Cloning of a cluster of chitinase genes from Aeromonas sp. No. 10S-24

A gene encoding chitinases from Aeromonas sp. No. 10S-24 was cloned into Escherichia coli DH5α using pUC19, and its nucleotides were sequenced. The chitinase gene was clustered in ORFs (open reading frame) 1 to 4, in a 8-kb fragment of DNA. ORF-1 consisted of 1608 bp encoding 535 amino acid residues, and ORF-2 consisted of 1425 bp encoding 474 amino acid residues. ORF-3 was 1617 bp long and encodes a protein consisting of 538 amino acids. ORF-4 encodes 287 amino acids of the N-terminal region. The amino acid sequences of ORF-1 and ORF-3 share sequence homology with chitinase D from Bacillus circulans, and chitinase A and B from Streptomyces lividans. The amino acid sequence of ORF-2 shared sequence homology with chitinase II from Aeromonas sp. No. 10S-24, and chitinase from Saccharopolyspora erythraea. A region of the sequence starting from Ala-28 of the amino acid sequence of ORF-3 coincided with the N-terminal amino acid sequence of chitinase III from Aeromonas sp. No. 10S-24.     

Chitinase from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. pakistani

The chitinase gene (chiA71) from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. pakistani consists of an open reading frame of 1,905 nucleotides encoding 635 amino acid residues with an estimated molecular mass of 71 kDa. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of the mature enzyme to other microbial chitinases shows a putative catalytic domain and a region with conserved amino acids similar to that of the type III module of fibronectin and a chitin-binding domain. By activity detection of chitinase on SDS-PAGE after renaturation, the molecular mass of protein bands with chitinase activity were 66, 60, 47, and 32 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of each chitinase activity band was the same (Asp-Ser-Pro-Lys-Gln), suggesting that the 60-, 47-, and 32-kDa chitinases were derived from the 66-kDa chitinase by processing step(s) at the C-terminus. The enzyme was identified as an exochitinase, since it generated N-acetylglucosamine from early stage of colloidal chitin hydrolysis. The crude protein (2.3-18.4 mg/ml), containing chitinase at final activities of 8, 16, 32, and 64 mU/ml, was toxic to Aedes aegypti larvae and caused mortalities of 7.5, 15.0, 51.3, and 70.0% respectively, but the same amount of crude protein from a B. thuringiensis subsp. pakistani mutant lacking chitinase was not toxic.     

Characterization of a Chitinase Gene from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Strain 34S1 and Its Involvement in Biological Control

A chitinase gene was cloned on a 2.8-kb DNA fragment from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain 34S1 by heterologous expression in Burkholderia cepacia. Sequence analysis of this fragment identified an open reading frame encoding a deduced protein of 700 amino acids. Removal of the signal peptide sequence resulted in a predicted protein that was 68 kDa in size. Analysis of the sequence indicated that the chitinase contained a catalytic domain belonging to family 18 of glycosyl hydrolases. Three putative binding domains, a chitin binding domain, a novel polycystic kidney disease (PKD) domain, and a fibronectin type III domain, were also identified within the sequence. Pairwise comparisons of each domain to the most closely related sequences found in database searches clearly demonstrated variation in gene sources and the species from which related sequences originated. A 51-kDa protein with chitinolytic activity was purified from culture filtrates of S. maltophilia strain 34S1 by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Although the protein was significantly smaller than the size predicted from the sequence, the N-terminal sequence verified that the first 15 amino acids were identical to the deduced sequence of the mature protein encoded by chiA. Marker exchange mutagenesis of chiA resulted in mutant strain C5, which was devoid of chitinolytic activity and lacked the 51-kDa protein in culture filtrates. Strain C5 was also reduced in the ability to suppress summer patch disease on Kentucky bluegrass, supporting a role for the enzyme in the biocontrol activity of S. maltophilia.     

Chitinase from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: molecular cloning, structural, phylogenetic, expression and activity analysis

A full-length cDNA encoding a chitinase (Pbcts1) was cloned by screening a cDNA library from the yeast cells of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The cDNA consists of 1888 bp and encodes an ORF of 1218 bp corresponding to a protein of 45 kDa with 406 amino acid residues. The deduced PbCTS1 is composed of two signature family 18 catalytic domains and seems to belong to fungal/bacterial class. Phylogenetic analysis of PbCTS1 and other chitinases suggests the existence of paralogs of several chitinases to be grouped based on specialized functions, which may reflect the multiple and diverse roles played by fungi chitinases. Glycosyl hydrolase activity assays demonstrated that P. brasiliensis is able to produce and secrete these enzymes mainly during transition from yeast to mycelium. The fungus should be able to use chitin as a carbon source. The presence of an endocytic signal in the deduced protein suggests that it could be secreted by a vesicular nonclassical export pathway. The Pbcts1 expression in mycelium, yeast, during differentiation from mycelium to yeast and in yeast cells obtained from infected mice suggests the relevance of this molecule in P. brasiliensis electing PbCTS1 as an attractive drug target.     

