Substitution reaction mechanisms of dihydrido-ruthenium(II) phosphine complexes: hydribe basicity and molecular hydrogen intermediates

Kinetic and activation parameter data for the reactions of cct-Ru(H)₂(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂ (1) (cct = cis, cis, trans) in THF with thiols, CO and PPh₃ to give cct-RuH(SR)(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂, Ru(CO)₃(PPh₃)₂ and Ru(CO)₂(PPh₃)₂, respectively, reveal a common, rate-determining step, the initial dissociation of H₂ from 1; the activated complex probably resembles the corresponding Ru(η²-H₂) species. Reaction of Ru(H)₂(dppm)₂ (2) (as a cis/trans mixture, DPPM = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) with thiols initially generated cis- and trans- RuH(SR) (dppm)₂ with a rate that depends on both the type and concentration of thiol. The higher basicity of the hydride ligands in 2 (versus 1), which is demonstrated by deuterium exchange with CD₃OD, gives rise in the thiol reaction to an initial protonation step prior to loss of H₂. A species detected in the thiol reaction is possibly [RuH(η²-H₂ (dppm)₂]², the anticipated intermediate for this reaction and for the hydrogen exchange with alcohol. A longer reaction of 2 with PhCH₂SH gives solely cis-Ru(SCH₂Ph)₂(dppm)₂.     

The stereoisomerism of bacterial, reaction-center-bound carotenoids revisited: An electronic absorption, resonance Raman and H-NMR study

In order to solve discrepancies between earlier assignments we have reinvestigated the stereoisomerism of the spheroidene molecule bound to reaction centers (RC) of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. A stable cis isomer could be extracted and purified from the reaction centres by working at very low ambient light. Resonance Raman spectroscopy showed that this cis isomer assumed the same configuration as that of the RC-bound molecule. Proton-NMR spectroscopy of the extracted isomer permitted to assign it the 15–15′ mono cis configuration. Comparisons between resonance Raman spectra of the native form and of the 15 cis extract showed that, in the reaction center, 15 cis spheroidene is in addition twisted into a non-planar conformation. Comparisons of extraction-induced changes in relative intensities of Raman bands of the 760–1060 cm⁻¹ regions, which largely correspond to out-of-plane modes, further indicated that the out-of-plane twist of RC-bound spheroidene should predominantly affect C₈–C₁₂ and/or C_8′–C_12′ regions of the molecule rather than the central region. Comparisons between difference electronic absorption spectra of RC-bound spheroidene and of RC-bound methoxyneurosporene showed that the out-of-plane twisting of both these native forms results in a drastic weakening of their ¹C ← ¹A electronic transitions, compared with those of the planar, 15 cis forms. Finally, it is proposed, on the basis of their resonance Raman spectra, that spirilloxanthin bound to RCs of Rhodospirillum rubrum as well as dihydroneurosporene or dihydrolycopene bound to RCs of Rhodopseudomonas viridis shares 15 cis configurations and out-of-plane twisting with carotenoids bound to RCs of various strains of Rb. sphaeroides.     

DNA sequence of Nodulin-45 from Lupinus angustifolius

A partial cDNA clone encoding Lupinus angustifolius Nodulin-45 was isolated by differential hybridisation. A genomic clone was also isolated, from which the DNA sequence was obtained for the 5′ end of the gene (including 1.2 kb of 5′ upstream region). The upstream region includes putative cis-elements, found upstream of other nodulin genes. Southern analysis indicates the presence of several Nodulin-45-like sequences in the lupin genome. The Nodulin-45 protein has a putative N-terminal endoplasmic reticulum-type signal sequence and also contains a large glycine-rich repeat sequence. The cDNA sequence is highly homologous to a Nodulin-45 cDNA sequence from Lupinus luteus (Szczyglowski et al., Plant Sci., 65 (1989) 87–95), although major sequence rearrangements are apparent between the L. luteus and L. angustifolius cDNAs.     

