Rapid culture-independent techniques for quantitation of Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies

Fluorescein-isothiocyanate-conjugated monoclonal antibodies were used as a means to identify and enumerate Chlamydia trachomatis elementary bodies (EBs) fixed to the surface of either glass slides or polycarbonate membranes. EBs of all C. trachomatis serovars could be quantitated using these monoclonal antibodies which had specific reactivity with the major outer membrane protein. The results of experiments performed to compare the efficacy of each solid support substrate indicated no significant difference in performance or numerical values obtained for the concentration of EBs from the same preparation. The application of these specific approaches to EB quantitation will be dependent on the volume and other characteristics of the experimental preparation. The optimal use of glass slides was for the quantitation of purified EB preparations with high concentraton, whereas the filter may be used to concentrate dilute specimens. Both techniques were useful for estimating the concentration of EBs in sonicates prepared from infected host cells.     

沙眼衣原体CT-249基因编码蛋白为一包涵体膜蛋白

使用融合蛋白GST-CT249的抗体对假想蛋白CT249的特性进行研究。使用PCR方法从L2型沙眼衣原体的基因组中扩增编码CT249蛋白的开放读码区基因,限制性内切酶BamHⅠ和NotⅠ消化、T4连接酶连接导入pGEX-6p2载体,进一步把重组质粒pGEX-6p2-CT249转化到XL1-blue细菌,并诱导表达融合蛋白GST-CT249。在融合蛋白GST-CT249免疫小鼠制备抗体后,应用直接免疫荧光技术对衣原体感染细胞内的CT249基因表达的内源性蛋白进行初步定位。成功克隆出沙眼衣原体基因CT249,全长为351bp,并表达了融合蛋白GST-CT249,分子量为38.2kDa。制备了融合蛋白GST-CT249的抗体并初步定位假想蛋白CT249于沙眼衣原体包涵体膜蛋白上。总之,使用融合蛋白GST-CT249的抗体,鉴定假想蛋白CT249为一种新的沙眼衣原体包涵体膜蛋白。该发现将为进一步深入研究衣原体与宿主细胞间某些机制提供了有用的途径。     

MAPK/ERK 和 MAPK/P38 信号通路的活化参与沙眼衣原体诱导前炎因子的产生

沙眼衣原体感染可导致沙眼、性传播性疾病、不孕症等疾病,主要病理表现是炎症反应引起的组织损伤和瘢痕.因此,沙眼衣原体诱导产生的炎症因子是导致疾病的关键,沙眼衣原体可直接感染内皮细胞产生各种前炎因子,但其机制目前还不清楚.通过ELISA和免疫印迹等方法,检测到沙眼衣原体感染HeLa229细胞可产生IL-8,IL-1α,IL-1β,IL-6等前炎因子,并且沙眼衣原体感染可以主要激活宿主细胞MAPK/ERK和MAPK/P38信号通路.抑制MAPK/ERK和MAPK/P38信号通路显示,两条通路在沙眼衣原体感染过程中参与调节不同的炎症因子产生.MAPK/P38信号通路的活化参与调控IL-1α,IL-6的产生,而IL-8则同时受MAPK/ERK和MAPK/P38两条通路的调控.     

CT358蛋白在沙眼衣原体感染细胞中的定位及特性分析

确定沙眼衣原体CT358蛋白在衣原体感染细胞中的位置并初步鉴定其生物学功能．采用PCR方法从D型沙眼衣原体的基因组中扩增CT358基因,并克隆入pGEX和pDSRedC1表达载体中．将重组质粒pGEX-CT358转化到XL1-blue宿主菌,并诱导表达融合蛋白GST-CT358．纯化后的CT358融合蛋白免疫小鼠制备抗体,应用间接免疫荧光技术对CT358蛋白在衣原体感染细胞内的定位及表达模式进行分析．同时,pDSRedC1-CT358重组质粒瞬时转染HeLa细胞,观察CT358蛋白对衣原体感染的影响．实验结果证明CT358蛋白为沙眼衣原体包涵体膜蛋白．该蛋白质在衣原体感染12 h后就表达定位于包涵体膜上,直至持续到整个感染周期,转基因在胞浆表达的CT358融合蛋白不影响其后的衣原体感染．该研究为深入研究衣原体与宿主细胞间相互作用提供了新的线索,并可为衣原体性的治疗、预防提供新方向．     

Rice has two distinct classes of protein kinase genes related to SNF1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , which are differently regulated in early seed development

