前体蛋白转化酶家族的重要成员之一：弗林蛋白酶

弗林蛋白酶(Furin)是前体蛋白转化酶家族的重要成员之一,广泛存在于各种组织和细胞系中。Furin经过两次自剪切去掉前肽后具有生理活性,能够识别特定的氨基酸序列并在TGN中对多种前体蛋白进行加工。Furin的作用底物不仅包括神经肽和肽类激素,还包括许多生长因子、受体、血浆蛋白酶、基质金属蛋白酶及细菌外毒素等,具有重要的生物学功能。     

2019新型冠状病毒S蛋白可能存在Furin蛋白酶切位点

2019年12月,中国武汉报道了2019新型冠状病毒(2019 novel Coronavirus,2019-nCoV)引起的肺炎。基于基因组信息,我们前期研究结果显示2019-nCoV与SARS冠状病毒虽然同属于Beta冠状病毒B亚群(BB冠状病毒),但两种病毒差异较大,这一结果与两者临床症状差异一致。前期研究还发现了BB冠状病毒存在大量的可变翻译,并从分子水平揭示了BB冠状病毒变异快、多样性高的特点。本研究在国际上首次报道Beta冠状病毒S蛋白上的一个重要突变,这个突变使2019-nCoV具有了一个可供Furin蛋白酶切的位点,是大部分Beta冠状病毒(特别是SARS和SARS样(SARS-like)冠状病毒)所不具有的。我们的一个结论是这个突变有可能增强了2019-nCoV侵染细胞的效率,进而使其传播力显著大于SARS冠状病毒。由于这个突变,2019-nCoV的感染机制也会不同于SARS等大部分Beta冠状病毒,而与鼠肝炎冠状病毒、HIV、埃博拉病毒和一些禽流感病毒的感染机制更相似。我们意外发现一些禽流感病毒也可以通过突变获得Furin蛋白酶切位点,这说明自然突变可以引入Furin酶切位点。除此之外,在2019-nCoV的S蛋白中插入的"CGGCGG"序列编码两个精氨酸,然而"CGG"对于宿主(人)来说是蛋白质翻译的稀有密码子。我们的另一个结论是引入Furin蛋白酶切位点的插入突变中包含的"CGGCGG"是传播到人之前形成的;2019-nCoV的中间宿主应该是密码子"CGG"相对使用频率更高的哺乳动物。使用我们提供的密码子"CGG"相对频率表结合2019-nCoV检测阳性的动物样品信息可以准确地确定2019-nCoV的中间宿主。对这个重要突变的后续研究将为揭示2019-nCoV传播力强的原因,以及为药物、抗体和疫苗的开发等工作奠定基础。     

Furin的生物学功能

弗林蛋白酶(Furin)是一种高度特异性的丝氨酸内切蛋白酶,属于前蛋白转化酶(proprotein convertases,PC)家族。Furin的前体蛋白依次在内质网和高尔基体中经过两次自剪切后而活化,其能识别特定的氨基酸序列并通过蛋白水解切割修饰而激活分泌途径中许多重要的多肽和蛋白的前体。Furin底物众多,涉及许多疾病,包括癌症、动脉粥样硬化和由细菌或病毒引起的感染等,因此具有重要的生物学功能,探究其与相关疾病的关系从而为预防和治疗找到新的靶标。     

Furin在神经精神疾病中作用机制的研究进展

弗林蛋白酶(Furin)作为细胞内具有剪切活性的蛋白酶,在众多蛋白质的生产和分泌过程中通过剪切不具备生物学活性前体蛋白的特定位点,使其活化获得相应生物学功能。作为一种重要的前体蛋白转化酶,Furin在神经系统中的作用底物主要包括一些生长因子、基质金属蛋白酶、肽类激素及其前体等,这些底物对癫痫、阿尔茨海默病、缺血性脑卒中和精神分裂症等重大神经精神疾病的发生发展具有重要的调控作用。该文概述了Furin的基本结构与生物学功能,Furin在一些重要神经精神疾病中的具体作用、相应机制,以及Furin活性调节剂等方面的最近研究进展。     

