Differential protein expression in ovaries of uninfected and Babesia-infected southern cattle ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

We used gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to investigate differences in protein expression in ovarian tissues from Babesia bovis-infected and uninfected southern cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Soluble and membrane proteins were extracted from ovaries of adult female ticks, and analyzed by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and one-dimensional or two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis. Protein patterns were analyzed for differences in expression between infected and uninfected ticks. 2-D separation of proteins revealed a number of proteins that appeared to be up- or down-regulated in response to infection with Babesia, in particular membrane/membrane-associated proteins and proteins in a low molecular mass range between 6 and 36 kDa. A selection of differentially expressed proteins was subjected to analysis by capillary-HPLC-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Among the ovarian proteins that were up-regulated in infected ticks were calreticulin, two myosin subunits, an endoplasmic reticulum protein, a peptidyl-prolyl cis–trans isomerase (PPIase), a cytochrome c oxidase subunit, a glutamine synthetase, and a family of Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors. Among the down-regulated ovarian proteins were another PPIase, a hemoglobin subunit, and a lysozyme. This study is part of an ongoing effort to establish a proteome database that can be utilized to investigate specific proteins involved in successful pathogen transmission.     

Development and characterization of a new inbred transgenic rat strain expressing DsRed monomeric fluorescent protein

The inbred rat is a suitable model for studying human disease and because of its larger size is more amenable to complex surgical manipulation than the mouse. While the rodent fulfills many of the criteria for transplantation research, an important requirement is the ability to mark and track donors cells and assess organ viability. However, tracking ability is limited by the availability of transgenic (Tg) rats that express suitable luminescent or fluorescent proteins. Red fluorescent protein cloned from Discosoma coral (DsRed) has several advantages over other fluorescent proteins, including in vivo detection in the whole animal and ex vivo visualization in organs as there is no interference with autofluorescence. We generated and characterized a novel inbred Tg Lewis rat strain expressing DsRed monomeric (DsRed mono) fluorescent protein under the control of a ubiquitously expressed ROSA26 promoter. DsRed mono Tg rats ubiquitously expressed the marker gene as detected by RT-PCR but the protein was expressed at varying levels in different organs. Conventional skin grafting experiments showed acceptance of DsRed monomeric Tg rat skin on wild-type rats for more than 30 days. Cardiac transplantation of DsRed monomeric Tg rat hearts into wild-type recipients further showed graft acceptance and long-term organ viability (>6 months). The DsRed monomeric Tg rat provides marked cells and/or organs that can be followed for long periods without immune rejection and therefore is a suitable model to investigate cell tracking and organ transplantation.     

金针菇细胞色素c过氧化物酶基因（ffccp）及其在菌柄伸长的差异表达初步分析

细胞色素c过氧化物酶（cytochrome C peroxidase,CcP）是细胞内H₂O₂的主要降解酶,参与真菌的氧化应答过程。本研究基于基因组数据获得一个金针菇细胞色素c过氧化物酶编码基因,命名为ffccp。该基因全长1 913bp,包含一个1 098bp的完整开放阅读框,编码365个氨基酸。生物信息学分析结果显示,该基因编码的蛋白质（FfCcP）无跨膜结构和信号肽,不形成二硫键结构,亚细胞定位于线粒体上,具备血红素结合蛋白的保守位点。序列比对和进化分析结果显示,金针菇与糙皮侧耳Pleurotus ostreatus等大型真菌的CcP序列高度相似（相似度均超过70%）,属于CcP家族蛋白。RT-qPCR的检测结果显示,氧化胁迫和损伤胁迫均能诱导ffccp基因上调表达,但两种胁迫对ffccp表达的调控机制可能并不相同。进一步检测ffccp在子实体发育过程中的差异表达情况,发现ffccp在伸长期菌柄出现显著上调表达,且表达量与菌柄伸长速度的相关性达到0.998,为极强正相关。推测ffccp的上调表达可能有利于菌柄的伸长。     

