The Evolutionarily Conserved Mediator Subunit MDT-15/MED15 Links Protective Innate Immune Responses and Xenobiotic Detoxification

Metazoans protect themselves from environmental toxins and virulent pathogens through detoxification and immune responses. We previously identified a small molecule xenobiotic toxin that extends survival of Caenorhabditis elegans infected with human bacterial pathogens by activating the conserved p38 MAP kinase PMK-1 host defense pathway. Here we investigate the cellular mechanisms that couple activation of a detoxification response to innate immunity. From an RNAi screen of 1,420 genes expressed in the C. elegans intestine, we identified the conserved Mediator subunit MDT-15/MED15 and 28 other gene inactivations that abrogate the induction of PMK-1-dependent immune effectors by this small molecule. We demonstrate that MDT-15/MED15 is required for the xenobiotic-induced expression of p38 MAP kinase PMK-1-dependent immune genes and protection from Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. We also show that MDT-15 controls the induction of detoxification genes and functions to protect the host from bacteria-derived phenazine toxins. These data define a central role for MDT-15/MED15 in the coordination of xenobiotic detoxification and innate immune responses.     

霍乱毒素B亚单位基因分泌型表达载体的构建及转化烟草的研究

为了探索利用植物分泌特性来表达重组蛋白的可行性,先构建了含钙网蛋白信号肽的植物双元载体pBIcal,再向该载体中插入霍乱毒素B亚单位编码基因,最后得到表达载体pBIcal—ctb。通过根癌农杆菌介导,该表达载体转化烟草,在卡那霉素抗性培养基上筛选,得到30棵抗性植株。经PCR鉴定,霍乱毒素B亚单位基因已经整合到烟草基因组中。初步表达分析表明,转基因烟草中含有具生物活性的霍乱毒素B亚单位蛋白。     

Stationary-Phase Quorum-Sensing Signals Affect Autoinducer-2 and Gene Expression in Escherichia coli

Quorum sensing via autoinducer-2 (AI-2) has been identified in different strains, including those from Escherichia, Vibrio, Streptococcus, and Bacillus species, and previous studies have suggested the existence of additional quorum-sensing signals working in the stationary phase of Escherichia coli cultures. To investigate the presence and global effect of these possible quorum-sensing signals other than AI-2, DNA microarrays were used to study the effect of stationary-phase signals on the gene expression of early exponential-phase cells of the AI-2-deficient strain E. coli DH5α. For statistically significant differential gene expression (P < 0.05), 14 genes were induced by supernatants from a stationary culture and 6 genes were repressed, suggesting the involvement of indole (induction of tnaA and tnaL) and phosphate (repression of phoA, phoB, and phoU). To study the stability of the signals, the stationary-phase supernatant was autoclaved and was used to study its effect on E. coli gene expression. Three genes were induced by autoclaved stationary-phase supernatant, and 34 genes were repressed. In total, three genes (ompC, ptsA, and btuB) were induced and five genes (nupC, phoB, phoU, argT, and ompF) were repressed by both fresh and autoclaved stationary-phase supernatants. Furthermore, supernatant from E. coli DH5α stationary culture was found to repress E. coli K-12 AI-2 concentrations by 4.8-fold ± 0.4-fold, suggesting that an additional quorum-sensing system in E. coli exists and that gene expression is controlled as a network with different signals working at different growth stages.     

乙肝PreS_2抗原决定簇和霍乱毒素B亚基基因的融合与表达

本研究通过全化学法按大肠杆菌密码偏性合成了HBV PreS_2抗原决定簇基因,与ctxB基因的3’端融合。重组质粒转化大肠杆菌后融合基因得到高效表达,表达量达30μg/ml,表达产物95％以上分泌到胞外。表达的融合蛋白能与神经节苷脂GM1结合,说明融合蛋白保持了CTB的基本高级结构和生物学功能;ELISA实验证明融合蛋白具有CTB和HBV PreS_2的抗原性;应用亲和层析纯化后得到了电泳纯融合蛋白制品,为研究融合蛋白的免疫原性并进一步构建基因工程肽苗奠定了基础。     

