小鼠白细胞介素-33基因的克隆及序列分析

目的:克隆小鼠IL-33基因全长编码区cDNA,并对其进行序列分析。方法:从BALB/c小鼠的脊髓组织中提取总RNA,逆转录为cDNA,用热启动PCR技术,扩增小鼠IL-33基因全长编码区cDNA,经双酶切后,克隆入pcDNA3.1( )载体中,构建真核表达载体pcDNA3.1-mIL-33,然后进行酶切鉴定与序列分析。结果:小鼠IL-33基因的PCR产物和重组载体经凝胶电泳和酶切鉴定、测序分析证实,其序列与GenBank中数据一致。小鼠IL-33基因的全长编码序列为801 bp,编码266个氨基酸。结论:小鼠IL-33基因成功的克隆并构建了其真核表达载体,为进一步进行IL-33的表达与功能研究奠定了基础。     

牛Pbx-1基因的电子克隆及生物信息学分析

新基因全长cDNA序列很难获得,但电子克隆却提供了基因克隆的一种策略.利用小鼠Pbx-1基因编码序列(NM_183355)为种子序列进行电子克隆获得牛Pbx-1基因完整编码序列.然后,用生物信息学方法分析了牛的Pbx-1基因的结构,密码子偏性和氨基酸的同源性等.结果表明:该基因cDNA全长1 754 bp,无内含子,最大开放阅读框1 305 bp.编码434个氨基酸.预测其编码的蛋白分子量为47 189.5 Da,与小鼠的同源性为81%.     

牛Irak-1基因的电子克隆及生物信息学分析

电子克隆提供了一种利用基因组数据库克隆新基因全长cDNA序列的策略。利用小鼠Irak-1基因编码序列(NM_008363)为种子序列进行电子克隆获得了牛Irak-1基因完整编码序列。然后,用生物信息学方法分析了该基因的结构,微卫星位点,密码子偏性和氨基酸的同源性等。结果表明:该基因cDNA全长2 645bp,无内含子,最大开放阅读框2 157bp,编码718个氨基酸,与小鼠的同源性为77%。     

大乳头水螅RACE cDNA文库的构建

目的:为筛选和克隆大乳头水螅发育调控相关基因的全长cDNA,构建大乳头水螅RACE cDNA文库.方法:提取大乳头水螅总RNA后从其中分离mRNA,运用SMART技术构建RACE cDNA文库.为鉴定所构建文库的质量,根据GenBank中大乳头水螅actin基因cDNA序列设计5'RACE和3'RACE的引物及用于扩增actin基因编码区全长序列的引物.结果:琼脂糖凝胶电泳结果表明,RACE cDNA文库中全长cDNA的长度集中在500-2 000bp之间.5'RACE、3'RACE PCR及扩增actin基因编码区全长序列时均以本文构建的大乳头水螅RACE cDNA文库为模板,这3个PCR反应均能扩增出产物,产物大小与目标片段预计大小相似.PCR产物分别经T/A克隆及测序后证明为大乳头水螅actin基因cDNA的相应序列.结论:RACE cDNA文库的成功构建为通过RACE方法获得大乳头水螅功能基因cDNA全长序列奠定了基础.     

天祝白牦牛IGF-2基因的cDNA克隆

旨在克隆天祝白牦牛胰岛素样生长因子2(IGF-2)基因编码区全长cDNA序列,为研究该基因的生理功能奠定基础。运用cDNA末端快速扩增(RACE)技术获得天祝白牦牛IGF-2基因全长cDNA序列。扩增获得天祝白牦牛IGF-2基因全长cDNA序列为1 060 bp(GenBank登录号:KF682139),ORF长540 bp,编码179个氨基酸。其编码的氨基酸与已报道哺乳动物IGF-2氨基酸序列同源性在80%-92%之间。天祝白牦牛IGF-2基因的成功克隆为进一步研究该基因的功能奠定了基础。     

