Carbohydrates Facilitate Correct Disulfide Bond Formation and Folding of Rotavirus VP7

It is well established that glycosylation is essential for assembly of enveloped viruses, but no information is yet available as to the function of carbohydrates on the nonenveloped but glycosylated rotavirus. We show that tunicamycin and, more pronouncedly, a combination of tunicamycin and brefeldin A treatment caused misfolding of the luminal VP7 protein, leading to interdisulfide bond aggregation. While formation of VP7 aggregates could be prevented under reducing conditions, they reoccurred in less than 30 min after a shift to an oxidizing milieu. Furthermore, while glycosylated VP7 interacted during maturation with protein disulfide isomerase, nonglycosylated VP7 did not, suggesting that glycosylation is a prerequisite for protein disulfide isomerase interaction. While native NSP4, which does not possess S-S bonds, was not dependent on N-linked glycosylation or on protein disulfide isomerase assistance for maturation, nonglycosylated NSP4 was surprisingly found to interact with protein disulfide isomerase, further suggesting that protein disulfide isomerase can act both as an enzyme and as a chaperone. In conclusion, our data suggest that the major function of carbohydrates on VP7 is to facilitate correct disulfide bond formation and protein folding.     

Antibody-Independent Protection against Rotavirus Infection of Mice Stimulated by Intranasal Immunization with Chimeric VP4 or VP6 Protein

This study was to determine whether individual rotavirus capsid proteins could stimulate protection against rotavirus shedding in an adult mouse model. BALB/c mice were intranasally or intramuscularly administered purified Escherichia coli-expressed murine rotavirus strain EDIM VP4, VP6, or truncated VP7 (TrVP7) protein fused to the 42.7-kDa maltose-binding protein (MBP). One month after the last immunization, mice were challenged with EDIM and shedding of rotavirus antigen was measured. When three 9-microg doses of one of the three rotavirus proteins fused to MBP were administered intramuscularly with the saponin adjuvant QS-21, serum rotavirus immunoglobulin G (IgG) was induced by each protein. Following EDIM challenge, shedding was significantly (P = 0.02) reduced (i.e., 38%) in MBP::VP6-immunized mice only. Three 9-micrograms doses of chimeric MBP::VP6 or MBP::TrVP7 administered intranasally with attenuated E. coli heat-labile toxin LT(R192G) also induced serum rotavirus IgG, but MBP::VP4 immunization stimulated no detectable rotavirus antibody. No protection against EDIM shedding was observed in the MBP::TrVP7-immunized mice. However, shedding was reduced 93 to 100% following MBP::VP6 inoculation and 56% following MBP::VP4 immunization relative to that of controls (P = <0.001). Substitution of cholera toxin for LT(R192G) as the adjuvant, reduction of the number of doses to 1, and challenge of the mice 3 months after the last immunization did not reduce the level of protection stimulated by intranasal administration of MBP::VP6. When MBP::VP6 was administered intranasally to B-cell-deficient microMt mice that made no rotavirus antibody, shedding was still reduced to <1% of that of controls. These results show that mice can be protected against rotavirus shedding by intranasal administration of individual rotavirus proteins and that this protection can occur independently of rotavirus antibody.     

Expression and Localization of Plant Protein Disulfide Isomerase

A cDNA clone encoding a putative protein disulfide isomerase (PDI, EC 5.3.4.1) from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was expressed in Escherichia coli cells, and an antiserum was raised against the expressed PDI-active protein. The antiserum recognized a protein of approximately 60 kD in extracts from alfalfa, soybean, and tobacco roots and stems. Levels of this protein remained relatively constant on exposure of alfalfa cell suspension cultures to the protein glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin, whereas a slightly lower molecular mass form, also detected by the antiserum, was induced by this treatment. A lower molecular mass form of PDI was also observed in roots of alfalfa seedlings during the first 5 weeks after germination. PDI levels increased in developing soybean seeds up to 17 d after fertilization and then declined. Tissue print immunoblots revealed highest levels of PDI protein in the cambial tissues of soybean stems and petioles and in epidermal, subepidermal, cortical, and pith tissues of stems of alfalfa and tobacco. Immunogold electron microscopy confirmed the localization of PDI to the endoplasmic reticulum in soybean root nodules.     

利用番茄为受体表达轮状病毒外壳蛋白VP7的研究

将轮状病毒外壳蛋白VP7基因克隆到植物表达载体pBll21,并转化到根癌农杆菌(Agrobacterium tumefaciens)菌株EHAl05中,采用叶盘转化法转化番茄(1ycopersicon esculentumMill．)栽培品种TX0014,获得了转基因植株．经PCR、PCR—Southernblot和Southernblot分析表明：VP7基因已整合到转基因番茄植株的核基因组中．RT—PCR、Westernblot分析表明：VP7蛋白在叶片和果实中均获得了表达．     

Rotavirus proteins VP7, NS28, and VP4 form oligomeric structures.

