Structure of an HIF-1alpha -pVHL complex: hydroxyproline recognition in signaling

The ubiquitination of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) by the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (pVHL) plays a central role in the cellular response to changes in oxygen availability. pVHL binds to HIF only when a conserved proline in HIF is hydroxylated, a modification that is oxygen-dependent. The 1.85 angstrom structure of a 20-residue HIF-1alpha peptide-pVHL-ElonginB-ElonginC complex shows that HIF-1alpha binds to pVHL in an extended beta strand-like conformation. The hydroxyproline inserts into a gap in the pVHL hydrophobic core, at a site that is a hotspot for tumorigenic mutations, with its 4-hydroxyl group recognized by buried serine and histidine residues. Although the beta sheet-like interactions contribute to the stability of the complex, the hydroxyproline contacts are central to the strict specificity characteristic of signaling.     

Interaction between Notch and Hif-alpha in development and survival of Drosophila blood cells

A blood cell type termed crystal cell in Drosophila functions in clotting and wound healing and requires Notch for specification and maintenance. We report that crystal cells express elevated levels of Sima protein orthologous to mammalian hypoxia-inducible factor-α (Hif-α) even under conditions of normal oxygen availability. In these platelet-like crystal cells, Sima activates full-length Notch receptor signaling via a noncanonical, ligand-independent mechanism that promotes hemocyte survival during both normal hematopoietic development and hypoxic stress. This interaction initiates in early endosomes, is independent of Hif-β (Τangο in Drosophila), and does not activate hypoxia response targets. Studies in vertebrate myeloid cells have shown a similar up-regulation of Hif-α protein in well-oxygenated environments. This study provides a mechanistic paradigm for Hif-α/Notch interaction that may be conserved in mammals.     

Functional properties of rat brain sodium channels expressed in a somatic cell line

Transfection of Chinese hamster ovary cells with complementary DNA encoding the RIIA sodium channel alpha subunit from rat brain led to expression of functional sodium channels with the rapid, voltage-dependent activation and inactivation characteristic of sodium channels in brain neurons. The sodium currents mediated by these transfected channels were inhibited by tetrodotoxin, persistently activated by veratridine, and prolonged by Leiurus alpha-scorpion toxin, indicating that neurotoxin receptor sites 1 through 3 were present in functional form. The RIIA sodium channel alpha subunit cDNA alone is sufficient for stable expression of functional sodium channels with the expected kinetic and pharmacological properties in mammalian somatic cells.     

小麦蛋白磷酸酶2A调节亚基基因TaBβ-1的克隆及其在非生物胁迫下的表达特性

【目的】克隆小麦蛋白磷酸酶2A(PP2A)调节亚基(PR55)基因TaBβ-1,分析其在非生物胁迫下的表达特性,为小麦抗逆育种提供候选基因。【方法】以小麦品种旱选10号为材料,通过电子克隆和RT-PCR获得TaBβ-1的全长cDNA序列,采用生物信息学软件分析TaBβ-1及其编码蛋白TaBβ-1的序列特征,预测其功能,利用实时荧光定量PCR(real-time quantitative PCR)技术分析该基因在小麦孕穗期不同组织中、不同生育时期新叶中的表达情况,以及在PEG、NaCl、低温及外源激素ABA等非生物胁迫下的表达模式,检测不同水分条件下成株期转基因拟南芥的叶片细胞膜稳定性。【结果】获得TaBβ-1的全长cDNA序列1931bp,其开放阅读框(ORF)为1539bp。该基因编码512个氨基酸,预测TaBβ-1蛋白分子量为57.1kD,等电点为5.87,含有PP2A调节亚基的1个CDC55保守结构域、1个alpha/beta结构域、2个PR55保守结构域和6个WD重复子。TaBβ-1在小麦孕穗期的根、穗、叶中均有表达,表达量依次为根穗叶;在不同生育时期的新叶中,苗期叶片的表达量最高。TaBβ-1的表达明显受PEG、NaCl、低温以及外源ABA的诱导。【结论】小麦蛋白磷酸酶2A调节亚基家族基因TaBβ-1在小麦苗期叶片中的表达量明显高于根、穗以及其它时期的叶片;TaBβ-1参与对高渗、高盐、低温等多种胁迫以及ABA处理的应答反应,但表达模式不同;在水分胁迫条件下,转基因拟南芥比野生型具有较高的细胞膜稳定性。     

