Design of a novel globular protein fold with atomic-level accuracy

A major challenge of computational protein design is the creation of novel proteins with arbitrarily chosen three-dimensional structures. Here, we used a general computational strategy that iterates between sequence design and structure prediction to design a 93-residue alpha/beta protein called Top7 with a novel sequence and topology. Top7 was found experimentally to be folded and extremely stable, and the x-ray crystal structure of Top7 is similar (root mean square deviation equals 1.2 angstroms) to the design model. The ability to design a new protein fold makes possible the exploration of the large regions of the protein universe not yet observed in nature.     

感染肺炎链球菌的猕猴消化系统分泌型免疫球蛋白A的表达

采用免疫组织化学和原位杂交方法检测分泌型免疫球蛋白A (SIgA)在自发性感染肺炎链球菌的猕猴胃肠道以及肝脏、食管的表达变化,通过测定光密度值和表达面积比较感染前后的分泌变化,探讨SIgA在肺炎链球菌发病机制中的作用以及自发性肺炎链球菌性肺炎的病理特点.免疫组化结果显示,和健康组比较,SIgA在感染组的光密度值以及表达面积在各组织中均有下降趋势,其中在空肠阳性细胞的表达面积下降显著(P＜0.05);原位杂交结果和免疫组化结果基本一致,感染组各组织阳性细胞表达面积均较健康组减少,其中空肠、盲肠以及胃组织差异显著(P＜0.05),感染组光密度值较健康组高,但差异均不显著(P＞0.05).阳性细胞的分布多集中于各胃肠段和食管的黏膜层,血管中可见较多阳性细胞,而肝脏中的阳性细胞多呈散在分布.其中,阳性细胞主要包括胃肠道黏膜层的淋巴细胞和肝细胞、血管内细胞以及炎性浸润细胞,部分腺体细胞、上皮细胞和食管黏膜层未角化上皮细胞也有阳性反应.上述结果表明,SIgA可通过以体液免疫为主的免疫机制帮助机体清除肺炎链球菌;SIgA作为黏膜免疫系统中重要的抗体分子在感染组组织中表达水平的降低可能是导致肺炎链球菌入侵机体从而引起感染的一个因素.     

A synaptic vesicle protein with a novel cytoplasmic domain and four transmembrane regions

Complementary DNA and genomic clones were isolated and sequenced corresponding to rat and human synaptophysin (p38), a major integral membrane protein of synaptic vesicles. The deduced amino acid sequences indicate an evolutionarily highly conserved protein that spans the membrane four times. Both amino and carboxyl termini face the cytoplasm, with the latter containing ten copies of a tyrosine-rich pentapeptide repeat. The structure of synaptophysin suggests that the protein may function as a channel in the synaptic vesicle membrane, with the carboxyl terminus serving as a binding site for cellular factors.     

The DNA binding domain of the rat liver nuclear protein C/EBP is bipartite

C/EBP is a rat liver nuclear protein capable of sequence-specific interaction with DNA. The DNA sequences to which C/EBP binds in vitro have been implicated in the control of messenger RNA synthesis. It has therefore been predicted that C/EBP will play a role in regulating gene expression in mammalian cells. The region of the C/EBP polypeptide required for direct interaction with DNA has been identified and shown to bear amino acid sequence relatedness with the product of the myc, fos, and jun proto-oncogenes. The arrangement of these related amino acid sequences led to the prediction of a new structural motif, termed the "leucine zipper," that plays a role in facilitating sequence-specific interaction between protein and DNA. Experimental tests now provide support for the leucine zipper hypothesis.     

Guanosine triphosphatase activating protein (GAP) interacts with the p21 ras effector binding domain

A cytoplasmic protein that greatly enhances the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity of N-ras protein but does not affect the activity of oncogenic ras mutants has been recently described. This protein (GAP) is shown here to be ubiquitous in higher eukaryotes and to interact with H-ras as well as with N-ras proteins. To identify the region of ras p21 with which GAP interacts, 21 H-ras mutant proteins were purified and tested for their ability to undergo stimulation of GTPase activity by GAP. Mutations in nonessential regions of H-ras p21 as well as mutations in its carboxyl-terminal domain (residues 165-185) and purine binding region (residues 117 and 119) did not decrease the ability of the protein to respond to GAP. In addition, an antibody against the carboxyl-terminal domain did not block GAP activity, supporting the conclusion that GAP does not interact with this region. Transforming mutations at positions 12, 59, and 61 (the phosphoryl binding region) abolished GTPase stimulation by GAP. Point mutations in the putative effector region of ras p21 (amino acids 35, 36, and 38) were also insensitive to GAP. However, a point mutation at position 39, shown previously not to impair effector function, did not alter GAP-p21 interaction. These results indicate that GAP interaction may be essential for ras p21 biological activity and that it may be a ras effector protein.     

