植物金属硫蛋白研究进展(二)植物MT基因的表达特征及其功能

阐述了植物金属硫蛋白基因表达的组织特异性、金属离子、激素、化学试剂等对植物金属硫蛋白基因表达的影响及植物金属硫蛋白的功能。     

Roles of the conserved serines of metallothionein in cadmium binding

The sequence of six amino acid residues -Ser-Cys-Cys-Ser-Cys-Cys- is present in all mammalian metallothionein sequences and has been highly conserved during evolution, although the metallothioneins have divergent primary sequences. To determine whether two serines in the sequence play a crucial role in metalbinding of metallothioneins, a mutant metallothionein with these two serines replaced by leucines was obtained using anEscherichia coli expression system. The expressed protein was analyzed for its chemical and spectroscopic properties. It was confirmed that the mutant metallothionein (MT) bound cadmium through a metal-thiolate complex and that there was no strong difference between the mutant and the wild-type MTs in retaining the metal-binding cluster. However, the metal-binding cluster of the mutant metallothionein was more unstable than that of the wild-type metallothionein. The two conservative serines could play a role in the stability of metal-binding ligands.     

The molecular characteristics of two metallothioneins in Ostrinia furnacalis and expression under conditions of heavy metal stress

Metallothioneins are ubiquitously-expressed metal-binding proteins. Despite their potential ecological relevance, no prior reports have identified any metallothioneins in Ostrinia furnacalis or other Lepidoptera species. A better understanding of the molecular characteristics and regulatory dynamics of metallothionein genes in O. furnacalis under heavy metal stress conditions would enable future studies of the roles played by these proteins in the context of heavy metal detoxification. Herein, we identified and characterized two metallothionein (OfMT) genes in O. furnacalis, including the 147 bp OfMT1 gene encoding a 48 amino acid protein containing 10 cysteine residues, and the 141 bp OfMT2 gene encoding a 46 amino acid protein containing 12 cysteine residues. The expression of OfMT2 was found to be related to Cu and Cd concentrations in a dose-dependent manner but was unaffected by Zn exposure. Overall, these results indicate that OfMT genes likely encode metal-binding proteins consistent with their potential role in the maintenance of heavy metal homeostasis.     

Involvement of metallothionein and copper in cell proliferation

Metallothionein is a low-molecular weight, cysteine-rich, metal-binding protein which has been implicated in the detoxification of toxic metals (cadmium, mercury), metabolism of zinc and copper, as well as in the scavenging of free radicals. Recent evidence suggests that the protein may also be involved in cell proliferation. Based on the experiments carried out so far, it is assumed that the fundamental role of metallothionein in cell proliferation may be to detoxify and/or transfer copper ions from the cytoplasm to the nucleus at the G₁/S phase, which in turn participate in some way in nuclear DNA synthesis.     

Molecular cloning and sequencing of metallothionein in squamates: New insights into the evolution of the metallothionein genes in vertebrates

Metallothioneins are cysteine-rich, metal-binding proteins ubiquitously expressed in living organisms. In the last past years, a plethora of vertebrate metallothionein sequences have become available, but so far there has been an almost absolute lack of data about sequences of metallothionein of non-avian diapsida. In the framework of the investigations on structural and functional properties of non-mammalian metallothioneins, we have cloned and sequenced the cDNAs encoding for metallothioneins of 10 squamate reptiles, belonging to 5 different infraorders. These sequences have been used to gain insight into the evolutionary history of metallothioneins in reptiles. Phylogenetic analysis shows that reptilian metallothionein phylogeny is inconsistent with the species phylogeny. Such findings allow us to hypothesize that the identified metallothionein in each squamate species used for this study might be considered a paralogous gene derived from more events of gene duplication and losses occurred during the diversification of the squamate species. Finally, through vertebrate metallothionein comparisons and phylogenetic analysis, we also add a novel contribution to the understanding of the evolution of metallothionein genes along the major vertebrate lineages.     

