The utility F-box for protein destruction

A signature feature of all living organisms is their utilization of proteins to construct molecular machineries that undertake the complex network of cellular activities. The abundance of a protein element is temporally and spatially regulated in two opposing aspects: de novo synthesis to manufacture the required amount of the protein, and destruction of the protein when it is in excess or no longer needed. One major route of protein destruction is coordinated by a set of conserved molecules, the F-box proteins, which promote ubiquitination in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Here we discuss the functions of F-box proteins in several cellular scenarios including cell cycle progression, synapse formation, plant hormone responses, and the circadian clock. We particularly emphasize the mechanisms whereby F-box proteins recruit specific substrates and regulate their abundance in the context of SCF E3 ligases. For some exceptions, we also review how F-box proteins function through non-SCF mechanisms.     

Starch-binding domains in the post-genome era

Starch belongs to the most abundant biopolymers on Earth. As a source of energy, starch is degraded by a large number of various amylolytic enzymes. However, only about 10% of them are capable of binding and degrading raw starch. These enzymes usually possess a distinct sequence-structural module, the so-called starchbinding domain (SBD). In general, all carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) have been classified into the CBM families. In this sequence-based classification the individual types of SBDs have been placed into seven CBM families: CBM20, CBM21, CBM25, CBM26, CBM34, CBM41 and CBM45. The family CBM20, known also as a classical C-terminal SBD of microbial amylases, is the most thoroughly studied. The three-dimensional structures have already been determined by X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance for SBDs from five CBM families (20, 25, 26, 34 and 41), and the structure of the CBM21 has been modelled. Despite differences among the amino acid sequences, the fold of a distorted β-barrel seems to be conserved together with a similar way of substrate binding (mainly stacking interactions between aromatic residues and glucose rings). SBDs have recently been discovered in many non-amylolytic proteins. These may, for example, have regulatory functions in starch metabolism in plants or glycogen metabolism in mammals. SBDs have also found practical uses. Received 25 May 2006; received after revision 26 June 2006; accepted 3 August 2006     

海湾型城市湿地的动态变化及其退化因素分析

在遥感和GIS技术的支持下,以厦门市1986和1997年landsat TM影像以及2004年SPOT影像解译数据为基础,对厦门市过去18年间湿地的空间分布及其动态变化进行了研究,并分析了导致湿地退化的主要原因.研究结果表明:目前厦门市湿地类型中以浅海、滩涂和养殖为主,翔安区拥有丰富的湿地土地资源.湿地动态变化主要表现为滩涂、河流、水塘、红树林等自然湿地的减少以及人工湿地-养殖区面积的增加,红树林、养殖区变化最显著,而大多数湿地类型在1986~1997年这个时期变化最显著.湿地总面积呈下降趋势,自然湿地破碎严重化、不断萎缩,而养殖区沿着海岸线快速扩展和蔓延.海岸湿地是厦门独特的风景,但是18年来湿地质量总体处于不断退化之中.污染、资源过度利用、海岸工程、围海造地等是造成厦门湿地退化的主要因素,湿地退化导致生物栖息地恶化以及生物多样性降低等诸多问题.     

Rapid reductive degradation of azo dyes by a unique structure of amorphous alloys

An Fe-based amorphous alloy was found to significantly enhance the reductive degradation of an azo dye in aqueous solution. The surface-area normalized rate constant was up to 2.0 L m-2 min-1 at room temperature,an order of magnitude larger than any previously reported value. The activation energy of the degradation process was calculated according to the Arrhenius equation,and a much lower value than those previously reported was obtained. Valence band measurement indicated that a depressed valence band maximum and a widened empty band were established in the amorphous ribbon. The unique structure of the amorphous alloy is important-it may reduce the activation energy of the degradation process and enhance the activity of the electrons,thus accelerating the degradation process.     

阿维菌素发酵废弃物无害化处理的研究

通过向阿维菌素发酵废弃物中添加一株嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌AZ11并进行堆料发酵，对其中的阿维菌素进行降解，并达到腐熟的目的。堆料含水率设定在70%,按5‰的接种量接种AZ11，每隔12 h通风5 min，24 d完成堆料腐熟过程，其中废弃物中残留的阿维菌素降解率达到98.7%。结果表明，该嗜热脂肪芽孢杆菌能加快废弃物中阿维菌素的降解，并促进堆料的腐熟过程。     

