精氨酸激酶研究进展

能量代谢是生物体重要的生命活动之一。精氨酸激酶广泛分布于低等与高等无脊椎动物中,现已经在直翅目、蜚蠊目、鞘翅目、鳞翅目、双翅目、膜翅目等多种昆虫中得到证实,是无脊椎动物中能量代谢的重要酶之一。随着研究的深入,精氨酸激酶的应用前景逐渐显现。对无脊椎动物体内精氨酸激酶的理化性质、表达规律及应用前景等方面的研究进展进行了综述,并提出了一些建议,以期为精氨酸激酶今后的研究做铺垫。     

昆虫精氨酸激酶研究进展

精氨酸激酶是磷酸原激酶的一种,广泛分布于无脊椎动物组织内。在长期的进化过程中,不同昆虫精氨酸激酶在空间结构上出现了一定的分化,同时其氨基酸序列又具有高度的保守性。在功能上,精氨酸激酶主要参与能量代谢,而且可以维持昆虫和其他无脊椎动物正常的生命活动。此外,随着研究的深入,发现精氨酸激酶还具有参与自身免疫和麻痹寄主昆虫的作用。本文主要对昆虫精氨酸激酶的分布、结构和功能三个方面的研究进展予以综述。     

精氨酸激酶蛋白及分子生物学的研究进展

在无脊椎动物体内,精氨酸激酶(arginine kinase)在能量代谢过程中发挥着重要的作用.随着研究的深入,越来越多的数据表明,精氨酸激酶的作用不仅限于提供和维持能量的平衡,而且对生命活动的调控起到重要作用.综述无脊椎动物体内精氨酸激酶的进化历程、蛋白特性、特异表达及生物学功能等方面的研究进展,为深入研究无脊椎动物的抗性调控机制提供必要的参考.此外,对无脊椎动物精氨酸激酶的重要性和研究中存在的问题进行讨论.     

甲壳动物精氨酸激酶的结构与功能

精氨酸激酶（Arginine kinase）是调节无脊椎动物能量代谢的重要酶,在调节无脊椎动物体内磷酸精氨酸与ATP之间的能量平衡过程中具有重要作用。甲壳动物是节肢动物门内最重要的类群之一,并具有重要的经济价值。本文综述了甲壳动物体内精氨酸激酶的分子构象、表达变化及生理功能等方面的研究进展,为深入研究甲壳动物的能量代谢调控机制提供必要的参考。另外,文中对甲壳动物精氨酸激酶的重要性和研究中存在的问题进行了讨论。     

精氨酸激酶基因研究进展

磷酸原激酶(PKs)在细胞能量代谢过程中起着关键作用,其中在无脊椎动物、原生动物和细菌中普遍存在的精氨酸激酶(AKs)已成为开发新型高选择性杀虫剂的潜在靶标。本文从精氨酸激酶基因的表达及其调控、分子进化与功能以及精氨酸激酶基因在害虫防治中的应用等几个方面介绍了国内外有关精氨酸激酶基因的研究进展。     

管氏肿腿蜂毒液精氨酸激酶基因的克隆与表达分析

为了解精氨酸激酶作为寄生蜂毒液蛋白的功能,本研究克隆了管氏肿腿蜂毒液精氨酸激酶基因的开放阅读框,分析其表达特征,并测定了该毒液蛋白在毒液中的酶活性。克隆获得的毒液精氨酸激酶基因的开放阅读框长1 068 bp,编码了355个氨基酸,其理论分子量为39.71 kDa,等电点为5.86,并具有精氨酸激酶典型的N端和C端结构域,以及精氨酸和ADP结合位点、ATP-胍基磷酸转移酶活性位点和高度保守的天冬氨酸和精氨酸残基。系统进化分析表明,膜翅目精氨酸激酶分为两个亚家族,管氏肿腿蜂精氨酸激酶属于亚家族1。荧光定量PCR分析结果显示,该毒液蛋白基因在卵、幼虫、蛹、雌成虫中的表达量逐渐上升,至羽化10 d时达最高。在不同组织中,该基因在头部和毒液器官中的表达量较高。通过酶活测定发现,管氏肿腿蜂毒液中精氨酸激酶的酶活性为5.18 U/g蛋白。该研究有助于今后揭示寄生蜂毒液精氨酸激酶的功能与作用机制。     