Characterization of Chitinase C from a Marine Bacterium, Alteromonas sp. Strain O-7, and Its Corresponding Gene and Domain Structure

One of the chitinase genes of Alteromonas sp. strain O-7, the chitinase C-encoding gene (chiC), was cloned, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. An open reading frame coded for a protein of 430 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 46,680 Da. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence demonstrated that ChiC contained three functional domains, the N-terminal domain, a fibronectin type III-like domain, and a catalytic domain. The N-terminal domain (59 amino acids) was similar to that found in the C-terminal extension of ChiA (50 amino acids) of this strain and furthermore showed significant sequence homology to the regions found in several chitinases and cellulases. Thus, to evaluate the role of the domain, we constructed the hybrid gene that directs the synthesis of the fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase activity. Both the fusion protein and the N-terminal domain itself bound to chitin, indicating that the N-terminal domain of ChiC constitutes an independent chitin-binding domain.     

Isolation and characterization of the 54-kDa and 22-kDa chitinase genes of Serratia marcescens KCTC2172

A DNA fragment (pCHI5422) containing two genes encoding a 54-kDa and a 22-kDa chitinase was isolated from a cosmid DNA library of Serratia marcescens KCTC2172. The complete nucleotide sequence of pCHI5422 consisting of 4581 bp was determined. The nucleotide sequence of the 22-kDa chitinase consists of 681 bp of open reading frame encoding 227 amino acids and is located 1422 bp downstream of the translation termination codon of the 54-kDa chitinase sequence. The 54-kDa chitinase gene consisted of 1497 bp in a single open reading frame encoding 499 amino acids. The genes encoding the 54-kDa and 22-kDa chitinase were separately subcloned in Escherichia coli and the individual chitinases were expressed and purified from the culture broth using chitin affinity chromatography. When chitohexaose was used as substrate, the major product of the enzymatic reaction of both the 54-kDa and 22-kDa chitinases was a (GlcNAc)₂ dimer with a minor amount of monomer. The specific activity of the 54-kDa and 22-kDa chitinases were 300 μM (min)⁻¹ mg⁻¹ and 17 μM (min)⁻¹ mg⁻¹ on the natural swollen chitin, respectively.     

Molecular Cloning of a Genomic DNA Encoding Yam Class IV Chitinase

Genomic DNA for a class IV chitinase was cloned from yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb) leaves and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence shows 50 to 59% identity to class IV chitinases from other plants. The yam chitinase, however, has an additional sequence of 8 amino acids (a C-terminal extension) following the cysteine that was reported as the last amino acid for other class IV chitinases; this extension is perhaps involved in subcellular localization. A homology model based on the structure of a class II chitinase from barley was used as an aid to interpreting the available data. The analysis suggests that the class IV enzyme recognizes an even shorter segment of the substrate than class I or II enzymes. This observation might help to explain why class IV enzymes are better suited to attack against pathogen cell walls.     

苏云金芽孢杆菌chiA,chiB全基因的克隆、表达及其序列分析

以苏云金芽孢杆菌科默尔亚种15A3菌株基因组DNA为模版,用touchdown PCR方法扩增几丁质酶ChiA和ChiB的全基因序列(GenBank登录号:EF103273和DQ512474)。将PCR产物连接pUCm-T克隆载体,获得重组质粒pUCm-chiA和pUCm-chiB,分别转化E.coliXL-Blue。克隆的几丁质酶基因可以利用本身的启动子异源表达各自的蛋白,不需要几丁质作为诱导物。表达的几丁质酶能够分泌到胞外。证明15A3菌株可组成型表达2种几丁质酶。经核苷酸及氨基酸序列分析证明,chiA基因全长1426bp,含有343bp的上游非编码区和1083bp的ORF,编码360个氨基酸。推测成熟蛋白分子量为36kD,只有一个几丁质酶催化域。chiB基因全长2279bp,含有248bp的上游非编码区和2031bp的ORF,编码676个氨基酸。推测成熟蛋白分子量约为70.6kD,具有三个功能域。核苷酸序列分析显示chiA和chiB的启动子所处的位置及转录起始碱基都不相同,-35区相同,而-10区有两个碱基不同,SD序列也不完全一致。     

