Covalent Immobilization of Penicillin G Acylase onto Fe₃O₄@Chitosan Magnetic Nanoparticles

( Xiao Min Ling ),( Xiang Yu Wang ),( Ping Ma ),( Yi Yang ),( Jie Mei Qin ),( Xue Jun Zhang ),( Ye Wang Zhang ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.5

Penicillin G acylase (PGA) was immobilized on magnetic Fe₃O₄@chitosan nanoparticles through the Schiff base reaction. The immobilization conditions were optimized as follows: enzyme/support 8.8 mg/g, pH 6.0, time 40 min, and temperature 25℃. Under these conditions, a high immobilization efficiency of 75% and a protein loading of 6.2 mg/g-support were obtained. Broader working pH and higher thermostability were achieved by the immobilization. In addition, the immobilized PGA retained 75% initial activity after ten cycles. Kinetic parameters Vmax and Km of the free and immobilized PGAs were determined as 0.113 mmol/min/mg-protein and 0.059 mmol/min/mg-protein, and 0.68 mM and 1.19 mM, respectively. Synthesis of amoxicillin with the immobilized PGA was carried out in 40% ethylene glycol at 25℃ and a conversion of 72% was obtained. These results showed that the immobilization of PGA onto magnetic chitosan nanoparticles is an efficient and simple way for preparation of stable PGA.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of long noncoding RNAs in longissimus muscle tissue from Kazakh cattle and Xinjiang brown cattle

Yan, Xiang-Min,Zhang, Zhe,Liu, Jian-Bo,Li, Na,Yang, Guang-Wei,Luo, Dan,Zhang, Yang,Yuan, Bao,Jiang, Hao,Zhang, Jia-Bao Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2021 Animal Bioscience Vol.34 No.11

Objective: In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified in many species, and some of them have been shown to play important roles in muscle development and myogenesis. However, the differences in lncRNAs between Kazakh cattle and Xinjiang brown cattle remain undefined; therefore, we aimed to confirm whether lncRNAs are differentially expressed in the longissimus dorsi between these two types of cattle and whether differentially expressed lncRNAs regulate muscle differentiation. Methods: We used RNA-seq technology to identify lncRNAs in longissimus muscles from these cattle. The expression of lncRNAs were analyzed using StringTie (1.3.1) in terms of the fragments per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads values of the encoding genes. The differential expression of the transcripts in the two samples were analyzed using the DESeq R software package. The resulting false discovery rate was controlled by the Benjamini and Hochberg's approach. KOBAS software was utilized to measure the expression of different genes in Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathways. We randomly selected eight lncRNA genes and validated them by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results: We found that 182 lncRNA transcripts, including 102 upregulated and 80 downregulated transcripts, were differentially expressed between Kazakh cattle and Xinjiang brown cattle. The results of RT-qPCR were consistent with the sequencing results. Enrichment analysis and functional annotation of the target genes revealed that the differentially expressed lncRNAs were associated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase, Ras, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3k)/Akt signaling pathways. We also constructed a lncRNA/mRNA coexpression network for the PI3k/Akt signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our study provides insights into cattle muscle-associated lncRNAs and will contribute to a more thorough understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying muscle growth and development in cattle.

Silencing of long noncoding RNA HOXA11-AS inhibits the Wnt signaling pathway via the upregulation of HOXA11 and thereby inhibits the proliferation, invasion, and self-renewal of hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells

Jun-Cheng Guo,Yi-Jun Yang,Jin-Fang Zheng,Jian-Quan Zhang,Min Guo,Xiang Yang,Xiang-Ling Jiang,Li Xiang,You Li,Huang Ping,Liu Zhuo 생화학분자생물학회 2019 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.51 No.-

