四种启动子调控RFP报告基因在家蚕细胞(Bm-e-HNU5)内的瞬时表达

以红色荧光蛋白基因（RFP）为报告基因,构建含4种不同启动子的重组表达质粒,用脂质体介导法转染家蚕Bombyx mori细胞（Bm-e-HNU5）,观察家蚕细胞质肌动蛋白4基因启动子（A4）、α微管蛋白基因启动子（α-tub）、蚕丝心蛋白重链基因启动子（Fib）和家蚕核型多角体病毒早期即刻蛋白基因启动子（IE）4种启动子调控RFP报告基因在家蚕细胞内的瞬时表达情况。构建的重组表达质粒pDsRed-α-tub、pDsRed-A4、pDsRed-IE和pDsRed-Fib经双酶切和PCR鉴定正确无误。转染和转录实验结果表明,除了pDsRed-A4外,其他3种重组质粒在Bm-e-HNU5细胞中都得到高转染率,α-tub、IE和Fib可依次增强RFP报告基因在家蚕细胞内的瞬时表达活性。     

棉铃虫细胞色素P450 CYP6B7基因的克隆与融合表达

细胞色素P450 CYP6B7被推测与棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera对拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂的抗性有关,但至今尚无CYP6B7参与杀虫剂代谢方面的直接证据。为揭示CYP6B7的代谢功能,作者以棉铃虫幼虫基因组DNA 为模板,以CYP6B7基因设计特异性引物,扩增出包含321 bp内含子的CYP6B7基因。用反向PCR的方法消除内含子,获得包含完整的CYP6B7基因的开放阅读框。将CYP6B7基因与pMAL-c2X载体连接,并转化E.coli TB1细胞,在IPTG诱导下,CYP6B7能与载体基因编码的麦芽糖结合蛋白（MBP）在大肠杆菌中融合表达,表达产物经直链淀粉（amylose） 柱亲和层析分离洗脱后,得到SDS-PAGE电泳纯的融合蛋白。     

昆虫神经毒素BjαIT的表达及杀虫活性

根据毕赤酵母Pichia pastoris密码子偏爱性,不改变毒素蛋白质一级结构,设计合成了昆虫神经毒素BjαIT基因,并分别克隆至大肠杆菌Escherichia coli融合表达载体pPET30-a(+)和毕赤酵母分泌表达载体pPIC9K。在IPTG的诱导下,神经毒素在大肠杆菌中融合表达,表达产物利用镍亲和层析柱纯化,纯化产物用于制备抗血清和活性测试。采用斑点杂交,筛选得到了较高水平分泌表达重组BjαIT的酵母转化子,摇瓶条件下,毒素表达量最大可达约20 mg/L。大肠杆菌BjαIT表达产物对东亚飞蝗Locusta migratoria manilensis和德国小蠊Blattela germanica没有活性,但酵母表达产物经注射东亚飞蝗和德国小蠊表现出杀虫活性。     

棉铃虫性染色体两种分子标记的克隆及序列分析

为了建立棉铃虫Helicoverpa armigera性染色体的特异性分子标记,利用RAPD-PCR技术对雌雄棉铃虫基因组DNA进行筛选,从500种随机引物中筛选到1 条引物（Operon编号为AF-18）,可扩增出1条约450 bp 的雌性特异片段。经克隆测序并合成特异引物进行验证,表明该片段为棉铃虫雌性特异分子标记,位于W染色体上。利用家蚕、果蝇等昆虫Kettin基因序列,克隆了棉铃虫的同源基因HaKettin片段,并采用荧光定量PCR技术,以棉铃虫的DH-PBAN基因为参照基因,检测棉铃虫雌雄不同个体间HaKettin基因与DH-PBAN基因的拷贝数之比,结果表明：雄体HaKettin∶DH-PBAN=1.0,雌体HaKettin∶DH-PBAN=0.5,据此推断HaKettin基因位于棉铃虫Z染色体上。     

朱砂叶螨热激蛋白HSP70基因TCHSP70-4的克隆与表达

为了研究朱砂叶螨Tetranychus cinnabarinus(Boisduval)热激蛋白HSP70的表达与其适应高温和低温胁迫的关系,我们利用物种的同源性及RACE 技术,获得朱砂叶螨热激蛋白HSP70基因1个,命名为TCHSP70-4（GenBank 登录号为EU977182）。该基因全长2 182 bp,包含1 959 bp的开放阅读框,编码653个氨基酸,理论分子量为70.9 kDa,等电点为5.4,含有HSP70家族高度保守的基序。运用real-time PCR分析冷激（4℃）和热激（40℃）1 h后TCHSP70-4在朱砂叶螨体内的表达量。结果显示冷激后TCHSP70-4表达量明显下降,而热激后TCHSP70-4表达量却明显上升。这些结果一方面表明该基因属于诱导型HSP70基因,另一方面揭示了朱砂叶螨分别受到冷和热胁迫后体内TCHSP70-4的表达及所起的保护作用是不同的。     

