家蚕抗菌肽-死亡素杂合肽基因在大肠杆菌中的克隆与表达

近年来的研究发现 ,抗菌蛋白在生物体非专一性防御系统有着重要的作用 ,已有数十种具有抗菌活性的多肽被分离 ,这些多肽可大致分为 3类 ,即含分子内二硫桥的抗菌肽 ;具有双亲α 螺旋结构的抗菌肽 ;以及富含某种氨基酸残基的抗菌肽[1 ] ,一般来说 ,这些抗菌肽具有分子量小 ,稳定性好 ,无细胞毒性 ,抗菌谱广等特点。多种抗菌肽的一级结构和二级结构已经确定[2 ] ,但作用机理仍不明了。一般认为可能存在两种作用模式 ,即 1)通过肽 脂膜相关作用杀菌 ;2 )通过受体介导的识别过程起作用[1 ] 。ＣｅｃｒｏｐｉｎＢ是一种较早从家蚕中分离得到 ,由 …     

人源抗菌肽LL-37

LL-37是迄今在人体中发现的抗菌肽cathelicidin家族中的唯一成员,也是人体内唯一的双亲性α螺旋结构的抗菌肽. LL-37在人体的血液细胞和上皮细胞中广泛分布,具有广谱抗菌作用.抗菌活性依赖其螺旋构象的形成,通过“地毯样”机制杀灭细菌. LL-37有中和内毒素的作用,能与LPS和CD14结合,中和LPS的生物活性,还能利用formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1) 作为受体介导趋化作用,招募免疫细胞到感染部位,清除病原物. 很多感染性疾病都与LL-37低表达或功能失活有关. LL-37是一种多功能的抗菌肽,有开发成为具有抗菌和增强免疫力双重作用药物的潜力.     

乳铁素——来源于乳铁蛋白的多功能抗菌肽

乳铁素是乳铁蛋白在酸性环境条件下经胃蛋白酶水解从N-端释放的多功能活性多肽．乳铁素不仅保持了完整乳铁蛋白的大部分生物学活性,而且乳铁素的某些生物学活性比乳铁蛋白更强．乳铁素具有抗细菌、抗真菌、抗病毒、抗肿瘤、免疫调节和抗炎症等多种生物学功能．然而,乳铁素的生物学作用大部分是通过体外试验发现和验证的,乳铁素的体内生物学效应还需更多的试验加以评价和证实,现代基因组学和蛋白组学分析方法和技术将有助于深入了解乳铁素体内生物学作用机制．本文就乳铁素的结构、生物学功能及其作用机制、制备和应用前景作一综述．     

Fusarium Species from the Fusarium fujikuroi Species Complex Involved in Mixed Infections of Maize in Northern Sinaloa,Mexico

Fusarium species belonging to the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) are associated with maize in northern Mexico and cause Fusarium ear and root rot. In order to assess the diversity of FFSC fungal species involved in this destructive disease in Sinaloa, Mexico, a collection of 108 fungal isolates was obtained from maize plants in 2007–2011. DNA sequence analysis of the calmodulin and elongation factor 1α genes identified four species: Fusarium verticillioides, F. nygamai, F. andiyazi and F. thapsinum (comprising 79, 23, 4 and 2 isolates, respectively). Differential distribution of Fusarium species in maize organs was observed, that is F. verticillioides was the most frequently isolated species from maize seeds, while F. nygamai predominated on maize roots. Mixed infections with F. verticillioides/F. thapsinum and F. verticillioides/F. nygamai were detected in maize seeds and roots, respectively. Pathogenicity assay demonstrated the ability of the four species to infect maize seedlings and induce different levels of disease severity, reflecting variation in aggressiveness, plant height and root biomass. Isolates of F. verticillioides and F. nygamai were the most aggressive. These species were able to colonize all root tissues, from the epidermis to the vascular vessels, while infection by F. andiyazi and F. thapsinum was restricted to the epidermis and adjacent cortical cells. This is the first report of F. nygamai, F. andiyazi and F. thapsinum infecting maize in Mexico and co‐infecting with F. verticillioides. Mixed infections should be taken into consideration due to the production and/or accumulation of diverse mycotoxins in maize grain.     

Isolation and Some Properties of the Antimicrobial Peptide (Pa-AMP) from the Seeds of Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana).

