U6嵌合型抗caspase-3核酶的体外及体内活性鉴定

为探讨caspase-3基因在细胞凋亡中的作用,及不同表达核酶的载体在体内的表达效果,本研究对比了3种表达核酶的真核质粒,包括RNA聚合酶Ⅱ启动的p1.5RZ107(自我剪切)和pRZ107及RNA聚合酶Ⅲ启动的嵌合于U6中的pU6RZ107在体外和在肝细胞BRL-3A内的活性,以期获得细胞内切割活性较高的的核酶载体方面的信息.结果显示,具有自我剪切功能的质粒p1.5RZ107在体外切割靶RNA的效率最高,几达80%;而体内caspase-3在RNA,蛋白水平及蛋白功能活性上均显著下降,证明核酶在体内均可有效地表达并切割底物,以pU6RZ107切割效率最高,约达65%,pRZ107次之,p1.5RZ107最低.结果表明,U6嵌合型核酶pU6RZ107体内可有效地表达核酶及下调靶RNA水平,这不仅为探讨caspase-3在凋亡途径中的作用,也可为今后的基因治疗提供研究基础.     

双价核酶对烟草花叶病毒的两个靶序列的专一切割作用

报道了两个最简单的多价核酶即双价核酶RZ34和RZl3的构建和体外作用情况。实验结果表明,这两个双价核酶能分别对两个不同的TMV底物或其混合物施行专一切割。双价核酶对单十底物的作用效率与其相应的单价核酶相似。还就双价核酶内的单元核酶的相对位置对其专一性和作用效率的影响进行了探索。     

抗HPV11E2核酸的计算机设计

借助计算机软件分析,设计出能特异性切割HPV11型644nt型644ntE2mNA的核酶。遵循Symons锤头状核酶结构和GUX剪切位点原则,靶序列存在32个剪切位点,通过计算机软件分析核酶的最佳剪切位点,并对底物及核酶的二级结构进行预测及进行相应基因生物学功能和基因同源性分析,筛选出2个锤头结构核酶。针对这两位点设计的核酶分别命名为RZ277和RZ3281。计算机分析显示,两核酶与底物切点两翼碱基形成锤头状结构,切点所在基因序列具有相对松驰的二级结构,位于该基因重要生物功能区内,是核酶的理想攻击区域,通过基因库检索,在已知人类基因中排除了与上述两核酶切点两翼碱基有基因同源性序列的可能性。并非所有的GUX位点（X：C、U、A）或CUX均可作为核酶的最佳剪切切割反应,为下一步将核酶用于细胞内和体内试验打下基础。     

专一切割苹果锈果类病毒多体自切割核酶的克隆和转录物的体外活性测定

将苹果锈果类病毒的1个14nt的靶序列连接在锤头型核酶的3′末端,构成自切割核酶。经人工合成和PCR扩增,克隆在转录载体pGEM7zf（＋）的XhoⅠ-Hind Ⅲ位点。利用限制酶Xho I与SalI的连接,消失其识别位点序列,将自切割核酶片段插入到重组质粒中,经连续5次亚克隆,分别获得2、4、6、8、10和12拷贝的多体自切割核酶。在T7RNA聚合酶作用下,线性化重组质粒转录的多体自切割核酶通过内部的顺式切割释放出较多数量的核酶分子,提示在转录水平能够提高核酶转录物的浓度。用相同摩尔浓度的单体和12体自切割核酶分别对32P标记的靶ASSVd进行反式切割,核酶与靶RNA摩尔浓度比为1：1。放射自显影结果表明：多体自切割核酶对靶ASSVd的切割效率明显高于单体自切割核酶。我们推测多体自切割核酶在体内系统中可能具有更好的应用价值。     

美洲拟鲽抗冻肽基因在E.coli中的表达

动物抗冻肽(AFP)能降低动物体液冰点而使其能在寒冷的环境中生活,因而AFP在防寒抗冻方面有较大的应用潜力。根据美洲拟鲽AFP基因的cDNA序列,人工合成了AFP及其含前导序列的proAFP的cDNA,并构建成pAFP及pPAFP原核表达载体。由于AFP表达量少且蛋白分子很小,用SDS-蛋白电泳难以检测。为了提高检测的灵敏度,把报道基因CAT的cDNA按读码框连接到AFP的3′末端,构建成融合基因表达载体pAFP/CAT和pPAFP/CAT。在大肠杆菌表达系统JM109(DE 3)中诱导表达。结果表明,融合蛋白AFP/CAT和proAFP/CAT具有明显CAT活力。这表明AFP和proAFP可以在大肠杆菌中表达。     

