植物来源抗虫基因的应用

作为植物抗虫基因工程研究中的重要组成部分,植物来源的抗虫物质及其在基因工程中的应用日益受到人们的重视。本文就植物来源的蛋白酶抑制剂、凝集素、淀粉酶抑制剂等抗虫物质的定义、分类、作用机理,及其在植物抗虫基因工程中的应用进行了论述,并对面临的问题及应用前景提出了个人的看法。     

蛋白酶抑制剂在抗虫基因工程中的应用

简要介绍了蛋白酶抑制剂的种类及其在抗虫基因工程中的应用,并根据当前的研究情况,对蛋白酶抑制剂的研究前景和方向做了一些探讨。     

植物蛋白酶抑制剂及其在抗虫植物基因工程中的应用

植物蛋白酶抑制剂（proteinase inhibitors,PI)能与昆虫蛋白酶的活性部位或变构部位结合,抑制酶的催化活性,导致昆虫发育不正常甚至死亡。蛋白酶抑制剂基因是抗虫基因工程中一类重要的目的基因,具有作用位点独特,抗虫谱广等独持优点。本文从蛋白酶抑制剂的分类,作用机制,转基因研究及其应用前景等方面进行了综述。     

转抗虫基因植物对蜜蜂的影响

苏云金杆菌 (Bacillusthuringiensis,Bt)毒蛋白基因、蛋白酶抑制剂基因是广泛用于植物抗虫基因工程的两大类基因。Bt毒蛋白对蜜蜂没有明显毒害作用 ,但对草蛉、瓢虫等有益昆虫的繁殖、发育具有不良影响 ,而且在花粉中表达 ,因此转Bt基因植物对蜜蜂的影响有待于进一步研究。蛋白酶抑制剂浓度高时 ,对蜜蜂具有明显的毒害作用。随着基因工程技术的发展 ,蛋白酶抑制剂基因表达水平的提高 ,转基因植物必将对蜜蜂产生一些不良影响。蜜蜂仅取食植物的花蜜和花粉 ,可以采用不同的启动子 ,使抗虫基因只在害虫取食部位表达 ,而在花蜜和花粉中不表达 ,以确保既能抗虫 ,又对蜜蜂安全     

抗虫转基因植物的研究进展及前景

虫害对农业生产的危害日益严重。目前对害虫的防治主要依赖于化学药物,但化学药物的副作用不容忽视。利用植物基因工程获得抗虫转基因植物是更具前景的途径。目前主要利用的抗虫基因是苏云金杆菌的δ－内毒素基因和植物来源的抗虫基因（如蛋白酶抑制剂基因、淀粉酶抑制剂基因、凝集素基因等）,各种抗虫基因在转基因应用中各有其优缺点,如苏云金杆菌δ－内毒素基因是植物中表达水平低。随着抗虫转基因植物在大田中的应用,昆虫的抗     

植物蛋白酶抑制剂在植物抗虫与抗病中的作用

综述了植物蛋白酶抑制剂抗虫与抗病作用的研究进展.蛋白酶抑制剂广泛存在于植物体内,与植物抗虫抗病密切相关.植物蛋白酶抑制剂能抑制昆虫肠道蛋白酶,使昆虫生长发育缓慢,甚至死亡.但取食蛋白酶抑制剂后,昆虫能迅速分泌对抑制剂不敏感的蛋白酶,而使蛋白酶抑制剂无效.食物蛋白的含量和质量也影响植物蛋白酶抑制剂的抗虫效果.病原菌的感染能诱导植物产生蛋白酶抑制剂,诱导产生的蛋白酶抑制剂能抑制病原菌的生长.     

