猪UCP2基因5′调控区和外显子1的遗传变异研究

解偶联蛋白家族 (uncoupling proteins,UCPs) 是线粒体内膜的转运蛋白,具有解离氧化磷酸化偶联的功能,对机体能量平衡涉及的体重 (肥胖)、静止代谢率和食物转化效率等性状具有显著的影响. 首次对猪UCP2基因外显子1及开放阅读框上游部分序列 (－80～0) 进行了多态性分析,通过PCR-SSCP发现猪群内存在3种单倍型,经测序分析发现存在3个SNPs位点,分别位于G-42A、C-50T和T-51C位点,这3个SNPs位点均是首次发现的. 该研究表明,T-C-G紧密连锁,C-T-A突变也紧密连锁. 利用转录因子在线分析软件TFSEARCH (ver 1.3),对UCP2基因开放阅读框上游部分序列 (－80～0) 进行潜在转录因子结合位点预测,发现该片段中的碱基T→C(－51)、C→T(－50) 和G→A(－42)突变,导致此处比野生型单倍型A (T-C-G碱基连锁) 少了一个AML-1a转录因子结合位点. 内江猪存在A、B和AB三种单倍型,而其他猪种仅有单倍型A,说明内江猪具有独特的种质特性.     

猪UCP2基因5′调控区和外显子1的遗传变异研究

解偶联蛋白家族(uncouplingproteins,UCPs)是线粒体内膜的转运蛋白,具有解离氧化磷酸化偶联的功能,对机体能量平衡涉及的体重(肥胖)、静止代谢率和食物转化效率等性状具有显著的影响.首次对猪UCP2基因外显子1及开放阅读框上游部分序列(-80～0)进行了多态性分析,通过PCR-SSCP发现猪群内存在3种单倍型,经测序分析发现存在3个SNPs位点,分别位于G-42A、C-50T和T-51C位点,这3个SNPs位点均是首次发现的.该研究表明,T-C-G紧密连锁,C-T-A突变也紧密连锁.利用转录因子在线分析软件TFSEARCH(ver1.3),对UCP2基因开放阅读框上游部分序列(-80～0)进行潜在转录因子结合位点预测,发现该片段中的碱基T→C(-51)、C→T(-50)和G→A(-42)突变,导致此处比野生型单倍型A(T-C-G碱基连锁)少了一个AML-1a转录因子结合位点.内江猪存在A、B和AB三种单倍型,而其他猪种仅有单倍型A,说明内江猪具有独特的种质特性.     

KCHIP1蛋白的两个新功能域研究

Homo sapiens Kv channel interacting protein 1(KCHIP1)基因表达蛋白是新,发现的神经钙离子结合蛋白超家族中的一个新成员。本文利用定点突变和荧光定位等技术,证实KCHIP1蛋白具有钙离子结合域和肉豆蔻酰化位点两个显著的结构特点,同时发现了KCHIP1蛋白两个对肉豆蔻酰化有重要意义的肉豆蔻酰化位点G2A和G6A。     

结肠腺瘤性息肉病蛋白通过与SMAP/KAP3相互作用与微管结合

结肠腺瘤性息肉病基因(adenomatous polyposis coli,APC)的突变导致家族性结肠息肉腺瘤病和散发性结肠癌,APC基因编码一个具有多个结构域、多种磷酸化状态的大分子蛋白质.APC蛋白可通过C段直接或间接与微管结合,同时还可以通过中段与微管结合,但其结合的机制目前还不清楚.为进一步研究APC与其他蛋白质的相互作用,利用酵母双杂交技术运用APC中段（1 500 bp～4 800 bp）构建诱饵质粒,筛选人胎脑cDNA文库,得到一个与APC相互作用的蛋白SMAP/KAP3,SMAP/KAP3是驱动蛋白KIF3A/3B的相关蛋白.通过免疫共沉淀和双色免疫荧光共定位的方法,证实了APC与SMAP/KAP3在体内的相互作用,提示APC可能通过SMAP/KAP3-KIF3A/B参与沿微管的运动.     

