Specific Chaperones for the Type VII Protein Secretion Pathway

Mycobacteria use the dedicated type VII protein secretion systems ESX-1 and ESX-5 to secrete virulence factors across their highly hydrophobic cell envelope. The substrates of these systems include the large mycobacterial PE and PPE protein families, which are named after their characteristic Pro-Glu and Pro-Pro-Glu motifs. Pathogenic mycobacteria secrete large numbers of PE/PPE proteins via the major export pathway, ESX-5. In addition, a few PE/PPE proteins have been shown to be exported by ESX-1. It is not known how ESX-1 and ESX-5 recognize their cognate PE/PPE substrates. In this work, we investigated the function of the cytosolic protein EspG(5), which is essential for ESX-5-mediated secretion in Mycobacterium marinum, but for which the role in secretion is not known. By performing protein co-purifications, we show that EspG(5) interacts with several PPE proteins and a PE/PPE complex that is secreted by ESX-5, but not with the unrelated ESX-5 substrate EsxN or with PE/PPE proteins secreted by ESX-1. Conversely, the ESX-1 paralogue EspG(1) interacted with a PE/PPE couple secreted by ESX-1, but not with PE/PPE substrates of ESX-5. Furthermore, structural analysis of the complex formed by EspG(5) and PE/PPE indicates that these proteins interact in a 1:1:1 ratio. In conclusion, our study shows that EspG(5) and EspG(1) interact specifically with PE/PPE proteins that are secreted via their own ESX systems and suggests that EspG proteins are specific chaperones for the type VII pathway.     

The C1B domains of novel PKCε and PKCη have a higher membrane binding affinity than those of the also novel PKCδ and PKCθ

The C1 domains of novel PKCs mediate the diacylglycerol-dependent translocation of these enzymes. The four different C1B domains of novel PKCs (δ, ε, θ and η) were studied, together with different lipid mixtures containing acidic phospholipids and diacylglycerol or phorbol ester. The results show that either in the presence or in the absence of diacylglycerol, C1Bε and C1Bη exhibit a substantially higher propensity to bind to vesicles containing negatively charged phospholipids than C1Bδ and C1Bθ. The observed differences between the C1B domains of novel PKCs (in two groups of two each) were also evident in RBL-2H3 cells and it was found that, as with model membranes, in which C1Bε and C1Bη could be translocated to membranes by the addition of a soluble phosphatidic acid without diacylglycerol or phorbol ester, C1Bδ and C1Bθ were not translocated when soluble phosphatidic acid was added, and diacylglycerol was required to achieve a detectable binding to cell membranes. It is concluded that two different subfamilies of novel PKCs can be established with respect to their propensity to bind to the cell membrane and that these peculiarities in recognizing lipids may explain why these isoenzymes are specialized in responding to different triggering signals and bind to different cell membranes.     

Cloning and expression of a putative cytochrome P450 gene that influences the colour of Phalaenopsis flowers

Anthocyanins are responsible for reds through blues in flowers. Blue and violet flowers generally contain derivatives of delphinidin, whereas red and pink flowers contain derivatives of cyanidin or pelargonidin. Differences in hydroxylation patterns of these three major classes of anthocyanidins are controlled by the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase, a member of the cytochrome P450 family, is the key enzyme in the synthesis of 3',5'-hydroxylated anthocyanins, generally required for blue or purple flowers. Here we report on the isolation of a cDNA clone of a putative flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase gene from Phalaenopsis that was then cloned into a plant expression vector. Transient transformation was achieved by particle bombardment of Phalaenopsis petals. The transgenic petals changed from pink to magenta, indicating that the product of the putative flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase gene influences anthocyanin pigment synthesis.     

In vitro Culture of Medicago arborea L. Anthers: Initial Response

High production of viable somatic embryos was obtained from cultured anthers in the second phase of meiosis, using microscopic level observations of tetrads. The medium with the greatest embryogenic efficiency was H6, composed of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 2 mg l⁻¹ of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ of kinetin. All (100%) of the somatic embryos obtained germinated and produced 63% green and 37% albino seedlings. In general, embryogenic calli had a higher ion concentration than non-embryogenic calli, with the exception of calcium whose concentration was higher in non-embryogenic calli. The calli induced in the different media differed in their sucrose and starch compositions. The most embryogenic medium H6-induced calli with the highest sucrose concentration and the lowest starch concentration, before visible embryos were observed. In the leaves of the albino seedlings, sucrose concentrations were very high while those of starch were very low. Ion concentrations were also lower in albino plants than in the leaves of green seedlings, with the exception of calcium, whose concentration was higher. Most of the albino individuals were homozygous, even when their progenitors were heterozygous, thereby confirming their haploid nature.     

苜蓿银纹夜蛾多核衣壳核型多角体病毒AcMNPV P78/83蛋白初步研究

AcMNPV ORF9编码病毒核衣壳蛋白P78/83,该蛋白在宿主细胞内以磷酸化和去磷酸化两种形式存在,能够与细胞骨架成分肌动蛋白相互作用,序列分析表明其具有与WASP蛋白类似的结构,推测可能在病毒粒子的包装、运输等过程中起重要作用.本文利用Bac-to-Bac系统构建了P78/83与绿色荧光蛋白融合表达的重组AcMNPV,激光共聚焦显微镜观察表明,重组病毒感染Sf21细胞12h后绿色荧光主要集中分布于细胞质中,24h及以后绿色荧光主要集中分布于细胞核中.感染试验表明,超表达P78/83对病毒的生长无明显的影响.     

Specific regulation of SOD isoforms by NaCl and osmotic stress in leaves of the C3 halophyte Suaeda salsa L

The halophyte Suaeda salsa L., exposed to different NaCl concentrations (100 and 400 mmol/L) and polyethylene glycol (isoosomotic to 100 mmol/L NaCl) containing nutrient solutions under normal or K+-deficient conditions for 7 days, was used to study effects of NaCl salinity and osmotic stress on chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics, malonedialdehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoform activities. Photosynthetic capacity was not decreased by NaCl treatment, indicating that S. salsa possesses an effective antioxidative response system for avoiding oxidative damage. Seven SOD activity bands were detected in S. salsa leaf extracts, including an Mn-SOD and several isoforms of Fe-SOD and CuZn-SOD. It turned out that NaCl salinity and osmotic stress lead to a differential regulation of distinct SOD isoenzymes. This differential regulation is suggested to play a major role in stress tolerance of S. salsa.     

栽培大豆和野生大豆耐盐性及离子效应的比较

以国际上常用的耐盐大豆（Glycine max L.)品种Lee68为对照,在发芽期和苗期两个阶段,利用发芽指数、指害指数和耐盐系数等指标对一年生具盐腺野生大豆（Glycine soja L.)和部分栽培大豆（Glycine max L.)及某些野生大豆品系或品种的耐盐性进行了比较,讨论了耐盐指标的可行性。从离子效应方面比较了Na^ 和Cl^-对大豆发芽率的影响,并对具盐腺野生大豆的耐盐机理进行了初步分析。结果表明,大豆品种的耐盐性在发芽期和苗期无一致相关性。轻度等渗胁迫下,Na^ 对种子发芽率的抑制作用大于Cl^-,而重度等渗胁迫下则相反。通过减少由根系吸收的Na^ 、Cl^-向叶片的运输,维持叶片中较高含量的K^ ,减轻盐离子毒害,可能是具盐腺野生大事耐盐的主要生理机制之一。     

S-腺苷甲硫氨酸的研究现状及应用前景

介绍了S-腺苷甲硫氨酸的制备方法及稳定性研究现状,并对其临床应用及市场前景进行了分析。