Effects of Combining Biofactors on Bioenergetic Parameters,Aβ Levels and Survival in Alzheimer Model Organisms

Increased amyloid beta (Aβ) levels and mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) in the human brain characterize Alzheimer disease (AD). Folic acid, magnesium and vitamin B6 are essential micro-nutrients that may provide neuroprotection. Bioenergetic parameters and amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing products were investigated in vitro in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y-APP695 cells, expressing neuronal APP, and in vivo, in the invertebrate Caenorhabditis elegans (CL2006 & GMC101) expressing muscular APP. Model organisms were incubated with either folic acid and magnesium-orotate (ID63) or folic acid, magnesium-orotate and vitamin B6 (ID64) in different concentrations. ID63 and ID64 reduced Aβ, soluble alpha APP (sAPPα), and lactate levels in SH-SY5Y-APP695 cells. The latter might be explained by enhanced expression of lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA). Micronutrient combinations had no effects on mitochondrial parameters in SH-SY5Y-APP695 cells. ID64 showed a significant life-prolonging effect in C. elegans CL2006. Incubation of GMC101 with ID63 significantly lowered Aβ aggregation. Both combinations significantly reduced paralysis and thus improved the phenotype in GMC101. Thus, the combinations of the tested biofactors are effective in pre-clinical models of AD by interfering with Aβ related pathways and glycolysis.     

Assembly of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Gelsemium elegans Revealed the Existence of Homologous Conformations Generated by a Repeat Mediated Recombination

Gelsemium elegans (G. elegans) is a Chinese medicinal plant with substantial economic and feeding values. There is a lack of detailed studies on the mitochondrial genome of G. elegans. In this study, the mitochondrial genome of G. elegans was sequenced and assembled, and its substructure was investigated. The mitochondrial genome of G. elegans is represented by two circular chromosomes of 406,009 bp in length with 33 annotated protein-coding genes, 15 tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes. We detected 145 pairs of repeats and found that four pairs of repeats could mediate the homologous recombination into one major conformation and five minor conformations, and the presence of conformations was verified by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. A total of 124 SSRs were identified in the G. elegans mitochondrial genome. The homologous segments between the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes accounted for 5.85% of the mitochondrial genome. We also predicted 477 RNA potential editing sites and found that the nad4 gene was edited 38 times, which was the most frequent occurrence. Taken together, the mitochondrial genome of G. elegans was assembled and annotated. We gained a more comprehensive understanding on the genome of this medicinal plant, which is vital for its effective utilization and genetic improvement, especially for cytoplasmic male sterility breeding and evolution analysis in G. elegans.     

Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Alpha-1 Modulates Lifespan and Oxidative Stress Tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Altered metabolism is a hallmark of aging. The tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) is an essential metabolic pathway and plays an important role in lifespan regulation. Supplementation of α-ketoglutarate, a metabolite converted by isocitrate dehydrogenase alpha-1 (idha-1) in the TCA cycle, increases lifespan in C. elegans. However, whether idha-1 can regulate lifespan in C. elegans remains unknown. Here, we reported that the expression of idha-1 modulates lifespan and oxidative stress tolerance in C. elegans. Transgenic overexpression of idha-1 extends lifespan, increases the levels of NADPH/NADP⁺ ratio, and elevates the tolerance to oxidative stress. Conversely, RNAi knockdown of idha-1 exhibits the opposite effects. In addition, the longevity of eat-2 (ad1116) mutant via dietary restriction (DR) was reduced by idha-1 knockdown, indicating that idha-1 may play a role in DR-mediated longevity. Furthermore, idha-1 mediated lifespan may depend on the target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling. Moreover, the phosphorylation levels of S6 kinase (p-S6K) inversely correlate with idha-1 expression, supporting that the idha-1-mediated lifespan regulation may involve the TOR signaling pathway. Together, our data provide new insights into the understanding of idha-1 new function in lifespan regulation probably via DR and TOR signaling and in oxidative stress tolerance in C. elegans.     

