Architecture of a fungal fatty acid synthase at 5 A resolution

All steps of fatty acid synthesis in fungi are catalyzed by the fatty acid synthase, which forms a 2.6-megadalton alpha6beta6 complex. We have determined the molecular architecture of this multienzyme by fitting the structures of homologous enzymes that catalyze the individual steps of the reaction pathway into a 5 angstrom x-ray crystallographic electron density map. The huge assembly contains two separated reaction chambers, each equipped with three sets of active sites separated by distances up to approximately 130 angstroms, across which acyl carrier protein shuttles substrates during the reaction cycle. Regions of the electron density arising from well-defined structural features outside the catalytic domains separate the two reaction chambers and serve as a matrix in which domains carrying the various active sites are embedded. The structure rationalizes the compartmentalization of fatty acid synthesis, and the spatial arrangement of the active sites has specific implications for our understanding of the reaction cycle mechanism and of the architecture of multienzymes in general.     

The crystal structure of a mammalian fatty acid synthase

Mammalian fatty acid synthase is a large multienzyme that catalyzes all steps of fatty acid synthesis. We have determined its crystal structure at 3.2 angstrom resolution covering five catalytic domains, whereas the flexibly tethered terminal acyl carrier protein and thioesterase domains remain unresolved. The structure reveals a complex architecture of alternating linkers and enzymatic domains. Substrate shuttling is facilitated by flexible tethering of the acyl carrier protein domain and by the limited contact between the condensing and modifying portions of the multienzyme, which are mainly connected by linkers rather than direct interaction. The structure identifies two additional nonenzymatic domains: (i) a pseudo-ketoreductase and (ii) a peripheral pseudo-methyltransferase that is probably a remnant of an ancestral methyltransferase domain maintained in some related polyketide synthases. The structural comparison of mammalian fatty acid synthase with modular polyketide synthases shows how their segmental construction allows the variation of domain composition to achieve diverse product synthesis.     

Structure of fungal fatty acid synthase and implications for iterative substrate shuttling

We report crystal structures of the 2.6-megadalton alpha6beta6 heterododecameric fatty acid synthase from Thermomyces lanuginosus at 3.1 angstrom resolution. The alpha and beta polypeptide chains form the six catalytic domains required for fatty acid synthesis and numerous expansion segments responsible for extensive intersubunit connections. Detailed views of all active sites provide insights into substrate specificities and catalytic mechanisms and reveal their unique characteristics, which are due to the integration into the multienzyme. The mode of acyl carrier protein attachment in the reaction chamber, together with the spatial distribution of active sites, suggests that iterative substrate shuttling is achieved by a relatively restricted circular motion of the carrier domain in the multifunctional enzyme.     

Modular organization of genes required for complex polyketide biosynthesis

In Saccharopolyspora erythraea, the genes that govern synthesis of the polyketide portion of the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin are organized in six repeated units that encode fatty acid synthase (FAS)-like activities. Each repeated unit is designated a module, and two modules are contained in a single open reading frame. A model for the synthesis of this complex polyketide is proposed, where each module encodes a functional synthase unit and each synthase unit participates specifically in one of the six FAS-like elongation steps required for formation of the polyketide. In addition, genetic organization and biochemical order of events appear to be colinear. Evidence for the model is provided by construction of a selected mutant and by isolation of a polyketide of predicted structure.     

Structural basis for substrate delivery by acyl carrier protein in the yeast fatty acid synthase

In the multifunctional fungal fatty acid synthase (FAS), the acyl carrier protein (ACP) domain shuttles reaction intermediates covalently attached to its prosthetic phosphopantetheine group between the different enzymatic centers of the reaction cycle. Here, we report the structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae FAS determined at 3.1 angstrom resolution with its ACP stalled at the active site of ketoacyl synthase. The ACP contacts the base of the reaction chamber through conserved, charge-complementary surfaces, which optimally position the ACP toward the catalytic cleft of ketoacyl synthase. The conformation of the prosthetic group suggests a switchblade mechanism for acyl chain delivery to the active site of the enzyme.     

