棉铃虫单粒包埋型核型多角体病毒极早期基因(ie-1)分析(英文)

克隆了棉铃虫Helicoverpaarmigera单粒包埋型核型多角体病毒 (HaSNPV)C1株基因组DNA ,并通过随机测序的方法测定了经XbaI酶切后的H片段的核苷酸全序列。序列比较和分析发现该片段中ORF1 3与苜蓿丫纹夜蛾Autographacalifornica多粒包埋型核型多角体病毒 (AcMNPV)基因组ORF1 47(ie 1 )同源。ie 1基因编码区全长 1 986bp ,根据推测的氨基酸序列 ,可编码 6 6 1个氨基酸残基组成的多肽 ,预计分子量为 76 .5kD。将所推导的HaSNPVIE 1氨基酸序列与其它已知的杆状病毒IE 1氨基酸序列进行比较 ,结果表明 ,HaSNPV和谷实夜蛾H .zea单粒包埋型核型多角体病毒IE 1氨基酸序列最为相似 ,同源性高达 98%。与AcMNPV、家蚕Bombyxmori核型多角体病毒 (BmNPV)、云杉卷叶蛾Choristoneurafu miferana多粒包埋型核型多角体病毒 (CfMNPV)、舞毒蛾Lymantriadispar多粒包埋型核型多角体病毒(LdMNPV)、黄杉毒蛾Orgyiapseudotsugata多粒包埋型核型多角体病毒 (OpMNPV)、甜菜夜蛾Spodopteraex igua多粒包埋型核型多角体病毒 (SeMNPV)、小菜蛾Plutellaxylostella颗粒体病毒 (PxGV)和Xestiac ni grum颗粒体病毒 (XcGV)的IE 1氨基酸序列同源性较低 ,分别为 2 3 %、2 3 %、2 3 %、2 5 %、2 3 %、1 4%、2 7%和 7%。根据氨基酸序列由GENETYX     

四川裂腹鱼脑型芳香化酶Cyp19b基因组织分布及温度对其表达水平的影响

为研究脑型芳香化酶基因Cyp19b在四川裂腹鱼(Schizothorax kozlovi)早期性别分化中的作用,采用RACE方法从四川裂腹鱼脑中扩增得到该基因c DNA全长序列,并应用荧光定量RT-PCR技术测定该基因m RNA的相对表达量,探讨该基因在不同规格四川裂腹鱼鳃、脑、心、肝、脾、肾、肌肉、精巢、卵巢组织中的表达差异,以及温度对其早期仔鱼阶段该基因表达的影响。四川裂腹鱼Cyp19b基因的c DNA全长序列共3 021 bp,共编码507个氨基酸,属于脑型芳香化酶基因;四川裂腹鱼Cyp19b基因编码的氨基酸序列与其他鱼类脑型芳香化酶基因编码的氨基酸序列同源性可达70%以上,而与性腺型芳香化酶基因编码的氨基酸序列同源性较低,为64%左右;四川裂腹鱼Cyp19b基因仅在脑组织中表达,具有比较高的组织特异性,且随着个体的增长,逐渐呈现显著的雌雄差异;对不同温度处理12日龄仔鱼6 d后,低温(10℃和14℃)能显著促进Cyp19b基因表达量的升高,但高温(26℃)却对其表达量无显著影响。由此推测,脑型芳香化酶基因Cyp19b可能在低温导致四川裂腹鱼雌性化过程中发挥着重要作用。     

乙型肝炎病毒X蛋白的优势氨基酸序列与热点突变位点的生物信息学分析

乙型肝炎病毒X蛋白(hepatitis B virus X protein,HBx)全长154个氨基酸,与肝癌发生密切相关.为确定HBx的优势氨基酸序列和热点突变位点,在GenBank中下载所有HBx的氨基酸序列13950条,剔除插入突变、缺失突变和起始密码子非甲硫氨酸的序列,最后保留7126条.通过分析这7126条序列,计算出HBx每个位点的氨基酸分布情况,出现频率最高的氨基酸为该位点的优势氨基酸,其他氨基酸为突变氨基酸.154个位点的优势氨基酸组成HBx优势氨基酸序列.突变率>10.0%的热点突变位点有32个.其中第36、42、44、87、88和127位氨基酸有4种(突变率>1.0%)以上突变形式,具有较高的多态性.与肝癌密切相关的K130M/V131I双突变率为34.7%.通过7126条HBx序列与优势序列的同源性比较,随机选出其中50条序列(2条与优势序列同源性<75%,48条同源性为76%~99%),与23条参考序列及优势序列共同构建系统发生树.结果显示,HBx优势氨基酸序列属于基因型C,这与基因型C为全球主要流行型一致.本研究首次系统性分析了GenBank中HBx的优势序列,确定了32个HBx热点突变位点和6个多态性较高的位点,为基于HBx突变的基础和应用研究奠定了基础.     

