氨基酸残基归类及用简化后的字符识别蛋白质结构保守区域

序列比对是寻找蛋白质结构保守性区域的常用方法, 然而当序列相似小于30%时比对准确度却不高, 这是因为在这些序列中具有相似结构功能的不同残基在序列比对中往往被错误配对. 基于相似的物理化学性质, 某些残基可以被归类为一组, 而应用这些简化后的残基字符可以有效地简化蛋白质序列的复杂性并保持序列的主要信息. 因此, 如果20种天然氨基酸残基能够正确的归类, 可以有效地提高序列比对的准确度. 本文基于蛋白质结构比对数据库DAPS, 提出了一种新的氨基酸残基归类方法, 并可以同时得到不同简化程度下的替代矩阵用于序列比对. 归类的合理性由相互熵方法确认, 并且应用简化后的字符表于序列比对来识别蛋白质的结构保守区域. 结果表明, 当氨基酸残基字符简化到9个左右时能够有效地提高序列比对的准确度.     

用离散量的方法识别蛋白质的超二级结构

用离散量的方法,对2208个分辨率在2.5I以上的高精度的蛋白质结构中四类超二级结构进行了识别。从蛋白质一级序列出发,以氨基酸(20种氨基酸加一个空位)和其紧邻关联共同为参数,当序列模式固定长取8个氨基酸残基时,对“822”序列模式3交叉检验的平均预测精度达到78.1%,jack-knife检验的平均预测精度达到76.7%;当序列模式固定长取10个氨基酸残基时,对“1041”序列模式3交叉检验的平均预测精度达到83.1%,jack-knife检验的平均预测精度达到79.8%。     

红树植物秋茄中受盐胁迫抑制的cyclophilin基因的鉴定与表达分析

利用代表性差异分析方法获得秋茄中两个编码亲环素(cyclophilin)蛋白的cDNA片段(称为SRGKC2和SRGKC3),该片段大小分别为282bp和160bp;序列分析表明：SRGKC2和SRGKC3是同一基因区域的不同长度片段,SRGKC3是SRGKC2片段的一部分。SRGKC2在84个氨基酸范围内与大戟属cyclophilin蛋白的氨基酸序列的一致性达到90％,SRGKC3在47个氨基酸范围内与蚕豆cyclophilin蛋白的一致性达到93％。Northern分析表明：盐分抑制SRGKC2片段的表达。依赖SRGKC2片段的序列资料,利用cDNA快速末端扩增(RACE)技术获取秋茄中cyclophilin基因的全长cDNA片段(命名为KCCYP1)(GenBank登录号：AY150052)。该cDNA全长约为0．9kb,含有一个516个核苷酸的完整开放阅读框,编码172个氨基酸,等电点为8．57,分子量18．2KDa。42—49位氨基酸残基为推测的ATP／GTP结合位点A基序(P—loop),48—54位氨基酸残基是插入的7个氨基酸残基。文中还对SRGKC2在不同种中的表达状况进行了分析。     

决明查尔酮合成酶基因的克隆及序列分析

以决明(Cassia tora)为实验材料,利用RT-PCR和RACE技术,从决明嫩叶中克隆出查尔酮合成酶(Chal-one synthase,CHS)基因,其cDNA全长为1 459 bp,编码一个由390个氨基酸残基组成的多肽.氨基酸序列分析表明,决明CHS基因的氨基酸序列中含有44.61%的中性疏水氨基酸,29.74%的中性亲水氨基酸,12.56%的酸性氨基酸和13.O8%的碱性氨基酸.决明CHS基因的氨基酸序列中具有CHS家族酶系的氨基酸保守残基,包括结合底物CoA的结合残基及催化聚酮合成的催化残基,表明其可能参与聚酮化合物的合成.决明与其它植物CHS的氨基酸序列的进化分析表明,其与同为豆科决明属的翼叶决明(Cassia alata)的同源性较近,并且CHS家族可以分为CHS亚家族与非CHS亚家族.将得到的序列提交GenBank,登录号为EU430077.     

