In vitro assessment of plant lectins with anti-pinwood nematode activity

Two lectin proteins were purified from the corms of Pinellia ternata and Lycoris radiata. Both P. ternata agglutinin (PTA) protein and L. radiata agglutinin (LRA) protein formed polymers and coagulated both rabbit red blood cells and yeast cells. The two proteins were each diluted to different concentration and then mixed with pinewood nematodes, and nematode survival was measured. Results showed that the two lectin proteins showed significant levels of resistance against nematodes and the nematode population was significantly reduced, compared to PBS buffer without protein control group. The mean number of nematodes of two lectin proteins group was significantly lower than that of control group constantly throughout the assay period with differences being very significant at P < 0.01 after 24 h. After 96 h, when 500 μg/ml proteins were used, nematode number significantly declined to an average of 26 (approximately 43% of the controls) and 32.2 (approximately 53.3% of the controls) nematodes at LRA and PTA protein, respectively, compared to the control group. Results also indicated that higher concentrations of protein were more toxic to the pinewood nematode. Even when the concentration was as low as 30 μg/ml, the toxic proteins retained their anti-nematode activity. Furthermore, pinewood nematode was exposed to the proteins for longer, more pinewood nematodes were killed. Our results indicated the two lectin proteins both apparently have a toxic effect on the pinewood nematode that affects its survival in vitro.     

三七总黄酮通过miR-223-3p/FOXO1分子轴缓解病毒性心肌炎炎症反应和细胞损伤

病毒性心肌炎严重影响患者身体健康,中药材中黄酮类物质被证实对病毒性心肌炎有治疗作用,但其中三七总黄酮对柯萨奇B3病毒导致的心肌炎发挥治疗作用的分子机制尚不明确.以探讨三七总黄酮缓解病毒性心肌炎炎症反应及细胞损伤的作用机制.采用RT-qPCR检测心肌细胞中miR-223-3p的表达水平;Western blotting检测心肌细胞中转录因子叉头框蛋白O1(Forkhead box O1,FOXO1)蛋白表达水平;MTT实验检测心肌细胞存活率;流式细胞术检测心肌细胞凋亡率;ELISA检测炎症因子肿瘤坏死因子-α(Tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)和白细胞介素1β(Interleukin-1β,IL-1β)、心肌酶谱磷酸肌酸激酶(Creative kinase,CK)和乳酸脱氢酶(Lactic dehydrogenase,LDH)、心肌损伤标志物心肌肌钙蛋白T(Cardiac troponin T,cTnT)和B型尿钠肽(Brain natriuretic peptide,BNP)的水平;双荧光素酶报告基因检验miR-223-3p和FOXO1之间的靶向关系.实验结果显示,三七总黄酮能够缓解病毒性心肌炎模型细胞的炎症反应及细胞损伤,并显著上调模型细胞中miR-223-3p的水平.敲除模型细胞中的miR-223-3p能够逆转三七总黄酮对病毒性心肌炎的治疗作用.通过双荧光素酶报告基因实验验证miR-223-3p靶向负调控FOXO1蛋白的表达.进一步研究发现,过表达FOXO1可抑制三七总黄酮对病毒性心肌炎的治疗作用;但同时过表达miR-223-3p后,过表达FOXO1对三七总黄酮疗效的抑制作用被逆转.由此得出结论,三七总黄酮可缓解病毒性心肌炎模型细胞的炎症反应及细胞损伤,其作用机制是通过调控miR-223-3p/FOXO1分子轴实现的.     

Evaluation of 3-hydroxypropionate biosynthesis in vitro by partial introduction of the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metallosphaera sedula</Emphasis>

The chemical 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) is an important starting reagent for the commercial synthesis of specialty chemicals. In this study, a part of the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle from Metallosphaera sedula was utilized for 3HP production. To study the basic biochemistry of this pathway, an in vitro-reconstituted system was established using acetyl-CoA as the substrate for the kinetic analysis of this system. The results indicated that 3HP formation was sensitive to acetyl-CoA carboxylase and malonyl-CoA reductase, but not malonate semialdehyde reductase. Also, the competition between 3HP formation and fatty acid production was analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. This study has highlighted how metabolic flux is controlled by different catalytic components. We believe that this reconstituted system would be valuable for understanding 3HP biosynthesis pathway and for future engineering studies to enhance 3HP production.     

