微腔中单分子对荧光共振能量转移光谱学的理论研究

生物大分子动态的结构变化能够使用单分子对荧光共振能量转移谱技术来研究.主要研究了微腔在单分子对共振能量转移实验中有效提高相应单分子对的荧光发射信号的作用,从而提高该技术的时间分辨率.研究发现.由于受体一微腔的强耦合相互作用,光学微腔使得受体分子变成了一个类似于单原子激光的激光体.此外,随着距离的增加.受体的光子数会很快下降.微腔使受体的发射光对单分子对间的距离有更大的依赖性,在腔体中进行单分子对共振能量转移实验町以得到更高的时间分辨率.研究结果为单分子对荧光共振能量转移技术提供了实验方法和理论指导.     

单分子荧光检测在生命科学中的应用

文章对单分子荧光检测在分子马达、离子通道、信号分子、蛋白折叠、蛋白构象变化动力学、酶活性反应、细胞过程实时观察等生命科学领域中的应用进行了介绍.这些研究结果表明,单分子荧光检测在研究生物大分子的活动规律与机制方面不但有着无法替代的优越性,而且有着广阔的发展空间.     

远场超分辨随机光重建显微镜(STORM)研究进展

了解细胞内分子尺度的动态和结构的特征是生命科学迫切需要解决的问题,要求远场光学成像要求纳米或亚纳米量级的空间分辨率.介绍了一种实现打破衍射极限的远场荧光显微成像技术--随机光重建显微术(STORM),其分辨率可以达到横向分辨率20 nm,轴向分辨率50 nm,理论上这种方法的空间分辨率可以达到单分子定位的精度.具体介绍...     

生物高分子的单分子物理研究

许多生物大分子通过机械力来调控其结构与生物功能。它们能够产生,感应,传递和响应力学信号,并且做出相应的构象变化。单分子力谱被广泛地用于表征这些生物分子在其生理环境下的构象变化,从而研究机械力对结构和功能的调控作用。我们将在这一综述中,总结不同生物大分子力谱与其结构之间的对应关系,和各种相互作用对生物大分子力学性能的贡献和调控。这些研究也使得基于原子力显微镜的单分子力谱成为一个多功能的研究工具,把传统的生物化学和生物物理拓展到单分子层面。     

从基督耶稣的“裹尸布”谈起

 我们知道考古学是“时间”的科学,它是根据古代人类活动留下的遗物和遗址(迹)来研究古代社会历史.传统考古学主要是以田野发掘为对象的田野考古学和以遗物遗址记载为研究对象的文献考古学,采用对遗物遗址作客观描述和分类排比工作方式开展研究工作,但是,这种工作方式远不能适应考古事业发展的需要.有时由于缺少历史记载或旁证,使许多考古问题难以解释,成为无法解决的悬案,这对传统考古方法来说是一种挑战.我们举两个实例来具体说明.据《新约全书》记载,基督耶稣为救赎人类降世成人,生于犹太伯利恒,他有十二个门徒,他们在犹太各地传教.因此耶稣受到犹太教当权者所仇视,后来被罗马帝国驻犹太总督彼拉多处死钉在十字架上.     

二维相关光谱法及其在蛋白类物质分析中的研究进展

二维相关光谱法是将特定形式的微扰作用于样品,通过测定一系列扰动作用下的动态光谱,结合数学相关分析,获取与样品中分子结构及作用力相关的二维相关谱特征。该方法主要基于分子振动光谱,将一维光谱扩展到二维空间,能有效提高光谱分辨率,从而识别原始光谱中重叠的分子振动变化特征,为研究分子内及分子间的化学键变化提供依据,在生物医学、药学、食品科学、环境科学以及高分子材料等领域应用广泛。自1986年Noda提出广义二维相关算法以来,二维相关光谱衍生出了投影二维相关、串联二维相关、基于模型的二维相关、异质谱二维相关、移动窗口二维相关等算法。随着近年来生物技术的迅速发展,多肽、蛋白质、酶等蛋白类物质由于参与人体重要生理化学反应过程,对其结构(尤其是高级构象)的分析是研究蛋白类物质质量及疗效的关键。二维相关光谱方法为生物医药中蛋白类物质结构研究提供了快速、无损的定性定量分析方法,可分析蛋白质类物质高级结构中的细微变化,为生物大分子药物机制机理研究提供有力的支撑。综述了二维相关光谱技术的基本原理、谱图解析方法和技术进展,以及其在蛋白类物质分析中的应用方向和前景,为相关领域研究人员应用二维相关光谱法开展蛋白类物...     

