Profiling and comprehensive expression analysis of ABC transporter solute-binding proteins of Bacillus subtilis membrane based on a proteomic approach

We analyzed ABC transporter solute-binding proteins (SBPs) of the Bacillus subtilis membrane using a proteomic approach. We prepared a washed cell membrane fraction that was insoluble in 134 mM nondetergent sulfobetaine and then extracted proteins using mixtures of detergents in a stepwise manner. The membrane proteins were resolved by three two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) or two one-dimensional (1-D) PAGE procedures, electroblotted, and digested in the presence of 5% or 80% acetonitrile. Thereafter, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identified 637 proteins corresponding to 15.9% of the total cellular proteins. We predicted that among these, 256 were membrane proteins, 101 were lipoproteins or secretory proteins and 280 were soluble proteins containing peripheral proteins that function in both the cytoplasm and the cell membrane such as SecA and FtsY. Among the 637 proteins, we identified 30 SBPs among 38 importers predicted by a bioinformatic search of the genome. We confirmed expression of the genes for the 30 SBPs using DNA microarray analysis. We compared the 2-D gel separation profiles of submembrane fractions solubilized by 1% n-dodecyl-beta-D-maltoside from cells cultured on Luria Bertani (LB), S7, and S7 medium without glutamate as well as DNA microarray data on LB and S7. The results suggested that YcdH, YtmK and YurO are binding proteins for Mn(++), glutamate and glucose, respectively, and that YqiX and YxeM are binding proteins for amino acids (tryptophan in S7 medium).     

In-gel deglycosylation of sodiumdodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-separated glycoproteins for carbohydrate estimation by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Mass determination by mass spectrometric methods (electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS)) of sodiumdodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)-separated proteins is a well known procedure and reliable protocols are available. In our efforts to use the established methods to determine the molecular mass of the disulfide bridged, heterodimeric glycoprotein GP3 and to determine the carbohydrate content of each protein subunit we developed an in-gel chemical deglycosylation method. For this purpose we established experimental conditions that allow maximum extraction of the high molecular mass protein subunits and developed a routine method to apply the HF-pyridine deglycosylation protocol to proteins isolated from polyacrylamide gel pieces. The novel protocol and extraction procedure described can be used to analyze O-glycosylated proteins up to 150 kDa after SDS-PAGE separation.     

5-Hydroxytryptamino-induced calcium sparks in cultured rat stomach fundus smooth muscle cells

With the imaging fluorescence probe of Ca2+ (fluo-3) and a laser scanning confocal micro-scope, the spontaneous localized calcium release event was first discovered in resting rat cardiac myocytes by Cheng[1] in 1993. A mathematical simulation is developed with computer in order to reveal the effect, which is immediately suggested that these events are likely to reflect the local-ized release of Ca2+ from a small cluster of ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channels in sar-coplasmic reticulum …     

Effects of different alkali metal ions on the cationization of poly(ethylene glycol)s in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry: a new selectivity parameter

The cationization of poly(ethylene glycol)s, PEG 4000 and PEG 6000, under matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization conditions was studied by using different concentration ratios of the sodium ion, as the reference ion, and another alkali metal ion (Li(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+)). A linear correlation was found between the intensity ratio of the sodiated PEGs and PEGs cationized with alkali metal ions versus the initial concentration ratio of sodium and alkali metal ions. The slopes of these straight lines are proposed as a novel selectivity ratio for the ionization process. The intensity distribution of the cationized PEGs was also investigated. It was found that the cationized oligomers follow Poisson statistics. The M(n) and M(w) values were also evaluated. An explanation for the observed effects is given.     

Selective degradation of lignin and elimination of HO radicals in pulps by O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and UV laser flash irradiation

HO^. radical is an aggressive reagent to abstract hydrogen from diverse substitutes and lead them to degradation, however, in reaction of active oxygen species with lignins, complex phenolic polymers, in dispersed lignocellulose such as pulp for environment-benign delignification, HO^. radicals should be eliminated as more as possible to prevent cellulose from unfavorably concomitant degradation. A reaction system of O₃ is constructed under UV laser flash irradiation, and HO^. radicals are controlled efficiently by it. A new mechanism is proposed, for the first time, that O^. radicals generated from reaction of O₃ with UV laser flash irradiation might be the contributor to scavenge HO^. radicals.     

