转录因子家族DP蛋白与肿瘤关系的研究进展

E2F是一个重要的转录因子家族,通过调节靶基因的转录活性在细胞周期、DNA复制、生长、分化、凋亡等多种细胞进程中发挥关键的作用.转录因子家族DP与E2F结合形成E2F/DP异二聚体,对E2F的DNA结合亲和力和转录激活功能起到增强的作用,是生理状态下E2F必不可少的组成部分.DP蛋白家族有三个成员,即DP-1、DP-2和DP-3,其中DP-1具有三个异构体,DP-2具有四个异构体.DP蛋白家族成员以及异构体间存在结构和功能的差异,能通过组织特异性表达和显性负性方式在家族内部构成调节系统,对生理功能进行精细调节.E2F-1兼具抑癌和促癌双重作用,已得到人们的广泛关注.DP蛋白作为E2F的结合伴侣对其功能起到重要的调节作用,加之以DP-3在肿瘤细胞中的特异性表达,提示DP蛋白与肿瘤间存在密切的关系.本文就此将近年来的研究成果进行总结,并提出进一步研究的设想.     

泛素降解途径与生长素的调节

就近几年来泛素降解途径在生长素调节中的作用作了介绍,主要是3个蛋白家族突变体的一系列分子分析研究,即生长素应答因子(auxin responsefactors,ARFs)、生长素/吲哚乙酸(Aux/IAA)家族和泛素蛋白酶解组分.ARFs可以直接与DNA结合,介导生长素调节的基因表达;Aux/IAA通过与ARFs形成异源二聚体阻碍ARFs执行功能;泛素降解途径包括泛素激活酶El、泛素连接酶E2、泛素连接酶E3及26S蛋白酶体.生长素通过促进Aux/IAA与E3-SCFTIR1的相互作用降解Aux/IAA蛋白,释放出的ARFs与DNA结合,调节生长素相关基因表达.COP9(constitutive photomorphogenic locus 9)信号体也通过调节SCFTIl活性参与此过程.     

大豆UBC基因家族鉴定及GmUBC46基因的功能初步分析

泛素/26S蛋白酶体途径在植物响应非生物胁迫反应中起着重要的作用。E2(泛素结合酶,UBC)是蛋白质泛素化中重要的泛素结合酶,与E1和E3共同参与蛋白降解途径。本研究通过构建隐马尔可夫模型,鉴定了54个大豆UBC基因,通过进化树分析将该家族成员分为11个亚家族(A-K)。蛋白保守结构域分析表明,GmUBC家族蛋白成员大部分含有保守Motif 1、Motif 2与Motif 3,且均属于泛素结合酶保守结构域。组织定位分析表明大部分GmUBC家族基因成员在大豆根、茎、叶、花等组织中有所表达。转录组数据表明有20个GmUBC基因在干旱、盐或冷胁迫下具有不同的表达模式,启动子顺式作用元件分析发现其胁迫响应过程可能与激素信号转导相关。进一步通过qRT-PCR发现GmUBC46基因能积极响应干旱、盐或冷胁迫诱导上调表达。通过酵母功能验证表明,GmUBC46基因降低了对干旱或盐胁迫的耐受性。综上,本研究初步阐明了大豆UBC基因家族的基本特性及GmUBC46基因的耐逆功能,为后续研究提供了重要依据和参考价值。     

葡萄SAUR基因家族鉴定与生物信息学分析

为了研究葡萄早期应答生长素基因SAUR(Small auxin-up RNA)家族,本研究利用全基因组信息鉴定了葡萄64个SAUR家族成员,并对SAUR家族成员的基因结构、氨基酸特性、染色体定位、基因进化、基因功能以及组织表达进行分析。结果表明,葡萄全基因组上64个SAUR家族成员在19条染色体中的8条染色体上呈现簇状分布,主要分布在3、4号染色体上,其中3号染色体上数量最多为37个;葡萄SAUR家族基因长度较短,有59个基因是无内含子基因;蛋白理化特征分析显示,多数SAUR蛋白呈碱性,结构稳定性较差,蛋白脂溶指数高,呈亲水性;基因功能预测结果表明,葡萄SAUR基因主要担当生长因子、结构蛋白、转录、转录调控以及响应胁迫应答和免疫应答6种功能,其中更多参与生长调节功能;根据系统进化分析将其分为10个分支,另外不同组织表达谱的分析结果表明SAUR基因家族成员具有不同的组织表达模式,对于非生物胁迫具有一定的调节作用。这些信息为葡萄SAUR基因家族功能分析奠定了一定的工作基础。     

