高场强超声波对芒果多酚氧化酶和过氧化物酶钝化效果的研究

以芒果中多酚氧化酶(PPO)和过氧化物酶(POD)为研究对象,探讨加热与超声波作用对多酚氧化酶和过氧化物酶钝化效果的影响。结果表明:单独的加热(≤50℃)或0℃低温超声波(403.19、601.25、799.31 W/cm2)处理酶液,随着时间的延长,酶活性逐渐下降,但酶残留活性均在75%以上;而超声波与热处理结合能使POD和PPO显著失活,在45℃,799.31 W/cm2条件下处理15 min后,PPO、POD残余酶活力分别降至38.66%、14.43%。试验结果表明:超声波和热处理结合对芒果PPO和POD的钝化有协同效应。     

5种蔷薇科树种多酚氧化酶比较基因组学分析

蔷薇科植物中有多种具有重要价值的水果,如苹果、梨、桃、草莓和黑树莓等。这些水果普遍容易发生由多酚氧化酶(PPO)介导的酶促褐变而导致重大经济损失,从全基因组角度分析比较PPO基因家族,有助于加深对PPO基因家族和功能的认识。采用比较基因组学的方法,对这5种植物的PPO基因家族进行了基因鉴定、染色体定位、编码蛋白的亚细胞定位、内含子统计分析、基因系统进化、基因倍增与丢失等特征分析。从这5种植物中,共计鉴定出了42个PPO基因,其中6个基因被认定是假基因;绝大多数基因编码的蛋白定位于叶绿体,2个定位于线粒体,3个是分泌型蛋白;PPO基因在染色体上有串联重复和散布两种形式;9个基因具有内含子,聚类结果显示可以将它们分为6个类型,每个基因类型在进化过程中都发生过基因倍增和丢失;同型基因内含子的位置和大小具有相似性。这些结果揭示蔷薇科植物PPO基因内含子是伴随着基因倍增产生的,基因倍增也是推动PPO基因多样化的重要动力,PPO基因倍增和丢失差异导致PPO基因数量在不同物种之间产生差异。     

红茶提取物对高尿酸血症小鼠血尿酸的影响

研究红茶提取物对高尿酸血症小鼠血尿酸的影响。将36只雄性KM小鼠随机分为空白组、模型组、红茶提取物低、中、高剂量组及别嘌呤醇组。空白组和给茶组连续1周分别灌胃生理盐水和红茶提取物,给茶组第7天造模后1 h给茶;模型组在第7天腹腔注射氧嗪酸钾并灌胃酵母膏造模。测定结果显示:与模型组相比,各给茶组血尿酸(UA)水平均降低;与模型组相比,给茶组血尿素氮(BUN)水平均降低,其中、高剂量给茶组BUN水平显著降低(P0.05),高剂量组差异极显著(P0.01);各给茶组血肌酐(Cr)值与模型组相比极显著下降(P0.001)。高剂量组黄嘌呤氧化酶(XOD)活性较模型组显著降低(P0.05),低、中剂量组有一定的抑制作用,但无显著差异。研究表明,红茶提取物对氧嗪酸钾和酵母膏导致的小鼠高尿酸血症有明显的改善作用。     

橄榄多酚氧化酶基因(PPO)克隆及其试管苗离体保存过程中的表达分析

以来源于橄榄成熟胚的橄榄试管苗为材料,进行PPO基因克隆,比较试管苗不同保存阶段PPO基因转录水平和PPO酶活性的变化。结果表明:克隆获得1个PPO基因全长cDNA序列,命名为PPO2,GenBank登录号为JQ319005,cDNA全长序列为1 934 bp,推测出橄榄PPO开放阅读框(ORF)1 818 bp,编码606个氨基酸。橄榄PPO2属于碱性、亲水、非分泌蛋白,可能定位于线粒体基质空间,具有3个典型的保守结构域,丝氨酸磷酸化占主导地位,并且二级结构以不规则卷曲为主。而三级结构预测表明,橄榄试管苗PPO2蛋白主要由α螺旋和不规则卷曲组成;进化树分析显示橄榄PPO蛋白与胡杨PPO关系最近,而与葡萄和莲的亲缘关系较远;qPCR分析显示,PPO2基因在橄榄试管苗不同保存阶段都有表达,但在橄榄试管苗保存1个月幼叶比较多时PPO2基因的表达量最高;而橄榄试管苗在分别保存1、2、3、4、5个月时PPO活性变化趋势不明显,当保存时间到6、7、8个月时PPO活性急剧增加。因此,PPO基因可能与幼嫩组织的启动分化有关,并在橄榄试管苗生长发育过程中发挥重要作用。     

