Characterization of a FeMo cofactor-deficient MoFe protein from a nifE-deleted strain （DJ35） of Azotobacter vinelandii

A MoFe protein （△nifE Av1） with a purity of ～80% was purified from a nifE-deleted mutant of Azotobacter vinelandii DJ35. Compared with MoFe protein purified from wild-type strain OP （OP Av1）, △nifE Av1 had the same subunits composition, and had immune reaction with antibody to OP Av1, but its relative mobility in anaerobic native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis （PAGE） was a little larger than that of OP Av1. Metal analysis showed that Mo and Fe contents of △nifE Av1 both apparently decreased. When complemented with OP Fe protein, △nifE Av1 had no C2H2-reduction activity, but it could be in vitro activated by FeMoco extracted from OP Av1. The circular dichroism （CD） spectrum of △nifE Av1 at ～450 nm was similar to that of OP Av1, while the EPR signal at g≈3.7 was absolutely silent, and the signal intensities at g≈4.3 and 2.0 decreased by 75% and 50%, respectively. The results indicated that △nifE Av1 purified from DJ35 was a FeMoco-deficient but P-cluster-containing MoFe protein.     

Construction and characterization of double mutants in nitrogenase of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Klebsiella pneumoniae</Emphasis>

Two mutants in nitrogenase of Klebsiella pneumoniae are constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and gene replacement procedure, which express the nitrogenases with Lysine and Glutamine substituting for α-Glutamine 190 and α-Histidine 194 respectively (Kp-Q α190 K and Kp-Hα194 Q). The above two substitutions are respectively introduced into a nifV mutant (expressing a citrate-containing nitrogenase) and sequentially two double mutants are obtained (Kp-Q α190 K-nifV and Kp-H α194 Q-nifV). All four mutants exhibit strict Nif phenotype under the N2-fixation condition and fail to grow diazotrophically. Altered nitrogneases are effectively depressed and the C2H2 reduction analysis shows that the double substitutions in Kp-Q α190 K-nifV abolish cell C2H2 reduction activity, but Kp-H α194 Q-nifV cells maintain a C2H2 reduction activity at 10% of that of wild type. Whole cell C2D2 reduction by all four mutants in comparison to the wild type and nifV mutant is also detected. The results show that only single α-Gln^194 substitution does not perturb the stereospecificity of protonation of C2D2. These results indicate that the α-Glutamine 190 and its combination with homocitrate are essential to the catalytic activity of nitrogenase and it is proposed that α-Glutamine 190 and its combination with homocitrate are involved in the proton and/or electron transfer to FeMoco. The nitrogenases from these double mutants will be useful in further analysis of the entry of the proton and/or electron to FeMoco and the substrate binding sites.     

Analysis of active sites for N2 and H^＋ reduction on FeMo-cofactor of nitrogenase

Dinitrogen (N2) and proton (H ),which act as physiological substrates of nitrogenase,are reduced on FeMo-co of the MoFe protein. However,researchers have different opinions about their exact reduction sites. Nitrogenases were purified from the wild type (WT) and five mutants of Azotobacter vinelandii (Av),including Qα191K,Hα195Q,nifV-,Qα191K/nifV- and Hα195Q/nifV-; and the activities of these en-zymes for N2 and H reduction were analyzed. Our results suggest that the Fe2 and Fe6,atoms closed to the central sulfur atom (S2B) within FeMo-co,are sites for N2 binding and reduction and the Mo atom of FeMo-co is the site for H reduction. Combining these data with further bioinformatical analysis,we propose that two parallel electron channels may exist between the 8Fe7S cluster and FeMo-co.     