红麻野败型CMS胞质SNP分子标签的发掘

利用同源克隆的方法,克隆了红麻野败型CMS胞质SRAP标记位点Me14上游的侧翼序列,并采用RT-PCR方法研究该位点的表达。结果表明:(1)红麻不育系P3A和保持系P3B的mtDNA在Me14结合位点处存在1个G/A SNP位点;HpaⅡ内切酶可特异性酶切以保持系P3B扩增获得的E1纯化片段,而不育系P3A的E1纯化片段不能被酶切。(2)对红麻的9对不育系/保持系、5个恢复系和F1杂交种在该SNP位点的分析发现,以保持系和恢复系总DNA为模板扩增获得的E1纯化片段均可为HpaⅡ内切酶特异性酶切,而不育系和F1杂交种的E1纯化片段不能被酶切。(3)RT-PCR结果表明,E1片段对应基因在不育系P3A和保持系P3B中的时空表达模式无差异,在GenBank中也没有与E1相匹配的蛋白序列。研究表明,该研究发掘的红麻CMS胞质SNP标记位点处,不育系的mtDNA存在点突变,该标签并非具有嵌合阅读框的不育基因。     

中国汉族两个马凡综合征家系FBN1基因的一个新插入突变和一个复发点突变

目的:明确两个中国北方汉族马凡综合征(Marfan syndrome,MFS)家系的临床特点,并对其进行基因诊断。方法:对两个家系进行家系调查和系谱分析,应用聚合酶链式反应-DNA测序方法对原纤维蛋白1基因(Fibrillin-1,FBN1)的所有外显子进行测序。应用Swiss-model、Polyphen-2和SIFT软件对发现的变异位点进行功能预测。结果:两个家系均呈常染色显性遗传特点,在家系1患者中发现一个新的插入突变,即第13外显子1691位碱基处插入碱基A(1691 ins A),导致蛋白在第571位氨基酸处翻译提前终止。此外,在家系2患者中发现一个已知的点突变,即第27外显子第3463位碱基由G变为A(3463 GA),导致第1155位氨基酸由天冬氨酸变为天冬酰胺。这两个变异位点在家系的健康人及50例健康对照中均未出现。功能预测发现这两个变异位点均可能会影响FBN1蛋白的结构或功能。结论:在两个MFS家系中发现一个新插入突变位点(1691 ins A)和一个已知点突变位点(3463 GA),为扩大FBN1基因的突变谱及进一步阐明FBN1基因突变在MFS中的作用提供理论依据。     

绵羊BTG1基因的半定量RT-PCR及生物信息学分析

B细胞易位基因1(BTG1基因)是BTG/TOB基因家族的成员之一,在动物细胞的增殖和分化中起重要的作用．利用牛BTG1基因的mRNA序列与绵羊的EST数据库进行Blast检索,并通过序列拼接和逆转录RT-PCR方法首次获得绵羊BTG1基因的部分cDNA序列（GenBank登录号FJ444829）,其片段长度为1 358 bp,包括完整的开放阅读框516 bp,编码171个氨基酸．半定量PCR研究结果表明：BTG1基因在小尾寒羊和陶赛特羊的10种组织中均表达,并具有一致的表达趋势．同源分析结果表明,绵羊BTG1蛋白的氨基酸序列中存在BTG/TOB的保守结构域,并且该蛋白在不同物种间具有很高的保守性．通过生物信息学预测BTG1蛋白功能,发现绵羊BTG1蛋白存在1个跨膜结构域、8个磷酸化位点和1个特异性蛋白激酶磷酸化位点．蛋白质结构同源建模分析表明,绵羊BTG1蛋白具有BTG/TOB蛋白家族的典型空间结构．     

真核翻译延伸因子1A蛋白家族功能位点的进化踪迹分析

真核翻译延伸因子1A（eEF1A）是真核生物蛋白质翻译过程中能将氨酰tRNA运送到核糖体A位点参与多肽延伸反应的多功能蛋白质. 本文主要利用多种生物信息学分析工具进行地中海涡虫翻译延伸因子1A（SmEF1A）蛋白序列的查找与eEF1A直系同源蛋白的搜索, 并基于90条直系同源蛋白进行eEF1A蛋白家族的进化踪迹分析和SmEF1A蛋白功能位点的比较研究. 结果表明,在eEF1A蛋白家族中共识别到338个踪迹残基位点和20个踪迹残基富集区域,SmEF1A蛋白的功能位点与踪迹残基位点密切相关,与GTP/Mg2+结合相关的S21、T72、D91、G94等重要位点均为全家族保守的踪迹残基,N 糖基化、磷酸化等蛋白修饰位点中踪迹残基位点往往是被修饰的部位或修饰功能发挥的关键辅助位点,而位于分子表面的配基结合口袋则与20个踪迹残基富集区域在分子表面形成的踪迹残基簇关系密切. eEF1A蛋白家族的进化踪迹分析为eEF1A蛋白重要功能区域关键残基的确定和未知功能位点的预测提供了重要信息.     

