Intestinal phytase I: Detection and preliminary characterization of activity in the intestinal brush border membrane of hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops

While numerous studies have evaluated intestinal phytase activity in terrestrial monogastric species, little work has been conducted investigating the enzyme's activity in finfish. This experiment was conducted to determine if hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops possess intestinal phytase activity, and to perform a preliminary characterization of this activity in terms of pH, metal ion dependence and substrate kinetics. Hybrid bass do exhibit low levels of intestinal phytase activity. The activity has an acidic pH optimum between 3.5 and 4.5. Low concentrations of Mn²⁺ slightly enhance this activity. The divalent cations Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ were shown to either have no effect on the enzyme activity or to be inhibitory, particularly at high concentrations. The present results indicate that intestinal phytase activity in hybrid bass does follow Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with estimated K_m and V_max values of 2.5 mM phytate and 4.8 units mg⁻¹ protein, respectively. The physiologic significance of the enzyme's presence in hybrid striped bass is questionable due to the low activity as compared to terrestrial monogastrics, the acidic pH optimum and the low affinity the enzyme appears to have for phytate. These observations also raise the question of whether the intestinal phytase activity detected in hybrid bass is merely a manifestation of non-specific acid phosphatase activity. Further investigation is needed to determine the practical significance of phytase activity in hybrid bass in terms of phytate phosphorus utilization. Additional experiments should also be conducted which evaluate intestinal phytase activity in other important aquacultured finfish species. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of shrimp head protein hydrolysates on the state of water and denaturation of fish myofibrils during dehydration

ABSTRACT:   To utilize fisheries waste products as food materials with functional properties, shrimp head protein hydrolysates (SHPH) from three species of shrimp, that is, Northern pink shrimp ( Pandalus eous ), Endeavour shrimp ( Metapenaeus endeavouri ) and Black tiger shrimp ( Penaeus monodon ), were produced by enzymatic hydrolysis using endopeptidase derived from Bacillus subtilis and exopeptidase derived from Aspergillus oryzae at a level of 0.1% (w/w). SHPH were rich in protein (90–91%) and amino acids (71–84%) but little fat (0.01–0.02%). The average molecular weight of SHPH was 300–1400. The effect of 5% SHPH (dry basis) addition on the state of water and denaturation of lizard fish myofibrils (Mf) during the dehydration process was evaluated by the desorption isotherm and the Ca-ATPase activity, and compared with the effect of sodium glutamate (Na-Glu). SHPH decreased the water activity and the Ca-ATPase inactivation, and increased monolayer sorbed water and multilayer sorbed water of Mf, although these effects of SHPH were smaller than those of Na-Glu. These findings suggest that the SHPH suppressed dehydration-induced denaturation of myofibrillar protein by stabilizing the hydrated water surrounding myofibrils.     

GST-MtDef4融合蛋白的原核表达及体外抑菌活性的检测

为研究苜蓿(Medicago truncatula)防卫素基因MtDef4的抑菌功能,以含有该基因片段的质粒pAND-MtDef4为模板,扩增出相应的目的基因,测序正确后将MtDef4基因片段连接到带有GST标签的原核表达载体pGEX6P-1中,转化大肠杆菌TransB(DE3),经IPTG诱导,Glutathione Sepharose 4B亲和纯化,通过SDS-PAGE电泳及Western blot确定融合蛋白的表达。体外抑菌试验表明,MtDef4能够抑制病原真菌Corynespora cassiicola而非Collectotrichum gloeosporioides的生长。本研究结果可为进一步培育转基因橡胶抗病品种奠定基础。     

NR/ENR/SiO_2复合材料的阻尼性能研究

采用机械混炼的方法制备不同ENR含量的NR/ENR/SiO2复合材料,使用动态热机械分析仪(DMA)和橡胶加工分析仪(RPA)对NR/ENR/SiO2复合材料的动态力学性能和阻尼性能进行分析。结果表明:ENR对NR/ENR/SiO2复合材料的阻尼性能具有显著影响。动态热机械分析测试结果表明,随着ENR用量的增多,NR/ENR/SiO2复合材料在使用温度范围内的损耗因子积分面积增大,阻尼性能提高。橡胶加工分析频率扫描和应变扫描测试结果表明,在频率小于10 HZ不同应变时,加入了ENR的NR/ENR/SiO2复合材料的阻尼因子均高于NR/SiO2复合材料。扫描电镜分析结果证实,ENR的加入减少了SiO2的自聚,改善了填料在橡胶基体中的分散,从而使NR/ENR/SiO2复合材料力学性能得到提高。     

砂壤质潮土夏玉米适宜的化肥种类研究

采用田间试验研究Agro Services International Inc（ASI）推荐施肥、缓/控释肥、保水型复混肥和普通复混肥对夏玉米产量、SPAD值及养分吸收积累的影响。结果表明,夏玉米施用缓/控释肥和ASI推荐施肥增产效果较好,分别比农户习惯施肥处理增产11.0%和9.8%,保水型复混肥没有显著增产效果。夏玉米专用缓/控释肥养分缓慢释放可弥补砂壤质潮土保肥性差的缺点,能维持夏玉米各生育时期较高的叶片叶绿素含量,促进夏玉米对氮、磷、钾养分的吸收利用,提高干物质积累量,具有显著增产效果,是砂壤质潮土区夏玉米适宜的化肥品种。     

