Phosphorylation on tyrosine-15 of p34(Cdc2) by ErbB2 inhibits p34(Cdc2) activation and is involved in resistance to taxol-induced apoptosis

ErbB2 overexpression confers resistance to taxol-induced apoptosis by inhibiting p34(Cdc2) activation. One mechanism is via ErbB2-mediated upregulation of p21(Cip1), which inhibits Cdc2. Here, we report that the inhibitory phosphorylation on Cdc2 tyrosine (Y)15 (Cdc2-Y15-p) is elevated in ErbB2-overexpressing breast cancer cells and primary tumors. ErbB2 binds to and colocalizes with cyclin B-Cdc2 complexes and phosphorylates Cdc2-Y15. The ErbB2 kinase domain is sufficient to directly phosphorylate Cdc2-Y15. Increased Cdc2-Y15-p in ErbB2-overexpressing cells corresponds with delayed M phase entry. Expressing a nonphosphorylatable mutant of Cdc2 renders cells more sensitive to taxol-induced apoptosis. Thus, ErbB2 membrane RTK can confer resistance to taxol-induced apoptosis by directly phosphorylating Cdc2.     

胞红蛋白在肝肾纤维化中的作用

胞红蛋白是珠蛋白家族中的新成员,在组织中有广泛表达,但这种表达只限于成纤维细胞及其衍生细胞中,且定位在细胞质中.最初认为胞红蛋白与其它珠蛋白在功能上有一定的相似性,如携带氧至线粒体、作为氧的感受器等.但胞红蛋白的特殊结构及主要定位与上述功能并不完全相符.越来越多的研究认为胞红蛋白参与纤维化形成,并且其过表达可以对抗损伤导致的氧化应激,从而抑制自由基介导的成纤维细胞的活化及组织的纤维化.     

The First Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS-1) of Ribosomal DNA as a Molecular Marker for Phylogenetic and Population Analyses in Crustacea

The objective of the present study is to explore the feasibility of using the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA as a molecular marker for studying the interspecific and intraspecific genetic variations among crustaceans. We designed primers that could amplify ITS-1 from a majority of taxonomic groups of crustaceans. The gene was found to exhibit a high degree of length polymorphism among different groups, ranging from 182 bp in the barnacle Balanus amphitrite to approximately 820 bp in the spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus. With respect to differences between congeneric species, it was found that the ITS-1 sequences of 3 mitten crabs, Eriocheir sinensis, Eriocheir leptognathus, and Eriocheir formosa, exhibit 5.4% to 16.3% nucleotide divergence, suggesting that ITS-1 is informative for phylogenetic analysis at the species level. Yet there are extensive (0.9%–2.3%) variations within individual E. formosa, so that phylogenetic analyses could be obscured. ITS-1 was found to vary between 2 geographical populations of the shrimp Penaeus japonicus. The variations involved substitutions as well as insertions/deletions between shrimp from Australia and South China Sea. These results show that ITS-1 is highly divergent among different crustaceans and could be an appropriate marker for molecular systematic studies at the species and population levels, although the presence of intragenomic variation needs to be taken into consideration. Received August 15, 2000; accepted February 9, 2001     

脂联素调节糖脂代谢相关信号通路的研究进展

脂联素是一种主要由脂肪组织分泌的脂肪细胞因子,具有调节糖脂代谢、增强胰岛素敏感性、抗炎和抗动脉粥样硬化等多种作用。在脂联素介导的信号通路中,脂联素首先与脂联素受体(AdipoR)位于膜外的羧基端结合,再通过AdipoR膜内的氨基端与信号接头蛋白结合,进而激活下游的多条信号通路,其中腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶(AMPK)是脂联素信号通路中的关键分子,活化的AMPK可以使其下游的乙酰辅酶A羧化酶(ACC)、p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(p38 MAPK)、磷脂酰肌醇3激酶(PI3K)等多种胞质信号分子磷酸化,介导细胞能量代谢。本文重点综述了脂联素通过AMPK调节糖脂代谢的信号通路的研究进展。     

Localization of angiotensin II in pig ovary and its effects on oocyte maturation in vitro

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been found in mammalian ovarian tissue; however, its physiological role is unclear. This study examined the content of angiotensin II (Ang II) in porcine follicular fluid (pFF), Ang II localization and its receptors in ovary, and the effects of Ang II on porcine oocyte maturation. The concentrations of Ang II were 6951.82 +/- 1295.83, 3502.99 +/- 679.10, 3147.89 +/- 690.60, and 2545.92 +/- 407.01 pg/ml in pFF from small, medium, large, and extra-large follicles, respectively. In addition, Ang II was found on zona pellucidae (ZP) and granulosa cells by immunoreactive staining. The distribution of AT1, an Ang II receptor subtype, was in accordance with that of Ang II. However, AT2, another Ang II receptor, was mainly distributed in the stroma and thecal layers of follicles. When oocytes were cultured in media containing various concentrations of Ang II, a higher (P<0.05) proportion of oocytes reached metaphase II (MII) in the medium with 100 ng/ml (87.0%) than without Ang II (61%). When oocytes from different sizes of follicles were separately cultured in media containing 100 ng/ml Ang II, maturation rates were significantly higher in oocytes from small (61.5%) and medium (85.1%) follicles than that of their controls (45.1 and 72.6%, respectively). However, addition of Ang II inhibited nuclear maturation in oocytes from large follicles (77.8% versus 87.3%). Fertilization and male pronuclear (MPN) formation rates of oocytes matured in medium containing 100 or 1000 ng/ml of Ang II were higher (P<0.05) than that of oocytes matured in medium containing 0 or 10 ng/ml Ang II. Glutathione content in oocytes cultured for 44 h in medium containing 100 or 1000 ng/ml of Ang II was also higher (P<0.01) than that of oocytes cultured in medium containing 0 or 10 ng/ml Ang II. In conclusion, Ang II was present in porcine ovaries and may regulate follicle growth and oocyte maturation.     

