水母雪莲查尔酮合酶基因的克隆、表达及酶活分析

从水母雪莲Saussurea medusa Maxim. cDNA文库中得到一段查尔酮合酶基因 (SmCHS) 片段,然后通过RT-PCR得到完整的查尔酮合酶基因cDNA。序列分析表明SmCHS全长1 313 bp,其开放阅读框为1 170 bp,编码389个氨基酸,预测表达蛋白的分子量为43 kDa。构建原核表达质粒pET28a(+)-SmCHS,重组质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),获得表达菌株。经IPTG诱导表达后,对表达产物进行SDS-PAGE分析,结果显示,表达的融合蛋白以部分可溶的形式存在。用Ni-NTA预装柱对融合蛋白进行亲和纯化,对纯化蛋白进行酶活检测,结果表明融合蛋白具有查尔酮合酶活性,可催化底物4-香豆酰辅酶A和丙二酰辅酶A缩合生成产物柚皮素查尔酮。     

蜡酯合成途径及关键酶的研究进展

蜡酯对于生物的生命活动具有重要意义,研究表明植物和动物的蜡酯合成存在保守途径。即脂酰辅酶A（fatty acyl-CoA）在脂酰辅酶A还原酶（fatty acyl-CoAreductase,FAR）的作用下还原成脂肪醇,脂肪醇和脂酰辅酶A在蜡酯合酶（wax synthase,WS）的作用下生成酯,FAR和WS是该途径的关键酶,这两个酶的结构和功能在不同物种之间表现出很大差异,目前对于这两个酶缺乏系统的归纳分析。该文综述了蜡酯合成途径及FAR和WS的序列特征、生化特性及参与的生理功能,分析了这两种酶相关研究存在的问题,旨在为昆虫的蜡酯合成研究提供参考。     

巴西橡胶树的脂酰辅酶A还原酶cDNA克隆及其序列分析

从巴西橡胶树差减cDNA文库中筛选到一个与脂酰辅酶A还原酶同源性较高的基因片段,根据该基因片段序列信息,设计特异引物,采用RACE进行差异片段的5’和3’端的扩增,获得长度为1365bp的cDNA克隆R28（GenBank登陆号：AY461413）。序列分析表明,该基因包含1149bp的开放阅读框,5＇-UTR为96bp,3＇-UTR为128bp,编码382个氨基酸,推测其蛋白质的分子量为43．5kDa,等电点为8．97,有一个跨膜螺旋N（187至215位氨基酸）和1个由17个氨基酸组成的信号肽（1至17位氨基酸）。R28含有脂酰辅酶A还原酶的保守（NADP结合蛋白保守区）,推测该基因是一个脂酰辅酶A还原酶基因。     

硒蛋白Sep15基因克隆、定点突变及其原核表达

克隆鉴定猪硒蛋白Sep15基因( Sep15 ),将其突变实现原核表达,为以猪为模型研究Sep15功能奠定基础。实验以RT-PCR从猪脾总RNA扩增出含开放阅读框(ORF)至poly(A)共1230 bp的 Sep15 cDNA,3'-非翻译区Sec插入元件为2型,489 bp的ORF及对应氨基酸序列与人相应序列的相似度分别为85.1%和92.7%,ORF含一个硒代半胱氨酸(Sec)密码子TGA,定点突变为半胱氨酸(Cys)的TGC后,经载体pET30转入大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),0.4 mmol/L IPTG诱导表达3 h获得融合表达产物;该产物在Western blot检测中与人Sep15 Sec下游肽段的商品化多抗产生特异性免疫印迹。猪 Sep15 被首次成功克隆并鉴定,其Cys突变体的原核表达产物与人Sep15 C-端抗体存在交叉免疫反应。     

