组蛋白翻译后修饰在卵巢功能调控中的作用

卵巢是雌性哺乳动物的生殖器官,担负着产生成熟卵子和分泌性激素的功能。卵巢的功能调控涉及细胞生长和分化相关基因的有序激活和抑制。近年研究发现组蛋白翻译后修饰因可影响DNA复制、损伤修复及基因转录活性,且一些调节组蛋白修饰的酶为转录因子相关的共激活因子或共抑制因子,在卵巢功能调控和相关疾病发生和发展中起重要作用。本文以卵泡发育和性激素分泌与作用的机制为主线,概括常见组蛋白修饰(主要是乙酰化和甲基化)在生殖周期中的动态变化规律及其对重要分子事件的基因表达调控,如组蛋白乙酰化的特殊动态变化对卵母细胞减数分裂的阻滞与恢复意义重大,而组蛋白(尤其是H3K4)甲基化通过调控卵母细胞的染色质转录活性与减数分裂进程影响其成熟,排卵前组蛋白乙酰化或甲基化亦可促进类固醇激素的合成与分泌等。最后简述了异常组蛋白翻译后修饰在两种常见卵泡发育障碍性疾病(早发性卵巢功能不全、多囊卵巢综合征)发生和发展中的作用。本综述将为理解卵巢功能的复杂调控机制和探索相关疾病的潜在治疗靶点提供有益参考。     

精子发生过程中翻译后修饰的蛋白质组学研究进展

精子发生由一系列多阶段、复杂的生物学事件所组成,受到多因素的调控。精子发生过程存在翻译延迟的现象,因此转录和蛋白表达水平变化不完全一致。蛋白质的翻译后修饰作为蛋白质功能的重要调控方式,在精子发生过程中起着重要调控作用。近年来,蛋白质组学(proteomics)的发展促进了蛋白质翻译后修饰的解析和功能研究。本文综述了精子发生过程中多种翻译后修饰的蛋白质组学研究进展,并讨论了它们在精子发生、精子功能和男性生育能力中的作用以及它们在未来临床诊疗中的价值。     

植物叶绿体基因组基因表达调控的研究

叶绿体基因的表达在许多方面与原核基因表达相似,所以最早的理论认为叶绿体基因的表达与原核相似,是在转录起始水平上的调控,进一步的研究认为叶绿体基因表达调控是在不同水平上进行的如：转录水平的调节、转录后调节与修饰、翻译和翻译后修饰等。     

翻译后修饰对转录因子NF-E2相关因子2功能的调控

抗氧化反应组件（AREs）普遍存在于编码抗氧化和/或解毒酶基因的启动子区域,为这些基因的转录启动所必需;而这些基因的表达对维持细胞内氧化还原稳态,抵抗活性氧类（ROS）引起的细胞损伤发挥重要作用。转录因子NF E2相关因子2(nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2, NRF2)作为抗氧化反应中的关键转录因子,可以与ARE结合,启动其下游靶基因,在氧化应激及亲电子剂应激中发挥重要的调控作用,广泛参与炎症、增殖、凋亡、细胞分化、组织再生和代谢等过程;因此,激活NRF2有望成为治疗肿瘤及其他与氧化、炎症相关疾病的新策略。蛋白质的翻译后修饰,对蛋白质空间构象、稳定性及其与其他蛋白质间相互作用具有重要作用。因此,探究NRF2的翻译后修饰如磷酸化、乙酰化和泛素化的修饰过程等,对深入了解NRF2的功能及调控机制至关重要,并与某些疾病的发生发展密切相关。本文对近年来翻译后修饰对NRF2的活性及功能的调控进行综述。     

PPARγ的翻译后修饰

过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ(peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma,PPARγ)是一种配体依赖性核转录因子,它具有调控细胞分化、脂肪代谢、糖代谢及炎症等多种生物学功能.机体对PPARγ转录活性的调控方式是多种多样的,包括蛋白表达水平、配体以及转录辅助因子等不同层次上的调控.近年来众多证据揭示,蛋白翻译后修饰(posttranslational modifications,PTMs)是机体调节PPARγ转录活性的另一重要方式.目前,已报道的PPARγ翻译后修饰包括磷酸化、泛素化、SUMO化和亚硝基化等,它们能够改变蛋白构象、调控蛋白相互作用、改变受体与配体间的亲和力,从而调控PPARγ下游基因的转录.重要的是,PPARγ的翻译后修饰与一些疾病如糖尿病、动脉粥样硬化、肿瘤等密切相关.本文将主要围绕PPARγ的各种翻译后修饰及其在疾病的发生、发展和治疗中的意义作一综述.     