宁夏小麦品种慢锈基因Lr34/Yr18的分子检测

Lr34/Yr18是重要的小麦慢叶锈/慢条锈基因,可用于小麦锈病抗性改良。为了明确Lr34/Yr18基因在宁夏小麦中的分布特点,利用STS标记csLV34对111份宁夏小麦品种中慢锈基因Lr34/Yr18的等位变异进行了分子检测,并且进行了成株期条锈病抗性鉴定。结果表明,20份材料携带Lr34/Yr18基因,占18.0%。不同来源的小麦品种中Lr34/Yr18基因分布频率不同,农家品种中分布频率最高,占90.9%;引进品种中所占比例为14.3%;育成品种中所占比例最低,仅占7.7%。含有Lr34/Yr18基因的品种对条锈病具有较好的抗性,可作为今后宁夏小麦抗锈病育种的重要抗源。     

四川小麦品种高、低分子量麦谷蛋白基因和1B/1R易位的分子标记鉴定

为给四川小麦品质育种提供参考信息,利用7个HMW-GS、17个LMW-GS和1个1B/1R易位的特异分子标记,对105份2000年后育成的四川小麦品种进行上述基因检测。结果表明:(1)针对HMWGS,在Glu-A1位点,含Ax2*的品种有2份,频率为1.9%;在Glu-B1位点,含Bx7、Bx20、Bx17、By8和By9的品种分别有73、26、4、45和30份,频率分别为69.5%、24.8%、3.8%、42.9%和28.6%,未检测到含Bx7OE的品种;在Glu-D1位点,含Dx5的品种有65份,频率为61.9%。(2)针对LMW-GS,在Glu-A3位点,含Glu-A3a、Glu-A3b、Glu-A3c、Glu-A3d和Glu-A3f的品种分别有2、2、63、29和9份,频率分别为1.9%、1.9%、60.0%、27.6%和8.6%,未检测到含Glu-A3e和Glu-A3g的品种;在Glu-B3位点,含Glu-B3b、Glu-B3d、Glu-B3f、GluB3g和Glu-B3i的品种分别有18、10、1、75和1份,频率分别为17.1%、9.5%、1.0%、71.4%和1.0%,未检测到含Glu-B3a、Glu-B3c、Glu-B3e和Glu-B3h的品种。(3)含1B/1R易位的品种有36份,频率为34.3%。(4)组合6种和5种以上优质基因的品种分别有2份(频率为3.8%)和15份(频率为14.3%)。可利用这些品种作为亲本,在四川小麦品质育种中逐步导入优质基因Ax2*、Bx7、By8、Dx5、Glu-A3d、Glu-B3d、Glu-A3b和Glu-B3b,并淘汰1B/1R易位,优化四川小麦面筋优质基因组成。     

Aaptamine Derivatives with Antifungal and Anti-HIV-1 Activities from the South China Sea Sponge Aaptos aaptos

Five new alkaloids of aaptamine family, compounds (1–5) and three known derivatives (6–8), have been isolated from the South China Sea sponge Aaptos aaptos. The structures of all compounds were unambiguously elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, as well as by comparison with the literature data. Compounds 1–2 are characterized with triazapyrene lactam skeleton, whereas compounds 4–5 share an imidazole-fused aaptamine moiety. These compounds were evaluated in antifungal and anti-HIV-1 assays. Compounds 3, 7, and 8 showed antifungal activity against six fungi, with MIC values in the range of 4 to 64 μg/mL. Compounds 7–8 exhibited anti-HIV-1 activity, with inhibitory rates of 88.0% and 72.3%, respectively, at a concentration of 10 μM.     

Anti-Mycobacterial Nucleoside Antibiotics from a Marine-Derived Streptomyces sp. TPU1236A

Five new nucleoside antibiotics, named streptcytosines A–E (1–5), and six known compounds, de-amosaminyl-cytosamine (6), plicacetin (7), bamicetin (8), amicetin (9), collismycin B (10), and SF2738 C (11), were isolated from a culture broth of Streptomyces sp. TPU1236A collected in Okinawa, Japan. The structures of new compounds were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data (HRFABMS, IR, UV, and 2D NMR experiments including ¹H-¹H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY spectra). Streptcytosine A (1) belonged to the amicetin group antibiotics, and streptcytosines B–E (2–5) were derivatives of de-amosaminyl-cytosamine (6), 2,3,6-trideoxyglucopyranosyl cytosine. Compound 1 inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis (MIC = 32 µg/mL), while compounds 2–5 were not active at 50 µg/disc. Bamicetin (8) and amicetin (9) showed the MICs of 16 and 8 µg/mL, respectively.     

Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Mechanism of a Lipid Extract from Hard-Shelled Mussel (Mytilus Coruscus) on Chronic Arthritis in Rats

The present study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of a lipid extract from hard-shelled mussel (Mytilus coruscus) on adjuvant-induced (AIA) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats. AIA and CIA rats that received hard-shelled mussel lipid extract (HMLE group) at a dose of 100 mg/kg demonstrated significantly lower paw swelling and arthritic index, but higher body weight gain than those which received olive oil (control group). Similar results were found in arthritic rats that received New Zealand green-lipped mussel lipid extract (GMLE) at the same dosage. The levels of leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄), prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), thromboxane B₂ (TXB₂) in the serum, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, interferon-γ (INF-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the ankle joint synovial fluids of HMLE group rats were significantly lower than those of control group. However, the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in HMLE group rats were significantly higher than those in the control group. Decreased mRNA expressions of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) and MMP13, but increased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1) were observed in the knee joint synovium tissues of HMLE group rats when compared with the control group. No hepatotoxicity was observed in both HMLE and GMLE group rats. The present results indicated that HMLE had a similarly strong anti-inflammatory activity as GMLE. Such a strong efficacy could result from the suppression of inflammatory mediators (LTB₄, PGE₂, TXB₂), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, INF-γ, TNF-α) and MMPs (MMP1, MMP13), and the promotion of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) and TIMPs (TIMP1) productions.