一株Sanguibacter sp.C4产几丁质酶基因的克隆与表达

Chi58是Sanguibacter sp．strain C4产生的一种胞外几丁质酶。通过chiA的特异性PCR引物探测到菌株C4中存在几丁质酶,并将扩增到的几丁质酶基因片段（chiA-F）克隆、测序后,提交GenBank数据库进行同源性搜索。对从GenBank中获得的高同源性序列进行比对,并根据保守区域设计2对PCR引物进行嵌套PCR,扩增出Chi58基因的开放阅读框（ORF）。测序结果表明该酶的ORF由1692个核苷酸组成,编码563个氨基酸,在N端有23个氨基酸的信号肽,其成熟蛋白的分子量应为58．544kDa。对其推导氨基酸的序列分析表明Chi58与沙雷氏菌的几丁质酶（如徂）有高度同源性（88．9％-99．6％）,其结构主要包括信号肽序列、PKD结构域和18家族糖苷水解酶结构域。将该基因克隆到pET32a（＋）载体构建重组质粒pChi58,转入大肠杆菌BL-21（DE3）进行融合表达。经IPTG诱导后,可见分子量约81．1kDa的融合蛋白的表达。     

苏云金芽孢杆菌chiA,chiB全基因的克隆、表达及其序列分析

以苏云金芽孢杆菌科默尔亚种15A3菌株基因组DNA为模版,用touchdown PCR方法扩增几丁质酶ChiA和ChiB的全基因序列(GenBank登录号:EF103273和DQ512474)。将PCR产物连接pUCm-T克隆载体,获得重组质粒pUCm-chiA和pUCm-chiB,分别转化E.coliXL-Blue。克隆的几丁质酶基因可以利用本身的启动子异源表达各自的蛋白,不需要几丁质作为诱导物。表达的几丁质酶能够分泌到胞外。证明15A3菌株可组成型表达2种几丁质酶。经核苷酸及氨基酸序列分析证明,chiA基因全长1426bp,含有343bp的上游非编码区和1083bp的ORF,编码360个氨基酸。推测成熟蛋白分子量为36kD,只有一个几丁质酶催化域。chiB基因全长2279bp,含有248bp的上游非编码区和2031bp的ORF,编码676个氨基酸。推测成熟蛋白分子量约为70.6kD,具有三个功能域。核苷酸序列分析显示chiA和chiB的启动子所处的位置及转录起始碱基都不相同,-35区相同,而-10区有两个碱基不同,SD序列也不完全一致。     

棘孢木霉（Trichoderma asperellum）几丁质酶基因的克隆与生物信息学分析

几丁质酶作为木霉菌防治植物病虫害的主要因子,在生物防治和环境保护等领域发挥着重要的作用.为了研究棘孢木霉（Trichoderma asperellum）的生防机制并获得与其相关的功能基因,本研究通过RT-PCR、3′-RACE及5′-TAIL- PCR技术克隆了T. asperellum 1个几丁质酶基因Tachi1,对该基因进行了生物信息学分析,并利用毕赤酵母表达系统进行表达验证. Tachi1的DNA序列长1 635 bp,含有3个内含子,包含1 275 bp的开放阅读框,编码424个氨基酸;Tachi1属于糖基水解酶18家族内切几丁质酶,包含SIGGW底物结合位点和FDGIDXDWE活性中心位点,信号肽长度为22个氨基酸,成熟肽分子量为44 kD,二级结构以α-螺旋 、β-折叠和无规则卷曲为结构元件,三级结构为(α/β)8的圆桶形结构. 转Tachi1基因酵母工程菌可高效分泌表达几丁质酶Tachi1,甲醇诱导培养8 d几丁质酶酶活可达9.25 U/mL.     

CHRK1, a chitinase-related receptor-like kinase in tobacco

A cDNA encoding a chitinase-related receptor-like kinase, designated CHRK1, was isolated from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The C-terminal kinase domain (KD) of CHRK1 contained all of the conserved amino acids of serine/threonine protein kinases. The putative extracellular domain was closely related to the class V chitinase of tobacco and to microbial chitinases. CHRK1 mRNA accumulation was strongly stimulated by infection with fungal pathogen and tobacco mosaic virus. Amino acid-sequence analysis revealed that the chitinase-like domain of CHRK1 lacked the essential glutamic acid residue required for chitinase activity. The recombinant chitinase-like domain did not show any catalytic activity for either oligomeric or polymeric chitin substrates. The recombinant KD of CHRK1 exhibited autophosphorylation, but the mutant KD with a mutation in the essential ATP-binding site did not, suggesting that CHRK1 encoded a functional kinase. CHRK1 was detected in membrane fractions of tobacco BY2 cells. Furthermore, CHRK1-GFP fusion protein was localized in plasma membranes when it was expressed in animal cells. This is the first report of a new type of receptor-like kinase containing a chitinase-like sequence in the putative extracellular domain.     

