Blastomycosis and histoplasmosis manifest as lung and systemic fungal infections in mammals caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, and Blastomyces dermatitidis. These infections exhibit cross reactivity of antibodies which...Blastomycosis and histoplasmosis manifest as lung and systemic fungal infections in mammals caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, and Blastomyces dermatitidis. These infections exhibit cross reactivity of antibodies which makes a correct diagnosis potentially elusive. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of which isoelectric focusing fractions (RotoforTM) of B. dermatitidis were reactive or cross reactive with serum specimens from dogs infected with B. dermatitidis, H. capsulatum, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Three serum specimens from dogs that were infected with B. dermatitidis, two dogs infected with H. capsulatum, and one dog infected with C. neoformans were assayed against the 20 B. dermatitidis RotoforTM fractions. Reactivity was determined using the indirect enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). Reactivity with B. dermatitidis was found predominantly in the protein fractions 1 - 6, and cross reactivity with H. capsulatum, and C. neoformans sera was found within the B. dermatitidis protein fractions 15 - 19.展开更多
A liquid-phase isoelectric focusing electrophoresis system(Rotofor) was used as the prefractionation tool for the sample preparation in the MALDI-MS analysis of a protein mixture. Each fraction collected was then dire...A liquid-phase isoelectric focusing electrophoresis system(Rotofor) was used as the prefractionation tool for the sample preparation in the MALDI-MS analysis of a protein mixture. Each fraction collected was then directly subjected to MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. By this approach, we are able to resolve two types of hemoglobins, A and C, which cannot be successfully separated by means of the traditional SDS-PAGE method.展开更多
Interestingly, antifungal protein AFP was purified from Aspergillus giganteus supernatants with modified isoelectric focusing procedure after adaptation of the secretion conditions. Subsequently, the antifungal activi...Interestingly, antifungal protein AFP was purified from Aspergillus giganteus supernatants with modified isoelectric focusing procedure after adaptation of the secretion conditions. Subsequently, the antifungal activity as well as the mode of action against Alternaria alternata was tested in vitro. Moreover, different concentrations of AFP were applied to banana fruits for 15 days at 20°C in vivo. Obtained results illustrated that A. giganteus was able to secrete about 39.78 ± 2.39 mg AFP·l-1 Olson medium. The employed ammonium sulfate (AS 75%) precipitation procedure followed by dialysis steps yielded about 16 - 22 mg AFP·l-1 culture supernatant with general mean of 18.67 ± 1.98 mg·l-1. The lost amount of AFP during purification using AS and 3KDa cut-off dialysis membrane is about 50% thus, purification procedure must be further improved. Indeed, concluded results from MIC and hyphal extension inhibition test noticed that AFP was efficiently affected by either growth or hyphae form of A. alternata in vitro. The MIC of AFP against A. alternata was 2μg·ml-1. However,short, thick and highly septated hyphae with damaged constricted apical regions extruding from condensed mycelium aggregates in treated hyphae compared to the untreated culture was remarkably shown. The mode of action of in vitro experiment manifested that AFP was effective to act the fungal cell and permeabilize the cell membrane of A. alternata. Furthermore, the in vivo experiment showed that AFP could reduce post-harvest decay on banana caused by A. alternata. AFP at concentration of 15 and 25 μg·ml-1 exhibit Alternaria decayed reduction by 45.45% and 77.27%, respectively. While no Alternaria decayed area was observed when 50 μg·ml-1 was applied during the storage time. Quantification of DNA by species-specific PCR could exude a positive correlation between the DNA amount and decayed area. In conclusion, AFP can be efficiently used as a bio-preservative agent during storage and handling of banana fruits, and considered as an excellent biological alternative to combat secondary growth of filamentous fungi.展开更多
A novel method is developed for electro-focusing and moving neutralization reaction boundary (MNRB) created with HCl and NaOH. The optimized conditions are screened out. By using this method, the experiments are perfo...A novel method is developed for electro-focusing and moving neutralization reaction boundary (MNRB) created with HCl and NaOH. The optimized conditions are screened out. By using this method, the experiments are performed on MNRB formed with HCl and NaOH in agarose gel. The experiments are quantitatively in coincidence with the predictions with the theory of moving chemical reaction boundary (MCRB).展开更多
Leaf acid phosphatase (APase) activities of 274 soybean genotypes were surveyed under field conditions with two levels of P supplies, and a nutrient solution culture experiment with eight selected genotypes was subseq...Leaf acid phosphatase (APase) activities of 274 soybean genotypes were surveyed under field conditions with two levels of P supplies, and a nutrient solution culture experiment with eight selected genotypes was subsequently conducted under greenhouse conditions to further characterize APase activity and its isoform expression induced by P starvation. Results from the field experiment showed that there was a great genotypic variation for leaf APase activity among the tested soybean genotypes from different origins, and APase activity in many of the tested genotypes (about 60%) was generally increased in the treatment without P fertilizer addition. Results from the nutrient solution culture experiment showed that APase activity in all the eight tested genotypes was generally enhanced by P starvation. Six isoforms of APases were detected in isoelectric focusing gels with samples from both young and old leaves. The activity of all the six isoforms was increased by P starvation, but no new APase isoform was induced. Our results suggest that leaf APase activity could serve as an enzymatic indicator of P starvation for soybean; the increase in leaf APase activity under low P stress was mainly caused by the increase in the activity of existing isoforms but not by the induction of new isoforms.展开更多
文摘Blastomycosis and histoplasmosis manifest as lung and systemic fungal infections in mammals caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, and Blastomyces dermatitidis. These infections exhibit cross reactivity of antibodies which makes a correct diagnosis potentially elusive. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of which isoelectric focusing fractions (RotoforTM) of B. dermatitidis were reactive or cross reactive with serum specimens from dogs infected with B. dermatitidis, H. capsulatum, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Three serum specimens from dogs that were infected with B. dermatitidis, two dogs infected with H. capsulatum, and one dog infected with C. neoformans were assayed against the 20 B. dermatitidis RotoforTM fractions. Reactivity was determined using the indirect enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA). Reactivity with B. dermatitidis was found predominantly in the protein fractions 1 - 6, and cross reactivity with H. capsulatum, and C. neoformans sera was found within the B. dermatitidis protein fractions 15 - 19.