基于局部保留投影的荧光分子断层成像快速重建

采用大规模荧光分子断层成像(FMT)投影数据进行重建需要消耗大量的计算内存,花费较长的计算时间.为降低FMT重建的病态性以及加快重建速度,基于流形学习和压缩感知理论,提出了结合局部保留投影(LPP)和稀疏正则化的重建方法,并对原始的多投影荧光数据进行重建.为评估该方法的重建效果和时间,分别设计了非匀质圆柱单、双目标仿真实验和真实小鼠实验.实验结果表明,在保证FMT重建图像精度和分辨率的同时将重建时间大幅度减少.     

封面故事

正磁共振是揭示物质组成、分子结构和动力学信息的基本工具之一,已被广泛应用于基础研究和医学等领域。然而目前通用的磁共振谱仪的研究对象通常为数十亿个分子,成像分辨率仅为毫米量级。基于金刚石氮-空位(NV)的单分子磁共振技术,展现出纳米级高分辨率、单分子高灵敏度的优势。基于此技术,我国科研人员在室温大气条件下获得了世界上首张单蛋白质分子的磁共振谱。该     

软物质实验方法前沿:单分子操控技术

传统的分子生物学实验方法基本都是系综的方法,测量的信号来自大量的生物分子的平均响应,这不利于得到生物分子的构象转变与功能的动力学细节.另外,很多生物大分子如细胞骨架蛋白、分子马达等在行使功能的时候都会受到或者产生力的作用,传统的实验方法也难于研究生物分子的力学响应.最近20年左右发展起来的单分子操控技术可以实现对单个分子的操控,同时测量单个分子在拉力作用下的力学响应.最为常用的单分子操控技术主要包括光镊、磁镊和原子力显微镜,不同的技术有不同的特点和适用范围.本文对几种常用的单分子操纵技术的特点,包括物理原理、可以施加的力的范围与精度、可以测量的分子长度范围与精度等做一个系统的介绍.另外,单分子操控技术在生物大分子如核糖核酸(DNA),脱氧核糖核酸(RNA)和蛋白质的构象转变,相互作用,以及分子马达的功能机理等方面已经取得的丰富成果也给出概括性的介绍.本文对生物学家系统的了解单分子操控技术和如何应用该技术解决自己的生物问题提供一个有益的参考.     

苏氨酸不同分子构型太赫兹吸收峰的量子化学指认

与红外、紫外和拉曼光谱相比,太赫兹光谱能量低,在待测物质中不会出现有害光致电离现象,伴随太赫兹技术的不断成熟,太赫兹波已经成为常用的无损检测用波。很多生物大分子在高频光波探测下具有指纹性,太赫兹时域光谱技术是对生物大分子无损检测的最佳手段。同时,不同生物分子在太赫兹吸收谱中呈现出各不相同的吸收峰,获得待测物质的太赫兹吸收谱后,与标准谱进行对照可以为待测物质做出定性辨识。在此基础上,结合最小二乘法、支持向量机等数据处理技术还可以实现基于太赫兹时域光谱对待测物质的定量分析。量子化学分析方法应用了量子力学的基本原理和方法,其中电子分析理论从电子角度出发,在分析大分子或原子个数众多的体系时近似误差较小,并且密度泛函理论不依赖实验数据和先验知识的支撑。通过量子化学计算方法计算氨基酸分子的太赫兹吸收谱,可以为氨基酸分子的太赫兹吸收峰匹配分子振动模式,对氨基酸定性分析有一定的参考性,并为实验获取的样品太赫兹时域光谱提供理论支撑,在实验获得太赫兹吸收谱的基础上进行量子化学计算,能验证实验结果的准确性。首先利用太赫兹时域光谱系统获取进口苏氨酸样品的太赫兹吸收谱,其次分别构建苏氨酸样品在实物中以两性离子形式存在的单分子、二聚体和晶胞三种构型,并利用量子化学计算方法完成了每种构型的结构优化,最后计算三种苏氨酸分子构型的太赫兹吸收谱。结果表明,单分子构型和二聚体构型的太赫兹计算谱与实验谱差异较大,但在高频段计算谱与实验谱的吸收峰峰位基本吻合,而较为全面反映分子间氢键及范德华力作用的晶胞构型计算谱与实验谱则较为吻合。同时表明,与样品结构较为一致的、保持苏氨酸物理性质的最小结构为晶胞。     

