乳腺癌易感蛋白BRCA1的BRCT2结构域染色质伸展活性的定位

40 %～ 5 0 %的遗传性乳腺癌和至少 80 %的既有乳腺癌又有卵巢癌家族史的患者是由BRCA1突变引起的 .BRCA1C末端含有 2个BRCT结构域 (BRCT1和BRCT2 ) ,它们与BRCA1的重要功能密切相关 .许多乳腺癌易感突变发生在BRCA1的BRCT结构域中 .利用染色质结构检测技术表明 ,BRCT结构域具有染色质伸展活性 .利用缺失突变技术构建了 6种BRCT2结构域 (175 6～ 185 2位氨基酸残基 )缺失突变体并将BRCT2结构域中与染色质伸展相关的重要区域定位到 175 6～ 180 8之间的氨基酸残基 ;用丙氨酸扫描技术构建了 6种BRCT2结构域丙氨酸扫描突变体并将重要氨基酸残基序列定位到 1784～ 1788之间的VQLCG .BRCT2结构域的定位有助于预测BRCT2结构域突变后发生乳腺癌的风险 ,也为进一步研究BRCT2结构域的功能机制提供了有用的材料 .     

利用染色质结构检测技术研究乳腺癌易感蛋白BRCA1转录激活区突变

乳腺癌易感基因BRCA1突变引起的遗传性乳腺癌中40％－50％,其突变引起的遗传性乳腺癌和卵巢癌的比例至少为80％,许多乳腺癌易感突变发生在BRCA1 C末端转录激活结构域（1560－1863aa),但该区域大部分突变导致何种表型（良性多态性或乳腺癌易感突变）目前还不清楚,由于染色质结构调节是基因转录调节的早期事件,该文基于lac阻遏物识别和结合lac操纵基因的原理,利用染色质结构检测技术比较BRCAI转录激活结构域不同突变体与野生型的染色质伸展活性,将1种野生型,2种良性多态型（S1613G和M16521）和4种乳腺癌易感突变型（A1708E,M1775R,W1837R和Y1853term)转录激活区片段以正确相位融合于lac阻遏物的下游,得到野生型重组质粒pwt和pS1613G,pM1652I,pA1708,pM1775R,pW1837R及pY1853tem6种突变型重组质粒,Western blot检测表明,这些重组质粒分别转染A03－1细胞后均表达了相应的融合蛋白。对这些重组质粒的染色质伸展活性检测表明：野生型pwt和两种良性多态性突变体不具有染色质伸展活性或只有极微弱的染色质伸展活性,而其他4种乳腺癌易感突变体均具有过强的染色质伸展活性,提示利用染色质伸展技术可预测BRCA1转录激活区基因型与乳腺癌发生风险的表现型的关系。     

人Pescadillo诱导大规模染色质伸展

人Pescadillo基因编码的蛋白分子中含有一个BRCT结构域, Pescadillo在DNA合成、细胞增殖和转化中发挥重要作用. 考虑到BRCT结构域能够诱导大规模染色质伸展, 对Pescadillo在大规模染色质伸展中的作用进行了研究. 首先从人乳腺MCF10A细胞中得到了Pescadillo编码区的cDNA, 其序列在第580~582位氨基酸发生缺失, 将该cDNA 片段与lac阻遏物在AO3-1细胞中融合表达, 通过lac阻遏物结合细胞基因组中含有lac操纵基因的区域将Pescadillo靶向至染色质周围, 发现Pescadillo能够诱导大规模染色质伸展, 并将诱导大规模染色质伸展活性的结构域定位至其BRCT结构域, 这为深入理解Pescadillo的重要作用提供了新的线索.     

人Pescadillo能够诱导大规模染色质伸展

人Pescadillo基因编码的蛋白分子中含有一个BRCT结构域,Pescadillo在DNA合成、细胞增殖和转化中发挥重要作用.考虑到BRCT结构域能够诱导大规模染色质伸展,对Pescadillo在大规模染色质伸展中的作用进行了研究.首先从人乳腺MCF10A细胞中得到了Pescadillo编码区的cDNA,其序列在第580～582位氨基酸发生缺失,将该cDNA片段与lac阻遏物在AO3-1细胞中融合表达,通过lac阻遏物结合细胞基因组中含有lac操纵基因的区域将Pescadillo靶向至染色质周围,发现Pescadillo能够诱导大规模染色质伸展,并将诱导大规模染色质伸展活性的结构域定位至其BRCT结构域,这为深入理解Pescadillo的重要作用提供了新的线索.     

