Purification and characterization of a natural lectin from the plasma of the shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

A natural lectin from the plasma of the shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis was purified by singlestep affinity chromatography using fetuin-coupled agarose. The purified plasma lectin showed a strong affinity for human A/B/O erythrocytes (RBC), mouse RBC and chicken RBC. The hemagglutinating (HA) activity of the lectin was dependent on Ca2+ and reversibly sensitive to EDTA. This lectin was named FC-L and its inactive form had a molecular mass estimate of 168 kDa. Fifteen N-terminal amino acid sequences of this protein were determined. We performed HA-inhibition assays with several carbohydrates and glycoproteins. FC-L showed a distinct and unique specificity to N-acetylated sugars, particularly sialic acid and sialoproteins. The FC-L also has binding activity to some Gram-negative bacteria which caused disease in shrimp and fish. The activity of FC-L was inhibited at temperatures greater than 75 degrees C and at a pH less than 7 or greater than 11. These results suggest that FC-L may play a role as pattern recognition proteins in the reorganization and clearance of invaders in shrimp F. chinensis. Crown Copyright (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

扇贝营养需求与代用饲料研究

营养学是生物学研究的重要组成部分。对养殖对象营养需求的深入研究是未来养殖业持续健康发展的重要保证。滤食性贝类营养学研究起步较晚，与鱼、虾营养学相比也有不小的差距。本论文在揭示饥饿对栉孔扇贝肥满度、营养组成和代谢影响的基础上，着重研究了不同蛋白源对栉孔扇贝生长的影响和黑西哥湾扇贝对主要营养成分的需求。实验部分 I：目前，贝类营养学研究通常是通过强化某一种工某几种营养来进行的，而在饥饿这一特殊条件下贝类的生理活动情况却少见报导。本实验研究了饥饿对扇贝生命活动的影响，从这一特殊的角度研究了扇贝对各种营养组分的利用情况，同时为揭示近年来栉孔扇贝大规模死亡的原因和机制提供参考数据。实验结果表明，饥饿60d不会导致栉孔扇贝的大批死亡；饥饿对栉孔扇贝肥满度的影响较大，以饥饿10d后最为明显；饥饿对不同组织营养组成的影响首先表现在内脏团粗脂肪相对含量的急剧下降和蛋白质相对含量的增加；饥饿期间的O:N 比（耗氧量/排氨量）在饥饿20d后下降到最低值，然后又有所回升。实验期间，O:N比小于10，这表明在饥饿期间栉孔扇贝以蛋白质代谢为主。实验部分 II：滤食性贝类对何种来源的蛋白质摄食、吸收较佳，以及滤食性贝类对蛋白质和糖类的需求情况都是值得注意的问题。本实验配制了三种配合饲料，其中两种参照滤食性贝类天然饵料单胞藻的营养成分，其蛋白源分别为植物性原料（螺旋藻粉和豆粉）和动物性原料（鱼粉和贝边粉）；另外还配制了主要成分为糖类的地瓜粉饲料。在研究不同营养条件下栉孔扇贝（Chlamys farreri）的摄食、同化和生长情况的基础上，初步确定了不同蛋白源和糖类对栉孔扇区贝生长的影响。结果表明：栉孔扇贝对单胞藻组饵料的摄食率最高，以下依次是动物蛋白组，地瓜粉组和植物蛋白组。而贝类对植物蛋白饲料组的同化率最高，以下依次是动物蛋白组，单胞藻组和地瓜粉组。在不同营养条件下，栉孔扇贝的生长明显有差异。就不同规格的栉孔扇贝而言，三角褐指藻效果最好，以下依次为：动物蛋白饲料，地瓜粉饲料和植物蛋白饲料。由此可见，在配合饲料中，营养效果为：动物性蛋白> 糖类 > 植物性蛋白。不同营养条件对栉孔扇贝的内脏部分和肉柱部分生长的影响基本相同。实验部分III：应用正交实验设计法研究了黑西哥湾扇贝（Argopecten irradians concentricus）对饲料中蛋白质、糖、脂肪及维生素C的适宜需求量，并初步筛选了最佳饲料配方。实验结果表明：在本实验条件下，就黑西哥湾扇贝性腺指数，肉柱指数，内脏团指数和肥满度而言，最佳营养成分含量相同，均为：蛋白质35%，糖类39%，脂类9%，维生素C含量对贝类生长影响不大。在三种营养物质中，蛋白质含量对性腺指数和肥满度的影响最大，而糖尖含量对肉柱指数和内脏团指数的影响最大。脂类含量对贝类生长的影响相对较小。本实验结果下最佳配方为：蛋白质35%， 糖类39%，脂类9%，与实验结果中各营养物质的最优水平一致。

