Conformations of signal peptides induced by lipids suggest initial steps in protein export

Despite the requirement for a functional signal sequence in protein export, little is known of the conformational properties and membrane interactions of these highly hydrophobic amino terminal extensions on nearly all exported proteins. The Escherichia coli lambda phage receptor signal sequence was studied in phospholipid monolayers by circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; the signal peptide was shown to prefer an alpha-helical conformation when inserted into the lipid phase. However, interaction with the lipid surface without insertion induced the signal sequence, which is unstructured in bulk aqueous solution, to adopt a beta structure. These observations are combined in a model for the initial steps in signal sequence-membrane interaction in vivo.     

Computational Analysis of Signal Peptide-Dependent Secreted Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Computer based software such as the SignalP v3.0, TargetP v1.01, big-PI predictor and TMHMM v2.0 were combined to predict the signal peptides, and the signal peptide-dependent secreted proteins among the 6 700 ORFs in genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results showed that 163 proteins were the secreted ones containing signal peptides, and they were secreted via Sec pathway. Among the 163 predicted secreted proteins, the signal peptides of 47 secreted proteins included only the H-domain and C-domain, without N-domain, but the signal peptides of other 116 secreted proteins included all the three domains. There were differences in the constitution of signal peptides between the secreted proteins of S. cerevisiae and of Candida albicans, but the length and amino acids types of their signal peptides were similar in general. Few of the same signal peptides occurred in the secreted proteins of S. cerevisiae genome, and the homology could be compared among the secreted proteins with the same signal peptides. The BLAST 2 SEQUENECES and CLUSTAL W were used to align the two protein sequences and multi-protein sequences, respectively. The alignment result indicated that homology of these sequences with the same signal peptide was very highly conservative in amino acid of complete gene. The effect of the signal peptides in S. cerevisia on expression of foreign eukaryotic secreted proteins is discussed in this paper.     

酿酒酵母分泌蛋白组的计算机分析

 结合计算机技术和生物信息学的方法，采用组合的信号肽分析软件SignalP v3.0、TargetP v1.01、Big-PI predictor和TMHMM v2.0对已公布的6 700个酿酒酵母（Saccaromyces cerevieiae）基因的N-端氨基酸序列进行信号肽分析，同时系统分析了信号肽的类型及结构。结果表明，在6 700个酿酒酵母蛋白中，163个为Sec-信号肽分泌蛋白，经Sec途径分泌。在163个分泌蛋白中，有47个的信号肽没有典型的N-区，仅有H-区和C-区，其余116个分泌蛋白的信号肽包含完整的3个区，即N-区、H-区和C-区。比较了酿酒酵母与白假丝酵母菌(Candida albicans)分泌蛋白信号肽的氨基酸组成顺序，表明酿酒酵母与白假丝酵母菌的信号肽的氨基酸组成和顺序差异很大，两者信号肽长度分布范围、氨基酸种类及其出现频率大体一致。在酿酒酵母分泌蛋白中出现了少数氨基酸组成完全一致的信号肽，为进一步确认具有相同信号肽的分泌蛋白是否具有同源性，分别采用BLAST 2 SEQUENECES 和CLUSTAL W 对具有相同信号肽的分泌蛋白进行了序列比对。结果表明具有相同信号肽的分泌蛋白同源性非常高，氨基酸组成也非常保守。由此可以推断，编码这些分泌蛋白的基因属于旁系同源基因（paralogous）。酿酒酵母作为一种模式生物，以其诸多的优点，被认为是表达真核外源蛋白的首选宿主。对酿酒酵母进行基因组水平的分泌蛋白及信号肽结构的分析，可更好地利用该宿主表达分泌型的外源蛋白研究提供参考信息。     

Identification of signal peptide peptidase,a presenilin-type aspartic protease

Signal peptide peptidase (SPP) catalyzes intramembrane proteolysis of some signal peptides after they have been cleaved from a preprotein. In humans, SPP activity is required to generate signal sequence-derived human lymphocyte antigen-E epitopes that are recognized by the immune system, and to process hepatitis C virus core protein. We have identified human SPP as a polytopic membrane protein with sequence motifs characteristic of the presenilin-type aspartic proteases. SPP and potential eukaryotic homologs may represent another family of aspartic proteases that promote intramembrane proteolysis to release biologically important peptides.     

