Refolding of reduced/denatured bovine pancreatic insulin with ion-exchange chromatography coupled with MALDI-TOF MS

The refolding of the reduced/denatured insulin from bovine pancreas as the model protein was investigated with weak anion exchange chromatography （WAX） coupled with MALDI-TOF MS. The results indicated that the disulfide bonds almost cannot be formed correctly with the common mobile phase by WAX. However, with the urea gradient elution and in the presence of GSSG/ Cyst as the ratio 1：6 in the mobile phase employed, the disulfide exchange of reduced/denatured insulin can be accelerated resulting in forming the correct three disulfide bonds. The protein refolding efficiency of reduced/denatured insulin can be increased from 3 % to 34%. The effects of urea gradient and the oxidant and reductant groups, such as GSSG/GSH, Cyst, and GSSG/Cyst, on the forming the disulfide bonds of reduced/denatured insulin were investigated in detail. The results were further tested by the separation of the WAX fraction of reduced/denatured insulin with RPLC and MALDI-TOF MS.

Denatured proteins show new vitality:Green synthesis of germanium oxide hollow microspheres with versatile functions by denaturing proteins around bubbles

The hollow structure has long attracted great attention because of its excellent properties.However,this special structure is usually synthesized through some complex approaches.Herein,we discovered that denatured bovine serum albumin(BSA)can trigger unusual biomineralization for the simple,green and shape-controllable synthesis of germanium oxide(GeOx)hollow microsphere(HMS).At high temperature(60℃),BSA was denatured,and a compact BSA layer was formed around the H2 bubbles.The denatured BSA layer was stable and suitable for anchoring and growing GeOx.By simply changing the BSA concentration and temperature,various morphologies of GeOx could be obtained.Due to the denatured protein skeletons and microenvironment-regulated collapse,GeOx HMS showed great potential for intelligently responsive pesticide delivery in the insect gut,showing superiority over traditional delivery systems,which early release pesticides in the mouth and stomach.Inspired by its large specific surface area,excellent biocompatibility,modifiable functional groups,and high electrocatalytic activity,GeOx HMS was also applied to versatile sensors for H_(2)O_(2) assays at physiological pH and rapid coronavirus COVID-19 detection.This work not only provides some evidence for understanding proteins in depth but also paves a new avenue for the biomineralization-inspired synthesis of hollow structures with versatile functions.

Applications of a Single Molecule Theory of Protein Dynamics

A single molecule theory for protein dynamics has been developed since 2012. It consists of the concepts of conformational Gibbs free energy function (CGF) and single molecule thermodynamic hypothesis (STH) that claims that all stable conformations are (local or global) minimizers of CGF. These are enough to give a unified explanations and mechanisms to many aspects of protein dynamics such as protein folding;allostery;denaturation;and intrinsically disordered proteins. Formulas of CGF in water environment had been derived via quantum statistics. Applications of them to soluble proteins are: docking Gibbs free energy difference formula and a practical way to search better docking site;single molecule binding affinity;predicting and explaining why structures of a monomeric globular protein looks like a globule and is tightly packed with a hydrophobic core;a representation of the hydrophobic effect;and a wholistic view to structures of water soluble proteins.

Refolding of OPTA-labeled creatine kinase denatured by guanidinium chloride

Although refolding of fully denatured protein molecules in vitro is not a valid model of folding of the nascent peptide chain in a biologically active protein in vivo, it can provide some useful information for protein folding. Therefore, refolding of denatured proteins has been extensively studied in recent years. It has been previously reported that during the refolding of guanidine or urea denatured creatine kinase, the enzymatic activity and the na-

Concentration-Dependent Effect of Nickel Ions on Amyloid Fibril Formation Kinetics of Hen Egg White Lysozyme:a Raman Spectroscopy Study

Nickel,an important transi-tion metal element,is one of the trace elements for hu-man body and has a crucial impact on life and health.Some evidences show the excess exposure to metal ions might be associated with neurological diseases.Herein,we applied Raman spectroscopy to study the Ni(II)ion effect on kinetics of amyloid fibrillation of hen egg white lysozyme(HEWL)in thermal and acidic conditions.Using the well-known Raman indicators for protein tertiary and secondary structures,we monitored and analyzed the concentration effect of Ni(II)ions on the unfolding of tertiary structures and the transformation of sec-ondary structures.The experimental evidence validates the accelerator role of the metal ion in the kinetics.Notably,the additional analysis of the amide I band profile,combined with thioflavin-T fluorescence assays,clearly indicates the inhibitory effect of Ni(II)ions on the formation of amyloid fibrils with organizedβ-sheets structures.Instead,a more significant promotion influence is affirmed on the assembly into other aggregates with disordered struc-tures.The present results provide rich information about the specific metal-mediated protein fibrillation.

