双链RNA结合蛋白与双链RNA结合域

双链RNA(double stranded RNA,dsRNA)能引发细胞的抗病毒机制,其产生效应是因为作用于含有dsRNA结合域(dsRNA·binding domain,DRBD)的酶类和其他功能蛋白质,这些蛋白质能够特异性地识别并结合dsRNA,从而引起细胞应答.已有的资料表明DRBD不仅与dsRNA结合,还能与DNA或其他形式的RNA分子结合,而且有些蛋白质的DRBD不与任何核酸分子结合,仅起调节作用.另外,同种蛋白质的不同DRBD之间以及不同蛋白质的DRBD之间也能相互作用,从而形成复杂的蛋白质一蛋白质复合体,参与多种细胞代谢途径.因此,DRBD及其含有这些结构域的蛋白质可能具有多种功能.     

错配的双链RNA及其稳定性研究

研究了核糖胞嘧啶和脲嘧啶共聚物的酶促合成条件,共聚物Ｐｏｌｙ ＣｘＵ与Ｐｏｌｙ Ｉ在类似生理盐水条件下形成错配的双链ＲＮＡ,然后对ＰｏｌｙＩ：Ｃ和错配的双链ＲＮＡ对核酸酶的敏感性及紫外熔化曲线进行了比较研究,并提出错配碱基配对存在的假设。     

双链RNA病毒的复制机制

本文对双链ＲＮＡ（ｄｓＲＮＡ）病毒复制机制的研究进展进行了综述。根据ｄｓＲＮＡ病毒复制周期,分以下几方面对其复制的有关分子进行分析：转录、转录本释放和“满头”复制模型、（＋）ＲＮＡ转译、病毒包装、（－）ＲＮＡ合成等。此外,还简要分析了宿主基因及其产物在病毒复制中的作用。     

昆虫RNA干扰中双链RNA的转运方式

昆虫RNA干扰主要指外源双链RNA诱发的,通过阻碍特定基因的翻译或转录,引起内源目标信使RNA沉默的机制。由于RNA干扰的特异性,RNA干扰技术主要应用于昆虫功能基因组和害虫防治的研究。本综述主要对双链RNA引起昆虫体内RNA干扰研究中双链RNA转运的3种方法(显微注射法、喂食法及浸泡与转染法)进行介绍和讨论。这3种方法中,显微注射法能将精确数量的双链RNA迅速转运到目标组织,更适合实验室基因功能的研究;喂食法操作简单快速,适合高通量的基因筛选;浸泡与转染法也适合大规模的基因筛选,但更常见于细胞研究中。     

双链RNA在基因沉默中的作用

介绍依赖于同源识别的基因沉默 .依赖于同源识别的基因沉默 ,是指向生物体内导入外源核酸时引起相应序列的内源基因的表达被特异性抑制的一种基因调控现象 .基因沉默分为转录基因沉默和转录后基因沉默 ,二者都通过双链RNA介导 .它们是真核生物中普遍存在的抵抗病毒入侵、抑制转座子活动、调控基因表达的监控机制 .这些机制具有巨大的应用前景 .     

与BT型细胞质雄性不育水稻相关联的双链RNA

以改进的Kemble′s方法提取BT型水稻细胞质雄性不育系及相应保持系线粒体核酸,在电泳分离后的不育系线粒体核酸中发现一特异双链RNA(dsRNA)分子,进一步实验表明,它是线粒体外的成份。与真菌中普遍发现的dsRNA病毒类颗粒(virus-like particles,VLP)相似,这种颗粒也能以细胞质遗传的方式稳定遗传。在表现为杂种优势的F_1代(不育系×恢复系)也发现有这种颗粒,但在F_1代黄化苗相对成熟的基部,此颗粒相对线粒体有减少的趋势,推测是因为F_1核背景不适合此VLP的生存而逐渐被排斥。电镜观察估测dsRNA分子量为6.0×10~6。这种VLP在BT型水稻细胞质雄性不育系中的普遍存在及其遗传行为表明其与不育可能有关。     

肝炎病毒蛋白对双链RNA依赖性蛋白激酶的调节作用

乙型肝炎病毒（ＨＢＶ）和丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）蛋白以及丁型肝炎病毒（ＨＤＶ）基因组ＲＮＡ与双链ＲＮＡ依赖性蛋白激酶（ＰＫＲ）之间可以进行特异性结合,使病毒感染的靶细胞对干扰素（ＩＦＮ）的敏感性发生了改变。同时,肝炎病毒基因组及其编码产物与感染靶细胞中ＰＫＲ分子之间的结合,将产生广泛的生物学效应。     

双链RNA和植物对病毒的抗性

双链RNA能诱导转录后的基因沉默,是生物抵御病毒入侵、维持自身基因稳定的一种自我保护机制.把源自病毒的基因构建成反向重复结构转入植物体内,其转录出的RNA会通过分子内序列互补形成双链,将入侵病毒的同源序列降解,使转基因植株获得对病毒的高抗性.RNA干扰型抗病毒转基因植株中,转病毒基因的mRNA不存在或存在量很少,也不会翻译成有功能的病毒蛋白,因此不存在病毒RNA重组、异源包装及协生作用的潜在风险,具有较高的生物安全性.双链RNA抗病毒转基因正在成为一种高效、安全的植物抗病毒策略.     