Random peptide libraries: a source of specific protein binding molecules

Libraries of random peptide sequences were constructed and screened to identify peptides that specifically bind to proteins. In one of these about 2 X 10(7) different 15-residue peptide sequences were expressed on the surface of the coliphage M13. Each phage encoded a single random sequence and expressed it as a fusion complex with pIII, a minor coat protein present at five molecules per phage. Phage encoding nine different streptavidin-binding peptide sequences were isolated from this library. The core consensus sequence was His-Pro-Gln and binding of these phage to streptavidin was inhibited by biotin. This type of library makes it possible to identify peptides that bind to proteins (or other macromolecules) that have no previously known affinity for peptides.     

Structural basis for specific substrate recognition by the chloroplast signal recognition particle protein cpSRP43

Secretory and membrane proteins carry amino-terminal signal sequences that, in cotranslational targeting, are recognized by the signal recognition particle protein SRP54 without sequence specificity. The most abundant membrane proteins on Earth are the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding proteins (LHCPs). They are synthesized in the cytoplasm, imported into the chloroplast, and posttranslationally targeted to the thylakoid membrane by cpSRP, a heterodimer formed by cpSRP54 and cpSRP43. We present the 1.5 angstrom crystal structure of cpSRP43 characterized by a unique arrangement of chromodomains and ankyrin repeats. The overall shape and charge distribution of cpSRP43 resembles the SRP RNA, which is absent in chloroplasts. The complex with the internal signal sequence of LHCPs reveals that cpSRP43 specifically recognizes a DPLG peptide motif. We describe how cpSPR43 adapts the universally conserved SRP system to posttranslational targeting and insertion of the LHCP family of membrane proteins.     

Signal peptide for protein secretion directing glycophospholipid membrane anchor attachment

Decay accelerating factor (DAF) is anchored to the plasma membrane by a glycophospholipid (GPI) membrane anchor covalently attached to the COOH-terminus of the protein. A hydrophobic domain located at the COOH-terminus is required for anchor attachment; DAF molecules lacking this domain are secreted. Replacement of the COOH-terminal hydrophobic domain with a signal peptide that normally functions in membrane translocation, or with a random hydrophobic sequence, results in efficient and correct processing, producing GPI-anchored DAF on the cell surface. The structural requirements for GPI anchor attachment and for membrane translocation are therefore similar, presumably depending on overall hydrophobicity rather than specific sequences.     

Immunological self, nonself discrimination

The ability of immunodominant peptides derived from several antigen systems to compete with each other for T cell activation was studied. Only peptides restricted by a given transplantation antigen are mutually competitive. There is a correlation between haplotype restriction, ability to bind to the appropriate transplantation antigen, and ability to inhibit activation of other T cells restricted by the same transplantation antigen. An exception was noted in that a peptide derived from an antigen, bacteriophage lambda cI repressor, binds to the I-Ed molecule in a specific way, yet is not I-Ed-restricted. Comparison of the sequence of the repressor peptide with that of other peptides able to bind to (and be restricted by) I-Ed and a polymorphic region of the I-Ed molecule itself revealed a significant degree of homology. Thus, peptides restricted by a given class II molecule appear to be homologous to a portion of the class II molecule itself. The repressor-derived peptide is identical at several polymorphic residues at this site, and this may account for the failure of I-Ed to act as a restriction element. Comparison of antigenic peptide sequences with transplantation antigen sequences suggests a model that provides a basis for explaining self, nonself discrimination as well as alloreactivity.     