Multienzyme systems of DNA replication

Replication is accomplished by multienzyme systems whose operations are usefully considered in respect to three stages of the process: initiation, elongation, anid termination. 1) Initiation entails synthesis of a short RNA fragment that serves as primer for the elongation step of DNA synthesis. This stage, probed by SS phage DNA templates, reveals three distinctive and highly specific systems in E. coli. The Ml3 DNA utilizes RNA polymerase in a manner that may reflect how plasmid elements are replicated in the cell. The ?X174 DNA does not rely on RNA-polymerase, but requires instead five distinctive proteins which may belong to an apparatus for initiating a host chromosome replication cycle at the origin. The G4 DNA, also independent of RNA polymerase, needs simply the dnaG protein for its distinctive initiation and may thus resemble the system that initiates the replication fragments at the nascent growing fork. In each case it is essential that in vitro the DNA-unwinding protein coat the viral DNA and influence its structure. 2) Elongation is achieved in every case by the multisubunit, holoenzyme form of DNA polymerase III. Copolymerase III, which is an enzyme subunit, and adenosine triphosphate are required to form a proper complex with the primer template but appear dispensable for the ensuing chain growth by DNA polymerase (33). 3) Termination requires excision of the RNA priming fragment, filling of gaps and sealing of interruptions to produce a covalently intact phosphodiester backbone. DNA polymerase I has the capacity for excision and gapfilling and DNA ligase is required for sealing. What once appeared to be a simple DNA polymerase-mediated conversion of a single-strand to a duplex circle (34) is now seen as a complex series of events in which diverse multienzyme systems function. Annoyance with the difficulties in resolving and reconstituting these systems is tempered by the conviction that these are the very systems used ,by the cell in replicating its chromosome and extrachromosomal elements. Thus, understanding of the regulation of replication events in the cell, their localization at membrane surfaces and integration with cell division, and their coordination with phage DNA maturation and particle assembly will all be advanced by knowledge of the components of the replicative machinery.     

The structure of a human p110alpha/p85alpha complex elucidates the effects of oncogenic PI3Kalpha mutations

PIK3CA, one of the two most frequently mutated oncogenes in human tumors, codes for p110alpha, the catalytic subunit of a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, isoform alpha (PI3Kalpha, p110alpha/p85). Here, we report a 3.0 angstrom resolution structure of a complex between p110alpha and a polypeptide containing the p110alpha-binding domains of p85alpha, a protein required for its enzymatic activity. The structure shows that many of the mutations occur at residues lying at the interfaces between p110alpha and p85alpha or between the kinase domain of p110alpha and other domains within the catalytic subunit. Disruptions of these interactions are likely to affect the regulation of kinase activity by p85 or the catalytic activity of the enzyme, respectively. In addition to providing new insights about the structure of PI3Kalpha, these results suggest specific mechanisms for the effect of oncogenic mutations in p110alpha and p85alpha.     

脂肪酸合成酶基因(FASN)的研究进展

在哺乳动物中,脂肪酸合成酶在脂肪酸合成中起着至关重要的作用。它含有7个活性位点,在还原型辅酶Ⅱ的存在下,FASN负责乙酰辅酶A(acetyl-CoA)和丙二酰辅酶A(malonyl-CoA)从头合成一种长链软脂酸(棕榈酸酯)的所有催化步骤。脂肪酸合成酶是脂肪合成的关键酶,并且在腹脂肪组织重变异及相关性状变异中起着重要作用。综述了FASN及其基因在生命活动中的地位、作用、定位、结构及FASN基因的遗传变异与生产性状关系的研究进展。     

Structure of a peptide inhibitor bound to the catalytic subunit of cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase

The structure of a 20-amino acid peptide inhibitor bound to the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, and its interactions with the enzyme, are described. The x-ray crystal structure of the complex is the basis of the analysis. The peptide inhibitor, derived from a naturally occurring heat-stable protein kinase inhibitor, contains an amphipathic helix that is followed by a turn and an extended conformation. The extended region occupies the cleft between the two lobes of the enzyme and contains a five-residue consensus recognition sequence common to all substrates and peptide inhibitors of the catalytic subunit. The helical portion of the peptide binds to a hydrophobic groove and conveys high affinity binding. Loops from both domains converge at the active site and contribute to a network of conserved residues at the sites of magnesium adenosine triphosphate binding and catalysis. Amino acids associated with peptide recognition, nonconserved, extend over a large surface area.     

Unexpected modes of PDZ domain scaffolding revealed by structure of nNOS-syntrophin complex

The PDZ protein interaction domain of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) can heterodimerize with the PDZ domains of postsynaptic density protein 95 and syntrophin through interactions that are not mediated by recognition of a typical carboxyl-terminal motif. The nNOS-syntrophin PDZ complex structure revealed that the domains interact in an unusual linear head-to-tail arrangement. The nNOS PDZ domain has two opposite interaction surfaces-one face has the canonical peptide binding groove, whereas the other has a beta-hairpin "finger." This nNOS beta finger docks in the syntrophin peptide binding groove, mimicking a peptide ligand, except that a sharp beta turn replaces the normally required carboxyl terminus. This structure explains how PDZ domains can participate in diverse interaction modes to assemble protein networks.     