Interpreting early land management through compound specific stable isotope analyses of archaeological soils

Compound specific stable isotope analyses of managed soils using isotope ratio mass spectrometry have been undertaken as a means of determining early land use practices. delta (15)N amino acid signals demonstrate differences between manured grassland, unmanured grassland and continuous cereal cultivation under long-term experimental land use control conditions, with delta (15)N in hydrophobic amino acids providing the most distinctive signals. Analysis of early modern/medieval and of Bronze age anthropogenic soils from Orkney demonstrates that such signals are retained in archaeological contexts. delta (13)C analyses of n- alkanoic acid components of the fossil, Bronze Age, anthropogenic soils suggest a major terrestrial input to these soils, with uniform composition of formation materials. Surficial soils demonstrate the assimilation of isotopically lighter carbon, providing a means of assessing the mobility of the n- alkanoic acids within soils and sediments. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sample preparation techniques for the determination of natural 15N/14N variations in amino acids by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS)

In order to identify natural nitrogen isotope variations of biologically important amino acids four derivatization reactions (t-butylmethylsilylation, esterification with subsequent trifluoroacetylation, acetylation and pivaloylation) were tested with standard mixtures of 17 proteinogenic amino acids and plant (moss) samples using GC-C-IRMS. The possible fractionation of the nitrogen isotopes, caused for instance by the formation of multiple reaction products, was investigated. For biological samples, the esterification of the amino acids with subsequent trifluoroacetylation is recommended for nitrogen isotope ratio analysis. A sample preparation technique is described for the isotope ratio mass spectrometric analysis of amino acids from the non-protein (NPN) fraction of terrestrial moss. 14N/15N ratios from moss (Scleropodium spec.) samples from different anthropogenically polluted areas were studied with respect to ecotoxicologal bioindication.     

Stable isotopes of H,C and N in mice bone collagen as a reflection of isotopically controlled food and water intake*

²H/¹H ratios in animal biomass reflect isotopic input from food and water. A 10-week controlled laboratory study raised 48 mice divided in two generations (8 mothers Mus musculus and their offspring). The mice were divided into four groups based on the combination of ²H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N-enriched and non-enriched food and water. Glycine, the most common amino acid in bone collagen, carried the ²H, ¹³C, ¹⁵N-isotopic spike in food. ANOVA data analysis indicated that hydrogen in food accounted for ～81?% of the hydrogen isotope inventory in collagen whereas drinking water hydrogen contributed ～17?%. Air humidity contributed an unspecified amount. Additionally, we monitored ¹³C and ¹⁵N-enrichment in bone collagen and found strong linear correlations with the ²H-enrichment. The experiments with food and water indicate two biosynthetic pathways, namely (i) de novo creation of non-essential amino acids using hydrogen from water, and (ii) the integration of essential and non-essential amino acids from food. The lower rate of isotope uptake in mothers’ collagen relative to their offspring indicates incomplete bone collagen turnover after ten weeks. The variance of hydrogen stable isotope ratios within the same cohort may limit its usefulness as a single sample proxy for archaeological or palaeoenvironmental research.     