变性梯度凝胶电泳技术在微生物多样性研究中的应用

变性梯度凝胶电泳是不依赖于培养的、依据DNA分子的大小和所带电荷分析微生物多样性和动态变化的分子生物学技术,具有检测极限低、分析速度快及重复性好等优点。主要对变性梯度凝胶电泳原理、特点及其在微生物多样性应用方面进行综述。

不同性状窖泥的细菌群落结构与酸酯含量分析

为了解不同性状窖泥细菌群落结构及酸酯代谢的差异,分别选取新窖泥、趋老熟窖泥和老熟窖泥,对其细菌16S r DNA的V3区进行变性梯度凝胶电泳分析和同源性比较,并结合窖泥主要有机酸及有机酸酯含量进行了典型相关分析。结果表明,老熟窖泥的细菌多样性指数及均匀度指数高于新窖泥和趋老熟窖泥,得到的39个优势条带,进行细菌DNA测序可分为14类;Clostridium XIVa、Aminobacterium均只在老熟窖泥中检测到;新窖泥和趋老熟窖泥与Lactococcus、Lactobacillus、乳酸、乳酸乙酯含量正相关,老熟窖泥与Clostridiales、己酸、己酸乙酯和丁酸含量正相关。

多功能农药降解基因工程菌株m-CDS-1环境释放安全评价

【目的】为了评价多功能农药降解基因工程菌株m-CDS-1的环境释放中间试验水平的安全性。【方法】通过农药检测、平板计数、Most probable number-PCR(MPN-PCR)和Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis(DGGE)等方法在江苏大丰进行了工程菌株m-CDS-1田间降解农药效果、定殖动态和对土壤微生物群落结构影响的研究。【结果】投加1.01×107CFU/g干土的工程菌株m-CDS-1在30d时均能完全降解10.71mg/kg的甲基对硫磷和1.29mg/kg的呋喃丹。平板计数表明工程菌株m-CDS-1在土壤中快速下降;MPN-PCR检测结果显示,在4d,15d和30d时,0～10cm混合土壤中该工程菌株的数目分别为2.15±0.98×106CFU/g干土,3.70±4.66×104CFU/g干土和检测不出。工程菌株m-CDS-1的投加不会对土壤可培养三大微生物菌群数量产生显著影响;基于细菌16S rDNA V3区的DGGE分析结果表明,施加农药对细菌菌落结构有显著影响,4d,11d,30d时农药施用区与空白对照区的图谱相似性分别为17.16%,49.81%和75.01%,但到60d时的相似性为98.62%。工程菌株m-CDS-1释放在前期对细菌群落结构有一定影响,4d,11d和30d工程菌株释放区相对于空白的相似性分别为49.57%,38.30%和83.30%。在60d时,空白、施药和施菌小区的图谱相似性都在90%以上。【结论】工程菌株m-CDS-1不仅可同时高效降解甲基对硫磷和呋喃丹,仍保持了实验室内的原有特性,而且不会成为优势菌群长期在土壤环境中存在,也不会对土壤微生物群落结构造成长期影响。

Soil Cellulase Activity and Fungal Community Responses to Wetland Degradation in the Zoige Plateau, China

Four soil types(peat, marsh, meadow, and sandy) in the Zoige Plateau of China are associated with the severity of wetland degradation. The effects of wetland degradation on the structure and abundance of fungal communities and cellulase activity were assessed in these 4 soil types at 3 depths using DGGE(Denatured Gradient Gel Electrophoresis), q PCR(Quantitative Real-time PCR),and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid assays. Cellulase activity and abundance of the fungal community declined in parallel to the level of wetland degradation(from least to most disturbed). DGGE analysis indicated a major shift in composition of fungal communities among the4 soil types consistent with the level of degradation.Water content(WC), organic carbon(OC), total nitrogen(TN), total phosphorus(TP), available nitrogen(AN), and available phosphorus(AP) were strongly correlated with cellulase activity and the structure and abundance of the fungal community.The results indicate that soil physicochemical properties(WC, OC, TN, TP, AN, and AP), cellulase activity, and diversity and abundance of fungal communities are sensitive indicators of the relative level of wetland degradation. WC was the major factorinvolved in Zoige wetland degradation and lower WC levels contributed to declines in the abundance and diversity of the fungal community and reduction in cellulase activity.

