The interaction between human PEX3 and PEX19 characterized by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis

The process of peroxisome biogenesis involves several PEX genes that encode the machinery required to assemble the organelle. Among the corresponding peroxins the interaction between PEX3 and PEX19 is essential for early peroxisome biogenesis. However, the intracellular site of this protein interaction is still unclear. To address this question by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis, we engineered the enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) to the C-terminus of PEX3 and the enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (ECFP) to the N-terminus of PEX19. Functionality of the fusion proteins was shown by transfection of human PEX3- and PEX19-deficient fibroblasts from Zellweger patients with tagged versions of PEX3 and PEX19. This led to reformation of import-competent peroxisomes in both cell lines previously lacking detectable peroxisomal membrane structures. The interaction of PEX3-EYFP with ECFP-PEX19 in a PEX3-deficient cell line during peroxisome biogenesis was visualized by FRET imaging. Although PEX19 was predominantly localized to the cytoplasma, the peroxisome was identified to be the main intracellular site of the PEX3-PEX19 interaction. Results were confirmed and quantified by donor fluorescence photobleaching experiments. PEX3 deletion proteins lacking the N-terminal peroxisomal targeting sequence (PEX3 34-373-EYFP) or the PEX19-binding domain located in the C-terminal half of the protein (PEX3 1-140-EYFP) did not show the characteristic peroxisomal localization of PEX3, but were mislocalized to the cytoplasm (PEX3 34-373-EYFP) or to the mitochondria (PEX3 1-140-EYFP) and did not interact with ECFP-PEX19. We suggest that FRET is a suitable tool to gain quantitative spatial information about the interaction of peroxins during the process of peroxisome biogenesis in single cells. These findings complement and extend data from conventional in vitro protein interaction assays and support the hypothesis of PEX3 being an anchor for PEX19 at the peroxisomal membrane.     

Green fluorescent protein as a marker in transgenic mice

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) found in Aequorea victoria absorbs blue light and emits green fluorescence without exogenous substrates or co-factors. We studied the possibility of using the GFP as a marker in mammals. Transgenic mice were produced using the GFP coding sequence, ligated with the chicken beta-actin promoter. Green fluorescence was observed in muscle, pancreas, kidney, heart and other organs in all the three transgenic mouse lines. Detection of the transgenic mouse was possible by observing a tail or fingers of new born pups under a fluorescent microscope. The marker also enabled us to detect localized expression of the transgene in intact tissues without preliminary steps. It was also demonstrated that the GFP expression could be quantified by measuring the fluorescence in tissue extracts.     

Development of Transgenic Mice Expressing Calcitonin as a Beta-lactoglobulin Fusion Protein in Mammary Gland

Expression of foreign proteins in mammalian milk is becoming a widespread strategy for high-level production of recombinant pharmaceuticals, especially those with the most complex post-translational modifications. A milk-specific ovine beta-lactoglobulin (oBLG) promoter was used to drive expression of recombinant calcitonin in mouse milk. A gene construct was generated, consisting of 10.7 kbp of the oBLG gene including its promoter and 3′ flanking region with the calcitonin coding sequences inserted in-frame into the oBLG fifth exon. After microinjection, six founder mice transmitted the transgene to their progeny. RT-PCR confirmed mammary-gland specific expression of recombinant mRNA in most transgenic mice and Western blot analysis confirmed expression of chimeric protein. Calcitonin can thus be expressed under the oBLG promoter and regulatory elements in a mammary-gland specific manner.     

Human placental alkaline phosphatase as a histochemical marker of gene expression in transgenic mice

The human placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) gene was analysed for its utility as a histochemically detectable reporter gene in transgenic mice. A reporter gene was made by linking the PLAP structural gene to an enhancerpromoter element from the human -actin gene. This gene was inserted into the mouse genome by transfection of embryonic stem cells, and by microinjection of fertilized eggs. Histochemical staining showed that the transgene was uniformly expressed in four of four stable ES cell lines, and in all ten tissues examined from adult animals from five lines of transgenic mice. Non-transgenic cells did not stain. These results suggest that the human PLAP gene will be of utility in studies requiring phenotypic marking of cells in tissues of mice.     

绿色荧光蛋白转基因小鼠的生理生化常数

目的测定绿色荧光蛋白转基因小鼠不同年龄段的生理生化、组织病理学等方面的指标,为该品种转基因小鼠应用于毒理学等领域研究提供理论依据。方法定期测定不同周龄段(4～6周龄,6～8周龄,9～12周龄,13～14周龄)141只绿色荧光蛋白转基因(GFP)小鼠和100只对照组C57BL/6J小鼠的体重和摄食量,对上述两种动物定期取血,测定血生化及血液学指标,对动物进行大体解剖,计算主要脏器(心、肝、脾、肺、肾、脑、胸腺,性腺)的脏器系数并进行组织病理学检测。结果①体重和摄食量:4周龄的GFP小鼠,其体重明显低于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01);4～5周龄的GFP小鼠,其摄食量明显高于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01)。②血常规测定:6～8周龄,9～12周龄的GFP小鼠,其红细胞计数(RBC)明显低于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01);9～12周龄,13～14周龄的GFP小鼠,其白细胞计数(WBC)明显高于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01)。③血生化测定:6～8周龄,9～12周龄,13～14周龄的GFP小鼠,其尿酸(UA)值明显高于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01);6～8周龄,9～12周龄的GFP小鼠,其总蛋白(TP),白蛋白(ALB)明显低于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01)。④脏器系数:6～8周龄,9～12周龄的GFP小鼠,其胸腺的脏器系数明显低于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01);9～12周龄,13～14周龄的GFP小鼠,其肝脏的脏器系数明显高于对照组,差异具有显著性(P<0.01)。⑤病理检测:6～8周龄有部分GFP小鼠胸腺发育不良,其他受检脏器和其他年龄段动物未见明显病理改变。结论①绿色荧光蛋白转基因小鼠与对照组C57BL/6J小鼠相比,在体重(4周龄)、摄食量(4～5周龄)、血常规(红细胞计数RBC、白细胞计数WBC、血红蛋白HGB)、血生化(尿酸UA、总蛋白TP、白蛋白ALB)、脏器系数(胸腺,肝脏)等指标上存在明显差异,但是其值均在正常范围内。②绿色荧光蛋白转基因小鼠在6～8周龄有部分小鼠胸腺发育不良。     