Down-regulation of αGal epitopes by co-transfection of α1,3-galactosidase gene and α1,2–fucosyltransferase gene

The polycarbohydrate structure of Galα1- 3Ga1β1-4GluNAc-R （known as αGal epitopes of xenoantigen）, produced by α1-3-galactosyltransferase （α1,3-GT） in the course of animal development, is the major xenoantigen on the cell surface of porcine which causes hyperacute rejection in pig-to-human xenotransplantation. Alpha-1,3-galactosidase （AGL）, a hydrolytic enzyme, can remove the terminal α1,3-galactosyi from the Galα1-3Galβ1-4GluNAc-R structure resulting in cleaning αGai epitopes from the porcine cells. Aipha-1,2-fucosyitransferase （HT） can modify the surface carbohydrate phenotype of porcine cells, bringing about reduction of αGai epitopes expression. In this study, human AGL and HT gene were co-transfected to porcine fetal fibroblast （PFFb） in equimolar concentration to reduce the xenoantigen. Gene and protein of hAGL and HT were both detected to express at high level by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. There was an 84% reduction in αGai xenoantigen and an 82% increase in H antigen as assayed by flow cytometry in the AGL and HT gene co-transfected PFFb. The number and morphology of transgenic PFFb chromosome were normal. Findings indicate that Galα1-3Gal epitopes of PFFb could be down regulated by AGL and HT co-transfection without deleterious effects on the chromosomal profile of the transgenic ceil.     

Human RBCs blood group conversion from A to O using a novel α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase of high specific activity

α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase （αNAGA） can convert group A human red blood cells （RBCs） to group O. One novel αNAGA gene was cloned by PCR from Elizabethkingia meningosepticum Isolated from a domestic clinical sample. Pure recombinant αNAGA was obtained by genetic engineering and protein purification with a calculated molecule of 49.6 kD. αNAGA was selective for terminal α-N-acetylgalacto- samine residue with a high specific activity, αNAGA could completely remove A antigens of 1 U （about 100 mL） group A1 or A2 RBCs in 1 h at pH 6.8 and 25℃ with s consumption of 1.5 or 0.4 mg recombinant enzyme. Enzyme-converted group A RBCs did not agglutinate after being mixed with monoclonal snti-A or sere of groups A, B, AB and O. Other blood group antigens except ABO had no change. FCM analysis showed that A antigens and A1 antigens disappeared while H antigens increased. It indicated that αNAGA successfully converted human blood group A RBCs to universally transfusable group O RBCs without the risk of ABO-incompaUble transfusion reactions. This αNAGA was suitable for producing universal RBCs to increase clinical transfusion safety, improve the RBCs supply, and to decrease transfusion cost and support transfusion service in case of emergency.     

The composition and distribution of metal clusters in the MoFe protein from a nifZ deletion strain （DJ 194） of Azotobacter vinelandii

Through the anaerobic chromatography on the columns of DEAE 52, Q-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-200, a nitrogenase MoFe protein (△nifZ Av1) was obtained from a nifZ deleted mutant of Azotobacter vinelandii (stain DJ194).The results of Western blotting after anoxic native electrophoresis and SDS-PAGE showed that △nifZ Av1 was similar to wild type MoFe protein (OP Av1) at the electrophoretic mobility, molecular weight and subunit composition. Furthermore, △nifZ Avl was also similar to OP Av1 at the molybdenum content, EPR signal (g≈4.3, 3.65 and 2.01), and the molar extinction coefficient (△ε) of circular dichroism (CD)at 660 nm region. All of these indicated that, besides having the same α2β2 composition as OP Av1, the △nifZ Av1 also contained equal amount of reductive FeMoco in the spin state of S=3/2 to OP Av1. However, the iron content and substrate (C2H2, H^ and N2)-reduction activity of △nifZ Av1 were 74% and 46%-50% of those of OP Av1, respectively. Furthermore, the △ε at around 450 nm, which reflects P-cluster in Av1, was obviously lower than that of OP Av1. It suggested that the difference between △nifZ Avl and OP Av1 resulted from P-cluster rather than FeMoco, and from the half number of P-cluster in △nifZ Av1, but the composition or redoxstate of P-cluster in △nifZ Av1 were not changed. Thus it could propose that △nifZ Av1 is composed of two different αβsubunit pairs. One is a FeMoco-and P-cluster-containing pair, and the other is a P-cluster-deficient but FeMoco-containing pair. Since the deletion of nifZ gene leads to the deficiency of only one of two P-clusters in a α2β2 tetramer, the assembly of P-cluster may not simply depend on one gene product, and so a possible mechanism of NifZ is supposed here.     

