Computational and Experimental Investigation of the Antimicrobial Peptide Cecropin XJ and its Ligands as the Impact Factors of Antibacterial Activity

Cecropin XJ, as a heat stable antimicrobial peptide (AMP), displayed broad bacteriostatic activities, effectively inhibited proliferation of cancer cells and induced cell apoptosis in vitro. However, it exhibited little hemolytic activity and very low cytotoxicity to erythrocytes and normal cells. Although exerts multiple remarkable bioactivities, the refined molecular conformation of native Cecropin XJ remains unsolved. The aim of the present study is to comprehensively investigate the physicochemical characteristics and structure-function relationship of this antimicrobial peptide by using a series of bioinformatics and experimental approaches. In this study, we revealed that the mature Cecropin XJ consists of 41 amino acids, containing two α-helical structures from Lys⁷ to Lys²⁵ and from Ala²⁹ to Ile³⁹. The phylogenetic tree indicated that Cecropin XJ belongs to the Class I AMPs of cecropin family. Hydrophobic analysis showed Cecropin XJ is a typical amphiphilic molecule. The surface of Cecropin XJ was found to have a much wide range of electrostatic potential from ?83.243 to +83.243. The amphipathicity and surface potential of Cecropin XJ partially supported the AMP pore-forming hypothesis. Scanning electron microscopy experimentally confirmed the damages of Cecropin XJ to microbial membrane. Four predicted docking sites respectively for magnesium ion (Mg²⁺), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), bacteriopheophytin (BPH), and guanosine triphosphate (GTP) were found on the surface of Cecropin XJ. Thereinto, Mg²⁺ was experimentally proved to suppress the antibacterial activity of Cecropin XJ; both GTP and ADP enhanced the bactericidal activities to varying degrees. The present study provides a foundation for further investigation of molecular evolution, structural modification, and functional mechanisms of Cecropin XJ.     

Plant Photosynthesis-Irradiance Curve Responses to Pollution Show Non-Competitive Inhibited Michaelis Kinetics

Photosynthesis-irradiance (PI) curves are extensively used in field and laboratory research to evaluate the photon-use efficiency of plants. However, most existing models for PI curves focus on the relationship between the photosynthetic rate (Pn) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and do not take account of the influence of environmental factors on the curve. In the present study, we used a new non-competitive inhibited Michaelis-Menten model (NIMM) to predict the co-variation of Pn, PAR, and the relative pollution index (I). We then evaluated the model with published data and our own experimental data. The results indicate that the Pn of plants decreased with increasing I in the environment and, as predicted, were all fitted well by the NIMM model. Therefore, our model provides a robust basis to evaluate and understand the influence of environmental pollution on plant photosynthesis.     

齿突蟾属某些种的多态现象

本文报道某些锄足蟾科Pelobatidae动物的多态现象。讨论了同域或不同域的四种齿突蟾Scuti-ger,即刺胸齿突蟾S. mammatus(Guenther)、胸腺齿突蟾S. glandulatus(Liu)、木里齿突蟾S. mulicnsis Fei et Ye和皱纹齿突蟾S. ruginosus Zhao et jiang的皮肤瘰疣、第二性征等性状;用薄层等电聚焦电泳方法分析了同域三种齿突蟾的晶体蛋白。结果表明:前三种是有效种;后一种,即皱纹齿突蟾分别是前三种的多态性变体;这些变体以相同性状(即皮肤多瘭疣)同时表现在三个种中的现象,属于平行多态现象。     

家兔中脑导水管周围灰质中甲七肽样免疫活性物质具有镇痛作用并参与电针镇痛

以辐射热照射家兔鼻嘴部皮肤,测定甩头反应潜伏期(ERL)作为痛阈。通过预先埋植的慢性套管向中脑导水管周围灰质(PAG)注射甲七肽降解酶抑制剂 Captopril,观察其镇痛作用以及加强电针镇痛的作用能否被特异的甲七肽抗血清所对抗。(1)单侧 PAG 注射 Captopril240 nmol 的镇痛作用可为同一部位注射甲七肽抗血清(1μl)所翻转,注入甲啡肽抗血清则无效。(2)单侧 PAG 注射 Captopril 60 nmol 有加强电针镇痛的作用。该作用可被1μl 甲七肽抗血清所完全取消,将抗血清量减少到0.1μl 则无效。以上结果说明 PAG 内的甲七肽样免疫活性物质在镇痛和电针镇痛中发挥重要作用。     