棉铃虫P450基因CYP6AE12和CYP9A18的克隆与mRNA表达水平

采用RT-PCR和RACE技术克隆到2个新的棉铃虫细胞色素P450基因：CYP6AE12和CYP9A18。CYP6AE12的cDNA编码区长1 569 bp,编码523个氨基酸;CYP9A18的cDNA编码区长1 590 bp,编码530个氨基酸。用实时定量PCR技术分析了这2个基因在棉铃虫YS敏感品系和YS-FP抗性品系(由氰戊菊酯加辛硫磷混剂筛选YS品系而得) 6龄幼虫脂肪体和中肠中mRNA的表达水平。结果表明：CYP6AE12和CYP9A18的mRNA表达具有组织特异性,CYP6AE12在脂肪体中表达量较高,而CYP9A18在中肠中的表达量较高。与相对敏感品系YS相比,CYP6AE12在YS-FP抗性品系中肠和脂肪体中的mRNA表达量分别为YS品系的3.6倍和1.3倍;CYP9A18在YS-FP品系中肠和脂肪体的mRNA表达量分别为YS品系的0.3倍和1.0倍。CYP6AE12的过量表达与YS-FP品系棉铃虫的抗药性可能有一定关系。     

家蚕细胞色素P450基因Bmcyp6u1的克隆、序列分析与表达谱

细胞色素P450第6亚家族基因为昆虫所特有,与抗性相关。为了检测家蚕Bombyx mori cyp6u1基因是否与耐氟性相关,首先克隆了cyp6u1基因。采用生物信息学方法获得与黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster cyp6u1基因同源的家蚕B. mori cyp6u1基因序列, 预测该序列的开放阅读框（ORF）为1 476 bp, 编码491个氨基酸, 推定的蛋白质分子质量为56.15 kD, 等电点为9.23。以家蚕5龄第3天幼虫精巢cDNA为模板, 设计特异引物PCR扩增出一条约1 500 bp的条带, 大小与家蚕cyp6u1序列的ORF预测值接近, 命名为Bmcyp6u1基因（GenBank登录号：HM130560）。同源性分析表明, Bmcyp6u1基因与蜜蜂Apis mellifera的同源基因cyp6AS13的相似性为56%, 与拟南芥Arabidopsis thaliana的cyp72A82的相似性为48%, 与人Homo sapiens的cyp3A7基因的相似性为50%。芯片数据分析表明, Bmcyp6u1基因在家蚕5龄第3天幼虫各组织表达量很低, 只在精巢组织(5龄第3天)稍有表达, 推测该基因具有组织特异性。     

家蚕核型多角体病毒egt基因的分子进化分析

过PCR方法获得家蚕核型多角体病毒（Bombyx mori nuclearpolyhedrosis virus,BmNPV）的蜕皮甾体尿苷二磷酸葡萄糖基转移酶基因（egt）片段,序列分析表明该片段带有EGT的完整ORF,推测的多肽可形成EGT结构域的高级结构。为了研究egt的起源,利用家蚕基因组数据库,电子克隆了多个家蚕尿苷二磷酸葡萄糖醛酸转移酶（UGT）基因,在此基础上进行了进化分析,表明BmNPV的EGT为antennal-enriched型UGT;推测核型多角体病毒（nucleopolyhedrivirus,NPV）和颗粒体病毒（granulovirus,GV）的egt基因在进化上来源于昆虫的UGT基因,但GV的egt基因在进化上的起源可能要早于NPV的egt基因;可能在昆虫祖先种进化形成不同昆虫目的某一时期,杆状病毒的祖先种从昆虫中获得了antennal-enriched型UGT基因,并进化为egt基因。家蚕的部分UGT基因与转座子元件连锁的基因组结构特点反映了杆状病毒的egt基因可能通过转座子的传递而获得。     

