染色体分离的分子机制

染色体分离是真核生物正确传递遗传信息的关键。通过对真核模式生物特别是酵母突变体的研究,筛选并克隆出了很多与染色体分离相关的基因,初步揭示了染色体分离的分子机制。染色单体黏着的分子基础是黏连素。黏连素的黏着降解、纺锤体检验点的监控及shugoshin的保护作用在染色体正确分离过程中起着关键的作用。     

环状细菌素研究进展

细菌素是一类由细菌核糖体合成的抗菌肽,是产生菌获得生存优势的重要手段。与大多数线性细菌素不同,环状细菌素具有N端和C端共价连接的特殊结构。这种环状结构赋予环状细菌素良好的耐热性、广泛的pH适应性和抗蛋白酶降解能力,在食品防腐和对治耐药性细菌领域表现出巨大的应用潜能。通过对已发现的环状细菌素结构分析发现,相对于一级结构,其三级结构的相似性更高,可以作为环状细菌素归类的依据。环状细菌素的生物合成机制尚不清楚,但其环化机制是最具价值的研究热点,可为其他一些肽类物质的合成提供支架,从而提高应用潜能。环状细菌素抑菌机制主要是在目标菌株的细胞膜上穿孔,使胞内物质外流,进而导致目标细菌死亡。其有类似于抗生素的抑菌活性和有别于抗生素的抑菌机制,为治疗日益严重的耐药性病原菌提供了可靠备选资源。本文综述了环状细菌素的构效关系、生物合成和抑菌机制方面的研究进展,希望能够对环状细菌素的深入研究和应用提供有价值的参考。     

黏着素与基因表达调控

黏着素(cohesin)是一种多亚基蛋白复合体,在进化上相当保守。在真核生物细胞中,黏着素主要功能是将复制产生的姐妹染色单体连接在一起,直到细胞分裂的后期,黏着素亚基Scc1水解最终导致染色单体的分离。但是最近研究表明,黏着素在基因表达、染色质结构变化和发育调节等方面也起着非常重要的作用,并且发现黏着素对基因的调节作用与其对染色体的黏着功能无关。在酵母中,黏着素最初定位于其装载蛋白Scc2的DNA结合位点上,但是在细胞周期的G2期,黏着素聚集于转录汇集区之间进而调控转录终止。在果蝇染色体上,黏着素与装载蛋白Scc2的同源物Nipped-B共定位,其作用是阻抑增强子和启动子的远距离接触。而在哺乳动物中,黏着素与CTCF隔离子蛋白共定位,并以依赖于CTCF的方式调控转录。本文概述了黏着素在不同真核生物染色体上的定位与分布,并对其在基因表达调控中的功能机制及其研究现状进行了重点阐述。     

质粒介导黏菌素耐药机制研究进展

黏菌素是一种多肽类抗生素,对革兰阴性菌具有较强的抗菌活性。由于其副作用大,一直以来黏菌素在临床中很少被使用。近年来,随着多重耐药菌,特别是耐碳青霉烯类肠杆菌的产生,黏菌素耐药基因mcr的研究逐渐受到重视。过去通常认为,黏菌素耐药性由染色体介导,无法在细菌间水平传播。mcr-1基因的发现证明黏菌素耐药性还可能通过质粒介导水平传播。本文将介绍多种黏菌素耐药基因mcr及其流行特征、MCR作用机制和分类特点,为黏菌素的合理使用提供理论支持,以及采取针对性的预防措施。     

细菌素编码基因的定位分析

细菌素生物合成相关的基因经常成簇出现:结构基因、对自身产生免疫的基因及产生辅助蛋白质的基因组成操纵子结构,其中结构基因是细菌素编码基因,它可能在质粒上也可能在染色体上,为了初步定位细菌素编码基因是在质粒上还是染色体上,综述细菌素编码基因的初步定位方法,为深入研究细菌素提供依据。     

紫草素在消化系统肿瘤中的抗癌机制研究进展

消化系统肿瘤是威胁我国居民生命健康的重要杀手,其发病率和死亡率均占全部肿瘤的50%左右,研发高效安全的抗肿瘤药物是治疗消化系统肿瘤的基础。植物提取物是抗肿瘤药物的重要来源,紫草素(Shikonin)是一种存在于紫草科植物根茎中的药物成分,它对消化系统肿瘤细胞具有显著的杀伤效果。本文通过检索最近10年紫草素在消化系统肿瘤中发挥抗癌作用的相关文献,对紫草素及其衍生物在消化系统肿瘤中的抗癌机制进行系统归纳整理,并分析了今后紫草素应用于临床治疗消化系统肿瘤的研究方向,为进一步探索紫草素在消化系统肿瘤中的抗癌机制研究和新药研发提供理论依据。     

