二氢叶酸还原酶基因在斑马鱼神经系统发育过程中的作用

目的观察二氢叶酸还原酶基因(DHFR)功能阻抑斑马鱼胚胎的颅脑部发育情况,初步探讨二氢叶酸还原酶基因在斑马鱼神经系统发育过程中的作用。方法采用显微注射吗啡啉修饰的反义核苷酸(MO)的方法进行DHFR表达阻抑。胚胎发育至受精后48hpf观察胚胎的颅部发育情况,在60hpf时经石蜡切片进一步观察胚胎的脑发育状况。利用胚胎整体原位杂交的方法检测影响神经系统发育的关键因子ngn1和huc的表达情况。结果显微注射MO可成功的进行DHFR表达阻抑。DHFR表达阻抑组胚胎存在颅脑部发育明显异常和ngn1、huc的表达强度明显减弱,且与显微注射的MO剂量呈正相关。结论DHFR在斑马鱼颅脑发育中有重要作用;其功能阻抑可导致胚胎颅脑部发育异常,其机理与ngn1和huc的的表达减弱有关。     

叶酸缺乏对斑马鱼背主动脉发育的影响

目的观察叶酸缺乏斑马鱼胚胎的背主动脉（DA）发育情况,初步探讨叶酸缺乏后胚胎DA发育异常的机理。方法采用将二氢叶酸还原酶（DHFR）功能阻断的方法构建叶酸缺乏斑马鱼模型,分别应用DHFR抑制剂甲氨蝶呤（MTX）以及DHFR基因knock-down技术处理斑马鱼胚胎。在胚胎发育至48 hpf时在显微镜下观察胚胎的整体发育情况,在60 hpf时应用荧光显微造影的方法观察胚胎的背主动脉发育状况。利用胚胎整体原位杂交和real-time PCR的方法检测影响DA发育的关键因子ephrinB2、Ang-1和Radar的表达情况,利用TUNEL法检测胚胎底索的凋亡情况。结果MTX处理组胚胎以及DHFR knock-down组胚胎有相似的胚胎发育异常表型。荧光显微造影显示叶酸缺乏组胚胎的DA发育异常。叶酸缺乏组胚胎的ephrinB2、Ang-1和Radar表达减弱,底索凋亡增加。结论叶酸缺乏可导致斑马鱼胚胎背主动脉发育异常,其机理与ephrinB2、Ang-1和Radar的表达减弱以及底索凋亡增加有关。     

Tbx1基因功能下调影响斑马鱼Tbx20和Tbx2表达

目的采用吗啡啉修饰反义寡核苷酸显微注射方法下调斑马鱼Tbx1基因表达,研究斑马鱼Tbx1基因功能下调对其他两个T盒基因Tbx20和Tbx2表达的影响。方法采用吗啡啉修饰的反义寡核苷酸显微注射方法抑制斑马鱼Tbx1基因表达,分别将2.5、5、8、10 ng吗啡啉反义寡核苷酸在斑马鱼0-4细胞期注入胚胎,并构建Tbx20,骨形成蛋白2b（Bmp2b）和Tbx2反义RNA探针,进行整体原位杂交,观察Tbx1基因下调对Tbx20、Bmp2b及Tbx2表达的影响。结果Tbx1吗啡啉寡核苷酸显微注射组胚胎表现出鳃弓、耳囊、心血管系统和胸腺的发育异常。Tbx1基因下调导致Tbx20的表达出现改变,Tbx20在心脏的表达与对照组相比明显下调,神经元的表达范围明显缩小;Tbx1基因功能下调会导致Bmp2b在心脏和咽囊的表达减低,Bmp2b在后部咽囊的表达较前部咽囊减低得更为明显;Tbx1基因功能下调胚胎,Tbx2在鳃弓的表达模式发生改变,48 hpf,Tbx2在鳃弓的表达出现从后向前逐渐减低,鳃弓的表达范围较对照组明显缩小。结论Tbx1在发育过程中,会对其他T盒基因,如Tbx20和Tbx2具有激活或抑制的调控作用。Tbx1对Tbx20的作用可能是通过影响Bmp2b的途径,继发地影响Tbx20的表达。Tbx1基因功能下调,会改变Tbx2在鳃弓的表达模式。     

