缺眼蛋白的结构、功能与疾病北大核心CSCD

缺眼蛋白(eyes absent,Eya)是进化上高度保守的转录因子,首次在果蝇眼发育中被发现。后被证明,缺眼蛋白参与多种生物学过程,例如器官发育、先天免疫、DNA损伤修复、光周期、血管生成与肿瘤发生发展等。上述生物学功能与缺眼蛋白具有多种不同生化活性有关,包括转录激活活性、酪氨酸磷酸酶活性和苏氨酸磷酸酶活性。缺眼蛋白不同的生化活性存在于不同的结构域中。本文主要针对缺眼蛋白3个保守的结构域ED、PST、TPM以及它们在发育和疾病中的功能作简要综述。     

植物Dof转录因子及其生物学功能

Dof(DNA binding with one finger)蛋白是植物特有的一类转录因子,包含一个C2-C2锌指,其N-末端保守的Dof结构域是既与DNA又和蛋白相互作用的双重功能域。在过去10多年的研究中,Dof蛋白在多种单子叶和双子叶植物中被分离。Dof蛋白作为转录的激活子或抑制子在植物的生长和发育中发挥重要作用。就Dof转录因子及其生物学功能的进展进行了综述。     

POZ锌指蛋白在发育和肿瘤发生中的作用北大核心CSCD

POZ锌指蛋白是一类在进化中高度保守的蛋白,具有多种重要的生物学功能。POZ锌指蛋白主要作为一种转录抑制因子而存在,通过POZ结构域招募一些转录辅阻遏物而调节靶基因的表达。近年来的研究发现,POZ锌指蛋白在发育和肿瘤的发生中有着重要的作用,综述5个POZ锌指蛋白在肿瘤的发生和生物体发育中的作用及功能,为人们进一步了解POZ锌指蛋白的功能提供资料。     

核内转录因子IKAROS与血液肿瘤

IKAROS蛋白是一类含锌指结构域的核内转录因子,调节血液细胞分化发育。机体在血液细胞分化发育、天然免疫细胞的分化成熟、抗血液系统肿瘤发生等过程中均需要IKAROS蛋白的参与。IKAROS蛋白的功能依赖于其分子结构上的2个重要结构域:DNA结合结构域和家族蛋白相互作用结构域。DNA结合结构域与靶基因上游调控序列进行特异性结合,而蛋白相互作用结构域与家族蛋白分子结合形成二聚体,发挥IKAROS的生物学活性。IKAROS蛋白在细胞内代谢受到酪蛋白激酶2（casein kinase 2,CK2）和蛋白磷酸化酶1（protein phosphorylase 1,PP1）的调节,CK2将IKAROS蛋白磷酸化,使其失去生物活性|而PP1将磷酸化的IKAROS蛋白去磷酸化,从而增强IKAROS的生物活性。近几年临床研究发现,IKAROS蛋白的表达异常以及CK2激酶活性的增高与白血病的发生发展有密切关系。本文就IKAROS的分子结构特点、生物学功能、体内代谢调控方式及IKAROS在血液系统肿瘤发生发展过程中的生物学作用进行综述。     

综述: 表观遗传之染色质重塑

真核细胞中的染色质重塑因子种类繁多,多数以蛋白多聚体的形式存在于细胞中．不同的染色质重塑因子在特定时间定位于特定的核小体上,通过改变染色质结构,影响基因转录活性,进而确保细胞内各种生物学过程的正确运行．另外,染色质重塑因子根据所含功能结构域的不同,大致分为SWI/SNF、ISWI、CHD和INO80四大家族,不同的染色质重塑因子之间既有蛋白质结构和酶活性的相似性,各自又有其特异性．本综述的宗旨在于全面概括和总结染色质重塑因子的分类、结构特点以及其在细胞内的生物学功能,为深入研究染色质重塑因子的生物学功能,尤其是在发育和疾病发生中的作用机制提供理论基础．     

表观遗传之染色质重塑

真核细胞中的染色质重塑因子种类繁多,多数以蛋白多聚体的形式存在于细胞中.不同的染色质重塑因子在特定时间定位于特定的核小体上,通过改变染色质结构,影响基因转录活性,进而确保细胞内各种生物学过程的正确运行.另外,染色质重塑因子根据所含功能结构域的不同,大致分为SWI/SNF、ISWI、CHD和INO80四大家族,不同的染色质重塑因子之间既有蛋白质结构和酶活性的相似性,各自又有其特异性.本综述的宗旨在于全面概括和总结染色质重塑因子的分类、结构特点以及其在细胞内的生物学功能,为深入研究染色质重塑因子的生物学功能,尤其是在发育和疾病发生中的作用机制提供理论基础.     

