蜂毒溶血肽的研究进展

蜂毒溶血肽 (melittin)是蜜蜂毒液的主要组分 ,由 2 6个氨基酸残基组成 ,具有两亲性和种的特异性。它的cDNA已经被克隆 ,并以融合蛋白的形式在大肠杆菌Escherichiacoli中进行表达。蜂毒溶血肽的作用机制主要包括脂酶的激活 ,产生第二信使 ,调节一些酶及离子通道 ;Ca2 +的水平调节 ,影响骨骼肌和心肌的收缩 ;作为脂类代谢的探针。由于蜂毒溶血肽结构简单 ,且抑制病毒复制 ,因此可将其用于癌症的基因治疗及爱滋病的防治。此外 ,蜂毒溶血肽还可作为对一些作用机理进行研究的模型肽。     

蜂毒溶血肽基因的定点诱变及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

从蜜蜂毒腺中提取总ＲＮＡ,通过ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ方法扩增得到了蜂毒溶血肽前体蛋白的ｃＤＮＡ,再进一步通过定点诱变在蜂毒溶血肽序列前引入了羟胺裂解位点,构建了与β－半乳糖苷酶部分序列相融合的蜂毒溶血肽诱变蛋白表达载体,序列分析结果表明,成功地引入了目的密码子且与β－半乳糖苷酶部分序列构成正确的读码框,并在大肠杆菌中表达了诱变蛋白,为基因工程生产蜂毒溶血肽提供了新途径。     

4种胡蜂前溶血肽原基因的克隆与序列比较

从雌性亚非马蜂、额斑黄胡蜂、墨胸胡蜂、大胡蜂毒腺中抽提总RNA,通过RT-PCR方法扩增得到4种胡蜂蜂毒前溶血肽原的cDNA,再将扩增产物克隆到pGEM⑥-Teasy vector上。测序结果表明：扩增得到的片段长度均为213bp,系蜂毒前溶血肽原编码区的cDNA。经序列比较,4种胡蜂蜂毒前溶血肽原之间的氨基酸序列同源性都超过95％。亚非马蜂、额斑黄胡蜂、墨胸胡蜂、大胡蜂各自与意大利蜜蜂蜂毒前溶血肽原氨基酸序列的同源性分别为95．8％、100％、97．2％、97．2％。结果表明：蜂毒前溶血肽原一级结构序列具有很高的保守性,尽管胡蜂和蜜蜂属于膜翅目不同的总科,但它们的前溶血肽原基因却非常相似。     

蜜蜂蜂毒主要成分与功能研究进展

蜜蜂蜂毒(honeybee venom)作为重要的蜂产品之一,其中的很多蛋白在抗炎、抗癌、抗菌、抗辐射和杀虫等方面具有很好的效果.20世纪40年代以来,国内外在蜂毒活性成分分析、作用机理、重要基因克隆和毒蛋白功能等方面进行广泛地研究,取得了重要的进展.本文的目的是总结蜜蜂蜂毒主要成分磷脂酶A2、透明质酸酶、蜂毒肽、蜂毒明肽、肥大细胞脱粒肽和镇静肽等毒蛋白的基因结构、生化特性及功能等方面的研究进展,为蜂毒基因的研究和利用提供一定的理论基础.     

中华蜜蜂和意大利蜜蜂蜂毒前溶血肽原蛋白cDNA的克隆与序列分析

分别从中华蜜蜂Apis cerana cerana和意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera工蜂毒腺中抽提总RNA,通过RT-PCR方法扩增,各得到了蜂毒前溶血肽原蛋白的cDNA,再将扩增产物克隆到pGEM-Teasy载体上,进行测序和序列分析。结果表明,所扩增到的这两个片段长度均为213 bp,均为编码蜂毒前溶血肽原的cDNA,并分别推导出两者所编码的氨基酸序列。经序列比较,中华蜜蜂前溶血肽原与意大利蜜蜂、印度蜜蜂Apis cerana indica前溶血肽原的同源性都为97%。所报道的中华蜜蜂蜂毒前溶血肽原的核苷酸序列的GenBank登录号为AF487907。     

