双报告基因真核表达载体的构建及其功能鉴定

目的:构建绿色荧光蛋白和海肾荧光素酶共同高效表达的双报告基因真核表达载体。方法:将增强型绿色荧光蛋白基因和海肾荧光素酶基因以昆虫病毒T2A序列相连接而后克隆进入pcDNA3.1(-)质粒,构建双报告基因真核表达载体。将该载体转染至COS-7细胞,通过荧光显微镜观察、照度计定量分析检测绿色荧光蛋白和海肾荧光素酶生物活性,Western Bolt检测T2A序列自剪切效率。结果:双报告基因真核表达载体能够同时表达非融合的绿色荧光蛋白和海肾荧光素酶,与单独表达载体产物具有相似的生物活性和表达效率。结论:双报告基因真核表达载体建立成功,为基因表达调控等相关领域研究提供辅助工具。     

Nonsense and missense translational suppression in plant cells mediated by tRNALys

A nuclear tRNA^Lys gene from Arabidopsis thaliana was cloned and mutated so as to express tRNAs with altered anticodons which bind to a UAG nonsense (amber) codon and to the Arg (AGG), Asn (AAC,AAT), Gln (CAG) or Glu (GAG) codons. Concomitantly, a codon in the firefly luciferase gene for a functionally important Lys was altered to an amber codon, or to Arg, Asn, Gln, Glu, Thr and Trp codons, so as to construct reporter genes reliant upon incorporation of Lys. The altered tRNA^Lys and luciferase genes were introduced into Nicotiana benthamiana protoplasts and expression of the mutated tRNAs was verified by translational suppression of the mutant firefly luciferase genes. Expression of the amber suppressor tRNA _CUA ^Lys from non-replicative vectors promoted 10–40% suppression of the luciferase nonsense reporters while expression of the amber and missense tRNA^Lys suppressor genes from a geminivirus vector capable of replication promoted 30–80% suppression of the luciferase nonsense reporter and up to 10% suppression of the luciferase missense reporters with Arg, Asn, Gln and Glu codons.     

骨形态发生蛋白2介导甲状旁腺素促进成骨细胞分化的实验研究

目的 探讨骨形态发生蛋白2(BMP2)在甲状旁腺素(PTH)促进成骨细胞分化过程中的重要介导作用.方法培养MC3T3-E1细胞,分为4组:1)盐水对照组;2)PTH组;3)6-[4-[2-(1-哌啶基)乙氧基]苯基]-3-(4-吡啶基)吡唑并[1,5-a]嘧啶 (Dorsomorphin) 组;4) PTH+Dorsomorphin组.Real-time PCR法和Westernblot方法检测细胞BMP2、BMP2下游基因和成骨因子的表达,碱性磷酸酶(ALP)染色方法检测细胞ALP的活性;双荧光素酶报告基因检测方法检测12xSBE-OC荧光素酶的活性.结果:PTH组BMP-2、成骨因子的表达及其12xSBE-OC荧光素酶的活性,明显高于盐水对照组.Dorsomorphin组和PTH+Dorsomorphin组BMP-2、BMP-2下游基因和成骨因子的表达,均明显低于盐水对照组;但其表达于两组间无明显差别.结论 BMP2介导PTH促进成骨细胞的分化,PTH可通过上调BMP2的表达,提高其功能,促进成骨细胞的成熟分化.     

Mir-106b对阿尔茨海默病昼夜节律调控的初步研究

目的探讨mir-106b在阿尔茨海默病发病中的作用。方法取6月龄APPswe/PSΔE9小鼠脑组织,进行microRNA芯片的检测;利用real-time PCR对芯片检测结果进行验证;构建mir-106b表达载体,将其转染至SH-SY5Y细胞中构建mir-106b稳定转染的稳转细胞系。用Targetsan、Pictar、miRanda等靶基因预测软件,对mir-106b的靶基因进行预测,根据靶基因的功能选择可能与AD发病相关的靶基因,并用Western blot对所选择的靶基因在稳转细胞中的表达进行验证。用双荧光素酶报告检测系统检测mir-106b与其靶基因的结合位点。结果芯片结果显示,与野生型小鼠相比,6月龄APPswe/PSΔE9小鼠脑组织中mir-106b的表达下降,经real-time PCR验证,mir-106b的表达在APPswe/PSΔE9小鼠脑组织中的表达较野生型小鼠升高,差别具有统计学意义（P=0.03）。mir-106b稳转细胞系较对照mir-106b的表达升高2～5倍。神经PAS结构域蛋白2（neuronal PAS domain protein2,NPAS2）在mir-106b稳转细胞中的表达明显下降。双荧光素酶报告实验证实：与对照相比,带有NPAS2的3＇UTR的荧光素酶报告载体与mir-106b表达载体共转染,海肾荧光素酶/萤火虫荧光素酶的相对活性降低;荧光素酶报告载体的NPAS2-3＇UTR突变后与mir-106b表达载体共转染,海肾荧光素酶/萤火虫荧光素酶的相对活性升高。结论mir-106b可能通过调节机体生物钟基因NPAS2的表达,影响阿尔茨海默病人的生活节律,参与阿尔茨海默病的发生。     

