Arthrobacter ureafaciens CZ31丙氨酸脱氢酶可溶性表达及产酶条件优化

【目的】克隆Arthrobacter ureafaciens CZ31丙氨酸脱氢酶的编码基因(alanine dehydrogenase),转化至Escherichia coli Rosetta(DE3)中构建可溶性表达alanine dehydrogenase(ald)的工程菌CZR07并优化产酶条件。【方法】提取A.ureafaciens CZ31菌株的全基因组DNA,设计引物扩增出ald基因,与pET-28a连接后导入E.coli Rosetta中表达并纯化重组蛋白,以单因素实验结果为依据,响应面法优化发酵条件。【结果】ald全长为1119 bp,编码含372个氨基酸残基的蛋白质,分子量约为40 kDa,酶活为2.65 U/mg。响应面分析温度、诱导时间及诱导剂浓度的影响强度为IPTG浓度温度温度×IPTG浓度温度×诱导时间IPTG浓度×诱导时间诱导时间。CZR07摇瓶发酵最佳条件为温度22°C、IPTG 0.7 mmol/L、诱导时间7 h,此条件下重组酶酶活达到15.23 U/mg,与响应面优化的预测值相似,较优化前提高5.75倍。【结论】克隆并实现了CZ31中ald基因的可溶性表达,采用BBD法优化产酶的诱导条件,获得显著的优化效果,为其他工程菌株产酶条件优化提供借鉴。     

大肠杆菌Zn2+敏感突变株构建及其功能验证

【背景】Zn²⁺在细胞解毒及许多生理过程中发挥着关键作用,Zn²⁺转运蛋白已逐渐引起人们的重视。在大肠杆菌中,zntA和zitB是2个外排Zn²⁺的关键基因。【目的】构建大肠杆菌Zn²⁺敏感突变株,并对其功能进行验证。【方法】以Escherichia coli DH5α为出发菌株,利用λ Red重组系统,通过携带卡那霉素抗性基因的同源重组片段敲除zntA基因。在单基因敲除菌株基础上,利用携带庆大霉素抗性基因的同源重组片段敲除zitB基因,获得一株敲除了zntA和zitB的双基因敲除菌株KZAB04。通过功能互补实验检测基因敲除菌株及对照菌株对不同浓度Zn²⁺的敏感程度。【结果】基因敲除菌株KZAB04比出发菌株E.coli DH5α具有更高的Zn²⁺敏感性。【结论】大肠杆菌Zn²⁺敏感突变株构建成功。该菌株的构建为zntA和zitB基因功能的研究提供了必要条件,同时也为其他Zn²⁺转运蛋白基因的功能鉴定与分析奠定了基础。     

转录调节因子σ~(38)介导铜绿假单胞菌绿脓菌素合成代谢调控

【目的】为了进一步鉴定铜绿假单胞菌转录调控因子σ~(38)对2个拷贝吩嗪合成基因簇(phz A1-G1和phz A2-G2)的具体调控方式并推定介导绿脓菌素合成代谢的可能调控机制。【方法】根据铜绿假单胞菌基因组信息,利用同源重组原理构建rpo S基因缺失突变株Δrpo S以及克隆全长rpo S基因作互补分析;再以单一吩嗪基因簇缺失突变株Δphz1和Δphz2为出发菌株,分别构建rpo S缺失突变株Δrpo Sphz1和rpo S插入突变株Δrpo Sphz2,测定并比较野生株及相关突变株的绿脓菌素合成量,初步推定σ~(38)因子对2个不同吩嗪基因簇表达的调控方式。【结果】在GA培养基中,突变株Δrpo S的绿脓菌素合成量比野生株显著增加;互补分析证实,σ~(38)可使突变株Δrpo S的绿脓菌素降低并接近野生株PAO1水平;与对照株Δphz1相比,突变株Δrpo Sphz1的绿脓菌素合成量因σ~(38)因子缺失而显著减少;而与对照株Δphz2相比,突变株Δrpo Sphz2的绿脓菌素合成量因σ~(38)因子缺失显著增加。【结论】转录调控因子σ~(38)对铜绿假单胞菌绿脓菌素的合成代谢的确具一定的负调控作用;结合已报道的研究结果,初步推定:σ~(38)因子通过负调控吩嗪基因簇phz1,正调控吩嗪基因簇phz2的表达实现对绿脓菌素合成代谢的调控。     

