SARS-CoV推测N蛋白功能结构的生物信息学研究

目的:利用生物信息学方法理论分析不同地区来源的SARS冠状病毒(SARSCoV)推断N蛋白的基因组与氨基酸序列的差异及分子生物学特征以及基因突变对蛋白结构功能的影响。方法:针对GenBank上发布的来自不同国家地区的15条SARSCoV基因组序列,采用生物信息学软件分析其推测N蛋白的CDS和氨基酸序列,分别找出突变位点并预测其等电点及功能结构域。结果:SARSCoV推测N蛋白基因组序列存在5个变异位点导致蛋白序列有4个位点发生突变。在该蛋白上发现四个有意义的低成分复杂性区域;未发现卷曲螺旋、跨膜螺旋和信号肽序列。基因突变造成4条序列在功能位点数量上减少,但未影响抗原决定簇。预测发现两个保守的Domain和一个丝氨酸富集区。结论:不同地区来源的15条推测N蛋白序列的变异很少。基因突变导致部分序列功能位点数量发生改变,但未影响抗原决定簇的数量。     

犬冠状病毒南京株M基因的同源重组分析

对来自腹泻犬粪样的犬冠状病毒(CCV)南京株NJ17株及参考株1-71的M基因进行了克隆、测序,并与GenBank中所有已知CCV毒株及同亚群的猪冠状病毒(TGEV)和猫冠状病毒(FCoV)代表株的M基因进行了同源性比较和系统进化分析,同时对M蛋白的结构和功能进行了预测分析.结果表明,CCV1-71与近年在中国分离到的CCV毒株V1、V2及大熊猫源的毒株具有98.9%～99.5%的同源性,说明这些毒株可能是来自同一毒株的准种.NJ17与其他中国分离株及国外分离株的同源性为87.0%～91.9%,显示国内可能存在一个相对独立进化的CCV毒株.序列比较发现,所有CCV毒株在可能的同源重组"热点"区内都有一个CTTTAG序列,与鸡传染性支气管炎病毒同源重组模板交换位点附近的特征序列相似.CCV NJ17株M蛋白在N端50氨基酸序列与FCoV 79-1683同源性高,而在后212氨基酸序列与TGEV同源性高,提示该毒株可能在M基因上曾经发生过不同病毒的同源重组.CCV M蛋白的结构及功能预测表明,所有毒株都具有分泌型信号肽,有4个螺旋跨膜区,N末端和C末端均位于膜内.M蛋白的两末端具有较强的抗原性,M蛋白上存在多种功能性氨基酸修饰位点且相对保守.N末端的氨基酸变异很大,但是功能性修饰位点相对保守,提示N末端的功能可能与构象有关.     

犬冠状病毒南京株M基因的同源重组分析

对来自腹泻犬粪样的犬冠状病毒(CCV)南京株NJ17株及参考株171的M基因进行了克隆、测序,并与GenBank中所有已知CCV毒株及同亚群的猪冠状病毒(TGEV)和猫冠状病毒(FCoV)代表株的M基因进行了同源性比较和系统进化分析,同时对M蛋白的结构和功能进行了预测分析。结果表明,CCV171与近年在中国分离到的CCV毒株V1、V2及大熊猫源的毒株具有98.9%～99.5%的同源性,说明这些毒株可能是来自同一毒株的准种。NJ17与其他中国分离株及国外分离株的同源性为87.0%～91.9%,显示国内可能存在一个相对独立进化的CCV毒株。序列比较发现,所有CCV毒株在可能的同源重组“热点”区内都有一个CTTTAG序列,与鸡传染性支气管炎病毒同源重组模板交换位点附近的特征序列相似。CCVNJ17株M蛋白在N端50氨基酸序列与FCoV791683同源性高,而在后212氨基酸序列与TGEV同源性高,提示该毒株可能在M基因上曾经发生过不同病毒的同源重组。CCVM蛋白的结构及功能预测表明,所有毒株都具有分泌型信号肽,有4个螺旋跨膜区,N末端和C末端均位于膜内。M蛋白的两末端具有较强的抗原性,M蛋白上存在多种功能性氨基酸修饰位点且相对保守。N末端的氨基酸变异很大,但是功能性修饰位点相对保守,提示N末端的功能可能与构象有关。     

猪源冠状病毒TGEV中国分离株纤突蛋白生物信息学分析

以猪源冠状病毒(Porcine coronavirus) TGEV 纤突蛋白基因序列为基础,利用生物软件对TGEV中国分离株纤突蛋白进行N-糖基化位点、跨膜螺旋、进化树、二级结构及抗原位点的预测和分析.结果显示所有TGEV毒株可分为3个基因型,4株中国分离株分别归属于以上3个基因型,属于Ⅰ型的中国株TSX在跨膜螺旋的氨基酸及二级结构上与其他中国株有明显的差异,而同属于Ⅲ型中国毒株SC-Y和TH- 98在跨膜螺旋的氨基酸及二级结构上非常接近,而所有中国分离株抗原表位没有明显差别,表明TGEV在中国没有显著的变异.     

