酵母PHO81蛋白的结构预测和功能分析

以Ｃｈｏｕ－Ｆａｓｍａｎ和ＧＯＲ方法预测酵母ＰＨＯ８１蛋白的二级结构。用Ｋｙｔｅ－Ｄｏｏｌｉｔｔｌｅ方法分析它的疏水性。分析了ＰＨＯ８１蛋白与其他蛋白的同源性,发现它包含５个ＳＷ１６／ＡＮＫ重复单位,这些重复单位可能是ＰＨＯ８１蛋白与负调控因子ＰＨＯ８０相互作用的位点。     

醇母PHO81基因的克隆和表达

从酵母染色体ＤＮＡ中获得１个约３．０ｋｂ的ＢａｍＨＩ的克隆片段和１个约５．０ｋｂ的ＰｓｔＩ片段,前者包含１７４５ｂｐ的ＰＨＯ８１基因编码序列及１２４４ｂｐ的上游序列,后者包含２２３６ｂｐ的编码序列及约２．８ｋｂ的下游序列,经拼接得到完整的ＰＨＯ８１基因。以ＵＲＡ３基因取代部分ＰＨＯ８１的编码序列,通过体内同源重组,获得ＰＨＯ８１基因缺陷的酵母细胞株。构建ＰＨＯ８１－ＬａｃＺ融合基因,以β－半乳糖苷酶的活力表示ＰＨＯ８１基因的表达水平,研究了它的表达作用。ＰＨＯ８１基因为阻遏型表达,受无机磷浓度的控制,高磷使基因表达阻遏,低磷去阻遏。ＰＨＯ８１对其自身的表达有正调控作用,它与ＰＨＯ５和ＰＨＯ１１基因的调控模式相似,但ＰＨＯ８１上游调控序列和ＰＨＯ５及ＰＨＯ１１的同源性很低。     

Sequence-specific conjugates of oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotides) and hairpin oligocarboxamide minor-groove binders: design, synthesis, and binding studies with double-stranded DNA

New conjugates of triplex-forming pyrimidine oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotides) with one or two 'head-to-head' hairpin oligo(N-methylpyrrole carboxamide) minor-groove binders (MGBs) attached to the terminal phosphate of the oligonucleotides with a oligo(ethylene glycol) linker were synthesized. It was demonstrated that, under appropriate conditions, the conjugates form stable complexes with double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) similarly to triplex-forming oligo(deoxyribonucleotide) (TFO) conjugates containing 5-methylated cytosines. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the complex formation were evaluated by gel-shift assay and thermal denaturation. Higher melting temperatures (Tm), faster complex formation, and lower dissociation constants (Kd) of the triple helices (6-7 nM) were observed for complexes of MGB-oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotide) conjugates with the target dsDNA compared to the nonconjugated individual components. Interaction of MGB moieties with the HIV proviral DNA fragment was indicated by UV/VIS absorption changes at 320 nm in the melting curves. The introduction of thymidine via a 3',3'-type 'inverted' phosphodiester linkage at the 3'-end of oligo(2'-O-methylribonucleotide) conjugates (3'-protection) had no strong influence on triplex formation, but slightly affected complex stability. At pH 6.0, when one or two hairpin MGBs were attached to the oligonucleotide, both triplex formation and minor-groove binding played important roles in complex formation. When two 'head-to-head' oligo(N-methylpyrrole) ligands were attached to the same terminal phosphate of the oligonucleotide or the linker, binding was observed at pH >7.5 and at high temperatures (up to 74 degrees). However, under these conditions, binding was retained only by the MGB part of the conjugate.     

Linkage of a Triple Helix-Forming Oligonucleotide to Amsacrine-4-carboxamide Derivatives Modulates the Sequence-Selectivity of Topoisomerase II-Mediated DNA Cleavage

Abstract

Amsacrine-4-carboxamide-oligonucleotide conjugates were synthesized and studied for their capacity to form DNA triple helices and to alter human topoisomerase II binding and cleavage properties. The intercalating agent was attached to the 3′- or the 5′-end of a 24 nt triple helix-forming oligonucleotide via linkers of different lengths. The stability of these DNA triple helices was investigated by gel retardation and melting temperature studies using a synthetic 70 bp DNA duplex target. The effect of the conjugates on DNA cleavage by topoisomerase II was evaluated using the 70 bp duplex and a 311 bp restriction fragment containing the same triple helix site. The conjugate with the amsacrine derivative linked to the 3′ end of the TFO via a hexaethylene glycol linker modulates the extent of DNA cleavage by topoisomerase II at specific sites.     

NMR Studies of Triplex Formation - Recognition of C•G Base Pairs by New Heterocyclic Systems

Abstract

Sequence specific recognition of double stranded DNA by oligonucleotides is an important process for selective control of gene expression. However, triple-helix formation is limited to recognition of DNA homopurine strands. We report herein the NMR recognition studies of C?G base pairs by new heterocyclic systems like benzimidazole and benzoxazoles bearing an urea donor function designed to bound to the O4 and N7 atoms of guanosine base.     

