G蛋白Rab3a cDNA的克隆与表达

利用PCR法 ,从人胎盘总cDNA中扩增得到Rab3acDNA的全编码区 .序列分析表明 ,扩增得到的Rab3acDNA有 5个核苷酸发生了变异 ,但翻译的氨基酸与发表的完全一致 .将扩增得到的Rab3acDNA克隆于原核融合表达载体pGEX 4T 1中 ,在E .coliBL2 1中经IPTG诱导表达 .为了进一步鉴定表达产物 ,对纯化后的Rab3a蛋白进行了SDS PAGE、N端氨基酸测序、质谱分子量测定及氨基酸组成分析鉴定 .结果显示 ,表达蛋白的分子量约 2 5kD ,N端氨基酸序列为MASATDSR ,氨基酸组成分析表明 ,Rab3a蛋白获得了正确表达     

Rab4：细胞囊泡循环运输过程的重要因子

囊泡运输是真核细胞中物质运输及信息交流的重要形式,Rab蛋白在这个过程中发挥着重要功能.Rab4是Rab蛋白家族的成员之一,参与调控早期内体的分选与内体循环途径.Rab4包括Rab4A、Rab4B和Rab4C 3个亚型.本文主要阐述了Rab4的结构特征、主要的效应蛋白和参与运输的货物蛋白以及影响细胞自噬、葡萄糖摄取、神经调节、心脏功能及肿瘤发生方面的功能.     

Rab蛋白家族在神经类疾病中的作用

细胞内膜囊泡运输是一个复杂的通路网络,Rab GTPases是膜囊泡运输的主要调节剂,通常被认为是细胞内吞和分泌系统中各种细胞器和囊泡的特异性标记和识别物。与Rab蛋白相关的轴突运输、内体运输发生障碍是造成神经退行性疾病的重要原因之一。本文主要介绍了Rab蛋白在多种神经退行性疾病病理机制中的作用机理与调控机制,同时讨论了线粒体和胶质细胞功能异常与Rab蛋白之间的关联。深入探究Rab蛋白的作用机制对人类神经性疾病的早期诊断和治疗具有潜在的指导意义。     

G蛋白Rab3a协同神经生长抑制因子(GIF)抑制神经元的生长

为了研究G蛋白Rab3a与神经生长抑制因子 (growthinhibitoryfactor,GIF ,原称金属硫蛋白 3,MT 3)相互作用对神经元细胞生长的影响 ,以嗜铬细胞瘤株 (pheochromocytoma)PC1 2充当神经元模型 .将hMT 3(humanMT 3)和Rab3a基因分别克隆至真核表达载体pFlag CMV 2和pSV HA中 ,质粒共同转染PC1 2细胞 ,观察转染后细胞的生长状态 .以共转染pFlag CMV 2 hMT 1和pSV HA Rab3a的细胞组作为对照 ,验证hMT 3与Rab3a相互作用对PC1 2影响的特异性 .结果发现 ,共转染pFlag CMV 2 hMT 3和pSV HA Rab3a的PC1 2细胞生长明显受到抑制 ,细胞生长抑制率与GIF在脑提取物存在F的神经元生长抑制作用接近 ,但转染两基因中的任何单个基因以及共转染pFlag CMV 2 hMT 1和pSV HA Rab3a对PC1 2细胞生长无影响 .进一步构建重组表达质粒pGEX 4T 1 Rab3a和pGEX 4T 1 hMT 3,转化大肠杆菌BL2 1 ,经谷胱甘肽 Sepharose 4B亲和层析、凝血酶酶切和SephacrylS 1 0 0纯化 ,得到纯度 95 %以上的Rab3a和hMT 3蛋白 .体外细胞生物学活性检测表明 ,表达的Rab3a蛋白与重组hMT 3蛋白共培养PC1 2 ,对细胞的生长产生了明显的特异性协同抑制作用 ,抑制曲线与GIF在脑提取物存在下的神经元生长抑制曲线极为相似     

