高等植物中蛋白磷酸酶2C的结构与功能

蛋白质磷酸化／去磷酸化是生物信号级联传递的重要方式之一,主要通过生化性质互为对立的蛋白激酶和蛋白磷酸酶实现。蛋白磷酸酶2C(PP2C)是蛋白磷酸酶的一个分支,其生化性质、蛋白质组成与结构都和其他磷酸酶显著不同,但都在生物信号传递中扮演重要角色。高等植物中PP2C广泛参与脱落酸(ABA)的各种信号途径,包括ABA诱导的种子萌发／休眠、保卫细胞及离子通道调控和气孔关闭、逆境胁迫等。PP2C也多样地参与植物创伤反应、生长发育以及抗病性等各个途径。作为大多数信号途径的负调控因子,PP2C能直接与激酶结合,与其他调控蛋白结合,以及直接与DNA结合调控相关基因的表达。     

植物PP2C蛋白磷酸酶ABA信号转导及逆境胁迫调控机制研究进展

蛋白磷酸酶(protein phosphatase,PP)是蛋白质可逆磷酸化调节机制中的关键酶,而PP2C磷酸酶是一类丝氨酸/苏氨酸残基蛋白磷酸酶,是高等植物中最大的蛋白磷酸酶家族,包含76个家族成员,广泛存在于生物体中。迄今为止,在植物体内已经发现了4种PP2C蛋白磷酸酶。蛋白激酶和蛋白磷酸酶协同催化蛋白质可逆磷酸化,在植物体内信号转导和生理代谢中起着重要的调节作用,蛋白质的磷酸化几乎存在于所有的信号转导途径中。大量研究表明,PP2Cs参与多条信号转导途径,包括PP2C参与ABA调控,对干旱、低温、高盐等逆境胁迫的响应,参与植物创伤和种子休眠或萌发等信号途径,其调控机制不同,但酶催化活性都依赖于Mg2+或Mn2+的浓度。植物PP2C蛋白的C端催化结构域高度保守,而N端功能各异。文中还综述了高等植物PP2C的分类、结构、ABA受体与PP2Cs蛋白互作、PP2C基因参与ABA信号途径以及其他逆境信号转导途径的研究进展。     

PYR/PYL/RCAR蛋白介导植物ABA的信号转导

脱落酸(ABA)在各个植物生长发育阶段以及植物对生物与非生物胁迫的响应过程中都发挥着重要的作用。最近研究表明,在ABA信号转导途径中有3种核心组份:ABA受体PYR/PYL/RCAR蛋白、负调控因子2C类蛋白磷酸酶(PP2C)和正调控因子SNF1相关的蛋白激酶2(SnRK2),它们共同组成了一个双重负调控系统——PYR/PYL/RCAR—|PP2C—|SnRK2来调控ABA信号转导及其下游反应,且3种核心组份在植物体内的结合方式受时空和生化等因素的影响,通过特定组合形成的ABA信号转导复合体介导特定的ABA信号反应。文章就PYR/PYL/RCAR蛋白介导的植物ABA信号识别与转导途径的分子基础及其调控机制,以及PYR/PYL/RCAR—PP2C—SnRK2参与的ABA信号调控网络等研究进展做一概述,并对该领域今后的研究进行了展望。     

PYR/PYL/RCAR蛋白介导植物ABA的信号转导

脱落酸(ABA)在各个植物生长发育阶段以及植物对生物与非生物胁迫的响应过程中都发挥着重要的作用。最近研究表明, 在ABA信号转导途径中有3种核心组份：ABA受体PYR/PYL/RCAR蛋白、负调控因子2C类蛋白磷酸酶(PP2C)和正调控因子SNF1相关的蛋白激酶2(SnRK2), 它们共同组成了一个双重负调控系统-- PYR/PYL/RCAR-| PP2C-| SnRK2来调控ABA信号转导及其下游反应, 且3种核心组份在植物体内的结合方式受时空和生化等因素的影响, 通过特定组合形成的ABA信号转导复合体介导特定的ABA信号反应。文章就PYR/PYL/RCAR蛋白介导的植物ABA信号识别与转导途径的分子基础及其调控机制, 以及PYR/PYL/RCAR-PP2C-SnRK2参与的ABA信号调控网络等研究进展做一概述, 并对该领域今后的研究进行了展望。     