Sulodexide protects against hyperglycemia-induced retinal vascular injury via suppressing NOX4/NLRP3 pathway

AIM To investigate the effect of sulodexide (SDX) on high glucose-induced damage in retinal microvascular endothelial cells. METHODS (1) High-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin were used to induce type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) followed by injection of saline or SDX in C57BL/6J male mice. Retinal microvascular leakage and density, and the protein levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) were measured. (2) Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were treated with normal glucose or high glucose with or without SDX, and were further transfected with siRNA to knock down NOX4, or infected by adenovirus to over-express NOX4. The protein levels of ZO-1, VE-cadherin (VE-Cad), NOX4 and NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins as well as the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected. RESULTS Treatment with SDX increased the protein level of ZO-1, attenuated retinal leakage and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and enhanced the density of microvasculature and the number of ganglion cells in diabetic retinas. The protein levels of ZO-1 and VE-Cad were decreased, while the levels of NOX4, NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins and ROS generation were increased in high glucose-treated HRMECs. Silencing of NOX4 inhibited high glucose-induced increases in NLRP3 inflammasome and ROS generation, and decreases in the protein levels of ZO-1 and VE-Cad. Over-expression of NOX4 significantly increased the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-related proteins and ROS generation in HRMECs, and reduced the protein levels of ZO-1 and VE-Cad. Treatment with SDX partly reversed NOX4 over-expression-induced changes. CONCLUSION SDX alleviates hyperglycemia-induced retinal microvascular endothelial injury via inhibiting NOX4/ROS/NLRP3 pathways.     

Effect of sulphide in Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei under varying oxygen and pH levels

Sulphide is one of the known environmental stressors, which potentially binds to cytochrome C oxidase (COX), a key enzyme in the electron transport chain, thereby blocking oxygen transport and ATP production. To ascertain the toxic effects of sulphide on Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, two distinct exposure experiments were carried out with varying concentration of sulphide (0–1 mg/L), dissolved oxygen (normoxia and hypoxia) and pH values (8.2, 6 and 5). The activity of enzymes viz COX, superoxide dismutase (SOD), phenoloxidase and lactate accumulation was investigated. Outer membrane integrity and COX monomer separation were also done with the isolated crude mitochondrial preparations. Results indicated a significant reduction (p ≤ .05) in COX enzyme activity in sulphide exposed treatments when compared to control. The reduction was more intense when pH levels were reduced under hypoxia condition. Lactate accumulation as a result of anaerobic metabolism was found to be higher in hypoxic treatments. No significant difference (p ≥ .05) was observed in superoxide dismutase activity between the treatments, whereas phenoloxidase activity significantly decreased at higher concentration sulphide. Separation of mitochondrial proteins resulted in the identification of ~205 kDa of COX monomer, and significant damage was found in outer membrane integrity under hypoxia and pH treatments. From this study, it is evident that at a given concentration, sulphide is toxic to P. vannamei, and in association with hypoxia and low pH, they further intensify sulphide toxicity. Our results indicated that sulphide toxicity should not be considered as a single factor, rather it should be a considered as combination of factors.     