植物HD-Zip转录因子的生物学功能

HD-Zip转录因子属于Homeobox蛋白家族, 是植物特异转录因子, 由高度保守的HD(Homeodomain)结构域和Leu zipper(Zip)元件组成, 前者与DNA特异结合, 后者介导蛋白二聚体的形成。HD-Zip转录因子家族包括4个亚家族(HD-Zip Ⅰ-Ⅳ), 其成员通过与其他蛋白互作、参与激素介导的信号途径, 从而调控植物生长发育、光形态建成、花发育、果实发育和植物对逆境应答等生物学过程。文章对近几年关于植物HD-Zip转录因子参与上述生物学功能方面的研究进行了综述, 以期对新功能基因的挖掘和应用研究以及HD-Zip调控机制的阐明奠定基础。     

PRNs基因家族研究进展

Pirins（简称PRNs、PIRs）是含有Cupin结构域的基因家族,属于功能各异的Cupin超家族成员之一。PRN蛋白的N端结构域含有金属离子结合位点,在原核和真核生物中高度保守。人hPRN可作为转录因子辅因子和氧化还原感受器参与癌症发生过程,是癌症治疗的潜在靶点。植物PRNs基因家族一般含有多个成员,其生物学功能尚未得到深入研究。概述了PRNs蛋白的基本结构及其生化特征,并综述了PRNs在人、微生物和植物中的生物学功能,以期为进一步解析水稻等作物中PRNs的功能提供一定线索,并为基因编辑等生物育种技术改良作物提供新的靶点。     

植物MYB2转录因子

MYB转录因子是植物转录因子中最大的家族之一,以含有保守的MYB结构域为共同特征.MYB2转录因子是MYB家族的一个亚家族,本文介绍植物MYB2蛋白的结构、与顺式作用元件结合的位点,进化以及生物学功能的研究进展.     

Dof转录因子在植物中的调控作用

DNA binding with one finger(Dof)蛋白是植物中特有的一类转录因子,自1993年在玉米中发现该转录因子到如今已有26年的历史。Dof蛋白只有一个由52个氨基酸组成的单锌指保守结构域,该结构域包含4个保守的半胱氨酸残基和一个二价锌离子,这两者都是Dof转录因子重要的组成部分,二者缺一不可,若半胱氨酸发生突变,或存在其他二价离子螯合剂都将会影响锌指结构的生成,进而使Dof蛋白不能与DNA结合,导致其丧失活性。半胱氨酸残基和Zn2+可以共价结合构成CX2CX21CX2C基序,此基序能够特异识别启动子中的AAAG(或CTTT)序列,从而激活或抑制靶基因的表达。Dof蛋白C-末端氨基酸序列的多变性导致该转录因子进化的多样性,从而在植物的生长发育过程中发挥着不同且重要的功能,如种子萌发、维管的发育和叶片极性、花和花粉发育、光周期反应、参与碳和氮的代谢、合成次生代谢产物、植物的逆境响应过程等。围绕着Dof转录因子的结构、系统进化关系、motif的组成和在植物中发挥的功能展开综述,以期为后续Dof转录因子的研究奠定相应的理论基础。     

The Canonical Wnt Signal Restricts the Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3/Fbw7-Dependent Ubiquitination and Degradation of Eya1 Phosphatase

Haploinsufficiency of Eya1 causes the branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome, and abnormally high levels of Eya1 are linked to breast cancer progression and poor prognosis. Therefore, regulation of Eya1 activity is key to its tissue-specific functions and oncogenic activities. Here, we show that Eya1 is posttranslationally modified by ubiquitin and that its ubiquitination level is self-limited to prevent premature degradation. Eya1 has an evolutionarily conserved CDC4 phosphodegron (CPD) signal, a target site of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) kinase and Fbw7 ubiquitin ligase, which is required for Eya1 ubiquitination. Genetic deletion of Fbw7 and pharmacological inhibition of GSK3 significantly decrease Eya1 ubiquitination. Conversely, activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and the canonical Wnt signal suppresses Eya1 ubiquitination. Compound Eya1^+/−; Wnt9b^+/− mutants exhibit an increased penetrance of renal defect, indicating that they function in the same genetic pathway in vivo. Together, these findings reveal that the canonical Wnt and PI3K/Akt signal pathways restrain the GSK3/Fbw7-dependent Eya1 ubiquitination, and they further suggest that dysregulation of this novel axis contributes to tumorigenesis.     

Identification of a dual-specificity protein phosphatase that inactivates a MAP kinase from Arabidopsis

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play a key role in plant responses to stress and pathogens. Activation and inactivation of MAPKs involve phosphorylation and dephosphorylation on both threonine and tyrosine residues in the kinase domain. Here we report the identification of an Arabidopsis gene encoding a dual-specificity protein phosphatase capable of hydrolysing both phosphoserine/threonine and phosphotyrosine in protein substrates. This enzyme, designated AtDsPTP1 (Arabidopsis thaliana dual-specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase), dephosphorylated and inactivated AtMPK4, a MAPK member from the same plant. Replacement of a highly conserved cysteine by serine abolished phosphatase activity of AtDsPTP1, indicating a conserved catalytic mechanism of dual-specificity protein phosphatases from all eukaryotes.     

