Site-specificity of DNA methylases from Shigella sonnei 47 cells

A complex approach involving isoplith analysis, enzymatic treatment of methylated isopliths and a computer analysis of experimental data has been used for determining site specificity of six methylases from Shigella sonnei 47 cells termed according to their specificity for a nitrous base and pI as MC4.2, MC5.3, MC6.2, MC7.4, MC8.4 and MA9.5. It has been found that the recognition site of MA9.5 is a palyndrome six-member structure of the 5'...GAATTC...3' type and that this enzyme is an isometimer with respect to MEcoRI. It has been demonstrated for the first time for methylases that the recognition site of MC4.2 is represented by a non-symmetrical four-member sequence, 5'...NCCCCN...3' characterized by unique blocking of cytosines. MC8.4 possesses a broad specificity of substrate recognition and methylates the cytosine residue within the composition of the non-symmetrical unique sequence 5'...N (C/Pu) CCN...3', whose 5'-terminal base is depleted in three nucleotides. MC5.3 methylates the 3'-terminal cytosine residue within the composition of the pentanucleotide palindrome recognition site, 5'...CCNGG...3'. MC6.2 and MC7.4 possess identical pentanucleotide recognition sites of 5'...(Py)CNG(Pu)...3', but are distinguished in pI. The latter finding has been shown for the first time for different methylases within one strain.     

Origin of complementary incompatibility systems in flowering plants

Theoretical and Applied Genetics - The complementary incompatibility system, characterized by co-operative control of a single S specificity by alleles of two or more distinct S genes, has raised...     

Interdomain hydrolysis of a truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin by the human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease

The specificity of HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus-1) protease has been evaluated relative to its ability to cleave the three-domain Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE66) and related proteins in which the first domain has been deleted or replaced by a segment of CD4. Native PE66 is not hydrolyzed by the HIV-1 protease. However, removal of its first domain produces a molecule which is an excellent substrate for the enzyme. The major site of cleavage in this truncated exotoxin, called LysPE40, occurs in a segment that connects its two major domains, the translocation domain (II), and the ADP-ribosyltransferase (III). This interdomain region contains the sequence ...Asn-Tyr-Pro-Thr... which is similar to that surrounding the scissile Tyr-Pro bond in the gag precursor polyprotein, a natural substrate of the HIV-1 protease. Nevertheless, it is not this sequence that is recognized and cleaved by the enzyme, but one 6 residues away, ...Ala-Leu-Leu-Glu... in which the Leu-Leu peptide bond is hydrolyzed. A second, slower cleavage takes place at the Leu-Ala bond 3 residues in from the NH2 terminus of LysPE40. When domain I of PE66 is replaced by a segment comprising the first two domains of CD4, the resulting chimeric protein is hydrolyzed at the same Leu-Leu bond by HIV-1 protease. Enzyme activities toward synthetic peptides modeled after the sequences defined above in LysPE40 are in complete accord, relative to specificity, kinetics, and pH optimum, with results obtained in the hydrolysis of the parent protein. These findings demonstrate that ideas concerning the specificity of the HIV-1 protease that are based solely upon its processing of natural viral polyproteins can be expanded by evaluation of other multidomain proteins as substrates. Moreover, it would appear that it is not a particular conformation, but sequence and accessibility that play the dominant role in defining sites in a protein substrate that are susceptible to hydrolysis by the enzyme.     

Chitosan hydrogel microspheres: an effective covalent matrix for crosslinking of soluble dextranase to increase stability and recycling efficiency

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering - Dextranase is a unique biocatalyst that has high specificity and stereo-selectivity towards a complex biopolymer known as dextran. Dextranase has wide...     

The Problem of Control Actions on the Lightning Discharge

Plasma Physics Reports - The specificity of the development of a counter discharge from a grounded electrode in the field of a negative stepped lightning leader has been established. It is shown...     

Probing the Interactions Responsible for the Structural Stability of Trypanothione Reductase Through Computer Simulation and Biophysical Characterization

The Protein Journal - With the necessity to develop antileishmanial drugs with substrate specificity, trypanothione reductase (TryR) has gained popularity in parasitology. TryR is unique to be...     