雅致放射毛霉添加量对牦牛霉菌奶酪品质的影响

研究毛霉添加量对牦牛霉菌奶酪品质的影响,确定最佳添加量及发酵时间。采用单因素实验设计,固定其他工艺参数,研究雅致放射毛霉的不同添加量(质量比:0.2%、0.3%、0.4%),测定成熟过程中奶酪的性能指标(感官评分、质构指标、营养成分、pH、蛋白质与脂肪分解指标)。结果表明:毛霉添加量为0.3%,奶酪品质及感官指标最佳;随着毛霉添加量增加,水分、蛋白质、脂肪含量、pH均呈下降趋势,灰分呈上升趋势。成熟至第6 d时,牦牛霉菌奶酪感官指标最佳;随成熟时间延长,pH4.6醋酸盐缓冲液可溶性氮含量、12%三氯乙酸可溶性氮含量、硫代巴比妥酸值、酸价不断升高。因此,发酵剂添加量0.3%,发酵6 d时,牦牛霉菌奶酪品质最佳。      

花生四烯酸对秀丽隐杆线虫紫外辐射损伤的修复作用

为探究花生四烯酸(arachidonic acid,AA)对机体紫外辐射(UVR)损伤的修复作用,建立了秀丽隐杆线虫的UVR损伤模型,考察了AA对UVR后秀丽隐杆线虫寿命、运动能力、产卵能力及体内活性氧(ROS)水平的影响。结果表明,7 MJ/cm²剂量UVR损伤的秀丽隐杆线虫经AA干预处理后,能提高秀丽隐杆线虫的寿命、运动和产卵能力,在AA浓度为50 μmol/L时效果最佳,其运动和产卵能力分别较对照组提高了63.6%和96.6%,且在该浓度下能显著降低体内ROS水平(p<0.05)。即AA对UVR损伤后的秀丽隐杆线虫具有一定的修复作用。研究结果为AA在抗紫外辐射功能性食品或药品的研发提供了理论依据。     

雅脊金小蜂在储粮害虫防治中的研究与应用进展

雅脊金小蜂Theocolax elegans (Westwood)是一种体外寄生蜂,世代周期较短,繁殖速度快,寄主多为鞘翅目隐蔽性害虫和鳞翅目害虫,对于防治储粮害虫具有较大的应用潜力。本文对雅脊金小蜂生物学特性、控害能力、大量扩繁及其影响因素、雅脊金小蜂与现有储粮害虫防治技术联合使用等进行综述,重点概述了雅脊金小蜂的寄主定位机制、长翅型雌蜂的繁殖能力以及对寄主的控害能力,总结了温度、粮食品种、寄主种类和共生微生物对雅脊金小蜂的影响,并对雅脊金小蜂在实际应用中的不足进行了讨论,以期为今后开展利用雅脊金小蜂对储粮害虫高效生物防治有所裨益。     

Laser microbeam studies of role of amphid receptors in chemosensory behavior of nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans

Amphid sensilla, historically considered the primary chemosensory structures of nematodes, were found to be necessary for the detection of only one of the six chemical stimuli that were tested. Only the attraction to cAMP was eliminated by damaging the two lateral lips, which bear the amphid sensilla. The inner labial sensilla, one of which occurs on each of the six lips, are probably the primary receptor structures for the other chemical stimuli. Damaging all six lips, which should destroy all anterior chemosensory input, not only eliminted the attraction to sodium and chloride ions, but reversed the nematodes' response to them. Nematodes with all six lips destroyed showed reversal behavior when exposed to these attractants. Nematodes with damage to all six lips appeared to recover much of their normal chemosensory function within 24 hr after treatment.     

Re-evaluation of differential phase contrast (DPC) in a scanning laser microscope using a split detector as an alternative to differential interference contrast (DIC) optics

In this paper, differential phase imaging (DPC) with transmitted light is implemented by adding a suitable detection system to a standard commercially available scanning confocal microscope. DPC, a long‐established method in scanning optical microscopy, depends on detecting the intensity difference between opposite halves or quadrants of a split photodiode detector placed in an aperture plane. Here, DPC is compared with scanned differential interference contrast (DIC) using a variety of biological specimens and objective lenses of high numerical aperture. While DPC and DIC images are generally similar, DPC seems to have a greater depth of field. DPC has several advantages over DIC. These include low cost (no polarizing or strain‐free optics are required), absence of a double scanning spot, electronically variable direction of shading and the ability to image specimens in plastic dishes where birefringence prevents the use of DIC. DPC is also here found to need 20 times less laser power at the specimen than DIC.