BRCA1相互作用蛋白的分离及鉴定

乳腺癌易感基因(breast cancer susceptibility gene-1,BRCAl)在DNA损伤修复、细胞周期调控、染色质的稳定、基因转录激活以及细胞凋亡等方面起着重要作用。BRCAI C-末端是富含酸性氨基酸的转录激活结构域(AD),AD核心结构为两个串联的BRCT结构域(BRCTl和BRCT2)。应用酵母双杂交技术,以BRCT2为诱饵蛋白,从卵巢文库中筛选到了与BRCT2结构域相互作用蛋白FHL2(four and half LIM domains)。利用酵母交配的方法证明FHL2与BRCAlBRCT2特异结合,而不与BRCAl BRCTl、Rapl BRCT结构域结合。GST沉淀实验表明,FHL2在体外特异地与BRCT2结构域相结合;免疫共沉淀实验表明,FHL2在体内特异地与BRCT2结构域结合;FHL2可与全长BRCAl结合。BRCAl与FHL2相互作用的发现为研究BRCAl以及FHL2在肿瘤发生、发展中的作用打下了坚实的基础。     

BRCA1蛋白的序列及空间结构的分析

查询人的BRCA1蛋白的氨基酸序列,利用生物信息学的方法进行相似性搜索,获得一系列BRCA1蛋白的氨基酸序列。选择了其中的11条序列,对BRCA1蛋白进行了多重序列分析和进化分析,对BRCA1蛋白的BRCT结构域进行三维同源模型的构建与比较分析。分析结果表明:BRCA1中某些特定部位的氨基酸序列高度保守;确定氨基酸的保守位点并联合进化分析可对基因错义突变的致病性做初步地猜测;相近物种来源的BRCA1具有较近的亲缘关系,而且具有极其相似的三维空间结构。这些为研究BRCA1蛋白的结构与功能关系提供指导意义。     

BRCA1基因与乳腺癌

乳腺癌易感基因1(BRCA1)是具有遗传倾向的乳腺癌和卵巢癌的易感基因,且是一种抑癌基因.BRCA1基因的突变与家族性乳腺癌及它在细胞周期的调节,DNA损伤修复,基因的转录调控和诱导细胞凋亡方面起着重要作用.BRCA1基因的突变与家族性乳腺癌及卵巢癌的发生密切相关,对BRCA1分子功能的研究,将有利于阐明肿瘤发生的机理关.BRCA1的启动子甲基化与散发性乳腺癌有关.本文拟对BRCA1的结构,功能以及它的甲基化,突变,杂合性丢失对乳腺癌的影响作一综述.     

含磷酸结合口袋的BRCT结构域功能位点预测

BRCT( BRCA1 C-terminus)是真核生物DNA损伤修复系统重要的信号传导和蛋白靶向结构域.为了探讨含磷酸结合口袋的BRCT与磷酸化配体结合的机制,对XRCC1 BRCT1、PTIP BRCT4、ECT2 BRCT1和TopBP1BRCT1进行了结构保守性和表面静电势分析.结果显示,4个BRCT的磷酸结合口袋周围所存在的结构保守并带正电势的沟槽很可能是其功能位点,并且类似的沟槽在含磷酸结合口袋的BRCT中普遍存在.沟槽两侧及底部均带有极性氨基酸残基,两侧带正电荷,而底部疏水.这说明沟槽与配体的结合以静电和疏水相互作用为主.沟槽主要位于单个BRCT中,而且4个BRCT的沟槽在形状和电荷分布上都不同,说确明BRCT配体特异性主要由单个BRCT决定.磷酸结合口袋位于沟槽中心,说明沟槽可能同时结合磷酸化残基的N端和C端附近残基.     