油橄榄HMGR基因家族的克隆表达及功能验证

3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酸单酰辅酶A还原酶(HMGR),催化3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酸单酰辅酶A(HMG-Co A)生成甲羟戊酸(MVA),是MVA途径中第一个关键酶。油橄榄是一种重要的经济油料作物,其含有的萜类物质具有重要营养价值,但关于调控萜类物质代谢途径的关键基因研究较少。为研究萜类合成途径关键酶基因HMGR,本研究采用RT-PCR法克隆油橄榄HMGR基因,进行生物信息学分析及构建原核表达载体,对表达蛋白生物活性进行功能验证,并采用荧光定量PCR分析HMGR在油橄榄不同生长阶段的表达量。结果表明:克隆出油橄榄HMGR基因家族的三个基因,分别命名为Oe HMGR1、Oe HMGR2、Oe HMGR3,m RNA ORF的长度分别为1 713 bp、1 773 bp、1 737 bp,编码570、590、578个氨基酸;基因编码蛋白均有2个跨膜区及HMGR催化活性的结构域,不含信号肽;构建了原核表达载体p ET30b(+)-Oe HMGR,转入到大肠杆菌BL21中成功表达,3个重组酶蛋白分子量大小均在66.2~68.0 k D之间,分离纯化重组蛋白进行功能验证,GC-MS检测表明该蛋白具有HMGR催化活性功能;荧光定量PCR分析表明该家族基因在果实和叶片中表达量较高,而在根、茎、花中表达量较低,在开花后45 d、90 d、120 d表达量较低,但在花后165 d表达量上升至较高水平。该研究为进一步鉴定Oe HMGR的功能及油橄榄萜类物质的合成生物学研究奠定基础。     

大头金蝇酰基辅酶AΔ9去饱和酶cDNA克隆与原核表达

为深入研究大头金蝇Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius)脂肪酸代谢关键功能基因酰基辅酶AΔ9去饱和酶(ACD9des),运用RT-PCR和RACE技术,获得其cDNA全长序列,并对其进行生物信息学分析。大头金蝇ACD9des基因cDNA (GenBank登录号为KF835695)全长1 429 bp,其中开放阅读框(ORF)为1 146 bp,编码381个氨基酸,5'UTR长度为138 bp,3'UTR约为114 bp。ORF编码的蛋白质分子量为43. 47 kD,等电点9. 06,氨基酸序列与其他昆虫酰基辅酶A去饱和酶一致性高达66%-93%,且含有由7个酰基辅酶A去饱和酶蛋白家族特有的保守模式(motif)所构成的指纹(IPR015876)。大头金蝇ACD9des在进化上与葱蝇Delia antiqua最趋于一致。将ACD9des的ORF克隆到原核表达载体p ET-44a(+),并利用Rosetta (DE3)感受态细胞进行ACD9des原核表达。Western Blot分析表明,IPTG诱导表达的特异性蛋白可以与anti-His抗体特异性结合,大小与预期理论值(43. 47 kDa)相符,为ACD9des。该蛋白主要存在于上清溶液中,为可溶性表达。最后利用含250 mM咪唑洗脱液和镍离子亲和层析柱对扩大培养获得的重组蛋白进行了纯化收集。本文的研究结果为大头金蝇功能基因的深入研究提供了坚实的基础。     

山黧豆AAE超家族基因的鉴定及LsAAE3的酶活检测

【目的】为研究山黧豆（Lathyrus sativus L.）草酰辅酶A合成酶在三七素（β-N-草酰-L-α,β-二氨基丙酸,β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid,β-ODAP）生物合成途径中的作用。【方法】研究利用AMP结合结构域隐马尔科夫模型在山黧豆基因组中鉴定了酰基激活酶超家族（acyl-activating enzyme superfamily,AAE）基因,在此基础上,克隆了山黧豆草酰辅酶A合成酶基因LsAAE3,采用多序列比对、原核表达及酶活检测等方法分析LsAAE3基因功能。【结果】结果表明：山黧豆中至少存在22条AAE家族基因;系统发育分析表明,LsAAE3与拟南芥AtAAE3等聚为一支,隶属于酰基辅酶A合成酶家族。基因克隆及序列分析表明,LsAAE3基因cDNA全长为1 566 bp;LsAAE3和AtAAE3的保守结构域类似,均含有AMP结合位点、CoA结合位点、AAE保守结构域。SDS-PAGE检测表明,所获融合蛋白条带单一,大小在56 KD左右;利用His标签抗体进行Western blot分析发现,诱导后和纯化的融合蛋白均能检测到特征条带,说明所获融合蛋白为LsAAE3。体外酶活检测表明,LsAAE3具有草酰辅酶A合成酶活性,其活性发挥依赖于ATP、镁离子。【结论】研究在全基因组水平鉴定了山黧豆AAE超家族基因,并验证了LsAAE3具有草酰辅酶A合成酶活性,为进一步分析山黧豆LsAAE3在β-ODAP生物合成过程中的功能奠定基础。     

