单核细胞增多性李斯特菌氨基肽酶Lmo1711体外表达及其酶活分析

对单核细胞增多性李斯特菌(简称单增李斯特菌)lmo1711基因编码的氨基肽酶进行克隆表达与纯化,并研究该重组蛋白的体外酶学特性。首先通过生物信息学分析预测Lmo1711与氨基肽酶家族成员的亲缘关系及关键活性位点的保守性。利用SWISS-MODEL模拟预测该蛋白的空间结构;构建Lmo1711原核表达载体并转化入E.coli Rosetta中,诱导表达重组目的蛋白,并利用镍离子亲和层析方法纯化目的蛋白;以氨基酸-对硝基苯胺偶联物为底物,Lmo1711通过水解底物N端氨基酸残基产生游离对硝基苯胺单体,405 nm处检测吸光值对该产物进行检测从而分析Lmo1711的酶学特性。在此基础上系统研究Lmo1711对不同氨基酸残基底物的催化特异性,及不同金属离子对该酶活性的影响。经原核表达纯化获得49.3 kDa的重组Lmo1711蛋白,与预测分子量一致;生物信息学分析推测Lmo1711属于M29氨基肽酶家族,且存在保守关键氨基酸活性位点(Glu250、Glu316、His345、Tyr352、His378、Asp380);酶活分析显示,Lmo1711具有较强的氨基肽酶活性,针对不同底物的结合和催化能力差异较大,对亮氨酸残基的亲和程度最高;Lmo1711氨基肽酶活性具有金属离子依赖性,Co~(2+)、Cd~(2+)、Zn~(2+)等多种金属离子均能显著增强其活性,其中Co~(2+)的激活效应最显著。本试验首次发现并证实,单增李斯特菌Lmo1711属于M29氨基肽酶家族成员,具有较强的催化活性,且对金属离子具有不同程度的依赖性。     

The thymic stromal cell line MTSC4 induced thymocyte apoptosis in a non-MHC-restricted manner

Mouse thymic stromal cell line 4 (MTSC4) is one of the stromal cell lines established in our laboratory. While losing the characteristics of epithelial cells, they express some surface markers shared with thymic dendritic cells (TDCs). To further study the biological functions of these cells, we compared the capability of MTSC4 with TDCs in the induction of thymocyte apoptosis, using thymic reaggregation culture system. Apoptosis of thymocytes induced by MTSC4 and TDCs was measured by Annexin V and PI staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. We found that MTSC4 selectively augmented the apoptosis of CD4^ 8^ (DP) thymocytes. This effect was Fas/FasL independent and could not be blocked by antibodies to MHC class I and class II molecules. In addition, MTSC4 enhanced the apoptosis of DP thymocytes from different strains of mice, which implies that MTSC4-induced thymocyte apoptosis is not mediated by the TCR recognition of self peptide/MHC molecules. In contrast to MTSC4, thymocyte apoptosis induced by TDCs was MHC-restricted. Thus, MHC-independent fashion of stromal-DP thymocyte interaction may be one of the ways to induce thymocyte apoptosis in thymus. Our study has also shown that the interaction of MTSC4 stromal cells and thymocytes is required for the induction of thymocyte apoptosis.     

Role of myosin light chain kinase in regulation of basal blood pressure and maintenance of salt-induced hypertension

Vascular tone, an important determinant of systemic vascular resistance and thus blood pressure, is affected by vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contraction. Key signaling pathways for VSM contraction converge on phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain (RLC) of smooth muscle myosin. This phosphorylation is mediated by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) but Ca(2+)-independent kinases may also contribute, particularly in sustained contractions. Signaling through MLCK has been indirectly implicated in maintenance of basal blood pressure, whereas signaling through RhoA has been implicated in salt-induced hypertension. In this report, we analyzed mice with smooth muscle-specific knockout of MLCK. Mesenteric artery segments isolated from smooth muscle-specific MLCK knockout mice (MLCK(SMKO)) had a significantly reduced contractile response to KCl and vasoconstrictors. The kinase knockout also markedly reduced RLC phosphorylation and developed force. We suggest that MLCK and its phosphorylation of RLC are required for tonic VSM contraction. MLCK(SMKO) mice exhibit significantly lower basal blood pressure and weaker responses to vasopressors. The elevated blood pressure in salt-induced hypertension is reduced below normotensive levels after MLCK attenuation. These results suggest that MLCK is necessary for both physiological and pathological blood pressure. MLCK(SMKO) mice may be a useful model of vascular failure and hypotension.     

