拟黑多刺蚁成虫头部USP基因的定位与定量分析及其与EcR基因相关性

【目的】超气门蛋白（ultraspiracle protein, USP）是蜕皮激素作用靶标的重要组成部分。本研究拟通过分析在拟黑多刺蚁Polyrhachis vicina Roger USP基因PvUSP在不同品级成虫头部mRNA表达的差异,推测PvUSP对其脑神经功能或行为的影响;拟通过饲喂PvUSP dsRNA对拟黑多刺蚁不同品级成虫PvUSP进行RNA干扰（RNAi）,推测PvUSP对虫体生理功能的影响及其与蜕皮激素受体（ecdysone receptor, EcR）基因PvEcR之间功能的相关性。【方法】利用荧光原位杂交及荧光实时定量PCR技术对拟黑多刺蚁不同品级成虫头部PvUSP mRNA组织分布与表达水平进行检测;通过饲喂PvUSP dsRNA对拟黑多刺蚁不同品级成虫PvUSP进行RNAi,采用荧光实时定量PCR检测拟黑多刺蚁PvUSP与PvEcR表达水平的变化。【结果】PvUSP mRNA广泛表达于拟黑多刺蚁不同品级成虫头部（主要分布于蕈形体）,不同品级成虫头部PvUSP mRNA的表达量不同,工蚁头部表达量最高,雄蚁头部次之,雌蚁头部的表达量最低;RNAi沉默PvUSP后,与对照组相比,PvUSP mRNA在不同品级拟黑多刺蚁成虫体内表达量均明显降低,并存在显著差异(P<0.01);与对照组相比,PvEcR mRNA在各品级表达量均有增加,工蚁和雄蚁表达量变化不显著（P>0.05）,但雌蚁体内PvEcR mRNA表达量显著增加（P<0.05）。【结论】PvUSP基因对拟黑多刺蚁不同品级头部神经系统的构建、功能作用的发挥有关;拟黑多刺蚁PvUSP基因与PvEcR基因可能在异源二聚体形成过程中存在关联性或功能的互补性;PvUSP可能对雌蚁的生殖功能产生重要影响。     

油菜花粉发育相关基因RALFbn的克隆与表达分析

根据美国NCBI数据库中快速碱化因子(RALF)类基因序列的已知信息,克隆了油菜的快速碱化因子基因RALFbn,对其核酸序列及预测蛋白进行了生物信息学分析,并在油菜多种组织内观测其表达情况.结果表明:(1)经克隆获得油菜RALFbn基因的cDNA序列全长为510 bp,无内含子,编码79个氨基酸.(2)生物信息学分析发现,油菜RALFbn蛋白具有RALF类蛋白保守的“YIXY”区和4个保守的半胱氨酸残基,并且含有N豆蔻酰化位点、酪氨酸激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点、蛋白激酶C磷酸化位点、和酪氨酸激酶磷酸化位点等多个生物活性位点,说明该蛋白在油菜中潜在的生理调节能力较为活跃.(3) RT-PCR检测RALFbn基因在油菜生殖器官中的表达结果发现,RALFbn主要在油菜雄蕊中表达,而在雌蕊、花瓣和萼片中没有表达.提示RALFbn基因极可能与油菜雄蕊中花粉的发育相关.     

大熊猫RPS15 cDNA的克隆及序列分析

本研究运用RT-PCR技术,首次从大熊猫 Ailuropoda melanoleuca的肌肉组织总RNA中成功克隆了核糖体蛋白S15 (RPS15)基因的表达序列,并对其进行了初步分析.结果 表明:大熊猫RPS15基因的表达序列全长为442 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)为438 bp,编码145个氨基酸,该蛋白的分子量为17.0401 KDa, 等电点为10.3,含有2个依赖于cAMP和cGMP的蛋白激酶磷酸化位点, 5个蛋白激酶C磷酸化位点,4个N-酰基化位点及1个RPS19蛋白signature位点.进一步分析发现,大熊猫RPS15基因的表达序列及其编码的氨基酸序列与已报道的部分哺乳动物具有很高的相似性.     

