An improved method for extraction of sorghum polymeric protein complexes

A method for fractionating sorghum proteins using extraction solvents and techniques designed to obtain polymeric protein structures (especially disulfide linked) was developed. Extraction and separation conditions were optimized in terms of completeness of protein extraction, sample stability, and analytical resolution. After pre-extraction of albumins and globulins, a 3-step sequential procedure involving no reducing agents was applied to ground whole sorghum flour. The three fractions obtained represented proportionally different protein polymer contents and molecular weight distribution as evidenced by comparative size exclusion chromatography. Protein composition also varied among the extracts with differences in kafirin composition and non-kafirin proteins detected in the fractions by RP-HPLC and SDS-PAGE analysis. The ability to quantify and further characterize sorghum polymeric protein complexes will be useful for additional studies linking protein structures with functionality and digestibility and variations for these properties within diverse sorghum germplasm.     

New angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory peptide from Coix prolamin and its influence on the gene expression of renin-angiotensin system in vein endothelial cells

Coix seed, which is a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat hypertension for thousands of years. It has been shown that Coix prolamin peptides display high levels of angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. Hence, we purified the ACE inhibitory peptides from Coix prolamin hydrolysates and evaluated the influence of the most potent peptide on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) genes expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In this study, Coix prolamin peptides were sequentially separated by ultrafiltration, ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography and RP-HPLC, while the peptide structure was analyzed by mass spectrometry. Next, in silico proteolysis, pharmacophore and molecular docking were further applied to screen and optimize the structure of peptides. Finally, a novel ACE inhibitory peptide VDMF was obtained, in which its influence on the gene expression of RAS signaling pathway in AngⅡ-injury HUVECs was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. VDMF significantly down-regulated ACE, AngII type 1 receptor (AT1R) and ACE2 mRNA expression in comparation with model group, while up-regulating Mas gene expression. Hence, we obtained a novel antihypertensive candidate that was derived from the Coix peptides, which could involve a multi-modulation mechanism that regulates blood pressure.     

Characterization and bioactivities of young rice protein hydrolysates

Immature rice was reported to contain higher quantities of bioactive compounds than mature rice. Young rice protein is easy to digest and has hypoallergenic potential, with protein content of 7.2–11.5% compared to rice bran at 9.8%. Few studies have reported on bioactivities and characterization of young rice proteins and their hydrolysates. Bioactivities of native protein and protein hydrolysates of two rice varieties (white rice and colored rice) were characterized and investigated for four development stages (flowery, milky, dough, and mature). Degree of hydrolysis of young rice protein was considerably higher than at the mature stage. Highest DPPH and iron chelating activity were found in alcalase® protein hydrolysate during the flowery-to-milky stage. Iron chelating activity was constant in all development stages because of the low polar amino acid content in rice. The ACE activity of alcalase® protein hydrolysate was higher than native protein at the same development stage, as observed in the milky and dough stages. Inhibitory activity of young rice hydrolysate HepG2 cells was concentration-dependent and not correlated with protein molecular size.     

外源氯化钙对低温胁迫下胡椒抗寒生理指标的影响

以中国胡椒主栽品种‘热引1号’胡椒为材料,设置4个不同浓度氯化钙（7、14、21、28 mmol/L）处理,以去离子水为对照,低温胁迫4 d（10 ℃/5 ℃,12 h/12 h）,恢复培养6 d（28 ℃/20 ℃,12 h/12 h）,观察表型并测定各处理的光合参数、抗氧化酶活性及渗透性物质含量变化情况。结果表明：7 mmol/L氯化钙处理胡椒可以改善寒害表型,随氯化钙浓度升高寒害表型逐渐加重;外施7 mmol/L氯化钙能够显著改善胡椒的净光合速率,随氯化钙浓度升高,净光合速率越来越低,氯化钙浓度过高时（达到28 mmol/L）净光合速率低于CK;与CK相比,外施7 mmol/L氯化钙能够显著提高抗氧化酶活性、增加可溶性糖含量、降低丙二醛含量。随处理浓度升高,抗氧化酶活性和可溶性糖含量越来越低,丙二醛含量越来越高。本研究结果为胡椒生产上抗寒技术指导和抗寒分子育种提供了参考。     