TMV-induced expression of tobacco β-glucanase promoter activity is mediated by a single, inverted, GCC motif

Tobacco basic β-1,3-glucanase has been implicated in plant development and defense responses against pathogens. We examined the functional cis-elements involved in the response of basic β-1,3-glucanase promoter (gglb50) to infection with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). In plants transformed with chimeric gglb50-β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, significant GUS-activity levels were measured in the leaves and in roots. Activity in the leaves was further induced (10-fold) by TMV infection. Maximal virus-induced activity was directed by a promoter region between −1233 to +19 (gglb-1233). A 5′ deletion to −1038, which removed two TAAGAGCCGCC motifs (GCC-boxes), reduced virus-induced activity. However, when the gglb-1233 promoter was mutated by base substitutions within a third, inverted, GCC-box located between positions −106 and −95, virus-induced promoter activity was abolished. Duplication of a small region containing this inverted GCC-box in the context of the gglb-1233 promoter resulted in increased virus-induced activity. Gel retardation assay demonstrated nuclear-factor binding to the inverted GCC-box. These studies strongly suggest the inverted GCC-box as a regulatory element essential for TMV-induced activity directed by the gglb50 promoter.     

Control of the migratory aptitudes of vinyl and aryl ligands in ruthenium(II) complexes

Complexes Ru(CO)₂ (CH=CHR) (C₆H₄X-4)L₂ (R=^tBu, Ph, OEt; X=H, Cl, OMe; L=PMe₃, PMe₂Ph, P(OMe)₂Ph) in which the two phosphorus ligands are mutually cis (isomer 1) react readily with ligands ^tBuNC, CO and P(OMe)₃ to give complexes in which one of the organic ligands has migrated onto a carbonyl ligand. Vinyl migration products (5) retain the mutually cis geometry of the phosphorus ligands, and are unstable: one of the decomposition products is the ketone RCH=CHC(O)C₆H₄X-4. Phenyl migration products (4) are stable and have the phosphorus ligands in mutually trans positions; an X-ray crystal structure of Ru(CO) (CN^tBu) {C(O)Ph} (CH=CHPh) (PMe₂Ph)₂ was obtained. In both cases, the incoming ligand enters trans to the newly formed acyl ligand. Vinyl migration is favoured over aryl migration by electron-donating substituents on the vinyl ligand, electron-withdrawing substituents on the aryl ligand, good σ-donor phosphorus ligands and use of ^tBuNC as the incoming ligand. The rate of phenyl migration in Ru(CO)₂(CH=CHPh)Ph(PMe₂Ph)₂ is independent of ^tBuNC concentration: k=1.5 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹ at 20°C. Isomer 3 of complexes Ru(CO)₂(CH=CHR) (C₆H₄X-4)L₂ in which the phosphorus ligands are mutually trans is much less reactive towards migration reactions. The reactivity of isomer 1 is attributed to the steric strain of two mutually cis phosphorus ligands.     

小黑杨转录因子PsnbZIP1应答盐胁迫功能分析

为揭示小黑杨(Populus simonii×P. nigra)在面对非生物胁迫时,转录因子PsnbZIP1在植物体内发挥的功能,以小黑杨为试验材料,克隆得到PsnbZIP1的ORF区序列长为432 bp,并初步分析PsnbZIP1盐胁迫下的分子机制。采用q-PCR分析PsnbZIP1在150 mmol·L^-1 NaCl处理小黑杨组培苗时的表达模式,发现该基因的表达量快速上升;通过生物信息学分析预测PsnbZIP1转录因子为无跨膜结构且具有信号肽的亲水性不稳定蛋白;用农杆菌(Agrobacterium)介导的烟草(Nicotiana)瞬时表达观察该基因的亚细胞定位情况,结果表明该基因为核定位蛋白;用酵母单杂交实验证明该基因编码的蛋白在酵母体内不具有转录激活功能。对PsnbZIP1基因的启动子序列进行分析,结果表明该启动子包含了生长素应答、脱落酸应答元件、光应答元件以及种子特异性调控的顺式作用调控元件,该基因可能在植物的生长发育与响应胁迫过程中发挥了重要作用;启动子还包括参与干旱诱导的MYB结合位点和MYBHv1结合位点,表明该基因有可能与一些干旱诱导相关MYB基因...     

杂交构树UDP-葡萄糖脱氢酶基因编码蛋白的亚细胞定位及其启动子5'端缺失片段的功能分析

为了研究杂交构树UDP-葡萄糖脱氢酶基因（DDBJ，BpUGDH基因登录号为LC457701）启动子不同区域的表达活性，利用5'端缺失及同源重组实验技术，将5个不同长度的BpUGDH启动子5'端缺失片段与GUS基因连接，并通过农杆菌介导法瞬时转化烟草；同时，为了定位BpUGDH基因编码的蛋白在细胞中表达的具体位置，利用GFP报告基因融合目的基因进行蛋白质的亚细胞定位。结果显示：BpUGDH基因启动子-244 bp以内的序列均能介导GUS基因的诱导表达，并且-973、-465、-355、-281和-244 bp之间的区域可能对BpUGDH基因启动子的活性发挥着至关重要的作用。另外，BpUGDH基因编码蛋白的亚细胞定位结果显示：BpUGDH位于叶绿体中。     

