A PKS/NRPS/FAS Hybrid Gene Cluster from Serratia plymuthica RVH1 Encoding the Biosynthesis of Three Broad Spectrum,Zeamine-Related Antibiotics

Serratia plymuthica strain RVH1, initially isolated from an industrial food processing environment, displays potent antimicrobial activity towards a broad spectrum of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. Isolation and subsequent structure determination of bioactive molecules led to the identification of two polyamino antibiotics with the same molecular structure as zeamine and zeamine II as well as a third, closely related analogue, designated zeamine I. The gene cluster encoding the biosynthesis of the zeamine antibiotics was cloned and sequenced and shown to encode FAS, PKS as well as NRPS related enzymes in addition to putative tailoring and export enzymes. Interestingly, several genes show strong homology to the pfa cluster of genes involved in the biosynthesis of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in marine bacteria. We postulate that a mixed FAS/PKS and a hybrid NRPS/PKS assembly line each synthesize parts of the backbone that are linked together post-assembly in the case of zeamine and zeamine I. This interaction reflects a unique interplay between secondary lipid and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Most likely, the zeamine antibiotics are produced as prodrugs that undergo activation in which a nonribosomal peptide sequence is cleaved off.     

Biological activity and conformational analysis of C20 and C14 epimers of CD-ring modified trans-decalin 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D analogs

In the context of our ongoing study of vitamin D structure-function relationships and in an attempt to obtain a better dissociation of their prodifferentiating (HL-60) and/or antiproliferative (MCF-7) activities and their calcemic activity, further 20-epi and 14-epi modifications were made to three trans-decalin CD-ring analogs of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), the hormonally active metabolite of vitamin D(3), possessing a natural 20R side chain and featuring additional structural modifications in the seco-B-ring and in the A-ring. Following a previously observed trend and in agreement with the conformational analysis results, all three 20-epi derivatives show substantially lower biological activities, opposite to what is usually observed for analogs having the natural CD-ring. The 14-epi modification (cis-decalins) has little effect on the biological activity of the ynediene type and the saturated derivative, but results in an approximate 10-fold reduction in activity of the previtamin derivative. No better dissociation of the prodifferentiating and/or antiproliferative activities and the calcemic activity was achieved.     

The extraction of imperialine and imperialine-3 beta-glucoside from Fritillaria pallidiflora Schrenk and quantitative determination by HPLC-evaporative light scattering detection

The extraction procedure and quantitative determination by HPLC-evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) of the main bioactive components, namely, imperialine (1) and imperialine-3 beta-glucoside (2), of bulbs of Fritillaria pallidiflora Schrenk have been investigated. The most efficient method for the simultaneous extraction of 1 and 2 involved pre-treatment of the bulb powder with ammonia, followed by reflux with dichloromethane:methanol at 90 degrees C for 4 h. Simultaneous determination of non-chromophoric 1 and 2 by HPLC-ELSD employed a Kromasil C18 column eluted with acetonitrile:water:diethylamine. The assay was accurate and reproducible with an overall variation lower than 4% and a sample recovery higher than 98%. The methods described have been successfully used to evaluate the quality of three batches of the crude traditional Chinese medicinal herb derived from the bulbs of F. pallidiflora.     

TRAF6 Contributes to CFA-Induced Spinal Microglial Activation and Chronic Inflammatory Pain in Mice

Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology - Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) has been reported to be expressed in spinal astrocytes and is involved in neuropathic pain. In this...     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-polyethylene glycol-folate: a new folate-derived, (99m)Tc-based radiopharmaceutical