An antimicrobial peptide, designated Pa-AMP, was purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 followed by S-Sepharose, Cosmosil-SP, and reverse-phase HPLC from the seeds of pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). Pa-AMP is a basic peptide having an isoelectric point of over 10 and its extinction coefficient at 280 nm of 1% aqueous solution was 7.7. Pa-AMP has a molecular mass of 4 kDa and 3.4 kDa on tricine SDS-PAGE under nonreducing and reducing conditions, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid of Pa-AMP was blocked. The concentrations of peptide required for 50% inhibition (IC₅₀) of the growth of plant pathogenic fungi, Gram-positive, and Gram-negative bacteria were 3 to 41 μg/ml. Differing from other peptides, Pa-AMP inhibited the growth of some Gram-negative bacteria.     

抗菌肽GK1在大肠杆菌中的融合表达

为高效表达抗菌肽GK1并避免GK1的高抗菌活性对大肠杆菌宿主菌的致命影响, 将经改造后的人胰岛素原(mhPI)与GK1的融合基因(mhPI-GK1)克隆到表达载体pET28a中, 构建出表达质粒pET28a-mhPI-GK1, 转化至大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中进行表达。融合蛋白在大肠杆菌中以包涵体形式表达, 表达量占菌体总蛋白的20%。经CNBr裂解、阳离子交换层析和RP-HPLC纯化后, 每升发酵液可获得5.7 mg纯度大于97%的重组GK1。质谱检测显示重组GK1的分子量为2794.0 D, 抑菌活性实验表明纯化后的重组GK1和化学合成GK1具有相同的抗菌活性。为利用基因工程方法大规模生产GK1奠定了基础。     

The Arabidopsis CERK1‐associated kinase PBL27 connects chitin perception to MAPK activation

Perception of microbe‐associated molecular patterns by host cell surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) triggers the intracellular activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. However, it is not known how PRRs transmit immune signals to MAPK cascades in plants. Here, we identify a complete phospho‐signaling transduction pathway from PRR‐mediated pathogen recognition to MAPK activation in plants. We found that the receptor‐like cytoplasmic kinase PBL27 connects the chitin receptor complex CERK1‐LYK5 and a MAPK cascade. PBL27 interacts with both CERK1 and the MAPK kinase kinase MAPKKK5 at the plasma membrane. Knockout mutants of MAPKKK5 compromise chitin‐induced MAPK activation and disease resistance to Alternaria brassicicola. PBL27 phosphorylates MAPKKK5 in vitro, which is enhanced by phosphorylation of PBL27 by CERK1. The chitin perception induces disassociation between PBL27 and MAPKKK5 in vivo. Furthermore, genetic evidence suggests that phosphorylation of MAPKKK5 by PBL27 is essential for chitin‐induced MAPK activation in plants. These data indicate that PBL27 is the MAPKKK kinase that provides the missing link between the cell surface chitin receptor and the intracellular MAPK cascade in plants.     

Antimicrobial resistance and toxin gene profiles of Staphylococcus aureus strains from Holstein milk

Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. aureus) from Holstein milk samples with mastitis and nonmastitis was conducted to estimate its prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and toxin genes. A total of 353 milk samples were collected from three Chinese Holstein herds. Fifty‐three Staph. aureus isolates collected from 29 Staph. aureus‐positive samples were characterized via antimicrobial susceptibility, toxin genes and Pulsed‐field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles. The prevalence of Staph. aureus was 4·0–9·5% in mastitic and 7·3–11·5% in nonmastitic samples in the analysed herds. Approximately 61·0% of Staph. aureus strains isolated from mastitis cows were resistant to ≥10 antimicrobials compared with 0% of isolates with nonmastitis. The most frequently observed super antigenic toxin gene was pvl (41·5%) followed by seh + pvl (13·2%). We did not find mecA‐positive methicillin‐resistant Staph. aureus (MRSA) strains, while mecA‐negative MRSA strains were identified in the three herds. PFGE results suggested potential transmission of Staph. aureus strains in different farms. These results open new insights into Staph. aureus transmission and antimicrobial resistance of Holstein dairy cows and into developing strategies for udder health improvement of dairy cattle.     

