蓝氏贾第虫组蛋白的初步研究

本文初步比较分析了贾第虫组蛋白的存在及其基本组成。通过甲醇固定,两次０．３ｍｏｌ／ＬＨＣｌ抽提及丙酮沉淀,提取贾第虫酸溶性蛋白,利用亲和层析制取总ＤＮＡ结合蛋白,经酸性尿素系统及ＳＤＳ系统电泳分析表明,贾第虫已存在５种组蛋白,其在两种不同性质电泳系统中的电泳行为与相应的小牛胸腺组蛋白有近似的对应关系。说明贾第虫的组蛋白已发生了分化,并已初步形成了性质不同的几个组份,从而在一定程度上支持核小体组蛋白在真核生物的原核祖先阶段就已产生了分化的假说。     

源真核生物蓝氏贾第虫核分裂的初步观察

贾第虫属于源真核生物（Ａｒｃｈｅｚｏａ）中的双滴虫门,是目前所知的最低等的真核生物。本工作首次对蓝氏贾第虫（Ｇｉａｒｄｌｉａｌａｍｂｌａ）的核分裂作了初步的电镜观察,未能在分裂着的核中见到纺锤体或纺锤体微管。以０．１—２０μｇ／ｍｌ浓度的秋水仙素作实验,其核分裂也不受阻抑。以抗微管蛋白的多抗作免疫荧光检查,也未见分裂着的核中有微管蛋白。这似乎意味着其核分裂方式乃是前有丝分裂性质的。对此进行了讨论。     

蓝氏贾第虫核纤层蛋白基因的初步研究

贾第虫一度被认为是迄今已知的最原始的真核细胞,但近来争议日盛。利用PCR和测序等技术,对蓝氏贾第虫(Giardia lamblia)的核纤层蛋白(lamin)基因进行了研究。结果表明：蓝氏贾第虫基因组中存在一个编码具有明显lamin特征的基因序列。如该基因序列的3’一端具有编码与核内膜亲和的特征性模体(motif)CaaX的序列;具有B型lamin基因所特有的高度保守的27bp片段,该片段编码高度保守的位于a螺旋杆状区的9氨基酸片段等。同时,这些序列特征又与多细胞的后生动物存在一定差异。这些事实说明在贾第虫中已经进化产生了典型真核细胞的B型lamin(基因)或至少是类似B型的lamin(基因),该生物的进化地位可能并非过去所认为的那么原始。     

蓝氏贾第虫核被膜缺口的电镜观察

双滴虫类是迄今所知的现存最原始的真核生物类群。以蓝氏贾第虫作为双滴虫类的代表,对其细胞核进行了电镜观察。除了未见有核仁外,还发现其核被膜的横切面上存在有缺口。在缺口的边缘处,核内膜与核外膜是相互连接着的,表明并非切片时所造成的假象。核被膜缺口处常有一核纤层样的薄层分隔核质与细胞质。用高锰酸钾固定细胞以求只保存膜结构时,核被膜缺口仍然可见,上述的薄层即未见到。核被膜缺口的发现证实了李靖炎（1979）的核被膜起源假说所作出的推断。     

蓝氏贾第虫核被膜缺口的电镜观寨

双滴虫类是迄今所知的现存最原始的真核生物类群。以蓝氏贾第虫作为双滴虫类的代表,对其细胞核进行了电镜观察。除了未见有核仁外,还发现其核被膜的横切面上存在有缺口。在缺口的边缘处,核内膜与校外膜是相互连接着的,表明并非切片时所造成的假象。核被膜缺口处常有一核纤层样的薄层分隔核质与细胞质。用高锰酸钾固定细胞以求只保存膜结构时,核被膜缺口仍然可见,上述的薄层即未见到。核被膜缺口的发现证实了李靖炎（１９７９）的核被膜起源假说所作出的推断。     

