核仁蛋白质的定位、移位和核仁功能

核仁一直被认为只是核糖体合成和加工的场所,但是近年研究发现它具有其他功能.核仁是一个高度动态的亚细胞结构,通常情况下核仁蛋白质在核仁内外不断穿梭完成对于核糖体的运输.但在细胞应激反应时核仁成为细胞应激的感受器(cell stress sensor),核仁蛋白质在核仁内外的定位分布发生改变,同时伴随功能改变,介导细胞的应激反应.     

RNA在核糖体催化蛋白质合成中的作用

核糖体是所有生命细胞的蛋白质合成工厂.近几年对核糖体晶体结构的研究有了里程碑式的进展.核糖体是一个核酶.用体外筛选技术发现的核酶像核糖体一样也能催化肽键形成.RNA在生命起源中也有着不可替代的作用.近期发现的小RNA在转录调节、染色体复制、mRNA稳定性和翻译,及蛋白质降解和转运过程中都起作用.RNA越来越受到人们的重视,一个崭新的现代“RNA世界”正在出现.虽然核糖体在细胞中起着非常重要的作用,但是其肽基转移反应机制还不很清楚.本文介绍了肽基转移核酶与核糖体催化机理以及RNA在生命与进化中的作用和功能.     

核仁的蛋白质组学

核仁是胞核内高度紧密的结构,参与转录、剪接、核糖体合成等重要生命过程,并与细胞分裂、衰老有关。1963年虽已从哺乳动物肝脏提纯核仁,并鉴定了所含的一些蛋白质,但还有不少核仁蛋白质迄今尚未阐明。2002年英国、丹麦的两实验室首次完成了核仁的蛋白质组学分析。本文就近年报道有关核仁蛋白质组的分离和检测、检出的271种核仁蛋白质的分类,蛋白质在胞核内迁移以及核仁蛋白质组学检测技术的问题和发展前景等方面作一简介。     

snoRNA的结构与功能

核仁小分子RNA（snoRNA）是一类广泛分布于真核生物细胞核仁的小分子非编码RNA,具有保守的结构元件,并以此划分为3大类：boxC／DsnoRNA、boxH／ACAsnoRNA和MRPRNA。其中boxC／D和boxH／ACA是已知snoRNA的主要类型,以碱基配对的方式分别指导着核糖体RNA的甲基化和假尿嘧啶化修饰。研究发现,snoRNA除了在核糖体RNA的生物合成中发挥作用之外,还能够指导snRNA、tRNA和mRNA的转录后修饰。此外,还有相当数量的snoRNA功能不明,被称为孤儿sn0RNA（orphansnoRNA）。在哺乳动物的孤儿snoRNA中,印迹snoRNA（imprintedsnoRNA）是最为特殊的一群,由基因组印迹区编码,具有明显的组织表达特异性。原核生物古细菌中类snoRNA的鉴定表明这些非编码RNA家族成员的古老起源;而哺乳动物中大量的snoRNA反转座子的存在更为人们探索snoRNA在基因组中扩增和功能进化提供了新的思路。     

植物核糖体应激响应机制研究进展

核仁是真核细胞中重要的核结构, 核糖体发生最初在核仁中进行, 该过程涉及一系列复杂的反应, 需要许多核仁相关因子参与。核糖体生物发生出现异常通常引起核仁结构紊乱, 并导致细胞周期阻滞、细胞衰老甚至凋亡。核糖体应激响应机制在哺乳动物细胞中研究得较为深入, 但在植物细胞中尚不明晰。尽管如此, 人们逐渐发现某些植物特有的NAC转录因子家族成员在植物细胞中可能参与包括核糖体应激在内的多种胞内应激响应过程。此外, 前期研究发现生长素系统与核糖体生物合成之间存在一种相互协调机制来调控植物发育。该文结合哺乳动物细胞中已知的核糖体应激响应通路, 探讨植物细胞潜在的核糖体应激机制。     

