Outer membrane protein A of Acinetobacter baumannii induces autophagy via Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway in RAW264.7 cells

AIM:To analyze the effects of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) from Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 on the autophagy of RAW264.7 cells. METHODS:The RAW264.7 cell model stimulated by OmpA was established. The effects of OmpA on the autophagy of RAW264.7 cells were detected by immunofluorescence, Western blot and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS:The OmpA increased the expression of LC3B-Ⅱ and reduced the phosphorylation levels of Akt, mTOR and p70S6K. Rapamycin further reduced the phosphorylation levels of mTOR and p-70S6K, and increased the expression of LC3B-Ⅱ induced by OmpA. CONCLUSION:The OmpA of Acinetobacter baumannii induces autophagy via Akt/mTOR/p70S6K signaling pathway in the RAW264.7 cells. This work provides a basis for further research on the molecular mechanism of autophagy induced by Acinetobacter baumannii to find a new method against the infection of Acinetobacter baumannii.     

Structure and expression analysis of the sucrose synthase gene family in apple

Sucrose synthases (SUS) are a family of enzymes that play pivotal roles in carbon partitioning, sink strength and plant development. A total of 11 SUS genes have been identified in the genome of Malus domestica (MdSUSs), and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the MdSUS genes were divided into three groups, named as SUS I, SUS II and SUS III, respectively. The SUS I and SUS III groups included four homologs each, whereas the SUS II group contained three homologs. SUS genes in the same group showed similar structural characteristics, such as exon number, size and length distribution. After assessing four different tissues, MdSUS1s and MdSUS2.1 showed the highest expression in fruit, whereas MdSUS2.2/2.3 and MdSUS3s exhibit the highest expression in shoot tips. Most MdSUSs showed decreased expression during fruit development, similar to SUS enzyme activity, but both MdSUS2.1 and MdSUS1.4 displayed opposite expression profiles. These results suggest that different MdSUS genes might play distinct roles in the sink-source sugar cycle and sugar utilization in apple sink tissues.     

Minimally modified low-density lipoprotein up-regulates endothelin receptors in mouse mesenteric artery through p38 MAPK pathway

AIMTo investigate whether minimally modified low-density lipoprotein (mmLDL) affects the quantity and activity of endothelin （ET） type A (ET_A) and type B (ET_B) receptors in mouse mesenteric artery by activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inflammatory pathway. METHODSThe KM mice were divided into normal saline (NS) group (injection of NS via caudal vein), mmLDL group (injection of mmLDL via caudal vein), LDL group (injection of LDL via caudal vein), mmLDL+SB 203580 group (injection of mmLDL via caudal vein and intraperitoneal injection of p38 MAPK pathway specific inhibitor SB 203580) and mmLDL+DMSO group (injection of mmLDL via caudal vein and intraperitoneal injection of DMSO). Mesenteric artery ring segment vasoconstriction dose-response curves affected by sarafotoxin 6c (S6c) and ET-1 were recorded by the myography system. The mRNA levels of ET_B receptor, ET_A receptor and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by RT-qPCR. The protein levels of ET_B receptor, ET_A receptor, IL-6, p38 MAPK, p-p38 MAPK, NF-κB and p-NF-κB were determined by Western blot. The serum concentration of IL-6 was measured by ELISA. RESULTSThe contractile responses of the blood vessel segments to S6c and ET-1 were significantly increased by mmLDL (P<0.01). The mRNA and protein expression levels of ET_A receptor, ET_B receptor, and IL-6 significantly increased (P<0.01). The protein levels of p-p38 MAPK and p-NF-κB were significantly increased (P<0.01). The serum level of IL-6 was significantly increased (P<0.01). These effects of mmLDL were inhibited by p38 MAPK inhibitor SB 203580. CONCLUSION mmLDL increses the serum concentration of IL-6, up-regulates the expression of IL-6, ET_A receptor and ET_B receptor in mouse mesenteric artery, and enhances the vasoconstriction function medi?ated by ET_A and ET_B receptors, which is related to the activation of p38 MAPK inflammatory pathway and downstream NF-κB pathway.     

Roles of protein phosphatase 4 in down-regulation of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation induced by palmitic acid in human umbilical vein endotheli?al cells

AIMTo investigate the roles of protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) in down-regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Ser633 phosphorylation induced by palmitic acid (PA). METHODSHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with PA at 25 μmol/L, 50 μmol/L, 100 μmol/L and 200μmol/L for 36 h, or treated with PA at 100 μmol/L for 12 h, 24 h, 36 h and 48 h. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) family inhibitor fostriecin (FST, 20 nmol/L) or okadaic acid (OA, 5 nmol/L) was selected to pretreat the HUVECs for 30 min. Protein phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit (PP4c) siRNA or protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) siRNA was transfected into the HUVECs. The protein expression levels of of eNOS, PP4c and PP2Ac, as well as the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation, were detected by Western blot. The intracellular nitric oxide (NO) content was measured by DAF-FM DA. RESULTS(1) Compared with control group, the levels of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation were decreased in PA groups in which the HUVECs were treated with 25 μmol/L, 50 μmol/L, 100 μmol/L and 200 μmol/L PA for 36 h (P<0.05) and 100 μmol/L PA for 24 h, 36 h and 48 h (P<0.05). No significant difference in the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was observed. (2) Compared with control group, both FST and OA pretreatment reversed the reduction of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation (P<0.05) and the decrease in intracellular NO content (P<0.05) induced by PA. No significant difference in the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was observed. (3) Compared with si-Control group, the PP4c protein expression was significantly reduced (P<0.05), while the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation was significantly increased in si-PP4c group (P<0.05). Although the levels of PP2Ac protein expression declined significantly (P<0.05), the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation remained unchanged in si-PP2Ac group. No significant differencein the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was found. CONCLUSION PA significantly reduces the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation and the content of NO in the HUVECs, which may be due to PA inducing the activation of the PP2A family member PP4 rather than PP2A.     

