Screening and Identification of Candidate GUN1-Interacting Proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana

Chloroplasts are semi-autonomous organelles governed by the precise coordination between the genomes of their own and the nucleus for functioning correctly in response to developmental and environmental cues. Under stressed conditions, various plastid-to-nucleus retrograde signals are generated to regulate the expression of a large number of nuclear genes for acclimation. Among these retrograde signaling pathways, the chloroplast protein GENOMES UNCOUPLED 1 (GUN1) is the first component identified. However, in addition to integrating aberrant physiological signals when chloroplasts are challenged by stresses such as photooxidative damage or the inhibition of plastid gene expression, GUN1 was also found to regulate other developmental processes such as flowering. Several partner proteins have been found to interact with GUN1 and facilitate its different regulatory functions. In this study, we report 15 possible interacting proteins identified through yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening, among which 11 showed positive interactions by pair-wise Y2H assay. Through the bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay in Arabidopsis protoplasts, two candidate proteins with chloroplast localization, DJC31 and HCF145, were confirmed to interact with GUN1 in planta. Genes for these GUN1-interacting proteins showed different fluctuations in the WT and gun1 mutant under norflurazon and lincomycin treatments. Our results provide novel clues for a better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying GUN1-mediated regulations.     

Exploring the Contribution of Autophagy to the Excess-Sucrose Response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Autophagy is an essential intracellular eukaryotic recycling mechanism, functioning in, among others, carbon starvation. Surprisingly, although autophagy-deficient plants (atg mutants) are hypersensitive to carbon starvation, metabolic analysis revealed that they accumulate sugars under such conditions. In plants, sugars serve as both an energy source and as signaling molecules, affecting many developmental processes, including root and shoot formation. We thus set out to understand the interplay between autophagy and sucrose excess, comparing wild-type and atg mutant seedlings. The presented work showed that autophagy contributes to primary root elongation arrest under conditions of exogenous sucrose and glucose excess but not during fructose or mannitol treatment. Minor or no alterations in starch and primary metabolites were observed between atg mutants and wild-type plants, indicating that the sucrose response relates to its signaling and not its metabolic role. Extensive proteomic analysis of roots performed to further understand the mechanism found an accumulation of proteins essential for ROS reduction and auxin maintenance, which are necessary for root elongation, in atg plants under sucrose excess. The analysis also suggested mitochondrial and peroxisomal involvement in the autophagy-mediated sucrose response. This research increases our knowledge of the complex interplay between autophagy and sugar signaling in plants.     

高效液相色谱法定量分析C.I.酸性蓝9隐色体中苯甲醛邻磺酸的含量

本文阐述了C．I．酸性蓝9隐色体中苯甲醛邻磺酸的高效液相色谱定量分析方法,采用Lichrospher C18色谱柱,以甲醇／醋酸／水的体积比率为20：0．2：80为流动相,检测波长为254nm,线性范围量0～0．52mg／mL（r=0.9991）,相对标准偏差为0．28％,回收率为99．01％-100．44％。     

2-R-9-苄基-9H-嘌呤的合成

采用 (Ph3 P) 2 PdCl2 为催化剂 ,DMF为溶剂 ,对 2 碘 9 苄基 9H 嘌呤与有机锡试剂RSnBu3 (R =乙烯基、2 噻吩基、2 呋喃基、苯乙炔基和苯基等 )之间的Stille偶合反应进行了研究 ,合成出 5种 2位取代的嘌呤衍生物。在反应温度为 6 0℃ ,n(2 碘 9 苄基 9H 嘌呤 )∶n(RSnBu3 )∶n〔(Ph3 P) 2 PdCl2 〕 =1 0∶1 2∶0 0 5的较佳工艺条件下 ,产品收率 43%～ 92 %。用1H NMR、13 C NMR和MS对产物进行了表征。     

MMP9 Differentially Regulates Proteins Involved in Actin Polymerization and Cell Migration during TGF-β-Induced EMT in the Lens

