表达空肠弯曲菌CfrA蛋白重组乳酸乳球菌的构建及其免疫效果北大核心CSCD

【目的】本试验将空肠弯曲菌肠菌素受体蛋白CfrA编码基因导入食品级乳酸乳球菌表达系统,然后将重组乳酸乳球菌口服免疫鸡,降低空肠弯曲菌在鸡肠道中的定殖。【方法】利用PCR分别扩增空肠弯曲菌cfrA全基因及其N端片段,插入食品级表达载体pNZ8149多克隆位点并转化乳酸乳球菌NZ3900,通过Western blot鉴定重组菌株CfrA蛋白表达情况,同时通过筛选nisin浓度、温度、时间等诱导条件优化重组蛋白表达水平;进而将重组乳酸乳球菌经口服免疫SPF鸡,免疫后分别测定乳酸乳球菌自鸡体内的排出情况、以及诱导CfrA血清抗体和粘膜抗体水平,最后将空肠弯曲菌口服攻毒免疫后的鸡,通过测定鸡泄殖腔棉拭子中空肠弯曲菌的数目来判定口服免疫效果。【结果】Western blot检测显示CfrA全基因及其N端片段均可在重组乳酸乳球菌胞内可溶性表达,不分泌,筛选的最佳诱导表达条件为nisin浓度25 ng/mL、温度37°C、时间1 h。口服乳酸乳球菌10 d内自鸡体完全排空;鸡口服免疫后可产生CfrA蛋白特异性的血清IgG和肠粘膜sIgA抗体;重组乳酸乳球菌口服免疫后空肠弯曲菌在鸡体内的增殖速度显著低于对照组。【结论】成功构建了重组CfrA蛋白的食品级乳酸乳球菌诱导表达系统;表达CfrA蛋白的重组乳酸乳球菌口服免疫鸡对空肠弯曲菌在鸡肠道的定殖具有一定的抑制作用,为研制重组乳酸菌口服家禽免疫制剂防治空肠弯曲菌奠定了基础。     

The RING finger E3 ligases PIR1 and PIR2 mediate PP2CA degradation to enhance abscisic acid response in Arabidopsis

Recent work has established a core ABA signaling pathway in which A‐type PP2C protein phosphatases act as central negative modulators. Although ABA signaling inhibits PP2C activity through ABA‐receptor complex, it remains unknown if other mechanisms exist to modulate the level of PP2Cs. Here, we identified a RING domain ubiquitin E3 ligase, PIR1 (PP2CA interacting RING finger protein 1), that interacted with PP2CA. Of the two splicing isoforms, PIR1.2 was isolated from leaf tissue. The PIR1.2 exhibited E3 ligase activity and determined PP2CA stability in the presence of ABA. Consistent with the conclusion that PIR1 promotes ABA signaling by removing PP2CA, a negative modulator, the pir1 knockout mutant displayed an ABA‐hyposensitive phenotype. We further showed that PIR2, the closest homologue of PIR1.2, also interacted with PP2CA. Although the pir2 knockout mutant did not display altered ABA response, the pir1‐1/pir2 double mutant became more insensitive to ABA than the wild‐type or pir1‐1 and pir2 single mutants. Using a cell‐free degradation assay, ABA promoted degradation of PP2CA, however, such degradation was delayed when incubated with protein extract prepared from the pir1‐1/pir2 double mutant. Our data suggest that PIR1 and PIR2 positively modulate ABA signaling by targeting PP2CA for degradation.     

Antibacterial activity of 2-amino-4-hydroxypyrimidine-5-carboxylates and binding to Burkholderia pseudomallei 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase

Enzymes in the methylerythritol phosphate pathway make attractive targets for antibacterial activity due to their importance in isoprenoid biosynthesis and the absence of the pathway in mammals. The fifth enzyme in the pathway, 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase (IspF), contains a catalytically important zinc ion in the active site. A series of de novo designed compounds containing a zinc binding group was synthesized and evaluated for antibacterial activity and interaction with IspF from Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of Whitmore’s disease. The series demonstrated antibacterial activity as well as protein stabilization in fluorescence-based thermal shift assays. Finally, the binding of one compound to Burkholderia pseudomallei IspF was evaluated through group epitope mapping by saturation transfer difference NMR.     

MCM7与RACK1在肺癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的探讨MCM7与RACK1在各类型肺癌中的表达及其相关性。方法收集肺腺癌150例、鳞癌150例、大细胞癌20例和小细胞癌50例及其癌旁正常肺组织石蜡标本,采用免疫组织化学S-P法检测各类型肺癌组织和癌旁正常肺组织中MCM7与RACK1的表达,并分析二者与肺癌临床病理因素的关系。结果 MCM7与RACK1在癌组织中的表达明显高于癌旁正常肺组织;χ~2检验结果显示肺癌中MCM7与RACK1的表达均与肺癌的病理分级、淋巴结转移、组织学分类和临床TNM分期相关;Pearson相关性分析结果显示,肺癌中MCM7与RACK1的表达呈正相关;Kaplan-Meier法分析显示MCM7与RACK1高表达患者生存时间缩短。结论肺癌中MCM7与RACK1的表达呈正相关,二者表达在肺癌中起促进作用,可作为检测肺癌细胞的增殖状态、新的判断预后的重要因子,以其为靶向进行临床治疗的重要指标。     

A WD40 domain cyclophilin interacts with histone H3 and functions in gene repression and organogenesis in Arabidopsis

Chromatin-based silencing provides a crucial mechanism for the regulation of gene expression. We have identified a WD40 domain cyclophilin, CYCLOPHILIN71 (CYP71), which functions in gene repression and organogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Disruption of CYP71 resulted in ectopic activation of homeotic genes that regulate meristem development. The cyp71 mutant plants displayed dramatic defects, including reduced apical meristem activity, delayed and abnormal lateral organ formation, and arrested root growth. CYP71 was associated with the chromatin of target gene loci and physically interacted with histone H3. The cyp71 mutant showed reduced methylation of H3K27 at target loci, consistent with the derepression of these genes in the mutant. As CYP71 has close homologs in eukaryotes ranging from fission yeast to human, we propose that it serves as a highly conserved histone remodeling factor involved in chromatin-based gene silencing in eukaryotic organisms.     