大丽轮枝菌（Verticillium dahliae VdLs.17）分泌组预测及分析

 【目的】预测并分析大丽轮枝菌基因组范围内的分泌蛋白,为大丽轮枝菌分泌蛋白致病机理的研究奠定基础。【方法】利用已公布的大丽轮枝菌全基因组序列,组合使用生物信息学软件SignalP、TargetP、TMHMM、Big-pi和PROSITE,预测大丽轮枝菌基因组范围内所有分泌蛋白,定义为分泌组。统计分析分泌组中蛋白N-端信号肽特点;应用碳水化合物活性酶类数据库和病原菌-寄主互作蛋白数据库对分泌组蛋白进行注释,预测分泌组中潜在果胶酶、纤维素酶和病原菌寄主互作蛋白;利用真菌激发子的保守结构域,预测分泌组中潜在的激发子蛋白集;应用BLASTP程序比较分析大丽轮枝菌和黑白轮枝菌分泌组,获得大丽轮枝菌相对于黑白轮枝菌特异的分泌蛋白。【结果】大丽轮枝菌分泌组共有922个蛋白。信号肽分析表明,以19个氨基酸为信号肽的蛋白数目最多,非极性氨基酸丙氨酸的出现频率最高,而有带电侧链的氨基酸天冬氨酸和谷氨酸的出现频率最低,信号肽的-3和-1位置上的氨基酸相对保守。大丽轮枝菌分泌组含有158个潜在的碳水化合物活性酶类,其中,包括10个果胶水解酶和14个果胶裂解酶;190个潜在的病原菌-寄主互作蛋白、97个含有RxLx[EDQ]模体的蛋白和52个富含半胱氨酸的小分子量分泌蛋白;58个相对于黑白轮枝菌分泌组特异的蛋白。【结论】本文建立了预测大丽轮枝菌分泌组蛋白的方法。分泌组蛋白信号肽长度具有高度的变异性,氨基酸组成多为脂肪族氨基酸,序列在C-端结构域较为保守。分泌组中包含大量潜在的果胶降解酶、病原菌-寄主互作蛋白、RxLx[EDQ]模体蛋白和富含半胱氨酸的小分子量蛋白等致病相关蛋白。     

应用计算机手段分析植物病原细菌Ralstonia solanacearum的蛋白质序列*

 应用SignalP 3.0，LipoP和TargetP对植物病原细菌Ralstonia solanacearum基因组中的3440个ORFs（open reading frames）进行了信号肽分析，同时系统分析了信号肽的类型及结构。结果表明，3440个ORFs中有462个ORFs所编码蛋白质具有N-端有信号肽序列，其中348个分泌类信号肽、100个信号肽具有RR-motif信号肽，14个脂蛋白类信号肽，未发现Prepilin-like 信号肽和Bacteriocin and Pheromone信号肽。在这462个具有可切割信号肽的分泌蛋白中，有84.0%蛋白质为胞外分泌型（S型），13.2%为线粒体分泌型（M型），另外有2.8%为其它类型的分泌蛋白。通过LipoP分析该菌的全基因组预测具有4种类型蛋白质，其中其中SpI有425个，占12.3%；SpII有80个，占2.3%；CYT有2541个，占73.9%；TMH有414个，占12.0%。比较了Ralstonia solanacearum和Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato信号肽的长度及氨基酸的组成，发现这两种菌在这些方面存在这很大程度的相似性。本研究通过对Ralstonia solanacearum进行分泌蛋白和信号肽结构的分析，为将来功能基因组和分泌型外源蛋白的利用提供理论基础。     

Leader peptidase of Escherichia coli: critical role of a small domain in membrane assembly

Leader peptidase spans the Escherichia coli plasma membrane with its amino-terminal domain facing the cytoplasm and its carboxyl terminus facing the periplasm. It is made without a cleavable leader sequence. The three apolar domains near the amino terminus of the peptidase are candidates for internal "signal sequences" and they anchor the protein to the lipid bilayer. Oligonucleotide-directed deletion was used to show that only the second domain has an essential function in membrane assembly. While this second apolar domain is crucial for membrane assembly, its continued function when disrupted by arginine suggests that its apolar character per se is not its only important feature.     

