自噬相关基因Atg3在埃博拉病毒组装过程中的作用研究

自噬是真核细胞清除胞内冗余物质的降解机制,也是细胞针对病原体入侵的一种天然免疫机制。自噬相关基因3(Autophagy-related gene 3,Atg3)在细胞自噬发生过程中起决定性作用。为研究Atg3对埃博拉病毒(Ebola virus,EBOV)组装的影响,本研究首先根据CRISPR/Cas9技术构建了携带有Atg3基因靶向向导RNA(guide RNA,gRNA)、表达Cas9的重组质粒pSpCas-Atg3,将此质粒转染至人胚胎肾细胞293T中,之后采用流式分选结合有限稀释法筛选单细胞克隆。细胞基因测序及Western Blot试验表明成功获得了Atg3基因敲除的细胞系。在Agt3基因敲除细胞系和野生型细胞中分别共同转染表达EBOV囊膜蛋白(Glycoprotein,GP)和基质蛋白的重组质粒,包装病毒样颗粒(Virus-like particles,VLP);同时在两种细胞中组装整合有EBOV的重组HIV假病毒,获得的假病毒感染非洲绿猴肾细胞(Vero细胞),通过测定报告基因的活性判定病毒对细胞的侵入能力。结果显示Atg3基因缺失后,VLP所整合的GP蛋白显著增多,假病毒对细胞的侵染能力也明显增强(P0.001),表明Agt3能够负调控EBOV的组装和入侵。本研究为开发新抗病毒药物提供了新思路。     

Kremen2生物学功能研究进展

Kremen2 (kringle-containing transmembrane protein 2)是经典Wnt信号通路中的重要调控因子。起初Kremen2蛋白仅被认为是Wnt信号通路的抑制因子,但后期研究发现Kremen2蛋白在某些特定的生物环境中却发挥促进Wnt信号通路活化的作用。在对Wnt信号通路的调控过程中, Kremen2蛋白需要与多种蛋白质调控因子相互作用,以参与胚胎发育、骨形成、肿瘤发生等多种生理病理过程。通过对Kremen2相关研究文献的整理,本文综述了Kremen2蛋白的发现与分子结构,以及其主要的相互作用因子和蛋白质功能,并提出了相关研究展望。     

上调CTRP4基因表达通过抑制炎症因子调控食欲调节相关蛋白的表达

上调中枢补体C1q/肿瘤坏死因子相关蛋白4(complement-C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 4,CTRP4)可以改变下丘脑食欲调节相关蛋白的表达,抑制小鼠摄食且降低其体重。然而,CTRP4如何调控食欲调节相关蛋白的表达尚不清楚。本研究通过上调小鼠神经母细胞瘤细胞(N2a)中的CTRP4,探讨CTRP4调控食欲调节相关蛋白的潜在作用机制。通过对N2a细胞未做干预、转染绿色荧光蛋白(green fluorescent protein,GFP)重组腺病毒和CTRP4过表达重组腺病毒,将其分为空白对照组(Control组)、阴性对照组(Ad-GFP组)及CTRP4过表达组(AdCTRP4组)。干预72 h时,用实时荧光定量PCR(RT-PCR)检测细胞CTRP4 mRNA表达,采用Western印迹检测细胞CTRP4、Pomc、Npy、p-STAT3/t-STAT3、TNF-α、IL-6、SOCS3在蛋白质水平的表达。结果显示,与对照组相比,Ad-CTRP4组的CTRP4 mRNA水平(26 258. 44±10 403. 47vs. 1. 81±0. 79 vs. 1. 00±0. 00,P<0. 01)及蛋白质水平显著增加(10. 44±7. 99 vs.0. 64±0. 62 vs.1. 00±0. 75,P<0. 01)。Ad-CTRP4组的p-STAT3/t-STAT3(3. 38±1. 70 vs. 0. 86±0. 57 vs. 1. 00±0. 63,P<0. 01)和Pomc(1. 81±0. 19 vs. 1. 15±0. 18 vs. 1. 00±0. 22,P <0. 01)表达均显著增高;SOCS3(0. 69±0. 15 vs. 1. 00±0. 12 vs. 1. 00±0. 07,P<0. 01),IL-6(0. 40±0. 19 vs. 1. 03±0. 17 vs.1. 00±0. 16,P<0. 01),TNF-α(0. 39±0. 27 vs. 1. 05±0. 46 vs. 1. 00±0. 29,P<0. 05)及Npy (0. 55±0. 14 vs. 1. 21±0. 38 vs. 1. 00±0. 24,P <0. 05)表达均显著下降。上述结果提示,在N2a细胞中,上调CTRP4可能通过抑制炎症因子TNF-α和IL-6,降低负性调节因子SOCS3的表达,增加STAT3磷酸化表达水平,从而调控食欲调节相关蛋白的表达。     