HCV丝氨酸蛋白酶小分子底物构建及GST融合表达

丝氨酸蛋白酶是丙型肝炎病毒重要的功能蛋白和药物作用靶点,其通过分子内（cis）和分子间（trans）方式催化水解前体蛋白,释放病毒功能蛋白。目的：为深入研究病毒蛋白酶活性和抑制剂鉴定需要,实验研究参照丙型肝炎病毒1a亚型菌株蛋白酶天然底物的氨基酸序列特点,设计了一段包含两个天然底物酶切位点的小分子多肽2S,并进行了原核表达。方法：利用PCR方法,合成2S小分子多肽基因,目的基因两端引入BamH I和EcoR I两个限制性酶切位点,双酶切后将基因与表达载体pGEX-4T-2重组,转化大肠杆菌DH5α,经化学诱导进行GST融合蛋白表达,通过亲和层析柱纯化目的蛋白。纯化的GST 2S融合蛋白在体外反应系统进行酶切鉴定,SDS-PAGE和ELISA鉴定酶切结果。结果：PCR合成的小分子底物多肽2S基因,经与表达载体重组后测序,证实基因序列正确。采用0.5mmol/L浓度的IPTG诱导工程菌过夜,获得表达的目的蛋白,经分离纯化得到融合蛋白GST-2S。GST-2S在体外磷酸盐缓冲系统中与丝氨酸蛋白酶反应,15%SDS-PAGE鉴定酶切产物,证实融合蛋白底物条带明显消失,ELISA结果同样说明融合蛋白的底物活性。结论：含有两个天然底物酶切位点的小分子多肽可以替代病毒天然底物,实验结果为丙型肝炎病毒丝氨酸蛋白酶活性研究和酶抑制剂研究奠定了方法学基础。     

黄病毒NS2B-NS3pro蛋白酶的结构研究进展

黄病毒能引起严重的人类疾病,但是并无特定药物来治疗病毒感染。黄病毒非结构蛋白NS3的N端区域及其辅因子NS2B构成蛋白酶,该酶切割病毒的多聚蛋白形成成熟的结构蛋白和非结构蛋白来帮助病毒完成增殖过程。NS2B-NS3pro蛋白酶在黄病毒生命周期中起关键的作用,使之成为抗病毒药物研发的重要靶标。本文综述了黄病毒属中寨卡病毒、登革热病毒、西尼罗病毒的NS2B-NS3pro蛋白酶结构的研究进展,并介绍了相关抑制剂与蛋白酶形成的复合物结构,以期为研发抗黄病毒药物提供必要的参考。     

寄生虫的蛋白酶

蛋白酶(PA)是催化肽键水解的酶,从病毒到人的生物中都存在。对多肽末端起降解作用的酶叫肽酶;而催化肽链内部裂解的酶为内切酶。依其活性部位的重要化学基团不同,蛋白酶可分为四大类:丝氨酸,金属,半胱氨酸(硫醇)及天冬氨酸     

基质金属蛋白酶与脑血管急性损伤

基质金属蛋白酶是一组金属依赖性的蛋白内切酶家族,可对细胞外基质进行特异的降解,在生理和璃理过程中都发挥着重要作用。已有许多有关基质金属蛋白酶在中枢神经系统的作用的研究报道,本文对基质金属蛋白酶在脑缺血和脑出血等脑血管的急性损伤作用进行了综述,并对进一步研究方向作出展望。     

ATP依赖的Lon蛋白酶研究进展

Lon蛋白酶,也叫蛋白酶La,是一种同质寡聚环状的ATP依赖的蛋白酶,在古生菌、原核生物和真核生物中高度保守。Lon蛋白酶属于AAA＋超家族（与多种细胞活性相关的ATP酶）。自Lon蛋白酶被发现以来,许多研究表明Lon的蛋白酶活性对于维持细胞体内平衡、蛋白质量控制和代谢调控起着重要作用。该文综述了近年来Lon蛋白酶的研究进展,主要从Lon蛋白酶的结构和功能、与衰老和疾病的关系等方面进行了系统的阐述。     

番木瓜乳管蛋白酶类

番木瓜是著名的热带水果,其乳管中含量丰富的蛋白酶类是近年来研究的一个十分活跃的领域。该文主要介绍番木瓜乳汁中木瓜蛋白酶、木瓜凝乳蛋白酶、蛋白酶Ω和甘氨酰内切酶等4种重要的半胱氨酸蛋白酶及其他蛋白酶类的研究新进展,并对它们的研究与应用前景做了展望。     

Adenoviral heterogeneous nuclear RNA is associated with the host nuclear matrix during splicing

After infection of HeLa cells with adenovirus type 2, virus-specific heterogeneous nuclear RNA is quantitatively associated with a higher ordered structure, the nuclear matrix. Analysis of this matrix-associated RNA by S₁ nuclease mapping showed that precursors as well as processed messenger RNAs from the late region L4 were present. By irradiation of intact cells with ultraviolet light, proteins tightly associated with heterogeneous nuclear RNA can be induced to cross-link with the RNA. Characterization of the cross-linked RNA-protein complexes showed that all viral polyadenylated RNAs (precursors, products and processing intermediates) could be cross-linked to two host proteins, earlier found to be involved in the association of host-specific heterogeneous nuclear RNA to the nuclear matrix (van Eekelen &; van Venrooij, 1981). Our results thus further support the concept that the nuclear matrix may function in the localization and the structural organization of (viral) heterogeneous nuclear RNA during its processing.     

