杜仲Dirigent蛋白编码基因的克隆及序列分析

分别以杜仲基因组DNA和cDNA为模板克隆DIRs基因,并分析其序列及其蛋白的遗传特性。以杜仲为研究对象,利用聚合酶链式反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)技术获得杜仲DIRs序列,并结合生物信息学方法对杜仲DIRs的序列进行深入分析。从杜仲中克隆DIRs基因序列,利用生物信息手段分析DIRs基因与其它物种的同源性、结构域、功能域、蛋白质理化特性、蛋白质序列跨膜区、亚细胞定位、磷酸化位点、糖基化位点以及编码蛋白二级结构等进行分析。克隆的杜仲DIRs片段序列有468bp,不含内含子,编码155个氨基酸。推测的编码蛋白的氨基酸序列与芝麻、五味子同源性最高,分别达71%和70%,具有的5个保守基序,第1～148位之间是个高度保守的结构功能域—Dirigent,为亲水性蛋白,相对分子质量为17kD,理论等电点为4.91,不具有跨膜区;亚细胞定位在细胞质中,不属于分泌蛋白;序列预测具有13个磷酸化位点,未预测到糖基化位点,二级结构主要以无规则卷曲结构组成。以上研究为进一步探讨DIRs基因在木脂素生物合成途径中的功能提供了理论依据。     

羊流产嗜衣原体ompA基因克隆及生物信息学分析

分析羊流产嗜衣原体ompA基因结构并预测其编码蛋白的结构和功能。采用DNA Star、DNA MAN、vector NTI suite11.5序列分析软件和在线网站ExPASy分析该基因的结构和预测其编码蛋白的理化性质、亚细胞定位、一级结构修饰位点、二级结构特征及三维空间构象、潜在抗原表位等。结果显示,该基因全长1 170 bp,可编码389个氨基酸,编码蛋白理化性质较稳定,无各种亚细胞定位序列,含有多个能被其他酶修饰的位点,该蛋白以无规则卷曲为主,大部分氨基酸残基包埋在分子内部,含5个跨膜区,3个亲水性较强的抗原表位。ompA基因生物信息学分析结果为ompA蛋白功能的深入研究和新型多价疫苗的开发提供了基础数据。     

基于生物信息学方法预测人线粒体转录终止因子3蛋白的结构与功能

目的:基于生物信息学预测人线粒体转录终止因子3(hMTERF3)蛋白的结构与功能。方法:利用GenBank、Uniprot、ExPASy、SWISS-PROT数据库资源和不同的生物信息学软件对hMTERF3蛋白进行系统研究,包括hMTERF3的理化性质、跨膜区和信号肽、二级结构功能域、亚细胞定位、蛋白质的功能分类预测、同源蛋白质多重序列比对、系统发育树构建、三级结构同源建模。结果:软件预测hMTERF3蛋白的相对分子质量为47.97×103,等电点为8.60,不具信号肽和跨膜区;二级结构分析显示主要为螺旋和无规则卷曲,包含6个MTERF基序,三级结构预测结果与二级结构预测结果相符;亚细胞定位分析结果显示该蛋白定位于人线粒体;功能分类预测其为转运和结合蛋白,参与基因转录调控;同源蛋白质多重序列比对和进化分析显示,hMTERF3蛋白与大鼠、小鼠等哺乳动物的MTERF3蛋白具有高度同源性,在系统发育树上聚为一类。结论:hMTERF3蛋白的生物信息学分析为进一步开展对该蛋白的结构和功能的实验研究提供了理论依据。     

绵羊Wnt2蛋白生物信息学分析

Wnt2蛋白是Wnts蛋白家族的重要成员,参与卵巢的发育。本研究以NCBI蛋白质数据库中发布的Wnt2蛋白氨基酸序列为研究对象,采用生物信息学软件对Wnt2蛋白的理化性质、信号肽及跨膜结构域、糖基化和磷酸化位点、二级结构和功能结构域、亚细胞定位和功能结构分类、序列相似比对及聚类、三级结构进行预测分析。结果发现,绵羊Wnt2由360个氨基酸组成,其等电点为9.21,有糖基化位点和磷酸化位点,是一个有信号肽的稳定的蛋白;二级结构与三级结构一致,均显示Wnt2由α-螺旋、延伸链、无规则卷曲构成;绵羊Wnt2蛋白是细胞外蛋白,主要参与信号转导和转录调控。研究结果为深入探讨Wnt2基因及其编码蛋白的结构和功能提供相关依据。     

家蝇转铁蛋白基因的克隆和生物信息学分析

为了研究家蝇转铁蛋白基因功能,获得全长cDNA序列并对其蛋白序列进行生物信息学分析,利用在线分析程序和相关工具软件分析转铁蛋白基因的开放读码框,分析编码蛋白的理化性质、结构域、并预测其空间结构和功能。结果表明家蝇转铁蛋白基因编码蛋白由622个氨基酸组成,分子量为70.58kDa,理论等电点为5.33,为稳定蛋白,有跨膜区,含有信号肽,该蛋白属于TR-FER保守结构域家族,亚细胞定位于细胞核,二级结构以无规则卷曲为主,功能预测该蛋白具有酶活性。     