乙型肝炎病毒蛋白和绿色荧光蛋白的共表达研究

目的：构建增强型绿色荧光蛋白（EGFP）标记的乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）真核表达载体,并研究其在真核细胞和小鼠体内的共表达。方法：以质粒pBR322-HBVadr2．0和pCX-EGFP为基础,构建含有双拷贝HBV全基因组DNA和EGFP基因的真核表达载体pCX-EGFP-HBVadr2．0,分别转染真核细胞和小鼠肝组织,建立体外、体内表达系统,研究GFP和HBV基因的表达。结果：构建了真核表达载体pCX-EGFP-HBVadr2．0,EGFP和HBV病毒蛋白在体内和体外均可表达。结论：构建的pCX-EGFP-HBVadr2．0真核表达载体可以GFP作为HBV存在与否的报告基因,提高了培育检测转基因小鼠的效率,为转基因小鼠的制备及后续研究奠定了基础。     

绿色荧光蛋白cDNA在腺病毒重组载体转染中的应用

绿色荧光蛋白（green fluorescent protein, GFP）基因是目前发现的唯一能在细胞内表达,且不需要其他外源底物参与的全新报告基因.将GFP cDNA与腺病毒载体pAdE1CMV重组,以lipofectin转染293细胞（一种人胚肾细胞）,观察其在真核细胞内的表达情况,为转基因技术提供了新的监测方法.     

Use of red fluorescent protein from Discosoma sp. (dsRED) as a reporter for plant gene expression

The suitability of the recently described red fluorescent protein dsRED from reef corals for use as a reporter in plant molecular biology was investigated. Based on the clone pDSRED (Clontech), plant expression vectors were constructed for constitutive dsRED expression in the cytosol, the endoplasmic reticulum and the vacuole. Fluorescence microscopy of tobacco BY2 suspension culture cells transiently expressing the plant vectors generated proved that cytosolic expression of the dsRED gives rise to readily detectable levels of red fluorescence, whereas expression in the ER was poor. Vacuolar dsRED expression did not result in any significant fluorescence. dsRED transgenic tobacco SR1 plants were generated to test the sensitivity of dsRED as a reporter in an autofluorescent background, and to identify the possible impact of the introduced fluorescent protein on morphogenesis, plant development and fertility. During the transformation and regeneration phase plants did not show any abnormalities, indicating that dsRED is not interfering with plant development and morphogenesis. Regenerated plants were analysed by PCR, Western blot and fluorescence microscopy for the presence and expression of the transferred genes. The filter sets chosen for fluorescence microscopy proved to be able to block the red chlorophyll fluorescence completely, allowing specific dsRED detection. Best expression levels were obtained with dsRED targeted to the cytosol or chloroplasts. ER-targeted expression of dsRED also gave rise to readily detectable fluorescence levels, whereas vacuolar expression yielded no fluorescence. dsRED transgenic plant lines expressing the protein in the cytosol, ER or chloroplast proved to be fertile. Seed set and germination were normal, except that the seeds and seedlings maintained the red fluorescence phenotype.     

橙色荧光蛋白的研究进展及其应用

荧光蛋白(Fluorescent protein,FPs)可作为探针用以探究细胞内分子间相互作用,追踪特定代谢物的代谢途径,对活细胞内的各种代谢过程和细胞通路进行详细、准确的描述。目前已有的FPs几乎已经覆盖了从紫外光到远红外光的所有光谱波段,这些FPs借助高分辨率显微技术应用于生命科学的诸多领域,为生物学的发展作出巨大贡献。橙色FPs通常指光谱区间在540–570nm的FPs,近几年来关于橙色FPs的研究进展较快,并且其作为标记蛋白以及荧光共振能量转移技术(Fluorescence resonance energy transfer,FRET)中的荧光受体在生物学及医学领域得到较多的应用。文中综述了近15年橙色FPs领域的相关研究,重点聚焦橙色FPs的发展和应用,为今后橙色FPs的研究提供依据。     

Green fluorescent protein expression in the symbiotic basidiomycete fungus Hebeloma cylindrosporum

The symbiotic basidiomycete Hebeloma cylindrosporum is a model fungal species used to study ectomycorrhizal symbiosis at the molecular level. In order to have a vital marker, we developed a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter system efficiently expressed in H. cylindrosporum using the sgfp coding region bordered by two introns fused to the saprophytic basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea cgl1 promoter. Expression of this reporter system was tested under different environmental conditions in two transformants, and glucose was shown to repress gfp expression. Such a reporter system will be used in plant-fungus interaction to evaluate sugar supply by the plant to the compatible mycorrhizal symbiont and to compare the expression of various genes of interest in the free-living mycelia, in the symbiotic (mycorrhizas) and the reproductive (fruit bodies) structures formed by H. cylindrosporum.