蛋白质相互作用网络进化分析研究进展

近年来,随着高通量实验技术的发展和广泛应用,越来越多可利用的蛋白质相互作用网络数据开始出现．这些数据为进化研究提供了新的视角．从蛋白质、蛋白质相互作用、模体、模块直到整个网络五个层次,综述了近年来蛋白质相互作用网络进化研究领域的主要进展,侧重于探讨蛋白质相互作用、模体、模块直到整个网络对蛋白质进化的约束作用,以及蛋白质相互作用网络不同于随机网络特性的起源和进化等问题．总结了前人工作给学术界的启示,探讨了该领域未来可能的发展方向．     

snoRNP的生物发生

核仁小核糖核蛋白体颗粒(small nucleolar ribonucleoproteins partical,snoRNP)是一种定位于核仁的复合物,它由一系列核仁小RNA(small nucleolar RNA,snoRNA)和核心蛋白质结合而成。这些snoRNP指导核糖体RNA(rRNA)前体的加工修饰,在核糖体的生物发生中起着重要的作用。研究显示大多数snoRNP加工和组装的早期阶段发生在核浆,在Cajal小体(Cajal body,CB)中组装成熟之后,在PHAX、p50、p55、SMN和Nopp140等蛋白质的帮助下穿越各种不同的核间隔转运至核仁,并在核仁中发挥功能。本文对snoRNP的生物发生过程作一综述。     

核仁进化研究取得进展

核仁(nucleolus)是普遍存在于真核细胞间期核中的最显著结构。它是rDNA转录和核糖体亚基组装的场所。如果说核糖体是合成蛋白质的“分子机器”,那么核仁便是制造这一机器的“母机”。中国科学院昆明动物研究所文建凡研究员领导的研究小组先是在一类低等的单细胞真核生物——贾第虫(Giardia)上证实了“不具核仁结构”的现象,那么这类生物是如何进行rDNA转录和核糖体亚基组装呢?     

哺乳动物线粒体蛋白质翻译及其调控机制

线粒体是真核细胞内参与能量生成和物质代谢的重要细胞器。线粒体核糖体(mitochondrial ribosome, MR)作为细胞器中的翻译机器,用于表达线粒体DNA(mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA)编码的基因。近年来,随着研究的不断深入,人们对参与哺乳动物线粒体蛋白质翻译的蛋白质因子及其翻译的基本过程有了越来越清晰的认识,这对阐明线粒体蛋白质翻译的调控机制及研究人类线粒体疾病等方面具有重要的意义。线粒体蛋白质的翻译过程分为起始、延伸、终止和回收四个阶段。本文综述哺乳动物线粒体核糖体的结构与功能,以及线粒体蛋白质翻译因子的性质与功能,并进一步探讨翻译激活因子、微小RNA、线粒体COX翻译调控组装中间体(mt-translation regulation assembly intermediate of COX, MITRAC)以及核糖体的翻译后修饰对线粒体蛋白质翻译的调控及其机制,展望其对人类线粒体相关疾病研究的应用前景。     

蛇毒富含半胱氨酸分泌蛋白

富含半胱氨酸分泌蛋白(cystein-rich secretory protein, CRISP)家族包括众多不同起源的蛋白质,其大部分成员功能未知.近来研究表明,CRISP也是蛇毒中进化上十分保守的成分,已有多种蛇毒CRISP的晶体结构被解析.蛇毒CRISP可阻断Ca2 通道、K 通道及环核苷酸门控通道,因此是研究离子通道的潜在工具.本文综述近年来蛇毒CRISP结构和功能等方面的研究.     

On the origin of the Hirudinea and the demise of the Oligochaeta

The phylogenetic relationships of the Clitellata were investigated with a data set of published and new complete 18S rRNA gene sequences of 51 species representing 41 families. Sequences were aligned on the basis of a secondary structure model and analysed with maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood. In contrast to the latter method, parsimony did not recover the monophyly of Clitellata. However, a close scrutiny of the data suggested a spurious attraction between some polychaetes and clitellates. As a rule, molecular trees are closely aligned with morphology-based phylogenies. Acanthobdellida and Euhirudinea were reconciled in their traditional Hirudinea clade and were included in the Oligochaeta with the Branchiobdellida via the Lumbriculidae as a possible link between the two assemblages. While the 18S gene yielded a meaningful historical signal for determining relationships within clitellates, the exact position of Hirudinea and Branchiobdellida within oligochaetes remained unresolved. The lack of phylogenetic signal is interpreted as evidence for a rapid radiation of these taxa. The placement of Clitellata within the Polychaeta remained unresolved. The biological reality of polytomies within annelids is suggested and supports the hypothesis of an extremely ancient radiation of polychaetes and emergence of clitellates.     