枸杞紫黄质脱环氧化酶(LcVDE)基因的克隆和分析

目的:克隆枸杞VDE基因的全长cDNA,通过对基因序列的生物信息学分析预测表达产物的结构特征和功能位点并验证其功能,为研究枸杞紫黄质循环的作用机理打下基础。方法:利用cDNA末端快速扩增和RT-PCR方法克隆枸杞VDE基因全长cDNA序列,生物软件分析VDE的生物学信息。构建VDE基因的原核表达载体pET-VDE,转化大肠后用IPTG诱导VDE过量表达;并构建体外反应体系对VDE表达蛋白酶功能进行验证。结果:LcVDE基因的ORF长1 413bp,编码的蛋白由470个氨基酸组成,分子量为53.61kDa,等电点为5.77。SDS-PAGE电泳结果表明,枸杞VDE基因在大肠杆菌中得到了过量表达。克隆基因表达蛋白进行紫黄质的脱环氧化反应,吸收光谱和HPLC的分析结果表明,表达蛋白催化了紫黄质的脱环氧化反应。结论:克隆得到的VDE基因编码的蛋白具有紫黄质脱环氧化酶的的功能与活性。     

小麦中两个肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶基因的分离和表达分析

肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶（CCR）负责催化木质素单体生物合成中最重要的代谢反应,它将类苯丙酸类代谢物转移到木质素的合成途径中,为了更好地了解木质素在小麦生长发育中的作用,从小麦（Triticum aestivum L.ev,H4564)中克隆了两个肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶的cDNA,相似性和进化关系的分析表明这两个cDNA片段分别属于不同的肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶,这两个cDNA片段分别命名为W－cr6和W-cr19,RT-PCR和Northen杂交结果证明,W－cr6基因主要在小麦的茎和叶中表达,W－cr19基因主要在根和茎中表达,上述结果表明在小麦的基因组中至少存在两类肉桂酰辅酶A还原酶基因。     

肠炎沙门菌肽脯氨酰顺反异构酶SlyD的基因敲除、表达及酶学特征

【目的】以肠炎沙门菌肽脯氨酰顺反异构酶SlyD为对象,构建基因缺失株及表达纯化该蛋白,为研究其在肠炎沙门菌致病性与应激等方面的作用奠定基础。【方法】参考Gen Bank登录的肠炎沙门菌基因组序列设计用于slyD基因敲除及原核表达的特异引物,运用自杀质粒介导的同源重组技术对肠炎沙门菌C50041 slyD基因进行敲除,构建C50041ΔslyD缺失株;原核表达SlyD蛋白,通过α-糜蛋白酶耦联法对其PPIase活性进行测定;利用生物信息学相关软件,分析SlyD蛋白的氨基酸序列及功能域。【结果】PCR鉴定与测序结果证明成功构建了肠炎沙门菌C50041ΔslyD缺失株,其生长特性与野生株基本一致;SDS-PAGE及PPIase活性分析表明,获得了具有生物活性的可溶性SlyD蛋白;生物信息学分析显示SlyD蛋白由FKBP样肽脯氨酰顺反异构酶结构域、分子伴侣功能域和金属结合区域3个功能区域组成。【结论】成功获得了肠炎沙门菌C50041ΔslyD缺失株和具有PPIase活性的重组SlyD蛋白。     

Purification of a jojoba embryo wax synthase, cloning of its cDNA, and production of high levels of wax in seeds of transgenic arabidopsis

Wax synthase (WS, fatty acyl-coenzyme A [coA]: fatty alcohol acyltransferase) catalyzes the final step in the synthesis of linear esters (waxes) that accumulate in seeds of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis). We have characterized and partially purified this enzyme from developing jojoba embryos. A protein whose presence correlated with WS activity during chromatographic fractionation was identified and a cDNA encoding that protein was cloned. Seed-specific expression of the cDNA in transgenic Arabidopsis conferred high levels of WS activity on developing embryos from those plants. The WS sequence has significant homology with several Arabidopsis open reading frames of unknown function. Wax production in jojoba requires, in addition to WS, a fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) and an efficient fatty acid elongase system that forms the substrates preferred by the FAR. We have expressed the jojoba WS cDNA in Arabidopsis in combination with cDNAs encoding the jojoba FAR and a beta-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (a component of fatty acid elongase) from Lunaria annua. (13)C-Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of pooled whole seeds from transgenic plants indicated that as many as 49% of the oil molecules in the seeds were waxes. Gas chromatography analysis of transmethylated oil from individual seeds suggested that wax levels may represent up to 70% (by weight) of the oil present in those seeds.     