内蒙古白绒山羊erk2基因的克隆及表达模式分析

旨在克隆内蒙古白绒山羊erk2基因cDNA并分析其基本表达模式。采用RT-PCR方法克隆白绒山羊erk2基因cDNA。通过在线软件Blast进行核酸序列分析,用SMART与Psite进行氨基酸序列分析。定量RT-PCR检测erk2基因在绒山羊组织中的表达特异性。免疫组化法检测绒山羊睾丸中erk2表达。克隆到的内蒙古白绒山羊erk2基因cDNA片段 (GenBank Accession No.JX569765) 长1 083 bp,包含了编码360个氨基酸残基的全长ORF,氨基酸序列与牛的ERK2 (Bos Taurus BC133588.1) 同源性为100％。SMART分析表明,ORF编码的蛋白包含了活化位点“TEY”及具有丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶催化活性的S-TKc结构域。Psite分析表明,含2个N-糖基化位点、1个依赖于cAMP/cGMP的蛋白激酶磷酸化位点、3个蛋白激酶c磷酸化位点、5个酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点、2个N-豆蔻酰化位点、2个异戊二烯基结合区 (CAAX box)、7个微体羧基端靶向信号、2个蛋白激酶ATP结合区标记及一个丝/苏氨酸蛋白激酶活性区域标记。PSORT (k-NN prediction) 程序预测其定位于细胞质中。定量RT-PCR分析显示erk2基因mRNA丰度在心脏、皮肤以及乳腺组织中mRNA丰度较高,脾、肾中的表达相对较低。在睾丸中检测到ERK2蛋白表达。     

拟黑多刺蚁雌激素相关受体基因cDNA的克隆及生物信息学分析

雌激素相关受体（estrogen related receptors, ERRs）能够直接与类固醇激素受体共激活子（steroidhormone receptor coactivator,SRC）结合,激活靶基因的表达,与众多生理和发育过程有关.采用RT-PCR、RACE等方法从拟黑多刺蚁Polyrhachis vicina Roger克隆得到了雌激素相关受体基因的cDNA克隆,命名为pvERR （GenBank 登录号为EF474463）,并采用生物信息学方法对其cDNA和编码的蛋白质的理化性质、蛋白质二级及三级结构、分子系统进化关系等进行了预测和推断.结果表明：pvERR基因cDNA全长1 935 bp,包含一个1 305 bp的开放阅读框、245 bp的5′-UTR 和385 bp的3′-UTR,编码一个由434个氨基酸组成的蛋白质.pvERR的配体结合区（ligand binding domain,LBD）主要由两个β折叠和11个α螺旋（H1, H3～H12, 缺少H2）构成,这与哺乳类动物已知晶体结构的ERR_γ的配体结合区结构非常相似.pvERR氨基酸序列与其他昆虫ERRs氨基酸序列同源性很高,它与西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera雌激素相关受体amERR氨基酸序列相似性达到89.9 %;在进化关系上,pvERR与人类Homo sapiens ERRs的关系比果蝇Drosophila melanogaster雌激素相关受体dERR与人类的更近.本文可为进一步研究pvERR在昆虫发育中的功能提供有价值的信息.     

杜仲Dirigent蛋白编码基因的克隆及序列分析

分别以杜仲基因组DNA和cDNA为模板克隆DIRs基因,并分析其序列及其蛋白的遗传特性。以杜仲为研究对象,利用聚合酶链式反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)技术获得杜仲DIRs序列,并结合生物信息学方法对杜仲DIRs的序列进行深入分析。从杜仲中克隆DIRs基因序列,利用生物信息手段分析DIRs基因与其它物种的同源性、结构域、功能域、蛋白质理化特性、蛋白质序列跨膜区、亚细胞定位、磷酸化位点、糖基化位点以及编码蛋白二级结构等进行分析。克隆的杜仲DIRs片段序列有468bp,不含内含子,编码155个氨基酸。推测的编码蛋白的氨基酸序列与芝麻、五味子同源性最高,分别达71%和70%,具有的5个保守基序,第1～148位之间是个高度保守的结构功能域—Dirigent,为亲水性蛋白,相对分子质量为17kD,理论等电点为4.91,不具有跨膜区;亚细胞定位在细胞质中,不属于分泌蛋白;序列预测具有13个磷酸化位点,未预测到糖基化位点,二级结构主要以无规则卷曲结构组成。以上研究为进一步探讨DIRs基因在木脂素生物合成途径中的功能提供了理论依据。     

