The RAF proteins take centre stage

Since their discovery over 20 years ago, the RAF proteins have been intensely studied. For most of that time, the focus of the field has been the C-RAF isoform and its role as an effector of the RAS proteins. However, a report that implicates B-RAF in human cancer has highlighted the importance of all members of this protein kinase family and recent studies have uncovered intriguing new data relating to their complex regulation and biological functions.     

曲霉属bHLH转录因子的研究进展

bHLH(Basichelix-loop-helix)转录因子广泛存在于真核生物中,它可以通过同源或异源二聚体的形式与基因启动子上的E-box结合来调控基因的表达。转录因子的bHLH家族由广泛涉及发育过程(包括细胞增殖和分化)的大量蛋白组成,在生物的生长发育调控过程中起着极为重要的作用。本文对包括构巢曲霉、烟曲霉、米曲霉等曲霉属中现已发现bHLH转录因子的调控过程和生物功能进行概述,以期为深入研究曲霉属的生长发育及bHLH转录因子的功能提供理论参考。     

bHLH转录因子在大脑皮质发育中的作用

在大脑新皮质发育过程中,bHLH转录因子参与了关键事件的调节。Id和Hes家族的bHLH因子对维持大脑皮质多能祖细胞(cortical mutipotent progenitor)处于增殖状态非常重要。前神经bHLH因子(Mash1、Neurogenin1和Neurogenin2)活性增强和Hes、Id因子的活性相应减弱,引起皮质多能祖细胞由增殖状态向神经生成转变。随着发育的皮质祖细胞中前神经bHLH因子的抑制,促使星形胶质细胞的生成。最后,bHEH因子Olig1和Olig2活性的增加和Id活性的减弱启动了少突胶质细胞的形成。     

Synaptogenesis: Wnt and TGF-beta take centre stage

The formation of functional synapses requires precise coordination between neurons and their synaptic targets. Recent studies have identified two signaling molecules, Wnt and TGF-beta, which are required for formation and growth of the neuromuscular synapse.     

Signalling through phosphoinositide 3-kinases: the lipids take centre stage

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) phosphorylate inositol lipids at the 3' position of the inositol ring to generate the 3-phosphoinositides PI(3)P, PI(3,4) P2 and PI(3,4,5) P3. Recent research has shown that one way in which these lipids function in signal transduction and membrane trafficking is by interacting with 3-phosphoinositide-binding modules in a broad variety of proteins. Specifically, certain FYVE domains bind PI(3)P whereas certain pleckstrin homology domains bind PI(3,4) P2 and/or PI(3,4,5) P3. Also in 1998, PTEN - a major tumour suppressor in human cancer - was also shown to antagonise PI3K signalling by removing the 3-phosphate from 3-phosphoinositides.     

Eukaryotic cells and microbial pathogens: a familiar couple take centre stage

The interaction of a microbial pathogen with its host is a highly dynamic process shaped by evolution. Understanding cellular responses to microbial products is essential for a complete understanding of virulence. Similarly, studies aimed at determining how a particular virulence factor functions have helped unravel molecular mechanisms that govern eukaryotic cellular events. These two seemingly diverse areas were brought together on the beautiful Spanish Costa Brava in a recent meeting (October 13-17, 2002) sponsored by European Research Conferences (EURESCO) and the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).     

植物缺铁应答bHLH转录因子研究进展

铁是植物生命活动必需的微量元素之一,土壤中有效铁含量较低,易导致植物缺铁。bHLH转录因子家族多个成员参与植物缺铁响应,发挥重要的调控作用。为深入了解植物对缺铁的反应机制,文中对植物缺铁胁迫应答的bHLH转录因子的结构、分类和功能及其调控机制、介导的缺铁胁迫信号通路进行综述,为应用bHLH转录因子培育缺铁耐受作物或富铁作物提供理论依据和设计策略。     

