人热休克蛋白70和热休克固有蛋白70的基因克隆和表达

目的:克隆人热休克蛋白70(HSP70)和热休克固有蛋白70(HSC70)基因,并在大肠杆茵中表达,获得重组蛋白.方法:用RT-PCR法从HepG2细胞中扩增HSP70及HSC70cDNA序列.测序后,将相应的cDNA插入pRSET-A表达载体,在大肠杆菌中表达,重组蛋白纯化后用SDS-PAGE及Western Blotting分析.结果:DNA序列结果显示.本研究所获得的HSP70及HSC70 cDNA序列与参考序列一致.将全长cDNA分别插入表达质粒后,转化BL21(DE3)细菌,在IPTG的诱导下,表达产物SDS-PAGE显示相应的分子量(70kDa)位置有明显的蛋白条带.Western Blotting结果证实了其为目的蛋白,经镍树脂柱纯化,获得了相应的重组多肽.结论:成功构建了原核表达重组质粒HSP70-pRSET-A和HSC70-pRSET-A,并获得了纯化的重组人HSP70和HSC70蛋白,为进一步研究这两种蛋白的结构、功能及临床应用奠定了基础.     

拟南芥原生质体瞬时表达快速验证重组酶外源基因删除

通过在拟南芥原生质体中瞬时表达重组酶删除系统,以拟南芥热激蛋白Hsp18.2基因的启动子诱导加入马铃薯StLs1基因第2个内含子的重组酶表达,证明瞬时转化质粒DNA中位于识别位点之间的基因元件可以被有效删除。建立了一种快速验证重组酶外源基因删除系统的方法。     

优化噬热栖热菌的遗传转化体系

[目的]优化噬热栖热菌Thermus thermophilus的转化体系。[方法]将质粒DNA的形态、浓度及转化时间作为变量设计噬热栖热菌T.thermophilus的转化体系,以通过直接双交换同源重组法获取Δpyr E突变体的概率为依据判定转化效率。[结果]在转化时间为2 h,使用3.0μg/m L线性质粒DNA,获取表观Δpyr E的概率为3.44×10^-5;而使用同样浓度的超螺旋质粒DNA,该概率可达1.03×10^-3;说明超螺旋质粒的转化效率高于线状质粒。质粒DNA的使用浓度及转化反应时间对转化效率亦有影响,但并非完全成正相关。使用浓度为15μg/m L超螺旋质粒DNA,在转化时间为3 h时,获取表观Δpyr E的概率达到最大值(1.36×10^-2);超过该阈值,转化效率降低。[结论]在T.thermophilus中,通过优化转化体系将基因无痕敲除突变体获取概率提高到10^-2。     

恶性疟P190抗原基因的表达及免疫学研究

克隆了我国海南省FCCl／HN株P190抗原三肽重复区基因,定名为P190TR。该基因片段经DNA序列分析鉴定后连接到改建的pGEx一2T表达载体BamHⅠ和xbaⅠ位点中,经鉴定的重组质粒转化感受态JM109(DE3)大肠杆菌进行表达。结果显示：该基因得到高效融合表达．经一步亲和纯化后就取得高纯度的重组蛋白。用纯化的表达蛋白免疫动物亦产生P190TR特异性抗体。     

绿色荧光蛋白表达载体pXS75－GFP的构建及在嗜热四膜虫中的应用

为获得能够用于构建嗜热四膜虫蛋白定位的载体,该研究将GFP基因与镉（Cd2＋）诱导的四膜虫金属硫蛋白基因（MTTl）启动子序列和终止子序列融合,获得表达载体pXS75-GFP。通过同源重组和抗性筛选,pXS75-GFP载体携带的目的基因整合入四膜虫MTTl位点,在cd2＋诱导下实现GFP融合蛋白的可控表达。将α－tubulin基因ATUl克隆JN－pXS75－GFP中,重组质粒pXS75－GFP－ATUl通过基因枪转化入四膜虫细胞,在巴龙霉素筛选下获得稳定的α-tubulin－GFP过表达细胞株。激光共聚焦显微镜观察α－tubulin．GFP的定位,结果显示,α－tubulin—GFP融合蛋白在四膜虫细胞中表达并分布于皮层上,表明pXS75．GFP载体可用于嗜热四膜虫功能蛋白的定位分析。     