Computationally derived points of fragility of a human cascade are consistent with current therapeutic strategies

The role that mechanistic mathematical modeling and systems biology will play in molecular medicine and clinical development remains uncertain. In this study, mathematical modeling and sensitivity analysis were used to explore the working hypothesis that mechanistic models of human cascades, despite model uncertainty, can be computationally screened for points of fragility, and that these sensitive mechanisms could serve as therapeutic targets. We tested our working hypothesis by screening a model of the well-studied coagulation cascade, developed and validated from literature. The predicted sensitive mechanisms were then compared with the treatment literature. The model, composed of 92 proteins and 148 protein-protein interactions, was validated using 21 published datasets generated from two different quiescent in vitro coagulation models. Simulated platelet activation and thrombin generation profiles in the presence and absence of natural anticoagulants were consistent with measured values, with a mean correlation of 0.87 across all trials. Overall state sensitivity coefficients, which measure the robustness or fragility of a given mechanism, were calculated using a Monte Carlo strategy. In the absence of anticoagulants, fluid and surface phase factor X/activated factor X (fX/FXa) activity and thrombin-mediated platelet activation were found to be fragile, while fIX/FIXa and fVIII/FVIIIa activation and activity were robust. Both anti-fX/FXa and direct thrombin inhibitors are important classes of anticoagulants; for example, anti-fX/FXa inhibitors have FDA approval for the prevention of venous thromboembolism following surgical intervention and as an initial treatment for deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence is reviewed supporting the prediction that fIX/FIXa activity is robust. When taken together, these results support our working hypothesis that computationally derived points of fragility of human relevant cascades could be used as a rational basis for target selection despite model uncertainty.     

Use of Transposon Promoter-Probe Vectors in the Metabolic Engineering of the Obligate Methanotroph Methylomonas sp. Strain 16a for Enhanced C40 Carotenoid Synthesis

The recent expansion of genetic and genomic tools for metabolic engineering has accelerated the development of microorganisms for the industrial production of desired compounds. We have used transposable elements to identify chromosomal locations in the obligate methanotroph Methylomonas sp. strain 16a that support high-level expression of genes involved in the synthesis of the C₄₀ carotenoids canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. with three promoterless carotenoid transposons, five chromosomal locations—the fliCS, hsdM, ccp-3, cysH, and nirS regions—were identified. Total carotenoid synthesis increased 10- to 20-fold when the carotenoid gene clusters were inserted at these chromosomal locations compared to when the same carotenoid gene clusters were integrated at neutral locations under the control of the promoter for the gene conferring resistance to chloramphenicol. A chromosomal integration system based on sucrose lethality was used to make targeted gene deletions or site-specific integration of the carotenoid gene cluster into the Methylomonas genome without leaving genetic scars in the chromosome from the antibiotic resistance genes that are present on the integration vector. The genetic approaches described in this work demonstrate how metabolic engineering of microorganisms, including the less-studied environmental isolates, can be greatly enhanced by identifying integration sites within the chromosome of the host that permit optimal expression of the target genes.     

建立NGAL诊断阈值有利于临床判断和发现急性肾功能损伤

为探讨中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, NGAL)检测在肝胆疾病患者继发急性肾功能损伤(acute kidney injury, AKI)中的诊断性能,本研究回顾性收集了476例肝胆疾病患者与225例健康受试者作为实验组,根据血清中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)、血清肌酐(serum creatinine,s Cr)、尿素(Urea)、半胱氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂C (cystatin C, CysC)、估算肾小球滤过率(estimating glomerular filtration rate, eGFR)水平和尿量,分为急性肾功能损伤(AKI)组和高风险(high-risk, HR)组、低风险(low-risk,LR)组和对照(health control, HC)组,进而建立上述血清指标在急性肾功能损伤(AKI)诊断性能最大时的判断界值;随后,选取145例肝胆疾病患者作为验证组,以评估各观察指标对肝胆疾病继发急性肾功能损伤(AKI)的诊断性能。结果表明:本实验组中各亚组间所观察指标之血清水平均有统计学差异(p<0.05)。中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)诊断性能最大时的判断界值为205.2μg/L。验证组患者各指标阳性检出率,在低风险(LR)亚组中中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)均高于其它指标(p<0.05),但在高风险(HR)亚组中中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)仅高于血清肌酐(sCr)(p<0.05),而与半胱氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂C (CysC)和估算肾小球滤过率(eGFR)无统计学差异(p>0.05);再经分层风险分析各指标预测高风险(HR)亚组患者急性肾功能损伤(AKI)发生的能力,中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)的优势比(OR=21.0 (2.3, 192.8)),是半胱氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂C(CysC)或估算肾小球滤过率(eGFR)(OR (95%CI)=3.3 (0.7, 15.3))的6.4倍。本研究初步结论表明,肝胆疾病患者诊断急性肾功能损伤(AKI)时应考虑中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)肝脏合成代谢的作用。因此实验室应建立适宜的中性粒细胞相关载脂蛋白(NGAL)诊断阈值以有利于临床准确判断及早期发现急性肾功能损伤(AKI)。