茶树钙调素基因CsCaMs的克隆及其低温胁迫下的表达分析

钙调素(CaM)是植物钙离子信号通道的主要参与者,参与低温胁迫下多种植物的抗寒生理作用。本研究根据钙调素基因相关表达序列标签(EST)序列,借助RACE-PCR技术,获得CsCaM1和CsCaM2两条cDNA全长序列,GenBank登录号分别为KT238971和KT238972,长度分别为693 bp和841 bp,均包含450 bp的完整开放阅读框(ORF),编码149个氨基酸,两条氨基酸序列仅一个氨基酸有差异,且均含有4个植物CaM家族的共同特征手型结构EF(EF-hand)。采用实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)分析CsCaMs在茶树低温胁迫下各种处理中的表达模式。结果表明,CsCaMs无组织表达特异性,低温胁迫处理和CaCl2均能诱导CsCaMs的表达,而钙调素拮抗剂W7与钙离子通道抑制剂LaCl3则会抑制其表达。本研究结果对阐明茶树抗寒性的分子机理有一定理论意义,为茶树的抗寒性育种提供参考。     

乙型肝炎病毒Ⅹ蛋白的优势氨基酸序列与热点突变位点的生物信息学分析

乙型肝炎病毒X蛋白(hepatitis B virus X protein,HBx)全长154个氨基酸,与肝癌发生密切相关。为确定HBx的优势氨基酸序列和热点突变位点,在GenBank中下载所有HBx的氨基酸序列13 950条,剔除插入突变、缺失突变和起始密码子非甲硫氨酸的序列,最后保留7 126条。通过分析这7 126条序列,计算出HBx每个位点的氨基酸分布情况,出现频率最高的氨基酸为该位点的优势氨基酸,其他氨基酸为突变氨基酸。154个位点的优势氨基酸组成HBx优势氨基酸序列。突变率10.0%的热点突变位点有32个。其中第36、42、44、87、88和127位氨基酸有4种(突变率1.0%)以上突变形式,具有较高的多态性。与肝癌密切相关的K130M/V131I双突变率为34.7%。通过7 126条HBx序列与优势序列的同源性比较,随机选出其中50条序列(2条与优势序列同源性75%,48条同源性为76%~99%),与23条参考序列及优势序列共同构建系统发生树。结果显示,HBx优势氨基酸序列属于基因型C,这与基因型C为全球主要流行型一致。本研究首次系统性分析了GenBank中HBx的优势序列,确定了32个HBx热点突变位点和6个多态性较高的位点,为基于HBx突变的基础和应用研究奠定了基础。     

猪戊型肝炎病毒swCH-GS189株ORF2基因的克隆及序列分析

为进行猪戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)ORF2基因特征研究,参照GenBank中已发表的戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)核酸序列,设计了一对扩增HEV ORF2基因的引物,利用RT-PCR等方法克隆出了一株猪戊型肝炎病毒甘肃分离株GS189的ORF2基因cDNA片段.序列测定结果表明,swCH-GS189株的ORF2基因长2 025 bp,编码674个氨基酸,与GenBank中公布的其它毒株间的核苷酸序列同源性为79.1%～91.8%,推导的氨基酸序列同源性为89.5%～98.8%.系统发育进化树结果表明,该分离株为基因IV型.     

蓝舌病毒血清5型毒株S7基因编码区的分子克隆与序列分析

目的:对蓝舌病毒(BTV)血清5型毒株(BTV-5)的S7基因编码区(ORF)进行克隆和序列分析。方法:用TRIzol LS试剂提取病毒总RNA,经反转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)扩增BTV-5型毒株S7基因的编码区,将扩增片段克隆到pGEM-T Easy载体上,对阳性克隆进行核苷酸序列测定;采用DNAStar和DNASIS v2.5软件对环状病毒属不同种群的S7基因ORF序列及其推导的氨基酸序列进行同源性及系统进化树分析。结果:克隆的基因片段长1050bp,为S7基因开放性读码框的全长序列,编码349个氨基酸残基;与环状病毒属不同血清型毒株比较,核酸序列同源性范围为42.2%～96.6%,推导的氨基酸序列同源性范围为40.4%～99.7%。结论:蓝舌病毒与非洲马瘟病毒、鹿流行性出血热病毒分属于不同种群,群内不同血清型的S7基因ORF序列及其推导的氨基酸序列显示出很高的同源性,而不同种群之间的同源性很低。     