金属离子促进嗜热四膜虫错配修复蛋白Mlh3核酸内切酶活性

嗜热四膜虫有性生殖过程中生殖系小核延伸并活跃转录,减数分裂过程中染色体同源重组起始于程序化的DNA双链断裂的形成,DNA错配修复系统能够去除DNA复制过程中所引起的错配并促进同源重组。减数分裂特异表达的错配修复因子Mlh3对四膜虫的有性生殖是必需的,然而具体功能并不清楚。本研究人工合成MLH3（TTHERM_001044369）基因,构建重组表达质粒pGEX-MLH3, 转化大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）并获得重组表达的GST-Mlh3蛋白。纯化的GST-Mlh3蛋白在配位不同的金属离子Cu2+、Mn2+、Mg2+后,有效切割超螺旋质粒DNA。ATP和ADP可进一步促进Mlh3的核酸内切酶活性。突变Mlh3中离子结合模体DQHA(X)2E(E)4E中的D117和E123位点,Mlh3D117N/E123A的核酸内切酶活性降低。进一步删除离子结合和ATP结合位点的C端结构域,突变体的核酸内切酶活性进一步降低,表明Mlh3的核酸内切酶活性是离子依赖型。减数分裂期HA-Mlh3免疫共沉淀鉴定了Mlh3可能的相互作用因子链交换蛋白Dmc1、DSB修复蛋白Mnd1、MutS、染色体维持蛋白Smc2和Smc4。结果表明,四膜虫的Mlh3通过金属离子依赖的内切酶活性,以及与其他因子相互作用,在减数分裂错配修复和同源重组过程中发挥重要作用。     

构建定向T载体用于基因克隆和表达

传统的T载体克隆方法需要烦琐的后续步骤来筛选和鉴定重组子,并且无法实现目的基因的定向克隆。为了克服这些问题,本研究在pET-23a(+)的基础上构建了定向T载体pETG,首先通过定点诱变消除pET-23a(+)上的两个BfuⅠ位点得到PET-23aM;设计一对引物在5端各引入一个BfuⅠ位点,下游引物紧邻BfuⅠ位点引入13 bp的部分LacO序列,用该引物从pHBM2002上扩增Prrn-gfp表达盒,插入PET-23aM的NdeⅠ和XhoⅠ位点,得到定向T载体pETG。PCR扩增的目的基因通过下游引物引入7 bp剩余的LacO序列,该基因片段与BfuⅠ酶切制备的定向T载体连接、转化大肠杆菌DH10β感受态细胞,通过补加了X-gal的平板筛选蓝色重组子。质粒酶切和PCR鉴定表明蓝色菌落全部为定向插入的重组子,重组效率100%,利用本方法成功地定向克隆了103个人类肝蛋白编码基因cDNA,克隆过程无需复杂的步骤筛选鉴定重组子。随机选择了其中的8个基因的克隆进行表达,结果显示8个克隆均在大肠杆菌中获得成功表达。该结果表明定向T载体构建成功,并且该载体非常适合基因的克隆和表达。     

水稻热休克转录因子OsHSF13的克隆与生物信息学的初步分析(简报)

环境刺激的信号转导是植物信号转导的一个重要研究方向。热激反应(heat-shockresponse,HSR)是动植物细胞或器官在遇到外界热刺激时所产生的一种保护性反应,是正常的蛋白质合成受阻时产生热激蛋白(heat-shockprotein,HSP)的一种细胞生理活动,其表达通过热休克转录因子(heat-shock factor,HSF)来进行调控[1]。编码热激蛋白基因的启动子区域存在着一段保守的DNA序列,是热休克转录因子的结合位点(heat-shockelement,HSE)。当植物受到外界的热刺激时,HSF可以与HSE特异性结合,激活热激蛋白基因的表达,     