大熊猫核糖体蛋白S11亚基基因(RPS11)cDNA的克隆及序列分析

RPS11是核糖体小亚基40S的组成部分,由RPS11基因所编码,属于核糖体蛋白S17p家族,主要存在于真核生物中.为了解大熊猫核糖体蛋白亚基RPS11基因的结构特点及其与已报道的人和其他哺乳动物核糖体蛋白亚基RPS11 基因的异同,本研究根据已报道的部分哺乳动物核糖体蛋白S11亚基基因(RPS11)的相关信息设计引物,运用RT-PCR 技术从大熊猫的肌肉组织总RNA中成功克隆了核糖体蛋白亚基RPS11基因,并进行了测序和序列分析.结果表明:大熊猫RPS11亚基基因的开放阅读框(ORF)长为477 bp,编码158 个氨基酸的蛋白质,该蛋白的相对分子量为18.4275 kDa,pI为10.96.拓扑预测显示该蛋白含有14个功能位点:即2 个N-糖基化位点,6个蛋白激酶C磷酸化位点,4个酪蛋白激酶Ⅱ磷酸化位点,1个酪氨酸激酶磷酸化位点和1个核糖体蛋白S17 signature位点.进一步分析发现,大熊猫RPS11基因与已报道的部分哺乳动物的表达序列及其编码的氨基酸序列都具有很高的相似性.本研究结果为丰富和完善哺乳动物RPS11基因资源库提供了基础资料.     

多刺蚁属细胞色素C氧化酶亚基Ⅱ序列变异及其进化关系

从Gen Bank下载多刺蚁属26个不同种的细胞色素C氧化酶亚基Ⅱ(COXⅡ)蛋白部分氨基酸序列进行分析,研究多刺蚁细胞色素C氧化酶亚基Ⅱ的氨基酸序列变异和系统进化关系。多刺蚁属种间存在氨基酸变异位点84个,占总氨基酸数目的 36%,而N端跨膜螺旋区氨基酸保守性最高。采用MEGA 4.0构建的邻接法(NJ)系统发育树表明:佛瑞尔刺蚁(Polyrhachis foreli)和甲胄刺蚁(Polyrhachis andromache)聚为一枝,双钩刺蚁(Polyrhachis bihamata)和叉形刺蚁(Polyrhachis ypsilon)聚为一枝,麦凯刺蚁(Polyrhachis mackayi)、澳洲刺蚁(Polyrhachis australis)和软毛刺蚁(Polyrhachis pilosa)三个种聚为一枝,这些种间亲缘关系较近;基于COXⅡ蛋白序列的系统发育关系分析与基于细胞色素b蛋白的系统发育关系既存在一致性,也存在一定的差异。多刺蚁属中序列变异度最大的4个种的COXⅡ对应的3D结构在螺旋和折叠排列方式上完全相同,表明多刺蚁属内COXⅡ序列变异并不影响其结构的形成。     

繁缕核糖体失活蛋白基因克隆及序列分析

采用同源克隆结合RACE法,克隆了繁缕核糖体失活蛋白的全长cDNA,命名为q3(GenBank accession GQ870262)。序列分析结果表明,q3的开放阅读框(ORF)长780 bp,编码259个氨基酸。序列G+C含量为41.5%,与大部分Ⅰ型RIP基因相近。q3编码的蛋白质命名为Q3,理论分子量为28.16 kD,pI为9.44,均与Ⅰ型核糖体失活蛋白相近;包含由23个氨基酸组成的信号肽。功能结构域分析发现,该蛋白含有3个蛋白激酶磷酸化位点、4个络氨酸蛋白激酶磷酸化位点和7个N-肉豆蔻酰化位点。三级结构预测发现,有35.52%的氨基酸残基参与了α螺旋,24.32%的氨基酸残基组成延伸链,40.15%的氨基酸残基随机缠绕其中。基于繁缕及其近缘种核糖体失活蛋白的氨基酸序列构建的系统发育树显示,其结构与经典分类结果基本一致。     

