of human STING. Crystallographic studies show that two CMA molecules bind to the central Cyclic diguanylate ( c‐diGMP)‐binding pocket of the STING dimer and fold the lid region in a fashion similar, but partially distinct, to c‐diGMP. Altogether, these results provide novel insight into ligand‐sensing properties of STING and, furthermore, unravel unexpected species‐specific differences of this innate sensor.     

内蒙古呼伦贝尔草甸草原的草地退化等级数量分析

采用样方取样方法实地调查内蒙古呼伦贝尔草甸草原的植物群落特征,利用植被和土壤数据,应用系统聚类分析方法对其草地退化等级进行定量划分.结果表明:(1)植被指标聚类可将草地划分为3个等级,即轻度退化、中度退化和重度退化草地,而利用土壤指标聚类则划分为2个等级,其中轻度退化和中度退化草地的土壤状况相似合为一个等级,重度退化草地为另一个等级;(2)随着放牧梯度的变化,植被和土壤都发生了变化,中度退化草地植被变化大,而土壤变化不大;(3)内蒙古呼伦贝尔草甸草原为同一草地利用单元,所划分的草地退化等级系列是由放牧引起的.     

A simple cell motility assay demonstrates differential motility of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts, gingival fibroblasts, and pre-osteoblasts

During periodontal regeneration, multiple cell types can invade the wound site, thereby leading to repair. Cell motility requires interactions mediated by integrin receptors for the extracellular matrix (ECM), which might be useful in guiding specific cell populations into the periodontal defect. Our data demonstrate that fibroblasts exhibit differential motility when grown on ECM proteins. Specifically, gingival fibroblasts are twice as motile as periodontal ligament fibroblasts, whereas osteoblasts are essentially non-motile. Collagens promote the greatest motility of gingival fibroblasts in the following order: collagen III>collagen V>collagen I. Differences in motility do not correlate with cell proliferation or integrin expression. Osteoblasts display greater attachment to collagens than does either fibroblast population, but lower motility. Gingival fibroblast motility on collagen I is generally mediated by α2 integrins, whereas motility on collagen III involves α1 integrins. Other integrins (α10 or α11) may also contribute to gingival fibroblast motility. Thus, ECM proteins do indeed differentially promote the cell motility of periodontal cells. Because of their greater motility, gingival fibroblasts have more of a potential to invade periodontal wound sites and to contribute to regeneration. This finding may explain the formation of disorganized connective tissue masses rather than the occurrence of the true regeneration of the periodontium. This research was supported by the Louisiana Board of Regents through the Millennium Trust Health Excellence Fund, HEF-(2000-05)-04.     

东北地区主要森林生态系统凋落量的比较

以东北地区不同纬度带上4个区域内的典型森林类型为研究对象,采用直接收集法对森林凋落量进行连续3年的观测研究,结果表明,同一地区不同林型间的年凋落量差异显著,凋落量年变化不显著;落叶量占总量的比例最大,在70%以上,落枝和花果皮各占总量的20%以下,落枝量和落叶量之间存在正相关关系,相关系数为0.82;长白山区5种森林类型不同时期内凋落量统计结果显示,秋、冬季的凋落量明显大于春、夏季,前者为后者的2.62～9.14倍.不同凋落组分之间凋落动态不同,落叶以秋季为主,落枝和花果皮则年内分布比较均匀.同一林型的凋落量随纬度增加而减少,并建立了总体森林凋落量和白桦凋落量随纬度变化的数学关系式;总体森林凋落量和白桦林凋落量与温度均呈正相关,相关系数分别为0.95和0.91.     

利用PCR技术直接鉴定苏云金芽孢杆菌杀虫晶体蛋白基因型的快速方法

根据PCR程序中热变性温度可使菌体裂解,释放出DNA的原理,利用苏云金芽孢杆菌杀虫晶体蛋白不同基因型的特异混合引物,对苏云金芽孢杆菌营养体直接进行PCR分析。根据不同基因型的特异扩增产物片段的分子量大小便可直接确定该苏云金芽孢杆菌杀虫晶体蛋白的基因型。本文对本室筛选天然菌株和苏云金芽孢杆菌克隆菌株分别进行了cryl基因的PCR分析。表明,该法结果可靠快速易行,在方法学上,为苏云金芽孢杆菌菌株鉴定、新菌株的筛选和基因型分析提供了极大的方便。     

Meningococcal disease: A paradigm of type‐IV pilus dependent pathogenesis

Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) is a Gram‐negative bacterium responsible for two devastating forms of invasive diseases: purpura fulminans and meningitis. Interaction with both peripheral and cerebral microvascular endothelial cells is at the heart of meningococcal pathogenesis. During the last two decades, an essential role for meningococcal type IV pili in vascular colonisation and disease progression has been unravelled. This review summarises 20 years of research on meningococcal type IV pilus‐dependent virulence mechanisms, up to the identification of promising anti‐virulence compounds that target type IV pili.     

疱疹病毒Ⅱ型感染SH-SY5Y细胞的生物学效应

目的：探讨疱疹病毒Ⅱ型（HSV-2）感染人神经母细胞瘤细胞株SH-SY5Y的生物学效应。方法：病毒液接种SH-SY5Y细胞后,用相差和电子显微镜观察感染细胞的形态变化,RT-PCR检测病毒在细胞中的增殖,MTT法检测病毒感染对细胞增殖的影响,流式细胞仪测定感染后的细胞凋亡状况。结果：相差显微镜显示细胞病变,从24～72h,细胞变性、坏死的程度和数量随感染时间延长而增加;电镜结果显示感染24h后,细胞核染色质固缩,出现多核巨细胞,线粒体内嵴紊乱、断裂,出现不同程度的自噬化、溶酶体化、空泡化,并可见大量鹰眼样已包装成熟的病毒颗粒及正在包装的病毒粒子;HSV-2LAT基因RT-PCR扩增表明,病毒能在SH-SY5Y细胞中增殖;凋亡检测显示HSV-2在体外细胞感染中并未使细胞出现凋亡现象;感染后24、48及72h,SH-SY5Y细胞的抑制率分别为11.3%、31.2%和63.1%,与对照组相比均存在显著性差异（P〈0.05）;分别用0.1、1、10MOI的病毒感染SH-SY5Y细胞,上述不同组在24、48、72h时细胞形态变化基本一致,感染结果相似,各组之间病毒毒力无明显差异（P〉0.05）。结论：初步在人神经母细胞瘤细胞株SH—SY5Y中建立了HSV-2感染的细胞模型,并研究了感染对细胞生物性状的影响,为探讨HSV-2的潜伏与激发机制、了解HSV-2的致病机制打下基础。     

Factors Influencing Survival of Ditylenchus dipsaci (Kühn, 1857) in Soil

Ditylenchus dipsaci larvae survived in soil without a host plant for at least 242 days when held at 15 C and 21 C. Larvae held at 15 C remained infective for 212 days. Moisture levels within both clayey and sandy soils did not appreciably affect recovery of larvae. Active nematodes recovered from soil are not necessarily infective. Temperatures of -12, 0 and 4 C had little adverse effect on larvae in infected leaf tissues in soil. Larvae in soil exposed to 0 C for short periods of time were not affected adversely. Recovery of larvae from sandy soil by Baermann funnels was significantly better at 24 C than at 4 C. Differences in recovery from clay soil were not significant at these temperatures.