Transient expression shows ligand gating and allosteric potentiation of GABAA receptor subunits

Human gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor subunits were expressed transiently in cultured mammalian cells. This expression system allows the simultaneous characterization of ligand-gated ion channels by electrophysiology and by pharmacology. Thus, coexpression of the alpha and beta subunits of the GABAA receptor generated GABA-gated chloride channels and binding sites for GABAA receptor ligands. Channels consisting of only alpha or beta subunits could also be detected. These homomeric channels formed with reduced efficiencies compared to the heteromeric receptors. Both of these homomeric GABA-responsive channels were potentiated by barbiturate, indicating that sites for both ligand-gating and allosteric potentiation are present on receptors assembled from either subunit.     

Reexamination of the Three-Dimensional Structure of the Small Subunit of RuBisCo from Higher Plants

The structure of L(8)S(8) RuBisCo (where L is the large subunit and S is the small subunit) from spinach has been determined to a resolution of 2.8 ?ngstrom by using fourfold averaging of an isomorphous electron density map based on three heavy-atom derivatives. The structure of the S subunit is different from that previously reported for the tobacco S subunit in spite of 75 percent sequence identity. The elements of secondary structure, four antiparallel beta strands and two alpha helices, are the same, but the topology and direction of the polypeptide chain through these elements differ completely. One of these models is clearly wrong. The spinach model has hydrophobic residues in the core between the alpha helices and beta sheet as well as conserved residues in the subunit interactions. The deletion of residues 49 to 62 that is present in the Anabaena sequence removes a loop region in the spinach model. The positions of three mercury atoms in the heavy-atom derivatives agree with the assignment of side chains in the spinach structure.     

Vascular abnormalities and deregulation of VEGF in Lkb1-deficient mice

The LKB1 tumor suppressor gene, mutated in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, encodes a serine/threonine kinase of unknown function. Here we show that mice with a targeted disruption of Lkb1 die at midgestation, with the embryos showing neural tube defects, mesenchymal cell death, and vascular abnormalities. Extraembryonic development was also severely affected; the mutant placentas exhibited defective labyrinth layer development and the fetal vessels failed to invade the placenta. These phenotypes were associated with tissue-specific deregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, including a marked increase in the amount of VEGF messenger RNA. Moreover, VEGF production in cultured Lkb1(-/-) fibroblasts was elevated in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. These findings place Lkb1 in the VEGF signaling pathway and suggest that the vascular defects accompanying Lkb1 loss are mediated at least in part by VEGF.     

灰葡萄孢犬尿氨酸单加氧酶基因BcKMO与病菌cAMP信号途径的关系

【目的】明确灰葡萄孢（Botrytis cinerea）犬尿氨酸单加氧酶基因BcKMO与病菌cAMP信号途径之间的关系,为进一步阐明BcKMO调控灰葡萄孢生长、发育和致病力的分子机制打下基础。【方法】利用cAMP信号途径特异性抑制剂SQ22536,检测灰葡萄孢野生型BC22、BcKMO的T-DNA插入突变体BCG183和回复菌株BCG183/BcKMO对cAMP信号途径特异性抑制剂的敏感性;分别提取灰葡萄孢野生型BC22、突变体BCG183和回复菌株BCG183/BcKMO中的cAMP,利用HPLC检测各菌株中cAMP的含量;利用real-time PCR技术检测BcKMO与cAMP信号途径中cAMP依赖的蛋白激酶（PKA）的催化亚基基因pka1和pka2、调节亚基基因pkaR、编码异源三聚体G-蛋白Gα亚基基因bcg2和bcg3在病菌不同发育阶段、组织部位以及培养条件下的表达规律;利用real-time PCR技术检测BcKMO突变体中cAMP信号途径关键基因pka1、pka2、pkaR、bcg2、bcg3的表达水平;利用real-time PCR技术检测cAMP信号途径关键基因pka1、pka2、pkaR、bcg2、bcg3的RNAi突变中BcKMO的表达水平。【结果】灰葡萄孢BcKMO的T-DNA插入突变体BCG183对cAMP信号途径特异性抑制剂SQ22536不敏感,受抑制的程度明显低于野生型BC22和回复菌株BCG183/BcKMO。BcKMO的T-DNA插入突变体BCG183中cAMP含量明显低于野生型菌株BC22和回复菌株BCG183/BcKMO。BcKMO与cAMP信号途径中cAMP依赖的蛋白激酶（PKA）的催化亚基基因pka1、编码异源三聚体G-蛋白Gα亚基基因bcg2和bcg3的表达规律基本一致,均为在7 d的菌丝和菌核中表达水平较高;此外,BcKMO和cAMP信号途径关键基因pka1、pka2、pkaR、bcg2、bcg3均为在含果糖培养基上培养的病菌中表达水平较高。BcKMO的T-DNA插入突变体BCG183中cAMP信号途径关键基因pka1、pka2、pkaR、bcg2、bcg3的表达水平均明显高于野生型BC22和回复菌株BCG183/BcKMO。pka1、bcg2的RNAi突变体中BcKMO表达水平明显高于野生型,而pka2、pkaR、bcg3的RNAi突变体中BcKMO表达水平明显低于野生型。【结论】BcKMO负调控cAMP信号途径关键基因pka1、pka2、pkaR、bcg2、bcg3的表达;cAMP信号途径关键基因pka1、bcg2负调控BcKMO的表达,而cAMP信号途径关键基因pka2、pkaR、bcg3正调控BcKMO的表达。     

