Structure and Membrane Binding Properties of the Endosomal Tetratricopeptide Repeat (TPR) Domain-containing Sorting Nexins SNX20 and SNX21

Sorting nexins (SNX) orchestrate membrane trafficking and signaling events required for the proper distribution of proteins within the endosomal network. Their phox homology (PX) domain acts as a phosphoinositide (PI) recognition module that targets them to specific endocytic membrane domains. The modularity of SNX proteins confers a wide variety of functions from signaling to membrane deformation and cargo binding, and many SNXs are crucial modulators of endosome dynamics and are involved in a myriad of physiological and pathological processes such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and inflammation. Here, we have studied the poorly characterized SNX20 and its paralogue SNX21, which contain an N-terminal PX domain and a C-terminal PX-associated B (PXB) domain of unknown function. The two proteins share similar PI-binding properties and are recruited to early endosomal compartments by their PX domain. The crystal structure of the SNX21 PXB domain reveals a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-fold, a module that typically binds short peptide motifs, with three TPR α-helical repeats. However, the C-terminal capping helix adopts a highly unusual and potentially self-inhibitory topology. SAXS solution structures of SNX20 and SNX21 show that these proteins adopt a compact globular architecture, and membrane interaction analyses indicate the presence of overlapping PI-binding sites that may regulate their intracellular localization. This study provides the first structural analysis of this poorly characterized subfamily of SNX proteins, highlighting a likely role as endosome-associated scaffolds.     

Glycerol‐3‐phosphate metabolism plays a role in stress response in the red alga Pyropia haitanensis

Glycerol‐3‐phosphate (G3P) has been suggested as a novel regulator of plant defense signaling, however, its role in algal resistance remains largely unknown. The glycerol kinase (also designated as NHO1) and NAD‐dependent G3P dehydrogenase (GPDH) are two key enzymes involved in the G3P biosynthesis. In our study, we cloned the full‐length cDNA of NHO1 (NHO1_Ph) and GPDH (GPDH_Ph) from the red alga Pyropia haitanensis (denoted as NHO1_Ph and GPDH_Ph) and examined their expression level under flagellin peptide 22 (flg22) stimulation or heat stress. We also measured the level of G3P and floridoside (a downstream product of G3P in P. haitanensis) under flg22 stimulation or heat stress. Both NHO1_Ph and GPDH_Ph shared high sequence identity and structural conservation with their orthologs from different species, especially from red algae. Phylogenetic analysis showed that NHO1s and GPDHs from red algae were closely related to those from animals. Under flg22 stimulation or heat stress, the expression levels of NHO1_Ph and GPDH_Ph were up‐regulated, G3P levels increased, and the contents of floridoside decreased. But the floridoside level increased in the recovery period after heat stress. Taken together, we found that G3P metabolism was associated with the flg22‐induced defense response and heat stress response in P. haitanensis, indicating the general conservation of defense response in angiosperms and algae. Furthermore, floridoside might also participate in the stress resistance of P. haitanensis.     

NCK is critical for the development of deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) sensitive spinal circuits

As our understanding of motor circuit function increases, our need to understand how circuits form to ensure proper function becomes increasingly important. Recently, deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) has been shown to be important in the development of spinal circuits necessary for gait. Importantly, humans with mutation in DCC show mirror movement disorders pointing to the significance of DCC in the development of spinal circuits for coordinated movement. Although DCC binds a number of ligands, the intracellular signaling cascade leading to the aberrant spinal circuits remains unknown. Here, we show that the non‐catalytic region of tyrosine kinase adaptor (NCK) proteins 1 and 2 are distributed in the developing spinal cord. Using dissociated dorsal spinal neuron cultures we show that NCK proteins are necessary for the outgrowth and growth cone architecture of DCC^+ve dorsal spinal neurons. Consistent with a role for NCK in DCC signaling, we show that loss of NCK proteins leads to a reduction in the thickness of TAG1^+ve commissural bundles in the floor plate and loss of DCC mRNA in vivo. We suggest that DCC signaling functions through NCK1 and NCK2 and that both proteins are necessary for the establishment of normal spinal circuits necessary for gait.

