Stability and molecular modeling of triplex DNA inhibiting DNA binding protein binding to the core promoter of hepatitis B virus.

Two three-dimensional structure models of the 21nt oligodeoxyribonucleotides, CPI (G3TG-2TGT2G5TG2TGT) and CP3 (TGTG2TGST2GTG2TG3), were constructed by InsightII (MSI) software in IRIS Indigo2 (SGI) workstation using the crystal structure of TAT tripler formation as the template. The initial structures subsequently were minimized by molecular mechanics. The final structures were believed as the dominant conformation. The results showed that the energy of CP1 is lower than that of CP3, and the former is more stable than the latter. Moreover, the results further proved that the 21nt oligodeoxyribo-nucleotide CP1 stably combines with the core promoter (Cp) fragment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to form a tripler DNA, and CP1 specifically inhibits a specific cellular factor (DNA binding protein) binding to Cp fragment. These results indicated that specific repression of gene transcription of HBV DNA might be possible by tripler-formation DNA.

Molecular characterization and expression pattern of fetuin-B in gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)

Fetuin-B has recently been cloned and identified from rats, mice, and humans; their expression patterns, however, have not been elucidated yet. In this study, Cagfetuin-B has been cloned in gibel carp. RT-PCR and Western blot detection revealed that Cagfetuin-B is first transcribed from the blastula stage and at a relatively stable level afterward during embryogenesis and the larval stage. Cagfetuin-B transcripts are predominantly distributed over the yolk syncytial layer in the early embryos and later restricted to the cells of liver and brain in newly hatched larvae. Moreover, a dynamic distribution of Cagfetuin-B protein was observed in brain, kidney, liver, and skin during morphogenesis. In adult fish, Cagfetuin-B transcripts are restricted in liver and ovary. Our work, for the first time, revealed the extra-hepatic transcription and a dynamic distribution of fetuin-B during embryogenesis and in adults, which indicates the potential roles of fetuin-B in fish organogenesis.

Sequence analysis of cytochrome b gene indicates that East Asian group of cyprinid subfamily Leuciscinae (Teleostei : Cyprinidae) evolved independently

The sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of cyprinid subfamily Leuciscinae are analyzed. Phylogenetic trees generated with methods of neighbor-joining, maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony with Phenacogrammus as an outgroup indicate that Leuciscinae is not a monophyletic group but includes two discrete subgroups. The East Asian group of the subfamily Leuciscinae, including the genera Ctenopharyngodon, Elopichthys, Luciobrama, Mylopharyngodon, Ochetobius, and Squaliobarbus, is close to Aristichthys and Hypophthalmichthys, and they form a monophyletic group which is distant from the leuciscine genera in Europe, Siberia and North America, such as Phoxinus, Leuciscus, Abramis, Rutilus, Chondrostoma, Alburnus, Opsopoedus, Lythrurus, and Pimephales. Our study suggests that the diversified East Asian group of the subfamily Leuciscinae should have an independent origination.

Molecular systematics of Xenocyprinae (Teleostei : Cyprinidae): Taxonomy, biogeography, and coevolution of a special group restricted in east Asia

We surveyed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variation in the subfamily Xenocyprinae from China and used these data to estimate intraspecific, interspecific, and intergeneric phylogeny and assess biogeographic scenarios underlying the geographic structure of lineages. We sequenced 1140 bp of cytochrome b from 30 individuals of Xenocyprinae and one putative outgroup (Myxocypris asiaticus) and also sequenced 297 bp of ND4L, 1380 bp of ND4, 68 bp of tRNA(His), and 69 bp of tRNA(Ser) from 17 individuals of Xenocyprinae and the outgroup (M. asiaticus). We detected high levels of nucleotide variation among populations, species, and genera. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that Distoechodon hupeinensis might be transferred to the genus Xenocypris, the taxonomic status of the genus Plagiognathops might be preserved, and species of Xenocypris and Plagiognathops form a monophyletic group that is sister to the genus Distoechodon and Pseudobrama. The introgressive hybridization might occur among the populations of X. argentea and X. davidi, causing the two species to not be separated by mtDNA patterns according to their species identification, and the process and direction of hybridization are discussed. The spatial distributions of mtDNA lineages among populations of Xenocypris were compatible with the major geographic region, which indicated that the relationship between Hubei + Hunan and Fujian is closer than that between Hubei + Hunan and Sichuan, From a perspective of parasite investigation, our data suggested that the fauna of Hexamita in Xenocyprinae could be used to infer the phylogeny of their hosts. (C) 2001 Academic Press.

Study of n=2, Delta n=0 transition of Be-, B-, C-, N- and O-like sequence in the beam-foil spectrum of titanium

The foil-excited the spectrum of highly stripped titanium ions between 12-40 nm has been studied. Titanium ions of 80 and 120 MeV were provided by the HI-13 tandem accelerator at the China Institute of Atomic Energy. GIM-957 XUV-VUV monochromator was refocused to get highly-resolved spectra. Our experimental results and the published spectral data of laser-produced plasma show agreement in nearly all cases within +/- 0.03 nm. The spectra contained some weak or strong lines previously unclassified. These spectral lines mainly belong to 2s2p(2) for TiXVIII, 2p(3) for TiXVIII, 2s2p(3) for TiXVII, 2p(6)4p for Ti XII and 2p(6)3d for Ti XII transitions.