Targeted killing effects of double CD and TK suicide genes controlled by survivin promoter on gastric cancer cell

Suicide genes such as cytosine deaminase (CD) and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK) encode products that convert nontoxic substances (prodrugs) into toxic metabolites. Studies in recent years indicated that survivin(sur) expression was associated with the biological behaviors of gastric carcinoma. In the present study, targeted killing effects of double CD and TK suicide genes controlled by survivin promoter on gastric cancer cell were investigated, the recombinant pSCT vector containing CD and TK genes driven by sur promoter was constructed and transfected into SGC-7901 cells. After adding the CCV and 5-FC, the effects of double suicide genes on cell growth, cell cycle and proliferation were determined by MTT assay and flow cytometry (FCM). The results showed that sur promoter could specifically drive the expression of double CD/TK gene in SGC-7901 cells, whereas not in the normal GES-1 cell. After using CCV and 5-FC, the growth of SGC-7901 cells was inhibited. G1 phase proportion was significantly higher in SGC-7901 cells transfected with double suicide genes than the untransfected cells. These results suggest that CD and TK double suicide genes driven by sur promoter could provide a new approach for enhancing selective suicide gene therapy of CD/5-FC for the treatment of advanced gastric carcinoma.     

过表达抗miR98的OsmCSD2基因提高水稻的重金属抗性

CSD（Cu／Zn superoxide dismutases）基因在拟南芥中参与多种胁迫应答,而miR398是CSD基因响应胁迫的原因。此处,我们成功克隆出了水稻的OsCSD2基因,并根据密码子的兼并性,突变了miR398作用的位点,但不改变其氨基酸序列,得到新的抗miR398的OsmCSD2,构建过表达载体并转入水稻中。对阳性转基因株系的分子鉴定表明,过表达植株的OsmCSD2基因获得了高表达。在重金属铜胁迫下,转基因株系表现出良好的抗逆性,H2O2含量显著低于野生型。     

年轻小鼠咀嚼刺激长期改变对焦虑和认知的影响

建立长期增加或减少年轻小鼠切牙的咀嚼刺激模型.通过形态学的观察,研究小鼠下颌骨和咬肌的变化以及大脑皮层和海马的厚度改变;通过行为学实验(旷场实验、高架十字迷宫、新异物体识别和Morris水迷宫实验)观察小鼠认知能力和焦虑情绪的变化;通过高效液相色谱(HPLC)检测小鼠皮层、海马中4种单胺类神经递质(去甲肾上腺素(NE)、肾上腺素(E)、多巴胺(DA)和5-羟色胺(5-HT))的变化,以探讨小鼠焦虑情绪改变的机理;通过荧光实时定量PCR检测小鼠皮层和海马与认知紧密相关的4种基因(BDNF、Synapsin I、NR2B和CREB)的mRNA表达,以研究小鼠认知能力改变的机理.形态学结果显示:各组小鼠下颌骨和咬肌纤维的形态没有影响,各组小鼠皮层和海马的厚度也没有差异.行为学实验结果显示:咀嚼增加组小鼠焦虑倾向低于对照组和咀嚼减少组,各组小鼠短期记忆能力没有统计学差异,咀嚼增加组小鼠空间认知能力优于咀嚼减少组.高效液相色谱结果显示,咀嚼减少组小鼠与咀嚼增加组和对照组相比,去甲肾上腺素在皮层中明显升高(P<0.05).mRNA检测结果显示,咀嚼减少组小鼠4种与认知相关基因的表达量与咀嚼增加组相比都明显下调(P<0.05).上述结果提示,切牙咀嚼刺激的长期增加可以提高小鼠的自主运动能力,降低焦虑程度,提高空间认知能力,上调海马中认知相关基因的表达.切牙咀嚼刺激的长期减少,会降低小鼠的自主运动能力,下调认知相关的基因表达,增加大脑皮层中去甲肾上腺素的含量.     

Enhancement of expression of survivin promoter-driven CD/TK double suicide genes by the nuclear matrix attachment region in transgenic gastric cancer cells

This work aimed to study a novel transgenic expression system of the CD/TK double suicide genes enhanced by the nuclear matrix attachment region (MAR) for gene therapy. The recombinant vector pMS-CD/TK containing the MAR–survivin promoter–CD/TK cassette was developed and transfected into human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells. Expression of the CD/TK genes was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were measured using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. When the MAR fragment was inserted into the upstream of the survivin promoter, the qPCR result showed that the expression of the CD/TK genes significantly increased 7.7-fold in the transgenic SGC-7901 cells with plasmid pMS-CD/TK compared with that without MAR. MTT and flow cytometry analyses indicated that treatment with the prodrugs (5-FC + GCV) significantly decreased the cellular survival rate and enhanced the cellular apoptosis in the SGC-7901 cells. The expression of the CD/TK double suicide genes driven by the survivin promoter can be enhanced by the MAR fragment in human gastric cancer cells.     

斑背大尾莺鄱阳湖繁殖亚群初报

斑背大尾莺(Locustella pryeri)为远东鸟种,主要分布于日本和中国,零星见于俄罗斯极东部、蒙古国东部、朝鲜和韩国,被视为易危鸟种(VU)[1~3]。以往中国鸟类学界多以种名Megalurus pryeri称之,并将该种的中国种群全部视作汉口亚种(sinensis)[4~10]。据记载,斑背大尾莺在我国东北