深海放线菌生淀粉酶基因的克隆表达及酶学特性研究

从深海放线菌Streptomyces sp.SCSIO03032基因组中扩增到1条含淀粉结合域的水解糖苷13家族基因amy032,该基因编码氨基酸与已知蛋白一致性最高为67%。将amy032插入表达载体pET32a启动子下游,构建重组载体pET-amy。重组质粒导入大肠杆菌Rosseta(DE3)菌株中,SDS-PAGE分析结果显示目的基因成功实现异源表达。Ni-NTA对重组酶进行纯化,并对其酶学性质进行表征。结果表明:重组淀粉酶AMY032的最适作用温度为50℃,最适pH为8.0,以可溶性淀粉为底物时的比酶活为(276±57)U/mg,Km为0.02g/L,Vmax为70mg/(L·min)。Ca2+能提高该酶的催化活性,Ni2+、Cu2+、Zn2+和Mn2+对该酶有抑制作用。AMY032对生玉米淀粉和生大米淀粉具有水解活性,其比酶活分别为(49±12)U/mg和(39±11)U/mg;扫描电镜结果显示AMY032使生玉米淀粉的表面产生明显凹陷。     

2种不同形态不依赖Ca2+ α-淀粉酶的纯化与表征

纯化表征了枯草芽胞杆菌Bacillus subtilis CN7产生的2种不同形态的不依赖Ca2+的α-淀粉酶,对其酶解产物进行了高效液相色谱(HPLC)分析。结果表明:通过加热除杂、超滤、(NH4)2SO4沉淀和分子筛层析,一次性获得了纯化倍数提高36倍的电泳纯成熟肽形式α-淀粉酶Amy7B和提高75倍的截短体形式α-淀粉酶Amy7S;Amy7B和Amy7S的最适pH为6.5,最适温度为65℃,酶活性均不依赖于乙二胺四乙酸(EDTA)和Ca2+;酶解产物主要由葡萄糖和麦芽糖组成。Amy7B的相对分子质量为6.7×104,半衰期温度为59.6℃,比活力为(905.99±96.52)U/mg。与之相比,Amy7S的相对分子质量小约2.0×104(为4.7×104),半衰期温度高2.7℃(为62.3℃),比活力高1.05倍(达到(1 853.87±75.61)U/mg)。     

一株嗜热地衣芽孢杆菌及其产高温淀粉酶的初步研究

从云南腾冲热海热泉中分离到23株产高温淀粉酶的菌株,选取酶活最高的一株菌株进行生长特征、16S rRNA基因测序及系统进化分析表明,该菌株为嗜热的地衣芽孢杆菌(Bacillus licheniformis),并命名为B.1icheniformis Tamy6。该菌株生长范围为37～70℃,最适生长温度为55℃。对该菌所产高温淀粉酶的性质研究表明:该酶在70℃具有最高催化效率,在98℃保温30min,仍有45%的活力,其最适反应pH为5.0。通过Native-PAGE酶谱分析表明菌株Tamy6的粗酶液中含有一种类型的淀粉酶。通过TLC分析水解淀粉产物表明,其产物主要为葡萄糖、麦芽糖及3～5个葡萄糖基的寡糖,说明菌株Tamy6所产淀粉酶为高温α-淀粉酶。     

嗜热毁丝菌外切葡聚糖苷酶CBH1环状结构对酶活性及热稳定性的影响

糖苷水解酶第七家族(GH7)的外切葡聚糖苷酶(exo-1,4-β-D-glucanase),又称为纤维素生物降解酶(CBHs),在其催化中心活性通道的顶端有1个环状结构,嗜热毁丝菌(Myceliophthora thermophila)第七家族外切葡聚糖苷酶CBH1的环状结构(LS,Loop Structure)由9个氨基酸组成,即G245-Y253,但其对酶特性影响机制尚不清楚。本文构建环状结构缺失突变体CBH1-DM﹝Δ(G245-Y253)﹞以研究该结构对酶特性的影响。野生酶WT与突变酶CBH1-DM通过毕赤酵母表达并纯化,将纯化产物进行酶学性质的测定及分析。研究结果显示野生酶和突变酶的最适反应温度和最适p H值均相同,分别为50℃和5.0。CBH1-DM的比活力为2.42 U/mg,是WT(1.17 U/mg)的2.1倍。野生酶与突变酶在70℃处理1 h后,野生酶仅剩余35%的酶活力,而突变酶剩余70%的酶活力,具有较好的热稳定性。研究表明环状结构对酶的活性及热稳定性具有显著影响。     

嗜热真菌Thermomyces lanuginosus A236热稳足葡萄糖淀粉酶的纯化及其特性

嗜热真菌Thermomyces lanuginosus A2a6在液体培养基中50℃下静止培养14天,粗提酶液经硫酸铵分级沉淀、DEAE-Toyopearl离子交换层析、Butyl-Toyopearl疏水层析、Sephacryl S100凝胶过滤和FPLC Mono Q离子交换层析,得到了凝胶电泳均质的葡萄糖淀粉酶。酶促反应产物经TLC分析为葡萄糖,证明纯化的酶为葡萄糖淀粉酶(EC 3．2．1.3)。SDS-PAGE测定其分子量为72,000,不具亚基,pI为4．0,富含val和Leu。酶反应最适温度和pH分别为70℃和5．0。在pH5．0条件下,酶在60℃保温lh,仍具有原酶活性。酶活性在70℃和80℃的半衰期分别为20min和6min, Ca²⁺对酶有激活作用,Fe³⁺、Al³⁺、Hg²⁺等金属离子对酶活力有一定的抑制作用。纯酶碳水化合物含量为12．4％。纯酶可水解可溶性淀粉,直链淀粉、支链淀粉．糊精、糖原、麦芽三糖和麦芽糖,其中可溶性淀粉为最适底物。     

