The Effect of Monastrol on the Processive Motility of a Dimeric Kinesin-5 Head/Kinesin-1 Stalk Chimera

Controlled activity of several kinesin motors is required for the proper assembly of the mitotic spindle. Eg5, a homotetrameric bipolar kinesin-5 from Xenopus laevis, can cross-link and slide anti-parallel microtubules apart by a motility mechanism comprising diffusional and directional modes. How this mechanism is regulated, possibly by the tail domains of the opposing motors, is poorly understood. In order to explore the basic unregulated kinesin-5 motor activity, we generated a stably dimeric kinesin-5 construct, Eg5Kin, consisting of the motor domain and neck linker of Eg5 and the neck coiled coil of Drosophila melanogaster kinesin-1 (DmKHC). In single-molecule motility assays, we found this chimera to be highly processive. In addition, we studied the effect of the kinesin-5-specific inhibitor monastrol using single-molecule fluorescence assays. We found that monastrol reduced the length of processive runs, but strikingly did not affect velocity. Quantitative analysis of monastrol dose dependence suggests that two bound monastrol molecules are required to be bound to an Eg5Kin dimer to terminate a run.     

一种快速检测启动子特异性的方法

非洲爪蟾的受精卵体积大,易于操作,与转基因鼠比较,转基因爪蟾操作更是快速、经济、简便,是一种深受欢迎的脊椎动物模型。利用绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）的特性,与不同的基因启动子连接,并运用显微注射技术制备转基因蟾,根据GFP表达情况,可以初步判断启动子的特异性。     

甲醛固定对GFP发光特性的影响

绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)能够作为报告分子对活体细胞中特定基因的时空表达进行实时追踪,因此广泛应用于生物学研究领域。在用GFP对细胞活动进行追踪的实验中,常有无法在取样后及时对样品进行荧光观察的情况,此时需要先将样品进行固定以便对其进行观测。然而,不恰当的细胞固定方法会导致胞内GFP荧光信号强度减弱、位置改变等后果。甲醛是最常用的细胞固定剂,也常被用于固定表达GFP蛋白的细胞样品。但对甲醛固定GFP样品的报道多是针对于真核细胞,且固定效果也存在较大差异。文章系统地探索了甲醛浓度、固定时间、固定缓冲液种类对两种细菌(E.coli及鱼腥蓝细菌Anabaena PCC7120)胞内GFP信号的影响。结果显示,较低浓度(≤1%)的甲醛处理2h后,细胞的荧光强度在1d后仍可保持80%以上,胞内荧光点无弥散现象发生。具有相近pH的几种常见缓冲液对荧光强度的影响无显著差异。随着甲醛浓度的增加、固定时间的延长、溶液pH的增加(中性至偏碱性),细胞中的荧光强度会逐渐降低。     

Simple conjugation and outgrowth procedures for tagging vibrios with GFP, and factors affecting the stable expression of the gfp tag

AIM: Our goal was to develop a simple system for tagging wild-type marine bacteria with gfp. METHODS AND RESULTS: Escherichia coli strain CC118lambdapir carrying the conjugative helper plasmid pEVS104 and the gfp-containing plasmid pKV111 was used to transfer gfp to Vibrio recipients. Four different media were tested for their ability to support the growth of recipients, but not the E. coli donor, to allow powerful enrichment of gfp-tagged wild-type vibrios from mating mixes. Forty-three vibrio strains, representing 39 different species, were successfully tagged with gfp using the conjugative transfer from E. coli followed by selective outgrowth at 15 degrees C on ZoBell 2216E agar containing 0.5% sodium alginate. Using this outgrowth medium, colonies of GFP-expressing vibrio clones were detectable within 4 days. The percentage of visibly fluorescent cells in three representative GFP-tagged vibrios was higher at 15 degrees C than at 20 or 25 degrees C (c. 50% vs. 45% or 40%, respectively), and was also higher during the aerobic rather than the anaerobic culturing (c. 50% vs. 35%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We found a simple selective outgrowth technique that enabled us to isolate a wide variety of GFP-tagged marine vibrios following the conjugative transfer of gfp from E. coli. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Tagging cells with GFP and related fluorescent proteins is a powerful approach for investigating the bacteria in situ, particularly during the colonization of hosts. The simple and cost-effective outgrowth condition described in this study could be applied to construct a wide variety gfp-tagged marine bacteria.     