raldh2基因阻抑导致斑马鱼心脏发育畸形的机制

目的通过显微注射吗啡啉修饰的反义寡核苷酸(MO)阻抑视黄醛脱氢酶2(raldh2)基因表达,探讨raldh2基因阻抑对斑马鱼胚胎心脏发育的影响及可能的分子机制。方法根据斑马鱼raldh2基因起始密码区域序列设计合成吗啡啉修饰的反义寡核苷酸,采用显微注射方法阻抑斑马鱼胚胎raldh2基因表达。构建raldh2-EG-FP重组质粒进一步验证MO的特异性和有效性。分析raldh2基因阻抑后对胚胎发育,尤其心脏表型和功能的影响。通过胚胎整体原位杂交,分析心脏相关nppa和tbx20基因表达模式以及raldh2阻抑后对其表达的影响。结果显微注射raldh2-MO能有效地特异地阻抑斑马鱼胚胎raldh2基因表达,raldh2-MO对胚胎发育影响呈剂量依赖性。raldh2基因阻抑可导致胚胎心脏发育畸形,干扰正常的房室分化和向右环化,导致房室瓣血液反流。与野生型胚胎比较,raldh2基因阻抑组胚胎心率和心室收缩分数降低(P<0.05),心功能受损。整体原位杂交结果显示raldh2基因阻抑后nppa基因表达改变,心室部位nppa表达清晰,而心房部位表达减弱。tbx20基因在心脏、运动神经元、顶盖及视网膜表达,raldh2基因阻抑后,tbx20表达下调,在心脏表达减弱,以心房和流出道部位更显著。结论 raldh2基因在心脏早期发育的多个环节发挥重要作用,影响房室分化、心管环化和心肌收缩等。在心脏发育过程中nppa和tbx20基因表达受到raldh2基因调控,可能参与RA信号缺乏导致心脏畸形的潜在分子机制。     

斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中FGF3基因的表达

为了解斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中FGF3基因的时空性表达情况,并探讨其对胚胎发育的调控作用,该研究分别提取2,4,8,12,24,36,48,72hpf斑马鱼胚胎的总RNA,经逆转录成cDNA,实时荧光定量PcR检测FGF3基因mRNA表达量;扩增FGF3基因特异片段,构建pGEM-T／FGF3基因片段重组质粒,经克隆及测序验证后,合成地高辛标记的反义RNA探针,以整体原位杂交法检测斑马鱼胚胎FGF3基因的空间性表达。结果显示：FGF3P基因在2hp胚胎就有表达,并持续至胚胎孵化,12hpf胚胎FGF3表达量达到高峰（P〈0．01）;胚胎发育过程中心表达部位以头、尾、咽弓为主。由此得出结论,FGF3主要在胚胎发育早期表达,其表达可能与胚胎脑、眼、耳、咽弓及尾部器官的发育调控有关。     

斑马鱼 HO1 基因的表达特征及功能研究简

实验对血红素加氧酶1(HO1)在斑马鱼发育中的功能进行了研究。多重序列比对结果显示,斑马鱼HO1与哺乳类、鸟类及其他鱼类的HO1氨基酸序列的总体相似性为44.1%—86.8%,血红素结合标签相似性为87.5%—95.8%。对斑马鱼早期胚胎和成鱼各组织进行RT-PCR检测,结果显示HO1转录本母源存在,HO1mRNA的表达水平在尾芽期前较低,到咽囊期迅速上升并稳定在较高水平。HO1基因在斑马鱼成鱼多个组织中均有表达,在肝脏、脾、鳃、肾中的表达量较高。WISH结果显示,HO1基因在斑马鱼胚胎的卵黄合胞层、眼和血液中的表达量较高。利用超表达和基因敲降技术发现,注射HO1 mRNA使HO1基因过表达对斑马鱼早期胚胎发育无明显影响。注射HO1 MO使HO1基因表达抑制可导致斑马鱼胚胎出现发育迟缓、围心腔水肿、尾部消失等不同程度的畸形。HO1 MO导致的斑马鱼胚胎发育异常可被HO1 mRNA回复。利用Real-Time PCR研究发现,HO1基因表达抑制可导致IGF1表达量显著下降,IGFBP1表达量显著升高。这些结果表明斑马鱼HO1基因可通过调节IGF信号途径调控胚胎的正常发育。     