染色体显带机制研究若干进展

染色体分带技术的迅速发展,尤其是当今植物染色体高分辨G-带技术的突破,不仅为染色体鉴别、基因定位等提供了重要手段,对细胞分类学、物种生物学、细胞地理学、体细胞遗传学,以及育种学、人类遗传学和环境保护等领域的应用与发展,发挥着越来越大的作用。众多学者对染色体显带机制进行了研究。最早,用DNA变性与复性理论作为染色体显带的基础,认为是DNA的彻底变性和高度重复DNA的差别退火,导致分带程序中选择性染色的出现。实际上,染色体显带机制并非如此简单,许多实验结果均与上述解释相矛盾。近来的研究表明,染色体显带的核心问题是,     

生长素与油菜素甾醇相互作用机制的研究进展

植物生长发育是一个复杂、精细的调控过程,涉及细胞、组织和器官间多层次的信息交流,激素在其间发挥了重要调控作用．生长素和油菜素甾醇（BR）都能促进植物伸长,随着对其作用机制研究的深入,人们发现它们协同调控很多生理过程,对二者作用机制和信号转导的相互作用研究也成为激素研究领域的热点之一．对生长素和BR转导途径的揭示及直接下游基因的大规模发掘为二者通过相互作用调控不同生理过程的机制研究提供了重要线索．生长素和BR的相互作用涉及到下游基因转录的调控、信号组分互作以及合成代谢和极性运输等多层次的调控．     

防御素的生物学特性及其抗病基因工程

防御素是一种富含半胱氨酸的小分子多肽,对细菌等微生物具有广谱抗性,且作用机制特殊。迄今为止,国内外在防御素方面进行了大量的研究,已经从各类生物体中分离出不同种类的防御素,并在基因工程和医药领域呈现广泛的应用前景。文章对防御素的分类、生物学特性,包括哺乳动物α-、β-、θ-防御素、昆虫以及植物防御素的分子结构及抗菌活性进行了综述,阐述了防御素的膜作用及与细胞内复合物结合的作用机制。总结和归纳了防御素基因的分离、表达研究进展及动、植物防御素基因在抗病基因工程领域的应用,并对防御素在未来的生物制药和植物抗病基因工程方面的应用前景进行了展望。     

脂联素的研究进展及与多种疾病的关系

超重和肥胖对心血管疾病,糖尿病及其它疾病的发生发展及预后有着重要的意义。脂联素是脂肪细胞介导的分泌蛋白,在体内和体外的大量实验中,都被证实具有多种功能:抗炎、改善胰岛素抵抗、抗动脉粥样硬化、降血糖、降血脂、抗氧化等。作为生物标记物,脂联素在临床研究中受到广泛关注。根据最新的研究结果,本文简要的介绍了脂联素的主要结构特征,作用机制,参与胰岛μ细胞的功能和存活、胰岛素抵抗的作用,以及与多种疾病之间的关系。作为唯一一个在肥胖患者体内水平下调的脂肪因子,脂联素对肥胖症、糖尿病、心血管疾病、肾脏疾病的保护作用及其分子机制的研究具有深远的意义,为相关疾病的预防和治疗提供新的思路。同时相关研究也为药物治疗提供可靠的下游靶点。     

Three-step model for condensin activation during mitotic chromosome condensation

Chromosomes undergo a major structural reorganization during mitosis. The first step in this reorganization is the compaction of interphase chromatin into highly condensed mitotic chromosomes. An evolutionarily conserved multi-subunit ATPase, the condensin complex, plays a critical role in establishing chromosome architecture and promoting chromosome condensation in mitosis. How does condensin promote chromosome condensation and how, in turn, is the cell cycle machinery activating or restraining condensin activity during the cell cycle are fundamental questions for cell biology. In this review, we examine the role of post-translational modifications, and in particular multi-site phosphorylation, in the regulation of condensin activity during the cell cycle. Remarkably, inspection of phosphorylation sites identified through multiple proteome-wide mass spectrometry analyses reveals that the phosphorylation landscape of condensin is highly conserved evolutionarily and that several kinases regulate condensin in vivo. This analysis leads us to propose the ultrasensitive-kinase switch model, whereby the phosphorylation of condensin by multiple kinases allows the process of chromosome condensation to be maintained and even increased under fluctuating levels of cyclin-CDK activity during mitosis. Our model reconciles how chromosome condensation might be highly sensitive to low levels of CDK activity in early mitosis and subsequently insensitive to the declining levels CDK activity in late mitosis.     