Sucrose gradient sedimentation analysis of rotavirus SA11-infected Ma104 cells revealed the presence of oligomers of VP7, the structural glycoprotein, and NS28, the nonstructural glycoprotein. Cross-linking the proteins, either before or after sucrose gradient centrifugation, stabilizes oligomers, which can be analyzed by nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) after immunoprecipitation. The major NS28 oligomer was tetrameric, though dimers and higher-order structures were observed as well. VP7 formed predominantly dimers, and again tetramers and higher oligomeric forms were present. Each oligomer of VP7 and NS28 sedimented at the same characteristic rate through the sucrose gradient either in the presence or absence of cross-linking. Monomers could not be cross-linked to form oligomers, demonstrating that cross-linked oligomers were not artifactually derived from monomers. Reversing the cross-linking of immunoprecipitated VP7 on reducing SDS-PAGE resulted in the appearance of only the monomeric form of VP7. Dissociation of the NS28 oligomers resulted in stable dimers as well an monomers. In the faster-sedimenting fractions, a 16S to 20S complex, which contained the rotavirus outer shell proteins VP7 and VP4 cross-linked to NS28, was observed. These complexes were shown not to be associated with any known subviral particle. The association of VP4, NS28, and VP7 may represent sites on the endoplasmic reticulum membrane that participate in the budding of the single-shelled particles into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, where maturation to double-shelled particles occurs.     

蛋白质二硫键异构酶家族的结构与功能

蛋白质二硫键异构酶（protein disulfide isomerase,PDI）家族是一类在内质网中起作用的巯基-二硫键氧化还原酶.它们通常含有CXXC（Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Cys,CXXC）活性位点,活性位点的两个半胱氨酸残基可催化底物二硫键的形成、异构及还原.所有PDI家族成员包含至少一个约100个氨基酸残基的硫氧还蛋白同源结构域.PDI家族的主要职能是催化内质网中新生肽链的氧化折叠,另外在内质网相关的蛋白质降解途径（ERAD）、蛋白质转运、钙稳态、抗原提呈及病毒入侵等方面也起重要作用.     

海南产桶形芋螺蛋白质二硫键异构酶的鉴定

蛋白质二硫键异构酶(PDI)是内质网新生肽链折叠中一个重要的折叠酶.在热 带药用海洋生物芋螺的毒液中富含PDI酶,该酶对于毒液中芋螺毒素神经肽的体内 氧化折叠至关重要.本研究主要采用凝胶过滤层析和制备型Rotofor液相等电聚焦 电泳等多种方法,从海南产桶形芋螺（Conus betulinus Linnaeus）毒管中分离 纯化天然的PDI酶蛋白,经电泳和MALDI-TOF MS质谱鉴定分析确证获得了高纯度 的桶形芋螺PDI酶,建立了天然芋螺PDI酶分离纯化的技术方法. 以芋螺毒素线性 肽K412为底物进行了PDI酶活性鉴定.结果表明,该分离纯化的PDI酶能够促进K412 的氧化折叠.由于芋螺毒素的氧化折叠非常复杂,且氧化折叠后具有正确二硫键连 接方式的芋螺毒素才具有各种药理活性,因此,本研究结果为后续PDI酶在种类繁 多的芋螺毒素氧化折叠中的应用及其作用机制研究提供了重要的物质基础.     

轮状病毒VP7基因的克隆与表达

应用聚合酶链式反应技术(PCR)扩增轮状病毒VP7基因,并将其克隆到pMD18-T simple载体上,对重组子进行PCR检测和限制性内切酶分析,并测定DNA全序列。结果显示,克隆片段全长为981 bp。将轮状病毒VP7基因定向的克隆到原核表达载体pET-32a启动子下游,构建原核表达载体pET-32aVP7。将质粒pET-32aVP7转化Transetta表达菌株进行诱导表达,裂解菌体细胞抽提蛋白质进行SDS-PAGE。结果表明,轮状病毒壳蛋白VP7基因在Transetta表达菌株内得到成功表达。     

轮状病毒外壳蛋白VP7在转基因番茄果实中的特异表达

将轮状病毒外壳蛋白VP7基因克隆到含有番茄果实特异性启动子TFP的植物表达载体pTF ,并转化到根癌农杆菌 (Agrobacteriumtumefaciens)菌株EHA10 5中 ,采用叶盘转化法转化番茄 (LycopersiconesculentumMill.)栽培品种TX0 0 14 ,获得了转基因植株。经PCR、PCR Southernblot和Southernblot分析表明VP7基因已整合到转基因番茄植株的核基因组中 ,RT PCR、Westernblot结果表明VP7蛋白在果实中获得了特异表达     