甘蓝型油菜BnaCIPK15基因的表达分析与功能鉴定

CBL-CIPK是高等植物中广泛存在的一类解析Ca~(2+)信号的蛋白。该研究在前期工作基础上,对甘蓝型油菜(Brassica napus L.)的BnaCIPK15基因进行了亚细胞定位、双分子荧光互补(BiFC)、酵母双杂交和qRT-PCR检测等一系列分析,以探究BnaCIPK15蛋白在ABA激素响应中的作用。结果显示:(1)亚细胞定位发现,BnaCIPK15蛋白定位于细胞质和细胞核中; BiFC分析发现,BnaCIPK15蛋白与BnaCBL1/3/4/9蛋白之间的互作较强,与BnaCBL10仅有微弱互作。(2)qRT-PCR检测发现,BnaCIPK15基因受ABA和冷胁迫的诱导极显著上调表达,而对百草枯(Paraquat)、活性氧(H_2O_2)和热胁迫的诱导较弱,表明BnaCIPK15基因很可能参与ABA和冷胁迫的调控过程。(3)酵母滴定实验结果显示,BnaCIPK15蛋白与脱落酸(ABA)信号通路中的BnaHAB1蛋白(属于蛋白磷酸酶PP2C家族)存在明显的互作,而与BnaABFs/AREB3/ABI5转录因子无明显互作;BiFC验证显示,BnaCIPK15与BnaHAB1蛋白之间存在互作信号,而BnaCIPK15与BnaHAB2组合没有观察到信号,证明BnaCIPK15与BnaHAB1磷酸酶具有特异互作特征,推测BnaCIPK15可能参与调控ABA信号转导。研究认为,甘蓝型油菜中可能存在基于BnaCIPK15-BnaHAB1的互作模块,并参与ABA的信号转导和网络调控。     

PP2C相关基因在砂梨休眠进程中的表达分析

对植物蛋白磷酸酶2C(PP2C)相关基因在砂梨Pyrus pyrifolia品系休眠进程中的表达进行分析。结果表明,砂梨PP2C相关基因与李属PP2C基因高度同源。在梨花芽休眠过程中不同PP2C基因调控的作用不同, PP2C-37-1、PP2C-37-2、PP2C-51-1、PP2C-24四个基因与内休眠调控有关,而PP2C-78对于内休眠的解除则有明显作用。PP2C蛋白磷酸酶相关基因注释到植物激素信号转导途径显示,ABA受体PYR/PYL蛋白与PP2C蛋白以及SnRK2(蛋白激酶)蛋白形成ABA信号转导的复合物可以作用于转录因子ABF从而调控梨花芽的休眠。     

植物蛋白磷酸酶2C在非生物胁迫信号通路中的调控作用

植物在非生物胁迫下会产生一系列的形态、生理生化和分子水平上的适应性变化,尤其是非生物胁迫会引起植物体内的蛋白磷酸酶2C(PP2C)基因表达的改变,从而诱导植物合成相关的蛋白以适应胁迫。植物中有不同类型的PP2C亚群,各种PP2C亚群能够通过不同的信号途径参与胁迫应答,因此在植物响应非生物胁迫的过程中发挥重要作用。综述了植物PP2C在非生物胁迫信号通路中的作用机制。     

保卫细胞中ABA信号调控机制研究进展

脱落酸(ABA)具有调节植物快速响应逆境的重要功能。植物细胞中ABA核心信号通路由ABA受体PYR1/PYLs/ RCARs、A类碱性蛋白磷酸酶PP2Cs和Snf1相关蛋白激酶SnRK2s组成。活性氧(ROS)和Ca²⁺是保卫细胞中的重要第二信使, 调控ABA诱导的气孔关闭。该文对保卫细胞中核心ABA信号蛋白的调控以及ROS和Ca²⁺介导的ABA信号转导等最新研究成果进行综述, 旨在阐明保卫细胞中ABA信号调控机制。     

OST1调控植物气孔运动和逆境响应的研究进展

SnRK2(SNF1-related protein kinase 2)家族在调控植物应答和抵御逆境方面发挥着重要作用。Open Stomata 1(OST1)/SnRK2.6是该家族的成员,具有典型的丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶保守域,并主要在保卫细胞中表达。在逆境胁迫下,蛋白磷酸酶2C解除对OST1蛋白激酶的抑制,随后OST1蛋白激酶启动对下游信号组分的调控作用并引起气孔运动。本研究综述了OST1蛋白激酶的结构特征,主要概述OST1蛋白激酶与蛋白磷酸酶、转录因子和离子通道的调控关系,最后对相关的研究进行了展望。     

巴西橡胶树6个PP2C家族基因成员分子信息学与抗旱功能分析

PP2C是一类丝氨酸/苏氨酸残基蛋白磷酸酶,在高等植物ABA信号途径中起着重要的作用。为阐明巴西橡胶树中PP2C基因的结构与功能,本研究通过生物信息学方法,从橡胶树转录组数据库中鉴定并获得6个PP2C家族基因,均含有PP2CD、F1和F2亚族。通过qRT-PCR技术对6个PP2C家族基因进行了干旱处理下的差异表达分析,发现6个基因都不同程度上响应橡胶树干旱胁迫。本研究为探究PP2C基因在橡胶树抗干旱反应机制提供了理论依据。     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.