针对Ⅰ型及Ⅲ型前胶原基因的二联核酶的构建及体外活性研究

增殖性瘢痕组织中胶原蛋白的合成显著增加从而导致胶原的过度沉积。利用核酶特异地抑制前胶原基因的表达可减少胶原蛋白的合成,为瘢痕的研究和防治提供了新的思路。为研究用核酶抑制前胶原基因表达的可能及效果, 设计并构建了针对α₁(Ⅰ)型及α₁(Ⅲ)型前胶原基因的二个单价核酶串联的二联核酶基因真核表达载体,并对其体外切割活性进行研究。结果表明该二联核酶的切割效果明显,均能有效地切割底物,为进一步研究核酶对前胶原基因表达的抑制作用以及利用核酶防治瘢痕产生打下基础。      

特异切割马铃薯纺锤形块茎类病毒负链的多价核酶的构建和体外活性测定

根据锤头型核酶的作用模式 ,设计、合成并克隆了特异切割马铃薯纺锤形块茎类病毒 (PSTVd)负链RNA不同区域位点的双价和三价锤头型核酶基因。通过体外转录 ,将PSTVd负链RNA分别与双价和三价核酶混合 ,37℃温育 2h。结果表明 ,双价核酶和三价核酶均表现出较高的切割活性 ,其中双价核酶处理的切割产物的大小与理论值相符合。三价核酶虽表现出较高的切割活性 ,但只是其中一价核酶在起作用。讨论了二价和三价核酶的应用前景。     

脱氧核酶抑制近日基因period 1表达的实验研究

研究脱氧核酶对近日钟基因period1(per1)表达的影响, 进而寻找治疗和近日节律有关疾病的基因疗法. 设计合成针对per 1的脱氧核酶DRz164, DRz256, 并构建pcDNA3-per1_164:256体外转录载体, 将转录产物和脱氧核酶混合, 在一定反应条件下进行体外切割反应, 地高辛酶联免疫及酶催化显色法检测脱氧核酶的体外切割效率. 将pcDNA3-per1和DRz164或DRz256在脂质体的介导下转染NIH3T3细胞, 通过逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)、流式细胞术(FCM)检测脱氧核酶对近日基因表达的影响. 于37℃孵育2 h后, DRz164对底物的剪切百分率为63%, DRz256为50.5%. RT-PCR半定量检测per1 mRNA表达水平明显下降, FCM结果显示细胞内Per1蛋白的合成受到抑制. 脱氧核酶DRz164, DRz256体外具有定点切割近日钟基因per1mRNA组分的活性, 使转染细胞per1 mRNA 和Per1蛋白表达下降.     

雌激素受体与Ⅰ型胶原蛋白存在相互作用

目的:利用酵母双杂交技术筛选与雌激素受体(ER)αAF1转录激活结构域相互作用的蛋白,为乳腺癌发生、发展机制的研究奠定基础。方法:将编码ERαAF1的cDNA片段克隆到诱饵蛋白载体pGBKT7中,以构建的pGBKT7-ERα-AF1为表达靶蛋白的质粒,筛选人乳腺文库。将筛选到的含Ⅰ型胶原基因的质粒与表达ERα和ERβ不同结构域的质粒共转化酵母细胞,验证Ⅰ型胶原与ERαAF1作用的特异性。结果:经酶切鉴定,证实重组质粒pGBKT7-ERα-AF1含有目的基因片段;Western印迹证实ERαAF1在酵母中获得表达;酵母双杂交筛选得到与ERαAF1相互作用的Ⅰ型胶原蛋白。酵母细胞共转化实验证实,Ⅰ型胶原蛋白与ERα和ERβ的AF1结合,但与ERβ的DBD、AF2不结合。结论:Ⅰ型胶原与ERα和ERβ的AF1及ERβ的DBD存在相互作用。     

I型内含子核酶的研究进展

核酶具有特异识别和切割靶RNA的特点,从而可以抑制一些特异基因产物的表达,而I型内含子核酶,不但具有剪切功能,而且可以进行顺式剪接及反式剪接。随着人们对I型内含子核酶的功能结构也有了进一步认识,相继用I型内含子核酶对p53突变mRNA及镰形红细胞贫血等遗传性疾病致病基因mRNA的修复做了大量的研究,并取得了一定的成果。     

