mRNA选择性剪接的分子机制

真核细胞mRNA前体经过剪接成为成熟的mRNA,而mRNA前体的选择性剪接极大地增加了蛋白质的多样性和基因表达的复杂程度,剪接位点的识别可以以跨越内含子的机制(内含子限定)或跨越外显子的机制(外显子限定)进行。选择性剪接有多种剪接形式：选择不同的剪接位点,选择不同的剪接末端,外显子的不同组合及内含子的剪接与否等。选择性剪接过程受到许多顺式元件和反式因子的调控,并与基本剪接过程紧密联系,剪接体中的一些剪接因子也参与了对选择性剪接的调控。选择性剪接也是1个伴随转录发生的过程,不同的启动子可调控产生不同的剪接产物。mRNA的选择性剪接机制多种多样,已发现RNA编辑和反式剪接也可参与选择性剪接过程。     

RHD mRNA替代剪接区域研究

目的2007年国内报道一例弱D型个体存在第4—9外显子选择性剪接的转录子,我们探讨正常Rh（D）阳性个体的RHD基因mRNA的选择性剪接区域。方法随机选择3名Rh（D）阳性个体,从新鲜全血中提取总RNA,通过特异性引物,采用“一步法”逆转录-PCR（1iT—PCR）,扩增RHDmRNA第1～7外显子区域,以及第6-10外显子区域,然后cDNA琼脂糖凝胶电泳和成像分析。结果未发现第1～7外显子区域存在mRNA的选择性剪接条带,仅存在由特异性引物所扩增的第1—7外显子全长的序列条带;而第6～10外显子区域观察到5种替代剪切条带,序列分析显示分别为无缺失片段,以及完整缺失第7、第9、第7和9、第7—9外显子5种RHD转录子。结论正常Rh（D）抗原阳性个体的RHD基因mRNA的选择性剪接仅存在于第7～9外显子区域。     

真核生物mRNA二级结构与内含子剪接

对68个外显子-内含子-外显子序列片段以及相应的外显子-外显子序列片段的二级结构进行分析后发现,内含子5′端和3′端的碱基G(剪接位点)中大约90％位于二级结构的环区或是茎区的端部并靠近环,而且位于环区的G也多靠近环的基部;92％的外显子拼接位点也有类似性质. 约82％的分枝点A位于环区或环与茎的连接部位. 折叠结构的形成使剪接位点和分枝点在空间上彼此靠近.     

kitl非编码区突变导致RNA剪切异常的小鼠

本文主要采用RT-RCR技术从kitl1-bao纯合子和正常C57BL/6(B6)小鼠总RNA中扩增出kitl基因片段,测序后与GenBank(登录号:NM.013598)序列比对,找到mRNA上突变部位。PCR扩增kitl基因组DNA上对应部位进一步测序验证。结果发现kitl1-bao突变纯合子kitl基因mRNA缺少第8号外显子。在基因组DNA上kitl基因第8号内含子第2个碱基由T转换为C,是引起mRNA剪接错误的原因     

鲫鱼生长激素Ⅰ基因内含子2的多态性分析

利用变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(Denaturing-Polyacrylamid Gel Electrophoresis,DPAGE)和单链构象多态性(Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism,SSCP)分析技术,在普通鲫鱼种群(7个野生鲫鱼群体和2个金鱼群体)和银鲫种群(1个方正银鲫群体)共162个个体生长激素Ⅰ(Growth HormoneⅠ,GHⅠ)基因的内含子2中检测到丰富的长度和序列多态性。在所有群体中,GHⅠ基因内含子2的长度存在7种类型,分别为A、B、c、D、E、F和G型,变异频率为4．32％;其序列存在15种单倍型,分别为Al、A2、A3、B、c1、C2、Dl、D2、D3、D4、D5、E1、E2、F和G型,变异频率为9．26%。对这15种单倍型的DNA序列进行分析,结果表明：1)鲫鱼GHⅠ基因内含子2的扩增DNA片段长为243～263bp,其中包括部分外显子2(3’端,33bp)、内含子2和部分外显子3(5’端,2lbp)。15种单倍型A、T、G、C碱基平均百分比组成分别为34．13％、37．36％、15．130A,、13．38％,其中G C(28．5l％)含量明显小于A T(71．49%)含量。内含子2与外显子2、3的接头区存在GT-AG保守序列,此为真核基因中mRNA剪接的识别信号。内含子2的5’端存在有一序列为GTAAGAT的保守区域,在其近3’端分布有一高丰度嘧啶区;2)内含子2的7种长度类型A、B、C、D、E、F和G型分别为189、196、204、205、206、207和209bp,其差异主要由单碱基T重复次数N不同(Ⅳ：0、8、9、10、11和13)和3种序列(TGAAAAC、TT和GAGTG)中1种或2种序列的缺失所引起;3)内含子2的15种单倍型的核苷酸序列中共有17个突变位点,包括2个碱基颠换突变位点和15个碱基转换突变位点,碱基转换突变频率为88．24％,明显高于颠换突变频率(11．76％)。普通鲫鱼种群中金鱼群体D11b、Dhr的GHⅠ基因内含子2均为长度类型A,含有两种序列单倍型(以下简称单倍型)即A1和A2;野生鲫鱼群体的内含子长度和序列变异较大,检测到A、B、C、D、E、F、G7种长度类型和14种单倍型(A1、A2、A3、B、C1、C2、D1、D2、D3、D4、E1、E2、F和G型)。在银鲫种群CaG中检测到c和D两种长度类型和4种序列单倍型(C1、C2、D2和D5),其中D5仅在此种群中检测到。     