盐穗木金属硫蛋白HcMT的体外自由基清除活性及抗氧化能力*

目的: 原核表达盐穗木(Halostachys caspica C. A. Mey.)金属硫蛋白HcMT并探究其抗氧化活性。方法: 构建原核表达载体pET-32a-HcMT,转化至大肠杆菌Escherichia coli BL21,加入Zn²⁺胁迫培养(终浓度为200 μmol/L),分离纯化得到Zn-HcMT,测定Zn-HcMT自由基清除活性和总抗氧化能力,制备复合物Zn-HcMT/TiO₂并做FTIR表征。结果: 通过原核表达获得融合蛋白Zn-HcMT,对·OH、O₂·^-、DPPH自由基具有较强的清除活性,对·OH、O₂·^-的IC₅₀分别为0.386 mg/mL、0.038 mg/mL。融合蛋白浓度为0.01 mg/mL时,对DPPH清除率达(37.43 ± 0.006 8)%,浓度为0.3mg/mL时TEAC(trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity)值为(1.023 ± 0.01)mmol/L,融合蛋白还原力A₇₀₀为0.142 ± 0.055,FTIR图谱同时表现了Zn-HcMT和TiO₂吸收特性。结论: Zn-HcMT具有良好的清除ROS活性及较强的抗氧化能力,在化妆品领域有潜在应用前景。     

Magnitude and timing of leaf damage affect seed production in a natural population of Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae)

Background

The effect of herbivory on plant fitness varies widely. Understanding the causes of this variation is of considerable interest because of its implications for plant population dynamics and trait evolution. We experimentally defoliated the annual herb Arabidopsis thaliana in a natural population in Sweden to test the hypotheses that (a) plant fitness decreases with increasing damage, (b) tolerance to defoliation is lower before flowering than during flowering, and (c) defoliation before flowering reduces number of seeds more strongly than defoliation during flowering, but the opposite is true for effects on seed size.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In a first experiment, between 0 and 75% of the leaf area was removed in May from plants that flowered or were about to start flowering. In a second experiment, 0, 25%, or 50% of the leaf area was removed from plants on one of two occasions, in mid April when plants were either in the vegetative rosette or bolting stage, or in mid May when plants were flowering. In the first experiment, seed production was negatively related to leaf area removed, and at the highest damage level, also mean seed size was reduced. In the second experiment, removal of 50% of the leaf area reduced seed production by 60% among plants defoliated early in the season at the vegetative rosettes, and by 22% among plants defoliated early in the season at the bolting stage, but did not reduce seed output of plants defoliated one month later. No seasonal shift in the effect of defoliation on seed size was detected.

Conclusions/Significance

The results show that leaf damage may reduce the fitness of A. thaliana, and suggest that in this population leaf herbivores feeding on plants before flowering should exert stronger selection on defence traits than those feeding on plants during flowering, given similar damage levels.     

植物金属硫蛋白研究进展(一)——植物MT的分类、特征及其基因结构

综述近年来有关植物金属硫蛋白及其基因的研究,介绍植物金属硫蛋白的结构特征,分类,各类型的特征及其基因结构。     

Effects of electronic structure on chiral induction in outer-sphere electron transfer reactions of complexes with the C3 symmetric ligand, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-tris[2′(R)-2′-propionate](-3)

The ligand 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-tris[2′(R)-2′-propionate](-3)((R)-tacntp³⁻), binds stereospecifically to transition metal ions. The structures of the complexes [Cr((R)-tacntp)]·NaBr and [Fe((R)-tacntp)]·H₂O have been determined by X-ray crystallography. Both complexes have the Λ-configuration but the conformation of the chelate rings in Λ-[Cr((R)-tacntp)] is (λ,λ,λ) with a geometry close to octahedral while in Λ-[Fe((R)-tacntp)] it is (δ,δ,δ) and the geometry is closer to that of a trigonal prism. Chiral induction in the electron transfer reactions of Λ-[Co((R)-tacntp)], Λ-[Fe((R)-tacntp)] and Λ-[Mn((R)-tacntp)] with [Co((RR,SS)-chxn)₃]²⁺ has been investigated. All three reactions are outer-sphere and four isomeric [Co((RR,SS)-chxn)₃]³⁺ products are identified in each case. The oxidants Λ-[Fe((R)-tacntp)] and Λ-[Mn((R)-tacntp)] show very similar selectivities, quite different from those of Λ-[Co((R)-tacntp)]. Reasons for this behavior are discussed.     