蜂毒溶血肽类似物定量构效关系计算分析

采用HyperChem7．0结构分析软件,对蜂毒溶血肽类似物的分予体积等结构参数进行了计算分析．分别利用多元线性回归、BP-神经网络计算法进行统计分析,获得两个相关性好的QsAR（quantitative structure-function relationship）模型．结果显示,蜂毒肽溶血活性与生成热、键合能、表面积、分予体积、极化能、醇水分配系数、水舍能相关．为降低溶血作用,指出在设计蜂毒肽结构时应尽量避免螺旋状结构．少用疏水性氨基酸．     

蜂毒溶血肽前体蛋白cDNA的克隆及其融合蛋白的表达

从蜜蜂毒腺中提取总RNA ,通过RT PCR扩增得到了蜂毒溶血肽前体蛋白的cDNA ,将扩增产物克隆到 pT7Blu T载体上 ,再进一步将插入片段酶切并连接到 pUC1 1 8载体上 ,构建了重组质粒pUMP。DNA序列分析结果表明 ,克隆得到的cDNA序列与所发表序列完全相同 ,且与 β 半乳糖苷酶部分序列构成正确的读码框。含重组质粒 pUMP的大肠杆菌DH5α表达了与β 半乳糖苷酶部分序列融合的蜂毒溶血肽前体蛋白     

蜂毒突变体对紫膜质子泵功能的影响

具有光驱动质子泵功能的嗜盐菌紫膜是一种被广泛研究的生物膜系统。利用毫秒级闪光动力学谱仪研究蜂毒不同突变体对紫膜质子泵功能的影响。实验采用对硝基苯酚（ｐ－ｎｉｔｒｏｐｈｅｎｏｌ）作为ＰＨ敏感染料来研究紫膜蛋白－菌紫质（Ｂａｃｔｅｒｉｏｒｈｏｄｏｐｓｉｎ,简称）的光反应和质子泵功能。在初步的实验中发现,在一定的温度范围内,光循环过程随着温度的升高而加快,质子泵功能却基本保持不变。另外,由于蜂毒突变体具有不同的插膜特性和不同的电荷量,通过比较它们对ＢＲ质子泵功能的影响,揭示了蜂毒小肽Ｃ端和Ｎ端的不同带电状态对质子泵功能所起的作用不同。实验结果有力地证实了蜂毒或其突变体与菌紫质蛋白具有直接的相互作用,这种相互作用的强弱与蜂毒突变体电荷的多少密切相关     

昆虫抗真菌肽

随着对昆虫抗菌肽理论和应用研究的不断深入,已陆续发现了10多种昆虫抗真菌肽。文章就昆虫抗真菌肽的类型、结构和功能的关系、作用机理、应用等方面的新进展进行简要介绍和分析,为昆虫抗真菌肽的理论研究和发展新型抗生素等提供了必要的信息。     

蜂毒素与紫膜的相互作用机理研究──与三种表面活性剂的比较

用吸收光谱和圆二色谱的方法研究了蜂毒素与嗜血菌紫膜的相互作用机理．通过与三种在结构和电荷上不同的表面活性剂与紫膜的作用相比较,可以年出蜂毒作为带正电荷的分子与同样带正电的表面活性剂ＤＴＡＢ在引起紫膜凝聚方面表现相同;但在对紫膜可见光区的吸收光谱和圆二色谱的影响上却与具有刚性结构的ＣＨＡＰＳ相似,表明蜂毒可在紫膜表面以一种刚性较大的构象（如α螺旋）存在,不能进入膜蛋白流水区的深层．另外,从紫膜－Ｔｒｉｔｏｎ－蜂毒混合作用体系的研究中得到如下推测：蜂毒与Ｔｒｉｔｏｎ竞争菌紫质分子周围的结合位点,可排斥位于菌紫质周围的Ｔｒｉｔｏｎ分子．表明蜂毒具有比Ｔｒｉｔｏｎ更强的与菌紫质的亲和力,从而提供了支持蜂毒分子存在与膜蛋白－菌紫质的直接相互作用的有力证据．     

蜂毒素分子的改造及其基因在毕赤酵母中的表达

为获得保留有抗菌活性而降低溶血作用的蜂毒素,对蜂毒素的分子结构进行了改造。将第5位的Val变为Arg,第15位Ala变为Arg,删除了第16位的Leu。用PCR技术获得了改造后的蜂毒素基因,将其克隆入酵母表达载体pPICZa-A,获得重组表达质粒pPICZa-A-MEA。该质粒转化毕赤酵母菌GS115,甲醇诱导下表达,发酵上清液经抑菌活性、溶血活性测定及亲和层析纯化,结果表明,蜂毒素基因成功地在毕赤酵母中表达,经改造后表达的蜂毒素保留了抗菌活性且溶血活性显著降低,经纯化后用Bradford法测定表达蜂毒素的含量约为0.29mg／ml。     