(99m)Technetium-labeled diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-polyethylene glycol-folate (DTPA-PEG-folate) was synthesized and tested as a radiopharmaceutical agent, which targeted the lymphatic system with metastatic tumor. Folic acid was reacted with H2N-PEG-NH2 to yield H2N-PEG-folate. After purification by anion-exchange chromatography, the product was reacted with cyclic DTPA. By removal of unreacted DTPA by size-exclusion chromatography, DTPA-PEG-Folate was obtained. Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled DTPA-PEG-folate and DTPA-PEG-OCH3 were prepared via a dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-mediated coupling. In vitro competitive binding test showed that the uptake of [125I] folic acid was inhibited by DTPA-PEG-folate and the 50% inhibitory concentration was 4.37 pmol/L (R2 = 0.9922). The relative affinity of DTPA-PEG-FITC was 0.18 for human folate receptor comparing with folic acid. In cultured tumor cells, uptake of fluorescence-labeled DTPA-PEG-folate was found to increase significantly in folate-deficient medium compared with that of untargeted DTPA-PEG-OCH3 and FITC-ethylenediamine. The competition with free folic acid blocked the cell uptake of DTPA-PEG-folate. These results confirmed the DTPA-PEG-folate entered into KB cells through the folate receptor endocytosis pathway in vitro. The radiolabeled yield of [(99m)Tc] DTPA-PEG-folate was in excess of 98%, and specific activities of 7.4 kBq (0.2 microCi/microg) were achieved. After subcutaneous injection, [(99m)Tc] DTPA-PEG-folate exhibited an initial increase and successive decline of accumulation in popliteal nodes in normal Wistar rats. Expect for the kidney, uptake by other tissues was rather low. In a normal rabbit imagine study, the lymphatic vessels were readily visualized by single-photon-emission computed tomography following subcutaneous injection of [(99m)Tc] DTPA-PEG-folate. In conclusion, the [(99m)Tc] DTPA-PEG-folate conjugate may have a potential as a lymphatic tumor-targeted radiopharmaceutical.     

井冈山自然保护区野生兰科植物资源分布及特点

通过对江西省井冈山自然保护区兰科(Orchidaceae)植物的调查,分析了保护区内兰科植物的物种多样性、区系特点、分布格局,并采用SPSS18.0软件对井冈山及其邻近保护区属的种类进行相关和聚类分析。结果表明:井冈山兰科植物种类丰富,共有兰科植物34属75种,中国特有兰科植物19种。井冈山兰科植物资源垂直分布格局明显,不同海拔段的兰科植物分布差异较大,中低海拔的物种分布较多,资源相对保存较好;区系成分复杂多样,井冈山兰科植物属的地理成分可以划分为10个类型2个变型,热带性属占优势,占总属数的67.3%,但热带分布的种仅占本地区总种数的37.3%,而温带分布的种却占62.7%,故井冈山自然保护区属热带植物区系与温带植物区系过渡的交汇地带。井冈山兰科植物与齐云山自然保护区的相似性最高,与武夷山自然保护区的相似性最低。     

除虫菊开花特性与适宜采摘期

除虫菊 (Pyrethrumcinerariifolium)是提取天然除虫菊酯的原料 ,植物体的各个部位均有除虫菊酯分布 ,最主要存在于头状花序 (简称花头 )的子房中 ,随着花蕾的孕育、开花直至种子 (瘦果 )成熟 ,子房壁导管的油腺也同时经历了发生、发展和分泌物转化的过程。直接反映在开花期的不同阶段所采摘的花头内菊酯含量的变化十分显著 ,为了进一步认识除虫菊开花期小花开放程度与菊酯含量变化的内在规律 ,把除虫菊开花期 (从孕蕾盛期到瘦果成熟 )划分成 8个阶段。通过样品测定 ,了解开花期花头中菊酯含量的变化状况和头状花序发育过程中小花子房的增长与干物质积累之间的关系 ,表明头状花序的小花开放至第 4至第 5阶段 ,即花头上管状小花开放初盛期至盛期时采摘 ,是获得最高生物产量和菊酯含量的最适宜采摘期。     

