异育银鲫GABAB受体1亚基 cDNA部分序列的克隆及组织表达分析

为了确定γ-氨基丁酸B受体（gamma-aminobutyric acid B receptor,GABABR）基因在异育银鲫（Carassius auratus gibelio）不同组织中的表达,本实验分别对异育银鲫不同组织中GABABR1基因进行RT-PCR扩增,并进行了克隆和测序,在与GenBank基因库中已知GABABR1序列进行同源性比对的基础上采用邻接法构建系统发育树,并进一步分析其在异育银鲫不同组织内的表达水平。结果：经克隆获得异育银鲫GABABR1基因CDS区序列383bp,编码127个氨基酸。荧光定量PCR结果显示GABABR1基因在异育银鲫脑、肝、肾、心、肠、鳔、鳃、肌、鳍、脾、卵巢、精巢组织中均有表达,且在不同组织中的表达水平由高到低依次是：脑>尾鳍>精巢>心、肠、鳔> 卵巢、脾、鳃、肌>肝、肾。本研究证实了GABABR1基因在异育银鲫各组织中的表达的广泛性,且有明显的组织特异性。     

Expression profile and function of Wnt signaling mechanisms in malignant mesothelioma cells

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an uncommon and particularly aggressive cancer associated with asbestos exposure, which currently presents an intractable clinical challenge. Wnt signaling has been reported to play a role in the neoplastic properties of mesothelioma cells but has not been investigated in detail in this cancer. We surveyed expression of Wnts, their receptors, and other key molecules in this pathway in well established in vitro mesothelioma models in comparison with primary mesothelial cultures. We also tested the biological response of MM cell lines to exogenous Wnt and secreted regulators, as well as targeting β-catenin. We detected frequent expression of Wnt3 and Wnt5a, as well as Fzd 2, 4 and 6. The mRNA of Wnt4, Fzd3, sFRP4, APC and axin2 were downregulated in MM relative to mesothelial cells while LEF1 was overexpressed in MM. Functionally, we observed that Wnt3a stimulated MM proliferation while sFRP4 was inhibitory. Furthermore, directly targeting β-catenin expression could sensitise MM cells to cytotoxic drugs. These results provide evidence for altered expression of a number of Wnt/Fzd signaling molecules in MM. Modulation of Wnt signaling in MM may prove a means of targeting proliferation and drug resistance in this cancer.     

Comparing methods for metabolic network analysis and an application to metabolic engineering

Bioinformatics tools have facilitated the reconstruction and analysis of cellular metabolism of various organisms based on information encoded in their genomes. Characterization of cellular metabolism is useful to understand the phenotypic capabilities of these organisms. It has been done quantitatively through the analysis of pathway operations. There are several in silico approaches for analyzing metabolic networks, including structural and stoichiometric analysis, metabolic flux analysis, metabolic control analysis, and several kinetic modeling based analyses. They can serve as a virtual laboratory to give insights into basic principles of cellular functions. This article summarizes the progress and advances in software and algorithm development for metabolic network analysis, along with their applications relevant to cellular physiology, and metabolic engineering with an emphasis on microbial strain optimization. Moreover, it provides a detailed comparative analysis of existing approaches under different categories.     

Identification of multiple binding sites for the THAP domain of the Galileo transposase in the long terminal inverted-repeats

Galileo is a DNA transposon responsible for the generation of several chromosomal inversions in Drosophila. In contrast to other members of the P-element superfamily, it has unusually long terminal inverted-repeats (TIRs) that resemble those of Foldback elements. To investigate the function of the long TIRs we derived consensus and ancestral sequences for the Galileo transposase in three species of Drosophilids. Following gene synthesis, we expressed and purified their constituent THAP domains and tested their binding activity towards the respective Galileo TIRs. DNase I footprinting located the most proximal DNA binding site about 70 bp from the transposon end. Using this sequence we identified further binding sites in the tandem repeats that are found within the long TIRs. This suggests that the synaptic complex between Galileo ends may be a complicated structure containing higher-order multimers of the transposase. We also attempted to reconstitute Galileo transposition in Drosophila embryos but no events were detected. Thus, although the limited numbers of Galileo copies in each genome were sufficient to provide functional consensus sequences for the THAP domains, they do not specify a fully active transposase. Since the THAP recognition sequence is short, and will occur many times in a large genome, it seems likely that the multiple binding sites within the long, internally repetitive, TIRs of Galileo and other Foldback-like elements may provide the transposase with its binding specificity.     

单克隆抗体在植物研究中的应用

单克隆抗体是现代生命科学研究的重要工具。随着分子生物学的发展,单克隆抗体在植物研究中发挥着越来越重要的作用。本文综述了单克隆抗体在蛋白表达、蛋白定位、蛋白相互作用、植物成分的定性与定量、植物成分纯化、植物病害检测、标签抗体等方面研究中的应用。     

褐飞虱flightin的原核表达及其差异表达检测

flightin最早发现于果蝇Drosophila melanogaster的间接飞行肌中,并且定位于粗肌丝。这种蛋白对维持肌节的结构和功能起到了重要的作用,但其在具有长短翅型分化的褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens Stl的不同翅型间差异并不清楚。本研究以长翅型雌虫褐飞虱cDNA为模板,通过PCR扩增得到褐飞虱flightin基因ORF全长,将其连接到表达载体pGEX-6P-1中以与谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(GST)融合表达。将表达载体转入大肠杆菌表达株Rosseta,在不同温度、不同浓度IPTG的条件下诱导表达flightin,得到了最优表达条件,获得了高水平可溶性表达。在用GST抗体进行Western blotting验证GST-flightin融合重组蛋白表达的正确性后,我们通过GST柱纯化了的GST-flightin,进而用纯化后的蛋白免疫新西兰兔制备了高特异性的多克隆抗体。最后,我们用制备的多克隆抗体检测了长、短翅型雌成虫和不同发育阶段的褐飞虱体内flightin的表达差异。结果显示,flightin仅在长翅型成虫中表达,在短翅型雌成虫中未检测到其明显表达,而且flightin只在成虫期表达。本研究为进一步研究褐飞虱的flightin与其它蛋白互作、翅肌发育和翅型分化打下了基础。