Sequence analysis and structural prediction of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus nsp5

The non-structural proteins (nsp or replicase proteins) of coronaviruses are relatively conserved and can be effective targets for drugs. Few studies have been conducted into the function of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nsp5. In this study, bioinformatics methods were employed to predict the secondary structure and construct 3-D models of the SARS-CoV GD strain nsp5. Sequencing and sequential comparison was performed to analyze the mutation trend of the polymerase nsp5 gene during the epidemic process using a nucleotide-nucleotide basic local alignment search tool (BLASTN) and a protein-protein basic local alignment search tool (BLASTP). The results indicated that the nsp5 gene was steady during the epidemic process and the protein was homologous with other coronavirus nsp5 proteins. The protein encoded by the nsp5 gene was expressed in COS-7 cells and analyzed by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). This study provided the foundation for further exploration of the protein‘s biological function, and contributed to the search for anti-SARS-CoV drugs.     

Positive Charges on Lysine Residues of the Extrinsic 18 kDa Protein Are Important to Its Electrostatic Interaction with Spinach Photosystem Ⅱ Membranes

To determine the contribution of charged amino acids to binding with the photosystem II complex （PSII）, the amino or carboxyl groups of the extrinsic 18 kDa protein were modified with N- succinimidyl propionate （NSP） or glycine methyl ester （GME） in the presence of a water-soluble carbodiimide, respectively. Based on isoelectric point shift, 4-10 and 10-14 amino groups were modified in the presence of 2 and 4 mM NSP, respectively. Similarly, 3-4 carboxyl groups were modified by reaction with 100 mM GME. Neutralization of negatively charged carboxyl groups with GME did not alter the binding activity of the extrinsic 18 kDa protein. However, the NSP-modified 18 kDa protein, in which the positively charged amino groups had been modified to uncharged methyl esters, failed to bind with the PSII membrane in the presence of the extrinsic 23 kDa protein. This defect can not be attributed to structural or conformational alterations imposed by chemical modification, as the fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra among native, GME- and NSP-modified extrinsic 18 kDa proteins were similar. Thus, we have concluded that the positive charges of lysyl residues in the extrinsic 18 kDa protein are important for its interaction with PSII membranes in the presence of the extrinsic 23 kDa protein. Furthermore, it was found that the negative charges of carboxyl groups of this protein did not participate in binding with the extrinsic 23 kDa protein associated with PSII membranes.     

猪繁殖与呼吸综合症病毒GP5蛋白原核表达初步研究

猪繁殖与呼吸综合症是由猪繁殖与呼吸综合症病毒(Porcine reprodutive and respiratory syndrome virus,PRRSV)引发的病毒性传染病,病症主要表现为怀孕母猪早产、流产、木乃伊胎以及仔猪呼吸症状和高死亡率[1,2].该病于1987年首先在美国爆发[3],1990年德国亦发现此病,并迅速传播到欧洲其他国家.我国在1996年报道有该病流行[4],由于该病的迅速蔓延使整个世界养猪业遭受了巨大的经济损失.     

猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒N蛋白的原核表达、纯化与结构分析

将猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒 (PRRSV)BJ 4毒株N基因克隆至原核表达载体pET2 8a中 ,得到重组表达载体pET2 8 N ,转化EscherichiacoliBL2 1(DE3)细胞 ,获得可溶性表达 ,表达量占菌体蛋白的 2 8%。经ProbandNi2 亲和层析获得重组蛋白P2 8 N ,圆二色谱 (CD)测定结果表明 ,P2 8 N重组蛋白螺旋占 2 6 1% ,折叠占 2 3 7% ,转角 19 8% ,卷曲占 30 3%。并进一步绘制出PRRSVN蛋白的二级结构图     

枯草芽孢杆菌ccpA基因敲除及对其核黄素产量的影响

CcpA蛋白是介导枯草芽孢杆菌碳分解代谢物阻遏(CCR)的全局调控因子,由ccpA基因编码。CCR效应的存在影响B.subtilis对葡萄糖的利用,降低B.subtilis生产发酵产品的效率。采用基因重组技术敲除了核黄素发酵菌株B.subtilis24/pMX45的ccpA基因,构建了CcpA缺陷株B.subtilis24A1/pMX45。发酵结果显示:B.subtilis24A1/pMX45能够在70h内基本耗尽10%的葡萄糖,生物量达到1.5×109个细胞/mL,溢流代谢产物积累量减少,在8%和10%葡萄糖浓度下,B.subtilis24A1/pMX45核黄素产量分别比B.subtilis24/pMX45提高了62%和95%。CcpA的缺陷,可以缓解葡萄糖引起的CCR效应,显著提高菌株的核黄素产量。     