Molecular cloning and expression of the gene encoding family 19 chitinase from Streptomyces sp. J-13-3

The gene encoding chitinase from Streptomyces sp. (strain J-13-3) was cloned and its nucleotide structure was analyzed. The chitinase consisted of 298 amino acids containing a signal peptides (29 amino acids) and a mature protein (269 amino acids), and had calculated molecular mass of 31,081 Da. The calculated molecular mass (28,229 Da) of the mature protein was almost same as that of the native chitinase determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Comparison of the encoded amino acid sequences with those of other chitinases showed that J-13-3 chitinase was a member of the glycosyl-hydrolase family 19 chitinases and the mature protein had a chitin binding domain (65 amino acids) containing AKWWTQ motif and a catalytic domain (204 amino acids). The J-13-3 strain had a single chitinase gene. The chitinase (298 amino acids) with C-terminal His tag was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells. The recombinant chitinase purified from the cell extract had identical N-terminal amino acid sequence of the mature protein in spite of confirmation of the nucleotide sequence, suggesting that the signal peptide sequence is successfully cut off at the predicted site by signal peptidase from E. coli and will be a useful genetic tool in protein engineering for production of soluble recombinant protein. The optimum temperature and pH ranges of the purified chitinase were at 35-40 degrees C and 5.5-6.0, respectively. The purified chitinase hydrolyzed colloidal chitin and trimer to hexamer of N-acetylglucosamine and also inhibited the hyphal extension of Tricoderma reesei.     

东亚飞蝗中肠几丁质酶基因的克隆、序列分析及组织定位

通过RACE方法,克隆了东亚飞蝗Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen)几丁质酶基因 (LmChi)cDNA全序列 (GenBank 登录号：EF092841)。获得的cDNA全长1 604 bp,其中可读框1 452 bp, 编码483个氨基酸。推测其氨基酸序列与18家族昆虫几丁质酶有较高的相似性。与其他几丁质酶一样,东亚飞蝗几丁质酶序列也包含一个信号肽、一个几丁质酶活性位点、一个碳端丝氨酸富集区和一个几丁质结合域。半定量RT-PCR研究表明,LmChi基因只在东亚飞蝗不同发育阶段的中肠组织中表达,而在东亚飞蝗体壁、前肠和后肠均没有发现LmChi基因的转录。     

楸树CbuATX1，CbuATX1-like和CbuATX2基因克隆及生物信息学分析

开花是高等植物内部遗传因素和外界环境因素共同调节完成的复杂生命过程,是植物进入生殖生长从而具备遗传能力和繁殖能力的象征。使用PCR技术,以楸树（Catalpa bungei）混合芽cDNA为模板分别克隆CbuATX1,CbuATX1-like和CbuATX2 3个基因,并利用相关生物信息学软件对这3个基因编码的蛋白质结构进行预测,同时对基因的启动子序列进行顺式作用元件分析,通过qRT-PCR技术检测3个基因在楸树混合芽不同发育时期的表达量。结果表明：CbuATX1的CDS全长为726 bp,编码241个氨基酸,存在跨膜运输结构,属于HMA蛋白家族,与芝麻（Sesamum indicum）、甜菜（Beta vulgaris）亲缘关系较近。CbuATX1-like的CDS全长为801 bp,编码266个氨基酸,存在跨膜运输结构,属于HMA蛋白家族,与胡萝卜（Daucus carota）、欧洲橄榄（Olea europaea）亲缘关系较近。CbuATX2的CDS全长为1 554 bp,编码517个氨基酸,不存在跨膜运输结构,属于PWWP蛋白家族,与马尾草（Erythranthe guttatus）亲缘关系较近。这3个基因启动子均含有多个真核生物启动子的基本元件,如CAAT-box和TATA-box等,此外,还含有光响应、低温响应、生长素响应,以及与干旱诱导相关的MYB结合位点等3个基因与光响应密切相关,还可能参与外界环境胁迫响应等过程。qRT-PCR结果显示,上述3个基因在1年生普通楸树无性系9-1和突变株系-百日花楸树不同发育时期的表达量呈现显著差异。通过以上研究以期能够进一步阐述百日花楸树开花的性状,为楸树开花机制的研究和楸树的定向遗传改良提供理论支持。     

Chitinase in Cucumber Xylem Sap

A chitinase activity was detected in fractions of xylem sap collected from the cut surface of cucumber stems. A 28-kDa acidic protein was purified from the active fractions and its N-terminal amino acids sequence was found to be identical to that of a chitinase gene. Cucumber roots produce and secrete an acidic chitinase, one of the PR proteins, into xylem sap and deliver it to aboveground organs.     

