SARS冠状病毒E、M基因序列比较及B细胞抗原表位预测

为了比较SARS冠状病毒分离株E、M基因序列及氨基酸序列之间的差异,分析E、M蛋白的可能B细胞抗原表位。利用Lasergene软件包中的Editseq将E、M基因从SARS-CoV全基因序列中截取出,再翻译成氨基酸序列,用Clustal X软件分析它们之间的异同,然后利用Protean软件进行氨基酸序列分析,预测E、M蛋白的B细胞抗原表位。结果证明SAPS-CoV的E、M基因序列相当保守,变异甚少,并分别预测出E、M蛋白有2段和7段可能为B细胞抗原表位。     

重组牛乳源金黄色葡萄球菌GapC蛋白优势B细胞抗原表位的预测和筛选

旨在表达牛乳源金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus)GapC蛋白并对其B细胞抗原表位进行预测与鉴定，本研究利用实验室分离鉴定的S. aureus分离株15119扩增GapC基因并构建重组表达质粒pET-28a-GapC，诱导纯化得到分子量为44 kD重组蛋白GapC，以此免疫新西兰大白兔，获得特异多克隆抗体。利用生物信息学方法，对GapC蛋白的二级及三级结构进行分析，预测其B细胞抗原表位，并利用特异性抗体对筛选的表位进行鉴定。结果表明，GapC蛋白具有良好的免疫原性，筛选出7个线性B细胞抗原表位，利用兔抗重组GapC蛋白多克隆抗体鉴定得到了PL 5(²²¹ IPEIDGKLDGGAQRVP²³⁶)多肽和PL 7(²⁶⁴KNASNESFGYTEDEIVSSDVVGM²⁸⁶)2个优势B细胞表位。本研究成功制备了GapC蛋白，预测并鉴定了2个优势抗原表位，为其嵌合表位疫苗的开发提供了技术支持。     

猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌ApxIIA基因的序列分析及其B细胞表位预测

为了进一步研究猪胸膜肺炎放线杆菌(Actionobacillus pleuropneumoniae,App)ApxIIA基因的结构和功能,选取GenBank中6株不同App分离株,采用生物信息学方法对其ApxIIA基因及其编码氨基酸序列进行同源性比对,并选择其中AY232288.1菌株(湖北分离株)ApxIIA基因为研究对象,分析该基因所编码蛋白质的理化性质,并对其可能形成的二级结构及B细胞表位进行预测和分析.结果表明,6株不同App分离株ApxIIA基因核苷酸及氨基酸序列同源性分别为65.56﹪和88.42﹪,在AY232288.1菌株ApxIIA蛋白的肽链中,745～751和801～807区段可能是其B细胞表位优势区.本研究首次利用生物信息学方法对ApxIIA基因及其蛋白质结构进行了分析和预测,为ApxIIA基因功能的深入研究及APP多表位疫苗的设计奠定了基础.     

金黄色葡萄球菌儿童临床分离株携带PVL基因状况的分析

目的了解金黄色葡萄球菌儿童分离株携带Panton-Valentine杀白细胞素（PVL）基因的状况及感染类型。方法采用多重PCR同时检测金黄色葡萄球菌16SrRNA基因、PVL基因和mecA基因;多重PCR检测MR—SA的SCCmec基因型及亚型。结果66株金黄色葡萄球菌JL童临床分离株经多重PCR检测,其中MRSA有7株（10．6％）,MSSA有59株（89．4％）;携带PVL基因金黄色葡萄球菌有31株,总阳性率为47．O％（31／66）,其中2株为MRSA,29株为MSSA,阳性率分别为28．6％（2／7）和49。2％（29／59）。2株MRSA都属于SCCmecIV型;31株PVL基因阳性分离株有21株分离自脓液,7株分离自血液,仅1株分离自痰液。结论儿童MSSA是携带PVL基因的主要菌株,携带PVL基因的金黄色葡萄球菌主要引起化脓性感染和血流感染。     

兔出血症病毒中国株衣壳蛋白基因的克隆和序列分析

应用RT—PCR技术,从兔出血症病毒中国分离株WX84中成功扩增出预期大小为1．7kb的特异性条带,将扩增产物提纯后克隆入pGEM^R—T载体,经转化、筛选及酶切鉴定后,获得了该株病毒衣壳蛋白基因的克隆,序列分析表明扩增的中国株BHD衣壳蛋白基因片段长度为1740bp,共编码580个氨基酸。该核酸序列与其它国家报道的多株BHDV序列相互间同源性高达98．2％一99．0％,其推导的氨基酸序列同源性也达98．3％--99．1％,为极度保守片段。     