果蝇昼夜节律的调控机制

40多年前的遗传筛选鉴定了第一个果蝇生物钟基因period,开启了果蝇生物钟调控机制的研究。随着更多生物钟基因被发现,一个由转录水平的调控及转录后水平的修饰组成的负反馈环路模型逐步形成,被认为是调控昼夜节律的核心分子机制。生物钟驱动果蝇脑内约150个神经元的活动,这些神经元在不同的环境条件下通过不同的方式互作,共同调控果蝇的行为节律。昼夜环境变化中最显著的是明暗变化。蓝光受体cryptochrome在光对昼夜节律的调控中起重要作用。     

生物钟在粗糙脉孢菌中的运行机制

尽管真菌和哺乳动物进化上相差很远,但在分子水平上,它们的生物钟作用机理却保守相似,由正调控元件和负调控元件组成的负反馈环路驱动着节律基因的表达。粗糙脉孢菌生物钟的正调控元件WC-1和WC-2激活中心振荡器frq基因的表达,而负调控元件FRQ和FRH抑制正调控元件的转录活性。负反馈环路涉及转录、转录后、翻译和翻译后等不同水平的调节,多种蛋白激酶和磷酸酶参与这一过程,蛋白泛素化和蛋白酶体也是不可缺少的环节。     

基因转录后调控在DNA损伤反应中的重要功能

DNA损伤发生时,细胞会激活一系列复杂的信号网络来调控细胞周期检查,完成DNA损伤修复或当损伤超过修复能力时诱导凋亡,这一信号网络被称为DNA损伤反应(DNA damage response,DDR)。以往DDR信号网络的研究主要集中于基因转录调控和蛋白共价修饰对功能分子的稳定性和活性调控。近年来,mRNA稳定性调控和mRNA翻译调控等基因转录后调控机制在DDR中的重要作用引起研究者越来越多的关注。研究证明:多种microRNAs和RNA结合蛋白(RNA-binding proteins,RBPs)在转录后水平调控诸多重要功能蛋白的表达,在DDR信号网络中起着不可或缺的作用。文章针对DDR反应中转录后调控的研究进展以及参与其中的microRNAs和RBPs进行阐述和讨论。     

基因表达与mRNA结构的关系

基因的转录调控和转录后水平的调控在基因表达过程中起着重要作用。mRNA的结构与基因表达调控的关系非常密切。目前对于mRNA结构对表达的影响因素,主要集中于起始密码子和S-D序列的结构和间隔长度、基因和基因间的间隔区序列和长度,5’末端与3’末端非翻译区、多聚（A）尾、内含子序列对翻译起始效率、发夹结构对mRNA的稳定性的影响和mRNA翻译起始区等对基因表达影响。     

植物microRNAs研究进展

植物microRNAs(miRNAs)是一类与RNA诱导沉默复合体相关的约由22个核苷酸组成的单链小RNA分子, 其主要功能是, 通过特异性剪切靶mRNA或阻遏靶mRNA的正常翻译在转录后水平调控基因的负表达。植物miRNAs的靶标主要是参与调控植物生长发育和防御应答的转录因子家族。文章主要综述miRNAs在植物体内的生物发生、作用机制及其调控作用研究新进展。     

生物钟基因研究新进展

生物钟基因普遍存在于生物界,其作用在于产生和控制昼夜节律的运转。生物钟基因及其编码的蛋白质组成反馈回路,维持振荡系统持续进行并与环境周期保持同步。各级进化水平物种生物钟的基因组成和控制途径有同有异。此文主要介绍蓝细菌、脉孢菌、果蝇、鼠和人昼夜钟的分子运作机制以及研究钟基因的意义和展望。 Abstract:The circadian clock genes,which generate and control the running of the circadian rhythms,exist in organisms ranging from prokaryotes to mammals.The oscillator genes and its coding proteins compose the feedback loops of circadian system.The kind,number and regulating route of clock genes are characterized by living things at different evolution levels.The molecular mechanism of the run of circadian clock genes in cyanobacteria,neurospore,fruit fly,mouse and human being is introduced in this article.     

