二氢叶酸还原酶基因在斑马鱼咽弓发育过程中作用的研究

叶酸缺乏可导致胚胎先天性发育异常,二氢叶酸还原酶是叶酸生物学作用通路中的关键因子,其功能阻抑将抑制叶酸生物学作用的发挥.咽弓是脊椎动物胚胎发育中头面部结构、心脏流出道等的共同前体.在模式生物斑马鱼中,利用基因表达阻抑以及过表达技术,探讨二氢叶酸还原酶基因(DHFR)在斑马鱼咽弓发育过程中的作用.石蜡切片以及软骨染色结果显示,DHFR表达阻抑导致斑马鱼咽弓以及腭发育明显异常,而DHFR过表达可部分挽救上述发育异常表型.TBX1和HAND2在咽弓发育中有重要作用.通过胚胎整体原位杂交以及Real-timePCR技术检测TBX1和HAND2表达水平.DHFR表达阻抑后TBX1和HAND2的表达降低,DHFR过表达可使TBX1和HAND2的表达增加.上述结果表明,DHFR在斑马鱼咽弓发育过程中扮演重要角色,DHFR通过影响TBX1和HAND2的表达而调控咽弓的形成和分化.     

中国仓鼠卵细胞二氢叶酸还原酶基因在大肠杆菌中的高效表达

本工作采用PCR法将哺乳动物表达载体pSVA75上的中国仓鼠卵细胞(CHO)二氢叶酸还原酶基因扩增后插入到原核生物高效表达质料pBV221中,构建成胞内表达载体pDHFR-1,经转化大肠杆菌(E.coli DH5α)后获高效表达,表达量占总蛋白量的12.2%。利用这种方法不仅为深入研究该酶的结构和功能的关系及其新生肽链的折叠提供丰富的实验材料,而且也有希望成为较好的外源DNA原核扩增表达系统。 Abstract:The technique of PCR was used to amplify the Chinese Hamster Ovary DHFR gene in the mammal expression vector pSVA75,and the amplified fragments were inserted into the vector pBV221,to construct the vector pDHFR-1.The CHO dhfr was fransformaed into E.coli DH5α and high-level expressed.The scanning results(scanned by LKB Enhanced Laser Densitometer)showed that the expression level had reached 12.2% of the total cellular proteins.Therefore,this provides an abundant experimental material for studying the relationship between the protein construct and function,and for studying the biology of the nascent peptide chain during biosynthesis.This pathway may be a good expression system of prokaryocyte for amphifing eukaryotic gene.     

二氢叶酸还原酶结合底物的去除

分析了应用氨甲蝶呤（MTX-Agarose）亲和层析法提纯的鸡肝二氢叶酸还原酶的组成和性质.建立了用平面粒度胶等电聚焦法去除与酶紧密结合底物的方法．讨论了结合底物对酶构象研究的影响,并指出,用未完全去除结合底物的酶研究酶在变性过程构象变化会得到错误的结论．     

大肠杆菌二氢叶酸还原酶基因folA的克隆、表达纯化及分子间交联

利用PCR技术从大肠杆菌DH5α中获取二氢叶酸还原酶(DHFR)基因folA。用限制性内切酶BamHI与PstI将该片段插入到克隆载体pUC18上,DNA测序鉴定目的基因。而后再将该基因亚克隆到表达载体pTrcHisC上,IPTG诱导表达重组蛋白。在非变性条件下,用TALON金属亲和层析树脂纯化含组氨酸标记的重组DHFR。纯化产物在热诱导条件下行SDSPAGE分析,除23000大小的单体外,还出现了交联的二聚体和多聚体;而当反应体系中含有还原剂β-巯基乙醇时,二聚体和多聚体都被减弱。推断蛋白质在热诱导条件下二级结构发生改变而产生交联,并且有二硫键的参与。     