生长抑制因子(GIF)与G蛋白Rab3a直接相互作用

生长抑制因子(growth inhibitory factor, GIF), 又称金属硫蛋白-3, 为68个氨基酸组成的脑特异性金属硫蛋白, 具有广泛的生理功能; GIF可能与阿尔茨海默氏症(Alzheimer's)病理相关, 在Alzheimer's脑提取物存在下, 还对神经细胞具有特异的生长抑制活性.然而, 对其发挥生长抑制作用的分子机制并不清楚.运用酵母双杂交系统从人脑cDNA文库中筛选与GIF相互作用因子,从4.1×10⁶个人脑cDNA文库转化子中,首次筛选到Ras家族G蛋白Rab3a C端,包含87个氨基酸的片段能与GIF相互作用;用PCR自人胎盘总cDNA中获得包含完整Rab3a编码序列的cDNA;通过酵母双杂交实验表明,全长Rab3a蛋白亦能与GIF相互作用.免疫共沉淀和蛋白质印迹实验进一步验证了GIF与Rab3a在哺乳动物细胞中可以相互作用; 而且, Rab3a是以GTP结合形式(GTP-Rab3a)与GIF发生相互作用.     

EoRab43为八肋游仆虫中编码非典型Rab的基因

Rab蛋白是与真核细胞内的膜泡运输密切相关的调节分子。本研究运用简并引物PCR技术从原生动物八肋游仆虫大核基因组中克隆获得了一个全新的Rab基因,EoRab43 (GenBank登陆号为EU365391) ,该基因拟编码蛋白的氨基酸序列基本包括Rab蛋白保守的GTP结合区以及RabF模序。Blast结果显示,EoRab43序列与其它生物中Rab5A、Rab6和Rab13的一致性相对较高,但也仅为36·4 %-38·5 %,无法将其归类于任何现有的Rab蛋白亚家族。序列分析显示该基因拟编码的蛋白质属于非典型Rab,这是首次在游仆虫中发现的编码非典型Rab蛋白的基因,推测其在原生动物八肋游仆虫细胞内可能执行某些特殊的生理功能。     

游仆虫Rab蛋白基因的克隆表达与纯化

为对单细胞原生动物纤毛虫中Rab蛋白的功能进行研究 ,进而探讨以胞吞和胞吐为主要物质交换途径的纤毛虫中囊泡定向运输的机理 .利用PCR技术从游仆虫大核DNA及cDNA中扩增出rab基因 ,并进行了序列分析 ,该基因全长为 783bp ,两端为端粒序列 ,编码框为 6 2 4bp ,编码 2 0 7个氨基酸 ,开放读框中有 3个TGA ,在此编码半胱氨酸 .利用定点突变将rab基因中 3个TGA突变为通用半胱氨酸密码子TGC .将游仆虫Rab蛋白基因构建于原核表达载体pGEX 4T 2中 ,得到的重组质粒pGEX Eorab1转化至大肠杆菌BL2 1(DE3)中 ,IPTG诱导表达 .表达产物与抗GST抗体在 4 9kD处有很强的交叉反应 .融合蛋白GST EoRab1通过亲和层析柱纯化和凝血酶的切割 ,再经两步纯化得到电泳纯的游仆虫Rab蛋白 .     

游仆虫EoRab2a蛋白的表达、纯化及定位分析

Rab GTPase家族蛋白是真核细胞内膜系统转运途径中重要的调控因子,不同的Rab家族成员在细胞具有功能多样性。为了解Rab2的功能,八肋游仆虫EoRab2a基因连接入原核表达质粒pGEX-6P-1中,获得重组表达质粒pGEX-6P-1-EoRab2a。质粒pGEX-6P-1-EoRab2a转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),经IPTG诱导,大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)/pGEX-6P-1-EoRab2a高效表达了可溶性GST-EoRab2a蛋白。融合蛋白GST-EoRab2a经亲和层析获得电泳纯蛋白。纯化后的GST-EoRab2a免疫BALB/c小鼠制备多克隆抗体。ELISA和Western blotting检测显示制备的抗体效价1∶25600,特异性良好。免疫荧光定位表明EoRab2a在游仆虫细胞质中点状分布,推测参与内质网与高尔基体间膜泡转运。       

