苏云金芽胞杆菌sigK 基因插入失活突变体的特点及其对cry3A基因启动子活性的影响

摘要: 【目的】构建苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,简称Bt) sigK 基因插入失活突变体,分析突变体特点并明确其对cry3A 基因启动子的影响。【方法】采用同源重组技术在苏云金芽胞杆菌HD-73 菌株sigK 基因中插入卡那霉素抗性基因,构建了sigK 基因插入失活突变体。通过生长曲线测定、扫描电子显微镜观察晶体、芽胞形成情况和芽胞计数及SDS-PAGE 等方法分析了突变体的特点; 构建了遗传恢复菌株对上述性状进行了功能验证; 利用启动子融合lacZ 技术检测了cry3A 基因启动子的转录活性。【结果】获得了苏云金芽胞杆菌HD-73 菌株sigK 基因突变体,生长曲线测定表明,突变体较出发菌株在稳定期后期生长较慢; 扫描电子显微镜观察和芽胞计数分析显示,突变体丧失了形成芽胞和晶体的能力; SDS-PAGE 分析表明突变体中伴胞晶体蛋白的表达量明显低于出发菌株和恢复菌株。利用载体pHT315 携带sigK 基因及其启动子在突变株中表达,所获得的遗传恢复菌株恢复了突变株产生芽胞和晶体的能力; sigK 基因的突变可以提高cry3A 基因启动子在产胞后期的转录活性,对cry3A 启动子指导的Cry 蛋白表达量没有显著影响。【结论】本研究证明sigK 基因为苏云金芽胞杆菌芽胞形成所必需,并影响伴胞晶体蛋白的产量; sigK 基因功能的丧失有利于cry3A 基因启动子在产胞后期的转录。     

芽胞外壁基质组成蛋白的编码基因启动子PexsY指导的cry1Ac基因表达

【目的】利用非cry基因启动子PexsY(芽胞外壁基质组成蛋白编码基因启动子)表达Cry1Ac晶体蛋白,发现可用于cry基因表达的新元件,为高效工程菌的构建奠定基础。【方法】采用启动子融合lacZ技术,通过β-半乳糖苷酶活性分析了PexsY启动子和截短的PexsY启动子的转录活性;利用该启动子在苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)HD73菌株中表达了cry1Ac基因,通过透射电子显微镜观察晶体形态;蛋白定量、SDS-PAGE比较蛋白产量;生物活性测定进行功能验证。【结果】PexsY启动子在芽胞晚期转录活性很高,透射电镜观察到利用该启动子表达的cry1Ac基因形成了菱形晶体,SDS-PAGE分析可以检测到133kDa的Cry1Ac蛋白,且与cry3A启动子指导表达的蛋白产量相近,少于cry8E启动子指导表达的蛋白产量;生物活性测定表明PexsY指导表达Cry1Ac蛋白对玉米螟(Ostrinia furnacalis)具有杀虫活性。【结论】在Bt无晶体突变体中,非cry基因启动子PexsY可以正常表达133kDa的Cry1Ac蛋白,并形成晶体,具有在芽胞形成晚期表达cry基因的能力,该类启动子将在Bt工程菌构建中发挥重要作用。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌LM1212菌株cry基因启动子的活性分析

【背景】前期发现一株具有独特分化表型的苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillusthuringiensis,Bt)LM1212,该菌株共有14种杀虫基因,组成了10个转录单元。利用源自菌株LM1212的晶体产生细胞调控因子(crystal producing cell regulator, CpcR)以及其可以激活的cry35-like基因启动子,已在典型Bt菌株HD73中成功构建了非芽胞杀虫蛋白表达体系。【目的】比较菌株LM1212的不同杀虫基因启动子的转录活性,明确可被转录因子CpcR激活的且转录活性较高的启动子,以此为基础优化非芽胞杀虫蛋白表达体系。【方法】将10个启动子区域分别与lacZ报告基因融合构建在pHT304-18Z载体上,得到了10个重组质粒;然后将cpcR基因及其启动子(PcpcR-cpcR)分别反向构建在选取的启动子区域与lacZ报告基因的上游,得到可以表达CpcR且与上述构建相对应的10个重组质粒,将这些重组质粒分别转入不含CpcR的菌株HD73,即获得20个可用于测定β-半乳糖苷酶活性的重组菌株。通过光学显微镜观察和SDS-PAGE检测明确杀虫蛋白表达的情况。【结果】在...     

