Zif268的锌指DNA结合区在大肠杆菌中的功能性表达

锌指蛋白是最大的蛋白家族,是识别核酸最常见的、最有效的结构元件。通过选择合适的表达载体及诱导表达条件,实现了小鼠转录因子Zif268的锌指DNA结合区在大肠杆菌中的部分可溶性表达。凝胶迁移率移动试验证实纯化的可溶部分锌指DNA结合区可以特异性识别、结合其天然靶序列,提示锌指DNA结合区在大肠杆菌中得到了功能性表达。锌指DNA结合区在大肠杆菌中的功能性表达成功为锌指蛋白DNA相互作用的胞内遗传筛选模型的建立奠定了基础。     

利用序列比较寻找胰岛素基因表达启动区与DNA结合蛋白的结合位点

NDFl、IPFl和HNF4是与胰岛素基因表达有关的DNA结合蛋白,通过比较SWISSPROT蛋白质数据库中人类、小鼠、大鼠这三种核蛋白氨基酸一级序列、模体和结构域,发现其结构十分相似,根据蛋白质结构和功能的关系,推测这些DNA结合蛋白与胰岛素基因结合的核苷酸序列相似;从GenBanl(核酸数据库中获得人类、小鼠、大鼠胰岛素DNA序列,用ClustalW比较三者Promoter区的核苷酸序列,显示有一段核苷酸序列较为相似,同时搜索TRANSFAC基因转录数据库中NDFl、IPFl和NHF4蛋白核苷酸结合位点,发现核酸比对保守的部分序列与TRANSFAC数据库中这三个转录因子的DNA结合位点一致,另外一些核酸保守序列可能为其他未知DNA结合蛋白的结合位点。这种核酸序列比对设计为分子生物学实验寻找和验证胰岛素DNA结合蛋白与核苷酸的结合位点提供了简单而实用的方法。     

RecA蛋白介导的三链核酸结构形成及其序列提取

人工合成的单链DNA分子经PCR扩增形成双链DNA分子。将RecA蛋白与生物素标记的寡聚核酸探针序列在ATPγS存在的情况下共同哺育,使RecA蛋白包裹寡聚核酸探针,然后加入含同源序列的上述双链DNA分子经适当环境哺育形成了稳定的局部三链核酸结构。通过加入链亲和素包裹的磁珠吸附生物素化的探针,这样同源双链DNA分子与寡聚核酸探针形成的局部三链核酸结构也被吸附在磁珠上。使用磁分离装置提取这一结构,逐步降低盐离子浓度以洗脱双链DNA分子。将洗脱液中残留的蛋白质去除,经PCR扩增可获得目的DNA序列。同时使用同源探针和非同源探针在其它序列中提取目的DNA序列,结果显示目的DNA序列只被同源探针提取。实验结果显示了这一三链核酸结构形成的序列特异性,并且其稳定性随盐离子浓度降低而下降。提示在这一结构中同源的寡聚核酸单链与双链DNA分子形成了氢键结合,同时提示使用文中描述的方法可以提取特异的序列,用以克隆相应的基因。     

锌指蛋白与心脏发育

锌指是最大的DNA结合蛋白家族,是最普遍的核酸识别元件.近年来发现锌指参与生物体的基因转录,复制及蛋白质的合成等各种基因调节和控制过程,心脏发育过程中涉及大量锌指基因.综述了心脏发育过程中起重要调控作用的锌指蛋白以及它们的作用机制.     

一种新的与渗调蛋白基因启动子结合的蛋白基因的分离

渗调蛋白基因可受多种外界环境因子的诱导表达 ,并与植物细胞的渗透调节、抗逆境及植物抗病性等重要的生理过程有着密切关系 ,通过寻找与渗调蛋白基因启动子中FA区域DNA结合的蛋白 ,克隆参与该基因表达调控的反式作用因子 ,有利于明确渗调蛋白基因在转录水平上的调控机制 ,揭示外界环境因子通过信号传导系统诱导渗调蛋白基因表达的过程 .利用近年来发展起的酵母单杂交系统 ,从适盐的烟草悬浮细胞的cDNA文库中分离到 1个可与渗调蛋基因启动子中FA片段结合的蛋白因子的基因OPBP1.核酸序列分析表明OPBP1包含有一个完整的阅读框架 ,可编码 2 77个氨基酸 ,氨基酸序列的比较分析表明该蛋白与近年来发现的一类新的DNA结合蛋白如EREBP ,AP ,ANT等具有相同的保守区 ,其中一些氨基酸完全相同 ,OPBP1与EREBP3最接近 ,同属该类新的DNA结合蛋白的第 1组 ,仅有 1个保守区 .     