MiR-27靶基因的分析及鉴定

MicroRNAs(miRNAs)是一类约20～25nt的小分子核苷酸,在细胞内的多种生物学过程,如细胞增殖、凋亡、生长、分化和代谢等过程中具有重要的功能。已知miR-27在脂肪细胞和肌肉细胞的发育过程中起了重要作用,其在神经细胞中的表达调节至今仍不清楚。在本研究中,通过miRBase和TargetScan数据库分析了miR-27的靶基因,构建了miR-27的真核表达载体,改造了萤火虫荧光素酶和海肾荧光素酶报告载体,将miR-27的靶基因Bmi1的3′-UTR融合到报告载体中,转染神经胶质瘤细胞,利用双荧光素酶检测系统分析荧光素酶的活性。研究发现miR-27a和miR-27b共同的靶基因主要调节发育过程。MiR-27真核表达载体能产生成熟态的miR-27。MiR-27a、miR-27b或miR-27a和miR-27b联合与Bmi1的3′-UTR的正义序列共转染U343细胞能明显降低萤火虫荧光素酶的活性(分别P0.05,P0.05,P0.01),这提示了Bmi1可能为miR-27的靶基因。     

HCVIRES介导萤火虫荧光素酶翻译的双顺反子载体的构建与在小鼠体内的表达

将HCVIRES插入双报告基因海肾荧光素酶 (Rluc)基因和萤火虫荧光素酶 (Fluc)基因之间 ,建立了“依赖帽子的扫描机制”翻译表达Rluc ,HCVIRES调控Fluc翻译的双顺反子表达载体pCI Rluc HCVIRES Fluc ,通过酶切反应及转染HepG2细胞鉴定双荧光素酶瞬间表达活性等试验 ,证实获得了表达双荧光素酶的双顺反子载体 .并应用水压转染法将双顺反子表达质粒导入小鼠体内 ,在小鼠肝脏检测到高水平表达的Rluc和Fluc .该研究成功构建一种HCVIRES介导萤火虫荧光素酶基因表达的双顺反子载体 ,并在HepG2细胞及小鼠体内进行了瞬时表达 ,为进一步建立稳定评价靶向HCVIRES药物作用的细胞及小动物模型研究奠定了基础     

转基因鸡生物反应器载体的构建及其表达特性分析

以增强型绿色荧光蛋白和萤火虫荧光素酶为报告基因,构建了鸡卵清蛋白启动子表达载体和慢病毒载体,以巨细胞病毒 (Cytomegalovirus,CMV)启动子表达载体为对照,转染或感染鸡原代输卵管上皮细胞、鸡胚成纤维细胞、鼠3T3-L1前脂肪细胞和牛乳腺上皮细胞,通过荧光和酶活性检测,旨在筛选出用于实现转基因鸡生物反应器的高效特异性表达载体。结果发现,鸡卵清蛋白启动子表达载体转染以上4种细胞后2种标记基因均有表达,没有表现出明显的细胞特异性,且荧光素酶检测结果表明其在各细胞组中表达活性都低于CMV启动子表达载体100倍以上;慢病毒载体感染以上4种细胞后2种标记基因均有表达,在鸡输卵管上皮细胞组感染单个细胞的病毒颗粒 (Multiplicity of infection,MOI) 为20时绿色荧光蛋白表达量就可以达到CMV启动子表达载体的水平。上述结果表明,基于卵清蛋白基因调控序列构建的表达载体无法实现外源基因的高效、特异性表达,而慢病毒载体在表达活性和广泛性上可以用于进行鸡输卵管生物反应器的研究。     

Nucleotide sequence, expression, and properties of luciferase coded by lux genes from a terrestrial bacterium

