新烟碱类杀虫剂生物活性的理论研究和结构修饰*

在B3LYP/6-311G基组水平下,运用密度泛函理论(DFT)的量子化学方法,对20种重氮乙烷新烟碱类杀虫剂分子的电子结构特征进行了研究,获得了它们的前线轨道能(EHOMO、ENHOMO、ELUMO、ENLUMO等)、原子电荷(Qi)、摩尔熵(Sm)、偶极矩(μ)等量化参数与物理性质。经最佳变量子集回归研究发现,重氮乙烷新烟碱类杀虫剂分子对果蝇n AChRs、哺乳动物α4β2亚型的亲和力常数(p KD、p KA)分别与ELUMO、QW、QF、QN等参数具有良好的线性关系。逐一或逐四剔除交互验证以及VIF、tα/2检验,所建2个QSAR模型具有良好的稳健性及预测能力。根据2个QSAR模型推断了重氮乙烷新烟碱类分子可能的杀虫机理。进一步研究发现,在重氮乙烷新烟碱类分子的吡啶环上的合适部位,选用不含复键的吸电子能力较强的取代基团对其进行结构修饰,有利于提高修饰后分子的生物活性。基于分子17,设计出4种经结构修饰后对果蝇n AChRs亲和力显著提高的重氮乙烷新烟碱类分子(分别是分子27,28,30和31),希望能得到实验的证实。     

Micellar capillary electrophoresis – Electrochemical detection of neurochemicals from Drosophila

The fruit fly is one of the most heavily studied model organisms for genetics research and has significantly contributed to the molecular, cellular, and evolutionary understandings of human behavior. Recent research in the analytical chemistry of the fruit fly has focused on developing methods to obtain highly sensitive chemical quantification information of Drosophila melanogaster, especially looking at the nervous system. We provide a brief overview of work in the area of CE of the fly head and brain.     

In vivo magnetic resonance microscopy of Drosophilae at 9.4 T

In preclinical research, genetic studies have made considerable progress as a result of the development of transgenic animal models of human diseases. Consequently, there is now a need for higher resolution MRI to provide finer details for studies of small animals (rats, mice) or very small animals (insects). One way to address this issue is to work with high-magnetic-field spectrometers (dedicated to small animal imaging) with strong magnetic field gradients. It is also necessary to develop a complete methodology (transmit/receive coil, pulse sequence, fixing system, air supply, anesthesia capabilities, etc.). In this study, we developed noninvasive protocols, both in vitro and in vivo (from coil construction to image generation), for drosophila MRI at 9.4 T. The 10*10*80-μm resolution makes it possible to visualize whole drosophila (head, thorax, abdomen) and internal organs (ovaries, longitudinal and transverse muscles, bowel, proboscis, antennae and optical lobes). We also provide some results obtained with a Drosophila model of muscle degeneration. This opens the way for new applications of structural genetic modification studies using MRI of drosophila.     

Ergosta-7,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol Rescues AD Deficits by Modulating Microglia Activation but Not Oxidative Stress

Ergosta-7,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol (EK100) was isolated from the Taiwan-specific medicinal fungus Antrodia camphorata, which is known for its health-promotion and anti-aging effects in folk medicine. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a major aging-associated disease. We investigated the efficacy and potential mechanism of ergosta-7,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol for AD symptoms. Drosophila with the pan-neuronal overexpression of human amyloid-β (Aβ) was used as the AD model. We compared the life span, motor function, learning, memory, oxidative stress, and biomarkers of microglia activation and inflammation of the ergosta-7,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol-treated group to those of the untreated control. Ergosta-7,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol treatment effectively improved the life span, motor function, learning, and memory of the AD model compared to the untreated control. Biomarkers of microglia activation and inflammation were reduced, while the ubiquitous lipid peroxidation, catalase activity, and superoxide dismutase activity remained unchanged. In conclusion, ergosta-7,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol rescues AD deficits by modulating microglia activation but not oxidative stress.     

Pheromone synthesis. Part 244: Synthesis of the racemate and enantiomers of (11Z,19Z)-CH503 (3-acetoxy-11,19-octacosadien-1-ol), a new sex pheromone of male Drosophila melanogaster to show its (S)-isomer and racemate as bioactive

The enantiomers of (11Z,19Z)-3-acetoxy-11,19-octacosadien-1-ol were synthesized from the enantiomers of 3,4-epoxy-1-butanol PMB ether. Its racemate was also synthesized. Its (S)-isomer and racemate were shown to possess the same pheromone activity as CH503, a long-lived inhibitor of male courtship in Drosophila melanogaster, although the racemate was less active.     

Trace element changes during hibernation of Drosophila melanogaster by WDXRF analyses at chilling temperature

Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) were exposed to low temperature (4 °C, 3d), after controlled acclimation (15 °C, 1d) and passed to artificial hibernation. The concentrations of elements in almost 1000 mature flies were measured by Wavelength-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WDXRF) spectrometry. Concentration changes of Zn, K, S, Ca (33.5%, 11.2%, 10.3% and 7.5%, respectively) and especially Cr and Mn (99.90 and 99.60) were observed. Concentrations of Cr, Zn, S and Ca increased significantly, but concentrations of Mn and K decreased in with comparison to the control group.     

Power regulation of kinematic control inputs for forward flying Drosophila

The choices of insect wing kinematic programs is not well understood,particularly the mechanism by which an insect selects a distortion to achieve flight control.A methodology to evaluate prospective kinematic control inputs is presented based on the reachable states when control actuation was constrained to a unit of power.The method implements a computationally-derived reduced order model of the insect’s flight dynamics combined with calculation of power requirement.Four kinematic inputs are evaluated based on this criterion for a Drosophila size insect in forward flight.Stroke bias is shown to be the dominant control input using this power normalized evaluation measure.