植物甲基结合蛋白（MBD）

DNA甲基化是生物体内普遍存在的一种基因修饰,甲基结合蛋白（MBD）是与甲基化DNA结合的反式作用因子,在植物生长发育过程中起调控作用。本文介绍了植物DNA甲基化和MBD蛋白在植物生长发育调控中的研究进展,并对其研究前景作了展望。     

“锌指”结构:蛋白质和DNA相互作用的一种模式

锌指结构是DNA结合蛋白的基本模型之一,它广泛存在于真核细胞与基因调控有关的蛋白质中。文章综述了锌指蛋白的发现、存在、结构模型、与DNA结合特点和生物功能,以及近期的研究重点。     

鉴定免疫细胞中DNA疫苗结合蛋白

为研究DNA疫苗从细胞质到细胞核的过程,对免疫细胞中DNA疫苗的结合蛋白进行初步鉴定。 提取小鼠脾脏免疫细胞的细胞质蛋白,将细胞质蛋白分别与 DNA 疫苗 pVAX-OVA 和空载体 pVAX 共孵育,孵育后首先由琼脂糖凝胶电泳分离与DNA结合的蛋白,然后通过SDS-PAGE进行分离和纯化,最后应用质谱技术分析其蛋白组分。质谱结果初步鉴定了免疫细胞中pVAX-OVA 结合的蛋白有IQ motif containing F4 等。免疫细胞中与 pVAX 结合的蛋白有Foxl2,SUV420H2 和 gamma actin 等。Foxl2具有核定位序列,DNA结合区域和与核转运蛋白相互作用的特点,可能对DNA疫苗的进入具有促进作用。这些蛋白质是否可以影响DNA疫苗有效进入细胞核进行基因表达需要进一步研究。     

耻垢分枝杆菌宿主整合因子(IHF)对DNA拓扑结构的影响

结核分枝杆菌(Mycobaterium tuberculosis)是结核病的病原菌,每年导致数百万人死亡.对于分枝杆菌基本生物学特性的研究有助于新的药物及治疗手段的研发.耻垢分枝杆菌(M.smegmatis)是分枝杆菌属中的一种非致病菌,与结核分枝杆菌亲缘关系较近,是实验室常用的研究分枝杆菌的模式菌种.分枝杆菌主要编码三种染色质蛋白,类组蛋白HU、Lsr2和宿主整合因子IHF.为研究IHF在染色体包装中的作用,我们在大肠杆菌中表达、纯化了耻垢分枝杆菌IHF蛋白(MsIHF),并对其影响DNA拓扑结构的性质进行了系统分析.体外研究的结果表明,MsIHF以同二聚体的形式存在,其对负超螺旋DNA具有一定的结合偏好性,同时,该蛋白可以有效地固定DNA负超螺旋.进一步的研究表明,MsIHF可以调控拓扑异构酶的活性.MsIHF的结合明显地抑制拓扑异构酶Ⅰ的松弛活性,而与此相反,该蛋白可以轻微地促进旋转酶引入DNA负超螺旋的能力.以上结果提示,MsIHF可能通过调控拓扑异构酶的活性影响染色体DNA的结构,进而调控其包装.     