对二点委夜蛾高毒力苏云金芽胞杆菌的筛选及其基因型分析

【目的】获得对二点委夜蛾Athetis lepigone(M(o|¨)schler)高毒力的苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bt)菌株,寻找对该虫具有特异杀虫活性的蛋白毒素,探索Bt菌株或其杀虫基因应用于二点委夜蛾防治的可行性。【方法】通过生物测定方法比较了36株苏云金芽胞杆菌和一株恶臭假单胞工程菌PHB-cry1Ab对二点委夜蛾幼虫的杀虫活性,同时利用PCR-RFLP方法对这些菌株的基因型进行了分析。【结果】不同Bt菌株对二点委夜蛾幼虫的杀虫活性差别很大,杀虫活性高的菌株都含有cry1Ac基因。饲毒72 h后含单基因的BtHD-73菌株(cry1Ac)对二点委夜蛾2龄幼虫的毒力(LC_(50)值为188.51μg/g)明显高于含多基因的Bt SC-40菌株(cry1Ac,cry2Ac,cry1I,vip3A)的毒力(LC_(50)值为418.13μg/g)。含有vip3A基因的Bt SC-40和BtHD-13营养期上清液对二点委夜蛾2龄幼虫表现出一定的杀虫活性(72 h死亡率分别达到42.5%和57.4%),而无vip3A基因的Bt HD-73营养期上清液未表现出明显的杀虫活性。【结论】由cry1Ac基因编码的Cry1Ac蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫具有特异杀虫活性,Vip3A蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫可能也有一定的杀虫活性。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌dxr1基因的转录受SigH控制

【目的】萜类化合物广泛分布在生物界,是重要的生命物质。目前发现有两条萜类化合物的生物合成途径,即甲羟戊酸(MVA)途径和2-甲基-D-赤藓糖醇-4-磷酸(MEP)途径。MEP代谢途径中的关键酶1-脱氧-D-木酮糖-5-磷酸还原异构化酶(DXR,EC1.1.1.267)催化1-脱氧-D-木酮糖-5-磷酸生成MEP。枯草芽胞杆菌中dxr基因编码DXR酶,而在苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillusthuringiensis,Bt)中有2个基因(dxr1和dxr2)编码DXR酶。通过分析BtHD73菌株的dxr1基因的转录活性和dxr1突变体表型,明确dxr1基因的转录调控机制和功能。【方法】通过5?RACE分析dxr1的转录起始位点;β-半乳糖苷酶活性测定分析dxr1基因启动子(Pdxr1)的转录活性;采用同源重组技术分别敲除BtHD73菌株的dxr1和dxr2基因;利用总蛋白定量确定Cry1Ac蛋白产量;利用DXR检测试剂盒检测Bt菌株的DXR活性。【结果】dxr1基因的转录起始位点位于起始密码子上游39 bp处的G碱基;与出发菌株HD73相比,Pdxr1在sig H突变体中的转录活性明显降低;dxr1或dxr2基因的缺失对菌体生长、芽胞形成率和Cry1Ac蛋白产量无显著影响,但使DXR活性下降。【结论】Bt中dxr1基因的转录受Sig H控制,dxr1基因的缺失影响DXR的活性。     

转录因子cpcR同源基因cpcR-c1和cpcR-t的功能鉴定

苏云金芽胞杆菌（Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt） LM1212菌株与典型的Bt菌株表型不同,可分化形成芽胞、形成细胞和晶体产生细胞。在LM1212菌株中,转录因子CpcR不仅参与了细胞分化过程,而且能够激活晶体蛋白基因cry35-like的启动子(P₃₅)。【目的】筛选cpcR同源基因,验证其生物学功能。【方法】本研究克隆了2个cpcR同源基因,来源于蜡样芽胞杆菌的cpcR-c1和来源于东洋芽胞杆菌的cpcR-t,将cpcR及其同源基因分别构建在pHT304-P₃₅-gfp、pHT304-P₃₅-lacZ报告载体上,获得的重组质粒转入无cpcR基因且无晶体蛋白基因的Bt HD73^–菌株中。利用激光共聚焦显微镜观察重组菌HD^–(cpcR-c1-P₃₅-gfp)和HD^–(cpcR-t-P₃₅-gfp)的细胞表型并进行芽胞计数实验。测定HD^–(cpcR-c1-P_35<...     

双组份系统YvcPQ抑制苏云金芽胞杆菌的芽胞形成

【目的】探究双组份系统YvcPQ影响芽胞形成的机制。【方法】利用β-半乳糖苷酶活性实验验证YvcP对芽胞形成抑制因子KapD的调控作用;通过无痕基因敲除并分别比较突变株与出发菌株的芽胞产率,研究YvcPQ及KapD对芽胞形成的影响;应用细菌单杂交实验、EMSA实验和实时荧光定量PCR技术探究转录调控因子AbrB对yvcPQ操纵子的转录调节。【结果】YvcP可以正调控kapD的表达,从而抑制芽胞形成;yvcPQ不能受YvcP的自调控,而是受AbrB转录激活。【结论】调控因子AbrB能够通过正调控yvcPQ操纵子的转录来提高细胞内YvcP的含量,进而增强YvcP对芽胞形成抑制因子编码基因kapD的表达,最终抑制芽胞的形成。     

两株苏云金芽胞杆菌晶体与芽胞形成过程的细胞学对比分析

苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bt)中绝大多数杀虫晶体蛋白(ICPs)的表达依赖于芽胞形成,为了从细胞水平研究晶体与芽胞形成之间的关系,本文选用Bt 4.0718与工程菌BtΔleuB为研究对象,利用FM4-64对不同生长阶段的菌体细胞染色,并用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜进行了对比观察和分析。结果显示,Bt 4.0718芽胞的发育依次经历了不对称隔膜和内吞形态学阶段后,能顺利进入下一个发育阶段,直至完成芽胞发育过程后母细胞凋亡裂解;而BtΔleuB细胞进入不对称隔膜期的时间明显延迟,且芽胞发育被阻滞于内吞阶段,伴胞晶体形成最早于不对称隔膜期可见,并且晶体体积继续增大直至细胞死亡。qRT-PCR结果显示,σ~E、spoIIR和spoIIGA的高水平转录是维持BtΔleuB细胞中ICPs正常表达的关键因素。本研究结果对进一步揭示晶体与芽胞形成之间的关系及构建性状优良Bt工程菌具有一定的参考价值。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌Sigma54和CcpA共同调控的基因鉴定

【目的】通过综合分析苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)HD73菌株Sigma54缺失突变体的转录组数据和蜡样芽胞杆菌(Bacillus cereus)ATCC 14579菌株CcpA缺失突变体的转录组数据,并进行启动子与CcpA蛋白的体外结合验证,明确Bt HD73菌株中Sigma54和CcpA共同调控的基因,丰富了对微生物的代谢调控网络的认识。【方法】以转录组测序结果为基础,通过基因同源性的比对在Bt HD73菌株中寻找受Sigma54和CcpA共同调控的基因,在这些基因中找到具有cre序列的启动子,通过凝胶阻滞验证这些启动子与CcpA蛋白的结合。【结果】Bt HD73菌株中有31个基因受Sigma54和CcpA共同调控,其中14个基因的启动子序列包含cre序列,这些启动子都可以与CcpA蛋白发生体外结合。【结论】Bt HD73菌株中有14个基因直接受CcpA的调控,同时其转录受Sigma54的控制。     

