Five cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the n-hexane extract of Commiphora myrrha by using various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, ODS and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by physicochemical properties and spectroscopic data. These compounds were defined as (3S,4R)-3,9-dimethoxymyrrhone (1), 9-methoxymyrrhone (2), myrrhone (3), commiterpene B (4) and comosone Ⅱ (5). Compound 1 is a new compound, of which the absolute configuration was established by single crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. Compound 5 is firstly isolated from the Commiphora genus.

Traditional herbal medicines, Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolium and Panax notoginseng, attract our attention for their extensive and powerful pharmacological activities. Ginsenosides are the main active constituents of these medicinal herbs. The related glycosyltransferases involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis are the key enzymes which catalyze the last important step. Modification of ginsenoside aglycones by glycosyltransferases produces the complexity and diversity of ginsenosides, which have more extensive pharmacological activity. At present, ginsenoside aglycones and compound K have been obtained by synthetic biology. As the last step of ginsenoside biosynthesis, glycosylation of ginsenoside aglycones has been studied intensively in recent years. This review summarizes the basic strategies and research advances in studies on glycosyltransferases involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis, which is expected to lay the theoretical foundation for the in-depth research of biosynthetic pathway of ginsenosides and their production by synthetic biology.
Biosynthetic Pathways ; Ginsenosides ; biosynthesis ; Glycosyltransferases ; metabolism ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Synthetic Biology

Pichia pastoris is one of the most important systems used in the field of molecular biology for the expression of recombinant proteins. The system has advantages of high expression, high stability, high secretion, easy high-density fermentation and low cost. Many factors affect the expression of recombinant protein, such as gene copy number, codon usage preference, type of promoter, molecular chaperones, glycosylation, signal peptide and fermentation process. In this review, research advances of the above aspects are summarized, which lay a foundation for improving the expression of recombinant proteins in P. pastoris.
Fermentation ; Gene Dosage ; Glycosylation ; Molecular Chaperones ; Pichia ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Sorting Signals ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis

Lanosterol synthase is encoded by the erg7 gene and catalyzes the cyclization of 2, 3-oxidosqualene, which is a rate-limiting step of the inherent mevalonate (MVA)/ergosterol metabolic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The intermediate 2, 3-oxidosqualene is also the precursor of triterpenoids. Therefore, the cyclization of 2, 3-oxidosqualene is the key branch point of ergosterol and triterpenoids biosynthesis. Down-regulation of 2, 3-oxidosqualene metabolic flux to ergosterol in S. cerevisiae may redirect the metabolic flux toward the triterpenoid synthetic pathway reconstructed by the synthetic biology approach. To construct erg7 knockout cassette harboring the loxP-Marker-loxP element, long primers were designed, which were homologous to the sequences of both erg7 ORF and plasmid pUG66. The cassette was transformed into diploid wild strain INVSc1 by LiAc/SS Carrier DNA/PEG method and then erg7 gene haploid deficient mutant was obtained by homologous recombination. The results of semiquantitative PCR and real-time quantitative PCR revealed that erg7 expression level in erg7 gene haploid deficient mutant is one time lower than that in wild strain. The results of TLC and HPLC showed that the ergosterol content in deficient mutant decreased to 42% of that in wild strain.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; DNA Primers ; Down-Regulation ; Ergosterol ; metabolism ; Haploidy ; Intramolecular Transferases ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; genetics ; Squalene ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism

Amphiregulin is the ligand of epidermal growth factor receptor.It's widely expressed in many tissues and is involved in the oncogenesis,progression and metastasis of tumors.In the clinical study of lung caner,amphiregulin is a prognostic marker for NSCLC patients.Furthermore,amphiregulin is closely associated with the sensitivity and resistance of EGFRTKI treatment.Medicine target on amphiregulin can inhibit the activity of tumors.

From 2006 to 2010,381 national or provincial projects were granted to Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Chinese CDC).According to the development plan of key dsciplines made by Chinese CDC, this study stratified the granted projects and analyzed their distribution in the four units (including 37 subunits),namely,infection disease,health,chronic disease and general technology platform. The results indicated that most of the important topics proposed by our center received financial support from the government,and the supported projects were mostly in the field of infectious disease and health.The results also revealed that the key projects proposed by Chinese CDC meet the practical requirements of disease control,and those projects covered the key scientific topics and key technologies.Meanwhile,the result reflected that Chinese CDC is very competitive as far as scientific research is concerned,but the research structure is not balanced among the 4 units.