叶酸缺乏对斑马鱼背主动脉发育的影响

目的观察叶酸缺乏斑马鱼胚胎的背主动脉（DA）发育情况,初步探讨叶酸缺乏后胚胎DA发育异常的机理。方法采用将二氢叶酸还原酶（DHFR）功能阻断的方法构建叶酸缺乏斑马鱼模型,分别应用DHFR抑制剂甲氨蝶呤（MTX）以及DHFR基因knock-down技术处理斑马鱼胚胎。在胚胎发育至48 hpf时在显微镜下观察胚胎的整体发育情况,在60 hpf时应用荧光显微造影的方法观察胚胎的背主动脉发育状况。利用胚胎整体原位杂交和real-time PCR的方法检测影响DA发育的关键因子ephrinB2、Ang-1和Radar的表达情况,利用TUNEL法检测胚胎底索的凋亡情况。结果MTX处理组胚胎以及DHFR knock-down组胚胎有相似的胚胎发育异常表型。荧光显微造影显示叶酸缺乏组胚胎的DA发育异常。叶酸缺乏组胚胎的ephrinB2、Ang-1和Radar表达减弱,底索凋亡增加。结论叶酸缺乏可导致斑马鱼胚胎背主动脉发育异常,其机理与ephrinB2、Ang-1和Radar的表达减弱以及底索凋亡增加有关。     

磁珠固定化结核分枝杆菌二氢叶酸还原酶及其表征

比较Ni~(2+)-NTA磁珠和羧基磁珠固定结核分枝杆菌二氢叶酸还原酶(Mycobacteriumtuberculosis dihydrofolate reductase,Mt DHFR),探索适合小分子配体混合物库筛选的Mt DHFR固定化方法。重组表达带6×His标签Mt DHFR,纯化后表征酶学性质,比较用Ni~(2+)-NTA磁珠和羧基磁珠固定化时相应固定化容量、保留活性、稳定性及对抑制剂响应。结果表明,Ni~(2+)-NTA磁珠对Mt DHFR固定化容量为(93±12)mg/g磁珠(n=3),但酶比活保留不超过32%,Ni~(2+)明显抑制酶活性,EDTA与Ni~(2+)呈协同抑制效应,Fe~(3+)无显著干扰。羧基磁珠活化固定Mt DHFR的容量(8.6±0.6) mg/g磁珠(n=3),固定化酶比活保留(87±4)%(n=3)。在含50 mmol/L KCl的100 mmol/L HEPES (pH 7.0)中,游离和固定化Mt DHFR在0℃保存16 h活性都无显著改变,但在25℃保存16 h,游离酶活性下降近60%而羧基磁珠固定化Mt DHFR活性下降仅35%。甲氨喋呤对游离Mt DHFR和固定化Mt DHFR的IC50无显著差异(P0.05)。综上,Ni~(2+)-NTA磁珠不适合固定化Mt DHFR;羧基磁珠固定化Mt DHFR能保留活性、热稳定性及对抑制剂的响应,该固定化方法有望用于快速筛选其配体混合物库。     

硫酸铵与盐酸胍对鸡肝二氢叶酸还原酶的激活和失活作用

在５℃、２０℃、３０℃,鸡肝二氢叶酸还原酶的活力随盐酸胍浓度增加,先经历一个激活区,以后则为失活区。温度升高,使最大激活幅度变小,激活区变窄,所需盐酸胍浓度减小,硫酸铵在浓度低于０．２ｍｏｌ／Ｌ时,对天然酶有较小的激活作用,更高浓度的硫酸铵使酶活力下降;胍激活酶的活力随硫酸铵浓度的增加,由天然酶的２１０％单调下降;对失活酶,增加硫酸铵的浓度,则使酶活力逐渐恢复;三种情形的终活力均为天然酶的４０％。     

