Fermentation of 12% (w/v) glucose to 1.2 M lactate by Escherichia coli strain SZ194 using mineral salts medium

A non-recombinant mutant of Escherichia coli B, strain SZ194, was developed that produces over 1 M D-lactate from glucose (or sucrose) in 72 h using mineral salts medium supplemented with 1 mM: betaine in simple anaerobic fermentations. Rates and yields were highest at pH 7.5. Yields approached the theoretical maximum with only trace amounts of co-products. Chiral purity of D-lactate was estimated to be 95%. Specific and volumetric productivities for SZ194 in mineral salts medium (pH 7.5) with betaine were equivalent to those in Luria broth.

Proteomic analysis of hypoxia-induced responses in the syncytialization of human placental cell line BeWo

Syncytiotrophoblast formation is affected by a number of pathological conditions and suppressed syncytiotrophoblast formation due to hypoxia may play a role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. However, the molecular basis of hypoxia-inhibited trophoblast syncytialization is poorly understood. To determine the effect of hypoxia on trophoblast syncytialization, a proteomic analysis was performed in the human cytotrophoblast cell line BeWo using two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS. Hypoxia induced marked inhibition of BeWo cell fusion and differentiation. The proteomic profiling was established under hypoxia in BeWo cell syncytialization. The results showed that twenty proteins were significantly up-or down-regulated under hypoxia, compared with cells under normoxia. In response to hypoxia, three antioxidants, peroxiredoxin 1, peroxiredoxin 2 and 1-Cys peroxiredoxin, were down-regulated, two proteins involved in glycolysis pathway (malate dehydrogenase and enolase) were up-regulated. The expression of two members of the annexin family (annexin A2 and annexin A5) increased. We also found a decreased expression of 14-3-3 tau protein in hypoxia treated cells. Proteins implied in protein degradation and folding were also identified. The expression of two cytoskeleton components (keratin 1 and beta-actin) was found to be down-regulated. In addition, galectin-3 was up-regulated. These proteins have been implicated in regulating cellular oxidative stress, glycolysis, signal transduction, protein folding and degradation, cell mobility and cytoskeletal structure formation. Western blot analysis revealed that the levels of peroxiredoxin 1 and 14-3-3 tau decreased, whereas the levels of annexin A5 and annexin A2 increased in BeWo cells under hypoxia. These findings provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms in mediating cellular response to hypoxia in trophoblast syncytialization.

A DNA-binding protein, tfp1, involved in juvenile hormone-regulated gene expression in Locusta migratoria

A partially palindromic 15-nt. sequence upstream from a juvenile hormone-regulated gene (jhp21) was previously identified in the African migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. This sequence was proposed as a juvenile hormone (JH) response element (JHRE), and a protein that bound to it, as a transcription factor (TF). A yeast strain was constructed containing four tandem copies of the JHRE and after transfection with a cDNA library made to fat bodies from vitellogenic females, yeast one-hybrid experiments yielded sequences for four putative binding proteins. One of these sequences, corresponding to a transcript that was present in fat body irrespective of JH stimulation, encodes a 35kDa protein. This was designated tfp1 and appears to have a leucine zipper motif and a lipid-binding motif. Recombinant tfp1 bound to JHRE in electrophoretic mobility shift experiments and addition of tfp1 antibody in the binding reaction resulted in the disappearance or shift of TF. We suggest that JH induces the association of pre-existing proteins, including tfp1, to form an active complex, which binds to the JHRE upstream from jhp21 and regulates its transcription.

Dense-medium modifications to jet-induced hadron pair distributions in Au+Au collisions at sqrt s NN=200 GeV

Azimuthal correlations of jet-induced high-p(T) charged hadron pairs are studied at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The distribution of jet-associated partner hadrons (1.0<p(T)<2.5 GeV/c) per trigger hadron (2.5<p(T)<4.0 GeV/c) is found to vary with collision centrality, in both shape and yield, indicating a significant effect of the nuclear collision medium on the jet fragmentation process.