亚洲高海拔锄足蟾属间分类研究(Amphibia:Pelobatidae)

本文比较研究了高海拔锄足蟾类29种成体和蝌蚪的外形,25种的骨骼,8种的核型和带型,9种的眼晶体薄层凝胶等电聚焦电泳图谱等性状,并结合地理分布、生态环境及习性等因素综合而较全面地对中国锄足蟾科Pelobatidae的齿突蟾属Scutiger,猫眼蟾属Aelurophryne和齿蟾属Oreo-lalax三个类群的属间分类问题进行了探讨。研究表明:齿蟾属Oreolalax应为有效属,不宜作为齿突蟾属Scutiger的亚属;猫眼蟾属Aelurophryne与齿突蟾属Scutiger应同归一属,前者应为后者之亚属。     

猪精子凝集素的纯化,性质及其作用

用胎球蛋白－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ亲和层析和凝胶过滤层析从精子和精浆中分离纯化了猪精子凝集素（简称ＢＳＬ）。ＢＳＬ的血凝活性只被若干糖蛋白和聚糖所抑制。ＢＳＬ的分子量为５６ｋｄ,由分子量分别为１３．６ｋｄ（β）和１６．０ｋｄ（α）的两个不同的亚基以α１β３所组成。ＢＳＬ为糖蛋白,含中性糖３．２％,不含唾液酸。用ＥＬＩＳＡ法测定猪精子中ＢＳＬ的含量及分布,表明７０％嵌入在精子膜中,２５％结合在精子表面,     

流行性出血热循环免疫复合物组分分析

应用ＳＤＳ－聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳及免疫转印技术对流行性出血热患才血清中免疫合物组分进行了分析。流行性出血热循环免疫复合物经ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ分离,考马斯亮兰染色,显色主要有７条带,分子量分别为２３ｋＤ,５０ｋＤ,５２ｋＤ,６５ｋＤ,７２ｋＤ,８０ｋＤ及１００ｋＤ。采用该病毒特异性抗血清、单克隆抗体以及人免疫球蛋白、补体成分抗血清识别,在其特环免疫复合物中可检出特异性病毒抗在及相应的免疫球状蛋白和补体成     

流行性出血热患者皮肤组织内病毒抗原及免疫复合物检测与意义

应用常规病理、免疫病理及超微病理技术,对３３例流行性出血热（ＥＨＦ）患者皮肤活检标本的病理变化及病毒抗原、免疫复合物进行观察,同时与血清病毒抗原、抗体及循环免疫复合物检出情况进行比较。在２３例ＥＨＦ患者皮肤微血管内皮细胞中检出病毒抗原,部分组织中可同时检出免疫球蛋白及Ｃ３,少数组织仅能检出病毒抗原或免疫球蛋白。配对血清小也可检出ＥＨＦ病毒抗原、抗体及循环免疫复合物。组织及血清免疫复合物形成与血清补体Ｃ３水平下降有关,组织内肥大细胞脱颗粒与血清ＩｇＥ水平升高相关,提示多种变态反应参与了流行性出血热的发病机制。     

强噪声暴露后听觉脑干电反应及皮层电反应的变化

为了观察噪声作用豚鼠后,在暂时性或移和永久性阈移期间,听觉末梢和听觉各级中枢电反庆的变化规律,我们进行了６２ｄ的测定。听神经电反应振幅减小２９％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,耳蜗核电反应振幅减小２８％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,上橄榄核电反应反而增加２１％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,中脑下丘的电反应振幅进而增大３７％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,听觉皮层电反应振幅却意外地增加１３１％（Ｐ＜０．００１）。这说明强噪声（１２５ｄＢ １５０ｍｉｎ