Effects of CRAC Channel on Spatiotemporal Ca2＋ Patterns in T Cells

A reaction-diffusion model is built to investigate the temporal and spatial patterns of cytoplasmic Ca2＋ dynamics under the effects of Ca2＋-release activated Ca2＋ （CRAC） channels in T cells. Simulation results show a strong dependence of the modulation mode of Ca2＋ oscillation and dynamic patterns of Ca2＋ wave on the influx rate through the CRAC channel （ksoc）. When ksoc is small, cytoplasmic Ca2＋ is modulated as a frequency-modulation （FM） signal, whereas it shows an amplitude modulation （AM） mode after ksoc passes through a critical value. The heterogeneity in spatial Ca2＋ distribution is mostly arising from the influx through CRAC channels in both FM and AM modes. During each Ca2＋ spike, a more sustained cytoplasmic Ca2＋ gradient is maintained in the AM mode rather than in the FM mode.     

Nanosecond-time-resolved infrared spectroscopic study of fast relaxation kinetics of protein folding by means of laser-induced temperature-jump

Elucidating the initial kinetics of folding pathways is critical to the understanding of the protein folding mechanism. Transient infrared spectroscopy has proved a powerful tool to probe the folding kinetics. Herein we report the construction of a nanosecond laser-induced temperature-jump （T-jump） technique coupled to a nanosecond timeresolved transient mid-infrared （mid-IR） spectrometer system capable of investigating the protein folding kinetics with a temporal resolution of 50 ns after deconvolution of the instrumental response function. The mid-IR source is a liquid N2 cooled CO laser covering a spectral range of 5.0μm （2000 cm^-1）-6.5μm （1540 cm^-1）. The heating pulse was generated by a high pressure H2 Raman shifter at wavelength of 1.9μm. The maximum temperature-jump could reach as high as 26±1℃. The fast folding/unfolding dynamics of cytochrome C was investigated by the constructed system, providing an example.     

用单分子技术研究抗癌药物顺铂对DNA结构的影响

文章作者用磁镊与原子力显微镜研究了抗癌药物顺铂对单个DNA分子结构的影响.当顺铂浓度较低时,DNA链变得柔软,驻留长度从～52 nm显著缩短到～15 nm;当顺铂浓度较高时,DNA表现出凝聚现象.基于单分子拉伸和原子力显微镜(AFM)成像两方面的实验结果,文章作者提出一个顺铂导致的DNA变软(softening)-成环(looping)-缩短(shortening)-凝聚(condensing)模型(简写为SLSC模型)来解释观察到的DNA凝聚,并认为通过远程交联使DNA形成小环结构是铂类抗癌药物作用的重要特征.     

Direct Observation of Histone-Induced DNA Shortening

We construct a system of magnetic tweezers and apply it to study the interaction between histones and DNA. The condensation of DNA by purified histones at low ionic strengths is directly monitored by recording the length of the DNA as a function of elapsed time. It is found that DNA condensates in a dynamic manner. The binding of hist, ones to DNA is energetically favoured, but the ten,sion applied on DNA tends to unravel the DNA-histone complex, The competition between the two processes determiners the rate of the DNA condensation.     

应用分子梳技术对DNA与组蛋白相互作用的研究

利用分子梳技术对λ DNA和组蛋白的相互作用进行了研究. 通过这种简单有效的方法，我们将λ DNA分子拉伸到26—28 μm，相当于其原长（约162 μm）的16—17倍. 当组蛋白与DNA结合后，DNA分子发生凝聚现象，复合体的拉伸长度明显变短，其峰值分布在10—14 μm之间. DNA 组蛋白复合体的拉伸长度与组蛋白的浓度、与碱基对和荧光染料的比例有显著的关系. 关键词： 分子梳 组蛋白 DNA 荧光显微     

Effects of pH on Oxaliplatin-Induced Condensation of Single DNA Molecules

By using magnetic tweezers, atomic force microscope and mass spectrometry, we study the effects of pH on oxaliplatin-induced DNA condensation, the DNA persistence length, the amounts of micro-loops and of oxaliplatin bound to DNA. It is found that the DNA condensation degree, the amounts of micro-loops and of oxaliplatin bound to DNA increase with the decrease in the pH value while the DNA persistence length has an opposite behavior. The observed effects may be related to the drug resistance of cancer cells.     

Cytoplasmic Ca2＋ Dynamics under the Interplay between the Different IP3R Gating Models and the Plasma Membrane Ca2＋ Influx

The cytoplasmic Ca2＋ oscillations are investigated under the effect of CRAC channels in non-excitable cells （especially in T cells）. The oscillatory Ca2＋ signals can be modulated as the amplitude-, frequency- and mixed amplitude-frequency modulation modes dependent on the different IP3R gating models. Bifurcation analyses show that Ca2＋ signals in the single positive feedback loop model is a mixed modulation mode. In contrast, Ca2＋ signals in the Mak-McBride-Foskett model demonstrates approximately the frequency modulation mode only with slight amplitude shifts.