Mapping Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase and Protein Disulfide Isomerase Regions of Interaction

Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) is a heterodimeric nitric oxide (NO) receptor that produces cyclic GMP. This signaling mechanism is a key component in the cardiovascular system. NO binds to heme in the β subunit and stimulates the catalytic conversion of GTP to cGMP several hundred fold. Several endogenous factors have been identified that modulate sGC function in vitro and in vivo. In previous work, we determined that protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) interacts with sGC in a redox-dependent manner in vitro and that PDI inhibited NO-stimulated activity in cells. To our knowledge, this was the first report of a physical interaction between sGC and a thiol-redox protein. To characterize this interaction between sGC and PDI, we first identified peptide linkages between sGC and PDI, using a lysine cross-linking reagent and recently developed mass spectrometry analysis. Together with Flag-immunoprecipitation using sGC domain deletions, wild-type (WT) and mutated PDI, regions of sGC involved in this interaction were identified. The observed data were further explored with computational modeling to gain insight into the interaction mechanism between sGC and oxidized PDI. Our results indicate that PDI interacts preferentially with the catalytic domain of sGC, thus providing a mechanism for PDI inhibition of sGC. A model in which PDI interacts with either the α or the β catalytic domain is proposed.     

免疫荧光法检测原核和真核细胞中表达的轮状病毒外壳蛋白VP4

目的：用免疫荧光法快速检测原核和真核细胞中表达的轮状病毒（RV）外壳蛋白VP4。方法：以抗VP4的抗体为一抗、FITC标记的羊抗豚鼠IgG为二抗,用免疫荧光方法检测在大肠杆菌BL21（DE3）中重组表达的同源RVVP4;检测SA11或Wa株RV感染MA104细胞后不同时间段病毒VP4的合成及其在感染细胞中的分布情况。结果：用免疫荧光法可直接检测到原核细胞中表达的外源蛋白,也可检测到病毒蛋白在真核细胞中的分布情况。结论：免疫荧光法可特异、方便、快速地检测RV VP4在原核和真核细胞中的表达;来源于RV TB—Chen株的VP4抗体可特异性识别同源病毒VP4,交叉识别SA11或Wa株的VP4。     

轮状病毒VP4抗原表位在VP6载体蛋白同一位点表达比较研究

目的:评价轮状病毒(RV)VP4两个抗原表位插入VP6载体蛋白同一位点所表达的重组嵌合蛋白免疫学性质及在研制嵌合蛋白疫苗中的意义。方法:采用分子克隆和基因重组技术将RV VP4的两个抗原表位插入到VP6载体蛋白同一位点上,构建重组抗原表达质粒,表达携带不同抗原表位的重组嵌合蛋白,用Western blot和中和试验分析重组嵌合蛋白的抗原反应性和免疫原性。结果:成功构建了两个嵌合蛋白表达质粒,并在大肠杆菌中高效表达;表达的嵌合蛋白可与相应抗体特异性反应;可诱导豚鼠产生特异性血清抗体;抗嵌合蛋白血清抗体可特异性识别载体蛋白VP6F,Wa株病毒的VP6和VP4蛋白,可中和Wa株病毒在MA104细胞上的感染性;结果表明,所构建和表达的两个以VP6为载体的VP4抗原表位嵌合蛋白具有较高抗原反应性和免疫原性;嵌合蛋白携带的VP4抗原表位具有增强载体蛋白免疫原性作用;为研制新型RV重组蛋白疫苗的奠定了较好的基础。     

Crystallization and Preliminary X-Ray Analysis of Rotavirus Protein VP6

As a first step to gain insight into the structure of the rotavirus virion at atomic resolution, we report here the expression, purification, and crystallization of recombinant rotavirus protein VP6. This protein has the property of polymerizing in the form of tubular structures in solution which have hindered crystallization thus far. Using a combination of electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering, we found that addition of Ca²⁺ at concentrations higher than 100 mM results in depolymerization of the tubes, leading to an essentially monodisperse solution of trimeric VP6 even at high protein concentrations (higher than 10 mg/ml), thereby enabling us to search for crystallization conditions. We have thus obtained crystals of VP6 which diffract to better than 2.4 Å resolution and belong to the cubic space group P4₁32 with a cell dimension a of 160 Å. The crystals contain a trimer of VP6 lying along the diagonal of the cubic unit cell, resulting in one VP6 monomer per asymmetric unit and a solvent content of roughly 70%.     

