Effect of streptolysin S on liposomes Influence of membrane lipid composition on toxin action

The effect of the bacterial cytolytic toxin, streptolysin S, on liposomes composed of various phospholipids was investigated. Large unilamellar vesicles containing [¹⁴C]sucrose were prepared by reverse-phase evaporation, and membrane damage produced by the toxin was measured by following the release of labeled marker. The net charge of the liposomes had little or no effect on their susceptibility to steptolysin S and the toxin was about equally effective on liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylglycerol. Experiments with liposomes composed of synthetic phospholipids showed that the ability of the toxin to produce membrane damage depended on the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acyl chains. The order of sensitivity was C18 : 2 phosphatidylcholine > C18 : 1 phosphatidylcholine > C18 : 0 phosphatidylcholine = C16 : 0 phosphatidylcholine. Liposomes containing the latter two phospholipids were virtually unaffected by streptolysin S, and experiments with C18 : 0 phosphatidylcholine suggested that toxin activity does not bind to liposomes composed of phospholipids with saturated fatty acyl chains. The inclusion of 40 mol% cholesterol in C16 : 0 phosphatidylcholine and C18 : 0 phosphatidylcholine liposomes made these vesicles sensitive to streptolysin S. Egg phosphatidylcholine liposomes, which were unaffected at 0°C and 4°C became susceptible to the toxin at these temperatures when cholesterol was included. Liposomes composed of C14 : 0 phosphatidylcholine were unaffected by streptolysin S at temperatures below the chain-melting transition temperature (23°C) of this phospholipid, but became increasingly susceptible above this temperature. The results suggest that the fluidity of the phospholipid hydrocarbon chains in the membrane is important in streptolysin S action.     

Comparing urban food system characteristics and actions in US and Indian cities from a multi‐environmental impact perspective: Toward a streamlined approach

Food action plans in many global cities articulate interest in multiple objectives including reducing in‐ and trans‐boundary environmental impacts (water, land, greenhouse gas (GHG)). However, there exist few standardized analytical tools to compare food system characteristics and actions across cities and countries to assess trade‐offs between multiple objectives (i.e., health, equity) with environmental outcomes. This paper demonstrates a streamlined model applied for analysis of four cities with varying characteristics across the United States and India, to quantify system‐wide water, energy/GHG, and land impacts associated with multiple food system actions to address health, equity, and environment. Baseline diet analysis finds key differences between countries in terms of meat consumption (Delhi 4; Pondicherry 16; United States 59, kg/capita/year), and environmental impact of processing of the average diet (21%, 19%, <1%, <1% of community‐wide GHG‐emissions for New York, Minneapolis, Delhi, and Pondicherry). Analysis of supply chains finds city average distance (food‐miles) varies (Delhi 420; Pondicherry 200; United States average 1,640 km/t‐food) and the sensitivity of GHG emissions of food demand to spatial variability of energy intensity of irrigation is greater in Indian than US cities. Analysis also finds greater pre‐consumer waste in India versus larger post‐consumer accumulations in the United States. Despite these differences in food system characteristics, food waste management and diet change consistently emerge as key strategies. Among diet scenarios, all vegetarian diets are not found equal in terms of environmental benefit, with the US Government's recommended vegetarian diet resulting in less benefit than other more focused targeted diet changes.     

Beneficial microbiota. Probiotics and pharmaceutical products in functional nutrition and medicine

The article is mainly devoted to such representatives of gut microbiota as lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, with minor accent on less frequently used or new probiotic microorganisms. Positive effects in treatment and prevention of diseases by different microbial groups, their metabolites and mechanisms of action, management and market of probiotic products are considered.     

Syntaxin-1通过激活突触递质传递加速早期突触的形成

Syntaxin-1是一种多结构域蛋白,通过与synaptobrevin-2和SNAP-25形成SNARE复合体调节囊泡融合.然而,syntaxin-1在突触形成过程中是否发挥作用,目前尚不清楚.本研究显示syntaxin-1的表达水平与突触形成过程高度相关.Syntaxin-1的R151A和I155A突变影响其在突触形成中的促进作用,而Habc结构域或跨膜结构域在突触形成中无显著作用.结果表明,syntaxin-1通过激活突触囊泡释放来加速突触的形成.     

磷酸盐生物矿化处理低浓度含铀废水的研究进展

生物矿化修复技术处理低浓度含铀废水具有环境友好、适用范围广、产物稳定性好等优点,引起了研究学者们的广泛关注,具有较大的研究价值和广阔的应用前景。本文首先从生物矿化常用微生物、生物矿化作用机理及发展瓶颈等方面简单介绍生物矿化,然后从微生物群落调控、溶液参数等方面对强化生物矿化进行展望,以期为今后含铀废水污染地区的治理提供新的思路和技术。     

