Affinity-Purification of Concanavalin A-Binding Ciliary Glycoconjugates of Starved and Feeding Tetrahymena thermophila

Development of mating competency in Tetrahymena thermophila requires starvation for at least 70 min in low ionic strength buffer. Pair formation between conjugating cells is blocked at early stages by the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A). To investigate the role of Con A-binding proteins in this induced cellular change and pairing, and to confirm and extend an earlier study from our laboratory, a method was developed for preparation of Con A-binding proteins from ciliary membrane-rich fractions of T. thermophila. Con A-binding ciliary proteins were prepared from non-starved and starved cells from two wild type strains and a mating mutant, RH179E1. Comparison of these proteins by SDS-PAGE revealed on overall reduction in number of wild-type bands after starvation. In particular, a major band at 28 kDa was present in non-starved cells and absent in starved cells. However, in the mating mutant, no change in banding profile was seen after starvation: the 28 kDa band was present in both non-starved and starved cells. This, Con A-binding ciliary membrane proteins undergo a major change during starvation-induced development of mating competency in wild-type T. thermophila. In contrast, the mutant differed from wild-type in overall composition of its ciliary Con A-binding glycoproteins and in the response of these proteins to starvation, suggesting that it may be deficient in its ability to be initiated by starvation. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that a change affecting ciliary membrane Con A-binding proteins is essential for the cellular response to mating signals.     

转雪花莲外源凝集素基因烟草对桃蚜的抑制作用

将编码雪花莲外源凝集素成熟蛋白的cDNA GNA12和其前体蛋白cDNA GNA34插入到二元载体pBin438的双倍增强子CaMV 35S启动子或二元载体pBcop1的CoYMV启动子下游,分别构建成植物表达载体pBGna12、pBGna34\,pBCGna12和pBCGna34。土壤农杆菌介导的转化再生植株的PCR和Southern blot分析表明,GNA基因已整合到烟草DNA中。Western blot分析发现pBGna34和pBCGna34的转基因植株能有效地表达外源GNA,表达量约占可溶性总蛋白的0.08%～0.15%,并且前体蛋白基因编码的蛋白在植物体内进行了正确的加工;而pBGna12和pBCGna12的植株几乎检测不到外源GNA的表达。有效表达外源GNA的pBGna34和pBCGna34的转基因植株具有较强的抗蚜活性,平均能够抑制桃蚜(Myzus persicae)45%～６０％蚜口密度,有的高达90%以上。在转基因烟草中含双倍增强子的CaMV 35S启动子与韧皮部特异表达的CoYMV启动子介导GNA基因表达具有相似的强度,但它们的抗蚜活性存在差异。     

雪花莲凝集素基因转化小麦及转基因小麦抗蚜性的研究

雪花莲凝集素对具有刺吸式口器的同翅目害虫具有毒杀作用。用基因枪法将1个新的雪花莲凝集素(GNA)基因转入普通春小麦品种中-60634和生产上正在推广的冬小麦高产品种——豫麦66中,分别获得了转基因小麦植株。抗蚜实验证明,转化gna基因的小麦植株对我国北方冬麦区的主要麦蚜——麦长管蚜和禾谷缢管蚜的抗性效果不尽相同。对禾谷缢管蚜,在接种当代即表现出明显的毒杀作用。对麦长管蚜,则表现为虫体发育减缓并且降低了其所生产的若蚜成活率。在自然放养条件下,gna基因则对这两种麦蚜的取食均起到了一定的抑制作用。     

GNA成熟蛋白基因亚克隆及其原核表达载体构建

雪花莲外源凝集素（GNA）对刺吸式昆虫和某些咀嚼式昆虫以及多种线虫均有毒性,从含GNA前体蛋白基因的质粒中亚克隆出GNA的成熟蛋白基因MGNA,将MGNA基因插入大肠杆菌表达载体pET22b的不同位点,再经测序验证,得到了三种不同表达形式的GNA原核表达载体;22bG1(分泌型融合GNA蛋白）,22bG2(包涵体型GNA蛋白）,22bG3(分泌型天然GNA蛋白）,这为进一步在大肠杆菌中表达GNA和将GNA制成生物农药奠定了基础。     

抗蚜基因及其转基因植物的研究进展

在我国目前的环境条件下,蚜虫作为农业害虫和植物病毒的传播者,已经成为严重威胁农业生产发展重要的害虫之一。抗蚜植物基因工程可以有效抑制蚜虫危害,并且随着对生命科学的深入理解和技术手段的日益成熟,得到广泛的关注和重视。抗蚜植物基因工程的核心是抗蚜基因的筛选、转抗蚜基因植物的培育以及生物安全性。本文讨论了多种抗蚜基因,并重点论述雪花莲凝集素和苋菜凝集素基因在目前科学研究和生产实践的应用。     

