基因免疫制备西尼罗病毒NS5蛋白特异性单抗

研究了NS5蛋白在西尼罗病毒的特异性检测方面的应用及NS5在黄病毒复制中的作用机理。采用RT．PCR方法扩增了西尼罗病毒株的NS5基因片段,将其克隆至真核表达载体pVAX1,构建真核表达质粒。以重组质粒免疫BALB／c小鼠后取脾脏进行杂交瘤细胞融合,建立能稳定分泌西尼罗NS5单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞株。构建了真核表达质粒pVAX1-WNV—NS5,免疫动物后获得了28289等4株稳定分泌特异性抗体的杂交瘤细胞株,均为IgM型。真核表达质粒免疫后成功地诱导了针对NS5蛋白的体液免疫应答,单抗特异性分析显示4株单抗与其他黄病毒存在一定交叉反应。     

SARS冠状病毒RNA依赖的RNA聚合酶(RdRp)蛋白保守氨基酸基序的鉴定

严重急性呼吸综合片冠状病毒(SARS病毒)的高危害性,使得研究其分子机制并开发有效的治疗药物成为当前生物学家面临的紧迫任务.     

RNA病毒RNA依赖的RNA聚合酶的结构与功能

RNA病毒一般传播迅速,给人类和自然造成巨大危害和威胁.许多RNA病毒的结构蛋白在基础研究和应用方面已日趋完善.相比之下,就非结构蛋白(NS)所做的研究较少,存在许多未知问题.在这些非结构蛋白中,病毒自身编码的RNA依赖的RNA聚合酶(RNA-dependent RNA polymerase,RdRP)对病毒的复制起关键作用.对RdRP的研究不仅使对病毒RNA复制的机制更精细明了,且有可能提供新的抗病毒靶标和诊断试剂.本文对RdRP特别是动物RNA病毒RdRP的结果与功能作一综述.     

丙型肝炎病毒依赖于RNA的RNA聚合酶(RdRp)研究进展

由于缺乏合适的HCV感染细胞模型,严重制约了HCV复制,特别是HCV复制的关键因子依赖于RNA的RNA聚合酶(RdRp)的研究.对HCV序列比较分析并通过异源表达证明NS5B是HCV复制的RdRp.NS5B C端疏水性氨基酸区域以及NS5B与细胞膜形成复合体等影响NS5B溶解性.在合适的反应条件下NS5B可以多种RNA分子为模板催化RNA复制,特别是能有效复制HCV全长(+)RNA.高浓度GTP激活HCV RdRp活性.NS5B N/C端缺失突变和保守性A、B、C区中的点突变影响RdRp活性,但D区345位精氨酸突变为赖氨酸时RdRp活性明显升高.HCV RdRp的发现及其功能研究为HCV药物研究提供了新型靶标.     

互补引物/模板评价毕加酵母表达的丙型肝炎病毒RNA依赖的RNA聚合酶

构建含有感染性克隆HCV非结构基因5b区序列的酵母表达质粒,转化毕加酵母,获得持续、可溶性HCV RNA依赖的RNA聚合酶(RdRp)的表达,纯化蛋白在SDS-PAGE及Western blot中显示出特异性的64.2kD HCV RdRp蛋白带,同聚引物/模板测定显示RdRp的活性极低,延长反应时间,RNA聚合活性仅轻度升高.采用合成的杂聚互补引物/模板,未发现核苷酸在毕加酵母表达的RdRp作用下掺入模板,随时间延长,杂聚互补引物/模板降解.     

RNA病毒RNA聚合酶的研究进展

自然界仅有ＲＮＡ病毒以ＲＮＡ作为基因载体。依赖于ＲＮＡ的ＲＮＡ聚合酶在这种病毒的增殖复制期起到了非常重要的作用。它一方面以病毒ＲＮＡ为模板复制子代病毒的基因,另一方面也将病毒增殖期间需要的蛋白质和酶类的基因转录成为ｍＲＮＡ,也就是说它担负了复制酶和转...     

利用脊髓灰质炎病毒5'NCR和RNA聚合酶基因可提高外源基因表达

将含脊髓灰质炎病毒 (PV)RNA聚合酶的不同长度基因片段克隆到载体 pSG5质粒上 ,分别构建了 4个表达RNA聚合酶的质粒。体外转录实验证明 ,pSG5 POL1 99和 pSG5 POL2 0 3质粒转染细胞的提取物促进了特异的RNA转录 ,表明两质粒可表达RNA聚合酶。将PV的 5'NCR序列插在载体 pGREENLANTERN 1的CMV启动子下游 ,构建了 pGREENLANTERN 1 5'NCR质粒 ;用 LacZ基因替换GFP基因分别插入到PGREENLANTERN 1和pGREENLANTERN 1 5'NCR质粒上 ,构建成 pLacZLANTERN 1和 pLacZLANTERN 1 5'NCR质粒。表达RNA聚合酶的质粒与 pLacZ 5'NCR调控表达报告基因的质粒共转染 ,明显提高了报告基因的表达水平 ,表明PV的表达调控元件和RNA聚合酶基因可用于构建外源基因高效表达载体。     

