甜瓜乙烯受体基因Cm-ETR1 cDNA的克隆及表达特性分析

乙烯感知和信号转导的初始成分是乙烯受体,为探明甜瓜乙烯受体基因Cm-ETR1在甜瓜果实成熟过程中的作用,以甜瓜品种河套蜜瓜为材料,根据GenBank中登录的甜瓜乙烯受体基因Cm-ETR1的cDNA序列(登录号为AF054806),设计合成特异性引物,采用RT-PCR技术克隆得到Cm-ETR1基因全长cDNA序列,提交到GenBank中(登录号为EF495185)。序列分析表明,序列长度为2 256 bp,编码区为2 223 bp,编码740个氨基酸,与已报道的cantalupenis甜瓜ETR1基因的cDNA序列完全一致。Cm-ETR1蛋白的系统进化树分析结果表明,该乙烯受体蛋白在各物种间高度保守,与黄瓜乙烯受体蛋白相似性最高,一致性为99%,与龙眼乙烯受体蛋白相似性最低,一致性为86%。定量PCR分析结果显示,随着甜瓜果实内源乙烯合成量和成熟程度的增加,Cm-ETR1基因的表达量同步增加,在果实乙烯跃变期,Cm-ETR1的表达量也达到最高值,内源乙烯合成量与Cm-ETR1基因表达量间呈显著正相关,表明Cm-ETR1基因在甜瓜果实成熟过程中可能具有重要的作用。     

桃ACC合酶基因的分离及其差异表达

利用5′/3′RACE PCR技术,从桃(Prunus persica (L.) Batsch)果实中克隆了植物乙烯生物合成的关键酶--ACC合酶的全长cDNA pacs,对pacs基因进行全序列测定表明,该基因全长1 848个碱基,编码区为1 449个碱基,5′端有177个碱基的非编码区序列,3′端有219个碱基的非编码区序列(不包括终止密码子TAA).pacs基因编码区共编码483个氨基酸,蛋白质大小为54 kD,等电点为6.43.pacs与番茄(S19677)、梅(AB031026)、番木瓜(U68216)、苹果(AB034993)等其他植物ACC合酶cDNA氨基酸序列同源性分别为65%、70%、75%、90%,并存在与这些ACC合酶氨基酸的活性位点保守序列SLSKDMGFPGFR.RT-PCR结合杂交分析表明,pacs和我们以前克隆的桃ACC合酶cDNA pacs12(AF467782)在叶片和花中基因表达模式基本一致,伤处理和IAA均能诱导叶片pacs 和pacs12基因的表达,但pacs在伤处理叶片的表达水平比pacs12高;pacs 和pacs12基因在果实表达有所不同,pacs在绿熟和成熟果实中均有表达,而pacs12在绿熟果实中基本检测不到,在成熟果实中才有表达,两者在果实中的表达水平比伤处理和IAA处理叶片和花中要低.     

香蕉MaCAM基因克隆及表达分析

从香蕉根的cDNA文库中获得了一段香蕉钙调蛋白基因的片段,采用RACE技术获得其全长,命名为MaCAM。该基因全长845bp,编码149个氨基酸。生物信息学分析表明,该蛋白属稳定蛋白,其等电点为4.12,有2个保守的EFh功能结构域。与已知植物的钙调蛋白基因相比,一致性达90%以上。其中与粳稻、油棕、胡萝卜、甘蔗的CAM编码的氨基酸序列的一致性分别为99.33%、96.71%、98.00%、98.66%。系统进化树比对分析显示,香蕉与甘蔗的亲缘关系最为密切。器官特异性分析表明,MaCAM在香蕉的根、球茎、叶片、花和果实中均有所表达,在根中表达量最高,花中次之,而在叶片中的表达量最低。     

香蕉一个Ⅲ类酸性几丁质酶基因与果实成熟关系的研究

为了解Ⅲ类酸性几丁质酶基因(MaCHⅢ)与香蕉果实采后成熟过程的相互关系,对经乙烯和1-甲基环丙烯(1-MCP)处理的巴西香蕉果实采后乙烯释放量、Ⅲ类酸性几丁质酶基因(MaCHⅢ)表达以及几丁质酶活性进行了测定.结果显示:(1)乙烯催熟处理的香蕉果实,乙烯释放量比对照处理的果实提前15 d达到高峰;1-MCP处理的香蕉果实,乙烯生物合成和果实成熟明显受到了抑制.(2)外源乙烯加速了MaCHⅢ基因的下调表达和Ⅲ类酸性几丁质酶活性的下降,MaCHⅢ表达量和Ⅲ类酸性几丁质酶活性分别在采后第3天和第4天下降到最小值.(3)1-MCP处理使MaCHⅢ基因呈现上调表达,Ⅲ类酸性几丁质酶活性上升,MaCHⅢ基因表达量和Ⅲ类酸性几丁质酶活性分别在采后18 d和25 d达到高峰.研究表明,MaCHⅢ基因可能与香蕉果实采后成熟呈负相关.     

