Deorphanization of Dresden G Protein-Coupled Receptor for an Odorant Receptor

Dresden G protein-coupled receptor (D-GPCR) is one of orphan G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). Here we report the identification of the ligands and the characterization of D-GPCR. We investigated over 5000 compounds to evoke the response mediated by D-GPCR and identified 3-methyl-valeric acid and 4-methyl-valeric acid as agonists using a cAMP assay. It is of interest that they dramatically enhanced the intracellular cAMP accumulation and the CRE-luciferase activity in CHO-K1 cells and HEK293 cells expressing the chimeric protein of D-GPCR with a rhodopsin-tag at its N-terminus. Our results established new characteristics of D-GPCR as an olfactory receptor. First, agonists of D-GPCR belong to odorants. Second, D-GPCR mRNA is expressed in the olfactory bulb. In addition, D-GPCR was reported to have similar sequences and its genome locus nearby other olfactory receptors. These results suggest D-GPCR is an olfactory receptor.     

家鸡G蛋白偶联受体85基因的结构、序列与组织表达分析

G蛋白偶联受体(GPCR)超家族是细胞膜上广泛存在的一类受体,是细胞跨膜信号转导的一类重要受体分子,参与许多生理过程调节。它们中仍有很多至今尚未找到内源性配体,这类受体被称为孤儿型受体。G蛋白偶联受体85(GPR85)是GPCR超家族中孤儿型受体的一员。目前,在非哺乳类脊椎动物中,针对GPR85的研究极少。本研究以家鸡Gallus gallus domesticus为模型,通过反转录PCR和RACE-PCR等方法从脑中克隆到GPR85基因的cDNA全长序列,揭示其基因结构,并用实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)方法探究了该基因在家鸡各组织中的表达情况。结果显示:家鸡GPR85基因位于1号染色体上,由2个外显子组成,其编码区位于第2个外显子上,长为1 113 bp,可编码1个370个氨基酸的7次跨膜受体蛋白。家鸡GPR85与其他脊椎动物(人Homo sapiens、小鼠Mus musculus、大鼠Rattus norvegicus、热带爪蟾Xenopus tropicalis和斑马鱼Danio rerio)的GPR85具有高度的氨基酸序列一致性(>93%)。qPCR分析发现,GPR85基因mRNA在家鸡全脑、垂体、肾上腺、精巢中有较高表达,而在所检测的其他外周组织中表达极低。本研究首次揭示了家鸡GPR85基因的结构与表达特征,为后续探究GPR85基因在家鸡等非哺乳类中的生理功能奠定基础。     

伪狂犬病病毒上海株gE和gI基因的克隆及缺失转移载体的构建

根据已发表的伪狂犬病病毒(Pseudorabies Virus,PRV)的gI和gE基因序列,设计两对引物用PCR方法扩增出PRV-SH gI和gE基因,将其克隆入pUC18载体中,获得了缺失部分gI基因的转移载体质粒,命名为pgEI.     

On the G Protein-Coupled Receptor Neuromodulation of the Claustrum

Neurochemical Research - G protein-coupled receptors modulate the synaptic glutamate and GABA transmission of the claustrum. The work focused on the transmitter–receptor relationships in the...     

伪狂犬病病毒上海株（PRV—SH）gE^—／gI^—／GFP^＋缺失株的构建

在构建了含伪狂犬病病毒（Pseudorabies Virus,PRV）上海株gI基因和gE基因克隆鉴定的基础上,采用酶切的方法构建了载体pgEI。然后用限制性内切酶BamHI和BstPI缺失掉gE基因5‘端363bp,同时把绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）基因表达盒插入到缺失部分,并在下游 引入一个多克隆位点,构建了缺失转移载体pgEI-GFP。用DOTAP转染试剂盒将pgEI-GFP转染了感染PRV-SH的BHK-21细胞,待出现80％病变后收获病毒,并以蚀斑法得到纯化的缺失了gE/gI重组病毒株。小鼠试验证实了缺失株的毒力有所下降。     

Isolation and Chromosomal Localization of GPR31, a Human Gene Encoding a Putative G Protein-Coupled Receptor

The screening of a human genomic library with a chemokine receptor-like probe allowed us to obtain a putative member of the G protein-coupled receptor gene (GPCR) family, designated GPR31. Its deduced amino acid sequence encodes a polypeptide of 319 amino acids that shares 25–33% homology with members of the chemokine, purino, and somatostatin receptor gene families. Amino acid sequence comparison reveals that the best match in the protein databases is with the human orphan GPCR called HM74 (33% identity). Southern genomic analysis of the GPR31 gene shows a hybridization pattern consistent with that of a single-copy gene. Using fluorescencein situhybridization, we have determined the chromosomal and regional localization of the GPR31 gene at 6q27. The GPR31 mRNA is expressed at low levels by several human cell lines of different cellular origins. The phylogenetic analysis suggests that the GPR31 receptor may represent a member of a new GPCR subfamily.     