卫星RNA作为黄瓜花叶病毒病生防因子的研究III．卫星RNA对黄瓜花叶病毒感染的烟叶组织中病毒双链RNA含量的影响

用3H尿嘧啶核苷标记、聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析、放射自显影等技术以及根据抗RNA酶和DNA酶的性质比较了感染黄瓜花叶病毒(CMV)及其带有卫星RNA的黄瓜花叶病毒(CMV-S52)的三生烟叶组织中病毒ds RNA含量的变化。结果表明,随接种后时间的延长,CMV-S32感染的组织中卫星RNA的ds RNA含量呈直线增长,第10天达最高峰,而病毒基因组RNA的ds RNA的含量则随时间延长而降低,这一趋势一直延续到最后一次测定。卫星RNA的双链RNA含量也比病毒基因组ds RNA高得多,从接种后的第二天的2．5倍到第10天的20倍及第l{天的近40倍,但不含卫星RNA的cMV接种后在所测定的14天内,各基因组RNA的ds RNA含量比较衡定。     

豇豆单孢锈菌中病毒样颗粒中双链RNA的存在

从北京西郊清华园附近田间豇豆上采集的豇豆单孢锈菌夏孢子。萌发后提取双链ＲＮＡ，电泳分析可侧出３００－８０００碱基对的三组双链ＲＮＡ。从萌发的孢子中通过差速离心提取病毒样颗粒，可获得二种类型的病毒样颗粒，一种直径为３５－４０ｎｍ的等轴颗粒，加一种为长短不等的棒状颗粒，用提纯物提取核酸电泳分析与直接从孢子中提取的双链ＲＮＡ有相同的核酸带，从而证明这些双链ＲＮＡ存在于病毒样颗粒中。     

错配的双链RNA及其稳定性研究

研究了核糖胞嘧啶和脲嘧啶共聚物的酶促合成条件。共聚物ＰｏｌｙＣｘＵ与ＰｏｌｙＩ在类似生理盐水条件下形成错配的双链ＲＮＡ,然后对ＰｏｌｙＩ：Ｃ和错配的双链ＲＮＡ对核酸酶的敏感性及紫外熔化曲线进行了比较研究,并提出错配碱基配对存在的假设 。     

Inactivation of the type I interferon pathway reveals long double‐stranded RNA‐mediated RNA interference in mammalian cells

RNA interference (RNAi) elicited by long double‐stranded (ds) or base‐paired viral RNA constitutes the major mechanism of antiviral defence in plants and invertebrates. In contrast, it is controversial whether it acts in chordates. Rather, in vertebrates, viral RNAs induce a distinct defence system known as the interferon (IFN) response. Here, we tested the possibility that the IFN response masks or inhibits antiviral RNAi in mammalian cells. Consistent with that notion, we find that sequence‐specific gene silencing can be triggered by long dsRNAs in differentiated mouse cells rendered deficient in components of the IFN pathway. This unveiled response is dependent on the canonical RNAi machinery and is lost upon treatment of IFN‐responsive cells with type I IFN. Notably, transfection with long dsRNA specifically vaccinates IFN‐deficient cells against infection with viruses bearing a homologous sequence. Thus, our data reveal that RNAi constitutes an ancient antiviral strategy conserved from plants to mammals that precedes but has not been superseded by vertebrate evolution of the IFN system.     

Co-localisation of autoimmune antibodies specific for double stranded DNA with procorticotrophin-releasing hormone within the nucleus of stably transfected CHO-K1 cells

Human autoantibodies and corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH)-specific antibodies have been used in a double-labelling immunofluorescence technique to demonstrate that immunoreactive CRH structures are co-localised with immunostaining produced by double stranded DNA-specific human autoantibodies within the nucleus of cultured ovarian cells of Chinese hamsters (CHO-K1). This co-localisation was confirmed using confocal microscopy. A metabolic labelling technique was used to investigate the role of the cytoskeleton in mediating nuclear translocation of proCRH within stably transfected CHO-K1 cells and showed that microtubule and actin disrupting agents had no effect upon the nuclear translocation of proCRH. These results, therefore, suggest that nuclear translocation of proCRH is not affected by drugs which disrupt the cytoskeleton and, consequently, modify the diameter of the nuclear pores.This work was supported by proproject grants from the BBSRC to M.G.C. and P.R.L., and an MRC (UK) grant to M.G.C. M.G.C. and P.R.L. would also like to acknowledge the support received from the, The Wellcome Trust, Welsh Scheme for the Development of Health and Social Research, Sir Halley Stewart Trust, The Royal Society, and the Department of Physiology, UWCC. P.R.L. is a Research Fellow from the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine.     

