低氧诱导因子-1的转录活性调控及其信号传导

低氧诱导因子-1(hypoxia-inducible factor-1,HIF-1)是氧平衡调控相关的转录因子.依赖HIF-1的基因表达调控系统广泛影响葡萄糖代谢、细胞增殖、凋亡和血管发生,与机体低氧适应、胚胎发育、各种缺血性疾病及肿瘤相关.HIF-1自身活性调节是低氧应答基因表达调控的中心环节.调控主要发生在源于Ras的两条信号途径：Ras/Raf/MEK介导的HIF-1反式激活功能调控,PI(3)K/Akt依赖的HIF-1alpha蛋白稳定性调控.这两个信号传导途径分别独立又协调地调控着HIF-1的转录活性.     

多种功能的poly(C)-结合蛋白

细胞内的RNA一般不会单独存在,而是与各种各样的RNA结合蛋白（RBPs）绑定在一起,形成核糖核蛋白复合体（RNP complexes）影响着RNA的加工与转归. Poly(C) 结合蛋白是一类重要的RNA结合蛋白,可分为两组：hnRNP K 和PCBP1 4. 它们以序列特异的方式与核酸嘧啶富含区相结合. 这类蛋白具有共同的结构模体（motif）,即hnRNP K 同源（KH）域. KH域是与mRNA结合的结构基础,也是机体内调控系统的组成部分,可使得Poly(C) 结合蛋白参与蛋白/核酸、蛋白/蛋白之间的相互作用,范围涉及复制、转录、mRNA稳定和翻译控制过程等. 对Poly(C) 结合蛋白功能的深刻认识可使我们洞察多种疾病的病理生理过程.     

高等植物转座元件功能研究进展

转座元件是指在基因组中能够移动、复制并重新整合到基因组新位点的DNA片段.转座元件一度被视为基因组内的"垃圾"或"自私DNA",长期以来,转座元件的研究主要集中于阐释转座元件在宿主中的复制或表观沉默机制,而转座元件的调控功能并未得到全面探讨.已有研究表明,转座元件的比例与物种基因组大小存在正相关性,从而为C值悖论的解释提供了依据.近年来,越来越多的证据表明转座元件可以作为宿主基因组的"控制元件"发挥重要的调控作用.在作物中研究发现,转座元件既可以通过顺式或反式作用方式调控基因表达,也可以诱导表观等位基因的产生,从而促使固着生长的植物更好地适应外界环境的变化.本文拟就高等植物转座元件的作用及其对未来作物育种的意义进行总结.     

EZH2在消化系统肿瘤发生发展中的作用

消化系统肿瘤是一类由多因素和多基因异常引发的恶性肿瘤,相关基因的异常表观遗传调控与其发生和发展密切相关。果蝇zeste基因增强子人类同源物(enhancer of zeste homolog 2,EZH2)是多梳蛋白抑制复合体2(polycomb repressive complex2,PRC 2)的核心亚基,也是一种重要的负性表观遗传调控蛋白质,它通过催化组蛋白H3K 27位点的甲基化而使肿瘤抑制基因表达沉默。近年来研究发现,EZH2在消化系统肿瘤组织和细胞中高表达,并与肿瘤的增殖、侵袭和转移显著性正相关,可独立用作肿瘤患者不良预后指标。对EZH2与消化系统肿瘤相互关系的深入研究,将对这类肿瘤的治疗提供新的分子靶点和新的途径。     

综述: 高等植物转座元件功能研究进展

转座元件是指在基因组中能够移动、复制并重新整合到基因组新位点的DNA片段．转座元件一度被视为基因组内的“垃圾”或“自私DNA”,长期以来,转座元件的研究主要集中于阐释转座元件在宿主中的复制或表观沉默机制,而转座元件的调控功能并未得到全面探讨．已有研究表明,转座元件的比例与物种基因组大小存在正相关性,从而为C值悖论的解释提供了依据．近年来,越来越多的证据表明转座元件可以作为宿主基因组的“控制元件”发挥重要的调控作用．在作物中研究发现,转座元件既可以通过顺式或反式作用方式调控基因表达,也可以诱导表观等位基因的产生,从而促使固着生长的植物更好地适应外界环境的变化．本文拟就高等植物转座元件的作用及其对未来作物育种的意义进行总结．     

依赖于5′端非编码区高级结构的真核生物mRNA翻译调控

翻译水平的调控是真核基因表达调控的重要环节.近年来的研究表明,许多真核基因的翻译依赖于RNA 5′端非编码区的结构元件.一些小结构元件,如铁离子反应元件,具有1个茎环结构,由铁离子介导控制转铁蛋白的翻译. 核糖开关通过结合特定代谢分子在2种结构状态下切换,调控可变剪接和翻译起始.另1个高度结构化的mRNA元件是内部核糖体进入位点,通过富集核糖体和起始因子促进基因的表达.本文综述了依赖于小结构元件、内部核糖体进入位点和核糖开关的真核基因翻译起始调控相应的研究成果和研究方法.对于研究的前景以及可能存在的挑战也作出阐述.     