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths, but its molecular mechanisms are not yet well characterized. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in tumorigenesis, including that of HCC. However, the role of homeobox A11 antisense (HOXA11-AS) in determining HCC stem cell characteristics remains to be explained; hence, this study aimed to investigate the effects of HOXA11-AS on HCC stem cell characteristics. Initially, the expression patterns of HOXA11-AS and HOXA11 in HCC tissues, cells, and stem cells were determined. HCC stem cells, successfully sorted from Hep3B and Huh7 cells, were transfected with short hairpin or overexpression plasmids for HOXA11-AS or HOXA11 overexpression and depletion, with an aim to study the influences of these mediators on the self-renewal, proliferation, migration, and tumorigenicity of HCC stem cells in vivo. Additionally, the potential relationship and the regulatory mechanisms that link HOXA11-AS, HOXA11, and the Wnt signaling pathway were explored through treatment with Dickkopf-1 (a Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor). HCC stem cells showed high expression of HOXA11-AS and low expression of HOXA11. Both HOXA11-AS silencing and HOXA11 overexpression suppressed the self-renewal, proliferation, migration, and tumorigenicity of HCC stem cells in vivo, as evidenced by the decreased expression of cancer stem cell surface markers (CD133 and CD44) and stemness-related transcription factors (Nanog, Sox2, and Oct4). Moreover, silencing HOXA11-AS inactivated the Wnt signaling pathway by decreasing the methylation level of the HOXA11 promoter, thereby inhibiting HCC stem cell characteristics. Collectively, this study suggested that HOXA11-AS silencing exerts an antitumor effect, suppressing HCC development via Wnt signaling pathway inactivation by decreasing the methylation level of the HOXA11 promoter.

High-Q surface-plasmon-polariton whispering-gallery microcavity

Min, Bumki,Ostby, Eric,Sorger, Volker,Ulin-Avila, Erick,Yang, Lan,Zhang, Xiang,Vahala, Kerry Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved 2009 Nature Vol.457 No.7228

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are electron density waves excited at the interfaces between metals and dielectric materials. Owing to their highly localized electromagnetic fields, they may be used for the transport and manipulation of photons on subwavelength scales. In particular, plasmonic resonant cavities represent an application that could exploit this field compression to create ultrasmall-mode-volume devices. A key figure of merit in this regard is the ratio of cavity quality factor, Q (related to the dissipation rate of photons confined to the cavity), to cavity mode volume, V (refs 10, 11). However, plasmonic cavity Q factors have so far been limited to values less than 100 both for visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Significantly, such values are far below the theoretically achievable Q factors for plasmonic resonant structures. Here we demonstrate a high-Q SPP whispering-gallery microcavity that is made by coating the surface of a high-Q silica microresonator with a thin layer of a noble metal. Using this structure, Q factors of 1,376 ± 65 can be achieved in the near infrared for surface-plasmonic whispering-gallery modes at room temperature. This nearly ideal value, which is close to the theoretical metal-loss-limited Q factor, is attributed to the suppression and minimization of radiation and scattering losses that are made possible by the geometrical structure and the fabrication method. The SPP eigenmodes, as well as the dielectric eigenmodes, are confined within the whispering-gallery microcavity and accessed evanescently using a single strand of low-loss, tapered optical waveguide. This coupling scheme provides a convenient way of selectively exciting and probing confined SPP eigenmodes. Up to 49.7 per cent of input power is coupled by phase-matching control between the microcavity SPP and the tapered fibre eigenmodes.