抗虫转基因植物的研究进展及前景

虫害对农业生产的危害日益严重。目前对害虫的防治主要依赖于化学药物,但化学药物的副作用不容忽视。利用植物基因工程获得抗虫转基因植物是更具前景的途径。目前主要利用的抗虫基因是苏云金杆菌的δ－内毒素基因和植物来源的抗虫基因（如蛋白酶抑制剂基因、淀粉酶抑制剂基因、凝集素基因等）,各种抗虫基因在转基因应用中各有其优缺点,如苏云金杆菌δ－内毒素基因在植物中表达水平低。随着抗虫转基因植物在大田中的应用,昆虫的抗性或适应性问题也随之产生,这将是转基因植物发展道路上又一挑战。     

植物蛋白酶抑制因子及其在植物抗虫基因工程中的应用

本文综述了植物蛋白酶抑制因子的种类和基因结构、伤诱导蛋白酶抑制因子基因的诱导和调控机理,以及植物蛋白酶抑制因子基因在植物抗虫基因工程中的应用等方面的研究进展。     

转基因抗虫烟草研究进展

烟草为模式植物,也是外源杀虫基因最早转化成功的植物。文章从转Bt内毒素基因,植物凝集素GNA,Plec,AHA基因,蛋白酶抑制剂PIⅠ,PIⅡ,MTI,SKTI基因,昆虫特异性神经毒素基因,几丁质酶基因,畸形细胞分泌蛋白基因以及双抗虫基因等方面综述了转基因抗虫烟草的抗虫性、转基因抗虫烟草的经济性状等,展望了转基因抗虫烟草的研究和应用前景,以期对烟草害虫的治理尤其是对其他转基因抗虫作物的培育和研究有借鉴作用。     

抗虫转基因马铃薯研究进展

马铃薯在整个生育期都易遭受虫害,从而导致马铃薯绝产或减产,同时,受到害虫危害的马铃薯品质也受到严重影响。当前马铃薯抗虫转基因的研究与应用是解决虫害的有效手段之一。总结了苏云金芽孢杆菌晶体蛋白基因、蛋白酶抑制剂基因、植物凝集素基因及RNAi的抗虫机制在马铃薯中的应用及其转基因植物研究中取得的进展,为马铃薯抗虫转基因研究和品种培育提供方法和对策。     

Molecular Cloning and Sequence Analysis of a Gene Encoding Rice Proteinase Inhibitor

With the primers designed basing on the terminal amino acid sequences of rice proteinase inhibitors and the preferred codons of rice genes, a new gene coding for a rice proteinase inhibitor has been amplified and cloned from Oryza sativa var. japonica (cv. Zhonghua 8) using PCR technique. The gene contains 408 basepairs and encodes 133 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence with duplicated Bowman-Birk type structure and active sites specific to trypsin has relatively high homology with that of proteinase inhibitors from wheats, beans etc. As for rice, the new gene shares 74.8% homology with a rice bran trypsin inhibitor reported previously. The evolutionary characteristics of the proteinase inhibitor family has also been discussed.     

一种水稻蛋白酶抑制剂基因的克隆及其结构分析

参照水稻蛋白酶抑制剂部分氨基酸序列 ,利用水稻偏爱密码子设计引物 ,经 PCR扩增 ,从我国水稻 (Oryza sativa)品种“中花 8号”中克隆到一个长 40 8bp的基因。序列测定和分析表明 ,克隆到的是一个未见报道的新的水稻蛋白酶抑制剂基因 ,该基因编码了一个由 1 33个氨基酸组成 ,具有重复双功能结构域和以抑制胰蛋白酶为主的活性中心的包曼 -伯克 (Bowman- Birk)型蛋白酶抑制剂 ,该基因推导的氨基酸序列与大麦、小麦、豆类等的某些蛋白酶抑制剂的氨基酸序列具有较高的同源性 ,与该家族的水稻的一种胰蛋白酶抑制剂氨基酸全序列同源性高达 75%。     

Molecular cloning of a cysteine proteinase cDNA from the cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) causes severe cotton crop losses in North and South America. This report describes the presence of cysteine proteinase activity in the cotton boll weevil. Cysteine proteinase inhibitors from different sources were assayed against total A. grandis proteinases but, unexpectedly, no inhibitor tested was particularly effective. In order to screen for active inhibitors against the boll weevil, a cysteine proteinase cDNA (Agcys1) was isolated from A. grandis larvae using degenerate primers and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques. Sequence analysis showed significant homologies with other insect cysteine proteinases. Northern blot analysis indicated that the mRNA encoding the proteinase was transcribed mainly in the gut of larvae. No mRNA was detected in neonatal larvae, pupae, or in the gut of the adult insect, suggesting that Agcys1 is an important cysteine proteinase for larvae digestion. The isolated gene will facilitate the search for highly active inhibitors towards boll weevil larvae that may provide a new opportunity to control this important insect pest.     