Biochemical characterization of a chloroplast localized fatty acid reductase from Arabidopsis thaliana

Primary long-chain fatty alcohols are present in a variety of phyla. In eukaryotes, the production of fatty alcohols is catalyzed by fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) enzymes that convert fatty acyl-CoAs or acyl-ACPs into fatty alcohols. Here, we report on the biochemical properties of a purified plant FAR, Arabidopsis FAR6 (AtFAR6). In vitro assays show that the enzyme preferentially uses 16 carbon acyl-chains as substrates and produces predominantly fatty alcohols. Free fatty acids and fatty aldehyde intermediates can be released from the enzyme, in particular with suboptimal chain lengths and concentrations of the substrates. Both acyl-CoA and acyl-ACP could serve as substrates. Transient expression experiments in Nicotiana tabacum showed that AtFAR6 is a chloroplast localized FAR. In addition, expression of full length AtFAR6 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves resulted in the production of C16:0-alcohol within this organelle. Finally, a GUS reporter gene fusion with the AtFAR6 promoter showed that the AtFAR6 gene is expressed in various tissues of the plant with a distinct pattern compared to that of other Arabidopsis FARs, suggesting specialized functions in planta.     

The nucleotide sequence of complementary DNA and the deduced amino acid sequence of peroxisomal catalase of the yeast Candida tropicalis pK233

We report the isolation and nucleotide (nt) sequence determination of cDNA encoding peroxisomal catalase (Cat) from the yeast Candida tropicalis pK233. The catalase cDNA (Cat) has a single open reading frame (ORF) of 1455 nt, encoding a protein of 484 amino acids (aa), not including the initiator methionine. The Mr of the protein is 54767. Codon use in the gene is not random, with 90.9% of the aa specified by 25 principal codons. The principal codons used in the expression of Cat in C. tropicalis are similar to those used in the expression of the fatty acyl-CoA oxidase gene of C. tropicalis and of highly expressed genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cat shows 48.0%, 49.7%, and 48.3% aa identity with human, bovine, and rat catalases, respectively, and 44.3% aa identity with catalase T of S. cerevisiae. The 3 aa of bovine liver catalase previously postulated to participate in catalysis and 79.5% of those aa in the immediate environment of hemin, the prosthetic group of catalase, are conserved in Cat of C. tropicalis.     

Biochemical characterization of a chloroplast localized fatty acid reductase from Arabidopsis thaliana

Primary long-chain fatty alcohols are present in a variety of phyla. In eukaryotes, the production of fatty alcohols is catalyzed by fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) enzymes that convert fatty acyl-CoAs or acyl-ACPs into fatty alcohols. Here, we report on the biochemical properties of a purified plant FAR, Arabidopsis FAR6 (AtFAR6). In vitro assays show that the enzyme preferentially uses 16 carbon acyl-chains as substrates and produces predominantly fatty alcohols. Free fatty acids and fatty aldehyde intermediates can be released from the enzyme, in particular with suboptimal chain lengths and concentrations of the substrates. Both acyl-CoA and acyl-ACP could serve as substrates. Transient expression experiments in Nicotiana tabacum showed that AtFAR6 is a chloroplast localized FAR. In addition, expression of full length AtFAR6 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves resulted in the production of C16:0-alcohol within this organelle. Finally, a GUS reporter gene fusion with the AtFAR6 promoter showed that the AtFAR6 gene is expressed in various tissues of the plant with a distinct pattern compared to that of other Arabidopsis FARs, suggesting specialized functions in planta.     

Cloning and functional characterization of ACAD-9, a novel member of human acyl-CoA dehydrogenase family

Acyl-CoA dehydrogenases (ACADs) are a family of mitochondrial enzymes catalyzing the initial rate-limiting step in the beta-oxidation of fatty acyl-CoA. The reaction provides main source of energy for human heart and skeletal muscle. Eight human ACADs have been described. Deficiency of these enzymes, especially very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD), usually leads to severe human organic diseases, such as sudden death in infancy, infantile cardiomyopathy (CM), hypoketotic hypoglycemia, or hepatic dysfunction. By large-scale random sequencing, we identified a novel homolog of ACADs from human dendritic cell (DC) cDNA library. It contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 1866bp, which encodes a 621 amino acid protein. It shares approximately 47% amino acid identity and 65% similarity with human VLCAD. So, the novel molecule is named as acyl-CoA dehydrogenase-9 (ACAD-9), the ninth member of ACADs. The new gene consists of 18 exons and 17 introns, and is mapped to chromosome 3q26. It contains the two signatures shared by all members of the ACADs. ACAD-9 mRNA is ubiquitously expressed in most normal human tissues and cancer cell lines with high level of expression in heart, skeletal muscles, brain, kidney, and liver. Enzymatic assay proved that the recombinant ACAD-9 protein has the dehydrogenase activity on palmitoyl-coenzyme A (C16:0) and stearoyl-coenzyme A (C18:0). Our results indicate that ACAD-9 is a novel member of ACADs.     