Dynamic proteomic analysis reveals diurnal homeostasis of key pathways in rice leaves

Diurnal physiological acclimation regulated by a circadian system is an advantage for plant fitness. The circadian system is composed of a signal input, the clock and output pathways. Understanding the regulation mechanism of the output pathways remains a major challenge. Diurnal proteomic change reflects the state of circadian organization. We found the content of glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch diurnally changed in leaves of rice seedlings grown under a 12-h light/12-h dark condition with constant temperature. Dynamic proteomics analysis revealed 140 protein spots with diurnally changed levels at six times of the light/dark cycle; 132 spots were identified by MS, and 119 spots were of a single protein each with functional annotation. These proteins are involved in regulation of carbohydrate flow, redox, protein folding, nitrogen and protein metabolism, energy conversion, photorespiration and photosynthesis. Of these proteins, 81.5% were upregulated during the light phase, overlappingly, 41.2% showed behavior of circadian anticipation to dawn. Pattern analysis showed that the diurnal regulation involved pathways of allocation of carbohydrates between temporary reserves and consumption, maintenance of redox homeostasis, diurnal protein reassembly and nitrogen assimilation. These pathways reflect biochemical phenotypes of the circadian change linking the oscillator and circadian outputs.     

Circadian proteomics of the mouse retina

The circadian clock in the retina regulates a variety of physiological phenomena such as disc shedding and melatonin release. Although these events are critical for retinal functions, it is almost unknown how the circadian clock controls the physiological rhythmicity. To gain insight into the processes, we performed a proteomic analysis using 2-DE to find proteins whose levels show circadian changes. Among 415 retinal protein spots, 11 protein spots showed circadian rhythmicity in their intensities. We performed MALDI-TOF MS and NanoLC-MS/MS analyses and identified proteins contained in the 11 spots. The proteins were related to vesicular transport, calcium-binding, protein degradation, metabolism, RNA-binding, and protein foldings, suggesting the clock-regulation of neurotransmitter release, transportation of the membrane proteins, calcium-binding capability, and so on. We also found a rhythmic phosphorylation of N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein and identified one of the amino acid residues modified by phosphorylation. These findings provide a new perspective on the relationship between the physiological functions of the retina and the circadian clock system.     

Potential Conservation of Circadian Clock Proteins in the phylum Nematoda as Revealed by Bioinformatic Searches

Although several circadian rhythms have been described in C. elegans, its molecular clock remains elusive. In this work we employed a novel bioinformatic approach, applying probabilistic methodologies, to search for circadian clock proteins of several of the best studied circadian model organisms of different taxa (Mus musculus, Drosophila melanogaster, Neurospora crassa, Arabidopsis thaliana and Synechoccocus elongatus) in the proteomes of C. elegans and other members of the phylum Nematoda. With this approach we found that the Nematoda contain proteins most related to the core and accessory proteins of the insect and mammalian clocks, which provide new insights into the nematode clock and the evolution of the circadian system.     

蓝藻生物钟分子机理的研究进展

蓝藻是具有内源性生物钟的简单生物.虽然蓝藻生物钟具有跟真核生物同样的基础特征,但其相关基因和蛋白质与真核生物没有同源性.蓝藻生物钟的核心是kai基因簇及其编码的蛋白KaiA,KaiB和KaiC.这三种Kai蛋白相互作用调节KaiC的磷酸化状态,从而产生昼夜节律信息.KaiC的磷酸化循环是昼夜节律的起博器,调控包括kai基因在内的相关基因的节律性表达.组氨酸蛋白激酶的磷酸化传递可将环境信息输入和将节律信息输出生物钟核心.     

Antibodies for assessing circadian clock proteins in the rodent suprachiasmatic nucleus

Research on the mechanisms underlying circadian rhythmicity and the response of brain and body clocks to environmental and physiological challenges requires assessing levels of circadian clock proteins. Too often, however, it is difficult to acquire antibodies that specifically and reliably label these proteins. Many of these antibodies also lack appropriate validation. The goal of this project was to generate and characterize antibodies against several circadian clock proteins. We examined mice and hamsters at peak and trough times of clock protein expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In addition, we confirmed specificity by testing the antibodies on mice with targeted disruption of the relevant genes. Our results identify antibodies against PER1, PER2, BMAL1 and CLOCK that are useful for assessing circadian clock proteins in the SCN by immunocytochemistry.