Synthesis of dinucleoside tetraphosphates in transfected cells by a firefly luciferase reporter gene

The firefly luciferase gene is widely used as a reporter gene and its expression is generally considered to be non-toxic. In addition to its light-producing reaction, luciferase can synthesise dinucleoside polyphosphates, intracellular signalling molecules, in vitro. Here we show that COS-7 cells transfected with a luciferase expression vector accumulate up to 0.5 mM adenine-containing dinucleoside tetraphosphates (Ap₄N) during the 24 h following luciferin addition. The optimal external concentration of luciferin was 0.4–0.6 mM. In agreement with its poor ability to synthesise adenine-containing dinucleoside triphosphates in vitro, the level of these compounds did not increase after transfection. Consequently, the results of experiments involving luciferase-mediated light production by live cells should now be viewed in the light of the possible effects of an increased intracellular Ap₄N concentration on the properties of the system under investigation. This observation also points to a useful non-invasive procedure for the specific enhancement of intracellular Ap₄N for studies directed at understanding the functions of these compounds.Received 12 November 2003; received after revision 10 December 2003; accepted 12 December 2003     

Quantitative structure activity relationship and toxicity mechanisms of chlorophenols on cells <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

3-(4,5-dimethylthiazd-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylentrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay was used to investigate the acute toxicity of 8 different chlorophenols (CPs) on rat connective tissue fibroblast L929 cells and human liver cancer HepG2 cells. Combined with the data from Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) approach of CPs by using the octanol-water partition coefficients (Kow),an effective model was deduced to evaluate the cytotoxicity of these chemicals. Furthermore, the relationship between the structures of CPs and their cytotoxicity was proposed.The results show that 2-chlorophenol (2-CP), 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), 2,6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP),2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP),2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) and 2,3,4-trichlorophenol (2,3,4-TCP) induced apoptosis, whereas, 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol (2,3,5,6-TeCP) and pentachlorophenl (PCP) demonstrated more characteristic of necrosis than apoptosis.These results establish a good experimental base both for developing the comparative evaluation of toxicity of CPs in vitro and for elucidating the toxicity mechanisms of them.     

Adenovirus-mediated<Emphasis Type="Italic">CTLA4-FasL</Emphasis> gene transfer prevents autoimmune diabetes in mice induced by multiple low doses of streptozotocin

Type 1 diabetes is the result of a selective destruction of insulin-producing β cells in pancreatic islets by autoreactive T cells. Depletion of autoreactive T cell through apoptosis may be a potential strategy for the prevention of autoimmune diabetes. Simultaneous stimulation of Fas-mediated pathway and blockade of costimulation by a CTLA4-FasL fusion protein has been reported to lead to substantial inhibition of mixed lymphocyte reaction and enhanced in vitro apoptosis of peripheral lymphocytes. To test the feasibility of CTLA4-FasL-based gene therapy to prevent autoimmune diabetes, we developed recombinant adenovirus containing human CTLA4-FasL gene (AdCTLA4-FasL). A single injection of 2×10~8 plaque forming units (PFU) of AdCTLA4-FasL via tail vein dramatically reduced the incidence of autoimmune diabetes in mice induced by multiple low doses of streptozotocin. AdCTLA4-FasL administration maintained islet insulin content, significantly increased apoptosis of pancreatic lymphocytes, quantitatively     

