Progress in NMR-based metabolomics of Catharanthus roseus

Metabolomics has been rapidly developed as an important field in plant sciences and natural products chemistry. As the only natural source for a diversity of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), especially the low-abundance antitumor agents vinblastine and vincristine, Catharanthus roseus is highly valued and has been studied extensively as a model for medicinal plants improvement. Due to multistep enzymatic biosynthesis and complex regulation, genetic modification in the MIA pathway has resulted in complicated changes of both secondary and primary metabolism in C. roseus, affecting not only the MIA pathway but also other pathways. Research at the metabolic level is necessary to increase knowledge on the genetic regulation of the whole metabolic network connected to MIA biosynthesis. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a very suitable and powerful complementary technique for the identification and quantification of metabolites in the plant matrix. NMR-based metabolomics has been used in studies of C. roseus for pathway elucidation, understanding stress responses, classification among different cultivars, safety and quality controls of transgenic plants, cross talk between pathways, and diversion of carbon fluxes, with the aim of fully unravelling MIA biosynthesis, its regulation and the function of the alkaloids in the plant from a systems biology point of view.     

Quantitative imaging of nitrogen fixation by individual bacteria within animal cells

Biological nitrogen fixation, the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia for biosynthesis, is exclusively performed by a few bacteria and archaea. Despite the essential importance of biological nitrogen fixation, it has been impossible to quantify the incorporation of nitrogen by individual bacteria or to map the fate of fixed nitrogen in host cells. In this study, with multi-isotope imaging mass spectrometry we directly imaged and measured nitrogen fixation by individual bacteria within eukaryotic host cells and demonstrated that fixed nitrogen is used for host metabolism. This approach introduces a powerful way to study microbes and global nutrient cycles.     

海带多糖在诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡机制方面的研究

海带作为一种重要的海生资源,其食用与药用价值很早就为世人所知。从海带中提取的海带多糖是一种特有的含有硫酸酯的天然活性多糖,具有多种生物学活性,如抗凝血、抗肿瘤、抗病毒、抗血栓、提高免疫力等,有很好的医药应用价值。对海带多糖的抗肿瘤作用及其诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡机制进行了综述。     

辣椒类胡萝卜素生物合成的分子遗传学研究进展

辣椒（Capsicum spp.）属于茄科辣椒属,作为一种蔬菜和香料作物在世界各地得到广泛栽培。除作为烹饪食材和香料应用外,辣椒在制药和化妆品领域也有广泛的用途。类胡萝卜素是一类天然色素的总称,参与植物许多重要的代谢过程,如光合作用、光保护、光形态建成和生长发育等。类胡萝卜素具有多种生物活性,是辣椒果实主要的营养物质之一,培育类胡萝卜素含量更高的辣椒品种需要全面深入了解其生物合成及其调控的分子机制。分子生物学和生物技术的发展促进了类胡萝卜素生物合成基因的鉴定,为培育类胡萝卜素含量更高的辣椒新品种提供了机会。该文描述了类胡萝卜素的生理作用、类胡萝卜素与辣椒果实颜色、类胡萝卜素生物合成途径、辣椒类胡萝卜素生物合成途径的结构基因及调控因子、辣椒果实颜色的分子遗传学及与辣椒果实颜色有关的QTL位点等方面的研究进展。牻牛儿基牻牛儿基焦磷酸合成酶（GGPS）、八氢番茄红素合成酶（PSY）、八氢番茄红素脱氢酶（PDS）、ζ-胡萝卜素去饱和酶（ZDS）、番茄红素环化酶（LCY）、辣椒红素-辣椒玉红素合成酶（CCS）等是辣椒类胡萝卜素生物合成通路的端口酶和限速酶,其表达丰度和活性高低直接调控辣椒体内类胡...     

巴西橡胶树橡胶生物合成调控的研究进展

天然橡胶的生物合成是一种典型的植物类异戊二烯的次生代谢途径.本文介绍了天然橡胶类异戊二烯生物合成过程中的关键酶,阐述了割胶、乙烯及茉莉酸对巴西橡胶树天然橡胶生物合成关键酶及相关基因的影响,提出了新型刺激剂的发展方向.     