斑节对虾溶菌酶基因克隆及序列分析

参考对虾溶菌酶基因和类溶菌酶基因及其他多种生物的溶菌酶基因序列 ,设计并合成引物。运用RT PCR技术 ,从斑节对虾血细胞总RNA中扩增获得特异性片段。所获片段回收纯化后克隆到pGEM TEasyVector系统的T载体上。重组子的序列分析表明 ,所克隆的斑节对虾溶菌酶基因片段长 6 5 8bp ,包括溶菌酶基因开放阅读框 (ORF)4 77bp和 3′端非编码区的 181bp。 4 77bpORF共编码 15 8个氨基酸 ,包括溶菌酶成熟肽 14 0个氨基酸残基和信号肽 18个氨基酸残基。斑节对虾溶菌酶成熟肽推测分子量为 16 ,32kd ,等电点为 8 78。与南美白对虾溶菌酶基因的碱基序列及推测氨基酸序列比较 ,同源性分别为 89 5 %和 93 0 % ;与日本对虾类溶菌酶基因的同源性分别为 84 0 %和91 0 %。进一步的序列分析表明 ,斑节对虾溶菌酶氨基酸序列与多种类群生物的c 型溶菌酶氨基酸序列具有较高的同源性 ,并具有与c 型溶菌酶相同的活性位点氨基酸残基Glu51和Asp68,且与活性位点相邻的序列高度保守。斑节对虾溶菌酶氨基酸序列还具有与c 型溶菌酶相同的结构氨基酸——— 8个半胱氨酸残基。因而可认为所克隆的斑节对虾溶菌酶基因属c 型溶菌酶基因。     

西伯利亚鲟和鲫鱼脑型一氧化氮合酶cDNA片段克隆及序列分析

实验根据脑型一氧化氮合酶氨基酸高度保守序列设计一对简并引物,采用RT-PCR方法扩增并克隆了西伯利亚鲟(Acipenser baeri)和鲫鱼(Carassius auratus)的脑型一氧化氮合酶cDNA片段。西伯利亚鲟cD-NA片段为356 bp,鲫鱼cDNA片段为377 bp。氨基酸序列同源分析发现,西伯利亚鲟与斑马鱼(Brachydaniorerio)的脑型一氧化氮合酶同源性为70%,鲫鱼与斑马鱼的同源性为97.6%。     

禽Ⅰ型副粘病毒f基因克隆及序列分析

用RT-PCR一步法对云南省不同禽类(鸡、鸽子)3株禽I型副粘病毒F基因进行扩增和克隆,并对其f基因片段核苷酸序列进行分析,结果表明,云南省禽I型副粘病毒各毒株同源性为88.1%～94.9%,与疫苗株LaSota和强毒株F48E9的同源性为85.6%.所分离两株新城疫病毒在F蛋白裂解位点区(112～117aa)的氨基酸序列与强毒株在这一区域的序列完全相同,表明为强毒株.鸽I型副粘病毒F蛋白裂解位点区的氨基酸序列与PPMV ZQ98-1株在这一区域的序列完全相同,揭示为中强毒株.以1 662bp核苷酸绘制系统发育树,表明云南地方新城疫病毒属于基因Ⅶ型,鸽I型副粘病毒属于基因Ⅵ型.     

Structural differences in the motor domain of temperature-associated myosin heavy chain isoforms from grass carp fast skeletal muscle

We determined coding sequences for three types of grass carp myosin subfragment-1 (S1) heavy chain by extending 5′-regions of the three known genes encoding light meromyosin isoforms (10 °C, intermediate and 30 °C types). The primary structures of these three S1 heavy chain isoforms showed 81.4%, 81.2%, and 97.8% identities between the 10 °C and intermediate types, between the 10 °C and 30 °C types, and between the intermediate and 30 °C types, respectively. Isoform-specific differences were clearly observed between the 10 °C type and the other two types in 97 amino acid residues. Furthermore, among these amino acid mutations, 51 mutations occurred at the conserved residue sites of S1 heavy chain from fish and homoiotherm. Additionally, the 10 °C type showed striking differences compared with the other two types in the two surface loops, loop 1 located near the ATP-binding pocket and loop 2, which is one of the actin-binding sites, suggesting that such structural differences possibly affect their motor functions. Interestingly, this 10 °C-type myosin heavy chain isolated from adult grass carp skeletal muscle was surprisingly similar to the embryonic fast-type myosin heavy chain from juvenile silver carp in the structure of S1 heavy chain, indicating that it may also function as embryonic fast-type myosin heavy chain in juvenile stage.     