Effect of hypercapnia on lysyl oxidase-dependent collagen cross-linking and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in rat

AIM: To investigate the effect of hypercapnia on hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension and the changes of lysyl oxidase (LOX) and extracellular matrix collagen cross-links in the rat. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:normoxia group, hypoxia group, hypercapnia group and hypoxia+hypercapnia group. LOX activity was detected by fluorescence spectrophotometry. LOX protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The mRNA expression of LOX in the pulmonary artery was detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The levels of mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), RV/(LV+S) and WA/TA in hypoxia group were significantly higher than those in normoxia group (P<0.01). Moreover, the levels of mPAP and RV/(LV+S) in hypoxia+hypercapnia group were significantly lower than those in hypoxia group (P<0.01). However, no significant difference of mPAP and RV/(LV+S) between hypercapnia group and normoxia group was observed. In hypoxia group, the collagen cross-links in the lung tissue was significantly higher than that in normoxia group and hypercapnia group (P<0.01). Importantly, collagen cross-links in the lung tissue of hypoxia+hypercapnia group was significantly lower than that in hypoxia group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in collagen cross-links between hypercapnia group and normoxia group. The expression of LOX at mRNA and protein levels and its activity in the pulmonary arteries of hypoxia group were significantly increased as compared with normoxia group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the expression of LOX at mRNA and protein levels and its activity in the pulmonary arteries in hypoxia+hypercapnia group were lower than those in hypoxia group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Hypoxia not only up-regulates LOX but also promotes collagen cross-linking in the rat lung, which contributes to the development of pulmonary hypertension. Hypercapnia inhibits hypoxia-induced LOX expression and collagen cross-linking, therefore impairing the progress in hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.     

Overexpression of StRbohA in Arabidopsis thaliana enhances defence responses against Verticillium dahliae

Plant NADPH oxidases are key regulators of plant–microbe interactions and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential to plant defences against pathogens. A significant part in the role played by ROS has been ascribed to plant respiratory burst oxidase homologs (RBOHs). In potato (Solanum tuberosum), where RBOHs were previously shown to be involved in wound-induced oxidative burst, we assessed their expression after inoculation with Verticillium dahliae Kleb. and showed that StRbohA was the only homolog to be differentially induced in potato in response to inoculation. In order to investigate the potential role of this gene in plant protection against wilt diseases, we used Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis to assess the effects of its overexpression on plant responses to V. dahliae. After inoculation with this pathogen, the transformed Arabidopsis line overexpressing StRbohA showed lower disease severity (percent damaged leaf area and vascular discoloration) as compared to the wild type. It also had higher ROS production and more cell death caused by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), compared to the wild type. Suberization of root cells was also more pronounced in the line overexpressing StRbohA, and supports a possible role for StRBOHA in plant resistance to V. dahliae. Together, these findings indicate that overexpressed StRbohA in Arabidopsis enhances the ROS-mediated defence mechanisms against V. dahliae and can be a potential tool to improve plant resistance to this and other soilborne pathogens that cause wilts in economically important crops.     

枇杷果实发育过程中山梨醇含量及相关酶活性的变化

以果型和品质差异较大的黄肉枇杷(Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)‘解放钟’和白肉枇杷‘白梨’的果实为试材,测定果实发育过程中山梨醇、果糖、葡萄糖含量及与山梨醇代谢相关酶--山梨醇脱氢酶(Sorbitol dehydrogenase,SDH)和山梨醇氧化酶(Sorbitol oxidase,SOX)活性的变化,并探讨山梨醇代谢与枇杷果实生长发育和品质形成的关系。结果表明:2个枇杷品种果实中山梨醇含量均随果实发育进程呈下降趋势,且‘白梨’枇杷果实中山梨醇含量高于‘解放钟’。在花后35~80 d,2个枇杷品种幼果中葡萄糖和果糖含量均较低且相对稳定,而花后95~140 d果实中葡萄糖和果糖含量逐渐上升,并在花后125~140 d果实成熟期急剧增加而达到峰值;果实中葡萄糖含量在2个品种间差异不显著(p0.05),花后125~140 d的果实成熟期,‘白梨’果实中果糖含量显著高于‘解放钟’(p0.05)。果实发育过程中SDH和SOX的活性均呈先降后升的变化趋势。说明2个枇杷品种果实发育过程中山梨醇、果糖、葡萄糖含量及SDH和山SOX的活性表现出相似的变化规律,但果实山梨醇含量与SDH和SOX的活性在果实膨大期均存在显著差异(p0.05),这可能是黄肉枇杷与白肉枇杷品质差异的关键。