Virus Attenuation after Deletion of the Cytomegalovirus Fc Receptor Gene Is Not due to Antibody Control

The murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) fcr-1 gene codes for a glycoprotein located at the surface of infected cells which strongly binds the Fc fragment of murine immunoglobulin G. To determine the biological significance of the fcr-1 gene during viral infection, we constructed MCMV fcr-1 deletion mutants and revertants. The fcr-1 gene was disrupted by insertion of the Escherichia coli lacZ gene. In another mutant, the marker gene was also deleted, by recombinase cre. As expected for its hypothetical role in immunoevasion, the infection of mice with fcr-1 deletion mutants resulted in significantly restricted replication in comparison with wild-type MCMV and revertant virus. In mutant mice lacking antibodies, however, the fcr-1 deletion mutants also replicated poorly. This demonstrated that the cell surface-expressed viral glycoprotein with FcR activity strongly modulates the virus-host interaction but that this biological function is not caused by the immunoglobulin binding property.     

Mechanisms of Lipid Scrambling by the G Protein-Coupled Receptor Opsin

1. Download high-res image (123KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Isolation of an Internal Deletion Mutant of the Arabidopsis thaliana ABI3 Gene

An Arabidopsis thaliana mutant that produces green seeds thatare highly insensitive to exogenous ABA, non-dormant and severelydesiccation intolerant was isolated from a population of fastneutron-irradiated seeds. Molecular and genetic analysis ofthis mutant shows that these phenotypes are caused by an internaldeletion of approximately one third of the ABI3 gene. Thereforeabi3 mutants with the above phenotypes are representative ofnull alleles at this locus. (Received December 3, 1993; Accepted January 22, 1994)     

Characterisation of AmphiAmR11, an Amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae) D2-Dopamine-Like G Protein-Coupled Receptor

The evolution of the biogenic amine signalling system in vertebrates is unclear. However, insights can be obtained from studying the structures and signalling properties of biogenic amine receptors from the protochordate, amphioxus, which is an invertebrate species that exists at the base of the chordate lineage. Here we describe the signalling properties of AmphiAmR11, an amphioxus (Branchiostoma floridae) G protein-coupled receptor which has structural similarities to vertebrate α₂-adrenergic receptors but which functionally acts as a D₂ dopamine-like receptor when expressed in Chinese hamster ovary -K1 cells. AmphiAmR11 inhibits forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP levels with tyramine, phenylethylamine and dopamine being the most potent agonists. AmphiAmR11 also increases mitogen-activated protein kinase activity and calcium mobilisation, and in both pathways, dopamine was found to be more potent than tyramine. Thus, differences in the relative effectiveness of various agonists in the different second messenger assay systems suggest that the receptor displays agonist-specific coupling (biased agonism) whereby different agonists stabilize different conformations of the receptor which lead to the enhancement of one signalling pathway over another. The present study provides insights into the evolution of α₂-adrenergic receptor signalling and support the hypothesis that α₂-adrenergic receptors evolved from D₂-dopamine receptors. The AmphiAmR11 receptor may represent a transition state between D₂-dopamine receptors and α₂-adrenergic receptors.     

志贺氏菌福氏2a 301株ipaH4.5突变株的构建及生物学功能分析

利用λ-Red重组系统对福氏2a志贺氏菌301株ipaH4.5基因进行缺失突变,构建了福氏2a志贺氏菌301株ipaH4.5基因缺失突变株?ipaH4.5,利用低拷贝质粒构建ipaH4.5缺失突变株的回复突变株△ipaH4.5HF。PCR方法证实了ipaH4.5基因的缺失和回复。对野生株、突变株和回复突变株的生长代谢及细胞侵袭能力进行比较;ELISA方法检测3株菌侵袭鼠J774巨噬细胞后培养上清中炎性因子的水平。生长代谢实验表明缺失和回复ipaH4.5不影响志贺氏菌的生长速度,侵袭实验表明缺失和回复ipaH4.5也不影响志贺氏菌对HeLa细胞和鼠J774巨噬细胞的侵袭能力,表明ipaH4.5基因与志贺氏菌的生长代谢和侵袭能力无关;鼠J774巨噬细胞培养上清中细胞因子水平的改变提示该基因在志贺氏菌侵入细胞后抑制宿主细胞炎症反应。     

