利用人工microRNA实现基因沉默

MicroRNA是一组长度约为21 nt的非编码蛋白质的短序列RNA,能通过碱基互补配对的方式指导降解靶基因mRNA或抑制靶基因的翻译。MicroRNA的主要功能是调控基因的表达,在生物体的生长、发育及疾病发生中扮演着重要的角色。本文介绍了利用microRNA实现基因沉默的作用原理,人工合成microRNA,构建转基因载体,实现对目的基因的沉默及这种工具在生命科学领域的应用前景。     

鸡源细胞基因沉默及快速筛选的实用型双标记RNAi载体

利用人H1 RNA启动子、EGFP基因及Neomycin抗性基因,构建用于禽类细胞基因持续沉默和快速筛选的实用型RNAi载体。在将pCDNA3.1(+)载体上的SV40启动子替换为鸡源的β-actin启动子后,装入EGFP基因表达框以及用于驱动外源shRNA转录的人H1 RNA启动子,构建成同时具有EGFP和Neomycin抗性双标记的RNAi载体,并为载体引入独特设计的含媒介序列的多克隆位点以方便外源shRNA编码小片断插入后的快速筛选,载体设计非常实用。插入靶向EGFP和sIgM λ基因的shRNA编码序列后分别瞬时转染DF-1和DT40细胞,结果显示靶基因表达得到了明显抑制。联用EGFP和Neomycin双标记快速筛选sIgM λ轻链基因稳定沉默的DT40细胞克隆的结果也证实,H1启动子转录shRNA的干扰效果是高效的,双标记筛选策略不仅有效而且方便、快捷。     

果实特异性RNAi介导的Lcy基因沉默来增加番茄中番茄红素的含量

根据GenBank中番茄的番茄红素β-环化酶（Lcy）基因序列和八氢番茄红素去饱和酶基因（Pds）启动子序列设计特异引物从番茄基因组DNA中分别扩增出了Lcy基因的高度保守的长302bp的DNA片段和长1790的Pds启动子片段。根据RNAi的原理,将Lcy基因的DNA片段以正反两个方向通过一段内含子序列连接在一起形成RNAi片段,将该片段与Pds启动子一起插入到pVCT2020的表达载体中,通过农杆菌介导的方法转化番茄,获得转基因植株5棵,PCR检测证实外源片段已成功导入番茄基因组中。收获转色期后20d左右的完全成熟的番茄果实提取番茄红素进行含量分析,结果显示：转基因番茄果实中番茄红素的含量极大的增加了。上述结果表明：通过RNAi果实特异性的抑制类胡萝卜素代谢途径中生物合成酶基因的表达能够极大的增加番茄果实中番茄红素的含量。这为通过基因工程手段提高番茄果实中的营养价值提供了参考     

果实特异性RNAi介导的Lcy基因沉默来增加番茄中番茄红素的含量

根据GenBank中番茄的番茄红素β-环化酶（Lcy）基因序列和八氢番茄红素去饱和酶基因（Pds）启动子序列设计特异引物从番茄基因组DNA中分别扩增出了Lcy基因的高度保守的长302bp的DNA片段和长1790的Pds启动子片段。根据RNAi的原理,将Lcy基因的DNA片段以正反两个方向通过一段内含子序列连接在一起形成RNAi片段,将该片段与Pds启动子一起插入到pVCT2020的表达载体中,通过农杆菌介导的方法转化番茄,获得转基因植株5棵,PCR检测证实外源片段已成功导入番茄基因组中。收获转色期后20d左右的完全成熟的番茄果实提取番茄红素进行含量分析,结果显示：转基因番茄果实中番茄红素的含量极大的增加了。上述结果表明：通过RNAi果实特异性的抑制类胡萝卜素代谢途径中生物合成酶基因的表达能够极大的增加番茄果实中番茄红素的含量。这为通过基因工程手段提高番茄果实中的营养价值提供了参考     

