生物细胞中颗粒状多聚磷酸盐细胞器的结构与功能

多聚磷酸盐(polyphosphat,poly P)是一种由数十个或上百个磷酸根聚合而成的生物大分子,以颗粒状、胶体状和溶解状等多种状态存在于各类生物细胞中。生物体中的poly P能够通过分解提供能量;鳌合金属离子来调节细胞内渗透压,维持质膜稳定;与蛋白质或DNA结合稳定其结构,减轻细胞应激损伤。颗粒状多聚磷酸盐细胞器主要指细胞中用于贮存颗粒状poly P、金属阳离子以及蛋白质、氨基酸和少量水等物质的细胞器。在寄生虫细胞中颗粒状聚磷细胞器常称为酸性钙体,而细菌或者其他微生物细胞中则称为异染颗粒,但是随着研究的不断深入,发现酸性钙体和异染颗粒都具有相似的结构特征,遂将其统一定义为颗粒状多聚磷酸盐细胞器。颗粒状聚磷细胞器的发现拓展了生物共同祖先(last universal common ancestor,LUCA)的学说,丰富了原核生物细胞器认知,我们相信该细胞器在生命起源、抗环境胁迫、生物互作和代谢调控等方面具有重要功能,在疾病治疗以及磷生物地球化学循环过程中发挥重要作用。     

多聚磷酸盐在细菌和哺乳动物细胞中的作用

多聚磷酸盐(Poly P)广泛分布于真核生物和原核生物中,是由几十个到几百个无机磷酸盐单体通过高能磷酸键聚合而成的线性多聚体。Poly P能影响细菌的毒力,有助于细菌抵抗环境中的压力刺激。在真核细胞中,Poly P与核仁的转录相关,可促进凝血和细胞分化、调节促炎反应,并和骨的重构、矿化及去矿化相关。同时,Poly P也是线粒体通透性转换孔的激活物。本文综合阐述Poly P在微生物及哺乳动物中的作用及相关机制,同时结合我们的研究工作,分析Poly P对大肠杆菌致病性的影响,以期引起研究者对Poly P的关注。     

多聚磷酸盐在微生物抗环境胁迫中的作用及机制

抗环境胁迫是微生物提高环境适应性和增加生存机会的一个重要策略，探明微生物抗环境胁迫的过程及分子机制对于了解微生物进化和开发微生物资源具有重要意义。多聚磷酸盐（polyphosphate, polyP）在微生物抗环境胁迫中发挥重要作用。在营养限制条件下，polyP可充当微生物的能源来源和信号分子，增强微生物对低营养环境的适应能力。在微生物应对环境胁迫过程中，polyP可作为蛋白质的伴侣，通过蛋白质修饰改变蛋白质结构使其免受失活，从而维持其功能完整性。polyP具有金属螯合能力，可提高微生物对重金属胁迫的抵抗能力。微生物能通过调节polyP的合成来适应环境pH的改变，调节酸碱胁迫过程中的能量消耗。基于polyP抗环境胁迫的特性，通过转基因技术，把polyP合成相关基因转入到农作物中，可以增加农作物体内polyP含量，从而提高农作物抗环境胁迫的能力。利用含有polyP的微生物处理重金属废水，可极大地提高重金属离子的去除效率。同时，微生物中合成的polyP颗粒也能进一步开发为生物活性产品。因此，polyP在微生物抗胁迫中发挥多样化作用，通过各种分子途径提高微生物对环境胁迫的耐受性。加强poly...     

多聚磷酸盐及其代谢酶的研究进展

多聚磷酸盐(polyP)是由几个到几百个无机磷酸盐单体通过高能磷酸键聚合而成的线性多聚体,广泛分布于自然界和生物体.本文总结了polyP在生物体中的重要功能,包括基因表达和调控、DNA的摄取、微生物的运动性、对胁迫和饥饿的应答、病原菌的毒性以及对细胞凋亡、血液凝固、细胞钙化、线粒体功能的调节,需要polyP的酶有内切酶、葡萄糖激酶、NAD激酶和AMP磷酸转移酶等.本文对调控polyP的多聚磷酸盐激酶(polyphosphate kinase,ppk)和外切聚磷酸酶(exopolyphosphatase,PPX )的生化性质和结构也进行了总结.同时,结合我们的研究工作,重点分析了结核分枝杆菌中PPX的同源蛋白和可能的生物化学活性.     

Yeast基因下游二级结构与多聚腺苷作用信号

形成真核生物mRNA 3′末端的多聚腺苷（poly(A)）作用涉及前体mRNA下游的三个元件：效率元件（EE）、定位元件（PE）以及实际的剪切和poly(A)作用位点,实验研究提出了一些EE和PE的碱基序列组成.对180个Yeast基因下游（终止密码子后200个碱基）二级结构进行的详细分析显示,约86%的EE、89%的PE与二级结构中碱基非配对的环(发夹环、膨胀环、内环或多分支环)区或连接单链区有关.这个结果提示,反式因子对EE和PE的识别和作用在一定程度上有赖于EE和PE的二级结构特征.借助mRNA二级结构可以提高对EE和PE位点预测的准确性.     