巴西橡胶树液泡ATP酶F亚基基因克隆及表达

根据筛选文库时获得的EST序列信息,利用RACE技术分离了一个巴西橡胶树ATP酶 F亚基基因,命名为HbVHA-F.结果显示,该基因cDNA全长658 bp,含有完整的阅读框架,编码130个氨基酸.序列比对及结构预测分析表明,HbVHA-F编码的氨基酸序列与杨树、水稻、黄麻、小麦和香蕉中相应基因氨基酸序列的一致性分别达到88.46%、86.15%、84.62%、83.85%和74.62%,与杨树一致性最高,并与其他高等植物聚为一类.半定量RT-PCR分析显示,割胶(机械伤害)和乙烯利能够诱导HbVHA-F基因的表达.HbVHA-F基因可能通过转录表达调节参与了乙烯利刺激橡胶树增产的分子调控.     

香蕉果实XET cDNA的克隆及其在成熟软化的果实果皮和果肉中的表达分析

木葡聚糖内糖基转移酶(Xyloglucan endotransglycosylase,XET)通过分解细胞壁半纤维素多糖的主要成分--木葡聚糖而参与果实软化.为了阐明香蕉(Musa acuminata.Colla cv.GrandNain)果实成熟过程中的软化与细胞壁代谢酶XET基因表达模式的关系,采用RT-PCR和RACE-PCR方法,首次从成熟香蕉果实果肉中分离了编码XT基因的全长cDNA(MA-XET1,全长1 095 bp).序列分析表明,MA-XET1的5'端和3'端的非翻译区分别为66 bp和1 89bp,该片段含有一个完整的开放读码框,编码280个氨基酸,推导的MA-XET1蛋白质中存在XET蛋白的催化活性部位DEIDFEFL.Southern杂交表明,MA-XET1在香蕉基因组中由多拷贝基因编码.Northern分析显示,跃变前期的果肉中,不能检测MA-XET1基因的表达,跃变期的果实果肉中MA-XET1表达增加,跃变后期该基因表达略有减弱;在跃变前期的果实果皮中,MA-XET1的积累较低,跃变期的果实果皮中积累大幅增加,而后迅速下降.Propylene(丙烯,乙烯的类似物)处理降低香蕉果实果皮和果肉的硬度,而且propylene促进MA-XET1在果皮和果肉中的积累.这些结果表明,MA-XET1参与香蕉果实成熟过程中的果皮和果肉软化,并且,MA-XET1的表达在转录水平上受乙烯调控.     

巴西橡胶树HbMKK4基因的克隆及表达分析

采用RACE技术,从橡胶树‘热研7-33-97’中克隆了1个促分裂原活化蛋白激酶的激酶(MKK)基因HbMKK4。该基因全长cDNA序列1 580bp,编码框1 059bp,编码352个氨基酸,含有S_TKc结构域,其编码蛋白的分子量为38.83kD,理论等电点为9.36。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,HbMKK4在橡胶树的根、树皮、胶乳及叶片中均有表达。割胶、茉莉酸甲酯和乙烯利均能上调胶乳中HbMKK4基因的表达,基因相对表达量分别在割胶后2h、茉莉酸甲酯处理8h和乙烯利处理4h后达到最高。研究结果推测HbMKK4可能通过MAPK信号途径参与茉莉酸信号途径的响应,可能在天然橡胶生物合成调控中起关键作用。     

香蕉MaBTB基因的表达分析及亚细胞定位

利用荧光定量PCR分析在不同处理下的香蕉采后果实中MaBTB基因的表达,在正常成熟的果实中,MaBTB基因的表达与乙烯的释放量呈正相关;相反,在1-MCP处理的香蕉果实中,该基因的表达相对变化不明显;用乙烯处理的香蕉果实,其表达量在第3天达到高峰,比正常成熟的早11 d。这些结果表明MaBTB基因在香蕉采后果实中是受乙烯诱导表达的。最后,亚细胞定位分析表明MaBTB基因定位在细胞核上。     