Gold nanocluster formation using metallothionein: mass spectrometry and electron microscopy

Clonable contrasting agents for light microscopy, such as green fluorescent protein, have revolutionized biology, but few such agents have been developed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As an attempt to develop a novel clonable contrasting agent for TEM, we have evaluated metallothionein, a small metal-binding protein, reacted with aurothiomalate, an anti-arthritic gold compound. Electro spray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry measurements show a distribution of gold atoms bound to individual metallothionein molecules. Unlike previous reports, these data show gold binding occurred as the addition of single atoms without retention of additional ligands. Moreover, under certain conditions, MALDI spectra show gold binding ratios of greater than 1:1 with the cysteine residues of metallothionein. Together, this may hint at a gold-binding mechanism similar to gold nanocluster formation. Finally, metallothionein-gold complexes visualized in the TEM show a range of sizes similar to those used as current TEM labels, and show the potential of the protein as a clonable TEM label in which the gold cluster is grown on the label, thereby circumventing the problems associated with attaching gold clusters.     

Purification and characterization of a copper-binding protein from Asian periwinkle Littorina brevicula

The Asian periwinkle, Littorina brevicula, is highly resistant to a wide range of heavy metal concentrations and its metal-binding protein(s) are induced in the presence of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn). In this study, we isolated and characterized a novel copper-binding protein (Cu-BP). Following purification by Sephacryl S-100 chromatography, Cu-BP contained an equal amount of Zn in non-exposed physiological conditions. However, Zn is replaced by Cu at the binding site upon addition of excess Cu (100 microM CuCl(2)) to the cytosol or after a long period (60 days) of exposure of the periwinkles to the metal ion (150 microg/l CuCl(2)). The ligand was further purified by DEAE-Sepharose anion-exchange chromatography and C(18) reverse-phase HPLC. The molecular weight of the purified protein was determined as 11.38 kDa by MALDI-TOF MS analyses. This Cu-BP is distinct from common mollusk metallothionein (MT) in that it contains significantly lower number of Cys (8 residues) and high levels of aromatic amino acids, Tyr and Phe. The protein additionally contains His and Met, which are absent in the MT-like Cd-BP of L. brevicula. The finding that Cu-BP in the Asian periwinkle is distinct from MT-like Cd-BP suggests that the timely expression of specific metal-binding proteins allows added protection against each heavy metal in severely polluted conditions.     

蓝藻的类金属硫蛋白及其研究进展

单细胞蓝藻中的类金属硫蛋白已经得到分离纯化,并在蛋白质水平上与标准的哺乳动物金属硫蛋白做了对比性分析,发现二者氨基酸组成和序列差异很大,前者只形成一个结构域,但二级结构和金属结合性质具有一定的相似性,是进化上功能趋同的表现．同时克隆并分析了它的基因ORF结构,研究了金属诱导和逆向转录抑制对于蛋白质表达的调控及类似于哺乳动物金属硫蛋白基因具有的放大和重排现象机理,提出了近期研究的重点和方向．     

Precipitation-dependent flowering of Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora in Mediterranean shrubland under experimental drought and warming, and its inter-annual variability

Background and Aims

Relationships between autumn flowering, precipitation and temperature of plant species of Mediterranean coastal shrublands have been described, but not analysed experimentally. These relationships were analysed for two species of co-occurring, dominant, autumn-flowering shrubs, Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora, over 4 years and in experimentally generated drought and warming conditions. The aim was to improve predictions about the responses and adaptations of flowering of Mediterranean vegetation to climate change.