ATM activation by oxidative stress

The ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein kinase is activated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) through the Mre11-Rad50-Nbs1 (MRN) DNA repair complex and orchestrates signaling cascades that initiate the DNA damage response. Cells lacking ATM are also hypersensitive to insults other than DSBs, particularly oxidative stress. We show that oxidation of ATM directly induces ATM activation in the absence of DNA DSBs and the MRN complex. The oxidized form of ATM is a disulfide-cross-linked dimer, and mutation of a critical cysteine residue involved in disulfide bond formation specifically blocked activation through the oxidation pathway. Identification of this pathway explains observations of ATM activation under conditions of oxidative stress and shows that ATM is an important sensor of reactive oxygen species in human cells.     

Direct activation of mammalian atrial muscarinic potassium channels by GTP regulatory protein Gk

The mammalian heart rate is regulated by the vagus nerve, which acts via muscarinic acetylcholine receptors to cause hyperpolarization of atrial pacemaker cells. The hyperpolarization is produced by the opening of potassium channels and involves an intermediary guanosine triphosphate-binding regulatory (G) protein. Potassium channels in isolated, inside-out patches of membranes from atrial cells now are shown to be activated by a purified pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein of subunit composition alpha beta gamma, with an alpha subunit of 40,000 daltons. Thus, mammalian atrial muscarinic potassium channels are activated directly by a G protein, not indirectly through a cascade of intermediary events. The G protein regulating these channels is identified as a potent Gk; it is active at 0.2 to 1 pM. Thus, proteins other than enzymes can be under control of receptor coupling G proteins.     

Notch信号通路在体外培养的鹿茸干细胞中的表达

Notch信号通路是一条进化上十分保守的信号转导系统,在调节干细胞增殖、分化和凋亡方面起到重要作用。研究表明,鹿生茸区骨膜和角柄骨膜分别含有鹿茸发生和再生的干细胞。应用RT-PCR的方法对离体培养生茸区骨膜和角柄骨膜细胞进行检测,得出Notch信号通路各信号因子在2种细胞中的表达情况。结果:Notch-1、Notch-2、Notch-4、Dll-4J、agged-1J、agged-2、Hes-1等信号因子在这2种干细胞中均有不同程度的表达,说明Notch信号通路可能参与了他们的增殖、分化的调控。     

HIF-2α在高原动物低氧适应中的研究进展

近年来,全基因组扫描和候选基因分析结果都表明低氧诱导因子调控的信号通路相关基因在藏族群体得到高表达。初步揭示了高原动物对高原低氧环境的适应机制,并发现了一系列对藏族人群适应高原低氧环境发挥作用的候选基因。其中低氧诱导因子-2α(HIF-2α)基因在低氧诱导通路中起着最关键作用,加深对HIF-2α的研究有助于进一步认识藏族人群低氧适应的机制。文中对HIF-2α的结构,分布,表达及调控进行了系统的阐释,并着重对HIF-2α在高原人群中的研究进展进行讨论,还对今后的研究发展方向进行了展望。     