桃ACC合酶基因的分离及其差异表达

利用5'/3'RACE FCR技术,从桃（Prunus persica(L.)Batsch）果实中克隆了植物乙烯生物合成的关键酶-ACC合酶的全长cDNA pacs,对pacs基因进行全序列测定表明,该基因全长1848个碱基,编码区1449个碱基,5'端有177个碱基的非编码区序列,3'端有219个碱基的非编码区序列（不包括终止密码子TAA）。pacs基因编码区共编码483个氨基酸,蛋白质大小为54kd,等电点为6.43。pacs与番茄（S19677）、梅（AB031026)、番木瓜（U68216）、苹果（AB034993）等其他植物ACC合酶cDNA氨基酸序列同源性分别为65%、70%、90%,并存在与这些ACC合酶氨pacs12(af467782)在叶片和花中基因表达模式基本一致,伤处理和IAA均能诱导叶片pacs和pacs12基因的表达,但pacs在伤处理叶片的表达水平比pacs12高;pacs和pacs12基因在果实表达有所不同,pacs在绿熟和成熟果实中均有表达,而pacs12在绿熟果实中基本检测不同,在成熟果实中才有表达,两在果实中的表达水平比伤处理和IAA处理叶片和花中要低。     

栀子ERF基因的克隆及其在果实成熟过程中的表达

乙烯反应元件因子(ethylene-responsive element-binding factor,ERF)是一类植物DNA结合蛋白,是乙烯信号传导过程中的一类转录因子,与植物的生长发育和生理过程有关。从栀子(Gardenia jasminoidesEllis)果实的cDNA文库中筛选获得栀子乙烯反应元件因子GjERF的cDNA。该基因全长962 bp,5’端非翻译区长82 bp,3’端非翻译区长100 bp,预测ORF为780 bp,编码259个氨基酸,分子量为28.6 kD。序列分析表明GjERF含有59个氨基酸构成的AP2/ERF结构域及N端的MC(MCGGAII)模体,它属于ERF家族的第Ⅶ亚类。RT-PCR分析表明GjERF基因在栀子成熟叶片中的表达高于在果实中的表达,并且在果实中的表达与果实的成熟过程无关。     

Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) autoantibody epitope shift during the first year of type 1 diabetes.

Autoantibodies in Type 1 diabetes patients may differentiate between glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65) cloned from human, mouse and rat with a significant better binding to the human antigen. A subgroup of 15% (27/183) patients showed significantly better binding to rodent than to human GAD65. The aim of this study was to determine whether the autoantibody specificity would remain anti-rodent during longitudinal follow-up for one year. We observed 1) that the average slope of the difference between human and mouse GAD65 autoantibodies binding increased between onset and after one year, which demonstrates reduced binding to rodent GAD65 and 2) that, in a group followed every third month, 9/11 (80%) children with rodent specific GAD65 autoantibodies at onset converted within one year to preference against human GAD65. This shift in preference was confirmed by significantly lower EC50 values in the initially anti-rodent GAD65 autoantibodies compared to samples taken one year after clinical diagnosis as determined in displacement studies with unlabeled human GAD65. We speculate that the evolution of GAD65 autoantibodies in Type 1 diabetes includes reactivity to a non-human GAD65 N-terminal end conformation. Progression towards Type 1 diabetes is, however, associated with a maturation of the immune response towards human GAD65 autoreactivity.     

Effect of apocalmodulin on recombinant human brain glutamic acid decarboxylase

In this work, we report that the recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST)-human L-glutamic acid decarboxylase (HGAD) isoforms, 65-kDa L-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) (GST-HGAD65) fusion protein or free truncated HGAD65, were activated by apocalmodulin (ApoCaM) to an extent of 60%. Both truncated forms of GAD67 (tGAD67), HGAD67(Delta1-70) and HGAD67(Delta1-90), were markedly activated by ApoCaM to an extent of 141 and 85%, respectively, while GST-HGAD67 was not significantly affected. The activation appears to be due to an increase of GAD affinity for its cofactor, pyridoxal phosphate (PLP). This conclusion is based on the following observations. Firstly, the V(max) of GAD was increased when ApoCaM was present whereas the affinity for the substrate, glutamate, was not affected. Secondly, the affinity of GAD for PLP was increased in the presence of ApoCaM. Thirdly, results from calmodulin-agarose affinity column chromatography studies indicated a direct interaction or binding between ApoCaM and GAD. Fourthly, ApoCaM was found to be copurified with GAD65/GAD67 by anti-GAD65/67 immunoaffinity column using rat brain extract. Hence, it is proposed that a conformational change is induced when ApoCaM interacts with GAD65 or tGAD67, resulting in an increase of GAD affinity for PLP and the activation of GAD. The physiological significance of the interaction between GAD and ApoCaM is discussed.     