PCR指纹图谱技术在酸奶质量监测中的应用

用PCR指纹图谱技术对市售某品牌酸奶进行了短期动态监测,对于收集的3个生产批次的9个酸奶样品,用ERIC(EnterobacterialRepetitiveIntergenicConsensus,肠杆菌基因间保守重复序列)-PCR和PCR-DGGE(DenaturingGradientGelElectrophoresis,变性梯度凝胶电泳)指纹图谱技术对其菌种组成及其稳定性进行评价。ER-IC-PCR指纹图谱聚类分析结果显示,同一生产批次内3个不同包装的样品ERIC-PCR指纹图谱相似性为90%左右,而不同生产批次样品之间ERIC-PCR指纹图谱相似性有所下降,为82%。该结果进一步用DGGE指纹图谱进行证实。DGGE分析结果表明,G2样品明显缺少一条主带,经割胶回收测序发现,这条主带代表的微生物是Lacto-bacillusdelbrueckiisubsp.Bulgaricus,说明该产品不同生产批次间的稳定性不是很好。DGGE图谱和测序结果还显示,除G2样品外,该酸奶样品的菌种组成与产品标签说明是一致的。

Novel Graphene Biosensor Based on the Functionalization of Multifunctional Nano-bovine Serum Albumin for the Highly Sensitive Detection of Cancer Biomarkers

A simple,convenient,and highly sensitive bio-interface for graphene field-effect transistors(GFETs) based on multifunctional nano-denatured bovine serum albumin(nano-dBSA) functionalization was developed to target cancer bio-markers.The novel graphene–protein bioelectronic interface was constructed by heating to denature native BSA on the graphene substrate surface.The formed nano-d BSA film served as the cross-linker to immobilize monoclonal antibody against car-cinoembryonic antigen(anti-CEA mAb) on the graphene channel activated by EDC and Sulfo-NHS.The nano-dBSA film worked as a self-protecting layer of graphene to prevent surface contamination by lithographic processing.The improved GFETbiosensor exhibited good specificity and high sensitivity toward the target at an ultralow concentration of 337.58 fg mL-1.The electrical detection of the binding of CEA followed the Hill model for ligand–receptor interaction,indicating the negative binding cooperativity between CEA and anti-CEA mAb with a dissociation constant of 6.82×10-10M.The multifunctional nano-dBSA functionalization can confer a new function to graphene-like 2D nanomaterials and provide a promising bio-functionalization method for clinical application in biosensing,nanomedicine,and drug delivery.

Genetic Mutation of Vitamin K-dependent Gamma-glutamyl Carboxylase Domain in Patients with Calcium Oxalate Urolithiasis

To investigate the exon mutation of vitamin K-dependent gamma-glutamyl carboxylase （GGCX or VKDC） in patients with calcium oxalate urolithasis, renal cortex and peripheral blood samples were obtained from severe hydronephrosis patients （with or without calculi）, and renal tumor patients undergoing nephrectomy. GGCX mutations in all 15 exons were examined in 44 patients with calcium oxalate urolithiasis （COU） by polymerase chain reaction （PCR） and denatured high pressure liquid chromatography （DHPLC）, and confirmed by sequencing. Mutation was not found in all COU samples compared to the controls. These data demonstrated that functional GGCX mutations in all 15 exons do not occur in most COU patients. It was suggested that there may be no significant association between the low activity and mutation of GGCX in COU.

一种快速的酸奶质量跟踪监测检验新方法

分析酸奶中的菌种组成是酸奶质量控制的重要指标。本文用PCR-DGGE(denaturinggra-dientgelelectrophoresis,变性梯度凝胶电泳)指纹图谱技术对市售某品牌酸奶在1个月内进行了动态监测,共收集了6个生产批次的18个酸奶样品,通过建立16SrDNAV3区PCR-DGGE分析、DGGE图谱条带割胶回收测序等一套完整的检测评价方法,结合常规分离培养方法,对样品微生物组成及其稳定性进行跟踪监测。结果显示,所有供试样品在整个动态监测期内DGGE指纹图谱都出现2条带,显示其微生物组成比较稳定,割胶回收测序结果表明其微生物组成与厂家标注完全一致,分别为Lacto-bacillusdelbrueckiisubsp.bulgaricus(保加利亚乳杆菌)和Streptococcusthermophilus(嗜热链球菌)。分离计数结果表明前者比后者低3个数量级,二者的DGGE条带亮度也有显著差别。本研究用菌种组成及其稳定性两个指标对酸奶样品质量进行评价,建立了DGGE评价方法,结果表明,该技术可以作为酸奶质量控制和动态监测的快速简便的新方法。