大肠杆菌rhtA缺失对血红素合成的影响

【背景】Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)是基因工程的常用宿主,以C5途径合成5-氨基乙酰丙酸(5-Aminolevulinicacid,ALA),ALA是合成血红素的重要前体物质,但ALA分泌对血红素合成的影响尚不清楚。【目的】阐明参与ALA外运的RhtA在血红素合成途径中的作用。【方法】利用Red同源重组,敲除Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)的rhtA,同时构建重组质粒pEA过表达血红素合成途径中的关键酶基因hemA,检测分析血红素及其前体物质含量,以及血红素合成途径中10个关键基因的表达水平。【结果】敲除rhtA对菌体生长没有显著影响,敲除菌株BL21(DE3)Δrht A与原始菌株BL21(DE3)比较,ALA的胞外含量下降23%,血红素含量提高12%,尿卟啉III (Uroporphyrin III,UIII)、粪卟啉III (Coproporphyrin III,CIII)和原卟啉IX (Protoporphyrin IX,PPIX)的含量分别提高25%、15%和18%;敲除rhtA同时过表达hemA的菌株BL21(DE3)ΔrhtA/pEA与仅过表达hemA的菌株BL21(DE3)/pEA比较,胞外ALA减少了16%,血红素含量提高了24%,UIII和CIII含量分别提高55%和64%,PPIX含量显著增加,约为4.7倍。实时定量PCR结果表明,rhtA缺失后,hemC基因转录水平下调,其余9个基因转录水平均有不同程度的上调。【结论】rhtA敲除减少了ALA的外运,使得胞内血红素产量得到提高。     

大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)膜组分相关基因的敲除对重组蛋白胞外分泌的影响

摘要:【目的】探究Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)中膜组分相关的脂多糖合成基因waaF或msbB的敲除对重组蛋白胞外分泌的影响。【方法】运用Red重组技术将E.coli BL21 (DE3)染色体上的基因waaF或msbB敲除,构建敲除菌株E.coli BL21(ΔwaaF)、E.coli BL21(ΔmsbB)。将本实验室保存的带有β-呋喃果糖苷酶(β-fructofuranosidase,β-FFase)、青霉素G 酰化酶(penicillin G acylase,PGA)基因的重组质粒pET-ffase、pET-pga分别转入敲除菌株及出发菌株中,构建工程菌株E.coli BL21(ΔmsbB)/pET-ffase、E.coli BL21(ΔwaaF)/pET-ffase、E.coli BL21(DE3)/pET-ffase、E.coli BL21(ΔmsbB)/pET-pga、E.coli BL21(ΔwaaF)/pET-pga、E.coli BL21(DE3)/pET-pga。最后通过摇瓶发酵研究敲除菌株对β-FFase、PGA胞外分泌的影响。【结果】当诱导表达4 h,以出发菌株E.coli BL21(DE3)为宿主时,β-呋喃果糖苷酶β-FFase的胞外分泌量占总表达量的2.6%,以敲除菌株ΔmsbB为宿主时,胞外分泌量达到19.7%,而以敲除菌株ΔwaaF为宿主时,胞外分泌量达到50.9%。另外,当诱导表达24 h,以敲除菌株ΔwaaF为宿主时,青霉素G酰化酶PGA的胞外酶活是出发菌株中的4.1倍,达到1708 U/L。【结论】本研究成功构建了敲除菌株ΔmsbB和ΔwaaF,ΔmsbB能明显增强β-FFase的胞外分泌,而ΔwaaF对β-FFase和PGA的胞外分泌均有显著的强化作用。     