基于RNMU的多源星载SAR影像融合与土地覆盖分类

为充分利用多时相、多极化SAR数据在不同土地覆盖类型中的后向散射特性,将递归非负矩阵下近似(Recursive nonnegative matrix underapproximation,RNMU)算法引入多源SAR数据的融合,并利用融合后的SAR影像实现较高精度的土地覆盖分类。融合过程中,在根据不同模式SAR影像特点进行多源SAR影像预处理的基础上,基于RNMU算法通过对多个输入SAR影像进行矩阵分解及迭代最优矩阵求解,得到融合影像。为验证融合后SAR影像在土地覆盖分类中的应用效果,以吉林省大安市为研究区,对多时相Sentinel-1的VV/VH双极化SAR数据和高分三号(GF-3)的HH/HV双极化SAR数据进行了基于RNMU的影像融合,并利用融合后的SAR影像进行研究区主要土地覆盖类型分类。实验结果表明,基于RNMU融合影像的土地覆盖分类总体精度达93. 11%,Kappa系数为0. 86,与Gram-Schmid(G-S)融合方法相比,分类总体精度提高了6. 83个百分点,Kappa系数提高0. 12。多源SAR融合为SAR影像融合提供了有效手段,为土地覆盖分类提供了更多高精度的数据资源。     

Soluble Klotho protein suppresses THP-1-derived foam cell formation

AIMTo investigate the role of soluble Klotho protein in THP-1-derived foam cell formation. METHODSTHP-1 monocytes were induced into macrophages by treatment with 160 nmol/L phorbol myristate acetate for 48 h, and then were divided into 6 groups: negative control group (THP-1-derived macrophages), positive control group [THP-1-derived foam cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) for 48 h], and 25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/L soluble Klotho protein groups (THP-1-derived macrophages pretreated with soluble Klotho protein at the indicat?ed concentraions for 2 h and then induced by ox-LDL for 48 h). Lipid droplets in cytoplasm were observed by oil red O staining. The cholesterol outflow rate was detected by scintillation counting technique. The content of intracellular total cholesterol, free cholesterol and cholesterol ester was detected by enzyme fluorescence analysis. The expression of acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase 1 （ACAT1） and ATP-binding cassette transport?er A1 (ABCA1) at mRNA and protein levels was determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTSOil red O staining and lipid mass quantification showed that THP-1-derived foam cell formation was dose-dependently suppressed by soluble Klotho protein. The cholesterol efflux rate of THP-1-derived foam cells was increased by soluble Klotho protein in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). In addition, soluble Klotho protein decreased the expression of ACAT1 and increased the expression of ABCA1 in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The soluble Klotho protein inhibits THP-1-derived foam cell formation in a dose-dependent manner by down-regulating the expression of ACAT1 and up-regulating the expression of ABCA1.     

朱顶红无菌苗叶片高效再生体系

以朱顶红（Hippeastrum vittatum）叶片为外植体进行离体培养，具有取材方便、试材充足、成本低等优势，但叶片诱导再生率极低，是朱顶红离体培养的一大难题。本试验中分别以‘花孔雀’和‘黑天鹅’朱顶红无菌苗叶片为外植体，探究了不同植物生长调节剂和不同取材部位对不定芽诱导和继代增殖的影响。结果表明：最佳外植体为 MS 培养基中培养 10 d 形成的幼嫩叶片基部（0.5 cm），在光照 16 h · d-1（光照强度 36 μmol · m-2 · s-1）下，不定芽诱导的最适培养基为 MS + 2 mg · L-1 6-BA + 1 mg · L-1 NAA + 2 mg · L-1 TDZ，两个品种的不定芽均以间接途径发生，其中‘花孔雀’在培养 40 d 后形成愈伤组织，55 d形成不定芽，诱导率可达 69.44%；‘黑天鹅’在培养 45 d 后形成愈伤组织，65 d 形成不定芽，诱导率达到 66.67%；最适体细胞胚诱导培养基为 MS + 2 mg · L-1 6-BA + 1 mg · L-1 PIC，‘花孔雀’和‘黑天鹅’的诱导率分别达到 66.67%和 63.89%；最佳不定芽增殖培养基为 MS + 2 mg · L-1 6-BA + 1 mg · L-1 NAA + 1 mg · L-1 TDZ，‘花孔雀’和‘黑天鹅’的增殖系数分别达到 4.67 和 3.46；在不添加植物生长调节剂的 MS培养基中进行生根培养，30 d 后两个品种的生根率均达到 100%；将生根培养 30 d 的小植株转移至室温条件下放置 3 d，摘去封口膜再驯化 3 d 后，移栽至经高温消毒的草炭︰蛭石（体积比）为 1︰1 的基质中，成活率达到 100%     

