基于pDS132的基因敲除中创伤弧菌氯霉素的耐药性变化及影响

【背景】基于自杀载体的基因敲除在单基因敲除上的应用较为常见,但在多基因敲除过程中细菌耐药性的变化及对后续敲除的影响尚未明确。【目的】探究基于自杀载体pDS132的创伤弧菌vvhA与rtxA1双基因敲除株构建过程中,创伤弧菌对氯霉素耐药性的变化及对后续基因敲除的影响。【方法】基于自杀载体pDS132的同源重组法构建创伤弧菌YJ016的单基因敲除株YJ016-ΔvvhA、YJ016-ΔrtxA1和双基因敲除株YJ016-ΔvvhAΔrtxA1,记录单交换筛选时的氯霉素浓度与筛选平板上成功重组的菌株所占比例。琼脂稀释法测定野生型与敲除株的氯霉素最低抑菌浓度(Minimum InhibitoryConcentration,MIC)和抗性突变频率,纸片扩散法测定菌株对其他药物的敏感性,分析其对单交换筛选的影响。【结果】单基因敲除株的氯霉素MIC及氯霉素抗性突变频率高于野生型;双基因敲除株的庆大霉素抑菌圈直径小于野生型。单基因敲除时,单交换重组菌株的占比为100%(20/20);在YJ016-ΔvvhA上敲除rtxA1基因,氯霉素筛选浓度为2、4μg/mL时,单交换重组菌株的占比分别为40%(8/20)、5%(1/20);在YJ016-ΔrtxA1上敲除vvhA基因,氯霉素筛选浓度为2、4μg/mL时,单交换重组菌株的占比均为0%(0/20)。【结论】基于自杀载体pDS132的基因敲除中创伤弧菌氯霉素的耐药性升高,可能影响后续单交换重组的筛选,该结果为基于自杀载体的同源重组技术应用于多基因敲除提供了参考。     

Heterogeneity in E. coli RecBCD Helicase-DNA Binding and Base Pair Melting

E. coli RecBCD, a helicase/nuclease involved in double stranded (ds) DNA break repair, binds to a dsDNA end and melts out several DNA base pairs (bp) using only its binding free energy. We examined RecBCD-DNA initiation complexes using thermodynamic and structural approaches. Measurements of enthalpy changes for RecBCD binding to DNA ends possessing pre-melted ssDNA tails of increasing length suggest that RecBCD interacts with ssDNA as long as 17–18 nucleotides and can melt at least 10–11 bp upon binding a blunt DNA end. Cryo-EM structures of RecBCD alone and in complex with a blunt-ended dsDNA show significant conformational heterogeneities associated with the RecB nuclease domain (RecB^Nuc) and the RecD subunit. In the absence of DNA, 56% of RecBCD molecules show no density for the RecB nuclease domain, RecB^Nuc, and all RecBCD molecules show only partial density for RecD. DNA binding reduces these conformational heterogeneities, with 63% of the molecules showing density for both RecD and RecB^Nuc. This suggests that the RecB^Nuc domain is dynamic and influenced by DNA binding. The major RecBCD-DNA structural class in which RecB^Nuc is docked onto RecC shows melting of at least 11 bp from a blunt DNA end, much larger than previously observed. A second structural class in which RecB^Nuc is not docked shows only four bp melted suggesting that RecBCD complexes transition between states with different extents of DNA melting and that the extent of melting regulates initiation of helicase activity.     

Genetic Analysis of Human Adenovirus Type 7 Strains Circulating in Different Parts of China

To investigate the molecular epidemiology and genetic variation of human adenovirus type 7(HAdV-7) in children with acute respiratory infections(ARI) in China. HAdV-7-positive respiratory samples collected from children with ARI in Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Wenzhou and Guangzhou from 2014–2018 were selected for gene amplification and sequence analysis. Fifty-seven HAdV-7 clinical strains with hexon, penton base and fiber gene sequences were obtained. Meanwhile17 strains were selected randomly from different cities for whole genome sequencing. Phylogenetic and variation analyses were performed based on the obtained sequences, HAdV-7 prototype strain Gomen(AY594255), vaccine strains(AY495969 and AY594256) and representative sequences of strains. The phylogenetic trees constructed based on whole genome sequences, major capsid protein genes(hexon, penton base and fiber) and the early genes(E1, E2, E3 and E4) were not completely consistent. The HAdV-7 strains obtained in this study always clustered with most of the circulating strains worldwide from the 1980 s to the present. Compared with the HAdV-7 prototype strain Gomen(AY594255), some amino acid mutations in loop1 and loop2 of hexon and the RGD loop region of the penton base gene were observed. Recombination analysis showed that partial regions of 55 k Da protein and 100 kDa hexon-assembly associated protein genes among all HAdV-7 strains in this study were from HAdV-16 and HAdV-3, respectively. Our study demonstrated the molecular evolution characteristics of HAdV-7 strains circulating in China and provided basic reference data for the prevention, control and vaccine development of HAdV-7.     