ABCA1胞外第四环缺失突变体的构建及其抗砷性初步研究

目的：构建ABCA1细胞外第四环第1 479～1 597位氨基酸残基缺失的突变体。方法：采用重叠区扩增基因拼接法构建ABCA1第1 479～1 597位氨基酸残基缺失的突变体基因,并将其克隆至pcDNA3.1/V5-His/ABCA1重组载体上,脂质体法转染Hela细胞,激光共聚焦观察突变体定位,Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)试剂盒检测其48h急性砷中毒后生存率的变化。结果：该突变体基因经DNA序列分析表明其具有正确的序列和阅读框。激光共聚焦证实其表达的蛋白仍然能正确定位在Hela细胞的细胞膜上。CCK-8结果显示转染重组质粒和突变体质粒的细胞在各种砷浓度下生存率都较空载体组高。结论：成功构建了ABCA1胞外第四环第1 479～1 597位氨基酸残基缺失的突变体,且其表达的蛋白仍然定位于细胞膜上,突变体仍然具有一定的抗砷性,提示ABCA1胞外第四环可能不是关键抗砷结构域。     

肌钙蛋白I2与“孤儿”核受体ERRα1相互作用位点的鉴定

为深入研究肌钙蛋白I2（TNNI2）作为核受体相互作用蛋白参与核受体基因表达调控的分子机制,采用缺失突变联合酵母双杂交技术证明了TNNI2与ERRα1的相互作用位于TNNI2的1～128位氨基酸残基区域.该区域包括TNNI2蛋白的N末端、抑制肽段（96～116位氨基酸残基）和一个核受体结合位点LXXLL模序（即NR盒）.哺乳细胞瞬时共转染实验证实,TNNI21-128缺失突变体不具备辅助活化功能,并能作为负显性突变体完全抑制野生型TNNI2的辅活化作用.研究充分证明TNNI2与核受体的相互作用定位于TNNI2蛋白1～128氨基酸残基,并从侧面进一步证实了TNNI2能辅助核受体反式激活作用的功能.     

Human pescadillo induces large-scale chromatin unfolding

The human pescadillo gene encodes a protein with a BRCT domain. Pescadillo plays an important role in DNA synthesis, cell proliferation and transformation. Since BRCT domains have been shown to induce chromatin large-scale unfolding, we tested the role of Pescadillo in regulation of large-scale chromatin unfolding. To this end, we isolated the coding region of Pescadillo from human mammary MCF10A cells. Compared with the reported sequence, the isolated Pescadillo contains in-frame deletion from amino acid 580 to 582. Targeting the Pescadillo to an amplified, lac operator-containing chromosome region in the mammalian genome results in large-scale chromatin decondensation. This unfolding activity maps to the BRCT domain of Pescadillo. These data provide a new clue to understanding the vital role of Pescadillo.     

Structural consequences of a cancer-causing BRCA1-BRCT missense mutation

The integrity of the carboxyl-terminal BRCT repeat region is critical for BRCA1 tumor suppressor function; however, the molecular details of how a number of clinically derived BRCT missense mutations affect BRCA1 function remain largely unknown. Here we assess the structural response of the BRCT tandem repeat domain to a well characterized, cancer-associated single amino acid substitution, Met-1775 --> Arg-1775. The structure of BRCT-M1775R reveals that the mutated side chain is extruded from the protein hydrophobic core, thereby altering the protein surface. Charge-charge repulsion, rearrangement of the hydrophobic core, and disruption of the native hydrogen bonding network at the interface between the two BRCT repeats contribute to the conformational instability of BRCT-M1775R. Destabilization and global unfolding of the mutated BRCT domain at physiological temperatures explain the pleiotropic molecular and genetic defects associated with the BRCA1-M1775R protein.     