cDNA cloning and characterization of temperature-acclimation-associated light meromyosins from grass carp fast skeletal muscle

The three types of cDNA clones, previously defined as the 10 degrees C, intermediate and 30 degrees C-types [Tao, Y., Kobayashi, M., Liang, C.S., Okamoto, T., Watabe, S., 2004. Temperature-dependent expression patterns of grass carp fast skeletal myosin heavy chain genes. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. B 139, 649-656], were determined for their 5'-regions which encoded at least the C-terminal half of myosin rod, light meromyosin (LMM), in fast skeletal muscles of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. The deduced amino acid sequence identity was 91.1% between the 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C-types and 91.4% between the 10 degrees C and intermediate-types, whereas a high sequence identity of 97.8% was found between the intermediate and 30 degrees C-types. These three grass carp LMMs all had a characteristic seven-residue (heptad) repeat (a, b, c, d, e, f, g)(n), where positions a and d were normally occupied by hydrophobic residues, and positions b, c and f by charged residues. However, the ratios of hydrophobic residues to the total were higher for the intermediate- and 30 degrees C- than 10 degrees C-type LMM, suggesting that the former both types may form more stable coiled-coils of alpha-helices than the latter type. These differences in the primary structures of LMM isoforms might be partially implicated in differences in the thermostabilities and gel-forming profiles of myosins from grass carp in different seasons reported previously [Tao, Y., Kobayashi, M., Fukushima, H., Watabe, S., 2005. Changes in enzymatic and structural properties of grass carp fast skeletal myosin induced by the laboratory-conditioned thermal acclimation and seasonal acclimatization. Fish. Sci. 71, 195-204; Tao, Y., Kobayashi, M., Fukushima, H., Watabe, S., 2007. Changes in rheological properties of grass carp fast skeletal myosin induced by seasonal acclimatization. Fish. Sci. 73, 189-196].     

Regulation of alpha-helical coiled-coil dimerization in chicken skeletal muscle light meromyosin.

The dimerization specificity of the light meromyosin (LMM) domain of chicken neonatal and adult myosin isoforms was analyzed by metal chelation chromatography. Our results show that neonatal and adult LMMs associate preferentially, although not exclusively, as homodimeric coiled-coils. Using chimeric LMM constructs combining neonatal and adult sequences, we observed that a stretch of 183 amino acids of sequence identity at the N terminus of the LMM was sufficient to allow the adult LMM to dimerize in a non-selective manner. In contrast, sequence identity in the remaining C-terminal 465 amino acids had only a modest effect on the dimerization selectivity of the adult isoform. Sequence identity at the N terminus also promoted dimerization of the neonatal LMM to a greater degree than sequence identity at the C terminus. However, the N terminus had only a partial effect on the dimerization specificity of the neonatal sequence, and residues distributed throughout the LMM were capable of affecting dimerization selectivity of this isoform. These results indicated that dimerization preference of the neonatal and adult isoforms was affected to a different extent by sequence identity at a given region of the LMM.     

草鱼与鲢鱼肥胖基因克隆与序列分析

肥胖基因产物leptin是调节哺乳动物摄食、能量代谢等生命活动的重要细胞因子。 应用RT-PCR和RACE法获得了草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)和鲢鱼(Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) leptin基因的全长cDNA序列分别为1 096 bp和1 176 bp,编码173和172个氨基酸。氨基酸序列同源性分析表明,草鱼和鲢鱼的leptin序列与其它鲤科鱼类leptin的同源性较高,而与其他鱼类的leptin同源性很低,但所有鱼类的leptin均含有用于形成二硫键的高度保守的半胱氨酸。系统进化树分析显示,草鱼和鲢鱼leptin与其他鱼类leptin聚于一进化分支。应用PCR和Genome Walker方法,进一步获得了草鱼和鲢鱼leptin基因的内含子和5′侧翼区序列。结果表明,获得的草鱼和鲢鱼leptin基因长度分别为2 129 bp和2 192 bp,含有与其他脊椎动物leptin相似的基因结构（含三个外显子和两个内含子）。本研究为深入研究鱼类肥胖基因结构功能关系与鱼类抗肥胖品系定向遗传选育奠定了良好的基础。     