We have isolated five cDNA clones (osk1–5) for protein kinases from rice which are related to SNF1 protein kinase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Based on the sequence homology, these cDNAs can be classified into two groups, group 1 (osk1) and group 2 (osk2–5). The products of these genes were demonstrated to be functional SNF1-related protein kinases by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Recombinant proteins expressed from both groups of genes were fully active as protein kinases and could phosphorylate SAMS peptide, a substrate specific for the SNF1/AMPK family, as well as themselves (autophosphorylation). Moreover, expression of osk3 cDNA in yeast snf1 mutants restored SNF1 function. Northern blot analyses showed differential expression of these two gene groups; group 1 is expressed uniformly in growing tissues (young roots, young shoots, flowers, and immature seeds), whereas group 2 is strongly expressed in immature seeds. SNF1-related protein kinases have been reported from different plant species, such as rye, barley, Arabidopsis, tobacco, and potato, while the type of gene strongly expressed in immature seeds is known only in cereals such as rye, barley, and, from our findings, in rice. Expression levels of the group 2 genes were further analyzed in seeds during seed maturation. Expression is transiently increased in the early stages of seed maturation and then decreases. The expression peak precedes those of the sbe1 and waxy genes, which are involved in starch synthesis in rice. Taken together, these findings suggest that group 2 OSK genes play important roles in the early stages of endosperm development in rice seeds. Received: 30 April 1998 / Accepted: 20 August 1998     

Reactivity of elementary and reticulate bodies of Chlamydia trachomatis LGV2 with monoclonal antibodies specific for the major outer membrane protein

The reactivity of the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia trachomatis (LGV2 serotype) with 15 monoclonal antibodies was studied during the course of developmental cycle by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. The monoclonal antibodies reacted in immunoblots with the MOMP of both elementary bodies (EBs) and reticulate bodies (RBs). Using an immunofluorescence test with LGV2-infected cell cultures, the 15 monoclonal antibodies could be divided into 5 groups, according to the time of appearance of their reactivity with the cell culture.     

油茶DELLA基因的克隆和表达分析

为了解油茶(Camellia oleifera)中DELLA基因功能及其表达特性,采用PCR技术从‘长林4号’油茶中克隆了5个DELLA基因,命名为CoDELLA1~CoDELLA5,对其编码的5个CoDELLA蛋白进行生物信息学分析,并对5个DELLA基因的表达模式以及激素响应活性进行了分析。结果表明,5个CoDELLA基因的编码区长度分别为1 791、1 875、1 848、1 593和1 581 bp,分别编码597、625、616、531和527个氨基酸。5个CoDELLA蛋白的氨基酸序列相似度较高,丝氨酸残基为主要的潜在磷酸化位点,CoDELLA蛋白N端均含有典型的DELLA结构域。不同物种中DELLA蛋白的系统发育存在差异,CoDELLA与茶树的CsDELLA同源性最高。CoDELLA基因在油茶不同组织中的表达也存在差异,且赤霉素和独脚金内酯等多种激素和非生物胁迫对其表达具有调控作用。CoDELLA基因可能在油茶的生长发育和非生物胁迫响应中发挥重要作用。     

肺炎衣原体ompA基因VD2-VD3区重组蛋白在血清学诊断中的初步应用

应用聚合酶联反应(PCR)技术,从肺炎衣原体Chlamydia pneumoniae的主要外膜蛋白(Major Outer Membrane Protein,MOMP)编码基因(ompA)上扩增出抗原优势表位VD2-VD3区基因,构建原核表达系统并诱导表达重组蛋白,经Ni-NTA亲和层析法纯化表达产物。间接酶联免疫吸附试验(Enzyme link immunosorbent assay,ELISA)检测人血清中特异性IgG抗体。试验表明,转化入BL21大肠杆菌的重组质粒,能表达并纯化出相对分子质量(Mr)为24KD的重组蛋白。Western blot证实重组蛋白只与Cpn MOMP mAb发生特异性反应;重组蛋白用作ELISA包被抗原检测Cpn阴阳性参比血清,特异性和灵敏度均为100%;对126位冠心病患者血清进行的检测中,该间接ELISA法与晶美公司Cpn IgG ELISA诊断试剂盒的检测结果相比,符合率达到96.3%。结果证实,制备的重组蛋白MOMPVD2-VD3具有良好的免疫活性,在Cpn血清学诊断的应用中具有较大的利用价值。     

Microarrays and the relationship of mRNA variation to protein variation during the cell cycle

Microarray analyses have led to the postulated existence and identification of numerous genes that are believed to be expressed and presumably to act in a cell-cycle-specific manner because their expression varies during the cell cycle. It is important to see how protein variation can be produced from mRNA variation. We have calculated the protein content throughout the cell cycle resulting from cell-cycle-specific mRNA expression, and compared the result to protein content resulting from constant, cell-cycle independent, mRNA expression. For stable proteins, cell-cycle-specific mRNA expression leads to a maximum 2-fold change in protein content compared to proteins synthesized from constantly expressed mRNA. More realistic sinusoidal patterns of mRNA expression exhibit much smaller ratios of 1.25 or lower, even for extremely large amplitudes in mRNA expression. For unstable proteins that have a cycle-independent half-life, only at extremely short protein half-lives does mRNA variation have a significant impact on variation of protein content during the division cycle. We also apply these findings to proteins with a cycle-specific decay pattern. mRNA variations during the eukaryotic division cycle variation of mRNA during the cell cycle can have only a minimal affect on the variation of protein content during the cell cycle. We conclude that mRNA variations during the division cycle, as measured by microarrays, cannot by themselves, identify cycle-specific functions related to protein variations.     

