绿色荧光蛋白分裂肽基因重组乙型肝炎病毒复制子模型的建立

为构建一种重组乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus, HBV)复制子模型,使其能够在病毒感染的细胞中表达可视化报告基因蛋白,本研究删除HBV基因组核心蛋白(HBV core, HBc)编码区部分序列,构建HBV1.1-ΔHBc113复制子载体。利用内含肽(intein)介导蛋白拼接的特性,选取加强绿色荧光蛋白(enhanced green fluorescent protein, EGFP)和超级折叠绿色荧光蛋白(super folder green fluorescent protein, sfGFP)作为外显肽,建立EGFP^N1-8/EGFP^C9-11和sfGFP^N1-10/sfGFP^C11蛋白分裂系统。基于ΔHBc113载体,分别构建EGFP^C9-11和sfGFP^C11重组HBV复制子;应用DNA印迹法(Southern blotting)验证两种rHBV载体的细胞内复制能力。结果显示,构建的HBV1.1-ΔHBc113复制子载体能够在HBc反式互补条件下在转染细胞中形成病毒复制。构建的EGFP^C9-11和sfGFP^C11重组HBV复制子能够支持HBc互补条件下的细胞内病毒复制,并产生子代病毒颗粒;HBV重组复制子表达的EGFP^C9-11或sfGFP^C11蛋白在共表达氮端蛋白EGFP^N/sfGFP^N细胞中,通过intein介导的蛋白质高效拼接,能够形成完整的、有功能的GFP。结果表明,构建的荧光蛋白重组HBV复制子系统能够为HBV高通量药物筛选和HBV易感性研究提供实验工具,具有重要的病毒学意义和应用前景。     

禽腺病毒QU株一个复制非必需区的鉴定

禽腺病毒QU弱毒株属于鸭腺病毒1型病毒, 可作为潜在的重组疫苗载体。为确定QU株的复制非必需区, 参照鸭腺病毒1型病毒基因组右侧E4区附近序列设计引物, 扩增QU株基因组的一段3.4 kb片段, 插入来自pEGFP-C1质粒的增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)基因表达盒片段, 构建了含EGFP基因的重组质粒pADGFP。采用脂质体介导法, 将重组质粒pADGFP与QU株共转染CEF细胞, 用96孔板稀释法筛选纯化表达绿色荧光蛋白的重组QU病毒株rQUGFP。该重组毒的生长曲线与亲本毒一致, 连续传代后病毒滴度稳定。结果表明, QU株基因组右侧E4区附近一段包括ORF1、ORF8和ORF9三个开放阅读框的区域为病毒的复制非必需区, 且插入的EGFP基因可以稳定表达。为进一步以禽腺病毒QU株为载体构建重组疫苗的研究打下基础。     

苜蓿银纹夜蛾核多角体病毒E25序列突变对其入核定位和芽殖型病毒体增殖的影响

为了认识杆状病毒E25不同区段序列对其入核运输和定位及对病毒复制的作用,用egfp依次替代苜蓿银纹夜蛾核多角体病毒e25不同区段序列或插入其不同位点构建7个e25突变体,分别插入e25缺失型或野生型bacmid构建了14个e25突变型bacmids,用于对Sf9细胞的转染-感染实验。免疫荧光和共聚焦显微镜分析显示,由EGFP替代E25 2～45aa构成的融合蛋白在被转染细胞质中弥散分布;EGFP插入1aa/2aa处构成的融合蛋白沿核膜外侧分布,未入核;EGFP替代46～118aa或插入118aa/119aa处形成的E25-EGFP在细胞核膜内、外侧和核质中呈稀疏点块状分布。EGFP替代119～228aa或插入45/46aa或C-末端的融合蛋白的定位与野生型bacmid转染细胞中的E25相似,呈环状或弥散分布。这些结果显示虽然E25N-端序列对其定向入核运输和膜定位是必需的;但其中间段序列对其入核运输和定位也有一定影响。在正常E25和E25-EGFP突变子同时存在的情况下,不同的E25-EGFP突变子与正常E25呈现共定位特征,显示E25可能以二聚体或多聚体形式存在。在转染-感染实验中,只有兼含正常e25和2～45aa编码序列被替代的e25突变体的bacmid能够产生高感染性芽殖型病毒体(Budded virus,BV);其它e25突变型bacmids只能产生少量或完全不能产生感染性BV,显示E25结构严谨,所有替代和插入突变都导致其功能丧失或异常。     

