Leftward Shift in the Voltage-Dependence for Ca2+ Currents Activation Induced by a New Toxin from Phoneutria reidyi (Aranae, Ctenidae) Venom

Summary Various neurotoxins have been described from the venom of the Brazilian spider Phoneutria nigriventer, but little is known about the venoms of the other species of this genus. In the present work, we describe the purification and some structural and pharmacological features of a new toxin (PRTx3-7) from Phoneutria reidyi that causes flaccid paralysis in mice. The observed molecular mass (4627.26 Da) was in accordance with the calculated mass for the amidated form of the amino acid sequence (4627.08 Da). The presence of an α-amidated C-terminus was confirmed by MS/MS analysis of the C-terminal peptide, isolated after enzymatic digestion of the native protein with Glu-C endoproteinase. The purified protein was injected (intracerebro-ventricular) into mice at dose levels of 5 μg/mouse causing immediate agitation and clockwise gyration, followed by the gradual development of general flaccid paralysis. PRTx3-7 at 1 μM inhibited by 20% the KCl-induced increase on [Ca²⁺]_i in rat brain synaptosomes. The HEK cells permanently expressing L, N, P/Q and R HVA Ca²⁺ channels were also used to better characterize the pharmacological features of PRTx3-7. To our surprise, PRTx3-7 shifted the voltage-dependence for activation towards hyperpolarized membrane potentials for L (−4 mV), P/Q (−8 mV) and R (−5 mV) type Ca²⁺ currents. In addition, the new toxin also affected the steady state of inactivation of L-, N- and P/Q-type Ca²⁺ currents. L. B. Vieira and A. M. C. Pimenta contributed equally to this work.     

Purification of Spider Silk-elastin from Transgenic Plants and Application for Human Chondrocyte Proliferation

Research on spider silk proteins has led to the possibility of designing genetically engineered silks according to defined material properties. Here we show the efficient and stable production of spider silk-elastin fusion proteins in transgenic tobacco and potato plants by retention in the ER. The proteins were purified by a simple method, using heat treatment and 'inverse transition cycling'. Laboratory scale extraction of 1 kg tobacco leaf material leads to a yield of 80 mg pure recombinant spider silk-elastin protein. As a possible application, as well as to demonstrate biocompatibility, the growth of anchorage-dependent mammalian cells on spider silk-elastin coated culture plates was compared with conventional coatings such as collagen, fibronectin and poly-D-lysine. The anchorage-dependent chondrocytes showed similar growth behaviour and a rounded phenotype on collagen and on spider silk-elastin coated plates and the proliferation was remarkably superior to untreated polystyrene plates.     

Transgenic Plants for Insect Pest Control: A Forward Looking Scientific Perspective

One of the first successes of plant biotechnology has been the creation and commercialisation of transgenic crops exhibiting resistance to major insect pests. First generation products encompassed plants with single insecticidal Bt genes with resistance against major pests of corn and cotton. Modelling studies predicted that usefulness of these resistant plants would be short-lived, as a result of the ability of insects to develop resistance against single insecticidal gene products. However, despite such dire predictions no such collapse has taken place and the acreage of transgenic insect resistance crops has been increasing at a steady rate over the 9 years since the deployment of the first transgenic insect resistant plant. However, in order to assure durability and sustainability of resistance, novel strategies have been contemplated and are being developed. This perspective addresses a number of potentially useful strategies to assure the longevity of second and third generation insect resistant plants.     

转BmK IT4基因烟草的抗虫性

用酶切方法从「ｐＢＳ－ＢｍＫ ＩＴ４质粒中获得ＢｍＫ ＩＴ４基因片段,并构建ＣａＭＶ ３５Ｓ启动子下的ＢｍＫ ＩＴ４基因表达质粒ｐＥ３－ＢｍＫ ＩＴ４,以根癌土壤杆菌（Ａｇｒｏｂａｃｔｅｒｉｕｍ ｔｒｍｅｆａｃｉｅｎｓ（Ｓｍｉｔｈ ｅｔ Ｔｏｗｎｓｅｎｄ）Ｃｏｎｎ）介导的叶盘法转化云烟（Ｎｉｃｏ－ｔｉａｎａ ｔａｂａｃｕｍ Ｌ．）Ｋ３２６叶片,获得４５株抗卡那霉素的再生植株。用这些再生植株进行抗虫     

Managing Insect Resistance to Plants Producing Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins

ABSTRACT:?