抗HPV11 E2核酶的计算机设计

 借助计算机软件分析 ,设计出能特异性切割HPV11型 6 4 4ntE2mRNA的核酶 (ribozyme) .遵循Symon′s锤头状核酶结构和GUX剪切位点原则 ,靶序列存在 32个这样的剪切位点 .通过计算机软件分析出核酶的最佳剪切位点 ,并对底物及核酶的二级结构进行预测及进行相应基因生物学功能和基因同源性分析 ,筛选出 2个锤头结构核酶 .针对这两位点设计的核酶分别命名为RZ2 777和RZ32 81.计算机分析显示 ,两核酶与底物切点两翼碱基形成锤头状结构 ,切点所在基因序列具有相对松弛的二级结构 ,位于该基因重要生物功能区内 ,是核酶的理想攻击区域 .通过基因库检索 ,在已知人类基因排除了与上述两核酶切点两翼碱基有基因同源性序列的可能性 .将两核酶用于体外剪切实验取得了良好的实验结果 ,认为借助计算机分析可帮助尽快从多个剪切位点选择出最适核酶     

丙型肝炎病毒RNA特异性核酶的切割活性研究

针对丙型肝炎病毒RNA(HCV-RNA)的5′非编码区和部分C区的二级结构,设计并合成了四个不同的锤头型核酶(ribozyme A, ribozyme B, ribozyme C₁, ribozyme C₂).首先应用体外切割实验筛选出作用于HCV-RNA起始密码子上游GTA↓位点的核酶RzA有较好的活性.为初步验证核酶RzA在细胞内的切割活性,经脂质体介导,将RzA-RNA与另一携带该核酶靶基因的质粒表达载体pCl-neo-luciferase(载体中荧光素酶基因受核酶靶基因的调控)共转染HepG₂细胞.通过测定荧光素酶基因的表达证实了核酶在细胞内有较好的切割活性.在此实验基础上,把RzA基因克隆至pCl-neo质粒表达载体中,再次经脂质体介导,将重组的表达载体pCl-neo-RzA与携带该核酶靶基因的质粒表达载体pCl-neo-luciferase共转染HepG₂细胞,获得了更好的切割效果.     

Activity identification of chimeric anti-caspase-3 mRNA hammerhead ribozyme in vitro and in vivo

To study the expression activity of various vectors containing anti-caspase-3 ribozyme cassettes in vivo, and to further study the role of caspas-3 in the apoptotic pathway, we constructed anti-caspase-3 hammerhead ribozyme embedded into the human snRNA U6, and detected the activity of the ribozyme in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile we compared it with the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozymes that we previously studied, and with the general ribozyme, cloned into RNA polymerase II expression systems. The results showed that the three ribozymes, p1.5RZ107, pRZ107 and pU6RZ107 had the correct structure, and that they could cleave cas-pase-3 mRNA exactly to produce two fragments: 143nt/553nt. p1.5RZ107 has the highest cleavage efficiency in vitro, almost 80%. However, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, pU6RZ107, has the highest cleavage activity in vivo, almost to 65%, though it has lower cleavage activity in vitro. The cleavage results demonstrated that the pU6RZ107, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, could more efficiently expre     

一个双价锤头型核酶在体外对两种不同植物病毒RNA的专一切割作用

根据锤头核酶模型,设计合成了一个以黄瓜花叶病毒（ＣＭＶ） 外壳蛋白（ＣＰ） 亚基因组ＲＮＡ 为底物的锤头型核酶（ＲＺＣ） 。在证明它能有效切割该底物后,再将这个核酶与一个能专一性切割烟草花叶病毒（ＴＭＶ） 移动蛋白（ ＭＰ） 亚基因组ＲＮＡ 的锤头型核酶（ＲＺ１） 相互串联构成了一个双价核酶（ＲＺ１Ｃ） 。体外结果表明,这个双价核酶能与相应的单价核酶ＲＺ１ 和ＲＺＣ 一样专一而有效地切割ＣＭＶＣＰ和ＴＭＶ ＭＰＲＮＡ。     

Activity identification of chimeric anti-caspase-3 mRNA hammerhead ribozyme in vitro and in vivo

To study the expression activity of various vectors containing anti-caspase-3 ribozyme cassettesin vivo, and to further study the role of caspas-3 in the apoptotic pathway, we constructed anti-caspase-3 hammerhead ribozyme embedded into the human snRNA U6, and detected the activity of the ribozymein vitro andin vivo. Meanwhile we compared it with the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozymes that we previously studied, and with the general ribozyme, cloned into RNA polymerase II expression systems. The results showed that the three ribozymes, p1.5RZ107, pRZ107 and pU6RZ107 had the correct structure, and that they could cleave caspase-3 mRNA exactly to produce two fragments: 143nt/553nt. p1.5RZ107 has the highest cleavage efficiencyin vitro, almost 80%. However, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, pU6RZ107, has the highest cleavage activityin vivo, almost to 65%, though it has lower cleavage activityin vitro. The cleavage results demonstrated that the pU6RZ107, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, could more efficiently express and downregulate the level of caspase-3in vivo, and the ribozyme could provide an alternative approach to the research into the mechanism of apoptosis and human gene therapy also.     