山羊痘病毒P32基因序列分析及其B细胞表位预测

目的：比较山羊痘病毒不同分离株间P32基因的同源性,并对其B细胞表位进行预测。方法：选取GenBank上10株不同山羊痘毒株P32基因序列,采用DNAsis MAX序列分析软件对该基因序列进行同源性分析,并以B细胞表位分析参数及蛋白质二级结构分析数据,综合预测P32蛋白B细胞表位。结果：10株不同山羊痘毒株P32基因核苷酸及氨基酸序列同源性分别为99.4%和98.4%;在P32蛋白的肽链中,19-60、64-80、98-118、138-182和214-275区段亲水性强,17-45、64-75、88-97、110-128、152-165和201-251区段柔韧性好,150-172、200-255区段抗原指数高,而31-59、101-119、142-145、165-172和215-252区段表面可及性高,42-56、159-181、200-208和227-259区段。结论：不同山羊痘病毒株间P32基因具有较高的同源性,P32蛋白227-251区段可能是B细胞表位优势区,为P32蛋白功能的深入研究与新型疫苗的设计提供一定的基础。     

水产品中河流弧菌分离株OmpU基因的克隆测序与生物信息学分析

目的 对河流弧菌(Vibrio fluvialis)水产品分离株OmpU基因进行克隆测序和生物信息学分析,为建立该菌的检测方法和研制疫苗奠定基础.方法 从市售水产品中分离细菌,采用表型和分子鉴定方法确定其种属,并测定其致病性和药物敏感性.根据弧菌属OmpU基因的序列特点,设计引物扩增河流弧菌OmpU基因,将其克隆到T载体上,筛选重组质粒并对其进行序列测定及生物信息学分析.结果 从水产品中分离的2个菌株(Vf1和Vt2)经鉴定确认为河流弧菌,它们均具有致病性,对15种测试抗菌药物敏感.2株河流弧菌OmpU基因全长分别为1 044和1 005 bp,含有1个开放性阅读框,分别编码由348和335个氨基酸组成的OmpU蛋白,该蛋白N端前22个氨基酸为信号肽.序列比对结果显示2株河流弧菌OmpU基因的核苷酸及其推导的氨基酸序列相似性分别为82.6％和81.2％.OmpU蛋白序列在6种弧菌种内和种间的相似性分别为81.4％ ～ 99.2％和71.2％ ～78.1％.表位预测结果显示河流弧菌OmpU蛋白的B细胞线性表位主要集中在第24 ～ 28、45～ 53、113～116、153～156、215～ 221和242～254位氨基酸区域,6种弧菌具有1个共同的抗原表位基序KDG-A-D-S.结论 OmpU蛋白是弧菌属中较为保守的一类功能蛋白,共同的抗原表位基序有望成为检测多种弧菌的靶标和研制多表位疫苗的靶位.     

SARS病毒M蛋白的二级结构和B细胞表位预测

以SARS病毒基因组序列为基础,采用GarnierRobson方法、ChouFasman方法和KarplusSchulz方法预测蛋白质的二级结构;按KyteDoolittle方案、Emini方案和JamesonWolf方案预测SARS病毒M蛋白的B细胞表位。预测结果表明,在SARS病毒M蛋白N端第11～20、27～36区段和第133～141区段可能是α螺旋中心;M蛋白分子N端第20～27、34～37,44～56,61～64,70～76,79～97,117～132,142～147,165～176区段和第216～221区段可能是β折叠中心。在M蛋白N端第5～6、40～44、105～107、112～116、189～190、202～203区段和第210～215区段具有较柔软的结构,有可能进行一定幅度的摆动或折叠而形成较复杂的三级结构。SARS病毒M蛋白N端第1～15、37～47、99～120、181～192区段和第196～215区段内或附近很可能是B细胞表位优势区域。以蛋白质的二级结构预测作为辅助手段,用抗原指数,亲水性参数和可及性参数预测SARS冠状病毒M蛋白的B细胞表位,为实验确定SARS病毒M蛋白的B细胞表位和免疫识别研究奠定了基础 。     

金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素A Asp227Ala基因的克隆及表达

目的：金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素A Asp227ala基因的克隆及表达。方法：利用错配PCR方法,从含有金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素A（Staphylococcal enterotoxn A,SEA)基因的质粒中扩增出约720bp的DNA片段,将其克隆到表达载体7ZTS中,并转化于JM109（DE3）。结果：重组质粒的测序结果表明,它含有702bp（不包括N端72bp的信号肽编码区）,其核苷酸序列与文献报道完全一致,推导的氨基酸序列显示227位的天冬氨酸已突变为丙氨酸。结论：该基因所表达的蛋白为可溶性蛋白,表达量占总蛋白51.5%。表达的蛋白与天然肠毒素A产生的抗体能发生凝集作用,具有与天然SEA类同的抗原活性。     

