SND1蛋白与HuR蛋白相互结合作用

人源SND1(staphylococcal nuclease domain containing 1)蛋白由N端的SN(staphylococcal nucleases)结构域和C端的TSN(Tudor-SN5)结构域组成,其中SN结构域又包含SN1~SN4四个重复的功能片段.本课题组前期研究结果表明,SND1蛋白可以通过SN结构域与G3BP(Ras-GAP SH3 domain-binding protein)蛋白相互结合,共同参与细胞应激颗粒(stress granules,SGs)的形成.SGs是真核细胞在受到氧化应激、病毒感染等外界刺激时在胞浆内形成的与RNA代谢相关的颗粒状结构.对于SGs的成分鉴定及相互作用的分析一直是学者们研究的热点.本研究中,免疫共沉淀实验结果表明,以抗SND1抗体可以共沉淀出HeLa细胞内另一个重要的应激相关人类抗原R(human antigen R,HuR)蛋白.另外,利用脂质体转染法将pcDNA3-FLAG-HuR重组质粒瞬时转染入HeLa细胞,成功过表达外源性的FLAG-HuR融合蛋白,再以抗FLAG标签抗体又可以反向共沉淀出内源性SND1蛋白,证明SND1与HuR之间存在蛋白质间的相互结合作用.细胞免疫荧光实验结果表明,当给予HeLa细胞0.5 mmol/L亚砷酸钠氧化应激时,SND1与HuR蛋白共同定位于胞浆中的SGs结构中.GST-pulldown实验结果进一步表明截短的SN结构域可以结合HuR蛋白,其中以SN1功能片段的结合能力最强,表明SND1蛋白是通过SN结构域与HuR蛋白形成应激复合物,参与SGs的胞浆组装.并不定位于SGs的TSN结构域亦可结合HuR蛋白,提示SND1-HuR的蛋白相互作用可能并不局限于SGs,具有其它方面的功能意义.     

活细胞内以光漂白荧光损失(FLIP)技术分析HuR蛋白的应激动力学行为

人类抗原R(human antigen R,HuR)是一种多功能RNA结合蛋白,参与细胞应激颗粒(stress granules,SGs)的构成。SGs是细胞在受到外界环境刺激时在胞浆中形成的颗粒状结构。该研究是利用光漂白荧光损失(fl uorescence loss in photobleaching,FLIP)技术对活细胞内的HuR蛋白颗粒进行应激动力学分析。首先,利用脂质体将RFP-HuR重组质粒瞬时转染入HeLa细胞,以Western blot和细胞免疫荧光实验确定是否实现对于HuR蛋白的红色荧光蛋白(red fl uorecent protein,RFP)标记;然后以405 nm激光束脉冲式重复光漂白HuR应激颗粒,分别监测同一漂白细胞内的其他HuR颗粒以及核内荧光信号,并以邻近的未漂白细胞作为对照组。实验结果表明,转染重组质粒后可有效表达RFP-HuR融合蛋白,且与SGs标记蛋白G3BP存在共定位关系。在第一个光漂白循环,漂白区荧光密度便从2 500 a.u.降低至0 a.u.;而经过约12个漂白循环(240 s)后,邻近HuR颗粒的荧光密度从漂白前的1 800 a.u.左右降低并维持在200 a.u.左右,表明活细胞内的HuR颗粒呈现高度的动态性;而胞核区荧光密度亦从4 400 a.u.降低至2 000 a.u.左右,表明HuR蛋白是一种核浆穿梭蛋白,在SGs、胞浆及胞核之间存在一定的动态平衡。利用FLIP技术可以分析并比较SGs不同成分的应激动力学属性,有助于进行SGs相关临床疾病的分子机制探讨。     

基因前定点敲入FLAG标签表达的FLAG-SND1蛋白参与胞内应激颗粒的形成

CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9 nuclease) 基因编辑技术是近年来新兴的一种可以实现基因特异性敲除和敲入的技术。本文利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑系统,将3×FLAG标签定点敲入HeLa细胞SND1基因前方,使细胞内源性表达的SND1蛋白带有3×FLAG标签,并观察SND1与应激颗粒及加工体的定位情况。设计针对SND1基因起始密码子ATG附近的sgRNA,以px459为表达载体,构建出重组真核表达质粒。设计含有3×FLAG及待插入位置上下游150 bp同源臂的序列,经公司合成获得重组质粒。将2个质粒共同转染HeLa细胞,使用嘌呤霉素筛选阳性细胞,挑取单克隆后培养。Western 印迹表明,细胞表达3×FLAG-SND1融合蛋白质。提取细胞基因组DNA进行测序。测序无误获得稳定株后,用流式细胞术检测细胞周期和凋亡,发现与WT细胞相比无显著性差异。同时,使用0.5 mmol/L亚砷酸钠处理,细胞发生氧化应激,eIF2α蛋白磷酸化增加,胞浆中出现应激颗粒,SND1与应激颗粒标志蛋白TIAR存在共定位现象,但不存在与加工体蛋白DCP1α的共定位。     

