小鼠TAp63γ及两种突变体的原核表达、纯化和DNA结合活性

采用PCR扩增法得到小鼠TAp63γ野生型及两种缺失突变体的cDNA,3种cDNA与表达载体pGEX-2TK重组构建成GST融合表达质粒并转化感受态E.coli BL21 (DE3),经IPTG诱导了小鼠TAp63γ野生型及两种缺失突变体的可溶性表达. 诱导表达的菌液经离心收集菌体、超声破碎及Triton X-100增溶后获得可溶性表达蛋白粗提液. 利用Glutathione Sepharose 4 Fast Flow亲合层析纯化出电泳均一的3种GST融合蛋白. 凝胶滞留分析证实仅野生型小鼠TAp63γ蛋白能特异结合p53靶序列,经序列比对及同源建模分析,表明小鼠TAp63γ DBD结合区的完整性、关键氨基酸的保守性及三维结构的相似性可能是其DNA结合活性所必需的.     

DNA damage in oocytes induces a switch of the quality control factor TAp63α from dimer to tetramer

TAp63α, a homolog of the p53 tumor suppressor, is a quality control factor in the female germline. Remarkably, already undamaged oocytes express high levels of the protein, suggesting that TAp63α's activity is under tight control of an inhibitory mechanism. Biochemical studies have proposed that inhibition requires the C-terminal transactivation inhibitory domain. However, the structural mechanism of TAp63α inhibition remains unknown. Here, we show that TAp63α is kept in an inactive dimeric state. We reveal that relief of inhibition leads to tetramer formation with ～20-fold higher DNA affinity. In vivo, phosphorylation-triggered tetramerization of TAp63α is not reversible by dephosphorylation. Furthermore, we show that a helix in the oligomerization domain of p63 is crucial for tetramer stabilization and competes with the transactivation domain for the same binding site. Our results demonstrate how TAp63α is inhibited by complex domain-domain interactions that provide the basis for regulating quality control in oocytes.     

Defying DNA Double-Strand Break-Induced Death during Prophase I Meiosis by Temporal TAp63α Phosphorylation Regulation in Developing Mouse Oocytes

The dichotomy in DNA damage sensitivity of developing mouse oocytes during female germ line development is striking. Embryonic oocytes withstand hundreds of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) required for meiotic recombination. Postnatal immature oocytes fail to tolerate even a few DSBs induced by gamma radiation treatment. TAp63α, a p53 family member, undergoes phosphorylation and mediates postnatal immature oocyte death following gamma radiation treatment, which is thought important for germ line quality maintenance. Whether prenatal meiotic oocytes tolerate DNA DSBs simply because they lack TAp63α expression is not clear. We found a significant number of oocytes in newborn mice initiate TAp63α expression and simultaneously carry meiotic DNA DSBs. However, the risk of premature death appears unlikely, because newborn oocytes strongly abate TAp63α phosphorylation induction and resist normally lethal doses of ionizing radiation damage. A calyculin A-sensitive Ser/Thr phosphatase activity downregulates TAp63α phosphorylation and ATM kinase mediates phosphorylation. Possible alterations in the relative balance of these counteracting activities during development may first temper TAp63α phosphorylation and death induction during meiotic DNA DSB repair and recombination, and afterward, implement germ line quality control in later stages. Insights into inherent DNA DSB resistance mechanisms in newborn oocytes may help prevent infertility in women in need of radiation or chemotherapy.     

Ionizing radiation-induced TAp63α phosphorylation at C-terminal S/TQ motifs requires the N-terminal transactivation (TA) domain