绿色荧光蛋白作为分子标记物在微生物学中的应用

荧光染料在微生物学中的应用受到广泛的关注。近年来 ,来源于发光性生物的荧光蛋白进一步丰富了微生物学的研究手段。其中绿色荧光蛋白 (Greenfluorescentprotein ,GFP ,来源于水母 )具有独特的应用价值。在活体研究中 ,GFP相对于其它报告蛋白 (如 β 半乳糖苷酶 )在原位、实时的微生物生理生化研究中有很多优越性。对GFP作为分子标记物在微生物学中的应用进行回顾 ,对GFP在微生物与宿主相互作用、生物膜(biofilm)、生物降解、细菌与原生动物相互作用、基因转导、基因表达、蛋白质定位以及生物传感器等领域的应用进行讨论 ,并扼要介绍了一些应用于荧光观察和定量分析的方法。     

Functional Analysis of Human tRNA Isodecoders

tRNA isodecoders share the same anticodon but have differences in their body sequence. An unexpected result from genome sequencing projects is the identification of a large number of tRNA isodecoder genes in mammalian genomes. In the reference human genome, more than 270 isodecoder genes are present among the approximately 450 tRNA genes distributed among 49 isoacceptor families. Whether sequence diversity among isodecoder tRNA genes reflects functional variability is an open question. To address this, we developed a method to quantify the efficiency of tRNA isodecoders in stop-codon suppression in human cell lines. First, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene that contains a single UAG stop codon at two distinct locations is introduced. GFP is only produced when a tRNA suppressor containing CUA anticodon is co-transfected with the GFP gene. The suppression efficiency is examined for 31 tRNA isodecoders (all contain CUA anticodon), 21 derived from four isoacceptor families of tRNA^Ser genes, 7 from five families of tRNA^Leu genes, and 3 from three families of tRNA^Ala genes. We found that isodecoder tRNAs display a large difference in their suppression efficiency. Among those with above background suppression activity, differences of up to 20-fold were observed. We were able to tune tRNA suppression efficiency by subtly adjusting the tRNA sequence and inter-convert poor suppressors into potent ones. We also demonstrate that isodecoder tRNAs with varying suppression efficiencies have similar stability and exhibit similar levels of aminoacylation in vivo. Our results indicate that naturally occurring tRNA isodecoders can have large functional variations and suggest that some tRNA isodecoders may perform a function distinct from translation.     

Symmetry of septin hourglass and ring structures

Septin filaments form ordered hourglass and ring-shaped structures in close apposition to the yeast bud-neck membrane. The septin hourglass scaffolds the asymmetric localization of many essential cell division proteins. However, it is unknown whether the septin structures have an overall polarity along the mother-daughter axis that determines the asymmetric protein localization. Here we engineered rigid septin- green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions with various fluorescence dipole directions by changing the position of the GFP beta-barrel relative to the septin filament axis. We then used polarized fluorescence microscopy to detect potential asymmetries in the filament organization. We found that both the hourglass and ring filament assemblies have sub-resolution C(2) symmetry and lack net polarity along the mother-daughter axis. The hourglass filaments have an additional degree of symmetry relative to the ring filaments, most likely due to a twist in their higher-order structure. We previously reported that during the hourglass to rings transition septin filaments change their direction. Here we show that the filaments also undergo a change in their lateral organization, consistent with filament untwisting. The lack of net septin polarity along the mother-daughter axis suggests that there are no septin-based structural reasons for the observed asymmetry of other proteins. We discuss possible anisotropic processes that could break the septin symmetry and establish the essential bud-neck asymmetry.     

