铜离子稳态平衡分子机理研究进展

铜离子是生物体不可缺少的微量元素。作位酶的辅助因子,铜离子驱动着包括细胞呼吸、神经递质的传递、铁离子的摄取和抵抗氧化应激在内的重要生理过程。然而,过量时,铜离子是有害的,能损坏像DNA、蛋白质和脂肪这样的生物分子。正因为如此,生物体必须平衡细胞体内铜离子的水平。铜离子稳态平衡相关的遗传缺陷是造成Menke和Wilson疾病的原因。铜离子也被发现与癌症和神经退行性疾病有关。对酵母和其他生物体的研究发现,存在铜离子的摄取、分送、储存、排泄和抵抗毒性水平铜离子的专一机制。调控这些专一机制的铜离子信号分子是细胞平衡铜这个必不可少却又有害的离子的关键。     

锰离子转运、代谢与稳态平衡调控

金属离子在生命体细胞内的转运、代谢、稳态平衡调控及其相关疾病的研究是生物无机化学、化学生物学和生物医学等研究领域的一个前沿热点。锰被称作“细胞护卫”或“生命体保镖”,在生物体中发挥重要的作用,体内锰离子的含量必须维持在一个恰当的水平,锰缺少或过量都会导致疾病或生物毒性。因此,生物体内锰离子的稳态平衡调控对维持体内锰离子的正常生理功能至关重要。对细菌、出芽酵母、动物的锰离子运输、代谢及其稳态平衡调控的分子机制研究分别进行综述。     

转铜伴侣的功能与结构特性

铜是生物体不可缺少的一种元素,在细胞内把铜转运到含铜的蛋白质是细胞正常代谢的基本要求,转铜伴铝在体内执行重要的生理功能,它们不但保护细胞免受游离铜离子的有害作用。而且也确保铜被运输到其特异的靶蛋白。作者综述了转铜伴铝的功能、结构特性,以及可能的金属转移机制。     

模式生物斑马鱼在微量元素代谢研究中的应用

微量元素如铁、锌、铜等对维持生物体代谢和健康至关重要,其含量失衡会造成代谢异常甚至死亡,因此生物体存在复杂机制维持这些微量元素的稳态代谢平衡（homeostasis）。近年来国际上一些实验室尝试用模式脊椎生物斑马鱼来开展该领域的研究,展示出斑马鱼的特有优势。特别是大规模正向遗传学筛选的成功开展,一系列微量元素代谢异常的突变体（如：weissherbst、chardonnay、chianti、shiraz、gavi、calamity和catastrophe）相继发现,为研究离子代谢调控机制和相关疾病的发病机理,提供了整体动态的活体模型。铁代谢相关基因加,2J和grx5都己在斑马鱼中成功定位克隆,斑马鱼铜载体基因atp7a突变体calamity的深入研究,进一步阐明了Menkes病的发病机理。利用斑马鱼的优势,结合小鼠模型和人群来研究微量元素的体内稳态代谢平衡将是微量元素代谢机制研究的新方向。     

维持细胞内铜离子浓度稳定的分子机制

对生命而言,铜是一种必须的微量元素,它以辅基的形式参与细胞内多种重要的代谢途径。赖氨酸氧化酶参与结缔组织的形成和胶原交联,超氧化物歧化酶清除胞内自由基,细胞色素氧化酶是呼吸链电子传送蛋白,酪氨酸酶参与色素形成途径,多巴胺β羟化酶则与神经传导有关。细胞内铜离子浓度过低会影响这些酶的活性及相应的生理代谢途径,影响细胞的生存。但细胞内铜离子浓度超过生理需求也会引起严重的问题。铜离子能氧化蛋白,脂类和ＤＮＡ,同时促进形成自由基,引起细胞死亡［１］。人体很多疾病都是由于铜离子代谢异常引起的,其中最著名的就是Ｗｉｌｓｏｎ［２］ 和Ｍｅｎｋｓ［３］病,它们分别是由过多铜离子在细胞内堆积和细胞内铜离子浓度过低导致的。另外,铜离子缺乏还会引起心脏疾病［４］。所以,将细胞内铜离子浓度维持在一稳定水平对细胞生存至关重要。生理性铜离子浓度的维持主要在于四个环节：铜离子进入胞内（ｕｐｔａｋｅ）、胞内运送（ｔｒａｎｓｌｏｃａｔｉｏｎ）、合成金属蛋白（ｓｙｎｔｈｅｓｉｓ）及清除过多铜离子（ｅｌｉｍ ｉｎａｔｉｏｎ）［５］。对于过高或过低的铜离子浓度,细胞主要是通过改变流入量（ｉｎｆｌｕｘ）和流出量（ｅｆｆｌｕｘ）来应答。另外,金属硫蛋白可与过多铜离子结合,避免其破坏作用,这种保护方式叫隔离（ｓｅｑｕｅｓｔｒａｔｉｏｎ）。事实上,每一环节都有不止一种蛋白和调控蛋白在起作用。近年来对这方面的研究取得了不少进展,本文在此对细菌、酵母和人的铜离子代谢途径做一总结和比较。     