Sample preparation techniques for the determination of natural 15N/14N variations in amino acids by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS)

In order to identify natural nitrogen isotope variations of biologically important amino acids four derivatization reactions (t-butylmethylsilylation, esterification with subsequent trifluoroacetylation, acetylation and pivaloylation) were tested with standard mixtures of 17 proteinogenic amino acids and plant (moss) samples using GC-C-IRMS. The possible fractionation of the nitrogen isotopes, caused for instance by the formation of multiple reaction products, was investigated. For biological samples, the esterification of the amino acids with subsequent trifluoroacetylation is recommended for nitrogen isotope ratio analysis. A sample preparation technique is described for the isotope ratio mass spectrometric analysis of amino acids from the non-protein (NPN) fraction of terrestrial moss. ¹⁴N/¹⁵N ratios from moss (Scleropodium spec.) samples from different anthropogenically polluted areas were studied with respect to ecotoxicologal bioindication.     

Diskriminierung der Stickstoff-Isotope im Leber-Metabolismus nach Verzehr von Unterschiedlichen Nahrungsproteinen

Nitrogen isotope ratio disproportionation (N-IRD) is the result of isotope effects of different magnitude in branched pathways of nitrogen metabolism of the liver. N-IRD is measured as the difference of natural ¹⁵N abundance of urea and plasma protein and is noted in ‰ (per mill) as the difference of their δ values.

It was derived that N-IRD would become maximum if the amino acid pattern consumed by the respective pathways urea synthesis and protein synthesis of the liver is identical. This is expected if the metabolic available amino acid pattern exactly meets requirement.

When feeding rats methionine(met)-supplemented casein N-IRD increased from 6‰ at zero protein intake to 8‰ at the requirement intake of 5 g/kg BM?)/day. With further increasing protein intake N-IRD decreased to values below 6‰. It was concluded that increasing N-IRD with increasing intake of met-supplemented casein is caused by complementation of the endogenous amino acid pattern by exogenous dietary amino acids with a complementation optimum at protein intake of 5 g/kg BM/day where N-IRD was maximum.

When feeding rats soy protein N-IRD (= 6.2‰) did not increase, but declined slightly above requirement intake of 10 g/kg BM/day to N-IRD = 5.7‰ at 30 g/kg BM/day. This indicates that the amino acid pattern of the metabolic pool was not complemented by intake of soy protein.

These findings strongly suggest that the (endogenous) amino acid pattern of the metabolic pool, as present at zero protein intake, is characterized by an imbalance (“endogenous inbalance”) which may be complemented dependent on the intake of appropriate protein.     

Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons extracted from air particulate matter using a temperature programmable injector coupled to GC–C–IRMS†

Compound specific isotopic analysis (CSIA) can provide information about the origin of analysed compounds – in this case, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In the study, PAHs were extracted from three dust samples: winter and summer filter dust and tunnel dust. The measurement was performed using the method validated in our laboratory using pure, solid compounds and EPA 610 reference assortment.

CSIA required an appropriate clean-up method to avoid an unresolved complex in the gas chromatographic analysis usually found in the chromatography of PAHs. Extensive sample clean-up for this particular matrix was found to be necessary to obtain good gas chromatography–combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry analysis results. The sample purification method included two steps in which the sample is cleaned up and the aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons are separated.

The concentration of PAHs in the measured samples was low; so a large volume injection technique (100 μl) was applied. The δ_VPDB ¹³C was measured with a final uncertainty smaller than 1 ‰. Comparison of the δ_VPDB ¹³C signatures of PAHs extracted from different dust samples was feasible with this method and, doing so, significant differences were observed.     

Degradation pathways of dissolved carbon in landfill leachate traced with compound-specific (13)C analysis of DOC