银鲫与彩鲫卵母细胞cDNA文库构建及周期蛋白A1的cDNA克隆

分别取行天然雌核发育繁殖的银鲫和两性生殖的彩鲫的卵母细胞为材料,提取总RNA,分离mRNA,进而反转录合成cDNA并定向插入λgtll Sfi-Not克隆载体,经体外包装构建了银鲫与彩鲫卵母细胞的表达型cDNA文库。测试结果表明库容量分别达到3.1×106(银鲫)和1.6×106(彩鲫)。进一步人工合成Cyclin A1保守引物,采用PCR扩增文库的方法,克隆了银鲫(1616bp)与彩鲫(1626bp)的Cyclin A1全长cDNA。序列分析结果表明:两种鱼编码区长度均为1173bp,起始于一个包含在脊椎动物起始密码子ANNATG基元内ATG的单一开放读码框,编码391个氨基酸;5'-端非编码区长度也同为70bp,3-'端非编码区长度略有不同,银鲫为373bp,而彩鲫则为383bp;二者3'-端均带有AATAAA的Poly(A)加尾信号以及24bp(银鲫)和27bp(彩鲫)的Poly(A)尾巴。比较银鲫、彩鲫和金鱼与人、爪蟾Cyclin A1氨基酸序列同源性的结果表明,Cyclin A1在人、爪蟾与鱼类之间具有较高同源性;而在银鲫、彩鲫和金鱼之间,Cyclin A1仅在周期蛋白框外存在5个氨基酸的差异,且这些差异均是由个别碱基的变异造成的。       

Molecular cloning and characterization of alpha-class glutathione S-transferase gene from the liver of silver carp, bighead carp, and other major Chinese freshwater fishes

Two full-length cDNAs encoding glutathione S-transferase (GST) were cloned and sequenced from the hepatopancreas of planktivorous silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis). The silver carp and bighead carp GST cDNA were 920 and 978 bp in length, respectively, and both contained an open reading frame that encoding 223 amino acids. Partial GST cDNA sequences were also obtained from the liver of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), crucian carp (Carassius auratu), mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella), and tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica). All these GSTs could be classified as alpha-class GSTs on the basis of their amino acid sequence identity with other species. The three-dimensional structure of the silver carp GST was predicted using a computer program, and was found to fit the classical two-domain GST structure. Using the genome walker method, a 875-bp 5'-flanking region of the silver carp GST gene was obtained, and several lipopolysaccharide (LPS) response elements were identified in the promoter region of the phytoplanktivorous fish GST gene, indicating that the GST gene expression of this fish might be regulated by LPS, released from the toxic blue-green algae producing microcystins. To compare the constitutive expression level of the liver GST gene among the six freshwater fishes with completely different tolerance to microcystins, beta-actin was used as control and the ratio GST/beta-actin mRNA (%) was determined as 130.7 +/- 6.6 (grass carp), 103.1 +/- 8.9 (bighead carp), 92.6 +/- 15.0 (crucian carp), 72.3 +/- 7.8 (mud carp), 58.8 +/- 11.5 (silver carp), and 33.6 +/- 13.7 (tilapia). The constitutive expression level of the liver GST gene clearly shows that all the six freshwater fishes had a negative relationship with their tolerance to microcystins: high-resistant fishes (phytoplanktivorous silver carp and tilapia) had the lowest tolerance to microcystins and the high-sensitive fish (herbivorous grass carp) had the highest tolerance to microcystins. Taken together with the reciprocal relationship of constitutive and inducible liver GST expression level in some of the tested fish species to microcystin exposure, a molecular mechanism for different microcystin detoxification abilities of the warm freshwater fishes was discussed.     