Crystal structure of FadA adhesin from Fusobacterium nucleatum reveals a novel oligomerization motif, the leucine chain

Many bacterial appendages have filamentous structures, often composed of repeating monomers assembled in a head-to-tail manner. The mechanisms of such linkages vary. We report here a novel protein oligomerization motif identified in the FadA adhesin from the Gram-negative bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum. The 2.0 angstroms crystal structure of the secreted form of FadA (mFadA) reveals two antiparallel alpha-helices connected by an intervening 8-residue hairpin loop. Leucine-leucine contacts play a prominent dual intra- and intermolecular role in the structure and function of FadA. First, they comprise the main association between the two helical arms of the monomer; second, they mediate the head-to-tail association of monomers to form the elongated polymers. This leucine-mediated filamentous assembly of FadA molecules constitutes a novel structural motif termed the "leucine chain." The essential role of these residues in FadA is corroborated by mutagenesis of selected leucine residues, which leads to the abrogation of oligomerization, filament formation, and binding to host cells.     

FLC调控植物成花的分子机制研究新进展

FLC是植物成花关键抑制因子, 主要通过结合到其下游2个关键的成花促进基因(FT和SOC1)启动子上而抑制二者的表达。此外, 还可以与其它调控因子结合调控开花。然而, 关于FLC在成花调控中的具体分子机制仍需深入研究。该文主要结合8条成花调控遗传途径, 梳理近年来与FLC相关的新进展, 并展望了未来的研究方向。     

Differential tissue distribution, developmental programming, estrogen regulation and promoter characteristics of cyp19 genes in teleost fish

Teleost fish are characterized by exceptionally high levels of brain estrogen biosynthesis when compared to the brains of other vertebrates or to the ovaries of the same fish. Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) have utility as complementary models for understanding the molecular basis and functional significance of exaggerated neural estrogen biosynthesis. Multiple cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom) cDNAs that derive from separate gene loci (cyp19a and cyp19b) are differentially expressed in brain (P450aromBA) and ovary (P450aromAB) and have a different developmental program (BA) and response to estrogen upregulation (B only). As measured by increased P450aromB mRNA, a functional estrogen response system is first detected 24–48 h post-fertilization (hpf), consistent with the onset of estrogen receptor (ER) expression (, β, and γ). The 5′-flanking region of the cyp19b gene has a TATA box, two estrogen response elements (EREs), an ERE half-site (ERE1/2), a nerve growth factor inducible-B protein (NGFI-B)/Nur77 responsive element (NBRE) binding site, and a sequence identical to the zebrafish GATA-2 gene neural specific enhancer. The cyp19a promoter region has TATA and CAAT boxes, a steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) binding site, and two aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)/AhR nuclear translocator factor (ARNT) binding motifs. Both genes have multiple potential SRY/SOX binding sites (16 and 8 in cyp19b and cyp19a, respectively). Luciferase reporters have basal promoter activity in GH3 cells, but differences (ab) are opposite to fish pituitary (ba). When microinjected into fertilized zebrafish eggs, a cyp19b promoter-driven green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter (but not cyp19a) is expressed in neurons of 30–48 hpf embryos, most prominently in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their projections to optic tectum. Further studies are required to identify functionally relevant cis-elements and cellular factors, and to determine the regulatory role of estrogen in neurodevelopment.     

Cloning and identification of the promoter of the tobacco Sar8.2b gene,a gene involved in systemic acquired resistance

Expression of the Sar8.2 gene family is induced by salicylic acid (SA) in tobacco during induction of systemic acquired resistance. Expression of Sar8.2b, one member of this 12-member family, was detected as early as 12 h after treatment with SA and was maximal 36 h after SA treatment. In NahG transgenic tobacco plants, benzothiadiazole and dichloroisonicotinic acid induced expression of Sar8.2b but SA did not, suggesting that expression of the Sar8.2b gene is SA-dependent. Several putative cis-acting elements were found in the Sar8.2b gene promoter region, including an as-1 element and GT-1 and Dof binding sequences. We constructed a series of progressive deletion mutations in the Sar8.2b promoter region linked to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) coding region and analyzed GUS activities by stable expression in transformants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Deletions between −728 and −927 bp or between −351 and −197 bp of the promoter region resulted in a significant reduction in GUS activity induced by SA treatment as shown in stable transformants of A. thaliana. The −197 bp fragment of the promoter region was found to confer a relatively low level of GUS activity induced by SA treatment in stable expression of transformants in A. thaliana. The results suggest that 927 bp of the Sar8.2b gene promoter confers full promoter activity and that cis-acting elements required for high-level SA-inducible expression of the Sar8.2b gene may exist within the regions −728 to −927 bp and −197 to −351 bp.     