MiR-122-5p suppresses neuropathic pain development by targeting PDK4

Neurochemical Research - The complex pathogenesis and limited efficacy of available treatment make neuropathic pain difficult for long periods of time. Several findings suggested the regulatory...     

Breviscapine provides a neuroprotective effect after traumatic brain injury by modulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway

Breviscapine (BVP) has been widely used in the treatment of several systemic diseases, including those of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems. But, few studies have looked at the neuroprotective effects of BVP and its potential effect in treating traumatic brain injury (TBI). The present study investigated the neuroprotective effect of BVP following TBI and illuminated the underlying mechanism. The weight drop-induced closed diffuse traumatic brain injury method was used to induce TBI in rats. BVP was injected intraperitoneally 30 minutes after TBI. Neurologic scores were performed to measure behavioral outcomes. Nissl staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays were performed on histopathologic tissue sections to evaluate neuronal apoptosis. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its related downstream proteins, including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and quinine oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) were detected with Western blots. BVP treatment alleviated or attenuated TBI-induced neuron cell apoptosis and improved neurobehavioral functions through the upregulated expression of Nrf2 and its related downstream proteins. This study, using the drug, BVP, we present new mechanisms responsible for neuronal apoptosis in TBI with possible involvement of the Nrf2 pathway.     

黄山亚热带常绿阔叶林的群落特征

黄山是我国东部高山之一, 处于亚热带季风气候区, 属南北植物区系交替的过渡带, 是第四纪冰期动植物的避难所。其地带性植被为常绿阔叶林, 植被垂直分布明显, 是中国生物多样性保护优先区域, 也是世界文化与自然遗产地以及享誉全球的风景名胜区。2014年, 我们在黄山建立了10.24 ha的森林动态监测样地, 并完成了首次调查。本文从物种组成、区系特征、径级结构和空间分布格局等方面分析了样地中植物的群落特征。结果表明: 样地内有维管植物59科129属191种, 其中乔木层内胸径≥ 1 cm的木本植物46科97属153种; 热带性质的科、属分别占总科、属数的65.79%和45.36%, 温带性质的科、属分别占34.21%和51.55%。样地内珍稀濒危物种较多, 其中国家II级重点保护野生植物6种、《中国生物多样性红色名录——高等植物卷》中的近危物种7种、《濒危野生动植物种国际贸易公约》(CITES)附录II物种1种以及64种中国特有种, 这些物种具有较高的保护和研究价值。当取样面积小于2,150 m²时, 物种数随着面积的增加而急剧增加; 其后增加速率明显降低; 但大于57,950 m²时, 增加速率又略变大。稀有种69种, 占总树种数的45.10%。壳斗科和杜鹃花科的重要值占一半以上。建群种甜槠(Castanopsis eyrei)的重要值达26.25%, 其次分别为细齿叶柃(Eurya nitida) (7.63%)、马银花(Rhododendron ovatum) (7.60%)、马尾松(Pinus massoniana) (6.29%)和檵木(Loropetalum chinense) (4.83%)。样地平均胸径为4.10 cm, 小径木的数量占较大优势。乔木层可分为两个亚层, 甜槠在两个亚层的个体数量均最多, 马尾松数量也比较多。甜槠、细齿叶柃、马银花、马尾松等均呈较显著的聚集分布。     

Improved succinate production from galactose-rich feedstocks by engineered Escherichia coli under anaerobic conditions

It is of great economic interest to produce succinate from low-grade carbon sources, which can make it more economically competitive against petrochemical-based succinate. Galactose sugars constitute a significant fraction of the soluble carbohydrate in a meal from agricultural sources which is considered a low value or waste byproduct of oilseed processing. To improve the galactose utilization, the effect of galR and glk on sugars uptake was investigated by deactivation of each gene in three previously engineered host strains. As expected, glk plays an important role in glucose uptake, while, the effect of deactivation of galR is highly dependent on the strength of the downstream module (succinate production module). A new succinate producer FZ661T was constructed by enhancement of the succinate producing module and manipulation of the gal operon. The succinate productivity reached 4.57 g/L/hr when a mixed sugar feedstock was used as a carbon source in shake-flask fermentation, up to 812 mM succinate was accumulated in 80 hr in fed-batch fermentation. When SoyMolaGal hydrolysate was used as a carbon source, 628 mM (74 g/L) succinate was produced within 72 hr. In this study, we demonstrate that FZ661T can produce succinate quickly with relatively high yield, giving it the potential for industrial application.