依赖于5′端非编码区高级结构的真核生物mRNA翻译调控

翻译水平的调控是真核基因表达调控的重要环节.近年来的研究表明,许多真核基因的翻译依赖于RNA5′端非编码区的结构元件.一些小结构元件,如铁离子反应元件,具有1个茎环结构,由铁离子介导控制转铁蛋白的翻译.核糖开关通过结合特定代谢分子在2种结构状态下切换,调控可变剪接和翻译起始.另1个高度结构化的mRNA元件是内部核糖体进入位点,通过富集核糖体和起始因子促进基因的表达.本文综述了依赖于小结构元件、内部核糖体进入位点和核糖开关的真核基因翻译起始调控相应的研究成果和研究方法.对于研究的前景以及可能存在的挑战也作出阐述.     

染色质构象调控真核基因的表达

真核基因的表达受到各种顺式调控元件、反式作用因子、染色质DNA以及组蛋白表观遗传修饰等多因素、多层次的调控。染色质三维空间结构的变化在调控真核基因表达方面也发挥了至关重要的作用。染色质构象的变化一方面可以使增强子等调控元件与靶基因相互靠近,从而促进基因表达;同时也可能通过形成空间位阻结构阻碍调控元件作用于靶基因,抑制基因表达。虽然染色质结构变化调控真核基因表达的机制仍缺乏较为精确的分子模型,但在组蛋白修饰、核小体定位、染色体领域以及染色质间相互作用等表观遗传学研究中,已经发现有诸多证据支持染色质构象在真核基因表达调控中的重要地位。文章主要综述了染色质结构及其构象的变化等对真核基因表达调控的影响。     

CREB4基因的表达谱分析和功能初步研究

cAMP反应元件结合蛋白(cAMPresponseelement-bindingproteins,CREB)是一个哺乳动物转录因子家族,通过cAMP反应元件(cAMPresponseelement,CRE)介导cAMP和钙离子依赖性基因表达。CREB4是CREB转录家族的新成员。人肿瘤MTCpanel结果显示,CREB4在人肺癌LX-1、结肠腺癌CX-1、前列腺癌PC-3、结肠癌G1-112和胰腺癌G1-103中有表达。构建表达CREB4-LexA和CREB215~395aa-LexA的pLexA融合质粒分别转化含p8opLacZ报告质粒的酵母EGY48菌株,诱导表达后发现CREB4蛋白为转录激活因子,N端决定其转录激活活性。亚细胞定位结果显示,全长CREB4蛋白定位于细胞质,而缺失C端假定转膜结构域的CREB41~275aa蛋白突变体则转移至细胞核内。表达谱结果显示CREB4蛋白可能在人多种肿瘤组织的基因表达调控中起作用,其C端假定的转膜结构域与其转录激活功能密切相关。     

RNA病毒翻译调控元件—内部核糖体进入位点(IRES)

真核生物大多数蛋白质合成采用了依赖帽子结构的翻译起始方式.但一组缺乏帽子构的RNA病毒的蛋白质合成起始是依赖其5′端非翻译区（untranslated region,UTR）翻译调控的顺式作用元件——内部核糖体进入位点（internal ribosome entry site, IRES）.它 们能够在一些反式作用因子的辅助下,招募核糖体小亚基到病毒mRNA的翻译起始位点.前,依赖IRES元件翻译起始的RNA病毒在哺乳动物,无脊椎动物及植物中均有发现.因此,对RNA病毒IRES元件的深入研究,不仅有助于阐明相关疾病的发生机理,而且为工业应用和疾病治疗提供借鉴意义.本文对RNA病毒IRES元件发现、分类、结构与功能等作了综述.     

All human granzymes target hnRNP K that is essential for tumor cell viability

Granule exocytosis by cytotoxic lymphocytes is the key mechanism to eliminate virus-infected cells and tumor cells. These lytic granules contain the pore-forming protein perforin and a set of five serine proteases called granzymes. All human granzymes display distinct substrate specificities and induce cell death by cleaving critical intracellular death substrates. In the present study, we show that all human granzymes directly cleaved the DNA/RNA-binding protein heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K), designating hnRNP K as the first known pan-granzyme substrate. Cleavage of hnRNP K was more efficient in the presence of RNA and occurred in two apparent proteolysis-sensitive amino acid regions, thereby dissecting the functional DNA/RNA-binding hnRNP K domains. HnRNP K was cleaved under physiological conditions when purified granzymes were delivered into living tumor cells and during lymphokine-activated killer cell-mediated attack. HnRNP K is essential for tumor cell viability, since knockdown of hnRNP K resulted in spontaneous tumor cell apoptosis with caspase activation and reactive oxygen species production. This apoptosis was more pronounced at low tumor cell density where hnRNP K knockdown also triggered a caspase-independent apoptotic pathway. This suggests that hnRNP K promotes tumor cell survival in the absence of cell-cell contact. Silencing of hnRNP K protein expression rendered tumor cells more susceptible to cellular cytotoxicity. We conclude that hnRNP K is indispensable for tumor cell viability and our data suggest that targeting of hnRNP K by granzymes contributes to or reinforces the cell death mechanisms by which cytotoxic lymphocytes eliminate tumor cells.     