快速筛选高效表达重组蛋白毕赤酵母菌株新方法的建立及评价

毕赤酵母是当前应用最为广泛的重组蛋白表达系统之一,文中建立了一种快速筛选高效表达重组蛋白的毕赤酵母菌株的新方法。首先,对内质网转膜蛋白Sec63融合表达增强型绿色荧光蛋白EGFP的改造菌株GS115-E表达重组蛋白的能力进行检测;之后将携带不同拷贝数的植酸酶phy基因或木聚糖酶xyn基因的质粒转化进入GS115-E中,得到具有不同植酸酶或木聚糖酶表达水平的重组菌株,分别检测不同菌株的EGFP与重组蛋白的表达水平;最后,利用分选型流式细胞仪,根据绿色荧光值的高低对包含不同植酸酶表达水平的重组菌株的菌群进行分选。结果显示重组菌株中EGFP的荧光值与重组蛋白的活性表达水平之间具有良好的线性相关性(0.8|R|1),且利用流式细胞仪可高效地从混合菌群中筛选得到高产菌株,所分选得到的高荧光菌株在摇瓶发酵120 h时植酸酶表达水平是低荧光菌株的4.09倍。本方法通过检测菌株的EGFP荧光值代替检测重组蛋白的表达水平和活性,从而实现高表达菌株的筛选,大大提高了其应用的便捷性及通用性。与流式细胞仪、液滴微流控等高通量筛选仪器或技术结合将进一步提高筛选的速度与通量,为筛选获得高效表达重组蛋白的毕赤酵母菌株提供了简便、快速的新途径。     

NMDAR1蛋白膜外抗原结构域的重组表达、纯化和免疫反应原性鉴定

构建编码NMDAR1蛋白膜外片段的原核表达重组质粒,在大肠杆菌中诱导表达、纯化并鉴定其免疫反应原性。根据人NMDAR1基因序列,利用Phyre 2软件预测蛋白的三级结构并分析其结构域。设计引物用RT-PCR方法扩增编码NMDAR1膜外蛋白不同结构域的核酸片段,并插入原核表达载体pCold-SUMO构建重组质粒。转化DH5α感受态细胞,菌落PCR鉴定,阳性单克隆进行测序验证。鉴定正确的重组体转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),IPTG诱导目的蛋白的表达和纯化,Ni-NTA柱亲和层析和凝胶过滤层析纯化蛋白,酶切切除融合蛋白6His-SUMO标签,用AKTA Purifier进行凝胶过滤层析,收集纯化蛋白。利用SDS-PAGE鉴定蛋白纯度,并用Western blotting进行免疫反应性鉴定。克隆获得NMDAR1膜外部分的三段DNA序列,分别是NR1-M1(编码19–393 aa)、NR1-S1(编码394–544 aa)和NR1-S2(编码663–800 aa)。其中NR1-S1和NR1-S2片段之间以G(甘氨酸)和T(苏氨酸)作为接头连接成为复合片段。经菌落PCR筛选和测序鉴定,成功构建了重组质粒p Cold-SUMO-M1和p Cold-SUMO-S1-GT-S2。SDS-PAGE鉴定结果表明重组质粒在大肠杆菌中经诱导可表达可溶性NR1-M1及NR1-S1-GT-S2蛋白。对表达产物进行亲和层析和凝胶过滤层析获得了高纯度的目标蛋白。Western blotting证实纯化的目的蛋白能与相应抗体发生特异性结合反应。本研究成功构建了NMDAR1蛋白膜外抗原结构域的原核表达系统,并获得了具有免疫反应性的NR1-M1及NR1-S1-GT-S2纯化蛋白。该蛋白有望用于NMDAR1蛋白的功能研究及自身抗体的检测。     