Binding of the inhibitor protein IF(1) to bovine F(1)-ATPase

In the structure of bovine F₁-ATPase inhibited with residues 1-60 of the bovine inhibitor protein IF₁, the α-helical inhibitor interacts with five of the nine subunits of F₁-ATPase. In order to understand the contributions of individual amino acid residues to this complex binding mode, N-terminal deletions and point mutations have been introduced, and the binding properties of each mutant inhibitor protein have been examined. The N-terminal region of IF₁ destabilizes the interaction of the inhibitor with F₁-ATPase and may assist in removing the inhibitor from its binding site when F₁F_o-ATPase is making ATP. Binding energy is provided by hydrophobic interactions between residues in the long α-helix of IF₁ and the C-terminal domains of the β_DP-subunit and β_TP-subunit and a salt bridge between residue E30 in the inhibitor and residue R408 in the C-terminal domain of the β_DP-subunit. Several conserved charged amino acids in the long α-helix of IF₁ are also required for establishing inhibitory activity, but in the final inhibited state, they are not in contact with F₁-ATPase and occupy aqueous cavities in F₁-ATPase. They probably participate in the pathway from the initial interaction of the inhibitor and the enzyme to the final inhibited complex observed in the structure, in which two molecules of ATP are hydrolysed and the rotor of the enzyme turns through two 120° steps. These findings contribute to the fundamental understanding of how the inhibitor functions and to the design of new inhibitors for the systematic analysis of the catalytic cycle of the enzyme.     

微流控芯片监测绿色荧光蛋白在枯草芽孢杆菌中的表达

目前主要使用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜观察绿色荧光蛋白的表达,但需要昂贵的仪器并耗费大量时间。本研究开发了一种新型激光诱导的微流芯片检测系统来监测绿色荧光蛋白在枯草芽孢杆菌中的表达。该系统主要由激光装置、光路系统、微流控芯片、光电倍增管和计算机处理系统等5部分组成。对该系统的测试结果显示,随着诱导强度的增强监测信号峰也随之增强,并且与激光共聚焦显微镜观察的结果一致。利用该芯片系统能够快速准确地筛选和鉴定用绿色荧光蛋白作为标记的细胞克隆,可以替代PCR鉴定方法。但该系统仅仅能够监测表达强度,不能够满足蛋白定位等高水平研究,因此,该系统适合应用于环境的微生物监测、药物筛选和其他无需观察蛋白定位等研究。     

A theoretical study on the optical absorption of green fluorescent protein chromophore in solutions

Ethyl 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) methylidene- 2-methyl-5-oxoimidazolacetate (HBMIA) is a model chromophore of green fluorescent protein. The electronic structure of HBMIA in aqueous solution phase is studied using a hybrid method of quantum chemistry and statistical mechanics, RISM-SCF-SEDD. The solvatochromic shift is correctly reproduced by the present computations.     

A series of laboratory exercises utilizing luxR gene of Vibrio fischeri and gfp gene of Aequoria victoria to teach the broad applications of polymerase chain reaction

Three experiments are described; directional cloning of the luxR gene from the bioluminescent marine bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, directional cloning of the gfpgene from the marine jelly fish, Aequoria victoria, and the construction of a LuxR-GFP fusion protein. Experiments are presented using lux and gfp in an undergraduate biology curriculum. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 24, 345–352. Received 02 April 1999/ Accepted in revised form 19 November 1999     

High-level secretion of functional green fluorescent protein from transgenic tobacco cell cultures: characterization and sensing

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is useful for studying protein trafficking in plant cells. This utility could potentially be extended to develop an efficient secretory reporter system or to enable on-line monitoring of secretory recombinant protein production in plant cell cultures. Toward this end, the aim of the present study was to: (1) demonstrate and characterize high levels of secretion of fluorescent GFP from transgenic plant cell culture; and (2) examine the utility of GFP fluorescence for monitoring secreted recombinant protein production. In this study we expressed in tobacco cell cultures a secretory GFP construct made by splicing an Arabidopsis basic chitinase signal sequence to GFP. Typical extracellular GFP accumulation was 12 mg/L after 10 to 12 days of culture. The secreted GFP is functional and it accounts for up to 55% of the total GFP expressed. Findings from culture treatments with brefeldin A suggest that GFP is secreted by the cultured tobacco cells via the classical endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway. Over the course of flask cultures, medium fluorescence increased with the secreted GFP concentrations that were determined using either Western blot or enzyme-linked immunoassay. Real-time monitoring of secreted GFP in plant cell cultures by on-line fluorescence detection was verified in bioreactor cultures in which the on-line culture fluorescence signals showed a linear dependency on the secreted GFP concentrations.     