多聚磷酸盐：不仅是异染粒

无机的多聚磷酸盐（inorganic polyphosphate,polyP）是由3个到几百个磷酸根通过高能磷酸酐键聚合而成的聚合物,具有广泛的生物学功能。然而,polyP的所有发现都是在不同的生物体和模式生物中进行研究产生的,因此,这些结果都各自独立,而不能形成一般性结论,即polyP在生物体中到底起什么样的作用。本文综述了polyP在DNA复制、基因转录、翻译和翻译后的修饰、蛋白质的折叠和降解中所发挥的生物学功能。本文尝试将polyP的各种不相关的生物学功能,从中心法则的角度进行了统一认识,希望能为polyP生物学功能的研究带来新的思考。     

体内转录的多聚腺苷酸加速外源基因mRNA的出核转运

目的:探索体内转录的短多聚腺苷酸[poly(A)]对外源基因mRNA的表达及出核转运的影响。方法:构建依赖于H1启动子体内转录的poly(A)载体,用脂质体转染方法将其与外源绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因表达质粒导入MCF-7细胞,采用qPCR和Western印迹分别检测GFP在mRNA和蛋白水平的表达情况,并通过体外实验检测体内转录的poly(A)对GFP mRNA的加尾影响;采用qPCR法考察16种内源基因的mRNA水平;将其与p53表达质粒共转染MCF-7细胞后,采用MTT法检测细胞增殖情况。结果:在MCF-7细胞中,依赖于H1启动子转录的poly(A)能够加速外源GFP mRNA的poly(A)加尾,促进其从细胞核向细胞质输出,从而提高12 h内GFP的表达量,对内源基因mRNA水平没有影响;它还能加速外源p53基因的表达。结论:建立了通过体内转录poly(A)从而加速外源基因表达的策略,可能对基因治疗或快速研究某个特异基因的功能具有重要的应用价值。     

幽门螺杆菌PPK 的纯化与功能分析*

目的:表达纯化幽门螺杆菌多聚磷酸激酶,并测定其功能。方法:将幽门螺杆菌多聚磷酸激酶基因克隆入原核表达载体PQE80L中,在大肠杆菌(E.coli)DH5-α中表达。用BD Talon resin纯化目的蛋白。并在体外测定其合成多聚磷酸盐及转化多聚磷酸盐至ATP的能力。结果:成功构建了原核表达载体,得到高表达量的融合蛋白。经BD Talon resin纯化获得较高纯度的His-多聚磷酸激酶N端融合蛋白。体外实验证实该酶可以有效合成不同链长的多聚磷酸盐,并且在适当条件下可将多聚磷酸盐转化为ATP。结论:利用原核表达载体可很好表达幽门螺杆菌多聚磷酸激酶,纯化后的蛋白具有良好生物活性,是一个具备合成多聚磷酸盐及转化其为ATP的双向功能的酶。     

前体mRNA的选择性多聚腺苷酸化与人类疾病

真核细胞的前体mRNA必须经过复杂的加工过程才能成熟,包括5’端加帽、剪接和3’端加工,其中3’加工包括3’端的切割和多聚腺苷酸化.该过程由前体mRNA上的顺式作用元件以及多个蛋白质因子控制.组成哺乳动物前体mRNA3’端加工机器的核心蛋白质复合体有切割和多聚腺苷酸化特异性因子、切割刺激因子、切割因子Ⅰ和切割因子Ⅱ.其他因子包括poly(A)聚合酶、poly(A)结合蛋白、偶对蛋白(symplekin)等.哺乳动物基因通常含有多个ploy(A)位点,选择性多聚腺苷酸化不仅可产生具有不同长度3’UTR的mRNA异构体,还可能改变基因的CDS区.作为真核生物基因表达调控的关键机制,选择性多聚腺苷酸化在细胞生长、增殖和分化中起着重要作用.本文综述了哺乳动物前体mRNA的3’端加工过程,3’端加工机器的组成及功能,探讨了选择性多聚腺苷酸化在多种人类疾病中的作用机制,以期为读者带来一些新的见解.     

草莓果实成熟期间RNA代谢的变化

现已证明,鳄梨和番茄等跃变型果实的成熟涉及基因表达的改变和新蛋白质(酶)的合成(Brady 1987)。但是,关于草莓这类非跃变型果实成熟的生化控制机理却很少报道,它们是否也如同跃变型果实那样与新的核酸和蛋白质合成有关?本实验测定了草莓果实成熟期间poly(A)+RNA含量的变化和poly(A)+RNA的体外翻译活性,目的在于探讨草莓果实的成熟机     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.     

2018年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

2018年中国植物科学继续呈现快速发展的态势, 我国科学家在国际植物科学主流学术刊物发表论文数量大幅增加, 取得了多项具有重要影响的成果。调控植物生长-代谢平衡实现可持续农业发展入选2018年度中国科学十大进展; 中国被子植物区系进化历史研究入选2018年度中国生命科学十大进展。以水稻为代表的农作物和果蔬等经济作物研究在国际上已呈现出明显的优势, 若干领域已从“追赶”状态跨越到“领跑”地位。该文对2018年中国科学家在植物科学若干领域取得的重要研究成果进行了概括性评述, 旨在全面追踪和报道当前中国植物科学领域的发展前沿和热点, 展示中国科学家所取得的杰出成就。