酵母双杂交筛选类固醇激素合成急性调节蛋白的相互作用蛋白质

目的:利用酵母双杂交技术筛选人肝cDNA文库中与类固醇激素合成急性调节蛋白(STAR)相互作用的蛋白质。方法:将全长STAR基因克隆到酵母表达载体pDBLeu中,形成诱饵;将构建好的诱饵质粒转化至AH109酵母感受态中,利用酵母双杂交技术筛选人肝cDNA文库中与其相互作用的蛋白质,并进行相互作用的回转验证。结果:构建了酵母诱饵蛋白表达质粒pDBLeu-STAR,并筛选到6个猎物,其中有5对相互作用回转验证阳性。结论:为进一步研究STAR的功能和作用机制提供了新的线索。     

Interaction of CSFV E2 Protein with Swine Host Factors as Detected by Yeast Two-Hybrid System

E2 is one of the envelope glycoproteins of pestiviruses, including classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). E2 is involved in several critical functions, including virus entry into target cells, induction of a protective immune response and virulence in swine. However, there is no information regarding any host binding partners for the E2 proteins. Here, we utilized the yeast two-hybrid system and identified fifty-seven host proteins as positive binding partners which bound E2 from both CSFV and BVDV with the exception of two proteins that were found to be positive for binding only to CSFV E2. Alanine scanning of CSFV E2 demonstrated that the binding sites for these cellular proteins on E2 are likely non-linear binding sites. The possible roles of the identified host proteins are discussed as the results presented here will be important for future studies to elucidate mechanisms of host protein-virus interactions during pestivirus infection. However, due to the limitations of the yeast two hybrid system, the proteins identified is not exhaustive and each interaction identified needs to be confirmed by independent experimental approaches in the context of virus-infected cells before any definitive conclusion can be drawn on relevance for the virus life cycle.     

Expression of cab Genes in Douglas-Fir Is Not Strongly Regulated by Light

Dark-grown Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) seedlings had approximately 30% of the major polypeptide of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding protein, 30% of cab mRNA, 54% of psbA mRNA, and 14% of total chlorophyll, in comparison with amounts in light-grown seedlings. Seedlings entrained under a 24-hour photoperiod of light and dark showed small diurnal fluctuations in cab and psbA mRNA levels and, when transferred to continuous conditions, no circadian rhythms in mRNA levels were apparent. These results suggest that regulation of cab gene expression in Douglas-fir differs from regulation in angiosperms, because in the latter, both light and circadian factors strongly influence the expression of cab genes.     

Succinoglycan Production by Rhizobium meliloti Is Regulated through the ExoS-ChvI Two-Component Regulatory System

The Rhizobium meliloti exoS gene is involved in regulating the production of succinoglycan, which plays a crucial role in the establishment of the symbiosis between R. meliloti Rm1021 and its host plant, alfalfa. The exoS96::Tn5 mutation causes the upregulation of the succinoglycan biosynthetic genes, thereby resulting in the overproduction of succinoglycan. Through cloning and sequencing, we found that the exoS gene is a close homolog of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens chvG gene, which has been proposed to encode the sensor protein of the ChvG-ChvI two-component regulatory system, a member of the EnvZ-OmpR family. Further analyses revealed the existence of a newly discovered A. tumefaciens chvI homolog located just upstream of the R. meliloti exoS gene. R. meliloti ChvI may serve as the response regulator of ExoS in a two-component regulatory system. By using ExoS-specific antibodies, it was found that the ExoS protein cofractionated with membrane proteins, suggesting that it is located in the cytoplasmic membrane. By using the same antibodies, it was shown that the exoS96::Tn5 allele encodes an N-terminal truncated derivative of ExoS. The cytoplasmic histidine kinase domain of ExoS was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified, as was the R. meliloti ChvI protein. The ChvI protein autophosphorylated in the presence of acetylphosphate, and the ExoS cytoplasmic domain fragment autophosphorylated at a histidine residue in the presence of ATP. The ChvI protein was phosphorylated in the presence of ATP only when the histidine kinase domain of ExoS was also present. We propose a model for regulation of succinoglycan production by R. meliloti through the ExoS-ChvI two-component regulatory system.     