多拉菌素产生菌aveD基因缺失突变株的构建

阿维链霉菌(Streptomyces avermitilis)bkd76-3在发酵过程中添加环己羧酸(CHC)可产生抗寄生虫药物多拉菌素(doramectin,阿维菌素衍生物CHC-B1),但同时还产生其它三种无效组分CHC-B2、CHC-A1、CHC-A2。利用基因缺失载体pXJ04(pKC1139∷△aveD1+△aveD2)对该菌株的aveD基因进行缺失,获得的aveD缺失突变株经摇瓶发酵和HPLC检测,发现只存在2种产物,经LC/MS分析验证,这两种产物分别为CHC-B1和CHC-B2,表明该突变株完全丧失了合成CHC-A1和CHC-A2的能力。缺失突变株的CHC-B1产量较出发菌株提高了78.19%,CHC-B2的产量提高了602.3%,发酵产物中有效组分多拉菌素的比例增加了93.16%。该缺失突变是在染色体上通过同源双交换完成的,不会发生进一步的重组,因此突变株具有良好的遗传稳定性,在工业生产上具有应用价值。     

Minireview: Factors to Consider in the Naming of a G Protein-Coupled Receptor Subtype

Abstract

Receptors that mediate their effects through G proteins are predicted to have a seven transmembrane domain architecture. The last few years have seen a remarkable increase in the cloning of members of this superfamily leading to the identification of many more receptors than previously thought to exist on the basis of differences in agonist and antagonist specificities. This has important implications for nomenclature and classification, especially in view of the difficulty in relating receptors identified through cloning techniques to endogenously expressed receptors. Receptor cloning has also identified important differences in receptors between species raising the question as to whether these should be considered as species homologues or distinct subtypes. It is also becoming increasingly apparent that the pharmacology of this superfamily of receptors is influenced by the nature of the G protein present in the host cell and by alternative splicing of the receptor. The rapid pace of developments in this area necessitate the need for a regular publication summarizing recent developments. In the future, the cloning of G protein-coupled receptors will enable rationalization of the naming of individual receptor subtypes and identification of their inter-relationships.     

Molecular Evolution of CXCR1, a G Protein-Coupled Receptor Involved in Signal Transduction of Neutrophils

Human neutrophils are a type of white blood cell, which forms an early line of defense against bacterial infections. Neutrophils are highly responsive to the chemokine, interleukin-8 (IL-8) due to the abundant distribution of CXCR1, one of the IL-8 receptors on the neutrophil cell surface. As a member of the GPCR family, CXCR1 plays a crucial role in the IL-8 signal transduction pathway in neutrophils. We sequenced the complete coding region of the CXCR1 gene in worldwide human populations and five representative nonhuman primate species. Our results indicate accelerated protein evolution in the human lineage, which was likely caused by Darwinian positive selection. The sliding window analysis and the codon-based neutrality test identified signatures of positive selection at the N-terminal ligand/receptor recognition domain of human CXCR1. [Reviewing Editor: Dr. Manyuan Long] The GenBank accession numbers of sequences reported herein are AY916760–AY916773.     

Evaluation of the G145R Mutant of the Hepatitis B Virus as a Minor Strain in Mother-to-Child Transmission

The role of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) mutant G145R, with a single change in amino acid 145 of the surface protein, as a minor population remains unknown in mother-to-child transmission. The minor strain as well as the major strain of the G145R mutant were evaluated in three cohorts using a locked nucleic acid probe-based real-time PCR. The breakthrough cohort consisted of children who were born to HBV carrier mothers and became HBV carriers despite immnoprophylaxis (n = 25). The control cohort consisted of HBV carriers who had no history of receiving the hepatitis B vaccine, hepatitis B immunoglobulin or antiviral treatment (n = 126). The pregnant cohort comprised pregnant women with chronic HBV infection (n = 31). In the breakthrough cohort, 6 showed positive PCR results (major, 2; minor, 4). In the control cohort, 13 showed positive PCR results (major, 0; minor, 13). HBeAg-positive patients were prone to have the G145R mutant as a minor population. Deep sequencing was performed in a total of 32 children (PCR positive, n = 13; negative, n = 19). In the breakthrough cohort, the frequency of the G145R mutant ranged from 0.54% to 6.58%. In the control cohort, the frequency of the G145R mutant ranged from 0.42% to 4.1%. Of the 31 pregnant women, 4 showed positive PCR results (major, n = 0; minor, n = 4). All of the pregnant women were positive for HBeAg and showed a high viral load. Three babies born to 3 pregnant women with the G145R mutant were evaluated. After the completion of immunoprophylaxis, 2 infants became negative for HBsAg. The remaining infant became negative for HBsAg after the first dose of HB vaccine. G145R was detected in one-fourth of the children with immunoprophylaxis failure. However, the pre-existence of the G145R mutant as a minor population in pregnant women does not always cause breakthrough infection in infants.