泛素连接酶复合物骨架蛋白CUL4B功能研究进展

CUL4B属于Cullin家族,该家族成员作为骨架蛋白参与构成真核生物中最大的一类泛素连接酶复合物——Cullin-RING E3泛素连接酶复合物(Cullin-RING E3 ligases, CRLs).由CUL4B作为骨架蛋白构成的CRLs称为Cullin4B-RING泛素连接酶复合物,简称CRL4B复合物,通过催化底物蛋白多泛素化或单泛素化而在多种组织、病理生理过程中发挥重要作用.本实验室和英国研究组几乎同时发现CUL4B突变导致人类智力低下综合征,从此开启了研究CUL4B功能的新方向.利用细胞模型研究发现, CRL4B复合物在调控细胞增殖和DNA损伤修复等生物学过程中发挥重要作用.同时发现, CUL4B在多种实体瘤组织中高表达,通过表观转录调控多种抑癌基因表达来调控肿瘤进程.利用小鼠(Mus musculus)模型研究发现CUL4B在胚胎发育、神经系统发育、生殖细胞发育、髓系细胞分化、脂肪细胞分化、胰岛delta细胞发育等多种组织发育和细胞分化过程中发挥重要作用.本文主要介绍了以上CUL4B功能的研究进展.     

RhoA的泛素化降解机制及功能

Rho小G蛋白(Ras homology frowth-related,Rho G)家族作为分子开关(molecular switch)在GTP结合的激活形式和GDP结合的非激活形式之间转换,发挥着重要的生物学功能,细胞内Rho小G蛋白的含量可由泛素–蛋白酶体系统(ubiquitin-proteasome system,UPS)降解途径来调控。Rho A(Ras homolog gene family member A,Rho A)是Rho小G蛋白家族成员,其功能涉及细胞极性、细胞迁移、细胞周期调控、神经系统发育等,通过UPS途径对该蛋白在细胞内的含量进行调控,可保证细胞的相关正常生理功能。在Rho A泛素化降解过程中,不同的泛素连接酶(ubiquintin ligases,E3)发挥了重要的作用。该文将简单介绍UPS的过程和Rho A蛋白质的结构、功能,详细论述Rho A泛素化降解过程的分子机制和生物学功能。     

Cullin 7:一种多功能的泛素连接酶亚基

Cullin 7(CUL7)是一种泛素连接酶亚基,可形成一种独特的Skp1-CUL7-Fbx29样复合物。CUL7在生长控制方面发挥着重要作用,它的突变可造成常染色体隐性遗传疾病3-M综合征和雅库特人身材矮小综合征,这些疾病的特征为出生前后出现生长阻滞。CUL7还在细胞转化、p53调节和抗凋亡方面发挥了重要作用。这些研究说明CUL7是一种多功能的调节蛋白,可作为潜在的药物靶点。     

泛素-蛋白酶体系统对Aβ生成与代谢调控作用的研究进展

阿尔茨海默症(AD)是中枢神经系统退行性疾病,目前其确切发病机制未明,也无有效的治疗手段。淀粉样蛋白级联假说认为,β淀粉样蛋白(Aβ)是AD形成的关键因素。泛素-蛋白酶体系统(UPS)是胞内主要蛋白质质量控制系统,最近研究发现其可调控Aβ的生成和代谢,进而参与AD的发生。UPS可通过调控泛素化APP、β-分泌酶及γ-分泌酶各成分的代谢参与Aβ生成;同时UPS也是Aβ主要降解途径之一;而Aβ也可抑制UPS系统蛋白酶体活性。本文对此进行了综述。     

DCAF家族蛋白研究进展

DCAF (DDB1-and CUL4-associated factor)是一类新发现的含"WDXR"结构域的蛋白质家族,其可与CRL4-DDB1构成E3泛素连接酶,通过对靶蛋白进行泛素化修饰,实现对细胞生长、分化、凋亡等一系列生命活动的调控。DCAF蛋白的异常表达通常与肿瘤、发育障碍等疾病密切相关。本文主要根据目前的研究成果对DCAF家族蛋白的功能及机制展开论述。     