EGFP—pBABE逆转录病毒载体的构建及鉴定

目的构建表达增强绿色荧光蛋白（enhancedgreenfluorescentprotein,EGFP）的EGFP—pBABE逆转录病毒载体并对其表达进行鉴定。方法从pEGFP—N3质粒上切下EGFP片段,连接到pBABE载体,构建EGFP—pBABE重组质粒;将该重组质粒转染到Fr67细胞后,荧光显微镜下观察EGFP的表达;收集逆转录病毒感染宫颈癌SiHa细胞后荧光显微镜下观察EGFP的表达。结果成功构建EGFP—pBABE重组质粒。该质粒转染PT67细胞24h后,荧光显微镜下可观察到EGFP的表达;用该重组质粒包装的逆转录病毒感染宫颈癌SiHa细胞36h后,在荧光显微镜下可观察到明显的EGFP表达。结论成功构建表达EGFP的EGFP—pBABE逆转录病毒载体,为进一步利用该载体制备逆转录病毒并观测逆转录病毒感染细胞的效率奠定了良好的实验基础。     

人尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活因子截短型突变体与绿色荧光蛋白在真核细胞HEK293F中的融合表达

目的:构建人尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活因子(uPA)截短型突变体与绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)分泌型融合表达载体并在真核细胞中表达。方法:采用PCR法,分别以质粒pIRES2-EGFP和重组质粒pcDNA3.1(+)/uPA为模板,扩增出带BamHⅠ和XbaⅠ酶切位点的EGFP及带NheⅠ和HindⅢ酶切位点的uPA截短体基因片段,先后将EGFP和截短型uPA基因片段克隆到真核表达载体pcDNA3.1(+)上,转入HEK293F细胞,用G418对转染细胞进行加压筛选,通过共聚焦显微镜观察和ELISA方法鉴定表达产物。结果:DNA测序结果显示,uPA不同截短型突变体基因片段与EGFP基因融合的真核表达载体构建成功,共聚焦显微镜观察发现HEK293F细胞中有绿色荧光且定位于细胞质中,ELISA检测到HEK293F细胞培养上清中分泌型融合蛋白的表达。结论:构建了uPA截短型突变体与EGFP分泌型融合表达载体并在真核细胞中表达,为后期研究uPA的相互作用蛋白及其生理功能奠定了基础。     

结核分枝杆菌Rv3194c蛋白的亚细胞定位

【目的】Rv3194c基因编码的是结核分枝杆菌的PDZ信号蛋白,本研究探讨该蛋白的亚细胞定位,为其细胞结合蛋白的筛选奠定基础。【方法】从H37Rv基因组中扩增出编码只含有PDZ结构域的tRv3194c (Rv3194c 1–234 aa)的基因片段,在3′端加T2A和EGFP序列,一并插入真核表达载体构建出pcDNA3.1-tRv3194c-T2A-EGFP。将构建好的质粒瞬时转染L929细胞,并共感染重组痘苗病毒vTF7-3,用间接免疫荧光、流式细胞分选以及Western blotting检测融合蛋白的表达以及亚细胞定位。【结果】成功构建出真核表达载体pcDNA3.1-tRv3194c-T2A-EGFP,瞬时转染L929细胞后融合蛋白tRv3194c定位于线粒体膜上,且重组痘苗病毒vTF7-3的感染有助于靶蛋白表达水平的提高。【结论】Rv3194蛋白的PDZ结构域与线粒体外膜相关蛋白结合,为了解该蛋白在细胞内的致病机制提供重要线索。     