基因前定点敲入FLAG标签表达的FLAG-SND1蛋白参与胞内应激颗粒的形成

CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9 nuclease) 基因编辑技术是近年来新兴的一种可以实现基因特异性敲除和敲入的技术。本文利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑系统,将3×FLAG标签定点敲入HeLa细胞SND1基因前方,使细胞内源性表达的SND1蛋白带有3×FLAG标签,并观察SND1与应激颗粒及加工体的定位情况。设计针对SND1基因起始密码子ATG附近的sgRNA,以px459为表达载体,构建出重组真核表达质粒。设计含有3×FLAG及待插入位置上下游150 bp同源臂的序列,经公司合成获得重组质粒。将2个质粒共同转染HeLa细胞,使用嘌呤霉素筛选阳性细胞,挑取单克隆后培养。Western 印迹表明,细胞表达3×FLAG-SND1融合蛋白质。提取细胞基因组DNA进行测序。测序无误获得稳定株后,用流式细胞术检测细胞周期和凋亡,发现与WT细胞相比无显著性差异。同时,使用0.5 mmol/L亚砷酸钠处理,细胞发生氧化应激,eIF2α蛋白磷酸化增加,胞浆中出现应激颗粒,SND1与应激颗粒标志蛋白TIAR存在共定位现象,但不存在与加工体蛋白DCP1α的共定位。     

Tudor-SN蛋白一级结构间断的SN5结构域质粒的拼接构建

目的 实现Tudor-SN蛋白TSN结构域内间断的SN5基因片段（SN5α、SN5β）的拼接以及与绿色荧光蛋白在HeLa细胞中的融合表达.方法 利用Geno 3D对拼接的SN5进行结构预测.以重组质粒pSG5-Tudor-SN-flag为模板,PCR分别扩增出SN5α和SN5β的基因,双酶切并纯化后,先将SN5β引入pEGFP-C2,完成重组质粒pEGFP-C2-SN5β,再将SN5α引入pEGFP-C2-SN5β,完成重组质粒pEGFP-C2-SN5.将pEGFP-C2-SN5β/ SN5脂质体法转染HeLa细胞,荧光显微镜下观察融合蛋白的荧光表达情况,Western印迹检测融合蛋白的表达.结果 ① 拼接的SN5结构预测显示与TSN完整结构中的SN5高度重合;②对重组质粒进行双酶切鉴定可见SN5α、SN5β、SN5的cDNA片段;③ 转染重组质粒后可观察到绿色荧光蛋白的表达;④ Western印迹后可在相应位置检测到融合蛋白.结论 pEGFP-C2-SN5/SN5β重组质粒构建成功,SN5α和SN5β在pEGFP-C2中实现了顺序拼接;目的片段可与绿色荧光蛋白在HeLa细胞中融合表达,融合蛋白可与抗GFP抗体结合用于蛋白检测.     

细胞膜蛋白与细胞骨架蛋白相互作用研究进展

细胞膜蛋白与胞浆骨架蛋白的相互作用对于维持细胞正常形态 ,细胞粘附与信号传导有重要作用。含有 4 .1 JEF结构域的蛋白 4 .1超家族与含有PDZ结构域的MAGUK蛋白家族能结合多种膜蛋白胞内区与胞浆蛋白 ,在膜蛋白与胞浆蛋白之间建立联系 ,对于细胞、细胞 -细胞间连接的正常结构与功能的维持有着重要作用。     

多功能的胞内衔接蛋白syntenin

Syntenin蛋白是在原核生物及真核生物中广泛存在的一类胞内衔接蛋白（adaptor proteins）. Syntenin由N端结构域（N-terminal domain,NTD）、两个串联的PDZ结构域(postsynaptic density protein, disc large and zonula occludens, PDZ)和C端结构域（C-terminal domain,CTD）组成,在生物进化过程中相对保守. Syntenin蛋白的PDZ结构域可与不同膜受体C端的PDZ结合基序（PDZ-binding motif,PBM）特异性结合, PDZ结构域结合受体的多样性导致了syntenin功能的多样性. 本文综述了syntenin蛋白的发现与分布及其结构特征,对syntenin在肿瘤转移、细胞质膜蛋白组装、参与动物免疫等领域的研究成果进行了较为详细的综述,同时介绍了syntenin在参与动物胚胎发育调控、血管生成和轴突生长等方面的研究进展.     