Insect-resistant transgenic plants have become an important tool for the protection of crops against insect pests. The acreage of insecticidal transgenic plants is expected to increase significantly in the near future. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is currently the source of insecticidal proteins in commercial insect-resistant transgenic plants and will remain the most important source during the next decade. Insect resistance to B. thuringiensis Cry toxins is the main problem. Only one species, the diamondback moth, has evolved a resistance to B. thuringiensis-based formulations under field conditions. However, many other insect species were selected for resistance under laboratory conditions, indicating that there is a potential for evolution of resistance in most major pests. Many studies were conducted to elucidate the mode of action of the Cry toxins, the mechanisms and genetics of resistance, and the various factors influencing its development. This article reviews insect resistance to B. thuringiensis insecticidal proteins and related aspects, including the development of insect-resistant transgenic plants, B. thuringiensis toxins, their mode of action, mechanisms, stability, and genetics of resistance and management strategies for delaying resistance.     

转BmK IT4基因烟草的抗虫性

The BmK IT4 gene was obtained from pBS-BmK IT4 by EcoRⅠ/KpnⅠdigestion and it was then cloned into pE3 intermediate vector. The resulting plasmid was named pE3-BmK IT4. The chimeric gene was transferred into the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) genome via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Forty-five regenerated kanamycin resistant plants were obtained, two individual lines showed strong toxicity to Manduca sexta (Linnaeus), Heliothis armigera (Hübner) and Leguminivora glycinivorella (Matsumura) by feeding experiments. Results from Southern blot indicated that BmK IT4 gene was transferred into tobacco genome. The mortality of M．sexta, H．armigera and L．glycinivorella larvae fed on transgenic plants was 95%-97%, 63%-70% and 65%-73%, respectively, and the growth of the surviving insects was remarkably retarded.     

甘蓝型油菜BnMYC2基因克隆及对植物抗虫胁迫的研究

为了研究髓细胞组织增生蛋白(Myelocytomatosis protein,MYC2)基因与甘蓝型油菜抗虫性的关系,该研究从甘蓝型油菜恢复系R18中克隆获得BnMYC2基因的cDNA序列,并进行了基因表达及转化模式植物拟南芥的抗虫分析。生物信息学分析表明,BnMYC2基因gDNA不具有内含子结构,cDNA完整开放阅读框(ORF)为1 833 bp,编码610个氨基酸,推测BnMYC2基因位于甘蓝型油菜C6染色体上,具有bHLH型转录因子的保守结构域HLH。基因同源性分析结果表明,BnMYC2与拟南芥、甘蓝、萝卜的亲缘关系最近,氨基酸的相似度都在98%以上。组织特异性表达分析显示,BnMYC2在甘蓝型油菜的根、茎、叶、花、授粉后27 d的果荚和授粉后35 d的果荚中均有表达,且授粉后27 d的果荚中的表达水平最高。抗虫胁迫实验的结果显示,过表达BnMYC2拟南芥的抗虫基因VSP2的表达水平显著高于对照,推测甘蓝型油菜BnMYC2基因可能作为重要的调节因子参与虫害胁迫响应;MeJA诱导6 h后,VSP2基因在不同基因型拟南芥的表达量都明显增加,与诱导前相比差异显著,表明BnMYC2正向调...     

Three-Dimensional Structure of Selenocosmia huwena Lectin-I (SHL-I) from the Venom of the Spider Selenocosmia huwena by 2D-NMR

The three-dimensional structure of native SHL-I, a lectin from the venom of the Chinese bird spider Selenocosmia huwena, has been determined from two-dimensional ¹H NMR spectroscopy recorded at 500 and 600 MHz. The best 10 structures have NOE violation <0.3 Å, dihedral violation <2 deg, and average root-mean-square differences of 0.85 + 0.06 Å over backbone atoms. The structure consists of a three-stranded antiparallel -sheet and three turns. The three disulfide bridges and three-stranded antiparallel -sheet form a inhibitor cystine knot motif which is adopted by several other small proteins, such as huwentoxin-I, -conotoxin, and gurmarin. The C-terminal fragment from Leu28 to Trp32 adopts two sets of conformations corresponding to the cis and trans conformations of Pro31. The structure of SHL-I also has high similarity with that of the N-terminus of hevein, a lectin from rubber-tree latex.     