siRNA抑制哺乳动物细胞内Rab9 GTPase表达的研究

构建Rab9 GTPase siRNA表达载体,观察siRNA对哺乳动物细胞内Rab9 GTPase表达的抑制作用,为应用Rab9 GTPase siRNA表达载体进行抗麻疹病毒感染研究奠定基础。根据Rab9 GTPase基因的mRNA序列设计合成2对靶向Rab9 GTPase基因的寡核苷酸,克隆到表达载体pSUPER.neo EGFP,通过双酶切和序列分析对重组表达载体进行鉴定。将鉴定为阳性的重组表达载体转染B95a细胞株,通过逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)和免疫印迹技术(Western-blot)检测B95a细胞内Rab9 GTPase mRNA和蛋白的表达水平。双酶切和序列分析表明成功构建了Rab9 GTPase siRNA表达载体,RT-PCR和Western-blot技术实验表明重组表达载体可显著抑制B95a细胞内Rab9 GTPase mRNA和蛋白的表达(最高抑制率分别为89.4%±0.5%和87.6%±0.7%),而对照组则没有变化。结果表明,成功构建了Rab9 GTPase siRNA表达载体,该表达载体可有效地抑制Rab9 GTPase在哺乳动物细胞内的表达。     

Rab11a通过PI3K/AKT和Ras/MEK/ERK信号通路调节胰腺癌细胞凋亡和侵袭

目的:探究Rab11a在胰腺癌中的表达模式及其对肿瘤生长和转移的影响.方法:通过免疫组织化学法、RT-PCR和Western blot检测60例胰腺癌患者的癌组织和癌旁组织中Rab11a的表达.通过对人胰腺癌细胞系PANC1转染靶向Rab11a的小干扰RNA或过表达Rab11a的pcDNA3.1质粒考察Rab11a对细...     

A novel binding protein composed of homophilic tetramer exhibits unique properties for the small GTPase Rab5.

The small GTPase Rab family, which cycles between GTP-bound active and GDP-bound inactive states, plays an important role in membrane trafficking. Among them, Rab5 is involved in early endocytic pathway, and several Rab5-binding proteins have been identified as regulators or effectors to coordinate the docking and fusion processes of endocytic vesicles. We describe a novel binding protein exhibiting unique biochemical properties for Rab5. The Rab5-binding protein enhances GDP-GTP exchange reaction on Rab5 but preferentially interacts with its GTP-bound form. Gel filtration and immunoprecipitation analyses indicate that the Rab5-binding protein functions as a tetramer composed of anti-parallel linkage of two parallel dimers. These results suggest that the newly identified protein may function as an upstream activator and/or downstream effector for Rab5 in endocytic pathway. Possible roles of the quaternary structure have been discussed in terms of the Rab5-mediated signaling.     

Developmentally regulated GTP-binding protein 2 coordinates Rab5 activity and transferrin recycling

The small GTPase Rab5 regulates the early endocytic pathway of transferrin (Tfn), and Rab5 deactivation is required for Tfn recycling. Rab5 deactivation is achieved by RabGAP5, a GTPase-activating protein, on the endosomes. Here we report that recruitment of RabGAP5 is insufficient to deactivate Rab5 and that developmentally regulated GTP-binding protein 2 (DRG2) is required for Rab5 deactivation and Tfn recycling. DRG2 was associated with phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate–containing endosomes. It colocalized and interacted with EEA1 and Rab5 on endosomes in a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–dependent manner. DRG2 depletion did not affect Tfn uptake and recruitment of RabGAP5 and Rac1 to Rab5 endosomes. However, it resulted in impairment of interaction between Rab5 and RabGAP5, Rab5 deactivation on endosomes, and Tfn recycling. Ectopic expression of shRNA-resistant DRG2 rescued Tfn recycling in DRG2-depleted cells. Our results demonstrate that DRG2 is an endosomal protein and a key regulator of Rab5 deactivation and Tfn recycling.     