苏云金芽胞杆菌LM1212菌株和突变株的全基因组序列比较分析

【背景】LM1212菌株是昆虫病原菌苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)中的一员,其芽胞和晶体分别产生于芽胞形成细胞和晶体产生细胞中,具有独特的细胞分化表型。与野生株LM1212相比,突变株LM1212-DB芽胞细胞比例明显降低并产生更高比例的晶体产生细胞,这使得LM1212-DB菌株成为研究晶体产生细胞形成机制和提高菌株杀虫活性的绝佳实验材料。【目的】比较LM1212菌株和LM1212-DB菌株的基因组差异,以便于揭示导致这两个菌株表型差异的原因。【方法】利用单分子测序技术(single molecular real-time,SMRT)和Pacbio RS II测序平台对两个菌株进行全基因组测序,对染色体和质粒、双组分信号系统和插入序列等进行差异分析,并构建表型特性相关基因的系统发育树。【结果】基因组分析发现,LM1212和LM1212-DB菌株均含有丰富的插入序列和双组分信号系统,暗示两个菌株极易发生基因重排且具有较强的环境适应性。与LM1212菌株相比,突变株LM1212-DB中发生了染色体和质粒片段缺失、质粒重排、质粒拷贝数变异。进一步分析缺失基因的功能发现,一些环境胁迫响应基因(如sigB)和芽胞形成相关基因(如abrB)等缺失;通过分析质粒拷贝数变异发现,具有增加晶体细胞比例功能的转录因子CpcR所在质粒的拷贝数增加1个,同时对CpcR的进化分析发现,与其亲缘关系最近的基因的从属菌株也产生与LM1212菌株相似的细胞分化表型。这些重要功能基因的缺失和拷贝数变异可能是导致两个菌株表型差异的原因。此外,突变株LM1212-DB缺失I型限制-修饰系统,这使得突变株LM1212-DB与野生菌株LM1212相比具有更好的外源DNA兼容性。【结论】突变株LM1212-DB染色体和质粒的结构变异可能是导致与野生株LM1212表型差异的潜在原因,这将为研究LM1212菌株的晶体细胞分化机制提供指导方向。     

Systematic significance of mature embryo of bamboos

The mature embryo of seven species belonging to five genera of Indian bamboos is described. In all these the basic pattern of embryo organisation is same: the scutellar and coleoptilar bundles are not separated by an internode, the epiblast is absent, the lower portion of the scutellum and the coleorhiza are separated by a cleft and the margins of embryonic leaves overlap. The features unique to fleshy fruited bamboos are: presence of a massive scutellum, the juxtaposition of plumule and radicle and the occurrence of a bud in the axil of the coleoptile. The fleshy fruit bearing bamboos should be classified into one group, the tribeMelocanneae. Evidence is provided to recognise additional groups in the subfamilyBambusoideae.     

Taxonomic status of the species of the green algal genusNeochloris

Komárek has recently reviewed the various species assigned to the green algal genusNeochloris Starr (Chlorococcales, Chlorococcaceae) and removed those with uninucleate vegetative cells to a new genus,Ettlia. Watanabe & Floyd, unaware ofKomárek's work, also reviewed the species ofNeochloris and distributed them among three genera—Neochloris, Chlorococcopsis gen. nov., andParietochloris gen. nov.—on the basis of details of the covering of the zoospore and the arrangement of the basal bodies of the flagellar apparatus. This paper reconciles these two treatments and makes additional recommendations at the ranks of genus, family, order, and class.     

Phylogeny of cardinalfishes (Teleostei: Gobiiformes: Apogonidae) and the evolution of visceral bioluminescence

The cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) are a diverse clade of small, mostly reef-dwelling fishes, for which a variety of morphological data have not yielded a consistent phylogeny. We use DNA sequence to hypothesize phylogenetic relationships within Apogonidae and among apogonids and other acanthomorph families, to examine patterns of evolution including the distribution of a visceral bioluminescence system. In conformance with previous studies, Apogonidae is placed in a clade with Pempheridae, Kurtidae, Leiognathidae, and Gobioidei. The apogonid genus Pseudamia is recovered outside the remainder of the family, not as sister to the superficially similar genus Gymnapogon. Species sampled from the Caribbean and Western Atlantic (Phaeoptyx, Astrapogon, and some Apogon species) form a clade, as do the larger-bodied Glossamia and Cheilodipterus. Incidence of visceral bioluminescence is found scattered throughout the phylogeny, independently for each group in which it is present. Examination of the fine structure of the visceral bioluminescence system through histology shows that light organs exhibit a range of morphologies, with some composed of complex masses of tubules (Siphamia, Pempheris, Parapriacanthus) and others lacking tubules but containing chambers formed by folds of the visceral epithelium (Acropoma, Archamia, Jaydia, and Rhabdamia). Light organs in Siphamia, Acropoma, Pempheris and Parapriacanthus are distinct from but connected to the gut; those in Archamia, Jaydia, and Rhabdamia are simply portions of the intestinal tract, and are little differentiated from the surrounding tissues. The presence or absence of symbiotic luminescent bacteria does not correlate with light organ structure; the tubular light organs of Siphamia and chambered tubes of Acropoma house bacteria, those in Pempheridae and the other Apogonidae do not.     

