A genetic suppressor of two dominant temperature-sensitive lethal proteasome mutants of Drosophila melanogaster is itself a mutated proteasome subunit gene

Two dominant temperature-sensitive (DTS) lethal mutants of Drosophila melanogaster are Pros26(1) and Prosbeta2(1), previously known as DTS5 and DTS7. Heterozygotes for either mutant die as pupae when raised at 29 degrees , but are normally viable and fertile at 25 degrees . Previous studies have identified these as missense mutations in the genes encoding the beta6 and beta2 subunits of the 20S proteasome, respectively. In an effort to isolate additional proteasome-related mutants a screen for dominant suppressors of Pros26(1) was carried out, resulting in the identification of Pros25(SuDTS) [originally called Su(DTS)], a missense mutation in the gene encoding the 20S proteasome alpha2 subunit. Pros25(SuDTS) acts in a dominant manner to rescue both Pros26(1) and Prosbeta2(1) from their DTS lethal phenotypes. Using an in vivo protein degradation assay it was shown that this suppression occurs by counteracting the dominant-negative effect of the DTS mutant on proteasome activity. Pros25(SuDTS) is a recessive polyphasic lethal at ambient temperatures. The effects of these mutants on larval neuroblast mitosis were also examined. While Prosbeta2(1) shows a modest increase in the number of defective mitotic figures, there were no defects seen with the other two mutants, other than slightly reduced mitotic indexes.     

Insoluble aggregates and protease-resistant conformers of prion protein in uninfected human brains

Aggregated prion protein (PrPSc), which is detergent-insoluble and partially proteinase K (PK)-resistant, constitutes the major component of infectious prions that cause a group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in animals and humans. PrPSc derives from a detergent-soluble and PK-sensitive cellular prion protein (PrPC) through an alpha-helix to beta-sheet transition. This transition confers on the PrPSc molecule unique physicochemical and biological properties, including insolubility in nondenaturing detergents, an enhanced tendency to form aggregates, resistance to PK digestion, and infectivity, which together are regarded as the basis for distinguishing PrPSc from PrPC. Here we demonstrate, using sedimentation and size exclusion chromatography, that small amounts of detergent-insoluble PrP aggregates are present in uninfected human brains. Moreover, PK-resistant PrP core fragments are detectable following PK treatment. This is the first study that provides experimental evidence supporting the hypothesis that there might be silent prions lying dormant in normal human brains.     

人类白细胞抗原的检测以及与临床疾病的关系

人类白细胞抗原(HLA)的检测最初用于器官移植,但近年来,HLA作为免疫遗传基因在与免疫调节有关的疾病中所扮演的重要角色愈来愈受到重视。本就HLA的检测方法以及与某些临床疾病的关系加以论述。     

Effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on Ca2+ signal transduction and cell viability in a model of renal tubular cells

Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is a compound purified from herb. Its effect on Ca²⁺ concentrations ([Ca²⁺]_i) in renal cells is unclear. This study examined whether TMP altered Ca²⁺ signaling in Madin‐Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. TMP at 100–800 μM induced [Ca²⁺]_i rises, which were reduced by Ca²⁺ removal. TMP induced Mn²⁺ influx implicating Ca²⁺ entry. TMP‐induced Ca²⁺ entry was inhibited by 30% by modulators of protein kinase C (PKC) and store‐operated Ca²⁺ channels. Treatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ pump inhibitor 2,5‐di‐tert‐butylhydroquinone (BHQ) inhibited 93% of TMP‐evoked [Ca²⁺]_i rises. Treatment with TMP abolished BHQ‐evoked [Ca²⁺]_i rises. Inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) abolished TMP‐induced responses. TMP at 200–1000 μM decreased viability, which was not reversed by pretreatment with the Ca²⁺ chelator 1,2‐bis(2‐aminophenoxy)ethane‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetraacetic acid‐acetoxymethyl ester. Together, in MDCK cells, TMP induced [Ca²⁺]_i rises by evoking PLC‐dependent Ca²⁺ release from endoplasmic reticulum and Ca²⁺ entry via PKC‐sensitive store‐operated Ca²⁺ entry. TMP also caused Ca²⁺‐independent cell death.     

外源glnA基因干扰大肠杆菌的代谢

采用分子生物学的方法构建了含Bacillus subtilis glnA基因的重组菌株Escherichia coli DH5α(pMD19-glnA),用毛细管电泳和核磁共振对重组菌株的转化谷氨酸的产物进行定性鉴定,并进一步通过荧光定量RT-PCR测定谷氨酰胺合成酶基因(glnA)mRNA水平的相对表达量,最后用SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳对蛋白的相对表达情况进行了分析。结果表明重组菌株并没有增加谷氨酰胺的产量,而是明显增加了γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)的产量。实验表明重组菌株中的glnA基因可以正常转录,但是谷氨酰胺合成酶的蛋白表达量并没有增加。这种外源基因干扰大肠杆菌代谢的现象值得进一步研究。     

