In Vitro Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Fungal Activities of Extracts from Different Parts of 7 Zingiberaceae Plants

This study aimed to explore the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities of extracts from different parts of plants in the Zingiberaceae family.The inhibitory rate,minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC),and minimum bactericidal concentration(MBC)of leaf and stem,and root and rhizome extracts from Alpinia katsumadai Hayata,Alpinia oxyphylla Miq×Alpinia henryi K.Schumann,Alpinia oblongifolia Hayata,Alpinia nigra(Gaertn.)Burtt,Amomum villosum Lour,Alpinia zerumbet(Pers.)Burtt.et Smith and Alpinia oxyphylla Miq were determined using the fungus cake method and double dilution method.The seven Zingiberaceae plants exhibited characteristic antibacterial activities against pathogenic bacteria and fungi.At a 1.5 mg mL^(−1),A.zerumbet root and rhizome extracts exhibited strong inhibitory activity against S.aureus and E.coli,with 83.23%and 79.62%,respectively.In addition,A.zerumbet leaf and stem extracts had an inhibitory rate of 90.85%against P.aeruginosa.At the same concentration,the leaf and stem,root and rhizome extracts of A.katsumadai had the best anti-bacterial effect against F.oxysporum,with inhibition rates of 84.46%and 84.73%,respectively.Moreover,A.katsumadai and A.zerumbet leaf and stem extracts had the most significant antibacterial effect against S.aureus,with a MIC of 0.063 mg mL^(−1).Thus,both A.katsumadai and A.zerumbet extracts had significant antibacterial activity.In addition,by comparing the inhibitory effect of extracts from different parts,it was found that the inhibitory rate and average inhibitory rate of extracts from leaf and stem were higher than those from root and rhizome.The chemical constituents of A.katsumadai and A.zerumbet,determined by the high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS),revealed that citric acid(CA),alpinetin,and pinocembrin(PNCB)were the functional constituents yielding the antibacterial activity.Overall,A.katsumadai and A.zerumbet have the potential to be developed as new plant fungicides and bactericides.

Identification and bioinformatics analysis of lactate dehydrogenase genes from Echinococcus granulosus

Objective:To identify full length cDNA sequence of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) from adult Echinococcus granulosus(E.granulosus) and to predict the structure and function of its encoding protein using bioinformatics methods.Methods:With the help of NCBI,EMBI, Expasy and other online sites,the open reading frame(ORF),conserved domain,physical and chemical parameters,signal peptide,epitope,topological structures of the protein sequences were predicted and a homology tertiary structure model was created:Vector NT1 software was used for sequence alignment,phylogenetic tree construction and tertiary structure prediction. Results:The target sequence was 1 233 bp length with a 996 bp biggest ORF encoding 331 amino acids protein with typical L-LDH conserved domain.It was confirmed as full length cDNA of LDH from E.granulosus and named as EgLDH(GenBank accession number:HM748917).The predicted molecular weight and isoelectric point of the deduced protein were 3 5516.2Da and 6.32 respectively.Compared with LDHs from Taenia solium,Taenia saginata asiatica,Spirometra erinaceieuropaei.Schistosoma japonicum,Clonorchis sinensis and human,it showed similarity of 86% ,85% ,55% ,58% ,58% and 53% ,respectively.EgLDH contained 3 putative transmembrane regions and 4 major epitopes(54aa-59aa.81aa-87aa,97aa-102aa,307aa-313aa),the latter were significant different from the corresponding regions of human LDH.In addition,some NAD and substrate binding sites located on epitopes 54aa-59aa and 97aa-102aa,respectively.Tertiary structure prediction showed that 3 key catalytic residues 105R,165D and 192H forming a catalytic center near the epitope 97aa-102aa,most NAD and substrate binding sites located around the center.Conclusions:The full length cDNA sequences of EgLDH were identified.It encoded a putative transmembrane protein which might be an ideal target molecule for vaccine and drugs.

Effect of artmether,hemin and Fe^(3+) on recombinant lactate dehydrogenase from Schistosoma japonicum

Objective:To explore antischitosome effects of artemether,hemin and Fe on S/LDH.Methods: Enzyme activity of rS/LDH was assayed in the standard reaction system by adding different concentration of reagents(0.00-0.10 mM artemether,0.00-0.02 mM hemin,0.00-0.50 mM Fe^(3+)). Same solvents of the each reagent were used as control.Results:There was no enzyme activity inhibition observed at 0.10 mM artemther:obivious inhibition for lactate oxidation reaction and pyruvate reduction reaction were detected at 0.002 mM and 0.004 mM of hemin,respectively: comparing with that of the control(P<0.05).The relative enzymatic activity inhibitions for pyruvate reduction reaction and lactate oxidation reaction at 0.02 mM hemin were 93.48%and 100.00%,respectively,comparing with that of the control(P<0.01):both pyruvate reduction and lactate oxidation reaction were inhibited completely at 0.50 mM Fe^(3+),comparing with that of the control(P<0.01).Conclusions:The results implied that SjLDH was not the direct molecular target of artemether.Hemin and Fe are inhibitors of SjLDH.

