Requirement of the Pr55gag precursor for incorporation of the Vpr product into human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral particles.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles consists of two molecules of genomic RNA as well as molecules originating from gag, pol, and env products, all synthesized as precursor proteins. The 96-amino-acid Vpr protein, the only virion-associated HIV-1 regulatory protein, is not part of the virus polyprotein precursors, and its incorporation into virus particles must occur by way of an interaction with a component normally found in virions. To investigate the mechanism of incorporation of Vpr into the HIV-1 virion, Vpr- proviral DNA constructs harboring mutations or deletions in specific virion-associated gene products were cotransfected with Vpr expressor plasmids in COS cells. Virus released from the transfected cells was tested for the presence of Vpr by immunoprecipitation with Vpr-specific antibodies. The results of these experiments show that Vpr is trans-incorporated into virions but at a lower efficiency than when Vpr is expressed from a proviral construct. The minimal viral genetic information necessary for Vpr incorporation was a deleted provirus encoding only the pr55gag polyprotein precursor. Incorporation of Vpr requires the expression but not the processing of gag products and is independent of pol and env expression. Direct interaction of Vpr with the Pr55gag precursor protein was demonstrated by coprecipitation experiments with gag product-specific antibodies. Overall, these results indicate that HIV-1 Vpr is incorporated into the nascent virion through an interaction with the Gag precursor polyprotein and demonstrate a novel mechanism by which viral protein can be incorporated into virus particles.     

Nucleocapsid-glycoprotein interactions required for assembly of alphaviruses.

We have studied interactions between nucleocapsids and glycoproteins required for budding of alphaviruses, using Ross River virus-Sindbis virus chimeras in which the nucleocapsid protein is derived from one virus and the envelope glycoproteins are derived from the second virus. A virus containing the Ross River virus genome in which the capsid protein had been replaced with that from Sindbis virus was almost nonviable. Nucleocapsids formed in normal numbers in the infected cell, but very little virus was released from the cell. There are 11 amino acid differences between Ross River virus and Sindbis virus in their 33-residue E2 cytoplasmic domains. Site-specific mutagenesis was used to change 9 of these 11 amino acids in the chimera from the Ross River virus to the Sindbis virus sequence in an attempt to adapt the E2 of the chimera to the nucleocapsid. The resulting mutant chimera grew 4 orders of magnitude better than the parental chimeric virus. This finding provides direct evidence for a sequence-specific interaction between the nucleocapsid and the E2 cytoplasmic domain during virus budding. The mutated chimeric virus readily gave rise to large-plaque variants that grew almost as well as Ross River virus, suggesting that additional single amino acid substitutions in the structural proteins can further enhance the interactions between the disparate capsid and the glycoproteins. Unexpectedly, change of E2 residue 394 from lysine (Ross River virus) to glutamic acid (Sindbis virus) was deleterious for the chimera, suggesting that in addition to its role in nucleocapsid-E2 interactions, the N-terminal part of the E2 cytoplasmic domain may be involved in glycoprotein-glycoprotein interactions required to assemble the glycoprotein spikes. The reciprocal chimera, Sindbis virus containing the Ross River virus capsid, also grew poorly. Suppressor mutations arose readily in this chimera, producing a virus that grew moderately well and that formed larger plaques.     