猪源新城疫病毒SP13株的F基因克隆及序列分析

采用RT-PCR方法对猪源新城疫病毒(NDV)SP13株的F基因进行了扩增与克隆,并测定出F基因的核苷酸全序列,推导出氨基酸序列.F基因全长为1662 bp,单一的开放阅读框,编码553个氨基酸的长肽,裂解位点的氨基酸序列为112G-R-Q-G-R-L117,与弱毒株在这一区域的序列(112G-R/K-Q-G/S-R-L117)相符;F蛋白有6个潜在的糖基化位点和13个Cys残基位点,其疏水构型有3个强疏水区.通过同源率、系统发育、致病性、疏水性和抗原性等比较分析的结果表明,SP13与LaSota、Clone 30株不但同源性达到99.9%,而且在致病性、疏水性和抗原性等方面也极为相似.     

Cassette of eight exons shared by genes for LDL receptor and EGF precursor

The amino acid sequences of the human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and the human precursor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) show 33 percent identity over a stretch of 400 residues. This region of homologous is encoded by eight contiguous exons in each respective gene. Of the nine introns that separate these exons, five are located in identical positions in the two protein sequences. This finding suggests that the homologous region may have resulted from a duplication of an ancestral gene and that the two genes evolved further by recruitment of exons from other genes, which provided the specific functional domains of the LDL receptor and the EGF precursor.     

A G protein gamma subunit shares homology with ras proteins

Guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) that transduce signals from cell surface receptors to effector molecules are made up of three subunits, alpha, beta, and gamma. A complementary DNA clone that encodes a 71-amino acid protein was isolated from bovine brain; this protein contains peptide sequences that were derived from the purified gamma subunit of Gi and Go. The primary sequence of this G protein gamma subunit (G gamma) has 55 percent homology to the gamma subunit of transducin (T gamma) and also has homology to functional domains of mammalian ras proteins. The probe for isolating the clone was generated with the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The extent of divergence between T gamma and G gamma, the isolation of homologous PCR-generated fragments, and the differences between the predicted amino acid sequence of G gamma and that derived from the gamma subunit of Gi and Go indicate that gamma subunits are encoded by a family of genes.     

Neural cell adhesion molecule: structure, immunoglobulin-like domains, cell surface modulation, and alternative RNA splicing

The neural cell adhesion molecule, N-CAM, appears on early embryonic cells and is important in the formation of cell collectives and their boundaries at sites of morphogenesis. Later in development it is found on various differentiated tissues and is a major CAM mediating adhesion among neurons and between neurons and muscle. To provide a molecular basis for understanding N-CAM function, the complete amino acid sequences of the three major polypeptides of N-CAM and most of the noncoding sequences of their messenger RNA's were determined from the analysis of complementary DNA clones and were verified by amino acid sequences of selected CNBr fragments and proteolytic fragments. The extracellular region of each N-CAM polypeptide includes five contiguous segments that are homologous in sequence to each other and to members of the immunoglobulin superfamily, suggesting that interactions among immunoglobulin-like domains form the basis for N-CAM homophilic binding. Although different in their membrane-associated and cytoplasmic domains, the amino acid sequences of the three polypeptides appear to be identical throughout this extracellular region (682 amino acids) where the binding site is located. Variations in N-CAM activity thus do not occur by changes in the amino acid sequence that alter the specificity of binding. Instead, regulation is achieved by cell surface modulation events that alter N-CAM affinity, prevalence, mobility, and distribution on the surface. A major mechanism for modulation is alternative RNA splicing resulting in N-CAM's with different cytoplasmic domains that differentially interact with the cell membrane. Such regulatory mechanisms may link N-CAM binding function with other primary cellular processes during the embryonic development of pattern.     