霍乱肠毒素B亚单位在转基因番茄中表达的研究

将霍乱肠毒素B亚单位（CT－B）基因及内质网引导序列（SEKDEL）克隆到质粒pRTL2和pBI121中,分别构建植物双元表达载体pBI-CTB和pBI-CTBK,CT-B基因由Ca35S启动子控制表达。采用叶盘法经根癌农杆菌介导转化番茄（金丰1号,Jinfeng1)各表达载体得到一批转基因植株。经PCR和Southern blot分析表明CT－B基因整合到了番茄基因组中;ELISA和Western blot分析表明pBI-CTB和pBI-CTBK的转基因植株能够有效表达CT－B多肽,分别占番茄叶片可溶性蛋白的0.055%和0.084%。     

海南捕鸟蛛毒素-IV对大鼠背根神经节细胞钠通道的抑制影响(英文)

海南捕鸟蛛毒素 IV(HNTX IV)是从中国捕鸟蛛Seleconosmiahainana粗毒中分离得到的一种肽类神经毒素 ,在成年大鼠背根神经节 (DRG)细胞上观察了该毒素对电压门控钠通道的影响。在全细胞膜片钳条件下 ,HNTX IV能明显抑制哺乳动物神经性河豚毒敏感型 (TTX S)钠电流 ,但不影响河豚毒不敏感型 (TTX R)钠电流。HNTX IV对DRG细胞TTX S钠电流的抑制作用具有浓度依从性 ,其有效半抑制浓度 (IC50 )为 44 .6nmol/L。该毒素不影响DRG钠电流的激活与失活时间特征 ,但能导致钠通道的半数稳态失活电压向超极化方向漂移约 10 .1mV。结果表明HNTX IV是一种新型的蜘蛛毒素 ,其影响电压门控钠通道的机制可能有别于那些结合于通道位点 3来延缓钠电流失活时间特征的蜘蛛毒素如δ 澳洲漏斗网蛛毒素、μ 美洲漏斗网蛛毒素I VI等。     

海葵毒素多肽的分离和初步表征

经冻融法提取,丙酮沉淀,SP Sephadex C 25强离子交换和HPLC ODS C₁₈反相色谱层析,从海葵Actinia cari中提纯到两个新的毒素多肽,命名为RSAPⅠ和RSAPⅡ,经SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（SDS-PAGE）和基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱（MALDI-TOF-MS）鉴定RSAPⅠ和RSAPⅡ均为单一成分,相对分子质量分别为5 008和4 992.初步钠通道药理学实验表明,RSAPⅠ和RSAPⅡ对豚鼠心室肌细胞钠通道表现出活性,RSAPⅠ使钠离子内流增加,起开放作用;RSAPⅡ使钠离子内流减少,起阻滞作用.二者的圆二色谱均表现为100% β转角.     

转双抗虫基因烟草的研究

用改造的雪花莲凝集素基因GNAmm与合成的苏云金芽孢杆菌(Bt)毒蛋白cry1Ac基因构建了带有双价基因的植物表达载体,在该表达载体中这两个基因的转录分别受笋瓜PP2启动子(SPP2P)和CaMV 35S启动子的调控。通过根癌土壤杆菌介导转化法,获得了一批抗卡那霉素的转化再生烟草植株。PCR检测及基因组DNA Southern blot\,Slot blot杂交分析的结果表明Gna基因和Bt基因已整合到烟草总DNA中。用Bt毒蛋白抗血清进行Western blot分析,转基因植株均有Bt杀虫蛋白的不同程度的表达。对转化再生烟草的虫试结果表明,在所受试的19株烟草中60%的植株上的棉铃虫在5天内死亡率达到100%,而且存活幼虫的生长发育受到明显抑制;蚜虫抑制生长试验表明,多数转化再生植株具有较强的抗蚜活性,平均能够抑制桃蚜50%～60%的蚜口密度,有的高达80%以上。以上结果表明利用这两个改造过的抗虫基因可以获得既抗虫又耐蚜的转双抗虫转基因植物。     

Rust and Downy Mildew Resistance in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Mediated by Heterologous Expression of the afp Gene from Aspergillus giganteus

The cDNA encoding the antifungal protein AFP from the mould Aspergillus giganteus was introduced into two pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) genotypes by particle bombardment. Stable integration and expression of the afp gene was confirmed in two independent transgenic T₀ plants and their progeny using Southern blot and RT-PCR analysis. In vitro infection of detached leaves and in vivo inoculation of whole plants with the basidomycete Puccinia substriata, the causal agent of rust disease, and the oomycete Sclerospora graminicola, causal agent of downy mildew, resulted in a significant reduction of disease symptoms in comparison to wild type control plants. The disease resistance of pearl millet was increased by up to 90% when infected with two diverse, economically important pathogens. This is the first report of genetic enhancement of Pennisetum glaucum against fungal infections.     

Insect Induced Self-Pollination

Significant increase of pod production occurs inLupinus palaestinus Boiss. andL. pilosus Murr. following insect visits. The cause of this increase is investigated through (1) examination of the biology of pollination, (2) examination of pod production under various pollination conditions, (3) examination of cross pollination by genetical markers. All data strongly suggest that Insect Induced Self Pollination is the main factor in the increase of pod production of these species in nature.     