Preliminary study on electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide on nickel and platinum electrodes

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide was investigated on nickel and platinum electrodes in 0.5 mol dm^-3 KHCO3 solutions. The main products were formic acid and carbon monoxide during the electroreduction of CO2, and the Faradaic efficiency for this process depended on the characteristics of the electrode. At ambient temperature and pressure, the Faradaic efficiency was measured to be 8.6% and 2.5 % respectively for the production of formic acid and CO with Pt electrode at - 1.3V vs Ag/AgCl （saturated KCl）. At this same potential, the Faradaic efficiency was measured to be 8.9% and 1.7% respectively with Ni electrode. Tafel plots showed that the electrochemical reduction of CO2 was not limited by the mass transfer process in the range of -0.8 to - 1.2V vs Ag/AgCl （saturated KCl）.     

Isolation and identification of a novel coronavirus from wild bird

A novel coronavirus strain was isolated from laryngotracheal swab of wild partridge and designated as partridge/GD/S14/2003 (S14). Its whole genomic sequence was obtained (GenBank Accession number: AY646283) through RT-PCR amplification, cloning, nucleotide sequencing, and analysis by the DNASTAR program. To investigate the origin of the virus, we further analyzed the nucleotide sequences of the main structural proteins, and compared those with other available virus isolates. Our results showed that the highest nucleotide homologies between the S1 gene of S14 strain and those of nephrogenic-type strains JX1-99 and TJ2-96 were 94.6% and 93.4%, respectively. In addition, a relatively high genetic identity, 85% and 84.3%, respectively, was detected between S1 gene of S14 and those of strains QXIBV and LX4. The results suggested that the S14 strain may be originated from or related to nephrogenic-type and proventriculus-type infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). The highest nucleotide homology between the S2 gene of S14 strain and those of QXIBV and LX4 was 85% and 84.3%, respectively and all of them belonged to group II coronaviruses. The highest nucleotide homology between the M gene of S14 strain and those of strains SAIB20 and GD6-98 was 90.6% and 90.2%, respectively by which S14 belonged to group III. Although they displayed high level of genetic identity in S1 and S2 gene, there was lower homology of M coding sequences between S14 and BJ, and between S14 and QXIBV strains. Phylogenetic analysis of N gene indicated that group I strains might evolve from RNA recombination between strain H52 and Gray; while group II strains from strain H120 and D1466. S14 strain had the highest N gene homology with strain QXIBV which was 95.7%, thus classified as a group III member. Strains SAIB20 and GD6-98 which were closely related to the M gene of S14 strain belonged to group I and IV, respectively. A possible role of partridge S14 strain may play in the process of coronavirus evolution is discussed.     

Selective catalytic reduction of NO x by hydrogen over modified Pd/TiO2-Al2O3 catalyst under lean-burn conditions

A series of Ni, Sn and Ca modified Pd/TiO2-Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation method and their catalytic performance for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by H2 was evaluated. The results showed that the NOx conversion and N2 selectivity were improved over Pd-Sn/TiO2-Al2O3 and Pd-Ni/TiO2- Al2O3 catalysts above 200 ℃. More importantly, the N2 selectivity and high-temperature activity of Pd-Sn/TiO2- Al2O3 catalyst was far superior to the single Pd/TiO2-Al2O3 catalyst. The optimal Sn loading was 2 wt.%. X-ray diffrac- tion （XRD） results showed that the interaction between Pd and Sn promotes the dispersion of Pd over TiO2-Al2O3. Temper- ature-programmed reduction （Ha-TPR） results demonstrated that the addition of Sn contributes to the formation of PdO and improving the redox property of Pd/TiOz-Al2O3. The addi- tives of Ni and Sn also facilitated the absorption of NOx and the oxidation of NO to NOa, which play important roles in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by hydrogen.     