RNAi介导的HvIAP1基因沉默对茄二十八星瓢虫存活和发育的影响

RNAi抗虫技术,是一种新型绿色环保的害虫防控方法,具有广阔的应用前景.茄二十八星瓢虫Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata是茄科植物上的重要害虫,对作物生产造成了严重的经济损失.本研究用饲喂法RNAi探究了沉默凋亡抑制蛋白1(inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1,IAP1)表达对茄二十八星瓢虫生长发育的影响.结果显示,HvIAP1在茄二十八星瓢虫的每个发育阶段均表达,1龄幼虫和3龄幼虫的表达量最高,成虫的表达量最低.取食200 ng/μL dsHvIAP1浸泡处理的叶片2 d后,可导致92％的茄二十八星瓢虫1龄幼虫死亡,同时在取食dsHvIAP124 h后,HvIAP1基因的表达量下降了2.40倍;另外,单头取食200 ng的dsHvIAP1可导致70％的4龄幼虫死亡,同时在取食48 h后,HvIAP1基因的表达量下降了2.58倍.并且RNAi处理后1龄幼虫和4龄幼虫大部分个体在48 h内出现急性取食障碍现象,基本不取食直至死亡.上述结果表明,HvIAP1基因在茄二十八星瓢虫的生长发育过程中起重要作用,当该基因表达受阻,会直接影响茄二十八星瓢虫的取食、抑制其生长发育而死亡.这一研究表明HvIAP1基因可作为潜在的防治茄二十八星瓢虫的RNAi靶标基因.     

RNAi介导的GdHsp60和GdHsp70基因沉默对沙葱萤叶甲幼虫抗寒性的影响

【目的】本研究旨在比较不同RNAi方法对沙葱萤叶甲Galeruca daurica幼虫热激蛋白基因(GdHsp60和GdHsp70)的沉默效率,以选择一种可高效降低靶基因表达水平的研究方法,明确这两个热激蛋白在沙葱萤叶甲幼虫抗寒性中的作用。【方法】分别通过饲喂法和显微注射法进行RNAi沉默沙葱萤叶甲1和2龄幼虫的GdHsp60和GdHsp70,采用qPCR检测GdHsp60和GdHsp70的沉默效率;通过显微注射法分别 对GdHsp60和GdHsp70进行RNAi后24 h,用热电偶法测定沙葱萤叶甲2龄幼虫过冷却点和结冰点,生物测定沙葱萤叶甲2龄幼虫暴露于不同低温条件下(-6~-14℃) 2 h的半致死温度(Ltemp₅₀)以及在-5℃低温条件下处理不同时间后的半致死时间(Ltime₅₀)。【结果】用饲喂法和显微注射法进行RNAi均可以降低GdHsp60和GdHsp70的表达水平,但显微注射法的沉默效率更高。与对照组(显微注射dsGFP)相比,沙葱萤叶甲2龄幼虫分别显微注射dsGdHsp60和dsGdHsp70 24 h后,GdHsp60和GdHsp70的表达水平均降至最低,分别降低了84.15%和92.38%。在沙葱萤叶甲2龄幼虫中,显微注射dsGdHsp60 24 h后其过冷却点、结冰点、Ltemp₅₀及Ltime₅₀值分别-10.56±0.42℃,-7.66±0.56℃,-8.33℃和49.25 h,显微注射dsGdHsp70 24 h后其过冷却点、结冰点、Ltemp₅₀及Ltime₅₀值分别为-9.08±0.23℃,-6.09±0.28℃, -8.20℃和52.21 h,而对照组的分别为-14.71±0.11℃,-13.94±0.09℃,-10.63℃和87.13 h。与对 照组(显微注射dsGFP)相比,在沙葱萤叶甲2龄幼虫分别显微注射dsGdHsp60和dsGdHsp70 24 h后过冷却点 、结冰点和Ltemp₅₀显著上升,而Ltime50值显著缩短。【结论】显微注射法可作为沙葱萤叶甲Hsp相关基 因RNAi的主要干扰方法;沉默GdHsp60和GdHsp70基因均会显著降低了沙葱萤叶甲幼虫的抗寒能力。     