红花注射液对慢性低O2高CO2肺动脉高压的影响

目的：探讨红花注射液对大鼠在慢性低O2高CO2下肺动脉高压的抑制作用。方法：将SD大鼠分为对照组,慢性低O2高CO2组,慢性低O2高CO2＋红花注射液组。用电镜、放免等方法,观察各组大鼠肺动脉平均压、颈动脉平均压、肺细小动脉显微结构、血浆和肺匀浆TXB2及6-keto-PGF1a含量的变化。结果：①慢性低O2高CO2组mPAP比对照组显著增高,红花注射液组的mPAP比慢性低O2高CO2组显著降低,3组间mCAP比较差异无显著性。②慢性低O2高CO2组与对照组相比血浆和肺匀浆TXB2浓度、TXB2／6-keto-PGF1a比值显著增高,6-keto-PGF1a浓度显著下降;红花注射液组与慢性低P2高CO2相比血浆和肺匀浆TXB2浓度、TXB2／6-keto-PGF1a显著下降,6-keto-PGF1a显著升高。③光镜下慢性低O2高CO2组与对照组相比,肺细小动脉管壁面积／管总面积（WA／TA）和肺细小动脉中膜厚度（PAMT）均显著增高。红花注射液组WA／TA和PAMT显著降低。④电镜下慢性低O2高CO2组大鼠肺细小动脉内皮细胞吞饮小泡增多,血管壁增厚,中膜平滑肌细胞增生,纤维细胞增多,肺泡Ⅱ型上皮细胞微绒毛脱落;红花注射液组肺细小动脉中膜平滑肌细胞增生减轻,纤维细胞少,胶原纤维减少,肺泡Ⅱ型上皮细胞微绒毛丰富、结构清。结论：红花注射液有减轻慢性低O2高CO2性肺动脉高压和肺血管结构重建的作用,可能与抑制TXA2的合成,保护血管内皮细胞,使TXA2/PGI2比值降低有关.     

短距风兰的无菌播种和快速繁殖

1植物名称短距风兰（Neofinetia richardsianaChristenson）。2材料类别成熟未开裂蒴果中的种子。3培养条件（1）种子萌发培养基：1/2B_5＋6-BA 1.0mg·L-（-1）（单位下同）＋NAA 0.2;（2）原球茎增殖培养基：B_5＋6-BA 1.0＋NAA 1.5＋0.1%AC;（3）分化成苗培养基：B_5＋6-BA 1.0＋NAA 0.2＋0.05%AC;（4）壮苗和生根培养基：1/2MS＋IBA 0.5＋NAA 0.3＋0.03%AC。以上培养基含4.0%蔗糖和0.7%琼脂,pH 5.6～5.8。培养温度为（25±2）℃,光照强度为36μmol·m-（-2）·s-（-1）,光照时间为12 h·d-（-1）。     

Auxin Functions Downstream of Ethylene to Regulate Iron Absorption Promoted by Phomopsis liquidambaris in Arachis hypogaea L.

Plant iron (Fe) deficiency is widely present in alkaline calcium soils worldwide, and endophytes show great potential for promoting plant nutrient absorption. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To clarify the mechanisms by which the endophytic fungus Phomopsis liquidambaris promotes peanut Fe absorption, we designed this study to detect the physiological changes in peanut with P. liquidambaris infection. We measured ethylene and auxin in peanuts under Fe deficiency and found that fungal colonization promoted their accumulation (50% and 20%, respectively, at the top point). Moreover, plant Fe absorption ability and transfer were enhanced according to qPCR and enzyme results; the Fe content in the leaf increased (29.52%) as the symptoms of leaf chlorosis were ameliorated. Finally, the chlorophyll content increased (29%), and plant growth was enhanced (13.3%). We also proved that during Fe insufficiency, auxin functions downstream of ethylene to induce the upregulation of Fe absorption-related gene and enzyme activity including that of AHA4, IRT1, H⁺-ATPase, and FCR. We conclude that the addition of P. liquidambaris activates the auxin signaling pathway downstream of ethylene and improves peanut Fe absorption by promoting rhizosphere acidification, increasing FCR and IRT1 expression in peanut roots, leading to plant Fe absorption and growth.