Optimization of the Conditions of SRAP Molecular Marker Used in Analysis of Fagopyrum tataricum

[Objective] The aim was to investigate the optimal conditions of SRAP molecular marker used in the analysis on Fagopyrum tataricum（L.）Gaertn.[Method]SRAP-PCR amplification system on Fagopyrum tataricum was optimized by interactive orthogonal design L27（313）in 5 elements（Mg2＋,dNTP,Taq DNA polymerase,template DNA and primer）at 3 levels.And the non-denaturing and denaturing PAGE detection methods were compared.The comparative test of DYCZ-24F and DYCZ-20C electrophoresis operating systems was carried out.[Result]The effects of four single-factor（Mg2＋,dNTP,Taq DNA polymerase and primer）and two interactions（Mg2＋×dNTP,Mg2＋×Taq DNA polymerase）on tartary buckwheat SRAP-PCR were significant.An optimal reaction system was established containing 1.5 mmol/L Mg2＋,0.2 mmol/L dNTP,1.5 u Taq DNA polymerase,40 ng DNA,0.25 μmol/L primer and 2 μl 10×buffer.Seven samples of tartary buckwheat were amplified using this system,and electrophoresis results showed clear bands,high level of polymorphism and good reproducibility.The PCR products were tested by denaturing and non-denaturing PAGE,and the results showed that the non-denaturing PAGE,DYCZ-24F operating system was more suitable for SRAP analysis.[Conclusion]This study established a foundation for the construction of SRAP genetic map of tartary buckwheat.

PCR-DGGE Analysis of Bacterial Communities Structure in Babylonia areolata Culture Systems of The Subtidal Zone and The Pond Mulched Plastic Film and Sand in Bottom

To know the bacterial communities structure in Babylonia areolata culture systems and to research and optimize the management pattem of Babylonia areola-ta culture systems of the pond mulched plastic film and sand in bottom, the bacte- rial communities in Babylonia areolata culture systems of the sub-tidal zone and the pond mulched plastic film and sand in bottom were analyzed at molecular level by adopting the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE）. The results indicated that the dominant bacterial communities in Babylonia areolata culture systems of the sub-tidal zone and the pond mulched plastic film and sand in bottom, which were built on the basis of the seawater in East-island of Zhanjiang, included Proteobac- teda Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria. The dominant bacterial groups in the above pond culture system were Garnmaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaprotecbacteda, Epsilonproteobacteda, Anaerolineae, Cyanobacteria and Acti- nobacteda. The dominant bacterial communities in the subtidal zone culture system were Gammaprotecbacteda, Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Anaerolineae and Cyanobacteda, and there were less Epsilonproteobacteria and Actinobacteria in the culture system. The higher diversity was detected in the above two culture sys- tems. The results of unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average （UPG- MA） showed that the bacterial communities of the sediment samples S1 and S2 in the above two culture systems were a cluster, the similarity of bacterial communities was 54.5%. The bacterial communities of seawater samples S3 and S4 in the above culture systems were in clusters, and the similarity of the bacterial communi- ties was 84.0%. The results showed that the microorganism ecological level in the Babylonia areolata culture systems of the pond mulched plastic film and sand in bottom could be similar to the sub-tidal zone culture systems through changing the pond seawater and monitoring the microbial population.

Plankton community composition in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region revealed by PCR-DGGE and its relationships with environmental factors

To explore the relationships between community composition and the environment in a reservoir ecosystem, plankton communities from the Three Gorges Reservoir Region were studied by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting. Bacterial and eukaryotic operational taxonomic units （OTUs）, generated by DGGE analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S and 18S rRNA genes, were used as surrogates for the dominant ＂biodiversity units＂. OTU composition among the sites was heterogeneous; 46.7% of the total bacterial OTUs （45） and 64.1% of the eukaryotic OTUs （39） were identified in less than half of the sampling sites. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages （UPGMA） clustering of the OTUs suggested that the plankton communities in the Xiangxi Rive sites were not always significantly different from those from the Yangtze River sites, despite clear differences in their environmental characterizations. Canonical correspondence analysis （CCA） was applied to further investigate the relationships between OTU composition and the environmental factors. The first two CCA ordination axes suggested that the bacterial community composition was primarily correlated with the variables of NO3^--N, dissolved oxygen （DO）, and SiO3^2--Si, whereas, the eukaryotic community was mainly correlated with the concentrations of DO, PO4^3--P, and SiO3^2--Si.

