Characterization of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BetB) as an essential virulence factor of Brucella abortus

The pathogenic mechanisms of Brucellosis used to adapt to the harsh intracellular environment of the host cell are not fully understood. The present study investigated the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of B. abortus betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BetB) (Gene Bank ID: 006932) using a betB deletion mutant constructed from virulent B. abortus 544. In test under stress conditions, including osmotic- and acid stress-resistance, the betB mutant had a lower osmotic-resistance than B. abortus wild-type. In addition, the betB mutant showed higher internalization rates compared to the wild-type strain; however, it also displayed replication failures in HeLa cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages. During internalization, compared to the wild-type strain, the betB mutant was more adherent to the host surface and showed enhanced phosphorylation of protein kinases, two processes that promote phagocytic activity, in host cells. During intracellular trafficking, colocalization of B. abortus-containing phagosomes with LAMP-1 was elevated in betB mutant-infected cells compared to the wild-type cells. In mice, the betB mutant was predominantly cleared from spleens compared to the wild-type strain after 2 weeks post-infection, and the vaccination test with the live betB mutant showed effective protection against challenge infection with the virulent wild-type strain. These findings suggested that the B. abortus betB gene substantially affects the phagocytic pathway in human phagocytes and in host cells in mice. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential use of the B. abortus betB mutant as a live vaccine for the control of brucellosis.     

吐鲁番黑羊MSTN/Smad信号通路基因表达的发育性变化

为探讨MSTN/Smad信号通路基因对吐鲁番黑羊肌肉生长发育的影响,采用实时定量PCR法,分别对1～6月龄吐鲁番黑羊的腿肌和尾脂MSTN/Smad信号通路基因进行检测.结果表明：MSTN/Smad信号通路基因在腿肌和尾脂组织中均有表达,MSTN/Smad信号通路基因在吐鲁番黑羊不同生长阶段的腿肌和尾脂中的表达没有出现随月龄的增加而一直增加或下降的趋势.     

色氨酸对哺乳动物母-胎界面的免疫调节作用及其机制

近年来,一些研究发现氨基酸对提高母猪繁殖能力具有重要的作用.少量的体内和体外试验研究表明,色氨酸及其代谢物能够提高母猪繁殖能力,降低流产率.本文综述了色氨酸及其犬尿氨酸代谢对哺乳动物(主要是猪和鼠)母-胎界面免疫调节(或免疫耐受)的影响,以及色氨酸及其代谢物(如犬尿氨酸和3-羟基犬尿氨酸)对哺乳动物母-胎界面蜕膜自然杀伤(dNK)细胞、调节性T细胞(Treg)和17型辅助性T细胞(Th17)的调控作用以及可能的作用机制.     

Vaspin and insulin signaling pathways in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome animal model

AIM: To establish a suitable chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) model in rats for modeling the obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and further to explore the relationship between vaspin and insulin signaling pathways at mRNA and protein levels. METHODS: Healthy male Wistar rats were divided into control group and CIH group. The rats in control group were raised under physiological condition, and the rats in CIH group were kept in the plexiglass chamber between 9:00~17:00 and underwent intermittent hypoxic challenge 8 h/d for 8 weeks. The blood pressure of arteria caudilis in the rats was measured by tail cannulation before and after study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), fasting insulin (FINS), vaspin and adiponectin levels were measured. The mRNA expression of vaspin was detected by real-time PCR. The protein levels of vaspin, Akt and p-Akt were determined by Western blotting.RESULTS: Before the experiment, the weight and blood pressure of the rats had no significant difference, while after the experiment the blood pressure in CIH group was obviously higher than that in control group. FPG, FINS, TG and TC in CIH group were also markedly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). Serum vaspin concentration was significantly correlated with FPG, FINS, HOMA-IR and TC. The expression of vaspin at mRNA and protein levels in the fat tissue of CIH group was evidently higher than that in control group. The protein levels of p-Akt decreased distinctly in CIH group. CONCLUSION: The levels of FINS, HOMA-IR, SaO2 and vaspin were markedly higher than those in control group, indicating that there was a close relationship between vaspin and insulin resistance in OSAHS.     

miRNA-7 inhibits proliferation of human nasopharyngeal 5-8F carcinoma cells via EGFR/PI3K/Akt pathway

AIM:To investigate the relationship of microRNA-7 (miRNA-7) over-expression and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/phosphatidylinositol kinase-3 (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB, also called Akt) pathway in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells. METHODS:The 5-8F cells were transfected with miRNA-7 mimics (carrying by Lipofectamine 2000). The expression of miRNA-7 was detected by real-time PCR. The cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. The cell colony-forming capability was determined by cell colony formation test. The expression of EGFR/PI3K/Akt at mRNA and protein levels was examined by real-time PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS:The expression level of miRNA-7 was significantly increased in 5-8F cells compared with negative control (NC) group and control group (P<0.01). The proliferation of NPC 5-8F cells was decreased extremely after tansfected with the miRNA-7 mimics (P<0.01), so did the result of the cell colony-formation test. The expression of EGFR/PI3K/Akt at mRNA and protein levels was significantly down-regulated compared with NC group and control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Over-expression of miRNA-7 significantly inhibits the proliferation and colony-forming ability of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells by down-regulation of EGFR/PI3K/Akt pathway.     