特异切割12-脂加氧酶mRNA的核酶体外活性及动力学研究

根据锤头状核酶（Ｒｉｂｏｚｙｍｅ）的作用模式,设计、合成并克隆了特异性切割１２－脂加氧酶（１２－ＬＯ）ｍＮＲＡ的核酶基因。以合成的２５个核苷酸长的１２－脂加氧酶ＲＮＡ片段为底物与转录的核酶ＲＮＡ一起保温检测其体 割活性。实验结果表明,在３７℃保温时,核酶在体外对１２－脂加氧酶具有较高的特异切割活性,其Ｋｍ值为１３００ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ,其ｋｃａｔ值为０．０８３／ｍｉｎ,在５０℃保温时,核酶具有很高的切割     

特异切割苹果锈果类病毒的核酶基因的克隆和转录物的体外活性测定

根据锤头型核酶的作用模式 ,设计、合成和克隆了特异切割苹果锈果类病毒ASSVd正链 (194-196位点 )或负链 (89- 91位点 )RNA的 2个短臂锤头型核酶基因 :42nt的RzASSVd(+)和 40nt的RzASSVd(- )。经转录获得核酶转录物和³²P标记的ASSVd正、负链转录物。将核酶与ASSVd混合 ,50℃或 37℃保温 3～ 4h ,进行 8%PAGE(含8mol L尿素 )和放射自显影分析。体外切割检测表明 :2个核酶均具有特异切割活性 ,其中RzASSVd(- )对ASSVd负链的切割活性较高 ,对ASSVd正链不起作用。RzASSVd(+)对ASSVd正链的切割活性较弱 ,对ASSVd负链亦不起作用。在此基础上 ,构建得到双价核酶基因pGEMRzASSVd(± )。     

丙型肝炎病毒RNA特异性核酶的切割活性研究

针对丙型肝炎病毒RNA(HCV-RNA)的5′非编码区和部分C区的二级结构,设计并合成了四个不同的锤头型核酶(ribozyme A, ribozyme B, ribozyme C₁, ribozyme C₂).首先应用体外切割实验筛选出作用于HCV-RNA起始密码子上游GTA↓位点的核酶RzA有较好的活性.为初步验证核酶RzA在细胞内的切割活性,经脂质体介导,将RzA-RNA与另一携带该核酶靶基因的质粒表达载体pCl-neo-luciferase(载体中荧光素酶基因受核酶靶基因的调控)共转染HepG₂细胞.通过测定荧光素酶基因的表达证实了核酶在细胞内有较好的切割活性.在此实验基础上,把RzA基因克隆至pCl-neo质粒表达载体中,再次经脂质体介导,将重组的表达载体pCl-neo-RzA与携带该核酶靶基因的质粒表达载体pCl-neo-luciferase共转染HepG₂细胞,获得了更好的切割效果.     

一个双价锤头型核酶在体外对两种不同植物病毒RNA的专一切割作用

根据锤头核酶模型,设计合成了一个以黄瓜花叶病毒（ＣＭＶ）外壳蛋白（ＣＰ）亚基因组ＲＮＡ为底物的锤头型核酶（ＲＺＣ）,在证明它能有效切割该底物后,再将这个核酶与一个能专一性切割烟草花叶病毒（ＴＭＶ）移动蛋白（ＭＰ）亚基因组ＲＮＡ的锤头型核酶（ＲＺ１）相互串联构成了一个双价核酶（ＲＺ１Ｃ）,体外结果表明,这个双价核酶能与相应的单价核酶ＲＺ１和ＲＺＣ一样专一而有效地切割ＣＭＶ ＣＰ和ＴＭＶ ＭＰ ＲＮＡ     

Structure of cDNA clones coding for human type II procollagen. The alpha 1(II) chain is more similar to the alpha 1(I) chain than two other alpha chains of fibrillar collagens.

Overlapping cDNA clones were isolated for human type II procollagen. Nucleotide sequencing of the clones provided over 2.5 kb of new coding sequences for the human pro alpha 1(II) gene and the first complete amino acid sequence of type II procollagen from any species. Comparison with published data for cDNA clones covering the entire lengths of the human type I and type III procollagens made it possible to compare in detail the coding sequences and primary structures of the three most abundant human fibrillar collagens. The results indicated that the marked preference in the third base codons for glycine, proline and alanine previously seen in other fibrillar collagens was maintained in type II procollagen. The domains of the pro alpha 1(II) chain are about the same size as the same domains of the pro alpha chains of type I and type III procollagens. However, the major triple-helical domain is 15 amino acid residues less than the triple-helical domain of type III procollagen. Comparison of hydropathy profiles indicated that the alpha chain domain of type II procollagen is more similar to the alpha chain domain of the pro alpha 1(I) chain than to the pro alpha 2(I) chain or the pro alpha 1(III) chain. The results therefore suggest that selective pressure in the evolution of the pro alpha 1(II) and pro alpha 1(I) genes is more similar than the selective pressure in the evolution of the pro alpha 2(I) and pro alpha 1(III) genes.     