血红密孔菌(Pycnoporussanguineus)漆酶基因的克隆与序列分析

为克隆血红密孔菌 (Pycnoporussanguineus)漆酶基因 ,根据真菌漆酶氨基酸序列保守区设计了 1对简并引物 .以血红密孔菌基因组DNA为模板 ,PCR扩增出长 12 2 7bp的漆酶基因片段 .以此序列为基础 ,通过 5′及 3′RACE技术克隆出漆酶全长cDNA序列 ,序列长为 190 2bp ,其 5′端和 3′端非编码区长分别为 5 1bp和 2 97bp ,开放阅读框长 15 5 4bp ,编码 5 18个氨基酸的蛋白 .该蛋白具有 4个铜离子结合区域 ,预测其相对分子量为 5 6 313 2 ,等电点为 5 5 9,其氨基酸序列与Pycnoporuscinnabarinus漆酶 (lcc3 2 )的同源性最高 ,为 96 % .以该cDNA编码区的两端序列为引物 ,PCR扩增得到漆酶的长度为 2 15 4bp的全长DNA序列 ,序列中包括 10个内含子序列 ,长为 5 2～ 70bp     

人脑内一含有ACP样结构域新基因的发现

为寻找脑内新基因，以正常成人全脑cDNA为模板,采用锚定PCR方法进行扩增, 将经琼脂糖DNA电泳鉴定获得的一约1 200 bp大小的特异性条带回收，并克隆入T easy载体.用310 Genetic Analyzer进行自动测序.所得序列进行生物信息学分析：BLAST相似性分析结果证明所得序列为新序列，读框分析表明，该序列中存在一完整编码区，编码含357个氨基酸的蛋白质.ProDom软件分析发现其含有酰基携带蛋白（ACP）样结构域.随后，经3′RACE法克隆到该基因的全长cDNA,其全长为2 024 bp,染色体定位在14q11.2,含有16个外显子，15个内含子，该基因已登录到GenBank.经设计编码区引物，从T easy载体扩增出编码区后再克隆入pGEX-4T1表达载体，经异丙基硫代-D-乳糖苷(IPTG)化学诱导表达.其编码区克隆入pGEX-4T1表达载体后，转入JM109宿主菌，经IPTG诱导已得到表达.点杂交及RNA印迹表明，该基因在正常成人脑内广泛高表达.     

表达序列标签数据库搜索鉴定小鼠UBAP1基因及其数字化表达分析

UBAP1(ubiquitin associated protein 1)基因是最近克隆的一个定位于人类染色体9p21-22鼻咽癌杂合性丢失高频区的泛肽相关蛋白家族新成员.为了深入研究UBAP1基因的功能,利用计算机对表达序列标签(expressed sequence tag, EST)、UniGene等数据库进行综合搜索分析,结合cDNA克隆测序的方法, 成功地获得了UBAP1基因在小鼠中的同源基因.小鼠UBAP1基因cDNA全长为2 676 bp,编码一个由441个氨基酸组成的蛋白质,在其蛋白质C端只有一个泛肽相关功能域（UBA domain）.与人UBAP1基因相比,两者编码的氨基酸序列有89%相同.基于EST的数字化表达分析显示UBAP1基因在小鼠正常组织中广泛高表达.     

白皮黄瓜鲨烯合酶基因cDNA克隆及生物信息学分析

为认识葫芦科植物中葫芦素生物合成途径所需鲨烯合酶基因结构特征,克隆白皮黄瓜鲨烯合酶(squalene synthase,SS)基因c DNA并进行生物信息学分析。根据葫芦科植物绞股蓝、罗汉果、红花栝楼等的鲨烯合酶基因cDNA序列,设计白皮黄瓜鲨烯合酶引物,分别采用3'RACE和5'RACE技术扩增鲨烯合酶基因3'端和5'端。获得白皮黄瓜鲨烯合酶基因的两个cDNA克隆,命名为CsSS1和CsSS2,其cDNA序列全长分别为1 627 bp和1 534 bp,都编码417个氨基酸残基,分子质量为47.6 k D。成功克隆得到白皮黄瓜鲨烯合酶基因全长cDNA序列并对其进行序列分析,后续可用于葫芦素生物合成途径所需鲨烯合酶基因正选择位点功能分析。     