A型流感病毒NS1蛋白结构研究进展

近年来A型流感严重威胁着人类和畜禽的健康,随着研究的深入,人们已经发现A型流感病毒的NS1蛋白对病毒毒力有重要影响,是一个多功能毒力因子、宿主细胞抗病毒免疫抑制子。根据其功能的不同分为效应区和RNA结合域。目前NS1蛋白结构已经解析,使人们可以直观的认识其各个功能位点的作用机制。该文综述了NS1蛋白的结构特征、已知的功能位点及其功能,为在结构水平上研究NS1蛋白的功能提供参考。     

心肌肌钙蛋白Ⅰ的磷酸化与非磷酸化调节

由于心肌肌钙蛋白复合体Ⅰ亚基(Troponin Ⅰ,TnⅠ)特殊的分子结构,使其在心肌收缩过程中起"分子开关"的重要作用.心肌TnⅠ具有6个磷酸化位点,第23/24位丝氨酸残基可被蛋白激酶A(PKA)、蛋白激酶D(PKD)和蛋白激酶G(PKG)磷酸化,发挥正性肌力作用;第43/45位丝氨酸残基以及第144位酪氨酸残基可被蛋白激酶C(PKC)磷酸化,可能主要起负性肌力作用;蛋白激活激酶(PAK)磷酸化第149位丝氨酸残基后的作用尚待探明.另外,经蛋白水解酶calpain降解含磷酸化位点的片段,产生去磷酸化作用;亦可通过降解一些特定片段来改变TnⅠ空间构象,引起非磷酸化调节作用.     

Amer2 Protein Interacts with EB1 Protein and Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) and Controls Microtubule Stability and Cell Migration

EB1 is key factor in the organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton by binding to the plus-ends of microtubules and serving as a platform for a number of interacting proteins (termed +TIPs) that control microtubule dynamics. Together with its direct binding partner adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), EB1 can stabilize microtubules. Here, we show that Amer2 (APC membrane recruitment 2), a previously identified membrane-associated APC-binding protein, is a direct interaction partner of EB1 and acts as regulator of microtubule stability together with EB1. Amer2 binds to EB1 via specific (S/T)xIP motifs and recruits it to the plasma membrane. Coexpression of Amer2 and EB1 generates stabilized microtubules at the plasma membrane, whereas knockdown of Amer2 leads to destabilization of microtubules. Knockdown of Amer2, APC, or EB1 reduces cell migration, and morpholino-mediated down-regulation of Xenopus Amer2 blocks convergent extension cell movements, suggesting that the Amer2-EB1-APC complex regulates cell migration by altering microtubule stability.     

Structural insights into the EB1-APC interaction

EB1 proteins bind to microtubule ends where they act in concert with other components, including the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumor suppressor, to regulate the microtubule filament system. We find that EB1 is a stable dimer with a parallel coiled coil and show that dimerization is essential for the formation of its C-terminal domain (EB1-C). The crystal structure of EB1-C reveals a highly conserved surface patch with a deep hydrophobic cavity at its center. EB1-C binds two copies of an APC-derived C-terminal peptide (C-APCp1) with equal 5 microM affinity. The conserved APC Ile2805-Pro2806 sequence motif serves as an anchor for the interaction of C-APCp1 with the hydrophobic cavity of EB1-C. Phosphorylation of the conserved Cdc2 site Ser2789-Lys2792 in C-APCp1 reduces binding four-fold, indicating that the interaction APC-EB1 is post-translationally regulated in cells. Our findings provide a basis for understanding the dynamic crosstalk of EB1 proteins with their molecular targets in eukaryotic organisms.     