中华仓鼠二氢叶酸还原酶的酶学性质研究

测定中华仓鼠二氢叶酸还原酶（ＤＨＦＲ,Ｅ．Ｃ．１．５．１．３．）催化反应的各个动力学常数,对其反应机制进行了研究。测定了不同浓度脲溶液中酶与底物的解离常数Ｋｄ和表观米氏常数Ｋｍ,结果表明酶与底物二氢叶酸（ＤＨＦ）和还原型尼克酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸磷酸（ＮＡＤＰＨ）的结合能力相差很小,都随脲浓度增加而减弱,而且一种底物的结合会削弱酶与另一底物的结合能力。研究了ＤＨＦＲ在脲变性过程中活力和构象的变化,结果表明低浓度脲可使稳态酶活力增强,此时酶的内源荧光发射光谱和ＣＤ谱变化很小;随脲浓度的增加,酶逐渐失活,同时荧光光谱的最大发射峰位红移,荧光强度和椭圆率也明显下降,说明酶活力的变化先于酶分子整体构象的变化,酶活性部位位于比酶分子整体更易受变性剂影响的有限区域,而且酶分子这种相对的和一定限度内的柔性是其表现生物活性所必需的     

FLT4 基因在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达

目的:研究FLT4(VEGFR3)基因在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达。方法:提取斑马鱼胚胎的总RNA,制备地高辛标记的FLT4RNA反义探针,WISH(整胚胎原位杂交)研究FLT4在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达。结果:成功合成FLT4基因探针,获得FLT4基因在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达情况:FlT4在2-cell、32-cell、oblong、shield期前普遍性表达(0.75h、1.7h、3.7h、6h);24h在头部表达较多,特别是在ICM(intermediate cell mass,中间细胞群)区处有特异性表达;48h、72h在头部表达均较高表达。结论:FLT4在早期参与了血管的形成和造血的发生,在脑部和肾小管的发育中可能起到了重要作用。     

Dihydrofolate Reductase from Eimeria tenella: Rationalization of Chemotherapeutic Efficacy of Pyrimethamine

SYNOPSIS. Dihydrofolate reductase activity of 0.2 nmole of dihydrofolate reduced/min/mg protein was detected in crude extracts of unsporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella. The enzyme was purified by a combination of affinity and ion-exchange chromatography. Its molecular weight was estimated as 240,000 daltons. An anticoccidial drug pyrimethamine is a potent inhibitor of the activity of E. tenella dihydrofolate reductase ( K _t = 3 nM), but it is less effective an inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase from chicken liver. This difference may explain the in vivo therapeutic action of pyrimethamine against Coccidia.     

Dihydrofolate Reductase in Plasmodium lophurae and Duckling Erythrocytes*

Dihydrofolate reductase activity in duckling erythrocytes was found to be low, while activity in erythrocytes heavily infected with small uninucleate trophozoites was like that of uninfected erythrocytes. Activity of the enzyme in erythrocytes infected with large multinucleate parasites, however, was greatly increased. This activity was 5 times higher in erythrocyte-free large trophozoites than in small ones. The dihydrofolate reductase of P. lophurae differed from the host enzyme in: greater molecular weight; higher sensitivity to pyrimethamine inhibition; pH optimum; substrate and cofactor specificity; and stimulation by salts. The parasite enzyme was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation.     

Transgenic Zebrafish for Studying Nervous System Development and Regeneration

1 tubulin gene expression is induced in the developing and regenerating CNS of vertebrates. Therefore, 1 tubulin gene expression may serve as a good probe for mechanisms underlying CNS development and regeneration. One approach to identify these mechanisms is to work backwards from the genome. This requires identification of 1 tubulin DNA sequences that mediate its developmental and regeneration-dependent expression pattern. Therefore, we generated transgenic zebrafish harboring a fragment of the 1 tubulin gene driving green fluorescent protein expression (GFP). In these fish, and similar to the endogenous gene, transgene expression was dramatically induced in the developing and regenerating nervous system. Although transgene expression generally declined during maturation of the nervous system, robust GFP expression was maintained in progenitor cells in the retinal periphery, lining brain ventricles and surrounding the central canal of the spinal cord. When these cells were cultured in vitro they divided and gave rise to new neurons. We also show that optic nerve crush in adult fish re-induced transgene expression in retinal ganglion cells. These studies identified a relatively small region of the 1 tubulin promoter that mediates its regulated expression pattern in developing and adult fish. This promoter will be extremely useful to investigators interested in targeting gene expression to the developing or regenerating nervous system. As adult transgenic fish maintain transgene expression in neural progenitors, these fish also provide a valuable resource of labeled adult neural progenitor cells that can be studied in vivo or in vitro. Finally, these fish should provide a unique in vivo system for investigating mechanisms mediating CNS development and regeneration.     