A subset of yeast snRNA's contains functional binding sites for the highly conserved Sm antigen

Autoimmune sera of the Sm specificity react with the major class of small nuclear RNA (snRNA)-containing ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNP's) from organisms as evolutionarily divergent as insects and dinoflagellates but have been reported not to recognize snRNP's from yeast. The Sm antigen is thought to bind to a conserved snRNA motif that includes the sequence A(U3-6)G. The hypothesis was tested that yeast also contains functional analogues of Sm snRNA's, but that the Sm binding site in the RNA is more strictly conserved than the Sm antigenic determinant. After microinjection of labeled yeast snRNA's into Xenopus eggs or oocytes, two snRNA's from Saccharomyces cerevisiae become strongly immunoprecipitable with human auto-antibodies known as anti-Sm. These each contain the sequence A(U5-6)G, are essential for viability, and are constituents of the spliceosome. At least six other yeast snRNA's do not become immunoprecipitable and lack this sequence; these non-Sm snRNA's are all dispensable.     

A binding protein for fatty acids in cytosol of intestinal mucosa, liver, myocardium, and other tissues

A protein of molecular weight approximately 12,000 which binds long-chain fatty acids and certain other lipids has been identified in cytosol of intestinal mucosa, liver, myocardium, adipose tissue, and kidney. Binding is noncovalent and is greater for unsaturated than for saturated and medium-chain fatty acids. This protein appears to be identical with the smaller of two previously described cytoplasmic anion-binding proteins. Binding of long-chain fatty acids by this protein is greater than that of other anions tested, including sulfobromophthalein, and does not depend on negative charge alone. The presence of this binding protein may explain previously observed differences in intestinal absorption among fatty acids, and the protein may participate in the utilization of long-chain fatty acids by many mammalian tissues.     

Role of the ENTH domain in phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate binding and endocytosis

Endocytic proteins such as epsin, AP180, and Hip1R (Sla2p) share a conserved modular region termed the epsin NH2-terminal homology (ENTH) domain, which plays a crucial role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis through an unknown target. Here, we demonstrate a strong affinity of the ENTH domain for phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. With nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of the epsin ENTH domain, we determined that a cleft formed with positively charged residues contributed to phosphoinositide binding. Overexpression of a mutant, epsin Lys76 --> Ala76, with an ENTH domain defective in phosphoinositide binding, blocked epidermal growth factor internalization in COS-7 cells. Thus, interaction between the ENTH domain and PtdIns(4,5)P2 is essential for endocytosis mediated by clathrin-coated pits.     

A membrane receptor for retinol binding protein mediates cellular uptake of vitamin A

Vitamin A has diverse biological functions. It is transported in the blood as a complex with retinol binding protein (RBP), but the molecular mechanism by which vitamin A is absorbed by cells from the vitamin A-RBP complex is not clearly understood. We identified in bovine retinal pigment epithelium cells STRA6, a multitransmembrane domain protein, as a specific membrane receptor for RBP. STRA6 binds to RBP with high affinity and has robust vitamin A uptake activity from the vitamin A-RBP complex. It is widely expressed in embryonic development and in adult organ systems. The RBP receptor represents a major physiological mediator of cellular vitamin A uptake.     