Sinorhizobium morelens S-5中N-氨甲酰基水解酶基因的克隆、表达和纯化

N-氨甲酰基水解酶是一种非常具有工业应用价值的水解酶,可用于制备光学纯氨基酸。通过LA PCR从Sinorhizobium morelensS-5菌中克隆到1.3kb的DNA片段,测序表明该片段上含有一个完整的N-氨甲酰基水解酶的基因(hyuC)序列。将hyuC基因克隆到表达载体pET30a上,重组质粒pET30a-HyuC在大肠杆菌中获得了高水平表达。重组的N-氨甲酰基水解酶经过热处理和三步柱色谱分离而纯化。纯化倍数为16.1倍,收率21.2%。该酶为同源四聚体,亚基分子量是38kDa。最适温度是60℃,最适pH为7.0。该酶有较高的热稳定性和氧化稳定性。Fe2 和Ca2 对酶的活性有一定的促进作用,而金属螯合剂和巯基试剂对酶活无明显影响。     

乙肝患者肝纤维化血清标志物表达水平及其临床意义

目的探讨乙肝患者肝纤维化血清标志物表达水平及其与病情、病程的关系。方法用R IA方法对135例乙肝患者进行血清透明质酸酶(HA)、层粘连蛋白(LN)、Ⅲ型胶原前体(PⅢC)、Ⅳ型胶原(ⅣC)检测。结果乙肝患者血清中HA、LN、PⅢC和ⅣC水平分别为(338.7±122.6)、(226.2±43.3)、(152.8±33.7)和(132.6±41.1)μg/L。其中,急性黄疸肝炎、慢性肝炎轻度、慢性肝炎中度、慢性肝炎重度、肝硬变代偿期、肝硬变失代偿期、肝癌和肝硬变+肝癌患者HA、LN、PⅢC和ⅣC水平分别为(134.2±101.4)、(185.1±104.5)、(373.5±147.1)、(445.5±123.6)、(477.3±186.0)、(653.7±98.5)、(597.5±91.3)和(723.6±110.4)μg/L;(106.7±31.3)、(179.5±28.5)、(234.6±66.1)、(287.3±57.0)、(294.8±66.4)、(345.6±61.2)、(322.1±71.0)和(357.8±88.3)μg/L;(103.5±19.2)、(108.6±21.4)、(145.3±37.3)、(194.5±41.7)、(188.8±39.5)、(247.6±48.0)、(251.3±37.3)和(286.7±35.8)μg/L;(49.6±14.7)、(83.4±15.3)、(134.5±50.5)、(178.7±61.4)、(183.2±61.3)、(256.8±72.4)、(217.7±64.5)和(281.1±57.0)μg/L。结论肝癌、肝硬化、肝硬变+肝癌和慢性肝炎重度患者存在明显的肝纤维化征象,急性黄疸肝炎、慢性肝炎轻度患者肝纤维化程度较轻,在一定范围内肝纤维化程度与肝病的病情、病程关系密切。     

胃溃疡对大鼠胃中HAP1表达的影响

建立冰乙酸性大鼠胃溃疡模型,采用ABC法进行免疫组织化学染色,观察并探讨胃溃疡对胃壁中HAP1(huntingtin as-soc iated protein 1,HAP1)表达的影响。结果溃疡组大鼠胃壁中HAP1阳性细胞数目及光密度与正常进食的大鼠相比显著增多。     

肺炎支原体表面黏附蛋白的研究进展

肺炎支原体感染可引发非典型肺炎和多种上呼吸道疾病。其致病过程主要由表面黏附蛋白介导完成。本文综述了肺炎支原体表面黏附蛋白的研究进展。     

微管相关蛋白tau与朊蛋白的相互作用

微管相关蛋白tau参与了许多神经退行性疾病的发生, 其中包括一些人类可传播性海绵状脑病. 为了探讨tau与朊蛋白(PrP)之间可能存在的关系, 首先通过GST pull-down和免疫共沉淀等技术发现重组tau蛋白可通过微管结合区与来源于正常叙利亚仓鼠脑组织中的正常细胞膜朊蛋白(PrP^C)和羊瘙痒因子263K感染仓鼠脑组织的异常朊蛋白(PrPSc)相结合. 利用免疫共沉淀实验发现在正常和羊瘙痒因子感染的仓鼠脑组织中存在tau蛋白与PrPC和PrPSc的相互作用, 并且利用激光共聚焦方法检测到PrP和tau蛋白在CHO细胞内具有共定位的关系. 为了确定PrP与tau蛋白相互作用的部位, 构建了不同区域的PrP片段, 从而证明PrP与tau蛋白相互作用的区域位于PrP的N端序列(23~91 aa). PrP与tau蛋白分子间相互作用的直接实验证据提示tau蛋白可能参与PrP的正常生理功能以及朊病毒病的病理过程.