通过根瘤农杆菌介导法获得菊花转基因植株

以带叶茎段为外植体,通过根癌农杆菌介导法,将兔防御素NP－1基因导入菊花品种“001”中。经梯度卡那霉素（kanamycin,Km）筛选,获得了大量Km抗性植株,其中部分Km抗性植株经Southem杂交鉴定为转基因植株。从而成功地建立了菊花遗传转化系统,为菊花分子育种奠定了基础。     

人防御素-1(HNP-1)在烟草原生质体中的瞬间表达

原生质体瞬间表达系统一般用于研究特定基因5′和3′端不同序列在相应基因表达中的作用、不同启动子对于特定基因的转录活性及为外源基因最终导入植株摸索实验条件,而将其用于研究动物基因在植物细胞中的表达情况则少见报道。     

Antifungal activity of the ribosome‐inactivating protein BE27 from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) against the green mould Penicillium digitatum

The ribosome‐inactivating protein BE27 from sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) leaves is an apoplastic protein induced by signalling compounds, such as hydrogen peroxide and salicylic acid, which has been reported to be involved in defence against viruses. Here, we report that, at a concentration much lower than that present in the apoplast, BE27 displays antifungal activity against the green mould Penicillium digitatum, a necrotrophic fungus that colonizes wounds and grows in the inter‐ and intracellular spaces of the tissues of several edible plants. BE27 is able to enter into the cytosol and kill fungal cells, thus arresting the growth of the fungus. The mechanism of action seems to involve ribosomal RNA (rRNA) N‐glycosylase activity on the sarcin–ricin loop of the major rRNA which inactivates irreversibly the fungal ribosomes, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. We compared the C‐terminus of the BE27 structure with antifungal plant defensins and hypothesize that a structural motif composed of an α‐helix and a β‐hairpin, similar to the γ‐core motif of defensins, might contribute to the specific interaction with the fungal plasma membranes, allowing the protein to enter into the cell.     

Negative‐assortative mating for color in wolves

There is strong negative‐assortative mating for gray and black pelage color in the iconic wolves in Yellowstone National Park. This is the first documented case of significant negative‐assortative mating in mammals and one of only a very few cases in vertebrates. Of 261 matings documented from 1995 to 2015, 63.6% were between gray and black wolves and the correlation between mates for color was –0.266. There was a similar excess of matings of both gray males × black females and black males × gray females. Using the observed frequency of negative‐assortative mating in a model with both random and negative‐assortative mating, the estimated proportion of negative‐assortative mating was 0.430. The estimated frequency of black wolves in the population from 1996 to 2014 was 0.452 and these frequencies appear stable over this 19‐year period. Using the estimated level of negative‐assortative mating, the predicted equilibrium frequency of the dominant allele was 0.278, very close to the mean value of 0.253 observed. In addition, the patterns of genotype frequencies, that is, the observed proportion of black homozygotes and the observed excess of black heterozygotes, are consistent with negative‐assortative mating. Importantly these results demonstrate that negative‐assortative mating could be entirely responsible for the maintenance of this well‐known color polymorphism.     

The radish defensins RsAFP1 and RsAFP2 act synergistically with caspofungin against Candida albicans biofilms

The radish defensin RsAFP2 was previously characterized as a peptide with potent antifungal activity against several plant pathogenic fungi and human pathogens, including Candida albicans. RsAFP2 induces apoptosis and impairs the yeast-to-hypha transition in C. albicans. As the yeast-to-hypha transition is considered important for progression to mature biofilms, we analyzed the potential antibiofilm activity of recombinant (r)RsAFP2, heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris, against C. albicans biofilms. We found that rRsAFP2 prevents C. albicans biofilm formation with a BIC-2 (i.e., the minimal rRsAFP2 concentration that inhibits biofilm formation by 50% as compared to control treatment) of 1.65 ± 0.40 mg/mL. Moreover, biofilm-specific synergistic effects were observed between rRsAFP2 doses as low as 2.5 μg/mL to 10 μg/mL and the antimycotics caspofungin and amphotericin B, pointing to the potential of RsAFP2 as a novel antibiofilm compound. In addition, we characterized the solution structure of rRsAFP2 and compared it to that of RsAFP1, another defensin present in radish seeds. These peptides have similar amino acid sequences, except for two amino acids, but rRsAFP2 is more potent than RsAFP1 against planktonic and biofilm cultures. Interestingly, as in case of rRsAFP2, also RsAFP1 acts synergistically with caspofungin against C. albicans biofilms in a comparable low dose range as rRsAFP2. A structural comparison of both defensins via NMR analysis revealed that also rRsAFP2 adopts the typical cysteine-stabilized αβ-motif of plant defensins, however, no structural differences were found between these peptides that might result in their differential antifungal/antibiofilm potency. This further suggests that the conserved structure of RsAFP1 and rRsAFP2 bears the potential to synergize with antimycotics against C. albicans biofilms.     