GFP工程酵母菌的构建及其对Cu2+的荧光响应

从酿酒酵母基因组DNA中克隆到金属硫蛋白启动子(PCUP1)片段,将绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因置于PCUP1的调控下,构建重组质粒pCUP9K-GFP,并通过氯化锂法转化毕赤酵母,获得工程菌株。工程菌细胞及其发酵液中可检出GFP荧光,表明PCUP1能启动外源基因GFP转录,使工程菌表达并分泌GFP。研究发现,工程菌培养液中分别加入10μmol/L的铜、铬、镉和砷离子后,铜处理组GFP荧光强度明显增加,其余三种离子对工程菌荧光强度影响不大;用铜离子诱导后,工程菌发酵上清液的荧光强度明显增强,并与铜离子浓度(0～1mmol/L)呈正相关。研究表明,该工程菌中启动子PCUP1受铜离子诱导,GFP的表达对铜离子具有剂量依赖性,在一定浓度范围内,GFP荧光强度与铜离子浓度呈正相关。     

维持细胞内铜离子浓度稳定的分子机制

对生命而言,铜是一种必须的微量元素,它以辅基的形式参与细胞内多种重要的代谢途径。赖氨酸氧化酶参与结缔组织的形成和胶原交联,超氧化物歧化酶清除胞内自由基,细胞色素氧化酶是呼吸链电子传送蛋白,酷氨酸酶参与色素形成途径,多巴胺β羟化酶则与神经传导有关。细胞内铜离子浓度过低会影响这些酶的活性及相应的生理代谢途径,影响细胞的生存。但细胞内铜离子浓度超过生理需求也会引起严重的问题。铜离子能氧化蛋白,脂类和ＤＮ     

Cu+的转运体系

铜是生物体内必需的营养元素,参与体内许多生化反应。细胞膜上的蛋白质和细胞质内可溶性多肤(即分子伴侣)参与了铜离子的跨越细胞膜的转运和细胞内的定位。铜离子被CTR系统转运进入细胞后,主要有三类分子伴侣——ATxl、Coxl7、LYS7介导铜离子在细胞内的运输与定位。每一种分子伴侣都特异性地识别靶分子。细胞膜上和细胞质内的转运体系发生突变,将会诱发很多疾病。近年来,随着对某些疾病机理的深入揭示,人们越来越重视对铜离子异常代谢所引起的疾病的研究。     

人脂素基因LIPIN1在酵母中的异源表达及细胞功能分析

脂类代谢调控是维持生物体能量平衡的重要环节,脂类代谢调控的紊乱与肥胖症、糖尿病和高血压等疾病密切相关。脂素基因三LIPIN1是诱导脂肪细胞分化、调控脂类合成的关键基因．其编码的磷脂磷酸酶（phosphatidate phosphatase,PAP）在人体三酰甘油合成中起关键作用,是维持人体脂类平衡的重要保障。此外,该基因还作为重要的转录辅激活因子参与多种生长及营养代谢调控。多种生物中均有类似功能的基因被发现,暗示了其功能的多样性及物种间的保守性。该文利用酿酒酵母在脂类代谢研究中性状易于表征、同源基因剧刖功能明确的优势,通过同源重组技术构建脂素缺陷型酵母,探索脂素基因在维持酵母正常生长及脂类合成中的重要作用,并通过功能互补及生物信息学技术对比分析了人源LIPIN1基因与酵母PdH1基因编码蛋白在结构和功能上的保守性,为脂素基因LIPIN1的细胞功能研究提供基础数据。     

酿酒酵母高级醇代谢研究进展

高级醇是酿酒酵母在饮料酒酿造过程中产生的主要代谢副产物之一。饮料酒中高级醇含量过高,易导致饮用后产生头痛、口渴等症状,是醉酒较慢、醉酒后较难醒酒的主要原因。文中系统综述了饮料酒中主要高级醇的风味特征、代谢途径及诱变育种技术在酿酒酵母高级醇代谢调控中的应用,特别阐述了代谢工程技术在氨基转移酶编码基因、α-酮酸代谢基因、乙酸酯代谢基因与碳氮代谢基因改造中的应用,并对未来实现高级醇代谢途径精细化调控的发展方向进行了展望。文中总结对于酿酒酵母高级醇代谢调控系统的建立具有重要的理论意义,对于适量产生高级醇的酿酒酵母工业菌株的选育具有重要的实际指导意义。     

Copper uptake by whole cells and protoplasts of a wild-type and copper-resistant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract A stable copper-resistant mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae took up less copper than the wild-type. The use of protoplasts showed that the decreased uptake depended on changed membrane transport properties and not on alterations in the cell wall.     