Cephalosporin-acid synthetase of Escherichia coli strain VKPM B-10182: Genomic context,gene identification,producer strain production

Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology - An enzyme of cephalosporin-acid synthetase produced by the E. coli strain VKPM B-10182 has specificity for the synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics of the...     

Long non-coding RNAs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: biological functions and clinical applications

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common head and neck malignancies. It has obvious ethnic and regional specificity. Long non-coding RNAs...     

Non-invasive diagnostic potential of microRNA-203 in liquid biopsy of urothelial carcinoma of bladder

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Increased CD44 antigen activity has been reported in recurrent cases of UBC. To date, no reliable biomarker is available with high significance and specificity...     

Leaf manganese concentrations as a tool to assess belowground plant functioning in phosphorus-impoverished environments

Plant and Soil - Root-released carboxylates enhance the availability of manganese (Mn), which enters roots through transporters with low substrate specificity. Leaf Mn concentration ([Mn]) has been...     

纳米金在抗肿瘤研究中的应用

肿瘤的早期诊断依然是目前需要攻克的难关,现有的抗肿瘤药物因具有较大毒性和缺乏特异性而存在很大的局限性。纳米金能够被多种基团修饰从而获得对肿瘤细胞的靶向性,已成为当前抗肿瘤研究的热点。研究发现纳米金可以通过抑制血管生成、携带抗肿瘤药物以及光热效应等达到肿瘤治疗的目的,同时由于修饰后的纳米金对肿瘤细胞具有靶向性,在肿瘤的早期诊断方面也具有重要的意义。纳米金在体内的分布和代谢与其大小、形态及所带电荷有关,有关纳米金毒性和生物相容性性的评价,还有待于进一步研究。     

特异性microRNAs在心血管系统中的功能研究进展

MicroRNAs(miRNAs)是经核糖核酸酶(Dicer)加工后的一类非编码小RNA分子。在真核生物中,miRNA具有组织特异性和时序性,只在特定的组织和特定的发育阶段表达,在细胞生长和发育过程中起多种作用。miRNAs在心脏发育、形态生成、血管生成、心肌凋亡等多个生理病理过程中发挥重要作用。最近有大量研究发现某些特异性的miRNA对心血管的发育和心血管疾病有一定的影响。如miRNA-126调控血管生成;miRNA-143和miRNA-145决定血管平滑肌(VSMC)的分化和增殖;miRNA-208对心肌肥厚的调节;miRNA-1和miRNA-133影响心肌的发育、形态发生、心肌凋亡、心肌肥厚等。     

Cytosine DNA-methylase of a SsoII-type from Shigella sonnei 47 cells

Shigella sonnei 47 cells were found to contain DNA-methylase SsoII which is a modifying component of the system of host specificity of SsoII. The recognition sequence (RS) of methylase SsoII is represented by a five-member palyndromic structure--5'...CCNGG...3'--with a degenerated central nucleotide. Modification of SsoII affords protection of acceptor DNA not only from SsoII type restriction, but also from other restrictases, e. g., Eco RII having an analogous RS but with a less degenerated central nucleotide pair. A simple and rapid procedure for isolation and purification of DNA-methylase ScoII, which employs hydrophobic chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, has been developed. The enzyme preparation does not contain trace amounts of specific and nonspecific endonucleases and keeps stable on storage in 30% glycerol over a period of one year.     