Realgar transforming solution-induced differentiation of NB4 cell by the degradation of PML/RARa partially through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway

Yang Hai,Xin Wang,Peng Song,Jian-yin Li,Longhe Zhao,Fei Xie,Xiang-min Tan,Qin-Jian Xie,Lan Yu,Yang Li,Zhengrong Wu,Hong Yu Li 대한약학회 2019 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.42 No.8

PML/retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARa), as ahallmark of acute promyeloid leukemia (APL), is directlyrelated to the outcome of clinical APL remedy. It isreported that arsenicals can effectively degrade PML/RARa, such as arsenic trioxide and realgar. However, thehigh toxicity or insolubility have hampered their clinicalapplications. Realgar transforming solution (RTS) wasproduced from realgar by bioleaching process in our lab. Previous studies demonstrated that RTS had a significantanti-cancer ability on chronic myeloid leukemia throughoncoprotein degradation. The capacity of RTS on treatingAPL is what is focused on in this study. The results showedthat RTS had a noticeable sensitivity in NB4 cell, and RTSremarkably down-regulated PML/RARa expression andinduced cell differentiation. Further, RTS could accumulatePML/RARa into the nuclear bodies and then executedegradation, which could be reversed by proteasomeinhibitor MG132. The results also exhibited that thereduction of RTS-induced PML/RARa expression accompaniedby the elevation of ubiquitin and SUMO-1 proteinexpression. Finally, PML and SUMO-1 had been demonstratedto be co-localized after RTS treatment byimmunofluorescence co-localization assay and immunoprecipitationassay. In conclusion, these results suggestedthat RTS-induced cell differentiation may attribute to thePML/RARa degradation partially through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway.

Genome-wide analysis of the PHB gene family in Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Min Song,Xiangyong Peng,Caifu Du,Lei Lei,Tao Zhang,Yang Xiang 한국유전학회 2017 Genes & Genomics Vol.39 No.10

Prohibitins (PHBs) have one SPFH domain in common and present in species ranging from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Although a number of researches on PHBs were performed in different plant species, a systematic analysis of the PHB family in soybean is still remains uncharacterized. In the present study, 24 putative PHB genes have been first systemically identified in soybean. According to phylogenetic analysis, these GmPHBs could be classified into four groups. Gene structures and motif patterns showed high levels of conservation within the phylogenetic subgroups. Several members of this family have undergone purifying selection based on Ka/Ks analysis on duplicated PHB genes in soybean. We performed microsynteny analysis across four legume species based on the comparisons among the specific regions contained in PHB genes. As a result, numerous microsyntenic gene pairs among soybean, Medicago, Lotus and Phaseolus were identified. Most soybean PHB genes exhibited different expression levels in various tissues and developmental stages through expression analysis using publicly available RNA-seq datasets. The 11 GmPHB genes from III_B subgroup were examined by qPCR for their expression in two soybean cultivar after infection by Phytophthora sojae. Besides three GmPHB genes previous reported by us, here other four genes also were rapidly induced by P. sojae infection in the resistant genotype, while induction was very weak in the susceptible genotype. The comprehensive overview of the PHB gene family in soybean genome will provide useful information for further functional analysis of the PHB gene family in soybean.

Effect of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on Bombina orientalis Aromatase Activity Expressed in Cultured Mammalian Cells

Yang Won-Seok,Han Xiang-Zi,Lee Kyoung-Soon,Lee Kyung-Min,Ju Ji-Hyun,Shin In-Cheol 한국환경생물학회 2011 환경생물 : 환경생물학회지 Vol.29 No.1

Metastatic Axillary Lymph Node Ratio (LNR) is Prognostically Superior to pN Staging in Patients with Breast Cancer -- Results for 804 Chinese Patients from a Single Institution

Xiao, Xiang-Sheng,Tang, Hai-Lin,Xie, Xin-Hua,Li, Lai-Sheng,Kong, Ya-Nan,Wu, Min-Qing,Yang, Lu,Gao, Jie,Wei, Wei-Dong,Xie, Xiaoming Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.9

