神经特异性转录因子DAT1基因的表达

采用生物信息学分析、细胞培养和RT—PCR等方法,以初步解DAT1基因在小鼠主要组织及神经系统相关肿瘤细胞中的表达．生物信息学的基因表达谱分析发现与DAT1同源的EST有100多条,大多数EST分布于胎脑、成年脑、脑肿瘤、肺及肺部的良性肿瘤等组织．SAGE分析发现DAT1在脑及神经系统肿瘤组织中表达非常广泛;RT—PCR方法检测发现DAT1只在脑组织中特异表达。而其它组织如心脏、肺、肝脏、骨骼肌、肾脏、睾丸、卵巢等未见表达;DAT1在培养的正常星形胶质细胞C8中不表达,在胶质瘤、神经母细胞瘤等细胞株中有不同水平的表达．由于DAT1是一种LIM蛋白,而LIM蛋白在细胞的分化、发育调控和肿瘤形成中有重要作用,DAT1在脑及神经系统相关肿瘤中的较高表达提示,DAT1在神经系统中有重要功能。并可能与神经系统肿瘤的发生相关．     

The Efferent Connections of the Olfactory Bulb and Accessory Olfactory Bulb in the Snakes,Thamnophis sirtalis and Thamnophis radix

The efferent connections of the olfactory bulb and accessory olfactory bulb of two species of garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis and T. radix were studied with experimental anterograde degeneration techniques. Axons of cells located in the olfactory bulb terminate ipsilaterally in all parts of the anterior olfactory nucleus, olfactory tubercle and lateral pallium. In addition, some axons enter the ipsilateral stria medullaris thalami, cross the midline in the habenular commissure, enter the contralateral stria medullaris thalami and terminate in the contralateral lateral pallium. The axons of cells in the accessory olfactory bulb course through the telencephalon completely separated from the fibers of olfactory bulb origin and terminate predominantly in the nucleus sphericus. These results confirm previous reports of the separation between the central projections of the olfactory and vomeronasal systems in a variety of vertebrates. The totality of the separation between these two systems coupled with the extensive development of the vomeronasal-accessory bulb system in these snakes suggests that they may be ideal subjects for further research on the functional significance of the vomeronasal system.     

Translational Regulation of NeuroD1 Expression by FMRP: Involvement in Glutamatergic Neuronal Differentiation of Cultured Rat Primary Neural Progenitor Cells

Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) is encoded by Fmr1 gene in which mutation is known to cause fragile X syndrome characterized by mental impairment and other psychiatric symptoms similar to autism spectrum disorders. FMRP plays important roles in cellular mRNA biology such as transport, stability, and translation as an RNA-binding protein. In the present study, we identified potential role of FMRP in the neural differentiation, using cortical neural progenitor cells from Sprague–Dawley rat. We newly found NeuroD1, an essential regulator of glutamatergic neuronal differentiation, as a new mRNA target interacting with FMRP in co-immunoprecipitation experiments. We also identified FMRP as a regulator of neuronal differentiation by modulating NeuroD1 expression. Down-regulation of FMRP by siRNA also increased NeuroD1 expression along with increased pre- and post-synaptic development of glutamatergic neuron, as evidenced by Western blot and immunocytochemistry. On the contrary, cells harboring FMRP over-expression construct showed decreased NeuroD1 expression. Treatment of cultured neural precursor cells with a histone deacetylase inhibitor, valproic acid known as an inducer of hyper-glutamatergic neuronal differentiation, down-regulated the expression of FMRP, and induced NeuroD1 expression. Our study suggests that modulation of FMRP expression regulates neuronal differentiation by interaction with its binding target mRNA, and provides an example of the gene and environmental interaction regulating glutamatergic neuronal differentiation.     

