Genetic and physiological interactions in the amoeba-bacteria symbiosis

Amoebae of the xD strain of Amoeba proteus that arose from the D strain by spontaneous infection of Legionella-like X-bacteria are now dependent on their symbionts for survival. Each xD amoeba contains about 42,000 symbionts within symbiosomes, and established xD amoebae die if their symbionts are removed. Thus, harmful infective bacteria changed into necessary cell components. As a result of harboring X-bacteria. xD amoebae exhibit various physiological and genetic characteristics that are different from those of symbiont-free D amoebae. One of the recent findings is that bacterial symbionts control the expression of a host's house-keeping gene. Thus, the expression of the normal amoeba sams gene (sams1) encoding one form of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase is switched to that of sams2 by endosymbiotic X-bacteria. Possible mechanisms for the switching of sams genes brought about by endosymbionts and its significance are discussed.     

Characterization of Myosin Heavy Chain and Its Gene in Amoeba proteus

ABSTRACT Monoclonal antibodies against the myosin heavy chain of Amoeba proteus were obtained and used to localize myosin inside amoebae and to clone cDNAs encoding myosin. Myosin was found throughout the amoeba cytoplasm but was more concentrated in the ectoplasmic regions as determined by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. In symbiont-bearing xD amoebae, myosin was also found on the symbiosome membranes, as checked by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and by immunoelectron microscopy. The open reading frame of a cloned myosin cDNA contained 6,414 nucleotides, coding for a polypeptide of 2,138 amino acids. While the amino-acid sequence of the globular head region of amoeba's myosin had a high degree of similarity with that of myosins from various organisms, the tail region building a coiled-coil structure did not show a significant sequence similarity. There appeared to be at least three different isoforms of myosins in amoebae, with closely related amino acids in the globular head region.     

Evidence for Symbiont-induced Alteration of a Host's Gene Expression: Irreversible Loss of SAM Synthetase from Amoeba proteus

ABSTRACT. Symbiont-bearing xD amoebae no longer produce a 45-kDa cytoplasmic protein that functions as S-adenosylmethionine synthetase in symbiont-free D amoebae. The absence of the protein in xD amoebae is attributable to xD amoeba's failure to transcribe the corresponding gene as a result of harboring bacterial symbionts. However, xD amoebae have about half the level of enzyme activity found in D amoebae, indicating that they use an alternative source for the enzyme. xD amoebae originated from D amoebae by bacterial infection and now depend on their symbionts for survival. xD amoebae exhibit irreversible nucleolar abnormalities when their symbionts are removed, suggesting that X-bacteria supply the needed enzyme. A monoclonal antibody against the 45-kDa protein was produced and used as a probe in cloning its corresponding cDNA. The product of the cDNA was found to have S-adenosylmethionine synthetase activity. These results show how symbiotic X-bacteria may become essential cellular components of amoebae by supplementing a genetic defect for an amoeba's house-keeping gene that is brought about by an action of X-bacteria themselves. This is the first reported example in which symbionts alter the host's gene expression to block the production of an essential protein.     

A Symbiont-Produced Protein and Bacterial Symbiosis in Amoeba proteus

ABSTRACT. Gram- symbiotic X-bacteria present in the xD strain of Amoeba proteus as required cell components, synthesize and export a large amount of a 29-kDa protein (S29x) into the host's cytoplasm across bacterial and symbiosome membranes. The S29x protein produced by E. coli transformed with the s29x gene is also rapidly secreted into the culture medium. Inside amoebae, S29x enters the host's nucleus as detected by confocal and irnmunoelectron microscopy, although it is not clear if S29x is selectively accumulated inside the nucleus. The deduced amino-acid sequence of S29x has a stretch of basic amino acids that could act as a nuclear localization signal, but there is no signal peptide at the N-terminus and the transport of S29x is energy independent. The functions of S29x are not known, but in view of its prominent presence inside the amoeba's nucleus, S29x is suspected to be involved in affecting the expression of amoeba's nuclear gene(s).     

中国西藏小反刍兽疫病毒野生株China/Tib/Gej/07-30基质蛋白基因和融合蛋白基因的分子特征分析

对我国西藏小反刍兽疫病毒野生株China/Tib/Gej/07-30进行基质蛋白(M)和融合蛋白(F)基因序列测定,并进行分子生物学特征分析。首先应用逆转录聚合酶链式反应扩增出M和F基因片段,对聚合酶链式反应产物进行直接测序,然后对测定的核苷酸和推测的氨基酸序列进行比较分析。China/Tib/Gej/07-30的M基因由1483个核苷酸组成,编码335个氨基酸,与其他分离株核苷酸和氨基酸序列同源性分别为92.4%～97.7%和97.0%～98.2%。F基因由2411个核苷酸组成,编码546个氨基酸,与其他分离株核苷酸和氨基酸序列同源性分别为85.5%～96.1%和94.3%～98.2%。China/Tib/Gej/07-30的F蛋白含有信号肽序列和跨膜结构域,序列高度变异。F蛋白第104～108位和第109～133位氨基酸位点分别是高度保守的裂解位点和融合肽结构域。F蛋白还含有序列高度保守的三个七肽重复区。China/Tib/Gej/07-30的M基因3′端的非编码区(UTR)长度为443个核苷酸,GC含量高达68.4%,与其他PPRV毒株的同源性为82.4%～93.5%。China/Tib/Gej/07-30的F基因5′UTR区长度为634个核苷酸,GC含量高达70.0%,与其他PPRV毒株序列相似性为76.2%～91.7%。     

Identification of a novel male reproduction-related gene and its regulated expression patterns in the prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

To identify male-specific genes that could be involved in male development, we screened a subtracted male reproductive tract library and isolated a novel gene named Mar-Mrr (M. rosenbergii male reproduction-related gene). The Mar-Mrr cDNA sequence consists of 683 nucleotides with a 333 nucleotide open reading frame, encoding putative 110 amino acids (11.7473 kDa) precursor protein and a signal peptide consisting of 24 amino acids. Significant developmentally dependent accumulation of the mRNA was observed in the male reproductive tract, specifically in epithelial cells of vas deferens and terminal ampullae.     