双功能尿苷酰转移/去除酶GlnD在谷氨酸棒杆菌JNR中的功能

【目的】通过改造谷氨酸棒杆菌JNR中双功能尿苷酰转移/去除酶GlnD,减弱尿苷酰去除酶的活性,增强NH_4~+的转运和利用,提高L-精氨酸的合成。【方法】本文对来源于谷氨酸棒杆菌的突变菌株JNR中的双功能尿苷酰转移/去除酶GlnD进行整合突变,采用同源重组的方法将H_(414)和D_(415)位点突变为两个丙氨酸AA,在此菌株的基础上过量表达PII蛋白GlnK,并对其进行尿苷酰化研究,离子色谱检测摇瓶发酵过程中NH4+的浓度,并对最终的改造菌株进行连续流加发酵分析。【结果】该双功能尿苷酰转移/去除酶在谷氨酸棒杆菌中成功进行整合突变,有效减弱了尿苷酰去除酶的活性;同时过表达PII蛋白GlnK,其酰基化程度明显增强。摇瓶发酵结果表明菌株L4消耗NH_4~+增加,L-精氨酸产量为36.2±1.2 g/L,比对照菌株L3高出22.7%。5-L发酵罐实验结果显示改造菌株L4的L-精氨酸的产量为52.2 g/L,较野生型菌株L0提高了25.3%。【结论】谷氨酸棒杆菌合成L-精氨酸的过程中氮源是必不可少的。减弱GlnD尿苷酰去除酶的活性后,胞内尿苷酰化的GlnK-UMP增加,GlnK-UMP与氮转录调控因子AmtR结合,转运至胞内的NH_4~+浓度提高,促使L-精氨酸产量显著提高。     

青枯雷尔氏菌胞外多糖合成缺失突变株构建及其生物学特性

【目的】由青枯雷尔氏菌(Ralstonia solanacearum)引起的植物青枯病是一种毁灭性土传病害。胞外多糖(extracellular polysaccharides,EPS)是青枯雷尔氏菌关键的致病因子之一。通过构建胞外多糖缺失突变株,研究胞外多糖在青枯病致病中的作用。【方法】从青枯雷尔氏菌FJAT-91的基因组中克隆出胞外多糖合成结构基因epsD同源臂,克隆至自杀性质粒p K18mobsacB,再将庆大霉素抗性基因(Gm)插入同源臂中间,获得重组质粒p K18-epsD。将重组质粒转化至青枯雷尔氏菌FJAT-91感受态细胞中,通过同源重组敲除epsD基因,获得EPS合成缺失的突变株FJAT-91Δeps 。研究突变株与野生菌株在菌落形态、胞外多糖合成、运动能力、定殖能力的差异性。【结果】突变菌株FJAT-91ΔepsD与出发菌株FJAT-91相比:胞外多糖产量显著减少,生长较慢;泳动能力(swimming motility)和群集运动能力(swarming motility)显著降低;在番茄苗根部和茎部的定殖能力显著降低;弱化指数(AI)为0.905,鉴定为无致病力菌株。【结论】胞外多糖在青枯雷尔氏菌的致病中起着关键的作用,本课题研究成果为开发植物疫苗提供了优良的材料与研究基础。     

crgA调控三孢布拉霉合成类胡萝卜素

【目的】探究crgA基因在三孢布拉霉合成类胡萝卜素过程中的调控作用。【方法】克隆三孢布拉霉crgA基因并利用split-marker策略敲除该基因;在表型特征、关键酶基因转录水平、类胡萝卜素合成水平等方面将基因敲除株与野生株进行比较分析。【结果】与野生型菌株相比,crgA基因敲除菌产孢能力明显下降,而类胡萝卜素合成途径中的关键酶基因转录水平明显提高,在发酵120h后β-胡萝卜素的积累量提高了31.2%。将crgA基因重新导入到敲除菌后,该菌的性状恢复至野生型。【结论】crgA基因调控三孢布拉霉的生长和产孢能力,并通过调控类胡萝卜素关键酶基因表达来调控类胡萝卜素的合成,是一个负调控因子。     