构建基于折叠核心的全α类蛋白取代矩阵

氨基酸残基取代矩阵是影响多序列比对效果的重要因素,现有的取代矩阵对低相似序列的比对性能较低.在已有的 BLOSUM 取代矩阵算法基础上,定义了基于蛋白质折叠核心结构的序列 结构数据块;提出一种新的基于全α类蛋白质折叠核心结构的氨基酸残基取代矩阵——TOPSSUM25,用于提高低相似度序列的比对效果.将矩阵TOPSSUM25导入多序列比对程序,对相似性小于25%的一组四螺旋束序列 结构数据块的测试结果表明,基于 TOPSSUM25的多序列比对效果明显优于BLOSUM30矩阵;基于一个BAliBASE子集的比对检验也进一步表明, TOPSSUM25在全α类蛋白质的两两序列比对上优于BLOSUM30矩阵.研究结果可为进一步的阐明低同源蛋白质序列 结构 功能关系提供帮助.     

大肠杆菌青霉素G酰化酶基因及其邻近区域的核苷酸全序列

我们由E.coli AS1.76克隆了青霉素G酰化酶的基因,并且测定了其全部核苷酸序列。青霉素G酰化酶结构基因是由下述功能片段组成的:(1)编码信号肽(26个氨基酸残基)的78个碱基对;(2)编码α-亚基(209个氨基酸残基)的627个碱基对;(3)编码间隔肽(54个氨基酸残基)的162个碱基对;(4)编码β亚基(557个氨基酸残基)的1671个碱基对。此外,我们还发现起始密码子(ATG)前有个核糖体结合位点和启动子序列以及在终止密码子(TAA)之后有个转录终止信号。与最近发表的青霉素G酰化酶基因的DNA序列比较,同源性达99.7%。     

簇毛麦HMW-GS及其启动子基因的克隆与序列分析

利用2对特异引物,从簇毛麦(Dasypyrum villosum)基因组中分离克隆出一个簇毛麦HMW-GS基因VHG-2(GenBank登录号为FJ600492)及其启动子序列VHGp-1(GenBank登录号为FJ600489).VHGp-1序列长度为1 099 bp,从5′至3′方向依次有E-box、N-box、G-box、HMW谷蛋白特异38 bp增强子和TATA-box等典型的HMW-GS基因启动子作用调控元件,说明VHGp-1为簇毛麦HMW-GS的启动子基因.VHG-2序列长度为1 572 bp,具有单一完整的、可编码498个氨基酸的开放阅读框(ORF),该ORF推导的氨基酸序列结构分析表明,编码区依次包含由21个氨基酸残基组成的信号肽、105个氨基酸残基组成的N-末端区、330个氨基酸残基组成的中部重复区和42个氨基酸残基组成的C-末端区;中部重复区主要重复单元为6肽(PQQGQQ)和9肽(GYYPTSP/LQQ);有6个半胱氨酸残基(Cys),其中5个分布在N-末端区,1个分布在C-末端区,第3、4个相邻.这些特征与报道的y-型HMW-GS多肽结构基本一致,说明VHG-2是簇毛麦的y-型HMW-GS基因.系统进化分析表明,簇毛麦HMW-GS启动子序列(VHGP-1)与智利大麦(H.chilense)H基因组的D-hordein基因、拟鹅观草和阿拉善鹅观草St基因组的HMW-GS基因的启动子具有比较近的同源关系,簇毛麦HMW-GS基因(VHG-2)与冰草、拟鹅观草和中间偃麦草的y-型HMW-GS基因具有较近的同源关系.     

扩展青霉PF898碱性脂肪酶cDNA的克隆及序列分析

扩展青霉 (Penicilliumexpansum)PF898可产生一种具有工业价值的碱性脂肪酶 (PEL) .在测定了其N端 12个氨基酸残基序列的基础上 ,通过RT PCR、5′RACE、基因克隆及序列测定 ,获得了PEL完整的cDNA序列 (GenBank登录号为AF2 84 0 6 4 ) .cDNA全长 10 5 0bp ,包括PEL编码区、3′非翻译区和部分 5′非翻译区基因的序列 .编码区cDNA由 85 5个碱基组成 ,编码 1个由 2 85个氨基酸残基组成的酶蛋白 ,其信号肽及前肽部分由 2 7个氨基酸残基组成 ,成熟肽部分由 2 5 8个氨基酸残基组成 .根据氨基酸组成推导该脂肪酶蛋白的分子量为 2 7 3kD .该脂肪酶的氨基酸序列 130～ 134位上有各类脂肪酶中普遍存在的G X S X G保守序列     