人α防御素5在大肠杆菌中的可溶性表达与纯化研究

采用PCR扩增大肠杆菌偏好的人α防御素5成熟肽(mHD-5)密码子序列, 并将其克隆至pMAL-p2x质粒, 构建pMAL-p2x-mHD-5表达载体, 转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3), 诱导表达, SDS-PAGE分析目的蛋白表达量并优化表达条件。经亲和层析、酶切和离子交换层析等方法分离、纯化重组mHD-5(rmHD-5)多肽。采用浊度法测定rmHD-5对细菌的抑制活性。通过优化表达条件, 获得约30%的可溶性目的蛋白表达量, 并成功纯化rmHD-5。rmHD-5对大肠杆菌标准菌株(ATCC25922)具有较强的抑制活性, 在终浓度为62.5mg/mL时, 90%以上的细胞被抑制。结果表明采用可溶性融合表达策略, 在原核表达系统中诱导表达并纯化具有生物活性的防御素是可行的途径之一。     

小麦中外源基因瞬间表达调控研究及兔防御素（NP—1）基因的转化

将不同５上游调控序列驱动下的ＧＵＳ基因用基因枪法导入小麦幼胚和胚性愈伤组织,通过组织化学分析法和荧光分析法对ＧＵＳ基因的表达进行定量检测,比较了几种烟草花叶病毒（ＴＭＶ）Ω增强子序列对小麦中外源基因瞬间表达的调控作用;然后将其中效率最高的玉米Ｕｂｉｌ启动子与兔防御素（ＮＰ－１）连接起来,并加上Ｎｏｓ终止子,构民ＮＰ－１基因小麦表达载体,并转化小麦幼胚,经ＰＣＲ－Ｓｕｔｈｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ分析,初步确     

β-防御素130在大肠杆菌中的串联表达、纯化及生物活性分析

为了研究抗菌肽β-防御素130的生物学活性和实现大规模制备,通过改良其分子结构,构建表达载体pET28a-3×β-defensin130,利用大肠杆菌BL21 (DE3)作为宿主细胞诱导表达后为水溶性蛋白。对纯化后抗菌肽进行抑菌实验、稳定性实验、MTT实验和溶血性实验确定其生物活性。最终成功制备出25 kDa的重组蛋白,对金黄色葡萄球菌(ATCC25923)(45μg/mL)和单增李斯特菌(ATCC221633)(80μg/mL)等革兰氏阴性和阳性菌都表现出极强的抗菌活性,且其抗菌活性不受温度、pH值和蛋白酶消化等影响,MTT细胞毒性实验显示其对HEK293细胞无毒性且对兔源红细胞具有极低的溶血性。这将为新型抗菌肽的开发提供理论基础并推动抗生素替代产业快速发展。     

复合抗菌肽PL在毕赤酵母中的分泌表达及其活性研究

为了获得抗菌活性较强的抗菌肽,将几种抗菌肽串联起来在毕赤酵母中表达,并比较其与单独抗菌肽的抑菌活性。以GenBank中的Protegrin-1(PG-1)、ScorpionDefensin(SD)、Metalnikowin-2A和SheepMyeloidAntibacterialPeptide(SMAP-29)(序列号分别为AAB27599,AAAB27538、P80409和P49928)成熟肽段作为模板序列,根据巴斯德毕赤氏酵母(P.pastoris)偏好密码子,设计并人工合成复合抗菌肽pl基因,同时用SOE法获得ScorpionDefensin的基因,分别克隆到pPICZαA载体中,转化P.pastoris受体菌X-33,在醇氧化酶(AOX)启动子调控下,复合抗菌肽PL及SD均获得表达。体外抑菌试验检测复合抗菌肽PL与单独的蝎子防御素SD的热稳定性、酸稳定性、最低抑菌浓度等,结果显示复合抗菌肽PL及SD具有很强的热酸稳定性,而针对不同的细菌,复合抗菌肽则表现出了强于单独的SD的活性,特别是对大肠杆菌。上述结果说明了该复合抗菌肽具有很好的开发前景。     

抗菌肽人beta防御素3 对铜绿假单胞菌PAO-1 株的抑制作用

目的:分析抗菌肽人β防御素3(humanβdefensin 3,hBD3)对铜绿假单胞菌PAO-1株的抑制作用。方法:合成抗菌肽hBD3,分别通过最低抑菌浓度(minimal inhibitory concentration,MIC)检测、直接杀菌试验、重要功能基因检测分析其对PAO-1的直接抑制作用;并将其与阿奇霉素、四环素、利福平、氯霉素、链霉素、环丙沙星联合施用,观察对抗生素MIC的影响。结果:HBD3对PAO-1的MIC为32μg/mL;在浓度达到8μg/mL时即有明显杀菌作用。HBD3上调PAO-1株的ahpF基因表达,下调aprA和rhlR基因表达。在联用5μg/mL的hBD3后,四环素、利福平、氯霉素、链霉素、环丙沙星的MIC值均有降低。结论:抗菌肽hBD3对铜绿假单胞菌PAO-1株有显著的抑制作用。