Analysis of the Structure and Biosynthesis of the Lipopolysaccharide Core Oligosaccharide of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the major component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, is important for bacterial viability in general and host–pathogen interactions in particular. Negative charges at its core oligosaccharide (core-OS) contribute to membrane integrity through bridging interactions with divalent cations. The molecular structure and synthesis of the core-OS have been resolved in various bacteria including the mammalian pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A few core-OS structures of plant-associated Pseudomonas strains have been solved to date, but the genetic components of the underlying biosynthesis remained unclear. We conducted a comparative genome analysis of the core-OS gene cluster in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000, a widely used model pathogen in plant–microbe interactions, within the P. syringae species complex and to other plant-associated Pseudomonas strains. Our results suggest a genetic and structural conservation of the inner core-OS but variation in outer core-OS composition within the P. syringae species complex. Structural analysis of the core-OS of Pst DC3000 shows an uncommonly high phosphorylation and presence of an O-acetylated sugar. Finally, we combined the results of our genomic survey with available structure information to estimate the core-OS composition of other Pseudomonas species.     

牛蒡寡糖对黄瓜幼苗诱导抗病性的研究

利用浓度为1．0mg／ml、3．0mg／ml、5．0mg／ml、8．0mg／ml和10．0mg／ml的牛蒡寡糖对黄瓜幼苗离体诱导3d，并用5．0mg／ml的牛蒡寡糖对黄瓜幼苗离体诱导1～6d后，测定与抗病相关的防御酶活性；利用5．0mg／ml的牛蒡寡糖诱导黄瓜幼苗第1真叶3d后接种白粉病菌，调查黄瓜植株的病情指数。结果表明，与对照组相比，不同浓度的牛蒡寡糖对黄瓜幼苗均有诱导作用，能显著提高被处理叶片PAL、POD、PPO、SOD、CAT和壳多糖酶的活性，不同的酶活性达到最高水平时的诱导浓度略有差异。几种酶活性随诱导的时间进程呈现不同水平的动态变化趋势，其中POD活性的提高幅度最大，且一直呈上升趋势。第1真叶的处理组较对照组病情指数降低11．91％，同株未诱导的第2真叶处理组较对照组降低27．42％，说明牛蒡寡糖诱导了黄瓜幼苗对白粉病的系统抗性。     

The Peculiar Structure of Acetobacter pasteurianus CIP103108 LPS Core Oligosaccharide

Acetobacter pasteurianus, a member of the Alphaproteobacteria, is an acetic acid-producing bacterium present on sugar-rich substrates such as such as fruits, flowers and vegetables and traditionally used in the production of fermented food. The preferred living habitat associated with acid conditions makes the structure of the bacterial cell wall interesting to study, due to expected uncommon features. We have used a combination of chemical, analytical and NMR spectroscopy approaches to define the complete structure of the core oligosaccharide from A. pasteurianus CIP103108 LPS. Interestingly, the core oligosaccharide displays a high concentration of negatively charged groups, structural features that might contribute to reinforcing the bacterial membrane.     

Redirecting Killer T Cells through Incorporation of Azido Sugars for Tethering Ligands

The genetic expression of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) on the surfaces of T cells enables the redirection of T cell specificity. To enhance the versatility of T cells as tumor-specific killers, we developed a nongenetic approach by which azide-containing sialic acids were metabolically incorporated into T cells to modify cellular sialyl glycans. After successful display of these moieties on the T cells, small-molecule ligands such as RGD and folate (as proof-of-concept, rather than supersized antibodies) were clicked orthogonally, leading to highly selective time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity to integrin α_vβ₃- and folate-receptor-positive cells, respectively. This chemical approach provides a facile platform for rational design of tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells for targeted immunotherapy.     