Purification and Characterization of a Major Cell Surface Glycoprotein in Zajdela Ascites Hepatoma Cells Which Displays a Potent Concanavalin A Receptor Activity

A major cell surface sialoglycoprotein with Concanavalin A receptor activity has been isolated from rat Zajdela ascites hepatoma cells. The sialic acid residues of the plasma membrane glycoproteins were specifically labeled by oxidation with NaIO₄ followed by reduction with NaB³H₄. Surface-labeled glycoproteins were released by short incubations with TPCK-trypsin at 37°C and then separated by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B column. The predominantly labeled fraction, GP II₂, was then purified by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose equilibrated with 0.05 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.5, and eluted with increasing molarities of NaCl. It was shown to be homogeneous by protein and carbohydrate staining on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, isoelectric focusing, rechromatography on DEAE-cellulose and immunoelectrophoresis. It has an apparent molecular weight of 110,000 daltons. The location of GP II₂on the cell surface was confirmed by the fact that it could be labeled metabolically with, D-(³H) glucosamine and externally through the nonpenetrating periodate-NaB³H₄ system. GP II₂could not be removed from the cell surface by high salt concentrations, chelator, or chaotropic agents but was released from the membrane by detergents. This suggests that GP II₂could be an integral protein. Analysis of the carbohydrate composition of GP II₂ revealed galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, and sialic acid as major constituents and mannose as a minor one. This suggests that it contains carbohydrate chains both O- and N-linked to the polypeptide chain, most of them being O-linked. Finally, GP II₂has a potent Concanavalin A receptor activity. It inhibits the interaction between Concanavalin A and hepatoma cells and suppresses its effects on hepatoma cell proliferation.     

Alteration of surfactant protein A expression in renal cell carcinoma

Surfactant protein-A (SP-A) belongs to a family of collagen-containing C-type lectins called collectins. SP-A is expressed by renal tubule epithelial cells. We investigated the distribution of SP-A in renal cell carcinomas (RCC) using immunohistochemical techniques and western blotting. We used 35 formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) RCC tissue samples. We compared results with clinico-pathological parameters of RCC including age, sex, Fuhrman grade, tumor volume, tumor node metastasis (TNM) and clinical stage. SP-A was localized in the glomerulus and renal tubule epithelium in nontumor tissue and strong SP-A immunoreactivity was observed in tumor tissue. SP-A was expressed in the RCC tumor cells (64%) and nontumor cells (34%) in males and RCC tumor cells (90%) and nontumor cells (30%) in females. There was a significant correlation between SP-A immunoreactivity in tumor cells and gender, age, tumor diameter, Fuhrman grade and tumor diameter. Western blot analysis supported the immunohistochemical findings. We present evidence for involvement of SP-A in RCC and suggest that increased SP-A expression in RCC is associated with favorable prognosis.     

Large-scale production and purification of recombinant Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA) expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris

The gene coding for agglutinin from Galanthus nivalis (GNA) was expressed in, and secreted by, the methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris. Transformants of P. pastoris were selected and a process to produce and purify gram quantities of recombinant GNA was developed. GNA was secreted at approximately 80 mg l^–1 at the 200 l scale and was purified to 95% homogeneity using hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The recombinant protein was similar to the protein synthesised in plant with respect to structure and biological activity.     

Specific and Common Epitopes in Mating Pheromones of Euplotes raikovi Revealed by Monoclonal Antibodies

Polypeptide mating pheromones Er-1 and Er-2, purified from the supernatant of Euplotes raikovi cultures of mating type I and mating type II, respectively, were used to immunize mice and obtain monoclonal antibodies. Five hybridoma clones producing antibodies specific to the mating pheromones were selected. They were analyzed for immunospecificity by immunoperoxidase assay, immunoblotting, and for their efficacy in inhibition of mating pheromone activity. Monoclonal antibodies from two hybridoma clones recognized only the mating pheromone used as antigen; those from the other three clones reacted, to comparable extents, with both mating pheromones. On the basis of these results it was assumed that two immunogenic sites exist in Er-1 and Er-2, one specific and the other common to both mating pheromones.     

