Molecular Dissection of Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedrovirus orf8 Gene

Viruses including baculoviruses are obligatory parasites, as their genomes do not encode all the proteins required for replication. Therefore, viruses have evolved to exploit the behavior and the physiology of their hosts and often eoevolved with their hosts over millions of years. Recent comparative analyses of complete genome sequences of baculoviruses revealed the patterns of gene acquisitions and losses that have occurred during baculovirus evolution. In addition, knowledge of virus genes has also provided understanding of the mechanism of baculovirus infection including replication, species-specific virulence and host range. The Bm8 gene of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) and its homologues are found only in group I NPV genomes. The Autographa californica NPV Acl6 gene is a homologue of Bm8 and, encodes a viral structural protein. It has been shown that Bm8/Ac 16 interacts with baculoviral and cellular proteins. Bm8/Ac 16 interacts with baculoviral IE1 that is facilitated by coiled coil domains, and the interaction with IE1 is important for Bin8 function. Ac16 also forms a complex with viral FP25 and cellular actin and associates with membranes via palmitoylation. These data suggested that this gene family encodes a multifunctional protein that accomplishes specific needs of group INPVs.     

奇异果甜蛋白及其基因工程

奇异果甜蛋白(thaumatin)是迄今为止最甜的物质之一,对其研究具有很重要的意义。奇异果甜蛋白的生化性质基本清楚,基因序列和氨基酸序列都已测定。它的甜味可能是由奇异果甜蛋白上特定基团和受体结合引起的。对奇异果甜蛋白的生理功能知之甚少。近二十年来,在奇异果甜蛋白的基因工程上取得了一定进展,但仍然存在许多困难。 Abstract:Thaumatin is one of the sweetest substances known to date,it is important to study the thaumatin.The biochemical properties of thaumatin have been clarified clearly.Thaumatin had been isolated and sequenced.The mechanism of the sweetness of thaumatin may be due to the combination of some special groups and the receptors.The exact function of thaumatin is still not clear.Although gene engineering of thaumatin has been carried out for 20 years,there are still some difficulties to be solved for using in the market.     

The mechanism of myoblast deformation in response to cyclic strain - A cytomechanical study

Mechanical strain is one of the important epigenetic factors that cause deformation and differentiation of skeletal muscles. This research was designed to investigate how myoblast deformation occurs after cyclic strain loading. Myoblasts were passaged three times and harvested; various cyclic strains (2.5kPa, 5kPa and 10kPa) were then loaded using a pulsatile mechanical system. The adaptive response of the myoblasts was observed at different time points (0.5h, 1h, 6h and 12h) post-loading. At the early stage of cyclic strain loading (<1h), almost no visible morphological changes were observed in the myoblasts. The actin cytoskeleton showed a disordered arrangement and a weak fluorescence expression; there was little expression of talin. At 6h and 12h post-loading, the myoblasts changed their orientation to parallel (in the 2.5kPa and 5kPa groups) or perpendicular (in the 10kPa group) to the direction of strain. Fluorescence expression of both the actin cytoskeleton and talin was significantly increased. The results suggest that cyclic strain has at least two ways to regulate adaptation of myoblasts: (1) by directly affecting actin cytoskeleton at an early stage post-loading to cause depolymerization; and (2) by later chemical signals transmitted from the extracellular side to intracellular side to initiate repolymerization.     

融合酰基载体蛋白可增强大肠杆菌重组蛋白的可溶性和热稳定性

目前,蛋白质可溶性和热稳定性已成为重组蛋白高效生产、功能应用和长久保存不可回避的问题,而使用酸性蛋白融合标签可能是其有效解决策略。酰基载体蛋白(ACP)是脂肪酸生物合成途径的必要组分,在大肠杆菌中为一个高度酸性的小分子多肽。将大肠杆菌ACP与几个热不稳定的靶蛋白[如小桐子抗坏血酸过氧化物酶1(Jc APX1)、大豆核酮糖-1,5-二磷酸羧化/加氧酶的活化酶2(GmRCA2)、大肠杆菌高丝氨酸O-转琥珀酰酶(EcMetA)]进行基因融合并使其在大肠杆菌中诱导表达,发现ACP融合能显著增强这些重组靶蛋白的可溶性。另外,对重组蛋白的热处理和酶活性分析发现,融合ACP还能极大提高这三个靶蛋白的热稳定性,并有效保护JcAPX1酶活免遭热失活,使其耐热性提高了至少2℃。ACP的这种效果推测可能与其高酸度特性有关,可以作为一个新的功能酸性融合标签。     

Matrix GLA protein is a developmental regulator of chondrocyte mineralization and, when constitutively expressed, blocks endochondral and intramembranous ossification in the limb