一个新的东亚钳蝎毒素(BmKT_1)全长cDNA的克隆和分析

首先构建了东亚钳蝎毒腺组织 c DNA文库 ;根据已知的东亚钳蝎哺乳动物毒素氨基酸序列保守区设计引物 ,并用 PCR从 c DNA文库中扩增出一个 c DNA片段作为筛选 c DNA文库的探针 ;从 c DNA文库中筛选到二个编码同一个新的蝎毒素多肽的 c DNA,它们除 3′- UTR外 ,其余序列完全一致 .它们均含有 2 55bp长的开放阅读框 ,编码 85肽的前体毒素 ,包括 1 9个氨基酸残基的信号肽 ,66个残基的成熟毒素 (命名为 Bm KT1) ;Bm KT1氨基酸序列与已知的蝎毒素具有较大的同源性 ,与 Bm KM1,Lqq ,Lqhα IT和 Bm K M10 的同源性分别为 77%、67%、67%和 65% .Bm KT1的 C端不存在末端修饰步骤且具有一个与这些毒素不相同的特征结构 ,即在末端延伸了两个氨基酸残基 - P- S,推测 Bm KT1具有新的活性功能特征 .     

甘薯贮藏蛋白(sporam in)A基因编码区克隆及序列同源性分析

采用 PCR技术 ,从我国广泛栽培甘薯品种南薯 88基因组中扩增和克隆到甘薯贮藏蛋白 A基因编码区段 ,并测定了其全部核苷酸序列 .该编码区长 65 7bp,编码一个长 2 1 9个氨基酸残基的蛋白质 ,其中信号肽长 37个氨基酸残基 ,成熟蛋白质长 1 82个氨基酸残基 ,其分子量为 2 0 k D.将该片段的核苷酸序列与已登录在 Gen Bank中的另外 6个甘薯贮藏蛋白 A基因编码区序列进行比较 ,发现其同源性高达 90 % ,说明甘薯贮藏蛋白 A基因编码区序列具有高度保守性 .虽然 7个基因编码区的核苷酸总变异为 1 0 % ,但在每两个基因之间的比较则表明其核苷酸的变异范围小于 7% .     

Replacement of a conserved arginine in the assembly domain of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small subunit interferes with holoenzyme formation.

In higher plants the small subunit (S) of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (ribulose-P2 carboxylase, EC 4.1.1.39) contains a segment of 16 amino acids which is absent from cyanobacterial S. This segment connecting two beta sheets has been shown, by crystallographic analysis, to form a hairpin loop. The quaternary structure of ribulose-P2 carboxylase indicates several S to large subunit (L) interactions. Eleven of 22 residues within the loop form the interface with 20 residues from two different L dimers. Eight of the loop residues are involved in hydrogen bonds, salt links, and hydrophobic interactions. To test the hypothesis, whether this loop had a function in the assembly of L and S into the hexadecameric enzyme, 6 amino acids within the loop were modified by site-directed mutagenesis of the pea rbcS-3A gene. All substituted S were imported by isolated chloroplasts from pea with wild type efficiency. Mutants E54-R, H55-A, P59-A, D63-G, D63-L, and Y66-A were assembly-competent, indicating that changes of side chains at these positions are tolerated. Replacement of arginine 53, whose side chain forms H-bonds with L residues Y226 and G261, with glutamate completely abolished assembly into holoenzyme. We suggest that arginine 53 in S is essential for ribulose-P2 carboxylase quaternary structure in higher plants.     

Increasing the thermal stability of euphauserase. A cold-active and multifunctional serine protease from Antarctic krill.