RNA依赖的RNA聚合酶的结构特征及其靶向抑制剂的开发

新型冠状病毒肺炎是由新型冠状病毒(severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2)感染导致的急性呼吸道传染性疾病。自2019年爆发以来，SARS-CoV-2在世界范围内引起大流行，严重威胁人类的生命安全。目前，已有的疫苗尚不能提供完全的机体免疫保护。因此，开发广谱有效的抗病毒抑制剂是当下热门的研究方向。SARS-CoV-2属于RNA病毒，其RNA依赖性的RNA聚合酶(RNA dependent RNA polymerase, RdRp)在不同RNA病毒中具有高度保守性，是抗病毒抑制剂研发的重要靶标。RdRp是RNA病毒复制的核心组成部分，具有典型的右手杯状结构特征。本文重点介绍近年爆发并持续流行的新型冠状病毒RdRp的结构特征，以及靶向抑制剂的研发进展。同时，选取了其它几种有代表性的致病RNA病毒：流感病毒、轮状病毒、人类鼻病毒、丙型肝炎病毒和寨卡病毒，介绍了它们RdRp的结构特征及其靶向抑制剂的开发。本研究比较了抑制剂靶点结构的异同及抑制效果差异，并分析了可能导致该差异的原因。最后，本文总结讨论了目前针对RdRp...     

利用脊髓灰质炎病毒5‘NCR和RNA聚合酶基因可提高外源基因表达

将含脊髓灰质炎病毒（ＰＶ）ＲＮＡ聚合酶的不同长度基因片段克隆到载体ｐＳＧ５质粒上,分别构建了４个表达ＲＮＡ聚合酶的质粒。体外转录实验证明,ｐＳＧ５－ＰＯＬ１．９９和ｐＳＧ５－ＰＯＬ２．０３质粒转染细胞的提取物促进了特异的ＲＮＡ转录,表明两质闰可表达ＲＮＡ聚合酶。将ＰＶ的５’ＮＣＲ序列插在载体ｐＧＲＥＥＮ ＬＡＮＴＥＲＮ－１的ＣＭＶ启动子下游,构建了ｐＧＲＥＥＮ ＬＡＮＴＥＲＮ－１－５’ＮＣＲ质粒;     

依赖RNA的RNA聚合酶介导RNA干扰的扩增效应

RNA干扰(RNA interference,RNAi)是一种非常高效的基因沉默效应,RNA依赖性RNA聚合酶(RNA—de—pendent RNA polymerase,RdRP)介导的扩增作用可能是RNAi具有高效性的一个主要原因。了解RdRP在生物体中存在的证据、RdRP及其复合体的结构、次级siRNA的产生及转移性RNAi的发生机制等问题,对深入理解RNAi的作用机制和促进RNAi的临床应用有重要意义。     

Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of the West Nile virus RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase NS5 is critical to infection

West Nile virus (WNV) is a single‐stranded, positive sense RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae and is a significant pathogen of global medical importance. Flavivirus replication is known to be exclusively cytoplasmic, but we show here for the first time that access to the nucleus of the WNV strain Kunjin (WNV_KUN) RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (protein NS5) is central to WNV_KUN virus production. We show that treatment of cells with the specific nuclear export inhibitor leptomycin B (LMB) results in increased NS5 nuclear accumulation in WNV_KUN‐infected cells and NS5‐transfected cells, indicative of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling under normal conditions. We used site‐directed mutagenesis to identify the nuclear localisation sequence (NLS) responsible for WNV_KUN NS5 nuclear targeting, observing that mutation of this NLS resulted in exclusively cytoplasmic accumulation of NS5 even in the presence of leptomycin B. Introduction of NS5 NLS mutations into FLSDX, an infectious clone of WNV_KUN, resulted in lethality, suggesting that the ability of NS5 to traffic into the nucleus in integral to WNV_KUN replication. This study thus shows for the first time that NLS‐dependent trafficking into the nucleus during infection of WNV_KUN NS5 is critical for viral replication. Excitingly, specific inhibitors of NS5 nuclear import reduce WNV_KUN virus production, proving the principle that inhibition of WNV_KUN NS5 nuclear import is a viable therapeutic avenue for antiviral drug development in the future.     

Identification and functional characterization of the nascent RNA contacting residues of the hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

Understanding how the hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) interacts with nascent RNA would provide valuable insight into the virus's mechanism for RNA synthesis. Using a peptide mass fingerprinting method and affinity capture of peptides reversibly cross-linked to an alkyn-labeled nascent RNA, we identified a region below the Δ1 loop in the fingers domain of the HCV RdRp that contacts the nascent RNA. A modification protection assay was used to confirm the assignment. Several mutations within the putative nascent RNA binding region were generated and analyzed for RNA synthesis in vitro and in the HCV subgenomic replicon. All mutations tested within this region showed a decrease in primer-dependent RNA synthesis and decreased stabilization of the ternary complex. The results from this study advance our understanding of the structure and function of the HCV RdRp and the requirements for HCV RNA synthesis. In addition, a model of nascent RNA interaction is compared with results from structural studies.     