Fibrotic cataracts have been attributed to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Using mouse knockout (KO) models, our laboratory has identified MMP9 as a crucial protein in the TGF-β-induced EMT process. In this study, we further revealed an absence of alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) and filamentous-actin (F-actin) stress fibers in MMP9KO mouse lens epithelial cell explants (LECs). Expression analysis using NanoString revealed no marked differences in αSMA (ACTA2) and beta-actin (β-actin) (ACTB) mRNA between the lenses of TGF-β-overexpressing (TGF-βtg) mice and TGF-βtg mice on a MMP9KO background. We subsequently conducted a protein array that revealed differential regulation of proteins known to be involved in actin polymerization and cell migration in TGF-β-treated MMP9KO mouse LECs when compared to untreated controls. Immunofluorescence analyses using rat LECs and the novel MMP9-specific inhibitor, JNJ0966, revealed similar differential regulation of cortactin, FAK, LIMK1 and MLC2 as observed in the array. Finally, a reduction in the nuclear localization of MRTF-A, a master regulator of cytoskeletal remodeling during EMT, was observed in rat LECs co-treated with JNJ0966 and TGF-β. In conclusion, MMP9 deficiency results in differential regulation of proteins involved in actin polymerization and cell migration, and this in turn prevents TGF-β-induced EMT in the lens.     

Ba2Ti9O20高频介质陶瓷结构和介电性能

主要研究了Ba2Ti9O20陶瓷的结构和介电性能.通过在BaCO3、TiO2中添加适量的ZnO、Nb2O5,在12 60℃烧成了介电性能优良的Ba2Ti9O20陶瓷.XRD研究表明,其主晶相为Ba2Ti9O20,附加晶相为Ba2Ti9O9、Ba3Ti12Zn7O34、Ti2Nb 10O29.     

3-溴-9-(2-萘基)-9H-咔唑的合成

以咔唑为原料,通过乌尔曼反应合成了N-(2-萘基)咔唑,然后经溴化反应,合成空穴传输材料中间体3-溴-9-(2-萘基)-9H-咔唑,并对溴化条件进行了初步探索。结果表明,溴化的最佳反应条件为:25℃,24 h,n[N-(2-萘基)咔唑]∶n(四丁基三溴化铵)=1∶1.05,二氯乙烷100 mL。其结构经元素分析、1HNMR和MS确认。     

SrBi2Ta2O9(SBT)铁电陶瓷的制备及性能

用固相反应法合成了SrBi2Ta2O9(简称SBT)粉体，通过冷等静压成型、无压烧结的方法，制备出SBT铁电陶瓷。采用XRD、SEM、EPMA研究了材料的物相和微观组织结构，用阻抗分析仪测试了材料的介电和铁电性能。     

蜂王物质9—氧代2E—癸烯酸的合成进展

综述了蜂王信息素主要成份蜂王物质９—氧代—２Ｅ—癸烯酸合成方法的最新进展。     

Association of MMP-2 and MMP-9 Polymorphisms with Diabetes and Pathogenesis of Diabetic Complications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) affects millions of people around the world, and its complications have serious health consequences. In addition to external factors, the causes of morbidity and increased risk were also sought in the variability of the human genome. A phenomenon that can answer these questions is the occurrence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). They constitute a field for research into genetic determinants responsible for the increase in the risk of the discussed metabolic disease. This article presents the outline of two enzymes: metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2, MMP-9), their biological activity and the effect caused by differences in individual alleles in the population, as well as the reports on the importance of these DNA sequence variations in the occurrence of diabetes mellitus type 2 and associated conditions. The results of the conducted research indicate a relationship between two MMP-2 polymorphisms (rs243865, rs243866) and two MMP-9 polymorphisms (rs3918242, rs17576) and the presence of T2D. This could offer a promising possibility to use them as predictive and diagnostic markers. However, due to the low number of reports, more research is needed to clearly confirm the link between these SNPs and diabetes.     

Relaxor behavior and photocatalytic properties of BaBi2Nb2O9

Lead-free Aurivillius phase BaBi₂Nb₂O₉ powders were prepared by solid-state reaction. Ferroelectric measurements on BaBi₂Nb₂O₉ (BBNO) ceramics at room temperature provided supporting evidence for the existence of polar nanoregions (PNRs) and their reversible response to an external electric field, indicating relaxor behavior. The photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B reached 12% after 3 hours irradiation of BBNO powders under simulated solar light. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles were photochemically deposited onto the surface of the BBNO powders and found to act as electron traps, facilitating the separation of photoexcited charge carriers; thus, the photocatalytic performance was significantly improved. The present study is the first examination of the photochemical reactivity of a relaxor ferroelectric within the Aurivillius family with PNRs.     