Calcium/calmodulin activation of two divergent glutamate decarboxylases from tobacco

Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD, EC 4.1.1.15) catalyses the alpha-decarboxylation of glutamate to produce gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA). The nucleotide sequences of two divergent GADs (designated GAD1 and GAD3) were isolated from a Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun NN leaf cDNA library. Open reading frames indicated that GAD1 encodes a polypeptide of 496 amino acids and has greater than 99% identity with known tobacco GADs, whereas GAD3 encodes a polypeptide of 491 amino acids and has about 14% divergence from known tobacco GADs. Genomic DNA analysis suggested that there are at least four tobacco GAD genes, existing in pairs of highly identical genes. An in vitro assay at pH 7.3 revealed that activities of the recombinant proteins, after isolation from Escherichia coli and partial purification by nickel-affinity chromatography, are 57-133 times the control levels in the presence of 0.5 mM calcium and 0.2 micro M bovine calmodulin.     

Improved in Planta Expression of the Human Islet Autoantigen Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD65)

The smaller isoform of the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) is a major islet autoantigen in autoimmune type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Transgenic plants expressing human GAD65 (hGAD65) are a potential means of direct oral administration of the islet autoantigen in order to induce tolerance and prevent clinical onset of disease. We have previously reported the successful generation of transgenic tobacco and carrot that express immunoreactive, full-length hGAD65. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the expression levels of recombinant hGAD65 in transgenic plants can be increased by targeting the enzyme to the plant cell cytosol and by mediating expression through the potato virus X (PVX) vector. By substituting the NH₂-terminal region of hGAD65 with a homologous region of rat GAD67, a chimeric GAD67_1-87/GAD65_88-585 molecule was expressed in transgenic tobacco plants. Immunolocalization analysis showed that immunoreactive GAD67/65 was found in the plant cell cytosol. By using a radio-immuno assay with human serum from a GAD65 autoantibody-positive T1DM patient, the highest expression level of the recombinant GAD67/65 protein was estimated to be 0.19% of the total soluble protein, compared to only 0.04% of wild-type hGAD65. Transient expression of wild-type, full-length hGAD65 in N. benthamiana mediated by PVX infection was associated with expression levels of immunoreactive protein as high as 2.2% of total soluble protein. This substantial improvement of the expression of hGAD65 in plants paves the way for immunoprevention studies of oral administration of GAD65-containing transgenic plant material in animal models of spontaneous autoimmune diabetes.     

Development of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) autoantibody assay using biotin-GAD65 fusion protein

We evaluated a biotin-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (B-ELISA) to detect GAD65 autoantibodies (GAD65Ab) in 78 sera from individuals with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. The GAD65Ab index of patients with type 1 diabetes (mean value of GAD65Ab index of 1.891) was significantly higher than those in 50 sera from healthy control group (mean value of 0.068). The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated to be 1.042 and 10.703%, respectively. The specificity of the B-GAD65 ELISA was comparable to the standard radioimmunoassay (RIA) which is routinely used in the laboratory. We describe the optimal conditions of the binding kinetics from each assay-step for the detection of GAD65Ab using the WHO standard serum 97/550 as a model autoantibody serum. We concluded that incubation times of 15, 90, and 90 min for step 1 (pre-incubation of Biotin14-GAD65 with serum), step 2 (binding the Ab/Ag complex to NeutrAvidin plate), and step 3 (incubation with HRPO-anti-human IgG), respectively, along with human serum dilutions of 1:50, would provide an optimal assay signal within a relatively short timeframe.     

GAD1 mRNA expression and DNA methylation in prefrontal cortex of subjects with schizophrenia

Dysfunction of prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia includes changes in GABAergic mRNAs, including decreased expression of GAD1, encoding the 67 kDa glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67) GABA synthesis enzyme. The underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Alterations in DNA methylation as an epigenetic regulator of gene expression are thought to play a role but this hypothesis is difficult to test because no techniques are available to extract DNA from GAD1 expressing neurons efficiently from human postmortem brain. Here, we present an alternative approach that is based on immunoprecipitation of mononucleosomes with anti-methyl-histone antibodies differentiating between sites of potential gene expression as opposed to repressive or silenced chromatin. Methylation patterns of CpG dinucleotides at the GAD1 proximal promoter and intron 2 were determined for each of the two chromatin fractions separately, using a case-control design for 14 schizophrenia subjects affected by a decrease in prefrontal GAD1 mRNA levels. In controls, the methylation frequencies at CpG dinucleotides, while overall higher in repressive as compared to open chromatin, did not exceed 5% at the proximal GAD1 promoter and 30% within intron 2. Subjects with schizophrenia showed a significant, on average 8-fold deficit in repressive chromatin-associated DNA methylation at the promoter. These results suggest that chromatin remodeling mechanisms are involved in dysregulated GABAergic gene expression in schizophrenia.     