Single-walled carbon nanotubes binding to human telomeric i-motif DNA: significant acceleration of S1 nuclease cleavage rate

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) binding to human telomeric i-motif DNA can significantly accelerate S1 nuclease cleavage rate by increasing the enzyme turnover number.

SERS opens a new way in aptasensor for protein recognition with high sensitivity and selectivity

SERS aptasensors for protein recognition based on Au nanoparticles labeled with aptamers and Raman reporters have been developed, which opens a new way for protein recognition of high sensitivity and selectivity.

Single-molecule dynamics reveals cooperative binding-folding in protein recognition

The study of associations between two biomolecules is the key to understanding molecular function and recognition. Molecular function is often thought to be determined by underlying structures. Here, combining a single-molecule study of protein binding with an energy-landscape-inspired microscopic model, we found strong evidence that biomolecular recognition is determined by flexibilities in addition to structures. Our model is based on coarse-grained molecular dynamics on the residue level with the energy function biased toward the native binding structure ( the Go model). With our model, the underlying free-energy landscape of the binding can be explored. There are two distinct conformational states at the free-energy minimum, one with partial folding of CBD itself and significant interface binding of CBD to Cdc42, and the other with native folding of CBD itself and native interface binding of CBD to Cdc42. This shows that the binding process proceeds with a significant interface binding of CBD with Cdc42 first, without a complete folding of CBD itself, and that binding and folding are then coupled to reach the native binding state.

A fibrinogen-related protein from bay scallop Argopecten irradians involved in innate immunity as pattern recognition receptor

The family of fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) is a group of proteins with fibrinogen-like domains. Many members of this family play important roles as pattern recognition receptors in innate immune responses. The cDNA of bay scallop Argopecten irradians FREP (designated as AiFREP) was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method based on the expressed sequence tag (EST). The full-length cDNA of AiFREP was of 990 bp. The open reading frame encoded a polypeptide of 251 amino acids, including a signal sequence and a 213 amino acids fibrinogen-like domain. The fibrinogen-like domain of AiFREP was highly similar to those of mammalian ficolins and other FREPs. The temporal expression of AiFREP mRNA in hemolymph was examined by fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR. The mRNA level of scallops challenged by Listonella anguillarum was significantly up-regulated, peaked to 9.39-fold at 9 h after stimulation, then dropped back to 4.37-fold at 12 h, while there was no significant change in the Micrococcus luteus challenged group in all periods of treatment. The function of AiFREP was investigated by recombination and expression of the cDNA fragment encoding its mature peptide in Escherichia coli Rosetta gami (DE3). The recombinant AiFREP (rAiFREP) agglutinated chicken erythrocytes and human A, B, O-type erythrocytes. The agglutinating activities were calcium-dependent and could be inhibited by acetyl group-containing carbohydrates. rAiFREP also agglutinated Gram-negative bacteria E. coli JM109, L anguillarum and Gram-positive bacteria M. luteus in the presence of calcium ions. These results collectively suggested that AiFREP functions as a pattern recognition receptor in the immune response of bay scallop and contributed to nonself recognition in invertebrates, which would also provide clues for elucidating the evolution of the lectin pathway of the complement system. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular evolution of CXCR1, a G protein-coupled receptor involved in signal transduction of neutrophils

Human neutrophils are a type of white blood cell, which forms an early line of defense against bacterial infections. Neutrophils are highly responsive to the chemokine, interleukin-8 (IL-8) due to the abundant distribution of CXCR1, one of the IL-8 receptors on the neutrophil cell surface. As a member of the GPCR family, CXCR1 plays a crucial role in the IL-8 signal transduction pathway in neutrophils. We sequenced the complete coding region of the CXCR1 gene in worldwide human populations and five representative nonhuman primate species. Our results indicate accelerated protein evolution in the human lineage, which was likely caused by Darwinian positive selection. The sliding window analysis and the codon-based neutrality test identified signatures of positive selection at the N-terminal ligand/receptor recognition domain of human CXCR1.