Differential screening and characterization analysis of the egg envelope glycoprotein ZP3 cDNAs between gynogenetic and gonochoristic crucian carp

INTRODUCTIONFertilization in animals is the trigger that ini-tiates development, and results in a series of well-choreographed interactions between molecules lo-cated on the surfaces of egg and sperm[1, 2]. Somecell surface proteins, such as zolla pellucida gly-coprotein ZPI, ZPZ and ZP3, acrosomal proteinbindin, acrosin and lysin, and sperm plasma mem-brane protein a- and p--fertilin, have been identi-fied to mediate the interaction process[2-8]. Al-though studies on the regulative fa…     

Urotensin I and its N-terminal flanking peptide from the flounder, Platichthys flesus

The caudal spinal cord region of teleost fish terminates in a neurosecretory organ, the urophysis. Two peptides have been purified to homogeneity from an extract of the urophysis of a teleost fish, the flounder. The primary structure of one peptide, Ser-Glu-Asp-Pro-Pro-Met-Ser-Ile-Asp-Leu10-Thr-Phe-His-Met-Leu-Arg- Asn-Met-Ile- His20-Met-Ala-Lys-Met-Glu-Gly-Glu-Arg-Glu-Gln30-Ala-Gln-Ile- Asn-Arg-Asn-Leu-Leu - Asp-Glu40-Val, indicates identity with urotensin I. By analogy with other urotensins, the COOH-terminal residue is probably alpha-amidated. A second peptide was present in the extract in a concentration that was approximately equimolar with that of urotensin I. The amino acid composition of this peptide indicated a total of approximately 65 residues. The amino acid sequence of a fragment produced by digestion with trypsin was established as: Ala-Ala-Ala-Ala-Gly5-Asp-Ser-Ala-Ala-Ser10-Asp-Leu-Leu-Gly-Asp1 5-Asn-Ile-Leu- Arg. This sequence shows partial homology to carp prepro-urotensin I(41-59)-peptide as deduced from the nucleotide sequence of a cloned cDNA. It is concluded that the second peptide probably represents the N-terminal flanking peptide of pro-urotensin I which, it has previously been suggested, may function as a urotensin-binding peptide (urophysin) analogous to the neurophysins.     

Comparative characterization of hyperglycemic neuropeptides from the lobster Homarus americanus

With the use of a two-step HPLC purification procedure, two sets of two isoforms of the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) were isolated from sinus glands of the lobster Homarus americanus. Structural differences between the two groups of isoforms were found in their amino acid sequences, amino acid compositions and precise molecular weights. Using peptide mapping, the difference between the isoforms in each group was located within the first eight amino acids at the N-termini. The nature of this difference remained unclear as all four peptides had the same N-terminal amino acid sequence unto residue 19.     

Differential scanning calorimetry of light meromyosin fragments having various lengths of carp fast skeletal muscle isoforms

Various recombinant light meromyosin (LMM) fragments were prepared from cDNAs encoding the 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C types of myosin heavy chain isoforms predominantly expressed in fast skeletal muscles of the 10 degrees C- and 30 degrees C-acclimated carp, respectively. These included three kinds of quarter fragments, 1/4-, 2/4-, and 4/4-quarter, composed of residues 1-130, 131-270, and 401-563 from the N-terminus, respectively, as well as three halves, N-, M-, and C-half fragments, containing residues 1-301, 131-400, and 302-563, respectively, and 69K fragments of residues 1-525. Unfortunately, in spite of extensive efforts, the 3/4-quarter fragment was not expressed for both 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C types in our expression system using Escherichia coli. All the LMM fragments except for the 10- and 30-2/4 quarters for the 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C types, respectively, exhibited a typical pattern of a-helix in CD spectrometry. When these were subjected to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), 30 degrees C-type LMM fragments were all found to be more thermostable than the 10 degrees C-type counterparts. To identify amino acid substitutions responsible for different thermostabilities between the 10 degrees C- and 30 degrees C-type LMMs, six mutant proteins were prepared, mainly focusing on substitutions in the C-terminal half of LMM, and subjected to DSC and CD analyses. For three mutants in which two residues of the 10 degrees C type were replaced by those of the 30 degrees C type, 10-S355T/T361A, 10-M415L/L417V, and 10-S535A/H536Q, the endothermic peaks in DSC increased by 1.4-2.0 degrees C from that of the original 10 degrees C type. The T(m) values for two single-residue substitutions, 10-H449R and 10-T491I, shifted 0.8 and 1.3 degrees C higher than that for the 10 degrees C-type LMM, respectively, whereas the last mutant, 10-G61V, showed no change in thermostability. The finding that the difference in T(m) values for major endothermic peaks from the 10-69K and 30-69K fragments was 4.6 degrees C, which roughly corresponds to that between the original 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C types, suggested that the eight substitutions located in the C-terminal region of the 69K fragments (residues 302-525) are major candidates for the residues responsible for the difference in thermostability between the 10 degrees C- and 30 degrees C-type LMMs.