Transformation of Saussurea involucrata by Agrobacterium rhizogenes: Hairy root induction and syringin production

Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation of Saussurea involucrata was investigated. Four bacterial strains, A4, LBA 9402, R1000 and R1601 and three explant types, leaf blade, petiole and root, were examined. Over 100 hairy root lines were successfully established with strains R1601, R1000 and LBA9402, but none with A4. The highest transformation efficiency of 67% was achieved by using strain R1601 with root explants. One hairy root line isolated from this combination, HR1601-1, produced up to 43.5 ± 1.13 mg syringin g⁻¹ dw, which is about 50-fold higher than that in the wild type plants.Two other lines, HR1000-1 and HRLBA9402-1, isolated from R1000- and LBA9402-transformed roots, respectively, also displayed high capacity of syringin production, being 32.5 ± 3.08 and 39.7 ± 1.37 mg syringin g⁻¹ dw. These three lines were characterized in detail. Polymerase chain reaction analyses confirmed these root lines were of A. rhizogenes origin.     

一种宏观基因调控分子SATB1

自身多聚化的SATB1(special AT-rich sequences binding protein 1)围绕异染色质形成笼状结构分布在细胞核中,SATB1不仅结合染色质DNA的核基质结合区(matrix attachment regions,MARs),也结合核基质,能够使DNA锚定在核基质并形成袢环状结构(loop)。SATB1的磷酸化、乙酰化和小泛素化样修饰可调节其DNA结合能力和细胞核内亚结构的定位;SATB1与多种蛋白质相互作用,能够募集染色质重塑复合物和组蛋白修饰酶,实现对其靶基因表达的时空特异性调控。SATB1在调节细胞分化、细胞凋亡、肿瘤生长与转移和X染色体失活等方面起到重要作用,并有可能成为肿瘤转移的治疗靶点。     

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.     

MicroRNAs and their role in viral infection

Recently, a class of about 22 nucleotides (nt) small RNA has been discovered in many eukaryotes, termed microRNAs (miRNAs), which have a variety of functions. Many recent findings have demonstrated that viruses can also encode their own miRNAs. Meanwhile, other findings reveal a relationship between host miRNA and viral infection. These findings suggest a tight relationship between host and viral infection via miRNA pathway. This article introduces the miRNAs encoded by viruses and reviews the advances of the interaction of the mammalian host miRNAs and viral infection.     

Soluble expression, purification and functional identification of a disulfide-rich conotoxin derived from Conus litteratus

Conotoxins are a diverse array of small peptides mostly with multiple disulfide bridges. These peptides become an increasing significant source of neuro-pharmacological probes and drugs as a result of the high selectivity for ion channels and receptors. Usually, the analogue of natural conotoxins is produced by means of chemical synthesis. Here, we present a simple and fast strategy of producing disulfide-rich conotoxins via recombinant expression. By fused with thioredoxin and His tag, a novel O-superfamily conotoxin lt7a was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and purified, resulting in a high yield of recombinant lt7a about 6 mg/l. The purity of target protein is up to 95% as identified by HPLC results. Whole cell patch-clamp recording revealed that the new conotoxin blocked voltage-sensitive sodium channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons, indicating it might be a novel microO-conotoxin.     

1.42A crystal structure of mini-IGF-1(2): an analysis of the disulfide isomerization property and receptor binding property of IGF-1 based on the three-dimensional structure

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) share a homologous sequence, a similar three-dimensional structure and weakly overlapping biological activity, but IGF-1 folds into two thermodynamically stable disulfide isomers, while insulin folds into one unique stable tertiary structure. This is a very interesting phenomenon in which one amino acid sequence encodes two three-dimensional structures, and its molecular mechanism has remained unclear for a long time. In this study, the crystal structure of mini-IGF-1(2), a disulfide isomer of an artificial analog of IGF-1, was solved by the SAD/SIRAS method using our in-house X-ray source. Evidence was found in the structure showing that the intra-A-chain/domain disulfide bond of some molecules was broken; thus, it was proposed that disulfide isomerization begins with the breakdown of this disulfide bond. Furthermore, based on the structural comparison of IGF-1 and insulin, a new assumption was made that in insulin the several hydrogen bonds formed between the N-terminal region of the B-chain and the intra-A-chain disulfide region of the A-chain are the main reason for the stability of the intra-A-chain disulfide bond and for the prevention of disulfide isomerization, while Phe B1 and His B5 are very important for the formation of these hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the receptor binding property of IGF-1 was analyzed in detail based on the structural comparison of mini-IGF-1(2), native IGF-1, and small mini-IGF-1.     

马铃薯Y病毒蚜传辅助成分介导PVX/PVY协生作用

构建了马铃薯Y病毒中国株系（PVY－C）蚜传辅助成分（HC－Pro）基因的正义、反义和缺失三种植物表达载体,通过农杆菌介导法转化烟草品种NC89。Southern blot分析表明,HC－Pro基因及其突变体已经整合到烟草染色体中,Western blot分析证明,正义HC－Pro基因及其缺失突变体在转基因烟草中有表达产物,攻毒试验结果表明,转正义,HC－Pro基因及其缺失突变体不仅能够提高T1转基因烟草中PVY－C的病毒积累和致病,而且对异源病毒PVX具有同样的作用,而转反义HC－Pro基因烟草对PVY－C和PVX的致病性无影响,因此,PVY－C HC－Pro基因介导PVX／PVY的协作作用。     

Targeting of focal adhesion kinase by small interfering RNAs reduces chondrocyte redifferentiation capacity in alginate beads culture with type II collagen

Type II collagen is a major protein that maintains biological and mechanical characteristics in articular cartilage. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is known to play a central role in integrin signaling of cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, and chondrocyte–type II collagen interactions are very important for cartilage homeostasis. In this study, we focused on phosphorylation of FAK and MAP kinase in chondrocyte–type II collagen interaction and dedifferentiation, and the effects of FAK knockdown on chondrocyte‐specific gene expression and cell proliferation were determined. The addition of exogenous type II collagen to chondrocytes increased levels of tyrosine phosphorylation, p‐FAK_Y397, and p‐ERK1/2. In contrast, expression levels of p‐FAK_Y397 and p‐ERK1/2, but not p‐Smad2/3, were decreased in dedifferentiated chondrocytes with loss of type II collagen expression. Type II collagen expression was significantly increased when dedifferentiated chondrocytes were transferred to alginate beads with TGF‐β1 or type II collagen, but transfected cells with small interfering RNA for FAK (FAK‐siRNA) inhibited mRNA expression of type II collagen and SOX‐6 compared to the control. These FAK‐siRNA‐transfected cells could not recover type II collagen even in the presence of TGF‐β1 or type II collagen in alginate beads culture. We also found that FAK‐siRNA‐transfected cells decreased cell proliferation rate, but there was no effect on glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) secretion. We suggest that FAK is essentially required in chondrocyte communication with type II collagen by regulating type II collagen expression and cell proliferation. J. Cell. Physiol. 218: 623–630, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.