Matrix GLA protein (MGP), a gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (GLA)-rich, vitamin K-dependent and apatite-binding protein, is a regulator of hypertrophic cartilage mineralization during development. However, MGP is produced by both hypertrophic and immature chondrocytes, suggesting that MGP's role in mineralization is cell stage-dependent, and that MGP may have other roles in immature cells. It is also unclear whether MGP regulates the quantity of mineral or mineral nature and quality as well. To address these issues, we determined the effects of manipulations of MGP synthesis and expression in (a) immature and hypertrophic chondrocyte cultures and (b) the chick limb bud in vivo. The two chondrocyte cultures displayed comparable levels of MGP gene expression. Yet, treatment with warfarin, a gamma-carboxylase inhibitor and vitamin K antagonist, triggered mineralization in hypertrophic but not immature cultures. Warfarin effects on mineralization were highly selective, were accompanied by no appreciable changes in MGP expression, alkaline phosphatase activity, or cell number, and were counteracted by vitamin K cotreatment. Scanning electron microscopy, x-ray microanalysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that mineral forming in control and warfarin-treated hypertrophic cell cultures was similar and represented stoichiometric apatite. Virally driven MGP overexpression in cultured chondrocytes greatly decreased mineralization. Surprisingly, MGP overexpression in the developing limb not only inhibited cartilage mineralization, but also delayed chondrocyte maturation and blocked endochondral ossification and formation of a diaphyseal intramembranous bone collar. The results show that MGP is a powerful but developmentally regulated inhibitor of cartilage mineralization, controls mineral quantity but not type, and appears to have a previously unsuspected role in regulating chondrocyte maturation and ossification processes.     

低温驯化后水椰八角铁甲生理活性物质含量的变化

【目的】分析低温驯化后水椰八角铁甲Octodonta nipae体内各种生理活性物质含量的变化,为揭示水椰八角铁甲耐寒机制提供理论基础。【方法】以25℃处理为对照,将水椰八角铁甲各虫态于12.5, 15, 17.5和20℃驯化处理10 d后,比较其体内的游离水、蛋白质、氨基酸、粗脂肪、甘油和可溶性糖原等生理活性物质含量的变化。【结果】低温驯化显著影响铁甲体内上述物质的含量水平。低温驯化能提高该铁甲体内甘油和游离氨基酸的含量,降低游离水、蛋白质、粗脂肪、可溶性糖原的含量。与对照相比,12.5℃驯化对该铁甲各虫态体内游离水含量存在显著影响(P<0.01);经12.5, 15, 17.5和20.0℃驯化后,该铁甲各虫态体内蛋白质、粗脂肪含量与对照相比均存在显著差异(P<0.01);经125,150和175℃驯化后,该铁甲各虫态体内游离氨基酸含量与对照存在显著差异(P<0.01);经12.5,15.0,17.5和20℃驯化后,该铁甲各虫态（2龄幼虫除外）体内甘油含量与对照相比存在显著差异(P<0.01);12.5, 15.0, 17.5和20℃驯化对除2龄幼虫、蛹和成虫外的铁甲其他各虫态体内可溶性糖原含量存在显著影响。经15.0℃驯化处理后铁甲各虫态体内平均甘油含量最高,比对照25℃的平均甘油含量高出约9.4倍,而经12.5℃驯化处理的虫体内的平均甘油含量仅增加3.5倍。【结论】低温驯化对水椰八角铁甲体内相关生理活性物质含量的影响效能是有限的;水椰八角铁甲可以根据不良的环境条件调节最佳的生理状况,以适应未来的环境和达到最强的适应性。     

鲤鱼汤对阿霉素肾病大鼠肾组织TGF-β1及下游因子表达的影响

本研究探讨鲤鱼汤利尿消肿拮抗肾纤维化保护肾脏的分子机制。阿霉素6.2 mg/kg尾静脉单次注射制备ADRN模型,2 W后干预连续7 W。检测尿、血生化指标,光镜电镜观察肾组织形态变化,免疫组化检测转化生长因子β1(TGF-β1)及下游因子表达。结果发现模型组较对照组12 h尿量(12 h-Uv)减少,血白蛋白(Alb)降低,肾小球硬化指数(GSI)及间质损伤指数(TII)升高,肾组织Smad7表达下调,转化生TGF-β1、成纤维细胞特异性蛋白-1(FSP-1)、I型胶原(Col-I)表达上调;鲤鱼汤组较模型组12 h-Uv增加,血Alb升高,GSI及TII下降,肾组织Smad7表达上调,TGF-β1、FSP-1、Col-Ⅰ表达下调。表明鲤鱼汤的肾保护作用至少部分与其利尿消肿、调节TGF-β1/Smad7信号通路、抑制上皮细胞转分化(EMT)及细胞外基质沉积(ECM)有关。