TnGV增强蛋白在AcMNPV中的表达和活性分析

为了研究杆状病毒增强蛋白的活性基团,本文构建了分别表达三种N端部分缺失的粉纹夜蛾颗粒体病毒增强蛋白的重组杆状病毒,这三种蛋白在N端分别缺失了150,186和250个氨基酸.用重组病毒感染Tn-5B1-4细胞,成功地表达了这三种蛋白,并得到了纯化的蛋白质.通过体外降解围食膜的方法检测这些部分缺失的增强蛋白的活性,结果证实这三种蛋白均失去了增强蛋白的降解围食膜粘蛋白的活性.这一结果表明,增强蛋白的N端对其降解围食膜粘蛋白的功能是必需的.     

TnGV增强蛋白在AcMNPV中的表达和活性分析

为了研究杆状病毒增强蛋白的活性基团 ,本文构建了分别表达三种N端部分缺失的粉纹夜蛾颗粒体病毒增强蛋白的重组杆状病毒 ,这三种蛋白在N端分别缺失了 15 0 ,186和 2 5 0个氨基酸。用重组病毒感染Tn 5B1 4细胞 ,成功地表达了这三种蛋白 ,并得到了纯化的蛋白质。通过体外降解围食膜的方法检测这些部分缺失的增强蛋白的活性 ,结果证实这三种蛋白均失去了增强蛋白的降解围食膜粘蛋白的活性。这一结果表明 ,增强蛋白的N端对其降解围食膜粘蛋白的功能是必需的     

斜纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒BamHI—J片段序列分析

报道了斜纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒（SpltMNPV)BamHI-J片段的序列结构。该片段定位于SpltMNPV基因组25.8-29.9图单位（msp unit）,包括4个完整的开放读码框,几丁质酶基因（chiA）的3′端部分序列和一个同源区（hr）的部分序列。4个完整的读码框包括lef-8基因,杆状病毒J结构域蛋白基因（baculovirus J domain protein gene,bjdp),ORF570和ORF165。序列分离表明：ORF570与毒蛾核型多角体病毒（Lymantria dispar MNPV）的解旋酶－2基因有31％的氨基酸同源性。ORF165为SpltMNPV特有。J结构域蛋白在其他杆状病毒基因组中尚未见报道,其氨基酸序列N端存在J结构域,推断该蛋白质具有与DnaJ蛋白类似特征。lef-8基因编码的氨基酸与已报道的杆状病毒基因组中的lef-8基因编码的氨基酸具有高的同源性,且其C端具有与其他杆状病毒LEF－8类似的保守序列CIKICGIHGQKG。     

番茄金属蛋白酶基因LeftsH6的克隆和分子特性

从热处理的番茄叶cDNA文库中分离到一个全长为2213-bp的fisH基因。该基因包括一个2019-bp的读码框,推测的蛋白前体定位到叶绿体中,序列中存在AAA结构域和Zn^2＋结合结构域等已知的金属蛋白酶PtsH家族的特征结构域。在已克隆的基因中,该ftsH与拟南芥ftsH6最近源,被命名为LefisH6（Lycopersicon esculentum filamentation temperature-sensitive H6）。体外蛋白酶活性分析结果表明,纯化的FtsH具有蛋白水解活性,能降解酪蛋白但不降解BSA;突变的FtsH（Zn^2＋结合结构域中的谷氨酸Glu^472突变为谷氨酰胺Gln）失去了体外蛋白酶活性。Southern杂交结果表明,该基因在番茄基因组中是单拷贝;Northern和Western杂交均表明该基因表达被热诱导,但其表达不被低温、干旱、盐胁迫、高光等胁迫调节。首次证明了高等植物中存在能被热诱导表达的ftsH基因。     