Cytoplasmic Accumulation of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein K Strongly Promotes Tumor Invasion in Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K is a part of the ribonucleoprotein complex which regulates diverse biological events. While overexpression of hnRNP K has been shown to be related to tumorigenesis in several cancers, both the expression patterns and biological mechanisms of hnRNP K in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells remain unclear. In this study, we showed that hnRNP K protein was strongly expressed in selected RCC cell lines (ACHN, A498, Caki-1, 786–0), and knock-down of hnRNP K expression by siRNA induced cell growth inhibition and apoptosis. Based on immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of hnRNP K expression in human clear cell RCC specimens, we demonstrated that there was a significant positive correlation between hnRNP K staining score and tumor aggressiveness (e.g., Fuhrman grade, metastasis). Particularly, the rate of cytoplasmic localization of hnRNP K in primary RCC with distant metastasis was significantly higher than that in RCC without metastasis. Additionally, our results indicated that the cytoplasmic distribution of hnRNP K induced by TGF-β stimulus mainly contributed to TGF-β-triggered tumor cell invasion in RCC cells. Dominant cytoplasmic expression of ectopic hnRNP K markedly suppressed the inhibition of invasion by knock-down of endogenous hnRNP K. The expression level of matrix metalloproteinase protein-2 was decreased by endogenous hnRNP K knock-down, and restored by ectopic hnRNP K. Therefore, hnRNP K may be a key molecule involved in cell motility in RCC cells, and molecular mechanism associated with the subcellular localization of hnRNP K may be a novel target in the treatment of metastatic RCC.     

Aberrant hnRNP K expression: All roads lead to cancer

The classification of a gene as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor has been a staple of cancer biology for decades. However, as we delve deeper into the biology of these genes, this simple classification has become increasingly difficult for some. In the case of heterogeneous nuclear ribonuclear protein K (hnRNP K), its role as a tumor suppressor has recently been described in acute myeloid leukemia and demonstrated in a haploinsufficient mouse model. In contrast, data from other clinical correlation studies suggest that hnRNP K may be more fittingly described as an oncogene, due to its increased levels in a variety of malignancies. hnRNP K is a multifunctional protein that can regulate both oncogenic and tumor suppressive pathways through a bevy of chromatin-, DNA-, RNA-, and protein-mediated activates, suggesting its aberrant expression may have broad-reaching cellular impacts. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of hnRNP K, with particular emphasis on its apparently dichotomous roles in tumorigenesis.     

The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K is important for Herpes simplex virus-1 propagation

The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K is an evolutionarily conserved protein with roles in signal transduction and gene expression. An impact of hnRNP K on the life cycle of a broad range of viral pathogens was reported while functional data for herpesviruses were lacking. In this study we show that hnRNP K is important for Herpes simplex virus 1 egress. In absence of hnRNP K, viral entry, gene expression, viral DNA replication, and maturation of nuclear particles appear normal whereas release of infectious virions to the extracellular space was significantly affected. Our results indicate that hnRNP K has an impact on a late step of herpesviral propagation making it a potential antiviral target.     

Regulation of C-X-C chemokine gene expression by keratin 17 and hnRNP K in skin tumor keratinocytes

High levels of the intermediate filament keratin 17 (K17) correlate with a poor prognosis for several types of epithelial tumors. However, the causal relationship and underlying mechanisms remain undefined. A recent study suggested that K17 promotes skin tumorigenesis by fostering a specific type of inflammation. We report here that K17 interacts with the RNA-binding protein hnRNP K, which has also been implicated in cancer. K17 is required for the cytoplasmic localization of hnRNP K and for its role in regulating the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory mRNAs. Among these are the CXCR3 ligands CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11, which together form a signaling axis with an established role in tumorigenesis. The K17–hnRNP K partnership is regulated by the ser/thr kinase RSK and required for CXCR3-dependent tumor cell growth and invasion. These findings functionally integrate K17, hnRNP K, and gene expression along with RSK and CXCR3 signaling in a keratinocyte-autonomous axis and provide a potential basis for their implication in tumorigenesis.     

丙酮酸激酶前mRNA可变剪接的调控在肿瘤代谢中的作用和意义

丙酮酸激酶是糖酵解的关键酶之一,丙酮酸激酶m基因前mRNA(pre-mRNA)通过可变剪接产生M1和M2型两种丙酮酸激酶异构体,2种异构体的选择性表达决定肿瘤细胞的代谢表型,改变肿瘤细胞的增殖和生长。因此,调控丙酮酸激酶可变剪接,对于控制肿瘤细胞的生长代谢十分重要。研究发现,核不均一核糖核蛋白(hnRNP)A1/A2及多聚嘧啶结合蛋白(PTB,又称hnRNPⅠ)具有调控丙酮酸激酶前mRNA可变剪接的作用,并且致癌转录因子c-Myc与hnRNP A1/A2及PTB在肿瘤细胞中的过表达密切相关。我们结合相关研究进展,简要综述丙酮酸激酶可变剪接调控机制。