乙肝PreS_2抗原决定簇和霍乱毒素B亚基基因的融合与表达

通过全化学法按大肠杆菌密码偏性合成了乙肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）前Ｓ２抗原（ＰｒｅＳ２）抗原决定簇基因,与霍乱毒素Ｂ亚基基因的３’端融合。重组质粒转化大肠杆菌后融合基因得到高效表达,表达量达３０μｇ／ｍＬ,表达产物９５％以上分泌到胞外。表达的融合蛋白能与神经节苷脂ＧＭ１结合,说明融合蛋白保持了霍乱毒素Ｂ亚基（ＣＴＢ）的基本高级结构和生物学功能;酶联免疫吸附实验证明融合蛋白具有ＣＴＢ和ＨＢＶＰｒｅＳ２的抗原性;应用亲和层析纯化后得到了电泳纯融合蛋白制品,为研究融合蛋白免疫原性并进一步构建基因工程肽苗奠定了基础。     

Time-Resolved Analysis of Signals Involved in Systemic Induction of Pin2 Gene Expression

The systemic induction of proteinase inhibitor genes in tomato plants is mediated either by electrical signals, hydraulic signals or chemical messengers. In the present study we analyzed the effects of mechanical wounding, heat treatment and electrical current application on wild-type tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, cv Moneymaker) and ABA-deficient mutants of tomato (sitiens). Kinetic studies revealed that systemic Pin2 gene expression could be slightly induced by the fast transient membrane potential change which left the damaged leaf within 30–60s after wounding. Moreover, a signal leaving the damaged tissue between 2 and 4 minutes after wounding was responsible for a significant amplification of Pin2 gene expression. This signal could either be a decrease in turgor pressure, which occurred 3–4min after treatment, or a slow electrical transient. In addition, mechanical wounding and electrical current seem to involve ABA to induce changes in membrane potential and to promote Pin2 gene expression. In contrast, heat triggers fast and slow electrical transients leading to an induction of Pin2 gene expression within the plant independently of ABA. Turgor pressure, in turn, is presumably adjusted in relation to ionic movements across the membrane, elucidated by membrane potential recordings. In conclusion, wound-induced changes in membrane potential seem to be dependent on the endogenous level of ABA. These shifts in membrane potentials, in turn, are involved in regulation of turgor pressure within the plant.     

霍乱毒素B亚基基因上游序列对B亚基表达水平的影响

本研究通过缺失突变和移码突变研究了ctxB基因上游A基因部分序列对ctxB表达水平的影响,结果表明:(1)将ctx操纵子XbaI—EcoRI片段克隆至pUC19,构建的质粒pUC19CTB中A亚基的部分序列不能翻译,该质粒转化大肠杆菌后CTB的表达产量为30μg/ml;(2)在质粒pUC19CTB的XbaI位点引入移码突变,构建质粒pMC02C,这时A亚基的部分序列的阅读框架与lacZ一致,从而A基因能够翻译至自然的终止密码,B基因的表达水平却降低一倍;(3)质粒pUC19CTB缺失XbaI～ClaI(550bp)的非翻译序列,构建质粒pMC03(A亚基序列不翻译),该质粒转化大肠杆菌后ctxB基因的表达水平降低1倍;(4)在质粒pMC03中ctxB基因上游引入移码突变,构建的质粒pMC03C(ctxB上游基因能够表达)CTB的表达水平较pMCO3低得多,较pUC19CTB低20倍以上。对产生上述现象的原因进行了分析讨论。     

霍乱毒素B亚基基因上游序列对B亚基表达水平的影响

本研究通过缺失突变和移码突变研究了ｃｔｘ Ｂ基因上游Ａ基因部分序列对ｃｔｘＢ表达水平的影响,结果表明：（１）将霍乱毒素操纵子ＸｂａＩ－ＥｃｏＲｉ片段克隆至ｐＵＣ１９,构建的质粒ｐＵＣ１９ＣＴＢ中Ａ亚基的部分序列不能翻译,该质粒转化大肠菌后的ＣＴＢ的表达产量为３０μｇ／μｌ;（２）在质粒ｐＵＣ１９ＣＴＢ的ＸｂａＩ位点引入移码突变,构建质粒ｐＭＣ０２Ｃ,使Ａ亚基基因部分序列能够翻译至自然的终止密码,Ｂ