Engineered resistance against proteinases

Exogenous proteinase inhibitors are valuable and economically interesting protective biotechnological tools. We examined whether small proteinase inhibitors when fused to a selected target protein can protect the target from proteolytic degradation without simultaneously affecting the function and activity of the target domain. Two proteinase inhibitors were studied: a Kazal-type silk proteinase inhibitor (SPI2) from Galleria mellonella, and the Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor I (CMTI I). Both inhibitors target serine proteinases, are small proteins with a compact structure stabilized by a network of disulfide bridges, and are expressed as free polypeptides in their natural surroundings. Four constructs were prepared: the gene for either of the inhibitors was ligated to the 5' end of the DNA encoding one or the other of two selected target proteins, the coat protein (CP) of Potato potyvirus Y or the Escherichia coli beta-glucuronidase (GUS). CMTI I fused to the target proteins strongly hampered their functions. Moreover, the inhibitory activity of CMTI I was retained only when it was fused to the CP. In contrast, when fused to SPI2, specific features and functions of both target proteins were retained and the inhibitory activity of SPI2 was fully preserved. Measuring proteolysis in the presence or absence of either inhibitor, we demonstrated that proteinase inhibitors can protect target proteins used either free or as a fusion domain. Interestingly, their inhibitory efficiency was superior to that of a commercial inhibitor of serine proteinases, AEBSF.     

Serine proteinase inhibitors from nematodes and the arms race between host and pathogen

Serine proteinase inhibitors are encoded by a large gene family of long evolutionary standing. Recent discoveries of parasite proteins that inhibit human serine proteinases, together with the complete genomic sequence from Caenorhabditis elegans, have provided a set of new serine proteinase inhibitors from more primitive metazoan animals such as nematodes. The structural features (e.g. reactive centre residues), gene organization (including intron arrangements) and inhibitory function and targets (e.g. inflammatory and coagulation pathway proteinase) all contribute important new insights into proteinase inhibitor evolution. Some parasite products have evolved that block enzymes in the mammalian host, but the human host responds with a significant immune response to the parasite inhibitors. Thus, infection produces a finely balanced conflict between host and pathogen at the molecular level, and this might have accelerated the evolution of these proteins in parasitic species as well as their hosts.     

Predicting functional residues of the Solanum lycopersicum aspartic protease inhibitor (SLAPI) by combining sequence and structural analysis with molecular docking

The Solanum lycopersicum aspartic protease inhibitor (SLAPI), which belongs to the STI-Kunitz family, is an effective inhibitor of the aspartic proteases human cathepsin D and Saccharomyces proteinase A. However, in contrast with the large number of studies on the inhibition mechanism of the serine proteases by the STI-Kunitz inhibitors, the structural aspects of the inhibition mechanism of aspartic proteases from this family of inhibitors are poorly understood. In the present study, we have combined sequence and structural analysis methods with protein-protein docking to gain a better understanding of the SLAPI inhibition mechanism of the proteinase A. The results suggest that: i) SLAPI loop L9 may be involved in the inhibitor interaction with the proteinase A′s active site, and ii) the residues I144, V148, L149, P151, F152 and R154 are implicated in the difference in the potency shown previously by SLAPI and another STI-Kunitz inhibitor isolated from Solanum tuberosum to inhibit proteinase A. These results will be useful in the design of site directed mutagenesis experiments to understand more thoroughly the aspartic protease inhibition mechanism of SLAPI and other related STI-Kunitz inhibitors.