结核分枝杆菌Rv1385的抗原表位预测分析

结核分枝杆菌生长缓慢,难以获得足量的天然蛋白抗原。而利用基因工程技术制备重组蛋白抗原,存在着表达量低、不易纯化,以及特异性较低等不利因素。随着生物信息技术的发展,研究者可根据生物信息学软件预测,选择合成优势抗原肽段,而不需克隆整个蛋白,具有简便、经济、特异性高等特点。因此,本研究应用生物信息学方法,预测结核分枝杆菌Rv1385蛋白的抗原表位并分析其优势表位,对了解Rv1385蛋白的免疫学特性及其与结核分枝杆菌致病的关系具有重要意义。首先,从NCBI数据库下载Rv1385的氨基酸序列,然后采用生物信息学软件PSIPRED Server预测蛋白质二级结构;BepiPred 1.0 Server和ABCpred预测该蛋白的B细胞抗原表位;BIMAS、SYFPEITHI及NetCTLpan 1.1 Server预测该蛋白的CTL表位;SYFPEITHI和NetMHCIIpan 3.2 Server预测该蛋白的Th细胞表位。最后综合分析预测结核分枝杆菌Rv1385的优势候选抗原表位。结果显示,Rv1385蛋白二级结构中,α螺旋占51.8%,β折叠占41.6%,无规卷曲占6.6%;共有4个B细胞抗原位点,位于109～124、152～169、178～192、198～209氨基酸区段;3个CTL表位,位于263～271、87～95、240～248氨基酸区段;5个Th表位,位于77～91、87～101、234～247、70～84、46～60氨基酸区段。生物信息学分析显示Rv1385含有潜在的B细胞和T细胞抗原表位,为该蛋白抗原表位的进一步研究及应用奠定了基础。     

HIV-1辅助蛋白Vpr多肽抗体的制备与鉴定

预测Vpr蛋白的B细胞抗原表位,并利用合成的B细胞表位肽制备Vpr特异性抗体。应用生物信息学技术获得Vpr蛋白共享氨基酸序列并预测其潜在B细胞抗原表位,与载体蛋白血蓝蛋白(KLH)偶联合成多肽并免疫家兔,鉴定及纯化获得的多肽特异性抗体。软件预测显示,Vpr蛋白N端的第3～19位(N)和C端的第82～95位(C)氨基酸序列为潜在B细胞抗原表位;ELISA检测抗血清中多肽特异性抗体的效价都达到1:105以上;Western-Blotting结果显示,无论对HIV-1B亚型还是CRF07_BC重组型的Vpr蛋白,其多肽N抗体和C抗体均能特异性识别;免疫沉淀结果显示,Vpr多肽N和C抗体也能特异性结合未变性的野生型Vpr或GFP-Vpr融合蛋白。利用生物信息学技术能成功预测Vpr蛋白B细胞抗原表位,免疫所获得的抗体具有较好的特异性和应用性。     

副溶血性弧菌外膜蛋白K的B细胞线性表位预测

目的预测副溶血性弧菌外膜蛋白K(OmpK)的B细胞线性表位。方法 NCBI下载已登录的OmpK的基因序列,对其进行生物信息学分析,应用DNAStar protean软件综合分析OmpK蛋白的二级结构、柔性、表面可能性、亲水性和抗原指数等多种参数,预测其B细胞线性表位。结果 OmpK蛋白的优势B细胞线性表位位于肽链的第7-13、25-36、63-69、140-147、182-188、234-239区段。结论预测得到OmpK蛋白的6个优势B细胞线性表位,为进而克隆表达串联表位蛋白,研制副溶血性弧菌多表位疫苗奠定基础。     

Mapping of T cell epitopes using recombinant antigens and synthetic peptides.

Two complementary approaches were used to determine the epitope specificity of clonal and polyclonal human T lymphocytes reactive with the 65-kd antigen of Mycobacterium leprae. A recombinant DNA sublibrary constructed from portions of the 65-kd gene was used to map T cell determinants within amino acid sequences 101-146 and 409-526. Independently, potential T cell epitopes within the protein were predicted based on an empirical analysis of specific patterns in the amino acid sequence. Of six peptides that were predicted and subsequently synthesised, two (112-132 and 437-459) were shown to contain human T cell epitopes. This corroborated and refined the results obtained using the recombinant DNA sublibrary. Both of these regions are identical in M. leprae and M. tuberculosis and are distinct from the known B cell epitopes of the 65-kd protein. This combination of recombinant DNA technology and peptide chemistry may prove valuable in analysis of the cellular immune response to infectious agents.     

