Analysis of oxysterol metabolomes

Oxysterols are oxygenated forms of cholesterol. This definition can, however, be expanded to include oxygenated derivatives of plant sterols and also of cholesterol precursors. Oxysterols are formed in the first steps of cholesterol metabolism and also from cholesterol by reactive oxygen species. Oxysterols were once thought of as simple intermediates, or side-products, in the conversion of cholesterol to hormonal steroids and bile acids, however, they have subsequently been shown to be biologically active molecules in their own right. In this article we will discuss methods of oxysterol analysis including "classical" gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods and more recent liquid chromatography (LC)-MS methods. Our main focus, however, will be on analytical methods based on "charge-tagging" and LC-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS or MS(n)) which we have developed over the last decade in our laboratory. Examples will be given of oxysterol analysis in brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood. The advantages and disadvantages of the various methods of oxysterol analysis will be discussed.     

Fathoming Aspergillus oryzae metabolomes in formulated growth matrices

The stochasticity of Aspergillus oryzae (Trivially: the koji mold) pan-metabolomes commensurate with its ubiquitously distributed landscapes, i.e. growth matrices have been seemed uncharted since its food fermentative systems are mostly being investigated. In this review, we explicitly have discussed the likely tendencies of A. oryzae metabolomes pertaining to its growth milieu formulated with substrate matrices of varying nature, composition, texture, and associated physicochemical parameters. We envisaged typical food matrices, namely, meju, koji, and moromi as the semi-natural cultivation models toward delineating the metabolomic patterns of the koji mold, which synergistically influences the organoleptic and functional properties of the end products. Further, we highlighted how tailored conditions in sub-natural growth matrices, i.e. synthetic cultivation media blends, inducers, and growth surfaces, may influence A. oryzae metabolomes and targeted phenotypes. In general, the sequential or synchronous growth of A. oryzae on formulated matrices results in a number of metabolic tradeoffs with its immediate microenvironment influencing its adaptive and regulatory metabolomes. In broader context, evaluating the metabolic plasticity of A. oryzae relative to the tractable variables in formulated growth matrices might help approximate its growth and metabolism in the more complex natural matrices and environs. These approaches may considerably help in the design and manipulation of hybrid cultivation systems towards the efficient harnessing of commercial molds.     

Analytical strategies for characterization of bile acid and oxysterol metabolomes

Cholesterol is the precursor of many compounds with functions in the physiology and metabolism of the organism. Methods for the multicomponent analysis of these compounds and their metabolites (metabolomics) are needed to improve our understanding of their roles in different species, organs, cells and metabolic situations and to clarify structure/activity relationships. This review discusses methods based on combinations of ion exchange and reversed-phase separations for sample preparation with derivatization and “charge-tagging” for chromatography-mass spectrometry in qualitative and quantitative characterizations of oxysterol, bile alcohol, bile acid, and steroid hormone metabolomes. Advantages, disadvantages and potential improvements for high-throughput applications are briefly discussed.     

Golden Gate Shuffling: A One-Pot DNA Shuffling Method Based on Type IIs Restriction Enzymes

We have developed a protocol to assemble in one step and one tube at least nine separate DNA fragments together into an acceptor vector, with 90% of recombinant clones obtained containing the desired construct. This protocol is based on the use of type IIs restriction enzymes and is performed by simply subjecting a mix of 10 undigested input plasmids (nine insert plasmids and the acceptor vector) to a restriction-ligation and transforming the resulting mix in competent cells. The efficiency of this protocol allows generating libraries of recombinant genes by combining in one reaction several fragment sets prepared from different parental templates. As an example, we have applied this strategy for shuffling of trypsinogen from three parental templates (bovine cationic trypsinogen, bovine anionic trypsinogen and human cationic trypsinogen) each divided in 9 separate modules. We show that one round of shuffling using the 27 trypsinogen entry plasmids can easily produce the 19,683 different possible combinations in one single restriction-ligation and that expression screening of a subset of the library allows identification of variants that can lead to higher expression levels of trypsin activity. This protocol, that we call ‘Golden Gate shuffling’, is robust, simple and efficient, can be performed with templates that have no homology, and can be combined with other shuffling protocols in order to introduce any variation in any part of a given gene.     

DNA改组技术在酶工程中的应用

DNA改组技术是一种应用最广泛且简单有效的分子定向进化方法.它是一种高通量的随机突变筛选技术,可以对目的基因进行多次重组和选择,得到性质优良的突变文库.介绍了DNA改组技术的原理及其在酶工程中的应用.     