Rab5 regulates motility of early endosomes on microtubules

The small GTPase Rab5 regulates membrane docking and fusion in the early endocytic pathway. Here we reveal a new role for Rab5 in the regulation of endosome interactions with the microtubule network. Using Rab5 fused to green fluorescent protein we show that Rab5-positive endosomes move on microtubules in vivo. In vitro, Rab5 stimulates both association of early endosomes with microtubules and early-endosome motility towards the minus ends of microtubules. Moreover, similarly to endosome membrane docking and fusion, Rab5-dependent endosome movement depends on the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase hVPS34. Thus, Rab5 functionally links regulation of membrane transport, motility and intracellular distribution of early endosomes.     

Endosomal protein traffic meets nuclear signal transduction head on

Rab5 plays a key role in controlling protein traffic through the early stages of the endocytic pathway. Previous studies on the modulators and effectors of Rab5 protein function have tied the regulation of several signal transduction pathways to the movement of protein through endocytic compartments. In the February 6, 2004, issue of Cell, Miaczynska et al. describe a surprising new link between Rab5 function and the nucleus by uncovering two new Rab5 effectors as potential regulators of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylase protein complex NuRD/MeCP1.     

A novel membrane targeting domain mediates the endosomal or Golgi localization specificity of small GTPases Rab22 and Rab31

Rab22 and Rab31 belong to the Rab5 subfamily of GTPases that regulates endocytic traffic and endosomal sorting. Rab22 and Rab31 (a.k.a. Rab22b) are closely related and share 87% amino acid sequence similarity, but they show distinct intracellular localization and function in the cell. Rab22 is localized to early endosomes and regulates early endosomal recycling, while Rab31 is mostly localized to the Golgi complex with only a small fraction in the endosomes at steady state. The specific determinants that affect this differential localization, however, are unclear. In this study, we identify a novel membrane targeting domain (MTD) consisting of the C-terminal hypervariable domain (HVD), interswitch loop (ISL), and N-terminal domain as a major determinant of endosomal localization for Rab22 and Rab31, as well as Rab5. Rab22 and Rab31 share the same N-terminal domain, but we find Rab22 chimeras with Rab31 HVD exhibit phenotypic Rab31 localization to the Golgi complex, while Rab31 chimeras with the Rab22 HVD localize to early endosomes, similar to wildtype Rab22. We also find that the Rab22 HVD favors interaction with the early endosomal effector protein Rabenosyn-5, which may stabilize the Rab localization to the endosomes. The importance of effector interaction in endosomal localization is further demonstrated by the disruption of Rab22 endosomal localization in Rabenosyn-5 knockout cells and by the shift of Rab31 to the endosomes in Rabenosyn-5-overexpressing cells. Taken together, we have identified a novel MTD that mediates localization of Rab5 subfamily members to early endosomes via interaction with an effector such as Rabenosyn-5.     

The p85alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase binds to and stimulates the GTPase activity of Rab proteins

Rab5 and Rab4 are small monomeric GTPases localized on early endosomes and function in vesicle fusion events. These Rab proteins regulate the endocytosis and recycling or degradation of activated receptor tyrosine kinases such as the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). The p85alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase contains a BH domain with sequence homology to GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), but has not previously been shown to possess GAP activity. In this report, we demonstrate that p85alpha has GAP activity toward Rab5, Rab4, Cdc42, Rac1 and to a lesser extent Rab6, with little GAP activity toward Rab11. Purified recombinant Rab5 and p85alpha can bind directly to each other and not surprisingly, the p85alpha-encoded GAP activity is present in the BH domain. Because p85alpha stays bound to the PDGFR during receptor endocytosis, p85alpha will also be localized to the same early endosomal compartment as Rab5 and Rab4. Taken together, the physical co-localization and the ability of p85alpha to preferentially stimulate the down-regulation of Rab5 and Rab4 GTPases suggests that p85alpha regulates how long Rab5 and Rab4 remain in their GTP-bound active state. Cells expressing BH domain mutants of p85 show a reduced rate of PDGFR degradation as compared with wild type p85 expressing cells. These cells also show sustained activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt pathways. Thus, the p85alpha protein may play a role in the down-regulation of activated receptors through its temporal control of the GTPase cycles of Rab5 and Rab4.     

