柑橘果糖激酶基因的克隆及表达

植物果糖激酶(FRK)在果糖磷酸化中起重要作用.通过PCR技术从温州蜜柑(Citrus unshiu Marc.)基因组中扩增得到编码果糖激酶基因的2个基因组DNA片段,分别命名为Cufrk1、Cufrk2,利用RT-PCR从果实中分离到了与Cufrk1外显子序列一致的cDNA序列,并通过RACE技术分离到这个基因的全长cDNA序列,命名为CuFRK1(GenBank号:AY561840).Cufrk1与Cufrk2编码氨基酸序列相似性为68%.CuFRK1 cDNA全长为1 459 bp,5'端和3'端的非翻译区分别为167 bp和239 bp,该序列含有一个完整的开放读码框,编码350个氨基酸,蛋白质分子量约为37.5 kD,等电点为5.03,含有2个果糖激酶糖特异结合域及3个ATP结合域,其氨基酸序列与其他植物中已分离的果糖激酶基因相似性在62%～78%.Northern分析显示,CuFRK1(Cufrk1)与Cufrk2在柑橘幼叶、发育初期果实中表达量较高,在果皮和茎中不表达,在花瓣及成熟果实中表达模式有一定差异.酶活性分析表明,果实中的果糖激酶活性随果实的发育而降低,同时,果实中的果糖不断积累,在果实整个发育过程中果糖含量与果糖激酶活性呈极显著负相关.     

枸杞果糖激酶基因LbFRK7的克隆及表达分析

该研究以‘宁杞1号’枸杞果实为材料,基于转录组测序TR28373|c0_g1序列,利用RT-PCR技术,克隆出枸杞果糖激酶基因LbFRK7的全长序列为1 060bp,其中,ORF开放阅读框为1 044bp,编码有348个氨基酸,蛋白质分子量为37.44kD,理论等电点5.05;LbFRK7编码的氨基酸序列包含有pfkB碳水化合物激酶家族高度保守的3个特异性区域,2个底物识别位点,4个ATP结合位点;LbFRK7与烟草和辣椒的FRP7基因序列相似性较高,达到90%;利用实时荧光定量技术分析发现,不同组织中LbFRK7基因均有表达,且果实中的表达量最高,根中最低;随着果实的发育,果实中LbFRK7基因的表达量呈先升后降的变化趋势,并于开花后15d达到最高。在果实发育前期,LbFRK7基因的表达量与果糖含量的变化趋势相同,但在果实发育中期和后期,LbFRK7基因的表达量与果糖含量的变化趋势相反。相关分析结果显示,LbFRK7表达量与果糖和蔗糖含量的相关系数分别为-0.326和-0.339,但均未达到显著水平。研究表明,LbFRK7基因在枸杞果实发育过程中对果糖转化起到一定作用,特别是在果实成熟过程中对果糖含量的升高具有重要的作用。该研究结果为进一步探讨枸杞LbFRK7的功能及果糖代谢奠定了基础。     

海巴戟果实发育过程中果糖、果糖激酶及其基因的变化

为揭示海巴戟果实风味形成机制,对果实发育过程的果糖激酶(FRK)活性及其基因的表达模式进行了研究.结果表明,海巴戟果实中的果糖、蔗糖、葡萄糖含量随发育不断积累,均在果实完全成熟时达到最高值,而果糖激酶活性随果实发育不断下降.从果实中克隆了果糖激酶基因TRINITY_DN17192_c0_g1,命名为McFRK2,Gen...     

温州蜜柑果实发育期间果糖激酶与糖积累的关系

研究了温州蜜柑果实发育进程中糖含量变化与果糖激酶活性变化的关系及增施氮肥对果实果糖激酶活性和基因表达的影响.结果表明,随着果实的发育,可食组织果糖激酶活性逐渐降低,糖含量不断增加,果皮中蔗糖和葡萄糖含量在成熟期略有下降,果糖激酶活性略有升高.果实膨大期后增施氮肥的果实在成熟期可食组织及果皮中蔗糖和果糖所占比例均有所下降,葡萄糖比例升高,以单位蛋白质表示的果糖激酶活性也明显高于对照果实.Northern分析表明,增施氮肥能促进发育后期果实可食组织中Cufrkl基因的表达,但对Cufrk2的表达无明显作用.     

柿果实多聚半乳糖醛酸酶基因克隆与序列分析

以'富平尖柿'(Diospyros kaki L.cv.Fuping Jianshi)为材料,采用RACE方法,首次获得了柿果实多聚半乳糖醛酶(PG)基因的3个全长cDNA(登录号为EU816197、EU816198、EU816199),分别命名为DKPG1、DKPG2、DKPG3.DKPG1全长1 616 bp,DKPG2全长1 654 bp,DKPG3全长1 545 bp.3个基因均含有一个1 326 bp的开放阅读框,共编码441个氨基酸.通过Blast比对发现该基因核苷酸序列与其他植物已报道的PG基因具有74%～78%的相似性;其氨基酸序列与其他植物的相似性为60%～73%.对GenBank同源性搜索获得的其他植物PG基因氨基酸序列进行系统进化分析,发现其与葡萄、猕猴桃、桃的亲缘关系近,与大豆亲缘关系较远.     

