蜘蛛多肽毒素JZTX-51和JZTX-26的重组表达和纯化

为建立一种简便、快速且能大量获得富含二硫键的蜘蛛多肽毒素JZTX-26 (35 aa)和JZTX-51 (27 aa)的有效方法,利用PCR的方法克隆成熟肽编码基因并插入至大肠杆菌Escherichia coli表达载体pMAL-p2x中与MBP(麦芽糖结合蛋白)标签融合,构建重组表达质粒pMAL-jz26和pMAL-jz51。在受体菌TB1和BL21(DE3)中对两个重组表达质粒分别进行IPTG诱导表达,通过Amylose亲和层析柱纯化并进行SDS-PAGE分析;采用因子X对融合蛋白进行酶切后通过分子筛以及反相高效液相色谱对两种重组蛋白进行纯化。通过MALDI-TOF-TOF质谱鉴定,表达产物的分子量与预期的多肽理论分子量一致。1L表达培养液中能获得大约5mg纯化的目的蛋白JZTX-26或JZTX-51。结果表明利用该原核表达体系可对蜘蛛毒素基因jztx-26和jztx-51进行融合表达,并对重组蛋白进行亲和层析,为采用基因工程的手段大量获得蜘蛛多肽毒素奠定了基础。     

Influence of hydrocarbon-stapling on membrane interactions of synthetic antimicrobial peptides

Cyclization has been recognized as a valuable technique for increasing the efficacy of small molecule and peptide therapeutics. Here we report the application of a hydrocarbon staple to a rationally-designed cationic antimicrobial peptide (CAP) that acquires increased membrane targeting and interaction vs. its linear counterpart. The previously-described CAP, 6K-F17 (KKKKKK-AAFAAWAAFAA-NH₂) was used as the backbone for incorporation of an i to i?+?4 helical hydrocarbon staple through olefin ring closing metathesis. Stapled versions of 6K-F17 showed an increase in non-selective membrane interaction, where the staple itself enhances the degree of membrane interaction and rate of cell death while maintaining high potency against bacterial membranes. However, the higher averaged hydrophobicity imparted by the staple also significantly increases toxicity to mammalian cells. This deleterious effect is countered through stepwise reduction of the stapled 6K-F17’s backbone hydrophobicity through polar amino acid substitutions. Circular dichroism assessment of secondary structure in various bacterial membrane mimetics reveals that a helical structure may improve – but is not an absolute requirement for – antimicrobial activity of 6K-F17. Further, phosphorus-31 static solid state NMR spectra revealed that both non-toxic stapled and linear peptides bind bacterial membranes in a similar manner that does not involve a detergent-like mechanism of lipid removal. The overall results suggest that the technique of hydrocarbon stapling can be readily applied to membrane-interactive CAPs to modulate how they interact and target biological membranes.     

Microcystins: Synthesis and structure–activity relationship studies toward PP1 and PP2A

Microcystins are highly toxic cyanotoxins responsible for plant, animal and human poisoning. Exposure to microcystins, mainly through drinkable water and contaminated food, is a current world health concern. Although it is quite challenging, the synthesis of these potent cyanotoxins, analogs and derivatives helps to evaluate their toxicological properties and to elucidate their binding mechanisms to their main targets Protein Phosphatase-1 (PP1) and -2A (PP2A). This review focuses on synthetic approaches to prepare microcystins and analogs and compiles structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies that describe the unique features of microcystins that make them so potent.     

不同浓度亚硒酸钠溶液对水杉种子萌发的影响

硒元素是植物生长所需的微量元素。在水杉母树主要生长所在地恩施境内形成立体的硒资源环境,而该区的水杉群落天然更新困难,林下鲜见更新幼苗或幼树。因此,结合硒资源,研究硒元素与水杉种子萌发的相互关系对水杉的天然更新繁育具有重要意义。为了揭示硒元素对水杉种子发芽的影响,该研究通过测定不同环境条件(温度:20、25、30 ℃; 光照:12 h光照/12 h黑暗、24 h全黑暗; 是否浸种)下原生水杉种子的萌发率,筛选出最适萌发条件,并在此条件下采用不同浓度(0、0.25、0.5、1.0、2.0、4.0、8.0、16.0 mg·L^-1)的亚硒酸钠对水杉种子进行处理,观察其萌发的变化。结果表明:当使用浓度为0.25 mg·L^-1的亚硒酸钠溶液处理水杉种子时,种子的发芽率、发芽势和发芽指数都为最高,分别为34.0%、29.0%、13.9; 当亚硒酸钠浓度大于0.25 mg·L^-1时,水杉种子的发芽率、发芽势和发芽指数开始随着浓度的增加而降低,在亚硒酸钠浓度为16.0 mg·L^-1时,三个指标都达到最低值,分别为0.5%、0%、0.025。由此可知,低浓度(0～0.25 mg·L^-1)的亚硒酸钠处理对水杉种子的萌发有一定的促进作用,而高浓度(>0.25 mg·L^-1)的亚硒酸钠处理对水杉种子的萌发则有一定的抑制作用。     

Assessment of metals in agricultural soil of surrounding areas of Urmia Lake,northwest Iran: A preliminary ecological risk assessment and source identification

The aim of this study was to quantify the levels of toxic heavy metals and sodium in topsoil of farmlands around the Urmia Lake. A total of 96 topsoil samples were collected, pre-treated, and analyzed for metals using ICP-AES.