小鼠OAZ2基因的原核表达及抗体制备

目的:克隆小鼠鸟氨酸脱羧酶抗酶2(OAZ2)功能基因,原核表达、纯化OAZ2蛋白并制备抗OAZ2多克隆抗体.方法:IRT-PCR法从鼠黑色素瘤细胞总RNA中克隆OAZ2 cDNA后,通过重叠延伸PCR技术构建无需移码即可全长翻译的功能基因.将OAZ2功能基因克隆人原核表达载体pET15b并原核表达.表达的蛋白经Ni-NTA亲和层析纯化后,用SDS-PAGE和Western Blot分析鉴定.用纯化的OAZ2蛋白作为抗原免疫Bab/C小鼠以制备多克隆抗体,制备抗体用ELISA和Western Blot检测抗体滴度和特异性.结果:成功获得小鼠OAZ2 cDNA并构建出无需移码翻译的OAZ2功能基因.OAZ2功能基因在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中可诱导性高表达并能用Ni-NTA树脂高效纯化.用纯化蛋白免疫Bab/C小鼠制备的抗血清经ELISA检测有较高的多克隆抗体效价(＞1∶64000),经Western blot鉴定可与纯化的OAZ2蛋白质特异性结合.结论:建立了鼠OAZ2蛋白原核表达和纯化技术,制备出高效价和特异性抗OAZ2多克隆抗体,为进一步研究OAZ2基因的功能奠定了基础.     

p16、cyclin D1在消化道癌细胞周期调控中的关系探讨

P16和cyclinD1是参与细胞周期调控及维持细胞正常增殖的关键蛋白,通过G1/S监测点即R点（restriction point）发挥调控作用。cyclinD1与CDK4/6（细胞周期依赖性激酶）结合形成cyclinD1/CDK4/6复合物,促使CDK4/6活化,细胞越过G1/S监测点进入细胞分裂周期。P16可重复地和特异性地与cyclinD1竞争调控CDK4/6,抑制两者的激酶活性,使细胞不能快速通过G1/S转换。由此可见,两者相辅相成、相互制约,其适时适度的表达是细胞周期得以正常运转的前提。近年来,大量的研究结果显示,P16基因的缺失及cyclinD1过度表达与恶性肿瘤发生、发展、及恶化关系密切。因此,对P16和cyclinD1的深入研究将有助于胃肠道肿瘤的分期、疗效判断、预后、转移、复发和治疗。     

青花菜SRAP-PCR体系优化与品种分子鉴定

本试验对青花菜基因组DNA的SRAP-PCR体系中主要影响因子Mg2+、dNTPs和引物浓度进行了优化。结果表明,反应体系中适宜浓度为Mg2+1.5-3.0mmol/L,dNTPs0.4mmol/L,引物0.25-0.50μmol/L(模板DNA约20ng,16μL反应体系)。运用优化的反应体系,对20个青花菜品种进行分子鉴定,从10个引物组合中筛选到7个多态性引物组合,获得60个多态性位点,平均每个引物组合在供试品种中产生8.6个多态性位点,鉴别品种数4.3个。双引物组合me1/em6与me2/em9可以区分所有供试材料。     

Impact of white‐tailed deer on the spread of Borrelia burgdorferi

There is a public perception that the white‐tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) is the main reservoir supporting the maintenance and spread of the causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi. This study examines the pathogen prevalence rate of Borrelia in adult Ixodes scapularis (Ixodida: Ixodidae), the black‐legged tick, collected from white‐tailed deer and compares it with pathogen prevalence rates in adult ticks gathered by dragging vegetation in two contiguous counties west of the Hudson Valley in upstate New York. In both Broome and Chenango Counties, attached and unattached ticks harvested from white‐tailed deer had significantly lower prevalences of B. burgdorferi than those collected from vegetation. No attached ticks on deer (n = 148) in either county, and only 2.4 and 7.3% of unattached ticks (n = 389) in Broome and Chenango Counties, respectively, were harbouring the pathogen. This contrasts with the finding that 40.8% of ticks in Broome County and 46.8% of ticks in Chenango County collected from vegetation harboured the pathogen. These data suggest that a mechanism in white‐tailed deer may aid in clearing the pathogen from attached deer ticks, although white‐tailed deer do contribute to the spatial distribution of deer tick populations and also serve as deadend host breeding sites for ticks.     

Restriction map of E. coli shuttle plasmid (p# GTE5) with secretive function

The shuttle plasmid (p# GTE5) DNA with secretive function was extracted by the alkali lysozyme method from E. coli RRI strain. Its molecular weight is 4.5 Md and DNA size is 6.9 Kb. Restriction fragments of plasmid was obtained by single and double enzymes complete digestion using five different restriction endonucleases. The restriction map of shuttle plasmid (p# GTE5) was established for the enzymes EcoRI, BglII, pstI, PvuII, and TaqI.