基因组重排技术应用及进展

基因组重排技术结合了传统诱变技术和细胞融合技术,是一项对整个微生物基因组重排的新型育种技术。基因组重排技术通过多亲本原生质体递归融合,可以使工程菌快速获得多样复杂优良表型,并且无须了解其基因组学、代谢组学等具体背景。介绍了基因组重排技术的过程及应用,展现了基因组重排技术的优点,并给出了基因组重排技术的发展在未来的应用情景。     

基因组重排筛选高产谷氨酰胺转胺酶菌株

谷氨酰胺转胺酶(TGase)的产量不足的问题一直限制其工业化生产规模,故采用基因组重排的方法,筛选高产谷氨酰胺转胺酶菌株。通过对不同制备条件下原生质体纯度和形成率的考量,获得制备原生质体的最优条件为以6mg/ml的溶菌酶浓度进行酶解,酶解时间2h。再优化融合条件,以2min紫外灭活和40min热灭活结合的方法挑选出融合子。通过两轮基因组重排,经过96孔板发酵高通量筛选和摇瓶发酵复筛验证,获得了一株产酶达7.12U/ml的茂源链霉菌,相比最初选用菌株的平均酶活提高65.5%。发酵结果显示,酶活提高的原因可能是在重组后原酶成熟更快、更彻底,且得到的菌株遗传稳定性良好。证明基因组重排能够有效提高菌株的产酶水平,同时为谷氨酰胺转胺酶产量提高提供理论依据。     

Shuffling ammonia between mitochondria and plastids during photorespiration

Surprisingly, glutamine synthetase was recently shown to be dual targeted to chloroplasts and mitochondria in Arabidopsis leaves. It is likely that mitochondrial glutamine synthetase assimilates ammonia, which is generated in large amounts in mitochondria during photorespiration. However, ammonia assimilation is a two-step process and the second step, catalyzed by glutamate synthase, is exclusively located in plastids. Hence, a shuttle for ammonia, possibly in the form of amino acids, is required between mitochondria and plastids. We discuss two alternative shuttles, an ornithine-citrulline shuttle and a glutamine-glutamate shuttle. Both shuttles allow the safe transport of the toxic metabolite ammonium in the form of amino acids. The ornithine-citrulline shuttle also provides a means for the transport of carbon dioxide from mitochondria to plastids, but this shuttle requires more energy than the alternative glutamate-glutamine shuttle.     

微生物酶DNA shuffling的改进及应用

介绍了DNA shuffling技术的基本原理以及技术改进,对此技术在提高微生物酶的活性、稳定性、抗性以及改变底物专一性等方面的应用进行了综述,并展望了应用前景。     

利用基因组改组技术选育阿维拉霉素高产菌

为选育阿维拉霉素高产菌株,对野生型绿色产色链霉菌(Streptomyces viridochromogenes)Tü57进行传统物理和化学诱变,并获得一系列以阿维拉霉素A的含量为指标的正向突变体,再采用基因组改组技术将不同的正向突变体进行融合杂交,获得融合子。在筛选融合子的过程中,采用传统薄层色谱(TLC)和管碟法(二剂量法)结合进行初筛、高效液相色谱法进行复筛的筛选策略。经过基因组改组,筛选得到一株高产菌株R708,其在摇瓶实验中阿维拉霉素A产量达到0.208 g/L,比野生菌株提高了20倍。基因组改组选育阿维拉霉素高产菌,能提高子代菌株的遗传多样性,比传统诱变选育更快速有效。     

Novel Method for Genomic Promoter Shuffling by Using Recyclable Cassettes

Genetic elements of interest can be introduced into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome via homologous recombination. The current method is to link such an element to a selectable marker gene to be integrated into the target locus. However, the marker gene in this method cannot be reused, which limits repeated manipulation of the yeast genome. An alternative method is to utilize a counterselectable gene, such as URA3, with flanking tandem repeats. After integration, URA3 along with one copy of the repeat can be popped out via internal recombination, leaving behind one copy of the unwanted repeat. Here we describe a novel concept of genetic element shuffling in which the tandem repeats are made of the desired genetic element, so that after integration and popping out, only one copy of the element remains at the desired locus to function. As a proof of principle, we constructed three recyclable cassettes (P_PGK1-URA3-P_PGK1, P_GAL1-URA3-P_GAL1, and P_tetO7-URA3-P_tetO7) and integrated them upstream of an engineered chromosomal P_HIS3-mCherry-Myc locus. After promoter shuffling, the mCherry-Myc gene was regulated precisely as anticipated.     