Closed Loops of TIM Barrel Protein Fold

Abstract

The closed loops within the proteins of the TIM-barrel fold family are analyzed and compared sequence- and structure-wise. The size distribution of the closed loops of the TIM-barrels confirms universal preference to the standard size of 25–30 residues. 3D structural RMSD comparisons of the closed loops and presentation of their sequences in binary form suggest that the TIM-barrel proteins are built from descendants of several types of basic closed loop prototypes. Comparison of these prototypes points to a likely common ancestor—the alpha helix containing closed loops of 28 amino acids. The presumed ancestor is characterized by specific binary consensus sequence.     

Role of the import motor in insertion of transmembrane segments by the mitochondrial TIM23 complex

The TIM23 complex mediates translocation of proteins across, and their lateral insertion into, the mitochondrial inner membrane. Translocation of proteins requires both the membrane-embedded core of the complex and its ATP-dependent import motor. Insertion of some proteins, however, occurs in the absence of ATP, questioning the need for the import motor during lateral insertion. We show here that the import motor associates with laterally inserted proteins even when its ATPase activity is not required. Furthermore, our results suggest a role for the import motor in lateral insertion. Thus, the import motor is involved in ATP-dependent translocation and ATP-independent lateral insertion.     

全身一体化成像技术在恒河猴动物实验中的应用

目的探讨并比较CT与核磁共振成像（magnetic resonance imaging,MRI）在恒河猴全身成像研究中的应用范围,以及全身一体化技术（total imaging Matrix,TIM）配合增强扫描对恒河猴骨骼、循环、神经系统成像,总结其影像学表现中与人相应系统解剖的差异。方法应用64层螺旋CT的表面遮盖成像重建技术（3D-SSD）对恒河猴全身骨骼系统进行全身平扫及重建,3．0TMRI的TIM技术与最大密度投影重建（MIP）对恒河猴循环系统、神经系统进行全身平扫及增强扫描并重建。结果64层螺旋CT骨骼系统成像显示恒河猴腰椎骨6块、骶椎骨8块、尾椎骨11块、真肋骨9根,数量多于人类;颈椎棘突未见分叉,与人类不同。MRI动态增强技术与一体化成像技术联用显示恒河猴的动脉系统与人类相近,端脑矢状位最长径与冠状位最长径比值比人类略低,脊髓膨大位置比人类略低。结论多层螺旋CT与MRI的TIM技术可应用于对大型实验动物进行无创性的解剖学分析,是一种无创、快速、可以在体研究并动态连续观察其结构的科学有效方法。     

Between-species variation in the kinetic stability of TIM proteins linked to solvation-barrier free energies

Theoretical, computational, and experimental studies have suggested the existence of solvation barriers in protein unfolding and denaturation processes. These barriers are related to the finite size of water molecules and can be envisioned as arising from the asynchrony between water penetration and breakup of internal interactions. Solvation barriers have been proposed to play roles in protein cooperativity and kinetic stability; therefore, they may be expected to be subject to natural selection. We study the thermal denaturation, in the presence and in the absence of chemical denaturants, of triosephosphate isomerases (TIMs) from three different species: Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania mexicana. In all cases, denaturation was irreversible and kinetically controlled. Surprisingly, however, we found large differences between the kinetic denaturation parameters, with T. cruzi TIM showing a much larger activation energy value (and, consequently, much lower room-temperature, extrapolated denaturation rates). This disparity cannot be accounted for by variations in the degree of exposure to solvent in transition states (as measured by kinetic urea m values) and is, therefore, to be attributed mainly to differences in solvation-barrier contributions. This was supported by structure-energetics analyses of the transition states and by application of a novel procedure to estimate from experimental data the solvation-barrier impact at the entropy and free-energy levels. These analyses were actually performed with an extended protein set (including six small proteins plus seven variants of lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus and spanning a wide range of activation parameters), allowing us to delineate the general trends of the solvation-barrier contributions. Overall, this work supports that proteins sharing the same structure and function but belonging to different organisms may show widely different solvation barriers, possibly as a result of different levels of the selection pressure associated with cooperativity, kinetic stability, and related factors.     