Synthesis of cholera toxin B subunit gene: cloning and expression of a functional 6XHis-tagged protein in Escherichia coli

Cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) has been extensively studied as immunogen, adjuvant, and oral tolerance inductor depending on the antigen conjugated or coadministered. It has been already expressed in several bacterial and yeast systems. In this study, we synthesized a versatile gene coding a 6XHis-tagged CTB (359 bp). The sequence was designed according to codon usage of Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus casei, and Salmonella typhimurium. The gene assembly was based on a polymerase chain reaction, in which the polymerase extends DNA fragments from a pool of overlapping oligonucleotides. The synthetic gene was amplified, cloned, and expressed in E. coli in an insoluble form, reaching levels about 13 mg of purified active pentameric rCTB per liter of induced culture. Western blot and ELISA analyses showed that recombinant CTB is strongly and specifically recognized by polyclonal antibodies against the cholera toxin. The ability to form the functional pentamers was observed in cell culture by the inhibition of cholera toxin activity on Y1 adrenal cells in the presence of recombinant CTB. The 6XHis-tagged CTB provides a simple way to obtain functional CTB through Ni²⁺-charged resin after refolding and also free of possible CTA contaminants as in the case of CTB obtained from Vibrio cholerae cultures.     

CDC7 protein kinase activity is required for mitosis and meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary The product of the CDC7 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has multiple cellular functions, being needed for the initiation of DNA synthesis during mitosis as well as for synaptonemal complex formation and commitment to recombination during meiosis. The CDC7 protein has protein kinase activity and contains the conserved residues characteristic of the protein kinase catalytic domain. To determine which of the cellular functions of CDC7 require this protein kinase activity, we have mutated some of the conserved residues within the CDC7 catalytic domain and have examined the ability of the mutant proteins to support mitosis and meiosis. The results indicate that the protein kinase activity of the CDC7 gene product is essential for its function in both mitosis and meiosis and that this activity is potentially regulated by phosphorylation of the CDC7 protein.     

巨桉扩展蛋白EgrEXPA8和EgrEXPA10基因的克隆和表达特性分析

为探讨扩展蛋白在桉树生长发育中的作用,以在桉树初生生长到次生生长转换转录组测序中筛选出的差异表达基因EgrEXPA8和EgrEXPA10为基础,从巨桉(Eucalyptusgrandis)中克隆了2个扩展蛋白基因EgrEXPA8和EgrEXPA10,分别编码249和244个氨基酸,属于亲水蛋白,但Egr EXPA8稳定性高于Egr EXPA10。q RT-PCR分析表明,Egr EXPA8和Egr EXPA10基因均在幼叶和茎尖组织中表达量较高,在木质部和韧皮部表达量较低;且在茎顶端初生生长阶段表达量较高,而在下部次生生长节间表达量较低,可能其主要参与巨桉的初生生长或者负调控次生生长;另外在盐胁迫、茉莉酸甲酯处理下其均被抑制表达;而在水杨酸、缺硼、缺磷处理下均上调表达。这说明EgrEXPA8和EgrEXPA10在巨桉响应逆境胁迫时起到重要作用,且呈现出相似的调控方式。     

MAPK and PI3K activities are required for leptin stimulation of protein synthesis in human trophoblastic cells

Leptin, the LEP gene product, is produced in placenta where it has been found to be an important autocrine signal for trophoblastic growth during pregnancy. Thus, we have recently described the antiapoptotic and trophic effect of leptin on choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3, stimulating DNA and protein synthesis. We have also demonstrated the presence of leptin receptor and leptin signaling in normal human trophoblastic cells, activating JAK-STAT, PI3K and MAPK pathways. In the present work we have employed dominant negative forms of MAPK and PKB constructs to find out the signaling pathways that specifically mediates the effect of leptin on protein synthesis. As previously shown, leptin stimulates protein synthesis as assessed by ³H-leucine incorporation. However, both dominant negative forms of MAPK and PKB inhibited protein synthesis in JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells. The inhibition of PKB and MAPK activity by transfection with the dominant negative kinases prevented the leptin stimulation of p70 S6K, which is known to be an important kinase in the regulation of protein synthesis. Moreover, leptin stimulation of phosphorylation of EIF4EBP1 and EIF4E, which allows the initiation of translation was also prevented by MAPK and PI3K dominant negative constructs. Therefore, these results demonstrate that both PI3K and MAPK are necessary to observe the effect of leptin signaling that mediates protein synthesis in choriocarcinoma cells JEG-3.