Increased expression of the gene for the pro alpha 1(IV) chain of basement-membrane procollagen in cultured skin fibroblasts from two variants of osteogenesis imperfecta.

Fibroblasts from two lethal variants of osteogenesis imperfecta were shown to synthesize increased amounts of type IV procollagen. Previous studies established that one of these variants had a non-functional allele for the pro alpha 2 chain of type I procollagen, whereas the other pro alpha 2(I) allele contained a mutation leading to synthesis of shortened pro alpha 2(I) chains. In the two variants, the relative level of mRNA for pro alpha 1(IV) was 31 and 42% of the level of mRNA for pro alpha 1(I) chains. A value of less than 2% was found for a third lethal and four non-lethal variants of osteogenesis imperfecta. Immunofluorescent staining of fibroblasts from the two variants synthesizing increased amounts of type IV procollagen indicated that a homogeneous population of cells synthesized both type IV and type I procollagen. The results suggest that mutations in the type I procollagen genes that result in osteogenesis imperfecta can be associated with increased expression of the genes for type IV procollagen.     

Sequential cleavage of type I procollagen by procollagen N-proteinase. An intermediate containing an uncleaved pro alpha 1(I) chain

The conversion of type I procollagen to type I collagen was studied by cleaving the protein with partically purified type I procollagen N-proteinase from chick embryos. Examination of the reaction products after incubation for varying times at 30 degrees C indicated that, during the initial stages of the reaction, pro alpha 1(I) and pro alpha 2(I) chains were cleaved at about the same rate. As a result, all the pro alpha 2(I) chains were converted to pC alpha 2(I) chains well before all the pro alpha 1 chains were cleaved. When the reaction products were examined by gel electrophoresis without reduction of interchain disulfide bonds, a distinct band of an intermediate was detected. The same intermediate was seen when the reaction was carried out at 35, 37, and 40 degrees C. The data established that over two-thirds of the type I procollagen was converted to the intermediate and that this intermediate was then slowly converted to the final product of pCcollagen. The kinetics for the reaction, however, did not fit a simple model for precursor-product relationship among substrate, intermediate, and product. Examination of the reaction products with a two-step gel procedure demonstrated that the intermediate consisted of three polypeptide chains in which the N propeptide was cleaved from one pro alpha 1 chain and one pro alpha 2(I) chain but the N propeptide was still present on one of the pro alpha 1(I) chains. In further experiments it was demonstrated that a similar intermediate was seen when a homotrimer of pro alpha 1(I) chains was partially cleaved by the enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Identification of the molecular recognition sequence which determines the type-specific assembly of procollagen.

A key question relating to procollagen biosynthesis is the way in which closely related procollagen chains discriminate between each other to assemble in a type-specific manner. Intracellular assembly of procollagen occurs via an initial interaction between the C-propeptides followed by vectorial propagation of the triple-helical domain in the C to N direction. Recognition signals within the C-propeptides must, therefore, determine the selective association of individual procollagen chains. We have used the pro alpha1 chain of type III procollagen [pro alpha1(III)] and the pro alpha2 chain of type I procollagen [pro alpha2(I)] as examples of procollagen chains that are either capable or incapable of self-assembly. When we exchanged the C-propeptides of the pro alpha1(III) chain and the pro alpha(I) chain we demonstrated that this domain is both necessary and sufficient to direct the assembly of homotrimers with correctly aligned triple-helices. To identify the sequences within this domain that determine selective association we constructed a series of chimeric procollagen chains in which we exchanged specific sequences from the pro alpha1(III) C-propeptide with the corresponding region within the pro alpha2(I) C-propeptide (and vice versa) and assayed for the ability of these molecules to form homotrimers. Using this approach we have identified a discontinuous sequence of 15 amino acids which directs procollagen self-association. By exchanging this sequence between different procollagen chains we can direct chain association and, potentially, assemble molecules with defined chain compositions.     

