Crystallographic and kinetic evidence of allostery in a trypsin-like protease

Protein allostery is based on the existence of multiple conformations in equilibrium linked to distinct functional properties. Although evidence of allosteric transitions is relatively easy to identify by functional studies, structural detection of a pre-existing equilibrium between alternative conformations remains challenging even for textbook examples of allosteric proteins. Kinetic studies show that the trypsin-like protease thrombin exists in equilibrium between two conformations where the active site is either collapsed (E*) or accessible to substrate (E). However, structural demonstration that the two conformations exist in the same enzyme construct free of ligands has remained elusive. Here we report the crystal structure of the thrombin mutant N143P in the E form, which complements the recently reported structure in the E* form, and both the E and E* forms of the thrombin mutant Y225P. The side chain of W215 moves 10.9 ? between the two forms, causing a displacement of 6.6 ? of the entire 215-217 segment into the active site that in turn opens or closes access to the primary specificity pocket. Rapid kinetic measurements of p-aminobenzamidine binding to the active site confirm the existence of the E*-E equilibrium in solution for wild-type and the mutants N143P and Y225P. These findings provide unequivocal proof of the allosteric nature of thrombin and lend strong support to the recent proposal that the E*-E equilibrium is a key property of the trypsin fold.     

滑动序列对游仆虫中识别+1位和+2位编程性核糖体移码具有关键作用

编程性核糖体移码(programmed ribosomal frameshifting,PRF)广泛存在于生命进化谱系的各个分支,是一种翻译水平上的基因表达调控方式。单细胞真核生物游仆虫(Euplotes)中不仅PRF基因比例高,而且移码类型有+1和+2位两种。本研究从基因组水平对八肋游仆虫(E.octocarinatus)中的+2 PRF基因进行了鉴定,比较分析+1及+2 PRF基因中可能的调控元件。为了探讨游仆虫中滑动序列对移码类型的影响,克隆了八肋游仆虫的+1 PRF基因——η微管蛋白基因,将其构建到含绿色荧光蛋白报告基因的游仆虫大核人工染色体中,转染游仆虫细胞,通过检测GFP的表达来确定不同滑动序列突变体对应的移码类型。结果表明,滑动序列的改变能使游仆虫+1 PRF转变为+2 PRF,且这种移码类型的改变与滑动序列第1个密码子编码何种氨基酸无关。本研究揭示了滑动序列对游仆虫中识别+1和+2位的编程性核糖体移码具有关键作用。     

Detection of C677T mutation of MTHFR in subject with coronary heart disease by hairpin probe with enzymatic color on microarray

Molecular beacon (MB) is especially suited for detection of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and the type of MB immobilized on the surface of microarray in particular, may detect multi-sample and multi-locus. However, the majority of MB needs to be labeled with fluorescence and quenching molecules on the two ends of the probe, and observed the reaction of fluorescence or complicated electrochemical signal produced hybridization of MB and target sequence by complex and expensive instruments. The "molecular beacon" and microarray designed appropriately in our study can produce visible light response signal induced by amplification effect of enzymatic color, and are avoided with the marker of fluorescence and quenching molecules and expensive instruments. The "molecular beacon" without fluorescence and quenching molecules is entitled as "hairpin DNA probe" by us for only the "hairpin" structure of traditional molecular beacon is adopted. The merits of two techniques, molecular beacon and amplification effect of enzymatic color, are successfully combined, and the technique is simple, sensitive and specific, to detect and compare the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) Gene C677T mutation of subjects between coronary heart disease (CHD) and control group. The results showed that MTHFR Gene C677T polymorphism is an independent risk factor for CHD.     

睫毛萼凤仙花的组织培养及其愈伤组织的超微观察

试验以睫毛萼凤仙花无菌苗的叶片、茎和根为外植体进行离体培养,并对两种具有不同再分化能力的愈伤组织进行电镜超微观察.结果表明:在培养基MS+NAA 0.5 mg/L+6-BA 0.5 mg/L上愈伤组织诱导率达最高,叶片愈伤组织的诱导率为100%,茎的愈伤组织诱导率为67%,而根却没有愈伤组织的发生;叶片愈伤组织在MS+...     