Odorant Stimulation Promotes Survival of Rodent Olfactory Receptor Neurons via PI3K/Akt Activation and Bcl-2 Expression

Olfactory stimulation activates multiple signaling cascades in order to mediate activity-driven changes in gene expression that promote neuronal survival. To date, the mechanisms involved in activity-dependent olfactory neuronal survival have yet to be fully elucidated. In the current study, we observed that olfactory sensory stimulation, which caused neuronal activation, promoted activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway and the expression of Bcl-2, which were responsible for olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) survival. We demonstrated that Bcl-2 expression increased after odorant stimulation both in vivo and in vitro. We also showed that odorant stimulation activated Akt, and that Akt activation was completely blocked by incubation with both a PI3K inhibitor ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002) and Akt1 small interfering RNA. Moreover, blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway diminished the odorant-induced Bcl-2 expression, as well as the effects on odorant-induced ORN survival. A temporal difference was noted between the activation of Akt1 and the expression of Bcl-2 following odorant stimulation. Blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway did not affect ORN survival in the time range prior to the increase in Bcl-2 expression, implying that these two events, activation of the PI3K pathway and Bcl-2 induction, were tightly connected to promote post-translational ORN survival. Collectively, our results indicated that olfactory activity activated PI3K/Akt, induced Bcl-2, and promoted long term ORN survival as a result.     

赤桉抗寒转录因子ICE1基因的分子克隆与表达分析

ICE1属于一种类似MYC的bHLH转录因子,可特异地结合到CBF3启动子的MYC作用元件并诱导CBF/DREB1下游基因的转录表达。本文以拟南芥ICE1蛋白序列为信息探针,搜索桉树基因组和EST数据库的同源序列并进行拼接、设计引物,通过RT-PCR从赤桉克隆了桉树的第一个ICE1基因。其cDNA长1792bp,含有完整的开放阅读框,可编码523个氨基酸。BLAST分析表明,cDNA序列及其推导的氨基酸序列均与拟南芥、芥菜、小麦和甜杨ICE1存在着较高的同源性,预示所获得的cDNA可能是赤桉ICE1基因（EcaICE1）。EcaICE1基因表达分析结果显示,EcaICE1在赤桉根、茎、叶中均表达,而且表达水平不受低温胁迫处理时间的影响,这表明EcaICE1是组成型表达。此外,EcaICE1的超表达可以提高转基因烟草的耐低温能力。上述结果为进一步研究EcaICE1在赤桉耐低温胁迫过程中基因表达的调控机制打下基础。     

扁桃CBF1转录因子的克隆及原核表达分析

为了探明CBF转录因子在扁桃中的抗寒分子机理,以新疆栽培扁桃‘矮丰’叶片为材料,通过PCR技术从扁桃基因组DNA中获得CBF1转录因子,命名为AF-Pd CBF1,Gen Bank登录号为KM245570。序列分析表明,该基因开放阅读框为729bp,编码242个氨基酸,推测蛋白质分子量为27.405 k D,并且该蛋白没有信号肽。进化树分析表明,AF-Pd CBF1与甜樱桃和中国梅的亲缘关系最近。将该基因片段连接到原核表达载体p ET-32a(+)中,构建融合表达质粒p ET-Pd CBF1,转化到E.coli Rosetta(DE3)中进行表达。SDS-PAGE电泳检测结果表明,表达蛋白与预期大小一致,分子量大小约为47.8 k D。对重组蛋白的诱导条件进行优化后结果表明,重组蛋白p ET-Pd CBF1在IPTG浓度为0.2 mmol/L、诱导4 h时,其表达量最佳。试验结果可为进一步纯化和鉴定目的蛋白及研究其功能奠定基础。     

人热休克蛋白转录因子1 DNA结合结构域的表达、纯化和晶体生长

目的:获得大量热休克转录因子1(HSF1)DNA结合结构域(DBD)蛋白,用于晶体生长的三维结构解析。方法:将DBD基因片段克隆至原核表达载体pGEX-6P-1中并获得高效表达,经过Glutathione SepharoseTM 4B亲和层析、ResourceQ纯化后,蛋白纯度达到95%以上。结果:圆二色谱仪分析蛋白质的二级结构结果显示α螺旋占33%,β折叠占15%;采用悬滴气相扩散法得到了针状DBD晶体。结论:纯化的蛋白质与同源性达68%的Kluyveromyceslactis的DBD有相似的空间构象。获得的蛋白质晶体为进一步的三维结构解析奠定了基础。     

The Neuroanatomical Organization of Projection Neurons Associated with Different Olfactory Bulb Pathways in the Sea Lamprey,Petromyzon marinus

