Amount of Colicin Release in Escherichia coli Is Regulated by Lysis Gene Expression of the Colicin E2 Operon

The production of bacteriocins in response to worsening environmental conditions is one means of bacteria to outcompete other microorganisms. Colicins, one class of bacteriocins in Escherichia coli, are effective against closely related Enterobacteriaceae. Current research focuses on production, release and uptake of these toxins by bacteria. However, little is known about the quantitative aspects of these dynamic processes. Here, we quantitatively study expression dynamics of the Colicin E2 operon in E. coli on a single cell level using fluorescence time-lapse microscopy. DNA damage, triggering SOS response leads to the heterogeneous expression of this operon including the cea gene encoding the toxin, Colicin E2, and the cel gene coding for the induction of cell lysis and subsequent colicin release. Advancing previous whole population investigations, our time-lapse experiments reveal that at low exogenous stress levels all cells eventually respond after a given time (heterogeneous timing). This heterogeneous timing is lost at high stress levels, at which a synchronized stress response of all cells 60 min after induction via stress can be observed. We further demonstrate, that the amount of colicin released is dependent on cel (lysis) gene expression, independent of the applied exogenous stress level. A heterogeneous response in combination with heterogeneous timing can be biologically significant. It might enable a bacterial population to endure low stress levels, while at high stress levels an immediate and synchronized population wide response can give single surviving cells of the own species the chance to take over the bacterial community after the stress has ceased.     

Adenovirus E4ORF1-Induced MYC Activation Promotes Host Cell Anabolic Glucose Metabolism and Virus Replication

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Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Superantigen Expression in B Cells Is Regulated by a Central Enhancer within the pol Gene

Expression of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-encoded superantigens in B lymphocytes is required for viral transmission and pathogenesis. The mechanism of superantigen expression from the viral sag gene in B cells is largely unknown, due to problems with detection and quantification of these low-abundance proteins. We have established a sensitive superantigen-luciferase reporter assay to study the expression and regulation of the MMTV sag gene in B-cell lymphomas. The regulatory elements for retroviral gene expression are generally located in the 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) of the provirus. However, we found that neither promoters nor enhancers in the MMTV 5′ LTR play a significant role in superantigen expression in these cells. Instead, the essential regulatory regions are located in the pol and env genes of MMTV. We report here that maximal sag expression in B-cell lines depends on an enhancer within the viral pol gene which can be localized to a minimal 183-bp region. Regulation of sag gene expression differs between B-cell lymphomas and pro-B cells, where an enhancer within the viral LTRs is involved. Thus, MMTV sag expression during B-cell development is achieved through the use of two separate enhancer elements.     

猪戊型肝炎病毒swCH-GS189株ORF2基因的克隆及序列分析

为进行猪戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)ORF2基因特征研究,参照GenBank中已发表的戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)核酸序列,设计了一对扩增HEV ORF2基因的引物,利用RT-PCR等方法克隆出了一株猪戊型肝炎病毒甘肃分离株GS189的ORF2基因cDNA片段.序列测定结果表明,swCH-GS189株的ORF2基因长2 025 bp,编码674个氨基酸,与GenBank中公布的其它毒株间的核苷酸序列同源性为79.1%～91.8%,推导的氨基酸序列同源性为89.5%～98.8%.系统发育进化树结果表明,该分离株为基因IV型.     

ORF9p Phosphorylation by ORF47p Is Crucial for the Formation and Egress of Varicella-Zoster Virus Viral Particles

The role of the tegument during the herpesvirus lytic cycle is still not clearly established, particularly at the late phase of infection, when the newly produced viral particles need to be fully assembled before being released from the infected cell. The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) protein coded by open reading frame (ORF) 9 (ORF9p) is an essential tegument protein, and, even though its mRNA is the most expressed during the productive infection, little is known about its functions. Using a GalK positive/negative selection technique, we modified a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the complete VZV genome to create viruses expressing mutant versions of ORF9p. We showed that ORF9p is hyperphosphorylated during the infection, especially through its interaction with the viral Ser/Thr kinase ORF47p; we identified a consensus site within ORF9p recognized by ORF47p and demonstrated its importance for ORF9p phosphorylation. Strikingly, an ultrastructural analysis revealed that the mutation of this consensus site (glutamate 85 to arginine) strongly affects viral assembly and release, reproducing the ORF47 kinase-dead VZV phenotype. It also slightly diminishes the infectivity toward immature dendritic cells. Taken together, our results identify ORF9p as a new viral substrate of ORF47p and suggest a determinant role of this phosphorylation for viral infectivity, especially during the process of viral particle formation and egress.     

戊型肝炎病毒结构区ORF2蛋白在巴氏毕赤酵母中的胞内表达与纯化的初步研究

为寻求新型表达系统来研制戊型肝炎基因工程疫苗 ,利用甲醇营养型酵母 pichiapastoris表达系统表达戊型肝炎病毒 (HEV)结构区ORF2蛋白。采用PCR方法从HEVcDNA中扩增得到的ORF2基因克隆到酵母表达载体pPIC3.5K上 ,构建成重组质粒 pPIC3.5KORF2。该质粒转化酵母菌GS115 ,经G418筛选得到高拷贝转化子。转化菌株经Mut表型鉴定后 ,用含甲醇的培养基诱导表达 ,SDS PAGE及ELISA筛选高表达活性菌株 ,放大培养后进行亲合层析纯化。在该系统中成功地表达了高生物活性的HEVORF2蛋白 ,经亲和层析纯化后扫描分析重组蛋白分子量约为 5 9kD ,纯度可达 96 %。Westernblotting证实 ,它与HEVORF2单克隆抗体有特异性反应。HEV结构区ORF2蛋白在甲醇营养型酵母中的成功表达 ,以及初步纯化得到的具有强免疫学活性的重组蛋白 ,为研制新型戊型肝炎基因工程疫苗奠定了基础     

