Cloning, characterization, and insertional inactivation of a major extracellular serine protease gene with elastolytic activity from Aeromonas hydrophila

The gene ahpA from Aeromonas hydrophila AG2 encoding an extracellular serine protease, named AhpA, was cloned in pUC18 plasmid. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1875 bp encoding a 625 amino-acid protein with a molecular weight of 67 567 Da. The gene ahpA was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli C600 and in the non-proteolytic A. salmonicida masoucida , which was able to overproduce the 64-kDa protease found in the culture supernatant. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein revealed a perfect match with the deduced DNA sequence starting at AAT (Asn-25), indicating that AhpA is synthesized as a pre-enzyme with a 24-amino-acid signal peptide and a 601-amino-acid mature extracellular protease. Purified protease had an optimum pH of 7.5 and its activity was strongly inhibited by PMSF, a serine protease inhibitor. The protease hydrolysed casein and elastin. The amino acid sequence of AhpA was highly homologous to A. salmonicida serine protease AspA. Inoculation of A. hydrophila ahpA mutant into trout suggests that the major AhpA secreted protease is not essential for virulence.     

克氏原螯虾丝氨酸蛋白酶类似物部分基因的克隆与鉴定

设计简并引物,PCR扩增了克氏原螯虾(Procam barus clarkii)丝氨酸蛋白酶类似物基因的部分序列,通过与GenBank登录的序列进行比对,结果显示该序列编码的氨基酸与其他物种的丝氨酸蛋白酶类似物氨基酸序列有较高的同源性。SMART软件分析发现其催化三联体结构中的丝氨酸被甘氨酸取代,不具备蛋白酶水解活性。     

Characterization of Gelatinolytic Activity in Seminal Plasma of Some Teleost Fish

Gelatin-containing SDS-PAGE combined with the incubation of gels in buffers containing protease inhibitors was performed for the visualization and characterization of proteolytic activity in teleost fish seminal plasma. To demonstrate the class of detected enzymes we used serine protease inhibitor – benzamidine or EDTA which inhibits metalloproteases activity. Additionally the effects of calcium ions on protease activity were investigated. Multiple gelatinolytic activities in seminal plasma of 10 teleost fish species from three orders (Cypriniformes, Salmoniformes, Perciformes) were found. Most proteases were either stimulated by Ca²⁺ and inhibited by EDTA or inhibited by benzamidine. This suggests that metalloproteases and serine proteases are major gelatinolytic proteases of fish seminal plasma. In cyprinid species we found a common profile of two gelatinolytic activities; the first band (60–66 kDa) belonged to metalloproteases, and the second one (76–81 kDa) belonged to serine proteases. Other bands were also visible and they represented mostly serine protease activity. Species from the Salmoniformes order showed a similarity in metalloproteases with molecular weights of about 64 and 75 kDa. Salmonid species also had similar serine proteases with molecular weights of about 102 and 165 kDa. In European grayling seminal plasma we found metalloproteases with molecular weight of 51, 57, 64, 70 kDa and two serine proteases activities of 35 and 125 kDa. Percid species had metalloproteases activities of 53 and 63 kDa and serine protease activity of 100 kDa. Protease of other, presently unknown classes were also found in seminal plasma of asp, chub, European grayling and pikeperch. The physiological role of seminal plasma proteases is still unknown.     

中国对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis)p38 MAPK基因克隆及表达分析

应用RACE克隆技术获得中国对虾(Fenneropenaeus chinensis) p38 MAPK基因全长cDNA序列,并对该序列进行分析.结果显示,中国对虾p38 MAPK基因全长为1563 bp,开放阅读框长1098 bp,5′非编码区长122 bp,3′非编码区长343 bp,将该基因命名为Fcp38.氨基酸序列分析推测,该基因编码365个氨基酸,分子量为41.77 kDa,理论等电点为5.68.同源性分析表明,Fcp38基因与凡纳滨对虾和日本囊对虾的p38相似性最高,为98％.通过比对发现,该基因除含p38家族特有的标志性Thr-Gly-Tyr双磷酸化位点和底物结合位点Ala-Thr-Arg-Trp,还具有p38家族关键功能位点ED.系统进化分析显示,Fcp38与凡纳滨对虾和日本囊对虾的p38聚为一支.荧光定量PCR结果显示,Fcp38基因在肠、鳃、胃、心脏、淋巴、肝胰腺、肌肉、血细胞中均有表达,以在肌肉中表达量最高.氨氮胁迫后,该基因在中国对虾肌肉、血细胞、鳃、心脏、肠和胃中的相对表达量均显著增加,且有不同的时空表达趋势,表明Fcp38基因可能在中国对虾应对环境胁迫过程中起着重要作用.     