Functional genomic analysis of the Wnt-wingless signaling pathway

The Wnt-Wingless (Wg) pathway is one of a core set of evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways that regulates many aspects of metazoan development. Aberrant Wnt signaling has been linked to human disease. In the present study, we used a genomewide RNA interference (RNAi) screen in Drosophila cells to screen for regulators of the Wnt pathway. We identified 238 potential regulators, which include known pathway components, genes with functions not previously linked to this pathway, and genes with no previously assigned functions. Reciprocal-Best-Blast analyses reveal that 50% of the genes identified in the screen have human orthologs, of which approximately 18% are associated with human disease. Functional assays of selected genes from the cell-based screen in Drosophila, mammalian cells, and zebrafish embryos demonstrated that these genes have evolutionarily conserved functions in Wnt signaling. High-throughput RNAi screens in cultured cells, followed by functional analyses in model organisms, prove to be a rapid means of identifying regulators of signaling pathways implicated in development and disease.     

Ouabain resistance conferred by expression of the cDNA for a murine Na+, K+-ATPase alpha subunit

The molecular basis for the marked difference between primate and rodent cells in sensitivity to the cardiac glycoside ouabain has been established by genetic techniques. A complementary DNA encoding the entire alpha 1 subunit of the mouse Na+- and K+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) was inserted into the expression vector pSV2. This engineered DNA molecule confers resistance against 10(-4) M ouabain to monkey CV-1 cells. Deletion of sequences encoding the carboxyl terminus of the alpha 1 subunit abolish the activity of the complementary DNA. The ability to assay the biological activity of this ATPase in a transfection protocol permits the application of molecular genetic techniques to the analysis of structure-function relationships for the enzyme that establishes the internal Na+/K+ environment of most animal cells. The full-length alpha 1 subunit complementary DNA will also be useful as a dominant selectable marker for somatic cell genetic studies utilizing ouabain-sensitive cells.     

低氧胁迫下斑马鱼鳃中核糖体蛋白基因家族的表达分析

为研究斑马鱼核糖体蛋白应对低氧胁迫的生物学功能，对低氧胁迫和常氧条件下斑马鱼（Danio rerio）鳃组织进行转录组分析，利用高通量测序检测了低氧胁迫与常氧条件下斑马鱼鳃转录组中核糖体蛋白家族基因的表达差异。结果表明：在两个不同浓度的低氧胁迫下，斑马鱼鳃组织中60个核糖体蛋白基因的表达量显著上调。其中大亚基核糖体蛋白基因35个，小亚基核糖体蛋白基因25个。在低氧胁迫下斑马鱼鳃中显著差异表达基因GO富集的前15条通路中，均包括核糖体蛋白基因，且其中的5条通路与核糖体蛋白组装合成相关。在富集到“translation”GO通路中，富集到44个核糖体蛋白基因。另外，利用前期筛选出的低氧条件下斑马鱼鳃中显著低表达的2个miRNAs，针对低氧下表达量显著上调的60个核糖体蛋白基因进行靶基因预测，结果表明：斑马鱼miR-455-3p可以同时靶向核糖体蛋白基因rpl13和rplp1来调控斑马鱼对低氧环境的适应。     

Type I and type II GABAA-benzodiazepine receptors produced in transfected cells

GABAA (gamma-aminobutyric acid A)-benzodiazepine receptors expressed in mammalian cells and assembled from one of three different alpha subunit variants (alpha 1, alpha 2, or alpha 3) in combination with a beta 1 and a gamma 2 subunit display the pharmacological properties of either type I or type II receptor subtypes. These receptors contain high-affinity binding sites for benzodiazepines. However, CL 218 872, 2-oxoquazepam, and methyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCM) show a temperature-modulated selectivity for alpha 1 subunit-containing receptors. There were no significant differences in the binding of clonazepam, diazepam, Ro 15-1788, or dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) to all three recombinant receptors. Receptors containing the alpha 3 subunit show greater GABA potentiation of benzodiazepine binding than receptors containing the alpha 1 or alpha 2 subunit, indicating that there are subtypes within the type II class. Thus, diversity in benzodiazepine pharmacology is generated by heterogeneity of the alpha subunit of the GABAA receptor.