紫花苜蓿果糖-1,6-二磷酸醛缩酶基因全长克隆及分析

根据已知的与盐胁迫相关的EST序列,采用SMART RACE方法克隆了紫花苜蓿果糖-1,6-二磷酸醛缩酶(ALD)全长cDNA,命名为MsALD(GenBank accession No.FJ896113).序列分析结果表明,该cDNA全长1 487 bp,包含一个1 194 bp的最大开放阅读框,编码398个氨基酸.经同源比对和进化树分析,MsALD基因编码的氨基酸与红三叶草、马铃薯、烟草等的果糖-1,6-二磷酸醛缩酶(ALD)氨基酸序列一致性高达90%以上,确定其属于第Ⅰ类果糖-1,6-二磷酸醛缩酶.半定量RT-PCR分析表明,MsALD基因可能与紫花苜蓿抗盐机理相关.     

烟草乙烯受体类似物NTHK2全长基因的克隆及其激酶结构域生化特性

应用5＇-RACE方法克隆到烟草NTHK2的全长cDNA.其全长cDNA共有3 216bp,其中5'非编码区为509bp,3＇非编码区为427bp,编码区为2 280bp,编码产物为760个氨基酸.NTHK2氨基酸序列与植物中的许多杂合型的两组分乙烯受体基因有较高的同源性,具有推测的组氨酸激酶结构域和接受域;但是,在激酶结构域中没有保守的组氨酸,而是被一个天冬氨酸残基所替代.为了研究其生化特性,在酵母中以融合蛋白的形式表达了激酶结构域.体外激酶分析表明,当有Mg2+存在的情况下NTHK2能够自我磷酸化.进一步的研究应阐明NTHK2在植物体内是否能够作为乙烯受体,参与乙烯的信号传导过程.     

玉米果糖-6-磷酸,2-激酶/果糖-2,6-二磷酸酶基因的全长cDNA克隆及表达

以来自“掖单4号”的玉米果糖-6-磷酸,2-激酶/果糖-2,6-二磷酸酶（F2KP）基因cDNA片段（AF007582）为基础,运用RT-PCR和RACE技术,从“紫玉糯1号”中获得了1个2469bp的玉米F2KP基因cDNA克隆,命名为mF2KP,GenBank登录号为AF334143。该cDNA包含1个2226bp的开放阅读框,编码741个氨基酸。序列分析表明,两个玉米品种的F2KP基因存在一定差异,mF2KP基因的3′端非编码区比AF007582序列短38bp;在mF2KP的1592、1593和1605位置上,分别比AF007582序列多出1个碱基,导致阅读框在一个小范围内发生了移位,North-ern杂交表明,不同玉米组织中mF2KP的表达差异明显。在茎中mF2KP的表达水平比叶片,苞叶以及雄花序中的表达水平低,但比未成熟种子中的表达水平高,在未成熟种子中,仅能检测到很弱的mF2KP基因表达。     

棉花咖啡酰辅酶A-O-甲基转移酶基因的克隆及表达

根据棉花纤维特异表达cDNA文库分析得到的咖啡酰辅酶A-O-甲基转移酶(CCoAOMT)基因EST序列设计引物,采用RT-PCR技术首次从棉花中克隆了一个CCoAOMT基因,命名为GhCCoAOMT1(GenBank登录号为FJ848871).研究结果表明:GhCCoAOMT1基因cDNA全长960 bp,具有一个753 bp的开放阅读框,5'非编码区为9 bp,3'非编码区为198 bp,编码250个氨基酸,预测分子量约为28.306 kDa,等电点为5.39.利用PCR方法克隆了GhCCoAOMT1基因的基因组序列,长度为1 311 bp,包含5个外显子和4个内含子.氨基酸同源性分析发现,GhCCoAOMT1与来自毛白杨、烟草和苎麻的CCoAOMT同源性较高.半定量RT-PCR检测表明,GhCCoAOMT1基因在棉花各个组织中都有表达,其中茎部的表达量最高,其次表达量依次为根>花瓣>子叶>10 d纤维>雄蕊>胚珠>叶.     

草莓β-半乳糖苷酶基因FaTβgal的克隆与表达分析

利用SSH和RACE技术,从‘丰香’草莓果实中分离了1个草莓β-半乳糖苷酶(β-Gal)基因,命名为FaTβgal。FaTβgal基因cDNA序列全长2 891bp,ORF区2 448bp,编码815个氨基酸,含有保守序列GGPIILSQIENEY和凝集素结构域。FaTβgal推导氨基酸序列与已报道的3个草莓β-Gal基因Faβgal1(CAC44500)、Faβgal2(CAC44501)、Faβgal3(CAC44502)氨基酸序列有47.1%~48.1%的相似性。与其它物种24个β-Gal基因聚类分析表明,FaTβgal聚在一个独立的分枝上。采用实时荧光定量PCR技术,对FaTβgal基因在果实发育成熟过程中的表达分析表明,该基因在果实中特异表达,随着果实成熟表达量升高,粉红期达到峰值,全红期迅速下降;2个软硬不同的品种表达模式趋于一致。研究认为,FaTβgal基因是β-Gal基因家族的一个新基因,该基因可能在果实成熟软化过程中发挥作用。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.