人类肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡配体活性部位基因在毕赤酵母中的表达

探讨了人类肿瘤坏死因子相关凋亡配体 (TRAIL)生物活性部分在巴斯德毕赤酵母 (Pichiapastoris)中的分泌表达。由于TRAIL活性部位区第 149 15 0氨基酸含有一个Kex2位点 ,根据Pichiapastoris分泌表达的特点 ,对 149位氨基酸进行了改造 ,使其编码的氨基酸由Arg突变为Lys。这样使TRAIL在分泌的过程中不被Kex2切割 ,保证了片段的完整。序列分析正确后 ,将编码TRAIL的可溶区的基因片段插入到酵母表达载体pPIC9K中 ,使之位于α 因子信号肽下游 ,且与之同框 ,构建分泌型表达载体pPIC9K TRAIL。采用原生质体法将重组质粒转化Pichiapastoris菌株GS115 ,获基因工程菌株Pichiapastoris(pPIC9K TRAIL)。将工程菌用甲醇诱导培养 3～ 4d ,对摇瓶发酵的培养上清进行SDS PAGE、Westernblot分析和体外生物活性检测 ,结果发现发酵液中分子量约为 19kD和 38kD的蛋白质能被TRAIL多克隆抗体特异性识别 ,且具有在体外诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的活性。通过薄层扫描分析显示目的蛋白最高可占可溶性总蛋白的 36 %。上述实验结果表明 ,在Pichiapastoris中表达的TRAIL能以寡聚体的形式存在并且具有生物学活性。     

三氯乙酸(TCA)提取法与微波提取法检测活性污泥中三磷酸腺苷(ATP)

【目的】针对活性污泥法中的重要参数ATP进行研究分析,通过在不同条件下检测污泥的活性,得出以ATP为指标的污泥活性状态,为准确判定活性污泥的活性提供依据。【方法】分别运用三氯乙酸(TCA)提取法及微波提取法检测活性污泥中的ATP,并对检测ATP的影响因素(TCA浓度、冰浴时间、p H、微波频率及时间等)进行探讨与优化。【结果】运用TCA提取法检测ATP时,在1.0%-7.0%的TCA体积百分数内,活性污泥中TCA最佳体积百分数为2.5%;在2-60 min的冰浴时间内,最佳冰浴时间为10 min;三羟甲基丙烷-乙二胺四乙酸(Tris-EDTA)缓冲液的最佳p H 7.5;运用微波提取法检测ATP适宜的微波辐射条件为:功率800 W,辐射时间15 s。【结论】TCA提取法和微波提取法均可以检测活性污泥中的ATP,但与微波提取法相比,TCA提取法更能保证从细胞内释放出来的ATP的完整性,因此TCA提取法更适合用于检测活性污泥中的ATP。     

Identification of the ATP·Mg-dependent protein phosphatase activator (Fa ) as a synapsin I kinase that inhibits cross-linking of synapsin I with brain microtubules

The ATP·Mg-dependent protein phosphatase activating factor (Fa) has been identified and purified to near homogeneity from brain. In this report, as evidenced on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography, factorFa has further been identified as a cAMP and Ca²⁺-independent brain kinase that could phosphorylate synapsin I, a neuronal protein that coats synaptic vesicles, binds to cytoskeleton, and is believed to be involved in the modulation of neurotransmission. Kinetic study further indicated that factorFa could phosphorylate synapsin I with a lowK _m value of about 2 µM and with a molar ratio of 1 mol of phosphate per mole of protein. Peptide mapping analysis revealed that factorFa specifically phosphorylated the tail region of synapsin I but on a unique site distinct from those phosphorylated by Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and cAMP-dependent protein kinase, the two well-established synapsin I kinases. Functional study further revealed that factorFa could phosphorylate this unique specific site on the tail region of synapsin I and thereby inhibit cross-linking of synapsin I with microtubules. The results further suggest the possible involvement of factorFa as a synapsin I kinase in the regulation of axonal transport process of synaptic vesicles via the promotion of vesicles motility during neurotransmission.     

Arsenic trioxide enhances the radiation sensitivity of androgen-dependent and -independent human prostate cancer cells

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men. In the present study, LNCaP (androgen-sensitive human prostate cancer cells) and PC-3 cells (androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells) were used to investigate the anti-cancer effects of ionizing radiation (IR) combined with arsenic trioxide (ATO) and to determine the underlying mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. We found that IR combined with ATO increases the therapeutic efficacy compared to individual treatments in LNCaP and PC-3 human prostate cancer cells. In addition, combined treatment showed enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation compared to treatment with ATO or IR alone in PC-3 cells. Combined treatment induced autophagy and apoptosis in LNCaP cells, and mainly induced autophagy in PC-3 cells. The cell death that was induced by the combined treatment was primarily the result of inhibition of the Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. Furthermore, we found that the combined treatment of cells pre-treated with 3-MA resulted in a significant change in AO-positive cells and cytotoxicity. In an in vivo study, the combination treatment had anti-tumor growth effects. These novel findings suggest that combined treatment is a potential therapeutic strategy not only for androgen-dependent prostate cancer but also for androgen-independent prostate cancer.     

A new species of Tylophora from coral reef areas in Hengchun Peninsula, Taiwan, China

Tylophora sui Y. H. Tseng & C. T. Chao, sp. nov. 苏氏欧蔓(S3-3. Fig. 1, S3-4. Fig. 2) Type: China. Taiwan: Pintung County, Hengchun Town, Longpan, coral reef areas near seashore, 21 55 20.6 N, 120 51 14.25 E, ca. 76 m, 2009-05-25, Yen-Hsueh Tseng 4668 (holotype, TCF).