On the ontogeny of the haptor and the evolution of the Monogenea

Data on the ontogeny of the posterior haptor of monogeneans were obtained from more than 150 publications and summarised. These data were plotted into diagrams showing evolutionary capacity levels based on the theory of a progressive evolution of marginal hooks, anchors and other attachment components of the posterior haptor in the Monogenea (Malmberg, 1986). 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hooks are assumed to be the most primitive monogenean haptoral condition. Thus the diagrams were founded on a 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hook evolutionary capacity level, and the evolutionary capacity levels of anchors and other haptoral attachement components were arranged according to haptoral ontogenetical sequences. In the final plotting diagram data on hosts, type of spermatozoa, oncomiracidial ciliation, sensilla pattern and protonephridial systems were also included. In this way a number of correlations were revealed. Thus, for example, the number of 5 + 5 marginal hooks correlates with the most primitive monogenean type of spermatozoon and with few sensillae, many ciliated cells and a simple protonephridial system in the oncomiracidium. On the basis of the reviewed data it is concluded that the ancient monogeneans with 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hooks were divided into two main lines, one retaining unhinged marginal hooks and the other evolving hinged marginal hooks. Both main lines have recent representatives at different marginal hook evolutionary capacity levels, i.e. monogeneans retaining a haptor with only marginal hooks. For the main line with hinged marginal hooks the name Articulon-choinea n. subclass is proposed. Members with 8 + 8 hinged marginal hooks only are here called Proanchorea n. superord. Monogeneans with unhinged marginal hooks only are here called Ananchorea n. superord. and three new families are erected for its recent members: Anonchohapteridae n. fam., Acolpentronidae n. fam. and Anacanthoridae n. fam. (with 7 + 7, 8 + 8 and 9 + 9 unhinged marginal hooks, respectively). Except for the families of Articulonchoinea (e.g. Acanthocotylidae, Gyrodactylidae, Tetraonchoididae) Bychowsky's (1957) division of the Monogenea into the Oligonchoinea and Polyonchoinea fits the proposed scheme, i.e. monogeneans with unhinged marginal hooks form one old group, the Oligonchoinea, which have 5 + 5 unhinged marginal hooks, and the other group form the Polyonchoinea, which (with the exception of the Hexabothriidae) has a greater number (7 + 7, 8 + 8 or 9 + 9) of unhinged marginal hooks. It is proposed that both these names, Oligonchoinea (sensu mihi) and Polyonchoinea (sensu mihi), will be retained on one side and Articulonchoinea placed on the other side, which reflects the early monogenean evolution. Except for the members of Ananchorea [Polyonchoinea], all members of the Oligonchoinea and Polyonchoinea have anchors, which imply that they are further evolved, i.e. have passed the 5 + 5 marginal hook evolutionary capacity level (Malmberg, 1986). There are two main types of anchors in the Monogenea: haptoral anchors, with anlages appearing in the haptor, and peduncular anchors, with anlages in the peduncle. There are two types of haptoral anchors: peripheral haptoral anchors, ontogenetically the oldest, and central haptoral anchors. Peduncular anchors, in turn, are ontogenetically younger than peripheral haptoral anchors. There may be two pairs of peduncular anchors: medial peduncular anchors, ontogentically the oldest, and lateral peduncular anchors. Only peduncular (not haptoral) anchors have anchor bars. Monogeneans with haptoral anchors are here called Mediohaptanchorea n. superord. and Laterohaptanchorea n. superord. or haptanchoreans. All oligonchoineans and the oldest polyonchoineans are haptanchoreans. Certain members of Calceostomatidae [Polyonchoinea] are the only monogeneans with both (peripheral) haptoral and peduncular anchors (one pair). These monogeneans are here called Mixanchorea n. superord. Polyonchoineans with peduncular anchors and unhinged marginal hooks are here called the Pedunculanchorea n. superord. The most primitive pedunculanchoreans have only one pair of peduncular anchors with an anchor bar, while the most advanced have both medial and lateral peduncular anchors; each pair having an anchor bar. Certain families of the Articulonchoinea, the Anchorea n. superord., also have peduncular anchors (parallel evolution): only one family, the Sundanonchidae n. fam., has both medial and lateral peduncular anchors, each anchor pair with an anchor bar. Evolutionary lines from different monogenean evolutionary capacity levels are discussed and a new system of classification for the Monogenea is proposed.In agreeing to publish this article, I recognise that its contents are controversial and contrary to generally accepted views on monogenean systematics and evolution. I have anticipated a reaction to the article by inviting senior workers in the field to comment upon it: their views will be reported in a future issue of this journal. EditorIn agreeing to publish this article, I recognise that its contents are controversial and contrary to generally accepted views on monogenean systematics and evolution. I have anticipated a reaction to the article by inviting senior workers in the field to comment upon it: their views will be reported in a future issue of this journal. Editor