Mechanisms for Bt Toxin Resistance and Increased Chemical Pesticide Susceptibility in Cry1Ac10-resistant Cultured Insect Cells

Cabbage looper moth (Trichoplusia ni) cell line BTI-Tn-5B1-4 (TnH5) has developed high-level resistance (>1000 fold) by the selection of Bt Cry1Ac10 toxin. In order to examine mechanisms of resistance to Cry1Ac10 toxin (biological pesticide), both general esterase activities and cell tolerance to osmotic lysis were compared between non-selected Cry1Ac10-susceptible Trichoplusia ni cell line TnH5-S and Cry1Ac10-resistant Trichoplusia ni cell line TnH5-R selected by Bt Cry1Ac10. The Cry1Ac10-resistant TnH5-R cells had lower general esterase activity than the non-selected TnH5-S cells, and the esterase isozyme bands for the Cry1Ac10-resistant TnH5-R cells were much weaker than that for the non-selected TnH5-S cells. Both activated Cry1Ac10 toxin and multi-toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai GC-91 (an engineering bacterium) could not inhibit the esterase activity both in the Cry1Ac10-susceptible and Cry1Ac10-resistant cells, but two chemical pesticides, chlopyrifos and methomyl, could greatly inhibit the esterase activities both in the TnH5-R and TnH5-S cells. On the other hand, cell tolerance to osmotic lysis caused by hypotonic solution for the Cry1Ac10-resistant TnH5-R cells was higher than that for the non-selected TnH5-S cells (2.5×). Based on these results, we made the following conclusions. The general esterase activities in the Cry1Ac10-resistant TnH5-R cells was not related to Bt Cry1Ac10 resistance, but the susceptibility to the two tested chemical pesticides increased in TnH5-R cells because of their lower esterase activity. The increase of cell tolerance to osmotic lysis for the Cry1Ac10-resistant TnH5-R cells may be one of the mechanisms for Bt toxin resistance because midgut cells of insects are also disrupted by an osmotic lysis caused by Bt toxin.     

转新型抗虫基因Vip3A棉花新种质的创制

该研究构建植物表达载体pBin438 Vip3A,通过农杆菌介导法转化棉花品种‘冀合713’,将新型抗虫基因Vip3A导入到棉花植株,创制对棉铃虫抗性的转基因棉花新种质。结果表明：(1)PCR检测Vip3A基因已经导入到棉花基因组中且能够稳定遗传。(2)室内抗虫性鉴定表明,与对照相比转基因植株对棉铃虫的抗性显著提高,并获得2株高抗和3株抗棉铃虫的转Vip3A基因株系。(3)Southern blotting结果显示,转基因株系BV01为单拷贝。(4)Elisa检测表明,外源Vip3A基因在BV01的根、茎、叶、花、种子中都有表达,在叶片中的Vip3A蛋白表达为苗期>蕾期>花期>铃期>吐絮期。该研究创制了新型抗虫转基因棉花材料,为培育棉花新型抗虫品种提供了种质资源。     

Intraspecific Variation in Chemical Attraction of Rice to Insect Predators

The olfactory response of predators of the brown planthopper,Nilaparvata lugensStål, to different genotypes of rice (14 cultivars and breeding lines ofOryza sativaL. and 1 wild species,Oryza nivaraSharma et Shastry) was measured in an airflow olfactometer. Odor from rice plants attracted more females of the mirid predatorCyrtorhinus lividipennisReuter than plain air (control) on only 6 of the 15 rice genotypes. Orientation ofC. lividipennistoward volatiles of certain rice genotypes was apparent even when the plants were free of the brown planthopper. However, the predator distinguished between prey-infested and uninfested plants and preferred plants with eggs over plants with nymphs. The predator did not distinguish different stages of plant growth (vegetative, booting, or flowering). Plants artificially injured to simulate brown planthopper oviposition wounds were not as attractive to the predator as plants on which the planthopper had oviposited. The preassay preconditioning on the cultivar TN1 did not produce a predator bias for this genotype. This suggests that rearing effects or chemically mediated associative learning reported for some natural enemies did not influenceC. lividipennis'host response. Results with another predator, the coccinellidMicraspis hirashimaiSasaji, produced less consistent behavior. Planthopper-infested plants attracted more females ofM. hirashimaithan unifested plants in only 1 of the 12 rice genotypes evaluated. Implications for augmenting predators by rice cultivar selection and modification are discussed.     

作物抗虫基因工程及其安全性

利用基因工程培育抗虫新品种是农作物害虫防治的有效途径。本综述了来自细菌的Bt基因及来源于植物的蛋白酶抑制剂基因、凝聚素基因、α－淀粉酶抑制剂基因等转基因植物的防治效果,探讨了它们的安全性,并指出了理想杀虫剂应具备的基本特征。