Silencing of OPR3 in tomato reveals the role of OPDA in callose deposition during the activation of defense responses against Botrytis cinerea

Cis‐(+)‐12‐oxo‐phytodienoic acid (OPDA) is likely to play signaling roles in plant defense that do not depend on its further conversion to the phytohormone jasmonic acid. To elucidate the role of OPDA in Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) plant defense, we have silenced the 12‐oxophytodienoate reductase 3 (OPR3) gene. Two independent transgenic tomato lines (SiOPR3‐1 and SiOPR3‐2) showed significantly reduced OPR3 expression upon infection with the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Moreover, SiOPR3 plants are more susceptible to this pathogen, and this susceptibility is accompanied by a significant decrease in OPDA levels and by the production of JA‐Ile being almost abolished. OPR3 silencing also leads to a major reduction in the expression of other genes of the jasmonic acid (JA) synthesis and signaling pathways after infection. These results confirm that in tomato plants, as in Arabidopsis, OPR3 determines OPDA availability for JA biosynthesis. In addition, we show that an intact JA biosynthetic pathway is required for proper callose deposition, as its pathogen‐induced accumulation is reduced in SiOPR3 plants. Interestingly, OPDA, but not JA, treatment restored basal resistance to B. cinerea and induced callose deposition in SiOPR3‐1 and SiOPR3‐2 transgenic plants. These results provide clear evidence that OPDA by itself plays a major role in the basal defense of tomato plants against this necrotrophic pathogen.     

Algal and Fungal Diversity in Antarctic Lichens

The composition of lichen ecosystems except mycobiont and photobiont has not been evaluated intensively. In addition, recent studies to identify algal genotypes have raised questions about the specific relationship between mycobiont and photobiont. In the current study, we analyzed algal and fungal community structures in lichen species from King George Island, Antarctica, by pyrosequencing of eukaryotic large subunit (LSU) and algal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) domains of the nuclear rRNA gene. The sequencing results of LSU and ITS regions indicated that each lichen thallus contained diverse algal species. The major algal operational taxonomic unit (OTU) defined at a 99% similarity cutoff of LSU sequences accounted for 78.7–100% of the total algal community in each sample. In several cases, the major OTUs defined by LSU sequences were represented by two closely related OTUs defined by 98% sequence similarity of ITS domain. The results of LSU sequences indicated that lichen‐associated fungi belonged to the Arthoniomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Lecanoromycetes, Leotiomycetes, and Sordariomycetes of the Ascomycota, and Tremellomycetes and Cystobasidiomycetes of the Basidiomycota. The composition of major photobiont species and lichen‐associated fungal community were mostly related to the mycobiont species. The contribution of growth forms or substrates on composition of photobiont and lichen‐associated fungi was not evident.     

Bulb and Root Rot in Lily (Lilium longiflorum) and Onion (Allium cepa) in Israel

In the past 10 years, there has been a substantial increase in reports, from growers and extension personnel, on bulb and root rots in lily (Lilium longiflorum) in Israel. Rot in these plants, when grown as cut flowers, caused serious economic damage expressed in reduction in yield and quality. In lily, the fungal pathogens involved in the rot were characterized as binucleate Rhizoctonia AG‐A, Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium oligandrum, Fusarium proliferatum (white and purple isolates) and F. oxysporum, using morphological and molecular criteria. These fungi were the prevalent pathogens in diseased plants collected from commercial greenhouses. Pathogenicity trials were conducted on lily bulbs and onion seedlings under controlled conditions in a greenhouse to complete Koch's postulates. Disease symptoms on lily were most severe in treatments inoculated with binucleate Rhizoctonia AG‐A, P. oligandrum and F. proliferatum. Plant height was lower in the above treatments compared with the control plants. The least aggressive fungus was R. solani. In artificial inoculations of onion, seedling survival was significantly affected by all fungi. The most pathogenic fungus was F. proliferatum w and the least were isolates of F. oxysporum (II and III). All fungi were successfully re‐isolated from the inoculated plants.     