轮状病毒VP7基因在大肠杆菌中的表达及其免疫原性

轮状病毒是世界范围内引起婴幼儿病毒性腹泻的主要病原体。VP7是轮状病毒的主要外壳蛋白和中和抗原,是发展基因工程疫苗的首选。把包含全部3个主要抗原性区域的轮状病毒SA11 VP7基因片段以谷胱甘肽S转移酶融合蛋白的形式在大肠杆菌中进行表达,表达产物占菌体总蛋白的30%左右。经一步Glutathione Sepharose4B亲和纯化,重组蛋白纯度超过90%。Western blot实验表明,重组蛋白可被抗SA11的多抗特异地识别。动物实验表明,重组抗原可在小鼠和家兔体内诱导VP7特异的抗体和一定水平的SA11中和抗体。     

SA11株轮状病毒VP7基因的克隆及表达

采用RT PCR方法 ,从提取的SA1 1株轮状病毒总RNA中扩增出VP7基因片段 ,进行鉴定后 ,将该片段克隆于真核表达载体pEF1 HisC dhfr,构建成重组质粒pEF1 HisC dhfr VP7,然后用质脂体法转染COS 7细胞 ,进行真核系统的表达 .获得了长 981bp的PCR片段 ,序列分析结果与已知VP7序列相同 .表达后经细胞超声破碎 ,Westernblot检测表达产物 ,在相对分子质量 38× 1 0 3 处有表达条带 ,表达蛋白主要存在于上清中 .因此 ,获得了VP7基因 ,并在COS 7细胞中获得了表达 ,表达蛋白质免疫Balb c小鼠 ,获得了具有特异性结合活性的抗体     

Potential Effect of S-Nitrosylated Protein Disulfide Isomerase on Mutant SOD1 Aggregation and Neuronal Cell Death in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Aggregation of misfolded protein and resultant intracellular inclusion body formation are common hallmarks of mutant superoxide dismutase (mSOD1)-linked familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) and have been associated with the selective neuronal death. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) represents a family of enzymatic chaperones that can fold nascent and aberrant proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen. Recently, our group found that S-nitrosylated PDI could contribute to protein misfolding and subsequent neuronal cell death. However, the exact role of PDI in the pathogenesis of ALS remains unclear. In this study, we propose that PDI attenuates aggregation of mutant/misfolded SOD1 and resultant neurotoxicity associated with ER stress. ER stress resulting in PDI dysfunction therefore provides a mechanistic link between deficits in molecular chaperones, accumulation of misfolded proteins, and neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases. In contrast, S-nitrosylation of PDI inhibits its activity, increases mSOD1 aggregation, and increases neuronal cell death. Specifically, our data show that S-nitrosylation abrogates PDI-mediated attenuation of neuronal cell death triggered by thapsigargin. Biotin switch assays demonstrate S-nitrosylated PDI both in the spinal cords of SOD1 (G93A) mice and human patients with sporadic ALS. Therefore, denitrosylation of PDI may have therapeutic implications. Taken together, our results suggest a novel strategy involving PDI as a therapy to prevent mSOD1 aggregation and neuronal degeneration. Moreover, the data demonstrate that inactivation of PDI by S-nitrosylation occurs in both mSOD1-linked and sporadic forms of ALS in humans as well as mice.     

Overexpression of Protein Disulfide Isomerase DsbC Stabilizes Multiple-Disulfide-Bonded Recombinant Protein Produced and Transported to the Periplasm in Escherichia coli

Dsb proteins (DsbA, DsbB, DsbC, and DsbD) catalyze formation and isomerization of protein disulfide bonds in the periplasm of Escherichia coli. By using a set of Dsb coexpression plasmids constructed recently, we analyzed the effects of Dsb overexpression on production of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) isozyme C that contains complex disulfide bonds and tends to aggregate when produced in E. coli. When transported to the periplasm, HRP was unstable but was markedly stabilized upon simultaneous overexpression of the set of Dsb proteins (DsbABCD). Whereas total HRP production increased severalfold upon overexpression of at least disulfide-bonded isomerase DsbC, maximum transport of HRP to the periplasm seemed to require overexpression of all DsbABCD proteins, suggesting that excess Dsb proteins exert synergistic effects in assisting folding and transport of HRP. Periplasmic production of HRP also increased when calcium, thought to play an essential role in folding of nascent HRP polypeptide, was added to the medium with or without Dsb overexpression. These results suggest that Dsb proteins and calcium play distinct roles in periplasmic production of HRP, presumably through facilitating correct folding. The present Dsb expression plasmids should be useful in assessing and dissecting periplasmic production of proteins that contain multiple disulfide bonds in E. coli.