Proteins Specified by Sindbis Virus in HeLa Cells

HeLa cells infected with Sindbis virus were found to contain five species of nonvirion proteins besides the structural proteins of the virus. Some of the nonvirion proteins were found to serve as precursors to the viral structural proteins in a pulse-chase experiment.     

A Bipartite Membrane-Binding Signal in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Matrix Protein Is Required for the Proteolytic Processing of Gag Precursors in a Cell Type-Dependent Manner

It is unclear whether proteolytic processing of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag protein is dependent on virus assembly at the plasma membrane. Mutations that prevent myristylation of HIV-1 Gag proteins have been shown to block virus assembly and release from the plasma membrane of COS cells but do not prevent processing of Gag proteins. In contrast, in HeLa cells similar mutations abolished processing of Gag proteins as well as virus production. We have now addressed this issue with CD4⁺ T cells, which are natural target cells of HIV-1. In these cells, myristylation of Gag proteins was required for proteolytic processing of Gag proteins and production of extracellular viral particles. This result was not due to a lack of expression of the viral protease in the form of a Gag-Pol precursor or a lack of interaction between unmyristylated Gag and Gag-Pol precursors. The processing defect of unmyristylated Gag was partially rescued ex vivo by coexpression with wild-type myristylated Gag proteins in HeLa cells. The cell type-dependent processing of HIV-1 Gag precursors was also observed when another part of the plasma membrane binding signal, a polybasic region in the matrix protein, was mutated. The processing of unmyristylated Gag precursors was inhibited in COS cells by HIV-1 protease inhibitors. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the processing of HIV-1 Gag precursors in CD4⁺ T cells occurs normally at the plasma membrane during viral morphogenesis. The intracellular environment of COS cells presumably allows activation of the viral protease and proteolytic processing of HIV-1 Gag proteins in the absence of plasma membrane binding.     

Post-translational modifications of poliovirus proteins

The post-translational modifications of poliovirus proteins have been investigated by analysis of glycosylation, sulphation, phosphorylation and acylation of the proteins made in the infected HeLa cells. No glycosylation or sulphation of proteins specific for virus-infected cells was apparent. A number of changes in the pattern of phosphorylated proteins took place. The specific myristylation of the structural protein VP4 and its precursors was clearly apparent. Acylation of viral proteins with oleic or palmitic acid was not detected. Myristylation took place in the presence of the protease inhibitor ZnCl2, but not in the presence of inhibitors of translation, such as cycloneximide and anysomycin.     

Proteolytic cleavage of encephalomyocarditis virus capsid region substrates by precursors to the 3C enzyme.

Picornavirus protease 3C is normally released from its P3 precursor by two successive self-cleavage reactions. The free enzyme can then catalyze most of the remaining processing events within the viral polyprotein. To investigate the role of the 3C precursors in the processing cascade, we constructed cDNA clones which expressed genetically altered forms of the encephalomyocarditis P3 region in vitro. Site-specific substitutions were introduced into the Gln-Gly residues at the 3B-3C and 3C-3D junctions, and the resulting proteins were tested for their ability to self-process and to catalyze cleavage of viral capsid precursors in cell-free protease assays. We determined that three P3 region precursor proteins (3ABC, 3CD, and P3), harboring inactive cleavage sites, were as active as the free enzyme (3C) in processing assays with capsid substrates. Further, we found that in addition to the naturally occurring Gln-Gly and Gln-Ser amino acid pairs, the encephalomyocarditis 3C enzyme was able to process Gln-Cys but not Gln-Thr, Gln-Ile, Gln-Tyr, Arg-Gly, or Leu-Gly combinations when these residues were substituted into normal cleavage site contexts.     

