Identification of the substrate recognition region in the Δ⁶-fatty acid and Δ⁸-sphingolipid desaturase by fusion mutagenesis.

Δ⁸-sphingolipid desaturase and Δ⁶-fatty acid desaturase share high protein sequence identity. Thus, it has been hypothesized that Δ⁶-fatty acid desaturase is derived from Δ⁸-sphingolipid desaturase; however, there is no direct proof. The substrate recognition regions of Δ⁶-fatty acid desaturase and Δ⁸-sphingolipid desaturase, which aid in understanding the evolution of these two enzymes, have not been reported.

A new strategy to produce a defensin: stable production of mutated NP-1 in nitrate reductase-deficient Chlorella ellipsoidea.

Defensins are small cationic peptides that could be used as the potential substitute for antibiotics. However, there is no efficient method for producing defensins. In this study, we developed a new strategy to produce defensin in nitrate reductase (NR)-deficient C.

The role of C-terminal amino acid residues of a Δ⁶-fatty acid desaturase from blackcurrant.

Δ⁶-fatty acid desaturase is an important enzyme in the catalytic synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Using domain swapping and a site-directed mutagenesis strategy, we found that the region of the C-terminal 67 amino acid residues of Δ⁶-fatty acid desaturase RnD6C from blackcurrant was essential for its catalytic activity and that seven different residues between RnD6C and RnD8A in that region were involved in the desaturase activity. Compared with RnD6C, the activity of the following mutations, V394A, K395I, F411L, S436P, VK3945AI and IS4356VP, was significantly decreased, whereas the activity of I417T was significantly increased.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy favors long-term overall survival in patients with lung metastases: five-year experience of a single-institution.

Background: Metastatic lung cancer is one of the most common oncologic problems. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term clinical outcome of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for metastatic lung tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the 71 patients with lung metastases, who had 172 lesions treated with SBRT from January 2000 to December 2006.

Isolation and functional characterisation of the genes encoding Δ(8)-sphingolipid desaturase from Brassica rapa.

Δ(8)-Sphingolipid desaturase is the key enzyme that catalyses desaturation at the C8 position of the long-chain base of sphingolipids in higher plants. There have been no previous studies on the genes encoding Δ(8)-sphingolipid desaturases in Brassica rapa. In this study, four genes encoding Δ(8)-sphingolipid desaturases from B.

Enhanced tolerance to NaCl and LiCl stresses by over-expressing Caragana korshinskii sodium/proton exchanger 1 (CkNHX1) and the hydrophilic C terminus is required for the activity of CkNHX1 in Atsos3-1 mutant and yeast.

Sodium/proton exchangers (NHX antiporters) play important roles in plant responses to salt stress. Previous research showed that hydrophilic C-terminal region of Arabidopsis AtNHX1 negatively regulates the Na(+)/H(+) transporting activity. In this study, CkNHX1 were isolated from Caragana korshinskii, a pea shrub with high tolerance to salt, drought, and cold stresses.

Newly identified essential amino acid residues affecting Δ8-sphingolipid desaturase activity revealed by site-directed mutagenesis.

In order to identify amino acid residues crucial for the enzymatic activity of Δ(8)-sphingolipid desaturases, a sequence comparison was performed among Δ(8)-sphingolipid desaturases and Δ(6)-fatty acid desaturases from various plants. In addition to the known conserved cytb(5) (cytochrome b(5)) HPGG motif and three conserved histidine boxes, they share additional 15 completely conserved residues. A series of site-directed mutants were generated using our previously isolated Δ(8)-sphingolipid desaturase gene from Brassica rapa to evaluate the importance of these residues to the enzyme function.

[Therapeutic efficacy of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To compare the treatment results of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and conventional radiotherapy (2D) for patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Five hundred and twenty seven patients with stage III NSCLC treated between Jan 2000 and Dec 2006 were included in this study. Among them, 253 cases were treated with 3D-CRT, and 274 with conventional radiotherapy.

Genes encoding the biotin carboxylase subunit of acetyl-CoA carboxylase from Brassica napus and parental species: cloning, expression patterns, and evolution.