蓝氏贾第虫无义mRNA的降解

无义介导的mRNA降解途径（nonsense-mediated mRNA decay,NMD）作为细胞内的一种重要的mRNA质量监控机制,可以降解含有提前终止密码子（premature termination codon,PTC）的异常转录本,从而避免截短蛋白质对细胞的毒害,但其详细的分子机制有待进一步阐释。蓝氏贾第虫（Giardia lamblia)作为一种寄生性单细胞原生动物,进化地位特殊,对其NMD途径的研究有利于阐明基因表达调控的分子和进化机制。本研究通过酵母双杂交及体外pull-down实验分析了贾第虫NMD途径因子上游移码蛋白1(Giardia lamblia up-frameshift 1,GlUPF1)、贾第虫RNA结合蛋白（Giardia lamblia HRP1, GlHRP1）、贾第虫核糖核酸外切酶（Giardia lamblia Ski7p,GlSki7p、Giardia lamblia XRN1,GlXRN1）之间的相互作用关系。结果表明,GlUPF1全长与GlHRP1、GlXRN1(1~500 aa)、GlSki7p间均可发生相互作用。而且GlUPF1的CH结构域和C端结构域分别与GlHRP1、GlXRN1（1~500 aa）、GlSki7p相互作用。说明GlUPF1在贾第虫NMD途径中作为招募平台,在无义mRNA识别和降解过程中发挥重要作用。为此,结合本实验室之前的研究结果,我们提出原生动物贾第虫的NMD途径：在提前终止密码子处SURF(SMG1-UPF1-eRF1-eRF3)复合物形成后,GlUPF1被磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(suppressor with morphogenetic effect on genitalia 1,SMG1)磷酸化修饰, NMD途径激活,随后GlUPF1与HRP1相互作用,将转录本标记为NMD底物;GlUPF1进而招募下游贾第虫5′-3′核糖核酸降解酶GlXRN1、贾第虫3′-5′ 核糖核酸降解因子GlSki7p,最终降解靶标mRNA。     

无核仁原生动物蓝氏贾第虫rDNA的分布

过去的工作已表明,源真核生物（Archezoa)中的双滴虫类极其原始,核中尚无核仁发生,以蓝氏贾第虫（Giardia lamblia)作为双滴虫类的代表,用高度特异的核仁组织区银染法（改良的Ag-I法,李靖炎,1985）在电镜下检视其rDNA在核中的分布。结果发现,代表rDNA之所在的银粒并不集中形成任何类似核仁组织区或核仁纤维区的结构;在作为对照的小眼虫（Euglena gracilis)体内,银粒则完全集中在核仁纤维区中,因此,作者以为贾第虫rDNA的这种分布代表着核仁组织区进化形成以前的一种原始状态。     

贾第虫同工酶研究进展

Bertram等(1983)首次应用淀粉凝胶电泳技术开展了蓝氏贾第鞭毛虫(Giardia Lamblia简称贾第虫)同工酶的研究工作。此后,这一领域的研究一直受到人们的重视,而且进展很快。现将近年来这方面的研究做一概述。 (一)贾第虫同工酶与虫株致病性的关系人体感染贾第虫后,临床症状表现如腹痛、     

蓝氏贾第鞭毛虫滋养体超微结构的研究

从实验感染的长爪沙鼠小肠内分离贾第虫滋养体,用SEM和TEM做超微结构观察。SEM见虫体呈纵切为半的梨形。前端钝圆,后端尖细。背部隆起,凹凸不平。体前腹面凹陷形成吸盘,边缘为嵴部。虫体周缘有周翼。本虫共有前、腹、后侧和尾鞭毛各一对,直径为200 nm左右;TEM是吸盘为一不对称的圆盘,由呈顺时针旋转之微管组成,并在嵴部重叠形成上、下叶。吸盘背侧有两个左右对称的细胞核,核间可见轴索。胞质内见许多空泡、纤维物质和中体。     

The Molecular Evolution of Nucleosome Positioning Through Sequence-Dependent Deformation of the DNA Polymer

Abstract

The computational prediction of nucleosome positioning from DNA sequence now allows for in silico investigation of the molecular evolution of biophysical properties of the DNA molecule responsible for primary chromatin organization in the genome. To discern what signal components driving nucleosome positioning in the yeast genome are potentially targeted by natural selection, we compare the performance of various models predictive of nucleosome positioning within the context of a simple statistical test, the repositioned mutation test. We demonstrate that while nucleosome occupancy is driven largely by translational exclusion in response to AT content, there is also a strong signature of evolutionary conservation of regular patterns within nucleosomal DNA sequence related to the structural organization of the nucleosome core (e.g., 10-bp dinucleotide periodicity). We also use computer simulations to investigate hypothetical coding and regulatory constraints on the ability of sequence properties affecting nucleosome formation to adaptively evolve. Our results demonstrate that natural selection may act independently on different DNA sequence properties responsible for local chromatin organization. Furthermore, at least with respect to the deformation energy of the DNA molecule in the nucleosome, the presence of the genetic code has greatly restricted the ability of sequences to evolve the dynamic nucleosome organization typically observed in promoter regions.     

Overlapping genes in parasitic protist Giardia lamblia.

The parasitic protist Giardia lamblia lacks mitochondria and peroxisomes, as well as many typical membrane-bound organella characteristics of higher eukaryotic cells, together with extremely economized usage of DNA sequence, as demonstrated by the lack of introns. We describe here the presence of overlapping genes in G. lamblia, in which a part of the protein coding sequence of one mRNA exists in a region corresponding to the 3′-noncoding region of another mRNA transcribed from a gene on the opposite strand. Recently we isolated 13 kinesin-related cDNAs from G. lamblia. Nine of these cDNAs contain long 3′-noncoding sequences in which long open reading frames (ORFs) exist (in the remaining four cDNAs, the lengths of the 3′-noncoding sequences are very short). The predicted amino acid sequences of these ORFs were subjected to a search for homologies with sequences in databases. The amino acid sequences of the six ORFs exhibited significant sequence similarities with known sequences. These lines of evidence suggest the frequent occurrence of gene overlap in Giardial genome.     