Optimization of fragmentation conditions for microarray analysis of viral RNA

An important consideration in microarray analysis of nucleic acids is the efficiency with which the target molecule is captured by, or hybridized to, surface-immobilized oligos. For RNA, secondary and tertiary structure of the target strand can significantly decrease capture efficiency. To overcome this limitation, RNA is often fragmented to reduce structural effects. In this study, the metal ion-catalyzed base hydrolysis fragmentation conditions for viral RNA extracted from influenza viruses were evaluated and the hybridization efficiency of the resulting fragments was determined as a function of fragment length. The amount of RNA captured was evaluated qualitatively by fluorescence intensity normalized to an internal standard. Optimized conditions for influenza RNA were determined to include a fragmentation time of 20-30 min at 75 degrees C. These conditions resulted in a maximum concentration of fragments between 38 and 150 nt in length and a maximum in the capture and label efficiency.     

The RIG‐I‐like receptor LGP2 inhibits Dicer‐dependent processing of long double‐stranded RNA and blocks RNA interference in mammalian cells

In vertebrates, the presence of viral RNA in the cytosol is sensed by members of the RIG‐I‐like receptor (RLR) family, which signal to induce production of type I interferons (IFN). These key antiviral cytokines act in a paracrine and autocrine manner to induce hundreds of interferon‐stimulated genes (ISGs), whose protein products restrict viral entry, replication and budding. ISGs include the RLRs themselves: RIG‐I, MDA5 and, the least‐studied family member, LGP2. In contrast, the IFN system is absent in plants and invertebrates, which defend themselves from viral intruders using RNA interference (RNAi). In RNAi, the endoribonuclease Dicer cleaves virus‐derived double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that target complementary viral RNA for cleavage. Interestingly, the RNAi machinery is conserved in mammals, and we have recently demonstrated that it is able to participate in mammalian antiviral defence in conditions in which the IFN system is suppressed. In contrast, when the IFN system is active, one or more ISGs act to mask or suppress antiviral RNAi. Here, we demonstrate that LGP2 constitutes one of the ISGs that can inhibit antiviral RNAi in mammals. We show that LGP2 associates with Dicer and inhibits cleavage of dsRNA into siRNAs both in vitro and in cells. Further, we show that in differentiated cells lacking components of the IFN response, ectopic expression of LGP2 interferes with RNAi‐dependent suppression of gene expression. Conversely, genetic loss of LGP2 uncovers dsRNA‐mediated RNAi albeit less strongly than complete loss of the IFN system. Thus, the inefficiency of RNAi as a mechanism of antiviral defence in mammalian somatic cells can be in part attributed to Dicer inhibition by LGP2 induced by type I IFNs. LGP2‐mediated antagonism of dsRNA‐mediated RNAi may help ensure that viral dsRNA substrates are preserved in order to serve as targets of antiviral ISG proteins.     

Optimization of conditions for production of sago starch-based foam

Production of sago starch-based foam involved mixing of sago starch with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) followed by preparation of electron beam irradiated sago starch/PVA and sago starch/PVP sheets and expanding them in a microwave. The results revealed that good foams with high linear expansion and closed cell structure can be produced from 25:15 of sago starch:PVA and 30:10 of sago starch:PVA blends prepared at 80 °C and electron beam irradiated at 15 kGy or 10 kGy for the cross-linking process. An increment of sago starch in the blends enhanced the linear expansion of the foams produced. Change in the blend morphology was observed when it was exposed to higher irradiation doses as electron beam irradiation induced the cross-linking in PVA and PVP, and leaching of amylose and amylopectin from the starch granules. Sago starch/PVA blend is more suitable for foam production because it produced flexible and glossy foam as compared to sago starch/PVP blend which produced very rigid foam.     

Statistical optimization of culture conditions for bacterial cellulose production using Box-Behnken design

Culture conditions in a jar fermentor for bacterial cellulose (BC) production from A. xylinum BPR2001 were optimized by statistical analysis using Box-Behnken design. Response surface methodology was used to predict the levels of the factors, fructose (X1), corn steep liquor (CSL) (X2), dissolved oxygen (DO) (X3), and agar concentration (X4). Total 27 experimental runs by combination of each factor were carried out in a 10-L jar fermentor, and a three-dimensional response surface was generated to determine the effect of the factors and to find out the optimum concentration of each factor for maximum BC production and BC yield. The fructose and agar concentration highly influenced the BC production and BC yield. However, the optimum conditions according to changes in CSL and DO concentrations were predicted at almost central values of tested ranges. The predicted results showed that BC production was 14.3 g/L under the condition of 4.99% fructose, 2.85% CSL, 28.33% DO, and 0.38% agar concentration. On the other hand, BC yield was predicted in 0.34 g/g under the condition of 3.63% fructose, 2.90% CSL, 31.14% DO, and 0.42% agar concentration. Under optimized culture conditions, improvement of BC production and BC yield were experimentally confirmed, which increased 76% and 57%, respectively, compared to BC production and BC yield before optimizing the culture conditions.