     

利用优化改造的家蚕杆状病毒表达系统提高NS1表达产量

为优化家蚕杆状病毒表达系统,提高外源基因的表达产量。文中通过同源重组技术,用串联的氯霉素基因(Cm)表达盒和绿色荧光蛋白基因(egfp)表达盒将其替换,从而获得Chitinase和Cystein Protease两个基因缺失的家蚕杆状病毒载体。通过转座,将多角体启动子控制的家蚕二分浓核病毒(Bm BDV)ns1基因表达盒,定点插入到改造后的该分子载体中。将重组载体转染Bm N细胞,获得能表达家蚕二分浓核病毒(Bm BDV)NS1的缺失型重组病毒;另外,将多角体启动子控制的ns1基因转座到野生型Bm-bacmid中,获得能表达Bm BDV NS1的野生型重组病毒。将这两种病毒分别皮下注射家蚕,对感染后的家蚕血液中NS1表达水平进行比较,发现缺失Chitinase和Cystein Protease重组病毒感染的家蚕血液中,NS1的表达量是对照组的3倍,从而建立了一种高效表达可溶性NS1蛋白的方法,为靶蛋白的结构与功能研究奠定基础。     

干细胞与再生医学研究进展

干细胞具有分化成为体内所有类型细胞的能力,因此,其在再生医学治疗、体外疾病模拟、药物筛选等方面具有广阔的应用前景。干细胞技术在近些年取得了突飞猛进的发展,特别是诱导多能性干细胞的出现使干细胞领域经历了一场巨大的变革。我国干细胞研究在这场干细胞技术变革中取得了多项重大成果,逐渐成为了世界干细胞研究领域中的重要力量。本综述着重介绍近几年来,主要是诱导多能性干细胞技术出现之后,我国在干细胞和再生医学领域取得的重要进展,主要涵盖诱导多能性干细胞、转分化、单倍体干细胞以及基因修饰动物模型和基因治疗等方面。     

酵母多糖影响人朗格汉斯细胞C型凝集素受体的研究

探究酵母多糖（Zymosan）对人朗格汉斯细胞（Langerhans cells, LCs）C型凝集素受体（C-type lectin receptors, CLRs）的影响。收集健康志愿者血液样本,Ficoll淋巴细胞分离液分离外周血单个核细胞,CD14磁珠分选CD14⁺细胞,用含有GM-CSF（1 000 U/mL）、IL-4（1 000 U/mL）、TGFβ-1（10 ng/mL）的培养液诱导培养LCs, Zymosan刺激LCs,8、24 h后收集细胞。提取Zymosan实验组和对照组细胞RNA,实时RT PCR分析5种CLRs（Dectin-1、Dectin-2、DC-SIGN、Mincle、MRC-2） mRNA的水平,扩增产物测序鉴定。共检测10个个体来源LCs在酵母多糖刺激后其CLRs mRNA变化的情况。在10组样本中,有6组Dectin 2受体mRNA较对照组增加（变化倍数≥2）,其中3组增加明显（变化倍数≥5）,最大增加倍数为20.91;有5组Mincle受体mRNA较对照组增加（变化倍数≥2）,其中4组增加明显（变化倍数≥5）,最大增加倍数为19.98;有1组MRC-2受体mRNA较对照组明显增加（变化倍数≥5）。Dectin-1和DC-SIGN受体mRNA没有增加。Zymosan能增加部分个体来源LCs内Dectin-2、Mincle和MRC-2受体mRNA的水平,而对Dectin-1和DC-SIGN受体mRNA的水平没有影响。本研究结果完善了Zymosan调节机体免疫功能的作用机制。     

Identification and Epigenetic Analysis of a Maternally Imprinted Gene Qpct

Most imprinted genes are concerned with embryonic development, especially placental development. Here, we identified a placenta-specific imprinted gene Qpct. Our results show that Qpct is widely expressed during early embryonic development and can be detected in the telecephalon, midbrain, and rhombencephalon at E9.5–E11.5. Moreover, Qpct is strikingly expressed in the brain, lung and liver in E15.5. Expression signals for Qpct achieved a peak at E15.5 during placental development and were only detected in the labyrinth layer in E15.5 placenta. ChIP assay results suggest that the modification of histone H3K4me3 can result in maternal activating of Qpct.