Detection of protein folding defects caused by BRCA1-BRCT truncation and missense mutations

Most cancer-associated BRCA1 mutations identified to date result in the premature translational termination of the protein, highlighting a crucial role for the C-terminal, BRCT repeat region in mediating BRCA1 tumor suppressor function. However, the molecular and genetic effects of missense mutations that map to the BRCT region remain largely unknown. Using a protease-based assay, we directly assessed the sensitivity of the folding of the BRCT domain to an extensive set of truncation and single amino acid substitutions derived from breast cancer screening programs. The protein can tolerate truncations of up to 8 amino acids, but further deletion results in drastic BRCT folding defects. This molecular phenotype can be correlated with an increased susceptibility to disease. A cross-validated computational assessment of the BRCT mutation data base suggests that as much as half of all BRCT missense mutations contribute to BRCA1 loss of function and disease through protein-destabilizing effects. The coupled use of proteolytic methods and computational predictive methods to detect mutant BRCA1 conformations at the protein level will augment the efficacy of current BRCA1 screening protocols, especially in the absence of clinical data that can be used to discriminate deleterious BRCT missense mutations from benign polymorphisms.     

Structure of an XRCC1 BRCT domain: a new protein-protein interaction module.

The BRCT domain (BRCA1 C-terminus), first identified in the breast cancer suppressor protein BRCA1, is an evolutionarily conserved protein-protein interaction region of approximately 95 amino acids found in a large number of proteins involved in DNA repair, recombination and cell cycle control. Here we describe the first three-dimensional structure and fold of a BRCT domain determined by X-ray crystallography at 3.2 A resolution. The structure has been obtained from the C-terminal region of the human DNA repair protein XRCC1, and comprises a four-stranded parallel beta-sheet surrounded by three alpha-helices, which form an autonomously folded domain. The compact XRCC1 structure explains the observed sequence homology between different BRCT motifs and provides a framework for modelling other BRCT domains. Furthermore, the established structure of an XRCC1 BRCT homodimer suggests potential protein-protein interaction sites for the complementary BRCT domain in DNA ligase III, since these two domains form a stable heterodimeric complex. Based on the XRCC1 BRCT structure, we have constructed a model for the C-terminal BRCT domain of BRCA1, which frequently is mutated in familial breast and ovarian cancer. The model allows insights into the effects of such mutations on the fold of the BRCT domain.     

Thermal and chemical denaturation of the BRCT functional module of human 53BP1

BRCTs are protein-docking modules involved in eukaryotic DNA repair. They are characterized by low sequence homology with generally well-conserved structure organization. In a considerable number of proteins, a pair of BRCT structural repeats occurs, connected with inter-BRCT linkers, variable in length, sequence and structure. Linkers may separate and control the relative position of BRCT domains as well as protect and stabilize the hydrophobic inter-BRCT interface region. Their vital role in protein function has been demonstrated by recent findings associating missense mutations in the inter-repeat linker region of the BRCT domain of BRCA1 (BRCA1-BRCT) to hereditary breast/ovarian cancer. The interaction of 53BP1 with the core domain of the p53 tumor suppressor involves the C-terminal BRCT repeat as well as the inert-BRCT linker of the tandem BRCT domain of 53BP1 (53BP1-BRCT). High-accuracy differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and circular dichroism (CD) have been employed to characterize the heat-induced unfolding of 53BP1-BRCT domain. The calorimetric results provide evidence for unfolding to an intermediate, only partly unfolded state, which, based on the CD results, retains the secondary structural characteristics of the native protein. A direct comparison with the corresponding thermal processes for BRAC1-BRCT and BARD1-BRCT provides evidence that the observed behavior is analogous to BRCA1-BRCT even though the two domains differ substantially in the linker structure. Moreover, chemical denaturation experiments of the untagged 53BP1-BRCT and comparison with BRCA1 and BARD1 BRCTs show that no clear association can be drawn between the structural organization of the inter-BRCT linkers and the overall stability of the BRCT domains.     

Human pescadillo induces large-scale chromatin unfolding

Pescadillo was initially identified in a genetic screen for mutations that affect embryonic develop-ment of the zebrafish Daniorerio[1]. Pescadillo-/- ze-brafish mutants showed abnormal embryonic devel-opment such as reduced brain, eye size and a lack of extension of the jaw on developmental day 3. Further study showed that the Pescadillo protein is mainly distributed in tissues containing a significant number of proliferating cells and dramatically elevated in ma-lignant human astrocytomas an…