Concanavalin A-mediated phagocytosis of yeast by Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes in vitro: Effects of temperature and lectin concentration

Exposure of either Biomphalaria glabrata granulocytes or yeast to concanavalin A (Con A) prior to being incubated together in a “microhemadsorption assay” affected the number of yeast attached to or endocytosed by the granulocytes after 60 min. The yeast-granulocyte interaction was sensitive to temperature, Con A concentration, and the cell treated. Numbers of associated (attached + endocytosed) and endocytosed yeast either increased or decreased, as compared with nontreated controls, depending on the protocol. The effect of a given protocol was not necessarily similar for attachment and endocytosis. By separately enhancing these two stages of phagocytosis, Con A may be a useful tool for studying this process of molluscan granulocytes.     

Measurement of the lateral mobility of cell surface components in single living cells by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching

The use of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) techniques to monitor the lateral mobility of plant lectin-receptor complexes on the surface of single, living mammalian cells is described in detail. FRAP measurements indicate that over 75% of the wheat germ agglutinin receptor (WGA-receptor) complexes on the surface of human embryo fibroblasts are mobile. These WGA-receptor complexes diffuse laterally (as opposed to flow) on the cell surface with a diffusion coefficient in the range of 2 × 10^?11 to 2 × 10^?10 cm²/sec. Both the percentage of mobile WGA-receptor complexes and the mean diffusion coefficient of these complexes are higher than that obtained from earlier FRAP measurements of the mobility of concanavalin A-receptor (Con A-receptor) complexes in a variety of cell types. The possible reasons for the differing mobilities of WGA and Con A receptors are discussed.     

Inhibition of auxin-induced elongation and xyloglucan breakdown in azuki bean epicotyl segments by fucose-binding lectins

Auxin-induced elongation of epicotyl segments of azuki bean ( Vigna angularis Ohwi and Ohashi cv. Takara) was suppressed by fucose-binding lectins from Tetragonolobus purpureus Moench and Ulex europaeus L. These lectins also inhibited auxin-induced cell wall loosening (decrease in the minimum stress-relaxation time of the cell walls) of segments. Auxin caused a decrease in molecular mass of xyloglucans extracted with 24% KOH from the cell walls. The lectins inhibited auxin-induced changes in molecular mass of the xyloglucans. The autolytic release of xylose-containing products from the pectinase-treated cell walls was also suppressed by the lectins. Fucose-binding lectins pretreated with fucose exhibited little or no inhibitory effect on auxin-induced elongation, cell wall loosning, or breakdown of xyloglucans. These results support the view that the breakdown of xyloglucans is involved in the cell wall loosening responsible for auxin-induced elongation in dicotyledons.     

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) as a marker of cell proliferation in the marine dinoflagellate <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Prorocentrum donghaiense</Emphasis> Lu and the green alga <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Dunaliella salina</Emphasis> Teodoresco

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was detected in Prorocentrum donghaiense Lu and Dunaliella salina Teodoresco by enhanced chemiluminescence techniques with one mono-antibody. The observed band detected on western blots of P. donghaiense and D. salina had a molecular weight of 36–33 kDa rather than a PCNA-like protein with a size of 55 kDa reported in the dinoflagellates Crypthecodinium cohnii Biecheler and Gymnodinium catenatum Brav. The abundance of PCNA proteins was growth-stage dependent. Whole-cell immunoflurescence labeling showed that the PCNA antibody specifically stained the target proteins in P. donghaiense and D. salina, and PCNA is only present in the nucleus during the cell cycle. Synchronized cells of P. donghaiense show a cell cycle specific expression pattern with the highest expression in S phase and little expression in the G₁ and G₂/M phases. The results demonstrated that the PCNA-like proteins could be a marker for the estimation of marine phytoplankton growth rates. The different sizes of the PCNA-like proteins observed in dinoflagellates could be related to the variety of dinoflagellate chromosomal structure.     

Insights into the binding specificity of wild type and mutated wheat germ agglutinin towards Neu5Acα(2‐3)Gal: a study by in silico mutations and molecular dynamics simulations