用慢病毒转染RNAi技术沉默胆固醇7α羟化酶的基因表达，降低肝细胞中胆汁酸的分泌

为了降低生物人工肝(bioartificial liver system)中肝细胞胆汁酸的分泌,构建了胆固醇7α羟化酶慢病毒RNA干涉载体,并转染人肝脏细胞(L-02).根据绿色荧光蛋白的表达评估转染效率后进行流式分选,获得高表达慢病毒干涉载体的细胞,并以野生型L-02细胞和仅转染pSicoR空载体的L-02细胞作对照,观察肝细胞胆固醇7α羟化酶的表达以及培养上清中总胆汁酸含量.利用半定量PCR、实时荧光定量PCR及Western-blot等实验方法检测了转染细胞中基因的干涉效果,结果显示:与对照组相比,在mRNA水平,转染慢病毒siRNA载体的L-02细胞,其胆固醇7α羟化酶基因的表达量仅为野生型L-02细胞表达量的31.2%,为转染pSicoR空载体的L-02细胞的34.1%,干涉效率分别为68.8%和65.9%,均具有显著差异(P＜0.05);Western-blot结果显示胆固醇7α羟化酶在蛋白质水平表达也明显受到抑制,表明转染慢病毒siRNA下调了肝细胞中胆固醇7α羟化酶基因的表达,减少了胆汁酸的分泌.以上研究结果表明,利用RNAi技术可以获得低表达胆固醇7α羟化酶基因的肝细胞,并有效降低肝细胞中胆汁酸的分泌,为临床上生物人工肝的构建及应用奠定基础.     

A hypothermic-temperature-sensitive gene silencing by the mammalian RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) has been attracting a great deal of attention. This pathway is highly conserved among most eukaryotes and believed to be important for antiviral reactions and epigenetic gene regulation. Because a temperature-sensitive RNAi was reported in both plant and insect systems, suggesting its evolutional conservation, we analyzed the effect of different temperatures on mammalian RNAi, targeting the ectopic gene expression, and detected suppression at hypothermic temperatures. This phenomenon could be critical and useful to control ectopic and internal gene expressions by RNAi.     

Efficient downregulation of alb1 gene using an AMA1-based episomal expression of RNAi construct in Aspergillus fumigatus

An episomal RNAi silencing construct containing the inducible cbhB promoter and a hairpin structure has been made to downregulate the alb1 gene in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Transformation of fungal protoplasts resulted in a high number of transformants with an inducible silenced phenotype (white spores). Efficient downregulation of the alb1 gene using this system suggests that this approach may overcome the variable downregulation observed with integrative constructs.     

Local gene silencing in plants via synthetic dsRNA and carrier peptide

Quick and facile transient RNA interference (RNAi) is one of the most valuable plant biotechnologies for analysing plant gene functions. To establish a novel double‐strand RNA (dsRNA) delivery system for plants, we developed an ionic complex of synthetic dsRNA with a carrier peptide in which a cell‐penetrating peptide is fused with a polycation sequence as a gene carrier. The dsRNA–peptide complex is 100–300 nm in diameter and positively charged. Infiltration of the complex into intact leaf cells of Arabidopsis thaliana successfully induced rapid and efficient down‐regulation of exogenous and endogenous genes such as yellow fluorescent protein and chalcone synthase. The present method realizes quick and local gene silencing in specific tissues and/or organs in plants.     

Gene silencing in mosquito salivary glands by RNAi

Salivary glands are the ultimate site of development in the insect of mosquito born pathogens such as Plasmodium. Mosquito salivary glands also secrete components involved in anti-haemostatic activities and allergic reactions. We investigated the feasibility of RNAi as a tool for functional analysis of genes expressed in Anopheles gambiae salivary glands. We show that specific gene silencing in salivary glands requires the use of large amounts of dsRNA, condition that differs from those for efficient RNAi in other mosquito tissues. Using this protocol, we demonstrated the role of AgApy, which encodes an apyrase, in the probing behaviour of An. gambiae.     

Geminivirus-based vectors for gene silencing in Arabidopsis

Gene silencing, or RNA interference, is a powerful tool for elucidating gene function in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster. The vast genetic, developmental and sequence information available for Arabidopsis thaliana makes this an attractive organism in which to develop reliable gene-silencing tools for the plant world. We have developed a system based on the bipartite geminivirus cabbage leaf curl virus (CbLCV) that allows silencing of endogenous genes singly or in combinations in Arabidopsis. Two vectors were tested: a gene-replacement vector derived from the A component; and an insertion vector derived from the B component. Extensive silencing was produced in new growth from the A component vectors, while only minimal silencing and symptoms were seen in the B component vector. Two endogenous genes were silenced simultaneously from the A component vector and silencing of the genes was maintained throughout new growth. Because the CbLCV vectors are DNA vectors they can be inoculated directly from plasmid DNA. Introduction of these vectors into intact plants bypasses transformation and extends the kinds of silencing studies that can be carried out in Arabidopsis.