半滑舌鳎甘露糖结合凝集素相关丝氨酸蛋白酶1基因的克隆及表达分析

甘露糖结合凝集素相关丝氨酸蛋白酶1(Mannan-binding lectin associated serine protease 1,MASP1)是补体凝集素途径中起重要作用的激活蛋白。本研究以半滑舌鳎(Cynoglossus semilaevis)为研究对象,应用RACE技术和实时荧光定量qRT-PCR技术对半滑舌鳎MASP1基因(Cynoglossus semilaevis MASP1,CsMASP1)进行了克隆和表达模式分析。结果显示,CsMASP1基因c DNA序列全长为2507 bp,5′非编码区长82 bp,3′非编码区长142 bp,开放阅读框长2283 bp,共编码760个氨基酸;CsMASP1基因包含13个外显子和12个内含子,与多数已知鱼类的MASP1基因结构一致;SMART分析显示,CsMASP1包含6个结构域,与哺乳动物、鸟类、其他鱼类的结构域一致;同源比对发现,CsMASP1和鱼类的相似度较高,与金目鲈(Latescalcarifer)的相似性最高,为76%。CsMASP1基因在11种健康组织(血液、脑、鳃、性腺、心脏、头肾、肠、肝、皮肤、脾和后肾)中均有表达,其中,在肝、脾和头肾中表达量较高;鳗弧菌(Vibro anguillarum)感染后,CsMASP1基因在6种免疫组织(血液、鳃、头肾、肠、肝和脾)中呈现不同的表达模式,在6种免疫组织中呈现明显的上调表达,肝的表达峰值出现在感染后24 h;脾和鳃的表达峰值出现在感染后6 h;肠、头肾和血液的表达峰值均出现在感染后12h;随着病原菌感染时间增加,基因表达量逐渐降低并恢复至正常水平。研究表明,CsMASP1基因参与了半滑舌鳎的免疫应答过程,本结果为半滑舌鳎的免疫机理研究奠定了基础。     

Characterization of protease activity in developing discus Symphysodon aequifasciata larva

The activity of different protease classes was monitored in developing discus (Symphysodon spp.) larvae using a combination of biochemical assays and substrate SDS–PAGE techniques. Results showed the presence of alkaline proteases of serine proteases such as trypsin with a significant increase in activity levels detected beginning 3 days after hatching. Other alkaline proteases such as metallo‐proteases and chymotrypsin, a type of serine protease, were only detected in older larval stages, at around 20–30 days after hatching. Acidic protease activity was very low during the first 20–25 days of development before showing a significant (P < 0.01) rise. This is despite the formation of a stomach observed 10 days after hatching. Based on the development of the protein digestive system observed, the use of microdiets to replace Artemia should be considered 25 days after hatching.     

三疣梭子蟹细胞Cdk7基因克隆及其在卵巢发育中的表达

本实验应用RACE技术克隆获得了三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)周期蛋白依赖性激酶7(Cdk7)基因c DNA序列全长。基因5′和3′非编码区域(UTR)以及开放阅读框的长度分别是23 bp、178 bp和1056 bp,预测编码一个含有351个氨基酸,分子量为39.91 k D的蛋白质,包含一个丝氨酸/苏氨酸催化保守结构域和T-loop结构。同源性分析表明,三疣梭子蟹CDK7氨基酸序列与其他物种Cdk7相似度较高,说明Cdk7基因具有很好的保守性。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,三疣梭子蟹Cdk7基因在卵巢组织中的表达量显著高于其他组织(P0.05)。Cdk7基因在卵巢发育不同时期的表达量存在差异,其在I期和Ⅱ期的表达量显著高于其他时期(P0.05)。去除眼柄后该基因在卵巢组织中的表达呈现先升高后降低的趋势,并于第4天达到最大值。本研究的结果表明,Cdk7基因参与了三疣梭子蟹卵巢发育调控,为深入开展三疣梭子蟹和其他甲壳动物性腺发育调控机理研究提供了重要信息。     

