耐辐射奇球菌dps突变株的构建和蛋白功能初步研究

Dps(DNAprotection during starvation)蛋白是原核生物中特有的一类具有铁离子结合和抗氧化损伤功能的重要蛋白。利用体外PCR扩增技术和体内同源重组方法,获得了耐辐射奇球菌(Deinococcus radiodurans)dps全基因(DRB0092)缺失突变株。对突变株和野生型分别进行不同浓度过氧化氢(H₂O₂)处理,结果表明:与野生型菌株R1相比,dps突变株在低浓度H₂O₂(≤10mmol/L)条件下存活率急剧下降,而高浓度(≥30mmol/L)下则完全致死。Native-PAGE活性染色结果显示,稳定生长期dps突变株体内两种过氧化氢酶(KatA和KatB)的活性较野生型R1分别上调2.3倍和2.6倍。通过质粒构建和大肠杆菌诱导表达,获得可溶性Dps蛋白。体外结合和DNA保护实验结果显示:Dps具有明显的DNA结合功能,并能保护质粒DNA免受羟自由基攻击。本研究证明,Dps蛋白在耐辐射奇球菌抗氧化体系中发挥重要作用,可能对该菌极端抗性机制有重要贡献。

Construction of a dps mutant and its functional analysis in Deinococcus radiodurans

Dps (DNA protection during starvation) is a member of the iron-binding protein family in prokaryotes. It has been shown previously that Dps possesses ferroxidase activity and the ability to sequester iron that seems to protect DNA from oxidative damage. Based on the method of Polymerase Chain Reaction and homologous genetic recombination in vivo, the gene (DRB0092) encoding a Dps protein homology in the extremely radioresistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans was deleted from the wild type strain R1 genome. The obtained mutant was designated as Kdps and further verified by PCR and sequencing. Survival rates of the mutant and wild type strain were investigated after challenged with different doses of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Results showed that the survival rate of dps mutant reduced rapidly under the low concentration of H2O2 (< or = 10mmol/L), while the wild type strain showed no sudden decrease. When the H2O2 concentration was higher than 30mmol/L, the difference of the survival rates between the mutant and wild type was more than 50-folds. The result demonstrated that the loss of dps gene in D. radiodurans made cells become more sensitive to oxidative damage. An iron staining method was used to determinate catalase activity in native polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels. The result displayed that two catalases in dps mutant were enhanced about 2-folds than that of wild type. The soluble Dps protein was obtained after construction of expression plasmid and inducement in E. coli transformant. The Dps protein showed the capacity of DNA binding and protected DNA from hydroxyl free radical cleavage in vitro. This study demonstrates that Dps protein of D. radiodurans plays an important role in its antioxidant system, which may contribute to its extreme resistance of this bacterium.