Objective To investigate the clinical application value of laparoscopy-assisted subtotal colectomy with antiperistalsis cecorectal anastomosis for slow transit constipation (STC).Methods From September 2007 to October 2010,a total of 31 patients with STC underwent laparoscopic-assisted subtotal colectomy with antiperistalsis cecorectal anastomosis.A follow-up survey was completed at 3 and 12 months after the operation.Results No death or conversions to open operation occurred.The mean operation time,mean intraoperative blood loss and mean post-operative hospitalization were 260 min (180-310 min),60 ml (30-120 ml) and 8d (6-11 d),respectively.No postoperative infection,anastomotic stoma,adhesive intestinal obstruction or other perioperative complications occurred.In 3-month follow-up,constipation was significantly alleviated in 23 patients,mild diarrhea occurred in 5,diarrhea in 2 and mild recurrence in 1.Constipation was significantly alleviated in 25 patients,mild diarrhea occurred in 5 and mild recurrence in 1 at 12-month follow-up.Conclusion Laparoscopy-assisted subtotal colectomy with antiperistalsis cecorectal anastomosis is safe,effective and less invasive for STC.

Objective To evaluate the overall effect of transsphenoidal microsuegery for 23 patients with non-adenomas disease intrasellar region.Methods A toal of 23 patients with non-adenomas disease in- trasellar region,7 cases of Rathke's cleft cyst,3 cases of craniopharyngiomas,2 cases of meningiomas,2 ca- ses of pituitary tuberculous granuloma,5 cases of pituitary abscess,2 cases of empty sella,2 cases of chord- mas,were treated via sublabio-septo-sphenoidal microsurgery.Results There were among the 23 patients, groos total removal of the disease were achieved in 14 cases,subtotal removal in 7 cases,and partial removal in remain 2 cases.Diminished visual activity and visual field defects were improved in 13 cases.Menstrual disorder in all female cases and sexual disturbance in male were improved.There was no death in group. Conclusion Microsurgical technique via transsphenoidal approach is a safe and effective one for the treatment of patients with non-adenomas disease intrasellar region.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Dextran-40 on fatal jellyfish stings at whole animal and cellular levels.MethodsFirstly, using the fatal jellyfish envenomation syndrome (acute jellyfish envenomation syndrome, AJES and delayed jellyfish envenomation syndrome, DJES) models established earlier by ourselves, we surveyed the effects of Dextran-40 on the survival rate of AJES mice, on the circulatory function of AJES rats and on the serum biochemical indexes of DJES rats.In addition, the protective effects of Dextran-40 on cardiomyocytes against the damage induced by tentacle extract (TE) from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata were studied at the cellular level by laser scanning confocal microscopy.ResultsAt the whole animal level, Dextran-40 at 0.8g/kg significantly improved the survival rate of AJES mice, and at 0.6g/kg greatly inhibited the drop of blood pressure of AJES rats.For the DJES rats, Dextran-40 at 0.6g/kg had a significant protective effect on the liver function indexes (ALT, AST, A/G) and myocardial enzymes (CK, LDH).At the cellular level, Dextran-40 5μg/mL greatly inhibited the TE-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ content and the death of cardiomyocytes.ConclusionThe protective effects of Dextran-40 on fatal jellyfish stings may be related to its ability to stabilize blood pressure or block the TE-induced pore formation in the cardiomyocytes.Considering that the clinical safety of Dextran-40, we strongly recommend it as a first-aid medicine for jellyfish stings.

AIM: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of vincamine sustained release capsules on non- arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy ( NAION) . · METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with monocular onset NAION in acute stage from January to September 2015 were divided into two groups. Routine treatment such as steroid pulse therapy and neurotrophic treatment were given to all the patients. Vincamine was added to the treatment group patients with 30mg twice a day for 3mo. The best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA), mean deviation ( MD) of visual field, retinal nerve fiber layer ( RNFL ) , ganglion cell complex ( GCC ) , pattern visual evoked potential ( PVEP ) and OCT results were analyzed before and after the treatment. ·RESULTS:Totally 42 eyes of 42 patients were enrolled in our study. There were 27 patients in the treatment group, aged from 33 to 79 years old, the average value was 55. 55± 11. 83 years old. The control group has 15 patients, aged from 40 to 70 years old, the average value was 55. 71 ± 10. 06 years old. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in the baseline. After 3mo of the treatment, MD value of the two groups were lower compared with the baseline, the difference was statistically significant in the treatment and control group respectively (t= 2. 342, 2. 692; P = 0. 027, 0. 041). The difference of PVEP amplitude and potential of the two groups before and after the treatment were not statistically significant. The thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer and the ganglion cell complex were all lower than the baseline, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0. 001). The treatment of the two groups were both effective, the treatment group has better treatment effect than the control group. Adverse events related to the treatment of vincamine had not been found. ·CONCLUSION:Vincamine is helpful in the treatment of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.