F18大肠杆菌黏附素受体结合域鉴定新方法

运用DNA重组技术将F18ab和F18ac大肠杆菌黏附素fedF亚单位内的第60～109位氨基酸残基区段(fedF1)和fedF全基因克隆入V型分泌系统MisL的载客结构域上,经DNA测序确证其正确阅读框后,含重组菌质粒pnirBMisL-fedF或pnirBMisL-fedF1经厌氧诱导后,与断奶仔猪小肠上皮细胞进行体外黏附试验。结果表明:FUT1基因M307位点中GG型和AG型仔猪小肠上皮细胞均能黏附上述重组菌,而AA型个体小肠上皮细胞则不能黏附。上述重组菌均能与兔抗F18ab菌毛FedF亚单位单因子高免血清发生玻板凝集反应。而FedF突变体FedF(M)的重组质粒菌则失去上述凝集和黏附特性。证明F18大肠杆菌黏附素fedF基因及其基因片段fedF1在大肠杆菌表面得到了功能性表达,F18ab和F18ac黏附素FedF直接介导F18大肠杆菌与易感仔猪小肠上皮细胞表面大分子受体黏附结合,fedF1为黏附素FedF的受体主要结合域,其His88、His99是FedF黏附素受体结合域的重要氨基酸残基。     

维生素A对视黄醇结合蛋白基因表达效果初探

采用半定量RT-PCR技术对视黄醇结合蛋白(RBP)基因的表达进行研究.在猪的成纤维细胞内添加浓度为0.5、5、10、30μg/μL维生素A,分别作用12、24、48、72 h后,比较分析RBP的表达情况.结果表明,添加10μg/μL的维生素A作用72 h后,RBP的表达量下降了92.6%;添加5μg/μL的维生素A作用72 h后,RBP的表达量最高,为对照组的1.7倍.适量的维生素A可以诱导RBP表达,但过量的维生素A则会抑制RBP表达.     

A G protein couples serotonin and GABAB receptors to the same channels in hippocampus

Both serotonin and the selective gamma-aminobutyric acidB (GABAB) agonist, baclofen, increase potassium (K+) conductance in hippocampal pyramidal cells. Although these agonists act on separate receptors, the potassium currents evoked by the agonists are not additive, indicating that the two receptors share the same potassium channels. Experiments with hydrolysis-resistant guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and guanosine diphosphate analogs and pertussis toxin indicate that the opening of the potassium channels by serotonin and GABAB receptors involves a pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding (G) protein, which may directly couple the two receptors to the potassium channel.     

FeCl_3盐析法提取牦牛血中G型免疫球蛋白的工艺

采用FeCl3盐析法对新鲜牦牛血中的G型免疫球蛋白(IgG)的提取工艺进行了研究.在单因素试验的基础上,通过响应面设计对工艺进行了优化.结果表明:FeCl3溶液浓度、pH值、反应温度及氯化铁溶液浓度与pH值交互作用对IgG提取量有显著的影响.FeCl3盐析法提取新鲜牦牛血中IgG的最佳工艺条件为:反应温度为34.06℃,氯化铁浓度为2.67mmol/L,pH值为4.36,反应时间为1.78h,在此条件下IgG的提取量为8.28mg/mL.     

A G protein mutant that inhibits thrombin and purinergic receptor activation of phospholipase A2

The stimulation of phospholipase A2 by thrombin and type 2 (P2)-purinergic receptor agonists in Chinese hamster ovary cells is mediated by the G protein Gi. To delineate alpha chain regulatory regions responsible for control of phospholipase A2, chimeric cDNAs were constructed in which different lengths of the alpha subunit of Gs (alpha s) were replaced with the corresponding sequence of the Gi alpha subunit (alpha i2). When a carboxyl-terminal chimera alpha s-i(38), which has the last 38 amino acids of alpha s substituted with the last 36 residues of alpha i2, was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, the receptor-stimulated phospholipase A2 activity was inhibited, although the chimera could still activate adenylyl cyclase. Thus, alpha s-i(38) is an active alpha s, but also a dominant negative alpha i molecule, indicating that the last 36 amino acids of alpha i2 are a critical domain for G protein regulation of phospholipase A2 activity.     

Human monocytes: distinct receptor sites for the third component of complement and for immunoglobulin G

Human monocytes contain two distinct receptor sites, one specific for the third component of complement (C'3), the other for immunoglobulin G(gammaG). The two receptors may function either independently or cooperatively in the induction of phagocytosis. Ingestion of erythrocytes coated with immunoglobulin M antibody requires a relatively large number of bound C'3 molecules per cell. Ingestion of erythrocytes sensitized with gammaG antibody is independent of complement; however, the reaction is inhibited by concentrations of gammaG far below those in normal serum. Inhibition by gammaG-globulin is overcome by a relatively small number of bound C'3 molecules per cell. The two monocyte receptors exert a cooperative effect on ingestion by monocytes of erythrocytes coated with gammaG antibody in the presence of inhibitory amounts of free gammaG.     

