甘蓝型油菜PEP基因片段的克隆和种子特异性反义表达载体的构建及转基因油菜的获得

丙酮酸羧化酶(PEP)是控制油菜蛋白质/油脂含量比例的一个种子的含油量.本研究利用PCR法从甘蓝型油菜花油5号(H045)克隆了PEP基因片段,并与载体pBI121-B构建了反义PEP基因的种子特异性植物表达载体,通过激光微束穿刺法将其转化到甘蓝型油菜中,目前已获得了转基因植株.     

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of FATTY ACID ELONGATION1 (BjFAE1) Gene of Brassica juncea

The Brassica juncea homologue of Arabidopsis thaliana FAE1 gene, which is responsible for elongation of fatty acid chain length from C18 to C20 and C22 was amplified via PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) using heterologous primers. The PCR product was cloned into pGEM-T vector, subcloned and sequenced. The BjFAE1 has 1536-nucleotides and shares 93.6% homology with the A. thaliana counterpart. Southern analysis, using the PCR product as probe, indicated that FAE1 gene is of the same size in all the cultivated Brassica species, i.e. B. juncea, B. nigra, B. campestris, B. oleracea, B. napus and B. carinata. It expresses strongly only in the developing seed and podwall.     

改良红鲫Dmc1基因编码阅读框的克隆及表达

Dmc1基因是一个在减数分裂前期Ⅰ表达的基因,其表达产物为减数分裂时同源染色体配对所必需。本实验根据普通红鲫Dmc1基因编码阅读框(ORF)序列设计引物,克隆了改良红鲫Dmc1基因(命名为IRCC-Dmc1)的ORF序列并将之插入到cDNA5-FRT/TO载体中,构建了改良红鲫Dmc1基因表达载体FRT/TO-IRCC-Dmc1-Myc。以FRT/TO-IRCC-Dmc1-Myc质粒转染HEK293T细胞,蛋白印迹杂交实验检测到改良红鲫Dmc1基因在HEK293T细胞中有着正确的表达。本文为将来进一步研究改良红鲫Dmc1基因的功能打下了基础。     

pax2启动子的克隆及其在人胚胎肾293T细胞中的转录活性

目的:克隆paired box2(pax2)基因的启动子,插入荧光素酶报告基因载体中,并检测其活性。方法:采用PCR技术从人乳腺癌细胞系MCF-7基因组中扩增出pax2启动子,插入荧光素酶报告基因载体pGL3-basic中,确定所扩增的DNA序列。将重组的报告基因瞬时转染人胚胎肾293T细胞,检测pax2启动子活性。结果:测序结果显示扩增的pax2启动子序列正确;活性实验表明构建的报告基因具有启动子活性,雌激素受体α(ERα)能以剂量依赖的方式升高pax2报告基因的转录。结论:克隆了pax2启动子,为ERα共调节子的功能研究提供了重要基础。     

The Random Nature of Genome Architecture: Predicting Open Reading Frame Distributions

Background

A better understanding of the size and abundance of open reading frames (ORFS) in whole genomes may shed light on the factors that control genome complexity. Here we examine the statistical distributions of open reading frames (i.e. distribution of start and stop codons) in the fully sequenced genomes of 297 prokaryotes, and 14 eukaryotes.

Methodology/Principal Findings

By fitting mixture models to data from whole genome sequences we show that the size-frequency distributions for ORFS are strikingly similar across prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Moreover, we show that i) a large fraction (60–80%) of ORF size-frequency distributions can be predicted a priori with a stochastic assembly model based on GC content, and that (ii) size-frequency distributions of the remaining “non-random” ORFs are well-fitted by log-normal or gamma distributions, and similar to the size distributions of annotated proteins.

Conclusions/Significance

Our findings suggest stochastic processes have played a primary role in the evolution of genome complexity, and that common processes govern the conservation and loss of functional genomics units in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes.     

斑马鱼心肌特异性启动子的克隆及其功能鉴定*

目的:探讨心室肌球蛋白重链(vmhc)基因启动子的心肌组织特异性.方法:利用PCR技术从斑马鱼基因组中克隆了vmhc编码区5’上游大小为1952bp的调控区域,应用酶切连接方法将vmhc启动子插入pGEFP-N1质粒,成功构建pEGFP-vmhc重组载体.再应用高保真DNA聚合酶PCR扩增包含vmhc启动子序列,增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)基因序列及3'UTR序列的基因片段,经过纯化后通过显微注射将vmhc-EGFP基因片段导入斑马鱼受精卵中.结果:注射后的斑马鱼心脏中出现绿色荧光,而其他部位无荧光出现.结论:vmhc启动子能够正确有效地驱动外源基因在斑马鱼心脏中特异表达,适合应用于心血管疾病的基因功能研究,基因靶向治疗等.     