苏云金芽孢杆菌Rpp02菌株cry1Ac20基因的克隆及表达

Rpp02菌株是本实验室分离的一株对鳞翅目等多种害虫具有高毒力的苏云金芽孢杆菌莫里逊亚种 (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni), 经PCR检测,它含有cry1Ac基因。对其基因组DNA进行PCR扩增,得到大约4 kb的产物。测序结果表明,该片段含有一个较大的ORF框,基因编码区为3 534 bp,编码1 177个氨基酸,分子量为133.144 kD,pI 4.952, 为弱酸性蛋白质,亮氨酸（Leu）、丝氨酸（Ser）、谷氨酸（Glu）3种氨基酸含量最高,分别为8.0%、7.8%、7.7%。该基因序列与cry1Ac序列同源性达到99%,并被国际Bt杀虫晶体蛋白基因命名委员会命名为cry1Ac20。生物测定表明,该基因在大肠杆菌中得到了表达,表达产物具有较强的杀虫效果,试喂菜青虫48 h后,校正死亡率为88.78%。     

感染稻水象甲的Wolbachia基因组中插入序列的鉴定与分析

共生细菌Wolbachia对宿主的生殖起多种调控作用。以往研究表明, Wolbachia基因组中广泛存在插入序列(insertion sequence, IS), 它们对宿主基因组的可塑性、 多样性和进化起重要作用。稻水象甲Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel在东亚是一种外来水稻害虫, 在原产地北美营两性生殖, 而在所有入侵地均营孤雌生殖。本研究采用PCR法从河北唐海孤雌生殖型稻水象甲体内克隆获得了Wolbachia的2条IS序列, 即ISWosp4和ISWosp6; 从美国德克萨斯州两性生殖型稻水象甲成虫体内克隆获得了Wolbachia的2条IS序列, 即ISWosp3和ISWosp5。碱基序列比对显示: ISWosp3和ISWosp4属于IS3家族IS3组成员, ISWosp5为IS4家族IS231组成员, ISWosp6为IS5家族IS1031组成员。对这些IS的ORF结构、 所编码氨基酸序列的结构等进行了分析, 推测ISWosp5具有潜在转座活性。所得结果增进了我们对Wolbachia IS3, IS4和IS5家族插入序列的认识, 同时为今后从IS的角度探讨Wolbachia与稻水象甲生殖的关系奠定了基础。     

黑腹果蝇抗真菌肽基因Drs和Drs-lC 的原核可溶性表达及抗真菌活性测定

Drosomycin （Drs）是第1个从黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster体内鉴定发现的昆 虫抗真菌肽因子。它对细菌无明显的抗性,但对丝状真菌具有高效广谱的抑杀作用。此外, 在黑腹果蝇基因组还存在着Drs的另外6个同系物的基因序列,其中同系物Drosomycin-lC（Drs-lC）的抗真菌谱仅次于Drs。将Drs抗真菌肽基因(Drs)和同系物Drs-lC基因（Drs-lC）进行可溶性表达,对果蔬等农产品防腐保鲜的研究有应用前景。本实验将Drs和Drs-lC分别克隆到硫氧还蛋白（Trx）融合表达载体pThiohis A中,转化宿主菌TOP10,进行可溶性表达,并从诱导表达的菌液起始浓度、IPTG的诱导浓度及诱导时间等方面进行了表达条件的优化。结果表明2种融合蛋白Trx-Drs和Trx-Drs-lC大部分以可溶形式表达,可溶性表达的Trx-Drs在上清液中约占菌体总蛋白的22％。2种融合蛋白的表达产物经 Ni-NTA亲和层析得到纯化。生测结果表明, 2种融合蛋白分别对8种供试真菌中的5种真菌显示明显的抗性。     

Gastrodianin-like mannose-binding proteins: a novel class of plant proteins with antifungal properties

The orchid Gastrodia elata depends on the fungus Armillaria mellea to complete its life cycle. In the interaction, fungal hyphae penetrate older, nutritive corms but not newly formed corms. From these corms, a protein fraction with in vitro activity against plant-pathogenic fungi has previously been purified. Here, the sequence of gastrodianin, the main constituent of the antifungal fraction, is reported. Four isoforms that encoded two different mature proteins were identified at the cDNA level. Another isoform was detected in sequenced peptides. Because the antifungal activity of gastrodianins produced in and purified from Escherichia coli and Nicotiana tabacum was comparable to that of gastrodianin purified from the orchid, gastrodianins are the active component of the antifungal fractions. Gastrodianin accumulation is probably an important part of the mechanism by which the orchid controls Armillaria penetration. Gastrodianin was found to be homologous to monomeric mannose-binding proteins of other orchids, of which at least one (Epipactis helleborine mannose-binding protein) also displayed in vitro antifungal activity. This establishes the gastrodianin-like proteins (GLIPs) as a novel class of antifungal proteins.     

