The "ins" and "outs" of the high-affinity choline transporter CHT1

Maintenance of acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis depends on the activity of the high-affinity choline transporter (CHT1), which is responsible for the reuptake of choline from the synaptic cleft into presynaptic neurons. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of mechanisms involved in the cellular trafficking of CHT1. CHT1 protein is mainly found in intracellular organelles, such as endosomal compartments and synaptic vesicles. The presence of CHT1 at the plasma membrane is limited by rapid endocytosis of the transporter in clathrin-coated pits in a mechanism dependent on a dileucine-like motif present in the carboxyl-terminal region of the transporter. The intracellular pool of CHT1 appears to constitute a reserve pool of transporters, important for maintenance of cholinergic neurotransmission. However, the physiological basis of the presence of CHT1 in intracellular organelles is not fully understood. Current knowledge about CHT1 indicates that stimulated and constitutive exocytosis, in addition to endocytosis, will have major consequences for regulating choline uptake. Future investigations of CHT1 trafficking should elucidate such regulatory mechanisms, which may aid in understanding the pathophysiology of diseases that affect cholinergic neurons, such as Alzheimer's disease.     

Structural analysis of the N- and C-termini in a peptide with consensus sequence.

We present a structural analysis of a peptide, the sequence of which includes amino acids that show preferences for specific positions near the N- and C-termini in protein helices. This peptide has the sequence ac-YMSEDELKAAEAAFKRHGVP-amide, which includes a strong version of an N-terminal Harper-Rose capping box structure as well as a Gly located close to the C-terminus designed to elucidate its role in C-terminal capping. The sequence of five residues at the middle is inserted to separate effects at the two ends via a helix-stabilizing linker. Application of a simulated annealing procedure using interproton distance constraints derived from 1H NOESY experiments in water reveals the presence of a C-terminal structure in this model. The C-terminus forms a folded back structure in a significant fraction of structures generated by the annealing, in most of which Gly assumes an alpha L conformation. This structure occurs within a highly flexible region of the molecule and hence is occupied only a fraction of the time.     

Solution structure of the MID1 B-box2 CHC(D/C)C(2)H(2) zinc-binding domain: insights into an evolutionarily conserved RING fold

The B-box type 2 domain is a prominent feature of a large and growing family of RING, B-box, coiled-coil (RBCC) domain-containing proteins and is also present in more than 1500 additional proteins. Most proteins usually contain a single B-box2 domain, although some proteins contain tandem domains consisting of both type 1 and type 2 B-boxes, which actually share little sequence similarity. Recently, we determined the solution structure of B-box1 from MID1, a putative E3 ubiquitin ligase that is mutated in X-linked Opitz G/BBB syndrome, and showed that it adopted a betabetaalpha RING-like fold. Here, we report the tertiary structure of the B-box2 (CHC(D/C)C(2)H(2)) domain from MID1 using multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. This MID1 B-box2 domain consists of a short alpha-helix and a structured loop with two short anti-parallel beta-strands and adopts a tertiary structure similar to the B-box1 and RING structures, even though there is minimal primary sequence similarity between these domains. By mutagenesis, ESI-FTICR and ICP mass spectrometry, we show that the B-box2 domain coordinates two zinc atoms with a 'cross-brace' pattern: one by Cys175, His178, Cys195 and Cys198 and the other by Cys187, Asp190, His204, and His207. Interestingly, this is the first case that an aspartic acid is involved in zinc atom coordination in a zinc-finger domain, although aspartic acid has been shown to coordinate non-catalytic zinc in matrix metalloproteinases. In addition, the finding of a Cys195Phe substitution identified in a patient with X-linked Opitz GBBB syndrome supports the importance of proper zinc coordination for the function of the MID1 B-box2 domain. Notably, however, our structure differs from the only other published B-box2 structure, that from XNF7, which was shown to coordinate one zinc atom. Finally, the similarity in tertiary structures of the B-box2, B-box1 and RING domains suggests these domains have evolved from a common ancestor.     

细菌黏附素序列模体分析

目的：认识细菌黏附素序列保守的特征,更好地理解细菌黏附的机理。方法：利用InterProScan、MEME等分析工具对实验确认的155条细菌黏附素序列进行模体搜索。结果：用InterProScan在155个黏附素序列中搜索到119个模体,通过MEME分析发现了50个模体。结论：发现了一些与黏附功能相关的模体,为在细菌基因组内搜索黏附素序列奠定了基础。     

一种基于多特征的大肠杆菌启动子判别算法

主要对从一段DNA序列中提取出信息以判别其中是否含有启动子的问题进行了研究。首先从固定长度的序歹4中提取成分特征和结构特征,然后将这些特征输入到一个非线性分类器中进行判别。测试结果显示,在正集＆非编码区负集中,平均错误率降低为13．4％;在正集＆编码区负集中,平均错误率降低到17．0％。表明该方法是非常有效的。     

引入CpG基序的汉滩病毒G2糖蛋白基因的克隆及表达

构建汉滩病毒G2糖蛋白的真核表达载体,并加入可增强小鼠免疫刺激作用的CpG基序,检测其可否在真核细胞中表达。参照Genebank中汉滩病毒M的全基因序列设计引物,引物两端引入可增强小鼠免疫刺激作用的CpG基序及双酶切位点,通过聚合酶链反应(PCR)获得含CpG基序的G2片段,并将其与T载体pMD18-T相连,测序后克隆至真核表达载体pcDNA3.1 上,将此真核表达载体以脂质体法转染至真核细胞Vero-E6中,利用间接免疫荧光法(IFA)检测发现转染后的Vero-E6中出现特异性的绿色荧光。结果表明本实验成功构建了汉滩病毒包膜糖蛋白G2的重组体。     

Functional characterization of naturally occurring genetic variations of the human guanine-rich RNA sequence binding factor 1 (GRSF1)

The guanine-rich RNA sequence binding factor 1 (GRSF1) constitutes an ubiquitously occurring RNA-binding protein (RBP), which belongs to the family of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein F/H (hnRNP F/H). It has been implicated in nuclear, cytosolic and mitochondrial RNA metabolism. Although the crystal structures of GRSF1 orthologs have not been solved, amino acid alignments with similar RNA-binding proteins suggested the existence of three RNA-binding domains designated quasi-RNA recognition motifs (qRRMs). Here we established 3D–models for the three qRRMs of human GRSF1 on the basis of the NMR structure of hnRNP F and identified the putative RNA interacting amino acids. Next, we explored the genetic variability of the three qRRMs of human GRSF1 by searching genomic databases and tested the functional consequences of naturally occurring mutants. For this purpose the RNA-binding capacity of wild-type and mutant recombinant GRSF1 protein species was assessed by quantitative RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assays. We found that some of the naturally occurring GRSF1 mutants exhibited a strongly reduced RNA-binding activity although the general protein structure was hardly affected. These data suggested that homozygous allele carriers of these particular mutants express dysfunctional GRSF1 and thus may show defective GRSF1 signaling.