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 contributes to adult eclosion and immune response in the small hive beetle,Aethina tumida

During the pupal-adult eclosion process of holometabolous insects,the old cuticle is shed and replaced by a completely different new cuticle that requires tanning and expansion,along with extensive extracellular matrix(ECM)remodeling.In vertebrates,matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs),a class of zinc-dependent endopeptidases,play key roles in regulating the ECM that surrounds cells.However,little is known about these extracellular proteinases available in insects.The small hive beetle(SHB),Aethina tumida,is a widespread invasive parasite of honey bees.In this study,6 MMP homologs were identified in the SHB genome.RNA interference experiments showed that all 6 AtMmps are not required for the larval-pupal transition,only AtMmp2 was essential for pupal-adult eclosion in SHB.Knockdown of AtMmp2 resulted in eclosion defects and wing expansion failure,as well as mortality within 3 d of adult eclosion.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that knockdown of AtMmp2 significantly increased expression of the Toll and Imd pathways,chitin metabolism,and cross-linking(such as the pro-phenoloxidase activating cascade pathway and the tyrosine-mediated cuticle sclerotization and pigmentation pathway).These data revealed evolutionarily conserved functions of Mmp2 in controlling adult eclosion and wing expansion,also provided a preliminary exploration of the novel function of regulating Toll and Imd pathways,as well as new insights into how MMPs regulate insect development and defense barriers.

NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis is required for HIV-1 gp120- induced neuropathology

The human immunodeficiency virus-1(HIV-1)envelope protein gp120 is the major contributor to the pathogenesis of HIVassociated neurocognitive disorder(HAND).Neuroinflammation plays a pivotal role in gp120-induced neuropathology,but how gp120 triggers neuroinflammatory processes and subsequent neuronal death remains unknown.Here,we provide evidence that NLRP3 is required for gp120-induced neuroinflammation and neuropathy.Our results showed that gp120-induced NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis and IL-1βproduction in microglia.Inhibition of microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation alleviated gp120-mediated neuroinflammatory factor release and neuronal injury.Importantly,we showed that chronic administration of MCC950,a novel selective NLRP3 inhibitor,to gp120 transgenic mice not only attenuated neuroinflammation and neuronal death but also promoted neuronal regeneration and restored the impaired neurocognitive function.In conclusion,our data revealed that the NLRP3 inflammasome is important for gp120-induced neuroinflammation and neuropathology and suggest that NLRP3 is a potential novel target for the treatment of HAND.

Juvenile hormone membrane signaling phosphorylates USP and thus potentiates 20-hydroxyecdysone action in Drosophila

Juvenile hormone(JH) and 20-hydroxyecdysone(20 E) coordinately regulate development and metamorphosis in insects. Two JH intracellular receptors, methoprene-tolerant(Met) and germ-cell expressed(Gce), have been identified in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. To investigate JH membrane signaling pathway without the interference from JH intracellular signaling, we characterized phosphoproteome profiles of the Met gce double mutant in the absence or presence of JH in both chronic and acute phases.Functioning through a potential receptor tyrosine kinase and phospholipase C pathway, JH membrane signaling activated protein kinase C(PKC) which phosphorylated ultraspiracle(USP) at Ser35, the PKC phosphorylation site required for the maximal action of 20 E through its nuclear receptor complex Ec RUSP. The usp;mutant, in which Ser was replaced with Ala at position 35 by genome editing, showed decreased expression of Halloween genes that are responsible for ecdysone biosynthesis and thus attenuated 20 E signaling that delayed developmental timing. The usp;mutant also showed lower Yorkie activity that reduced body size. Altogether, JH membrane signaling phosphorylates USP at Ser35 and thus potentiates 20 E action that regulates the normal fly development. This study helps better understand the complex JH signaling network.

Mblk-1 regulates sugar responsiveness in honey bee(Apis mellifera)foragers

Brain transcriptional regulatory network for behavior demonstrates that brain gene expression in the honey bee can be accurately predicted from the expression transcription factors(TFs),but roles for specific TFs are less understood.Mushroom bodies(MBs)are important for learning,memory and sensory integration in the honey bee brain.A TFs,Mblk-1,expressed preferentially in the large-type Kenyon cells of the honeybee MBs is predicted to be involved in brain function by regulating transcription of its target genes in honey bee.However,its function and the mechanism of regulation in behavior of honey bee is still obscure.Here we show that Mblk-1 had significantly higher expression in the brains of forager bees relative to nurse bees.Mblk-1 was significantly inhibited in bees fed small interfering RNA.In addition,inhibition of Mblk-1 decreased sucrose responsiveness in foragers.Finally,we determined that Mblk-1 regulated the messenger RNA of AmGRl.These findings suggest that Mblk-1 may target AmGRl to regulate the sucrose responsiveness of foragers.