可可毛色二孢全基因组分泌蛋白的预测及分析

【目的】可可毛色二孢（Lasiodiplodia theobromae）是一种世界性分布的重要植物病原真菌,可引起严重的葡萄溃疡病（Botryosphaeria dieback）,影响果木品质并造成巨大的经济损失。本研究预测并分析可可毛色二孢基因组范围内的分泌蛋白,并明确其基本特征,为该病菌分泌蛋白致病机理的研究打下基础。【方法】依据已公布的可可毛色二孢全基因组序列,利用信号肽预测软件SignalP v5.0、跨膜结构分析软件TMHMM v2.0、细胞器定位分析软件ProtComp v9.0、GPI锚定预测软件big-PI Fungal Predictor和亚细胞器定位分析软件TargetP v2.0生物信息学软件对该菌中的典型分泌蛋白进行筛选。对分泌蛋白N端信号肽的长度、氨基酸使用频率及其切割位点进行统计分析。依据蛋白序列的同源性,应用BLASTP程序对分泌组蛋白进行功能注释分析,预测其生物学功能。采用蔗糖酶缺陷的酵母分泌系统,对所选分泌蛋白的信号肽进行活性检测。利用qRT-PCR方法检测所选分泌蛋白基因在可可毛色二孢侵染葡萄中的表达情况。【结果】在可可毛色二孢全基因组编码蛋白中共筛选获得552个潜在的具有典型信号肽的分泌蛋白,占全基因组预测蛋白总数的4.3%,其编码蛋白长度集中于101—400 aa。信号肽统计分析表明,其信号肽长度以18—20 aa的序列最为集中,信号肽长度为20 aa的蛋白数量最多。信号肽中使用频率最高的氨基酸为丙氨酸;非极性、疏水的氨基酸使用频率最高,占氨基酸总数的60.2%。其信号肽的-3至-1位置上的氨基酸相对保守,切割位点属于A-X-A类型,可被Sp I型信号肽酶识别并切割。336个分泌蛋白具有功能注释,其功能较多集中于细胞壁降解有关的酶类以及致病相关蛋白,并且这些蛋白在分子量、等电点、脂肪族氨基酸指数等方面均存在差异。通过蔗糖酶缺陷的酵母分泌系统证实,挑选的9个分泌蛋白信号肽均具有分泌活性。qRT-PCR检测结果表明,所选分泌蛋白基因在该病菌侵染初期的表达发生变化。【结论】利用生物信息学分析技术从可可毛色二孢全基因组中共预测获得552个经典分泌蛋白。其信号肽氨基酸长度分布广泛,氨基酸组成中非极性、疏水的氨基酸使用频率最高。功能注释主要集中在细胞壁组分降解相关的酶类、致病侵染相关的坏死诱导相关蛋白以及几丁质结合蛋白等。     

信号肽对鸡Igλ轻链绿色荧光蛋白重组分子在COS7细胞上分泌表达的影响

分别将鸡Igλ轻链信号肽、小鼠纤溶酶原信号肽与pEGFP-C1载体的绿色荧光蛋白N端融合,产生带有信号肽的中间载体pEGFP-SPc和pEGFP-SPm。对鸡Igλ轻链基因的定向克隆,构建了带有纯化标签的鸡Igλ轻链绿色荧光蛋白真核表达载体pEGFP-SPc-λ和pEGFP-SPm-λ。转染COS7细胞后,荧光显微镜观察及Western blotting检测融合蛋白的分泌表达,结果显示,鸡Igλ轻链信号肽能引导鸡Igλ轻链绿色荧光蛋白融合分子的分泌表达;而小鼠纤溶酶原信号肽不具备引导该重组蛋白分泌表达的功能。表明信号肽在蛋白分泌表达中的关键作用,重组蛋白的分泌表达要选择合适的信号肽。     

三七根差异基因表达序列标签生物信息学分析

本研究利用生物信息学方法,对从三七根抑制消减杂交cDNA文库中随机挑选的91个EST序列进行了分析。结果表明:91个克隆组装分析后有4个重叠群和83个单拷贝EST,代表了87个基因。已知功能的基因序列共58个,占66%,按基因功能分类为10类,其中大多基因与代谢途径和分泌途径有关。未知功能基因序列29个,占33%。对33个氨基酸序列可通读的EST进行跨膜结构和信号肽分析,结果表明:9个克隆有信号肽,其中3个克隆有跨膜结构,可能为膜蛋白,6个克隆可能为分泌蛋白。功能位点分析结果表明:大多数基因与胞外分泌,调节细胞凋亡和细胞周期,信号传导有关。功能结构域分析结果表明:除9个克隆没有预测到功能结构域外,其它克隆的结构域与信号传导,转录调控,电子传递,协迫,光合作用,蛋白折叠等有关。亚细胞定位大多数位于细胞质和细胞核。     