V型羊毛硫肽雷可肽的抑菌机制

【背景】雷可肽(Lexapeptide)为首例V型羊毛硫肽家族化合物,具有较好的抗革兰氏阳性菌活性,对耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌(Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus,MRSA)和表皮葡萄球菌(Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis,MRSE)的抑制作用强于广泛应用的食品防腐剂乳酸链球菌素,其对pH和高温的稳定性也优于乳酸链球菌素,具有较好的应用前景。由于抑菌机制不明确,限制了雷可肽的开发应用。【目的】探究雷可肽抑菌作用特征以及作用机制,为雷可肽开发应用奠定基础。【方法】通过菌落计数法与Mg2+试验表征雷可肽抑菌动力学曲线;采用流式细胞仪和透射电子显微镜研究雷可肽在靶细胞表面的成孔性;利用高效液相色谱与基质辅助激光解吸电离的时间飞行质谱分析雷可肽处理对革兰氏阳性菌肽聚糖前体积累的影响。【结果】雷可肽在抑菌动力学上与乳酸链球菌素没有显著差别,但在更宽的Mg2+浓度范围内仍可保持抑菌活性。雷可肽处理后的细胞具有透过荧光染料的能力,生物型透射电镜观察到细胞发生破损。此外,在雷可肽作用后的细胞中检测到肽聚糖合成的前体尿嘧啶核苷二磷酸-N-乙酰胞壁酸五肽。【结论】雷可肽能够通过抑制细胞壁肽聚糖生物合成并造成细胞损伤进而获得通透性,以此来抑制革兰氏阳性菌生长。     

丙泊酚对全肝缺血再灌注大鼠脑损伤的保护作用及机制研究

目的:探究丙泊酚对全肝缺血再灌注(THIR)大鼠脑损伤的保护作用及机制。方法:选取72只健康成年雄性SD大鼠,将其按照抽签法分成假手术组、对照组以及丙泊酚组。所有大鼠予以12h禁食处理,采用3%戊巴比妥钠行腹腔注射麻醉处理,常规消毒后取上腹部正中切口进入腹腔。假手术组仅暴露肝门,不予以阻断处理。对照组与丙泊酚组则以无创动脉夹阻断肝固有动脉、门静脉和胆总管,在右肾动脉水平处阻断肝下下腔静脉,膈肌水平阻断肝上下腔静脉,进入全肝缺血阶段,阻断30 min后去除动脉夹恢复肝血流。其中丙泊酚组在全肝缺血前10 min予以丙泊酚50 mg/kg腹腔注射干预,假手术组与对照组则予以等量的生理盐水腹腔注射干预。比较三组大鼠再灌注24h后的脑组织细胞凋亡率、特异性半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3(Caspase-3)蛋白表达水平,脑组织超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、丙二醛(MDA)、一氧化氮(NO)水平,血清白介素-6(IL-6)以及肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)水平。结果:对照组与丙泊酚组大鼠的细胞凋亡率及Caspase-3相对表达量均高于假手术组,而丙泊酚组细胞凋亡率及Caspase-3相对表达量均低于对照组(均P<0.05)。对照组与丙泊酚组大鼠脑组织SOD水平均低于假手术组,而丙泊酚组脑组织SOD水平高于对照组;对照组与丙泊酚组大鼠脑组织MDA、NO水平均高于假手术组,而丙泊酚组脑组织MDA、NO水平低于对照组(均P<0.05)。对照组与丙泊酚组大鼠血清IL-6、TNF-α水平均高于假手术组,而丙泊酚组血清IL-6、TNF-α水平均低于对照组(均P<0.05)。结论:丙泊酚可有效抑制THIR大鼠脑损伤引起的细胞凋亡,其主要机制可能与抑制Caspase-3表达、炎症反应以及抗自由基损伤有关。     

Predictive markers of safety and immunogenicity of adjuvanted vaccines

Vaccination represents one of the greatest public health triumphs; in part due to the effect of adjuvants that have been included in vaccine preparations to boost the immune responses through different mechanisms. Although a variety of novel adjuvants have been under development, only a limited number have been approved by regulatory authorities for human vaccines. This report reflects the conclusions of a group of scientists from academia, regulatory agencies and industry who attended a conference on the current state of the art in the adjuvant field. Held at the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) in Rockville, Maryland, USA, from 18 to 19 April 2013 and organized by the International Association for Biologicals (IABS), the conference focused particularly on the future development of effective adjuvants and adjuvanted vaccines and on overcoming major hurdles, such as safety and immunogenicity assessment, as well as regulatory scrutiny. More information on the conference output can be found on the IABS website, http://www.iabs.org/.     

Structural and Functional Comparison of Polysaccharide-Degrading Enzymes

Sugar molecules as well as enzymes degrading them are ubiquitously present in physiological systems, especially for vertebrates. Polysaccharides have at least two aspects to their function, one due to their mechanical properties and the second one involves multiple regulatory processes or interactions between molecules, cells, or extracellular space. Various bacteria exert exogenous pressures on their host organism to diversity glycans and their structures in order for the host organism to evade the destructive function of such microbes. Many bacterial organism produce glycan-degrading enzymes in order to facilitate their invasion of host tissues. Such polysaccharide degrading enzymes utilize mainly two modes of polysaccharide-degradation, a hydrolysis and a β-elimination process. The three-dimensional structures of several of these enzymes have been elucidated recently using X-ray crystallography. There are many common structural motifs among these enzymes, mainly the presence of an elongated cleft transversing these molecules which functions as a polysaccharide substrate binding site as well as the catalytic site for these enzymes. The detailed structural information obtained about these enzymes allowed formulation of proposed mechanisms of their action. The polysaccharide lyases utilize a proton acceptance and donation mechanism (PAD), whereas polysaccharide hydrolases use a direct double displacement (DD) mechanism to degrade their substrates.