A molecular model of Antarctic krill euphauserase based on the known crystal structure of its fiddler crab analog, collagenase I, indicates that the core structure of these enzymes is almost identical. Euphauserase is a cold-active and thermally sensitive enzyme with a high affinity for Lys, Arg and large hydrophobic amino acids. Residue Phe137 in euphauserase, localized in loop D (autolysis loop), is highly exposed on the surface of the molecule. Therefore, it appeared to be an easy target for autolysis. The broadly specific euphauserase has a low affinity for negatively charged residues. In order to increase the stability of the enzyme, two mutants were created in which residue Phe137 was replaced by a Glu and an Asp residue. Both mutations resulted in increased stability of the recombinant euphauserase towards thermal inactivation.     

Insights into the molecular determinants involved in cap recognition by the vaccinia virus D10 decapping enzyme

Decapping enzymes are required for the removal of the 5′-end ^m7GpppN cap of mRNAs to allow their decay in cells. While many cap-binding proteins recognize the cap structure via the stacking of the methylated guanosine ring between two aromatic residues, the precise mechanism of cap recognition by decapping enzymes has yet to be determined. In order to get insights into the interaction of decapping enzymes with the cap structure, we studied the vaccinia virus D10 decapping enzyme as a model to investigate the important features for substrate recognition by the enzyme. We demonstrate that a number of chemically modified purines can competitively inhibit the decapping reaction, highlighting the molecular features of the cap structure that are required for recognition by the enzyme, such as the nature of the moiety at positions 2 and 6 of the guanine base. A 3D structural model of the D10 protein was generated which suggests amino acids implicated in cap binding. Consequently, we expressed 17 mutant proteins with amino acid substitutions in the active site of D10 and found that eight are critical for the decapping activity. These data underscore the functional features involved in the non-canonical cap-recognition by the vaccinia virus D10 decapping enzyme.     

Structural analysis of the HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop: application to the HIV-Haiti isolates

The model describing the structure and conformational preferences of the HIV-Haiti V3 loop in the geometric spaces of Cartesian coordinates and dihedral angles was generated in terms of NMR spectroscopy data published in literature. To this end, the following successive steps were put into effect: (i) the NMR-based 3D structure for the HIV-Haiti V3 loop in water was built by computer modeling methods; (ii) the conformations of its irregular segments were analyzed and the secondary structure elements identified; and (iii) to reveal a common structural motifs in the HIV-Haiti V3 loop regardless of its environment variability, the simulated structure was collated with the one deciphered previously for the HIV-Haiti V3 loop in a water/trifluoroethanol (TFE) mixed solvent. As a result, the HIV-Haiti V3 loop was found to offer the highly variable fragment of gp120 sensitive to its environment whose changes trigger the large-scale structural rearrangements, bringing in substantial altering the secondary and tertiary structures of this functionally important site of the virus envelope. In spite of this fact, over half of amino acid residues that reside, for the most part, in the functionally important regions of the gp120 protein and may present promising targets for AIDS drug researches, were shown to preserve their conformational states in the structures under review. In particular, the register of these amino acids holds Asn-25 that is critical for the virus binding with primary cell receptor CD4 as well as Arg-3 that is critical for utilization of CCR5 co-receptor and heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The conservative structural motif embracing one of the potential sites of the gp120 N-linked glycosylation was detected, which seems to be a promising target for the HIV-1 drug design. The implications are discussed in conjunction with the literature data on the biological activity of the individual amino acids for the HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop.     

Structural Analysis of the HIV-1 gp120 V3 Loop: Application to the HIV-Haiti Isolates

Abstract

The model describing the structure and conformational preferences of the HIV-Haiti V3 loop in the geometric spaces of Cartesian coordinates and dihedral angles was generated in terms of NMR spectroscopy data published in literature. To this end, the following successive steps were put into effect: (i) the NMR-based 3D structure for the HIV-Haiti V3 loop in water was built by computer modeling methods; (ii) the conformations of its irregular segments were analyzed and the secondary structure elements identified; and (iii) to reveal a common structural motifs in the HIV-Haiti V3 loop regardless of its environment variability, the simulated structure was collated with the one deciphered previously for the HIV-Haiti V3 loop in a water/trifluoroethanol (TFE) mixed solvent.