Occurrence,Evolution and Specificities of Iron-Sulfur Proteins and Maturation Factors in Chloroplasts from Algae

Iron-containing proteins, including iron-sulfur (Fe-S) proteins, are essential for numerous electron transfer and metabolic reactions. They are present in most subcellular compartments. In plastids, in addition to sustaining the linear and cyclic photosynthetic electron transfer chains, Fe-S proteins participate in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur assimilation, tetrapyrrole and isoprenoid metabolism, and lipoic acid and thiamine synthesis. The synthesis of Fe-S clusters, their trafficking, and their insertion into chloroplastic proteins necessitate the so-called sulfur mobilization (SUF) protein machinery. In the first part, we describe the molecular mechanisms that allow Fe-S cluster synthesis and insertion into acceptor proteins by the SUF machinery and analyze the occurrence of the SUF components in microalgae, focusing in particular on the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In the second part, we describe chloroplastic Fe-S protein-dependent pathways that are specific to Chlamydomonas or for which Chlamydomonas presents specificities compared to terrestrial plants, putting notable emphasis on the contribution of Fe-S proteins to chlorophyll synthesis in the dark and to the fermentative metabolism. The occurrence and evolutionary conservation of these enzymes and pathways have been analyzed in all supergroups of microalgae performing oxygenic photosynthesis.     

PP1, PP2A and PP2B Interplay in the Regulation of Sperm Motility: Lessons from Protein Phosphatase Inhibitors

Male fertility relies on the ability of spermatozoa to fertilize the egg in the female reproductive tract (FRT). Spermatozoa acquire activated motility during epididymal maturation; however, to be capable of fertilization, they must achieve hyperactivated motility in the FRT. Extensive research found that three protein phosphatases (PPs) are crucial to sperm motility regulation, the sperm-specific protein phosphatase type 1 (PP1) isoform gamma 2 (PP1γ2), protein phosphatase type 2A (PP2A) and protein phosphatase type 2B (PP2B). Studies have reported that PP activity decreases during epididymal maturation, whereas protein kinase activity increases, which appears to be a requirement for motility acquisition. An interplay between these PPs has been extensively investigated; however, many specific interactions and some inconsistencies remain to be elucidated. The study of PPs significantly advanced following the identification of naturally occurring toxins, including calyculin A, okadaic acid, cyclosporin, endothall and deltamethrin, which are powerful and specific PP inhibitors. This review aims to overview the protein phosphorylation-dependent biochemical pathways underlying sperm motility acquisition and hyperactivation, followed by a discussion of the PP inhibitors that allowed advances in the current knowledge of these pathways. Since male infertility cases still attain alarming numbers, additional research on the topic is required, particularly using other PP inhibitors.     

裂解C9二段加氢催化剂工业侧线评价

以独山子石化裂解汽油C₉馏分一段加氢产品为原料,模拟工业装置工况,LY-C₉-B与对比催化剂1000 h活性和稳定性试验结果表明：在其它工艺相同条件下,LY-C₉-B入口温度比对比剂低10～15 ℃、床层温升高5 ℃,LY-C₉-B产品溴价明显低于对比剂,LY-C₉-B催化剂脱硫效果比对比催化剂略好,因此LY-C₉-B综合性能明显优于对比剂;同时其加氢产品经切割后,可以作为不同溶剂油使用,具有十分良好的工业应用前景。     

Phosphorylation of SARS-CoV-2 Orf9b Regulates Its Targeting to Two Binding Sites in TOM70 and Recruitment of Hsp90

SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is the causative agent of the COVID19 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes for a small accessory protein termed Orf9b, which targets the mitochondrial outer membrane protein TOM70 in infected cells. TOM70 is involved in a signaling cascade that ultimately leads to the induction of type I interferons (IFN-I). This cascade depends on the recruitment of Hsp90-bound proteins to the N-terminal domain of TOM70. Binding of Orf9b to TOM70 decreases the expression of IFN-I; however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. We show that the binding of Orf9b to TOM70 inhibits the recruitment of Hsp90 and chaperone-associated proteins. We characterized the binding site of Orf9b within the C-terminal domain of TOM70 and found that a serine in position 53 of Orf9b and a glutamate in position 477 of TOM70 are crucial for the association of both proteins. A phosphomimetic variant Orf9b_S53E showed drastically reduced binding to TOM70 and did not inhibit Hsp90 recruitment, suggesting that Orf9b–TOM70 complex formation is regulated by phosphorylation. Eventually, we identified the N-terminal TPR domain of TOM70 as a second binding site for Orf9b, which indicates a so far unobserved contribution of chaperones in the mitochondrial targeting of the viral protein.