Resveratrol inhibits chondrosarcoma via mitochondrial and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways

AIM：To investigate the inhibitory effects of resveratrol on chondrosarcoma and the relation with mitochondrial and PI3K/Akt pathways. METHODS：Chondrosarcoma SW1353 cells were treated with resveratrol at concentrations of 25, 50 and 100 μmol/L for the time intervals of 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. The viability and apoptosis of the SW1353 cells in the presence or absence of resveratrol were analyzed by CCK8 assay and Hoechst 33258 staining, respectively. The protein levels of Bcl-2, Bax, activated caspase-3, Akt and p-Akt were detected by Western blotting. The cell migration ability was determined by wound scratch assay. RESULTS：Exposure of the cells to resveratrol resulted in a decrease in the cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P<0.05). visible nuclei with apoptotic characteristics in resveratrol group were observed. The protein levels of activated caspase-3 and Bax were increased, and Bcl-2 and p-Akt were decreased compared with control group. The total Akt were not significantly changed. Resveratrol also significantly reduced the migration of tumor cells. CONCLUSION：Resveratrol induces apoptosis of chondrosarcoma, which plays a role of part through mitochondrial and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.     

Wnt signaling pathway is involved in catalpol-induced proliferation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

AIM：To investigate the changes of Wnt signaling pathway in catalpol-induced proliferation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). METHODS：The BMSCs were isolated from SD rats, purified by differential time adherent method and divided into control group and catalpol (1.0 mg/L) group. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proliferation index of BMSCs. The mRNA levels of Wnt3a, Wnt5a, Wnt11 and β-catenin was evaluated by real-time PCR. In addition, the protein expression level of β-catenin was determined by Western blotting. RESULTS：Prolife-ration index was increased from 8.90%±0.46% to 17.93%±1.68% after treatment with catalpol (P<0.01). Compared with control group, the mRNA expression of Wnt5a, Wnt11 and β-catenin was all increased with catalpol treatment. No difference of Wnt3a mRNA expression between control group and catalpol group was observed. Meanwhile, the protein expression of β-catenin was increased in catalpol group compared with control group. CONCLUSION：Catalpol promotes BMSCs going into the cell cycle. Classical and non-classical Wnt signaling pathways are activated in this process.     

芒果炭疽病菌环境pH信号调控基因PalF的克隆与分析

通过本地查找胶孢炭疽病菌(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)橡胶菌株全基因组测序数据,获得PalF基因的序列信息。利用同源克隆的方法扩增胶孢炭疽病菌芒果菌株PalF基因,获得片段大小为2 369 bp的目的基因片段。对该基因序列进行分析发现,该片段含有完整的开放式阅读框,与橡胶炭疽菌PalF基因的序列同源性达100%。用RT-PCR的方法获得PalF基因的cDNA序列,序列进行分析发现该基因全长为2 310 bp,其中含有1个大小为59 bp的内含子,推测编码769个氨基酸。对PalF基因的氨基酸序列进行推测保守结构域分析可知PalF蛋白中含有Arrestin-C保守结构域,推测该基因参与环境pH感应信号转导途径(Ambient pH-sensing signal transduetion pathway)的调控,为进一步研究该基因在环境pH感应信号转导途径中的作用奠定了基础。     

花粉管通道法转化外源DNA的转基因技术

介绍了花粉管通道法的产生、分类及影响因素,阐述了花粉管通道法转基因技术的分子验证过程,列举了花粉管通道法在各作物育种上的应用,提出花粉管通道法应选择最佳导入方法与时期,从而提高外源DNA导人效率和遗传信息转化率,提高性状的变异频率,获得广泛的变异,提供丰富的变异材料。     

Haloperoxidase Mediated Quorum Quenching by Nitzschia cf pellucida: Study of the Metabolization of N-Acyl Homoserine Lactones by a Benthic Diatom

Diatoms are known to produce a variety of halogenated compounds, which were recently shown to have a role in allelopathic interactions between competing species. The production of these compounds is linked to haloperoxidase activity. This research, has shown that this system may also be involved in diatom-bacteria interactions via the H₂O₂ dependent inactivation of a type of quorum sensing (QS) molecule, i.e., N-β-ketoacylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), by a natural haloperoxidase system from the benthic diatom Nitzschia cf pellucida. The AHL degradation pathway towards corresponding halogenated derivatives was elucidated via HPLC-MS analysis and the synthesis of a broad series of novel halogenated AHL analogues as reference compounds. Furthermore, their biological activity as quorum sensing modulators was directly compared and evaluated against a series of naturally occurring β-keto-AHLs. It has been demonstrated that the loss of the QS activity results from the final cleavage of the halogenated N-acyl chain of the signal molecules.