Mutagenesis of D80-82 and G83 residues in West Nile Virus NS2B: Effects on NS2B-NS3 activity and viral replication

Flaviviral NS2B is a required cofactor for NS3 serine protease activity and plays an important role in promoting functional NS2B-NS3 protease configuration and maintaining critical interactions with protease catalysis substrates. The residues D⁸⁰DDG in West Nile virus (WNV) NS2B are important for protease activity. To investigate the effects of D⁸⁰DDG in NS2B on protease activity and viral replication, the negatively charged region D⁸⁰DD and the conserved residue G83 of NS2B were mutated (D⁸⁰DD/E⁸⁰EE, D⁸⁰DD/K⁸⁰KK, D⁸⁰DD/A⁸⁰AA, G83F, G83S, G83D, G83K, and G83A), and NS3 D75A was designated as the negative control. The effects of the mutations on NS2B-NS3 activity, viral translation, and viral RNA replication were analyzed using kinetic analysis of site-directed enzymes and a transient replicon assay. All substitutions resulted in significantly decreased enzyme activity and blocked RNA replication. The negative charge of D⁸⁰DD is not important for maintaining NS2B function, but side chain changes in G83 have dramatic effects on protease activity and RNA replication. These results demonstrate that NS2B is important for viral replication and that D⁸⁰DD and G83 substitutions prevent replication; they will be useful for understanding the relationship between NS2B and NS3.     

RNA template-mediated inhibition of hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity

The enzymatic activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase NS5B is modulated by the molar ratio of NS5B enzyme and RNA template. Depending on the ratio, either template or enzyme can inhibit activity. Inhibition of NS5B activity by RNA template exhibited characteristics of substrate inhibition, suggesting the template binds to a secondary site on the enzyme forming an inactive complex. Template inhibition was modulated by primer. Increasing concentrations of primer restored NS5B activity and decreased the affinity of template for the secondary site. Conversely, increasing template concentration reduced the affinity of primer binding. The kinetic profiles suggest template inhibition results from the binding of template to a site that interferes with primer binding and the formation of productive replication complexes.     

Novel inhibitors of hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerases

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide-and is the main cause of adult liver transplants in developed nations. We have identified a class of novel and specific inhibitors of HCV NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity in vitro. Characterization of two such inhibitors, COMPOUND1 (5-(4-chlorophenylmethylene)-3-(benzenesulfonylamino)-4-oxxo-2-thionothiazolidine) and COMPOUND2 (5-(4-bromophenylmethylene)-3-(benzenesulfonylamino)-4-oxxo-2-thionothiazolidine), is reported here. With IC(50) values of 0.54muM and 0.44muM, respectively, they are reversible and non-competitive with nucleotides. Biochemical and structural studies have suggested that these compounds can inhibit the initiation of the RdRp reaction. Interestingly, these inhibitors appear to form a reversible covalent bond with the NS5B cysteine 366, a residue that is not only conserved among all HCV genotypes and a large family of viruses but also required for full NS5B RdRp activity. This may reduce the potential resistance of the viruses to this class of inhibitors.     

Phosphonate inhibitors of West Nile virus NS2B/NS3 protease

West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the flavivirus genus belonging to the Flaviviridae family. The viral serine protease NS2B/NS3 has been considered an attractive target for the development of anti-WNV agents. Although several NS2B/NS3 protease inhibitors have been described so far, most of them are reversible inhibitors. Herein, we present a series of α-aminoalkylphosphonate diphenyl esters and their peptidyl derivatives as potent inhibitors of the NS2B/NS3 protease. The most potent inhibitor identified was Cbz-Lys-Arg-(4-GuPhe)^P(OPh)₂ displaying K_i and k₂/K_i values of 0.4 µM and 28 265 M^?1s^?1, respectively, with no significant inhibition of trypsin, cathepsin G, and HAT protease.     

New Non-nucleoside Inhibitors of Hepatitis C Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

Recombinant RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of hepatitis C virus was purified using a bacterial expression system (Escherichia coli). The system for enzyme activity detection was optimized. The maximum activity was achieved when the reaction was carried out at 30 degrees C in the presence of 3 mM Mg2+ or 0.75 mM Mn2+. Among alpha- and beta-pyrogallaldehydes, effective inhibitors were found. It was shown that they acted at the primer elongation stage, and their binding to the protein is reversible.     

Energetics of RNA binding by the West Nile virus RNA triphosphatase

The West Nile virus (WNV) RNA genome harbors the characteristic methylated cap structure present at the 5' end of eukaryotic mRNAs. In the present study, we report a detailed study of the binding energetics and thermodynamic parameters involved in the interaction between RNA and the WNV RNA triphosphatase, an enzyme involved in the synthesis of the RNA cap structure. Fluorescence spectroscopy assays revealed that the initial interaction between RNA and the enzyme is characterized by a high enthalpy of association and that the minimal RNA binding site of NS3 is 13 nucleotides. In order to provide insight into the relationship between the enzyme structure and RNA binding, we also correlated the effect of RNA binding on protein structure using both circular dichroism and denaturation studies as structural indicators. Our data indicate that the protein undergoes structural modifications upon RNA binding, although the interaction does not significantly modify the stability of the protein.