壳寡糖通过调控SOCS3/STAT3信号通路改善LPS诱导的小鼠神经炎症

目的 探讨壳寡糖(Chitosan oligosaccharide ,COS)对脂多糖(Lipopolysaccharide ,LPS)诱导小鼠神经炎症的改善作用及机制。方法 通过对10周龄C57BL/6N小鼠腹腔注射LPS建立神经炎症模型。动物随机分为5组,分别是：对照(CON)组、LPS组、LPS+COS低剂量(LPS+COS 50 mg/kg)组、LPS+COS中剂量(LPS+COS 100 mg/kg)组、LPS+COS高剂量(LPS+COS 200 mg/kg)组。LPS注射完毕后进行旷场实验、新物体识别、Morris水迷宫等行为学实验。处死动物后,收集脑组织,ELISA分析脑内促炎因子白细胞介素-2(IL-2)、IL-6、IL-1β、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)和抗炎因子IL-4、IL-10的表达;Western blot分析脑内信号传导及转录激活蛋白(STAT3)、细胞因子信号抑制物(SOCS3)蛋白的表达水平。结果 行为学实验结果表明,COS可以改善LPS诱发的小鼠认知障碍下降等表现。ELISA结果表明,LPS组小鼠的促炎细胞因子的释放量显著增加,抗炎细胞因子的释放量显著降低;而COS灌胃可逆转这一变化趋势。Western blot结果提示,与CON组相比,LPS的STAT3磷酸化水平显著升高,同时也促进SOCS3的蛋白表达升高;而COS则显著下调这两个蛋白的表达。结论 COS可能通过抑制SOCS3/STAT3信号通路改善LPS引起的小鼠神经炎症。     

微波-过氧化氢协同降黏辅助酶法制备壳寡糖

利用微波-过氧化氢协同处理壳聚糖,通过降低壳聚糖的黏度辅助促进其酶解制备壳寡糖。通过单因素实验与正交实验,确定了影响壳聚糖微波-过氧化氢降黏效果的因素主次顺序是微波时间、H2O2的用量、微波功率。优化后的降黏条件是:H2O2添加量为0.1 mL,微波功率为120 W,微波时间为0.5 min,所得壳聚糖黏度比原料黏度降低了96.9%,且并未发生结构的改变。对其酶解的结果表明,经微波-过氧化氢协同降黏再酶解的壳寡糖得率为80.1%,比未经降黏处理的提高了11.8%,产物壳寡糖数均相对分子质量为2 027,平均聚合度为10,明显低于未经降黏处理而直接酶解所得的壳寡糖。     

大豆功能性成分的开发现状

大豆是我国的一种传统食品,含有丰富的生理活性物质,包括有大豆蛋白质、大豆异黄酮、大豆皂苷、大豆低聚糖以及大豆膳食纤维等,此外大豆发酵制品还会产生一些生理活性成分如蛋白黑素、大豆多肽等。综述目前大豆功能性成分的开发现状,同时也介绍了它们所具有的相关生理功能。     

Engineered Glycosidases for the Synthesis of Analogs of Human Milk Oligosaccharides

Enzymatic synthesis is an elegant biocompatible approach to complex compounds such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). These compounds are vital for healthy neonatal development with a positive impact on the immune system. Although HMOs may be prepared by glycosyltransferases, this pathway is often complicated by the high price of sugar nucleotides, stringent substrate specificity, and low enzyme stability. Engineered glycosidases (EC 3.2.1) represent a good synthetic alternative, especially if variations in the substrate structure are desired. Site-directed mutagenesis can improve the synthetic process with higher yields and/or increased reaction selectivity. So far, the synthesis of human milk oligosaccharides by glycosidases has mostly been limited to analytical reactions with mass spectrometry detection. The present work reveals the potential of a library of engineered glycosidases in the preparative synthesis of three tetrasaccharides derived from lacto-N-tetraose (Galβ4GlcNAcβ3Galβ4Glc), employing sequential cascade reactions catalyzed by β3-N-acetylhexosaminidase BbhI from Bifidobacterium bifidum, β4-galactosidase BgaD-B from Bacillus circulans, β4-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from Talaromyces flavus, and β3-galactosynthase BgaC from B. circulans. The reaction products were isolated and structurally characterized. This work expands the insight into the multi-step catalysis by glycosidases and shows the path to modified derivatives of complex carbohydrates that cannot be prepared by standard glycosyltransferase methods.     

Molecular Design and Synthesis of a Novel Substrate for Assaying Lysozyme Activity

A novel substrate {Galβ1,4GlcNAcβ1,4GlcNAc-β-pNP [Gal(GlcNAc)₂-β-pNP]} for assaying lysozyme activity has been designed using docking simulations and enzymatic synthesis via β-1,4-galactosyltransferase-mediated transglycosylation from UDP-Gal as the donor to (GlcNAc)₂-β-pNP as the acceptor. Hydrolysis of the synthesized Gal(GlcNAc)₂-β-pNP and related compounds using hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) demonstrated that the substrate was specifically cleaved to Gal(GlcNAc)₂ and p-nitrophenol (pNP). A combination of kinetic studies and docking simulation was further conducted to elucidate the mode of substrate binding. The results demonstrate that Gal(GlcNAc)₂-β-pNP selectively binds to a subsite of lysozyme to liberate the Gal(GlcNAc)₂ and pNP products. The work therefore describes a new colorimetric method for quantifying lysozyme on the basis of the determination of pNP liberated from the substrate.