As a result, the HIV-Haiti V3 loop was found to offer the highly variable fragment of gp120 sensitive to its environment whose changes trigger the large-scale structural rearrangements, bringing in substantial altering the secondary and tertiary structures of this functionally important site of the virus envelope. In spite of this fact, over half of amino acid residues that reside, for the most part, in the functionally important regions of the gp120 protein and may present promising targets for AIDS drug researches, were shown to preserve their conformational states in the structures under review. In particular, the register of these amino acids holds Asn-25 that is critical for the virus binding with primary cell receptor CD4 as well as Arg-3 that is critical for utilization of CCR5 co-receptor and heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The conservative structural motif embracing one of the potential sites of the gp120 N-linked glycosylation was detected, which seems to be a promising target for the HIV-1 drug design.

The implications are discussed in conjunction with the literature data on the biological activity of the individual amino acids for the HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop.     

The negatively charged amino acids in the lumenal loop influence the pigment binding and conformation of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex of photosystem II

The major chlorophyll (Chl) a/b complexes of photosystem II (LHCIIb), in addition to their primary light-harvesting function, play key roles in the organization of the granal ultrastructure of the thylakoid membranes and in various regulatory processes. These functions depend on the structural stability and flexibility of the complexes. The lumenal side of LHCIIb is exposed to broadly variable pH environments, due to the build-up and decay of the pH gradient during photosynthesis. Therefore, the negatively charged amino acids in the lumenal loop might be of paramount importance for adjusting the structure and functions of LHCIIb. In order to clarify the structural roles of these residues, we investigated the pigment stoichiometries, absorption, linear and circular dichroism spectra of the reconstituted LHCIIb complexes, in which the negatively charged amino acids in the lumenal loop were exchanged to neutral ones (E94G, E107V and D111V). The mutations influenced the pigment binding and the molecular architecture of the complexes. Exchanging E94 to G destabilized the 3(10) helix in the lumenal loop structure and led to an acquired pH sensitivity of the LHCIIb structure. We conclude that these amino acids are important not only for pigment binding in the complexes, but also in stabilizing the conformation of LHCIIb at different pHs.     

The negatively charged amino acids in the lumenal loop influence the pigment binding and conformation of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex of photosystem II

The major chlorophyll (Chl) a/b complexes of photosystem II (LHCIIb), in addition to their primary light-harvesting function, play key roles in the organization of the granal ultrastructure of the thylakoid membranes and in various regulatory processes. These functions depend on the structural stability and flexibility of the complexes. The lumenal side of LHCIIb is exposed to broadly variable pH environments, due to the build-up and decay of the pH gradient during photosynthesis. Therefore, the negatively charged amino acids in the lumenal loop might be of paramount importance for adjusting the structure and functions of LHCIIb. In order to clarify the structural roles of these residues, we investigated the pigment stoichiometries, absorption, linear and circular dichroism spectra of the reconstituted LHCIIb complexes, in which the negatively charged amino acids in the lumenal loop were exchanged to neutral ones (E94G, E107V and D111V). The mutations influenced the pigment binding and the molecular architecture of the complexes. Exchanging E94 to G destabilized the 3₁₀ helix in the lumenal loop structure and led to an acquired pH sensitivity of the LHCIIb structure. We conclude that these amino acids are important not only for pigment binding in the complexes, but also in stabilizing the conformation of LHCIIb at different pHs.     

Synthesis, activity, and preliminary structure of the fourth EGF-like domain of thrombomodulin.

The fourth EGF-like domain of thrombomodulin (TM4), residues E346-F389 in the TM sequence, has been synthesized. Refolding of the synthetic product under redox conditions gave a single major product. The disulfide bonding pattern of the folded, oxidized domain was (1-3, 2-4, 5-6), which is the same as that found in EGF protein. TM4 was tested for TM anticoagulant activity because deletion and substitution mutagenesis experiments have shown that the fourth EGF-like domain of TM is essential for TM cofactor activity. TM4 showed no TM-like activity in two assay systems, both for inhibition of fibrin clot formation, and for cofactor activity in thrombin activation of protein C. A preliminary structure of TM4 was determined by 2D 1H NMR from 519 NOE-derived distance constraints. Distance geometry calculations yielded a single convergent structure. The structure resembles the structure of EGF and other known EGF-like domains but has some key differences. The central two-stranded beta-sheet is conserved despite the differences in the number of amino acids in the loops. The C-terminal loop formed by the disulfide bond between C372 and C386 in TM4 is five amino acids longer than the analogous loop between C33 and C42 of EGF protein. This loop appears to have a different fold in TM4 than in EGF protein. The loop forms the two outside strands of a broken, irregular tri-stranded beta-sheet, and amino acids H384-F389 lie between the two strands forming the middle strand of the sheet. Thus, although the C-terminus of EGF protein forms one of the outside strands of a tri-stranded antiparallel sheet, the C-terminus of TM4 forms the inside strand of an irregular tri-stranded parallel-anti-parallel sheet. The residues D349, E357, and E374, which were shown to be critical for cofactor activity by alanine scanning mutagenesis, all lie in a patch near the C-terminal loop, and are solvent accessible. The other critical residues, Y358 and F376, are largely buried and appear to play essential structural rather than functional roles.     