抗菌肽抗细菌机理研究进展

抗菌肽是一类有望解决全球范围内抗生素耐药性问题的新型抑菌多肽。抗菌肽主要有3种抑菌机制:其一是针对细菌细胞膜作用,膜作用主要针对两种不同菌膜结构特性的细菌,革兰氏阴性菌外膜富含脂多糖,革兰氏阳性菌细胞壁富含磷壁酸,抗菌肽可靶向作用于此类细菌菌膜结构特定组分。此外,抗菌肽可抑制细菌生物被膜形成,分解已形成细菌生物被膜。抗菌肽作用于特异性酶或靶向作用于DNA产生抑菌效果,其抑制作用可抵抗细菌耐药性产生。基于抗菌肽改变菌膜结构并抑制细菌外膜及酶合成的特性,此杀菌策略已应用于抗菌药物设计。     

抗菌肽理化性质的研究进展

抗菌肽(antimicrobial peptides,AMPs)是生物先天免疫系统的重要组成部分,由核糖体或非核糖体肽合成酶合成,可协助宿主有效应对细菌、真菌、原生生物和病毒等病原生物的胁迫。AMPs具有相对分子质量小、两亲性结构和携带正电荷等理化性质。综述抗菌肽构象、电荷及阳离子度、疏水性与疏水力矩、两亲性及其他属性等方面的研究进展。     

Many random sequences functionally replace the secretion signal sequence of yeast invertase

In the process of protein secretion, amino-terminal signal sequences are key recognition elements; however, the relation between the primary sequence of an amino-terminal peptide and its ability to function as an export signal remains obscure. The limits of variation permitted for functional signal sequences were determined by replacement of the normal signal sequence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae invertase with essentially random peptide sequences. Since about one-fifth of these sequences can function as an export signal the specificity with which signal sequences are recognized must be very low.     

Antigen bias in T cell cross-priming

Activated CD8+ T cells detect virally infected cells and tumor cells by recognition of major histocompatibility complex class I-bound peptides derived from degraded, endogenously produced proteins. In contrast, CD8+ T cell activation often occurs through interaction with specialized antigen-presenting cells displaying peptides acquired from an exogenous cellular source, a process termed cross-priming. Here, we observed a marked inefficiency in exogenous presentation of epitopes derived from signal sequences in mouse models. These data indicate that certain virus- and tumor-associated antigens may not be detected by CD8+ T cells because of impaired cross-priming. Such differences in the ability to cross-present antigens should form important considerations in vaccine design.     

醋蛋中ACE抑制肽的分离及其活性保护的研究

ACE抑制肽在体内稳定性的研究对于其功能活性的保护具有重要意义。采用凝胶色谱层析法对经酶解后的醋蛋液进行分离纯化,收集具有较高抑制活性的多肽组分。再将其与卵磷脂结合形成复合物,目的是利用卵磷脂的乳化性保护多肽活性。利用FT-IR、XRD对复合物的结合效果进行验证分析,结果发现卵磷脂与活性肽结合后,活性肽的ACE抑制活性在体外模拟前后相较于未经结合处理得到明显的升高。红外光谱研究发现复合物中活性肽与卵磷脂发生相互作用。通过XRD进一步验证并推断是活性多肽被卵磷脂吸收后以无定形或分子态的形式存在。因此,可认为经过卵磷脂复合的多肽可以很好保留ACE抑制活性且可以降低其被胃肠道酶降解的风险。     

Proteosome-lipopeptide vaccines: enhancement of immunogenicity for malaria CS peptides

Proteosomes are hydrophobic, membranous, multimolecular preparations of meningococcal outer membrane proteins that are also B cell mitogens. These characteristics suggested that proteosomes may serve as carrier proteins and adjuvants to enhance peptide immunogenicity. Although high titers of malaria circumsporozoite (CS) antibodies protect against malaria, vaccines thus far tested in humans have been insufficiently immunogenic to be clinically useful. Here it is shown that synthetic CS peptides hydrophobically complexed to proteosomes by way of lauroyl-cysteine become highly immunogenic in mice without other adjuvants. The high titers of antibodies produced and the safety of proteosomes in humans suggest that this novel system is widely applicable for the development of peptide vaccines to protect against many diseases.