中国萤火虫云南窗萤荧光素酶cDNA的克隆表达和序列分析(英文）

从一种来自中国日行性萤火虫（云南窗萤）发光器官mRNA中克隆、测序并表达了有功能的荧光素酶。云南窗萤荧光素酶的cDNA序列有1 647个碱基,编码548个氨基酸残基。从推测得到的氨基酸序列的比对分析得出：云南窗萤的荧光素酶与来自Lampyris noctiluca, L. turkestanicus和Nyctophila cf. caucasica三种萤火虫的荧光素酶有97.8%的序列一致性。从推测得出的氨基酸序列进行系统发育分析,其结果表明：云南窗萤和Lampyris+Nyctophila聚在一起, 与同属的发光强夜行性的萤火虫不形成的单系。云南窗萤荧光素酶在大肠杆菌中表达的条带大约70 kDa,并且在有荧光素存在时发出黄绿色荧光。对荧光素酶的结构模拟和分析表明,云南窗萤荧光素酶基因的氨基端和羧基端结构域之间的裂沟处存在这5个多肽环,这正是从其他荧光素酶推测得到的催化荧光反应时的底物结合位点。云南窗萤和窗萤属的其他3种萤火虫的荧光素酶相比,有13个不同氨基酸位点,位于模拟分子结构的表面。对于这些多肽环、不同氨基酸残基和晶体结构的进一步研究有利于解释日行和夜行性萤火虫荧光素酶的差异。     

不同地域卵黄萤荧光素酶基因的克隆与序列分析

为了比较不同地域萤火虫荧光素酶基因的进化关系,通过GenBank中已知的荧光素酶基因保守区段设计引物,利用5′ RACE（rapid amplification of cDNA ends）和3′ RACE技术克隆了来自云南省文山州和西双版纳州的同种卵黄萤荧光素酶基因cDNA和全基因序列.来自不同地域的2种卵黄萤荧光素酶在基因序列上存在3个不同碱基位点,但是它们编码的荧光素酶只存在1个不同的氨基酸.卵黄萤荧光素酶基因全长（从起始密码子到终止密码子）1998 bp,包含7个外显子,6个内含子,其cDNA序列共1976 bp,包含102 bp 5′ UTR (untranslated region)、1635 bp的荧光素酶基因开放阅读框和239 bp的3′ UTR序列.卵黄萤荧光素酶基因的开放阅读框编码1个544个氨基酸的蛋白质,比同属的其它几种荧光素酶少4个氨基酸. 来自2个不同地域的卵黄萤荧光素酶在进化上是比较保守的,它们与北美萤火虫Photinus pyralis荧光素酶在碱基序列上分别有629%和63%相似性.     

栉角雪萤的荧光酶基因结构及其系统发育分析

短角窗萤属是萤科第四大属,但未见有该属物种荧光酶基因的研究报道。通过对总基因组的PCR扩增,对该属的栉角雪萤荧光酶基因进行了测序分析。基因序列长1958bp。与已知荧光酶基因进行同源性比较后推断,栉角雪萤的荧光酶基因由7个外显子和6个内含子组成,编码547个氨基酸残基;由推导的氨基酸序列进行同源性比较后发现,栉角雪萤的荧光酶基因与同一亚科中Lampyrini族和Cratomorphini族分别具有93—94％和92％相似性,而与北美萤火虫Photinus pyralis（Photinini族）的相似性较低（83％）。系统发育分析进一步表明栉角雪萤与Pyrocoelia、Lampyris、Cratomorphus和Photinus同属于萤亚科,且与前3个属的亲缘关系较近。这在一定程度上与形态（Branham＆Wenzel,2003）及线粒体DNA（Lietal,2006）系统发育分析所得结果一致。     

云南窗萤的形态学及其生物学特性（鞘翅目：萤科）

研究了云南窗萤卵到成虫不同发育阶段的形态学。根据野外观察和实验室饲养结果,记录了其生物学特性。卵、幼虫、蛹和雌成虫可发弱光,但雄成虫仅在受刺激时才发出更弱的光,云南窗萤可归属于昼行性萤火虫,而化学信号则是其雌雄在求偶时的主要识别方式。     