葡萄叶绿体rbcL基因的结构分析

以玫瑰香葡萄（Ｖｉｔｉｓｖｉｎｉｆｅｒａ Ｌ．）为材料,克隆了含有叶绿体ｒｂｃ Ｌ基因的３．１ ｋｂ Ｂａｍ ＨⅠ片段,构建了该基因的限制性酶切图谱,测定了该基因的核苷酸序列。所测的核苷酸序列总长度为２００４ ｂｐ,其中基因的编码区为１４２８ ｂｐ,编码一个含４７５ 个氨基酸的蛋白质,其分子量约为５３ ｋＤ;测定基因的５上游含启动子的部分共３５８ ｂｐ,包括－ １０ 区（ＴＡＡＡＡＴ）、－ ３５区（ＴＴＧＣＧＣ）和ＳＤ 序列（ＧＧＡＧＧ）;基因的３下游区共２１８ ｂｐ,含有３ 个转录茎环终止结构。玫瑰香葡萄ｒｂｃ Ｌ基因编码区的核苷酸序列与烟草、矮牵牛、菠菜、苜蓿、水稻和玉米之间的同源性分别为９１．５％ 、９１．４％ 、９０．２％ 、８９．８％ 、８６．３％ 和８４．５％ ;推导出的氨基酸序列的同源性分别为９２．２％ 、９１．６％ 、９２．２％ 、９３．７％ 、９３．５％ 和９０．１％ 。     

Isolation of Expressed Sequences Encoded by the Human Xq Terminal Portion Using Microclone Probes Generated by Laser Microdissection

The genes that cause a variety of neurologic and neuromuscular disorders have been mapped to the distal region of Xq. In an effort to isolate genes from this area, a regional genomic library of the distal 30% of Xq was constructed from a single metaphase spread by means of laser microdissection and single unique primer-polymerase chain reaction. Using pooled probes of 1000 clones from the genomic library, human brain cDNA libraries were screened for expressed sequences encoded by this region. From the 250,000 cDNA clones screened so far, 10 nonoverlapping sequences that mapped back to the target portion were isolated. The complete nucleotide sequences of these cDNA clones have been determined. Analysis of the sequences indicates that none has significant similarity to previously characterized primate genes. One sequence mapping to Xq27.3-qter contained an open reading frame of 281 amino acids and was expressed in every tissue tested. This gene, as well as others isolated in this manner, may prove to be a candidate gene for heritable disorders mapping to this region.     

陕西省常见蜜源植物花粉形态的研究

运用扫描电子显微镜,对陕西省境内３０种常见蜜源植物的花粉粒进行了观察研究,描述了花粉粒的大小、萌发孔类型及其表面纹饰等形态特征。结果表明：绝大多数种的蜜源植物,其花粉粒的形态特征明显不同。本文还就花粉粒形态特征,在鉴定蜜源植物花粉的属种,确定蜂蜜的产地、评价蜂蜜的品质等方面进行了探讨。     

Zn对细胞保护作用机理的研究

应用扫描质子微探针和同步辐射ｘ荧光分析技术测定了细胞中元素的分布和组成,为确定Zn是细胞结构成分提供了直接的实验依据.用上述核技术结合有关生化指标,分析测定了正常和损伤细胞（脂质过氧化损伤）中Fe,Zn和丙二醛、SH基含量变化的相互关系.实验结果表明,当细胞发生脂质过氧化损伤时,Fe含量和丙二醛含量同步增高,而Zn含量和SH基量则降低.给细胞补充Zn后,提高了细胞质膜中的Zn含量,SH基量也随之增加,同时丙二醛量降低.提示Zn保护细胞完整性的作用机理之一是控制脂质过氧化作用.Zn可保护膜蛋白的SH基,减少和阻止被Fe所催化的过氧化反应.     

江西忍冬属药用植物资源

报道了江西忍冬属药用植物种类、地理分布、临床疗效、化学成分等有关情况,对该属资源的开发利用提出了合理建议。     

γ射线诱发大鼠胚胎细胞转化与N－ras的激活

以γ射线诱发转化的大鼠胚胎细胞(REC:myc:γ33)的DNA构建粘粒基因库,用总基因库DNA转染NIH/3T3细胞,产生转化灶的DNA作二轮转染,二轮转化的NIH/3T3细胞内有大鼠REC:myc:γ33DNA中具转化活性的N-ras基因,用不对称PCR和DNA序列分析法证明,REC:myc:γ33细胞中鼠N-ras的活化是由于第61位密码子的A→G点突变.NIH/3T3转化灶中鼠N-ras也有同样点突变,但NIH/3T3细胞的内源性N-ras基因则无此突变.