Expression and characterization of chimeric spidroins from flagelliform-aciniform repetitive modules

Spiders can produce up to seven different types of silks or glues with different mechanical properties. Of these, flagelliform (Flag) silk is the most elastic, and aciniform (AcSp1) silk is the toughest. To produce a chimeric spider silk (spidroin) Flag_R-AcSp1_R, we fused one repetitive module of flagelliform silk from Araneus ventricosus and one repetitive module of aciniform silk from Argiope trifasciata. The recombinant protein expressed in E. coli formed silk-like fibers by manual-drawing. CD analysis showed that the secondary structure of Flag_R-AcSp1_R spidroin remained stable during the gradual reduction of pH from 7.0 to 5.5. The spectrum of FTIR indicated that the secondary structure of Flag_R-AcSp1_R changed from α-helix to β-sheet. The conformation change of Flag_R-AcSp1_R was similar to other spidroins in the fiber formation process. SEM analysis revealed that the mean diameter of the fibers was around 1 ~ 2 μm, and the surface was smooth and uniform. The chimeric fibers exhibited superior toughness (~33.1 MJ/m³) and tensile strength (~261.4 MPa). This study provides new insight into design of chimeric spider silks with high mechanical properties.     

Rectification ratio based determination of disulfide bonds of β2 extracellular loop of BK channel

Large-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (BK) channels are composed of a pore-forming α and a variable number of auxiliary β subunits and play important roles in regulating excitability, action potential waveforms and firing patterns, particularly in neurons and endocrine and cardiovascular cells. The β2 subunits increase the diversity of gating and pharmacological properties. Its extracellular loop contains eight cysteine residues, which can pair to form a high-order structure, underlying the stability of the extracellular loop of β2 subunits and the functional effects on BK channels. However, how these cysteines form disulfide bonds still remains unclear. To address this, based on the fact that the rectification and association of BK α to β2 subunits are highly sensitive to disruption of the disulfide bonds in the extracellular loop of β2, we developed a rectification ratio based assay by combining the site-directed mutagenesis, electrophysiology and enzymatic cleavage. Three disulfide bonds: C1(C84)-C5(C113), C3(C101)-C7(C148) and C6(C142)-C8C(174) are successfully deduced in β2 subunit in complex with a BK α subunit, which are helpful to predict structural model of β2 subunits through computational simulation and to understand the interface between the extracellular domain of the β subunits and the pore-forming α subunit.     

"Effects of baicalin on protease-activated receptor-1 expression and brain injury in a rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage"

"Regular physical exercise plays an important role in reducing obesity, preventing hyperglycemia, lowering blood lipids and reducing systemic blood pressure. But the question about the nature of the relationship between homocysteine, nitric oxide and physical activity remains unanswered. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of callisthenic exercises on plasma lipids, homocysteine (Hcy), total nitric oxide (NOx) and body composition in middle-aged healthy sedentary women. Forty-two middle-aged women (ages: 28-49; mean: 41.40 ± 7.3 years) were asked to perform a callisthenic exercise 50 min per session, 3 times per week for 12 weeks in a sports hall. Before and after the exercise, plasma lipids (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and triglyceride), Hcy and NO were determined. Body composition, including body mass index, fat percentage, fat free mass, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rates were measured. After a 12-week callisthenic exercise program, plasma NOx and Hcy levels were found to be significantly increased (P < 0.05). Body composition parameters, lipid profile, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rate significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Aerobic callisthenic exercises characterized by 50 min/day and 3 days/week resulted in positive changes in important health parameters like reducing obesity, lowering blood lipids and increasing plasma NOx. Cardiovascular improvements might be dependent on the increase of NOx values. But callisthenic exercise in such intensity did not lower the plasma Hcy level. Moreover, Hcy level increased significantly. The result shows that if the Hcy is in the normal levels in healthy subjects, long-term callisthenic exercise do not decrease the Hcy levels despite some beneficial effects on health. On the contrary, the Hcy levels are increased by long-term callisthenic exercises."     

