酿酒酵母全基因组范围内筛选MTM1基因的抑制基因

MTM1 基因对于维持锰超氧化物歧化酶的活性和线粒体正常功能十分重要,MTM1 基因的缺失会严重影响酵母锰超氧化物歧化酶活性,并损伤线粒体功能,因此在非发酵培养基上不能生长．利用MTM1 基因缺失的突变体在非发酵培养基上的生长缺陷,转入酵母基因组文库筛选MTM1 抑制基因,发现MTM1基因缺失造成的损伤一旦形成不可逆转,重新引入MTM1 基因也无法挽救,直接筛选无法得到抑制基因．为了避免MTM1缺失造成的不可逆损伤,在野生型酵母中先转入带有MTM1 基因的质粒,再敲除染色体上的MTM1 基因,随后转入基因组文库,再利用药物5-氟乳清酸(5-FOA)迫使细胞丢失表达MTM1基因的外源质粒,再筛选能在非发酵培养基上生长的转化子,通过这种方法筛选发现,POR2等5个基因的过表达可以挽救MTM1 基因缺失造成的非发酵培养基上的生长缺陷,为深入了解MTM1基因的功能提供了线索,对筛选其他造成不可逆损伤的突变基因的抑制基因提供了一条可行的研究思路．     

在钙离子敏感性方面与RCH1遗传互作的酿酒酵母基因的筛选

酿酒酵母ScRCH1是白念珠菌CaRCH1的同功基因,作为人体溶质转运蛋白SLC10A7的同源蛋白,两者都是细胞质膜上钙离子内流的抑制因子。为了研究酿酒酵母RCH1与基因组中其他基因之间的遗传互作,利用合成遗传阵列(Synthetic Genetic Array,SGA)方法构建了RCH1分别与其他非必需基因之间的双基因缺失株文库。钙离子表型筛选表明RCH1与17个基因之间存在遗传互作,其中4个基因BUD9、THR1、RAS2和CPR7在钙离子敏感性方面的功能以前没有报道过。这些结果为深入研究Rch1对钙离子稳态的调控提供了参考。     

MSl3, a multicopy suppressor of mutants hyperactivated in the RAS-CAMP pathway, encodes a novel HSP70 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The MSI3 gene was isolated as a multicopy suppressor of the heat shock-sensitive phenotype of the iral mutation, which causes hyperactivation of the RAS-cAMP pathway. Overexpression of MSI3 also suppresses the heat shock-sensitive phenotype of the bcyl mutant. Determination of the DNA sequence of MSI3 revealed that MSI3 can encode a 77.4 kDa protein related to the HSP70 family. The amino acid sequence of Msi3p is about 30% identical to that of the Ssalp of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This contrasts with the finding that members of the HSP70 family generally show at least 50% amino acid identity. The consensus nucleotide sequence of the heat shock element (HSE) was found in the upstream region of MSI3. Moreover, the steady-state levels of the MSI3 mRNA and protein were increased upon heat shock. These results indicate that the MSI3 gene encodes a novel HSP70-like heat shock protein. Disruption of the MSI3 gene was associated with a temperature sensitive growth phenotype but unexpectedly, thermotolerance was enhanced in the disruptant.     

Studies of operational variables in batch mode for genetically engineered Escherichia coli cells containing penicillin acylase

A recombinant Escherichia coli was constructed by cloning the penicillin acylase gene from E. coli itATCC 11105. The cloning was carried out using a recombinant plasmid pUSAD2 harboring the pac gene. The recombinant E. coli DH 5 cells were used as a biocatalyst and were studied in a batch reactor for determination of optimum value for some of the process parameters, such as effect of pH, temperature, substrate concentration, k_La and effect of carbon and nitrogen source on penicillin acylase production. These values were then compared with the values obtained with the standard parent strain. Whereas the cloned pac gene was found to produce higher levels of penicillin acylase constitutively, the process parameters remained about the same for both the parent and the recombinant.     

Independent tyrosyl contributions to the CD of Ff gene 5 protein and the distinctive effects of Y41H and Y41F mutants on protein-protein cooperative interactions

The gene 5 protein (g5p) of the Ff virus contains five Tyr, individual mutants of which have now all been characterized by CD spectroscopy. The protein has a dominant tyrosyl 229-nm L(a) CD band that is shown to be approximately the sum of the five individual Tyr contributions. Tyr41 is particularly important in contributing to the high cooperativity with which the g5p binds to ssDNA, and Y41F and Y41H mutants are known to differ in dimer-dimer packing interactions in crystal structures. We compared the solution structures and binding properties of the Y41F and Y41H mutants using CD spectroscopy. Secondary structures of the mutants were similar by CD analyses and close to those derived from the crystal structures. However, there were significant differences in the binding properties of the two mutant proteins. The Y41H protein had an especially low binding affinity and perturbed the spectrum of poly[d(A)] in 2 mM Na(+) much less than did Y41F and the wild-type gene 5 proteins. Moreover, a change in the Tyr 229 nm band, assigned to the perturbation of Tyr34 at the dimer-dimer interface, was absent in titrations with the Y41H mutant under low salt conditions. In contrast, titrations with the Y41H mutant in 50 mM Na(+) exhibited typical CD changes of both the nucleic acid and the Tyr 229-nm band. Thus, protein-protein and g5p-ssDNA interactions appeared to be mutually influenced by ionic strength, indicative of correlated changes in the ssDNA binding and cooperativity loops of the protein or of indirect structural constraints.     