A(H3N2)亚型流感病毒血凝素基因特性及蛋白结构分析,以南宁市2009～2012年为研究案例

利用生物信息学软件和数据库研究南宁市2009~2012年度A(H3N2)亚型流感病HA基因的遗传变异规律及蛋白结构变化。通过RT-PCR扩增H3N2病毒HA基因并测序,同源比对统计毒株氨基酸位点的差异、构建系统进化树分析进化规律和同源建模分析蛋白结构的变化。系统进化树表明53株HA基因序列被分为4个类群,呈多侧支流行;所有毒株的二硫键和受体结合位点(RBS)高度保守;部分毒株HA在第45位点增加一个糖基化位点,在第144位点丢失一个糖基化位点;HA抗原决定簇氨基酸累计有30个位点发生变异,涉及5个抗原决定簇;HA晶体结构分析抗原决定簇突变位点主要发生在无规则卷曲处,大多数替换的氨基酸种类和性质相同或相似。南宁市A(H3N2)亚型流感病毒株变异活跃,2012年A(H3N2)亚型流感病毒与当年WHO推荐的疫苗株具有较远的进化距离,多数毒株具备了形成新变种的条件,是否形成新的流行株,有待深入研究。     

H3N2亚型人流行性感冒病毒HA1的蛋白序列同源性比较、变异规律及结构与功能的分析

应用生物信息学数据库和工具,结合自身的实验结果,对现有的H3N2亚型人流行性感冒(流感)病毒全球分离株的HA1氨基酸序列和蛋白分子结构进行了分析研究.初步的进化分析结果表明,历史上的分离株大致分为以年代划分为特征的两大谱系,即1968～1984/1985年的谱系,时间跨度为18年;1984/1985～1997/2000年的谱系,时间跨度为13～17年.它们分别起源于两类毒株,并在各自的谱系内发展演化,基本上不存在大规模相互交叉渗透的现象.在1984/1985年,两大谱系发生交替转换和过渡,说明流感病毒的起源、发展和演化是有一定规律性的,这可能对流感的监测预报有一定的指导意义.绝大多数毒株的二硫键组成位点和糖基化位点是极其保守的.受体结合位点(RBS)的一部分构成成份保守;其他构成成份发生变异甚至高变,并与某些抗原决定簇位点重合,可能参与了抗原抗体相互作用.5个抗原决定簇位点的变异各有其特点.A和B位点的变异表现最活跃,抗原性最强,但B位点稍弱于A位点.C和D位点的抗原性一般,且D位点的变异性低于C位点.E位点抗原性一般.在各位置的变异中,大多常是相同相近性质或相同种类的氨基酸相互替换.HA1蛋白全序列的熵(entropy)峰值作图的分析表明,HA1蛋白上121～126位等区域或位点可能独立,或参与构成了某些已知或未知的抗原决定簇位点.这很可能是新发现的或未被鉴定的抗原决定簇位点或其组成.     

广东地区1996年流感暴发的分子变异基础

1996年广东地区流感毒株发生明显的血清学抗原漂移;引起广东地区流感暴发的分子基础是流感毒株HA基因编码的A、B、C、D和E五个抗原决定簇位点变异,尤其是A、C、E位点发生氨基酸改变;而受体结合位点的氨基酸改变对此流感流行未发挥明显影响。HA基因编码氨基酸的第145号和第193号位点变异导致流行毒株的生物学特性改变,即分离毒株适应于MDCK细胞株生长,而难以适应鸡胚生长环境。     

新发甲型H1N1流感病毒HA分子的变异分析

目的:从分子进化水平上分析流感的起源及发展问题,研究目前爆发的H1N1病毒的HA分子的变异行为.方法:以GenBank公布的甲型流感H1N1病毒血凝素(hemagglutinin,HA)核酸序列和我国及世界范围内近几年来报告的H1N1流感病毒HA的核酸及氨基酸序列为研究对象,利用CLUSTAL 1.83和NetNGlyc 1.0等生物信息学软件对HA核酸和氨基酸序列进行了比对分析;将其糖基化位点、氨基酸序列和抗原决定簇与以往流感病毒进行了比较.同时,还将人源和猪源甲型H1N1流感病毒的HA氨基酸序列进行了序列比对和系统发育分析.结果:最新爆发的甲型H1N1流感病毒的HA除了在60,259,453,512位点高度保守区域与之前爆发的流感病毒一致外,在249位点新出现1个"-NTT-"的糖基化位点.发现所有的甲型病毒的氨基酸序列在8个氨基酸位点均发生改变,而8个氨基酸位点位于6个抗原抗原决定簇上.结论:糖基化位点的增加,氨基酸位点的改变导致抗原决定簇的改变,即抗原性漂移现象,都成为引起其传染性改变的重要原因.     

