2′-Fluoro-modified phosphorothioate oligonucleotide can cause rapid degradation of P54nrb and PSF

Synthetic oligonucleotides are used to regulate gene expression through different mechanisms. Chemical modifications of the backbone of the nucleic acid and/or of the 2′ moiety of the ribose can increase nuclease stability and/or binding affinity of oligonucleotides to target molecules. Here we report that transfection of 2′-F-modified phosphorothioate oligonucleotides into cells can reduce the levels of P54nrb and PSF proteins through proteasome-mediated degradation. Such deleterious effects of 2′-F-modified oligonucleotides were observed in different cell types from different species, and were independent of oligonucleotide sequence, positions of the 2′-F-modified nucleotides in the oligonucleotides, method of delivery or mechanism of action of the oligonucleotides. Four 2′-F-modified nucleotides were sufficient to cause the protein reduction. P54nrb and PSF belong to Drosophila behavior/human splicing (DBHS) family. The third member of the family, PSPC1, was also reduced by the 2′-F-modified oligonucleotides. Preferential association of 2′-F-modified oligonucleotides with P54nrb was observed, which is partially responsible for the protein reduction. Consistent with the role of DBHS proteins in double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair, elevated DSBs were observed in cells treated with 2′-F-modified oligonucleotides, which contributed to severe impairment in cell proliferation. These results suggest that oligonucleotides with 2′-F modifications can cause non-specific loss of cellular protein(s).     

The diagnostic potential of MPT63‐derived HLA‐A*0201‐restricted CD8+T‐cell epitopes for active pulmonary tuberculosis

MPT63 protein is found only in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, including M. tuberculosis and M. bovis. Detection of MPT63‐specific IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells could be useful for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) diseases. In the present study, the HLA‐A*0201 restriction of ten predicted MPT63‐derived CD8 ⁺ T‐cell epitopes was assessed on the basis of T2 cell line and HLA‐A*0201 transgenic mice. The diagnostic potential of immunogenic peptides in active pulmonary TB patients was evaluated using an IFN‐γ enzyme‐linked immunospot assay. It was found that five peptides bound to HLA‐A*0201 with high affinity, whereas the remaining peptides exhibited low affinity for HLA‐A*0201. Five immunogenic peptides (MPT63_18–26, MPT63_29–37, MPT63_20–28, MPT63_5–14 and MPT63_10–19) elicited large numbers of cytotoxic IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells in HLA‐A*0201 transgenic mice. Each of the five immunogenic peptides was recognized by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 45% to 73% of 40 HLA‐A*0201 positive TB patients. The total diagnostic sensitivity of the five immunogenic peptides was higher than that of a T‐SPOT.TB assay (based on ESAT‐6 and CFP‐10) (93% versus 90%). It is noticeable that the diagnostic sensitivity of the combination of five immunogenic peptides and T‐SPOT.TB assay reached 100%. These MPT63‐derived HLA‐A*0201‐restricted CD8 ⁺ T‐cell epitopes would likely contribute to the immunological diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection and may provide the components for designing an effective TB vaccine.     

烟粉虱传毒相关蛋白基因的克隆及其表达量分析

【目的】烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius)是一种世界性的入侵性害虫,其传播的番茄黄化曲叶病毒(Tomato yellow leaf curl virus,TYLCV)给我国番茄生产造成巨大经济损失。为了阐明烟粉虱传播双生病毒的机理,本文拟研究明确B和Q烟粉虱体内传毒相关蛋白Gro EL基因及其表达量。【方法】采用特异性引物克隆了B和Q烟粉虱内共生菌编码的传毒相关蛋白Gro EL基因,并进行序列分析;并利用荧光定量PCR技术检测两种生物型及其获取双生病毒前后该基因的相对表达量。【结果】烟粉虱内共生菌Hamiltonella编码的Gro EL基因全长为1 668 bp,编码555个氨基酸;B、Q烟粉虱该基因的核苷酸序列相似性为99.94%,氨基酸同源性为99.82%;带毒烟粉虱中Gro EL基因的表达量显著高于未带毒的对应生物型烟粉虱;无论带毒与否,Q烟粉虱该基因的表达量均显著高于B(P<0.05)。【结论】烟粉虱携带TYLCV后可诱导Gro EL的表达量升高,B和Q烟粉虱中Gro EL基因及其表达量均存在差异,这可能是B和Q烟粉虱传毒效率存在显著差异的原因之一。     

First Report of Myrothecium roridum Causing Leaf Spot on Anthurium andraeanum in China

A new severe disease on Anthurium andraeanum Lind. was observed in the summer of 2011 in Beijing, China. The fungus was isolated from symptomatic leaves, and its pathogenicity was confirmed. Based on the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis, the pathogen was identified as Myrothecium roridum Tode ex Fr. This is the first report of M. roridum causing leaf spot on A. andraeanum in China.