The ORF YNL274c (GOR1) codes for glyoxylate reductase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The enzyme glyoxylate reductase reversibly reduces glyoxylate to glycolate, or alternatively hydroxypyruvate to D-glycerate, using either NADPH or NADH as a co-factor. The enzyme has multiple metabolic roles in different organisms. In this paper we show that GOR1 (ORF YNL274c) encodes a glyoxylate reductase and not a hydroxyisocaproate dehydrogenase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, even though it also has minor activity on alpha-ketoisocaproate. In addition, we show that deletion of the glyoxylate reductase-encoding gene leads to higher biomass concentration after diauxic shift.     

C4ST-1在大肠杆菌中的可溶性表达

软骨素-4-O-硫酸转移酶-1 (Chondroitin-4-O-sulfotransferase-1,C4ST-1,EC 2.8.2.5)催化软骨素N-乙酰半乳糖胺(N-Acetylgalactosamine,GalNAc)4号位羟基硫酸化生成硫酸软骨素A(chondroitin sulfate A,CSA)。C4ST-1含3对二硫键,在Escherichia coli细胞质内二硫键难以正确形成,故在E. coli中表达时主要以包涵体形式存在。为提高胞内可溶性蛋白质的表达水平,共表达了催化二硫键从头形成的巯基氧化酶(Erv1p)或/和促进二硫键正确折叠的二硫键异构酶(DsbC)。结果表明共表达DsbC可使C4ST-1融合蛋白的胞内可溶性表达水平显著提高,但C4ST-1和Erv1p共表达对胞内可溶性蛋白质的表达影响相对较小。C4ST-1和Erv1p或C4ST-1和DsbC共表达菌株的酶活分别为原始菌株的1.30和2.33倍,活力达到(12.32±0.76) U/L和(21.99±0.42) U/L。挑取同时共表达C4ST-1、Erv1p和DsbC的菌株进行摇瓶水平和3 L发酵罐放大培养,酶活分别达到(29.12±0.66) U/L和49.97 U/L。本研究为C4ST-1的大规模应用奠定了一定的基础。     

A Possible Role for HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors and Its Association with HMGCR Genetic Variation in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease characterised by both motor- and non-motor symptoms, including cognitive impairment. The aetiopathogenesis of PD, as well as its protective and susceptibility factors, are still elusive. Neuroprotective effects of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors—statins—via both cholesterol-dependent and independent mechanisms have been shown in animal and cell culture models. However, the available data provide conflicting results on the role of statin treatment in PD patients. Moreover, cholesterol is a vital component for brain functions and may be considered as protective against PD. We present possible statin effects on PD under the hypothesis that they may depend on the HMG-CoA reductase gene (HMGCR) variability, such as haplotype 7, which was shown to affect cholesterol synthesis and statin treatment outcome, diminishing possible neuroprotection associated with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors administration. Statins are among the most prescribed groups of drugs. Thus, it seems important to review the available data in the context of their possible neuroprotective effects in PD, and the HMG-CoA reductase gene’s genetic variability.     

Nitrogen removal characteristics of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification by Alcaligenes faecalis C16

Alcaligenes faecalis C16 was found to have the ability to heterotrophically nitrify and aerobical y denitrify. In order to further understand its nitrogen removal ability and mechanism, the growth and ammonium removal response were investigated at different C/N ratios and ammonium concentrations in the medium with citrate and acetate as carbon source separately. Furthermore, experiments of nitrogen sources, production of nitrogen gas and enzyme assay were conducted. Results show that the bacterium converts NH4+-N and produces NH2OH during the growing phase and nitrite accumulation is its distinct metabolic feature. A. faecalis C16 is able to tolerate not only high ammonium concentration but also high C/N ratio, and the ammonium tolerance is associated with carbon source and C/N ratio. The nitrogen balance under different conditions shows that approximately 28%–45%of the initial ammonium is assimilated into the cells, 44%–60%is denitrified and several percent is converted to nitrification products. A. faecalis C16 cannot utilize hydroxylamine, nitrite or nitrate as the sole nitrogen source for growth. However, nitrate can be used when ammonium is simultaneously present in the medium. A possible pathway for nitrogen removal by C16 is suggested. The preliminary enzyme assay provides more evidence for this nitrogen removal pathway.     