A novel element (NIRS) participates in the regulation ofinterleukin 2 receptorαgene expression

A novel element at -153/- 143 bp in the interleukin 2 receptor α(IL-2Rα) gene has been coined as NRE-inverse repeat sequence (NIRS) due to its inversely repeated to the known negative regulatory element (NRE) further upstream of the gene. In order to explore the role of NIRS in the expression of IL-2Rαgene,luciferase reporter plasmids driven by 4 individually deleted IL-2Rα genes promoter regions were constructed. Transfection of the reporter plasmids into Jurkat cells and HeLa cells respectively, we found that both NIRS and NRE were critical for repressing the constitutive expression of IL-2Rα gene and were also necessary for promoter activity induced by PHA. EMSA results showed that double-stranded NRE- and NIRS-binding proteins existed in both HeLa cells and Jurkat cells. However, single-stranded NIRS- and NRE-binding protein was only found in HeLa cells. Interestingly, the supershift band showed up in EMSA system with Jurkat cells (no matter whether activated or not) adding to the cell lysate of HeLa cells. UV-crosslinking showed a double stranded NRE- and NIRS-binding protein p83 in both Jurkat cells and HeLa cells. Our results suggest that trans-acting factors play a key role in regulating promoter activity of IL-2Rα gene by interacting with double or single stranded NRE and/or NIRS selectively in different cells.     

Identification of the V factor needed for synthesis of the iron-molybdenum cofactor of nitrogenase as homocitrate

Nitrogenase catalyses the ATP-dependent reduction of N2 to NH3, and is composed of two proteins, dinitrogenase (MoFe protein or component I) and dinitrogenase reductase (Fe protein or component II). Dinitrogenase contains a unique prosthetic group (iron-molybdenum cofactor, FeMoco) comprised of Fe, Mo and S, which has been proposed as the site of N2 reduction. Biochemical and genetic studies of Nif- (nitrogen fixation) mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae which are defective in nitrogen fixation, have shown that the nifB, nifQ, nifN, nifE and nifV genes are required for the biosynthesis of FeMo-co. Recently, a system for in vitro synthesis of FeMoco was described. The assay requires at least the nifB, nifN and nifE gene products, and a low-molecular-weight factor (V factor) produced in the presence of the nifV gene product. We have used this system to study FeMoco biosynthesis. We report here the isolation of V factor and identify it as homocitric acid ([R]2-hydroxy-1,2,4-butanetricarboxylic acid).     

FeMo－co模拟物体系的性能表征

根据蛋白键合ＦｅＭｏ－ｃｏ的Ｋ－Ｒ模型，合成了两个ＦｅＭｏ－ｃｏ模拟物的体系，这两个体系的可见光谱和Ｍｏ／Ｆｅ／Ｓ组成都接近于天然分离的ＦｅＭｏ－ｃｏ．模拟物体系经柠檬酸盐缓冲液稀释后，再与ＵＷ４５的组份１组合，都表现出高乙炔还原活性．     

GSK-3α/β kinases and amyloid production in vivo

Arising from C. J. Phiel, C. A. Wilson, V. M.-Y. Lee & P. S. Klein 423, 435-439 (2003)A major unresolved issue in Alzheimer's disease is identifying the mechanisms that regulate proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP)-glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) isozymes are thought to be important in this regulation. Phiel et al. proposed that GSK-3α, but not GSK-3β, controls production of amyloid. We analysed the proteolytic processing of mouse and human APP in mouse brain in vivo in five different genetic and viral models. Our data do not yield evidence for either GSK-3α-mediated or GSK-3β-mediated control of APP processing in brain in vivo.     