Structural and functional characterization of the Wnt inhibitor APC membrane recruitment 1 (Amer1)

Amer1/WTX binds to the tumor suppressor adenomatous polyposis coli and acts as an inhibitor of Wnt signaling by inducing β-catenin degradation. We show here that Amer1 directly interacts with the armadillo repeats of β-catenin via a domain consisting of repeated arginine-glutamic acid-alanine (REA) motifs, and that Amer1 assembles the β-catenin destruction complex at the plasma membrane by recruiting β-catenin, adenomatous polyposis coli, and Axin/Conductin. Deletion or specific mutations of the membrane binding domain of Amer1 abolish its membrane localization and abrogate negative control of Wnt signaling, which can be restored by artificial targeting of Amer1 to the plasma membrane. In line, a natural splice variant of Amer1 lacking the plasma membrane localization domain is deficient for Wnt inhibition. Knockdown of Amer1 leads to the activation of Wnt target genes, preferentially in dense compared with sparse cell cultures, suggesting that Amer1 function is regulated by cell contacts. Amer1 stabilizes Axin and counteracts Wnt-induced degradation of Axin, which requires membrane localization of Amer1. The data suggest that Amer1 exerts its negative regulatory role in Wnt signaling by acting as a scaffold protein for the β-catenin destruction complex and promoting stabilization of Axin at the plasma membrane.     

Promoter analysis of tumor suppressor gene PTEN: identification of minimum promoter region

Mutations of PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 10, which encodes a protein-tyrosine and lipid-phosphatase, are prevalent in various human cancers, including glioblastoma. Despite extensive characterization of PTEN mutations in human cancers and a relatively good understanding of the molecular roles of PTEN in the control of cellular processes, little is known about modes of PTEN regulation. To understand the regulation of expression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, we isolated a 2212 bp fragment from the human BAC clone 46B12 DNA. The 3' end of this fragment starts at the Not I site of -745 relative to the first translation codon ATG (+1) and ends at the Sal I site of -2957 at the 5' end. Using classical 5'RACE and primer extension techniques, nine start sites were observed between -817 and -984 upstream of the ATG start site. We located a 137 bp fragment (-958/-821) as the minimum promoter region using promoter deletion and luciferase assays. A 704 bp fragment (-33/-737) downstream of the 2212 bp fragment was also cloned. As indicated by luciferase assays, the data show that this region possesses no promoter function. Interestingly, a p53 binding sequence is located within the 599 bp fragment (-1344/-745), although p53 expression had a minimal effect on PTEN, demonstrating its insignificant role in PTEN gene expression.     

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) tumor suppressor

Defects in the APC gene are inarguably linked to the progression of colon cancers that arise both sporadically and through the transmission of germline mutations. Genetic evidence from humans and mouse models suggest that APC is a classic tumor suppressor in that both alleles likely require inactivation for tumor growth to ensue. Nearly all of the mutations, germline and somatic, result in premature termination of the single polypeptide chain, normally consisting of 2843 amino acids. Several definable motifs have now been mapped to the linear amino acid sequence of the APC polypeptide. These include an oligomerization domain, armadillo repeats, binding sites for β-catenin, the human discs large protein, microtubules, and other proteins of unknown function. Inactivation of APC in cancer is likely due to loss of function(s) normally associated with the deleted protein structure.     

Defining the CD59-C9 binding interaction

CD59 is a membrane glycoprotein that regulates formation of the cytolytic membrane attack complex (MAC or C5b-9) on host cell membranes. It functions by binding to C8 (alpha chain) and C9 after their structural rearrangement during MAC assembly. Previous studies indicated that the CD59 binding site in C9 was located within a 25-residue disulfide-bonded loop, and in C8alpha was located within a 51-residue sequence that overlaps the CD59 binding region of C9. By peptide screens and the use of peptides in binding assays, functional assays, and computer modeling and docking studies, we have identified a 6-residue sequence of human C9, spanning residues 365-371, as the primary CD59 recognition domain involved in CD59-mediated regulation of MAC formation. The data also indicate that both C8alpha and C9 bind to a similar or overlapping site on CD59. Furthermore, data from CD59-peptide docking models are consistent with the C9 binding site on CD59 located at a hydrophobic pocket, putatively identified previously by CD59 mutational and modeling studies.