The number of axillary lymph nodes involved and retrieved are important prognostic factors in breast cancer. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether the lymph node ratio (LNR) is a better prognostic factor in predicting disease-free survival (DFS) for breast cancer patients as compared with pN staging. The analysis was based on 804 breast cancer patients who had underwent axillary lymph node dissection between 1999 and 2008 in Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center. Optimal cutoff points of LNR were calculated using X-tile software and validated by bootstrapping. Patients were then divided into three groups (low-, intermediate-, and high-risk) according to the cutoff points. Predicting risk factors for relapse were performed according to Cox proportional hazards analysis. DFS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The 5-year DFS rate decreased significantly with increasing LNRs and pN. Univariate analysis found that the pT, pN, LNR, molecule type, HER2, pTNM stage and radiotherapy well classified patients with significantly different prognosis. By multivariate analysis, only LNR classification was retained as an independent prognostic factor. Furthermore, there was a significant prognostic difference among different LNR categories for pN2 category, but no apparent prognostic difference was seen between different pN categories in any LNR category. Therefore, LNR rather than pN staging is preferable in predicting DFS in node positive breast cancer patients, and routine clinical decision-making should take the LNR into consideration.

Minimum 2-Year Experience with Magnetically Controlled Growing Rods for the Treatment of Early-Onset Scoliosis: A Systematic Review

Ai-Min Wu,Jason Pui Yin Cheung,Kenneth Man Chee Cheung,Jia-Liang Lin,Hai-Ming Jin,Dong Chen,Xiang-Yang Wang,Jie Zhao,Kenny Yat Hong Kwan 대한척추외과학회 2019 Asian Spine Journal Vol.13 No.4

Magnetically controlled growing rods have been used to treat early-onset scoliosis for the last 9 years; however, few studies have been published, with only short-term follow-up. The aim of the present study is to systematically review the outcomes of magnetically controlled growing rods in the treatment of early-onset scoliosis with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Studies were included if patients with early-onset scoliosis (scoliosis diagnosed before 10 years of age) underwent implantation of magnetically controlled growing rods with a minimum of 2-year follow-up. The literature review and data extraction followed the established preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis guidelines. Data of distraction frequency, number of distractions, distracted length, Cobb angle, kyphosis, T1–T12 length, and T1–S1 length preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up were collected. Data regarding complications and unplanned reoperations were also extracted. The mean values of these parameters were calculated, or pooled meta-analysis was performed if available. Ten articles were included in this systematic review, with a total of 116 patients and a follow-up period between 23 and 61 months. The mean preoperative Cobb angle and kyphosis angle were 60.1° and 38.0°, respectively, and improved to 35.4° and 26.1° postoperatively. At final follow-up, the Cobb and kyphosis angles were maintained at 36.9° and 36.0°, respectively. The average preoperative T1–T12 and T1–S1 lengths were 180.6 mm and 293.6 mm, respectively, and increased to 198.3 mm and 320.3 mm postoperatively. T1–T12 and T1–S1 lengths were 212.3 mm and 339.3 mm at final follow-up, respectively. The overall rate of patients with complications was 48% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38–0.58) and unplanned reoperation 44% (95% CI, 0.33–0.55) after sensitivity analysis. The current evidence from different countries with a minimum of a 2-year follow-up suggests that magnetically controlled growing rods are an effective technique to treat pediatric scoliosis and promote spine growth. However, nearly half of patients still developed complications or required unplanned reoperations.

SiC particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composite coatings prepared by laser powder deposition

Xu Xiang-yang,Han Jian-min,Li Wei-jing,Liu Yuan-fu,Liu Long-mei 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2006 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.7 No.2

A SiC particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composite coatings for wear resistance improvement were investigated. Laser powder deposition processing was optimized, the microstructure of the coatings was analyzed, and the wear resistance of the coatings was evaluated. Under optimized processing, a laser powder deposited coating is free of cracks and porosity. SiC particles were uniformly distributed in the coating and well bonded with the matrix. A laser powder deposited coating consists of α-Al, SiC, Al4C3, Si and Al2O3 phases. Due to formation of Al4C3 and Si phases and crystal grain refinement, the wear resistance of laser powder deposited coatings was increased 2.06-3.76 times that of the aluminum alloy substrate based on the high hardness and deformation resistance of the SiC particles.