去泛素化酶在乳腺癌中的研究新进展

泛素-蛋白酶体系统(ubiquitin-proteasome-system,UPS)是控制蛋白质降解的主要系统,也是细胞基本活动的关键调节器。去泛素化酶(deubiquitinating enzymes,DUBs)是泛素-蛋白酶体系统的组成部分,主要参与调节蛋白质泛素化和去泛素化的动态平衡,对细胞增殖、信号转导、神经病变或肿瘤发生意义重大。不同的DUBs在乳腺癌中的作用不同,最新发现去泛素化酶BAP1、OTUD3、ATXN3L主要调节乳腺癌细胞增殖,某些DUBs小分子抑制剂可以间接诱导三阴性乳腺癌细胞凋亡。本文主要综述这三个DUBs及去泛素化酶抑制剂在乳腺癌中的研究新进展,为寻找新型的乳腺癌分子靶向药物提供理论依据。     

快速高效检测植物体内蛋白泛素化修饰研究方法

UPS参与植物中绝大多数的信号转导通路。其中, 一些激素的受体本身就是E3泛素连接酶, 如茉莉酸(JA)受体COI1和生长素(auxin)受体TIR1都是F-box蛋白, 它们通过特异性介导相应转录抑制子的泛素化降解来传递激素信号, 但对于整个UPS体系而言, 由于技术的限制, 迄今为止仅见少量泛素连接酶与特异性底物间生化机制的报道。用大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)表达蛋白实施泛素连接酶泛素化修饰底物的体外实验是验证泛素连接酶/底物对的常用方法, 但由于体外实验缺乏某些蛋白必需的转录后修饰, 导致实验结果有时存在假阴性。利用农杆菌注射烟草(Nicotiana benthamiana)瞬时表达蛋白的方法, 建立高效的植物体内检测蛋白泛素化系统, 可以快速检测蛋白泛素化, 包括检测泛素连接酶和底物的特异性相互作用、底物蛋白的自身泛素化、泛素连接酶对底物降解的促进作用、26S蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132对底物降解的抑制作用以及用植物内源表达蛋白进行体外泛素化反应。     

快速高效检测植物体内蛋白泛素化修饰研究方法

UPS参与植物中绝大多数的信号转导通路。其中, 一些激素的受体本身就是E3泛素连接酶, 如茉莉酸(JA)受体COI1和生长素(auxin)受体TIR1都是F-box蛋白, 它们通过特异性介导相应转录抑制子的泛素化降解来传递激素信号, 但对于整个UPS体系而言, 由于技术的限制, 迄今为止仅见少量泛素连接酶与特异性底物间生化机制的报道。用大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)表达蛋白实施泛素连接酶泛素化修饰底物的体外实验是验证泛素连接酶/底物对的常用方法, 但由于体外实验缺乏某些蛋白必需的转录后修饰, 导致实验结果有时存在假阴性。利用农杆菌注射烟草(Nicotiana benthamiana)瞬时表达蛋白的方法, 建立高效的植物体内检测蛋白泛素化系统, 可以快速检测蛋白泛素化, 包括检测泛素连接酶和底物的特异性相互作用、底物蛋白的自身泛素化、泛素连接酶对底物降解的促进作用、26S蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132对底物降解的抑制作用以及用植物内源表达蛋白进行体外泛素化反应。     

利用双杂交系统对SeNPV泛素与抗细胞凋亡蛋白相互作用的研究

本文报道利用酵母双杂交系统研究甜菜夜蛾核多角体病毒(SeNPV)的泛素(Ubiqutin)与抗细胞凋亡蛋白(IAP2, IAP3)相互作用的结果.使用Clontech 公司的MACHMAKER GAL4 Two-hybrid system 3,以病毒ubiquitin基因与酵母GAL4的DNA结合域重组表达"诱饵"蛋白,以病毒iap2或iap3基因与DNA活化域重组表达"猎物"蛋白,在低严谨型筛选培养基上均得到阳性克隆.这一结果表明,甜菜夜蛾核多角体病毒泛素与IAP2或IAP3在体外能进行相互作用,这种作用利用了酵母内源性E1和E2.SeNPV的抗细胞凋亡蛋白(IAPs)可能是泛素-蛋白酶水解途径(UPP)中的泛素连接酶(E3),或者是泛素依赖性蛋白水解酶的靶底物.     