Analysis of two novel classes of plant antifungal proteins from radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seeds.

Two novel classes of antifungal proteins were isolated from radish seeds. The first class consists of two homologous proteins (Rs-AFP1 and Rs-AFP2) that were purified to homogeneity. They are highly basic oligomeric proteins composed of small (5-kDa) polypeptides that are rich in cysteine. Both Rs-AFPs have a broad antifungal spectrum and are among the most potent antifungal proteins hitherto characterized. In comparison with many other plant antifungal proteins, the activity of the Rs-AFPs is less sensitive to the presence of cations. Moreover, their antibiotic activity shows a high degree of specificity to filamentous fungi. The amino-terminal regions of the Rs-AFPs show homology with the derived amino acid sequences of two pea genes specifically induced upon fungal attack, to gamma-thionins and to sorghum alpha-amylase inhibitors. The radish 2S storage albumins were identified as the second novel class of antifungal proteins. All isoforms inhibit growth of different plant pathogenic fungi and some bacteria. However, their antimicrobial activities are strongly antagonized by cations.     

Only Specific Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Chitinases and [beta]-1,3-Glucanases Exhibit Antifungal Activity

Different isoforms of chitinases and [beta]-1,3-glucanases of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Samsun NN) were tested for their antifungal activities. The class I, vacuolar chitinase and [beta]-1,3-glucanase isoforms were the most active against Fusarium solani germlings, resulting in lysis of the hyphal tips and in growth inhibition. In additon, we observed that the class I chitinase and [beta]-1,3-glucanase acted synergistically. The class II isoforms of the two hydrolases exhibited no antifungal activity. However, the class II chitinases showed limited growth inhibitory activity in combination with higher amounts of class I [beta]-1,3-glucanase. The class II [beta]-1,3-glucanases showed no inhibitory activity in any combination. In transgenic tobacco plants producing modified forms of either a class I chitinase or a class I [beta]-1,3-glucanase, or both, these proteins were targeted extracellularly. Both modified proteins lack their C-terminal propeptide, which functions as a vacuolar targeting signal. Extracellular targeting had no effect on the specific activities of the chitinase and [beta]-1,3-glucanase enzymes. Furthermore, the extracellular washing fluid (EF) from leaves of transgenic plants expressing either of the secreted class I enzymes exhibited antifungal activity on F. solani germlings in vitro comparable to that of the purified vacuolar class I proteins. Mixing EF fractions from these plants revealed synergism in inhibitory activity against F. solani; the mixed fractions exhibited inhibitory activity similar to that of EF from plants expressing both secreted enzymes.     

Expression and functional analysis of two osmotin (PR5) isoforms with differential antifungal activity from Piper colubrinum: prediction of structure-function relationship by bioinformatics approach

Osmotin, a pathogenesis-related antifungal protein, is relevant in induced plant immunity and belongs to the thaumatin-like group of proteins (TLPs). This article describes comparative structural and functional analysis of the two osmotin isoforms cloned from Phytophthora-resistant wild Piper colubrinum. The two isoforms differ mainly by an internal deletion of 50 amino acid residues which separates them into two size categories (16.4 kDa-PcOSM1 and 21.5 kDa-PcOSM2) with pI values 5.6 and 8.3, respectively. Recombinant proteins were expressed in E. coli and antifungal activity assays of the purified proteins demonstrated significant inhibitory activity of the larger osmotin isoform (PcOSM2) on Phytophthora capsici and Fusarium oxysporum, and a markedly reduced antifungal potential of the smaller isoform (PcOSM1). Homology modelling of the proteins indicated structural alterations in their three-dimensional architecture. Tertiary structure of PcOSM2 conformed to the known structure of osmotin, with domain I comprising of 12 β-sheets, an α-helical domain II and a domain III composed of 2 β-sheets. PcOSM1 (smaller isoform) exhibited a distorted, indistinguishable domain III and loss of 4 β-sheets in domain I. Interestingly, an interdomain acidic cleft between domains I and II, containing an optimally placed endoglucanase catalytic pair composed of Glu-Asp residues, which is characteristic of antifungal PR5 proteins, was present in both isoforms. It is well accepted that the presence of an acidic cleft correlates with antifungal activity due to the presence of endoglucanase catalytic property, and hence the present observation of significantly reduced antifungal capacity of PcOSM1 despite the presence of a strong acidic cleft, is suggestive of the possible roles played by other structural features like domain I or/and III, in deciding the antifungal potential of osmotin.     