Condensin and Repo-Man-PP1 co-operate in the regulation of chromosome architecture during mitosis

The reversible condensation of chromosomes during cell division remains a classic problem in cell biology. Condensation requires the condensin complex in certain experimental systems, but not in many others. Anaphase chromosome segregation almost always fails in condensin-depleted cells, leading to the formation of prominent chromatin bridges and cytokinesis failure. Here, live-cell analysis of chicken DT40 cells bearing a conditional knockout of condensin subunit SMC2 revealed that condensin-depleted chromosomes abruptly lose their compact architecture during anaphase and form massive chromatin bridges. The compact chromosome structure can be preserved and anaphase chromosome segregation rescued by preventing the targeting subunit Repo-Man from recruiting protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) to chromatin at anaphase onset. This study identifies an activity critical for mitotic chromosome structure that is inactivated by Repo-Man-PP1 during anaphase. This activity, provisionally termed 'regulator of chromosome architecture' (RCA), cooperates with condensin to preserve the characteristic chromosome architecture during mitosis.     

Condensin aids sister chromatid decatenation by topoisomerase II

The condensin complex is a key determinant of mitotic chromosome architecture. In addition, condensin promotes resolution of sister chromatids during anaphase, a function that is conserved from prokaryotes to human. Anaphase bridges observed in cells lacking condensin are reminiscent of chromosome segregation failure after inactivation of topoisomerase II (topo II), the enzyme that removes catenanes persisting between sister chromatids following DNA replication. Circumstantial evidence has linked condensin to sister chromatid decatenation but, because of the difficulty of observing chromosome catenation, this link has remained indirect. Alternative models for how condensin facilitates chromosome resolution have been put forward. Here, we follow the catenation status of circular minichromosomes of three sizes during the Saccharomyeces cerevisiae cell cycle. Catenanes are produced during DNA replication and are for the most part swiftly resolved during and following S-phase, aided by sister chromatid separation. Complete resolution, however, requires the condensin complex, a dependency that becomes more pronounced with increasing chromosome size. Our results provide evidence that condensin prevents deleterious anaphase bridges during chromosome segregation by promoting sister chromatid decatenation.     

The condensin complexes play distinct roles to ensure normal chromosome morphogenesis during meiotic division in Arabidopsis

Meiosis is a specialized cell division essential for sexual reproduction. During meiosis the chromosomes are highly organized, and correct chromosome architecture is required for faithful segregation of chromosomes at anaphase I and II. Condensin is involved in chromosome organization during meiotic and mitotic cell divisions. Three condensin subunits, AtSMC4 and the condensin I and II specific subunits AtCAP‐D2 and AtCAP‐D3, respectively, have been studied for their role in meiosis. This has revealed that both the condensin I and condensin II complexes are required to maintain normal structural integrity of the meiotic chromosomes during the two nuclear divisions. Their roles appear functionally distinct in that condensin I is required to maintain normal compaction of the centromeric repeats and 45S rDNA, whereas loss of condensin II was associated with extensive interchromosome connections at metaphase I. Depletion of condensin is also associated with a slight reduction in crossover formation, suggesting a role during meiotic prophase I.     

The condensin complex is required for proper spindle assembly and chromosome segregation in Xenopus egg extracts

Chromosome condensation is required for the physical resolution and segregation of sister chromatids during cell division, but the precise role of higher order chromatin structure in mitotic chromosome functions is unclear. Here, we address the role of the major condensation machinery, the condensin complex, in spindle assembly and function in Xenopus laevis egg extracts. Immunodepletion of condensin inhibited microtubule growth and organization around chromosomes, reducing the percentage of sperm nuclei capable of forming spindles, and causing dramatic defects in anaphase chromosome segregation. Although the motor CENP-E was recruited to kinetochores pulled poleward during anaphase, the disorganized chromosome mass was not resolved. Inhibition of condensin function during anaphase also inhibited chromosome segregation, indicating its continuous requirement. Spindle assembly around DNA-coated beads in the absence of kinetochores was also impaired upon condensin inhibition. These results support an important role for condensin in establishing chromosomal architecture necessary for proper spindle assembly and chromosome segregation.     

