Expression and functional analysis of three nicosulfuron-degrading enzymes from Bacillus subtilis YB1

To investigate the degradation activity of the manganese ABC transporter, vegetative catalase 1 and acetoin dehydrogenase E1 from Bacillus subtilis YB1, the proteins were prokaryotically expressed and purified. Assay results showed that the three enzymes were able to degrade nicosulfuron (2- (4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine-2-pyrimidinylcarbamoylaminosulfonyl) -N,N-dimethylnicotinamide), with vegetative catalase 1 exhibiting the highest activity. To further examine the degradation pathway, the degradation products of the three enzymes and the YB1 strain were detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS). The nicosulfuron degradation products of the three enzymes were consistent with those of the YB1 strain, indicating the presence of two pathways: one due to cleavage of sulfonylurea bridges and ring-opening of 1-(4,6-dimethoxy-pyrimidin-2-yl)-3-(2-methyliminomethanesulfonyl-acetyl)-ureaas the pyrimidine ring, yielding the product; and the another due to cleavage of a sulfonylurea bridge, yielding 4,6-dihydroxy pyrimidine (111 m/z), 2-ylamine ?4,6-dimethoxy pyrimidine and ((4-(dimethycarbamoyl)pyridine-2-yl)sulfonyl)carbamic acid as products, which were further degraded to 4,6-dihydroxy pyrimidine and N,N-dimethyl-2-sulfamoyl-isonicotinamide. The above results reveal a major contribution of extracellular enzymes to the degradation of nicosulfuron by the YB1 strain. Our data help in elucidation of the mechanism of nicosulfuron bio-degradation and may facilitate the construction of engineered strains.     

苏云金芽孢杆菌无质粒突变株BMB171的转化和表达性能

研究了苏云金芽孢杆菌无质粒突变株ＢＭＢ１７１的转化性能和表达ｃｒｙ１Ａｃ和ｃｒｙ１Ｃａ基因的性能．用ｐＨＴ３１０１、ｐＢＭＢ３０５、ｐＢＭＢ１７３６、ｐＢＭＢ６７１、ｐＢＴＬ１和ｐＨＶ１２４９等６种外源质粒电转化无质粒突变株ＢＭＢ１７１,其转化频率分别是Ｂｔ４Ｑ７、Ｂｔ４Ｄ１０和Ｂｔｉ．ＩＰＳ．７８／１１等３种常用受体菌相应最高转化频率的１０００、６．７、１２．５、６６．７、３５００和２倍,其每μｇＤＮＡ的最高转化子数达１０７．导入ＢＭＢ１７１的外源质粒的稳定性与其复制子类型和质粒大小有关．无质粒突变株ＢＭＢ１７１表达ｃｒｙ１Ａｃ基因的表达量高于对照受体菌Ｂｔ４Ｑ７,略低于Ｂｔ４Ｄ１０和Ｂｔｉ．ＩＰＳ．７８／１１,而ＢＭＢ１７１表达ｃｒｙ１Ｃａ基因的表达量高于这３种受体菌;对小菜蛾３龄幼虫和甜菜夜蛾初孵幼虫的毒力测定结果表明,ＢＭＢ１７１表达ｃｒｙ１Ａｃ基因的杀虫毒力高于Ｂｔ４Ｑ７和Ｂｔ４Ｄ１０,略低于Ｂｔｉ．ＩＰＳ．７８／１;而表达ｃｒｙ１Ｃａ基因的毒力高于这３种受体菌     

鼠Tcp11l1基因的结构与表达分析

为了分析鼠Tcp11l1基因的结构和表达,从小鼠睾丸组织总cDNA中扩增鼠Tcp11l1基因的开读框架(Open reading frame,ORF),定向克隆到真核表达载体pEGFP-N1,构建融合表达质粒pTcp11l1-EGFP,转染HEK293细胞,荧光显微镜下观察Tcp11l1基因的亚细胞定位;设计跨小鼠Tcp11l1基因两个外显子的引物,RT-PCR分析此基因在小鼠各组织中的表达情况.并利用生物信息学的方法对鼠Tcp11l1基因的结构进行初步预测.转染pTcp11l1-EGFP后在胞质中能明显看到绿色荧光信号,而在胞核和胞膜中无绿色荧光信号,表明鼠Tcp11l1蛋白定位于细胞质;RT-PCR分析结果表明,鼠Tcp11l1基因在小鼠各组织中广泛表达.生物信息学结果表明,鼠Tcp11l1和鼠Tcp11的蛋白具有相同的TCP11结构域,不能确定是否存在跨膜序列.鼠Tcp11l1基因和鼠Tcp11基因具有相似的亚细胞定位和TCP11结构域,表明这两个基因可能具有相似的受体功能.但是与Tcp11特异表达于睾丸组织的延长精细胞和精子不同,Tcp11l1为广泛表达,说明Tcp11l1可能在多种组织细胞中发挥作用.     

Gene expression profiling of human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells exposed to the marine toxin okadaic acid

The marine toxin, okadaic acid (OA) is produced by dinoflagellates of the genera Prorocentrum and Dinophysis and is the causative agent of the syndrome known as diarrheic shellfish poisoning. In addition, OA acts as both a tumor promoter, attributed to OA-induced inhibition of protein phosphatases as well as an inducer of apoptosis. To better understand the potentially divergent toxicological profile of OA, the concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and alterations in gene expression on the human liver tumor cell line HepG2 upon OA exposure were determined using RNA microarrays, DNA fragmentation, and cell proliferation assays as well as determinations of cell detachment and cell death in different concentrations of OA. mRNA expression was quantified for approximately 15,000 genes. Cell attachment and proliferation were both negatively correlated with OA concentration. Detached cells displayed necrotic DNA signatures but apoptosis also was broadly observed. Data suggest that OA has a concentration dependent effect on cell cycle, which might explain the divergent effects that at low concentration OA stimulates genes involved in the cell cycle and at high concentrations it stimulates apoptosis.     

