Effects of egt gene transfer on the development of Bombyx mori

This study investigated the effects of gain of ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase (EGT) gene function mutation on the development of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. A novel piggyBac-derived plasmid containing the egt gene from B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) driven by a heat-shock protein (hsp) 23.7 promoter, with a neomycin-resistance gene (neo) controlled by the BmNPV ie-1 promoter and a green fluorescent protein gene (gfp) under the control of the B. mori actin 3 (A3) promoter was constructed. The vector was transferred into silkworm eggs by sperm-mediated gene transfer. Transgenic silkworms were produced after screening for neo and gfp genes and gene transfer was verified by polymerase chain reaction, dot-blot hybridization and western blotting. The hatching rate of G1 generation silkworm eggs was about 60% lower than that of normal silkworm eggs. The duration of the G1 generation larval period was extended, and the G2 generation pupal stage lasted four days longer than that in non-transgenic silkworms. The ecdysone blood level in G2 silkworms in the third instar molting stage was reduced by up to 90%. These results show that EGT suppressed transgenic silkworm molting, and that egt expression in egt-transgenic silkworms resulted in arrest of metamorphosis from pupae to moths.     

杆状病毒AcMNPV p48基因在昆虫细胞中的表达

【目的】p48(ac103)基因在昆虫杆状病毒中高度保守,暗示其具有重要的生物学功能。为了研究该基因的功能,我们首先对该基因的表达特征进行描述。【方法】以杆状病毒代表种——苜蓿银纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒(Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus,AcMNPV)的p48基因为研究对象,利用Bac-to-Bac杆状病毒表达载体系统分别构建了在P48蛋白N-端和C-端融合HA-标签,并且携带绿色荧光蛋白基因和多角体蛋白基因的重组Bacmid。将重组Bacmid转染Sf9细胞,收集含病毒的上清去感染Sf9细胞,在感染后不同时间点收集细胞进行SDS-PAGE电泳,利用商业化的HA抗体进行Western blot分析以检测融合蛋白在昆虫细胞中的表达情况。【结果】用C-端融合HA-标签的重组病毒感染细胞后12h即可检测到一条43kDa左右、能与HA抗体发生特异性结合的蛋白条带,该特异性蛋白的表达一直持续到病毒感染后96h。从感染后48h起一直到96h,均能检测到另外一条约26kDa的蛋白条带也能与HA抗体发生特异性结合。在N-端融合HA-标签的重组病毒感染的细胞中没有检测到与HA抗体特异结合的蛋白。【结论】结果表明,p48基因是个晚期基因,在病毒感染的晚期表达,并且该蛋白在昆虫细胞中表达时N-端可能被剪切。     

苜蓿丫纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒fp25k基因的改造及用于稳定转化Sf9昆虫细胞系

【目的】苜蓿丫纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒(Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus, AcMNPV)在昆虫细胞中连续传代以后,会出现从多多角体表型到少多角体表型的转变,这种转变与一个编码25 kDa蛋白的基因（few polyhedra, fp25k）突变失活有关。杆状病毒的fp25k基因突变后产生的包涵体（多角体）衍生病毒粒子变少而出芽型病毒粒子增加,会降低外源基因在杆状病毒表达系统中的表达。本研究拟改造fp25k并构建能持续表达FP25K蛋白的转基因昆虫细胞,以克服杆状病毒, fp25k基因易突变导致的表达系统缺陷。【方法】本实验通过改造杆状病毒, fp25k基因在细胞传代过程中容易产生突变的位点,得到 mfp25k,并将mfp25k构建到pIZT/V5-His载体上,重组载体转染Sf9细胞,通过Zeocin抗性筛选逐步淘汰未成功转化的Sf9细胞。【结果】成功改造AcMNPV的, fp25k基因的TTAA位点,得到pIZT-mfp25k重组载体。重组载体成功转染Sf9细胞,通过Zeocin抗性筛选后获得基因组中带有mfp25k的Sf9-mfp25k稳定的转基因细胞系。用AcMNPV的fp25k突变型病毒AcP2感染转基因Sf9-mfp25k昆虫细胞系与正常Sf9细胞,发现转基因Sf9-mfp25k昆虫细胞系表达的FP25K蛋白可弥补病毒, fp25k基因突变的缺陷。【结论】建立的Sf9-mfp25k转基因昆虫细胞系通过细胞表达FP25K蛋白,可以弥补因杆状病毒fp25k基因突变产生的缺陷。研究结果为构建稳定的杆状病毒 昆虫细胞表达系统提供了新途径。     

Recognition of signal peptide by protein translocation machinery in middle silk gland of silkworm Bombyx mori

To investigate the functions of signal peptide in protein secretion in the middle silk gland of silkworm Bombyx mori, a series of recombinant Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedroviruses containing enhanced green fluorescent protein （egfp） gene, led by sericin-1 promoter and mutated signal peptide coding sequences, were constructed by region-deletions or single amino acid residue deletions. The recombinant Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedroviruses were injected into the hemocoele of newly ecdysed fifth-instar silkworm larvae. The expression and secretion of EGFP in the middle silk gland were examined by fluorescence microscopy and Western blot analysis. Results showed that even with a large part （up to 14 amino acid residues） of the ser-1 signal peptide deleted, the expressed EGFP could still be secreted into the cavity of the silk gland. Western blot analysis showed that shortening of the signal peptide from the C-terminal suppressed the maturation of pro-EGFP to EGFP. When 8 amino acid residues were deleted from the C-terminal of the signal peptide （mutant 13 aa）, the secretion of EGFP was incomplete, implicating the importance of proper coupling of the h-region and c-region. The deletion of amino acid residue（s） in the h-region did not affect the secretion of EGFP, indicating that the recognition of signal peptide by translocation machinery was mainly by a structural domain, but not by special amino acid residue（s）. Furthermore, the deletion ofArg^2 or replacement with Asp in the n-region of the signal peptide did not influence secretion of EGFP, suggesting that a positive charge is not crucial.     