Tenascin，β-catenin，TGF—β1在胃癌中的表达及意义

目的：探讨胃癌组织中Tenascin、β—catenin、TGF－β1的表达及意义。方法：采用免疫组织化学方法检测70例胃癌组织和20例癌旁正常组织中Tenascin、β-catenin、TGF—β1的表达。结果：①Tenascin主要表达于胃癌组织中癌相关纤维母细胞的胞质,且与胃癌的Lauren分型、分化程度、临床分期、淋巴结转移关系显著（P〈0．05）;②β－catenin在胃癌的异常表达与胃癌的Lauren分型及分化程度关系显著（P〈0．05）;③TGF—β1在胃癌组织中主要表达于肿瘤细胞的胞质,其表达强度与胃癌的临床分期、浸润深度及淋巴结转移显著相关（P〈0．05）;④Tenascin与β—catenin在胃癌中的表达呈负相关（r=－0．505,P〈0．05）。结论：胃癌组织中Tenascin、β—catenin、TGF—β1蛋白的表达与肿瘤的侵袭、转移关系密切,β-catenin对间质中Tenascin的聚集具有抑制效应。     

基于图形硬件加速的生物序列比对算法研究

生物序列比对是生物信息学的基础,是当今功能基因组学研究中最常用、最重要的研究方法之一。本文对各类序列比对算法优缺点进行分析,对图形硬件的优势进行挖掘。在此基础上,将各类序列比对算法中准确性最高的动态规划算法予以实现,并将其映射到图形硬件上,以实现算法加速。通过实例进行性能评测,结果表明该加速算法在保证比对准确性的同时,能较大地提高比对速度。     

胃癌组织中Tenascin、MVD、Ki-67 的表达及其临床意义

目的:探讨胃癌组织中Tenascin蛋白、微血管密度(microvascular density,MVD)、Ki-67的表达及其与临床病理特征的关系。方法:采用免疫组化Elivision法检测70例胃癌组织和20例癌旁正常组织中Tenascin、CD34和Ki-67的表达。结果:①正常胃黏膜上皮Tenascin阴性,胃癌中的Tenascin主要表达于肿瘤相关纤维母细胞的胞质中,且与胃癌的Lauren分型、分化程度、临床分期、淋巴结转移显著相关(P<0.05);②胃癌中MVD和Ki-67-L(I标记指数)均高于正常胃黏膜(P<0.001),且均与胃癌的临床分期、浸润深度、淋巴结转移显著相关(P<0.05);结论:胃癌组织中Tenascin可抑制胃癌的演进,MVD及Ki-67可作为胃癌患者预后的预测指标,联合检测胃癌组织Tenascin、MVD、Ki-67的表达情况,对于进一步了解胃癌的生物学行为和判断预后具有一定的临床价值与意义。     

八肋游仆虫第二类肽链释放因子核定位信号分析

蛋白质合成终止过程中肽链释放因子负责终止密码子的识别.真核生物第二类肽链释放因子（eRF3）是一类GTP酶,协助第一类肽链释放因子（eRF1）识别终止密码子和水解肽酰 tRNA酯键.之前的研究表明,两类肽链释放因子在细胞核中发挥功能,参与蛋白质合成和纺锤体的组装.本研究根据软件预测结果,构建了一系列八肋游仆虫eRF3的截短型突变体,分析在其N端是否存在引导eRF3的核定位信号.结果表明,在eRF3的N端有两个区域（NLS1:23-36 aa 和 NLS2: 236-272 aa）可以引导eRF3进入细胞核中,而且这两个区域具有典型的核定位信号的氨基酸序列特征. eRF3的核定位与其作为一种穿梭蛋白的功能相一致,即参与细胞有丝分裂纺锤体的形成和无义介导的mRNA降解途径.