研究报告：阿尔茨海默病发生发展中关键E3泛素连接酶的筛选

目的 探索阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer’s disease,AD）发病中的关键E3泛素连接酶及其表达特征。方法 通过生物信息学方法分析筛选AD发生发展过程中的差异基因,行基因本体（GO）分析,并构建蛋白质互作网络（PPI）。继而,通过The Human Protein Atlas和Alzdata数据库,分别查找泛素-蛋白酶体系统（ubiquitin-proteasome system,UPS）中的E3泛素连接酶的组织细胞学定位和AD患者/对照不同脑区中的表达值,并通过qPCR方法在AD小鼠脑组织中验证。结果 我们发现UPS和泛素结合酶结构域UBCc分别在参与AD发生进程的生物学功能和结构域中位居首列;PPI互作网络中多个UPS分子位居关键节点;神经元中特异性高表达的E3泛素连接酶（MKRN2、NEDD4L、LNX1、RNF41、TRIM36、RNF8和DTX4）在AD患者和AD小鼠脑组织中表达量下调。结论 这7个E3泛素连接酶可能作为驱动因子参与AD进展,这对进一步寻找诊断和治疗AD的新靶点以及深入的机制探索提供了重要线索。     

Recent advances in the study of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus replication and pathogenesis

It has now been over twenty years since a novel herpesviral genome was identified in Kaposi's sarcoma biopsies. Since then, the cumulative research effort by molecular biologists, virologists, clinicians, and epidemiologists alike has led to the extensive characterization of this tumor virus, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus(KSHV; also known as human herpesvirus 8(HHV-8)), and its associated diseases. Here we review the current knowledge of KSHV biology and pathogenesis, with a particular emphasis on new and exciting advances in the field of epigenetics. We also discuss the development and practicality of various cell culture and animal model systems to study KSHV replication and pathogenesis.     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

The structure, reproduction and taxonomy of Vidalia and Osmundaria (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae)

Comprises species occurring mostly in subtidal habitats in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate areas of the world. An analysis of the type species, V. spiralis (Sonder) Lamouroux ex J. Agardh, a species from Australia, establishes basic characters for distinguishing species in the genus. These characters are (1) branching patterns of thalli, (2) flat blades that may be spiralled on their axis, (3) width of the blade, (4) primary or secondary derivation of sterile and fertile branchlets and (5) position of sterile and fertile branchlets on the thalli. Application of the latter two characters provides an important basic method for separation of species into three major groups. Osmundaria , a genus known only in southern Australia, was studied in relation to Vidalia , and its separation from the Vidalia assemblage is not accepted. Species of Vidalia therefore are transferred to the older genus name, Osmundaria. Two new species, Osmundaria papenfussii and Osmundaria oliveae are described from Natal. Confusion in the usage of the epithet, Vidalia fimbriala Brown ex Turner has been clarified, and Vidalia gregaria Falkenberg, described as an epiphyte on Osmundaria pro/ifera Lamouroux, is revealed to be young branches of the host, Osmundaria prolifera.     

New or rare chromosome counts in Artemisia L. (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) and related genera from Kazakhstan

Fifteen chromosome counts of six Artemisia taxa and one species of each of the genera Brachanthemum, Hippolytia, Kaschgaria, Lepidolopsis and Turaniphytum are reported from Kazakhstan. Three of them are new reports, two are not consistent with previous counts and the remainder are confirmations of very scarce (one to four) earlier records. All the populations studied have the same basic chromosome number, x = 9, with ploidy levels ranging from 2x to 6x. Some correlations between ploidy level, morphological characters and distribution are noted.