TAp63α, a homolog of p53 and one of six alternatively spliced p63 isoforms, is a critical mediator of the ionizing radiation (IR)-induced DNA damage response in female germ cells and also tumor suppression in somatic cells. The ΔNp63α isoform, lacking the N-terminal transactivation (TA) domain, is associated with oncogenic potential. The mechanism of p63 functional regulation is not well understood. TAp63α is phosphorylated by ionizing radiation (IR)-induced DNA damage and gene transactivation is likely to be involved. Based on information gleaned from studies on p53, we explored the possibility that TAp63α S/TQ sites may be phosphorylated by IR-induced DNA damage. Our findings show a wortmanin-sensitive kinase phosphorylates TAp63α at C-terminal Ser-Gln and Thr-Gln (S/TQ) sites but not N-terminal S/TQ sites. ΔNp63α, lacking the TA domain, and TAp63γ, lacking C-terminal domains, including S/TQ sites, fail to undergo IR-induced phosphorylation. We propose a model for TA domain-dependent C-terminal phosphorylation drawing from previously described self-inactivating intramolecular interaction between N-terminal TA domain and C-terminal Transactivation Inhibitory Domain (TID) of TAp63α. A specific topology adopted only by TAp63α, but not possible for ΔNp63α or TAp63γ, may lead to TAp63α-specific kinase recruitment, phosphorylation and self-inactivation release. TID-lacking TAp63γ, like p53, is constitutively active and thus may forgo phosphorylation-dependent activation. Thus, p53 is regulated by protein stabilization and TAp63α by protein activation but both appear to involve S/TQ phosphorylation. The difference in phosphorylation potential of TAp63α and ΔNp63α may in part help explain why the two similar isoforms have diametrically opposite tumor suppression and oncogene functions, respectively.     

TAp73调节肺腺癌细胞的血管生成能力依赖P53状态

TAp73是P53家族的一员,能够调节肿瘤的生成、侵袭和转移。但是,TAp73调节肿瘤血管生成的作用备受争议。本研究将外源TAp73转染至P53基因表达状态不同的两株肺腺癌细胞系H1299(P53-null)和A549(wt P53)中,观察TAp73对肿瘤血管生成的作用并探讨与P53基因的关系。首先,使用RT-PCR和Western印迹验证转染效率。细胞划痕实验表明,TAp73在A549细胞中促进细胞迁移,而在H1299细胞中抑制细胞迁移。体外HUVEC血管形成结果表明,TAp73在A549细胞中促进细胞血管形成,而在H1299细胞中抑制细胞血管形成。同时,血管生成抑制蛋白1（VASH1）的表达水平,也分别升高或降低。 本文研究结果表明,TAp73对肺腺癌细胞血管生成的作用依赖于P53基因的状态：在野生型P53基因存在时,TAp73促进血管生成,而在缺失P53基因的情况下,TAp73抑制血管生成。本研究对于TAp73作为肿瘤的潜在治疗靶点具有重要意义。     

p63和p63参与p53依赖的细胞凋亡过程

人们通常用经典的操作式学习方法来训练动物的行为 ,使动物学会根据外部信号 (如声音 )产生特定的行为反应 ,以获取奖赏 (如食物 )。而本文的作者用脑内植入微电极进行脑区刺激的方法教会动物如何学习 ,可以去除用来产生信号和奖赏的外部环境对实验的限制。这一动物模型使操作者能远距离地指挥动物的行为 ,很像控制智能机器人的方法。电刺激能否产生等同于信号或奖赏的效应 ,取决于它所刺激的脑区。作者在自由活动大鼠的躯体感觉皮层 (ＳＩ)左右两侧胡须代表区和内侧前脑束 (ＭＦＢ)内植入电极加以刺激 ,以产生信号和奖赏效应 ,据此准确地指…     

毒蛇咬伤63例临床观察

毒蛇咬伤是我县春夏季节常见的外科疾病,在临床治疗中能及早诊断、及时处理,可取得满意的效果.现将我院自1996年5月至2004年5月救治的毒蛇咬伤患者63例的临床资料和疗效报告如下.     

p63在宫颈癌中的研究进展

p63是近年来新发现的p53蛋白家族成员,其在上皮细胞发育,细胞衰老、周期调控与凋亡,癌症的发生、发展中具有重要意义.宫颈癌是影响妇女健康的恶性肿瘤,p63在宫颈癌组织及癌旁组织的差异表达,提示其在宫颈癌中具有非同寻常的作用.介绍了p63蛋白的结构与功能,阐述了在宫颈癌细胞中p63与HPV瘤蛋白E6以及p63与NF-κB信号通路中相关蛋白相互作用关系的研究进展.