Intracellular Localization of a Class IV Chitinase from Yam

Genomic DNA encoding a class IV chitinase was cloned from yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb) leaves in previous research (Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem., 68, 1508–1517 (2004)). But this chitinase had an additional sequence composed of eight amino acids (a C-terminal extension) at the C-terminal, compared with class IV chitianses from other plants. In order to clarify the role of this C-terminal extension in cellular localization, plants and suspension-cultured cells of Nicotiana tabacum were transformed with either the cloned yam class IV chitinase gene carrying the C-terminal extension or its truncated gene by the Agrobacterium-mediated method, and then their localization was investigated. The results suggest that the C-terminal extension of yam class IV chitinase plays a role as a targeting signal for plant vacuoles. This is the first report presenting the existence of vacuolar type class IV chitinase.     

Gene cloning of chitinase A1 from Bacillus circulans WL-12 revealed its evolutionary relationship to Serratia chitinase and to the type III homology units of fibronectin

A chitinase gene of Bacillus circulans WL-12 was cloned into Escherichia coli by transforming HB101 cells with a recombinant plasmid composed of chromosomal DNA fragments prepared from B. circulans WL-12 and the plasmid vector pKK223-3. DNA sequencing analysis revealed that the region necessary for the normal expression of chitinase activity contained one open reading frame of 2097 base pairs which codes for the precursor of chitinase A1. The precursor of chitinase A1 contained a long signal sequence of 41 amino acids with an extremely long N-terminal hydrophilic segment of 15 amino acids. Cloned chitinase produced in E. coli had at its N terminus an additional 8 amino acids that were not found in B. circulans mature chitinase A1. The N-terminal two-thirds of the deduced amino acid sequence of chitinase A1 showed a 33% amino acid match to chitinase A of Serratia marcescens. This region of chitinase A1 is immediately followed by tandemly repeating 95-amino acid segments that are 70% homologous to each other. Statistical analysis revealed that these repeating segments are homologous to the type III homology units of fibronectin, a multifunctional extracellular matrix and plasma protein of higher eukaryotes. This observation indicates that type III homology units originated prior to the emergence of eukaryotes and may be distributed in a wide range of organisms.     

白桦肌动蛋白(Actin)基因全长cDNA克隆与序列分析

以白桦(Betula platyphylla Suk.)次生木质部为材料,用改良CTAB方法提取总RNA。根据植物肌动蛋白(Actin)基因编码区的保守序列设计引物后进行RT-PCR,并采用RACE技术扩增出Actin基因全长序列。该基因cDNA全长1 785 bp,序列分析表明,该基因编码区1 134 bp,编码377个氨基酸,5′非编码区157 bp,3′非编码区495 bp。所得序列与GenBank中注册的其它植物肌动蛋白核苷酸序列的相似性均在80%以上,氨基酸序列的相似性高达96%以上。此基因已在GenBank注册（EU588981）。根据高等植物肌动蛋白相似性构建了进化树,表明白桦肌动蛋白与蓖麻肌动蛋白之间的亲缘关系最为密切,在进化中分化时间最为接近。     

嗜热子囊菌原变种Thermoascus aurantiacus var.aurantiacus热稳定几丁质酶的克隆表达及活性研究

研究通过RT-PCR和Tail-PCR技术从嗜热子囊菌原变种Thermoascus aurantiacus var.aurantiacus中克隆了一个几丁质酶同源基因。该基因全长1,253bp,包含一个由1,197个碱基构成的开放阅读框,编码398个氨基酸。序列比对分析表明,该基因编码蛋白属于糖苷水解酶18家族的几丁质酶。利用基因重组的方法构建酵母分泌型表达载体,并转化毕赤酵母。在甲醇的诱导下,重组蛋白得到了高效表达,第6天的表达量最高,达到0.433g/L,酶活力为28.96U/mg,同时对表达的几丁质酶进行了纯化,SDS-PAGE检测该蛋白的分子量为43.9kDa。该几丁质酶的最适反应温度为60℃,最适反应pH值为8.0,70℃处理30min仍有45%的相对酶活,具有较好的热稳定性及工业应用价值。