Active remodelling of the TIM23 complex during translocation of preproteins into mitochondria

The TIM23 (translocase of the mitochondrial inner membrane) complex mediates translocation of preproteins across and their insertion into the mitochondrial inner membrane. How the translocase mediates sorting of preproteins into the two different subcompartments is poorly understood. In particular, it is not clear whether association of two operationally defined parts of the translocase, the membrane-integrated part and the import motor, depends on the activity state of the translocase. We established conditions to in vivo trap the TIM23 complex in different translocation modes. Membrane-integrated part of the complex and import motor were always found in one complex irrespective of whether an arrested preprotein was present or not. Instead, we detected different conformations of the complex in response to the presence and, importantly, the type of preprotein being translocated. Two non-essential subunits of the complex, Tim21 and Pam17, modulate its activity in an antagonistic manner. Our data demonstrate that the TIM23 complex acts as a single structural and functional entity that is actively remodelled to sort preproteins into different mitochondrial subcompartments.     

Blocking monoclonal antibodies of TIM proteins as orchestrators of anti-tumor immune response

Monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based treatment of cancer has a significant effect on current practice in medical oncology, and is considered now as one of the most successful therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. MAbs are designed to initiate or enhance anti-tumor immune responses, which can be achieved by either blocking inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules or triggering activating receptors. TIM gene family members are type-I surface molecules expressed in immune cells, and play important roles in the regulation of both innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. Therapeutic strategies based on anti-TIMs mAbs have shown promising results in experimental tumor models, and synergistic combinations of anti-TIMs mAbs with cancer vaccines, adoptive T-cell therapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy will have great impact on cancer treatment in future clinical development.     

Blocking monoclonal antibodies of TIM proteins as orchestrators of anti-tumor immune response

Monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based treatment of cancer has a significant effect on current practice in medical oncology, and is considered now as one of the most successful therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. MAbs are designed to initiate or enhance anti-tumor immune responses, which can be achieved by either blocking inhibitory immune checkpoint molecules or triggering activating receptors. TIM gene family members are type-I surface molecules expressed in immune cells, and play important roles in the regulation of both innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. Therapeutic strategies based on anti-TIMs mAbs have shown promising results in experimental tumor models, and synergistic combinations of anti-TIMs mAbs with cancer vaccines, adoptive T-cell therapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy will have great impact on cancer treatment in future clinical development.     

One fold with many functions: the evolutionary relationships between TIM barrel families based on their sequences,structures and functions

The eightfold (betaalpha) barrel structure, first observed in triose-phosphate isomerase, occurs ubiquitously in nature. It is nearly always an enzyme and most often involved in molecular or energy metabolism within the cell. In this review we bring together data on the sequence, structure and function of the proteins known to adopt this fold. We highlight the sequence and functional diversity in the 21 homologous superfamilies, which include 76 different sequence families. In many structures, the barrels are "mixed and matched" with other domains generating additional variety. Global and local structure-based alignments are used to explore the distribution of the associated functional residues on this common structural scaffold. Many of the substrates/co-factors include a phosphate moiety, which is usually but not always bound towards the C-terminal end of the sequence. Some, but not all, of these structures, exhibit a structurally conserved "phosphate binding motif". In contrast metal-ligating residues and catalytic residues are distributed along the sequence. However, we also found striking structural superposition of some of these residues. Lastly we consider the possible evolutionary relationships between these proteins, whose sequences are so diverse that even the most powerful approaches find few relationships, yet whose active sites all cluster at one end of the barrel. This extreme example of the "one fold-many functions" paradigm illustrates the difficulty of assigning function through a structural genomics approach for some folds.