大麦NF-YC基因鉴定及在盐胁迫下的表达分析

核因子Y (NF-Y)是由NF-YA、NF-YB和NF-YC三个亚基组成的一类真核细胞转录因子,主要参与植物生长发育调控和非生物胁迫信号传递。该研究利用生物信息学方法解析了大麦(Hordeum vulgare) NF-YC基因家族功能。首先,基于大麦基因组数据库鉴定出11个HvNF-YC成员,分布在除第2号染色体以外的其余6条染色体上,内含子0–5个。系统进化分析显示,大麦、拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)和水稻(Oryza sativa) NF-YC基因家族成员可分为5个亚家族。基因复制分析显示, 6个HvNF-YC基因存在片段复制,3个HvNF-YC基因存在串联复制。启动子顺式作用元件分析显示,大多数HvNF-YC基因启动子含有与非生物胁迫及激素响应相关的顺式作用元件。对HvNF-YC家族成员在不同组织不同时期的表达模式分析表明,不同成员的时空表达存在明显差异,其中HvNF-YC9和HvNF-YC11可能在籽粒发育初期发挥重要作用。通过分析耐盐型和盐敏感型大麦品种根和叶中HvNF-YC表达量变化,发现HvNF-YC3、HvNF-YC6和HvNF-YC10主要在盐胁...     

绿色杜氏藻不同β-胡萝卜素羟化酶基因家族胁迫应答模式研究

β-胡萝卜素羟化酶(β-carotenoid hydroxylase, CHYB)是植物类胡萝卜素生物合成途径中的一个重要限速酶。本研究对绿色杜氏藻转录组测序数据进行分析,获得2条β-胡萝卜素羟化酶家族基因chyb1和chyb2。采用染色体步移法分别克隆并获得了绿色杜氏藻chyb1和chyb2基因的启动子序列,全长分别为1080 bp(GenBank登录号：KY012338)和1155 bp (GenBank登录号：KY012339)。利用Plantcare软件分析两个启动子的顺式作用元件,结果表明绿色杜氏藻chyb1基因启动子含有与甲基茉莉酸、花生四烯酸、水杨酸等非生物胁迫相关的顺式作用元件,而绿色杜氏藻chyb2基因启动子含有与光照相关的顺式作用元件。通过qRT-PCR分析了绿色杜氏藻CHYB基因家族在不同胁迫下的基因表达水平,结果表明该基因家族的基因表达水平与启动子调控相关,且不同的家族基因应答不同的胁迫。     

The Production of Catechols from Benzene and Toluene by Pseudomonas Putida in Glucose Fed-Batch Culture

Catechol and 3-methylcatechol were produced from benzene and toluene respectively using different mutants of Pseudomonas putida. P. putida 2313 lacked the extradiol cleavage enzyme, catechol 2,3-oxygenase, allowing overproduction of 3-methylcatechol from toluene to a level of 11.5 mM (1.27 g·1^-1) in glucose fed-batch culture. P. putida 6(12), a mutant of P. putida 2313, lacked both catechol-oxygenase and catechol 1,2-oxygenase, and accumulated catechol from benzene to a level of 27.5mM(3g·1^-1).

In both biotransformations product formation ceased within 10 hours of feeding the aromatic substrate, and this was due to product inhibition by the catechols. The primary site of catechol toxicity was inhibition of the aromatic dioxygenase. Neither cis-toluene dihydrodiol cis-1,2-dihydroxy-3-methylcyclohexa-3,5-diene), nor cis-benzene dihydrodiol (cis-l,2-dihydroxy-3-methylcyclohexa-3,5-diene) dehydrogenase was significantly inhibited by catechol overproduction whereas both ring activating dioxygenases were inhibited within 4-6 hours of the maximum product concentration being attained.

3-Methylcatechol overproduction from toluene was also studied using a continuous product removal system. Granular activated charcoal removed 3-methylcatechol efficiently and was easily regenerated by washing with ethyl acetate. Using P. putida 2313, it was shown that the final product concentration increased approximately fourfold. Additional products were formed and the significance of these are discussed.