Cryo-EM structures reveal the dynamic transformation of human alpha-2-macroglobulin working as a protease inhibitor

Science China Life Sciences - Human alpha-2-macroglobulin is a well-known inhibitor of a broad spectrum of proteases and plays important roles in immunity, inflammation, and infections. Here, we...     

沪191麻疹疫苗免疫持久性和影响因素的评价

１９９１～１９９８年,我们对荆州区川店镇５０３名６～１５月龄儿童进行了现行沪１９１麻疹疫苗血清流行病学效果观察,结果表明,初次免疫后１个月麻疹ＩｇＧ抗体阳转率为９１６５％,ＧＭＴ为１∶２６６７４,达保护滴度者比例为４６５％。随着时间的推移,第４年上述指标迅速下降到４６８６％、１∶１２７４和１８５％,第６年时低至２９４３％、１∶４８９和１３６％。０２ｍｌ、０３ｍｌ和０５ｍｌ麻疹疫苗组的近期和远期效果是类似的,初免后１个月时ＩｇＧ滴度越高,其免疫持久性越好;初免月龄是影响麻苗免疫效果的主要原因,６月龄初免组的免疫效果明显低于≥８月龄组。结果提示麻苗８月龄初免是可行的。     

五种常绿冬青叶片防火性能评价

为了筛选冬青属(Ilex)植物优良防火品种,了解该属植物叶片燃烧表现特征,优化园林树种防火性能的评价方法,该文以克恩氏冬青(Ilex×koehneana)、史蒂芬冬青(Ilex ‘Nellie R. Stevens’)、大别山冬青(I. dabieshanensis)、博福德冬青(I. cornuta ‘Burfordii’)、双核冬青(I. dipyrena)为研究对象,以海桐(Pittosporum tobira)和石楠(Photinia serrulata)作为参照,采用因子分析法对这七种植物鲜叶和干叶的防火性能分别进行综合评价。结果表明:(1)不同冬青品种鲜叶火灾性能指数存在显著性差异,其余指标均呈极显著性差异。(2)经过因子分析进行评价得出鲜叶抗火性从强到弱依次为博福德冬青史蒂芬冬青大别山冬青石楠海桐双核冬青克恩氏冬青;干叶抗火性从强到弱依次为史蒂芬冬青大别山冬青博福德冬青海桐双核冬青克恩氏冬青石楠。(3)综合鲜叶及干叶的评分结果,得出博福德冬青、史蒂芬冬青、大别山冬青得分较高,防火性能优于石楠和海桐,防火性能表现更突出。     

NaCl胁迫对美国白蜡幼苗部分生理指标的影响

美国白蜡(Fraxinus americana Linn.)为木犀科(Oleaceae)白蜡树属(Fraxinus Linn.)落叶乔木,原产加拿大南部和美国,其干形通直、树形美观,是水土保持和庭院绿化的优良树种[1],具有较为突出的耐干旱和耐盐碱能力[2]。目前对美国白蜡耐盐能力的研究主要集中于引种试验和树种对比方面[2-4]。郝明灼等[5]的研究结果显示:在NaCl胁迫条件下美国白蜡叶肉细胞超微结构无明显损伤,显示出较强的耐盐能力。为进一步探讨美国白蜡耐盐的生理机制,作者以美国白     

薄壳山核桃花粉离体萌发和花粉管生长特性研究

以6年生薄壳山核桃优良品种‘金华’的新鲜花粉为试材,采用离体培养法,研究了不同复水时间、不同培养基组分、不同培养温度及培养时间对薄壳山核桃花粉萌发和花粉管生长的影响。结果显示:(1)薄壳山核桃花粉萌发试验前进行4h复水处理可显著提高萌发率,萌发率可达51.78%,为对照(2.51%)的20.68倍。(2)蔗糖、H3BO3、Ca(NO3)2·4H2O在一定浓度范围内均具有促进花粉萌发和花粉管生长的作用,但浓度过高则起抑制作用。(3)正交试验结果经实验验证表明,薄壳山核桃花粉萌发和花粉管生长的最适培养基为20%蔗糖+0.02%~0.03%H3BO3+0.05%Ca(NO3)2·4H2O,最佳培养条件为25℃下恒温培养24h,此时的花粉萌发率高达74.46%,花粉管平均长度为258.84μm。     

