东亚飞蝗羧酸酯酶基因的克隆和原核表达

羧酸酯酶是昆虫体内重要的代谢解毒酶系,其主要功能是水解和结合内源性和外源性含有酯键的有毒物质,减缓其到达靶标部位的时间。东亚飞蝗Locusta migratoria manilensis(Meyen)是我国重要的农业害虫,对其羧酸酯酶基因克隆和表达有助于深入探索杀虫剂代谢毒理机制。本研究首先对羧酸酯酶基因(CarE4)进行了克隆,并将其插入到pCold TF DNA Vector中,在大肠杆菌中进行了原核表达,最后用疏水层析和离子交换层析方法对目的蛋白进行了纯化。本文成功建立了羧酸酯酶蛋白原核表达和纯化技术体系,为进一步研究东亚飞蝗羧酸酯酶的生理功能、结构特点和作用原理提供了基础资料。     

林木基因组及功能基因克隆研究概述

在美国能源部资助下, 首个多年生木本植物-- 杨树的全基因组测序已经完成且序列信息已对公众开放。杨树全基因组测序的完成标志着林木基因组进入后基因组研究时代。克隆控制重要性状的主效基因是林木后基因组时代的主要研究内容。近年来, 在一些重要作物, 如水稻、蕃茄及玉米中, 先后成功克隆了多个控制重要农艺性状的主效基因, 分子育种在作物中已进入实用阶段。林木相对于这些重要作物而言, 分子遗传学的研究起步较晚, 同时, 由于林木自身的一些生物学特性, 在林木中精确定位与克隆未知基因一度被视为遗传学研究领域的难点。随着技术和研究手段的不断进步, 以及林木基因组资源的快速积累, 有望在这一领域取得突破, 为在林木中开展分子育种创造条件。文章综述了国际上林木基因组与功能基因克隆研究的现状与新发展, 并对后基因组时代的林木功能基因克隆研究的预期成果进行了展望, 以期为从事该领域研究的科研人员提供参考。     

家蚕传染性软化病病毒（桐乡株）VP1基因片段的克隆及序列分析

以首株在中国分离到的家蚕传染性软化病病毒（Bombyx mori infectious flacherie virus,BmIFV）BmIFV-CHN001基因组为模板,扩增了编码主要结构蛋白的VP1基因。克隆测序后得到VP1基因片段906 bp。该序列与已发表的日本毒株相比,核苷酸序列的相似性为99.3%,编码氨基酸的相似性为100%,证明该毒株与家蚕传染性软化病病毒日本株的同源性较高。把BmIFV-CHN001的VP1序列与同属的另外6个昆虫小RNA病毒的结构蛋白进行序列比对,构建系统发育树,对其进化关系进行了初步分析,结果显示这7种病毒具有相近的亲缘关系,而BmIFV-CHN001与蜜蜂囊雏病毒的亲缘关系最近。     

Nucleic acids in mummified plant seeds: screening of twelve specimens by gel-electrophoresis,molecular hybridization and DNA cloning

Summary Twelve seed specimens of varying ages and from different archaeological sites were analyzed for the presence of polymerized DNA and RNA. Amongst the samples tested, one of Vitis vinifera from an archaeological site in Iran (2,000–3,000 B.C.) was found to be completely devoid of nucleic acids. Zea mais seeds of Precolumbial age from Peru (about 800 A.D.) contained depolymerized DNA and RNA. Samples of Vitis vinifera and Rubus sp. from a Lombard archaeological site (800 A.D.) as well as radiocarbon dated seeds from the site of the Spring Sanctuary near Metaponto (I–IV century B.C.) were found to contain polymerized DNA and rRNA bands. However the electrophoretic properties of the rRNAs in one case and hybridization experiments performed with cloned seed DNA in the other, clearly demonstrated that the polymerized nucleic acids were not of plant origin.     

Construction of a set Gateway-based destination vectors for high-throughput cloning and expression screening in Escherichia coli

We describe here the construction of a 10-Gateway-based vector set applicable for high-throughput cloning and for expressing recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. Plasmids bear elements required to produce recombinant proteins under control of the T7 promoter and encode different N-terminal partners. Since the vector set is derived from a unique backbone, a consistent comparison of the impact of fusion partner(s) on protein expression and solubility is easily amenable. Finally, a sequence encoding a six-histidine tag has been inserted to be in frame with the cloned open reading frame either at its C terminus or at the N terminus, giving the flexibility of choosing the six-histidine tag location for further purification. To test the applicability of our vector set, expression and solubility profile and six-histidine tag accessibility have been demonstrated for two Bacillus subtilis signaling proteins' encoding genes (SBGP codes E0508 and E0511).     