斑马鱼HO1基因的表达特征及功能研究

实验对血红素加氧酶1（HO1）在斑马鱼发育中的功能进行了研究。多重序列比对结果显示,斑马鱼HO1与哺乳类、鸟类及其他鱼类的HO1氨基酸序列的总体相似性为44.1%86.8%,血红素结合标签相似性为87.5%95.8%。对斑马鱼早期胚胎和成鱼各组织进行RT-PCR检测,结果显示HO1转录本母源存在,HO1 mRNA的表达水平在尾芽期前较低,到咽囊期迅速上升并稳定在较高水平。HO1基因在斑马鱼成鱼多个组织中均有表达,在肝脏、脾、鳃、肾中的表达量较高。WISH结果显示,HO1基因在斑马鱼胚胎的卵黄合胞层、眼和血液中的表达量较高。利用超表达和基因敲降技术发现,注射HO1 mRNA使HO1基因过表达对斑马鱼早期胚胎发育无明显影响。注射HO1 MO使HO1基因表达抑制可导致斑马鱼胚胎出现发育迟缓、围心腔水肿、尾部消失等不同程度的畸形。HO1 MO导致的斑马鱼胚胎发育异常可被HO1 mRNA回复。利用Real-Time PCR研究发现,HO1基因表达抑制可导致IGF1表达量显著下降,IGFBP1表达量显著升高。这些结果表明斑马鱼HO1基因可通过调节IGF信号途径调控胚胎的正常发育。       

视黄酸缺乏对斑马鱼心脏房室分化的影响

目的 通过化学遗传学方法建立视黄酸缺乏的斑马鱼模型,探讨视黄酸缺乏对斑马鱼胚胎心脏前后轴发育即房室分化的影响.方法 在斑马鱼胚胎孵育的5 hpf,用不同浓度梯度的视黄醛脱氢酶2抑制剂DEAB(1×10-6、5×10-6、10×10-6、25×10-6 mol/L)处理斑马鱼胚胎,实时观察斑马鱼胚胎发育的全过程.通过给予斑马鱼胚胎外源性视黄酸,观察其对DEAB的拮抗作用.应用胚胎整体原位杂交观察视黄酸缺乏对心脏特异基因vmhc和amhc表达的影响.结果 斑马鱼胚胎的生存率随着DEAB处理浓度的增加而降低,当DEAB浓度≥5×10-6 mol/L时,斑马鱼的畸胎率达100%.5×10-6 mol/L DEAB的致畸作用能够被1×10-9mol/L外源性视黄酸所拮抗.整体原位杂交结果显示视黄酸缺乏会导致斑马鱼胚胎心脏房室分化异常,表现为vmhc表达细胞的范围增大,amhc表达细胞的范围缩小.结论 通过外源性DEAB处理能有效地建立视黄酸缺乏的斑马鱼模型,DEAB影响胚胎发育存在剂量依赖性.视黄酸在斑马鱼心脏前后轴发育过程中起重要调控作用,心脏发育早期视黄酸缺乏会抑制心房的发育而支持心室的发育,出现房室分化异常.     

斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中TGF-1基因的表达特征分析

为研究转化生长因子 (Transforming growth factor , TGF)1对斑马鱼胚胎发育的调控作用, 通过NCBI获得TGF-1基因序列, TGF-1 cDNA全长1571 bp, 编码377个氨基酸。系统进化树分析发现, TGF-蛋白按照不同的类型严格聚类, 斑马鱼TGF-1与其他鱼类的TGF-1聚集到一个分支, 在进化中非常保守。对斑马鱼胚胎进行RT-PCR和Real-Time PCR检测显示, TGF-1基因为母源表达基因, 在分节期之前的表达水平比较低, 而从咽囊期开始持续高水平的表达。胚胎整体原位杂交发现, TGF-1基因在斑马鱼24 hpf 胚胎中开始有特异信号出现, TGF-1基因的表达主要分布在腮弓、侧线原基、耳囊、嗅觉基板、心脏和前肾等处, 表明TGF-1基因可能参与斑马鱼胚胎免疫调节、循环系统发育和侧线形成。用低氧处理斑马鱼胚胎, 发现低氧处理24h后斑马鱼胚胎发育延迟。利用Real-Time PCR和胚胎整体原位杂交检测发现, 低氧处理后发育延迟的斑马鱼胚胎中TGF-1 mRNA表达量较常氧组显著降低。以上结果表明, TGF-1基因参与斑马鱼胚胎发育调控, 并且可能与低氧处理后斑马鱼胚胎发育延迟有关。研究结果将为深入研究斑马鱼TGF-1基因的功能奠定基础。       

