从小鼠11.5d胚胎cDNA文库中筛选Dishevelled2相互作用蛋白

Dishevelled (Dvl)是个多功能、进化上非常保守的蛋白 ,在Wnt信号传导通路中起着重要的作用。为了研究Dishevelled介导Wnt信号传递的分子机制 ,利用GAL4酵母双杂交系统筛选了小鼠11.5d胚胎cDNA文库 ,发现了15个可与小鼠Dvl2DEP结构域和羧基端相互作用的蛋白质。将阳性文库质粒测序并对测序结果做BLAST分析 ,发现其中一个阳性克隆是编码Gli3蛋白氨基端 (6-122aa)的cDNA片段 ,从而暗示Gli3蛋白可能与Dishevelled一起作用并参与某些生物学过程.     

蛋白磷酸酶PP2A主要通过B’家族调节亚基介导Dishevelled2蛋白的去磷酸化

Dishevelled2(Dvl2)是Wnt信号通路中的关键蛋白因子且受到剧烈的磷酸化调控。蛋白磷酸酶2A(PP2A)是Dvl2的一种磷酸酶,参与Dvl2的去磷酸化调控。PP2A有多达16种调节亚基,决定着PP2A的底物特异性,但参与调节Dvl2去磷酸化的PP2A调节亚基尚未有全面研究。该文在一种细胞系中,通过siRNA逐一敲低PP2A调节亚基基因表达,分析了所有调节亚基在Dvl2磷酸化调控中的参与程度。结果显示,多种PP2A调节亚基参与Dvl2去磷酸化,其中B’家族全部成员均有参与,起到主要调控作用。细胞共定位和蛋白互作实验结果同样印证PP2A调节亚基B’家族成员参与Dvl2蛋白的磷酸化调控。该研究明确了对Dvl2蛋白去磷酸化起调控作用的PP2A调节亚基,有助于了解PP2A调节亚基的细胞生物学功能以及与底物的关系。     

HMGA2通过激活Wnt信号通路促进结直肠癌细胞增殖

目的:HMGA2(high-mobility group AT-hook 2)一个染色质蛋白,被报道在多种癌症中都发挥重要作用。本文研究染色体蛋白HMGA2对Wnt信号传递的影响,及对结直肠癌细胞增殖的影响。方法:本文通过q RT-PCR和免疫印迹法检测HMGA2在结直肠癌样本中m RNA和蛋白水平。用荧光素酶报告基因系统研究HMGA2对Wnt信号通路的作用。用细胞增殖实验检测HMGA2对结直肠癌细胞增殖的作用。结果:在我们检测的大部分结直肠癌样本里,HMGA2表达水平升高;HMGA2蛋白可上调Wnt信号通路荧光素酶报告基因TOPflash-luciferase的表达,并呈现剂量依赖的形式。降低HMGA2表达可抑制由Wnt3a、Dvl(Dishevelled)、Li Cl以及βcatenin(S37A)引起的TOPflash-luciferase报告基因表达上调作用。此外,SW480中过量表达HMGA2可以促进细胞增殖。结论:HMGA2在结直肠癌中表达升高,HMGA2在结直肠癌中通过增强Wnt信号来促进结直肠癌细胞的增殖。     

Gli1与β-catenin相互作用促进二者在结肠癌细胞中的协同核输入（英文）

Wnt信号通路和Hedgehog(Hh)信号通路在胚胎和干细胞的发育中发挥重要作用.此外,这两条信号途径在结肠癌复发和浸润的过程也至关重要.然而,Wnt信号通路、Hedgehog信号通路二者之间具体的交互作用机制目前仍不清楚.本文发现,这两条途径的关键分子Gli1和β-联蛋白之间存在蛋白质相互作用.Gli1与β-联蛋白之间的分子相互作用有助于二者的核输入.同时发现,在肠癌细胞系中,Gli1与β-联蛋白协同上调表达.Li Cl激活细胞Wnt信号通路使Gli1表达水平增加,RNA干扰抑制Wnt信号通路,Gli1的表达水平下降.同时,Gli1的过表达也提高了细胞内β-联蛋白的表达水平,并且用Hedgehog信号通路抑制剂GANT61处理细胞,降低Gli1的表达后细胞内β-联蛋白的表达相应下降.本研究揭示了Gli1和β-联蛋白的相互作用及二者协助核输入在Wnt、Hedgehog信号通路交互调节中发挥重要作用,Wnt、Hedgehog信号通路交互作用为大肠癌发生发展研究提供了细胞水平交互调控机制.     

