On the role of conserved proline residues in the structure and function of Clostridium pasteurianum 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin

The widespread occurrence of Pro residues adjacent to Cys ligandsin the sequences of [4Fe-4S] electron transfer proteins hasnot yet found a functional basis. The two such Pro of Clostridiumpasteurianum 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin have been probed by site-directedmutagenesis. Any one of them, but not both simultaneously, canbe substituted without impairing the proper folding of the protein.The reduction potentials of the ferredoxin variants fall ina narrow range of <20 mV above the potential of the nativeprotein. The biological activities with C.pasteurianum hydrogenaseand pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase do not change significantly,except when Lys replaces Pro. In these cases, the data suggestthat the two clusters of 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin may not alwaysbe equivalent in the interaction with the redox partners. Destabilizationof the structure has been observed as the consequence of theProl9 or Pro48 substitutions. Using 2-D NMR, this effect hasbeen associated with perturbations of both the hydrogen bondnetwork and one amino acid side chain around the [4Fe-4S] clusters.Thus, the conserved Pro found in the binding motif of [4Fe-4S]clusters in proteins strongly stabilizes the active site butdoes not play an essential role in the mechanism of electrontransfer.     

Cr3+、Pb2+单一及复合胁迫对小麦种子萌发及幼苗脯氨酸含量的影响

研究在污染条件下小麦对重金属胁迫的反应,为农业生产中早期诊断重金属污染提供一些依据。用Cr3+、Pb2+及Cr3+、Pb2+混合溶液的各种浓度溶液处理小麦,研究Cr3+、Pb2+及Cr3+、Pb2+混合溶液对小麦萌发和脯氨酸含量的影响。结果表明:在Pb2+的培养环境中,各个浓度下的发芽率相差不多;在Cr3+的培养环境中,小麦的发芽率随着浓度的增加呈下降趋势,浓度越大对小麦发芽率的抑制作用越明显;在Cr3+、Pb2+混合的培养环境中,各个浓度下的发芽率随浓度的增加而呈降低的趋势,并且各个浓度下发芽率基本都相对低于相同浓度下的单一Cr3+、Pb2+的发芽率。在低浓度的重金属离子中,游离脯氨酸的含量与重金属离子浓度呈正相关。     

脯氨酸肽键数据集的构建

由分辨率<0.25nm,同一性(identity)<30％的2401条肽链中计算提取了全部顺式与反式脯氨酸肽键的位置,数目分别为1221个与26401个,从而建立了一个较大规模的脯氨酸肽键数据集。统计分析了该数据集的基本特征:肽键N端残基的分布、N端残基的二面角统计、在二级结构中的分布情况、顺式肽键在脯氨酸肽键中所占比例。此数据集对于进一步研究顺反X-Pro肽键的结构、与氨基酸序列之间的关系,以及肽链折叠动力学具有重要作用。     

脯氨酸及其衍生物有机小分子催化剂的研究进展

近几年来,脯氨酸及其衍生物等手性有机小分子催化剂,主要为酰胺类、二胺类和肽类催化剂,凭借自己独特的优势,比如不含金属、容易制备、价格低廉、反应条件温和、稳定性好、对环境友好等,在不对称合成中发挥着越来越重要的作用,受到人们越来越多的关注。已经发现,这些新的有机小分子能够催化许许多多的有机反应。     

葡萄糖／脯氨酸Maillard反应模型及其产物的烟草加香评价

为开发特色烟用香原料,针对葡萄糖／脯氨酸Maillard反应模型体系,通过正交试验考察了反应时间、反应温度、体系pH和溶刹中乙醇体积分数对产物的紫外可见吸收、挥发性成分及烟草加香效果的影响,确定了适宜的反应条件。结果表明：各因素对产物紫外可见l吸收的影响大小依次为pH〉反应时间〉反应温度〉乙醇体积分数;GC—MS鉴定出33种挥发性成分,多种成分对香气有重要贡献;感官评价表明反应温度105℃、反应时间4h、pH10、乙醇体积分数40％的条件下生成的产物具有良好的烟草加香效果,香气量、香气质较好,杂气、刺激性小。研究表明,葡萄糖／脯氨酸Maillard反应产物具有良好的烟草加香应用价值。     

Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus by Phenolic Phytochemicals of Selected Clonal Herbs Species of Lamiaceae Family and Likely Mode of Action through Proline Oxidation

Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive organism, is responsible for numerous infections ranging in severity from skin and soft tissue infections to endocarditis and septic arthritis. Further, Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) caused by enterotoxigenic staphylococci is one of the main food-borne diseases. In this study, several single-seed origin clonal lines of herbs from Lamiaceae family were screened for antimicrobial applications against S. aureus. These clonal lines have consistent total phenolic content, phenolic profile and antioxidant activity as opposed to heterogenous phenolic profiles of typical herbal extracts. The clonal extracts of specific herb species were evaluated for anti- S. aureus activity. Water extracts of clonal lemon balm had the highest anti- S. aureus activity followed by clonal extracts of rosemary RoLA, sage, oregano, rosemary Ro-6, rosemary RoK-2 and chocolate mint. The anti- S. aureus activity of the water extracts correlated with gallic acid and caffeic acid content, which in pure form showed high anti- S. aureus activity. Based on the rationale that gallic acid and caffeic acid were likely proline analogs affecting proline oxidation, the countering effect of proline to overcome their anti- S. aureus activity was evaluated. Results indicated proline can overcome the inhibitory effects of gallic acid and caffeic acid. These results point to the likely role of phenolic oxidation via proline dehydrogenase, which could be an important target for inhibition by phenolic phytochemicals behaving as proline analog mimics. This mode of regulation by phenolics at the bacterial proline dehydrogenase in the plasma membrane may be an important antimicrobial defense in plants and has consequences for disruption of critical energy metabolism of invading bacterial pathogen. This rationale could be used to design new antimicrobial strategies against S. aureus and other relevant bacterial pathogens.     

锌离子对菖蒲的胁迫反应研究

采用水培法,以Hoagland溶液为基础培养液,研究Zn2+胁迫对菖蒲幼苗生长状况、细胞渗透性、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、叶绿素以及脯氨酸质量比的影响。结果表明,Zn2+胁迫下菖蒲幼苗生长受到严重影响;随着Zn2+质量比的增加,叶片电导率不断增大;POD、SOD活性均高于对照,并且呈现先升高后降低的正相关趋势;叶绿素的质量比显著降低,与Zn2+质量比呈负相关趋势;脯氨酸质量比则一直呈上升的变化趋势。研究结果说明,酶活性的升高是由于菖蒲对Zn2+胁迫做出的应激反应,而高质量比Zn2+却对菖蒲的保护酶活性有抑制作用。     

Response of Different Genotypes of Faba Bean Plant to Drought Stress

Drought stress is one of the major abiotic stresses that are a threat to crop production worldwide. Drought stress impairs the plants growth and yield. Therefore, the aim of the present experiment was to select the tolerant genotype/s on the basis of moprpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics of 10 Vicia faba genotypes (Zafar 1, Zafar 2, Shebam, Makamora, Espan, Giza Blanka, Giza 3, C4, C5 and G853) under drought stress. We studied the effect of different levels of drought stress i.e., (i) normal irrigation (ii) mild stress (iii) moderate stress, and (iv) severe stress on plant height (PH) plant⁻¹, fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW) plant⁻¹, area leaf⁻¹, leaf relative water content (RWC), proline (Pro) content, total chlorophyll (Total Chl) content, electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) content, and activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of genotypes of faba bean. Drought stress reduced all growth parameters and Total Chl content of all genotypes. However, the deteriorating effect of drought stress on the growth performance of genotypes “C5” and “Zafar 1” were relatively low due to its better antioxidant enzymes activities (CAT, POD and SOD), and accumulation of Pro and Total Chl, and leaf RWC. In the study, genotype “C5” and “Zafar 1” were found to be relatively tolerant to drought stress and genotypes “G853” and “C4” were sensitive to drought stress.