d,l-肽链内切酶基因cwlO缺失促进地衣芽孢杆菌利用l-谷氨酰胺合成聚γ-谷氨酸

【背景】聚γ-谷氨酸(poly-γ-glutamic acid, γ-PGA)是一种由芽孢杆菌代谢产生的同质氨基酸聚合物,在众多领域具有广泛的应用潜力。芽孢杆菌cwlO表达一种d,l-肽链内切酶,其对γ-PGA合成的影响机理尚不清晰。【目的】探究缺失cwlO对以不同前体发酵γ-PGA的影响及其机制。【方法】以地衣芽孢杆菌WX-02为出发菌株,构建缺失cwlO的重组菌。在3 L发酵罐条件下对比重组菌和野生菌利用不同前体发酵产γ-PGA的发酵性能,并通过转录水平差异分析、荧光倒置显微镜观察、细胞壁肽聚糖含量和组分分析造成重组菌和野生菌发酵性能差异的原因。【结果】缺失cwlO的重组菌对l-谷氨酰胺的代谢利用效率显著提高,以l-谷氨酰胺和l-谷氨酸为混合前体时,重组菌的γ-PGA产量达到36.3 g/L,比野生菌高48.8%。RT-qPCR结果表明,相较于野生菌,重组菌在利用l-谷氨酰胺时γ-PGA合成途径和呼吸链上关键基因转录水平均上调。荧光倒置显微镜观察发现重组菌细胞形态相比野生菌变短变圆,细胞壁肽聚糖含量和组分测定发现,重组菌细胞壁肽聚糖含量降低,且肽聚糖中蛋白质占比减少。【结论】地衣芽孢杆菌cwlO的缺失引起细胞壁肽聚糖含量降低,促进了菌株对l-谷氨酰胺的利用,强化了γ-PGA的合成,这为探究cwlO对γ-PGA合成的影响提供了新的思路和研究基础。     

基于MS2噬菌体lys基因的质粒型条件自溶菌的构建与应用

【背景】传统外源蛋白的原核表达通常需要以超声破碎或者酶解的方式破碎菌体,过程比较烦琐。【目的】构建基于MS2噬菌体lys基因的质粒型条件自溶菌,以简化外源蛋白的获取流程。【方法】从MS2噬菌体中克隆lys基因,构建重组表达质粒,并在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中异源表达,以此构建质粒型条件自溶菌,通过生长曲线和菌落形成单位反映自溶菌裂解效率,利用SDS-PAGE检测外源蛋白释放情况。【结果】构建了pBAD-lys BL21(DE3)、pBAD-Opti-lys BL21(DE3)及pCDF-BAD-Opti-lys BL21(DE3)这3种质粒型条件自溶菌。以上自溶菌在阿拉伯糖诱导后其宿主裂解效率均为99.99%以上,CFU结果显示含pCDF-BAD-Opti-lys质粒的宿主裂解效果更优,在此自溶菌BL21(DE3)中表达含His标签的重组绿色荧光蛋白(enhanced green fluorescent protein,eGFP),经阿拉伯糖诱导后菌体中约63.00%以上的eGFP释放至胞外,利用Ni-NTA可以直接从培养基中纯化得到约30 kDa的单一目的蛋白。【结论】基于MS2噬菌体lys基因成功构建了阿拉伯糖诱导的质粒型条件自溶菌,此自溶菌能够以自我裂解的方式释放大部分胞内外源蛋白,简化传统外源蛋白获取流程。     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Analysis of the physiological mechanism of salt-tolerant transgenic rice carrying a vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter gene from Suaeda salsa

Salt stress is one of the most serious factors limiting the productivity of agricultural crops. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that vacuolar Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters play a crucial role in plant salt tolerance. In the present study, we expressed the Suaeda salsa vacuolar Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter SsNHX1 in transgenic rice to investigate whether this can increase the salt tolerance of rice, and to study how overexpression of this gene affected other salt-tolerant mechanisms. It was found that transgenic rice plants showed markedly enhanced tolerance to salt stress and to water deprivation compared with non-transgenic controls upon salt stress imposition under outdoor conditions. Measurements of ion levels indicated that K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ contents were all higher in transgenic plants than in non-transformed controls. Furthermore, shoot V-ATPase hydrolytic activity was dramatically increased in transgenics compared to that of non-transformed controls under salt stress conditions. Physiological analysis also showed that the photosynthetic activity of the transformed plants was higher whereas the same plants had reduced reactive oxygen species generation. In addition, the soluble sugar content increased in the transgenics compared with that in non-transgenics. These results imply that up-regulation of a vacuolar Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter gene in transgenic rice might cause pleiotropic up-regulation of other salt-resistance-related mechanisms to improve salt tolerance.Fengyun Zhao and Zenglan Wang contributed equally to this work.     