Purification and cloning of a novel C-type lectin-like protein with platelet aggregation activity from Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus venom

TMVA, a novel C-type lectin-like protein that induces platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner, was purified from the venom of Trimeresurus mucrosquamatus. It consists of two subunits, alpha (15,536 Da) and beta (14,873 Da). The mature amino acid sequences of the a (135 amino acids) and beta subunits (123 amino acids) were deduced from cloned cDNAs. Both of the sequences show great similarity to C-type lectin-like venom proteins, including a carbohydrate recognition domain. The cysteine residues of TMVA are conserved at positions corresponding to those of flavocetin-A and convulxin, including the additional Cys135 in the alpha subunit and Cys3 in the beta subunit. SDS-PAGE, mass spectrometry analysis and amino acid sequence showed that native TMVA exists as two convertible multimers Of (alphabeta)(2) and (alphabeta)(4) with molecular weights of 63,680 and 128,518 Da, respectively. The (alphabeta)(2) complex is stabilized by an interchain disulfide bridge between the two alphabeta-heterodimers, whereas the stabilization of the (alphabeta)(4) complex seems to involve non-covalent interactions between the (alphabeta)(2) complexes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

A possible mode of the specific recognition of nucleic acids by proteins

Seven sets of protein target sites, which occur in several gene promoters, have been analyzed. The results suggest that there is a possible mode of specific recognition of double-helical nucleic acids by proteins, This recognition mode is related to a spe

Compensatory growth in the gibel carp following feed deprivation: temporal patterns in growth, nutrient deposition, feed intake and body composition

To investigate the nature of compenstory growth in fish, an 8 week study at 28 degreesC was performed on juvenile gibel carp Carassius auratus gibelio weighing 6.6 g. Fish were starved for 0 (control), 1 (Sl)or 2 (S2) weeks and then re-fed to satiation For 5 weeks. Weekly changes in weight gain, feed intake and body composition were monitored during re-feeding. No significant difference was found in final body weight between the three groups, indicating complete compensation in the deprived fish, The deprived groups caught up in body weight with that of the control after 2 weeks of re-feeding. Body fat:lean body mass ratio was restored to the control level within 1 week of re-feeding. In the re-feeding period, weekly gains in body weight, protein. lipid, ash and energy in the S1 group were significantly higher than in the controls for 1 week. For the S2 group, weekly gains in body weight. lipid. ash and energy were higher than in the controls for 2 weeks, and gain in protein was higher than in the controls for 3 weeks, though gain in body energy became elevated again during the last 2 weeks of the experiment. Feed intake remained higher than the control level for 3 weeks in the S1 group and 3 weeks in the SZ group. Growth efficiency was not significantly different among the three groups in any of the weeks during re-feeding. Compensatory responses in growth and especially feed intake tended to last longer than the recovery of body composition. (C) 2001 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Biologically Inspired Tensor Features

According to the research results reported in the past decades, it is well acknowledged that face recognition is not a trivial task. With the development of electronic devices, we are gradually revealing the secret of object recognition in the primate's visual cortex. Therefore, it is time to reconsider face recognition by using biologically inspired features. In this paper, we represent face images by utilizing the C1 units, which correspond to complex cells in the visual cortex, and pool over S1 units by using a maximum operation to reserve only the maximum response of each local area of S1 units. The new representation is termed C1 Face. Because C1 Face is naturally a third-order tensor (or a three dimensional array), we propose three-way discriminative locality alignment (TWDLA), an extension of the discriminative locality alignment, which is a top-level discriminate manifold learning-based subspace learning algorithm. TWDLA has the following advantages: (1) it takes third-order tensors as input directly so the structure information can be well preserved; (2) it models the local geometry over every modality of the input tensors so the spatial relations of input tensors within a class can be preserved; (3) it maximizes the margin between a tensor and tensors from other classes over each modality so it performs well for recognition tasks and (4) it has no under sampling problem. Extensive experiments on YALE and FERET datasets show (1) the proposed C1Face representation can better represent face images than raw pixels and (2) TWDLA can duly preserve both the local geometry and the discriminative information over every modality for recognition.