Baculovirus-Mediated Gene Expression in Zebrafish

Abstract In an effort to misexpress genes in zebrafish, we tested the ability of baculovirus to infect and drive gene expression in embryos. By injecting virus into specific tissues and using appropriate promoters, both the location and time of gene expression could be controlled. Using a virus with 2 different promoters, LacZ and GFP could be expressed independently. The efficiency of expression appears to depend on the promoter used. As a test of this system, baculovirus was used to ectopically express ephrinB2a in the presomitic mesoderm. EphrinB2a is normally expressed in the posterior region of developing somites, and baculovirus-mediated misexpression caused abnormal somite boundary formation. Baculovirus can thus be used as a tool for gene misexpression experiments in the zebrafish, especially when localized misexpression is required late in development.     

The Influence of Starting Coordinates in Free Energy Simulations of Ligand Binding to Dihydrofolate Reductase

Abstract

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation combined with free energy perturbation (FEP) methods have been used to study the key structural differences and relative free energies for the binding of 6-methyl-N5-deazapterin (N8 protonated) and the 8-substituted compound, 6,8-dimethyl-N5-deazapterin (N3 protonated), to dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The free energy changes have been calculated using a variety of initial X-ray coordinates derived from bacterial and vertebrate (including human) DHFRs, and both with and without the reduced cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADPH) bound. Given a sufficiently long simulation time for the FEP calculations (ca. 200 ps), all structures obtained after mutating 6,8-methyl-N5-deazapterin to 6-methyl-N5-deazapterin exhibited hydrogen bond formation between a backbone carbonyl group of DHFR and H(N8) of 6-methyl-N5-deazapterin, analogous to that found in the X-ray crystal structure of N5-deazafolate(N8 protonated) bound to human DHFR. However, both simulation and experiment suggest this additional H-bonding does not greatly enhance thermodynamic stability, with experiment indicating at most a factor of 2 difference in the relative affinities of the two ligand cations for vertebrate DHFR. Moreover, a binding differential of 10 in favour of the protonated 8-substituted compound is found experimentally for bacterial DHFR. The MD/FEP calculations suggest that the relative cost of ligand desolvation may largely cancel the lowering of free energy obtained in the active site, resulting in predicted binding differences within the range indicated by the vertebrate and bacterial DHFR experiments. However, the theoretical free energy changes could not be obtained with the accuracy required for the rationalization of the observed species dependence. While sampling difficulties are known to be inherent in MD simulation methodologies, these studies with several initial coordinate sets have demonstrated the contribution of coordinate choice to this problem. The results indicate that for demanding protein-ligand binding problems such as this one, the accuracy of the method may be no better than ± 2 kcal/mol.     

斑马鱼基因工程的研究进展

对国内外斑马鱼基因工程研究进展。包括最近获得的大批转基因斑马鱼品系、靶向筛选的转基因斑马鱼、斑马鱼转基因技术的发展和斑马鱼基因工程的热点问题与应用前景进行了综述。指出我国已建立日趋成熟的斑马鱼转基因技术、细胞核移植技术和染色体组操作技术,具有斑马鱼细胞遗传学和胚胎学基础,我国有望在不久的将来获得定向整合的基因工程斑马鱼,并推动生物技术应用研究领域的进步和发展。     

新载体pET-DB对带有His-tag的仓鼠二氢叶酸还原酶的高效表达与纯化

报道了带有His-tag的仓鼠二氢叶酸还原酶基因的克隆和在DB序列增强下T7启动子调控该基因在大肠杆菌中的可溶性高效表达,SDS-PAGE分析表明,带有His-tag的仓鼠二氢叶酸还原酶的含量可占大肠杆菌细胞总蛋白质含量的46%.该酶的纯化可用常规的金属络合树脂一步纯化至SDS-PAGE一条带,经凝血酶切去His-tag的仓鼠二氢叶酸还原酶与用等电聚焦法获得的无His-tag的酶有相同的酶活性.