To study the roles of glucosylglycerol phosphate synthase (Ggps) in glucosylglycerol (GG) and glycerol biosynthesis, we over-expressed Ggps from either Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 or Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 in a Synechocystis strain with a high GG titer, and determined the GG and glycerol accumulation in the resultant mutants grown under different NaCl-stress conditions. Ion chromatography results revealed that GG yield was not improved, but glycerol production was significantly enhanced by over-expression of Ggps from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (6803ggpS). In addition, increasing the NaCl concentration of medium from 600 to 900 mmol/L led to a further 75% increase of glycerol accumulation in the mutant strain with 6803ggpS over-expression. These findings show the role of ggpS in driving the carbon flux to the glycerol biosynthesis pathway, and will be helpful for further improvement of GG and glycerol production in Synechocystis.
Bacterial Proteins ; metabolism ; Culture Media ; Glucosides ; biosynthesis ; Glucosyltransferases ; metabolism ; Glycerol ; metabolism ; Industrial Microbiology ; Sodium Chloride ; Synechococcus ; enzymology ; Synechocystis ; enzymology ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effects of different fine particulate matter (PM2.5) components (water-soluble, organic, water-soluble+organic) in vivo on the NOS/NO system in the endothelial cells from rat thoracic aortas. Methods Three PM2.5 components were used to inject by vein in rat tail. ELISA and immunohistochemical technique were used to examine the change of NOS/NO system in the blood-serum and the endothelial cells from rat thoracic aorta. Results Compared with control group, three PM2.5 components increased NO level of rat blood-serum [control, (38.00±5.40) μmol/L; water-soluble group, (44.66±16.59) μmol/L, t =3.58, P< 0.05; organic groups, (58.28±12.30) μmol/L, t =12.85, P <0.01; mixtural component group, (84.02+19.24) μmol/L, t =31.39, P<0.01]; increased iNOS level of rat blood-serum [control, (17.47±5.33) U/ml; water-soluble group, (21.87±4.63) U/ml, t =4.92, P <0.05; organic groups, (25.27±6.58) U/ml, t = 6.22, P<0.05; Mixtural component group, (32.79±5.86) U/ml, t =32.84, P <0.01]. Mixtural component decreased eNOS level of rat blood-serum [(12.58±4.59) pg/ml vs (17.47±2.97) pg/ml, t =5.91, P <0.05], no significant difference on eNOS level of blood-serum among other component groups (P >0.05). Three components decreased the expression of eNOS protein in the endothelial cells from rat thoracic aorta(control, 164.68±4.80; water-soluble group, 185.43±5.63, t =4.26, P <0.05; organic groups, 194.07±9.77, t =5.26, P <0.05; Mixtural component group, 209.24±15.43, t =43.19, P <0.01), increased the expression of iNOS protein (control, 160.17±5.79; water-soluble group, 134.78±8.22, t =5.21, P <0.05; organic groups, 134.78±8.22, t =5.98, P <0.05; Mixtural component group, 81.62 ±10.59, t =34.98, P <0.01) in the endothelial cells from rat thoracic aortas.Conclusion Three components of PM2.5 induced the dysfunction of endothelial cells and disorder of NOS/NO system in the endothelial cells.

Objective To investigate the change of adiponectin (AD),tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and S100 levels in serum elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis and cerebral infarct in order to evaluate the therapeutic effect of dioscornin.Methods One hundred patients with rheumatoid arthritis and cerebral infarct were selected as our subjects,who were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of Recovery Changzhi Municipal People's Hospital and the Department of Internal Medicine of the Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing Medical College,between 2006 September and 2010 September.All subjects (male 55,female 45,average age of 57 years old) were randomly divided into regular and dioscomin groups,50 for per group.Patients in regular group were treated with routine therapy and patients in dioscornin groups were treated with dioscornin 80mg,three daily plus regular treatment drug.Meanwhile 40 middle patients with single rheumatoid arthritis subjects were severed as controls.The changes of BMI,fasting plasma glucose,lipid factors,insulin sensitivity index (ISI),serum adiponectin,TNF-α and serum S100B were determined at treatment before and 6 months after treatments.Results The level of TNF-α,serum S100 in ERA patients were significantly higher andAdiponectin significantly lower than that of the control group,(TNF-α:[(89.0 ± 25.3) ng/L,(88.0 ± 24.2)ng/L vs(74.0 ±21.0) ng/L,F =3.292,P ＜0.05],[S100B:(0.102 ±0.051) μg/L,(0.101 ±0.045) μg/L vs(0.092 ± 0.031) μg/L,F =2.792,P ＜ 0.05],and AD and BMI were lower [AD:(7.2 ± 1.4) μg/L,(7.3 ±1.4) μg/L vs (18.1 ± 3.5) μg/L,F =17.057,P ＜ 0.01],[BMI:(18.9 ± 2.4) kg/m2,(19.0 ± 1.9) kg/m2 vs (21.8 ± 1.8) kg/m2,F =6.147,P ＜ 0.01].There was a negative correlation between adiponect and TNF-α,S100B (r =-0.46,-0.52,P ＜ 0.01) and positive correlation between adiponect and BMI (r =0.44,P ＜0.01).The adiponectin level was significantly increased in patients for six months after dioscornin treatment than that of control group.[AD:(12.2±2.9) μg/L,(7.8 ±1.8) μg/L vs (18.0 ±4.3) μg/L,F=6.480,P＜0.01].The level of TNF-α and S100B significantly decreased than that of the control group,TNF-α:[(72.0 ±21.0) ng/L,(82.0±23.0)ng/L vs (68.0 ±20.0) ng/L,F =3.065,P ＜0.05],[S100B:(0.092 ±0.021)μg/L,(0.099 ±0.031) μg/L vs (0.091 ±0.029) μg/L,F=3.030,P＜0.05].Conclusion Dioscornin could ameliorate the prognosis through decreasing the levels of TNF-α and S100B,and increasing adiponectin level in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and cerebral infarct.