Phylogenetic diversity and specificity of bacteria associated with Microcystis aeruginosa and other cyanobacteria

Interactions between bacteria and cyanobacteria have been suggested to have a potential to influence harmful algal bloom dynamics; however, little information on these interactions has been reported. In this study, the bacterial communities associated with five strains of Microcystis aeruginosa, three species of other Microcystis spp., and four representative species of non-Microcystis cyanobacteria were compared. Bacterial 16S rDNA fragments were amplified and separated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） followed by DNA sequence analysis. The similarities among bacterial communities associated with these cyanobacteria were compared to the digitized DGGE profiles using the cluster analyses. The bacterial community structure of all cyanobacterial cultures differed. Cluster analysis showed that the similarity values among M. aeruginosa cultures were higher than those of other cyanobacterial cultures. Sequence analysis of DGGE fragments indicated the presence of bacteria including, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria in the cyanobacterial cultures. Members of the Sphingomonadales were the prevalent group among the Microcystis-associated bacteria. The results provided further evidence for species-specific associations between cyanoabcteria and heterotrophic bacteria, which are useful for understanding interactions between Microcystis and their associated bacteria.

Comparison of intestinal bacterial communities in grass carp,Ctenopharyngodon idellus,from two different habitats

The intestinal bacteria of vertebrates form a close relationship with their host.External and internal conditions of the host,including its habitat,affect the intestinal bacterial community.Similarly,the intestinal bacterial community can,in turn,influence the host,particularly with respect to disease resistance.We compared the intestinal bacterial communities of grass carp that were collected from farm-ponds or a lake.We conducted denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of amplified 16S rRNA genes,from which 66 different operational taxonomic units were identified.Using both the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means clustering and principal component analysis ordination,we found that the intestinal bacterial communities from the two groups of pond fish were clustered together and inset into the clusters of wild fish,except for DF-7,and there was no significant correlation between genetic diversity of grass carp and their intestinal bacterial communities(Mantel one-tailed test,R=0.157,P=0.175).Cetobacterium appeared more frequently in the intestine of grass carp collected from pond.A more thorough understanding of the role played by intestinal microbiota on fish health would be of considerable benefit to the aquaculture industry.

Synthesis of Isonucleoside-Incorporated Oligonucleotides and Their Binding Abilities with Complementary Sequences

Aim To synthesize isonucleoside-incorporated oligonucleotides and investigatetheir binding abilities with complementary sequences. Methods The synthesis was performed on DNAsynthesizer, and the binding behavior was investigated by thermal denaturation studies. Results Fourkinds of single isonucleoside containing oligonucleotides were synthesized. The results of thermaldenaturation showed that the existence of isonucleoside decreased the stability of duplex, and theeffect was more obvious when the isonucleoside was in the middle of the sequence. No obviousdifference was observed when 6'-OH of isonucleoside was free or was protected by allyl group.Conclusions The existence of isonucleoside in oli-gonucleotide makes chain twist and decreased thestability of duplex.

Community analysis of ammonia and nitrite oxidizers in start-up of aerobic granular sludge reactor

A lab-scale sequencing batch reactor （SBR） was set-up and the aerobic granular sludge was successfully incubated using anaerobic granular sludge as seed sludge. Nitrogen was partially removed by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification （SND） via nitrite with free ammonia （FA） of about 10 mg/L. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） method was used to investigate community structure of α-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria, ammonia oxidizing bacteria （AOB）, and Nitrospira populations during start-up. The population sizes of bacteria, AOB and Nitrospira were examined using real-time PCR method. The analysis of community structure and Shannon index showed that stable structure of AOB population was obtained at day 35, while the communities of α- Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria, and Nitrospira became stable after day 45. At stable stage, the average cell densities were 1.1× 10^12, 2.2×10^10 and 1.0×10^10 cells/L for bacteria, AOB and Nitrospira, respectively. The relationship between characteristics of nitrifying bacteria community and nitrogenous substrate utilization constant was discussed by calculating Pearson correlation. Certain correlation seemed to exist between population size, biodiversity, and degradation constant. And the influence of population size might be greater than that of biodiversity.