信号肽序列对禽流感病毒H5N1 HA 蛋白GFP融合分子在真核细胞中表达的影响

[目的]构建绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)与禽流感病毒(AIV)HA基因的融合表达载体,观察信号肽序列的有无及位置对HA-GFP在293T细胞中的表达影响.[方法]应用PCR方法从H5N1亚型AIV质粒DNA中扩增出完整的或除去信号肽序列的HA基因片段,PCR产物经Xho Ⅰ和SmaⅠ双酶切后定向插入绿色荧光蛋白真核表达载体pEGFP-C1的不同位点,将得到的重组体M1,M2和M3分别转化宿主菌DH5a,经双酶切及.DNA测序鉴定分析后,采用脂质体转染法将pEGFF-C1,M1,M2和M3转染人胚肾细胞系293T细胞,荧光显微镜下观察HA-GFP的表达,流式细胞仪检测表达HA蛋白的细胞百分数.[结果]经酶切及测序鉴定成功构建了HA-GFP重组表达载体M1,M2和M3,荧光显微镜及流式细胞仪检测到重组质粒转染的293T细胞表达强的荧光蛋白,信号肽的有无对HA-GFP融合蛋白在293T细胞中的表达有显著影响,信号肽序列使HA-GFP融合蛋白在293T细胞中的表达减少,而信号肽的位置对融合蛋白表达量的影响不显著.[结论]信号肽的有无对HA-GFP融合蛋白在细胞中的表达有显著影响.     

表达具有热稳定肠毒素Ⅱ免疫原性融合蛋白菌株的构建

将热稳定肠毒素I(ST I)基因的SfaNI—Fnu4HI的限制性片段经进一步加工,插入到 一个“open reading frame”载体的合适位点中,形成一个阅读框架正确的ompF—est—lacz杂种结构基因。该杂种基因在ompF启动子的控制之下,产生一种具有β-半乳糖苷酶活性的杂种融合蛋白。我们获得了一些具有酶活性、DNA杂交阳性的转化子。对其中一个,TKl046(pPH 14),作了进一步研究。经限制性内切酶分析和DNA序列分析,证明STII基因在重组DNA中连接方向是正确的,其连接处的碱基排列序列。STII基因及其相对于1acZ的阅读框架也是正确的。我们还纯化了该重组体表达的融合蛋白,并获得了高滴度的抗融合蛋白抗体。动物实验结果表明,该抗体能显著中和天然STII肠毒素的毒性作用。     

Aurora A and Aurora B jointly coordinate chromosome segregation and anaphase microtubule dynamics

We established a conditional deletion of Aurora A kinase (AurA) in Cdk1 analogue-sensitive DT40 cells to analyze AurA knockout phenotypes after Cdk1 activation. In the absence of AurA, cells form bipolar spindles but fail to properly align their chromosomes and exit mitosis with segregation errors. The resulting daughter cells exhibit a variety of phenotypes and are highly aneuploid. Aurora B kinase (AurB)-inhibited cells show a similar chromosome alignment problem and cytokinesis defects, resulting in binucleate daughter cells. Conversely, cells lacking AurA and AurB activity exit mitosis without anaphase, forming polyploid daughter cells with a single nucleus. Strikingly, inhibition of both AurA and AurB results in a failure to depolymerize spindle microtubules (MTs) in anaphase after Cdk1 inactivation. These results suggest an essential combined function of AurA and AurB in chromosome segregation and anaphase MT dynamics.     

Rapid, transcription-independent loss of nucleosomes over a large chromatin domain at Hsp70 loci

Regulation of DNA replication and segregation is essential for all cells. Orthologs of the plasmid partitioning genes parA, parB, and parS are present in bacterial genomes throughout the prokaryotic evolutionary tree and are required for accurate chromosome segregation. However, the mechanism(s) by which parABS genes ensure proper DNA segregation have remained unclear. Here we report that the ParA ortholog in B. subtilis (Soj) controls the activity of the DNA replication initiator protein DnaA. Subcellular localization of several Soj mutants indicates that Soj acts as a spatially regulated molecular switch, capable of either inhibiting or activating DnaA. We show that the classical effect of Soj inhibiting sporulation is an indirect consequence of its action on DnaA through activation of the Sda DNA replication checkpoint. These results suggest that the pleiotropy manifested by chromosomal parABS mutations could be the indirect effects of a primary activity regulating DNA replication initiation.     