Activity identification of chimeric anti-caspase-3 mRNA hammerhead ribozymein vitro andin vivo

To study the expression activity of various vectors containing anti-caspase-3 ribozyme cassettesin vivo, and to further study the role of caspas-3 in the apoptotic pathway, we constructed anti-caspase-3 hammerhead ribozyme embedded into the human snRNA U6, and detected the activity of the ribozymein vitro andin vivo. Meanwhile we compared it with the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozymes that we previously studied, and with the general ribozyme, cloned into RNA polymerase II expression systems. The results showed that the three ribozymes, p1.5RZ107, pRZ107 and pU6RZ107 had the correct structure, and that they could cleave caspase-3 mRNA exactly to produce two fragments: 143nt/553nt. p1.5RZ107 has the highest cleavage efficiencyin vitro, almost 80%. However, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, pU6RZ107, has the highest cleavage activityin vivo, almost to 65%, though it has lower cleavage activityin vitro. The cleavage results demonstrated that the pU6RZ107, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, could more efficiently express and downregulate the level of caspase-3in vivo, and the ribozyme could provide an alternative approach to the research into the mechanism of apoptosis and human gene therapy also.     

BCR3/ABL2核酶的设计、构建及对K562细胞增殖与集落形成的抑制作用和凋亡诱导作用

利用计算机模拟设计合成了针对 K5 62细胞致癌融合 bcr3/abl2 m RNA的锤头状核酶 .该核酶以融合点附近 UUC为识别切割三联体 ,在核酶的 3′端增加一段 T7噬菌体终止子序列 .用基因克隆结合体外转录的方法 ,肯定了核酶的体外切割活性 .进而将核酶基因克隆到 p CEP4真核细胞高效表达载体上 ,利用脂质体 Lipofectin AMINE介导的转染技术将核酶与核酶基因导入靶细胞 ,从抑制靶细胞 K5 62的增殖与集落形成及引起靶细胞凋亡等方面验证了核酶在细胞水平上对融合基因 bcr3/abl2 m RNA的特异切割作用 ,并观察到了 T7噬菌体终止子序列对核酶切割效率的增强影响 .     

Expression of a chimeric ribozyme gene results in endonucleolytic cleavage of target mRNA and a concomitant reduction of gene expression in vivo.

The subclass of catalytic RNAs termed ribozymes cleave specific target RNA sequences in vitro. Only circumstantial evidence supports the idea that ribozymes may also act in vivo. In this study, ribozymes with a hammerhead motif directed against a target sequence within the mRNA of the neomycin phosphotransferase gene (npt) were embedded into a functional chimeric gene. Two genes, one containing the ribozyme and the other producing the target, were cotransfected into plant protoplasts. Following in vivo expression, a predefined cleavage product of the target mRNA was detected by ribonuclease protection. Expression of both the ribozyme gene and the target gene was driven by the CaMV 35S promoter. Concomitant with the endonucleolytic cleavage of the target mRNA, a complete reduction of NPT activity was observed. An A to G substitution within the ribozyme domain completely inactivates ribozyme-mediated hydrolysis but still shows a reduction in NPT activity, albeit less pronounced. Therefore, the reduction of NPT activity produced by the active ribozyme is best explained by both hydrolytic cleavage and an antisense effect. However, the mutant ribozyme--target complex was more stable than the wildtype ribozyme--target complex. This may result in an overestimation of the antisense effect contributing to the overall reduction of gene expression.     

Selection of the best target site for ribozyme-mediated cleavage within a fusion gene for adenovirus E1A-associated 300 kDa protein (p300) and luciferase.

The cellular 300 kDa protein known as p300 is a target for the adenoviral E1A oncoprotein and it is thought to participate in prevention of the G0/G1 transition during the cell cycle, in activation of certain enhancers and in the stimulation of differentiation pathways. In order to determine the exact function of p300, as a first step we constructed a simple assay system for the selection of a potential target site of a hammerhead ribozyme in vivo. For the detection of ribozyme-mediated cleavage, we used a fusion gene (p300-luc) that consisted of the sequence encoding the N-terminal region of p300 and the gene for luciferase, as the reporter gene. We were also interested in the correlation of the GUX rule, for the triplet adjacent to the cleavage site, with ribozyme activity in vivo. Therefore, we selected five target sites that all included GUX The rank order of activities in vitro indeed followed the GUX rule; with respect to the kcat, a C residue as the third base (X) was the best, next came an A residue and a U residue was the worst (GUC > GUA > GUU). However, in vivo the tRNA(Val) promoter-driven ribozyme, targeted to a GUA located upstream of the initiation codon, had the highest inhibitory effect (96%) in HeLa S3 cells when the molar ratio of the DNA template for the target p300 RNA to that for the ribozyme was 1:4. Since the rank order of activities in vivo did not conform to the GUX rule, it is unlikely that the rate limiting step for cleavage of the p300-luc mRNA was the chemical step. This kind of ribozyme expression system should be extremely useful for elucidation of the function of p300 in vivo.