拟南芥K+转运蛋白AtKup1基因的DNA改组

采用同源重组法制备钾离子转运蛋白基因TRKI和TRK2缺失的酿酒酵母钾营养缺陷型。通过RNA反转录PCR方法从拟南芥幼根扩增获得片段长度为2 139bp的AtKup1基因,以此片段为膜板,采用DNA重排技术,经DNase I降解,Primerless PCR和Primer PCR建立AtKup1基因突变库。将突变库和未经DNA重排处理的AtKup1基因分别构建酵母穿梭载体,并导入K 转运蛋白基因TRK1和TRK2缺失的酿酒酵母中,分别在低钾(5．0mmoL／L KC1)不合色氨酸的培养基上筛选转化子,从突变基因库酵母转化子中获得2株长势明显优于AtKup1基因转化子的突变基因转化菌株,菌株质粒上的突变AtKup1基因核苷酸测序结果表明突变基因AtKup1发生了2个碱基的置换,造成了2个氨基酸的改变。转化烟草烟叶化学成分分析证实突变基因的吸钾活性显著提高。     

链替换技术提高噬菌体抗体亲和力的研究进展

高亲和力抗体基因的克隆是噬菌体抗体在基础研究、临床诊断治疗研究等重要领域中应用的基础。链替换技术已逐步广泛用于噬菌体抗体的性能改造。该技术不仅可以促进噬菌体的体外亲和力成熟,提高抗体亲和力,有助于低剂量抗体达到实际应用所需要的抗原结合效应,拓宽抗体的应用开发前景,而且可应用于减少抗体人抗鼠抗体反应,分析重链或轻链基因对抗原抗体结合的影响,有助于较好的理解免疫化学。就链替换的原理、策略及其应用进行综述。     

Shuffling the deck: plant signalling plays a club.

The transmission of signals across the plasma membrane of cells plays an integral part in cell communication in unicellular and complex organisms. Protein kinases and their activators serve key roles in this process, and a number of paradigms have been established to describe their mode of action. Signalling in plant cells appears to shuffle these paradigms - as evidenced by two recent reports on the development of the Arabidopsis meristem.     

Quantitative global studies of reactomes and metabolomes using a vectorial representation of reactions and chemical compounds

Background  

Global studies of the protein repertories of organisms are providing important information on the characteristics of the protein space. Many of these studies entail classification of the protein repertory on the basis of structure and/or sequence similarities. The situation is different for metabolism. Because there is no good way of measuring similarities between chemical reactions, there is a barrier to the development of global classifications of "metabolic space" and subsequent studies comparable to those done for protein sequences and structures.     

微生物菌种选育中的基因组改组技术及其应用进展

该文论述了基因组改组技术的产生和原理、方法和特点,以及该技术的应用、意义及其发展前景.基因组改组技术是首先对微生物菌株进行诱变,筛选出正向突变的菌株,然后通过原生质体"递推式融合"使这些正向突变的若干个菌株进行基因组重组,从中筛选出符合育种要求的重组子,从而在短时间内获得性状得到大幅度提高的菌株.     

Family Shuffling of Expandase Genes To Enhance Substrate Specificity for Penicillin G

Deacetoxycephalosporin C synthase (expandase) from Streptomyces clavuligerus, encoded by cefE, is an important industrial enzyme for the production of 7-aminodeacetoxycephalosporanic acid from penicillin G. To improve the substrate specificity for penicillin G, eight cefE-homologous genes were directly evolved by using the DNA shuffling technique. After the first round of shuffling and screening, using an Escherichia coli ESS bioassay, four chimeras with higher activity were subjected to a second round. Subsequently, 20 clones were found with significantly enhanced activity. The kinetic parameters of two isolates that lack substrate inhibition showed 8.5- and 118-fold increases in the k_cat/K_m ratio compared to the S. clavuligerus expandase. The evolved enzyme with the 118-fold increase is the most active obtained to date anywhere. Our shuffling results also indicate the remarkable plasticity of the expandase, suggesting that more-active chimeras might be achievable with further rounds.     

Shuffling the Deck Anew: How NR3 Tweaks NMDA Receptor Function

The N-methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA) receptors are the most complex members in the family of ionotropic glutamate receptors. They are involved in long-term potentiation and underlie higher cognitive functions like memory formation and learning. On the other hand, overstimulation of NMDA receptors (NMDARs), leading to a massive influx of Ca(2+) ions into the cell, is linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as for example Huntington's disease and epilepsy. NMDARs are generally considered to be heteromeric tetramers and are conventionally thought to assemble from NR1 splice variants and NR2 subunits, which determine crucial channel properties. With the recent discovery of the functionally different NR3 subunits, many of the known features of NMDARs are being reassessed: The presence of NR3 in NMDARs decreases Mg(2+) sensitivity and Ca(2+) permeability and reduces agonist-induced current responses. Between altering those essential key characteristics of conventional NMDARs and forming a new class of excitatory glycine receptors when coassembling with NR1, the NR3 subunits give rise to a functionally entirely new array of "NMDA" receptors. Understanding the multifaceted influence of NR3 is imperative to further the understanding of the complex role of NMDARs in neurotransmission and higher brain functions.