肝癌特异性超抗原SEA(D227A)基因表达载体的构建与表达

目的：构建受AFP顺式作用元件调控的超抗原表达载体，将SEA(D227A)特异性的表达于AFP阳性肝癌细胞膜表面。方法：PCR扩增AFP基因启动子、增强子、linker—CD80tm和SEA(D227A)。将上述片断插入逆转录病毒载体pLXSN的多克隆位点，构建AFP基因顺式作用元件调控的肝癌特异性减毒超抗原表达载体(pLXSN SEA(D227A)—linker—CD80tm)。通过脂质体介导，以表达载体转染表达或不表达AFP的肿瘤细胞系，用RT—PCR和间接免疫荧光染色，检测SEA的表达。结果：成功地将AFP基因的启动子、增强子、linker—CD80tm和SEA(D227A)克隆到逆转录病毒载体pLXSN的多克隆位点，酶切鉴定和DNA序列分析无误，RT—PCR和间接免疫荧光法检测证实，SEA(D227A)能在AFP阳性的肝癌细胞膜特异性表达。结论：AFP顺式作用元件修饰的超抗原表达载体的构建，为下一步用其强化肝癌的免疫治疗奠定了基础。     

Modular cis‐regulatory logic of yellow gene expression in silkmoth larvae

Colour patterns in butterflies and moths are crucial traits for adaptation. Previous investigations have highlighted genes responsible for pigmentation (ie yellow and ebony). However, the mechanisms by which these genes are regulated in lepidopteran insects remain poorly understood. To elucidate this, molecular studies involving dipterans have largely analysed the cis‐regulatory regions of pigmentation genes and have revealed cis‐regulatory modularity. Here, we used well‐developed transgenic techniques in Bombyx mori and demonstrated that cis‐regulatory modularity controls tissue‐specific expression of the yellow gene. We first identified which body parts are regulated by the yellow gene via black pigmentation. We then isolated three discrete regulatory elements driving tissue‐specific gene expression in three regions of B. mori larvae. Finally, we found that there is no apparent sequence conservation of cis‐regulatory regions between B. mori and Drosophila melanogaster, and no expression driven by the regulatory regions of one species when introduced into the other species. Therefore, the trans‐regulatory landscapes of the yellow gene differ significantly between the two taxa. The results of this study confirm that lepidopteran species use cis‐regulatory modules to control gene expression related to pigmentation, and represent a powerful cadre of transgenic tools for studying evolutionary developmental mechanisms.     

Quantitative analysis of pheromone‐binding protein specificity

Many pheromones have very low water solubility, posing experimental difficulties for quantitative binding measurements. A new method is presented for determining thermodynamically valid dissociation constants for ligands binding to pheromone‐binding proteins, using β‐cyclodextrin as a solubilizer and transfer agent. The method is applied to LUSH, a Drosophila odorant‐binding protein that binds the pheromone 11‐cis vaccenyl acetate (cVA). Refolding of LUSH expressed in Escherichia coli was assessed by measuring N‐phenyl‐1‐naphthylamine (NPN) binding and Förster resonance energy transfer between LUSH tryptophan 123 (W123) and NPN. Binding of cVA was measured from quenching of W123 fluorescence as a function of cVA concentration. The equilibrium constant for transfer of cVA between β‐cyclodextrin and LUSH was determined from a linked equilibria model. This constant, multiplied by the β‐cyclodextrin‐cVA dissociation constant, gives the LUSH‐cVA dissociation constant: ～100 nM. It was also found that other ligands quench W123 fluorescence. The LUSH‐ligand dissociation constants were determined to be ～200 nM for the silk moth pheromone bombykol and ～90 nM for methyl oleate. The results indicate that the ligand‐binding cavity of LUSH can accommodate a variety ligands with strong binding interactions. Implications of this for the Laughlin, Ha, Jones and Smith model of pheromone reception are discussed.     

药用真菌杨树菇肽脯氨酰顺反异构酶基因及抗肿瘤活性初步鉴定

目的：鉴定克隆杨树菇抗肿瘤相关蛋白基因活性。方法：构建cDNA文库,随机测序得到脯氨酰顺反异构酶（Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase,PPIase）基因,并对其进行生物信息学分析,通过检测其在HeLa细胞中表达引起的细胞凋亡及衰老的变化,初步鉴定其抗肿瘤活性。结果：得到杨树菇PPIase cDNA序列,其氨基酸序列在真菌中十分保守。PPIase基因在真核细胞中表达没有引起肿瘤细胞的凋亡和衰老。结论：杨树菇PPIase序列具有PPIase保守序列模式,是PPIase家族的成员。     

A regulatory module embedded in the coding region of Hoxa2 controls expression in rhombomere 2

Here, we define a gene regulatory network for Hoxa2, responsible for temporal and spatial expression in hindbrain development. Hoxa2 plays an important role in regulating the regional identity of rhombomere 2 (r2) and is the only Hox gene expressed in this segment. In this study, we found that a Hoxa2 cis-regulatory module consists of five elements that direct expression in r2 of the developing hindbrain. Surprisingly, the module is imbedded in the second coding exon of Hoxa2 and therefore may be constrained by both protein coding and gene regulatory requirements. This highly conserved enhancer consists of two consensus Sox binding sites and several additional elements that act in concert to direct strong r2 specific expression. Our findings provide important insight into the regulation of segmental identity in the anterior hindbrain. Furthermore, they have broader implications in designing arrays and interpreting data from global analyses of gene regulation because regulatory input from coding regions needs to be considered.     

