A novel electrochemical sensing strategy for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of Salmonella by rolling circle amplification and DNA–AuNPs probe

A novel electrochemical sensing strategy was developed for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of Salmonella by combining the rolling circle amplification with DNA–AuNPs probe. The target DNA could be specifically captured by probe 1 on the sensing interface. Then the circularization mixture was added to form a typical sandwich structure. In the presence of dNTPs and phi29 DNA polymerase, the RCA was initiated to produce micrometer-long single-strand DNA. Finally, the detection probe (DNA–AuNPs) could recognize RCA product to produce enzymatic electrochemical signal. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve of synthetic target DNA had good linearity from 10 aM to 10 pM with a detection limit of 6.76 aM (S/N = 3). The developed method had been successfully applied to detect Salmonella as low as 6 CFU mL⁻¹ in real milk sample. This proposed strategy showed great potential for clinical diagnosis, food safety and environmental monitoring.     

Non‐Heme Dioxygenase Catalyzes Atypical Oxidations of 6,7‐Bicyclic Systems To Form the 6,6‐Quinolone Core of Viridicatin‐Type Fungal Alkaloids

The 6,6‐quinolone scaffold of the viridicatin‐type of fungal alkaloids are found in various quinolone alkaloids which often exhibit useful biological activities. Thus, it is of interest to identify viridicatin‐forming enzymes and understand how such alkaloids are biosynthesized. Here an Aspergillal gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of 4′‐methoxyviridicatin was identified. Detailed in vitro studies led to the discovery of the dioxygenase AsqJ which performs two distinct oxidations: first desaturation to form a double bond and then monooxygenation of the double bond to install an epoxide. Interestingly, the epoxidation promotes non‐enzymatic rearrangement of the 6,7‐bicyclic core of 4′‐methoxycyclopenin into the 6,6‐quinolone viridicatin scaffold to yield 4′‐methoxyviridicatin. The finding provides new insight into the biosynthesis of the viridicatin scaffold and suggests dioxygenase as a potential tool for 6,6‐quinolone synthesis by epoxidation of benzodiazepinediones.     

基于纳米材料的基因载体

基因疗法是治疗基因变异引起的先天性遗传疾病和后天获得性疾病以及癌症的新型有效方法。外源基因在细胞中安全、高效、稳定的表达是基因治疗成功的关键,这与基因治疗所使用的载体系统息息相关。基因载体主要分为病毒载体和非病毒载体两大类:病毒载体的转染效率较高,但副作用较大;非病毒载体作为一种新型的基因传递系统,可以弥补病毒载体的缺陷,尽管其转染效率稍逊于病毒载体,但在基因治疗领域具有不可替代的作用。随着纳米技术的出现和蓬勃发展,基于纳米材料的基因载体研究受到越来越多的关注。纳米基因载体具有如下潜在的优势:它制备相对简单,易于对其进行多功能的修饰;具有良好的生物相容性,一般不会引起强烈的机体免疫反应;粒径普遍很小,容易穿过人体的组织间隙而被细胞吸收,基因转运效率较高;可以较有效保护其所携带外源基因,利于基因更高效地表达。本文主要对基于金属、无机非金属、阳离子聚合物和脂质体纳米材料作为基因载体的研究进展进行综述和展望。     

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Decorated with Carbosilane Dendrons as New Non‐viral Oligonucleotide Delivery Carriers

A novel nanosystem based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles covered with carbosilane dendrons grafted on the external surface of the nanoparticles is reported. This system is able to transport single‐stranded oligonucleotide into cells, avoiding an electrostatic repulsion between the cell membrane and the negatively charged nucleic acids thanks to the cationic charge provided by the dendron coating under physiological conditions. Moreover, the presence of the highly ordered pore network inside the silica matrix would make possible to allocate other therapeutic agents within the mesopores with the aim of achieving a double delivery. First, carbosilane dendrons of second and third generation possessing ammonium or tertiary amine groups as peripheral functional groups were prepared. Hence, different strategies were tested in order to obtain their suitable grafting on the outer surface of the nanoparticles. As nucleic acid model, a single‐stranded DNA oligonucleotide tagged with a fluorescent Cy3 moiety was used to evaluate the DNA adsorption capacity. The hybrid material functionalised with the third generation of a neutral dendron showed excellent DNA binding properties. Finally, the cytotoxicity as well as the capability to deliver DNA into cells, was tested in vitro by using a human osteoblast‐like cell line, achieving good levels of internalisation of the vector DNA/carbosilane dendron‐functionalised material without affecting the cellular viability.