Mechanisms of contact-mediated killing of yeast cells on dry metallic copper surfaces

Surfaces made of copper or its alloys have strong antimicrobial properties against a wide variety of microorganisms. However, the molecular mode of action responsible for the antimicrobial efficacy of metallic copper is not known. Here, we show that dry copper surfaces inactivate Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae within minutes in a process called contact-mediated killing. Cellular copper ion homeostasis systems influenced the kinetics of contact-mediated killing in both organisms. Deregulated copper ion uptake through a hyperactive S. cerevisiae Ctr1p (ScCtr1p) copper uptake transporter in Saccharomyces resulted in faster inactivation of mutant cells than of wild-type cells. Similarly, lack of the C. albicans Crp1p (CaCrp1p) copper-efflux P-type ATPase or the metallothionein CaCup1p caused more-rapid killing of Candida mutant cells than of wild-type cells. Candida and Saccharomyces took up large quantities of copper ions as soon as they were in contact with copper surfaces, as indicated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) analysis and by the intracellular copper ion-reporting dye coppersensor-1. Exposure to metallic copper did not cause lethality through genotoxicity, deleterious action on a cell's genetic material, as indicated by a mutation assay with Saccharomyces. Instead, toxicity mediated by metallic copper surfaces targeted membranes in both yeast species. With the use of Live/Dead staining, onset of rapid and extensive cytoplasmic membrane damage was observed in cells from copper surfaces. Fluorescence microscopy using the indicator dye DiSBaC(2)(3) indicated that cell membranes were depolarized. Also, during contact-mediated killing, vacuoles first became enlarged and then disappeared from the cells. Lastly, in metallic copper-stressed yeasts, oxidative stress in the cytoplasm and in mitochondria was elevated.     

The IRT1 protein from Arabidopsis thaliana is a metal transporter with a broad substrate range

The molecular basis for the transport of manganese across membranes in plant cells is poorly understood. We have found that IRT1, an Arabidopsis thaliana metal ion transporter, can complement a mutant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain defective in high-affinity manganese uptake (smf1). The IRT1 protein has previously been identified as an iron transporter. The current studies demonstrated that IRT1, when expressed in yeast, can transport manganese as well. This manganese uptake activity was inhibited by cadmium, iron(II) and zinc, suggesting that IRT1 can transport these metals. The IRT1 cDNA also complements a zinc uptake-deficient yeast mutant strain (zrt1zrt2), and IRT1-dependent zinc transport in yeast cells is inhibited by cadmium, copper, cobalt and iron(III). However, IRT1 did not complement a copper uptake-deficient yeast mutant (ctr1), implying that this transporter is not involved in the uptake of copper in plant cells. The expression of IRT1 is enhanced in A. thaliana plants grown under iron deficiency. Under these conditions, there were increased levels of root-associated manganese, zinc and cobalt, suggesting that, in addition to iron, IRT1 mediates uptake of these metals into plant cells. Taken together, these data indicate that the IRT1 protein is a broad-range metal ion transporter in plants.     

Regulation of copper-dependent endocytosis and vacuolar degradation of the yeast copper transporter, Ctr1p, by the Rsp5 ubiquitin ligase

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae high-affinity copper transporter, Ctr1p, mediates cellular uptake of Cu(I). We report that when copper (50 microm CuSO(4)) is added to the growth medium of copper-starved cells, Ctr1p is rapidly internalized by endocytosis, delivered to the lumen of the lysosome-like vacuole and slowly degraded by vacuolar proteases. Through analysis of the trafficking and degradation of Ctr1p mutants, two lysine residues in the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail of Ctr1p, Lys340 and Lys345, were found to be critical for copper-dependent endocytosis and degradation. In response to copper addition, Ctr1p was found to be ubiquitylated and a mutation in the Rsp5 ubiquitin ligase largely abolished ubiquitylation, endocytosis and degradation. In a strain lacking the Rsp5p accessory factors Bul1p and Bul2p, endocytosis and degradation of Ctr1p-green fluorescent protein were substantially diminished. Surprisingly, a Ctr1p mutant that lacks Lys340 and Lys345 was still ubiquitylated in a copper-dependent manner, indicating that ubiquitylation of Ctr1p on other sites is insufficient to drive copper-dependent endocytosis and degradation. This study demonstrates that copper regulates turnover of Ctr1p by stimulating Rsp5p-dependent endocytosis and degradation of Ctr1p in the vacuole.     