猪瘟病毒强弱毒株和野毒株E2全基因序列测定及比较分析

为了比较猪瘟病毒 (HCV)野毒株、疫苗株及标准株之间E2基因抗原区域的差异 ,采用RT PCR扩增了HCV石门株、兔化弱毒疫苗株、野毒 0 3及 0 7株的囊膜糖蛋白E2 (gp55)全基因的cDNA片段 ,分别克隆于pGEM T载体中并对其进行了核苷酸序列测定及氨基酸序列的推导 ,同时进行了同源性比较及E2结构与功能的分析。所测 4株HCVE2基因的长度均为1 2 73bp,所编码的氨基酸序列均包括部分信号肽序列和完整的跨膜区序列 ,共由 381个氨基酸组成 ;4个毒株E2蛋白N末端的 683位至 690位信号肽序列 (WLLLVTGA)和C末端 1 0 30～1 0 63位跨膜区均为保守序列 ,而且具疏水性 ;N末端抗原功能区中 ,4个E2蛋白与其它所比较序列在位于第 753位至 759位氨基酸处 ,均有一段保守序列RYLASLH ,无一氨基酸发生变异 ,为亲水性 ,在整个E2蛋白抗原谱中抗原性峰值为最高 ,推测对抗原性产生起重要作用 ;4个E2蛋白的氨基酸序列中均含有 1 5个半胱氨酸 (Cys)残基 ,其数量及位置与国外五株HCV(Brescia ,C ,Alfort.ALD和GPE)完全一致。表明…     

广东地区1996年流感暴发的分子变异基础

1996年广东地区流感毒株发生明显的血清学抗原漂移;引起广东地区流感暴发的分子基础是流感毒株HA基因编码的A、B、C、D和E五个抗原决定簇位点变异,尤其是A、C、E位点发生氨基酸改变;而受体结合位点的氨基酸改变对此流感流行未发挥明显影响。HA基因编码氨基酸的第145号和第193号位点变异导致流行毒株的生物学特性改变,即分离毒株适应于MDCK细胞株生长,而难以适应鸡胚生长环境。     

Sequence and structure continuity of evolutionary importance improves protein functional site discovery and annotation

Protein functional sites control most biological processes and are important targets for drug design and protein engineering. To characterize them, the evolutionary trace (ET) ranks the relative importance of residues according to their evolutionary variations. Generally, top‐ranked residues cluster spatially to define evolutionary hotspots that predict functional sites in structures. Here, various functions that measure the physical continuity of ET ranks among neighboring residues in the structure, or in the sequence, are shown to inform sequence selection and to improve functional site resolution. This is shown first, in 110 proteins, for which the overlap between top‐ranked residues and actual functional sites rose by 8% in significance. Then, on a structural proteomic scale, optimized ET led to better 3D structure‐function motifs (3D templates) and, in turn, to enzyme function prediction by the Evolutionary Trace Annotation (ETA) method with better sensitivity of (40% to 53%) and positive predictive value (93% to 94%). This suggests that the similarity of evolutionary importance among neighboring residues in the sequence and in the structure is a universal feature of protein evolution. In practice, this yields a tool for optimizing sequence selections for comparative analysis and, via ET, for better predictions of functional site and function. This should prove useful for the efficient mutational redesign of protein function and for pharmaceutical targeting.     

Epitope mapping of the domains of human angiotensin converting enzyme

Somatic angiotensin converting enzyme (sACE), contains in its single chain two homologous domains (called N- and C-domains), each bearing a functional zinc-dependent active site. The present study aims to define the differences between two sACE domains and to localize experimentally revealed antigenic determinants (B-epitopes) in the recently determined three-dimensional structure of testicular tACE. The predicted linear antigenic determinants of human sACE were determined by peptide scanning ("PEPSCAN") approach. Essential difference was demonstrated between locations of the epitopes in the N- and C-domains. Comparison of arrangement of epitopes in the human domains with the corresponding sequences of some mammalian sACEs enabled to classify the revealed antigenic determinants as variable or conserved areas. The location of antigenic determinants with respect to various structural elements and to functionally important sites of the human sACE C-domain was estimated. The majority of antigenic sites of the C-domain were located at the irregular elements and at the boundaries of secondary structure elements. The data show structural differences between the sACE domains. The experimentally revealed antigenic determinants were in agreement with the recently determined crystal tACE structure. New potential applications are open to successfully produce mono-specific and group-specific antipeptide antibodies.     