微生物源脂肽的研究进展

脂肽可以由多种微生物产生,其化学结构多样,具有降低表面和界面处的张力的能力。脂肽作为表面活性剂的功能已经众所周知,并得到了广泛的应用。但它们在抗菌、抗病毒、抗肿瘤、溶血栓和杀虫等方面的功能还有待深入研究,具有良好的应用潜力和推广前景。主要回顾和总结了脂肽的生产、生物合成、提纯和应用,为同领域相关研究提供参考。     

转录因子对木质素生物合成调控的研究进展

木质素是维管植物次生细胞壁的重要组分之一,具有重要的生物学功能。木质素分子与细胞壁中的纤维素、半纤维素等多糖分子相互交联,增加了植物细胞和组织的机械强度,其疏水性使植物细胞不易透水,利于水分及营养物质在植物体内的长距离运输。木质素与纤维素共同形成的天然物理屏障能有效阻止各种病原菌的入侵,增强了植物对各种生物及非生物胁迫的防御能力。然而木质素的存在也给人类的生产实践带来诸多负面影响,如造纸业中,由于必须使用大量化学药品去除木质素,加大了造纸成本,严重污染了环境;饲草中的高木质素含量则影响牲畜的消化吸收,降低了饲草的营养价值;过高的木质素含量也影响了人类对生物质能源的发酵利用。因此,利用基因工程改造植物木质素的可降解性意义重大。在高等植物中,木质素通过苯丙烷途径和木质素特异途径合成。在拟南芥中,NAC、MYB以及WRKY类转录因子都参与了对木质素生物合成的调控。在拟南芥中,MYB26可激活NST1/NST2的转录;WRKY12可与NST2的启动子区结合并对其表达进行负调控;SND1（NST3）和NST1主要在纤维次生壁的形成中发挥作用,两者功能有冗余;NST1和NST2在调控花药壁的次生壁的增厚中功能有冗余;VND6和VND7则主要在木质部导管的分化中起重要作用,这些NAC类转录因子通过与下游的MYB类转录因子如MYB83、MYB46及（或）MYB58、MYB63、MYB85和MYB103的结合对木质素合成基因的表达进行正调控,而MYB75对木质素生物合成进行负调控。多数MYB转录因子通过与下游木质素生物合成途径基因启动子区的AC元件（I、II和III）结合从而对其表达进行调控。研究表明,bHLH类转录因子也参与了对木质素生物合成的调控。文章综述了各类转录因子对木质素生物合成调控的最近进展,绘制了拟南芥中木质素生物合成的主要调控网络,同时也总结了其他物种（如水稻、小麦、玉米、桉树、松树和杨树等）中已发现的对木质素生物合成进行调控的转录因子。随着高通量测序技术的发展,研究者有望在更多的物种中发现参与木质素生物合成调控的关键转录因子,这些研究将对通过基因工程改造木质素的组成具有重要的借鉴意义。     

巴西橡胶树天然橡胶生物合成中关键酶及相关基因研究进展

简要介绍了天然橡胶类异戊二烯的生物合成途径,重点阐述了巴西橡胶树天然橡胶生物合成中关键酶及相关基因的研究进展,提出了巴西橡胶树类异戊二烯生物合成途径中尚待继续探讨的几个问题。     

特殊脂肪酸生物合成的基因工程研究进展

脂肪酸是生物体的重要组成成分,对维持生物体的正常生命活动具有重要功能.在一些动植物或微生物中存在一些特殊脂肪酸,主要包括以下两类:一是通常在鱼油和海底微生物中发现的长链多不饱和脂肪酸,在医药保健业有重要应用价值;二是通常包含有羟基、环氧基或炔键等功能基团的脂肪酸,为重要的工业原料.本文综述了近年来几种特殊脂肪酸生物合成的基因工程研究进展.     

Some marine ecological phenomena: chemical basis and biomedical potential

Analysis of secondary metabolites derived from marine organisms has revealed a broad spectrum of novel molecular architecture. The function of these compounds in their natural habitat is linked to various aspects of species survival, and the compounds have also served as characteristic chemical markers through successive trophic levels. Fundamental questions concerning the locus of synthesis in complex and intricate assemblies of plants and animals and the pathways of biosynthesis are beginning to be answered. It is now apparent that the marine environment gives rise to some distinctive chemistry, which is generated along characteristic pathways. Some of the newly described compounds have already become valuable tools in biomedicine.     