Distinct centromere-like parS sites on the two chromosomes of Vibrio spp

Vibrio cholerae, the cause of cholera, has two circular chromosomes. The parAB genes on each V. cholerae chromosome act to control chromosome segregation in a replicon-specific fashion. The chromosome I (ChrI) parAB genes (parAB1) govern the localization of the origin region of ChrI, while the chromosome II (ChrII) parAB genes (parAB2) control the segregation of ChrII. In addition to ParA and ParB proteins, Par systems require ParB binding sites (parS). Here we identified the parS sites on both V. cholerae chromosomes. We found three clustered origin-proximal ParB1 binding parS1 sites on ChrI. Deletion of these three parS1 sites abrogated yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-ParB1 focus formation in vivo and resulted in mislocalization of the ChrI origin region. However, as observed in a parA1 mutant, mislocalization of the ChrI origin region in the parS1 mutant did not compromise V. cholerae growth, suggesting that additional (non-Par-related) mechanisms may mediate the partitioning of ChrI. We also identified 10 ParB2 binding parS2 sites, which differed in sequence from parS1. Fluorescent derivatives of ParB1 and ParB2 formed foci only with the cognate parS sequence. parABS2 appears to form a functional partitioning system, as we found that parABS2 was sufficient to stabilize an ordinarily unstable plasmid in Escherichia coli. Most parS2 sites were located within 70 kb of the ChrII origin of replication, but one parS2 site was found in the terminus region of ChrI. In contrast, in other sequenced vibrio species, the distribution of parS1 and parS2 sites was entirely chromosome specific.     

Probing plasmid partition with centromere-based incompatibility

Low-copy number plasmids of bacteria rely on specific centromeres for regular partition into daughter cells. When also present on a second plasmid, the centromere can render the two plasmids incompatible, disrupting partition and causing plasmid loss. We have investigated the basis of incompatibility exerted by the F plasmid centromere, sopC, to probe the mechanism of partition. Measurements of the effects of sopC at various gene dosages on destabilization of mini-F, on repression of the sopAB operon and on occupancy of mini-F DNA by the centromere-binding protein, SopB, revealed that among mechanisms previously proposed, no single one fully explained incompatibility. sopC on multicopy plasmids depleted SopB by titration and by contributing to repression. The resulting SopB deficit is proposed to delay partition complex formation and facilitate pairing between mini-F and the centromere vector, thereby increasing randomization of segregation. Unexpectedly, sopC on mini-P1 exerted strong incompatibility if the P1 parABS locus was absent. A mutation preventing the P1 replication initiation protein from pairing (handcuffing) reduced this strong incompatibility to the level expected for random segregation. The results indicate the importance of kinetic considerations and suggest that mini-F handcuffing promotes pairing of SopB-sopC complexes that can subsequently segregate as intact aggregates.     

Characterization of chromosomal and megaplasmid partitioning loci in Thermus thermophilus HB27

Background

In low-copy-number plasmids, the partitioning loci (par) act to ensure proper plasmid segregation and copy number maintenance in the daughter cells. In many bacterial species, par gene homologues are encoded on the chromosome, but their function is much less understood. In the two-replicon, polyploid genome of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus, both the chromosome and the megaplasmid encode par gene homologues (parABc and parABm, respectively). The mode of partitioning of the two replicons and the role of the two Par systems in the replication, segregation and maintenance of the genome copies are completely unknown in this organism.