Functional recycling of C2 domains throughout evolution: a comparative study of synaptotagmin, protein kinase C and phospholipase C by sequence, structural and modelling approaches

The C2 domain is one of the most frequent and widely distributed calcium-binding motifs. Its structure comprises an eight-stranded beta-sandwich with two structural types as if the result of a circular permutation. Combining sequence, structural and modelling information, we have explored, at different levels of granularity, the functional characteristics of several families of C2 domains. At the coarsest level, the similarity correlates with key structural determinants of the C2 domain fold and, at the finest level, with the domain architecture of the proteins containing them, highlighting the functional diversity between the various sub-families. The functional diversity appears as different conserved surface patches throughout this common fold. In some cases, these patches are related to substrate-binding sites whereas in others they correspond to interfaces of presumably permanent interaction between other domains within the same polypeptide chain. For those related to substrate-binding sites, the predictions overlap with biochemical data in addition to providing some novel observations. For those acting as protein-protein interfaces, our modelling analysis suggests that slight variations between families are a result of not only complementary adaptations in the interfaces involved but also different domain architecture. In the light of the sequence and structural genomic projects, the work presented here shows that modelling approaches along with careful sub-typing of protein families will be a powerful combination for a broader coverage in proteomics.     

PROANAL version 2: multifunctional Program for analysis of multiple protein sequence alignments and for studying the structure-activity relationships in protein families

A new version of the program PROANAL is described. A multiplelinear regression analysis of the protein structure–activityrelationship allows one to investigate the combina–tionsof protein sites and factors influencing the activity. The programalso provides the possibility to seek out protein sites, conservativeor variable in variations of physico–chemical characteristics,and regions with high or low values of these characteristics.PROANAL2 may be useful in the simulation of protein–engineeringexperiments and in the search of a number of protein regionssuch as functional sites, secondary structures, solvent-exposedregions, T– and B–cell antigenic determinants, etc.     

Topographic antigenic determinants recognized by monoclonal antibodies to sperm whale myoglobin

Monoclonal antibodies of high affinity (approximately 10(9) M-1) for sperm whale myoglobin were studied to pinpoint the antigenic determinants with which they interact. None of 6 different monoclonal antibodies tested reacted with any of the 3 CNBr cleavage fragments which encompass the whole sequence of myoglobin, an indication that they react with determinants present only on the native structure. To identify these sites, we compared the affinities of each antibody for a series of 14 mammalian myoglobins of known sequence and similar tertiary structure. Correlation of sequence differences with relative affinities allowed us, thus far, to identify critical antigenic residues recognized by 3 of the antibodies. Two of these antibodies recognize groups of residues which are far apart in primary structure but close together in the 3-dimensional structure of the native myoglobin molecule, i.e. topographic determinants. The third antibody distinguishes 140 Lys leads to Asn plus, probably, surface residues nearby. These determinants differ from previously reported antigenic sites on sperm whale myoglobin both in that they are topographic, rather than sequential, and in that almost all the critical residues recognized by these antibodies are outside the previously reported sites. Monoclonal antibodies are sensitive to subtle changes, e.g. Glu leads to Asp, in the antigenic site.     

Structural and antigenic differences of pancreatic RNAse preparations modified by dextran ethers in an azo-combination reaction

Preparations of pancreatic RNAase modified by dextrane derivatives were obtained in an azocombination reaction. The UV absorption spectra and amino acid analysis of the preparations revealed quantitative and qualitative differences in the sites of the enzyme binding to the polymeric matrix depending on modification conditions. The observed differences in the binding sites of modified RNAase may be related both to the differences in the primary structure or even in the secondary and ternary structure of the enzyme. The latter observation was confirmed in studies of the antigenic properties of modified preparations. The interrelationship of these preparations with antibodies raised against native RNAase and the comparison of the degree of their antigenicity suggest the influence of modification on the antigenic properties of the protein. The number of binding sites of the enzyme to the support can be determined, which would neutralize the antigen-stimulated effect of the support due to the screening of protein antigenic determinants.     

The global trace graph, a novel paradigm for searching protein sequence databases

MOTIVATION: Propagating functional annotations to sequence-similar, presumably homologous proteins lies at the heart of the bioinformatics industry. Correct propagation is crucially dependent on the accurate identification of subtle sequence motifs that are conserved in evolution. The evolutionary signal can be difficult to detect because functional sites may consist of non-contiguous residues while segments in-between may be mutated without affecting fold or function. RESULTS: Here, we report a novel graph clustering algorithm in which all known protein sequences simultaneously self-organize into hypothetical multiple sequence alignments. This eliminates noise so that non-contiguous sequence motifs can be tracked down between extremely distant homologues. The novel data structure enables fast sequence database searching methods which are superior to profile-profile comparison at recognizing distant homologues. This study will boost the leverage of structural and functional genomics and opens up new avenues for data mining a complete set of functional signature motifs. AVAILABILITY: http://www.bioinfo.biocenter.helsinki.fi/gtg. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.