棉花脱水应答元件(DRE)结合蛋白GhDBP1的原核表达、纯化及其DNA结合活性

棉花是一种重要的经济作物,其生产和产量要受到干旱、低温和高盐等环境胁迫的影响,因此提高棉花对这些胁迫的抗性非常重要.脱水应答元件(DRE-dehydrationresponsiveelement)结合蛋白(DBP)在调节植物对环境胁迫的抗性中起到非常重要的作用.而且过量表达DBP类基因的转基因植株能够很好抵抗这些环境胁迫,所以研究棉花中此类DRE元件结合蛋白对棉花生产有非常重要的意义.在以前的工作中,从棉花中分离一个DBP基因,命名为GhDBP1并在转录水平上分析它在棉花植株中的表达特征.在研究中,报道了GhDBP1的原核表达、纯化和它的DNA结合特性.GhDBP1基因的编码区用PCR技术扩增出来插入到原核表达载体pET28a中,并转化到大肠杆菌菌株BL21(DE3)中.经过IPTG诱导,GhDBP1融合蛋白在BL21(DE3)菌株中成功进行表达.利用Ni-NTA亲和层析技术得到了纯化的融合蛋白.在非同位素的凝胶滞留实验中,纯化的GhDBP1融合蛋白能够结合到含有DRE元件的DNA片段上.另外,用SWISS-MODEL软件对GhDBP1蛋白的DNA结合区的三维结构进行了计算机模拟.模拟的结果显示,GhDBP1蛋白的DNA结合区的主链结构和折叠模式与已知的拟南芥GCC盒结合蛋白AtERF1的DNA结合区结构很相似.这些结果显示了GhDBP1是一个脱水应答元件(DRE)结合的转录因子,并可能运用与AtERF1的DNA结合区相似的结构和它的目标序列脱水应答元件(DRE)相结合.     

Biochemical activities of highly purified, catalytically active human APOBEC3G: correlation with antiviral effect

APOBEC3G (APO3G), a cytidine deaminase with two zinc finger domains, inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in the absence of Vif. Here, we provide a comprehensive molecular analysis of the deaminase and nucleic acid binding activities of human APO3G using a pure system containing only one protein component, i.e., highly purified, catalytically active enzyme expressed in a baculovirus system. We demonstrate that APO3G deaminates cytosines in single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) only, whereas it binds efficiently to ssDNA and ssRNA, about half as well to a DNA/RNA hybrid, and poorly to double-stranded DNA and RNA. In addition, the base specificities for deamination and binding of ssDNA are not correlated. The minimum length required for detection of APO3G binding to an ssDNA oligonucleotide in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay is 16 nucleotides. Interestingly, if nucleocapsid protein and APO3G are present in the same reaction, we find that they do not interfere with each other's binding to RNA and a complex containing the RNA and both proteins is formed. Finally, we also identify the functional activities of each zinc finger domain. Thus, although both zinc finger domains have the ability to bind nucleic acids, the first zinc finger contributes more to binding and APO3G encapsidation into virions than finger two. In contrast, deamination is associated exclusively with the second zinc finger. Moreover, zinc finger two is more important than finger one for the antiviral effect, demonstrating a correlation between deaminase and antiviral activities.     

Effects of length and position of an extended linker on sequence-selective DNA recognition of zinc finger peptides

Engineered zinc finger proteins revealed that a linker sequence connecting zinc finger units has a significant effect on the DNA binding property of the protein. The recognition for a noncontiguous DNA target beyond the current recognition code of zinc finger proteins has never been determined because of the limitation of a zinc finger framework. DNA recognition of zinc finger proteins is limited only to a contiguous subset of three base pairs. We propose the recognition for a noncontiguous DNA target by inserting amino acids into the canonical linker between zinc finger units. The sequence selectivity of the new zinc finger peptides was evaluated by gel mobility shift assays. DNase I footprinting analyses clearly showed different DNA binding of various linker-extended zinc finger peptides. The application of a SPR measurement also revealed a DNA sequence selectivity of peptides. Insertion of three amino acids is enough for recognition of a noncontiguous DNA target with sequence selectivity. An extended linker will be useful for expansion of the recognition code of zinc finger proteins and for development of a new role for linker sequences in DNA binding of zinc finger proteins.     

人工转录因子研究进展

转录因子是真核表达调控中非常重要的一类反式作用因子,通常由DNA结合结构域与效应结构域两部分组成,研究发现这两个结构域可以各自独立发生作用。基于转录因子的这种结构特点,可以人为地选择针对特定序列的DNA结合结构域与具有特定作用的效应结构域构建人工转录因子。目前人工转录因子的DNA结合结构域多为C₂H₂ 型锌指结构,每一个锌指单元由大约30个氨基酸组成,识别DNA双螺旋大沟中相连的3bp序列,并可通过氢键作用与相应的碱基结合;多个锌指可以串联成簇,从而识别并结合较长的DNA序列区域。常见的人工转录因子的效应结构域有激活结构域以及抑制结构域,不同的效应结构域赋予人工转录因子不同的功能。目前人工转录因子已经在基础研究、药物设计以及基因治疗等领域得到了广泛的应用。     

JAZ requires the double-stranded RNA-binding zinc finger motifs for nuclear localization.