BSKs are partially redundant positive regulators of brassinosteroid signaling in Arabidopsis

Arabidopsis thaliana brassinosteroid signaling kinases (BSKs) constitute a receptor‐like cytoplasmic kinase sub‐family (RLCK‐XII) with 12 members. Previous analysis demonstrated a positive role for BSK1 and BSK3 in the initial steps of brassinosteroid (BR) signal transduction. To investigate the function of BSKs in plant growth and BR signaling, we characterized T‐DNA insertion lines for eight BSK genes (BSK1–BSK8) and multiple mutant combinations. Simultaneous elimination of three BSK genes caused alterations in growth and the BR response, and the most severe phenotypes were observed in the bsk3,4,7,8 quadruple and bsk3,4,6,7,8 pentuple mutants, which displayed reduced rosette size, leaf curling and enhanced leaf inclination. In addition, upon treatment with 24‐epibrassinolide, these mutants showed reduced hypocotyl elongation, enhanced root growth and alteration in the expression of BR‐responsive genes. Some mutant combinations also showed antagonistic interactions. In support of a redundant function in BR signaling, multiple BSKs interacted in vivo with the BR receptor BRI1, and served as its phosphorylation substrates in vitro. The BIN2 and BIL2 GSK3‐like kinases, which are negative regulators of BR signaling, interacted in vivo with BSKs and phosphorylated them in vitro, probably at different sites to BRI1. This study demonstrates redundant biological functions for BSKs, and suggests the existence of a regulatory link between BSKs and GSK3‐like kinases.     

直链烷基苯磺酸钠对中国林蛙抗菌肽基因表达的影响

近年来由于生境丧失及环境污染等原因,中国林蛙野生种群急剧减少.为深入研究水体中普遍存在的阴离子表面活性剂直链烷基苯磺酸钠(linear alkylbenzene sulfonate,LAS)对中国林蛙生存的影响,通过急毒实验确定LAS对分别处于发育阶段26、32、42、46期的中国林蛙的半致死浓度.同时利用1、4、8 mg/L LAS处理不同发育阶段中国林蛙,研究LAS对中国林蛙存活率、发育状态的影响,并利用real-time PCR技术检测中国林蛙抗菌肽基因表达水平变化.结果表明,当处理时间为96 h,LAS浓度达到12.33 mg/L以上时会对不同发育阶段中国林蛙产生较为严重的致死效应.1~8 mg/L浓度范围的LAS虽然对中国林蛙存活和发育没有明显影响,但是改变了其抗菌肽基因表达模式.特别是中国林蛙胚后发育后期(32期)和变态期(42期),4~8 mg/L LAS会在不同程度上抑制prepropalustrin-2CE3、preprobrevinin-2CE1和preprotemporin-1CEd1抗菌肽基因表达.总体而言,高浓度LAS对中国林蛙免疫系统造成一定影响,可能使该物种更易受到致病菌的侵袭.研究结果为化学污染物对中国林蛙免疫系统影响积累了实验数据,同时为研究中国林蛙抗菌肽基因表达的调控通路提供一定的理论依据.     

Role of Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) in Arabidopsis thaliana defence against the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas viridiflava

Polyamine biosynthesis starts with putrescine production through the decarboxylation of arginine or ornithine. In Arabidopsis thaliana, putrescine is synthesised exclusively by arginine decarboxylase (ADC), which exists as two isoforms (ADC1 and 2) that are differentially regulated by abiotic stimuli, but their role in defence against pathogens has not been studied in depth. This work analysed the participation of ADC in Arabidopsis defence against Pseudomonas viridiflava. ADC activity and expression, polyamine levels and bacterial resistance were analysed in null mutants of each ADC isoform. In non‐infected wild‐type (WT) plants, ADC2 expression was much higher than ADC1. Analysis of adc mutants demonstrated that ADC2 contributes to a much higher extent than ADC1 to basal ADC activity and putrescine biosynthesis. In addition, adc2 mutants showed increased basal expression of salicylic acid‐ and jasmonic acid‐dependent PR genes. Bacterial infection induced putrescine accumulation and ADC1 expression in WT plants, but pathogen‐induced putrescine accumulation was blocked in adc1 mutants. Results suggest a specific participation of ADC1 in defence, although basal resistance was not decreased by dysfunction of either of the two ADC genes. In addition, and as opposed to WT plants, bacterial infection increased ADC2 expression and ADC activity in adc1 mutants, which could counterbalance the lack of ADC1. Results demonstrate a major contribution of ADC2 to total ADC activity and the specific induction of ADC1 in response to infection. A certain degree of functional redundancy between the two isoforms in relation to their contribution to basal resistance is also evident.