Effects of nonylphenol on the brain development-associated gene expression profiles of F1 generation rats

To explore the effects of nonylphenol on brain development-associated gene expression profiles of F1 generation rats by means of microarray technique. The mRNA were extracted respectively from the brain of 2-day-old F1 generation rats whose F0 male generation were tested with and without nonylphenol, respectively, then reversely transcribed to cDNA and labeled with cy5 and cy3 fluorescence. Subsequently,the cDNA probes were hybridized to the Mouse40S cDNA microarray and the fluorescent signals of cy5 and cy3 were scanned and analyzed. Sixteen identified genes expressed differently, including 13 down-regulated in which five were related to brain function and development. Nonylphenol can effect the brain function in many ways, mainly disturb metabolism, development and differentiation of neurocyte, and synthesis and release of neurotransmitter.     

Effects of nonylphenol on endocrine regulation-associated gene expression profiles in whole brain of F1 generation male rats

In order to determine the effects of nonylphenol (NP) on endocrine regulation-associated gene expression profiles in whole brain of F1 generation rats, mRNA extracted from the brain of 2-day old F1 generation rats whose F0 male generation was treated with NP. The mRNA was then reversely transcribed to cDNA and labeled with cy5 and cy3 fluorescence. Subsequently, cDNA probes were hybridized to the Mouse40S cDNA microarray and the fluorescent signals of cy5 and cy3 were scanned and analyzed. Sixteen genes were identified which expressed differently, including 13 that were down-regulated in which 4 were related to brain regulation of endocrine function. Data suggest that NP mainly affects metabolism and synthesis of steroid hormone in various ways and disturbs the reproductive function of male rats when administered perinatally.     

Effects of Simulated Sulphuric Acid Deposition On Calluna Vulgaris/Peat Microcosms and Associated Soil Solutions

Calluna vulgaris/peat microcosms have been used in an outdoor simulated acid rain experiment to test a series of hypotheses about sulphuric acid deposition effects upon the growth of Calluna on peat soil, namely: (1) Initially, enhanced acid input will enhance base cation and ammonium concentrations in soil solution. This may enhance uptake of these species, increasing foliar concentrations of base cations and nitrogen, and possibly foliar chlorophyll a and b concentrations. (2) If changes are induced in nutritional status, they may influence plant growth. (3) in the longer term, enhanced ammonium and base cation solubility occurring as a consequence of cation exchange reactions will lead, especially in winter months, to enhanced leaching losses. Hence any positive effects upon plant nutrition will not be sustainable. (4) the peat will acidify significantly over two years, in the shorter term primarily as a consequence of an enhanced mobile anion effect. (5) Acidification may reduce the rate of mineralisation of organic phosphorus and, in a phosphorus-deficient peat soil, this may lead to reduced foliar phosphate concentration and possibly induce phosphorus deficiency.

Most of these hypotheses were supported to some extent by the experimental results. the peat soil solution pH fell immediately in response to the acid treatments, and longer-term acidification continued progressively over the two years of the experiment. in the first year, the treatments significantly influenced the calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and nitrogen status of the leaves from Calluna new shoots, whereas in the second year calcium, potassium and phosphorus were influenced. However, in both years foliar phosphate concentration was enhanced, rather than reduced, in response to increased acid load. Foliar carbon and nitrogen concentrations fell with increasing acidity of     

天津市污水以及再生水处理过程中的雌/孕激素干扰效应（Estrogen and Progesterone Interference Effect of Sewage and Reclaimed Water Treatment Process in Tianjin）

应用重组基因酵母检测了天津市4个污水处理厂以及2个再生水厂13个水样的雌/孕激素干扰效应.其中3个污水处理厂的进水检出了雌激素诱导活性,最高检测值为10.7ngEEQ·L-1;所有水样均未检测出孕激素诱导活性,但都检测出不同程度的孕激素抑制活性,其中检出了雌激素诱导活性的污水处理厂的进水具有相对较强的孕激素抑制活性.4个污水处理厂均不能完全去除孕激素抑制活性物质,去除率在44%～78%之间.微滤和臭氧氧化两种工艺结合对孕激素抑制活性物质的去除效率略优于MBR反应器.2个再生水厂出水加氯后孕激素抑制活性均有所增强.     