水稻NBS-LRR基因选择性剪接的全基因组检测及分析

选择性剪接是促进基因组复杂性和蛋白质组多样性的一种主要机制,但是对水稻NBS-LRR序列选择性剪接的全基因组分析却未见报道。通过隐马尔柯夫模型搜索,从TIGR数据库里得到了855条编码NBS-LRR基序的序列。利用这些序列在KOME、TIGR基因索引及UniProt三个数据库中进行同源搜索,获得同源的完整cDNA序列、假设一致性序列和蛋白质序列。再利用Spidey和SIM4程序把完整cDNA序列和假设一致性序列联配到相应的BAC序列上来预测选择性剪接。蛋白质序列和基因组序列之间的联配使用tBLASTn。在这875个NBS-LRR基因中,119个基因具有选择性剪接现象,其中包括71内含子保留,20个外显子跳跃,25个选择性起始,16个选择性终止,12个5′端的选择性剪接和16个3′端选择性剪接。大多数选择性剪接都为两个和多个转录本所支持。可以通过访问http://www.bioinfor.org查询这些数据。进而通过生物信息学分析剪接边界发现外显子跳跃和内含子保留的‘GT…AG’的规则不如组成型的保守。这暗示了它们是通过不同的调控机制来指导剪接变构体的形成。通过分析内含子保留对蛋白质的影响,发现选择性剪接的蛋白更倾向于改变其C端氨基酸序列。最后对选择性剪接的组织分布和蛋白质定位进行分析,结果表明选择性剪接的最大类的组织分布是根和愈伤组织。超过1/3剪接变构体的蛋白质定位是质膜和细胞质。这些选择性剪接蛋白可能在抗病信号转导中起到重要作用。     

RNA在RNA剪接中的功能：从催化到调控

对非编码RNA功能的认识是后基因组时代的一个研究焦点,本文主要介绍非编码RNA在RNA剪接中的催化和调控功能。在RNA加工过程中,三大类内含子的剪接都是由RNA成员主导。其中Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型内含子能催化自身的切除和外显子连接反应;而核mRNA内含子的剪接则由剪接体里的小核RNA主导。Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型内含子存在于细菌、低等真核细胞和植物的细胞器内;而真核细胞的核编码蛋白质基因内全部是核mRNA内含子,并且其数目随生物体的复杂性而显著升高。一个多内含子前体mRNA通过选择性剪接产生多种,甚至上万种不同的mRNA和蛋白质,对蛋白质组的复杂度和时空表达调控至关重要。选择性剪接调控由剪接调控蛋白特异识别和结合前体mRNA里所富含的顺式RNA调控元件完成的;系统认识这两者之间的对应关系是揭示基因组表达调控网络的一把钥匙。     

蛋白质内含子的研究进展

自1990年发现第一个蛋白质内含子以来,对其研究愈加引起注意。蛋白质内含子是蛋白质剪接元件,可从前体蛋白中切除并将两侧外显子连接起来成为成熟蛋白质,标准的蛋白质剪接主要包括四步亲核置换反应,新近又发现一种反式剪接机制。蛋白质内含子的演化形成存在先天遗传和后天插入两种方式,但目前还没有直接的实验证据。数据库显示,蛋白质内含子有10个保守模体：A、N2、B、N4、C、D、E、H、F和G,它们在蛋白质剪接过程中具有不同的作用。作为蛋白质剪切元件的蛋白质内含子,是蛋白质工程中一个功能强大的工具,具有重要的实践意义。现对蛋白质内含子的命名、分布、结构、剪接方式以及应用前景等作一全面的综述。     

小鼠SmX5基因mRNA的选择性剪接

通过RT-PCR技术,发现小鼠SmX5基因的另外3种选择性剪接体,分别命名为SmX5a,b和c.小鼠SmX5a cDNA具有完整的内含子1,而SmX5b cDNA含有部分内含子2。SmX5c的保留片断和SmX5b在相同位置起始,但保留部分延伸经过余下的内含子2。余下的DNA序列在所有内含子-外显子边界处都符合剪接的“GT—AG”规则。RT-PCR的表达分析显示这3种异构体都是稳定的转录产物,均通过剪接体特异性引物的PCR反应在mRNA水平上得到证实。和SmX5相比较,剪接体的出现频率都很低。RT-PCR表达分析提示,XmX5和它的3种异构体存在于小鼠的脑、肾、睾丸、胸腺、肝、脾和心脏。SmX5a主要在胸腺中表达,而SmX5b和c在所有组织都可以检测到.SmX5不同选择剪接体及其组织特异的不同剪接方式的存在,表明SmX5的表达是复杂的,并且所有4种SmX5 mRNA水平的调控对于在不同细胞类型的mRNA前体的剪接机制维持具有重要作用。     

鉴定9个新的RHD基因mRNA可变剪接体

为了研究各种RHD基因mRNA可变剪接体的基因结构, 应用逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)检测正常人脐血样本RHD mRNA, 对RHD cDNA进行TA克隆和序列分析, 对各可变剪接体的剪接位点进行DNA序列分析, 并将RHD mRNA进行表达序列标签(ESTs)分析。结果在28个阳性克隆中, 除全长RHD cDNA外, 共检测到12种(包括9种新的)RHD可变剪接体, 发现外显子遗漏、5′和3′剪接位点变异3种剪接形式, 涉及外显子2~9, 其中6种新的剪接体同时存在RHD和RHCE基因同源杂交现象。ESTs分析还检索到内含子保留形式的剪接体。研究表明, RHD基因mRNA存在复杂的可变剪接机制, 除已报道的剪接体外, 检测到9种新的RHD可变剪接体, 并发现了可变剪接和同源杂交并存现象。     

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.