疼痛的神经生物学--理解大脑机制及神经疾病治疗的机理

中枢神经系统的神经元和突触具有可塑性，他们能够发生贯穿整个生命过程的长时程改变。研究这种长时程变化的分子和细胞学机制，不仅可以帮助我们了解大脑如何学习和储存新的知识，而且还可以揭示机体损伤后病理变化的机制。我认为，一方面学习和记忆等生理学功能的神经机制可能与大脑在疼痛期间的反常或机体损伤相关的变化过程共用一些信号分子；另一方面，一些不参与认知学习和记忆过程的突触和神经元网络机制也可能与疼痛的病理过程相关。伤害性感受可以从脊髓传递到前脑并在不同水平受到调节。其中，前扣带脑皮质(anterior cingulate cortex，ACC)在痛觉的感受和调节中具有重要作用。我们的实验结果表明，ACC中的N-甲基-D-门冬氨酸(NMDA)受体依赖的、钙／钙调蛋白激活的腺苷酸环化酶(adenylyl cyclases，AC)(ACl和ACB)在慢性痛的表达过程中起着重要的作用。ACC还可以通过激活内源性易化系统影响脊髓背角的痛觉信号传递。这些结果为机体对损伤的生理反应如痛行为反应、情绪变化和不良记忆等提供了重要的突触和分子水平的机制。加强对疼痛机制研究，会带动中国的神经科学的基础和临床研究。     

哈拉维及其"赛博格"神话

堂娜·哈拉维是当代西方著名的跨学科学者.她提出了著名的赛博格女性主义理论和女性主义后现代主义的科学观,还对基因食品进行了文化解读.介绍了哈拉维的生平和著作,概括和分析了哈拉维的主要思想.     

分析伯氏疏螺旋体密码子使用的倾向性

本文采用非线性映射的方法分析伯氏疏螺旋体前导链和后随链上的基因结构，发现基因分布存在明显的差异，同义密码子的使用亦具有明显的倾向性．此外，高表达基因分布具有不对称性，其同义密码子使用与其它基因亦有不同，这表明原核生物基因组复制起始点两侧的碱基分布及翻译机制均影响基因的密码子使用．     

酒色着色菌Chromatium vinosum膜结合态氢酶基因hupSL的克隆及分析

光合细菌酒色着色菌(Chromatiumvinosum)含有Hup膜结合态氢酶.根据同科的桃红荚硫菌(Thiocapsaroseopersicina)Hup氢酶同源序列,在结构基因小亚基hups和hupC的保守框上设计1对简并引物:Ps:5’CCGACCAC(C/G)TACAACGCCTG3’和Pc:5’CG(G/C)GACATGATGTC(T/C)TCGCG3’.通过PCR扩增获得2.6kb的扩增片段,克隆后进行序列分析.结果表明,该片段包含部分的小亚基hupS序列、大亚基hupL的全序列及hupC部分序列.从已知的hupS序列选取适当位点合成引物AS2:5’CTACGACCATGTCACCGACA3’,并利用接头寡核苷酸序列P6:5’CCTTGTGAAATTGTTATCCGCT3’,通过PCR扩增获得1.2kb的扩增片段,克隆后进行序列分析.结果表明,该片段包含完整的膜结合态氢酶的小亚基基因hupS.     

人tumstatin基因的克隆、表达和抗体制备

应用PCR技术从人胎肺cDNA文库中扩增tumstatin基因编码序列，克隆至pET-3c载体构建非融合表达的重组质粒pET-3c-tum，并在大肠杆菌E．coli B121（DE3）中获得高效表达。表达蛋白经SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（SDS-PAGE）分离、切胶回收后免疫新西兰大白兔，获得ELISA效价高达1：1000的特异性兔抗人tumstatin抗血清。     

利用回交群体对小麦雌性不育基因的SSR标记

对普通小麦新601、雌性不育材料XND126及其BC1群体的育性进行了观察.分析结果表明,此组合中雌性不育表现为1对隐性基因的遗传.结合集群分析(Bulked Segregant Anal-ysis,BSA)法在亲本间筛选了1 080对微卫星引物,并利用回交群体对小麦雌性不育基因进行了SSR分子标记,确定微卫星引物cfd36标记与雌性不育基因连锁,其遗传距离为13.0 cM.     

植物基因分离的方法

总结了目前植物基因分离的方法．概括出四大类植物基因分离的方法，即序列克隆法，功能克隆法。作图克隆法。表型差异克隆法，并对其特点和适用范围进行了评述。