Endosomal trafficking of the Menkes copper ATPase ATP7A is mediated by vesicles containing the Rab7 and Rab5 GTPase proteins

The Cu-ATPase ATP7A (MNK) is localized in the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and relocalizes in the plasma membrane via vesicle-mediated traffic following exposure of the cells to high concentrations of copper. Rab proteins are organelle-specific GTPases, markers of different endosomal compartments; their role has been recently reviewed (Trends Cell Biol. 11(2001) 487). In this article we analyze the endosomal pathway of trafficking of the MNK protein in stably transfected clones of CHO cells, expressing chimeric Rab5-myc or Rab7-myc proteins, markers of early or late endosome compartments, respectively. We demonstrate by immunofluorescence and confocal and electron microscopy techniques that the increase in the concentration of copper in the medium (189 microM) rapidly induces a redistribution of the MNK protein from early sorting endosomes, positive for Rab5-myc protein, to late endosomes, containing the Rab7-myc protein. Cell fractionation experiments confirm these results; i.e., the MNK protein is recruited to the endosomal fraction on copper stimulation and colocalizes with Rab5 and Rab7 proteins. These findings allow the first characterization of the vesicles involved in the intracellular routing of the MNK protein from the TGN to the plasma membrane, a key mechanism allowing appropriate efflux of copper in cells grown in high concentrations of the metal.     

SopE acts as an Rab5-specific nucleotide exchange factor and recruits non-prenylated Rab5 on Salmonella-containing phagosomes to promote fusion with early endosomes

Rab-GTPase regulates the fusion between two specific vesicles. It is well documented that, for their biological function, Rab proteins need to be prenylated for attachment to the vesicle membrane. In contrast, we showed in the present investigation that SopE, a type III secretory protein of Salmonella, translocates onto Salmonella-containing phagosomes (LSP) and mediates the recruitment of non-prenylated Rab5 (Rab5:DeltaC4) on LSP in GTP form. Simultaneously, SopE present in infected cell cytosol acts as an Rab5-specific exchange factor and converts the inactive Rab-GDP to the GTP form. The non-prenylated Rab5 subsequently promoted efficient fusion of LSP with early endosomes. This is the first demonstration that a prenylation-deficient Rab protein retains biological activity and can promote vesicle fusion, if it is recruited on the membrane by some other method.     

Distinct Rab-binding domains mediate the interaction of Rabaptin-5 with GTP-bound Rab4 and Rab5.

Rabaptin-5 functions as an effector for the small GTPase Rab5, a regulator of endocytosis and early endosome fusion. We have searched for structural determinants that confer functional specificity on Rabaptin-5. Here we report that native cytosolic Rabaptin-5 is present in a homodimeric state and dimerization depends upon the presence of its coiled-coil predicted sequences. A 73 residue C-terminal region of Rabaptin-5 is necessary and sufficient both for the interaction with Rab5 and for Rab5-dependent recruitment of the protein on early endosomes. Surprisingly, we uncovered the presence of an additional Rab-binding domain at the N-terminus of Rabaptin-5. This domain mediates the direct interaction with the GTP-bound form of Rab4, a small GTPase that has been implicated in recycling from early endosomes to the cell surface. Based on these results, we propose that Rabaptin-5 functions as a molecular linker between two sequentially acting GTPases to coordinate endocytic and recycling traffic.