Methylglyoxal bypass identified as source of chiral contamination in l(+) and d(-)-lactate fermentations by recombinant Escherichia coli

Two new strains of Escherichia coli B were engineered for the production of lactate with no detectable chiral impurity. All chiral impurities were eliminated by deleting the synthase gene (msgA) that converts dihydroxyacetone-phosphate to methylglyoxal, a precursor for both L: (+)- and D: (-)-lactate. Strain TG113 contains only native genes and produced optically pure D: (-)-lactate. Strain TG108 contains the ldhL gene from Pediococcus acidilactici and produced only L: (+)-lactate. In mineral salts medium containing 1 mM betaine, both strains produced over 115 g (1.3 mol) lactate from 12% (w/v) glucose, >95% theoretical yield.

The role of alpha-fetoprotein in maintaining the growth of human hepatoma cells

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Background: This study was to explored the functional mechanism of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in maintaining the proliferation of human hepatoma cells line Bel 7402 and the immunsuppression of lymphocyte Jurkat cells. Methods: Western blot was used to detecting the expression of some apoptosis-related gene, fluorescence labeled AFP and confocal microscopy scanning for receptor binding assay in the membrane in Jurkat cells. Results: It showed that AFP could enhance the expression of survivin and c-ras, but restrain caspase-3 express in Bel 7402 cells by Western blotting analysis. It also showed that AFP could bind to the membrane of Jurkat cells by confocal microscopy scanning, and when treated Jurkat with AFP, it indicated that AFP could repress the expression of survivin and Livin and elevated the activity of caspase-3 in the cells; Co-cultured Bel 7402 cells with Jurkat cells, the expression of tumor necrosis related-apoptosis induced ligand (TRAIL) in Jurkt cells was inhibited, when pretreatment with monoclonal antibody of AFP (Anti-AFP), the restrained effect of TRAIL express and the activity of caspase-3 was elevated in Jurkat cells was removed. It also indicated that Anti-AFP had an ability to block these functions of AFP. Conclusions: AFP has a capability to promote the growth and escape from immune surveillance of human hepatoma cells through enhancing the expression of ras and survivin gene in Bel 7402 cells, suppressing TRAIL, survivin and Livin expressed and upregulated activity of caspase-3 in Jurkat cells.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Intratumoral injection of oncolytic adenovirus H101 in combination with vinorelbine/cisplatin chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

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Background: Chemotherapy is main treatment for advanced NSCLC. But its efficacy is quite small with improvement of 1–2 months in median survival. New strategy against NSCLC is needed. Oncolytic adenovirus H101 is found to be effective against NSCLC. This trial is desigened to investigate efficacy and toxicity of intratumoral injection of H101 in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC. Methods: The NSCLC patients confirmed cytologically or pathologically were randomized to intratumoral injection of adenovirus H101 (1.5 × 1012 viral particles) plus NP chemotherapy (arm A) or NP chemotherapy (arm B). Objetive response was evaluated every two cycles and time to progression (TTP) and overall survival were followed up. Results: Out of 18 evaluable patients in Arm A, 4 patients showed partial response (PR),3 minor response(MR), 7 stable disease (SD) and 4 disease progression (PD), while in Arm B 16 evaluable patients showed 3 PR, 4 MR, 3 SD and 6 PD. At the first time of response evaluation, there was 1 PD in Arm A,but in Arm B there were 5 of PD. Failure rate in Arm B was significantly higher than in Arm B. Survival curves between the two arms were similar. Six month, 9 month and 1 year survival rates were slightly higher in Arm B and median TTP was also prolonged in Arm A. Except non-infectious fever, Arm A was similar in other toxicities to Arm B. there was only 2 patients developing mild pneumothorax. Conclusions: Intratumoral injection of H101 1.5 × 1012 viral particles in combination with NP chemotherapy was feasible, effective and safe in treatment of advanced NSCLC.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Azimuthal angle correlations for rapidity separated Hadron pairs in d+Au collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV

Deuteron-gold (d+Au) collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider provide ideal platforms for testing QCD theories in dense nuclear matter at high energy. In particular, models suggesting strong saturation effects for partons carrying small nucleon momentum fraction (x) predict modifications to jet production at forward rapidity (deuteron-going direction) in d+Au collisions. We report on two-particle azimuthal angle correlations between charged hadrons at forward/backward (deuteron/gold going direction) rapidity and charged hadrons at midrapidity in d+Au and p+p collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV. Jet structures observed in the correlations are quantified in terms of the conditional yield and angular width of away-side partners. The kinematic region studied here samples partons in the gold nucleus with x~0.1 to ~0.01. Within this range, we find no x dependence of the jet structure in d+Au collisions.