Host plants of someRhinanthoideae (Scrophulariaceae) of eastern North America

Twenty three species in 11 genera were examined in the field to determine hosts. OnlyStriga asiatica andSeymeria cassioides have a narrow host range being restricted to grasses and pines, respectively. These are the only species which cause pronounced and sometimes serious host damage. The other species attach to a great diversity of hosts.     

Apoptotic Regulation of Caspase Activity

Intracellular cysteine aspartate-specific proteases (caspases) play both signaling and effector roles in realizing the program of cell death. Caspases function as proteolytic cascades unique for each cell type and signal triggering apoptosis. All parts of the proteolytic cascades are duplicated and controlled by feedback signals. Amplification cycles between pairs of caspases (the third and the sixth, the ninth and the third, the twelfth and the sixth, and others) help multiply the initial apoptotic signal. The presence of physiological inhibitors of apoptosis that directly interact with caspases creates a multilevel regulatory network of apoptosis in cell. The caspase proteolytic cascades are also regulated by sphingolipid secondary messengers, among them ceramide, sphingosine, and their phosphates. Moreover, an association of the caspase signaling with ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis is shown in cells. In particular, the use of extracellular activators and inhibitors of caspases allows irreversible activation of apoptosis in tumor cells or the prevention of apoptosis in cortical neurons under neurodegenerative diseases.     

Analysis of twin of eyeless regulation during early embryogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

The Drosophila Pax6 homolog twin of eyeless (toy) is so far the first zygotically expressed gene involved in eye morphogenesis in Drosophila. The study of its expression during embryogenesis is therefore informative of the initial events of eye development in Drosophila. We have analyzed how the initial expression domain of toy at cellular blastoderm is regulated. We show that the three maternal patterning systems active in the cephalic region (the anterior, terminal and dorsal-ventral systems) cooperate with zygotically activated gap genes to shape the initial expression domain of toy. Whereas Bicoid, Dorsal and Torso signaling synergistically act as activators, Hunchback, Knirps and Decapentaplegic act as repressors.     

A molecular phylogeny of Hebeloma species from Europe

In order to widen the scope of existing phylogenies of the ectomycorrhizal agaric genus Hebeloma a total of 53 new rDNA ITS sequences from that genus was generated, augmented by sequences retrieved from GenBank, and analysed using Bayesian, strict consensus and neighbour joining methods. The lignicolous Hebelomina neerlandica, Gymnopilus penetrans, and two species of Galerina served as outgroup taxa. Anamika indica, as well as representatives of the genera Hymenogaster and Naucoria, were included to test the monophyly of Hebeloma, which is confirmed by the results. Hebeloma, Naucoria, Hymenogaster and Anamika indica cluster in a strongly supported monophyletic hebelomatoid clade. All trees largely reflect the current infrageneric classification within Hebeloma, and divide the genus into mostly well-supported monophyletic groups surrounding H. crustuliniforme, H. velutipes, H. sacchariolens, H. sinapizans, and H. radicosum, with H. sarcophyllum being shown at an independent position; however this is not well supported. The section Indusiata divides with strong support into three groups, the position of the pleurocystidiate Hebeloma cistophilum suggests the possible existence of a third subsection within sect. Indusiata. Subsection Sacchariolentia is raised to the rank of section.     

New species of Peruvian Orchidaceae III

Sixteen new species are proposed in the generaAckermania, Dressleria, Epidendrum, Maxillaria, Oncidium, Rodriguezia, Sigmatostalix, andTrigonidium. All new species are illustrated.Maxillaria vittariifolia L. O. Williams is newly recorded for Peru. A key is provided forTrigonidium of Peru.Trigonidium loretoense Schltr. andT. peruvianum Schltr. are lectotypified.     

Interaction of Synthetic Analogues of Natural Chalcones and Flavones with Guanidine

The reaction of chalcones and flavones with guanidine in ethanol results in 2-(2-aminopyrimidinyl-4)-phenols.