Specific involvement of two amino acid residues in cis‐nerolidol binding to odorant‐binding protein 5 AlinOBP5 in the alfalfa plant bug,Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze)

Olfaction plays an important role in insects' survival and reproduction. Odorant‐binding proteins (OBPs) are considered to be one of the crucial proteins in the insect olfactory pathway. In this study, an antenna‐specific OBP of the alfalfa plant bug, Adelphocoris lineolatus AlinOBP5, was expressed and purified in vitro. The binding affinities of AlinOBP5 with sex pheromone analogues of the Miridae and cotton volatiles were investigated by fluorescence competitive binding assays. The binding sites of AlinOBP5 were predicted by three‐dimensional structure modelling and molecular docking, and site‐directed mutagenesis. AlinOBP5 could not effectively bind with sex pheromone analogues of Miridae but showed high binding abilities with specific cotton volatiles, such as cis‐nerolidol, ethyl laurate, β‐ionone, β‐caryophyllene, 2,3‐dimethylbenzoic acid and (E)‐farnesol. The strongest binding affinity was to cis‐nerolidol, suggesting a role of AlinOBP5 in general odorant chemoreception. Based on the relatively strong binding affinity and the reported physiological activity of cis‐nerolidol in other insects, we chose cis‐nerolidol for further homology modelling and ligand docking. The results of molecular simulation and site‐directed mutagenesis indicated that two amino acids, Lys74 and Pro121, in the protein binding pocket are the key amino acids involved in the binding of cis‐nerolidol. The Lys74 residue may participate in specific recognition of ligands, and the Pro121 residue plays a crucial role in ligand binding and release by changing the binding pocket environment and stabilizing the conformation of the C‐terminus of AlinOBP5.     

Cis/trans conformational equilibrium across the N‐methylphenylalanine2‐ N‐methylphenylalanine3 peptide bond of arginine vasopressin analogs

Abstract: Two cyclic analogs of vasopressin, ‐Pro‐Arg‐Gly‐NH₂ ( 1 ) and ‐Pro‐Arg‐Gly‐NH₂ ( 2 ) were synthesized by the solid phase method. Their structure was determined in aqueous solution by two‐dimensional NMR techniques and simulated annealing algorithm from an extended template in X‐PLOR. The total chemical shift correlation spectroscopy and rotating‐frame Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy of the peptides displayed four distinct sets of residual proton resonances. This suggests that both analogs adopt four families of conformations in H₂O/D₂O (9 : 1) (one major and three minor species). In further analysis only signals of major species (M) and of one minor species (m₁) were considered. The major species of both peptides include a trans peptide bond between the first and second residue, and a cis form between the second and third residue. In the minor species, all peptide bonds were found to exist in trans geometry.     

The synthetic retinoid RO 13-6307 induces neuroblastoma differentiation in vitro and inhibits neuroblastoma tumour growth in vivo

Retinoids modulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in a variety of tumour cells including leukaemia and neuroblastoma, a childhood tumour of the sympathetic nervous system. 13-cis retinoic acid is in clinical use against minimal residual disease in neuroblastoma, where the effect seems to depend on dose, scheduling and tumour mass. Novel retinoids are searched for, to improve potency and lower toxicity. We investigated the effect of the synthetic retinoid Ro 13-6307 on neuroblastoma growth in vitro on SK-N-BE(2) and SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, effects on tumour growth and the toxicity profile were investigated in a rat xenograft model. Effects of Ro 13-6307 were compared to 13-cis RA (retinoic acid) in vitro and in vivo. Neuroblastoma cells treated with 1 microM Ro 13-6307 exhibited neuronal differentiation, decreased proliferation and accumulation of cells in G1 phase in at least the same magnitude as 5 microM 13-cis RA. No apoptosis was detected in vitro. Treatment of nude rats with neuroblastoma using Ro 13-6307, 0.12 mg p.o. daily, decreased neuroblastoma growth in vivo, in terms of tumour volume during treatment and tumour weight at sacrifice (p < 0.05). In contrast, Ro 13-6307, 0.08 mg p.o. daily, resulted in no significant reduction in tumour growth. All rats treated with Ro 13-6307 gained less weight than control rats, but they exhibited no other signs of toxicity. The toxicity profile of Ro 13-6307 was similar to what we found with 13-cis RA. Our preclinical results suggest that Ro 13-6307 may be a candidate retinoid for clinical oral therapy of neuroblastoma in children.