高山被孢霉产花生四烯酸及其遗传改造的研究进展

花生四烯酸作为一种重要的多价不饱和脂肪酸,因其具有多种生理功能而被认为是潜在的食品添加剂和药物。近年来,利用高山被孢霉合成花生四烯酸已成为研究热点。前期相关研究主要集中在菌种选育及发酵调控方面。随着研究的不断深入,关于高山被孢霉合成花生四烯酸的代谢途径的研究取得了较大进展。以下简要概述前期工作进展,着重论述花生四烯酸合成途径的关键酶及其高山被孢霉的遗传改造的研究情况,包括生物合成花生四烯酸代谢途径、关键酶及其应用、高山被孢霉的遗传操作系统的构建以及遗传改造的应用,并对其研究前景进行了展望。     

中国黏菌的三个新记录种

报道了采自内蒙古自治区的3个黏菌中国新记录种：榄色孔膜菌Enteridium olivaceum,疏网发丝菌Stemonaria laxiretis和硬网发菌Comatricha rigidireta。通过扫描电镜观察,描述了它们的形态特征,与相近种进行了比较和讨论。考证标本保存于吉林农业大学菌物标本馆（MHJAU）。     

中国河南两株庚型肝炎病毒（HGV）NS5区部分cDNA的克隆与序列分析

通过逆转录－聚合酶链反应从我国河南省２例重叠感染ＨＣＶ或ＨＢＶ／ＨＤＶ的献血啼中,分离到ＨＢＶＮＳ５区的部分ｃＤＮＡ,对其进行序列分析比较,结果表明,河南株ＨＧＶＮＳ５工核苷酸与两中国ＨＧＶ主同源性高于国外代表株（８８．５－９０．６％）,但由核苷酸推导的氨基酸的同源性都无明显的地区性区别。ＨＧＶＮＳ５区氨基酸序列较保守,缺乏明显高变区,中国４株ＨＧＶ在７３８４位发生了由Ｃ→Ｔ的变异,从而导致一个人     

CDK5-Mediated Phosphorylation-Dependent Ubiquitination and Degradation of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases GP78 Accelerates Neuronal Death in Parkinson’s Disease

The molecular mechanisms responsible for the loss of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remain obscure. Loss of function of E3 ubiquitin ligases is associated with mitochondria dysfunction, dysfunction of protein degradation, and α-synuclein aggregation, which are major contributors to neurodegeneration in PD. Recent research has thus focused on E3 ubiquitin ligase glycoprotein 78 (GP78); however, the role of GP78 in PD pathogenesis remains unclear. Notably, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) controls multiple cellular events in postmitotic neurons, and CDK5 activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PD. Thus, we addressed the relationship between CDK5 and GP78 in MPTP-based PD models. We found that GP78 expression is decreased in MPTP-based cellular and animal PD models, and CDK5 directly phosphorylated GP78 at Ser516, which promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of GP78. Importantly, overexpression of GP78 or interference of GP78 Ser516 phosphorylation protected neurons against MPP⁺-induced cell death. Thus, our research reveals that the CDK5-GP78 pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of PD and could be a novel candidate drug target for the treatment of PD.     

Pull-push neuromodulation of LTP and LTD enables bidirectional experience-induced synaptic scaling in visual cortex

Neuromodulatory input, acting on G protein-coupled receptors, is essential for the induction of experience-dependent cortical plasticity. Here we report that G-coupled receptors in layer II/III of visual cortex control the polarity of synaptic plasticity through a pull-push regulation of LTP and LTD. In slices, receptors coupled to Gs promote LTP while suppressing LTD; conversely, receptors coupled to Gq11 promote LTD and suppress LTP. In vivo, the selective stimulation of Gs- or Gq11-coupled receptors brings the cortex into LTP-only or LTD-only states, which allows the potentiation or depression of targeted synapses with visual stimulation. The pull-push regulation of LTP/LTD occurs via direct control of the synaptic plasticity machinery and it is independent of changes in NMDAR activation or neuronal excitability. We propose these simple rules governing the pull-push control of LTP/LTD form a general metaplasticity mechanism that may contribute to neuromodulation of plasticity in other cortical circuits.     

RNAi介导的OsBTF3基因沉默及其对水稻籽粒相关性状的影响

为了创制OsBTF3基因沉默的水稻植株、验证该基因在水稻籽粒相关性状中的功能、评价其在水稻遗传改良中潜在的应用价值,设计和合成OsBTF3基因序列的引物、扩增部分基因片段,构建RNAi基因沉默载体、通过农杆菌介导转化愈伤组织、植株再生、潮霉素抗性筛选和PCR验证、定量分析OsBTF3基因表达量,测定转基因水稻籽粒相关性状。结果表明,成功地获得了20个T1代OsBTF3-RNAi转基因株系,OsBTF3基因表达量得到显著的抑制和干扰,抑制效果平均达到85%;与野生型对照株相比,5个所测定RNAi转基因株系的穗长、穗粒数、千粒重和穗粒重等籽粒相关性状明显地减小或降低。因此,RNAi介导的基因沉默导致了OsBTF3基因表达水平抑制以及在籽粒性状中的功能缺失;OsBTF3可能是一个调控水稻籽粒相关性状重要的功能基因。