Structure of a full-length cDNA clone for the prepro alpha 2(I) chain of human type I procollagen. Comparison with the chicken gene confirms unusual patterns of gene conservation.

A cDNA clone from a human placental library was found to consist of an essentially full-length cDNA of 4.6 kb for the prepro alpha 2(I) chain of type I procollagen. Nucleotide sequencing of the 5'-end of the cDNA provided a sequence of 1617 nucleotide residues and codons for 539 amino acid residues not previously defined. Comparison of the complete structure of the prepro alpha 2(I) cDNA with previously reported sequences for the chicken pro alpha 2(I) gene indicated that 83% of 1366 total amino acid residues were conserved. In the alpha-chain domain 84% of 1014 amino acid residues were conserved. Also, there was conservation of the previously noted preference for U and C in the third position of codons for glycine, proline and alanine. One major difference between the human and the chicken prepro alpha 2(I) chain was that the human chain contained 21 fewer proline residues, an observation that probably explains why the triple helix of human type I procollagen unfolds at temperatures that are 1-2 degrees C lower. In parallel experiments, sequencing of intron-exon boundaries for nine exons of genomic subclones confirmed and extended previous observations that the pro alpha 2(I) gene, like other genes from fibrillar collagens, has an unusual 54-base pattern of exon sizes that is highly conserved through evolution.     

Presence of different types of procollagen messenger RNAs in human hepatoma cell lines

Human hepatoma cell lines were shown for the first time to contain various types of procollagen mRNAs. The amounts and types of procollagen mRNAs differed depending on the cell lines. Pro alpha 1 (III) and pro alpha 1 (IV) collagen mRNAs were present in PLC/PRF/5, a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, whereas pro alpha 1 (I), pro alpha 2 (I), pro alpha 1 (IV) and pro alpha 2 (V) collagen genes contrast, HepG2 cells derived from hepatoblastoma contained little, if any, mRNAs for these types of procollagens we had examined.     

Expression of type I and III collagen genes during differentiation of embryonic chicken myoblasts in culture.

Expression of type I and III procollagen genes was studied in embryonic chicken myoblast cell cultures, obtained from thigh muscles of 11-day-old embryos. Differentiation initiated by the addition of ovotransferrin (30 micrograms/ml) was followed visually by phase-contrast microscopy. Myoblast fusion and myotube formation were detected by day 3 and appeared to be complete by day 7. The synthesis of procollagens was monitored by labeling cell cultures for 1 h with [3H]proline and determining the radioactivity in procollagen chains by scanning densitometry of the fluorograms of the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. A 10- to 20-fold increase in the rate of pro alpha-1(I), pro alpha-2(I), and pro alpha-1(III) collagen synthesis was observed, with the greatest increase occurring between days 3 and 9. Collagen mRNA levels in the myoblast cultures were examined by Northern blot and dot blot hybridization assays. The 10- to 20-fold increased rate of protein synthesis was accompanied by a 15-fold increase in the steady-state levels of pro alpha-1(I) and pro alpha-2(I) mRNAs and a 10-fold increase in the steady-state levels of pro alpha-1(III). As a correlate to the studies of collagen expression during myoblast differentiation, the expression of actin mRNAs was examined. Although alpha actin could be detected by day 4, a complete switch from lambda and beta to alpha actin was not observed in the time periods examined. Similar results were obtained in the analysis of RNA extracted from embryonic legs at days 12 and 17 of gestation. Myoblast differentiation is manifested by the accumulation of both muscle-specific mRNAs, such as actin, and type I and III procollagen mRNAs.     

Various characteristics of the structure and synthesis of procollagens produced by cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with Danlos-Ehlers syndrome type I

The electrophoretic mobilities of the collagen and procollagen type I and III chains synthesized by the fibroblasts isolated from patients with type I Ehlers-Danlos syndrome as well as a set of peptides obtained by splitting of pro alpha 1(I) and pro alpha 2(I) type I procollagens by cyanbromide are not different from the normal ones. The fact demonstrates the absence of long insertions or deletions, or the sufficient defects in intracellular chain modifications. The changes were also nor registered for the ratio of type I and III collagens from the digested by pepsin preparations of protein accumulating in the culture media of the cultured skin fibroblasts from patients. The studied strains of cultured fibroblasts from patients suffering the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome have the trend to increased accumulation of partially processed chains of proc alpha 1(I) and proc alpha 2(I) type I procollagen and to the increased ratio of pro alpha 1(I) to pro alpha 2(I).