脱色酶TpmD在大肠杆菌中的高效表达及纯化

用PCR方法从嗜水气单胞菌DN322基因组中扩增出编码三苯基甲烷类染料脱色酶TpmD的基因,与表达载体pET-22b(+)连接构建成重组质粒pET22-tpmD,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)得到重组工程菌株.结果表明,经IPTG诱导,脱色酶基因可高效表达,粗酶液降解结晶紫、孔雀石绿、碱性品红、灿烂绿的比活力达到569.5,386.9,516.1,273.0U/g.表达产物经Ni-NTA亲和层析法一步纯化,蛋白纯度达94.05%.对4种染料的比活力分别达到1075.3,1042.8,903.9,484.3U/g,重组质粒稳定存在于工程菌中,便于规模化发酵生产.     

植物NAC转录因子的种类、特征及功能

综述了NAC转录因子的发现及其家族成员、结构特点和生物学功能.NAC类蛋白是近年来发现的一类植物特有、数量众多的转录因子家族,其成员广泛分布于陆生植物中.NAC家族成员的N端具有一个保守的约150个氨基酸组成的NAC结构域,含有A、B、C、D、E 5个亚结构域,C端具有一个高度变异的转录激活区.分析表明,NAC蛋白结构与其功能密切相关.NAC转录因子具有诸多方面的功能,如参与植物次生生长,在细胞分裂和植株衰老中发挥作用,参与激素调控和信号转导,参与矿质元素营养和农作物品质改良等.同时,NACs还参与生物胁迫中植物的防御反应以及在非生物逆境中发挥作用.目前对NAC基因的研究主要集中于模式植物拟南芥和水稻,对于NAC蛋白涉及的调控途径及其组成因子知之甚少,因此NAC基因的功能还有待深入研究;同时,利用基因工程手段导入或改良关键的NAC转录因子,使作物综合品质的提高已成为可能.图2表2参87     

聚类GO术语在基因表达差异研究中的应用

针对基因功能分类体系基因本体(Gene Ontology,GO)特殊的有向无环图特点,改进传统的用单个GO术语检测基因差异表达信号的缺陷,设计出"聚类GO术语提升差异表达检测(ScaGO)"算法.通过简单的输入对照和实验组表达谱上的全部基因表达信号,来研究一些比较新的差异表达功能组,有助于进一步解释基因差异表达的生物学意义,如疾病发病机制、药物作用机理等.将ScaGO和基于单GO术语差异分析法应用到急性淋巴细胞性白血病数据集和酵母Rap1 DNA绑定突变体差异表达数据集上,结果显示,ScaGO能比基于单GO术语差异分析法发现一些新的与差异表达相关联的功能类基因,对于指导实验具有积极意义.图1表3参21     

烯酮还原酶基因的克隆与优化表达

烯酮/酯还原酶可以专一性地还原烯酮/酯中的碳碳双键,并引入两个手性中心,是手性化合物生物催化合成的重要酶类之一;在使用烯酮/酯还原酶进行全细胞手性分子生物催化合成中,其他还原酶的存在常导致副反应的产生.为研究烯酮/酯还原酶的理化性质、底物的专一性、产物的手性特点等,需要经过纯化的烯酮/酯还原酶.为此,根据烯酮还原酶(Enoate reductase,ERs,EC 1.3.1.31)的基因序列设计引物,以丙酮丁醇梭菌(Clostridium acetobutylicum)ATCC824基因组DNA为模板,通过PCR扩增技术得到了目标酶的基因,目的片段全长为1 995 bp,共编码664个氨基酸,相对分子质量为73×103.将烯酮还原酶基因连接到pET-32a(+)上,构建表达质粒pET-32a(+)-ERs,并成功在Escherichia coli Rosetta(DE3)pLysS中表达.在摇床上优化的表达条件为:诱导温度为18℃,诱导起始时菌体D600 nm为0.6～0.8,转速为100 r/min,诱导剂IPTG浓度为0.1 mmol/L,诱导培养时间为12 h,表达的烯酮还原酶大部分以可溶性形式存在于菌体内.     

Gene expression changes in blood RNA after swimming in a chlorinated pool

Exposure to disinfection by-products(DBP) such as trihalomethanes(THM) in swimming pools has been linked to adverse health effects in humans, but their biological mechanisms are unclear. We evaluated short-term changes in blood gene expression of adult recreational swimmers after swimming in a chlorinated pool. Volunteers swam 40 min in an indoor chlorinated pool. Blood samples were drawn and four THM(chloroform,bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform) were measured in exhaled breath before and after swimming. Intensity of physical activity was measured as metabolic equivalents(METs). Gene expression in whole blood m RNA was evaluated using Illumina Human HT-12v3 Expression-Bead Chip. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relationship between gene expression changes and THM exposure. Thirty-seven before-after pairs were analyzed. The median increase from baseline to after swimming were: 0.7 to 2.3 for MET, and 1.4 to 7.1 μg/m~3 for exhaled total THM(sum of the four THM).Exhaled THM increased on average 0.94 μg/m~3 per 1 MET. While 1643 probes were differentially expressed post-exposure. Of them, 189 were also associated with exhaled levels of individual/total THM or MET after False Discovery Rate. The observed associations with the exhaled THM were low to moderate(Log-fold change range:-0.17 to 0.15). In conclusion, we identified short-term gene expression changes associated with swimming in a pool that were minor in magnitude and their biological meaning was unspecific. The high collinearity between exhaled THM levels and intensity of physical activity precluded mutually adjusted models with both covariates. These exploratory results should be validated in future studies.