中华鲟生长激素受体的分子克隆和功能分析

为研究生长激素对中华鲟生长的调控机制,克隆了中华鲟生长激素受体cDNA.csGHRcDNA的可读框编码了611个氨基酸残基的跨膜蛋白质,含有GHR的所有特征结构域.序列对比发现其他种属GHR中高度保守的氨基酸残基在csGHR中发生了替换.我们利用CHO细胞分析了csGHR的生物功能和csGHR分子中高度保守性氨基酸残基替换的生物意义.csGHR稳定表达细胞中共转染的受丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂2.1（Spi1.2）启动子驱动的荧光素酶报告基因受海鲤生长激素（seabream GH,sbGH）诱导表达,并且sbGH诱导稳定表达细胞显著增殖.csGHR稳定表达细胞培养液中检测到中华鲟生长激素结合蛋白质,并且csGHBP的生成需要金属蛋白酶活性的参与.csGHR配体结合域的Asp突变为Glu显著提高csGHR介导的上述生物活性,而Asp突变为Ala则明显降低csGHR的生物活性.这些结果表明,克隆的csGHR具有完全生物功能,并且csGHBP可能通过csGHR蛋白酶解而生成.这些发现将有助于全面了解中华鲟生长调控机制.     

昆虫杆状病毒几丁质酶及其应用研究进展

杆状病毒几丁质酶基因（chitinase,,ChiA）是晚期表达的非必需基因,高度保守。表达产物几丁质酶分为3个区：N-端信号肽区,中部酶活性区和C-末端酶内质网结合区。该酶同时具有内切和外切几丁质酶活性,主要功能是水解昆虫体内的几丁质,促进虫体液化;作为组织蛋白酶原（pro-V-Cath）的分子伴侣,参与其加工和运输过程; 影响多角体的形成,并与细胞的裂解有关;还与病毒侵染机制相关联。杆状病毒ChiA与细菌ChiA源于共同的祖先,而昆虫ChiA则可能直接来自杆状病毒。在害虫生物防治中,杆状病毒ChiA可直接作为杀虫剂,或作为苏云金杆菌和杆状病毒等微生物杀虫剂的增效剂使用;杆状病毒ChiA可转入植物,获得具有持续杀虫及抗病活性的转基因植物;将杆状病毒ChiA的内质网定位序列删除、突变,或在病毒基因组中插入外源ChiA,重组病毒的杀虫活性增强。通过基因工程手段,删除病毒基因组ChiA或V-Cath,可改善杆状病毒表达系统对分泌蛋白和膜结合蛋白的表达。     

锌金属蛋白酶家族介绍及结构机理研究进展

锌金属蛋白酶是一类分布广泛,种类繁多的水解酶家族,是近年来人们研究的热点．一般来说,HEXXH保守序列一直都作为锌金属蛋白酶家族分类的依据．除此之外,不同种类的酶还有一些其它的序列特征．谷氨酸锌蛋白（gluzincin）在锌离子配体处共有2组保守区域;甲硫氨酸锌蛋白（metzincin）则拥有1个延长的保守序列HEBXHXBGBXH,里面包含了第3个His配体．大量的金属蛋白酶晶体结构被解析出来,从中可以发现该类酶的活性中心都包含有1个锌离子．锌金属蛋白酶的催化机理通常认为是锌离子与1个水分子结合活化而成．但是,最近的发现证实了并不是所有的锌金属蛋白酶催化都需要水分子参与活化．在本文中,综述了这些已发表的锌金属蛋白酶家族的分类、结构特征、底物特异性识别和催化机理．     