橙色粘球菌四型菌毛膜复合物的发现

细菌四型菌毛(T4P)不仅在生物膜形成、DNA吸收和侵染致病等生物过程中发挥着重要的作用,同样也能够介导固体界面的滑动运动。尽管T4P具有非常重要的作用,但橙色粘球菌T4P系统中蛋白间组装机制的研究仍处于初级阶段。T4P系统pil N/O/P/Q单基因的敲除与回补实验显示敲除菌株导致橙色粘球菌群体运动完全丧失,而pil N/O/P/Q相应基因回补则恢复突变株群体运动。Pil N/O/P/Q蛋白通过酵母双杂交(Y2H)检测蛋白间的相互作用发现,定位于周质空间的Pil P不仅与外膜蛋白Pil Q的C末端相互作用,也与内膜蛋白Pil O相互作用。遗传学与酵母双杂实验结果显示着Pil P蛋白是联通内外膜的桥梁,暗示着Pil N/O/P/Q蛋白形成跨越内膜、细胞周质和外膜的整合复合物结构,并在菌毛延伸和收缩过程中发挥着重要的作用,为阐明橙色粘球菌菌毛的延伸与收缩的分子机制奠定坚实基础。     

用光学法对汽油机燃烧循环变动的测量和评价

研制了一种光纤燃烧传感系统，用以测量汽油机燃烧火焰光谱，试验中测量了431nm(CH),516nm(C2)及588nm(H2O)三种特征谱线在不同工况下的光强变化曲线，并提出了一种新的评价燃烧循环变动的方法，即用光变化曲线的特征参数来评价，试验结果表明，光强变化曲线能够反映燃烧过程进行的好坏及燃烧的时间特性，可以用来进行燃烧循环变动的评价。     

Characterization of a nitrogenase CrFe protein from a mutant UW3 of Azotobacter vinelandii grown on a Cr-containing medium

Biological nitrogen fixation is one of the most im-portant biochemical reactions in nature. It is catalyzed by an anaerobic metalloenzyme complex-nitrogenase. Three genetically distinct nitrogenase systems exist in Azotobacter vinelandii (A. vinelandii): Mo-containing nitrogenase, V-containing one and “Fe only” nitro-genase[1―4]. They are composed of two separable com-ponent proteins. For example, conventional Mo-con- taining nitrogenase is composed of component I (MoFe protein) and com…     

Protein kinase C phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at a threonine residue close to the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane

The receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a 170,000-180,000 molecular weight single-chain glycoprotein of 1,186 amino acids. Its sequence suggests that it has an external EGF-binding domain, formed by the NH2-terminal 621 amino acids, linked to a cytoplasmic region by a single membrane-spanning segment. In the cytoplasmic portion, starting 50 residues from the membrane, there is a 250-residue stretch similar to the catalytic domain of the src gene family of retroviral tyrosine protein kinases, and, indeed, a tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity intrinsic to the receptor is stimulated when EGF is bound. Increased tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins, detected in A431 cells following EGF binding, may be important in the mitogenic signal pathway. Tumour promoters such as 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), counteract this increase, as well as causing loss of a high affinity class of EGF binding sites. The major receptor for TPA has been identified as the serine/threonine-specific Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent diacylglycerol-activated protein kinase, protein kinase C. By substituting for diacylglycerol, TPA stimulates protein kinase C. Protein kinase C phosphorylates purified EGF receptor at specific sites, and this reduces EGF-stimulated tyrosine protein kinase activity. TPA treatment of A431 cells increases serine and threonine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor at the same sites, which suggests that the reduction of EGF receptor kinase activity in TPA-treated cells is a consequence of the receptor's phosphorylation by the kinase. We have attempted to identify these phosphorylation sites and show here that protein kinase C phosphorylates threonine 654 in the human EGF receptor. This threonine is in a very basic sequence nine residues from the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane in the region before the protein kinase domain; it is thus in a position to modulate signalling between this internal domain and the external EGF-binding domain.