Mn~(2+)对肠膜状明串珠菌产右旋糖酐的影响

肠膜状明串珠菌在其产生的右旋糖酐蔗糖酶的作用下,以蔗糖为原料转化合成右旋糖酐和产生果糖。着重进行了Mn~(2+)对肠膜状明串珠菌Lm-1226发酵产右旋糖酐影响的初步探索。对Mn~(2+)对肠膜状明串珠菌Lm-1226的生长,产果糖、右旋糖酐和右旋糖酐蔗糖酶,右旋糖酐蔗糖酶作用影响进行了研究。一定浓度的Mn~(2+)对肠膜状明串珠菌Lm-1226的生长具有促进作用; Mn~(2+)抑制肠膜状明串珠菌Lm-1226发酵产果糖和右旋糖酐,且Mn~(2+)浓度越高,抑制性越强; Mn~(2+)对肠膜状明串珠菌Lm-1226发酵产右旋糖酐蔗糖酶有抑制作用; Mn~(2+)对右旋糖酐蔗糖酶具有较强的激活作用,激活作用可达158%,最适Mn~(2+)浓度为5. 0 mmol/L。     

Isolation, cloning and expression analysis of EcPMA1, a putative plasma membrane H-ATPase transporter gene from the biotrophic pathogenic fungus Erysiphe cichoracearum

Little is known at the molecular level about the transporters involved in nutrient transfer in the plant/powdery mildew interaction. A PCR-based approach was used to identify and isolate a partial-length cDNA coding for an isoform of the plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase (EcPMA1) in the biotrophic pathogenic fungus Erysiphe cichoracearum. Southern analysis suggests that EcPMA1 exists as a single-copy gene. Sequence analysis indicated a high similarity of EcPMA1 to other fungal H⁺-ATPases. Expression of EcPMA1 increases in infected Arabidopsis leaves as the disease progresses, correlating with the growth of the pathogen.     

Natural Selection During Functional Divergence to LMP7 and Proteasome Subunit X (PSMB5) Following Gene Duplication

The LMP7 and PSMB5 genes were created through an ancient gene duplication event of their ancestral locus. These proteins contain an active site of proteolysis, and LMP7 replaces PSMB5 as a component of the 20S proteasome after stimulation of cells by interferon-. Replacement of PSMB5 by LMP7 changes the profile of the products of 20S proteasome processing, predisposing digested peptides for transport to and display by the immune system. The purpose of this study is to investigate evolutionary forces influencing functional divergence between LMP7 and PSMB5 following duplication. Levels of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution rates are estimated to infer differences in levels of natural selection. Estimates of substitution rates indicate that natural selection elevated rates of nonsynonymous substitution in LMP7 following gene duplication, whereas PSMB5 experienced an increase in substitution rate that was not likely due to diversifying natural selection following duplication. Following initial divergence, nearly neutral mutations have dominated gene evolution in both lineages. The LMP7 gene locus provides a rare example of a protein with specialized function arising from duplication and divergence of a housekeeping protein by way of natural selection.Reviewing Editor: Dr. Rasmus Nielsen     

梅毒螺旋体的营养物质转运及能量合成相关代谢机制研究

梅毒螺旋体(Treponemapallidum,Tp)是严重危害人类健康的性传播疾病梅毒的病原体,目前仍难以实现体外人工培养.Tp在感染期间是如何获得足够的能量来完成其复杂的致病过程迄今不明.本文就Tp的葡萄糖转运、糖酵解途径、丙酮酸去路以及NAD+再生的研究进展做一综述,旨在为探索Tp尚未明了的生理代谢机能、突破Tp...     