人免疫缺陷病毒1型TAT蛋白点突变对其反式激活作用的影响

不同免疫缺陷病毒（ＨＩＶ－１,ＨＩＶ－２和ＳＩＶ）的Ｔａｔ均有３个高度保守的结构域：Ｃｙｓ富集域、核心域和碱性氨基酸富集域,用ＰＣＲ定点突变法在ＨＩＶ－１Ｔａｔ蛋白的这些区域引入单氨基酸或多氨基酸突变;构建了以ＨＩＶ－１ＬＴＲ－１５８到＋８Ｏ区域为启动子,含有不同突变点的突变Ｔａｔ基因表达质粒;以荧光酶基因为报告基因,瞬时共转染Ｊｕｒｋａｔ细胞：分析不同氨基酸突变对Ｔａｔ的反式激活作用的影响。结果发现,突变后的Ｔａｔ蛋白的活性均极大地降低或丧失,表明这些序列内的氨基酸的确定性对Ｔａｔ的活性至关重要。     

核内转录因子IKAROS与血液肿瘤

IKAROS蛋白是一类含锌指结构域的核内转录因子,调节血液细胞分化发育。机体在血液细胞分化发育、天然免疫细胞的分化成熟、抗血液系统肿瘤发生等过程中均需要IKAROS蛋白的参与。IKAROS蛋白的功能依赖于其分子结构上的2个重要结构域:DNA结合结构域和家族蛋白相互作用结构域。DNA结合结构域与靶基因上游调控序列进行特异性结合,而蛋白相互作用结构域与家族蛋白分子结合形成二聚体,发挥IKAROS的生物学活性。IKAROS蛋白在细胞内代谢受到酪蛋白激酶2（casein kinase 2,CK2）和蛋白磷酸化酶1（protein phosphorylase 1,PP1）的调节,CK2将IKAROS蛋白磷酸化,使其失去生物活性|而PP1将磷酸化的IKAROS蛋白去磷酸化,从而增强IKAROS的生物活性。近几年临床研究发现,IKAROS蛋白的表达异常以及CK2激酶活性的增高与白血病的发生发展有密切关系。本文就IKAROS的分子结构特点、生物学功能、体内代谢调控方式及IKAROS在血液系统肿瘤发生发展过程中的生物学作用进行综述。     

炭疽致死因子的结构域及功能

致死因子(lethal factor, LF)是一种能水解丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(mitogen-activated protein kinase, MAPK)家族的金属蛋白酶,是炭疽毒素(toxin)的重要成分之一。炭疽LF由四个结构域组成:结构域Ⅰ主要负责与保护性抗原(protective antigen, PA)结合;结构域Ⅱ是主要功能区域;结构域Ⅲ具有高度可变性且能与底物特异性结合;结构域Ⅳ含有锌离子结合序列,发挥蛋白质的毒性作用。现就炭疽LF各个结构域的结构和功能,以及部分结构域中残基突变后对该蛋白质毒力的影响作一概述。     

Isolation and identification of insect intestinal mucin HaIIM86--the new target for Helicoverpa armigera biocontrol

There are many more glycoproteins in Helicoverpa armigera peritrophic membrane than midgut separated by SDS-PAGE analysis after Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and coomassie staining. The peritrophic membrane (PM) of H. armigera larvae contains about forty associated proteins. A cDNA library was constructed from H. armigera midgut mRNA to study the new target for pest biocontrol. An antiserum against Spodoptera exigua integral/total PM proteins cross reacted with several H. armigera PM proteins and was used to isolate a complete cDNA encoding an insect intestinal mucin (HaIIM86). The deduced protein sequence of the cDNA contained one potentially glycosylated, mucin-like domain, five cysteine-rich chitin-binding domains (CBDs) and two D-G rich regions. Mucin domain was lined between the first and second CBDs; the two additional D-G rich regions were proposed to internal reside at the amino terminus of the protein flanked by three cysteine-rich CBDs. HaIIM86 contains two D-G-rich tandem repeat domains flanked by cysteine-rich sequences in peritrophic membrane proteins which is not present in all the currently known PM proteins. Howerer the functions of D-G rich domains require further investigation. HaIIM86 was shown as 200 kDa protein by SDS-PAGE analysis and appeared to be associated with the PM. HaIIM86 has chitin-binding activity and can be degraded into 90 and 70 kDa by HaGV Enhancin in vivo. The finding has shown that HaIIM86 is the target substrate for enhancin and the potential target for pest control.     