细胞膜蛋白与细胞骨架蛋白相互作用研究进展

细胞膜蛋白与胞浆骨架蛋白的相互作用对于维持细胞正常形态,细胞粘附与信号传导有重要作用,含有4.1/JEF结构域的蛋白4.1超家族与含有PDZ结构域的MAGUK蛋白家族能结合多种膜蛋白胞内区与胞浆蛋白,在膜蛋白与胞浆蛋白之间建立联系,对于细胞、细胞-细胞间连接的正常结构与功能的维持有着重要作用。     

P100蛋白及其片段重组质粒构建与表达

目的分别将人类p100基因,p100的SN基因片段和TD片段定向连入pERFP-CI质粒,使它们可与红色荧光蛋白在HeLa细胞内融合表达,从而为进一步研究P100蛋白及其片段的定位、功能及与其它蛋白的相互关系奠定实验基础。方法PCR分别扩增出P100蛋白全长,SN片段和TD片段基因的序列,定向克隆至真核表达载体pERFP-CI,构建相应的3种重组质粒。将构建成功的质粒转染入HeLa细胞,荧光显微镜下可观察红色荧光融合蛋白表达。结果①PCR法获得P100基因序列,长度为2659bp,SN基因片段1918bp,TD基因片段741bp;②将重组质粒直接进行双酶切鉴定可见P100片段,将经过蓝白斑筛选后的重组子经双酶切再与pERFP-CI载体连接并酶切得到SN片段和TD片段;③转染重组质粒后可观察到红色荧光蛋白的表达。结论3种外源片段成功载人pERFP-CI质粒;P100全长、SN片段、TD片段均可与红色荧光蛋白在HeLa细胞中融合表达。     

核孔蛋白p62促进非受体酪氨酸激酶c-Abl进入细胞核

非受体酪氨酸激酶c-Abl广泛表达于各组织细胞中,其序列高度保守,它的亚细胞定位与其功能密切相关。c-Abl借助其C端的3个核定位信号（NLS）和1个核输出信号（NES）完成细胞核一细胞质问的穿梭过程。关于c-Abl核-质穿梭的详细机制还不清楚。通过酵母双杂交系统,以人类Ib型c-Abl作为诱饵蛋白进行HeLa细胞eDNA文库的筛选,获得了可能在c-Abl核-质穿梭过程中具有调控怍用核孔蛋白p62。核孔复合物（NPC）是大分子物质进行核-质运输的惟一通道,p62是NPC的重要组成部分,它位于中央通道内侧,在许多物质的核-质穿梭过程中具有调节作用。免疫共沉淀和体外结合实验证实,c-Abl和p62之间具有相互作用,而且这种相互作用是通过c-Abl的SH3结构域与p62的P299位点之间的结合实现的;p62可被c-Abl部分磷酸化此外,在293和DKO细胞株中共转染c-Abl和p62,发现核内的c-Abl分布增多。以上结果表明,p62具有促进e-Abl进入细咆核的作用。     

Tudor staphylococcal nuclease is a docking platform for stress granule components and is essential for SnRK1 activation in Arabidopsis

Tudor staphylococcal nuclease (TSN; also known as Tudor‐SN, p100, or SND1) is a multifunctional, evolutionarily conserved regulator of gene expression, exhibiting cytoprotective activity in animals and plants and oncogenic activity in mammals. During stress, TSN stably associates with stress granules (SGs), in a poorly understood process. Here, we show that in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, TSN is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) acting as a scaffold for a large pool of other IDPs, enriched for conserved stress granule components as well as novel or plant‐specific SG‐localized proteins. While approximately 30% of TSN interactors are recruited to stress granules de novo upon stress perception, 70% form a protein–protein interaction network present before the onset of stress. Finally, we demonstrate that TSN and stress granule formation promote heat‐induced activation of the evolutionarily conserved energy‐sensing SNF1‐related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1), the plant orthologue of mammalian AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK). Our results establish TSN as a docking platform for stress granule proteins, with an important role in stress signalling.     

Tyrosine phosphorylation of HuR by JAK3 triggers dissociation and degradation of HuR target mRNAs

In response to stress conditions, many mammalian mRNAs accumulate in stress granules (SGs) together with numerous RNA-binding proteins that control mRNA turnover and translation. However, the signaling cascades that modulate the presence of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes in SGs are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the localization of human antigen R (HuR), an mRNA-stabilizing RNA-binding protein, in SGs following exposure to the stress agent arsenite. Unexpectedly, the mobilization of HuR to SGs was prevented through the activation of Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) by the vitamin K3 analog menadione. JAK3 phosphorylated HuR at tyrosine 200, in turn inhibiting HuR localization in SGs, reducing HuR interaction with targets SIRT1 and VHL mRNAs, and accelerating target mRNA decay. Our findings indicate that HuR is tyrosine-phosphorylated by JAK3, and link this modification to HuR subcytoplasmic localization and to the fate of HuR target mRNAs.     