携带EGFP基因的戊型肝炎病毒重组质粒的构建及其感染性的验证

为了构建携带增强型绿色荧光蛋白(Enhanced green fluorescent protein,EGFP)基因的戊型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis E virus,HEV)重组质粒,转染人肺癌细胞A549细胞验证其感染性,PCR法分两段扩增HEV全基因组序列和EGFP基因序列,将EGFP报告基因插入到HEV ORF2基因下游,并克隆到体外转录表达载体pGEM-7Zf(+)上。然后利用脂质体转染法将重组质粒转入A549细胞,24h后在荧光显微镜下观察EGFP的表达;转染72h后,利用免疫荧光法检测HEV ORF2蛋白的表达。转染7d后将发生病变的A549细胞收集作为接种物,接种A549细胞验证携带EGFP的HEV-EGFP重组病毒的感染性。结果显示经酶切和测序鉴定携带EGFP的HEV重组表达质粒pGEM-HEV-EGFP构建成功;EGFP基因与HEV在A549细胞中可融合表达;携带EGFP的HEV重组表达质粒转染A549细胞7d后出现病变,并且连续传代3代仍具有感染性。本研究成功构建了携带EGFP的HEV全基因组重组质粒pGEM-HEV-EGFP,并成功感染A549细胞,为进一步研究HEV的复制机制及致病机理奠定基础。     

ZNF268基因启动子区的克隆及功能分析

锌指基因家族是人体中最大的基因家族,它参与细胞分化、胚胎发育,并与许多疾病的发生相关。人类ZNF268基因是一个在人胚肝中特异性表达的C2H2型锌指基因,并可能在人的早期肝脏发育中起重要作用。为了研究ZNF268基因表达调控的分子机制,以正常人总基因组为模板PCR扩增了ZNF268基因的5′调控区2533bp片段,并将此片段插入启动子缺失的EGFP(增强型绿色荧光蛋白)载体构建了重组质粒pZNF268—EGFP。用脂质体介导的方法将pZNF268—EGFP转染NIH／3T3、COS7、K562、HeLa4个细胞系。在激光共聚焦显微镜下观察绿色荧光的表达,发现在每个细胞系中,转染了重组质粒pZNF268—EGFP的细胞均有荧光表达,但其起始表达时间均晚于转染了阳性对照质粒pEGFP—C1的细胞且荧光较弱。这表明ZNF268基因的5′调控区2．5kb片段是一个有功能的启动子,但该启动子与CMV启动子相比活性较弱。选择易培养的HeLa细胞系用于缺失研究。将一系列5′端—2456bp至—20bp缺失、3′端均为 77bp的缺失片段插入启动子缺失的CAT(氯酶素酰胺转移酶)载体构建了一系列重组质粒。将这些重组质粒转染HeLa细胞系进行缺失分析,并通过共转染pCMV—Sport—βgal质粒校正转染效率。结果表明,ZNF268启动子—2456～—1639bp区域可能含有正调控元件,—1244～—1013bp和—525～—156bp区域可能含有负调控元件,ZNF268启动子激活转录的一个重要区域位于—156～—20bp。     

Folding properties of the hepatitis B core as a carrier protein for vaccination research

The hepatitis B core (HBc) protein has been used successfully in numerous experiments as a carrier for heterologous peptides. Folding and capsid formation of the chimeric proteins is not always achieved easily. In silico analyses were performed to provide further comprehension of the feasibility for predicting successful capsid formation. In contrast to previous work, we show that common in silico predictions do not ensure assembly into particles. We included new considerations regarding capsid formation of HBc fusion proteins. Not only the primary sequence and the length of the inserts seem important, also the rigidity, the distance between the N and the C-terminus and the presence of cysteines, which could form disulphide bonds, could influence proper capsid formation. Furthermore, new conformational insights were formulated when linkers were added to create extra flexibility of the chimeric particles. Different hypotheses were suggested to clarify the obtained results. To this extent, the addition of glycine-rich linkers could lower high rigidity of the insert, removal of the strain of the core protein or ease interaction between the HBc and the insert. Finally, we observed specific changes in capsid formation properties when longer linkers were used. These findings have not been reported before in this and other virus-like particle carriers. In this study, we also propose a new high-yield purification protocol for fusion proteins to be used in vaccination experiments with the carrier protein or in comparative studies of particulate or non-particulate HBc fusion proteins.     