Superfluous role of mammalian septins 3 and 5 in neuronal development and synaptic transmission

The septin family of GTPases, first identified for their roles in cell division, are also expressed in postmitotic tissues. SEPT3 (G-septin) and SEPT5 (CDCrel-1) are highly expressed in neurons, enriched in presynaptic terminals, and associated with synaptic vesicles. These characteristics suggest that SEPT3 or SEPT5 might be important for synapse formation, maturation, or synaptic vesicle traffic. Since Sept5^−/− mice do not show any overt neurological phenotypes, we generated Sept3^−/− and Sept3^−/− Sept5^−/− mice and found that SEPT3 and SEPT5 are not essential for development, fertility, or viability. Changes in the expression of septins were noted in the absence of SEPT3, SEPT5, and both septins. SEPT5 association with other septins in brain tissue was unaffected by the removal of SEPT3. No abnormalities were observed in the gross morphology and synapses of the hippocampus. Similarly, axon development and synapse formation were unaffected in vitro. In cultured hippocampal neurons, the size of the recycling synaptic vesicle pool was unaltered in the absence of SEPT3. Furthermore, synaptic transmission at two different central synapses was not significantly affected in Sept3^−/− Sept5^−/− mice. These results indicate that SEPT3 and SEPT5 are dispensable for neuronal development as well as for synaptic vesicle fusion and recycling.     

The glycosylation of the extracellular loop of β2 subunits diversifies functional phenotypes of BK Channels

Large-conductance Ca²⁺- and voltage-activated potassium (MaxiK or BK) channels are composed of a pore-forming α subunit (Slo) and 4 types of auxiliary β subunits or just a pore-forming α subunit. Although multiple N-linked glycosylation sites in the extracellular loop of β subunits have been identified, very little is known about how glycosylation influences the structure and function of BK channels. Using a combination of site-directed mutagenesis, western blot and patch-clamp recordings, we demonstrated that 3 sites in the extracellular loop of β2 subunit are N-glycosylated (N-X-T/S at N88, N96 and N119). Glycosylation of these sites strongly and differentially regulate gating kinetics, outward rectification, toxin sensitivity and physical association between the α and β2 subunits. We constructed a model and used molecular dynamics (MD) to simulate how the glycosylation facilitates the association of α/β2 subunits and modulates the dimension of the extracellular cavum above the pore of the channel, ultimately to modify biophysical and pharmacological properties of BK channels. Our results suggest that N-glycosylation of β2 subunits plays crucial roles in imparting functional heterogeneity of BK channels, and is potentially involved in the pathological phenotypes of carbohydrate metabolic diseases.     

新生期反复惊厥对认知和海马CaMKⅡ表达的远期影响及干预研究

新生期惊厥活动可造成严重的神经后遗症,如成年期大脑对惊厥的易感和易损性提高,严重者产生认知功能损害.对发育期惊厥性脑损伤远期预后的研究,尤其是分子机制及其干预的研究具有重要的临床意义.探讨了新生期大鼠单次长程或反复惊厥对学习、记忆能力和海马突触后致密物质钙/钙调素依赖性蛋白激酶Ⅱ(CaMKⅡ)表达的远期影响及运动训练的干预作用.生后6天(P6)的SD大鼠随机分成单次长程惊厥组(SS)、反复惊厥组(RS)和对照组,每组12只.3组大鼠分别于P27～P31、P58～P61、P80～P82采用Morris水迷宫检测学习、记忆功能.P51～P56对SS组和RS组进行踏转轮训练.最后脑组织切片观察CaMKⅡmRNA在海马的表达.结果显示,第一次Morris水迷宫测试RS组第1天～第4天潜伏期明显高于对照组,具有显著性差异(P＜0.05),第二次水迷宫RS组第1天～第2天的逃避潜伏期较对照组仍显著延长,具有显著性差异(P＜0.05),第三次测试各组之间差异无统计学意义.搜寻策略显示,在第一次Morris测试时RS组第3天～第4天边缘式搜寻比例明显高于对照组,具有显著性差异(P＜0.01),同时RS组第3天～第4天趋向式搜寻比例明显低于对照组,具有显著性差异(P＜0.01),而第二次和第三次水迷宫测试3组间趋向式和直线式搜寻策略无明显差异.在记忆实验中,原平台象限游泳距离与总距离的比值,RS组第三次较对照组显著降低,有统计学意义(P＜0.05);另外RS组1～3天趋向式搜寻比例均明显低于对照组,有显著性差异(P＜0.05).CaMKⅡ原位杂交显示,各组CaMKⅡmRNA在海马均有明显表达,但是在齿状回和门区RS组表达明显低于对照组,具有统计学意义(P＜0.01).研究表明,新生期反复长程惊厥能够对学习和记忆功能产生远期的损害,可能与海马记忆分子CaMKⅡ表达下调有关,而单次长程惊厥对学习记忆无明显影响.早期运动训练能够明显改善反复惊厥所致的学习能力损害,但对记忆能力效果仍较差.     