Dynamics of photoexcited donor-acceptor complexes between C60 andN,N-diethylaniline. Polarization picosecond spectroscopy study

The kinetics of the formation and decay of photoexcited radical ion pairs of donoracceptor charge-transfer complexes between C₆₀ andN,N-diethylaniline (DEA) in chlorobenzene was studied by picosecond laser-induced diffraction gratings. It was established that the anisotropy of polarization of the diffraction signal decreases as the concentration of DEA increases. The radical ion states of the photoexcited C₆₀ ⁻...DEA⁺ complex have zero anisotropy. This effect is likely due to the isotropic intracomplex transfer of an electron from the local excited state to the radical ion state. The rate constant of quenching of the singlet excited C₆₀ byN,N-diethylaniline (1.4·10¹⁰ L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) and the lifetimes of the solventseparated C₆₀ ⁻...DEA⁺ and tight [C₆₀ ⁻...DEA⁺] (95±7 and 31±4 ps, respectively) radical ion pairs were measured. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1605–1610, September, 1997.     

Identification of low molecular weight proteins isolated by 2-D liquid separations

Proteins with molecular mass (M(r)) <20 kDa are often poorly separated in 2-D sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In addition, low-M(r) proteins may not be readily identified using peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) owing to the small number of peptides generated in tryptic digestion. In this work, we used a 2-D liquid separation method based on chromatofocusing and non-porous silica reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography to purify proteins for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric (MALDI-TOFMS) analysis and protein identification. Several proteins were identified using the PMF method where the result was supported using an accurate M(r) value obtained from electrospray ionization TOFMS. However, many proteins were not identified owing to an insufficient number of peptides observed in the MALDI-TOF experiments. The small number of peptides detected in MALDI-TOFMS can result from internal fragmentation, the few arginines in its sequence and incomplete tryptic digestion. MALDI-QTOFMS/MS can be used to identify many of these proteins. The accurate experimental M(r) and pI confirm identification and aid in identifying post-translational modifications such as truncations and acetylations. In some cases, high-quality MS/MS data obtained from the MALDI-QTOF spectrometer overcome preferential cleavages and result in protein identification.     

增强实验室X激光的亮度

实验室X激光已经取得重大进展,但均属自发辐射放大,缺乏模式限制的措施,故激光功率分散在多横模中,提高激光亮度的措施之一是模式限制.由于X光多层膜一般为高吸收膜,用以形成谐振腔作模式限制看来是困难的.本文建议采用相距足够远的二段激光等离子体作同步延迟行波放大来进行横模限制.分析表明,达到衍射极限的单横模X激光是可能的,这对X光全息术以及高亮度X激光的实现是十分重要的.本文还建议改变一般采用的产生线状等离子体的光学系统设计,使激光功率密度在长线上达到均匀;认为过去的光学系统不良是长焦线时,X激光增益-长度乘积低的一个可能原因.     

铜到钼的类钠离子能级结构及软X射线光谱理论计算

本文采用Hartree-Fock自洽场方法,从理论上计算了铜到钼的类钠离子1s~22s~22p~6nl(n=3～6,l=O～5)各能级能量。给出了有可能实现软X射线激光的跃迁(5g—4f,5f—4d,6g—4f,6f—4d)的光谱性质:跃迁波长、振子强度,并和实验值进行了比较,跃迁波长的相对误差不超过千分之二。从计算结果可知,Se的6f—4d跃迁,Br的6g—4f跃迁,Zr的5f—4l跃迁,Nb的5g—4f跃迁都已进入水窗波段。     

Aortic elastin fluorescence afterin vivo labeling with Congo red

Congo red (CR) is an azo dye which not only preferentially binds to elastin, an extracellular matrix protein found in the media of arterial vessel walls, but also fluoresces when it binds to this protein. Protein solubilization data following laser irradiation of elastin:CR suspensions determined that the amount of elastin solubilized by laser irradiation increased with the increase in CR. The saturation point of CR to elastin was attained when 400 g CR was added to 20 mg elastin suspension. When 20 ml of a 5% CR solution in 5% dextrose was administered intravenously, the CR was absorbed in levels sufficient to produce fluorescence of the main arteries in rabbits. Layers of tissue both in the media of the vessels and at the endothelial/intimal interface were clearly differentiated. Therefore, the elastin:CR complex appears to be an ideal system in which the elastin fluorescence could aid in distinguishing between normal and diseased tissue in certain pathological conditions, such as atherosclerosis and some types of breast tumors.