非水相体系酶催化反应研究进展

非水相酶催化反应是酶催化反应中的一个重要方面。非水相溶剂通常可增加底物溶解度,减少水相中的副反应,加快生物催化的速率和效率,在药物及药物中间体和食品等方面具有较大的应用价值。以下探讨了非水相体系对酶活力及酶促反应速率的影响因素,并阐述酶的化学修饰、固定化及定点突变对酶活力的影响,进一步分析无溶剂系统、反胶束、超临界流体及离子液体的不同溶剂体系对酶反应速率及催化效率的影响。此外,还列举一些非水相酶催化反应的应用实例。     

荧光原位杂交应用于尿路上皮癌尿液早期诊断的研究进展

尿路上皮癌(urothelial carcinoma,UC)是泌尿系统最常见恶性肿瘤之一,早期诊断是提高该类疾病疗效的关键所在,荧光原位杂交(fluorescence in situ hybridization,FISH)通过尿液来检测UC,具有快速、无创伤性、敏感度高和特异性强等优点。FISH提高了尿细胞学在低级别或浅表性膀胱UC诊断的敏感性,且减少了血尿、尿路感染及膀胱内灌注治疗等对细胞形态的影响而引起的假阳性,提高检测的特异性。对于诊断上尿路UC,FISH的敏感性与特异性更高。膀胱UC患者9号染色体p16抑癌基因丢失与复发明显相关,FISH既能预测膀胱UC的复发性,更能监测UC的复发,但仍需大样本、多中心的前瞻性研究。本文将FISH在膀胱UC、上尿路UC早期诊断以及膀胱UC术后监测等方面的临床应用研究报道进行综述。     

表观遗传学研究方法进展

表观遗传调控是基因表达调控的重要组成部分,已成为当前研究的热点.目前其研究主要集中在DNA甲基化和组蛋白修饰.针对这两种表观修饰,其研究方法也取得了较太进展,一方面方法的是敏度和特异性都在不断提高;另一方面表现修饰的检测正在逐步从定性检测向定量分析方向发展,从个别位点向高通量检测发展.此外,新一代测序技术的应用特大大推动表观遗传研究的发展,包括单分子实时测序法、单分子纳米孔科序法等.综述目前常用的DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰研究方法以及最新的单分子测序技术,并对它们在表观遗传修饰检测中的应用作了简要对比分析.     

双标准曲线相对定量PCR试验原理与方法

实时荧光定量PCR(FQ-PCR)是一种准确有效的核酸定量分析技术,具有易操作、高通量、高敏感性、高特异性、高度自动化和低污染等优点,并随新定量PCR仪及新操作方法的发展而得到广泛应用,但是,定量PCR的高敏感性特点使得实验操作严格而繁琐。阐述了一种改进的相对定量方法——双标准曲线法的试验原理和特点,描述了定量PCR体系的优化方式,探讨了试验误差分析方法及试验操作技巧,并就试验数据的处理方法进行讨论。试验证明,双标准曲线法是一种经济、简单而准确的定量方法。     

Long- and short-patch gene conversions in Streptococcus pneumoniae transformation

In pneumococcal transformation some point mutations are integrated by an excision-repair pathway which switches the heteroduplex DNA into homoduplex. This transfer of information is a gene conversion. We have reviewed some of the properties of this system especially those relating to heteroduplex specificity and given evidence that this extends over several kilobases of DNA. We then describe a new process of conversion in pneumococcal transformation which occurs over a very short distance (5 to 27 base-pairs) and is triggered by a single site mutation resulting from the transversion 5'-ATTCAT...to 5'...ATTAAT... Only one of the two heteroduplexes 5'...A...3'/3'...G...5', is converted.     

Phos-tag技术在磷酸化蛋白质组学中的应用

Phos-tag是新研制出的一种对磷酸基团具有特殊亲和力的化合物。由于其对磷酸化蛋白质具有高特异性、高亲和力等特点使其迅速在磷酸化蛋白质的检测、分离和纯化等方面得到广泛的应用。本文综述了Phos-tag的化学性质、原理及其近年来在磷酸化蛋白质组学中的应用,并与传统的磷酸化蛋白质组学研究技术做了比较,对未来磷酸化蛋白质组学的研究技术作了展望。     

荧光定量PCR技术在临床微生物检测中的应用

荧光定量PCR技术是近些年来发展起来的一种核酸检测技术,它以灵敏度高、特异性强、重复性好、快速准确定量等特点被广泛应用于各个领域。现主要介绍荧光定量PCR技术在病毒、细菌、真菌和寄生虫4个临床微生物检测方面的应用进展。