酿酒酵母吸附重金属离子的研究进展

重金属污染成为当今最重要的环境问题之一。生物吸附法是处理大体积低浓度重金属废水的一种理想方法,近年来有关的研究报道不断增多,但尚未实现工业化应用。酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)不仅是具有实用潜力的生物吸附剂,也是研究重金属生物吸附机理的良好材料。结合自己的研究成果,总结了酿酒酵母作为生物吸附材料的优点、研究中的表现形式和吸附性能,重点讨论了酿酒酵母生物吸附机理,介绍了等温吸附平衡模型和动力学模型在酵母生物吸附中的应用情况。最后提出生物吸附进一步的研究方向。     

The dichotomy of mechanisms of copper accumulation in yeast induced by enhanced levels of copper as well as menadione in growth media

Abstract

A high copper accumulation is induced in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae either by menadione at the level of 200 μM in the growth medium, or by elevated concentrations of copper. While the uptake, as well as the toxicity of copper, strongly depend on the zinc concentration in the medium, there is no influence of zinc on copper intake induced by menadione. The copper binding ligand d-penicillamine suppresses the accumulation of copper in the menadione systen, whereas it has virtually no effect in the copper system. Within the range of non-toxic concentrations, copper is predominantly taken up by an energy-dependent mechanism. In contrast, the accumulation in the menadione system is clearly energy-independent. Thus there exist at least two different mechanisms for the uptake of copper in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

A member of the sugar transporter family, Stl1p is the glycerol/H+ symporter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Glycerol and other polyols are used as osmoprotectants by many organisms. Several yeasts and other fungi can take up glycerol by proton symport. To identify genes involved in active glycerol uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae we screened a deletion mutant collection comprising 321 genes encoding proteins with 6 or more predicted transmembrane domains for impaired growth on glycerol medium. Deletion of STL1, which encodes a member of the sugar transporter family, eliminates active glycerol transport. Stl1p is present in the plasma membrane in S. cerevisiae during conditions where glycerol symport is functional. Both the Stl1 protein and the active glycerol transport are subject to glucose-induced inactivation, following identical patterns. Furthermore, the Stl1 protein and the glycerol symporter activity are strongly but transiently induced when cells are subjected to osmotic shock. STL1 was heterologously expressed in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a yeast that does not contain its own active glycerol transport system. In S. pombe, STL1 conferred the ability to take up glycerol against a concentration gradient in a proton motive force-dependent manner. We conclude that the glycerol proton symporter in S. cerevisiae is encoded by STL1.     

Signal Transduction Cascades Regulating Fungal Development and Virulence

Cellular differentiation, mating, and filamentous growth are regulated in many fungi by environmental and nutritional signals. For example, in response to nitrogen limitation, diploid cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergo a dimorphic transition to filamentous growth referred to as pseudohyphal differentiation. Yeast filamentous growth is regulated, in part, by two conserved signal transduction cascades: a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and a G-protein regulated cyclic AMP signaling pathway. Related signaling cascades play an analogous role in regulating mating and virulence in the plant fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis and the human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. We review here studies on the signaling cascades that regulate development of these and other fungi. This analysis illustrates both how the model yeast S. cerevisiae can serve as a paradigm for signaling in other organisms and also how studies in other fungi provide insights into conserved signaling pathways that operate in many divergent organisms.     

Signal transduction cascades regulating fungal development and virulence.

Cellular differentiation, mating, and filamentous growth are regulated in many fungi by environmental and nutritional signals. For example, in response to nitrogen limitation, diploid cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae undergo a dimorphic transition to filamentous growth referred to as pseudohyphal differentiation. Yeast filamentous growth is regulated, in part, by two conserved signal transduction cascades: a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and a G-protein regulated cyclic AMP signaling pathway. Related signaling cascades play an analogous role in regulating mating and virulence in the plant fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis and the human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. We review here studies on the signaling cascades that regulate development of these and other fungi. This analysis illustrates both how the model yeast S. cerevisiae can serve as a paradigm for signaling in other organisms and also how studies in other fungi provide insights into conserved signaling pathways that operate in many divergent organisms.