Isolation of two novel metalloproteinase-disintegrin (ADAM) cDNAs that show testis-specific gene expression.

Metalloproteinase-disintegrins (ADAMs) are type 1 transmembrane proteins that contain a unique domain structure including a zinc-binding metalloproteinase domain. We have isolated cDNAs encoding two novel members of this family, ADAM29 and ADAM30 which show testis-specific expression. Three forms of ADAM29 were found that encode proteins of 820, 786 and 767 amino acids. All of the amino acid differences are located in the cytoplasmic domain. Two forms of ADAM30 were isolated that encode proteins of 790 and 781 amino acids, with the difference in the coding region occurring in the cytoplasmic domain. ADAM29 and ADAM30 map to human chromosome 4q34 and 1p11-13, respectively. An ancestral analysis of all known mammalian ADAMs indicates that the zinc-binding motif in the catalytic domain arose once in a common ancestor and was subsequently lost by those members lacking this motif.     

Dominant-negative mutants are clustered in a domain of the human T-cell leukemia virus type I Rex protein: implications for trans dominance.

The 27-kDa Rex trans-acting protein appears to be essential for replication of human T-cell leukemia virus type I. Mutations introduced outside of the Rex RNA-binding domain-nucleolar localization signal display either wild-type activity or, conversely, yield dominant-negative proteins. We generated missense mutations in a particular domain of the Rex protein (amino acid residues 54 to 69) which is characterized by a cluster of dominant-negative mutants. Our results indicate that amino acids 57 to 67 are critically important for Rex function mediated through the RxRE cis-acting RNA sequence. Within this domain, only amino acids 61 to 63 could be mutated without loss of function. All other missense and deletion mutants yielded dominant-negative proteins. In vitro RNA-binding studies performed with glutathione S-transferase-Rex fusion proteins demonstrated that all of the mutant Rex proteins interacted specifically with RxRE RNA. Analysis of chimeric Rex-Rev proteins suggests that this Rex domain is important for oligomerization.     

Glycoprotein cytoplasmic domain sequences required for rescue of a vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein mutant.

We have used transient expression of the wild-type vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) glycoprotein (G protein) from cloned cDNA to rescue a temperature-sensitive G protein mutant of VSV in cells at the nonpermissive temperature. Using cDNAs encoding G proteins with deletions in the normal 29-amino-acid cytoplasmic domain, we determined that the presence of either the membrane-proximal 9 amino acids or the membrane-distal 12 amino acids was sufficient for rescue of the temperature-sensitive mutant. G proteins with cytoplasmic domains derived from other cellular or viral G proteins did not rescue the mutant, nor did G proteins with one or three amino acids of the normal cytoplasmic domain. Rescue correlated directly with the ability of the G proteins to be incorporated into virus particles. This was shown by analysis of radiolabeled particles separated on sucrose gradients as well as by electron microscopy of rescued virus after immunogold labeling. Quantitation of surface expression showed that all of the mutated G proteins were expressed less efficiently on the cell surface than was wild-type G protein. However, we were able to correct for differences in rescue efficiency resulting from differences in the level of surface expression by reducing wild-type G protein expression to levels equivalent to those observed for the mutated G proteins. Our results provide evidence that at least a portion of the cytoplasmic domain is required for efficient assembly of the VSV G protein into virions during virus budding.     

