Dof基因家族调节植物生长发育功能的研究进展

Dof（DNA binding with one finger）蛋白是一类植物特异性转录因子,通常含有200～400个氨基酸和2个主要结构域。该家族成员的N 末端为高度保守的单锌指Dof结构域,具有与DNA和蛋白质相互作用的双重功能,其C末端的氨基酸序列则较为多变,是Dof蛋白重要的特异转录调控结构域。研究表明,Dof蛋白作为转录激活物或阻遏物参与了多方面的植物生长发育过程。随着基因组测序技术的发展,已有大量的Dof基因从植物基因组数据库中鉴定出来。该文对近年来国内外有关Dof基因家族的结构特点、全基因组鉴定、蛋白互作以及生物学功能等方面的研究进展进行综述,以期为Dof转录因子的深入研究提供参考。     

Regulation of G protein-mediated signal transduction by RGS proteins

RGS proteins form a new family of regulatory proteins of G protein signaling. They contain homologous core domains (RGS domains) of about 120 amino acids. RGS domains interact with activated Galpha subunits. Several RGS proteins have been shown biochemically to act as GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) for their interacting Galpha subunits. Other than RGS domains, RGS proteins differ significantly in size, amino acid sequences, and tissue distribution. In addition, many RGS proteins have other protein-protein interaction motifs involved in cell signaling. We have shown that p115RhoGEF, a newly identified GEF(guanine nucleotide exchange factor) for RhoGTPase, has a RGS domain at its N-terminal region and this domain acts as a specific GAP for Galpha12 and Galpha13. Furthermore, binding of activated Galpha13 to this RGS domain stimulated GEF activity of p115RhoGEF. Activated Galpha12 inhibited Galpha13-stimulated GEF activity. Thus p115RhoGEF is a direct link between heterotrimeric G protein and RhoGTPase and it functions as an effector for Galpha12 and Galpha13 in addition to acting as their GAP. We also found that RGS domain at N-terminal regions of G protein receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) specifically interacts with Galphaq/11 and inhibits Galphaq-mediated activation of PLC-beta, apparently through sequestration of activated Galphaq. However, unlike other RGS proteins, this RGS domain did not show significant GAP activity to Galphaq. These results indicate that RGS proteins have far more diverse functions than acting simply as GAPs and the characterization of function of each RGS protein is crucial to understand the G protein signaling network in cells.     

Mdfic与Rhox5蛋白相互作用的关键结构域鉴定

Mdfic（MyoD family inhibitor domain containing）是一个新发现的含有MyoD抑制素结构域（I-mfa domain）的转录调控因子,可能在肌细胞的分化过程中发挥重要作用. 小鼠Rhox5为同源异型框基因,隶属于Rhox基因簇（reproductive homeobox on the X chromosome genes cluster）β亚簇.在前期证实Mdifc能结合Rhox5蛋白的基础上,进一步鉴定两者相互作用的关键结构域.生物信息学分析Mdfic 的氨基酸序列,PCR方法扩增Mdfic A截短型片段（第72～247位氨基酸残基）,含保守的I-mfa结构域; 双向酵母双杂交和体外GST-Pull down结果表明,该截短型片段可以与Rhox5蛋白结合,且结合力度较完整的Mdfic蛋白强; 将Mdfic A片段划分为两段: Mdfic B（72～191 aa, 不含I-mfa结构域）和Mdfic C（191～247 aa, 含I-mfa结构域）.结果表明,含保守I-mfa结构域的Mdfic C截短型片段丧失了与Rhox5蛋白结合的能力,而不含I-mfa结构域的Mdfic B截短型片段可以结合Rhox5蛋白. 鉴于Mdfic蛋白的非I-mfa结构域在Rhox5/Mdfic结合中发挥关键作用, Rhox5与Mdfic的结合可能进一步调控由Mdfic的I-mfa结构域参与的其他转录因子（如MyoD）的调控,三者形成一个复杂的调控网络,共同参与肌细胞发生及分化的调控.