Structure-function analysis of the Drosophila retinal determination protein Dachshund

Dachshund (Dac) is a highly conserved nuclear protein that is distantly related to the Ski/Sno family of corepressor proteins. In Drosophila, Dac is necessary and sufficient for eye development and, along with Eyeless (Ey), Sine oculis (So), and Eyes absent (Eya), forms the core of the retinal determination (RD) network. In vivo and in vitro experiments suggest that members of the RD network function together in one or more complexes to regulate the expression of downstream targets. For example, Dac and Eya synergize in vivo to induce ectopic eye formation and they physically interact through conserved domains. Dac contains two highly conserved domains, named DD1 and DD2, but no function has been assigned to either of them in an in vivo context. We performed structure-function studies to understand the relationship between the conserved domains of Dac and the rest of the protein and to determine the function of each domain during development. We show that only DD1 is essential for Dac function and while DD2 facilitates DD1, it is not absolutely essential in spite of more than 500 million years of conservation. Moreover, the physical interaction between Eya and DD2 is not required for the genetic synergy between the two proteins. Finally, we show that DD1 also plays a central role for nuclear localization of Dac.     

Drosophila EYA Regulates the Immune Response against DNA through an Evolutionarily Conserved Threonine Phosphatase Motif

Innate immune responses against DNA are essential to counter both pathogen infections and tissue damages. Mammalian EYAs were recently shown to play a role in regulating the innate immune responses against DNA. Here, we demonstrate that the unique Drosophila eya gene is also involved in the response specific to DNA. Haploinsufficiency of eya in mutants deficient for lysosomal DNase activity (DNaseII) reduces antimicrobial peptide gene expression, a hallmark for immune responses in flies. Like the mammalian orthologues, Drosophila EYA features a N-terminal threonine and C-terminal tyrosine phosphatase domain. Through the generation of a series of mutant EYA fly strains, we show that the threonine phosphatase domain, but not the tyrosine phosphatase domain, is responsible for the innate immune response against DNA. A similar role for the threonine phosphatase domain in mammalian EYA4 had been surmised on the basis of in vitro studies. Furthermore EYA associates with IKKβ and full-length RELISH, and the induction of the IMD pathway-dependent antimicrobial peptide gene is independent of SO. Our data provide the first in vivo demonstration for the immune function of EYA and point to their conserved immune function in response to endogenous DNA, throughout evolution.     

Eyes absent: A gene family found in several metazoan phyla

Genes related to the Drosophila eyes absent gene were identified in vertebrates (mouse and human), mollusks (squid), and nematodes (C. elegans). Proteins encoded by these genes consist of conserved C-terminal and variable N-terminal domains. In the conserved 271-amino acid C-terminal region, Drosophila and vertebrate proteins are 65–67% identical. A vertebrate homolog of eyes absent, designated Eya2, was mapped to Chromosome (Chr) 2 in the mouse and to Chr 20q13.1 in human. Eya2 shows a dynamic pattern of expression during development. In the mouse, expression of Eya2 was first detected in 8.5-day embryos in the region of head ectoderm fated to become the forebrain. At later stages of development, Eya2 is expressed in the olfactory placode and in a variety of neural crest derivatives. In the eye, expression of Eya2 was first detected after formation of the lens vesicle. At day 17.5, the highest level of Eya2 mRNA was observed in primary lens fibers. Low levels of Eya2 expression was detected in retina, sclera, and cornea. By postnatal day 10, Eya2 was expressed in secondary lens fibers, cornea, and retina. Although Eya2 is expressed relatively late in eye development, it belongs to the growing list of factors that may be essential for eye development across metazoan phyla. Like members of the Pax-6 gene family, eyes absent gene family members were probably first involved in functions not related to vision, with recruitment for visual system formation and function occurring later. Received: 23 November 1996 / Accepted: 25 February 1997     

Selective activators of protein phosphatase 5 target the auto-inhibitory mechanism

Protein phosphatase 5 (PP5) is an evolutionary conserved serine/threonine phosphatase. Its dephosphorylation activity modulates a diverse set of cellular factors including protein kinases and the microtubule-associated tau protein involved in neurodegenerative disorders. It is auto-regulated by its heat-shock protein (Hsp90)-interacting tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain and its C-terminal α-helix. In the present study, we report the identification of five specific PP5 activators [PP5 small-molecule activators (P5SAs)] that enhance the phosphatase activity up to 8-fold. The compounds are allosteric modulators accelerating efficiently the turnover rate of PP5, but do barely affect substrate binding or the interaction between PP5 and the chaperone Hsp90. Enzymatic studies imply that the compounds bind to the phosphatase domain of PP5. For the most promising compound crystallographic comparisons of the apo PP5 and the PP5–P5SA-2 complex indicate a relaxation of the auto-inhibited state of PP5. Residual electron density and mutation analyses in PP5 suggest activator binding to a pocket in the phosphatase/TPR domain interface, which may exert regulatory functions. These compounds thus may expose regulatory mechanisms in the PP5 enzyme and serve to develop optimized activators based on these scaffolds.