Ribonucleic Acid Metabolism in Germinating Soybeans

A stereoselective synthesis of methyl trans, trans-farnesoate (I) from isoprenyl bromide and geraniol is described. dl-C₁₇-Cecropia juvenile hormone (IV) was synthesized from it in a stereoselective manner.     

绿色荧光蛋白基因导入胡萝卜愈伤组织并获得表达

目的:将绿色荧光蛋白基因(green fluorescent protein,GFP)重组到胡萝卜愈伤组织细胞中,使其获得表达,为今后利用GFP基因作为植物报告基因提供条件。方法:通过冻融法将含有GFP基因的重组表达载体PBI1121转入到根癌农杆菌EHA105中,再利用根癌农杆菌介导的方法将GFP基因导入到胡萝卜愈伤组织细胞中,经过除菌和抗性筛选后观测转化结果。结果:荧光显微镜观测到被转化的愈伤组织在受蓝光激发后发出绿色荧光,利用PCR法扩增出约740bp的目的基因片断。结论:GFP基因在胡萝卜愈伤组织细胞中获得了表达。     

农杆菌介导的小孢拟盘多毛孢遗传转化及突变体筛选

本研究通过农杆菌EHA105介导的方法,以含潮霉素抗性基因和GFP基因的双元载体pCAMBgfp为转化载体,对小孢拟盘多毛孢Pestalotiopsis microspora KFRD-2菌株进行遗传转化。基于潮霉素及GFP荧光抗性进行转化子的初步筛选,随后,进一步对转化子的菌落特征、菌丝生长速率、产孢量、荧光稳定性及致病力进行验证。结果获得阳性转化子100余株,转化效率达200个转化子/10⁶个孢子。大部分转化子与野生型菌株无明显形态及致病力差异。同时,获得了14株菌丝形态、产孢量或致病力与野生型存在明显差异的突变株,可用于小孢拟盘多毛孢关键致病基因的挖掘验证及致病机理等研究。     

Tn5 transposase-assisted transformation of indica rice

Here, we describe experiments on Tn5 transposase-assisted transformation of indica rice. Transposomes were formed in vitro as a result of hyperactive Tn5 transposase complexing with a transposon that contained a 19-bp tetracycline operator (tetO) sequence. To form modified projectiles for transformation, the Tn10-derived prokaryotic tetracycline repressor (TetR) proteins, which can bind transposomes via the high affinity of TetR for tetO, were immobilized onto the surface of bare gold microscopic particles. These projectiles were introduced into cells of the indica rice cultivar Zhuxian B by particle bombardment. Once projectiles were inside the cell, tetracycline induced an allosteric conformational change in TetR that resulted in the dissociation of TetR from tetO, and thus generated free transposomes. Molecular evidence of transposition was obtained by the cloning of insertion sites from many transgenic plants. We also demonstrated that the introduced foreign DNA was inherited stably over several generations. This technique is a promising transformation method for other plant species as it is species independent.     

原核表达载体pET28a-EGFP的构建与表达

以质粒PEGFP-N3中增强型绿色荧光蛋白（Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein,EGFP）基因片段为模板,利用PCR技术扩增得到EGFP基因片段,并设计引物在其2端引入酶切位点EcoRⅠ和HindⅢ,对引入酶切位点的EGFP片段和pET28a质粒进行双酶切处理后,利用T4连接酶连接得到了重组质粒pET28a-EGFP。利用热击法把得到的重组质粒pET28a-EGFP转化至E.coliBL21（Escherichia coliBL21）感受态细胞中,当大肠埃希菌LB（Luria-Bertani）培养液在600 nm下的光密度值OD600=0.4时,通过添加异丙基硫代β-D-半乳糖苷（IPTG）作为诱导剂诱导EGFP表达。结果表明：重组质粒酶切鉴定及测序结果正确。在自然光下,转化子在LB固体培养基（含1 mmol/L的IPTG和50μg/mL的卡那霉素（Kan））中菌落呈绿色。在荧光显微镜下受蓝光激发,可以清楚观察到发绿色荧光的转化子。成功构建的原核表达载体pET28a-EGFP在E.coliBL21中得到了高效表达,为以后作为荧光标记物标记食源性病原菌提供了一定的理论和技术支持。