Cloning,characterization, and expression analysis of acyl–acyl carrier protein (ACP)-thioesterase B from seeds of Chinese Spicehush (Lindera communis)

Acyl–acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterases (TE EC 3.1.2.14) are fatty acid biosynthesis key enzymes that determine fatty acid carbon chain length in most plant tissues. A full-length cDNA corresponding to one of the fatty acyl–ACP thioesterase (Fat) genes, designated LcFatB, was isolated from developing Lindera communis seeds using PCR and RACE with degenerate primers based on conserved sequences of multiple TE gene sequences obtained from GenBank. The 1788 bp cDNA had an open reading frame (ORF) of 1260 bp encoding a protein of 419 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 61–73% identity to proteins in the FatB class of plant thioesterases. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that LcFatB was expressed in all tissues of L. communis, with the highest expression in the developing seeds 75 days after flowering. Recombinant pET-MLcFatB was constructed using the pET-30a vector and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)△ FadE, a strain that deleted the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (FadE). SDS-PAGE analysis of proteins isolated from pET-MLcFatB E. coli cells after induction with IPTG revealed a protein band at ~ 40.5 kDa, corresponding to the predicted size of LcFatB mature protein. The decanoic acid and lauric acid contents of the pET-MLcFatB transformant were increased significantly. These findings suggest that an LcFatB gene from a non-traditional oil-seed tree could be used to function as a saturated acyl–ACP thioesterase and could potentially be used to modify the fatty acid composition of seed oil from L. communis or other species through transgenic approaches.     

Mouse very long-chain Acyl-CoA synthetase 3/fatty acid transport protein 3 catalyzes fatty acid activation but not fatty acid transport in MA-10 cells

The family of proteins that includes very long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSVL) consists of six members. These enzymes have also been designated fatty acid transport proteins. We cloned full-length mouse Acsvl3 cDNA and characterized its protein product ACSVL3/fatty acid transport protein 3. The predicted amino acid sequence contains two highly conserved motifs characteristic of acyl-CoA synthetases. Northern blot analysis revealed that the mouse Acsvl3 mRNA is highly expressed in adrenal gland, testis, and ovary, with lower expression in the brain of adult mice. A developmental Northern blot revealed that Acsvl3 mRNA levels were significantly higher in embryonic mouse brain (embryonic days 12-14) than in newborn or adult mice, suggesting a possible role in nervous system development. Immunohistochemistry revealed high ACSVL3 expression in adrenal cortical cells, spermatocytes and interstitial cells of the testis, theca cells of the ovary, cerebral cortical neurons, and cerebellar Purkinje cells. Endogenous ACSVL3 was found primarily in mitochondria of MA-10 and Neuro2a cells by both Western blot analysis of subcellular fractions and immunofluorescence analysis. In MA-10 cells, loss-of-function studies using RNA interference confirmed that endogenous ACSVL3 is an acyl-CoA synthetase capable of activating both long-chain (C16:0) and very long-chain (C24:0) fatty acids. However, despite decreased acyl-CoA synthetase activity, initial rates of fatty acid uptake were unaffected by knockdown of Acsvl3 expression in MA-10 cells. These studies cast doubt on the designation of ACSVL3 as a fatty acid transport protein.     

Purification of a jojoba embryo fatty acyl-coenzyme A reductase and expression of its cDNA in high erucic acid rapeseed

The jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) plant produces esters of long-chain alcohols and fatty acids (waxes) as a seed lipid energy reserve. This is in contrast to the triglycerides found in seeds of other plants. We purified an alcohol-forming fatty acyl-coenzyme A reductase (FAR) from developing embryos and cloned the cDNA encoding the enzyme. Expression of a cDNA in Escherichia coli confers FAR activity upon those cells and results in the accumulation of fatty alcohols. The FAR sequence shows significant homology to an Arabidopsis protein of unknown function that is essential for pollen development. When the jojoba FAR cDNA is expressed in embryos of Brassica napus, long-chain alcohols can be detected in transmethylated seed oils. Resynthesis of the gene to reduce its A plus T content resulted in increased levels of alcohol production. In addition to free alcohols, novel wax esters were detected in the transgenic seed oils. In vitro assays revealed that B. napus embryos have an endogenous fatty acyl-coenzyme A: fatty alcohol acyl-transferase activity that could account for this wax synthesis. Thus, introduction of a single cDNA into B. napus results in a redirection of a portion of seed oil synthesis from triglycerides to waxes.