Expression of tubulin polyglycylation in Giardia lamblia

By means of immunofluorescence, immunoelectron microscopy and immunoblotting, we show that polyglycylation, a posttranslational modification of tubulin widely spread among eukaryotes, is present in the diplomonad, Giardia lamblia, a putative ancestral cell possessing a highly developed microtubular cytoskeleton. This modification was recently discovered in the ciliated protist, Paramecium, and was not found in the Euglenozoa, a lineage considered as ancient. We used two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), TAP 952 and AXO 49, specifically recognizing mono- and polyglycylated tubulin isoforms, to detect this modification in Giardia extracts and to localize it in the different classes of microtubules within the cell. The alpha- and beta-tubulin subunits were recognized by the two mAbs, indicating that both tubulin subunits are glycylated, in agreement with lately reported mass spectrometry results. Noticeably, Giardia tubulin was much more reactive with AXO 49 than with TAP 952. In situ, AXO 49 intensely labeled the microtubules present in the four pairs of flagella and the median body, and lightly decorated the microtubules from the adhesive disc. In contrast, TAP 952 intensely labeled only the microtubules of the median body. The results indicate a differential expression of glycylated isoforms within various microtubular structures of Giardia lamblia. They also suggest that the complete set of enzymes required for polyglycylation is expressed in very divergent eukaryotes.     

体外装配核小体过程组蛋白浓度依赖的动力学模型

为探索组蛋白浓度对核小体体外装配的影响,本研究表达纯化了4种组蛋白,通过控制实验反应体系中组蛋白的浓度,利用盐透析法在体外装配了核小体,检测分析了组蛋白浓度与核小体组装效率的关系。以此实验数据为基础,提出了核小体组装过程组蛋白浓度依赖性的动力学模型。实验结果发现,反应体系中组蛋白浓度与核小体生成量呈典型的线性关系。依据动力学理论模型,进行线性回归拟合,回归系数达到0.963;经计算601 DNA序列组装核小体的反应速率常数k为1.49×10^-5mL·h·μg^-1。CS1序列验证动力学模型的线性回归相关系数为0.989,反应速率常数为1.52×10^-5mL·h·μg^-1。该实验方法及动力学模型中反应速率常数k可用于评价相同长度的DNA序列组装核小体的能力、组蛋白与其突变体以及组蛋白变体之间形成核小体结构能力的差异。该动力学模型的建立为理解核小体装配、核小体定位、染色质结构等相关问题提供了理论指导。     

Centrin in Giardia lamblia - ultrastructural localization

Giardia lamblia is a multiflagellar parasite and one of the earliest diverging eukaryotic cells. It possesses a complex cytoskeleton based on different groups of microtubular structures - a ventral adhesive disc, four pairs of flagella, a median body and funis. Centrin is an important member of the EF-hand family of calcium-binding proteins, and it is known to show calcium-sensitive contractile behaviour. In the present study, we performed an ultrastructural localization of centrin in G. lamblia using several monoclonal antibodies to centrin. Microtubular structures such as the basal bodies, all the flagella axonemes, the adhesive disc, funis, and the median bodies presented positive labelling to centrin. In addition, the dense rods also demonstrated positive labelling. These results show that centrin is located in key positions related to microtubules. The role of centrin in these dynamic regions is discussed.     

Preventive role of probiotic bacteria against gastrointestinal diseases in mice caused by Giardia lamblia

Giardiasis is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal diseases in the world. It is caused by Giardia, Giardia lamblia, a common and opportunistic zoonotic parasite. The aim of our work is to find a natural and safe alternative treatment for giardiasis, specifically, to determine if probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Lactobacillus helveticus) can contribute to treatment, and act as preventives. Sixty weanling albino mice, Mus musculus, were divided into control and experimental, probiotic-fed groups. We determined infection intensity, and cure and prevention rates of giardiasis through ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) of stool samples and histopathological comparison of intestinal tissue. In experimental groups, there was a significant reduction in infection intensity (P<0.001) on days 10, 15, and 20, while cure rate reached 87.5%. The control group showed no signs of reduced infection or cure and only the group treated with probiotics prior to infection showed significant prevention rates. In the experimental groups, intestinal changes due to giardiasis appeared 7 days post-infection. However, almost all of these changes disappeared by the 25th day. Our results suggest a beneficial and significant effect of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of giardiasis in mice.