斑马鱼窖蛋白-1基因cDNA克隆及功能初步研究

窖蛋白-1(Cav-1)是胞膜窖的主要结构蛋白, 可与多种信号分子相互作用, 调节细胞的增殖、分化和凋亡, 其异常表达与多种人体疾病的发生和发展密切相关, 而在斑马鱼发育中的功能尚不很清楚。研究克隆出斑马鱼窖蛋白-1基因两个亚型的全长cDNA, 与其他物种窖蛋白-1的氨基酸序列进行比较, 发现该蛋白在脊椎动物中非常保守。利用逆转录多聚酶链反应检测发现, 在斑马鱼多个成年组织中窖蛋白-1的两个亚型均有转录表达。利用胚胎整体原位杂交检测组织或器官特异基因的时空表达变化发现, 过表达或利用Morpholino反义寡聚核苷酸(MO)抑制cav-1α的表达可影响脊索和体节的发育, 而过表达或MO抑制cav-1β可导致肝脏发育的异常;此外, 过表达或MO抑制cav-1α或-1β均可影响斑马鱼神经系统的发育。因此, 斑马鱼Cav-1在维持组织器官的生理功能和调控胚胎的正常发育中起着重要作用。       

Cardiovascular abnormalities in Folr1 knockout mice and folate rescue

BACKGROUND: Periconceptional folic acid supplementation is widely believed to aid in the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs), orofacial clefts, and congenital heart defects. Folate-binding proteins or receptors serve to bind folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, representing one of the two major mechanisms of cellular folate uptake. METHODS: We herein describe abnormal cardiovascular development in mouse fetuses lacking a functional folate-binding protein gene (Folr1). We also performed a dose-response study with folinic acid and determined the impact of maternal folate supplementation on Folr1 nullizygous cardiac development. RESULTS: Partially rescued preterm Folr1(-/-) (formerly referred to as Folbp1) fetuses were found to have outflow tract defects, aortic arch artery abnormalities, and isolated dextracardia. Maternal supplementation with folinic acid rescued the embryonic lethality and the observed cardiovascular phenotypes in a dose-dependant manner. Maternal genotype exhibited significant impact on the rescue efficiency, suggesting an important role of in utero folate status in embryonic development. Abnormal heart looping was observed during early development of Folr1(-/-) embryos partially rescued by maternal folinic acid supplementation. Migration pattern of cardiac neural crest cells, genetic signals in pharyngeal arches, and the secondary heart field were also found to be affected in the mutant embryos. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that the beneficial effect of folic acid for congenital heart defects might be mediated via its impact on neural crest cells and by gene regulation of signaling pathways involved in the development of the pharyngeal arches and the secondary heart field.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a fluorescent analogue of folic acid

A fluorescein derivative of the lysine analogue of folic acid, N alpha-pteroyl-N epilson-(4'-fluoresceinthiocarbamoyl)-L-lysine (PLF), was synthesized as a probe for dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and a membrane folate binding protein (m-FBP). Excitation of PLF at 282 nm and at 497 nm gave a fluorescence emission maximum at 518 nm. Binding of PLF to human DHFR or human placental m-FBP results in approximately a 20-fold enhancement in the magnitude of the fluorescence emission, suggesting that the ligand interacts with a hydrophobic region on these proteins. Additional evidence suggests that an energy transfer may occur between the pteridine and the fluorescein moieties. PLF binds to the active site of human DHFR since methotrexate (MTX) competes stoichiometrically and the denatured enzyme in the presence of PLF did not exhibit fluorescent enhancement. The dissociation constant for the fluorescein derivative with respect to human DHFR is 115 nM as compared to 111 nM for folic acid. The Ki value for the competitive inhibition of human DHFR by the fluorescent analogue of folic acid is 2.0 microM compared to 0.48 microM for folic acid. PLF was reduced to N alpha-(7,8-dihydropteroyl)-N epilson-(4'-fluoresceinthiocarbamoyl)-L-lysine (H2PLF) and assayed by the enzymatic conversion to the tetrahydro derivative. The Km value for human DHFR for the dihydrofolate analogue is 2.0 microM. The KD value for H2PLF to human DHFR is 47 nM as compared to 44 nM for dihydrofolate. The KD values for both H2PLF and PLF indicate that the fluorescein moiety does not significantly affect folate binding in enzyme binary complexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