杆状病毒Ac78 C末端保守区域的功能初步分析

杆状病毒模式种苜蓿丫纹夜蛾核多角体病毒(Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus, AcMNPV)的orf78 (即Ac78)是最近被发现的杆状病毒核心基因,在杆状病毒的生活周期中具有重要功能.氨基酸序列分析表明,Ac78的C末端105～108位氨基酸区域在Group I NPVs旁系同源物中高度保守.为研究该保守区域在Ac78功能中的作用,利用Bac-to-Bac杆状病毒表达载体系统成功构建了缺失该保守区域,并且携带绿色荧光蛋白基因和多角体蛋白基因的Ac78截短补回型重组病毒(vAc78:del105-108).荧光显微镜分析和病毒生长曲线测定结果表明,在vAc78:del105-108转染的Sf9细胞中,感染性的芽生型病毒粒子(budded virion,BV)产生量与Ac78全长补回型重组病毒(vAc78:HA)基本一致;电镜观察发现,在vAc78:del105-108转染的细胞中,呈现与vAc78:HA的现象一致的典型的杆状病毒感染特征,多粒包埋型病毒粒子(multiple nucleocapsid enveloped occlusion derived virion,M-ODV)以及包埋有M-ODV的包涵体均能正常形成;免疫荧光实验表明,在vAc78:del105-108感染的Sf9细胞中,从病毒感染细胞24 h时开始,Ac78专一定位于感染细胞的内核膜附近,与vAc78:HA的现象一致.上述结果表明,Ac78的C末端105～108位氨基酸保守区域对于BV和M-ODV的有效产生以及Ac78的亚细胞定位非必需.     

The role of viral protein Ac34 in nuclear relocation of subunits of the actin-related protein 2/3 complex

The actin nucleator actin-related protein complex(Arp2/3) is composed of seven subunits: Arp2,Arp3, p40/ARPC1(P40), p34/ARPC2(P34), p21/ARPC3(P21), p20/ARPC4(P20), and p16/ARPC5(P16). Arp2/3 plays crucial roles in a variety of cellular activities through regulation of actin polymerization. Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus(Ac MNPV), one of the beststudied alphabaculoviruses, induces Arp2/3 nuclear relocation and mediates nuclear actin polymerization to assist in virus replication. We have demonstrated that Ac34, a viral late-gene product, induces translocation of the P40 subunit of Arp2/3 to the nucleus during Ac MNPV infection. However, it remains unknown whether Ac34 could relocate other Arp2/3 subunits to the nucleus. In this study, the effects of the viral protein Ac34 on the distribution of these subunits were studied by an immunofluorescence assay. Arp2, P34, P21, and P20 cloned from Spodoptera frugiperda(Sf9) cells showed mainly cytoplasmic localization and were relocated to the nucleus in the presence of Ac34. In addition, Arp3 was localized in the cytoplasm in both the presence and absence of Ac34, and P16 showed whole-cell localization. In contrast to Sf9 cells, all subunits of mammalian Arp2/3 showed no nuclear relocation in the presence of Ac34. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis of the interaction between Ac34 and Arp2/3 subunits revealed that Ac34 bound to P40,P34, and P20 of Sf9 cells. However, none of the subunits of mammalian Arp2/3 interacted with Ac34, indicating that protein-protein interaction is essential for Ac34 to relocate Arp2/3 subunits to the nucleus.     

Comparative susceptibilities of insect cell lines to infection by the occlusion-body derived phenotype of baculoviruses

Twelve insect cell lines from six species were tested for susceptibility to baculovirus infection by occlusion-derived virus (ODV) phenotype through the use of a typical endpoint assay procedure. ODV from three nucleopolyhedroviruses were prepared by alkali treatment (sodium carbonate) of occlusion bodies (OBs) and the virus preparations were titered on various cell lines. More than a four-log difference was realized for each of theses viruses between the various cell lines. The TN368 line from Trichoplusia ni was only marginally susceptible to ODV from each virus, showing only 3-6 infectious units (IU) per million OBs while the gypsy moth line, LdEp was most susceptible, realizing more than 100,000 IU/million OBs. The other lines tested showed various levels of susceptibility between these two extremes and also varied between the three viruses tested. In additional tests, the ODV were treated with trypsin prior to application to the cells. With most cell lines, this treatment increased the infectivity of each virus by 2-10-fold. Exceptions to this trend included the gypsy moth LdEp line, on which the trypsinized ODV from two of the viruses were slightly less infectious than each virus without trypsin, and the TN-368 line, on which the trypsinized ODV was 5,000-75,000 times more infectious. The variable results of trypsinized virus on the different lines are probably due to the levels of endogenous protease activity in the various lines, but the mode of action of the trypsin has not been elucidated. Ultimately, the variable response of cell lines to ODV of different viruses, and the variable effects of trypsin on the ODV may lead to an improved understanding of the infection process of this virus phenotype as well as factors relating to baculovirus host range.