中国野生毛葡萄芪合酶基因VqSTS11和VqSTS23调控抗白粉病的研究

利用同源克隆法得到抗白粉病的中国野生毛葡萄‘丹凤–2’芪合酶基因VqSTS11和VqSTS23的开放阅读框，并构建过表达载体；通过器官发生途径诱导不抗白粉病的欧洲葡萄‘无核白’分生愈伤组织并采用农杆菌介导法对其进行转化；经过PCR检测和Western blot鉴定，获得了5株VqSTS11超量表达植株和3株VqSTS23超量表达植株；人工接种白粉菌发现，转基因植株中白粉菌菌丝生长速度慢，孢子萌发受到一定的抑制，并且转基因植株中芪合酶基因相对表达量升高，抗病相关基因表达上调，芪类物质含量积累增多。本研究结果进一步证明中国野生毛葡萄‘丹凤–2’芪合酶基因VqSTS11和VqSTS23对白粉菌具有抗性，‘丹凤–2’可以为改良欧洲葡萄品种抗病性提供抗病基因，作为抗病育种的资源。     

巴戟天MoDXS基因及其启动子的克隆与分析

从药用植物巴戟天根部组织中克隆了3个1–脱氧–D–木酮糖5–磷酸合成酶基因MoDXS1、MoDXS2-1和MoDXS2-2,其全长cDNA分别为2676、2667和2610 bp,编码区序列长度为2154、2121和2190 bp,编码717、706和729个氨基酸。BlastP序列比对分析表明MoDXS蛋白与其他植物的DXS蛋白高度同源;系统进化发育树分析显示,MoDXS蛋白与中粒咖啡和小粒咖啡DXS蛋白亲缘关系最近。MoDXS1、MoDXS2-1和MoDXS2-2蛋白被分别归为clade 1、clade 3和clade 2。MoDXS1在巴戟天根中表达量最高;MoDXS2-1在巴戟天根、茎、叶中的相对表达量差异显著,叶中最高;MoDXS2-2在根中表达量最高,而在茎和叶中最低。MoDXS1、MoDXS2-1和MoDXS2-2基因的5′端上游启动子序列长度分别为2538、732和1744 bp。亚细胞定位预测3个MoDXS均在叶绿体上。     

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of the fatty acid delta 6 desaturase (FAD6) gene in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus

The sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus), an important echinodermata, had high value in nutrition and medicine for its rich collagen, sulphated polysaccharide, glycosides and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The cDNA of the fatty acid desaturase gene in A. japonicus (AJFAD6) was cloned and was found to encode a desaturase with delta 6 FAD activity. Sequence analysis indicated that AJFAD6 included an open reading frame of 1392 bp, encoding 463 amino acids. AJFAD6 has all the conserved motifs found in other members of the FAD6 family, including an N‐terminal cytochrome b5 domain and three histidine‐rich regions. qRT‐PCR showed that AJFAD6 was expressed in all tissues tested during juvenile development and was mainly expressed in the respiratory tree at 150 days after adherence (150 days) and in the intestine at 100 days. Furthermore, AJFAD6 mRNA was also detected in the analysed adult tissues, with higher expression in the intestine and testis. Functional characterization of AJFAD6 in a recombinant yeast, Pichia pastoris, showed that AJFAD6 could catalyse exogenous linoleic acid (LA) and α‐linolenic acid (ALA) to produce γ‐linoleic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (STA), respectively, at conversion rates of 11.1% for LA to GLA and 3.4% for ALA to STA. Our results suggested that the biosynthetic pathway of PUFA existed in the sea cucumber, but endogenous production of eicosapentaenoic acid, arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from either LA or ALA precursor appeared to be limited.     

茶树GGPS基因家族的克隆、生物信息学和表达分析

牻牛儿基牻牛儿基焦磷酸合酶(Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase,GGPS)是萜类合成途径的结构酶,对植物生长发育具有重要意义。本研究通过RACE和RT-PCR方法克隆得到5条潜在的茶树GGPS序列,分别命名为CsGGPS1-4和CsGGPS9,其中CsGGPS9存在3条等位基因,分别是CsGGPS9-1、CsGGPS9-2和CsGGPS9-3,在系统进化树上与其他基因分成两支。蛋白质序列分析表明,茶树GGPS家族成员都具有polyprenyl_synt结构域,不存在信号肽序列。亚细胞定位预测结果显示,CsGGPS1、CsGGPS2和CsGGPS4定位在叶绿体上,CsGGPS3和CsGGPS9定位在线粒体上。通过Swiss Model进行三维建模,结合"three-floor"模型对茶树GGPS家族成员的功能进行预测,预测结果显示,CsGGPS1、CsGGPS2和CsGGPS4是GGPS;CsGGPS3是异源二聚体形式的牻牛儿基焦磷酸合酶的小亚基;CsGGPS9的催化主产物是碳链数大于30的异戊烯基焦磷酸。q RT-PCR分析表明,CsGGPS1整体表达丰度较低,仅在一芽二叶中表达量稍高;CsGGPS2在茶树各个组织中均有表达,在花中表达量最高,且花发育过程中表达量先上升后下降;CsGGPS3在叶和幼根中的表达量高于花,花发育过程中表达平稳;CsGGPS4在茶树各个组织中表达量数值相近,在花发育过程中表达量变化趋势与CsGGPS2相同;CsGGPS9的表达量在成熟叶中显著低于幼嫩叶片。