猪流行性腹泻病毒CH/JL毒株S基因的克隆、序列分析及线性抗原表位区的鉴定

以猪流行性腹泻病毒CH/JL毒株的RNA为模板,通过RT-PCR扩增获得的3个相互重叠的cDNA克隆覆盖了S基因,序列比对结果表明:PEDV CH/JL株S基因与CV777、Brl/87、JS、KPEDV和Chinju99毒株S基因核苷酸序列的同源性分别为96.97%、96.87%、96.41%、94.02%和93.93%,氨基酸序列的同源性分别为96.17%、95.88%、96.10%、92.36%和92.05%;分子进化树分析结果显示,PEDV CH/JL株S基因与JS毒株S基因亲缘关系最近,处于同一群。利用DNAstar Protean程序预测了PEDV CH/JL株S蛋白一个抗原表位区(83~276aa),将其克隆到原核表达载体pGEX-6p-1后转化E.coliBL21(DE3)感受态细胞,在终浓度1.0mmol/L的IPTG诱导下获得了表达,Western blot结果显示,预测的抗原表位区GST融合蛋白能与猪流行性腹泻病毒多克隆抗血清反应,提示该抗原表位区含有线性抗原表位。     

Cloning, sequence analysis, and expression in Escherichia coli of a streptococcal plasmin receptor.

Plasmin(ogen) receptors are expressed by many gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. We previously isolated a plasmin receptor from a pathogenic group A streptococcal strain (C. C. Broder, R. Lottenberg, G. O. von Mering, K. H. Johnston, and M. D. P. Boyle, J. Biol. Chem. 266:4922-4928, 1991). The gene encoding this plasmin receptor, plr, was isolated from a lambda gt11 library of chromosomal DNA from group A streptococcal strain 64/14 by screening plaques with antibodies raised against the purified streptococcal plasmin receptor protein. The gene was subcloned by using a low-copy-number plasmid and stably expressed in Escherichia coli, resulting in the production of an immunoreactive and functional receptor protein. The DNA sequence of the gene contained an open reading frame encoding 335 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 35,787. Upstream of the open reading frame, putative promoter and ribosomal binding site sequences were identified. The experimentally derived amino acid sequences of the N terminus and three cyanogen bromide fragments of the purified streptococcal plasmin receptor protein corresponded to the predicted sequence encoded by plr. The deduced amino acid sequence for the plasmin receptor protein revealed significant similarity (39 to 54% identical amino acid residues) to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenases.     

Biosynthesis of riboflavin: an unusual riboflavin synthase of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum.

Riboflavin synthase was purified by a factor of about 1,500 from cell extract of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. The enzyme had a specific activity of about 2,700 nmol mg(-1) h(-1) at 65 degrees C, which is relatively low compared to those of riboflavin synthases of eubacteria and yeast. Amino acid sequences obtained after proteolytic cleavage had no similarity with known riboflavin synthases. The gene coding for riboflavin synthase (designated ribC) was subsequently cloned by marker rescue with a ribC mutant of Escherichia coli. The ribC gene of M. thermoautotrophicum specifies a protein of 153 amino acid residues. The predicted amino acid sequence agrees with the information gleaned from Edman degradation of the isolated protein and shows 67% identity with the sequence predicted for the unannotated reading frame MJ1184 of Methanococcus jannaschii. The ribC gene is adjacent to a cluster of four genes with similarity to the genes cbiMNQO of Salmonella typhimurium, which form part of the cob operon (this operon contains most of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of vitamin B12). The amino acid sequence predicted by the ribC gene of M. thermoautotrophicum shows no similarity whatsoever to the sequences of riboflavin synthases of eubacteria and yeast. Most notably, the M. thermoautotrophicum protein does not show the internal sequence homology characteristic of eubacterial and yeast riboflavin synthases. The protein of M. thermoautotrophicum can be expressed efficiently in a recombinant E. coli strain. The specific activity of the purified, recombinant protein is 1,900 nmol mg(-1) h(-1) at 65 degrees C. In contrast to riboflavin synthases from eubacteria and fungi, the methanobacterial enzyme has an absolute requirement for magnesium ions. The 5' phosphate of 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine does not act as a substrate. The findings suggest that riboflavin synthase has evolved independently in eubacteria and methanobacteria.     