鼠Tcp11l1基因的结构与表达分析

为了分析鼠Tcp11l1基因的结构和表达,从小鼠睾丸组织总cDNA中扩增鼠Tcp11l1基因的开读框架(Open reading frame,ORF),定向克隆到真核表达载体pEGFP-N1,构建融合表达质粒pTcp11l1-EGFP,转染HEK293细胞,荧光显微镜下观察Tcp11l1基因的亚细胞定位;设计跨小鼠Tcp11l1基因两个外显子的引物,RT-PCR分析此基因在小鼠各组织中的表达情况.并利用生物信息学的方法对鼠Tcp11l1基因的结构进行初步预测.转染pTcp11l1-EGFP后在胞质中能明显看到绿色荧光信号,而在胞核和胞膜中无绿色荧光信号,表明鼠Tcp11l1蛋白定位于细胞质;RT-PCR分析结果表明,鼠Tcp11l1基因在小鼠各组织中广泛表达.生物信息学结果表明,鼠Tcp11l1和鼠Tcp11的蛋白具有相同的TCP11结构域,不能确定是否存在跨膜序列.鼠Tcp11l1基因和鼠Tcp11基因具有相似的亚细胞定位和TCP11结构域,表明这两个基因可能具有相似的受体功能.但是与Tcp11特异表达于睾丸组织的延长精细胞和精子不同,Tcp11l1为广泛表达,说明Tcp11l1可能在多种组织细胞中发挥作用.     

萘降解质粒pND6-1中萘趋化基因nahY的克隆和核苷酸序列分析

假单胞菌（Pseudomonas）ND6菌株的萘降解基因位于102kb的质粒pND6-1上。以pUC18质粒为载体，制备了含有1.5-3.0kbpND6-1DNA随机片段的基因文库。通过DNA测序和DNA序列的同源性分析，从基因文库中筛选出含有萘趋化基因nahY的克隆。NahY基因的大小为1617bp，编码的萘趋化蛋白由538个氨基酸组成，与假单胞菌G7菌株的nahY基因相比，核苷酸序列的同源性是96.7％，编码的氨基酸序列的同源性是95％。图4参7     

Chromosomal genes conferring tolerance to heavy metal (Ag) toxicity

Bacterial strains were isolated from sediment samples from the Thames River. Successive transfer growth of the various strains on nutrient agar containing increasing concentrations of AgNO₃ revealed that three of the bacterial isolates were found to be capable of tolerating high concentrations of AgNO₃ ranging from 20 to 80 mM on a solid medium and up to 10 mM AgNO₃ in liquid medium. Molecular characterization and identification based on 16S rDNA gene sequencing of three strains of bacteria that are tolerant to silver nitrate showed that the major tolerant strains include the superbug, Shewanella oneidensis, Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. Protein extraction and two-dimensional (2D) sodium dodecyl sulfate SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of the protein extracts in bacteria exposed to very high concentrations of AgNO₃ revealed a general reduction in the number of expressed proteins, although two protein spots were conspicuously over expressed in the exposed bacteria compared to control. The N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the protein spots identified the major up-regulated proteins as the outer membrane protein To1C (45.2 kDa) and the structural protein of the flagellar filament, flagellin (28.34 kDa), encoded for by the to1C and fliC genes, respectively. The roles of these genes in a number of multi-drug resistant pathogen and potentials for biotechnological applications in toxic metal control for treatment of contaminated ecosystems and biomining were discussed.     

Gene expression profiling of human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells exposed to the marine toxin okadaic acid

The marine toxin, okadaic acid (OA) is produced by dinoflagellates of the genera Prorocentrum and Dinophysis and is the causative agent of the syndrome known as diarrheic shellfish poisoning. In addition, OA acts as both a tumor promoter, attributed to OA-induced inhibition of protein phosphatases as well as an inducer of apoptosis. To better understand the potentially divergent toxicological profile of OA, the concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and alterations in gene expression on the human liver tumor cell line HepG2 upon OA exposure were determined using RNA microarrays, DNA fragmentation, and cell proliferation assays as well as determinations of cell detachment and cell death in different concentrations of OA. mRNA expression was quantified for approximately 15,000 genes. Cell attachment and proliferation were both negatively correlated with OA concentration. Detached cells displayed necrotic DNA signatures but apoptosis also was broadly observed. Data suggest that OA has a concentration dependent effect on cell cycle, which might explain the divergent effects that at low concentration OA stimulates genes involved in the cell cycle and at high concentrations it stimulates apoptosis.