The isotopic compositions of carbon compounds in landfill leachate provide insights into the biodegradation pathways that dominate the different stages of waste decomposition. In this study, the carbon geochemistry of different carbon pools, environmental stable isotopes and compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of leachate dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fractions and gases show distinctions in leachate biogeochemistry and methane production between the young area of active waste emplacement and the old area of historical emplacement at the Trail Road Landfill (TRL). The active area leachate has low DOC concentrations (<200 mg l(-1)) dominated by fulvic acid (FA=160 mg l(-1)), and produces CH(4) dominantly by CO(2) reduction (D- excess=20.6 per thousand). Leachate generated in the area of older waste has high DOC (>4770 mg l(-1)) dominated by FA (4482 mg l(-1)) and simple fatty acids (acetic=1008 mg l(-1) and propionic=608 mg l(-1)), and produces CH(4) by the acetate fermentation pathway (D- excess=9.8 per thousand). CSIA shows an advanced degradation and a progressive accumulation of (13)C of fatty acids in leachate from the older area. The enriched (13)C value of FA (-20 and-26 per thousand for the older and active parts, respectively,) and of low molecular weight DOC (-8 and-27 per thousand) as well as of the bulk DOC (-21 and-25 per thousand) shows more advanced degradation in the older part of the landfill, which is consistent with the shift in the humic/FA ratios (0.05 and 0.18). The (13)C enrichment of acetate (-12 per thousand) above the (13)C of DOC (-21 per thousand) and of propionic acid (-19 per thousand), in older leachate, suggests that this acetate has not evolved from the simple degradation of larger organic molecules, but by homoacetogenesis from the enriched dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) pool (8 per thousand) and H(2,) which produce a more enriched (13)C of acetate. In contrast, the (13)C of the minor acetate in the active area (-17 per thousand) indicates that CO(2)-reducing bacteria must be the primary consumers of H(2), which has resulted in enriched (13)C(DIC) (10 per thousand) and depleted (13)C(CH4) (-58 per thousand).     

Valine 738 and lysine 735 in the fifth transmembrane domain of rTas1r3 mediate insensitivity towards lactisole of the rat sweet taste receptor

Background  

The sweet taste inhibitor lactisole acts on the human sweet taste receptor heteromer TAS1R2-TAS1R3 but not on its rodent counterpart. Recently, it was shown that the lactisole sensitivity of the human sweet taste receptor involves the part of TAS1R3 encompassing the seven transmembrane regions but not the huge N-terminal domain. Using mutational analysis we investigated which amino acid residues distinguish lactisole insensitive rat from sensitive human T1R3 receptors.     

ICP-AES法测定古代车师人肋骨中的痕量元素

近几十年来 ,古代人群的食谱研究已经成为现代科技考古学的一个重要组成部分 ,也是当前国际科技考古学研究领域的一项前沿性课题。人类骨骼的微量元素分析为重建古代居民的食谱提供了大量信息。本文用硝酸 盐酸消解样品 ,采用电感耦合等离子发射光谱仪 (ICP AES) ,在选定的最佳条件下 ,对新疆地区古代车师人肋骨中的Sr,Zn ,Ca ,Cu ,Mg,Fe ,Ba ,Mn等 8种痕量元素进行了测定 ,该方法采用一次溶样 ,多元素同时测定 ,回收率为 87 4 %～ 1 0 6 6 %之间。相对标准偏差为 0 5 %～ 3 3%。该方法简单 ,快捷可靠 ,适用于古代骨样品的测定 ,结果令人满意。其结果为考古学和人类学的研究提供了科学的依据。同时考察了不同酸度对分析结果的影响和共存元素间的相互干扰 ,此外还进行了精密度实验。     

拉曼光谱技术在中国古玉、古玉器鉴定和研究中的应用

激光拉曼光谱技术是应用于科技考古研究中的高技术之一,属于无损分析研究,但作为一种很好的无损分析方法它在中国古代玉器研究中的应用并不非常广泛。文章首先介绍了激光拉曼光谱技术的基本原理及近几年来国内外的最新进展,然后从矿物结构与拉曼特征峰之间的关系入手比较了目前国内外5种常见玉石的激光拉曼研究结果。然后分别通过对浙江良渚遗址和河南安阳殷墟遗址出土的4件中国古代玉器与新疆和田地区出产的软玉样品进行对比研究,成功地利用激光拉曼光谱技术对一批中国古代玉器进行了无损鉴定,从而阐明该项技术在中国古代玉器结构测试和材质鉴定中是一种很好的无损分析研究方法。最后,讨论了目前激光拉曼光谱技术在中国古玉和古代玉器研究中存在的局限性并对其发展前景进行了展望。