A horsefly saliva antigen 5-like protein containing RTS motif is an angiogenesis inhibitor

The Ag5 proteins are the most abundant and immunogenic proteins in the venom secretory ducts of stinging insects. An antigen 5-like protein (named tabRTS) composed of 221 amino acid residues was purified and characterized from the salivary glands of the horsefly, Tabanus yao (Diptera, Tabanidae). Its cDNA was cloned from the cDNA library of the horsefly's salivary gland. TabRTS containing the SCP domain (Sc7 family of extracellular protein domain) was found in insect antigen 5 proteins. More interestingly, there is an Arg-Thr-Ser (RTS) disintegrin motif at the C-terminus of tabRTS. The RTS motif is positioned in a loop bracketed by cysteine residues as those found in RTS-disintegrins of Crotalidae and Viperidae snake venoms, which act as angiogenesis inhibitors. Endothelial Cell Tube formation assay in vitro and chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis assay in vivo were performed as to investigate the effect of tabRTS on angiogenesis. It was found that tabRTS could significantly inhibit angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Anti-alpha(1)beta(1) monoclonal antibody could dose-dependently inhibit the anti-angiogenic activity of tabRTS. This result indicated that tabRTS possibly targets the alpha(1)beta(1) integrin to exert the anti-angiogenic activity as snake venom RTS-/KTS-disintegrins do. The current work revealed the first angiogenesis inhibitor protein containing RTS motif from invertebrates, a possible novel type of RTS-disintegrin. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Peptidomics and genomics analysis of novel antimicrobial peptides from the frog, Rana nigrovittata

Much attention has been paid on amphibian peptides for their wide-ranging pharmacological properties, clinical potential, and gene-encoded origin. More than 300 antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from amphibians have been studied. Peptidomics and genomics analysis combined with functional test including microorganism killing, histamine-releasing, and mast cell degranulation was used to investigate antimicrobial peptide diversity. Thirty-four novel AMPs from skin secretions of Rana nigrovittata were identified in current work, and they belong to 9 families, including 6 novel families. Other three families are classified into rugosin, gaegurin, and temporin family of amphibian AMP, respectively. These AMPs share highly conserved preproregions including signal peptides and spacer acidic peptides, while greatly diversified on mature peptides structures. In this work, peptidomics combined with genomics analysis was confirmed to be an effective way to identify amphibian AMPs, especially novel families. Some AMPs reported here will provide leading molecules for designing novel antimicrobial agents. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Five novel antimicrobial peptides from skin secretions of the frog, Amolops loloensis

While investigating antimicrobial peptide diversity of Amolops loloensis, five novel antimicrobial peptides belonging to two families were identified from skin secretions of this frog. The first family including two members is esculentin-2-AL (esculentin-2-ALa and -ALb): the second family including three members is temporin-AL (temporin-ALd to -ALf). The family of esculentin-2-AL is composed of 37 amino acid residues (aa); the family of temporin-AL is composed of 16, 13 and 10 aa, respectively. All of these antimicrobial peptides showed antimicrobial activities against tested microorganisms. cDNAs encoding precursors of esculentin-2-ALs and temporin-ALs were cloned from the skin cDNA library of A. loloensis. All the precursors share similar overall structures. There is a typical prohormone processing signal (Lys-Arg) located between the acidic propiece and the mature peptide. The antimicrobial peptide family of esculentin-2 is firstly reported in the genus of Amolops. Combined with previous reports, a total of four antimicrobial peptide families have been identified from the genus of Amolops; three of them are also found in the genus of Rana. These results suggest the possible evolutionary connection between the genera Amolops and Rana. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

大蹼铃蟾非晶状体βγ-晶状体蛋白与三叶因子蛋白复合物和基因及制法及用途

本发明涉及一种大蹼铃蟾非晶状体βγ-晶状体蛋白与三叶因子蛋白复合物和基因及制法及用途。其天然表观分子量为72kDa，由α亚基和β亚基按αβ2的分子形式以非共价键连接而成，为一类新的ATPase和GTPase酶，具有多种细胞生物活性，在体外纳摩尔水平能够杀死多种肿瘤细胞、抑制肿瘤细胞生长和诱导肿瘤细胞脱落和凋亡。在皮摩尔水平具有促进创伤修复的活性。在细胞外经单泛素化修饰，能够直接转运到细胞核中进行基因表达的调控从而调节细胞状态，包括细胞迁移、脱落、生长。本发明的蛋白复合物提供了非晶状体βγ-晶状体蛋白全新的细胞生物学功能及其能够与三叶因子蛋白协同作用的机制，可应用于生物医学试剂制备和抗肿瘤以及促进创伤修复制药