An amplified insect dihydrofolate reductase gene contains a single intron

We have used methotrexate-resistant mosquito (Aedes albopictus) cells as the source of DNA for cloning an 8.5-kb EcoRI fragment containing an amplified dihydrofolate reductase (DHRF) gene. An estimated 1200 copies of the DHFR gene were represented in nuclear DNA from Mtx-5011-256 cells, which were 3000-fold more resistant to methotrexate than wild-type cells. Southern blot analysis indicated that all of the amplified DHFR genes were contained within a 1.8-kb AccI fragment represented in the cloned DNA. In contrast to mammalian DHFR genes which span approximately 30 kb, the complete amino acid coding sequence of the mosquito DHFR gene spanned 614 nucleotides, including a single 56-nucleotide intron that interrupted a conserved Arg codon at amino acid position 27. Additional introns characteristic of mammalian DHFR genes were absent; conservation of the first intron in the mosquito DHFR gene supports a regulatory role for this intron. The mosquito DHFR gene coded for a 186-amino-acid protein with 43-48% similarity to vertebrate DHFR.     

DNA sequence of a plasmid-encoded dihydrofolate reductase

Summary The sequence of the methotrexate-resistant dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene borne by the plasmid R-388 was determined. The gene was subcloned and mapped by an in vitro mutagenesis method involving insertion of synthetic oligonucleotide decamers encoding the BamHI recognition site. Sites of insertion that destroyed the methotrexate resistance fell in two regions separated by 300 bp within a 1.2 kb fragment. One of these regions encodes a 78 amino acid polypeptide homologous to another drug-resistant DHFR. The second region essential for DHFR expression appears to be the promoter of the DHFR gene.     

Association of folate molecules as determined by proton NMR: implications on enzyme binding

The self-association in aqueous solution of folic acid (FA), 7,8-dihydrofolic acid (DHFA) and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid (THFA) has been studied by the use of proton magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. At concentrations below 10 mM, all three folates exist in (monomer)2 in equilibrium dimer equilibria with association constants (Ka) equal to 400, 66 and 14 M-1 for FA, DHFA and THFA respectively. These values decreased markedly to 157, 18 and 3 M-1, for FA, DHFA and THFA respectively, in the presence of 0.8 M KCl. The high extent of dimerization of FA is believed to impede the interaction with the active site of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) rendering it a poor substrate. In contrast, the DHFA with a much lower Ka is a better substrate. Conditions that lower the Ka of both FA and DHFA, (i.e., 0.8M KCl) turn them into better substrates. Based on the findings of the present study, it is also predicted that dihydro MTX may be a better inhibitor of DHFR than MTX.     

Nucleotide sequence of the dihydrofolate reductase gene of methotrexate-resistant Lactobacillus casei

The nucleotide sequence of the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene of a methotrexate-resistant strain of Lactobacillus casei, which is the source of DHFR for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies, has been determined. The derived amino acid sequence differs from that obtained by protein sequencing by the presence of aspartic acid instead of asparagine at position 8 and proline instead of leucine at position 90. The nucleotide sequences of 320-bp 5' and 335-bp 3' flanking regions of this gene have also been determined.     

Primary structure of dihydrofolate reductase and mitochondrial ribosomal protein L36 genes from the basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus.

We amplified and sequenced the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene of the basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus. Downstream of the DHFR coding region, a mitochondrial (mt) ribosomal protein L36 (RPL36) gene was discovered in the opposite orientation to DHFR gene. Putative polyadenylation signals of the two genes overlapped, both containing the 8-bp palindrome 5'-aatatatt-3'. The finding that C. cinereus DHFR gene is closely clustered with a mt protein gene strongly suggests that C. cinereus DHFR is closely related to mt function and evolution. The amino acid sequence of C. cinereus DHFR is most homologous to eukaryotic proteins such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Pneumocystis carinii DHFRs. However, the sequence of C. cinereus mt RPL36 closely resembles RPL36 of bacteria and cyanobacteria such as Synechocystis sp. and Escherichia coli. This result strongly supports the serial endosymbiotic theory of the development of ancestral eukaryotes, and suggests that C. cinereus mt RPL36 gene originated from the ancestral eubacterial genome.