新基因Nischarin生物信息学分析及初步验证

目的:对新基因Nischarin进行生物信息学分析,探索其新功能特征,并通过实验进行初步验证。方法:用生物信息学方法对Nischarin进行初步分析,阐明了它的基因结构、染色体定位、编码蛋白质的理化性质、相互作用基因、相互作用蛋白、亚细胞定位、蛋白质功能域等信息。最后采用细胞免疫荧光对其DNA结合位点进行初步验证。结果:对新基因Nischarin的上述性质进行了有效的预测,分析表明该基因结构复杂,相互作用基因或蛋白多,亚细胞分布预测复杂。验证了Nishcarin存在的DNA结合位点。结论:通过生物信息学分析,表明新基因Nischarin是一个复杂的基因,可能存在的多种蛋白表达形式、这些不同的蛋白可能存在不同的亚细胞分布,且该蛋白可能与多种蛋白存在相互作用,上述基因和蛋白特性可能是Ⅰ型咪唑啉受体(Imidazoline-1 receptor,I1R)复杂药理学作用的分子基础。     

小家鼠Pitx2基因的生物信息学分析

目的:对小家鼠Pitx2基因编码蛋白质进行结构和功能预测.方法:利用生物信息学方法和工具对PITX2蛋白质的理化性质、结构功能域和功能分类进行分析.结果:氨基酸残基的组成中丝氨酸含量最高,分子式为C1549H2430N460O483S17,相对分子质量35.8kD,等电点为9.63,具有一定的亲水性;可能为非跨膜蛋白;主要构件为α-螺旋和无规则卷曲;含有一个Hox结构域,推测该蛋白为转录调节因子.结论:通过生物信息学分析,为进一步研究该基因功能奠定基础,也为小鼠作为模式生物在人类的积累性遗传病的研究上提供了理论依据.     

香蕉MuMADS1基因的生物信息学分析

通过筛选用采后0h和48h的香蕉果实构建的果实成熟的SSH(抑制差减杂交)文库,得到一条命名为MuMADS1长度为888bp的片段。通过互联网数据库及生物信息学分析工具对香蕉MuMADS1基因及其编码蛋白进行理化性质预测、序列与结构分析和功能预测。结果表明:MuMADS1基因编码蛋白分子式为C1171H1879N351O367S7,属于亲水的不稳定蛋白;保守结构域分析含有保守的MADS盒和半保守的K-box盒;二级结构主要是以α螺旋为主;具有多种磷酸化位点和核定位信号;同源性比较发现与许多植物的花器官决定基因具有较高的相似性,推测它们可能为同源基因,具有相似的生物学功能。     

双峰驼凝乳酶原基因的生物信息学分析

通过生物信息学的方法对双峰驼凝乳酶原基因及相应的氨基酸序列的同源性、理化性质、保守结构域、亚细胞定位、信号肽、跨膜结构域、亲水性/疏水性、二级结构进行预测分析.结果表明,双峰驼凝乳酶原基因开放阅读框全长1 146 bp,编码381个氨基酸,属于胃蛋白酶A超家族,预测定位于内质网（膜）的稳定亲水性蛋白,具有一个16个氨基酸的信号肽,其不含跨膜结构域.无规卷曲是其二级结构中最大量的结构元件,α螺旋和延抻链分散于整个蛋白质中,活性位点的分析表明,编码蛋白有6类活性位点.分析双峰驼凝乳酶原基因及其编码蛋白质的特征,能够为深入开展双峰驼凝乳酶的表达和凝乳特性研究提供理论依据.     

水稻OsUVR8基因电子克隆及生物信息学分析

[目的]获得水稻Os UVR8基因的编码区序列,并进行生物信息学分析。[方法]以拟南芥UVR8蛋白的氨基酸序列作为查询探针,用电子克隆的方法获得Os UVR8基因的编码区序列;用生物信息学软件对Os UVR8蛋白进行预测和分析。[结果]Os UVR8基因有13个外显子,编码区序列长1 764 bp,编码587个氨基酸。Os UVR8蛋白分子量为62132.7 Da,理论等电点为5.87,含有41个芳香族氨基酸,比较稳定,为亲水性蛋白。无规则卷曲是主要的二级结构,其次是延伸链。位于细胞内叶绿体、线粒体之外的区域。具有9个RCC1重复。有35个磷酸化位点,19个O-β-葡萄糖糖基化位点,6个Yin-Yang位点。三级结构与拟南芥UVR8蛋白三级结构相似。[结论]获得了水稻Os UVR8基因的编码区序列并进行了生物信息学分析。     

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.