热带爪蟾bHLH转录因子鉴定与进化分析

爪蟾是重要的生物医学模式动物。文章根据NCBI公布的热带爪蟾(Xenopus tropicalis)基因组数据,利用生物信息学方法提取和鉴定了爪蟾全基因组范围的碱性螺旋-环-螺旋(bHLH)基因信息,应用系统发生方法进行分类并做基因本体论(Gene Ontology,GO)功能富集分布分析,以期从整体上探讨爪蟾bHLH转录因子基因家族的分类及功能。结果表明,在热带爪蟾基因组数据库中发现了70个bHLH转录因子,其中69个可以分别归到6大组(A~F)的34个亚家族中,另一个为"孤儿因子"(Orphan)基因。GO富集分布统计发现有51个显著富集分布的GO注释语句,其中转录调控活性、转录调控、DNA结合、RNA代谢过程调控、DNA依赖的转录调控、转录和转录因子活性等出现频率很高,表明这些GO术语是爪蟾bHLH基因最常见的功能;许多bHLH转录因子在一些重要的发育或生理过程中发挥调控作用,如肌肉组织和器官(横纹肌、骨骼肌、眼部和咽部肌肉)的分化和发育、消化系统发育、咽部和感觉器官的发育、碱基和核苷及核酸的代谢调控、生物合成过程调控、DNA结合和蛋白质异聚化活性等。另外,还有一些重要信号通路(Signaling pathway)的GO术语显著地富集。文章还对Hes转录因子家族做了进化分析。这些结果为热带爪蟾bHLH基因的进一步研究打下了很好的基础。     

拟南芥bHLH Ib转录因子调控FIT的转录

FIT是调控拟南芥铁稳态的一个关键调控因子，它在转录水平上受到缺铁诱导，但其背后的调控机制还不甚清楚。该研究以拟南芥bHLH38和FIT的单、双过表达植物及bHLH Ib四突变体植物为材料，采用缺铁(-Fe)处理实验和定量RT-PCR的方法从RNA角度分析了FIT转录水平的变化。结果表明：(1)在铁充足时，bHLH38过表达植物中FIT的转录水平显著高于其在野生型中的水平。(2)在bHLH Ib四突变体植物中FIT的转录水平不受缺铁诱导。(3)FIT单过表达不能激活内源FIT的转录，而在加铁(+Fe)条件下bHLH38和FIT的双过表达则可以激活内源FIT的转录。(4)在缺铁条件下，所有植物中FIT的转录水平均与野生型中的FIT水平无明显差异。基于以上结果认为，bHLH Ib转录因子是缺铁诱导FIT转录的必要条件，而非充分条件。该研究结果为深入了解植物通过多种途径共同维持铁稳态提供了新的见解。     

The genetics of phytochrome signalling in Arabidopsis

The application of Arabidopsis genetics to research into the responses of plants to light has enabled rapid recent advances in this field. The plant photoreceptor phytochrome mediates well-defined responses that can be exploited to provide elegant and specific genetic screens. By this means, not only have mutants affecting the phytochromes themselves been isolated, but also mutants affecting the transduction of phytochrome signals. The genes involved in these processes have now begun to be characterized by using this genetic approach to isolate signal transduction components. Most of the components characterized so far are capable of being translocated to the cell nucleus, and they may help to define a new system of regulation of gene expression. This review summarises the ongoing contribution made by genetics to our understanding of light perception and signal transduction by the phytochrome system.     

植物细胞核雄性不育相关bHLH转录因子研究进展

雄性不育广泛存在于种子植物中。植物雄性不育不仅是植物生殖发育研究的重要内容,同时也可作为杂种优势利用的有效工具,因而具有重要的理论和应用价值。bHLH转录因子家族是植物中成员最多的转录因子家族,在植株的整个生长发育过程中起着重要的调控作用。本文介绍了拟南芥、水稻、玉米等几种重要模式植物bHLH转录因子调控雄蕊发育的作用机制,并重点阐述其功能异常引起细胞核雄性不育的分子机制,以期为作物育种与理论研究提供参考。