We have cloned and characterized a novel zinc finger protein, termed JAZ. JAZ contains four C(2)H(2)-type zinc finger motifs that are connected by long (28-38) amino acid linker sequences. JAZ is expressed in all tissues tested and localizes in the nucleus, primarily the nucleolus. JAZ preferentially binds to double-stranded (ds) RNA or RNA/DNA hybrids rather than DNA. Mutation of individual zinc finger motifs reveals that the zinc finger domains are not only essential for dsRNA binding but are also required for its nucleolar localization, which demonstrates a complex trafficking mechanism dependent on the nucleic acid-binding capability of the protein. Furthermore, forced expression of JAZ potently induces apoptosis in murine fibroblast cells. Thus, JAZ may belong to a class of zinc finger proteins that features dsRNA binding and may regulate cell growth via the unique dsRNA binding properties.     

锌指蛋白的核酸识别特异性研究进展

锌指蛋白是最大的DNA结合蛋白,它能和DNA进行特异性识别,是研究蛋白—DNA相互作用的理想对象。改变锌指元件上的几个保守的氨基酸位点可设计筛选出序列特异的全新锌指蛋白,计算机在锌指蛋白设计方面的应用,使得全新的锌指蛋白识别特异性明显增强。这在基因治疗等方面,具有广阔的应用前景。     

NMR structure of the complex between the zinc finger protein NCp10 of Moloney murine leukemia virus and the single-stranded pentanucleotide d(ACGCC): comparison with HIV-NCp7 complexes.

The structure of the 56 amino acid nucleocapsid protein NCp10 of retrovirus MoMuLV, which contains a single CX(2)CX(4)HX(4)C-type zinc finger, has been determined previously by NMR. The important role of NCp10 (or NCp7 for HIV-1) in the retroviral life cycle seems mainly related to their preferential binding to single-stranded nucleic acids. We report here the structure of the complex formed between the biologically active (14-53)NCp10 and the oligonucleotide d(ACGCC) in aqueous solution determined by 2D (1)H NMR based methods. The aromatic residue Trp(35) of NCp10 directs nucleic acid complexation as shown by its complete fluorescence quenching upon addition of d(ACGCC). (1)H and (31)P NMR studies support the insertion of Trp(35) between the G(3) and C(4) bases. A total of 577 NOE distance restraints, of which 40 were intermolecular, were used for the structure determination. The zinc finger provides a well-defined surface for the binding of d(ACGCC) through hydrophobic interactions and tryptophan stacking on the guanine. This latter interaction was also observed in the NMR-derived structures of the complexes between NCp7, which contains two successive zinc fingers, and single-stranded DNA and RNA, supporting the proposal for a major role played by aromatic residues of NCp proteins in nucleic acid recognition. Upon binding to the nucleotide a new loop in NCp10 that participates in the intermolecular interaction is formed. Additional interactions provided by positively charged residues surrounding the zinc finger appear necessary for tight binding. The structure of the complex NCp10-d(ACGCC) gives a structural explanation for the loss of virus infectivity following point mutations in the finger domain.     

Treble clef finger--a functionally diverse zinc-binding structural motif

Detection of similarity is particularly difficult for small proteins and thus connections between many of them remain unnoticed. Structure and sequence analysis of several metal-binding proteins reveals unexpected similarities in structural domains classified as different protein folds in SCOP and suggests unification of seven folds that belong to two protein classes. The common motif, termed treble clef finger in this study, forms the protein structural core and is 25-45 residues long. The treble clef motif is assembled around the central zinc ion and consists of a zinc knuckle, loop, beta-hairpin and an alpha-helix. The knuckle and the first turn of the helix each incorporate two zinc ligands. Treble clef domains constitute the core of many structures such as ribosomal proteins L24E and S14, RING fingers, protein kinase cysteine-rich domains, nuclear receptor-like fingers, LIM domains, phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate-binding domains and His-Me finger endonucleases. The treble clef finger is a uniquely versatile motif adaptable for various functions. This small domain with a 25 residue structural core can accommodate eight different metal-binding sites and can have many types of functions from binding of nucleic acids, proteins and small molecules, to catalysis of phosphodiester bond hydrolysis. Treble clef motifs are frequently incorporated in larger structures or occur in doublets. Present analysis suggests that the treble clef motif defines a distinct structural fold found in proteins with diverse functional properties and forms one of the major zinc finger groups.