Design and isolation of temperature-sensitive mutants of Gal4 in yeast and Drosophila

Little is known about mechanisms responsible for the temperature-sensitive (ts) phenotype, or of the transferability of ts mutants of a specific gene between organisms. Using a structure-based approach, nine ts mutants of Gal4 were generated in yeast by mutating four DNA binding residues. Two of these nine yeast ts mutants were cloned into P element vectors under control of the Elav and GMR promoters and transgenic Drosophila lines were generated. These were crossed to UAS reporter lines and progeny were characterized for reporter gene expression as a function of temperature. Both of these yeast ts mutants show a ts phenotype in Drosophila and result in rapid induction of reporter gene expression upon shifting to the permissive temperature. Exposed, functional residues involved in protein-ligand or protein-protein interactions appear to be attractive candidate sites for generating ts mutants that are transferable between organisms.     

Genomic structure, polymorphism and expression analysis of the growth hormone (GH) gene in female and male Half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

Growth hormone (GH) is a polypeptide which is an important regulator of development and somatic growth in teleosts, and may be associated with the mechanisms which drive sexual growth dimorphism in the Half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). In this study, the full length gh cDNA was cloned from C. semilaevis by homology cloning and the rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). The full-length gh cDNA is 826 bp and contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 603 bp encoding a protein of 200 amino acids (AA). The precursor of gh consists of a 17 amino-acid signal peptide followed by a 183 amino-acid mature polypeptide. GH gene sequences obtained from female and male adults consist of 3428 bp and 3371 bp, respectively, each of which includes six exons and five introns, and the difference in the GH gene size was mainly caused by the microsatellites. When 14 tissues from females, normal males and extra-large male adults were analyzed for sex-specific tissue expression, the gh mRNA was found to be predominantly expressed in the pituitary, and the expression levels in females were 3.6 times as much as those in normal males, while the mRNA expression in extra-large males was 1.7 times as much as those in normal males. Sex differences in gh mRNA expression during development were also examined by using a full-sib family of C. semilaevis, and the gh mRNA was detected at all of the 12 time points sampled from 10 to 380 days-old. A significant increase in gh mRNA was detected starting in 80 day old fish and was then followed by a drop to very low levels starting at 230 day old fish. Differential expression indicated that the gh expression level in females was significantly higher than males (P < 0.01) at all of the stages except for 10 days-old. Two microsatellite loci were identified in the second intron of the GH gene. Using these two polymorphic markers to genotype 224 individuals, there was no significant difference between the females and males in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the hatchery samples.     

Modulation of NRF2 signaling pathway by nuclear receptors: Implications for cancer

Nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (NRF2, also known as Nfe2l2) plays a critical role in regulating cellular defense against electrophilic and oxidative stress by activating the expression of an array of antioxidant response element-dependent genes. On one hand, NRF2 activators have been used in clinical trials for cancer prevention and the treatment of diseases associated with oxidative stress; on the other hand, constitutive activation of NRF2 in many types of tumors contributes to the survival and growth of cancer cells, as well as resistance to anticancer therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the NRF2 signaling pathway and discuss its role in carcinogenesis. We also introduce the inhibition of NRF2 by nuclear receptors. Further, we address the biological significance of regulation of the NRF2 signaling pathway by nuclear receptors in health and disease. Finally, we discuss the possible impact of NRF2 inhibition by nuclear receptors on cancer therapy.     

Bio-informatics based analysis of genes implicated in alcohol mediated liver injury

Alcohol induced liver injury has been studied extensively. Using literature search and bioinformatics tools, the present study characterizes the genes involved in alcohol induced liver injury. The cellular and metabolic processes in which genes involved in alcohol induced liver injury are implicated are also discussed. The genes related to alcohol induced liver injury are also involved in affecting certain molecular functions and metabolism of drugs, besides being associated with diseases. In conclusion, the changes in regulation of genes implicated in alcohol induced liver injury apart from causing alcohol mediated hepatic dysfunction may affect other vital processes in the body.     

Molecular and structural analysis of C4-specific PEPC isoform from Pennisetum glaucum plays a role in stress adaptation

As an activator of adenylate cyclase, the neuropeptide Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide (PACAP) impacts levels of cyclic AMP, a key second messenger available in brain cells. PACAP is involved in certain adult behaviors. To elucidate PACAP interactions, a compendium of microarrays representing mRNA expression in the adult mouse whole brain was pooled from the Phenogen database for analysis. A regulatory network was computed based on mutual information between gene pairs using gene expression data across the compendium. Clusters among genes directly linked to PACAP, and probable interactions between corresponding proteins were computed. Database “experts” affirmed some of the inferred relationships. The findings suggest ADCY7 is probably the adenylate cyclase isoform most relevant to PACAP's action. They also support intervening roles for kinases including GSK3B, PI 3-kinase, SGK3 and AMPK. Other high-confidence interactions are hypothesized for future testing. This new information has implications for certain behavioral and other disorders.