Methods

Beginning of anthesis and date of maximum flowering intensity (‘peak date’) were monitored over 4 years (2001–2004) on a garrigue land type in the noth-east of the Iberian Peninsula. Two experimental treatments were applied, increased temperature (+0·73°C) and reduced soil moisture (–17%) relative to untreated plots.

Key Results

Flowering of Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora differed greatly between years depending on the precipitation of the previous months and the date of the last substantial rainfall (>10 mm). Globularia alypum flowered once or twice (unimodal or bimodal) as the result of differences in the distribution and magnitude of precipitation in late-spring and summer (when floral buds develop). The drought treatment delayed and decreased flowering of Globularia alypum in 2001 and delayed flowering in 2002. Warming extended the period between the beginning of flowering and the end of the second peak for autumn flowering in 2001 and also increased peak intensity in 2002. Flowering of Erica multiflora was unaffected by either treatment.

Conclusions

Autumn flowering of Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora is more dependent on water availability than on temperature. Considerable inter-annual plasticity in the beginning of anthesis and peak date and on unimodal or bimodal flowering constitutes a ‘safe strategy’ for both species in relation to varying precipitation and temperature. However, severe changes in precipitation in spring and summer may severely affect flowering of Globularia alypum but not Erica multiflora, thus affecting development/structure of the ecosystem if such conditions persist.Key words: Globularia alypum, Erica multiflora, autumn flowering, drought, global warming, Mediterranean     

Induction of metallothionein expression during monocyte to melanoma-associated macrophage differentiation

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a critical role in melanoma growth and metastasis.Infiltration of TAMs correlates with the poor prognosis of melanoma.TAMs are differentiated from monocytes in ...     

植物金属硫蛋白及其重金属解毒机制研究进展

金属硫蛋白是一类分子量较小、富含Cys的金属结合蛋白,广泛分布于生物界。近年来从植物中克隆到许多编码金属硫蛋白的基因,并在研究基因表达模式、组织表达特异性以及基因结构,如启动子、内含子在染色体上的定位等方面取得了一定进展,但对其功能的研究还处于起步阶段。很多实验表明,植物金属硫蛋白可以通过其大量的Cys残基螯合重金属并清除活性氧,使植物避免氧化损伤。文章介绍了植物金属硫蛋白的分类、特征、基因结构及其在植物重金属解毒中的作用。      

家蝇金属硫蛋白基因的克隆、原核表达及活性检测

金属硫蛋白是一类普遍存在于生物体内、富含半胱氨酸的小分子蛋白,能螯合多种金属离子。本研究根据EST序列信息,利用RACE技术克隆到1条家蝇Musca domestica金属硫蛋白基因MdMtn（GenBank登录号为GU289398）。序列分析表明,MdMtn cDNA全长408 bp,包含1个123 bp的开放阅读框,编码40个氨基酸残基,其中半胱氨酸残基10个,呈-C-X-C-方式排列。此蛋白理论分子量为3.8 kD,等电点为878。为了解家蝇金属硫蛋白对重金属的结合活性,构建了pET-DsbA-MT表达载体,并转化Escherichia coli BL21（DE3）宿主菌进行融合表达。研究发现MT重组菌对重金属镉的耐受性得到了明显加强,提示MdMtn基因可能在家蝇适应重金属环境中起到积极作用。     

Orthoptera, a new order of pollinator

Background and Aims

Pollinator-mediated selection and evolution of floral traits have long fascinated evolutionary ecologists. No other plant family shows as wide a range of pollinator-linked floral forms as Orchidaceae. In spite of the large size of this model family and a long history of orchid pollination biology, the identity and specificity of most orchid pollinators remains inadequately studied, especially in the tropics where the family has undergone extensive diversification. Angraecum (Vandeae, Epidendroideae), a large genus of tropical Old World orchids renowned for their floral morphology specialized for hawkmoth pollination, has been a model system since the time of Darwin.