Enzymatic and nonenzymatic functions of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases within oligomeric arrays

Few antivirals are effective against positive-strand RNA viruses, primarily because the high error rate during replication of these viruses leads to the rapid development of drug resistance. One of the favored current targets for the development of antiviral compounds is the active site of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases. However, like many subcellular processes, replication of the genomes of all positive-strand RNA viruses occurs in highly oligomeric complexes on the cytosolic surfaces of the intracellular membranes of infected host cells. In this study, catalytically inactive polymerases were shown to participate productively in functional oligomer formation and catalysis, as assayed by RNA template elongation. Direct protein transduction to introduce either active or inactive polymerases into cells infected with mutant virus confirmed the structural role for polymerase molecules during infection. Therefore, we suggest that targeting the active sites of polymerase molecules is not likely to be the best antiviral strategy, as inactivated polymerases do not inhibit replication of other viruses in the same cell and can, in fact, be useful in RNA replication complexes. On the other hand, polymerases that could not participate in functional RNA replication complexes were those that contained mutations in the amino terminus, leading to altered contacts in the folded polymerase and mutations in a known polymerase–polymerase interaction in the two-dimensional protein lattice. Thus, the functional nature of multimeric arrays of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase supplies a novel target for antiviral compounds and provides a new appreciation for enzymatic catalysis on membranous surfaces within cells.     

Precursor structure of egg proteins in the coral Galaxea fascicularis

In the egg of the reef coral Galaxea fascicularis, four proteins (named GfEP-1 to -4) are stored in high abundance. In the present study, a cDNA containing a full-length open reading frame for GfEP-1 was cloned, and the translated protein sequence was compared to the N-terminal sequences of GfEP-2, -3, and -4. GfEP-1 and -2 were shown to be generated by processing of a precursor of 1439 amino acids, and GfEP-3 turned out to be a partial fragment of GfEP-2. The precursor protein contained regions which exhibited similarities to vitellogenins (Vgs) in bilaterian animals (oviparous vertebrates and invertebrates including nematodes, arthropods, and molluscs). This study reports the first cloning and characterization of a full-length cDNA encoding a Vg in a non-bilaterian animal, and argues that the emergence of Vg as a precursor of egg yolk proteins predated the divergence of the cnidarian and bilaterian lineages.     

Molecular Characterization of a Bacterial Consortium Enriched from an Oilfield that Degrades Phenanthrene

Characterization of functional and phylogenetic genes was carried out on a bacterial consortium, enriched from a water treatment system of an oilfield, that could use phenanthrene as the sole carbon source. The mixed culture degraded 130 mg phenanthrene l⁻¹ in 16 days, which is significantly faster than previously reported pure cultures. The existence of catabolic genes (nahAc, C23O) in the mixed culture was quantitated by most probable number PCR. The plasmid encoding phenanthrene catabolic genes increased relative to the chromosome genes. Heterogeneous bacteria were present according to both PCR denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and cloning methods, suggesting the possible existence of cooperation between different biochemical PAH-transforming pathways. Revisions requested 15 December 2005; Revisions received 23 January 2006     

苦荞和甜荞查尔酮合成酶基因的克隆及序列比较

以苦荞品种‘西农9920’和甜荞品种‘西农9976’为材料,根据其它植物查尔酮合成酶(chalcone synthase,CHS)基因DNA序列的保守区域设计的一对简并引物,进行PCR扩增,从2种荞麦基因组中克隆出了长度均为860 bp的CHS基因片段,对其进行回收、克隆,挑选阳性克隆测序;序列分析表明这2个片段含有CHS基因的N端和C端的结构域,分别为苦荞和甜荞的CHS基因片段,命名为FtCHS和FeCHS。对获得的2种荞麦CHS基因的DNA序列进行比较分析,发现两者间存在多达43处单碱基多态性,这些单碱基多态性可能是苦荞和甜荞种子中类黄酮含量差异的重要原因之一。苦荞和甜荞CHS与其它植物CHS的氨基酸序列的进化分析表明,其与同为蓼科的掌叶大黄和石竹科的满天星的同源性较近。