甘薯细胞色素P450单加氧酶基因IbCYP714E1和IbCYP714E2的鉴定及表达分析

CYP714基因在植物赤霉素合成与代谢过程中发挥着重要作用。该研究从甘薯基因组中鉴定出2个CYP714基因,对基因的结构和编码蛋白质的理化性质等进行了生物信息学分析,并利用荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)技术分析基因在不同组织和非生物胁迫条件下的表达特征,为解析甘薯CYP714基因的生物学功能提供帮助。结果表明:(1)2个基因为分别编码518个和521个氨基酸的碱性亲水蛋白,被亚细胞定位于细胞质中;(2)2个蛋白质均含有CYP714蛋白亚家族的3个特征结构域,与毛白杨的PtCYP714E2、PtCYP714E4和PtCYP714E5蛋白聚为一类,分别定名为IbCYP714E1和IbCYP714E2;(3)荧光定量PCR分析显示,IbCYP714E1和IbCYP714E2基因的表达部位存在一定差异,IbCYP714E1在柴根、初生根和叶片中表达量较高,而IbCYP714E2基因只在柴根和花上表达量较高,在盐和干旱胁迫下,IbCYP714E1基因表达量均增加,而IbCYP714E2基因只在盐胁迫条件下表达量增加。IbCYP714E1和IbCYP714E2基因可能参与赤霉素的降解和对非生物胁迫的应答。     

锌指亚家族GATA-4、-5和-6的调控作用

GATA蛋白是一类重要的转录调节因子,它们具有保守的DNA结合结构域,其中的GATA 4、 5和 6亚家族对组织特异性基因的表达起关键性的调控作用.综述了这3种因子的结构功能,在小鼠中的表达模式和基因定位,在组织特异性基因表达中的作用,对可诱导基因表达的调节以及与它们相互作用的有关因子等.     

甘菊3个ClSCL6基因的克隆及表达分析

GRAS家族HAM亚家族基因是维持植物茎端分生组织(shoot apical meristem,SAM)未分化状态的重要因子,并影响着植物的成花转化进程。该研究基于转录组数据中甘菊(Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium)HAM亚家族基因同源序列设计引物,利用RT PCR技术从甘菊中克隆得到3个HAM类基因。序列分析结果表明,所克隆的3个基因开放阅读框长度分别为1 845、1 479和1 881 bp,分别编码614、492和626个氨基酸。Blastp分析显示,3个基因的编码蛋白均含有典型HAM亚家族蛋白特征,并与菊科植物黄花蒿(Artemisia annua)SCL6蛋白具有较高的一致性,分别达到了94.39%、91.90%和94.27%。进一步分析表明,3个基因的编码蛋白与所有拟南芥GRAS家族中的SCL6蛋白进化关系最近,故将其分别命名为ClSCL6a、ClSCL6b和ClSCL6c。荧光定量分析显示,3个ClSCL6基因均在甘菊茎中表达量最高,而在根和花中表达量普遍较低。在不同发育时期的花器官中,3个ClSCL6基因均有表达,其中ClSCL6a在管状花花粉散开前达到表达高峰,ClSCL6b和ClSCL6c则在小花蕾时期表达量最高,在其他时期表达水平差异不大。该研究结果为进一步研究ClSCL6在菊花成花转化过程中的功能奠定了基础。     