Expression and characterization of hepatitis C virus core protein fused to hepatitis B virus core antigen

Recombinant plasmids were constructed by fusing the gene fragments encoding the full-length (1-191aa) and the truncated (1-40aa and 1-69aa) HCV core proteins (HCc) respectively to the core gene of HBV at the position of amino acid 144 and expressed in E. coli. The products were analyzed by ELISA, Western blotting as well as the immunization of the mice. The results showed that those fusion proteins (B144C191, B144C69, B144C40) possessed the dual antigenicity and immunogenicity of both hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) and hepatitis C virus core protein (HCc). Analysis by electron microscopy and CsCl density gradient ultra-centrifugation revealed that similar to the HBcAg itself, all fusion proteins were able to form particles. Comparison of the antigenicity and immunogenicity of those fusion proteins showed that the length of HCc gene fused to HBeAg had no much effect on the antigenicity and immunogenicity of HBcAg, however, B144C69 and B144C40 induced higher titres antibodies against HCc than B14d     

Production of an anti‐Candida peptide via fed batch and ion exchange chromatography

Interest in peptides as diagnostic and therapeutic materials require their manufacture via either a recombinant or synthetic route. This study examined the former, where a recombinant fusion consisting of an antifungal peptide was expressed and isolated from Escherichia coli. Fed batch fermentation with E. coli harboring an arabinose‐inducible plasmid produced the 12 residue anti‐Candida peptide fused to the N‐terminal of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP_UV). The purification of the fusion protein, using ion‐exchange chromatography, was monitored by using the intrinsic fluorescence of GFP_UV. The recombinant antifungal peptide was successfully released by cyanogen bromide‐induced cleavage of the fusion protein. The recombinant peptide showed the expected antifungal activity. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:865–871, 2016     

苦荞α-螺旋发夹抗菌肽的分子改造抑制植物真菌活性

本研究对来源于苦荞的α-螺旋发夹抗菌肽FtAMP抗真菌机制与结构之间的关系进行了研究。首先人工合成了FtAMP分子中N-端和C-端的α-螺旋(FtAMP-N和FtAMP-C）,探究两个α-螺旋究竟是哪个螺旋在起抗菌作用。然后以FtAMP为模板,α-螺旋区电荷和两亲性特征为变化要素,利用螺旋轮投影和特定氨基酸残基替换的方法,对其进行初步分子改造,并通过对多肽结构和活性比较,探讨FtAMP结构-功能的关系。研究表明,FtAMP-N和FtAMP-C都显示出良好的抗菌活性。根据螺旋轮投影方法分析螺旋的两亲性特征,并以FtAMP氨基酸序列为模板,分别表达4个FtAMP突变体(FtAMP-E12A、FtAMP-E12A/E9K、FtAMP-E12A/E9A和FtAMP-E12A/E9K/T24E）。圆二色光谱分析显示,4个多肽都可正确折叠成α-螺旋结构,在208 nm和222 nm处有典型的双负峰,表明氨基酸的改变及其表达过程中并未改变多肽的二级结构。抗真菌活性分析显示,与FtAMP相比,4种突变体对植物真菌的抑制作用均有一定增强。特别是FtAMP-E12A/E9K突变体,其抗真菌作用增强约1倍,同时诱导溶血活性并不显著,选择特异性提高近2倍。该研究也进一步表明,α-螺旋发夹抗菌肽发挥抗真菌效应主要与其螺旋结构有关,而与其抑制剂的活性位点没有关系,为该类抗菌肽结构和功能的关系提供了一定的参考。     

Mass spectrometry-based protein footprinting characterizes the structures of oligomeric apolipoprotein E2, E3, and E4

The three common isoforms of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) differ at two sites in their 299 amino acid sequence; these differences modulate the structure of ApoE to affect profoundly the isoform associations with disease. The ε4 allele in particular is strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease. The study of the structural effects of these mutation sites in aqueous media is hampered by the aggregation proclivity of each ApoE isoform. Hence, understanding the differences between isoforms has thus far relied on lower resolution biophysical measurements, mutagenesis, homology studies, and the use of truncated ApoE variants. In this study, we report two comparative studies of the ApoE family by using the mass spectrometry-based protein footprinting methods of FPOP and glycine ethyl ester (GEE) labeling. The first experiment examines the three full-length WT isoforms in their tetrameric state and finds that the overall structures are similar, with the exception of M108 in ApoE4 which is more solvent-accessible in this isoform than in ApoE2 and ApoE3. The second experiment provides clear evidence, from a comparison of the footprinting results of the wild-type proteins and a monomeric mutant, that several residues in regions 183-205 and 232-251 are involved in self-association.