Median concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and Na in sampling sites were 5, 0.26, 30, 40, 13, 84, and 251 mg/kg, respectively. The enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, and contamination factor of the metals ranked them in the order of: Na > Pb > Cu > As > Cd > Zn > Ni, indicating minor contamination for them except Na and Pb with moderate contamination. Furthermore, the spatial analysis indicated that Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn had similar distribution patterns in the north and northwest lands of the lake. Principal component analysis revealed anthropogenic sources for Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the soil, whereas, sources of As and Na were most likely related to the dust emitting from the dried bed of Urmia Lake and from a cement industry. Potential ecological risk index in 7% of the sampling sites was at serious or considerable pollution level, and Cd and Pb were identified as the main pollutants.     

Antipyrimidine effects of five different pyrimidine de novo synthesis inhibitors in three head and neck cancer cell lines

The pyrimidine de novo nucleotide synthesis consists of 6 sequential steps. Various inhibitors against these enzymes have been developed and evaluated in the clinic for their potential anticancer activity: acivicin inhibits carbamoyl-phosphate-synthase-II, N-(phosphonacetyl)-L- aspartate (PALA) inhibits aspartate-transcarbamylase, Brequinar sodium and dichloroallyl-lawsone (DCL) inhibit dihydroorotate-dehydrogenase, and pyrazofurin (PF) inhibits orotate-phosphoribosyltransferase. We compared their growth inhibition against 3 cell lines from head-and-neck-cancer (HEP-2, UMSCC-14B and UMSCC-14C) and related the sensitivity to their effects on nucleotide pools. In all cell lines Brequinar and PF were the most active compounds with IC50 (50% growth inhibition) values between 0.06–0.37 µM, Acivicin was as potent (IC50s 0.26-1 µM), but DCL was 20-31-fold less active. PALA was most inactive (24–128 µM). At equitoxic concentrations, all pure antipyrimidine de novo inhibitors depleted UTP and CTP after 24 hr exposure, which was most pronounced for Brequinar (between 6–10% of UTP left, and 12–36% CTP), followed by DCL and PF, which were almost similar (6–16% UTP and 12–27% CTP), while PALA was the least active compound (10–70% UTP and 13–68% CTP). Acivicin is a multi-target inhibitor of more glutamine requiring enzymes (including GMP synthetase) and no decrease of UTP was found, but a pronounced decrease in GTP (31–72% left). In conclusion, these 5 inhibitors of the pyrimidine de novo nucleotide synthesis varied considerably in their efficacy and effect on pyrimidine nucleotide pools. Inhibitors of DHO-DH were most effective suggesting a primary role of this enzyme in controlling pyrimidine nucleotide pools     

Surface treated Pteris vittata L. pinnae powder used as an efficient biosorbent of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(VI) from aqueous solution

Biosorption is a surface-dependent phenomenon. Surface modifications by chemical treatment methods could either improve or reduce the biosorption capacity of potential biosorbents. In the present work, pristine Pteris vittata L. pinnae (PPV) powder was treated separately with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), calcium chloride (CaCl₂), and nitric acid (HNO₃). The pristine and treated biosorbents were used to assess the biosorption of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(VI) as a function of pH. Kinetics and adsorption isotherms were studied. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope combined with energy dispersive x-ray (SEM-EDX) spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the biosorbents before and after chemical treatments. The possible functional groups contributing to the metal sorption were identified. Results revealed favorable biosorption of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(VI) described by pseudo-second order kinetics. NaOH-treated P. vittata (NPV) showed higher biosorption capacity for Pb(II) and Cd(II) compared to that of PPV. ATR-FTIR studies indicated that -OH, -COOH, and -NH₂ groups were mainly involved in Cr(VI) and -OH in Pb(II) and Cd(II) biosorption. The enhanced efficiency of NPV and CaCl₂ treated P. vittata (CPV) in the uptake of Pb(II) and Cd(II) compared to PPV can be associated with their altered physicochemical characters.     

Intake of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol alters lipid metabolism and alleviates NAFLD in mice fed a high-fat western-style diet

Objective

To investigate and compare the effects of two common dietary phytosterols, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol, in altering lipid metabolism and attenuating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Mapping protein interactions of sodium channel NaV1.7 using epitope‐tagged gene‐targeted mice

The voltage‐gated sodium channel Na_V1.7 plays a critical role in pain pathways. We generated an epitope‐tagged Na_V1.7 mouse that showed normal pain behaviours to identify channel‐interacting proteins. Analysis of Na_V1.7 complexes affinity‐purified under native conditions by mass spectrometry revealed 267 proteins associated with Nav1.7 in vivo. The sodium channel β3 (Scn3b), rather than the β1 subunit, complexes with Nav1.7, and we demonstrate an interaction between collapsing‐response mediator protein (Crmp2) and Nav1.7, through which the analgesic drug lacosamide regulates Nav1.7 current density. Novel Na_V1.7 protein interactors including membrane‐trafficking protein synaptotagmin‐2 (Syt2), L‐type amino acid transporter 1 (Lat1) and transmembrane P24‐trafficking protein 10 (Tmed10) together with Scn3b and Crmp2 were validated by co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP) from sensory neuron extract. Nav1.7, known to regulate opioid receptor efficacy, interacts with the G protein‐regulated inducer of neurite outgrowth (Gprin1), an opioid receptor‐binding protein, demonstrating a physical and functional link between Nav1.7 and opioid signalling. Further information on physiological interactions provided with this normal epitope‐tagged mouse should provide useful insights into the many functions now associated with the Na_V1.7 channel.