Glycoprotein enrichment in Moloney leukemia virus structural proteins released from interferon-treated cells

Interferon treatment of Moloney-leukemia-virus-infected cells (3T3/MLV) leads to the formation of virus particles enriched with viral structural glycoproteins, in addition to the inhibition of virus production. A preferential inhibitory effect on incorporation of RNA and proteins rather than glycoproteins was found in the released virus particles from interferon-treated cells. Enrichment in 70,000- and 45,000-dalton glycoprotein (gP-70, gP-45) in these particles was further demonstrated by polyacrylamide analysis of viral proteins pulse-labeled with [3H]-leucine. Viral glycoproteins released as soluble antigens were also determined. A 40% reduction was found in gP-70 and gP-45 released from interferon-treated cells. Radioimmunoprecipitation of pulse-chase-labeled cellular viral proteins showed no effect of interferon on the formation of viral structural 30,000-, 15,000- to 12,000-dalton proteins, and gP-70 and gP-45 from their respective precursors. The uncoordinate effect of interferon inhibition on viral 30,000-dalton protein and gP-70 is discussed.     

Association of reovirus mRNA with viral proteins: A possible mechanism for linking the genome segments

Reovirus mRNA molecules released from polysomes of infected cells by EDTA are noncovalently linked. This association which is stable in 1 m NaCl but disrupted by protease treatment, is mediated by viral proteins. The ribonucleoprotein complexes may be precursors of virions and involved in the regulation of viral protein synthesis.     

The amino-terminal nine amino acid sequence of poliovirus capsid VP4 protein is sufficient to confer N-myristoylation and targeting to detergent-insoluble membranes

The confinement of membrane proteins by lipid-lipid interactions into specialized detergent-insoluble membrane (DIM) microdomains has been proposed as a general mechanism to recruit selectively lipid-modified proteins and specific transmembrane proteins. Poliovirus capsid VP4 protein and its precursors are myristoylated at the NH(2)-terminal Gly residue. To determine whether poliovirus uses DIMs during its replicative cycle, we isolated DIMs from poliovirus-infected HeLa cells and identified the presence of capsid proteins and their precursors, proteinases 2A and 3C, and other viral proteins involved in poliovirus RNA replication such as protein 2C and the polymerase 3D. The morphology of these DIMs was similar to that of the previously described rosette-like vesicles associated with replication complexes isolated from poliovirus-infected cells. To examine the possible role of the myristoyl moiety in the targeting of poliovirus structural proteins to DIMs, we generated a chimeric protein consisting of the nine amino-terminal amino acids from VP4 fused to the amino terminus of the green fluorescent protein (GFP). The selected VP4 sequence was sufficient to confer N-myristoylation and targeting to DIMs to the GFP chimera. Mutations within this sequence known to affect both myristoylation and poliovirus assembly abrogated the targeting of the GFP chimera. These results indicate that the myristoylated amino-terminal nonapeptide from poliovirus VP4 protein constitutes a signal for incorporation into DIMs.     

Protein Synthesis Directed by an RNA? Temperature-Sensitive Mutant of Sindbis Virus

The structural proteins of wild-type Sindbis virus were shown to arise by posttranslational cleavage of larger precursors. The proteins synthesized in wildtype infection were compared with those specified by ts-11, a temperature-sensitive mutant unable to synthesize viral RNA at the restrictive temperature. Abnormally large, virus-specific proteins were found in the mutant-infected cells after the shift from 28 C to 41.5 C. These large polypeptides were presumably precursors which were cleaved too rapidly to be detected in the wild-type infection. The largest had a molecular weight of 133,000 and was the same size as the apparent precursor detected during infection with a group of Sindbis mutants which could not form nucleocapsids at the nonpermissive temperature. The stability of ts-11-specific RNA synthesis, after shift from permissive to restrictive conditions, differed from that in cells infected by wild-type virus, indicating that the virus had a genetic lesion in an enzyme involved in RNA synthesis. This mutation might have caused the precursor to fold incorrectly so that it could not be cleaved. The possibility cannot be excluded, however, that a second lesion in an uncharacterized viral function, such as a protease, was the cause of the accumulation of the precursors.     

Cleavage of p15 protein in vitro by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease is RNA dependent.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gag polyprotein is processed by the viral protease to yield the structural proteins of the virus. One of these structural proteins, p15, and its protease cleavage products, p7 and p6, are believed to be responsible for the viral RNA binding which is prerequisite for assembly of infectious virions. To better understand potential interactions between viral RNA, p15, and the HIV protease, we have synthesized p15 in an in vitro system and studied its processing by the viral protease. Using this system, we demonstrate that p15 synthesized in vitro is properly cleaved by the HIV protease in an RNA-dependent reaction. Mutation of cysteine residues in either zinc-binding domain of the p7 portion of p15 does not alter the RNA-dependent cleavage, but mutation of three basic residues located between the zinc-binding domains blocks HIV protease susceptibility. The results support a previously unrecognized role for the interaction of RNA and nucleocapsid-containing gag precursors that may have important consequences for virus assembly.