嵌合型HCV全长cDNA的构建及体外转录制备感染性RNA的研究

构建HCV la/1b嵌合型全长cDNA克隆,进行体外转录,脂质体法转染HepG2细胞,以RT-PCR法检测HCV正、负链RNA,Western印迹检测HCV蛋白表达.结果表明,细胞在转染后8代(约35d)内,能间断检测到HCV正、负链RNA以及相对分子质量约70000的HCV NS3蛋白,证明该HCV嵌合体可以在细胞中复制和表达.本研究表明含有该嵌合型全长cDNA的质粒可以为后续HCV的研究提供大量可重复的性质均一的病毒模板,有助于深入了解HCV的复制机制.     

A New Virus Isolated from an Ash Tree with Die-Back

A virus isolated from an ash tree with die-back has icosahedral virions c. 28 nm in diameter which contain a polyadenlyated and infectious bipartite single stranded RNA genome. The RNAs have M. Wts of c. 2.4 and 2.6 × 10⁶. The virus was transmitted in 5/48 seed from infected Chenopodium quinoa. Serological tests failed to detect any relationships with 10 viruses. cDNA to the viral RNA was cloned. The sequences of the 5' and 3' ends of two clones were determined. One of these clones represents the 3'-terminus of one of the viral genomic fragments. A search of nucleic acid sequence databases showed some similarity of the 3'-terminal sequence of the virus to the 3'-terminal sequence of cowpea mosaic virus. The virus is possibly a previously undescribed nepovirus or comovirus.     

Two amino acid substitutions in the tomato mosaic virus 30-kilodalton movement protein confer the ability to overcome the Tm-2(2) resistance gene in the tomato.

The Tm-2(2) resistance gene is used in most commercial tomato cultivars for protection against infection with tobacco mosaic virus and its close relative tomato mosaic virus (ToMV). To study the mechanism of this resistance gene, cDNA clones encompassing the complete genome of a ToMV strain (ToMV-2(2)) that was able to break the Tm-2(2) resistance were generated. Chimeric full-length viral cDNA clones were constructed under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA promoter, combining parts of the wild-type virus and ToMV-2(2). Using these clones in cDNA infection experiments, we showed that the 30-kDa movement protein of ToMV-2(2) is responsible for overcoming the Tm-2(2) resistance gene in the tomato. DNA sequence analysis revealed four amino acid exchanges between the 30-kDa proteins from wild-type ToMV and ToMV-2(2), Lys-130 to Glu, Gly-184 to Glu, Ser-238 to Arg, and Lys-244 to Glu. To clarify the involvement of the altered amino acid residues in the resistance-breaking properties of the ToMV-2(2) movement protein, different combinations of these amino acid exchanges were introduced in the genome of wild-type ToMV. Only one mutant strain which contained two amino acid substitutions, Arg-238 and Glu-244, was able to multiply in Tm-2(2) tomato plants. Both amino acid exchanges are found within the carboxy-terminal region of the movement protein, which displays a high variability among different tobamoviruses and has been shown to be dispensable for virus transport in tobacco plants. These observations suggest that the resistance conferred by the Tm-2(2) gene against ToMV depends on specific recognition events in this host-pathogen interaction rather than interfering with fundamental functions of the 30-kDa protein.     

中国首次分离的辛德毕斯病毒XJ-160病毒株感染性全基因组cDNA克隆的构建与分析

报告了中国首次分离的辛德毕斯病毒XJ-160株的感染性全基因组cDNA克隆的构建与鉴定。利用RT—PCR方法获得覆盖病毒全长基因组的cDNA片段,以低拷贝质粒pBR322作为骨架,将基因组cDNA置于SP6RNA聚合酶启动子之后,基因组3’末端带有35个连续的A,通过DNA重组技术组装成病毒基因组全长cDNA克隆。该克隆可在大肠杆菌DH5a中稳定扩增。经体外转录,RNA转录体转染BHK-21细胞,细胞发生病变,恢复病毒滴度达到10^7～10^8PFU／ml。全基因组cDNA克隆构建过程中引入的沉默突变(8453位核苷酸由C变为T)产生XbaⅠ酶切位点作为遗传标记,在子代恢复病毒的基因组中稳定存在。从细胞病变的特征、BHK-21细胞的空斑形态、病毒的抗原性、病毒在细胞中的生长动力学特征以及对乳鼠的致病性等方面比较,恢复病毒和亲本病毒XJ-160没有显著区别,提示获得了具有感染性的XJ-160病毒全长cDNA克隆。该病毒感染性全基因组cDNA克隆可以作为反向遗传学系统,为进一步研究病毒复制和致病机制,以及开发相应的载体表达系统提供分子生物学工具。