Ⅰ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体在生后发育大鼠三叉神经运动核中的表达

目的观察Ⅰ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体在大鼠三叉神经运动核生后发育过程中的表达变化。方法取生后不同发育阶段大鼠脑干,行冰冻切片和Ⅰ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体免疫染色,光镜观察。结果刚出生大鼠三叉神经运动核背外侧部即可以观察到Ⅰ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体免疫染色阳性结构,随着发育进展,免疫染色阳性逐渐增加,出生7天后Ⅰ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体免疫染色模式接近成年水平。结论大鼠三叉神经运动核内Ⅰ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性终末在出生后1周内较快地成熟。     

Cryo‐electron microscopy structure of CLHM1 ion channel from Caenorhabditis elegans

Calcium homeostasis modulators (CALHMs/CLHMs) comprise a family of pore‐forming protein complexes assembling into voltage‐gated, Ca²⁺‐sensitive, nonselective channels. These complexes contain an ion‐conduction pore sufficiently wide to permit the passing of ATP molecules serving as neurotransmitters. While their function and structure information is accumulating, the precise mechanisms of these channel complexes remain to be full understood. Here, we present the structure of the Caenorhabditis elegans CLHM1 channel in its open state solved through single‐particle cryo‐electron microscopy at 3.7‐Å resolution. The transmembrane region of the channel structure of the dominant class shows an assembly of 10‐fold rotational symmetry in one layer, and its cytoplasmic region is involved in additional twofold symmetrical packing in a tail‐to‐tail manner. Furthermore, we identified a series of amino acid residues critical for the regulation of CeCLHM1 channel using functional assays, electrophysiological analyses as well as structural‐based analysis. Our structure and function analyses provide new insights into the mechanisms of CALHM channels.     

Heterodimerization of human apelin and kappa opioid receptors: roles in signal transduction

Apelin receptor (APJ) and kappa opioid receptor (KOR) are members of the family A of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). These two receptors are involved in the central nervous system regulation of the cardiovascular system. Here, we explore the possibility of heterodimerization between APJ and KOR and investigate their novel signal transduction characteristics. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), co-localization and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays confirmed the heterodimerization of APJ and KOR. In APJ and KOR stably transfected HEK293 cells, treatment with APJ ligand apelin-13 or KOR ligand dynorphinA (1-13) resulted in higher phosphorylation levels of extracellular-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) compared to HEK293 cells transfected with either APJ or KOR alone. The siRNA knockdown of either APJ or KOR receptor in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) resulted in significant reduction of the apelin-13 induced ERK activation. Additionally both forskolin (FSK)-induced cAMP levels and cAMP response element reporter activities were significantly reduced, whereas the serum response element luciferase (SRE-luc) reporter activity was significantly upregulated. Moreover, the ERK phosphorylation and SRE-luc activity were abrogated by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. These results demonstrate for the first time that human APJ forms a heterodimer with KOR and leads to increased PKC and decreased protein kinase A activity leading to a significant increase in cell proliferation, which may translate to the regulation of diverse biological actions and offers the potential for the development of more selective and tissue specific drug therapies.     

囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维在大鼠三叉神经运动核内的分布

目的观察I、Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维在大鼠三叉神经运动核内的分布。方法首先采用免疫荧光三重标记I、Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体和神经元核蛋白以观察I、Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维在大鼠三叉神经运动核内的分布;接着注射四甲基罗达明人下颌舌骨肌神经逆行标记三叉神经运动核开口神经元,再采用免疫荧光双重标记I型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体和神经元核蛋白以观察I、Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维在大鼠三叉神经运动核开口神经元区和闭口神经元区内的分布差异。结果I型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维仅在三叉神经运动核背外侧部分布,而Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维在整个三叉神经运动核内分布;开口神经元区未观察到I型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性终末。结论闭口神经元接受I、Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维支配,开口神经元仅仅接受Ⅱ型囊泡膜谷氨酸转运体阳性纤维支配。