Condensin: crafting the chromosome landscape

The successful transmission of complete genomes from mother to daughter cells during cell divisions requires the structural re-organization of chromosomes into individualized and compact structures that can be segregated by mitotic spindle microtubules. Multi-subunit protein complexes named condensins play a central part in this chromosome condensation process, but the mechanisms behind their actions are still poorly understood. An increasing body of evidence suggests that, in addition to their role in shaping mitotic chromosomes, condensin complexes have also important functions in directing the three-dimensional arrangement of chromatin fibers within the interphase nucleus. To fulfill their different functions in genome organization, the activity of condensin complexes and their localization on chromosomes need to be strictly controlled. In this review article, we outline the regulation of condensin function by phosphorylation and other posttranslational modifications at different stages of the cell cycle. We furthermore discuss how these regulatory mechanisms are used to control condensin binding to specific chromosome domains and present a comprehensive overview of condensin’s interaction partners in these processes.     

Condensin I stabilizes chromosomes mechanically through a dynamic interaction in live cells

BACKGROUND: Restructuring chromatin into morphologically distinct chromosomes is essential for cell division, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. Condensin complexes have been proposed as key factors, although controversial conclusions about their contribution to chromosome structure were reached by different experimental approaches in fixed cells or cell extracts. Their function under physiological conditions still needs to be defined. RESULTS: Here, we investigated the specific functions of condensin I and II in live cells by fluorescence microscopy and RNAi depletion. Photobleaching and quantitative time-lapse imaging showed that GFP-tagged condensin II bound stably to chromosomes throughout mitosis. By contrast, the canonical condensin I interacted dynamically with chromatin after completion of prophase compaction, reaching steady-state levels on chromosomes before congression. In condensin I-depleted cells, compaction was normal, but chromosomes were mechanically labile and unable to withstand spindle forces during alignment. However, normal levels of condensin II were not required for chromosome stability. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that while condensin I seems dispensable for normal chromosome compaction, its dynamic binding after nuclear envelope breakdown locks already condensed chromatin in a rigid state required for mechanically stable spindle attachment.     

Epstein-Barr virus BGLF4 kinase induces premature chromosome condensation through activation of condensin and topoisomerase II

Previous studies of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) replication focused mainly on the viral and cellular factors involved in replication compartment assembly and controlling the cell cycle. However, little is known about how EBV reorganizes nuclear architecture and the chromatin territories. In EBV-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma NA cells or Akata cells, we noticed that cellular chromatin becomes highly condensed upon EBV reactivation. In searching for the possible mechanisms involved, we found that transient expression of EBV BGLF4 kinase induces unscheduled chromosome condensation, nuclear lamina disassembly, and stress fiber rearrangements, independently of cellular DNA replication and Cdc2 activity. BGLF4 interacts with condensin complexes, the major components in mitotic chromosome assembly, and induces condensin phosphorylation at Cdc2 consensus motifs. BGLF4 also stimulates the decatenation activity of topoisomerase II, suggesting that it may induce chromosome condensation through condensin and topoisomerase II activation. The ability to induce chromosome condensation is conserved in another gammaherpesvirus kinase, murine herpesvirus 68 ORF36. Together, these findings suggest a novel mechanism by which gammaherpesvirus kinases may induce multiple premature mitotic events to provide more extrachromosomal space for viral DNA replication and successful egress of nucleocapsid from the nucleus.     

Spatial and temporal regulation of Condensins I and II in mitotic chromosome assembly in human cells

Two different condensin complexes make distinct contributions to metaphase chromosome architecture in vertebrate cells. We show here that the spatial and temporal distributions of condensins I and II are differentially regulated during the cell cycle in HeLa cells. Condensin II is predominantly nuclear during interphase and contributes to early stages of chromosome assembly in prophase. In contrast, condensin I is sequestered in the cytoplasm from interphase through prophase and gains access to chromosomes only after the nuclear envelope breaks down in prometaphase. The two complexes alternate along the axis of metaphase chromatids, but they are arranged into a unique geometry at the centromere/kinetochore region, with condensin II enriched near the inner kinetochore plate. This region-specific distribution of condensins I and II is severely disrupted upon depletion of Aurora B, although their association with the chromosome arm is not. Depletion of condensin subunits causes defects in kinetochore structure and function, leading to aberrant chromosome alignment and segregation. Our results suggest that the two condensin complexes act sequentially to initiate the assembly of mitotic chromosomes and that their specialized distribution at the centromere/kinetochore region may play a crucial role in placing sister kinetochores into the back-to-back orientation.