叉角厉蝽触角转录组及嗅觉相关基因分析

叉角厉蝽Eocanthecona furcellata是一种在生物防治方面有重要作用和潜力的捕食性天敌昆虫,触角是昆虫进行信息交换的重要器官,而嗅觉相关基因则是调控天敌昆虫捕食行为的重要分子基础。为获得叉角厉蝽触角转录组数据库,挖掘叉角厉蝽嗅觉相关基因,本研究利用Illumina高通量测序平台对叉角厉蝽雌雄成虫与5龄若虫触角进行转录组测序。成功构建了叉角厉蝽触角转录组,获得了67 843条unigenes,N50长度为2 300 bp。与七大公共数据库比对注释到27 686条unigenes,其中NR数据库注释最多(33.33%),且与茶翅蝽Halyomorpha halys相似度最高(64.20%)。14 258条注释到GO数据库中,分为生物过程、细胞组分和分子功能3个大类42个亚类;KEGG代谢途径分析表明,7 703条形成282条代谢通路,其中被注释在信号传导通路中的unigenes最多(11.50%)。进一步基因注释分析,鉴定得到134个候选嗅觉相关基因,32个化学感应蛋白基因(Chemosensory protein genes,CSP),10个气味结合蛋白基因(Odorant binding protein genes,OBP),21个气味受体基因(Gustatory receptor genes,GR),48个嗅觉受体基因(Olfactory receptor genes,OR),17个离子型受体基因(Ionotropic receptor genes,IR),6个感觉神经元膜蛋白基因(Sensory neuron membrane protein genes,SNMP)。通过比较叉角厉蝽5龄若虫、雌雄成虫触角转录组,共筛选出7 324个差异表达基因,分析发现5龄若虫与成虫间的差异表达基因较多,雌雄成虫之间差异表达基因较少;利用FPKM值对OBP与CSP基因进行表达量分析发现,大部分OBP与CSP的表达量在雌雄间差异不大,而若虫与成虫相比基因表达量差异较大,除少部分基因在5龄若虫中高表达外,其余大部分基因均在雌雄成虫间高表达。本研究获得了叉角厉蝽触角转录组数据,并鉴定出候选嗅觉相关基因,结果为进一步研究叉角厉蝽的嗅觉感受机制及昆虫化学生态奠定分子基础。     

Seasonal and interannual variations of ecosystem photosynthetic characteristics in a semi-arid grassland of Northern China

北方半干旱草原生态系统光合参数的季节和年际变异 生态系统表观量子效率(α)、最大光合速率(P_max)和暗呼吸速率(R_d)不仅反映了生态系统水平 光合生理特征,同时也是碳循环模型中光合过程模拟的关键参数。气候和植被因子都会影 响光合参数的季节和年际变异,但二者在光合参数调控过程中的相对贡献和作用途径尚不清晰。本研究基于连续12年(2006–2017)的涡度相关观测数据,分析了内蒙古半干旱典型草原光合参数的季节和年际变化规律;利用回归分析和结构方程模型(SEM)方法明晰了环境和生理调控的作用途径及相对贡献。结果发现,光合参数(α、P_max和R_d)均表现出单峰的季节变化趋势,并呈现明显的年际波动。温度(T_a)和土壤含水量(SWC)的变化共同影响光合参数的季节变化,而SWC主导了其年际变异。α和R_d的变化主要由T_a决定,而Pmax的变化主要受SWC的影响。SEM模型分析表明,除了直接作用外,环境因子主要通过影响冠层水平气孔导度(gc)对光合参数和碳同化生理过程进行调控。此外,叶面积指数对光合参数特别是Pmax的季节和年际变异起主要调控作用。以上结果明确了环境和植被共同决定了生态系统水平光合参数的季节和年际变异,并强调了在水分受限的草原生态系统中,植被生理调控在光合碳同化能力和碳汇功能评估中的重要作用。     