沉默NHEJ修复通路中关键蛋白Ku70在牙髓干细胞增殖和凋亡中的作用及其机制研究

目的:研究沉默非同源重组修复(non-homologous endjoining,NHEJ)通路中关键蛋白Ku70在牙髓干细胞增殖和凋亡中的作用,分析其机制。方法:提取健康恒牙牙髓组织,进行牙髓干细胞培养。采用脂多糖诱导人牙髓干细胞,分为对照组、阴性对照组、脂多糖组、沉默组和沉默+脂多糖组。观察Ku70免疫组化情况,进行细胞增殖、细胞凋亡实验,检测γ-H2A.X、Ku70、X线修复交叉互补基因4(X-ray repair cross complementary gene 4,Xrcc4)、Rad51 m RNA、Cleaved Caspase-3、p-p38水平。结果:与沉默组相比,对照组、阴性对照组、脂多糖组、沉默+脂多糖组各时间段牙髓干细胞增殖降低;沉默+脂多糖牙髓干细胞增殖高于脂多糖组(P<0.05)。随时间延长,脂多糖组牙髓干细胞增殖不断降低,其他四组牙髓干细胞增殖不断升高,其中在第5 d变化最明显。第5d,与沉默组相比,对照组、阴性对照组牙髓干细胞凋亡率、γ-H2A.X、Rad51 m RNA,Cleaved Caspase-3降低,p-p38升高;脂多糖组、沉默+脂多糖组各项指标较高,p-p38降低;对照组、阴性对照组、脂多糖组、沉默+脂多糖组Ku70、Xrcc4 m RNA降低(P<0.05)。沉默+脂多糖组牙髓干细胞凋亡率、γ-H2A.X、Rad51 m RNA,Cleaved Caspase-3低于脂多糖组,p-p38高于脂多糖组(P<0.05)。结论:沉默Ku70能促进脂多糖诱导的牙髓干细胞增殖,抑制其凋亡,其可能与γ-H2A.X、Rad51 m RNA表达降低,Ku70,Xrcc4升高有关。     

Knockout of a highly GC-rich gene in Burkholderia pyrrocinia by recombineering with freeze-thawing transformation

Genetic transformation is a valuable and essential method that provides powerful insights into the gene function of microorganisms and contributes to the construction of engineered bacteria. Here, we developed a novel genetic transformation system to easily knock out a highly GC-rich gene (74.71% GC) from Burkholderia pyrrocinia JK-SH007, a biocontrol strain of poplar canker disease. This system revealed a reliable selectable marker (trimethoprim resistance gene, Tmp) and a simplified, efficient transformation method (6,363.64 CFU/μg, pHKT2) that was developed via freeze-thawing. The knockout recombineering of B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007 was achieved through a suicide plasmid with a three-fragment mutagenesis construct. The three-fragment cassette for mutagenesis was generated by overlap extension and touchdown PCRs and composed of Tmp flanked by GC-rich upstream and downstream fragments from B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007. The mutant strain (ΔBpEG), which was verified by PCR, lost 93.3% of its ability to degrade carboxymethyl cellulose over 40 days. Overall, this system may contribute to future research on B. pyrrocinia traits.     

Non‐recombinogenic roles for Rad52 in translesion synthesis during DNA damage tolerance

DNA damage tolerance relies on homologous recombination (HR) and translesion synthesis (TLS) mechanisms to fill in the ssDNA gaps generated during passing of the replication fork over DNA lesions in the template. Whereas TLS requires specialized polymerases able to incorporate a dNTP opposite the lesion and is error‐prone, HR uses the sister chromatid and is mostly error‐free. We report that the HR protein Rad52—but not Rad51 and Rad57—acts in concert with the TLS machinery (Rad6/Rad18‐mediated PCNA ubiquitylation and polymerases Rev1/Pol ζ) to repair MMS and UV light‐induced ssDNA gaps through a non‐recombinogenic mechanism, as inferred from the different phenotypes displayed in the absence of Rad52 and Rad54 (essential for MMS‐ and UV‐induced HR); accordingly, Rad52 is required for efficient DNA damage‐induced mutagenesis. In addition, Rad52, Rad51, and Rad57, but not Rad54, facilitate Rad6/Rad18 binding to chromatin and subsequent DNA damage‐induced PCNA ubiquitylation. Therefore, Rad52 facilitates the tolerance process not only by HR but also by TLS through Rad51/Rad57‐dependent and ‐independent processes, providing a novel role for the recombination proteins in maintaining genome integrity.     