Expression of the Axonal Membrane Glycoprotein M6a Is Regulated by Chronic Stress

It has been repeatedly shown that chronic stress changes dendrites, spines and modulates expression of synaptic molecules. These effects all may impair information transfer between neurons. The present study shows that chronic stress also regulates expression of M6a, a glycoprotein which is localised in axonal membranes. We have previously demonstrated that M6a is a component of glutamatergic axons. The present data reveal that it is the splice variant M6a-Ib, not M6a-Ia, which is strongly expressed in the brain. Chronic stress in male rats (3 weeks daily restraint) has regional effects: quantitative in situ hybridization demonstrated that M6a-Ib mRNA in dentate gyrus granule neurons and in CA3 pyramidal neurons is downregulated, whereas M6a-Ib mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex is upregulated by chronic stress. This is the first study showing that expression of an axonal membrane molecule is differentially affected by stress in a region-dependent manner. Therefore, one may speculate that diminished expression of the glycoprotein in the hippocampus leads to altered output in the corresponding cortical projection areas. Enhanced M6a-Ib expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (in areas prelimbic and infralimbic cortex) might be interpreted as a compensatory mechanism in response to changes in axonal projections from the hippocampus. Our findings provide evidence that in addition to alterations in dendrites and spines chronic stress also changes the integrity of axons and may thus impair information transfer even between distant brain regions.     

Production and Characterization of Novel Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Replicative-Form Genomes: A Eukaryotic Source of DNA for Gene Transfer

Conventional non-viral gene transfer uses bacterial plasmid DNA containing antibiotic resistance genes, cis-acting bacterial sequence elements, and prokaryotic methylation patterns that may adversely affect transgene expression and vector stability in vivo. Here, we describe novel replicative forms of a eukaryotic vector DNA that consist solely of an expression cassette flanked by adeno-associated virus (AAV) inverted terminal repeats. Extensive structural analyses revealed that this AAV-derived vector DNA consists of linear, duplex molecules with covalently closed ends (termed closed-ended, linear duplex, or “CELiD”, DNA). CELiD vectors, produced in Sf9 insect cells, require AAV rep gene expression for amplification. Amounts of CELiD DNA produced from insect cell lines stably transfected with an ITR-flanked transgene exceeded 60 mg per 5×10⁹ Sf9 cells, and 1–15 mg from a comparable number of parental Sf9 cells in which the transgene was introduced via recombinant baculovirus infection. In mice, systemically delivered CELiD DNA resulted in long-term, stable transgene expression in the liver. CELiD vectors represent a novel eukaryotic alternative to bacterial plasmid DNA.     

Regulated Expression of a Sindbis Virus Replicon by Herpesvirus Promoters

We describe the use of herpesvirus promoters to regulate the expression of a Sindbis virus replicon (SINrep/LacZ). We isolated cell lines that contain the cDNA of SINrep/LacZ under the control of a promoter from a herpesvirus early gene which requires regulatory proteins encoded by immediate-early genes for expression. Wild-type Sindbis virus and replicons derived from this virus cause death of most vertebrate cells, but the cells discussed here grew normally and expressed the replicon and β-galactosidase only after infection with a herpesvirus. Vero cell lines in which the expression of SINrep/LacZ was regulated by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infected-cell protein 8 promoter were generated. One Vero cell line (V3-45N) contained, in addition to the SINrep/LacZ cDNA, a Sindbis virus-defective helper cDNA which provides the structural proteins for packaging the replicon. Infection of V3-45N cells with HSV-1 resulted in the production of packaged SINrep/LacZ replicons. HSV-1 induction of the Sindbis virus replicon and packaging and spread of the replicon led to enhanced expression of the reporter gene, suggesting that this type of cell could be used to develop sensitive assays to detect herpesviruses. We also isolated a mink lung cell line that was transformed with SINrep/LacZ cDNA under the control of the promoter from the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) early gene UL45. HCMV carries out an abortive infection in mink lung cells, but it was able to induce the SINrep/LacZ replicon. These results, and those obtained with an HSV-1 mutant, demonstrate that this type of signal amplification system could be valuable for detecting herpesviruses for which a permissive cell culture system is not available.     

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒(PRRSV)SD2株ORF5/ORF6双基因真核表达载体在哺乳动物细胞中的表达

为了实现猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒(PRRSV)的ORF5和ORF6基因在同一质粒中分别表达各自编码的蛋白,发挥E蛋白的病毒中和优势和M蛋白的细胞免疫优势,将构建成功的pIRES-ORF5/ORF6转移载体用脂质体法转入稳定表达的细胞CHO,经G418加压筛选获得具稳定表达的细胞株。以RT-PCR、SDS-PAGE、Western blot和间接免疫荧光检测目的蛋白的表达情况。结果表明:RT-PCR检测到两种目的基因的转录;SDS-PAGE和West-ern blot检测到同时表达的两种目的蛋白;间接免疫荧光检测到目的蛋白得到表达。