征稿启事

《生物技术进展》是由农业农村部主管,中国农业科学院茶叶研究所和生物技术研究所联合主办的学术期刊,于2011年7月创刊,双月刊,单月出版,国内外公开发行,中国科技核心期刊。本刊立足国内,面向国际,围绕分子生物学、遗传学、生物化学、生物信息学、基因组学等基础研究,关注生物技术领域最新发展动态和成果,促进相关学科学术交流与发展,及时刊载生物技术在农、林、畜牧、兽医、食品、工业、医药、生态与生物安全等领域的应用进展和研究成果,注重理论、技术和方法的新颖性和创新性。同时发布国家相关政策及导向、生物技术研究成果信息、技术推广信息、生物技术相关企业产品信息等。欢迎广大科研工作者踊跃投稿!     

Development of Oryza rufipogon and O. sativa Introgression Lines and Assessment for Yield-related Quantitative Trait Loci

Introgression lines population was effectively used in mapping quantitative trait loci （QTLs）, identifying favorable genes, discovering hidden genetic variation, evaluating the action or interaction of QTLs in multiple conditions and providing the favorable experimental materials for plant breeding and genetic research. In this study, an advanced backcross and consecutive selfing strategy was used to develop introgression lines （ILs）, which derived from an accession of Oryza rufipogon Griff. collected from Yuanjiang County, Yunnan Province of China, as the donor, and an elite indica cultivar Teqing （O. sativa L.）, as the recipient. Introgression segments from O. rufipogon were screened using 179 polymorphic simple sequence repeats （SSR） markers in the genome of each IL. Introgressed segments carried by the introgression lines population contained 120 ILs covering the whole O. rufipogon genome. The mean number of homozygous O. rufipogon segments per introgression line was about 3.88. The average length of introgressed segments was approximate 25.5 cM, and about 20.8% of these segments had sizes less than 10 cM. The genome of each IL harbored the chromosomal fragments of O. rufipogon ranging from 0.54% to 23.7%, with an overall average of 5.79%. At each locus, the ratio of substitution of O. rufipogon alleles had a range of 1.67-9.33, with an average of 5.50. A wide range of alterations in morphological and yield-related traits were also found in the introgression lines population. Using single-point analysis, a total of 37 putative QTLs for yield and yield components were detected at two sites with 7%-20% explaining the phenotypic variance. Nineteen QTLs （51.4%） were detected at both sites, and the alleles from O. rufipogon at fifteen loci （40.5%） improved the yield and yield components in the Teqing background. These O. rufipogon-O, sativa introgression lines will serve as genetic materials for identifying and using favorable genes from common wild rice.     

Endless Hide-and-Seek： Dynamic Co-evolution in Plant-Bacterium Warfare

Plants possess innate Immune systems to prevent most potential Infections. The ancient and conserved innate immune responses are triggered by microbe-associated molecular patterns （MAMPs） and play important roles in broad-spectrum defenses. However, successful bacterial pathogens evolved type Ⅲ virulence effectors to suppress MAMP-medlated immunity. To survive, plants further developed highly specific resistance （R） genes to trigger gene-for-gene-mediated immunity and turn the virulent pathogens into avirulent ones. We summarize here the very recent advances in this dynamic coevolution of plantbacterium interaction.     

Novel tumor-associated antigen of hepatocellular carcinoma defined by monoclonal antibody E4-65

A monoclonal antibody, E4-65, produced by immunizing mice with SMMC-7721 cells, a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line, was used to identify and characterize an unreported HCC-associated antigen. Indirect immunofluorescence studies showed that E4-65 antibody reacted with five out of eight HCC cell lines, but not with 10 non-HCC tumor cell lines or a normal liver cell line. Using immunohistochemical examination, E4-65 antigen was detected on the cell membranes and in the cytoplasm of human liver tumor tissues, but was not found in most other tumors, or normal adult or fetal tissues, except for a weakly positive reaction in tissues of the digestive system. Western blot analysis showed that E4-65 antibody bound to a 45 kDa protein in the human HCC cell line and tissue lysates. Enzyme treatment and lectin blotting did not detect the carbohydrate chain in E4-65 antigen. This HCC-associated protein represents a potentially useful target for diagnoses and immunotherapy of human HCC.