烟碱合成分子调控研究进展

烟碱由一个吡咯环和一个吡啶环构成,是栽培烟草中最重要的生物碱,占总生物碱含量的90%～95%。烟碱合成途径除最后一步聚合反应仍需试验证实外已基本明确,主要途径基因已被克隆。近年来,烟碱合成调控机制研究进展迅速,多个调控基因被发现参与调控烟碱的合成。文中对烟碱合成途径及其合成调控因素、参与合成调控的转录因子等方面进行了综述,并对烟碱合成调控的未来研究发展进行了展望。     

Mussel growth supported by methane as sole carbon and energy source

Symbioses between chemoautotrophic bacteria and several specialized marine invertebrates are well documented. However, none of these symbioses have been demonstrated to provide sufficient energy and carbon to the host to enable it to grow. Growth rates of seep mussels collected from hydrocarbon seeps off the coast of Louisiana were measured in a controlled environment where methane was the sole carbon and energy source. The growth rates increased to a maximum of 17.2 micrometers per day in response to methane and approached zero in the absence of methane. These mussels contain methanotrophic symbiotic bacteria in their gills, which suggests that these bacteria provide their hosts with a net carbon flux originating from methane.     

Enhanced c2 yields from methane oxidative coupling by means of a separative chemical reactor

Of the processes for converting natural gas into a more useful chemical feedstock, the oxidative coupling of methane to form ethane and ethylene (C(2)) has perhaps been the most intensively investigated in recent years, but it has proved extremely difficult to obtain C(2) yields in excess of 20 to 25%. Methane oxidative coupling was carried out in a separative chemical reactor that simulated a countercurrent chromatographic moving-bed. This reaction gives 65% methane conversion, 80% C(2) selectivity, and a C(2) yield slightly better than 50% with Sm(2)O(3) catalyst at approximately 1000 K.     

Production of refractory dissolved organic matter by bacteria

Most of the oceanic reservoir of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is of marine origin and is resistant to microbial oxidation, but little is known about the mechanisms of its formation. In a laboratory study, natural assemblages of marine bacteria rapidly (in <48 hours) utilized labile compounds (glucose, glutamate) and produced refractory DOM that persisted for more than a year. Only 10 to 15% of the bacterially derived DOM was identified as hydrolyzable amino acids and sugars, a feature consistent with marine DOM. These results suggest that microbial processes alter the molecular structure of DOM, making it resistant to further degradation and thereby preserving fixed carbon in the ocean.     

紫杉醇生物合成相关酶类的研究进展

紫杉醇(Taxus)是一种从红豆杉植物中提取出来的天然抗癌药物。笔者简要介绍了紫杉醇的化学结构和生物合成途径, 重点介绍了紫杉二烯合成酶、细胞色素P450单加氧酶、酰基转移酶和苯丙氨酸氨基变位酶等紫杉醇生物合成相关酶类的研究进展。     

Origin and evolution of outer solar system atmospheres

The atmospheres of bodies in the outer solar system are distinct in composition from those of the inner planets and provide a complementary set of clues to the origin of the solar system. This article reviews current understanding of the origin and evolution of these atmospheres on the basis of abundances of key molecular species. The systematic enrichment of methane and deuterated species from Jupiter to Neptune is consistent with formation models in which significant infall of icy and rocky planetesimals accompanies the formation of giant planets. The atmosphere of the Saturnian satellite Titan has been strongly modified by photochemistry and interaction with the surface over 4.5 billion years; the combined knowledge of this moon's bulk density and estimates of the composition of the surface and atmosphere provide some constraints on this body's formation. Neptune's satellite Triton is a poorly known object for which it is hoped that substantial information will be gleaned from the Voyager 2 encounter in August 1989. The mean density of the Pluto-Charon system is well known and suggests an origin in the rather water-poor solar nebula. The recent occultation of a star by Pluto provides evidence that carbon monoxide, in addition to methane, may be present in its atmosphere.     

Biosynthesis of the enediyne antitumor antibiotic C-1027

C-1027 is a potent antitumor agent with a previously undescribed molecular architecture and mode of action. Cloning and characterization of the 85-kilobase C-1027 biosynthesis gene cluster from Streptomyces globisporus revealed (i) an iterative type I polyketide synthase that is distinct from any bacterial polyketide synthases known to date, (ii) a general polyketide pathway for the biosynthesis of both the 9- and 10-membered enediyne antibiotics, and (iii) a convergent biosynthetic strategy for the C-1027 chromophore from four building blocks. Manipulation of genes governing C-1027 biosynthesis allowed us to produce an enediyne compound in a predicted manner.     