FtsZ在钝顶螺旋藻形态建成中的作用

为了研究细胞骨架蛋白FtsZ在螺旋藻形态建成中的作用,通过PCR克隆了ftsZ基因并进行原核表达,对表达的融合蛋白进行了纯化。通过免疫小鼠制备了FtsZ的多克隆抗体。分别用Western blot和免疫荧光技术检测螺旋藻不同形态藻丝体中ftsZ的表达和定位。结果表明,在两株不同螺旋藻Spirulina platensisFACHB869和FACHB882中,ftsZ在直线形藻丝体中的表达量都高于螺旋形藻丝体。免疫荧光定位结果显示,FtsZ蛋白在藻细胞中呈环状分布于细胞膜上,且这种环状结构在直线形藻丝体中排列较密而在螺旋形藻丝体中排列疏松。ftsZ在不同形态藻丝体中的表达量和细胞定位差异说明,细胞骨架蛋白FtsZ可能通过改变细胞刚性而参与螺旋藻形态建成。     

一个未知的子宫雌激素反应蛋白ULF-250的鉴定研究

摘要 鉴定一个未知的子宫雌激素反应蛋白（ULF-250）。去卵巢大鼠补充给予雌二醇造成子宫产生大量宫腔液（ULF）,受雌激素调节的蛋白分泌其中。收集ULF分别进行SDS-PAGE和双向电泳（2-DE）分离;通过Western 和2D-Western确认抗ULF-250抗体识别的蛋白成分并与凝胶上的条带或斑点相对应;对目标蛋白分别用MALDI-TOF-MS和HPLC-ESI-MS/MS两种方法进行质谱分析并获得肽段序列数据;与蛋白数据库比对及文献检索鉴定未知蛋白。2D-Western显示抗ULF-250抗体特异识别的蛋白成分。从2D胶上切下对应的蛋白斑点进行MALDI-TOF-MS。 结果提示：ULF-250是ebnerin/DMBT1。另外,经SDS-PAGE分离的250 kD蛋白条带进行液-质联用分析。结果同样提示：ULF-250是ebnerin/DMBT1。与文献报道比较,ULF-250与ebnerin/DMBT1在子宫的组织定位和调节是相同的。因此,我们认为ULF-250是子宫表达的ebnerin/DMBT1。通过2-DE结合质谱分析以及查阅文献确认未知的雌激素反应蛋白ULF-250是ebnerin/DMBT1。此外,我们的研究提示,该蛋白不仅在子宫上皮细胞表达而且分泌到子宫腔液中,其功能值得进一步研究。     

Poloxamer-188 Attenuates TBI-Induced Blood–Brain Barrier Damage Leading to Decreased Brain Edema and Reduced Cellular Death

Neurochemical Research - Plasmalemma permeability plays an important role in the secondary neuronal death induced by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Previous works showed that Poloxamer 188 (P188)...     

Structural Basis for Calcium and Magnesium Regulation of a Large Conductance Calcium-activated Potassium Channel with β1 Subunits

Large conductance Ca²⁺- and voltage-activated potassium (BK) channels, composed of pore-forming α subunits and auxiliary β subunits, play important roles in diverse physiological activities. The β1 is predominately expressed in smooth muscle cells, where it greatly enhances the Ca²⁺ sensitivity of BK channels for proper regulation of smooth muscle tone. However, the structural basis underlying dynamic interaction between BK mSlo1 α and β1 remains elusive. Using macroscopic ionic current recordings in various Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ concentrations, we identified two binding sites on the cytosolic N terminus of β1, namely the electrostatic enhancing site (mSlo1(K392,R393)-β1(E13,T14)), increasing the calcium sensitivity of BK channels, and the hydrophobic site (mSlo1(L906,L908)-β1(L5,V6,M7)), passing the physical force from the Ca²⁺ bowl onto the enhancing site and S6 C-linker. Dynamic binding of these sites affects the interaction between the cytosolic domain and voltage-sensing domain, leading to the reduction of Mg²⁺ sensitivity. A comprehensive structural model of the BK(mSlo1 α-β1) complex was reconstructed based on these functional studies, which provides structural and mechanistic insights for understanding BK gating.