榕小蜂的产卵模式及其对子代性比的影响

于2007年4月-2007年7月在中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园,通过干预控制榕小蜂产卵的方法研究了聚果榕的传粉榕小蜂Ceratosolen fusciceps和非传粉小蜂Platyneura mayri及垂叶榕的非传粉小蜂Acophila sp.1和Wakerella benjamini等的产卵顺序.对传粉榕小蜂,在完成放蜂后不同间隔时间向榕果内注入乙醚杀死小蜂:对非传粉榕小蜂,在放蜂后不同间隔时间将其从纱网袋内全部放出,从而控制了各种榕小蜂的产卵时间.到榕果成熟后,收集了榕果内的小蜂,并分析比较各种榕小蜂在不同产卵时间下的子代性比.结果表明:Ceratosolen fusciceps、P.mayri和Acophila sp.1在产卵的最初时间内倾向于产下更多的雄性后代,而随后的时间内则产下更多的雌性伴随少量的雄性后代,这样的产卵顺序导致子代性比随着母代产卵时间的延长而下降,榕小蜂后代雌性比例显著高于雄性.同时,子代榕小蜂数晕随母代产卵时间的延长而增加,这在一定程度上解释了单头繁殖雌蜂的子代性比随子代数量的增加而减少的现象.而Wakerella benjamini在产卵顺序上是随机的,在其开始产卵后的不同时间段内子代性比都接近于50%.这一结果表明榕小蜂的产卵顺序与母代产卵时间的长短对子代性比有极为重要的影响.

爬行动物cathelicidin抗菌肽及衍生物及其应用

本发明提供了来源于爬行动物的爬行动物cathelicidin抗菌肽，所述抗菌肽具有选自序列表SEQ ID NO：1所示的氨基酸序列，本发明还涉及其衍生物以及其应用。爬行动物 cathelicidin抗菌肽及其衍生物具有抗细菌和抗真菌性质，尤其是对临床耐药细菌有很好的抑制作用，且具有结构简单、人工合成方便、抗菌谱系广的有益特点。它们可以应用于抗微生物感染制剂的制备，用于人和动物的治疗。

聚果榕两种非传粉小蜂产卵与果实脱落的关系

下载PDF阅读器在聚果榕与其传粉榕小蜂Ceratosolen fusciceps组成的互利共生系统中,与传粉榕小蜂共存的还有榕树的寄生性小蜂Platyneura testacea和Platyneura mayri.这些寄生性小蜂由于不能给榕树带来任何收益而只是利用榕树的种子或与传粉小蜂竞争植物的雌花资源,因而可能导致榕树与榕小蜂之间合作系统的崩溃.植物果实的脱落机制普遍被认为是维持系统稳定的关键因素之一.然而,定量实验和野外观测发现P. mayri产卵并不会引起果实脱落,只有P. testacea产卵会使果实大量脱落.通过对3株样树进行比较发现:当产卵时的P. testacea数量越多时,它产生的瘿花数就越多,榕果发生脱落的比例越高.P. testacea的过度产卵是导致榕果选择性脱落的主要原因.结果表明:脱落机制并不能完全阻止非传粉小蜂的寄生,榕树只能选择性地脱落掉先于传粉小蜂产卵的榕果.这也同时表明维持榕树与榕小蜂互利共存的机制不仅仅只有榕果的脱落机制,可能还存在其它未被发现的机制.

抚仙湖水质现状对两栖动物生存的影响初探

从抚仙湖入湖河流选择了9个点的水样进行分析,同时对抚仙湖入湖河流两栖动物的种类及分布作了调查,共采集标本530号,计14种,隶属1目5科10属.结果显示,在抚仙湖入湖河流中,蟾蜍科代表以及牛蛙分布相对广泛,蛙科的种类较多,但是分布狭窄,且总体来看,污染较重的河流两栖动物很少,甚至没有,而在水质状况较好的河流及人工湿地中,两栖动物的种类及数量相对较多.

香格里拉纳帕海高原湿地越冬黑鹳生境选择

2007年11月30日至2008年4月29日期间,对香格里拉纳帕海高原湿地黑鹳越冬种群生境选择进行了研究.在研究区域内,按照从湖心到村庄方向将黑鹳所利用的生境分为沼泽生境和草地生境.整个越冬季节划分为越冬前期(12月)、中期(1-2月)和后期(3-4月)三个亚季节.越冬期间,黑鹳一直偏好在沼泽活动.此外,牲畜和周边居民对黑鹳的生境选择也有一定影响.黑鹳分布数量与样方内和周边牲口和人口数量呈显著负相关,即牲口和人口多的地方,黑鹳数量就越少,反之亦然.