定点突变提高里氏木霉木聚糖酶 (XYN II) 的稳定性

通过定点突变的方法,在来源于里氏木霉Trichderma reesei的木聚糖酶XYN II的N-末端两个β折叠片层间添加二硫键,以提高木聚糖酶的稳定性。原酶XYN-OU和突变酶XYN-HA12 (T2C、T28C和S156F) 分别在毕赤酵母中分泌表达,突变酶与原酶纯化后进行酶学性质比较。结果表明：突变酶最适反应温度由50℃提高到60℃;在70℃的半衰期由1 min提高到14 min;最适反应pH为5.0,与原酶保持一致,但是在50℃、30 min条件下的pH稳定范围由4.0~9.0扩展到3.0~10.0。对木聚糖酶分子改良的结果反映出在β片层间添加二硫键可以有效改善酶在较高温度下三维结构的刚性,提高热稳定性。     

基于结构基础的嗜热细菌贝斯其热解纤维素菌木聚糖酶CbXyn10C的热稳定性分子改良

【背景】作为降解木聚糖的核心酶种,木聚糖酶可以有效促进木质纤维素的消化水解,在动物养殖领域应用广泛。来源于嗜热细菌贝斯其热解纤维素菌(Caldicellulosiruptorbescii)的GH10家族木聚糖酶Cb Xyn10C最适温度为85℃,在80℃条件下具有良好的热稳定性,具有饲料工业应用潜力。【目的】为满足饲料制粒尤其是水产饲料加工过程的工艺要求,进一步提高木聚糖酶Cb Xyn10C的热稳定性并阐明其耐热机理。【方法】以Cb Xyn10C晶体结构为基础,采用刚性氨基酸引入、疏水作用网络重排2种策略对其热稳定性进行理性设计,获得在100℃条件下比活提高的单点突变体后,通过有益突变位点叠加策略进一步提升酶的热稳定性,最后采用分子动力学模拟技术分析其热稳定性提高的分子机制。【结果】共获得了4个稳定性提高的单点突变体A45P、T69P、F309V和A325P,其中突变体A45P效果最优。随着在A45P基础上另外3个突变位点的叠加,酶的热稳定性在不损失酶活的前提下得到了逐步提升。获得的四点突变体A45P/F309V/A325P/T69P的耐热性最好,其最适反应温度和熔解温度Tm值较野生型...     

基于体外分子进化技术提高弯曲芽孢杆菌CCTCC 2015368 β-淀粉酶的热稳定性

运用体外分子进化技术易错PCR方法,高通量筛选热稳定性提高的弯曲芽孢杆菌Bacillus flexus CCTCC2015368β-淀粉酶突变体。利用LB琼脂淀粉板显色、96-孔板DNS法测酶活和酶标仪检测等,最终筛选到了一株热稳定性显著提高的突变体D476N。野生型和突变体D476N分别纯化后,酶学性质测定表明:突变体D476N的最适pH为6.5,与野生型相比降低了0.5。突变体D476N和野生型的最适温度均为55℃,突变体D476N在55℃下的半衰期为35 min,比野生型提高了95%。突变体D476N的T_(50)值比野生型提高4℃。突变体D476N的K_m值为97.98μmol/L,是野生型(85.86μmol/L)1.14倍;突变体稳定性提高的同时,催化活力相对于野生型有略微下降。通过SWISS-MODEL同源模拟野生型和突变体D476N的三维结构,并通过PyMol软件分析,发现突变后的氨基酸残基Asn476位于蛋白质表面的loop环上,通过MOE软件计算,D476N的分子自由能(ΔG)为106.01kcal/mol,比野生酶降低10.3%,这一结果与蛋白质分子自由能和热稳定性呈负相关的理论相符。     

木聚糖酶XYNB分子中折叠股B1和B2间的疏水作用对酶热稳定性的影响

对来源于Streptomycesolivaceoviridis的高比活木聚糖酶XYNB进行同源建模,并结合嗜热木聚糖酶氮末端芳香族氨基酸疏水作用的结构分析,设计了XYNB的T11Y定点突变,观察XYNB分子中折叠股B1和B2的疏水作用对酶的热稳定性的影响。将突变酶XYNB′在毕赤酵母中表达,表达的XYNB′经纯化后与原酶XYNB(同样经毕赤酵母表达后纯化)进行酶学性质比较,结果表明,XYNB′的耐热性比XYNB有明显的提高,但最适温度与原酶一样为60℃。另外,XYNB′的最适pH、Km值及比活性均有一定的改变。实验证实了木聚糖酶XYNB的氮端芳香族氨基酸之间的疏水相互作用与其热稳定性相关,为进一步的结构与功能研究提供了优良的基因材料。     

定点突变提高木聚糖酶Umxyn10A的热稳定性

木聚糖酶是微生物半纤维素降解体系中的一种关键酶,被广泛地应用在工业中的多个领域。本研究为了提高木聚糖酶Umxyn10A (ABL73-883.1)的热稳定性,将Umxyn10A与GH 10家族4种耐热木聚糖酶进行多序列同源比对以及三维结构的同源建模分析,选定了Umxyn10A第31位氨基酸位点进行定点突变,将氨基酸Ala (A)突变为Phe (F)。分别将Umxyn10A和Umxyn10AA31F在大肠杆菌中进行重组表达,分析2种重组酶的酶学特性,结果发现,Umxyn10AA31F的最适反应温度为85℃,较野生重组酶提高了5℃;在65℃下的半衰期为105 min,较野生重组酶(15 min)提高了6倍;在70℃下突变重组酶的半衰期为15 min,较野生重组酶(5 min)提高了2倍;与此同时突变重组酶的pH耐受区间较原酶也有一定的增大。结果表明,将第31位氨基酸位点Ala突变为Phe能够显著的提高Umxyn10A的热稳定性。     