OsHemA gene,encoding glutamyl-tRNA reductase(GluTR) is essential for chlorophyll biosynthesis in rice(Oryza sativa)

Chlorophyll(Chl) biosynthesis is essential for photosynthesis and plant growth. Glutamyl-tRNA reductase(GluTR) catalyzes glutamyl-tRNA into glutamate-1-semialdehyde(GSA) and initiates the chlorophyll biosynthesis. Even though the main role of GluTR has been established, the effects caused by natural variations in its corresponding gene remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized a spontaneous mutant in paddy field with Chl biosynthesis deficiency, designated as cbd1. With intact thylakoid lamellar structure, the cbd1 plant showed light green leaves and reduced Chl and carotenoids(Cars) content significantly compared to the wild type. By map-based gene cloning, the mutation was restricted within a 57-kb region on chromosome 10, in which an mPingA miniature inverted-repeat transposable element(MITE) inserted in the promoter region of OsHemA gene. Both leaf color and the pigment contents in cbd1 were recovered in a complementation test, confirming OsHemA was responsible for the mutant phenotype. OsHemA was uniquely predicted to encode GluTR and its expression level was dramatically repressed in cbd1. Transient transformation in protoplasts demonstrated that GluTR localized in chloroplasts and a signal peptide exists in its N-terminus. A majority of Chl biosynthesis genes, except for POR and CHLG, were down-regulated synchronously by the repression of OsHemA, suggesting that an attenuation occurred in the Chl biosynthesis pathway. Interestingly, we found major agronomic traits involved in rice yield were statistically unaffected, except for the number of full grains per panicle was increased in cbd1. Collectively, OsHemA plays an essential role in Chl biosynthesis in rice and its weak allele can adjust leaf color and Chls content without compromise to rice yield.     

甜菜夜蛾UAP的克隆、时空表达及RNAi研究

【目的】在昆虫中,几丁质的合成对于其生长发育至关重要,虽然几丁质合成通路在真菌中的研究比较深入,但是在昆虫中,目前大多数的研究都集中在海藻糖酶和几丁质合成酶方面,而对于通路上其他基因的研究却非常少。论文旨在阐明昆虫几丁质合成通路中的UDP-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶（UAP）对甜菜夜蛾（Spodoptera exigua）几丁质合成酶基因和害虫存活的影响。【方法】以甜菜夜蛾5龄第1天幼虫的cDNA为模板,通过简并引物扩增出甜菜夜蛾UAP基因（SeUAP）的中间片段,然后利用特异性引物和RACE技术扩增出3′和5′ race序列,拼接得到cDNA全长。随后提取甜菜夜蛾各组织和各龄期的总RNA,并通过RT-PCR方法分析SeUAP在各个组织和龄期的表达情况。最后通过向甜菜夜蛾5龄第1天的幼虫注射dsUAP观察其生长状况,检测RNAi的效率以及对几丁质合成通路下游基因的影响。【结果】获得全长为2 098 bp的SeUAP cDNA,编码一个491个氨基酸残基的蛋白,与双翅目昆虫致倦库蚊、埃及伊蚊、黑腹果蝇和冈比亚按蚊的UAP亲缘关系较近。该基因在表皮和卵巢中大量表达,在气管和中肠中的表达次之,在马氏管中表达微弱,在脂肪体中则基本检测不到其转录本的存在。该基因在甜菜夜蛾生长发育的各个阶段均有表达,在卵的整个阶段、L22（幼虫2龄第2天）、L31、L42、L51、P0、P5、P7以及A3这些天中的表达量较高,其余天数表达量较低,其表达的高峰主要出现在几丁质需求量较高的时期。RNAi结果表明,通过向甜菜夜蛾5龄第1天的幼虫注射5 µg dsRNA,导致部分甜菜夜蛾出现蛹期畸形及死亡,并出现两种畸形现象：（1）虫体腹部蛹壳已基本形成并已硬化,但头部蛹壳形成有障碍,化蛹时无法突破旧表皮;（2）虫体头部蛹壳形成正常,也能正常突破旧表皮,但蜕皮过程仅到此为止,无法正常进行下去。定量PCR结果显示SeUAP的沉默对几丁质合成酶A基因（SeCHSA）下调不明显,而对几丁质合成酶B（SeCHSB）的表达有明显下调作用。【结论】UAP可以影响几丁质合成通路的下游基因并对甜菜夜蛾幼虫-蛹的生长发育起一定作用。