The lux genes required for expression of luminescence have been cloned from a terrestrial bacterium, Xenorhabdus luminescens, and the nucleotide sequences of the luxA and luxB genes coding for the alpha and beta subunits of luciferase determined. The lux gene organization was closely related to that of marine bacteria from the Vibrio genus with the luxD gene being located immediately upstream and the luxE downstream of the luciferase genes, luxAB. A high degree of homology (85% identity) was found between the amino acid sequences of the alpha subunits of X. luminescens luciferase and the luciferase from a marine bacterium, Vibrio harveyi, whereas the beta subunits of the two luciferases had only 60% identity in amino acid sequence. The similarity in the sequences of the alpha subunits of the two luciferases was also reflected in the substrate specificities and turnover rates with different fatty aldehydes supporting the proposal that the alpha subunit almost exclusively controls these properties. The luciferase from X. luminescens was shown to have a remarkably high thermal stability being stable at 45 degrees C (t 1/2 greater than 3 h) whereas V. harveyi luciferase was rapidly inactivated at this temperature (t 1/2 = 5 min). These results indicate that the X. luminescens lux system may be the bacterial bioluminescent system of choice for application in coupled luminescent assays and expression of lux genes in eukaryotic systems at higher temperatures.     

Expression of the glow worm luciferase gene in mammalian cells using vectors based on vaccinia viruses

The transient expression of the two reporter genes, the genes for luciferase and bacterial beta-galactosidase, were used for comparative estimation of vaccinia viral promoters and for characterizing of the constructed plasmids. The recombinant clones of vaccinia virus expressing simultaneously and with high efficiency the luciferase and beta-galactosidase were used for studying the reproduction of vaccinia virus in mammalian cells. The advantages of the luciferase gene in using it as a reporter gene are discussed.     

Technical advance: a high throughput system for transposon tagging and promoter trapping in tomato

We describe new tools for functional analysis of the tomato genome based on insertional mutagenesis with the maize Ac/Ds transposable elements in the background of the miniature cultivar Micro-Tom. 2932 F3 families, in which Ds elements transposed and were stabilized, were screened for phenotypic mutations. Out of 10 families that had a clear mutant phenotype, only one mutant was Ds-tagged. In addition, we developed promoter trapping using the firefly luciferase reporter gene and enhancer trapping, using beta-glucuronidase (GUS). We show that luciferase can be used as a non-invasive reporter to identify, isolate and regenerate somatic sectors, to study the time course of mutant expression, and to identify inducible genes. Out of 108 families screened for luciferase activity 55% showed expression in the flower, 11% in the fruit and 4% in seedlings, suggesting a high rate of Ds insertion into genes. Preferential insertion into genes was supported by the analysis of Ds flanking sequences: 28 out of 50 sequenced Ds insertion sites were similar to known genes or to ESTs. In summary, the 2932 lines described here contain 2-3 Ds inserts per line, representing a collection of approximately 7500 Ds insertions. This collection has potential for use in high-throughput functional analysis of genes and promoter isolation in tomato.     

ANALYSIS OF NUCLEAR MUTANTS OF CHLAMYDOMONAS DEFICIENT IN THE ACCUMULATION OF SPECIFIC CHLOROPLAST RNAS

Bioluminescence is broadly distributed in marine dinoflagellates and has been intensively studied in Lingulodinium ( Gonyaulax ) polyedra. In this species, bioluminescence is regulated in a circadian fashion; the enzyme (luciferase) and the luciferin (substrate)-binding protein are synthesized and degraded on a daily basis. Synthesis of both proteins is regulated at the level of translation. The L. polyedra luciferase gene is composed of three contiguous domains that are greater than 75% identical at the nucleic acid level. Possible explanations for the high degree of sequence conservation include: (1) the domains evolved through a recent duplication event; (2) the sequence similarity is maintained by a molecular process such as gene conversion; or (3) there is a functional role associated with the primary nucleic acid sequence, such as in the translational regulation of luciferase expression. The phylogenetic relationship of dinoflagellates predicted from 18S rDNA genes provides a framework for examining the molecular evolution of the regulation of luciferase expression and of genes encoding luciferase and the luciferin-binding protein. In particular, we are examining the evolution of the circadian rhythm of bioluminescence and of luciferase abundance, the presence/absence of the luciferin-binding protein, and the molecular structure of the luciferase gene. We anticipate that this approach will distinguish between regions of the luciferase molecule that are conserved for enzyme function versus those concerned with the regulation of protein expression. In addition, it will provide insight into the evolution of the regulatory processes and pathways.