Increased Intracellular γ-Aminobutyric Acid Selectively Lowers the Level of the Larger of Two Glutamate Decarboxylase Proteins in Cultured GABAergic Neurons from Rat Cerebral Cortex

The regulation of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD; EC 4.1.1.15) was studied by using cultures of cerebral cortical neurons from rat brain grown in serum-free medium. About 50% of the neurons in the cultures were gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic as determined by two double-staining procedures. Immunoblotting experiments with four anti-GAD sera that recognize the two forms to varying degrees, demonstrated that the cultures contained the two forms of GAD that are present in rat brain (apparent molecular masses = 63 and 66 kDa). GAD activity was reduced by 60-70% when intracellular GABA levels were increased by incubating the cultures with the GABA-transaminase inhibitor gamma-vinyl-GABA for greater than 5-10 h or with 1 mM GABA itself. Neither baclofen nor muscimol (100 microM) affected GAD activity. Immunoblotting experiments showed that only the larger of the two forms of GAD (66 kDa) was decreased by elevated GABA levels. These results, together with previous results indicating that the smaller form of GAD is more strongly regulated by pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (the cofactor for GAD), suggest that the two forms of GAD are regulated by different mechanisms.     

Properties of L-glutamate decarboxylase from brains of adult and newborn mice.

Abstract— l -Glutamate 1-carboxy-lyase (EC 4.1.1.15) (GAD) and 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxo-glutarate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.19) (GABA-T) have been purified from mouse brain (Wu et al. 1973; Schousboe et al., 1973) and their properties have been extensively studied (Wu & Roberts , 1974; Schousboe et al., 1974). The above enzymes were prepared from a water lysate of crude mitochondrial fraction, which accounted for only 25–30% of total GAD or GABA-T activities in brain. A procedure has been developed which liberates approx 85% of total GAD and GABA-T activities into supernatant. Two distinct, well-separated peaks with GAD activity and a single peak with GABA-T activity were observed when a concentrated extract from brain of adult or newborn mice was chromatographed on Sephadex G-200 or Bio-Gel A–1.5 m. The first peak appeared in the void volume and is. therefore. an entity of high molecular weight. The second peak gave elution characteristics which were identical to those of the enzyme that had been purified previously (mol wt = 85,000). These two GAD peaks were also clearly separated on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The GAD activities in the two peaks showed similar pH profiles (optimum, 6.5). K_m values (1–2 mM), immunodiffusion patterns and inhibitions by anti-GAD IgG prepared against GAD purified from synaptosome-containing crude mitochondrial fraction (60–80%). The physiological implications of high molecular weight and low molecular weight forms of GAD are discussed.     

An endogenous activator of renal glutamic acid decarboxylase effects of adenosine triphosphate, phosphate and chloride on the activity of this enzyme.

The renal glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) differs from the brain and pancreatic enzyme by its strong binding to membranes that is not influenced by detergents. After centrifugation of freshly prepared homogenate of the rat renal cortex, only 10-15% of GAD activity was found in supernatants and 15-30% in pellets. The majority of the GAD activity was lost. The bound GAD was found in the pellet. A thermolabile activator was present in the supernatant, which was not lost on dialysis. Approximately 55% of the total GAD activity was solubilized in homogenates stored for 24 h at 4 degrees C without detergent, whereas in homogenates stored with Triton X-100, the solubilized GAD increased to 80%. This solubilization was decreased by inhibitors of thioproteases such as leupeptin, antipain and trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido-(4-guanidino)butane (E-64). Solubilized GAD was applied to DEAE Toyopearl resin and the GAD activator was eluted with 35 mM Pi. GAD was eluted with 250 mM Pi. The effect of ATP on the activity of renal GAD was also different to its effect on brain GAD. ATP is a strong inhibitor of the brain enzyme at physiological concentrations. ATP (and Pi), together with chlorides (another brain GAD inhibitor), stabilize the renal GAD. However, renal GAD was inhibited by ATP in the presence of leupeptin in freshly prepared homogenates. Similarly, ATP inhibits solubilized GAD from homogenates stored without Triton X-100 for 24 h at 4 degrees C, but Pi retains its stabilizing effect in this preparation. A significant finding of the work presented here is the obligatory requirement of an endogenous activator for renal GAD activity. Whether this activator is an enzyme converting the inactive GAD to active enzyme (as hypothesized for brain GAD), or whether it is a protein affecting the activity of renal GAD by binding (as observed for GAD in some plants) remains to be established.