定向引入N-糖基化位点改进黑曲霉β-1,4-内切木聚糖酶热稳定性

【背景】木聚糖是生物圈中仅次于纤维素的第二大多糖,其结构复杂,完全降解需要多种木聚糖酶协同作用。β-1,4-内切木聚糖酶是木聚糖主链水解过程中最关键的酶,已广泛应用于饲料、造纸、能源、食品和医药等行业。但在实际应用中,由于真菌木聚糖酶的热稳定性较差,限制了其在工业中的应用。【目的】提高来源于黑曲霉(Aspergillusniger)的β-1,4-内切木聚糖酶(xynB)热稳定性。【方法】采用氨基酸虚拟突变技术对xynB定向引入一个N-糖基化位点,将虚拟突变后筛选获得的候选突变体和野生型在毕赤酵母SMD1168中表达,并对纯化后的野生型和突变体酶进行酶学性质和稳定性分析。【结果】经虚拟突变和筛选获得5个候选突变体,在毕赤酵母SMD1168中成功表达了4个突变体,其中3个突变体发生了糖基化。突变体和野生型酶均表现出宽范围的酸碱耐受性,且突变体xynB~(A92N/D94T)在pH4.0–11.0条件下的稳定性明显优于野生型;糖基化突变体xynB~(A92N/D94T)、xynB~(G66N/A68T)和xynB~(G66F/D67N/G69T)在温度为60–80°C时热稳定性明显高于野生型,xynB~(G66N/A68T)在80°C保温30 min后的残留酶活比野生型提高了约30%。【结论】本研究方法可为其他来源木聚糖酶和其他工业酶的热稳定分子改造提供参考。     

耐热植酸酶突变体的筛选及性质研究

目的:对大肠杆菌Escherichia coli植酸酶基因进行定向进化,获得热稳定性提高的植酸酶突变体。方法:利用易错PCR技术和96微孔板高通量筛选方法获得突变体基因,并对突变酶进行异源表达、纯化及性质研究。结果:通过筛选获得3株热稳定性明显提高的植酸酶突变体APPA1、APPA2、APPA3。酶学性质分析结果表明,3个突变体分子量均约为55kDa,最适pH均为4.5,与野生型无明显差别,热稳定性较野生型均有显著提高,其中突变体APPA3的最适温度为65℃,较野生酶提高5℃,在90℃处理10min后保留50%的酶活。酶的三维结构模拟显示,5个突变位点在植酸酶整体结构上均引入新氢键。结论:通过定向进化获得热稳定性提高的大肠杆菌Escherichia coli植酸酶突变体,对植酸酶的工业应用和研究植酸酶结构与功能关系具有重要意义。     

极端嗜热α-淀粉酶ApkA的高温活性和热稳定性的优化研究

旨在获得高温活性和热稳定性提高的α-淀粉酶。通过向α-淀粉酶Apk A中引入目前已知的最稳定的α-淀粉酶PFA的Zn~(2+)结合位点,获得Zn~(2+)结合位点突变体ApkAds K152H/A166C。酶学性质分析表明,ApkAds K152H/A166C的高温活性和热稳定性明显提高,最适反应温度由90℃提高至100℃,对应的酶比活力为5 201.08 U/mg。ApkAds K152H/A166C于90℃的半衰期由5 h延长至10 h,于100℃的半衰期由7.5 min延长至80 min。重组α-淀粉酶中Zn~(2+)含量测定结果显示ApkAds K152H/A166C结合了一个Zn~(2+)。结果表明,向ApkA中引入Zn~(2+)结合位点有利于提高其高温活性和热稳定性。     

G138P定点突变对葡萄糖异构酶热稳定性的改善

通过分子设计,确定Ｇｌｙ１３８为改善葡萄糖异构酶（ＧＩ）热稳定性的目标氨基酸。用双引物法对ＧＩ基因进行体外定点突变,构建了ＧＩ突变体Ｇ１３８Ｐ。含突变体的重组质粒ｐＴＫＤ－ＧＩＧ１３８Ｐ在Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉＫ３８菌株中表达。ＧＩＧ１３８Ｐ与野生型ＧＩ比较实验表明：（１）ＧＩＧ１３８Ｐ的热失活半衰期约是野生型ＧＩ的２倍;（２）ＧＩＧ１３８Ｐ的最适反应温度提高了１０￣１２℃;（３）ＧＩＧ１３８Ｐ的比活与野生     

N端二硫键对11家族木聚糖酶热稳定性的影响

以来源于米曲霉Aspergillus oryzae的11家族常温木聚糖酶AoXyn11A为母本,将其N端替换成同一家族耐热木聚糖酶EvXyn11TS的对应片段,构建出耐热杂合木聚糖酶AEx11A。将AoXyn11A和AEx11A基因分别在毕赤酵母GS115中进行表达并分析比较温度对表达产物酶活性的影响。结果表明,AEx11A的最适温度Topt为75℃,在70℃的半衰期t1/270为197 min,较AoXyn11A(Topt=50℃,t1/270=1.0 min)显著提高。通过对AEx11A结构的同源建模及其与AoXyn11A结构的比对,发现在AEx11A的N端引入了一个二硫键(Cys5–Cys32)。利用定点突变法将其5位的半胱氨酸突变为苏氨酸(C5T),去除该二硫键,以探讨其对AEx11A热稳定性的影响。分析表明,突变酶(AEx11AC5T)的Topt由突变前的75℃降为60℃,其t1/270和t1/280也分别由197 min和25 min缩短为3.0 min和1.0 min。     

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.