意大利蜜蜂雌激素相关受体基因全cDNA的克隆及分析

采用RT-PCR、Race等技术克隆了意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera)雌激素相关受体基因am ERR的全长cDNA,同时采用Protparam、Swiss Model和MEGA等软件对所对应蛋白质的理化性质、二级及三级结构、分子系统进化关系等进行了预测和分析。克隆得到的意大利蜜蜂雌激素相关受体基因am ERR cDNA全长1 779 bp,其中ORF 1 305 bp,5'-UTR 197 bp,3'-UTR 277 bp,编码的蛋白质由434个氨基酸组成;am ERR基因有8个外显子和7个内含子。该基因较为保守,am ERR与拟黑多刺蚁pv ERR的序列相似性达到89.9%;am ERR的配体结合区缺少H2,由H3、H4和H12形成LBP,与配体结合的关键位点分别是Y246、T284和C316。以上结果为深入研究昆虫ERR基因的功能奠定了理论基础。     

Molecular cloning of the ecdysone receptor and the retinoid X receptor from the scorpion Liocheles australasiae

cDNAs of the ecdysone receptor and the retinoid X receptor were cloned from the Japanese scorpion Liocheles australasiae, and the amino acid sequences were deduced. The full-length cDNA sequences of the L. australasiae ecdysone receptor and the L. australasiae retinoid X receptor were 2881 and 1977 bp in length, respectively, and the open reading frames encoded proteins of 560 and 414 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of the L. australasiae ecdysone receptor was similar to that of the ecdysone receptor-A of the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (68%) and to that of the ecdysone receptor-A1 of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (66%), but showed lower similarity to the ecdysone receptors of Orthoptera and Coleoptera (53-57%). The primary sequence of the ligand-binding region of the L. australasiae ecdysone receptor was highly homologous to that of ticks (85-86%). The amino acid sequence of the L. australasiae retinoid X receptor was also homologous to the amino acid sequence of ultraspiracles of ticks (63%) and insects belonging to the orders Orthoptera and Coleoptera (60-64%). The identity of both the L. australasiae ecdysone receptor and the L. australasiae retinoid X receptor to their lepidopteran and dipteran orthologs was less than 50%. The cDNAs of both the L. australasiae ecdysone receptor (L. australasiae ecdysone receptor-A) and the L. australasiae retinoid X receptor were successfully translated in vitro using a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. An ecdysone analog, ponasterone A, bound to L. australasiae ecdysone receptor-A (K(D) = 4.2 nM), but not to L. australasiae retinoid X receptor. The L. australasiae retinoid X receptor did not enhance the binding of ponasterone A to L. australasiae ecdysone receptor-A, although L. australasiae retinoid X receptor was necessary for the binding of L. australasiae ecdysone receptor-A to ecdysone response elements.     

Presence of membrane ecdysone receptor in the anterior silk gland of the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Nongenomic action of an insect steroid hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), has been implicated in several 20E-dependent events including the programmed cell death of Bombyx anterior silk glands (ASGs), but no information is available for the mode of the action. We provide evidence for a putative membrane receptor located in the plasma membrane of the ASGs. Membrane fractions prepared from the ASGs exhibit high binding activity to [3H]ponasterone A (PonA). The membrane fractions did not contain conventional ecdysone receptor as revealed by Western blot analysis using antibody raised against Bombyx ecdysone receptor A (EcR-A). The binding activity was not solubilized with 1 m NaCl or 0.05% (w/v) MEGA-8, indicating that the binding sites were localized in the membrane. Differential solubilization and temperature-induced phase separation in Triton X-114 showed that the binding sites might be integrated membrane proteins. These results indicated that the binding sites are located in plasma membrane proteins, which we putatively referred to as membrane ecdysone receptor (mEcR). The mEcR exhibited saturable binding for [3H]PonA (Kd = 17.3 nm, Bmax = 0.82 pmol.mg(-1) protein). Association and dissociation kinetics revealed that [3H]PonA associated with and dissociated from mEcR within minutes. The combined results support the existence of a plasmalemmal ecdysteroid receptor, which may act in concert with the conventional EcR in various 20E-dependent developmental events.     

Antisense expression of the 20-hydroxyecdysone receptor (EcR) in transfected mosquito cells uncovers a new EcR isoform that varies at the C-terminal end

The insect steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone initiates a cascade of regulatory events in a temporal and tissue-specific manner by first binding to a complex of an ecdysone receptor (EcR) protein and a ultraspiracle protein. Using an antisense (As) ribonucleic acid approach, we show that disruption of EcR expression in transfected C7-10 cells from the mosquito Aedes albopictus affects survival and growth. From stably transfected cells, we recovered a new isoform of A. albopictus AalEcRa, which is named AalEcRb. The deduced amino acid sequence of AalEcRb was almost identical to that of AalEcRa, with the exception of a seven amino acid sequence near the C-terminus. Using polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction enzyme analysis, we found that AalEcRa is the predominant species expressed by wild-type C7-10 cells, while cells transfected with As-EcR expressed both isoforms at approximately equal levels.     