The effect of anions on the hemolytic activity of melittin

Anions causing the melittin aggregation in the solution are shown to slow down the lytic process not preventing it completely. The equalization of the oncotic gradient through the erythrocytic membrane by the addition of polyethylene glycols of different molecular weight into the extracellular medium made it possible to establish the colloid-osmotic mechanism of hemolysis and to estimate the diameter of melittin pores. The diameter depends on the polypeptide concentration and makes up 20-30 A with its content of (6 divided by 12).10(-6) M.     

Identification of the discontinuous epitope in human complement protein C9 recognized by anti-melittin antibodies

Polyclonal rabbit antibodies against melittin recognize human C protein C9 and retard C9-mediated hemolysis. Human C9 contains a tetrameric and a pentameric sequence (amino acids 293-296 and 528-532, respectively) that together match a continuous segment in the melittin sequence, i.e., residues 8-16. It has been suggested that the tetrameric and the pentameric regions on C9 form a discontinuous epitope on folded C9 that mimics the structure of melittin. To further test this hypothesis, antibodies to C9-sequence-specific peptides were prepared. Peptides containing either the homologous tetrameric or the homologous pentameric sequence together with short stretches of the respective amino- and carboxyl-terminal flanking regions were synthesized, as well as a composite peptide predicted to resemble the discontinuous epitope as a linear, nine-amino acid sequence. Direct and competitive binding assays demonstrated that the tetrameric and the pentameric sequences are part of the epitope on human C9 that is recognized by anti-melittin IgG. However, only antibodies directed against the complete epitope are capable of inhibiting hemolysis. Because neither anti-tetramer nor anti-pentamer antibodies affect hemolysis whereas anti-melittin and anti-composite antibodies do, we propose that human C9 changes conformation around a hinge located between residues 296 and 528 and that the latter two antibodies inhibit unfolding required for membrane insertion and subsequent hemolysis.     

A phospholipase A2-activating protein (PLAP) stimulates human neutrophil aggregation and release of lysosomal enzymes, superoxide, and eicosanoids

We have recently isolated a human phospholipase A2-activating protein (PLAP) that shares antigenic and biochemical similarities with melittin, a well characterized bee venom phospholipase-stimulatory peptide. To explore the potential mechanisms of action of PLAP that extend beyond its effects on eicosanoid synthesis, we examined its effects on the release of human neutrophil lysosomal enzymes and superoxide, and on RBC hemolysis. These results were compared to the effects of melittin, which has been reported to induce enzyme release and hemolysis. We also examined the effects of PLAP on neutrophil aggregation and chemotaxis. PLAP induced neutrophils to release beta-glucuronidase and metalloproteinase enzyme activities as well as produce superoxide ion in both a dose- and time-dependent manner. Eicosanoid synthesis inhibitors did not abrogate these responses. PLAP induced release of arachidonic acid metabolites, but this response could be abrogated by eicosanoid synthesis inhibitors. PLAP also induced neutrophil aggregation and chemokinesis, but not chemotaxis. Concentrations of PLAP that induced these responses did not induce cellular toxicity as determined by light and electron microscopy, lactic dehydrogenase release, trypan blue dye exclusion, and RBC hemolysis. In contrast, prolonged incubation with higher concentrations of PLAP induced cell death that was similar to that observed with melittin. These findings suggest that the mechanisms of action of PLAP extend beyond the eicosanoid synthetic pathway, and that disordered regulation of PLAP may be responsible, at least in part, for chronic immune and inflammatory states.     