Methods

The pollination biology of A. cadetii, an endemic species of the islands of Mauritius and Reunion (Mascarene Islands, Indian Ocean) displaying atypical flowers for the genus (white and medium-size, but short-spurred) was investigated. Natural pollinators were observed by means of hard-disk camcorders. Pollinator-linked floral traits, namely spur length, nectar volume and concentration and scent production were also investigated. Pollinator efficiency (pollen removal and deposition) and reproductive success (fruit set) were quantified in natural field conditions weekly during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 flowering seasons (January to March).

Key Results

Angraecum cadetii is self-compatible but requires a pollinator to achieve fruit set. Only one pollinator species was observed, an undescribed species of raspy cricket (Gryllacrididae, Orthoptera). These crickets, which are nocturnal foragers, reached flowers by climbing up leaves of the orchid or jumping across from neighbouring plants and probed the most ‘fresh-looking’ flowers on each plant. Visits to flowers were relatively long (if compared with the behaviour of birds or hawkmoths), averaging 16·5 s with a maximum of 41·0 s. At the study site of La Plaine des Palmistes (Pandanus forest), 46·5 % of flowers had pollen removed and 27·5 % had pollinia deposited on stigmas. The proportion of flowers that set fruit ranged from 11·9 % to 43·4 %, depending of the sites sampled across the island.

Conclusions

Although orthopterans are well known for herbivory, this represents the first clearly supported case of orthopteran-mediated pollination in flowering plants.     

Species differences in the renal toxicity of the antiarthritic drug,gold sodium thiomalate

Two gold compounds, gold sodium thiomalate (AuTM) and auranofin, are presently in clinical use in therapy of rheumatoid arthritis. In these studies, AuTM administered to Sprague-Dawley rats and three strains of mice, Swiss-Webster, C3H/HeJ, and DBA/2J, were studied with regard to its effect on liver and renal monooxygenases, metallothionein contents, and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and urea nitrogen. These effects of AuTM were compared to those of cadmium, since the latter metal has exhibited tissue and species differences in the induction of metallothionein. Benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase and benzphetamine N-demethylase activities were not altered by AuTM in livers of rats and the three strains of mice. Benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity was significantly decreased in rat kidney, whereas this enzyme activity was not affected in the kidneys of mice. In rats, AuTM caused a sevenfold induction in liver metallothionein, while in mice, liver metallothionein was induced twofold in Swiss-Webster mice and about fivefold in the inbred strains. AuTM caused minimal changes in renal metallothionein contents in the three strains of mice studied. Serum alanine amino-transferase, an indicator of hepatotoxicity, was not altered by AuTM in rats and mice studied. Blood urea nitrogen, an indicator of kidney dysfunction, was increased threefold in rats, but not in AuTM-treated mice. These data demonstrate that AuTM, a nephrotoxic agent in rats and humans, showed no nephrotoxic effects in the mouse strains studied here. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Diversity of metallothioneins in the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica, revealed by transcriptomic and proteomic approaches.

Metallothioneins are typically low relative molecular mass (6000-7000), sulfhydryl-rich metal-binding proteins with characteristic repeating cysteine motifs (Cys-X-Cys or Cys-X(n)-Cys) and a prolate ellipsoid shape containing single alpha- and beta-domains. While functionally diverse, they play important roles in the homeostasis, detoxification and stress response of metals. The originally reported metallothionein of the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica showed the canonical molluscan alphabeta-domain structure. Oyster metallothioneins have been characterized as cDNA and as expressed proteins, and here it is shown that the previously reported metallothionein is a prototypical member of a subfamily (designated as CvMT-I) of alphabeta-domain metallothioneins. A second extensive subfamily of oyster metallothioneins (designated as CvMT-II) has apparently arisen from (a) a stop mutation that truncates the protein after the alpha-domain, and (b) a subsequent series of duplication and recombination events that have led to the development of metallothionein isoforms containing one to four alpha-domains and that lack a beta-domain. Analysis of metallothioneins revealed that certain CvMT-I isoforms showed preferential association either with cadmium or with copper and zinc, even after exposure to cadmium. These data extend our knowledge of the evolutionary diversification of metallothioneins, and indicate differences in metal-binding preferences between isoforms within the same family.