Role of IP3R in LH-EGFR-induced mouse oocyte meiotic resumption

AIM: To explore the effect of inositol 1, 4, 5-trisposphate receptor (IP₃R) in luteinizing hormone-epidermal growth factor receptor (LH-EGFR)-induced oocyte meiotic resumption. METHODS: Models of mouse cumulus-oocyte complexs (COCs) culture and follicle culture in vitro were generated to study the effects of 2-aminoethyl diphenyl borate (2-APB) and heparin (IP₃R specific inhibitors) on LH/EGF-induced oocyte meiotic resumption and EGF-induced cumulus cell expansion. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of cumulus expansion-related factors. The changes of the intracellular calcium level were monitored using Fluo 3-AM, and the cGMP level was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The inhibitors of IP₃R, 2-APB and heparin, dramatically reversed EGF-induced oocyte maturation (P<0.05) and decreased cGMP levels in COCs (P<0.05). In addition, 2-APB and heparin reversed EGF-induced cumulus expansion, and significantly inhibited EGF-induced cumulus expansion-related factor expression (P<0.05). The activation of IP₃R increased intracellular calcium level, and the study found that 2-APB and heparin dramatically reversed EGF-induced elevation of calcium level in cumulus cells (P<0.05). Follicular culture in vitro showed that 2-APB and heparin significantly reversed the LH-induced oocyte maturation (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: LH-EGFR signaling pathway increases calcium level in cumulus cells through IP₃R, resulting in meiotic resumption.     

四川地区猕猴桃病毒1的RT-PCR检测及外壳蛋白基因序列分析

为了明确近期新西兰报道的侵染猕猴桃的新病毒——猕猴桃病毒1（Actinidia virus 1，AcV-1）在四川地区猕猴桃上的发生情况及其分子特性，采用RT-PCR对来自四川6个地区疑似感染病毒的90份猕猴桃主栽品种‘红阳’和‘金果’的叶片样品进行检测。结果表明，22份样品为AcV-1阳性，检出率为24.4%。将获得的5个AcV-1分离物和已报道的新西兰分离物K75的外壳蛋白（coat protein，CP）基因序列进行比对，结果表明，分离物间核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列的相似性分别为84.8% ~ 97.1%和89.7% ~ 99.6%，其中除邛崃分离物HYH5与新西兰分离物K75的核苷酸序列相似性较高（97.1%）外，其余4个分离物均低于91%。系统进化分析结果显示，这些分离物主要聚集在3个分支上，分离物HYH5与新西兰分离物K75位于同一分支，其余分离物位于另外2个分支。     

枸杞Lb_PPR1的克隆及其在不同育性品种中的表达分析

三角状五肽重复（Pentatricopeptide repeats，PPR）蛋白定位于多种细胞器中，参与细胞核和细胞器中特异单链RNA的转录后修饰和编辑，在植物生长发育的多个阶段均发挥着重要的作用。分别从枸杞（Lycium barbarum）雄性可育系‘宁杞1号’和不育系‘宁杞5号’中克隆了Lb_PPR1基因，并对其编码蛋白质进行理化性质、亚细胞定位、保守结构域、蛋白结构以及系统进化等方面进行预测分析。结果显示，‘宁杞1号’和‘宁杞5号’中Lb_PPR1基因的开放阅读框均为1 977 bp，编码658个氨基酸，但其中存在20个碱基和14个氨基酸的差异。Lb_PPR1蛋白包含14个串联重复的PPR保守基序，属于PLS家族，该蛋白定位在细胞膜和细胞质。二级、三级结构预测显示该蛋白以α螺旋为主。同源进化分析得出Lb_PPR1蛋白与同属茄科的辣椒和烟草PPR蛋白亲缘关系最近。利用实时荧光定量PCR检测Lb_PPR1在枸杞不同组织器官及不同发育阶段花药中的表达特性。结果显示，Lb_PPR1在枸杞不同组织中均有表达，但在可育系花蕾中表达量最高，不育系‘宁杞5号’各组织中表达量均显著低于可育系‘宁杞1号’。以上结果表明，Lb_PPR1基因可能与枸杞花药发育有关。