Results

We generated a series of chromosomal and megaplasmid par mutants and sGFP reporter strains and analyzed them with respect to DNA segregation defects, genome copy number and replication origin localization. We show that the two ParB proteins specifically bind their cognate centromere-like sequences parS, and that both ParB-parS complexes localize at the cell poles. Deletion of the chromosomal parAB genes did not apparently affect the cell growth, the frequency of cells with aberrant nucleoids, or the chromosome and megaplasmid replication. In contrast, deletion of the megaplasmid parAB operon or of the parB gene was not possible, indicating essentiality of the megaplasmid-encoded Par system. A mutant expressing lower amounts of ParABm showed growth defects, a high frequency of cells with irregular nucleoids and a loss of a large portion of the megaplasmid. The truncated megaplasmid could not be partitioned appropriately, as interlinked megaplasmid molecules (catenenes) could be detected, and the ParBm-parSm complexes in this mutant lost their polar localization.

Conclusions

We show that in T. thermophilus the chromosomal par locus is not required for either the chromosomal or megaplasmid bulk DNA replication and segregation. In contrast, the megaplasmid Par system of T. thermophilus is needed for the proper replication and segregation of the megaplasmid, and is essential for its maintenance. The two Par sets in T. thermophilus appear to function in a replicon-specific manner. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of Par systems in a polyploid bacterium.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1523-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

cse, a Chimeric and variable gene, encodes an extracellular protein involved in cellular segregation in Streptococcus thermophilus

The isolation of a Streptococcus thermophilus CNRZ368 mutant displaying a long-chain phenotype allowed us to identify the cse gene (for cellular segregation). The N terminus of Cse exhibits high similarity to Streptococcus agalactiae surface immunogenic protein (SIP), while its C terminus exhibits high similarity to S. thermophilus PcsB. In CNRZ368, deletion of the entire cse open reading frame leads to drastic lengthening of cell chains and altered colony morphology. Complementation of the Deltacse mutation with a wild-type allele restored both wild-type phenotypes. The central part of Cse is a repeat-rich region with low sequence complexity. Comparison of cse from CNRZ368 and LMG18311 strains reveals high variability of this repeat-rich region. To assess the impact of this central region variability, the central region of LMG18311 cse was exchanged with that of CNRZ368 cse. This replacement did not affect chain length, showing that divergence of the central part does not modify cell segregation activity of Cse. The structure of the cse locus suggests that the chimeric organization of cse results from insertion of a duplicated sequence deriving from the pcsB 3' end into an ancestral sip gene. Thus, the cse locus illustrates the module-shuffling mechanism of bacterial gene evolution.     

Characterization of the Soj/Spo0J chromosome segregation proteins and identification of putative parS sequences in Helicobacter pylori

The Soj and Spo0J proteins, together with one or more parS sequences, are crucial to chromosome segregation and the progression of cell cycle in many bacteria. In Helicobacter pylori, genes coding for Soj and a plasmid replication-partition-related protein containing a Spo0J or ParB conserved domain, together with two putative parS sites identified in this study, were found to be located within the origin-proximal 20-30% of the circular chromosome. Recombinant H. pylori Spo0J bound specifically to the two putative parS sequences and that of Bacillus subtilis. In addition, hydrolysis of ATP by H. pylori Soj was accelerated in the presence of parS and/or Spo0J. Protein-protein interactions, intracellular levels, and subcellular localization of Soj and Spo0J were analyzed through polyclonal antibodies directed against recombinant Soj and Spo0J. This study was the first implication of the existence of a functional parABS system in H. pylori.     

M phase-specific association of human topoisomerase IIIbeta with chromosomes

Two isoforms, 1 and 2, of human DNA topoisomerase IIIbeta were expressed in HeLa cells as a fusion protein to the C-terminus of green fluorescent protein (GFP). The fusion protein of the isoform 1 was found to be localized to the nucleus, and to be associated with chromosomes during metaphase and anaphase. As yeast top3 mutants are known to exhibit phenotypes indicative of defective chromosome segregation, the result suggests that the isoform 1 of the human enzyme may also be involved in chromosome segregation. Two-hybrid screening for interaction partners of the isoform identified three candidate genes: CENP-F, a gene encoding a centromere protein and two genes of no known function, one of which was novel. The GFP fusion of the isoform 2 was found in the cytoplasm, indicating the nuclear localization signal sequence in the isoform 1 is in the C-terminal part that is different between the two isoforms.