Improving the decolorization for textile dyes of a metagenome-derived alkaline laccase by directed evolution

To obtain better performing laccases for textile dyes decolorization, random mutagenesis of Lac591, a metagenome-derived alkaline laccase, was carried out. After three rounds of error-prone PCR and high-throughput screening by assaying enzymatic activity toward the phenolic substrate 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP), a mutant (Lac3T93) with remarkably improved enzymatic activity was obtained. Sequence analysis revealed that four amino acid substitutions (N40S, V55A, F62L, and E316V) were accumulated in the Lac3T93. Compared to the wild-type enzyme, the specific activity of Lac3T93 toward 2,6-DMP was increased to 4.8-fold (61.22 U/mg), and its optimal temperature and pH were changed to 60°C and 8.0 from 55°C and 7.5 of the wild-type enzyme, respectively. Furthermore, the degradation ability of Lac3T93 for textile dyes was investigated, and the new variant represented improved decolorization percentage for four industrial dyes with complex phenyl structure (Basic Blue 3, Methylene Blue, Bromophenol Blue, and Crystal Violet) and higher decolorization efficiency for Indigo Carmine than that of the parent enzyme. Furthermore, the decolorization percentage of Lac3T93 for five dyes in the absence of hydroxybenzotrizole (HBT) is clearly higher than those of the wild-type enzyme with 1 mM HBT, and HBT can further improve its decolorization ability.     

In vitro intragenomic rearrangement of porcine circovirus type 2

We report here for the first time the genome sequence of a rearranged porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) strain, CH-IVT1, isolated from PCV2-infected PK-15 cells. The complete circular genome of the CH-IVT1 is 605 nucleotides (nt) in length. The finding will help us to understand the molecular evolution of PCV2 and the relationship between PCV2 and PCV-associated diseases.     

Efficiency of donor cell preparation and recipient oocyte source for production of transgenic cloned dairy goats harboring human lactoferrin

The objective was to investigate the effects of the transgenic donor cell synchronization method, oocyte sources, and other factors, on production of hLF-gene nucleus transfer dairy goats. Three transfected cell lines from ear biopsies from three 3-mo-old Saanen dairy goats (designated Number 1, Number 2, and Number 3, respectively) were selected as karyoplast donors for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) after detailed identification (including PCR and sequencing of PCR products). In donor cell cycle synchronization studies, the apoptosis rate of hLF transgenic fibroblasts was not different (P > 0.05) after 3 days of serum starvation or 2 days of contact inhibition. Additionally, there was no effect (P > 0.05) on developmental capacity of reconstructed embryos; however, the kidding rate of recipients in the serum starvation group was higher than that in the contact inhibition group (18 vs. 0%, respectively). The production efficiency of the transgenic cloned goats using donor cells from the Number 1 dairy goat cell line was higher than those using the Number 2 and the Number 3 cell lines (kidding rates were 18, 2, and 0%, respectively, P < 0.05). The oocyte source did not significantly affect the pregnancy rate of hLF-transgenic cloned dairy goats, but more fetuses were aborted when using in vitro matured oocytes compared to in vivo matured oocytes. In summary, utilizing transfected 3-mo-old dairy goat fibroblasts as donor cells, seven live offspring were produced, and the hLF gene was successfully integrated. This study provided additional insights into preparation of donor cells and recipient oocytes for producing transgenic cloned goats through SCNT.     

A novel β-glucosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus fumigates</Emphasis> releases diosgenin from spirostanosides of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dioscorea zingiberensis</Emphasis> C. H. Wright (DZW)

A β-glucosidase effectively releasing diosgenin from spirostanosides of Dioscorea zingiberensis C. H. Wright (DZW), named AfG, was purified from a strain of Aspergillus fumigates. The molecular weight of AfG was 113 kDa. Analysis of protein fragments by ESI-Q-TOF indicated that AfG was a β-glucosidase. The circular dichroism spectrum suggested that the main secondary structure of AfG in Milli-Q water was α-helixes. Atomic force microscopy revealed that it was a globular protein. AfG maintained high activity from pH 3.6 to 5.0 and from 50 to 90°C. With the strong heat stability, AfG retained 55% of its original activity at 65°C for 120 h. AfG utilized muti-3-O-glycosides of various steroidal saponins from DZW as substrate, such as trillin, diosgenin diglucoside, dioscin, deltonin and gracillin, to yield diosgenin, suggesting the possibility of producing diosgenin from total saponins of DZW using a single enzyme.