转木糖还原酶基因XYL1酿酒酵母的构建及产木糖醇能力研究

将人工合成的树干毕赤酵母（Pichia stipitis）的木糖还原酶基因XYL1插入酿酒酵母（Saccharomyces cerevisiae）表达载体pYES2中,然后将重组质粒pYES2-XYL1导入酿酒酵母INVSc1中,构建转木糖还原酶基因XYL1酿酒酵母菌株INVSc1/pYES2-XYL1,最后采用营养缺陷培养基筛选转木糖还原酶基因酿酒酵母并对其产木糖醇的能力进行检测。结果表明,成功获得2株转木糖还原酶基因XYL1酿酒酵母菌株INVSc1/pYES2-XYL1-01、INVSc1/pYES2-XYL1-02,当两菌株以50 g/L木糖及10 g/L半乳糖为碳源发酵5 d后,木糖醇产量分别高达（13.68±2.37）g/L、（12.09±1.45）g/L,显著高于非转基因酿酒酵母INVSc1的木糖醇产量（1.08±0.37）g/L（P＜0.05）,说明XYL1基因的导入显著提高了酿酒酵母INVSc1生产木糖醇的能力（P＜0.05）。为采用基因工程酿酒酵母制备食用木糖醇提供了理论及技术基础。     

叶酸代谢抑制剂对小鼠骨髓基质细胞增殖和分化的影响

采用四甲基偶氮唑蓝（methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium,MTT）法、细胞形态分析法及诱导分化法结合油红O染色法研究叶酸代谢中二氢叶酸还原酶抑制剂甲氨喋呤（methotrexate,MTX）、甲氨苄啶（trimethoprim,TMP）和乙胺嘧啶（pyrimethamine,PTM）对OP9小鼠骨髓基质细胞增殖和分化的影响,探讨叶酸代谢与脂质合成的关系。MTT实验结果显示,在一定浓度范围内,3 种叶酸抑制剂均能抑制OP9细胞增殖,并呈现一定的剂量-效应依赖关系。且3 种叶酸抑制剂在高浓度时对OP9细胞有毒性作用。倒置显微镜观察和油红O染色检测结果显示,TMP在500～1 000 μmol/L浓度范围内对OP9细胞分化为脂肪细胞具有抑制作用。荧光定量聚合酶链式反应分析表明,TMP会使叶酸代谢途径中二氢叶酸还原酶和亚甲基四氢叶酸脱氢酶的转录水平发生下调,这可能是TMP抑制脂肪细胞诱导分化的原因。     

Ene Reductase‐Catalysed Synthesis of (R)‐Profen Derivatives

Enantiomerically pure (R)‐profen derivatives and intermediates are synthesised utilising the enzyme YqjM, an ene reductase from Bacillus subtilis. After optimisation of the reaction conditions, the chemoenzymatic approach was applied for the first time in the synthesis of (R)‐flurbiprofen methyl ester.     

具有非对映选择性还原6-氰基-（5R）-羟基-3-羰基己酸叔丁酯活性的微生物菌株筛选与鉴定

6-氰基-（3R,5R）-二羟基已酸叔丁酯是合成阿托伐他汀钙的关键手性前体。从自然环境中筛选得到-株具有非对映选择性还原6·氰基-（5R）-羟基-3-羰基已酸叔丁酯活性的茵株X25,结合表型特征、生理生化特征和分子遗传学鉴定,确定茵株X25属于季也蒙毕赤酵母（Pichiaguilliermondii）。研究了P．guilliermondliX25静息细胞非对映选择性还原6-氰基-（5R）-羟基-3-羰基己酸叔丁酯制备6-氰基-（3R,5R）-二羟基己酸叔丁酯过程。结果表明,最佳催化条件为35℃、pH值7．0;在低底物转化率时,能够制备光学纯6-氰基-（3R,5R）-二羟基己酸叔丁酯。