MiR-150-5p靶向TP53对结直肠癌细胞侵袭和增殖的影响

摘要 目的：探索miR-150-5p靶向调控TP53基因对结直肠癌（colorectal cancer, CRC）在临床和生物学的相关性,研究miR-150-5p调控TP53基因在结直肠癌细胞增殖和侵袭病变中的作用。方法：收集临床手术切除并病理证实的结直肠癌患者的手术及血浆样本（结直肠癌和癌旁组织）60例,另选取癌旁正常粘膜10例,腺瘤30例。根据瘤体直径分为肿瘤＞5 cm（n=30）和≤5 cm（n=30）。qRT-PCR法测定样本中miR-150-5p表达,荧光素酶活性测定以确定TP53是否为miR-150-5p的靶基因。使用SW480细胞株,进行Transwell小室检测细胞侵袭能力,CCK-8检测细胞增值能力,对miR-150-5p进行生物信息学分析。结果：TP53是miR-150-5p的下游基因。癌组织及血浆中miR-150-5p表达量低于癌旁组织,直径＞5 cm瘤体中的miR-150-5p表达量显著低于直径≤5 cm瘤体,Ⅰ-Ⅱ期结直肠癌组织中的miR-150-5p表达显著高于Ⅲ-Ⅳ期（P＜0.05）。上调miR-150-5p后,细胞中TP53表达下降,下调miR-150-5p后,TP53表达升高;CCK-8增殖试验显示细胞中miR-150-5p过表达组抑制细胞增殖（P＜0.05）。结论：MiR-150-5p在结直肠癌组织和细胞中显著低表达,miR-150-5p通过靶向调节TP53抑制人CRC细胞的侵袭和增殖,有望成为结直肠癌治疗的新靶点。     

Characterisation and computational analysis of a novel lipase nanobio-based reagent for visualising latent fingerprints on water-immersed glass slides

Considering the significant evidential values of fingerprints in underwater criminal investigations and the need to visualise them using a user- and environmentally-friendly reagent, development of a novel, rapid and relatively greener nanobio-based reagent (NBR) is deemed beneficial. Lipase from the commercial Candida rugosa immobilised onto acid-functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NBR) was used as the safer and cheap lipid-sensing reagent to visualise groomed whole/split fingerprints on non-porous objects immersed in stagnant tap water for up to 30 days under a laboratory-controlled setting. Attenuated Total Reflectance – Fourier Transform Spectrometry, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and bioinformatics (molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations) were employed to characterise and confirm the attachment of NBR onto the lipid constituents of wet fingerprints. Chromatographic results further confirmed the presence of n-hexadecanoic and octadecanoic acids on fingerprints up to 30 days of immersion. Thus, NBR may potentially be useful as the future state-of-the-art fingerprint visualisation technology.     

毛竹APX家族基因鉴定和表达分析

为了解毛竹(Phyllostachys edulis)抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(ascorbate peroxidase, APX)基因家族成员在不同组织和非生物胁迫下的表达模式,利用生物信息学方法从毛竹基因组数据库中鉴定得到7条APX同工酶基因(PeAPXs),根据亚细胞定位预测结果可分为3个亚类。各个基因启动子序列中存在低温、干旱以及光响应元件。毛竹PeAPXs在7个组织中的表达丰度不同,具有组织特异性。qRT-PCR结果表明,在干旱、盐和低温胁迫下各基因的表达模式存在着较大差异,其中PeAPX2在3种胁迫下均维持着较高的表达水平;低温胁迫对PeAPXs有诱导作用,其表达量均呈上调趋势;干旱胁迫下,PeAPX1的表达量下调,未检测到PeAPX3、PeAPX6、PeAPX7表达;盐胁迫下,除PeAPX3和PeAPX6外,其余基因表达量上调。因此,毛竹APX基因可能参与到不同的非生物胁迫过程并在毛竹的生长发育阶段发挥着重要的作用。     

西瓜含有JmjC结构域的组蛋白去甲基化酶家族的生物信息学分析

利用生物信息学方法,对西瓜（Citrullus lanatus（Thunb.）Matsum.&Nakai）JmjC基因家族的成员进行鉴定,对该基因家族的染色体定位、基因结构、蛋白结构域、选择压力和酶活位点进行分析,并对该基因家族与其它物种的系统进化及共线性关系进行研究。结果显示：西瓜全基因组含有17个JmjC候选基因,核苷酸序列长度为1209~5541 bp;这些基因均含有JmjC结构域,分别位于9条染色体上,归属8个亚族。系统进化、选择压力以及共线性分析结果表明,西瓜与黄瓜（Cucumis sativus L.）亲缘关系较近,JmjC家族基因数量相同,其中14个成员呈现一对一的共线性关系;而西瓜与拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana（L.）Heynh）亲缘关系较远,但西瓜和拟南芥同一亚族中JmjC基因间K_a/K_s的比值均小于1,推测西瓜各个亚族成员的编码蛋白功能与同一亚族的拟南芥成员功能极为相似。酶活位点分析结果表明西瓜JmjC基因家族中有10个成员具有潜在的组蛋白去甲基化酶活性。     