Hepatitis B virus core gene mutations which block nucleocapsid envelopment

Recently we generated a panel of hepatitis B virus core gene mutants carrying single insertions or deletions which allowed efficient expression of the core protein in bacteria and self-assembly of capsids. Eleven of these mutations were introduced into a eukaryotic core gene expression vector and characterized by trans complementation of a core-negative HBV genome in cotransfected human hepatoma HuH7 cells. Surprisingly, four mutants (two insertions [EFGA downstream of A11 and LDTASALYR downstream of R39] and two deletions [Y38-R39-E40 and L42]) produced no detectable capsids. The other seven mutants supported capsid formation and pregenome packaging/viral minus- and plus-strand-DNA synthesis but to different levels. Four of these seven mutants (two insertions [GA downstream of A11 and EHCSP downstream of P50] and two deletions [S44 and A80]) allowed virion morphogenesis and secretion. The mutant carrying a deletion of A80 at the tip of the spike protruding from the capsid was hepatitis B virus core antigen negative but wild type with respect to virion formation, indicating that this site might not be crucial for capsid-surface protein interactions during morphogenesis. The other three nucleocapsid-forming mutants (one insertion [LS downstream of S141] and two deletions [T12 and P134]) were strongly blocked in virion formation. The corresponding sites are located in the part of the protein forming the body of the capsid and not in the spike. These mutations may alter sites on the particle which contact surface proteins during envelopment, or they may block the appearance of a signal for the transport or the maturation of the capsid which is linked to viral DNA synthesis and required for envelopment.     

The L60V Variation in Hepatitis B Virus Core Protein Elicits New Epitope-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Enhances Viral Replication

Mutations in the core protein (HBc) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) are associated with aggressive hepatitis and advanced liver diseases in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In this study, we identified the L60V variation in HBc that generates a new HLA-A2-restricted CD8⁺ T cell epitope by screening an overlapping 9-mer peptide pool covering HBc and its variants. The nonameric epitope V60 was determined by structural and immunogenic analysis. The HBc L60V variation is correlated with hepatic necroinflammation and higher viral levels, and it may be associated with a poor prognosis in CHB patients. Immunization with the defined HBV epitope V60 peptide elicited specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-induced liver injury in HLA-A2⁺ HBV transgenic mice. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments both demonstrated that the HBc L60V variation facilitates viral capsid assembly and increases HBV replication. These data suggest that the HBc L60V variation can impact both HBV replication and HBV-specific T cell responses. Therefore, our work provides further dissection of the impact of the HBc L60V variation, which orchestrates HBV replication, viral persistence, and immunopathogenesis during chronic viral infection.     

Modest truncation of the major capsid protein abrogates B19 parvovirus capsid formation.

In vitro studies have suggested an important role for the minor capsid protein (VP1) unique region and the junction between VP1 and the major capsid protein (VP2) in the neutralizing immune response to B19 parvovirus. We investigated the role of the NH2-terminal region of the major structural protein in capsid structure by expressing progressively more truncated versions of the VP2 gene followed by analysis using immunoblotting and electron microscopy of density gradient-purified particles. Deletion of the first 25 amino acids (aa) of VP2 did not affect capsid assembly. Altered VP2 with truncations to aa 26 to 30, including a single amino acid deletion at position 25, failed to self-assemble but did participate with normal VP2 in the capsid structure. The altered region corresponds to the beginning of the beta A antiparallel strand. Truncations beyond aa 30 were incompatible with either self-assembly or coassembly, probably because of deletion of the beta B strand, which helps to form the core structure of the virus.