西伯利亚鲟CXCR7基因cDNA全长的克隆及其表达分析

采用RT-PCR和cDNA末端快速扩增技术(rapid amplification of cDNA ends,RACE),首次克隆了西伯利亚鲟(Acipenser baerii)的CXCR7a和CXCR7b基因的全长cDNA。CXCR7a的cDNA全长为2 325 bp(登录号为:JQ034508),包括207 bp的5'端非翻译区(UTR)、可编码362个氨基酸的1 086 bp的开放阅读框(ORF)及包括poly(A)尾巴在内的大小为1 032 bp的3'端非翻译区(UTR);CXCR7b的cDNA全长为2 423 bp(登录号为:JQ034509),包括209 bp的5'端非翻译区(UTR)、可编码370个氨基酸的1 110 bp的开放阅读框(ORF)及包括poly(A)尾巴在内的大小为1 104 bp的3'端非翻译区(UTR),并对它们编码的蛋白质序列的分子特征进行了分析。氨基酸序列相似性(similarity)分析表明,CXCR7a与人(Homo sapiens)、小鼠(Mus musculus)、非洲爪蟾(Xenopus laevis)、斑马鱼(Danio rerio)的CXCR7相似性分别为82.6%、81.4%、80.9%、81.0%;CXCR7b与人、小鼠、非洲爪蟾、斑马鱼的CXCR7相似性分别为82.9%、82.3%、80.8%、82.5%;西伯利亚鲟CXCR7a与其CXCR7b的相似性最高为96.5%。系统进化树分析显示,西伯利亚鲟与斑马鱼聚为一簇,两栖类聚为一簇,其它高等脊椎动物再进行聚类。对CXCR7a和CXCR7b在各发育时期胚胎及仔鱼的表达状况分别进行定性分析表明,CXCR7a在除卵裂期、囊胚期的胚胎外,其在原肠胚中期至出膜1 d的仔鱼的各时期中均具有表达,CXCR7b在卵裂期至出膜1 d的仔鱼的各时期中均具有表达。另外,从基因组DNA水平上表明CXCR7a和CXCR7b来自不同的基因拷贝。这些结果为进一步研究CXCR7在西伯利亚鲟侧线系统发育中的作用提供了新的基础资料。     

凡纳滨对虾酚氧化酶原激活因子基因的克隆及表达分析

为研究酚氧化酶原激活因子(prophenoloxidase-activating factor,PPAF)在凡纳滨对虾感染传染性皮下及造血组织坏死病毒(IHHNV)过程中所起的免疫作用,实验采用逆转录聚合酶链式反应和cDNA末端快速扩增技术克隆了凡纳滨对虾PPAF基因的全长cDNA序列,并通过实时荧光定量PCR技术分析了该基因在正常凡纳滨对虾和感染IHHNV凡纳滨对虾不同组织的表达情况。结果显示,克隆获得了1 986 bp凡纳滨对虾PPAF基因cDNA全长序列(GenBank登录号JQ684529),其中含有一个1 629 bp开放阅读框(ORF),两翼分别存在21 bp(5'端)和336 bp(3'端)的非翻译区。该基因的开放阅读框共编码542个氨基酸,氨基酸序列269~517处存在功能结构域——丝氨酸蛋白酶结构域,氨基酸序列494~502区域存在一个ALPHA-2巨球型免疫蛋白功能位点,316~321区域有一个组氨酸酶活性位点;定量PCR分析发现,该基因无论在正常对虾还是感染IHHNV对虾的心脏、肝胰腺、肠、胃和肌肉中的表达量均较低,在血液和鳃腺中的表达量明显高于其他组织,但感染IHHNV对虾不同组织中PPAF基因的表达量均低于正常对虾相应组织中的表达量。定量检测PPAF基因在对虾鳃腺组织中的表达情况显示,对虾感染IHHNV后,PPAF基因的表达量急剧降低,3 h时至最低,之后表达量逐渐上升,48h时达最高值。研究表明,IHHNV可抑制PPAF基因的表达,因而抑制酚氧化酶原免疫系统的有效激活,或是其感染对虾并在对虾组织内增殖的原因之一。