茶树DELLA基因家族的鉴定及表达分析

利用生物信息学方法,从茶树（Camellia sinensis（L.）O.Ktze.）全基因组数据库中分析获得DELLA蛋白的家族成员,并对它们的系统进化关系、蛋白序列特征、基因表达特异性及其与茶树次生代谢物的相关性进行分析。结果显示：茶树基因组中共有5个DELLA基因,分别为：TEA009882（CsGAI）、TEA022818（CsRGA1）、TEA010112（CsRGL1）、TEA008736（CsRGL2）和TEA020933（CsRGL3）;其编码的氨基酸数量在525~594之间,均定位于细胞核。该蛋白的二级和三级结构分析结果表明,茶树DELLA蛋白结构中含有大量的α螺旋及少量β转角结构。蛋白保守结构域分析结果显示该蛋白与拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana（L.）Heynh.）具有高度的同源性,均具有GRAS、DELLA等保守结构域。基因的表达特异性分析结果表明,在茶树不同组织部位中,TEA009882、TEA022818和TEA010112基因的表达量均较高,而TEA020933和TEA008736的表达量在各组织中均较低;茶树DELLA基因的表达受到干旱、NaCl、低温及茉莉酸甲酯等非生物逆境胁迫的调控,且其表达量与茶树次生代谢物的积累间存在相关性。推测茶树DELLA基因广泛参与了茶树生长发育及非生物逆境胁迫的响应,以及对次生代谢物生物合成过程的调控。     

Identification and characterization of candidates involved in production of OMEGAs in microalgae: a gene mining and phylogenomic approach

Abstract

Optimizing the production of the high-value renewables such as OMEGAs through pathway engineering requires an in-depth understanding of the structure–function relationship of genes involved in the OMEGA biosynthetic pathways. In this preliminary study, our rationale is to identify and characterize the ～221 putative genes involved in production of OMEGAs using bioinformatic analysis from the Streptophyte (plants), Chlorophyte (green algae), Rhodophyta (red algae), and Bacillariophyta (diatoms) lineages based on their phylogenomic profiling, conserved motif/domain organization and physico-chemical properties. The MEME suite predicted 12 distinct protein domains, which are conserved among these putative genes. The phylogenomic analysis of the putative candidate genes [such as FAD2 (delta-12 desaturase); ECR (enoyl-CoA reductase); FAD2 (delta-12 desaturase); ACOT (acyl CoA thioesterase); ECH (enoyl-CoA hydratase); and ACAT (acetyl-CoA acyltransferase)] with similar domains and motif patterns were remarkably well conserved. Furthermore, the subcellular network prediction of OMEGA biosynthetic pathway genes revealed a unique interaction between the light-dependent chlorophyll biosynthesis and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which predicts a major cross-talk between the key essential pathways. Such bioinformatic analysis will provide insights in finding the key regulatory genes to optimize the productivity of OMEGAs in microalgal cell factories.     

Next-generation sequencing for identifying new genes in rare genetic diseases: many challenges and a pinch of luck

A report on the European Society of Human Genetics conference, held in Paris, France, June 8-11, 2013.     

Membrane protein shaving with thermolysin can be used to evaluate topology predictors

Topology analysis of membrane proteins can be obtained by enzymatic shaving in combination with MS identification of peptides. Ideally, such analysis could provide quite detailed information about the membrane spanning regions. Here, we examine the ability of some shaving enzymes to provide large‐scale analysis of membrane proteome topologies. To compare different shaving enzymes, we first analyzed the detected peptides from two over‐expressed proteins. Second, we analyzed the peptides from non‐over‐expressed Escherichia coli membrane proteins with known structure to evaluate the shaving methods. Finally, the identified peptides were used to test the accuracy of a number of topology predictors. At the end we suggest that the usage of thermolysin, an enzyme working at the natural pH of the cell for membrane shaving, is superior because: (i) we detect a similar number of peptides and proteins using thermolysin and trypsin; (ii) thermolysin shaving can be run at a natural pH and (iii) the incubation time is quite short. (iv) Fewer detected peptides from thermolysin shaving originate from the transmembrane regions. Using thermolysin shaving we can also provide a clear separation between the best and the less accurate topology predictors, indicating that using data from shaving can provide valuable information when developing new topology predictors.