条斑紫菜SAMS基因克隆与生物信息学分析

干旱、高盐和低温是限制植物生长和农作物产量的主要逆境因子。S-腺苷甲硫氨酸合成酶（S-adenosylmethionine synthetase,SAMS）与植物抗逆境密切相关,而且超表达SAMS的转基因植物具有更高的抗干旱、高盐和低温能力。进行条斑紫菜（Porphyra yezoensis）S-腺苷甲硫氨酸合成酶基因（PySAMS）cDNA的克隆及序列特征分析。首先利用电子克隆技术得到基因相关的contig,预测全长并设计引物,最后利用RT-PCR技术成功克隆了PySAMS的cDNA序列（GenBank accession：FJ404748）。该cDNA序列含有长1155nt的完整ORF,编码蛋白（PySAMS）分子量41.8kDa,长384AA。PySAMS与盘基网柄菌（Dictyostelium discoideum）、莱茵衣藻（Chlamydomonas reinhardtii）、拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）和水稻（Oryza sativa）等多种生物的SAMS具有较高的序列一致性,含有与SAMS酶活性密切相关的氨基酸残基和保守序列,与人（Homo sapiens）和大肠杆菌（Escherichia coli）的SAMS具有高度相似的三维结构。所以PySAMS与其它生物的SAMS一样,在条斑紫菜的抗逆过程中发挥重要作用。研究PySAMS有助于阐明条斑紫菜耐受非生物胁迫的作用机理,有助于获得高抗逆转基因植物。     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding endonuclease from potato (Solanum tuberosum)

A cDNA, StEN1, encoding a potato (Solanum tuberosum) endonuclease was cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of this clone contains an open reading frame of 906 nucleotides encoding a protein of 302 amino acids, and with a calculated molecular mass of 34.4kDa and a Pi of 5.6. The deduced StEN1 protein contains a putative signal sequence of 25 amino acid residues. The StEN1 encoded protein shows substantial homology to both plant and fungal endonucleases isolated and cloned from other sources. The highest identity (73%) was observed with AgCEL I from celery, Apium graveolens, ZEN1 from Zinnia elegans (69%) and DSA6 from daylily, Hemerocallis (68%). RT-PCR expression analysis demonstrated that the potato StEN1 gene is constitutively expressed in potato, although minor differences in expression level in different tissues were observed.     

The s29x gene of symbiotic bacteria in Amoeba proteus with a novel promoter

Gram⁻ symbiotic bacteria (called X-bacteria), present in the xD strain of Amoeba proteus as required cell components, synthesize and export a large amount of a 29-kDa protein, S29x. S29x is exported into the host's cytoplasm across the bacterial membranes and the symbiosome membrane. The complete nucleotide (nt) sequence of the s29x gene of X-bacteria has been determined, and the promoter sequence and tsp have also been identified. The gene has a nonconventional promoter with putative nt sequences different from the known consensus sequences. When Escherichia coli cells are transformed with s29x, the gene is expressed and the product is secreted into the culture medium. Functions of S29x are not fully known, but it is suspected that S29x plays an important role in the symbiotic relationship between amoebae and X-bacteria.     

刚毛柽柳S-腺苷甲硫氨酸合成酶(ThSAMS)基因的克隆及表达分析

通过对刚毛柽柳转录组分析,克隆获得了一条与S-腺苷甲硫氨酸合成酶(SAMS)基因同源性高的基因,命名为ThSAMS。序列分析结果表明:ThSASM基因全长cDNA为1185bp,编码394个氨基酸,编码蛋白相对分子质量为97.85kDa,理论等电点为5.02。通过生物信息学分析表明,ThSASM基因编码的氨基酸与其他物种SAMS基因编码的氨基酸具有很高的同源性,其中与枣的同源性最高,达95%。实时荧光定量PCR(quantitativereal-timePCR,qRT-PCR)分析表明,ThSASM表达受NaCl、聚乙二醇(PEG)和ABA处理做出应答,暗示ThSASM可能参与了刚毛柽柳对盐和干旱的胁迫应答,为进一步研究SAMS基因在植物胁迫应答中的功能及作用机制提供了参考依据。     

Sequence analysis of the agrA gene encoding beta-agarase from Pseudomonas atlantica.

The nucleotide sequence of the agrA gene encoding an extracellular beta-agarase of Pseudomonas atlantica was determined. An open reading frame of 1,515 nucleotides which corresponded to agrA was found. The nucleotide sequence predicts a primary translation product of 504 amino acids and Mr 57,486. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of beta-agarase from P. atlantica and the extracellular beta-agarase from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) suggests that these proteins share several domains in common.     

Revised nucleotide sequence of the gltP gene, which encodes the proton-glutamate-aspartate transport protein of Escherichia coli K-12.

The gene encoding the proton-glutamate carrier (GltP) of Escherichia coli K-12 was sequenced, and the primary structure of the protein was analyzed. The nucleotide sequence was found to differ in several aspects from the previously published sequence (B. Wallace, Y. Yang, J. Hong, and D. Lum, J. Bacteriol. 172:3214-3220, 1990). The corrected open reading frame encodes a protein of 437 (instead of 395) amino acids. Hydropathy analysis predicts 12 membrane-spanning alpha-helical regions. The complementary strand does contain an open reading frame possibly encoding a highly hydrophilic polypeptide of 272 amino acids.