嗜热子囊菌JCM12803来源的双功能木聚糖/纤维素酶

纤维素和木聚糖的充分利用对于生物燃料的生产是非常重要的。文中利用PCR的方法从嗜热子囊菌Thermoascus crustaceus JCM12803中克隆到一个新颖的双功能木聚糖/纤维素酶基因Tcxyn10a,并将其在毕赤酵母Pichia pastoris GS115中实现高效异源表达。经过蛋白纯化和酶学性质研究分析,TcXyn10A的最适pH值和最适温度分别为5.0和65-70℃,能够在酸性至碱性(pH 3.0-11.0)条件下和60℃下保持稳定;对榉木木聚糖、小麦阿拉伯木聚糖、羧甲基纤维素钠和地衣多糖均有降解活性,比活分别为(1 480±26)U/mg、(2 055±28)U/mg、(7.4±0.2)U/mg和(10.9±0.4)U/mg;同源建模结构以及分子对接试验表明,双功能酶TcXyn10A只含有单一催化结构域,且木聚糖底物与纤维素底物共用一条催化通道。文中为探索双功能酶结构与其功能的关系提供了很好的素材。     

来自Yeosuana marina sp.JLT21内切型海藻酸裂解酶的异源表达及酶学表征

褐藻寡糖有着丰富的生物学功能,酶法制备功能性褐藻寡糖具有重要实践应用价值。为发掘高活性及稳定性的褐藻寡糖制备酶,对浅海热液嗜热菌Yeosuana marina sp.JLT21中的海藻酸裂解酶YMA-1的基因在大肠杆菌中进行表达、纯化及酶活鉴定。结果发现YMA-1由306个氨基酸残基构成,是多糖裂解酶家族7(PL7)新成员;重组YMA-1酶的最适催化条件是55℃,pH 9.0,比活力1.3×10⁴ U/mg,Cu²⁺可有效促进酶活;在37℃,pH 9.0条件下,该酶对海藻酸钠、聚甘露糖醛酸和聚古罗糖醛酸的比活力分别达到(5201.21±86.46)U/mg、(6399.73±253.12)U/mg和(3751.68±116.25)U/mg,酶解海藻酸钠终产物多为不饱和三糖和四糖,表现出内切双功能型海藻酸裂解酶活性。YMA-1酶作为PL7家族中较宽底物谱、高活性及稳定性的内切海藻酸裂解酶,在高效绿色生产功能性褐藻寡糖上有着潜在应用价值。     

嗜热真菌Thermomyces lanuginosus A_(236)热稳定葡萄糖淀粉酶的纯化及其特性

嗜热真菌ThermomyceslanuginosusA_236在液体培养基中50℃下静止培养14天,粗提酶液经硫酸铵分级沉淀、DEAE-Toyopearl离子交换层析、Butyl－Toyopearl疏水层析、SephacrylS100凝胶过滤和FPLCMonoQ离子交换层析,得到了凝胶电泳均质的葡萄糖淀粉酶。酶促反应产物经TLC分析为葡萄糖,证明纯化的酶为葡萄糖淀粉酶（EC3．2．1．3）。SDS－PAGE测定其分子量为72,000,不具亚基,PI为4．0,富含Val和Leu。酶反应最适温度和pH分别为70℃和5．0。在pH5．0条件下,酶在60℃保温1h,仍具有原酶活性。酶活性在70℃和80℃的半衰期分别为20min和6min。Ca2+对酶有激活作用,Fe3+、Al3+、Hg2+等金属离子对酶活力有一定的抑制作用。纯酶碳水化合物含量为12．4％。纯酶可水解可溶性淀粉、直链淀粉、支链淀粉、糊精、糖原、麦芽三糖和麦芽糖,其中可溶性淀粉为最适底物。     

酸性α-淀粉酶菌株的筛选及其发酵条件研究

自淀粉厂周边土壤分离筛选到一株高效耐酸α-淀粉酶菌株SH3,初步鉴定为酵母菌,发酵粗酶p H范围3.8-8.0,最适作用p H5.0,该酶在80℃下仍有酶活,最适作用温度50℃。经单因素发酵条件的研究与优化,最适温度37℃,培养基初始p H5.0,可溶性淀粉作碳源,蛋白胨为氮源,200 m L装液量。正交试验确定最佳产酶条件为可溶性淀粉15 g/L、蛋白胨30 g/L、37℃、p H4.5,该条件下酶活力为96.8 U/mg。     

极端嗜热α-淀粉酶ApkA的高温活性和热稳定性的优化研究

旨在获得高温活性和热稳定性提高的α-淀粉酶。通过向α-淀粉酶Apk A中引入目前已知的最稳定的α-淀粉酶PFA的Zn~(2+)结合位点,获得Zn~(2+)结合位点突变体ApkAds K152H/A166C。酶学性质分析表明,ApkAds K152H/A166C的高温活性和热稳定性明显提高,最适反应温度由90℃提高至100℃,对应的酶比活力为5 201.08 U/mg。ApkAds K152H/A166C于90℃的半衰期由5 h延长至10 h,于100℃的半衰期由7.5 min延长至80 min。重组α-淀粉酶中Zn~(2+)含量测定结果显示ApkAds K152H/A166C结合了一个Zn~(2+)。结果表明,向ApkA中引入Zn~(2+)结合位点有利于提高其高温活性和热稳定性。     

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.