Cloning, Sequencing and Characterization of FAE1 Genes of Brassica juncea cv Pusa Bold and the Mutant fae1 of B. rapa cv Tobin

Level of erucic acid (22:1), the major storage fatty acid of oil seed Brassica, is controlled by the activity of the Fatty Acid Elongation1 (FAE1) gene. Southern hybridization revealed the presence of two FAE1 genes in B. juncea. The two FAE1 genes of B. juncea and the mutant fae1 of B. rapa cv Tobin were isolated from genomic libraries of the respective species and sequenced. The two BjFAE1 gene sequences shared more than 98% homology and contained ORF capable of coding for 509/510 amino acid polypeptides. One of the FAE1 genes of B. juncea was found to be nearly identical (99.6%) to the mutant formof B. rapa suggesting its origin from the later species. Comparison of the sequences generated with one another and with other FAE1 sequences in the database revealed that substitution of C₂₃₃ (cysteine) with G (glycine) might be responsible for the loss of enzyme activity in B. rapa cv Tobin.     

甘蓝型油菜BnGOLS1基因启动子的克隆、序列分析及瞬时表达

以甘蓝型油菜‘德油五号’基因组DNA为模板,通过反向PCR扩增得到肌醇半乳糖苷合成酶基因（BnGOLS1）启动子片段,长度为827bp。PLACE和PlantCARE启动子预测工具分析表明：序列中含有TATA-Box、CAAT-Box等基本转录元件,以及ABRE、DRE、HSE、w-Box等顺式作用元件。将克隆得到的BnGOLS1启动子取代pBI121中的CaMV35S启动子,构建BnGOLS1启动子控制报告基因的GUS表达载体pBI-GS-GUS,通过农杆菌介导的方法在油菜组织中进行瞬时表达。GUS染色结果表明BnGOLS1启动子可以驱动GUS基因在油菜组织中的表达。     

矮牵牛PMADS9基因启动子的克隆及分析

矮牵牛PMADS9基因是MADS-box基因AGL15亚家族的成员。该亚家族基因可能具有调控开花时间、抑制花器官衰老脱落和促进体胚形成等功能。本文应用YADE和hiTAIL-PCR等方法,克隆了PMADS9基因5′端翻译起始位点上游1853bp的启动子区域序列(FJ798977);RACE分析发现该基因至少有4个转录起始位点,2个位于编码区第一外显子内。启动子调控元件分析显示,PMADS9启动子富集花粉和种子发育过程中特异表达元件和与环境应答相关的元件;AGL15同源基因启动子存在非常保守的RY-repeat元件,启动子的保守性与物种的遗传距离不一致;推测PMADS9启动子翻译起始位点上游200～400bp和800～1000bp区域具重要功能。     

Identification, Cloning, and Characterization of a Novel Ketoreductase from the Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Strain PCC 7942

A new ketoreductase useful for asymmetric synthesis of chiral alcohols was identified in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942. Mass spectrometry of trypsin-digested peptides identified the protein as 3-ketoacyl-[acyl-carrier-protein] reductase (KR) (EC 1.1.1.100). The gene, referred to as fabG, was cloned, functionally expressed in Escherichia coli, and subsequently purified to homogeneity. The enzyme displayed a temperature optimum at 44°C and a broad pH optimum between pH 7 and pH 9. The NADPH-dependent KR was able to asymmetrically reduce a variety of prochiral ketones with good to excellent enantioselectivities (>99.8%). The KR showed particular high specific activity for asymmetric reduction of ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate (38.29 ± 2.15 U mg⁻¹) and 2′,3′,4′,5′,6′-pentafluoroacetophenone (8.57 ± 0.49 U mg⁻¹) to the corresponding (S)-alcohols. In comparison with an established industrial enzyme like the alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis, the KR showed seven-times-higher activity toward 2′,3′,4′,5′,6′-pentafluoroacetophenone, with a remarkably higher enantiomeric excess (>99.8% [S] versus 43.3% [S]).     

A Novel Mutation in the Upstream Open Reading Frame of the CDKN1B Gene Causes a MEN4 Phenotype

The CDKN1B gene encodes the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27^KIP1, an atypical tumor suppressor playing a key role in cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Impaired p27^KIP1 expression and/or localization are often observed in tumor cells, further confirming its central role in regulating the cell cycle. Recently, germline mutations in CDKN1B have been associated with the inherited multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 4, an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by varying combinations of tumors affecting at least two endocrine organs. In this study we identified a 4-bp deletion in a highly conserved regulatory upstream ORF (uORF) in the 5′UTR of the CDKN1B gene in a patient with a pituitary adenoma and a well-differentiated pancreatic neoplasm. This deletion causes the shift of the uORF termination codon with the consequent lengthening of the uORF–encoded peptide and the drastic shortening of the intercistronic space. Our data on the immunohistochemical analysis of the patient''s pancreatic lesion, functional studies based on dual-luciferase assays, site-directed mutagenesis, and on polysome profiling show a negative influence of this deletion on the translation reinitiation at the CDKN1B starting site, with a consequent reduction in p27^KIP1 expression. Our findings demonstrate that, in addition to the previously described mechanisms leading to reduced p27^KIP1 activity, such as degradation via the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway or non-covalent sequestration, p27^KIP1 activity can also be modulated by an uORF and mutations affecting uORF could change p27^KIP1 expression. This study adds the CDKN1B gene to the short list of genes for which mutations that either create, delete, or severely modify their regulatory uORFs have been associated with human diseases.