Gli1与β-catenin相互作用促进二者在结肠癌细胞中的协同核输入

Wnt信号通路和Hedgehog（Hh）信号通路在胚胎和干细胞的发育中发挥重要作用.此外,这两条信号途径在结肠癌复发和浸润的过程也至关重要.然而,Wnt信号通路、Hedgehog信号通路二者之间具体的交互作用机制目前仍不清楚.本文发现,这两条途径的关键分子Gli1和β-联蛋白之间存在蛋白质相互作用.Gli1与β-联蛋白之间的分子相互作用有助于二者的核输入.同时发现,在肠癌细胞系中,Gli1与β-联蛋白协同上调表达. LiCl激活细胞Wnt信号通路使Gli1表达水平增加, RNA干扰抑制Wnt信号通路,Gli1的表达水平下降.同时,Gli1的过表达也提高了细胞内β-联蛋白的表达水平,并且用Hedgehog信号通路抑制剂GANT61处理细胞,降低Gli1的表达后细胞内β 联蛋白的表达相应下降.本研究揭示了Gli1 和 β-联蛋白的相互作用及二者协助核输入在Wnt、Hedgehog信号通路交互调节中发挥重要作用,Wnt、Hedgehog信号通路交互作用为大肠癌发生发展研究提供了细胞水平交互调控机制.     

Dvl2-DIX结构域的SiteⅢ相关突变体结晶及其与Ccd1-DIX的共结晶

Dvl(Dishevelled)是Wnt信号通路传递的核心分子,无论内源的还是过表达的Dvl在细胞体内都能因自聚而形成puncta．研究已报道,Dvl主要通过其DIX结构域上的三个作用区域来介导自聚：SiteⅠ、SiteⅡ和SiteⅢ,其中SiteⅠ和SiteⅡ还参与了Dvl-DIX与Ccd1-DIX的异聚．为了进一步得到Dvl2-DIX上SiteⅠ和SiteⅡ的直接三维结构,本研究设计了一系列的SiteⅢ突变体．通过体内和体外实验进一步证实了这些突变氨基酸确实参与了Dvl2-DIX的自聚,然后对这些SiteⅢ突变体蛋白成功地进行了纯化和结晶,最终得到3.1Å的Dvl2-DIX(G65A)晶体数据．分析表明该晶体存在片层位移现象,需对数据进行一定修正后才能进行后续的结构分析．体外实验又证实了这些突变氨基酸不影响Dvl2-DIX与Ccd1-DIX的异聚,为了进一步研究Dvl2-DIX与Ccd1-DIX相互作用,我们对这些SiteⅢ突变体蛋白与Ccd1-DIX进行共结晶．最终获得Dvl2-DIX(G65A)与Ccd1-DIX复合物的初晶,利于进一步的晶体优化及数据收集．     

核定位Dishevelled，c-Jun，β-catenin和TCF形成转录复合物从而稳定β-catenin与TCF转录因子的相互作用

新一期Journal of Cell biology报道了中国科学院上海生命科学研究院生物化学与细胞生物学研究所李林研究组的最新研究发现：Wnt信号途径中的关键分子Dishevelled蛋白通过c-Jun蛋白的介导作用,结合到下游靶基因的启动子上,并调控了启动子上的转录复合物的形成。     

动物DVL蛋白家族的系统演化动态研究

Wnt信号通路高度保守,对细胞命运决定、迁移、极性建立、原始体轴形成和器官的发生以及干细胞的自我更新等起着关键的作用。Dishevelled (DVL)作为第一个被发现的胞浆蛋白,是Wnt信号通路的核心组分,在Wnt信号传导通路中都起着重要作用。通过对不同物种(从单细胞动物到哺乳动物)基因组中DVL家族基因进行检索发现:DVL蛋白家族起源于早期的多细胞动物,与大堡礁海绵有共同的祖先,其成员可分为四个亚家族,分别是DVL1亚家族、DVL2亚家族、DVL3亚家族和无脊椎动物DVL亚家族,并发现DVL蛋白家族演化过程中存在基因复制现象;在演化历程中,DVL蛋白家族Motif的组成存在着规律性的变化,随着物种的演化Motif的数量有所增加;DVL家族基因存在着内含子的插入和缺失现象,其相位在高等动物中较为保守。本研究为进一步理解DVL蛋白家族的起源与演化动态提供一定的参考。     

Wnt基因与生物发育和肿瘤发生

Wnt基因所编码的蛋白质与许多生长因子一样具有分泌型生长因子的结构特点;分泌后能与细胞表面基质及其特异性受体Frizzled蛋白相互作用,通过其下游的一系列诸如Dsh(Dishevelled)、β-环形蛋白、GSK3(glycogen synthase kinase 3)、APC(adenomatous polyposis coli)等蛋白质的磷酸化与去磷酸化的过程来完成Wnt信号的传导,在脊椎动物至原虫的生物发育及肿瘤发生中具有重要作用.     

羊驼皮肤cDNA文库构建及鉴定

采用原核表达载体pet-32-a 构建了羊驼皮肤组织cDNA文库。双链cDNA采用Universal Ribo Clonec DNA Synthesis System合成,并经过琼脂糖分级胶回收,去除了小于400 bp的片断;通过酶切载体的去磷酸化和插入片断的磷酸化,提高了重组率,蓝白斑筛选结果全部为阳性;库扩增后检测容量达2.25×107。随机挑取阳性克隆进行单引物测序分析,七个测序样品中获得两个与毛发生长相关的EST(expression sequence tag),分别为S100钙离子结合蛋白A3基因(S100 calcium binding protein A3,S100A3)的部分序列和高硫角蛋白关联蛋白基因(high sulfur keratin-associated protein,KRTAP3-3)的部分序列,说明所构建的文库具有较高的代表性。     

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.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.