Although there is abundant evidence for segregated processing in the olfactory system across vertebrate taxa, the spatial relationship between the second order projection neurons (PNs) of olfactory subsystems connecting sensory input to higher brain structures is less clear. In the sea lamprey, there is tight coupling between olfaction and locomotion via PNs extending to the posterior tuberculum from the medial region of the olfactory bulb. This medial region receives peripheral input predominantly from the accessory olfactory organ. However, the axons from olfactory sensory neurons residing in the main olfactory epithelium extend to non-medial regions of the olfactory bulb, and the non-medial bulbar PNs extend their axons to the lateral pallium. It is not known if the receptive fields of the PNs in the two output pathways overlap; nor has the morphology of these PNs been investigated. In this study, retrograde labelling was utilized to investigate the PNs belonging to medial and non-medial projections. The dendrites and somata of the medial PNs were confined to medial glomerular neuropil, and dendrites of non-medial PNs did not enter this territory. The cell bodies and dendrites of the non-medial PNs were predominantly located below the glomeruli (frequently deeper in the olfactory bulb). While PNs in both locations contained single or multiple primary dendrites, the somal size was greater for medial than for non-medial PNs. When considered with the evidence-to-date, this study shows different neuroanatomical organization for medial olfactory bulb PNs extending to locomotor control centers and non-medial PNs extending to the lateral pallium in this vertebrate.     

MicroRNAs Regulate Pituitary Development,and MicroRNA 26b Specifically Targets Lymphoid Enhancer Factor 1 (Lef-1), Which Modulates Pituitary Transcription Factor 1 (Pit-1) Expression

To understand the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in pituitary development, a group of pituitary-specific miRNAs were identified, and Dicer1 was then conditionally knocked out using the Pitx2-Cre mouse, resulting in the loss of mature miRNAs in the anterior pituitary. The Pitx2-Cre/Dicer1 mutant mice demonstrate growth retardation, and the pituitaries are hypoplastic with an abnormal branching of the anterior lobe, revealing a role for microRNAs in pituitary development. Growth hormone, prolactin, and thyroid-stimulating hormone β-subunit expression were decreased in the Dicer1 mutant mouse, whereas proopiomelanocortin and luteinizing hormone β-subunit expression were normal in the mutant pituitary. Further analyses revealed decreased Pit-1 and increased Lef-1 expression in the mutant mouse pituitary, consistent with the repression of the Pit-1 promoter by Lef-1. Lef-1 directly targets and represses the Pit-1 promoter. miRNA-26b (miR-26b) was identified as targeting Lef-1 expression, and miR-26b represses Lef-1 in pituitary and non-pituitary cell lines. Furthermore, miR-26b up-regulates Pit-1 and growth hormone expression by attenuating Lef-1 expression in GH3 cells. This study demonstrates that microRNAs are critical for anterior pituitary development and that miR-26b regulates Pit-1 expression by inhibiting Lef-1 expression and may promote Pit-1 lineage differentiation during pituitary development.     

转录因子hB1F的融合表达及抗体制备

通过酵母单杂交系统从成人肝库中克隆到转录因子,即人Ｂ１结合因子（ｈＢ１Ｆ）。ｈＢ１Ｆ是核受体超家族的一个新成员。将ｈＢ１Ｆ的ｃＤＮＡ片段（ｎｔ４５０－９３０）克隆到表达载体ｐＧＥＸ－３Ｘ中,在Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ中表达,得到可溶性的蛋白质产物。免疫小鼠获得多克隆抗体,经ＧＳＴ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ４Ｂ反向亲和纯化后,表现出较好的针对ｈＢ１Ｆ的专一性,可以用于对ｈＢ１Ｆ的进一步的结构和功能的研究。     

水稻MYB转录因子OsDUO1的cDNA克隆及其表达模式初步分析

我们利用RT-PCR方法成功从水稻中克隆了R2R3类MYB转录因子OsDUO1（Oryza sativa duo pollen1）的全长为1032bp的cDNA,该基因编码一个343个氨基酸残基的蛋白。RT-PCR分析结果表明OsDUO1只在水稻的花粉发育后期表达,说明OsDUO1可能对水稻花粉发育具有生物学功能。生物信息学分析表明,OsDUO1在短柄草、高粱、玉米、拟南芥、烟草、葡萄、蓖麻、杨毛果、小立碗藓植物中有相近同源序列,暗示该基因在进化中具有保守的生物学功能。