基于SNP遗传图谱对甘蓝型油菜部分脂肪酸 组成性状的QTL定位

目的 菜籽油在烹饪、食品加工及工业生产中广泛应用,因此,根据生产需要改善菜籽油脂肪酸组分是油菜育种的重要目标。通过对2种环境下甘蓝型油菜主要脂肪酸组成进行QTL定位分析,寻找甘蓝型油菜脂肪酸组分的QTL及影响本群体脂肪酸组分的候选基因。方法以人工合成甘蓝型油菜10D130和甘蓝型油菜常规品种中双11构建高世代重组自交系（RIL）为研究材料,分别于2016-2017年和2017-2018年2个年度在重庆市北碚区2个不同的环境中设置田间试验,收获自交种子,采用气相色谱法3次重复对种子的脂肪酸组分进行分析。利用油菜6K SNP芯片对该RIL群体进行基因分型,DNA样品预处理及芯片处理严格按照Illumina Inc 公司Infinium HD Assay Ultra操作说明进行。取最小阈值LOD 2.0利用JoinMap4.0软件构建高密度遗传连锁图谱。通过QTL IciMapping V4.1完备区间作图法对油菜主要脂肪酸组成进行QTL定位。结果 2种环境中,两亲本各性状间差异及RIL群体各性状在株系间差异均达到显著或极显著水平,且6种脂肪酸含量在2个环境中均表现为连续分布,适合进行QTL检测。构建用于QTL定位的遗传图谱包含1 897个多态性SNP标记,覆盖甘蓝型油菜基因组3 214.19 cM,平均图距1.69 cM。利用此图谱,在2个环境共检测到位于8条染色体上的23个控制脂肪酸组分QTL位点,与硬脂酸、油酸、亚油酸、亚麻酸、廿碳烯酸和芥酸含量相关的QTL位点分别为6、3、4、5、2和3个,其中在A05、A08和C03染色体上发现多种脂肪酸含量的QTL“富集区”。在A05染色体上检测到亚油酸和亚麻酸含量重叠的主效QTL,亚油酸与亚麻酸表现加性效应相同;在A08和C03上都检测到油酸、廿碳烯酸和芥酸含量重叠的主效QTL,油酸与廿碳烯酸及芥酸表现加性效应相反。与拟南芥脂肪酸代谢基因进行同源性比对分析,在17个QTL置信区间内筛选到22个候选基因,主要通过编码脂肪酸去饱和酶、全羧化酶合酶、碳链延长酶和参与酰基辅酶A生物合成等途径调控脂质的生物合成和代谢。结论 利用甘蓝型油菜6K SNP芯片准确定位了2种环境条件脂肪酸组成的QTL位点,筛选到位于A05、A08和C03染色体上多种脂肪酸QTL的“富集区”,并与拟南芥脂肪酸代谢基因比对出该群体油菜脂肪酸代谢基因,可作为改善油菜籽脂肪酸组成的重要区段及候选基因。     

水稻中富含亮氨酸的重复序列和核苷酸结合位点(LRR-NBS)基因家族的生物信息学分析

 采用HMM(HiddenMarkovModel) ,对源于日本晴的粳稻 (国际水稻测序计划 ,IRGSP)基因组和 9311的籼稻基因组 (北京华大 ,BGI)的蛋白质数据库进行了搜索 ,分别获得了 32 5和 344个富含亮氨酸的重复序列和核苷酸结合位点 (leucinerichrepeat-nucleotidebindingsite ,LRR -NBS)类的抗病基因的蛋白序列 ,并得到了与这些蛋白相应的cDNA序列。对粳稻蛋白功能结构域的分析表明 ,多个蛋白具有与植物防卫反应相关的结构域 ,还发现多个蛋     

Purification of an allene oxide synthase and identification of the enzyme as a cytochrome P-450

Fatty acid hydroperoxides (lipoxygenase products) are metabolized to allene oxides by a type of dehydrase that has been detected in plants, corals, and starfish oocytes. The allene oxides are unstable epoxide precursors of more complex products such as jasmonic acid, the plant growth hormone. Characterization of the dehydrase enzyme of flaxseed revealed that it is a 55-kilodalton hemoprotein. The spectral characteristics of this dehydrase revealed it to be a cytochrome P-450. It operates with the remarkable activity of greater than or equal to 1000 turnovers per second. The results establish a new catalytic activity for a cytochrome P-450 and illustrate the cooperation of different oxygenases in pathways of fatty acid metabolism.     

296位氨基酸位阻效应影响黄花蒿没药醇合酶环化反应的起始

【目的】探究黄花蒿没药醇合酶第296位氨基酸突变抑制环化反应的机制。【方法】利用Quik Change?Multi Site-Directed Mutagenesis的方法将黄花蒿没药醇合酶的296位氨基酸残基由苏氨酸突变成异亮氨酸。原核表达,蛋白纯化后测定其催化特异性。【结果】黄花蒿没药醇合酶T296I体外催化(2E,6E)-法尼基焦磷酸主产物为非环化的法尼烯;但是将T296I蛋白与中间体(3R,6E)-橙花叔醇焦磷酸一起孵育时可生成环化的主产物α-bisabolol,野生型酶的天然产物。【结论】黄花蒿没药醇合酶T296I点突变进一步证明氨基酸残基的空间体积和立体化学是自然环化反应起始的控制关键,其位阻效应能够抑制法尼基焦磷酸向橙花叔醇焦磷酸转化。     

Parallel association of Fos and Jun leucine zippers juxtaposes DNA binding domains

The protein products of the fos and jun proto-oncogenes form a heterodimeric complex that participates in a stable high affinity interaction with DNA elements containing AP-1 binding sites. The effects of deletions and point mutations in Fos and Jun on protein complex formation and DNA binding have been examined. The data suggest that Fos and Jun dimerize via a parallel interaction of helical domains containing a heptad repeat of leucine residues (the leucine zipper). Dimerization is required for DNA binding and results in the appropriate juxtaposition of basic amino acid regions from Fos and Jun, both of which are required for association with DNA.