Comparison of the computed structures for the phosphate-binding loop of the p21 protein containing the oncogenic site Gly 12 with the X-ray crystallographic structures for this region in the p21 protein and EFtu. A model for the structure of the p21 protein in its oncogenic form

The GTP-binding p21 protein encoded by the ras-oncogene can be activated to cause malignant transformation of cells by substitution of a single amino acid at critical positions along the polypeptide chain. Substitution of any non-cyclic L-amino acid for Gly 12 in the normal protein results in a transforming protein. This substitution occurs in a hydrophobic sequence (residues 6-15) which is known to be involved in binding the phosphate moities of GTP (and GDP). We find, using conformational energy calculations, that the 6-15 segment of the normal protein (with Gly 12) adopts structures that contain a bend at residues 11 and 12 with the Gly in the D* conformation, not allowed energetically for L-amino acids. Substitution of non-cyclic L-amino acids for Gly 12 results in shifting this bend to residues 12 and 13. We show that many computed structures for the Gly 12-containing phosphate binding loop, segment 9-15, are superimposable on the corresponding segment of the recently determined X-ray crystallographic structure for residues 1-171 of the p21 protein. All such structures contain bends at residues 11 and 12 and most of these contain Gly 12 in the C* or D* conformational state. Other computed conformations for the 9-15 segment were superimposable on the structure of the corresponding 18-23 segment of EFtu, the bacterial chain elongation factor having structural similarities to the p21 protein in the phosphate-binding regions. This segment contains a Val residue where a Gly occurs in the p21 protein. As previously predicted, all of these superimposable conformations contain a bend at positions 12 and 13, not 11 and 12. If these structures that are superimposable on EFtu are introduced into the p21 protein structure, bad contacts occur between the sidechain of the residue (here Val) at position 12 and another phosphate binding loop region around position 61. These bad contacts between the two segments can be removed by changing the conformation of the 61 region in the p21 protein to the corresponding position of the homologous region in EFtu. In this new conformation, a large site becomes available for the binding of phosphate residues. In addition, such phenomena as autophosphorylation of the p21 protein by GTP can be explained with this new model structure for the activated protein which cannot be explained by the structure for the non-activated protein.     

Anti-insulin antibody structure and conformation. I. Molecular modeling and mechanics of an insulin antibody.

A knowledge-based three-dimensional model of an anti-insulin antibody, 125, was constructed using the structures of conserved residues found in other known crystallographic immunoglobulins. Molecular modeling and mechanics were done with the 125 amino acid sequences using QUANTA and CHARMm on a Silicon Graphics 4D70GT workstation. A minimal model was made by scaffolding using crystallography coordinates of the antibody HyHEL-5, because it had the highest amino acid sequence homology with 125 (84% light chain, 65% heavy chain). The three hypervariable loop turns that are longer in 125 than in HyHEL-5 (L1, L3, and H3) were modeled separately and incorporated into the HyHEL-5 structure; then other amino acid substitutions were made and torsions optimized. The 125 model maintains all the structural attributes of an antibody and the structures conserved in known antibodies. Although there are many polar amino acids (especially serines) in this site, the overall van der Waals surface shape is determined by positions of aromatic side chains. Based on this model, it is suggested that hydrogen bonding may be key in the interaction between the human insulin A chain loop antigenic epitope and 125.