厚壳贻贝whirlin类贝壳基质蛋白的重组表达与功能分析

贝壳历来是生物工程和材料学研究的重要对象。贝壳中的贝壳基质蛋白质在贝壳的形成与发育过程中具有重要的调控作用。Whirlin类蛋白质(Whirlin-like protein,WLP)是一种从厚壳贻贝(Mytilus coruscus)中鉴定的新型贝壳基质蛋白质。序列分析结果显示,该蛋白质含有PDZ(postsynaptic density/Discs large/Zonula occludens)结构域,而该结构域对贝壳生物矿化的影响目前尚无报道。为深入了解WLP在贝壳形成中对碳酸钙晶体的影响,在序列分析基础上,采用密码子优化结合原核重组表达,获得其重组表达产物后,开展了重组WLP对碳酸钙晶体形貌及晶型的影响研究,结晶速度抑制以及碳酸钙晶体结合分析。分析结果表明,重组WLP能诱导文石型碳酸钙晶体的形貌和方解石型碳酸钙晶体的晶型发生改变;同时重组WLP对碳酸钙晶体具有结合作用,且能抑制碳酸钙晶体的结晶速度。上述结果表明,WLP对贝壳的形成及发育具有重要影响,并可能在贝壳肌棱柱层的形成中发挥了重要作用。     

Immunological Properties of Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Strain Expressing Fusion Protein IL-2-ESAT-6

The live vaccine Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) provides variableefficacy against adult pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).Recombinant BCG,expressing either immunodominantantigens or Th1 cytokines,is a promising strategy for developing a new TB vaccine.However,not much isknown about whether the introduction of cytokine and specific antigen genes concurrently into the BCGstrain could improve the immunogenicity of BCG.In this study,a recombinant BCG strain (rBCG) expressingthe fusion protein human interleukin (IL)-2 and ESAT-6 (early secreted antigenic target-6 kDa) antigen ofMycobacterium tuberculosis was constructed.Six weeks after BALB/c mice (H-2~d) were immunizedwith 10~6 colony forming units (CFUs) BCG or rBCG,splenocyte proliferation was determined with MTT[3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay,IL-4 and interferon (IFN)-γproducedby splenocytes were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA,) and the cytotoxicity ofsplenocytes from immunized mice to P815 cells (H-2~d) expressing ESAT-6 protein was measured usingCytoTox 96 Non-Radioactive Cytotoxicity Assay.Compared with native BCG-vaccinated mice,rBCG inducedstronger Th1 responses that were confirmed by high lymphoproliferative responses and IFN-γproductionto culture filtrate protein (CFP) or ESAT-6 protein.Moreover,rBCG induced significant enhanced CTLresponses against P815-ESAT-6 cells.Results from rBCG-immunized mice demonstrated that introducingthe il-2 and esat-6 genes into BCG could enhance Th1 type immune responses to ESAT-6.Further investigationis needed by introducing other Th1 cytokines and antigens into BCG to optimize the protective efficacyagainst TB.     

耐药细菌蛋白质的分泌——新抗攻击的靶点

几十年来,由于抗生素的大量使用,导致了细菌对很多药物的抗药性.为了克服细菌的抗药性问题,需要用新的思路去发掘新的抗生素,包括发掘细菌细胞中存在的抗生素作用的新靶点.蛋白质的分泌过程对于细菌是生死攸关的,它可能成为新药物的适合靶点.     

Simplicity or complexity? Important aspects of high nature value grassland management in nature conservation

Biodiversity and Conservation - Local, adaptive traditional grassland management systems have played a fundamental role in the creation, maintenance and conservation of high nature value (HNV)...