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) is a plant lectin, which specifically recognizes the sugars NeuNAc and GlcNAc. Mutated WGA with enhanced binding specificity can be used as biomarkers for cancer. In silico mutations are performed at the active site of WGA to enhance the binding specificity towards sialylglycans, and molecular dynamics simulations of 20 ns are carried out for wild type and mutated WGAs (WGA1, WGA2, and WGA3) in complex with sialylgalactose to examine the change in binding specificity. MD simulations reveal the change in binding specificity of wild type and mutated WGAs towards sialylgalactose and bound conformational flexibility of sialylgalactose. The mutated polar amino acid residues Asn114 (S114N), Lys118 (G118K), and Arg118 (G118R) make direct and water mediated hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with sialylgalactose. An analysis of possible hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, total pair wise interaction energy between active site residues and sialylgalactose and MM‐PBSA free energy calculation reveals the plausible binding modes and the role of water in stabilizing different binding modes. An interesting observation is that the binding specificity of mutated WGAs (cyborg lectin) towards sialylgalactose is found to be higher in double point mutation (WGA3). One of the substituted residues Arg118 plays a crucial role in sugar binding. Based on the interactions and energy calculations, it is concluded that the order of binding specificity of WGAs towards sialylgalactose is WGA3 > WGA1 > WGA2 > WGA. On comparing with the wild type, double point mutated WGA (WGA3) exhibits increased specificity towards sialylgalactose, and thus, it can be effectively used in targeted drug delivery and as biological cell marker in cancer therapeutics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A ferredoxin-type iron-sulfur protein gene,frx B,is expressed in the chloroplasts of tobacco and spinach

Previously, a ferredoxin-type iron-sulfur protein, frx B protein, was identified in a high-salt extract of the purified thylakoid membrane of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular green alga. Polyclonal antibody was raised against a synthetic pentadecameric peptide with an amino acid sequence corresponding to the highly conserved region of the putative frx B proteins of 3 land plants [21]. In this report, protein(s) reacting strongly and specifically with this antibody was detected in the equivalent high-salt extract prepared from purified chloroplast of spinach and tobacco. One strong reaction polypeptide band from tobacco chloroplast was purified from SDS-polyacrylamide gel and subjected to endoproteinase lys C digestion. The resulting polypeptides were separated by reversed-phase chromatography. N-terminal sequencing of 3 purified polypeptides revealed that the protein is encoded by the frxB gene identified from DNA sequence analysis.     

水稻OsPR10A的表达特征及其在干旱胁迫应答过程中的功能

利用免疫印迹(WB)分析了水稻(Oryza sativa) OsPR10A在其不同生长时期、不同组织部位及多种非生物逆境胁迫下的表达特征, 发现OsPR10A在干旱、盐胁迫以及茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)和脱落酸(ABA)诱导下表达量明显升高, 表明该蛋白可能在干旱和盐胁迫应答过程中发挥作用。为证明这一推测, 我们构建了OsPR10A超表达载体, 经农杆菌介导转化水稻, 获得超表达OsPR10A的纯合株系。田间表型观察表明, 转基因株系株高变矮、穗长变短、结实率降低。用20% PEG6000在水稻种子萌发过程中进行干旱处理, 结果显示, OsPR10A超表达株系的根长和芽长均显著高于野生型, 证明超表达OsPR10A可增强水稻萌发期耐旱性。该研究有助于增进人们对水稻OsPR10A功能的了解。     

水稻OsPR10A的表达特征及其在干旱胁迫应答过程中的功能

利用免疫印迹(WB)分析了水稻(Oryza sativa) OsPR10A在其不同生长时期、不同组织部位及多种非生物逆境胁迫下的表达特征, 发现OsPR10A在干旱、盐胁迫以及茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)和脱落酸(ABA)诱导下表达量明显升高, 表明该蛋白可能在干旱和盐胁迫应答过程中发挥作用。为证明这一推测, 我们构建了OsPR10A超表达载体, 经农杆菌介导转化水稻, 获得超表达OsPR10A的纯合株系。田间表型观察表明, 转基因株系株高变矮、穗长变短、结实率降低。用20% PEG6000在水稻种子萌发过程中进行干旱处理, 结果显示, OsPR10A超表达株系的根长和芽长均显著高于野生型, 证明超表达OsPR10A可增强水稻萌发期耐旱性。该研究有助于增进人们对水稻OsPR10A功能的了解。     

Binding of the insecticidal lectin Concanavalin A in pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) and induced effects on the structure of midgut epithelial cells