应用DNA芯片鉴定HPV18 E6-siRNA诱导HeLa 细胞凋亡的分子机制

高危型人乳头瘤病毒（human papillomavirus,HPV）的E6基因在宫颈癌的发生中起关键作用,特异siRNA能有效抑制宫颈癌HeLa 细胞内HPV18 E6基因的表达,诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡.为进一步探讨HPV18 E6-siRNA诱导HeLa 细胞凋亡的分子机制,针对HPV18-E6基因设计siRNA序列,利用人源U6启动子为模板,经PCR表达框架法体外扩增,转染宫颈癌HeLa细胞抑制HPV18 -E6基因表达,从而诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡.对转染前后HeLa细胞总RNA样品进行荧光标记后,与Agilent Human 1A寡核苷酸芯片杂交、扫描、数据分析及标准化处理,确定表达差异的基因并经荧光定量PCR对部分基因进行验证,结合PANTHER数据分析系统,将这些基因按照生物学功能进行归类,查阅GenBank数据库及相关文献,对其结果进行深入分析及讨论.在检测的18 716个基因和EST中,共筛出差异表达基因359个,其中307个基因表达上调,52个基因表达下调,主要包括细胞周期相关基因CCNG1、p21;凋亡相关基因CASP4、CASP6、IGFBP3、DFFA;泛素蛋白酶解途径相关基因E6-AP、UBE2C;角化细胞分化相关基因KRT4、KRT6E、KRT18;抑癌基因RECK、VHL等.研究结果表明,HPV18 -E6基因抑制引起的细胞凋亡效应主要是通过P53信号途径和泛素蛋白酶解信号途径调节细胞周期相关基因和凋亡相关基因的表达,从而抑制HeLa细胞增殖、促进细胞凋亡.同时,抑癌基因的激活,角化细胞分化和免疫相关基因的表达上调,都说明了E6抑制后肿瘤细胞恶性转化程度的下降.     

飞蝗Knickkopf家族基因表达对蜕皮激素的响应

【目的】研究飞蝗LocustamigratoriaKnickkopf(Knk)家族基因mRNA表达对蜕皮激素（20-hydroxyecdysone,20E）的响应情况,丰富飞蝗Knk家族基因功能研究,为飞蝗表皮发育相关基因的转录调控研究奠定基础。【方法】采用RT-qPCR方法,对LmKnk家族4个基因在飞蝗不同发育天数（5龄若虫第1天到成虫第3天）的表皮中的表达特性进行分析;向飞蝗体腔注射20E,分析LmKnk家族4个基因表达的变化情况;采用RNAi技术干扰20E受体基因LmEcR,分析LmKnk家族基因的表达变化情况。【结果】通过RT-qPCR检测,发现LmKnk在飞蝗5龄第1天至成虫第3天不同发育天数的表皮中均衡表达,而LmKnk2,LmKnk3-FL及LmKnk3-5'基因均在蜕皮前表达量逐渐升高,蜕皮后迅速降低。向飞蝗体腔注射20E后,发现飞蝗Knickkopf家族4个基因对20E均有应答,但响应时间点有差异,LmKnk和LmKnk2的表达量分别在注射20E 3 h和6 h后开始升高,而LmKnk3-FL和LmKnk3-5'的表达量在注射20E12h后开始上升。飞蝗5龄第1天若虫注射ds LmEcR后,发现Knickkopf家族4个基因表达均下调。【结论】飞蝗Knickkopf家族基因的表达受20E调控,是20E的下游应答基因。     

花粉特异F-box基因及其表达产物可能参与的SCF途径

泛素蛋白体目标性降解蛋白途径是许多细胞学过程的重要调节体系,底物蛋白泛素化涉及3个酶激反应,其中,作为E3连接酶的SCF复合体对底物的识别是通过亚体F-box蛋白C末端的特异性结构实现的.利用染色体步移等方法,最近在一些配子体型自交不亲和植物S-RNase基因近旁相继发现了一类花粉特异性表达的F-box基因,从而预示泛素介导的SCF蛋白降解途径可能参与配子体自交不亲和反应.     

Inhibition of E6-induced degradation of its cellular substrates by novel blocking peptides

The E6 oncoprotein derived from the tumour-associated human papillomavirus (HPV) types induces the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of several cellular proteins by conjugating them with the cellular ubiquitin ligase E6-AP. This is a HECT domain-containing ligase that was originally identified through its involvement in the E6-mediated degradation of the cellular tumour suppressor protein p53. Here we have investigated, in more detail, the nature of the E6/E6-AP interaction using binding peptides isolated from an E6-specific library. The selected peptides were either predicted or shown to have an alpha-helical core resembling the E6-binding motif on E6-AP, as well as amino acid alterations that increased their affinity for E6. These peptides were potent inhibitors of the E6/E6-AP interaction. Further analysis of the effects of these peptides on the ability of E6 to direct the proteolytic degradation of its various substrates, including p53, Dlg and the MAGI family of proteins, as well as using E6-AP immunodepletion, revealed striking differences in the mechanism by which E6 targets its cellular substrates for degradation. These results suggest that the site on E6 bound by E6-AP is also most likely occupied by other, as yet unidentified, ubiquitin ligases.     

The ubiquitin ligase E6-AP promotes degradation of α-synuclein

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder caused mainly because of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Protein inclusions called Lewy bodies are the most common pathological hallmark of PD and other synucleinopathies. Because the main component of these inclusions is α-synuclein, aggregation of this protein is thought to be a key pathogenic event in this disease. In the present investigation we report that E6 associated protein (E6-AP), a HECT (homologous to E6-AP C-terminus) domain ubiquitin ligase is a component of Lewy bodies in post-mortem PD brain. In the cell culture model, we demonstrate that endogenous E6-AP colocalizes with α-synuclein in juxtanuclear aggregates. E6-AP is also recruited to the centrosome upon inhibition of the proteasome function suggesting its involvement in the degradation of misfolded proteins. Over-expression of E6-AP enhances the degradation of wild type as well as the mutant forms of α-synuclein in a proteasome-dependent manner. E6-AP also promotes the degradation of the more toxic oligomeric forms of α-synuclein. Our data suggests that E6-AP is involved in the clearance of α-synuclein.     

Growth suppression induced by downregulation of E6-AP expression in human papillomavirus-positive cancer cell lines depends on p53

The ubiquitin-protein ligase E6-AP is utilized by the E6 oncoprotein of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) associated with cervical cancer to target the tumor suppressor p53 for degradation. Here, we report that downregulation of E6-AP expression by RNA interference results in both the accumulation of p53 and growth suppression of the HPV-positive cervical cancer cell lines HeLa and SiHa. In addition, HeLa cells, in which p53 expression was suppressed by RNA interference, are significantly less sensitive to the downregulation of E6-AP expression with respect to growth suppression than parental HeLa cells. These data indicate that the anti-growth-suppressive properties of E6-AP in HPV-positive cells depend on its ability to induce p53 degradation.     

The role of the ubiquitin ligase E6-AP in human papillomavirus E6-mediated degradation of PDZ domain-containing proteins

The E6 oncoprotein of human papillomaviruses associated with cervical cancer targets the tumor suppressor p53 and several other cellular proteins including the human homologs of Dlg and Scribble for degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Similar to p53 degradation, E6-induced degradation of Scribble is mediated by the ubiquitin ligase E6-AP. In contrast, degradation of Dlg in vitro and within cells has been reported to be independent of E6-AP, suggesting that the E6 oncoprotein has the ability to interact with ubiquitin ligases other than E6-AP. Furthermore, the ability of the E6 oncoprotein to interact with these yet unidentified ubiquitin ligases may be shared by the E6 protein of so-called low risk human papillomaviruses that are not associated with cervical cancer. In this study, we used the RNA interference technology and mouse embryo fibroblasts derived from E6-AP-deficient mice to obtain information about the identity of the ubiquitin ligase(s) involved in E6-mediated degradation of Dlg. We report that, within cells, E6-mediated degradation of Dlg depends on the presence of functional E6-AP and provide evidence that the E6 protein of low risk human papillomaviruses functionally interacts with E6-AP. Based on these data, we propose that, in general, the proteolytic properties of human papillomavirus E6 proteins are mediated by interaction with E6-AP.     

The roles of E6-AP and MDM2 in p53 regulation in human papillomavirus-positive cervical cancer cells

The p53 tumor suppressor is regulated by the MDM2 oncoprotein through a negative feedback mechanism. MDM2 promotes the ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation of p53, possibly by acting as a ubiquitin ligase. In cervical cancer cells containing high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), p53 is also targeted for degradation by the HPV E6 oncoprotein in combination with the cellular E6-AP ubiquitin ligase. In this report, we describe the identification of efficient antisense oligonucleotides against human E6-AP. The roles of MDM2 and E6-AP in p53 regulation were investigated using a novel E6-AP antisense oligonucleotide and a previously characterized MDM2 antisense oligonucleotide. In HPV16-positive and HPV-18 positive cervical cancer cells, inhibition of E6-AP, but not MDM2, expression results in significant induction of p53. In HPV-negative tumor cells, p53 is activated by inhibition of MDM2 but not E6-AP. Furthermore, treatment with both E6-AP and MDM2 antisense oligonucleotides in HPV-positive cells does not lead to further induction of p53 over inhibition of E6-AP alone. Therefore, E6-AP-mediated degradation is dominant over MDM2 in cervical cancer cells but does not have a significant role in HPV-negative cells.     

LRSAM1 E3 ubiquitin ligase promotes proteasomal clearance of E6-AP protein

Numerous proteins participate and actively contribute to the various cellular mechanisms, where several of them are crucial for regular metabolism, including survival. Thus, to maintain optimal cellular physiology, cells govern protein quality control functions with the assistance of comprehensive actions of molecular chaperones, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and autophagy. In the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, few quality control E3 ubiquitin ligases actively participate against misfolded protein aggregation generated via stress conditions. But how these quality control E3s active expression levels returned to basal levels when cells achieved re-establishment of proteostasis is still poorly understood. Our current study demonstrated that LRSAM1 E3 ubiquitin ligase promotes the proteasomal degradation of quality control E3 ubiquitin ligase E6-AP. We have observed the co-localization and recruitment of LRSAM1 with E6-AP protein and noticed that LRSAM1 induces the endogenous turnover of E6-AP. Partial depletion of LRSAM1 elevates the levels of E6-AP and affects overall cell cycle regulatory proteins (p53 and p27) expression, including the rate of cellular proliferation. The current finding also provides an excellent opportunity to better understand the basis of the E6-AP associated pathomechanism of Angelman Syndrome disorder. Additionally, this study touches upon the novel potential molecular strategy to regulate the levels of one quality control E3 ubiquitin ligase with another E3 ubiquitin ligase and restore proteostasis and provide a possible therapeutic approach against abnormal protein aggregation diseases.     

Localization of the E6-AP regions that direct human papillomavirus E6 binding, association with p53, and ubiquitination of associated proteins.

E6-AP is a 100-kDa cellular protein that mediates the interaction of the human papillomavirus type 16 and 18 E6 proteins with p53. The association of p53 with E6 and E6-AP promotes the specific ubiquitination and subsequent proteolytic degradation of p53 in vitro. We recently isolated a cDNA encoding E6-AP and have now mapped functional domains of E6-AP involved in binding E6, association with p53, and ubiquitination of p53. The E6 binding domain consists of an 18-amino-acid region within the central portion of the molecule. Deletion of these 18 amino acids from E6-AP results in loss of both E6 and p53 binding activities. The region that directs p53 binding spans the E6 binding domain and consists of approximately 500 amino acids. E6-AP sequences in addition to those required for formation of a stable ternary complex with E6 and p53 are necessary to stimulate the ubiquitination of p53. These sequences lie within the C-terminal 84 amino acids of E6-AP. The entire region required for E6-dependent ubiquitination of p53 is also required for the ubiquitination of an artificial E6 fusion protein.