Enhancement of Extra Chromosomal Recombination in Somatic Cells by Affecting the Ratio of Homologous Recombination (HR) to Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ)

Advancements in somatic cell gene targeting have been slow due to the finite lifespan of somatic cells and the overall inefficiency of homologous recombination. The rate of homologous recombination is determined by mechanisms of DNA repair, and by the balance between homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). A plasmid-to-plasmid, extra chromosomal recombination system was used to study the effects of the manipulation of molecules involved in NHEJ (Mre11, Ku70/80, and p53) on HR/NHEJ ratios. In addition, the effect of telomerase expression, cell synchrony, and DNA nuclear delivery was examined. While a mutant Mre11 and an anti-Ku aptamer did not significantly affect the rate of NHEJ or HR, transient expression of a p53 mutant increased overall HR/NHEJ by 2.5 fold. However, expression of the mutant p53 resulted in increased aneuploidy of the cultured cells. Additionally, we found no relationship between telomerase expression and changes in HR/NHEJ. In contrast, cell synchrony by thymidine incorporation did not induce chromosomal abnormalities, and increased the ratio of HR/NHEJ 5-fold by reducing the overall rate of NHEJ. Overall our results show that attempts at reducing NHEJ by use of Mre11 or anti-Ku aptamers were unsuccessful. Cell synchrony via thymidine incorporation, however, does increase the ratio of HR/NHEJ and this indicates that this approach may be of use to facilitate targeting in somatic cells by reducing the numbers of colonies that need to be analyzed before a HR is identified.     

SLX4: multitasking to maintain genome stability

The SLX4/FANCP tumor suppressor has emerged as a key player in the maintenance of genome stability, making pivotal contributions to the repair of interstrand cross-links, homologous recombination, and in response to replication stress genome-wide as well as at specific loci such as common fragile sites and telomeres. SLX4 does so in part by acting as a scaffold that controls and coordinates the XPF–ERCC1, MUS81–EME1, and SLX1 structure-specific endonucleases in different DNA repair and recombination mechanisms. It also interacts with other important DNA repair and cell cycle control factors including MSH2, PLK1, TRF2, and TOPBP1 as well as with ubiquitin and SUMO. This review aims at providing an up-to-date and comprehensive view on the key functions that SLX4 fulfills to maintain genome stability as well as to highlight and discuss areas of uncertainty and emerging concepts.     

Non‐parallel recombination limits cre‐loxP‐based reporters as precise indicators of conditional genetic manipulation

Cre/LoxP‐mediated recombination allows for conditional gene activation or inactivation. When combined with an independent lineage‐tracing reporter allele, this technique traces the lineage of presumptive genetically modified Cre‐expressing cells. Several studies have suggested that floxed alleles have differential sensitivities to Cre‐mediated recombination, which raises concerns regarding utilization of Cre‐reporters to monitor recombination of other floxed loci of interest. Here, we directly investigate the recombination correlation, at cellular resolution, between several floxed alleles induced by Cre‐expressing mouse lines. The recombination correlation between different reporter alleles varied greatly in otherwise genetically identical cell types. The chromosomal location of floxed alleles, distance between LoxP sites, sequences flanking the LoxP sites, and the level of Cre activity per cell all likely contribute to observed variations in recombination correlation. These findings directly demonstrate that, due to non‐parallel recombination events, commonly available Cre reporter mice cannot be reliably utilized, in all cases, to trace cells that have DNA recombination in independent‐target floxed alleles, and that careful validation of recombination correlations are required for proper interpretation of studies designed to trace the lineage of genetically modified populations, especially in mosaic situations. genesis 51:436–442. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A heat‐inducible CRE/LOXP gene induction system in medaka

We established three lines of transgenic medaka, a heat‐shock element (HSE) monitor line (hse‐GFP line), heat‐inducible driver lines (hse‐cre lines), and effector lines (gapdh‐loxP[DsRed]‐GFP lines). We employed these to comprehensively analyze gene induction at different time points in various tissues. These analyses demonstrate a good response of synthetic HSEs by heat treatment during embryogenesis and the mosaic gene induction by cre/loxP‐mediated recombination, thus providing practical information regarding the feasibility of a heat‐inducible cre/loxP‐mediated system in medaka. We also activated recombination by local heat‐treatment using a metal probe and an infrared laser. Our results collectively indicate that these lines allow us to perform lineage tracing and mosaic analysis and provide the platform to investigate gene functions at later developmental stage and adult. genesis 51:59–67, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.