烟夜蛾精氨酸激酶基因的克隆及mRNA表达分析

为了深入了解精氨酸激酶基因的作用和寻求害虫防治新的分子靶标, 本研究采用RT-PCR和RACE技术, 从烟夜蛾Helicoverpa assulta脂肪体中克隆了精氨酸激酶cDNA序列, 命名为HassAK（GenBank登录号: HQ336337）, 并采用荧光定量PCR测定了HassAK基因在不同发育阶段（4龄幼虫第1天到化蛹第1天）、 不同组织（头部、 中肠、 脂肪体、 体壁和腹足）和不同温度条件下的表达情况。测序和序列分析结果表明, HassAK基因阅读框架全长1 068 bp, 编码355个氨基酸残基, 预测蛋白质分子量和等电点分别为40.0 kD和5.76。氨基酸序列分析表明, 该序列具有精氨酸激酶典型的酶活性部位、 酶活性中心位点和能形成离子偶结构的保守区。序列比对结果表明, HassAK与其他昆虫AK的氨基酸序列具有70%以上的一致性。荧光定量分析结果显示, HassAK基因在幼虫头部、 中肠、 脂肪体、 体壁和腹足均可表达, 其中以腹足和中肠内的表达水平较高。时序表达分析表明, 预蛹期HassAK基因的表达量达到高峰。此外, 高温和低温均诱导HassAK基因的表达, 说明该基因可能参与昆虫抵御外界不良环境。     

植物凝集素类受体激酶参与抗病的研究进展

凝集素类受体激酶(Lectin receptor-like kinases,LecRLKs)是类受体激酶(Receptor-like kinases,RLKs)的一个亚族。根据结构域的不同,凝集素类受体激酶可分为L、G和C等3种类型。在植物中,凝集素类受体激酶被报道参与生物/非生物胁迫响应和植物发育调控。近年来,越来越多的研究发现,凝集素类受体激酶参与由细菌、真菌以及食草性昆虫等所引起的植物抗病反应。本文概述了植物凝集素类受体激酶的分类及结构特点,并系统阐述了该类激酶在植物抗病方面的作用,旨在增进对植物凝集素类受体激酶参与抗病功能的了解,并为作物抗病育种提供理论依据。     

家蚕精氨酸激酶原核表达纯化、结构与活性分析

精氨酸激酶(Arginine kinase,AK)是无脊椎动物体内能量代谢的关键酶,在生长发育、营养利用、免疫抗性、胁迫应答等生命活动过程中发挥着重要的调控作用。家蚕精氨酸激酶BmAK与能量平衡、抗NPV病毒过程相关,但目前关于其分子结构和酶学性质的研究不多。克隆了BmAK基因ORF序列,分析了其染色体定位、基因组结构、mRNA结构、二级结构和三级结构。进化分析表明AK在进化过程中高度保守。原核表达获得了可溶性的BmAK重组蛋白,通过Ni-NTA亲和层析纯化了BmAK。圆二色光谱分析显示BmAK包含α螺旋结构,其α螺旋结构在pH 5–10范围内相对稳定。酶活分析表明BmAK的最适温度为30℃,最适pH为7.5。25℃时BmAK的催化活性最大,在15–30℃范围内,BmAK的结构相对稳定,活性差别不大。BmAK的结构在pH 7.0左右相对稳定。这些研究为揭示BmAK的结构和功能提供了基础,有助于开发以AK为分子靶标的绿色安全环保的新型杀虫剂。     

致龋变异链球菌N-乙酰谷氨酸激酶的表达、纯化和生化特性研究

探讨了在大肠杆菌中实现致龋变异链球菌N-乙酰谷氨酸激酶基因(argB)的表达、蛋白纯化和生化特性研究。以变异链球菌基因组DNA为模板,设计特异引物,PCR扩增argB基因。经消化和连接构建重组载体pET28a-argB,测序确认后转化表达菌E.coli BL21(DE3)。SDS-PAGE鉴定argB基因能诱导表达,且表达物可溶。通过镍离子螯合层析和分子筛纯化成功获得N-乙酰谷氨酸激酶(NAGK)重组蛋白。NAGK酶促反应分析表明：精氨酸生物合成的乙酰化环式路径关键酶NAGK活性不受精氨酸反馈抑制,提示可能存在其他调节方式有待进一步研究。此外,分析型分子筛结果显示：具有催化活性NAGK以单体形式存在,显然不同于此前氨基酸激酶家族中的相关报道。     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.