栉角雪萤的荧光酶基因结构及其系统发育分析

短角窗萤属是萤科第四大属，但未见有该属物种荧光酶基因的研究报道。通过对总基因组的PCR扩增，对该属的栉角雪萤荧光酶基因进行了测序分析。基因序列长1 958 bp。与已知荧光酶基因进行同源性比较后推断，栉角雪萤的荧光酶基因由7个外显子和6个内含子组成，编码547个氨基酸残基；由推导的氨基酸序列进行同源性比较后发现，栉角雪萤的荧光酶基因与同一亚科中Lampyrini族和Cratomorphini族分别具有93—94%和92%相似性，而与北美萤火虫Photinus pyralis(Photinini族)的相似性较低(83%)。系统发育分析进一步表明栉角雪萤与Pyrocoelia、Lampyris、Cratomorphus和Photinus同属于萤亚科，且与前3个属的亲缘关系较近。这在一定程度上与形态(Branham & Wenzel, 2003)及线粒体DNA(Li et al, 2006)系统发育分析所得结果一致。     

噬菌体展示技术筛选抗轮状病毒多肽的试验研究

从噬菌体随机展示十五肽文库筛选出4个与轮状病毒粒子特异性结合多肽。经空斑减少抑制实验和MTT法分析表明其中3个多肽对病毒感染培养细胞具有抑制作用,其中序列为QSNPIHIITNTRNHP的C肽具有显著抑制作用,抑制效果达93%,另外2个多肽A和B抑制效果分别为40%与50%。经过多肽序列分析发现这3个十五肽具有2个保守序列,分别是第2至8个氨基酸残基SNPIHII和第12~15个氨基酸残基NIP。胰蛋白酶水解位点分析表明C肽无裂解位点,而A肽和B肽则分别具有3个和4个潜在水解位点。抑制病毒感染液中胰蛋白酶活性,发现A,B两肽也能显著地抑制病毒离体感染。说明所筛选的多肽2个保守序列的完整对抗病毒感染起着重要作用。C肽有望成为一种治疗轮状病毒感染的口服药物。     

噬菌体展示技术筛选抗轮状病毒多肽的试验研究

从噬菌体随机展示十五肽文库筛选出4个与轮状病毒粒子特异性结合多肽。经空斑减少抑制实验和MTT法分析表明其中3个多肽对病毒感染培养细胞具有抑制作用,其中序列为QSNPIHIITNTRNHP的C肽具有显著抑制作用,抑制效果达93%,另外2个多肽A和B抑制效果分别为40%与50%。经过多肽序列分析发现这3个十五肽具有2个保守序列,分别是第2至8个氨基酸残基SNPIHII和第12～15个氨基酸残基NIP。胰蛋白酶水解位点分析表明C肽无裂解位点,而A肽和B肽则分别具有3个和4个潜在水解位点。抑制病毒感染液中胰蛋白酶活性,发现A,B两肽也能显著地抑制病毒离体感染。说明所筛选的多肽2个保守序列的完整对抗病毒感染起着重要作用。C肽有望成为一种治疗轮状病毒感染的口服药物。     

生物素化荧光素酶的克隆表达及其固定化研究

为了在体内实现萤火虫荧光素酶的生物素酰化修饰,我们将大肠杆菌中编码生物素羧基载体蛋白（biotin carboxyl carrier protein,BCCP）C端87个氨基酸的功能域基因融合到萤火虫(Pyrocoelia pectoralis)荧光素酶cDNA的末端。经大肠杆菌生物素合成酶（biotin holoenzyme synthetase）的催化,生物素与BCCP上特定的赖氨酸（Lys）残基共价结合,由此与BCCP融合的萤火虫荧光素酶间接实现了生物素化的修饰。利用生物素与配体亲和素或链霉亲和素的特异性耦合,可以将荧光素酶固定到亲和素或链霉亲和素包被的磁珠上,从而使荧光检测的应用更加灵活和方便。本文将就生物素化荧光素酶的克隆、表达以及功能检测进行具体讨论。     