Glutamine (Q)‐peptide screening for transglutaminase reaction using mRNA display

Information on subsite specificity of the transglutaminase (TG) is important to design any specific peptides for TG's applications and inhibitor studies. Here, mRNA display was introduced for identifying the subsite specificity of TG from Streptomyces mobaraensis (STG). Functionally active peptides expressed from mRNA display library were differentially conjugated to hexa lysine (K₆)—beads according to their relative activities for STG. The active peptide substrates for STG were enriched through six rounds of screening, and its corresponding cDNA/mRNA sequences were identified by DNA sequencing. The results showed that tripeptides such as LQQ and TQP do not show any activity for STG, but the minimum size of the peptide displaying STG activity is pentapeptide. One such predicted peptide sequence, that is, RLQQP (TQ1), showed higher reactivity (ca. 182% conjugation yield) to STG than that of the highly active sequence, that is, control‐Q (PQPQLPYPQPQLPY), well‐known previously for mammalian TG2. Furthermore, when recombinant DsRed was tagged with TQ1 sequence at its C‐terminal, DsRed‐TQ1 underwent efficient covalent‐immobilization onto alginate–gelatin bead by STG reaction, showing a Q‐peptide application as a useful tagging molecule. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 353–362. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Expressed sequence tags analysis of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) liver, kidney and spleen tissues following vaccination against Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas salmonicida

To investigate the response of Atlantic halibut to vaccination and pathogen exposure, a cDNA library was constructed from liver, kidney and spleen mRNA collected following vaccination against Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas salmonicida. After sequencing 1114 clones 1072 (96.23%) readable sequences were obtained of which 106 sequences are the first reported from the fish. Of these, 182 clones (16.98%) contained cell/organism defence genes including immunoglobulin light chain, MHC class I and II, interferon consensus sequence binding protein, B-cell receptor-associated protein, early B-cell factor, 10 complement components, heat shock protein 70 and 90, antimicrobial peptides hepcidin type 1 and 2, and CC chemokine (macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta-like chemokine, MIP-1beta). Expression of MIP-1beta-like was elevated in the kidney and spleen at 1, 2, 7 and 14 days post vaccination. Functional genes involved in cellular processes of hematopoietic tissues were also identified. These results indicate that this cDNA library contains many important genes involved in the immune response, making it an important resource for studying the response of Atlantic halibut to vaccination or pathogen exposure.     

真核表达猪白细胞介素17及其生物活性研究

目的:为真核表达猪白细胞介素17(IL-17),研究产物在细胞培养下的免疫生物活性。方法:通过PCR扩增出猪IL-17基因并插入到真核表达载体p VAX1,然后转染到IPEC-J2细胞、Ha Ca T细胞和L02细胞中。在转染后第24、48和72h收集细胞,第48h收集上清液。收集细胞通过实时荧光定量PCR检测相关免疫基因的表达水平,收集上清液通过抑菌试验检测相关抗菌肽的生物活性。结果:采用p VAX1载体构建了表达猪IL-17的重组质粒,转染到细胞中。证实IL-17基因能诱导抗菌肽基因(RegⅢ、S100A8和BD2)的表达,显著上调JAK-STAT信号通路基因(JAK1、STAT1和STAT3)和细胞因子基因(IL-6、IL-12和TNF-α)的表达。此外,细胞上清液能够在不同程度上抑制大肠杆菌及金黄色葡萄球菌的增殖。结论:成功将猪IL-17基因真核表达,其表达产物能诱导效应细胞表达多种细胞因子,产生多种抗菌肽,具有抑菌能力;这为进一步研发猪IL-17作为抗菌免疫分子制剂奠定了初步基础。     

Derivatives of the Antimicrobial Peptide BP100 for Expression in Plant Systems

Production of antimicrobial peptides in plants constitutes an approach for obtaining them in high amounts. However, their heterologous expression in a practical and efficient manner demands some structural requirements such as a minimum size, the incorporation of retention signals to assure their accumulation in specific tissues, and the presence of protease cleavage amino acids and of target sequences to facilitate peptide detection. Since any sequence modification may influence the biological activity, peptides that will be obtained from the expression must be screened prior to the synthesis of the genes for plant transformation. We report herein a strategy for the modification of the antimicrobial undecapeptide BP100 that allowed the identification of analogues that can be expressed in plants and exhibit optimum biological properties. We prepared 40 analogues obtained by incorporating repeated units of the antimicrobial undecapeptide, fragments of natural peptides, one or two AGPA hinges, a Gly or Ser residue at the N-terminus, and a KDEL fragment and/or the epitope tag54 at the C-terminus. Their antimicrobial, hemolytic and phytotoxic activities, and protease susceptibility were evaluated. Best sequences contained a magainin fragment linked to the antimicrobial undecapeptide through an AGPA hinge. Moreover, since the presence of a KDEL unit or of tag54 did not influence significantly the biological activity, these moieties can be introduced when designing compounds to be retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and detected using a complementary epitope. These findings may contribute to the design of peptides to be expressed in plants.