Tubulin polyglutamylase enzymes are members of the TTL domain protein family

Polyglutamylation of tubulin has been implicated in several functions of microtubules, but the identification of the responsible enzyme(s) has been challenging. We found that the neuronal tubulin polyglutamylase is a protein complex containing a tubulin tyrosine ligase-like (TTLL) protein, TTLL1. TTLL1 is a member of a large family of proteins with a TTL homology domain, whose members could catalyze ligations of diverse amino acids to tubulins or other substrates. In the model protist Tetrahymena thermophila, two conserved types of polyglutamylases were characterized that differ in substrate preference and subcellular localization.     

Sequence of the alpha subunit of photoreceptor G protein: homologies between transducin, ras, and elongation factors

A bovine retinal complementary DNA clone encoding the alpha subunit of transducin (T alpha) was isolated with the use of synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides as probes, and the complete nucleotide sequence of the insert was determined. THe predicted protein sequence of 354 amino acids includes the known sequences of four tryptic peptides and sequences adjacent to the residues that undergo adenosine diphosphate ribosylation by cholera toxin and pertussis toxin. On the basis of homologies to other proteins, such as the elongation factors of protein synthesis and the ras oncogene proteins, regions are identified that are predicted to be acylated and involved in guanine nucleotide binding and hydrolysis. Amino acid sequence similarity between T alpha and ras is confined to these regions of the molecules.     

重组金黄色葡萄球菌FnbpA亚单位疫苗的研制

【目的】制备金黄色葡萄球菌纤连蛋白结合蛋白A(FnbpA)基因工程亚单位疫苗,并以小白鼠为试验模型,检测其免疫保护效果。【方法】诱导表达FnbpA,经组氨酸标签亲合纯化后用Bradford法测定纯化的目的蛋白的含量,并检测其黏附活性及对动物的安全性。制备FnbpA亚单位疫苗,经无菌检验及安全检验后,进行免疫保护试验,用ELISA方法检测被免疫小鼠血清中的抗体效价,通过腹腔攻毒试验检测疫苗的免疫保护力。【结果】纯化的目的蛋白在80 ku处出现单一条带,蛋白质量浓度为0.245 mg/mL。细菌黏附抑制试验发现,经FnbpA蛋白预处理过的MDBK细胞黏附的金黄色葡萄球菌数较对照极显著减少;动物安全性试验显示,小鼠注射FnbpA亚单位疫苗后均健活,表明制备的FnbpA亚单位疫苗安全性良好。所有免疫组小鼠于首免后7 d即可在血清中检测到特异性抗体,抗体效价逐渐上升,在21 d达到最高值,之后逐渐降低。【结论】纯化的FnbpA蛋白达到了电泳级纯度,且依然保持良好的黏附活性;制备的FnbpA亚单位疫苗作用机体产生的抗体水平符合抗体消长规律,且表现出良好的免疫保护力。     

The protein kinase domain of the ANP receptor is required for signaling

A plasma membrane form of guanylate cyclase is a cell surface receptor for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). In response to ANP binding, the receptor-enzyme produces increased amounts of the second messenger, guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate. Maximal activation of the cyclase requires the presence of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) or nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs. The intracellular region of the receptor contains at least two domains with homology to other proteins, one possessing sequence similarity to protein kinase catalytic domains, the other to regions of unknown function in a cytoplasmic form of guanylate cyclase and in adenylate cyclase. It is now shown that the protein kinase-like domain functions as a regulatory element and that the second domain possesses catalytic activity. When the kinase-like domain was removed by deletion mutagenesis, the resulting ANP receptor retained guanylate cyclase activity, but this activity was independent of ANP and its stimulation by ATP was markedly reduced. A model for signal transduction is suggested in which binding of ANP to the extracellular domain of its receptor initiates a conformational change in the protein kinase-like domain, resulting in derepression of guanylate cyclase activity.