斑节对虾溶菌酶基因克隆及序列分析

参考对虾溶菌酶基因和类溶菌酶基因及其他多种生物的溶菌酶基因序列 ,设计并合成引物。运用RT PCR技术 ,从斑节对虾血细胞总RNA中扩增获得特异性片段。所获片段回收纯化后克隆到pGEM TEasyVector系统的T载体上。重组子的序列分析表明 ,所克隆的斑节对虾溶菌酶基因片段长 6 5 8bp ,包括溶菌酶基因开放阅读框 (ORF)4 77bp和 3′端非编码区的 181bp。 4 77bpORF共编码 15 8个氨基酸 ,包括溶菌酶成熟肽 14 0个氨基酸残基和信号肽 18个氨基酸残基。斑节对虾溶菌酶成熟肽推测分子量为 16 ,32kd ,等电点为 8 78。与南美白对虾溶菌酶基因的碱基序列及推测氨基酸序列比较 ,同源性分别为 89 5 %和 93 0 % ;与日本对虾类溶菌酶基因的同源性分别为 84 0 %和91 0 %。进一步的序列分析表明 ,斑节对虾溶菌酶氨基酸序列与多种类群生物的c 型溶菌酶氨基酸序列具有较高的同源性 ,并具有与c 型溶菌酶相同的活性位点氨基酸残基Glu51和Asp68,且与活性位点相邻的序列高度保守。斑节对虾溶菌酶氨基酸序列还具有与c 型溶菌酶相同的结构氨基酸——— 8个半胱氨酸残基。因而可认为所克隆的斑节对虾溶菌酶基因属c 型溶菌酶基因。     

牛催乳素基因组及其cDNA全长序列的分子克隆和分析

通过LongPCR等技术首次克隆得到全长9388bp的牛催乳素（bPRL)基因组序列（GenBank登录号AF426315）,其中包括bPRL基因全部5个外显子和4个内含子,5′端854bp的上游调控区以及3′端69bp的UTR,AF426315基因编码的蛋白质在GenBank中的序号为AAL28075,由229个氨基酸残基组成,1-30位氨基酸残基为信号肽序列,成熟的多肽含有199个氨基酸残基,将bPRL基因组DNA真核表达载体转染COS-7细胞后通过RT-PCR得到长度为804bp的bPRLcDNA序列,该序列涵盖了bPRL基因的全部ORF区,证明本研究所获得的bPRL基因组DNA具有转录的生物学功能,Blast搜索结果显示,GenBank数据库中收集有多条bPRL基因的mRNA和EST序列,各序列间存在多个SNP位点,主要分布于下游编码区和3′端的UTR,这些位点均未改变相应的氨基酸残基的性质,此外,5′端编码信号肽序列的区域呈现高度保守性。     

Firefly luciferase genes from the subfamilies Psilocladinae and Ototretinae (Lampyridae, Coleoptera)

Firefly luciferase genes have been isolated from approximately 20 species of Lampyrinae, Luciolinae, and Photurinae. These are mostly nocturnal luminescent species that use light signals for sexual communication. In this study, we isolated three cDNAs for firefly luciferase from Psilocladinae (Cyphonocerus ruficollis) and Ototretinae (Drilaster axillaris and Stenocladius azumai), which are diurnal non-luminescent or weakly luminescent species that may use pheromones for communication. The amino acid sequences deduced from the three cDNAs showed 81-89% identities to each other and 60-81% identities with known firefly luciferases. The three purified recombinant proteins showed luminescence and fatty acyl-CoA synthetic activities, as observed in other firefly luciferases. The emission maxima by the three firefly luciferases (λmax, 545-546 nm) were shorter than those by known luciferases from the nocturnal fireflies (λmax, 550-568 nm). These results suggest that the primary structures and enzymatic properties of luciferases are conserved in Lampyridae, but the luminescence colors were red-shifted in nocturnal species compared to diurnal species.     

Orthologous gene of beetle luciferase in non-luminous click beetle, Agrypnus binodulus (Elateridae), encodes a fatty acyl-CoA synthetase

A homologous gene of beetle luciferase, AbLL (Agrypnus binodulusluciferase-like gene) was isolated from a Japanese non-luminous click beetle, A. binodulus, and its gene product was characterized. The identity of amino acid sequence deduced from AbLL with the click beetle luciferase from the Jamaican luminous click beetle, Pyrophorus plagiophthalmus, is 55%, which is higher than that between click beetle luciferase and firefly luciferase (approximately 48%). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that AbLL places in a clade of beetle luciferases, suggesting that AbLL is an orthologous gene of beetle luciferase. The gene product of AbLL (AbLL) has medium- and long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase activity, but not luciferase activity. The fatty acyl-CoA synthetic activity was slightly inhibited in the presence of beetle luciferin, suggesting that AbLL has poor affinity for beetle luciferin. By comparing the amino acid residues of the catalytic domains in beetle luciferases with AbLL, the key substitutions for the luminescence activity in beetle luciferase will be proposed.     