麦红吸浆虫蜕皮激素受体（EcR）基因的克隆与表达分析

为了研究蜕皮激素受体（EcR）在麦红吸浆虫Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin)滞育活动中的作用, 利用RT PCR和RACE技术克隆得到了麦红吸浆虫蜕皮激素受体基因cDNA全长, 并通过Real-time quantitative PCR研究了其表达情况。该cDNA全长序列被命名为SmEcR （GenBank登录号： KC491135）, 其开放阅读框长1 386 bp, 编码461个氨基酸残基。其蛋白预测分子量52.90 kD, 理论等电点6.24。该蛋白与其他已报道的昆虫EcR蛋白具有很高的同源性, 其中与迟眼蕈蚊Bradysia coprophila中相应蛋白的氨基酸序列一致性高达92%。SmEcR在麦红吸浆虫不同滞育时期和不同虫态中均有表达, 且在不同滞育时期、 不同虫态中的表达量差异很大。在滞育不同时期以11月表达量最高, 12月表达量最低; 在不同虫态以麦穗幼虫中的表达量较低, 而成虫中的表达水平很高。本研究为进一步明确SmEcR在麦红吸浆虫滞育调控中的作用奠定了基础。     

Functional studies on the ligand-binding domain of Ultraspiracle from Drosophila melanogaster

The functional insect ecdysteroid receptor is comprised of the ecdysone receptor (EcR) and Ultraspiracle (USP). The ligand-binding domain (LBD) of USP was fused to the GAL4 DNA-binding domain (GAL4-DBD) and characterized by analyzing the effect of site-directed mutations in the LBD. Normal and mutant proteins were tested for ligand and DNA binding, dimerization, and their ability to induce gene expression. The presence of helix 12 proved to be essential for DNA binding and was necessary to confer efficient ecdysteroid binding to the heterodimer with the EcR (LBD), but did not influence dimerization. The antagonistic position of helix 12 is indispensible for interaction between the fusion protein and DNA, whereas hormone binding to the EcR (LBD) was only partially reduced if fixation of helix 12 was disturbed. The mutation of amino acids, which presumably bind to a fatty acid evoked a profound negative influence on transactivation ability, although enhanced transactivation potency and ligand binding to the ecdysteroid receptor was impaired to varying degrees by mutation of these residues. Mutations of one fatty acid-binding residue within the ligand-binding pocket, 1323, however, evoked enhanced transactivation. The results confirmed that the LBD of Ultraspiracle modifies ecdysteroid receptor function through intermolecular interactions and demonstrated that the ligand-binding pocket of USP modifies the DNA-binding and transactivation abilities of the fusion protein.     

An ecdysone response element in the Drosophila hsp27 promoter

It has previously been shown that a region of ˜100 bp in the Drosophila hsp27 promoter is sufficient to confer ecdysone inducibility on a heterologous gene. We now show, using binding and DNase I footprinting assays, that a 23-bp hyphenated dyad within this sequence forms a protein-binding site, and that this is sufficient for inducibility. The sequence shows partial homology with mammalian steroid receptor binding sites. UV crosslinking identifies an 80- to 90-kd protein that binds specifically to this sequence and is thus a candidate for the ecdysone receptor.     

拟黑多刺蚁肌细胞增强因子2(MEF2)生物信息学分析

应用NCBI上的常用程序、ExPASy在线核苷酸序列分析工具、CBS生物学序列分析工具及SABLE在线分析软件等对拟黑多刺蚁Polyrhachi svicina Roger肌细胞增强因子2(PvMEF2)进行了生物信息学分析,获得了PvMEF2因子的序列特征及理化性质,并对其结构和功能结构域进行了预测。结果表明PvMEF2因子具有与已知种类MEF2因子较高一致性的MADS和MEF2结构域,并且理化性质和二级结构、三级结构等与果蝇该因子类似,反映了PvMEF2可能是参与拟黑多刺蚁肌肉发生调控的重要因子。