Comparison between complement and melittin hemolysis: anti-melittin antibodies inhibit complement lysis

A comparison is made between the hemolytic actions of melittin and the ninth component of complement (C9). Melittin and C9 produce "pores" of similar effective radius in erythrocytes under standardized conditions, and their hemolytic action is suppressed by metal ions at similar concentrations, suggesting a common mechanism. Polyclonal anti-melittin immunoglobulin G (IgG) produced in rabbits retards hemolysis mediated by human C9 in a specific manner. Such antibodies react in several immunoassays with human and monkey C9 but not with C9 from lower animals, and no inhibition of lysis mediated by C9 molecules from these animals is observed. Thus, it is unlikely that anti-melittin IgG reacts with a structural element, such as an amphipathic helix, on human C9 since such structures are also predicted to exist in other C9 molecules. Human C9 and melittin block cross-reactivity in a dose-dependent manner, and anti-melittin IgG recognizes an epitope located between amino acid residues 245 and 390 of human C9 on "Western" blots. Comparison of the melittin and human C9 sequences indicates two regions of complete homology, a tetrapeptide at positions 292-295, and a pentapeptide at positions 527-531 in human C9, corresponding to residues 8-16 in melittin. Inhibition of hemolysis is not caused by blocking of C9 binding to the C5b-8 complex; rather the antibody must dissociate from the bound C9 before lysis ensues, indicating that it interferes with a postbinding event. It is proposed that anti-melittin binds to a conformational epitope on native, folded human C9 and thereby retards unfolding of the molecule, which is required for membrane insertion and hemolysis.     

Cholesterol inhibits the lytic activity of melittin in erythrocytes

Although cell lysis by the hemolytic peptide, melittin, has been extensively studied, the role of specific lipids of the erythrocyte membrane on melittin-induced hemolysis remains unexplored. In this report, we have explored the modulatory role of cholesterol on the hemolytic activity of melittin by specifically depleting cholesterol from rat erythrocytes using methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD). Our results show that the hemolytic activity of melittin is increased by approximately 3-fold upon depletion of erythrocyte membrane cholesterol by approximately 55% without any appreciable loss of phospholipids. This result constitutes the first report demonstrating that the presence of cholesterol inhibits the lytic activity of melittin in its natural target membrane, i.e., the erythrocyte membrane. These results are relevant in understanding the role of cholesterol in the mechanism of action of melittin in the erythrocyte membrane.     

改造的蜂毒素基因在毕赤酵母中分泌表达及培养条件研究

对蜂毒素基因进行改造后,通过PCR方法获得新蜂毒素基因(MEA),将其克隆到表达载体pPICZa—A,而后将重组表达载体pPICZa-A-MEA转化GS115,筛选获得重组酵母菌．对GS115-ME经甲醇诱导表达并对培养条件进行优化探讨．对改造的蜂毒素进行了溶血活性、热稳定性及酸碱稳定性测定．结果表明,蜂毒素基因成功地在毕赤酵母中表达,经改造的蜂毒素在保留了抗菌活性的同时溶血活性降低20倍左右,同时还具有良好的热稳定性和酸碱稳定性．     

蜂毒溶血肽对鸡红细胞及膜的生化作用

本文采用荧光分光光度、薄层层析、原子吸收、荧光显微图像等多种生化技术,系统研究了蜂毒肽作用于鸡红细胞及膜的生化机理。结果表明：蜂毒肽影响红细胞膜上及胞内两种酶的功能。它抑制膜Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase活性,导致胞内外离子转运异常,K⁺浓度失衡;它也抑制细胞内葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶活性,其正电区域干扰胞内带负电小分子的作用,影响红细胞正常代谢。蜂毒肽干扰膜中阴离子通道的转运功能,使细胞渗透压改变,引起膨胀而溶血。蜂毒肽对有核红细胞核内DNA没有作用,与其他抗微生物多肽作用的靶向不同。据此认为,抗菌蛋白类抗生素对细菌作用的生化机理与传统抗生素不同,这是细菌对其不易产生耐药性的重要原因。     

Hemolytic and antimicrobial activities of the twenty-four individual omission analogues of melittin

Although melittin's hemolytic activity has been extensively studied, the orientation of membrane-bound melittin remains uncertain. We have investigated the effect of individually omitted amino acid residues on melittin's activity and related these results to the existing models of melittin-membrane interaction. The extent of hemolysis of the omission analogues closely followed the four known conformational regions of melittin: omission of any of the residues making up the two alpha-helical regions decreased the hemolytic activity relative to melittin, while omission of any of the residues making up the "hinge" or the C-terminal regions had little or no effect. Our results correlate best with a proposed model in which melittin initially forms "holes" in the membrane, resulting in an initial rapid loss of hemoglobin; the membrane-bound melittin is then internalized into the membrane, resulting in a later slow phase of hemoglobin loss. It was also found that induced structural effects caused by peptide-lipid interactions could be studied by using RP-HPLC, with an excellent correlation found between the retention times of the individual omission analogues and their hemolytic activities.