粘虫颗粒体病毒增效蛋白基因片段优化及功能

【目的】研究转宿主粘虫颗粒体病毒(Pseudaletia unipuncta granulovirus,Pu GV-Ps)增效蛋白基因截短片段优化及其增效作用,探索增效蛋白基因的合理利用途径。【方法】生物信息学分析增效蛋白结构域,构建增效蛋白基因截短片段原核表达载体,分析目的基因片段表达产物的表达水平、围食膜蛋白降解效能和增强活性,进一步明确Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白基因的功能区域。【结果】Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白含有M60-like结构域、锌离子催化域和糖蛋白结合域,并包含13个潜在的糖基化位点。以此为依据设计P69(短截M60-like结构域)和P77(短截糖蛋白结合域)2个截短片段,构建了表达载体p ET15b-P69和p ET15bP77,原核表达量明显高于全长基因P104。表达产物纯化蛋白围食膜降解活性表明,P69对斜纹夜蛾围食膜大分子蛋白降解程度高于P77,但两者均低于P104。病毒增强苏云金杆菌(Bt)实验表明,截短片段的表达产物提高了Bt对小菜蛾的毒力,但增强活性显著低于P104。【结论】研究结果表明,Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白基因N端M60-like结构域和C端糖蛋白结合域对其增效作用的发挥都具有一定功能,这些结构对维持增效蛋白的构象也发挥了一定的作用,截短片段P69有利于保持Pu GV-Ps增效蛋白的活性、提高表达水平。该研究结果对增效蛋白的工业化生产具有一定的指导意义。     

The zinc finger domain of the archaeal minichromosome maintenance protein is required for helicase activity

The minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins, a family of six conserved polypeptides found in all eukaryotes, are essential for DNA replication. The archaeon Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Delta H contains a single homologue of MCM with biochemical properties similar to those of the eukaryotic enzyme. The amino acid sequence of the archaeal protein contains a putative zinc-binding domain of the CX(2)CX(n)CX(2)C (C(4)) type. In this study, the roles of the zinc finger domain in MCM function were examined using recombinant wild-type and mutant proteins expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. The protein with a mutation in the zinc motif forms a dodecameric complex similar to the wild-type enzyme. The mutant enzyme, however, is impaired in DNA-dependent ATPase activity and single-stranded DNA binding, and it does not possess helicase activity. These results illustrate the importance of the zinc-binding domain for archaeal MCM function and suggest a role for zinc binding in the eukaryotic MCM complex as well, since four out of the six eukaryotic MCM proteins contain a similar zinc-binding motif.     

Dissecting the role of the N-terminal domain of human immunodeficiency virus integrase by trans-complementation analysis

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) integrase protein (IN) catalyzes two reactions required to integrate HIV DNA into the human genome: 3' processing of the viral DNA ends and integration. IN has three domains, the N-terminal zinc-binding domain, the catalytic core, and the C-terminal SH3 domain. Previously, it was shown that IN proteins mutated in different domains could complement each other. We now report that this does not require any overlap between the two complementing proteins; an N-terminal domain, provided in trans, can restore IN activity of a mutant lacking this domain. Only the zinc-coordinating form of the N-terminal domain can efficiently restore IN activity of an N-terminal deletion mutant. This suggests that interaction between different domains of IN is needed for functional multimerization. We find that the N-terminal domain of feline immunodeficiency virus IN can support IN activity of an N-terminal deletion mutant of HIV type 2 IN. These cross-complementation experiments indicate that the N-terminal domain contributes to the recognition of specific viral DNA ends.     

Bacillus thuringiensis Bel Protein Enhances the Toxicity of Cry1Ac Protein to Helicoverpa armigera Larvae by Degrading Insect Intestinal Mucin