Cr3+和Cd2+对普通小球藻生长及抗氧化酶活性的影响

[目的] 为探究重金属对淡水绿藻生长的影响。[方法] 选取对水质检测具有明显指示作用的普通小球藻（Chlorella vulgaris）为实验材料,CdCl₂·2H₂O和CrCl₃·7H₂O提供重金属离子,探究不同浓度Cr³⁺和Cd²⁺在单一和复合胁迫下对藻细胞浓度、叶绿素a及相关抗氧化酶活性的影响。[结果] 随着Cr³⁺和Cd²⁺浓度不断增加,藻细胞浓度呈先增长后下降趋势;叶绿素a含量呈现先下降后升高再下降的现象,浓度为1 mg/L的单一和复合胁迫下有最大值,且毒性作用表现为Cr³⁺ < Cd²⁺ < Cr³⁺+Cd²⁺;与藻细胞膜相关的丙二醛（MDA）和过氧化氢（H₂O₂）含量随着重金属离子浓度的增大而增长;重金属离子浓度低于10 mg/L时对藻细胞内抗氧化酶系统中的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）和过氧化物酶（POD）表现为促进作用,而大于10 mg/L时具有抑制作用。[结论] 结果表明在单一或复合重金属胁迫下,普通小球藻会充分调动与抗逆性相关的酶来维持自身的正常生长。     

Mapping of Rym14 Hb,a gene introgressed from Hordeum bulbosum and conferring resistance to BaMMV and BaYMV in barley

Hordeum bulbosum represents the secondary gene pool of barley and constitutes a potential source of various disease resistances in barley breeding. Interspecific crosses of H. vulgare × H. bulbosum resulted in recombinant diploid-barley progeny with immunity to BaMMV after mechanical inoculation. Tests on fields contaminated with different viruses demonstrated that resistance was effective against all European viruses of the soil-borne virus complex (BaMMV, BaYMV-1, -2). Genetic analysis revealed that resistance was dominantly inherited. Marker analysis in a F5 mapping family was performed to map the introgression in the barley genome and to estimate its size after several rounds of recombination. RFLP anchor-marker alleles indicative of an H. bulbosum introgression were found to cover an interval 2.9 cM in length on chromosome 6HS. The soil-borne virus resistance locus harboured by this introgressed segment was designated Rym14^Hb. For marker-assisted selection of Rym14^Hb carriers, a diagnostic codominant STS marker was derived from an AFLP fragment amplified from leaf cDNA of homozygous-resistant genotypes inoculated with BaMMV.Communicated by F. Salamini     

Influx of extracellular Ca2+ involved in jasmonic-acid-induced elevation of [Ca2+]cyt and JR1 expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

The changes in cytosolic Ca²⁺ levels play important roles in the signal transduction pathways of many environmental and developmental stimuli in plants and animals. We demonstrated that the increase in cytosolic free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_cyt) of Arabidopsis thaliana leaf cells was induced by exogenous application of jasmonic acid (JA). The elevation of [Ca²⁺]_cyt was detected within 1 min after JA treatment by the fluorescence intensity using laser scanning confocal microscopy, and the elevated level of fluorescence was maintained during measuring time. With pretreatment of nifedipine (Nif), a nonpermeable L-type channel blocker, the fluorescence of [Ca²⁺]_cyt induced by JA was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, verapamil, another L-type channel blocker, had no significant effect. Furthermore, Nif repressed JA-induced gene expression of JR1 but verapamil did not. JA-induced gene expression could be mimicked by higher concentration of extracellular Ca²⁺. W-7 [N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide], an antagonist of calmodulin (CaM), blocked the JA induction of JR1 expression while W-5 [N-(6-aminohexyl)-1-naphthalenesulfonamide], its inactive antagonist, had no apparent effect. These data provide the evidence that the influx of extracellular Ca²⁺ through Nif sensitive plasma membrane Ca²⁺ channel may be responsible for JA-induced elevation of [Ca²⁺]_cyt and downstream gene expression, CaM may be also involved in JA signaling pathway.     

Mitochondrial function in Parkinson's disease cybrids containing an nt2 neuron-like nuclear background

Mitochondria likely play a role in Parkinson's disease (PD) neurodegeneration. We modelled PD by creating cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) cell lines in which endogenous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from PD or control subject platelets was expressed within human teratocarcinoma (NT2) cells previously depleted of endogenous mtDNA. Complex I activity was reduced in both PD cybrid lines and in the platelet mitochondria used to generate them. Under basal conditions PD cybrids had less ATP, more LDH release, depolarized mitochondria, less mitochondrial cytochrome c, and higher caspase 3 activity. Equivalent MPP+ exposures are more likely to trigger programmed cell death in PD cybrid cells than in control cybrid cells. Our data support a relatively upstream role for mitochondrial dysfunction in idiopathic PD.