Crystal Growth Transition from Flat-On to Edge-On Induced by Solvent Evaporation in Ultrathin Films of Polystyrene-b-Poly(ethylene oxide)

The transition of lamellar crystal orientation from flat-on to edge-on in ultrathin films of polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) via solvent vapor (toluene) treatment Was investigated. When the as-prepared film was treated in saturated solvent vapor, breakout crystals could form quickly, and then they transformed from square single crystals (flat-on lamellae) to dendrites and finally to nanowire crystals (edge-on lamellae). Initially, heterogeneous nucleation tit the polymer/substrate interface dominated the structure evolution, leading to flat-on lamellar crystals orientation. And the transition from faceted habits to dendrites indicated a transition of underlying mechanism from nucleation-controlled to diffusion-limited growth. As the solvent molecules gradually diffused into the polymer/substrate interface, it will subsequently weaken the polymer-substrate interaction.

Electropolymerization of azure B on a screen-printed carbon electrode and its application to the determination of NADH in a flow injection analysis system

The electrooxidation polymerization of azure B on screen-printed carbon electrodes in neutral phosphate buffer was studied. The poly(azure B) modified electrodes exhibited excellent electrocatalysis and stability for dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidation in phosphate buffer (pH 6.9), with an overpotential of more than 400 mV lower than that at the bare electrodes. Different techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have been employed to characterize the poly (azure B) film. Furthermore, the modified screen-printed carbon electrodes were found to be promising as an amperometric detector for the flow injection analysis (FIA) of NADH, typically with a dynamic range of 0.5 muM to 100 muM.

Selective separation of yttrium by CA-100 in the presence of a complexing agent

The selective separation of Y from yttrium solution containing small heavy rare earth (HRE) impurities (Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) by liquid-liquid extraction using CA-100 in the presence of a water-soluble complexing agent of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was experimentally studied at 298K. Experiments were carried Out in two feeds, Feed-I: [RE](f) = 4.94 x 10(-3) M, Y = 98.5%, HRE (Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) = 1.5%; Feed-II: [RE](f) = 4.94 x 10(-3) M, Y = 99.9%, HRE (Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) = 0.1%, as a function of equilibrium pH (pH(eq)), the concentration ratio of [EDTA]:[HRE impurities]. It was shown that the extraction of HRE in the presence of EDTA was suppressed when compared to that of Y because of the masking effect, while the selective extraction of Y was enhanced and the separation factors increased to maximum at appropriate condition for Feed-I: Y/Ho = 1.53, Y/Er = 3.09, Y/Tm = 5.61, Y/Yb = 12.04, Y/Lu = 27.51 at pH 4.37 and [EDTA]:[HRE impurities] = 4: 1, for Feed-II: Y/Ho = 1.32, Y/Er = 1.91, Y/Tm = 2.00, Y/Yb = 3.05, Y/Lu = 3.33 at pH 4.42 and [EDTA]: [HRE impurities] = 8:1. The separation and purification of Y by this method was discussed.

Ion channel behavior of amphotericin B in sterol-free and cholesterol- or ergosterol-containing supported phosphatidylcholine bilayer model membranes investigated by electrochemistry and spectroscopy

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a popular drug frequently applied in the treatment of systemic fungal infections. In the presence of ruthenium (II) as the maker ion, the behavior of AmB to form ion channels in sterol-free and cholesterol- or ergosterol-containing supported phosphatidylcholine bilayer model membranes were studied by cyclic votammetry, AC impedance spectroscopy, and UV/visible absorbance spectroscopy. Different concentrations of AmB ranging from a molecularly dispersed to a highly aggregated state of the drug were investigated. In a fixed cholesterol or ergosterol content (5 mol %) in glassy carbon electrode-supported model membranes, our results showed that no matter what form of AmB, monomeric or aggregated, AmB could form ion channels in supported ergosterol-containing phosphatidylcholine bilayer model membranes. However, AmB could not form ion channels in its monomeric form in sterol-free and cholesterol-containing supported model membranes. On the one hand, when AmB is present as an aggregated state, it can form ion channels in cholesterol-containing supported model membranes; on the other hand, only when AmB is present as a relatively highly aggregated state can it form ion channels in sterol-free supported phosphatidylcholine bilayer model membranes. The results showed that the state of AmB played an important role in forming ion channels in sterol-free and cholesterol-containing supported phosphatidylcholine bilayer model membranes.

Preparation and characterization of PSt-b-PHEMA metal hybrids

The block copolymer polystyrene-b-poly[2-(trimethylsilyloxy)ethylene methacrylate] (PSt-b-PTMSEMA) was synthesized using atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The hydrolysis of PSt-b-PTMSEMA led to the formation of an amphiphilic block copolymer, polystyrene-b-poly(2-hydroxylethyl methacrylate) (PSt-b-PHEMA), which was characterized by GPC and H-1-NMR. TEM showed that the PSt-b-PHEMA formed a micelle, which is PSt as the core and PHEMA as the shell. Under appropriate conditions, the nickel or cobalt ion cause chemical reactions in these micelles and could be reduced easily. ESCA analysis showed that before reduction the metal existed as a hydroxide; after reduction, the metal existed as an oxide, and the metal content of these materials on the surface is more than that on the surface of the copolymer metal ion. XRD analysis showed that the metal existed as a hydroxide before reduction and existed as a metal after reduction.

Circular dichroism spectro electrochemical and voltammetric studies of vitamin B-2

Electroreduction of vitamin B-2 (VB2) was studied by in situ circular dichroism (CD) spectroelectrochemistry (SEC) with a long optical path length thin layer cell (LOPLTLC). The results showed that the electroreduction of VB2 in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) (PH 6.8) was a two-electron electrochemical process with weak adsorption of the reactant at the glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface. The CD spectra change of VB2 in the reduction process was explained with the theory of electronic states. We also treated the CD spectra with a singular value decomposition least square (SVDLS) method, and have found not only the number of components and their spectra, but also the fraction distribution of each component in the electroreduction process of VB2.