Genetic Analysis of a Mouse t Complex Locus That Is Homologous to a Kidney Cdna Clone

A mouse kidney cDNA clone, pMK174, identifies restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) that map to two unlinked loci. One, designated D17Rp17, has been mapped near quaking, (qk), on chromosome 17 using three sets of recombinant inbred (RI) strains. A study of several t haplotypes resulted in the identification of t-specific alleles of D17Rp17 that map to the proximal half of the t complex. Neither t-specific nor wild-type D17Rp17 alleles are present in chromosomes carrying either the T Orleans (TtOrl) or the T hairpin tail (Thp) deletions. Comparison with other molecular markers indicates that pMK174 identifies a new proximal t complex locus, Rp17. The second locus identified by pMK174, termed D4Rp18, is tentatively assigned to chromosome 4 by mouse-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrid analysis.     

Identification of Functionally Related Genes That Stimulate Early Meiotic Gene Expression in Yeast

Meiosis and spore formation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are associated with increased expression of sporulation-specific genes. One of these genes, IME2, encodes a putative protein kinase that is a positive regulator of other sporulation-specific genes. We have isolated mutations that cause reduced expression of an ime2-lacZ fusion gene. We found mutations in IME1, a known positive regulator of IME2, and MCK1, a known positive regulator of IME1. We also isolated recessive mutations in 12 other genes, which we designate RIM (Regulator of IME2) genes. Our analysis indicates that the defects in rim1, rim8, rim9 and rim13 mutants are a consequence of diminished IME1 expression and can be suppressed by expression of IME1 from the heterologous ACT1 promoter. These rim mutations also reduced expression of an ime1-HIS3 fusion, in which the HIS3 gene is expressed from the IME1 promoter, and caused reduced levels of IME1 RNA. Although the rim1, rim8, rim9 and rim13 mutant phenotypes are similar to those of mck1 mutants, we found that the defects in ime2-lacZ expression and sporulation of the mck1 rim double mutants were more severe than either single mutant. In contrast, the defects of the rim rim double mutants were similar to either single mutant. The rim1, rim8, rim9 and rim13 mutants also display slow growth at 17° and share a smooth colony morphology that is not evident in mck1 mutants or isogenic wild-type strains. We suggest that RIM1, RIM8, RIM9 and RIM13 encode functionally related products that act in parallel to MCK1 to stimulate IME1 expression.     

Genes Affecting the Expression of Cytochrome c in Yeast: Genetic Mapping and Genetic Interactions

The four mutant genes, cyc2, cyc3, cyc8 and cyc9, that affect the levels of the two iso-cytochromes c in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been characterized and mapped. Both cyc2 and cyc3 lower the amount of iso-1-cytochrome c and iso-2-cytochrome c; whereas, cyc8 and cyc9 increase the amount of iso-2-cytochrome c. The cyc2, cyc3, cyc8 and cyc9 genes are located, respectively, on chromosomes XV, I, II and III, and are, therefore, unlinked to each other and unlinked to CYC1, the structural gene of iso-1-cytochrome c and to CYC7, the structural gene of iso-2-cytochrome c. While some cyc3 mutants are completely or almost completely deficient in cyotchromes c, none of the cyc2 mutants contained less than 10% of parental level of cytochrome c even though over one-half of the mutants contain UAA or UAG nonsense mutations. Thus, it appears as if a complete block of the cyc2 gene product still allows the formation of a residual fraction of cytochrome c. The cyc2 and cyc3 mutant genes cause deficiencies even in the presence of CYC7, cyc8 and cyc9, which normally cause overproduction of iso-2-cytochrome c. We suggest that cyc2 and cyc3 may be involved with the regulation or maturation of the iso-cytochromes c. In addition to having high levels of iso-2-cytochromes c, the cyc8 and cyc9 mutants are associated with flocculent cells and other abnormal phenotypes. The cyc9 mutant was shown to be allelic with the tup1 mutant and to share its properties, which include the ability to utilize exogenous dTMP, a characteristic flocculent morphology, the lack of sporulation of homozygous diploids and low frequency of mating and abnormally shaped cells of alpha strains. The diverse abnormalities suggest that cyc8 and cyc9 are not simple regulatory mutants controlling iso-2-cytochrome c.     