文摘A liquid-phase isoelectric focusing electrophoresis system(Rotofor) was used as the prefractionation tool for the sample preparation in the MALDI-MS analysis of a protein mixture. Each fraction collected was then directly subjected to MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. By this approach, we are able to resolve two types of hemoglobins, A and C, which cannot be successfully separated by means of the traditional SDS-PAGE method.
文摘Interestingly, antifungal protein AFP was purified from Aspergillus giganteus supernatants with modified isoelectric focusing procedure after adaptation of the secretion conditions. Subsequently, the antifungal activity as well as the mode of action against Alternaria alternata was tested in vitro. Moreover, different concentrations of AFP were applied to banana fruits for 15 days at 20°C in vivo. Obtained results illustrated that A. giganteus was able to secrete about 39.78 ± 2.39 mg AFP·l-1 Olson medium. The employed ammonium sulfate (AS 75%) precipitation procedure followed by dialysis steps yielded about 16 - 22 mg AFP·l-1 culture supernatant with general mean of 18.67 ± 1.98 mg·l-1. The lost amount of AFP during purification using AS and 3KDa cut-off dialysis membrane is about 50% thus, purification procedure must be further improved. Indeed, concluded results from MIC and hyphal extension inhibition test noticed that AFP was efficiently affected by either growth or hyphae form of A. alternata in vitro. The MIC of AFP against A. alternata was 2μg·ml-1. However,short, thick and highly septated hyphae with damaged constricted apical regions extruding from condensed mycelium aggregates in treated hyphae compared to the untreated culture was remarkably shown. The mode of action of in vitro experiment manifested that AFP was effective to act the fungal cell and permeabilize the cell membrane of A. alternata. Furthermore, the in vivo experiment showed that AFP could reduce post-harvest decay on banana caused by A. alternata. AFP at concentration of 15 and 25 μg·ml-1 exhibit Alternaria decayed reduction by 45.45% and 77.27%, respectively. While no Alternaria decayed area was observed when 50 μg·ml-1 was applied during the storage time. Quantification of DNA by species-specific PCR could exude a positive correlation between the DNA amount and decayed area. In conclusion, AFP can be efficiently used as a bio-preservative agent during storage and handling of banana fruits, and considered as an excellent biological alternative to combat secondary growth of filamentous fungi.
基金the NSFC (No. 29775014) and Chinese Health Committee (98-2-334).
文摘A novel method is developed for electro-focusing and moving neutralization reaction boundary (MNRB) created with HCl and NaOH. The optimized conditions are screened out. By using this method, the experiments are performed on MNRB formed with HCl and NaOH in agarose gel. The experiments are quantitatively in coincidence with the predictions with the theory of moving chemical reaction boundary (MCRB).
文摘Leaf acid phosphatase (APase) activities of 274 soybean genotypes were surveyed under field conditions with two levels of P supplies, and a nutrient solution culture experiment with eight selected genotypes was subsequently conducted under greenhouse conditions to further characterize APase activity and its isoform expression induced by P starvation. Results from the field experiment showed that there was a great genotypic variation for leaf APase activity among the tested soybean genotypes from different origins, and APase activity in many of the tested genotypes (about 60%) was generally increased in the treatment without P fertilizer addition. Results from the nutrient solution culture experiment showed that APase activity in all the eight tested genotypes was generally enhanced by P starvation. Six isoforms of APases were detected in isoelectric focusing gels with samples from both young and old leaves. The activity of all the six isoforms was increased by P starvation, but no new APase isoform was induced. Our results suggest that leaf APase activity could serve as an enzymatic indicator of P starvation for soybean; the increase in leaf APase activity under low P stress was mainly caused by the increase in the activity of existing isoforms but not by the induction of new isoforms.