Cloning and characterization of the cDNA for the Brazilian Cratomorphus distinctus larval firefly luciferase: similarities with European Lampyris noctiluca and Asiatic Pyrocoelia luciferases

Studies on firefly (Lampyridae) luciferases have focused on nearctic species of Photinus and Photuris and Euroasiatic species of Lampyris, Luciola, Hotaria, and Pyrocoelia. Despite accounting for the greatest diversity of fireflies in the world, no molecular studies have been carried out on the highly diverse genera from the neotropical region. Here we report the luciferase cDNA cloning for the larva of the Brazilian firefly Cratomorphus distinctus. The cDNA has 1978 bp and codes for a 547-residue-long polypeptide. Noteworthy, sequence comparison as well as functional properties show the highest degree of similarity with Lampyris noctiluca (93%) and Pyrocoelia spp. (91%) luciferases, suggesting a close phylogenetic relationship despite the geographical distance separating these species. The bioluminescence emission spectrum peaks at 550 nm and, as expected, is sensitive to pH, shifting to 605 nm at pH 6. The kinetic properties of the recombinant luciferase were similar to those of other firefly luciferases.     

The nucleotide sequence of the luxA and luxB genes of Xenorhabdus luminescens HM and a comparison of the amino acid sequences of luciferases from four species of bioluminescent bacteria

The luxA and luxB genes of bioluminescent bacteria encode the alpha and beta subunits of luciferase, respectively. Sequences of the luxA and luxB genes of Xenorhabdus luminescens, the only terrestrial bioluminescent bacterium known, were determined and the amino acid sequence of luciferase deduced. The alpha subunit was found to contain 360 amino acids and has a calculated molecular weight of 41,005 Da, while the beta subunit contains 327 amino acids and has a calculated molecular weight of 37,684 Da. Alignment of this luciferase with the luciferases of three marine bacteria showed 196 (or 55%) conserved residues in the alpha subunit and 114 (or 35%) conserved residues in the beta subunit. The highest degree of homology between any two species was between the luciferases of X. luminescens and Vibrio harveyi with 84% identity in the alpha subunits and 59% identity in the beta subunits.     

cDNA cloning, expression and homology modeling of a luciferase from the firefly Lampyroidea maculata

The cDNA of a firefly luciferase from lantern mRNA of Lampyroidea maculata has been cloned, sequenced and functionally expressed. The cDNA has an open reading frame of 1647 bp and codes for a 548-residue-long polypeptide. Noteworthy, sequence comparison as well as homology modeling showed the highest degree of similarity with H. unmunsana and L. mingrelica luciferases, suggesting a close phylogenetic relationship despite the geographical distance separation. The deduced amino acid sequence of the luciferase gene of firefly L. maculata showed 93% identity to H. unmunsana. Superposition of the three-dimensional model of L. maculata luciferase (generated by homology modeling) and three dimensional structure of Photinus pyralis luciferase revealed that the spatial arrangements of Luciferin and ATP-binding residues are very similar. Putative signature of AMPbinding domain among the various firefly species and Lampyroidea maculata was compared and a striking similarity was found. Different motifs and sites have been identified in Lampyroidea maculata by sequence analysis. Expression and purification of luciferase from Lampyroidea maculata was carried out using Ni-NTA Sepharose. Bioluminescence emission spectrum was similar to Photinus pyralis luciferase.     

Cloning, sequence analysis, and expression of active Phrixothrix railroad-worms luciferases: relationship between bioluminescence spectra and primary structures.

Phrixothrix railroad-worms emit yellow-green light through 11 pairs of lateral lanterns along the body and red light through two cephalic lanterns. The cDNAs for the lateral lanterns luciferase of Phrixothrix vivianii, which emit green light (lambda max= 542 nm), and for the head lanterns of P. hirtus, which emit the most red-shifted bioluminescence (lambda max= 628 nm) among luminescent beetles, were cloned. Positive clones which emitted green (PvGR: lambda max= 549 nm) and red (PhRE: lambda max= 622 nm) bioluminescence were isolated. The lucifereases coded by PvGR (545 amino acid residues) and PhRE (546 amino acid residues) cDNAs share 71% identity. PvGR and PhRE luciferases showed 50-55% and 46-49% identity with firefly luciferases, respectively, and 47-49% with click-beetle luciferases. PhRE luciferase has some unique residues which replace invariant residues in other beetle luciferases. The additional residue Arg 352 in PhRE, which is deleted in PvGR polypeptide, seems to be another important structural feature associated with red light production. As in the case of other railroad-worms and click-beetle luciferases studied, Phrixothrix luciferases do not undergo the typical red shift suffered by firefly luciferases upon decreasing pH, a property which might be related to the many amino acid residues shared in common between railroad-worm and click-beetle luciferase.