Comparative genomics is a useful tool to investigate gene and genome evolution. Biotin carboxylase (BC), an important subunit of heteromeric acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) that is a rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis in dicots, catalyzes ATP, biotin carboxyl carrier protein, and CO2 to form carboxybiotin carboxyl carrier protein. In this study, we cloned four genes encoding BC from Brassica napus L.

Genes encoding the alpha-carboxyltransferase subunit of acetyl-CoA carboxylase from Brassica napus and parental species: cloning, expression patterns, and evolution.

Heteromeric acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase), a rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis in dicots, is a multi-enzyme complex consisting of biotin carboxylase, biotin carboxyl carrier protein, and carboxyltransferase (alpha-CT and beta-CT). In the present study, four genes encoding alpha-CT were cloned from Brassica napus, and two were cloned from each of the two parental species, B. rapa and B.

Identification and functional analysis of the genes encoding Delta6-desaturase from Ribes nigrum.

Gamma-linolenic acid (gamma-linolenic acid, GLA; C18:3 Delta(6, 9, 12)) belongs to the omega-6 family and exists primarily in several plant oils, such as evening primrose oil, blackcurrant oil, and borage oil. Delta(6)-desaturase is a key enzyme involved in the synthesis of GLA. There have been no previous reports on the genes encoding Delta(6)-desaturase in blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.

Advances in chloroplast engineering.

The chloroplast is a pivotal organelle in plant cells and eukaryotic algae to carry out photosynthesis, which provides the primary source of the world's food. The expression of foreign genes in chloroplasts offers several advantages over their expression in the nucleus: high-level expression, transgene stacking in operons and a lack of epigenetic interference allowing stable transgene expression. In addition, transgenic chloroplasts are generally not transmitted through pollen grains because of the cytoplasmic localization.

[Effect of different chemotherapy regimens for concurrent chemoradiotherapy on locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the effects of different chemotherapy regimens for concurrent chemoradiation on locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: The data from 106 patients diagnosed as locally advanced NSCLC (IIIa: 29, IIIb: 77), who received various chemotherapy regimens for concurrent chemoradiotherapy, were retrospectively analyzed. Paclitaxel-based chemotherapy regimen was administered in 55 patients, topotecan regimen in 21 patients, PE (cisplatin and etopside) regimen in 26 patients, and other regimens in the remaining 4 patients.

[Postoperative three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for resected non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To investigate the association between survival and postoperative three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Eighty-four patients were treated with surgery and postoperative 3DCRT for NSCLC. Sixty-five (77.

Isolation of expressed sequences from a specific chromosome of Thinopyrum intermedium infected by BYDV.

To map important ESTs to specific chromosomes and (or) chromosomal regions is difficult in hexaploid wheat because of its large genome size and serious interference of homoeologous sequences. Large-scale EST sequencing and subsequent chromosome localization are both laborious and time-consuming. The wheat alien addition line TAi-27 contains a pair of chromosomes of Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.

[Prognosis of locally advanced non small cell lung cancer treated with three dimentional conformal radiotherapy].

Objective: To summarize our experience and evaluate the prognostic factors of locally advanced non small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) treated with three dimentional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT).

Methods: 118 patients with stage IIImA/IIIB non small cell lung cancer were treated with 3D-CRT from Nov. 2001 to Mar.

Rapid EST isolation from chromosome 1R of rye.

Background: To obtain important expressed sequence tags (ESTs) located on specific chromosomes is currently difficult. Construction of single-chromosome EST library could be an efficient strategy to isolate important ESTs located on specific chromosomes. In this research we developed a method to rapidly isolate ESTs from chromosome 1R of rye by combining the techniques of chromosome microdissection with hybrid specific amplification (HSA).

[Function of the putative Na+/H+ antiporter gene PeNhaD1 from salt-resistant Populus euphratica Oliv].

Yeast complementation experiments were carried out to define the possible function of PeNhaD1, a Na(+)/H(+) antiporter gene from Populus euphratica Oliv., a salt resistant tree. PeNhaD1 was introduced to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain ANT3 (Deltaena1-4::HIS3 Deltanha1::LEU2), which lacks the plasma membrane Na(+)/H(+) antiporter gene ScNHA1 or GX1 (Deltanhx1::TRP1), which lacks tonoplast Na(+)/H(+) antiporter gene ScNHX1.

[Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for locoregionally recurrent non-small cell lung cancer after initial radiotherapy].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, therapeutic effects and normal tissue complications of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) for locoregionally recurrent non-small cell lung cancer after initial radiotherapy.

Methods: Between August 1999 and August 2003, 27 such patients were treated with 3DCRT after initial radiotherapy. This series consisted of 25 men and 2 women with a median age of 64 years.

[SPECT lung perfusion scans in predicting radiation pneumonitis in lung cancer patients].

Objective: To evaluate single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) lung perfusion in predicting radiation pneumonitis in lung cancer patients.

Methods: From April 2003 to March 2004, 31 lung cancer patients treated with radical radiotherapy received SPECT lung perfusion scans, among whom, 23 had had perfusion scans both before and at the time of 40 Gy irradiation. The perfusion changes in the region of interest (ROI) after irradiation were obtained through comparing post-radiotherapy with pre-radiotherapy average proportion of SPECT counts within the ROI relative to average counts of the whole lung.

Chloroplast transformation.

In this chapter we briefly review the developmental history and current research status of chloroplast transformation and introduce the merits of chloroplast transformation as compared with the nuclear genome transformation. Furthermore, according to the chloroplast transformation achieved in oilseed rape (Brassica napus), we introduce the preparation of explants, transformation methods, system selection, identification methods of the transplastomic plants, and experimental results. The technical points, the bottleneck, and the further research directions of the chloroplast transformation are discussed in the notes.

[Preliminary results of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for small-cell lung cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, therapeutic effects and complications of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Methods: The data of 19 SCLC patients treated between June 2001 and August 2003, with 3DCRT were reviewed and analyzed. Eighteen patients were treated by radiotherapy plus chemotherapy while only 1 patient by radiotherapy alone.

[Radiobiological effects of fast neutron/photon mixed irradiation on nasopharyngeal cancer cell line CNE-1].

Objective: To study the radiobiological effects of fast neutron/photon mixed irradiation on human cancer cell in vitro and to discuss the mechanism in relation with cell cycle and apoptosis, thus to provide experimental support for the further application of fast neutron radiotherapy of cancer.

Methods: Exponentially growing human nasopharyngeal cancer cell line CNE-1 was irradiated in vitro with 35 MeV p-->Be fast neutron and 6 MV-X ray in grading doses (0 cGy, 40 cGy, 80 cGy, 120 cGy, 160 cGy, 240 cGy, 320 cGy and 400 cGy for neutron, and 0 cGy, 100 cGy, 200 cGy, 300 cGy, 400 cGy, 600 cGy, 800 cGy and 1000 cGy for X ray). Clonogenic assay was performed, and relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of fast neutron was determined with D(10) by means of cell survival curves.

Cloning of resistance gene analogs located on the alien chromosome in an addition line of wheat-Thinopyrum intermedium.

Homology-based gene/gene-analog cloning method has been extensively applied in isolation of RGAs (resistance gene analogs) in various plant species. However, serious interference of sequences on homoeologous chromosomes in polyploidy species usually occurred when cloning RGAs in a specific chromosome. In this research, the techniques of chromosome microdissection combined with homology-based cloning were used to clone RGAs from a specific chromosome of Wheat-Thinopyrum alien addition line TAi-27, which was derived from common wheat and Thinopyrum intermedium with a pair of chromosomes from Th.

Influence of number of metastatic lymph nodes on survival of curative resected thoracic esophageal cancer patients and value of radiotherapy: report of 549 cases.

Purpose: To analyze the significance of the number of metastatic lymph nodes on survival with and without the addition of prophylactic postoperative radiotherapy (RT) after radical resection of thoracic esophageal carcinoma.

Methods And Materials: A total of 549 thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer patients who had undergone radical resection were randomized by the envelope method into a surgery-alone group (S, n = 275) and a surgery plus RT group (S+R, n = 274). We performed a retrospective review of all patients according to the extent of metastasis.