Sequence and structural analysis of 4SNc-Tudor domain protein from Takifugu Rubripes

The fugu SN4TDR protein belongs to an evolutionarily conserved family, consisting of four repeat staphylococcal nuclease-like domains (SN1-SN4) at the N-terminus followed by Tudor and SN-like domains (TSN). Sequence analysis showed that the C-terminal TSN domain is composed of a complete SN-like domain interdigitated with a Tudor domain. In despite of low level of sequence identities, five SN-like domains have a few conserved amino acids that may play essential roles in the function of the protein. Computer modeling and secondary structural prediction of the SN-like domains revealed the presence of similar structural features of β1-β2-β3-α1-β4-β5-α2-α3, which provides a structural basis for oligonucleotides binding. The loop region L_3α for binding sites between β3 and α1 of SN-like domains are different from human p100, implying the divergence in the structures of binding sites. These results indicate that fugu SN4TDR may bind methylated ligands and/or oligonucleotides through its distant domains.     

Regulation of stress granule dynamics by Grb7 and FAK signalling pathway

Cells form stress granules (SGs) in response to environmental stresses, which constitute cytoplasmic domains where mRNAs are stored and translation is halted. Although several components are found in SGs, it is poorly understood as to how SGs are formed and dissolved. We identified growth factor receptor-bound protein 7 (Grb7), an RNA-binding, translational regulator, as an integral component of SGs, which directly interacts with Hu antigen R (HuR) and is required for cells to form SGs. When stress is terminated, Grb7 is hyperphosphorylated by focal adhesion kinase (FAK), loses its ability to directly interact with HuR and is dissociated from SG components, thereby disrupting SGs in recovering cells. Consistently, dominant-negative hypophospho mutants of FAK and Grb7 significantly attenuate SG disassembly during recovery. FAK activation followed by its phosphorylating Grb7 constitutes a cell-autonomous signalling pathway that regulates the disassembly of SGs and translational stimulation during recovery. This is the first reported pathway actively regulating the dynamics of SGs.     

Specific protein domains mediate cooperative assembly of HuR oligomers on AU-rich mRNA-destabilizing sequences

The RNA-binding factor HuR is a ubiquitously expressed member of the Hu protein family that binds and stabilizes mRNAs containing AU-rich elements (AREs). Hu proteins share a common domain organization of two tandemly arrayed RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) near the N terminus, followed by a basic hinge domain and a third RRM near the C terminus. In this study, we engineered recombinant wild-type and mutant HuR proteins lacking affinity tags to characterize their ARE-binding properties. Using combinations of electrophoretic mobility shift and fluorescence anisotropy-based binding assays, we show that HuR can bind ARE substrates as small as 13 nucleotides with low nanomolar affinity, but forms cooperative oligomeric protein complexes on ARE substrates of at least 18 nucleotides in length. Analyses of deletion mutant proteins indicated that RRM3 does not contribute to high affinity recognition of ARE substrates, but is required for cooperative assembly of HuR oligomers on RNA. Finally, the hinge domain between RRM2 and RRM3 contributes significant binding energy to HuR.ARE complex formation in an ARE length-dependent manner. The hinge does not enhance RNA-binding activity by increased ion pair formation despite extensive positive charge within this region, and it does not thermodynamically stabilize protein folding. Together, the results define distinct roles for the HuR hinge and RRM3 domains in formation of cooperative HuR.ARE complexes in solution.     

Tudor staphylococcal nuclease (Tudor-SN) participates in small ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) assembly via interacting with symmetrically dimethylated Sm proteins

Human Tudor staphylococcal nuclease (Tudor-SN) is composed of four tandem repeats of staphylococcal nuclease (SN)-like domains, followed by a tudor and SN-like domain (TSN) consisting of a central tudor flanked by two partial SN-like sequences. The crystal structure of the tudor domain displays a conserved aromatic cage, which is predicted to hook methyl groups. Here, we demonstrated that the TSN domain of Tudor-SN binds to symmetrically dimethylarginine (sDMA)-modified SmB/B' and SmD1/D3 core proteins of the spliceosome. We demonstrated that this interaction ability is reduced by the methyltransferase inhibitor 5-deoxy-5-(methylthio)adenosine. Mutagenesis experiments indicated that the conserved amino acids (Phe-715, Tyr-721, Tyr-738, and Tyr-741) in the methyl-binding cage of the TSN domain are required for Tudor-SN-SmB interaction. Furthermore, depletion of Tudor-SN affects the association of Sm protein with snRNAs and, as a result, inhibits the assembly of uridine-rich small ribonucleoprotein mediated by the Sm core complex in vivo. Our results reveal the molecular basis for the involvement of Tudor-SN in regulating small nuclear ribonucleoprotein biogenesis, which provides novel insight related to the biological activity of Tudor-SN.