Epitope mapping of the Mycobacterium bovis secretory protein MPB70 using overlapping peptide analysis.

The gene encoding the major Mycobacterium bovis secreted protein MPB70 was cloned and isolated from a DNA library in lambda EMBL 3, and the restriction map of the area of chromosome containing the gene ascertained. After sub-cloning, the complete DNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence were determined, and from this information a series of overlapping octapeptides encoding all possible linear epitopes of eight or less amino acids were synthesized. These peptides were probed with monoclonal antibodies specific for M. bovis and with sera from M. bovis-infected cattle. Epitopes defined by this technique were then examined using a substitution analysis that allowed the significance of each amino acid in the putative epitope to be quantified, and the exact specificity of the antibody response for the epitope determined.     

Role of biased hypermutation in evolution of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis virus from progenitor acute measles virus.

We identified an acute measles virus (Nagahata strain) closely related to a defective virus (Biken strain) isolated from a patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). The proteins of Nagahata strain measles virus are antigenically and electrophoretically similar to the proteins of Edmonston strain measles virus. However, the nucleotide sequence of the Nagahata matrix (M) gene is significantly different from the M genes of all the acute measles virus strains studied to date. The Nagahata M gene is strikingly similar to the M gene of Biken strain SSPE virus isolated several years later in the same locale. Eighty percent of the nucleotide differences between the Nagahata and Biken M genes are uridine-to-cytosine transitions known as biased hypermutation, which has been postulated to be caused by a cellular RNA-modifying activity. These biased mutations account for all but one of the numerous missense genetic changes predicted to cause amino acid substitutions. As a result, the Biken virus M protein loses conformation-specific epitopes that are conserved in the M proteins of Nagahata and Edmonston strain acute measles viruses. These conformation-specific epitopes are also absent in the cryptic M proteins encoded by the hypermutated M genes of two other defective SSPE viruses (Niigata and Yamagata strains). Nagahata-like sequences are found in the M genes of at least five other SSPE viruses isolated from three continents. These data indicate that Biken strain SSPE virus is derived from a progenitor closely resembling Nagahata strain acute measles virus and that biased hypermutation is largely responsible for the structural defects in the Biken virus M protein.     

A novel restriction-modification system from Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria encodes a m4C-methyltransferase and a nonfunctional restriction endonuclease

A novel restriction-modification (R-M) system, designated as xveIIRM, from chromosomal DNA of the Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria strain 7-1 (Xcv7-1) was cloned and characterized. The xveIIRM genes involved in this R-M system are aligned in a tail-to-tail orientation and overlapped by 12 base pairs. XveII methyltransferase gene could encode a 299-amino acid protein (M.XveII) with an estimated mass of 33.7 kDa and was classified to be a member of beta-class of m4C-MTase. M.XveII methylates the second cytosine of the 5'-CCCGGG-3' recognition sequence. The predicted amino acid sequence of the intact XveII endonuclease shared 41.9% identity with SmaI. However, a premature TAA translation termination codon was found in the open reading frame of xveIIR and expected to encode an 18.3 kDa truncated protein. The sequence data are consistent with observation of this study that no SmaI-like restriction activity could be detected in the cell extract of Xcv7-1.     

Identification of conformational B-cell Epitopes in an antigen from its primary sequence

Background

One of the major challenges in the field of vaccine design is to predict conformational B-cell epitopes in an antigen. In the past, several methods have been developed for predicting conformational B-cell epitopes in an antigen from its tertiary structure. This is the first attempt in this area to predict conformational B-cell epitope in an antigen from its amino acid sequence.

Results

All Support vector machine (SVM) models were trained and tested on 187 non-redundant protein chains consisting of 2261 antibody interacting residues of B-cell epitopes. Models have been developed using binary profile of pattern (BPP) and physiochemical profile of patterns (PPP) and achieved a maximum MCC of 0.22 and 0.17 respectively. In this study, for the first time SVM model has been developed using composition profile of patterns (CPP) and achieved a maximum MCC of 0.73 with accuracy 86.59%. We compare our CPP based model with existing structure based methods and observed that our sequence based model is as good as structure based methods.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that prediction of conformational B-cell epitope in an antigen is possible from is primary sequence. This study will be very useful in predicting conformational B-cell epitopes in antigens whose tertiary structures are not available. A web server CBTOPE has been developed for predicting B-cell epitope http://www.imtech.res.in/raghava/cbtope/.