粉煤灰/壳聚糖复合材料处理高浊水的研究

为解决高浊水除浊问题，使用酸改性粉煤灰与壳聚糖按照不同质量比制备成的复合材料对高浊水进行处理。通过单因素实验和正交试验得出了粉煤灰与壳聚糖复合材料投加量、搅拌时间、pH和废水初始浊度对除浊性能的影响以及各因素综合作用对除浊率的影响。单因素实验结果表明：当粉煤灰与壳聚糖质量比为6:1时，其除浊率可达到93.78%；当复合材料CWF3投加量为0.6 g时，其除浊率可达到73.52%；当搅拌时间为30 min时，其除浊率可达到90.28%；当pH=6时，其除浊率可达到84.50%；当初始浊度为300 NTU时，其除浊率可达到95.67%。正交试验结果表明，当粉煤灰与壳聚糖质量比为6:1，最佳组合条件为投加量0.7 g、搅拌时间35 min、废水初始pH=7、废水初始浊度350 NTU。酸改性粉煤灰负载壳聚糖后具有更强的亲和能力，且价格便宜，可以弥补单独使用粉煤灰或壳聚糖的不足，可用于对大规模废水进行处理。     

柑橘上施保克及其降解产物的GC快速检测

阐述了GC－ECD检测柑橘上施保克及其降解产物残留的快速分析方法，这种方法可以同时处理多个样品且不需大量的玻璃器皿和试剂，药品，比现有的方法更简捷，快速，该方法的检测限为0．002mg/kg，回收率的范围为81．5－96．0％，并用该方法测定了实际样品的动态消解曲线和相关系数。     

介孔MTS-1催化剂的合成及其光催化活性研究

以水热合成的微孔TS-1分子筛为基体,通过有机碱改性处理制备了介孔MTS-1催化剂.利用X-射线衍射、N2吸脱附等温线、紫外-可见光谱和透射电镜等方法对催化剂的形貌及表面特性进行了系统表征.数据表明,改性处理能明显提高材料的比表面积和孔体积.在紫外光照射下,以罗丹明B(RhB)作为光催化降解探针分子,探讨了MTS-1催化剂的光催化活性.TS-1及M-TS-1催化剂对RhB的光催化降解反应遵循一级反应动力学.TS-1和MTS-1在反应初期表现出相近的催化活性,随着反应时间的延长,MTS-1的光催化活性明显优于TS-1.     

Comparison study of chitosan/β-cyclodextrin and carboxymethyl chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres

To compare two microspheres of chitosan/β-cyclodextrin and carboxymethyl chitosan/β-cyclodextrin loaded theophylline as pulmonary sustained drug delivery carriers, the characteristics and ciliotoxicity were studied. The drug loadings of chitosan/β-cyclodextrin and carboxymethyl chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres were 21.09% and 21.42%, and the encapsulation efficiencies were 91.40% and 92.80%. The distributions of 50% (d _0.5) of chitosan/β-cyclodextrin and carboxymethyl chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres were 4.89 and 5.83 μm, respectively. Both microspheres showed spherical shape with smooth or wrinkled surfaces. FT-IR of chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres demonstrated that theophylline had formed hydrogen bonds with chitosan and β-cyclodextrin, while for the carboxymethyl chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres theophylline had interaction with carboxymethyl chitosan. The moisture absorption showed that an equilibrium was reached within 24 h. The two microspheres possessed better adaptability. In vitro release of theophylline from chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres was slower than that from carboxymethyl chitosan/β-cyclodextrin microspheres at pH 6.8. Biography: LI Ruobao(1968–), male, Associate professor, research direction: foundation research of respiratory system.     

荧光标记的叶酸修饰壳聚糖纳米载体研制

制备荧光标记的叶酸偶联壳聚糖纳米粒,为抗肿瘤药物给药系统提供载体材料。通过叶酸活性酯与壳聚糖上的氨基反应,使叶酸与壳聚糖偶联。将异硫氰基荧光素与叶酸偶联壳聚糖进行化学嫁接,以离子交联法制成具有荧光的叶酸偶联壳聚糖纳米粒,并与肝癌HepG2细胞进行体外细胞实验。实验结果表明:叶酸活性酯用量和反应温度及试剂滴加速度是影响偶联比的主要因素;在叶酸活性酯与壳聚糖用量质量比为1:1,反应温度为30℃,滴加速度为2mL/min,反应时间为12h的条件下可得到偶联稳定的叶酸偶联壳聚糖;所制得的纳米粒粒径为290nm,形态规则,细胞荧光效果明显;此方法能用于制备荧光标记的叶酸修饰壳聚糖纳米粒载体。