Bacillus thuringiensis has been used as a bioinsecticide to control agricultural insects. Bacillus cereus group genomes were found to have a Bacillus enhancin-like (bel) gene, encoding a peptide with 20 to 30% identity to viral enhancin protein, which can enhance viral infection by degradation of the peritrophic matrix (PM) of the insect midgut. In this study, the bel gene was found to have an activity similar to that of the viral enhancin gene. A bel knockout mutant was constructed by using a plasmid-free B. thuringiensis derivative, BMB171. The 50% lethal concentrations of this mutant plus the cry1Ac insecticidal protein gene were about 5.8-fold higher than those of the BMB171 strain. When purified Bel was mixed with the Cry1Ac protein and fed to Helicoverpa armigera larvae, 3 μg/ml Cry1Ac alone induced 34.2% mortality. Meanwhile, the mortality rate rose to 74.4% when the same amount of Cry1Ac was mixed with 0.8 μg/ml of Bel. Microscopic observation showed a significant disruption detected on the midgut PM of H. armigera larvae after they were fed Bel. In vitro degradation assays showed that Bel digested the intestinal mucin (IIM) of Trichoplusia ni and H. armigera larvae to various degrading products, similar to findings for viral enhancin. These results imply Bel toxicity enhancement depends on the destruction of midgut PM and IIM, similar to the case with viral enhancin. This discovery showed that Bel has the potential to enhance insecticidal activity of B. thuringiensis-based biopesticides and transgenic crops.Bacillus thuringiensis is a ubiquitous gram-positive, spore-forming soil bacterium and produces insecticidal crystal proteins during the sporulation phase of its growth cycle. Because these insecticidal crystal proteins have activity against certain insect species, B. thuringiensis has been extensively used as a biopesticide to control crop pests in commercial agriculture and forest management. It is also a key source of genes for transgenic expression and provides pest resistance in plants (2, 20, 30).The viral enhancin protein was originally described for granuloviruses (GVs) as a 126-kDa protein that showed an ability to enhance the infectivity of nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) (36, 37, 39). It has also been found in several other GVs (13) and NPVs (19, 27). Considered a pathogenicity factor, it is not essential for growth of viruses in cell culture or infected insects but has the function of facilitating GV and NPV infection and decreasing larval survival time (14, 17, 19, 27).The widely accepted action mode of the viral enhancin protein, which has been identified as a metalloprotease (17), is that it can disrupt the protective peritrophic matrix (PM), allowing virion access to the underlying epithelial cells of the insect gut (17). The PM has a lattice structure formed by chitin and insect intestinal mucin (IIM), and the viral enhancin protein targets the IIM for degradation (33).Enhancin-like genes with 24 to 25% nucleotide identity to viral enhancin genes have been found in Yersinia pestis, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus cereus genome sequences (16, 25, 28). When B. cereus enhancin-like protein was expressed in recombinant Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) budded viruses and polyhedral inclusion bodies, it was found to be cytotoxic compared to viral enhancin protein. However, larval bioassays indicated that this enhancin-like protein did not enhance infection (8). Hajaij-Ellouze et al. (12) isolated a B. thuringiensis enhancin-like gene from a 407 crystal-minus strain and found that this enhancin-like protein has a typical metalloprotease zinc-binding domain (HEIAH) and belongs to the PlcR regulon. When the enhancin-like mutant was fed to Galleria mellonella larvae, no significant reduction in virulence was observed.In the present study, we report a B. thuringiensis enhancin-like gene (bel) encoding a protein (Bel) that has 20 to 30% identity to the viral enhancin protein and 95% identity to bacterial enhancin-like proteins. Therefore, Bel function may have a synergistic action similar to that of the virus enhancin protein. To understand the biochemical activity of this novel bacterial gene, bel was knocked out in the plasmid-free strain BMB171. We expected that this bel mutant would have no significant reduction in toxicity according to the reports of Galloway et al. (8) and Hajaij-Ellouze et al. (12). However, the bel mutant surprisingly resulted in dramatically reduced Cry1Ac toxicity to Helicoverpa armigera larvae. To further confirm this result, purified Bel was fed together with the Cry1Ac protein to H. armigera larvae. We found that Bel can function as a synergist of Cry1Ac toxicity against H. armigera. In vivo and in vitro observations showed that Bel can disrupt the insect midgut PM and degrade IIM of insect midgut PM. The target of Bel is the IIM of PM, similar to the results found with viral enhancin.