Characterization of a Six-Subunit Holo-Elongator Complex Required for the Regulated Expression of a Group of Genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Elongator complex associated with elongating RNA polymerase II in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was originally reported to have three subunits, Elp1, Elp2, and Elp3. Using the tandem affinity purification (TAP) procedure, we have purified a six-subunit yeast Holo-Elongator complex containing three additional polypeptides, which we have named Elp4, Elp5, and Elp6. TAP tapping and subsequent purification of any one of the six subunits result in the isolation of all six components. Purification of Elongator in higher salt concentrations served to demonstrate that the complex could be separated into two subcomplexes: one consisted of Elp1, -2, and -3, and the other consisted of Elp4, -5, and -6. Deletions of the individual genes encoding the new Elongator subunits showed that only the ELP5 gene is essential for growth. Disruption of the two nonessential new Elongator-encoding genes, ELP4 and ELP6, caused the same phenotypes observed with knockouts of the original Elongator-encoding genes. Results of microarray analyses demonstrated that the gene expression profiles of strains containing deletions of genes encoding subunits of either Elongator subcomplex, in which we detected significantly altered mRNA expression levels for 96 genes, are very similar, implying that all the Elongator subunits likely function together to regulate a group of S. cerevisiae genes in vivo.     

An Ancient P-Loop GTPase in Rice Is Regulated by a Higher Plant-specific Regulatory Protein

YchF is a subfamily of the Obg family in the TRAFAC class of P-loop GTPases. The wide distribution of YchF homologues in both eukarya and bacteria suggests that they are descendents of an ancient protein, yet their physiological roles remain unclear. Using the OsYchF1-OsGAP1 pair from rice as the prototype, we provide evidence for the regulation of GTPase/ATPase activities and RNA binding capacity of a plant YchF (OsYchF1) by its regulatory protein (OsGAP1). The effects of OsGAP1 on the subcellular localization/cycling and physiological functions of OsYchF1 are also discussed. The finding that OsYchF1 and OsGAP1 are involved in plant defense response might shed light on the functional roles of YchF homologues in plants. This work suggests that during evolution, an ancestral P-loop GTPase/ATPase may acquire new regulation and function(s) by the evolution of a lineage-specific regulatory protein.     

酵母基因内含子中二聚体寡核苷酸转录调控位点的统计分析

对高效和低效转录酵母基因内含子序列中寡核苷酸的出现频率进行对照分析, 结果显示高效和低效内含子序列的结构有差异, 而且高效转录内含子序列含有较多潜在的转录因子结合位点. 观察实验获得的转录调控位点, 发现许多调控位点不是相邻接的寡核苷酸,而是由一对保守寡核苷酸构成, 这对寡核苷酸被一段长度固定的非保守区域间隔开. 于是对此形式的二聚体寡核苷酸(dyad)在高效和低效内含子序列中出现的频率进行统计比较分析,抽提出在高效内含子组出现的频率显著高于在低效内含子组出现频率的二聚体寡核苷酸, 分析这些二聚体寡核苷酸在两组内含子序列中的分布特征, 并对照实验结果, 这些二聚体寡核苷酸可能与基因转录的正调控有关.     

柽柳bZIP基因调控耐盐相关基因的表达

本研究探讨了柽柳（Tamarixhispida）bZIP（basicleucine zipper）基因对抗逆基因表达的调控。我们比较了非盐胁迫和盐胁迫条件下非转基因和转bZIP基因植株的SOD、POD、ATPase、GST、LTP和LEA等基因表达量的变化。结果表明,在非胁迫条件下,bZIP转录因子可能直接调控了poxN1、TOBPXD、TOBLTP和ltp1基因的表达,而其他基因的表达可能不受bZIP转录因子的直接调控。在盐胁迫下,bZIP转录因子能够直接或间接地调控部分抗逆基因的表达,使它们的表达量显著增强。