Concanavalin A (lectin from Canavalia ensiformis L., ConA) has previously been shown to act as a feeding inhibitor for Acyrthosiphon pisum, the pea aphid. In the present study a range of histochemical and biochemical techniques were used to elucidate the target tissues and binding sites of the lectin in the aphid. Diet uptake was evaluated using a radioactive tracer (¹⁴C-methylated inulin) and demonstrated that adults were capable of ingesting high quantities of the toxin (approx. 1 μg over a 48 h period). Electophoretic analysis and enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay of honeydew samples confirmed these results and further demonstrated that only small levels of ConA were excreted. Histofluorescence and immunolocalisation studies on nymphs revealed that the stomach was the primary target for ConA. At concentrations up to 400 μg ml⁻¹, lectin binding only occurred in the stomach region, however, at high concentrations (800 μg ml⁻¹) the whole digestive tract was stained, although there was no evidence of binding in either the oesophagus or rectum. In addition to binding, there was evidence to suggest that ConA was also causing systemic effects in that the lectin appeared to cross the intestinal epithelial barrier. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopy studies revealed that ConA induced severe cellular swelling of the epithelial cells, accompanied by hypersecretion and a progressive detachment of the apical membrane; however, the striated border itself did not appear to be directly affected. Furthermore, there was no lysis of the epithelium, nor loss of integrity of the epithelial cells themselves. Our results suggest that ConA interacts with glycosylated receptors at the surface of the stomach epithetial cells, interfering with normal metabolism and cell function, resulting in a rapid feedback response on feeding behaviour. Whilst our results provide a much greater understanding regarding the modes of action of ConA in insects, they suggest that different lectins, including other mannose binding lectins, have different modes of action at the cellular levels, and thus generalizations should be treated with caution.     

Lectin-mediated agglutination of murine lymphoma cells. Cell surface deformability and reversibility of agglutination by saccharides

Agglutination of S49 mouse lymphoma cells by Ricinus communis I agglutinin can be reversed by the competing haptenic saccharide, lactose, soon after agglutination, but after further incubation in the absence of lectin the agglutination reaction could not be reversed by lactose and the cells remained as multicell aggregates. The irreversibility of S49 cell agglutination was time, temperature and lectin concentration dependent and its onset correlated with ultrastructurally observed deformation of adjacent cell surfaces and an increase in the proportion of adjacent cell surface areas in close apposition within multicell aggregates. Pretreatment of S49 cells with cytochalasin B or cytochalasin B plus vinblastine enhanced R. communis I agglutinin-mediated agglutination, while vinblastine alone and fluoride plus azide had essentially no effect. When drug-treated cells were agglutinated and then incubated in lectin-free drug-containing media for various times prior to lactose addition, the drug effects were more pronounced. Cytochalasin B alone or with vinblastine inhibited lactose reversal of S49 cell agglutination compared to the drug-free controls, while fluoride plus azide enhanced hapten reversibility. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that the onset of agglutination irreversibility correlated with cell surface deformation in the drug-treated cells. Cell aggregates that were more readily reversible by lactose (fluoride plus azide) were unchanged or less deformed, while S49 aggregates treated with cytochalasin B plus vinblastine were more deformed compared to controls without drugs. These experiments suggest a role for cell surface deformability as an important secondary effect during lectin-mediated cell agglutination of 849 lymphoma cells.     

Uterine lipid alterations during early pseudopregnancy and following the artificial induction of decidualization by concanavalin A in QS mice

Lipid extracts of whole uterine tissue from mice were examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry during days 2, 3, and 4 of pseudopregnancy (day 1 = copulatory plug) and following the artificial induction of the decidual cell reaction (DCR) on day 4. The range of lipids identified during pseudopregnancy and their percentage composition on day 2 included saturated fatty acids (SFA, 38%), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 20%), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 17%), sterols (25%), long chain alcohols (0.12%), and alkylglycerols (0.11%). Of these, the main components were the fatty acids 16:0 (21%), 18:0 (14%), cis18:1n-9 (14%), 18:2n-6 (8.5%), and cholesterol (24%). Although only subtle changes in the composition of uterine lipids occurred through days 2 and 3 of pseudopregnancy, more substantial changes were detected on day 4, at a time when the uterus normally initiates its transient “window of receptivity.” Following induction of the DCR with the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) at this time, even greater alterations in uterine lipid composition were observed. From 20 to 1,280 min post-Con A-treatment the percentage composition of SFA in the treated left uterine horn changed from 43% to 64%, sterols from 19% to 4%, PUFA from 15% to 10%, while MUFA remained unchanged at 23%. The lipid profile of the untreated right uterine horn of these animals was similar to that of the Con A-treated left uterine horn during the early stages. However, by 1,280 min substantial differences were observed, at a time corresponding with Con A-induced uterine growth. In contrast, differences in the lipid profile of Con A- and saline-treated uteri were observed at 320 min post-treatment, a time preceding Con A-induced uterine growth. Furthermore, the tissue concentration (nmol/mg dry weight) of SFA and sterols in uterine tissue decreased significantly following Con A treatment. The results suggest that uterine lipid changes are implicated in the development of uterine receptivity, and in the remodeling of uterine tissue for successful embryonic invasion and the establishment of pregnancy. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc