Spectroscopic investigation on the telomeric DNA base sequence repeat

Telomeres are protein-DNA complexes at the terminals of linear chromosomes, which protect chromosomal integrity and maintain cellular replicative capacity. From single-cell organisms to advanced animals and plants, structures and functions of telomeres are both very conservative. In cells of human and vertebral animals, telomeric DNA base sequences all are (TTAGGG)n. In the present work, we have obtained absorption and fluorescence spectra measured from seven synthesized oligonucleotides to simulate the telomeric DNA system and calculated their relative fluorescence quantum yields on which not only telomeric DNA characteristics are predicted but also possibly the shortened telomeric sequences during cell division are implied. Oligonucleotide 5′-TTAGGGTTAGGG holds a low relative fluorescence quantum yield and remarkable excitation energy innerconversion, which tallies with the telomeric sequence of (TTAGGG)n. This result shows that telomeric DNA has a strong non-radiative or innerconvertible capability.     

Regulation of oxidative stress by ATM is required for self-renewal of haematopoietic stem cells

The 'ataxia telangiectasia mutated' (Atm) gene maintains genomic stability by activating a key cell-cycle checkpoint in response to DNA damage, telomeric instability or oxidative stress. Mutational inactivation of the gene causes an autosomal recessive disorder, ataxia-telangiectasia, characterized by immunodeficiency, progressive cerebellar ataxia, oculocutaneous telangiectasia, defective spermatogenesis, premature ageing and a high incidence of lymphoma. Here we show that ATM has an essential function in the reconstitutive capacity of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) but is not as important for the proliferation or differentiation of progenitors, in a telomere-independent manner. Atm-/- mice older than 24 weeks showed progressive bone marrow failure resulting from a defect in HSC function that was associated with elevated reactive oxygen species. Treatment with anti-oxidative agents restored the reconstitutive capacity of Atm-/- HSCs, resulting in the prevention of bone marrow failure. Activation of the p16(INK4a)-retinoblastoma (Rb) gene product pathway in response to elevated reactive oxygen species led to the failure of Atm-/- HSCs. These results show that the self-renewal capacity of HSCs depends on ATM-mediated inhibition of oxidative stress.     

TERRA and hnRNPA1 orchestrate an RPA-to-POT1 switch on telomeric single-stranded DNA

Maintenance of telomeres requires both DNA replication and telomere 'capping' by shelterin. These two processes use two single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding proteins, replication protein A (RPA) and protection of telomeres 1 (POT1). Although RPA and POT1 each have a critical role at telomeres, how they function in concert is not clear. POT1 ablation leads to activation of the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) checkpoint kinase at telomeres, suggesting that POT1 antagonizes RPA binding to telomeric ssDNA. Unexpectedly, we found that purified POT1 and its functional partner TPP1 are unable to prevent RPA binding to telomeric ssDNA efficiently. In cell extracts, we identified a novel activity that specifically displaces RPA, but not POT1, from telomeric ssDNA. Using purified protein, here we show that the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) recapitulates the RPA displacing activity. The RPA displacing activity is inhibited by the telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) in early S phase, but is then unleashed in late S phase when TERRA levels decline at telomeres. Interestingly, TERRA also promotes POT1 binding to telomeric ssDNA by removing hnRNPA1, suggesting that the re-accumulation of TERRA after S phase helps to complete the RPA-to-POT1 switch on telomeric ssDNA. Together, our data suggest that hnRNPA1, TERRA and POT1 act in concert to displace RPA from telomeric ssDNA after DNA replication, and promote telomere capping to preserve genomic integrity.     

二元混合体系的光抽运响应分析

 研究二元体系光抽运响应规律有助于了解体系之间原子相互作用和提供光抽运响应时间控制的可能性。利用Rb同位素⁸⁵Rb和⁸⁷Rb组成自然二元体系,通过双通道加法器选择控制2路射频信号并采用10 Hz方波调制场,实现单一体系或混合体系的光抽运响应观测。基于简化三能级模型,采用单一指数函数准确地描述⁸⁷Rb和⁸⁵Rb二元混合体系和独立一元体系的响应弛豫。由混合体系与独立单元之间弛豫时间关系,也可获得混合体系中独立单元浓度及对系统弛豫时间的贡献。     

具有激活RB蛋白生物活性小肽的研究

构建了慢病毒载体表达MP1多肽的RFP融合蛋白(RFP-MP1),并研究了它对人肺腺癌细胞株H1299和人骨髓瘤细胞株U2-OS增殖的影响.U2-OS和H1299细胞中RFPMP1的表达导致了RB在蛋白水平上的积累,使细胞生长受到抑制.此外,细胞流式结果发现RFP-MP1使细胞周期阻滞在G1期.进一步研究表明RFP-MP1能够阻滞RB对E2F活性的抑制.这些结果表明,11肽的MP1能够上调肿瘤细胞中RB蛋白的表达水平并且抑制其生长.     

Telomeres shorten during ageing of human fibroblasts

The terminus of a DNA helix has been called its Achilles' heel. Thus to prevent possible incomplete replication and instability of the termini of linear DNA, eukaryotic chromosomes end in characteristic repetitive DNA sequences within specialized structures called telomeres. In immortal cells, loss of telomeric DNA due to degradation or incomplete replication is apparently balanced by telomere elongation, which may involve de novo synthesis of additional repeats by novel DNA polymerase called telomerase. Such a polymerase has been recently detected in HeLa cells. It has been proposed that the finite doubling capacity of normal mammalian cells is due to a loss of telomeric DNA and eventual deletion of essential sequences. In yeast, the est1 mutation causes gradual loss of telomeric DNA and eventual cell death mimicking senescence in higher eukaryotic cells. Here, we show that the amount and length of telomeric DNA in human fibroblasts does in fact decrease as a function of serial passage during ageing in vitro and possibly in vivo. It is not known whether this loss of DNA has a causal role in senescence.     

Pin1的细胞定位调控Rb蛋白的磷酸化状态

为了研究Pin1和Rb蛋白的细胞定位、Pin1调控Rb磷酸化的相关机制,本研究构建了慢病毒载体pLVX-Flag-HA-Pin1和Plko.1-shRNA,包装病毒感染人非小细胞肺癌(H1299),免疫印迹检测Pin1蛋白表达水平,采用免疫荧光染色、免疫组化技术研究蛋白的定位.结果表明,沉默Pin1可降低Rb的磷酸化并抑制细胞的增殖;培养的肿瘤细胞和肿瘤组织中,Pin1可定位到细胞质中,而胞质定位的Pin1也可增加Rb的磷酸化.     

Rb2（1Λg）高位态的预解离和碰撞转移过程

池温控制在519-548K之间,在不充任何缓冲气体的纯Rb样品池中,Rb原子密度在4-8×1015cm-3范围,Rb2分子的粒子数密度数量级为1014,利用YAG脉冲激光器的680nm激光双光子激发Rb2的X1Σg+态至1Λg高位态.利用激光感生荧光光谱法研究Rb2(1Λg)+Rb(5S)→Rb(6 D,8S)的预解离和碰撞转移.在不同的Rb原子密度下探测1Λg→B1Πu的时间分辨荧光,得到不同Rb密度N时1Λg态的有效寿命.利用Stern-Volmer方程,看出有效寿命的倒数与Rb密度成线性关系,从直线的截距和斜率分别得到1Λg→B1Πu辐射寿命与预解离率之和及总的碰撞截面.用光子计数器测量时间积分荧光强度I3[Rb2(1Λg→B1Πu)],I2[Rb(8S→5P3/2)]和I1[Rb(6 D→5P3/2)],从直线的斜率和截距并结合从Stern-Volmer方程得到的结果,确定Rb2(1Λg)的预解离率,ΓP8S=(6.5±0.6)×106 S-1,ΓP6 D=(4.1±0.3)×106 S-1和碰撞转移截面σ8S=(7.9±0.7)×10-13cm2,σ6 D=(6.2±0.3)×10-13cm2.     

Telomeric DNA dimerizes by formation of guanine tetrads between hairpin loops

The telomeric ends of eukaryotic chromosomes are composed of simple repeating sequences in which one DNA strand contains short tracts of guanine residues alternating with short tracts of A/T-rich sequences. The guanine-rich strand is always oriented in a 5'-3' direction towards the end of the chromosome and is extended to produce a 3' overhang of about two repeating units in species where the telomeric terminus is known. This overhang has been implicated in the formation of several unusual intra-and intermolecular DNA structures, although none of these structures has been characterized fully. We now report that oligonucleotides encoding Tetrahymena telomeres dimerize to form stable complexes in solution. This salt-dependent dimerization is mediated entirely by the 3'-terminal telomeric overhang (TT-GGGGTTGGGG) and produces complexes in which the N7 position of every guanine in the overhangs is chemically inaccessible. We therefore propose that telomeric DNA dimerizes by hydrogen bonding between two intramolecular hairpin loops, to form antiparallel quadruplexes containing cyclic guanine base tetrads. These novel hairpin dimers may be important in telomere association and recombination and could also provide a general mechanism for pairing two double helices in other recombinational processes.     

TPP1 is a homologue of ciliate TEBP-beta and interacts with POT1 to recruit telomerase

Telomere dysfunction may result in chromosomal abnormalities, DNA damage responses, and even cancer. Early studies in lower organisms have helped to establish the crucial role of telomerase and telomeric proteins in maintaining telomere length and protecting telomere ends. In Oxytricha nova, telomere G-overhangs are protected by the TEBP-alpha/beta heterodimer. Human telomeres contain duplex telomeric repeats with 3' single-stranded G-overhangs, and may fold into a t-loop structure that helps to shield them from being recognized as DNA breaks. Additionally, the TEBP-alpha homologue, POT1, which binds telomeric single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), associates with multiple telomeric proteins (for example, TPP1, TIN2, TRF1, TRF2 and RAP1) to form the six-protein telosome/shelterin and other subcomplexes. These telomeric protein complexes in turn interact with diverse pathways to form the telomere interactome for telomere maintenance. However, the mechanisms by which the POT1-containing telosome communicates with telomerase to regulate telomeres remain to be elucidated. Here we demonstrate that TPP1 is a putative mammalian homologue of TEBP-beta and contains a predicted amino-terminal oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding (OB) fold. TPP1-POT1 association enhanced POT1 affinity for telomeric ssDNA. In addition, the TPP1 OB fold, as well as POT1-TPP1 binding, seemed critical for POT1-mediated telomere-length control and telomere-end protection in human cells. Disruption of POT1-TPP1 interaction by dominant negative TPP1 expression or RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in telomere-length alteration and DNA damage responses. Furthermore, we offer evidence that TPP1 associates with the telomerase in a TPP1-OB-fold-dependent manner, providing a physical link between telomerase and the telosome/shelterin complex. Our findings highlight the critical role of TPP1 in telomere maintenance, and support a yin-yang model in which TPP1 and POT1 function as a unit to protect human telomeres, by both positively and negatively regulating telomerase access to telomere DNA.     

Rb／InP（100）界面的电子能谱研究

用光电子能谱技术（ＸＰＳ和ＵＰＳ）研究了Ｒｂ／ＩｎＰ（１００）的界面形成和电子结构．实验结果表明，当Ｒｂ淀积到ＩｎＰ（１００）表面时，它首先表现为物理吸附，形成突变界面．随Ｒｂ复盖量的增加，Ｒｂ向ＩｎＰ体内扩散，Ｒｂ－Ｉｎ之间发生置换反应．此时Ｒｂ－Ｐ形成化学健．退火后，Ｒｂ一部分脱附，一部分向体内扩散．同时，Ｉｎ和Ｐ也向外扩散．在较高的温度下，更多的Ｉｎ向外偏析．     

光磁共振研究Rb同位素光抽运响应

 光抽运使原子系统偏极化而磁共振则产生退极化,这一过程是研究Rb同位素光抽运响应的基础。通过实验技术改进,将⁸⁵Rb和⁸⁷Rb光磁共振信号完全分离,并借助简化的三能级模型得到光检测信号与抽运过程物理参数的唯象关系。实验数据分析结果表明,采用单一弛豫机制很准确地描述⁸⁷Rb和⁸⁵Rb光抽运物理现象。弛豫时间部分地反映了⁸⁷Rb和⁸⁵Rb能级跃迁几率差异的事实。     

人参皂苷 Rb1 干预 DSS 诱导结肠炎模型小鼠转录组高通量测序及分析

摘要:目的 研究人参皂苷 Rb1 干预葡聚糖硫酸钠盐( Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt,DSS)诱导结肠炎模型小鼠转录组学信息特征。 方法 C57BL / 6 雄性小鼠构建动物模型,将 15 只小鼠分为正常组、模型组和 Rb1 组,每组 5 只。 模型组和 Rb1 组给予 4% DSS 并自由饮水,第 2 天给 Rb1 组 40 mg / kg Rb1 进行干预。 持续 9 d,处死小鼠后,取结肠组织。 利用 Illumina 高通量测序平台分别对三组小鼠结肠组织进行转录组测序。 利用测定的转录组学数据对 Rb1 组和模型组两两比较之后进行重叠分析,筛选差异基因进行 GO 和 KEGG 分析。 结果 Rb1 干预后各项指标均有改善;GO 富集后其有 10 450 个有效差异表达基因得到 GO 注释,其中分子功能占 13. 5% ,生物过程占 68. 73% ,细胞组成占 17. 77% ;富集最显著的前 20 个 KEGG 通路中与 Rb1 干预后密切相关的有钙离子信号通路、神经活动配体-受体相互作用通路以及 cAMP 信号通路。 结论 人参皂苷 Rb1 能够缓解 DSS 诱导结肠炎模型小鼠的症状。 通过构建 Rb1 干预后 DSS 诱导结肠炎模型小鼠结肠组织转录组序列数据库,为以后 Rb1 功能基因的挖掘和参与代谢途径提供数据支撑,为临床应用提供新的思路。     

视网膜母细胞瘤基因产物部分性质的研究

研究Ｒｂ基因产物的代谢动力学和功能调节，发现整个细胞周期中都有Ｒｂ蛋白合成，其含量随细胞周期进行而变化，蛋白代谢的半衰期约为１１—１２小时，有非磷酸化和多种程度磷酸化形式。Ｒｂ蛋白的磷酸化水平是随细胞周期过程和细胞生长状态而变化的，在Ｇ０、Ｇ１期蛋白处于低磷酸化状态，到达Ｇ１／Ｓ界限，细胞获得磷酸化Ｒｂ蛋白的能力．     

Telomerase primer specificity and chromosome healing

Chromosome healing by de novo telomere addition at nontelomeric sites has been well characterized in several organisms. The Tetrahymena telomerase ribonucleoprotein uses an internal RNA template to catalyse d(TTGGGG)n telomere addition to the 3' end of telomeric sequence in vitro and in vivo. Studies of telomerase RNA indicated that hybridization of the RNA template region, 5'-CAACCCCAA-3', to the 3' end of single-stranded telomeric oligonucleotides might be important for primer recognition and utilization. The apparent requirement of telomerase for pre-existing telomeric sequence has raised questions regarding its role in chromosome healing. We report here that Tetrahymena telomerase can specifically elongate single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides whose termini are not complementary to the RNA template sequence 5'-CAACCCCAA-3'. These data suggest that telomerase may be able to heal chromosomes directly in vivo.     

Somatic misexpression of germline P granules and enhanced RNA interference in retinoblastoma pathway mutants

Caenorhabditis elegans homologues of the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumour suppressor complex specify cell lineage during development. Here we show that mutations in Rb pathway components enhance RNA interference (RNAi) and cause somatic cells to express genes and elaborate perinuclear structures normally limited to germline-specific P granules. Furthermore, particular gene inactivations that disrupt RNAi reverse the cell lineage transformations of Rb pathway mutants. These findings suggest that mutations in Rb pathway components cause cells to revert to patterns of gene expression normally restricted to germ cells. Rb may act by a similar mechanism to transform mammalian cells.     

Spatiotemporal variations of Zr/Rb ratio in three last interglacial paleosol profiles across the Chinese Loess Plateau and its implications for climatic interpretation

The ratio of Zirconium to Rubidium （Zr/Rb） is suggested to be a better proxy for the East Asian winter monsoon strength than the widely-used grain size distribution. The rationale for the Zr/Rb proxy relies on the following assumptions： （1） Grain size fractionating characteristics during eolian dust transport should be archived in the Zr/Rb ratio records and this assumption is based on the premise that Zr is preferentially enriched in coarser grain size fraction while Rb tend to be enriched in finer grain size fraction; and （2） post-depositional weathering does not change the Zr/Rb ratio due to the immobility of these two elements. To examine these two assumptions, three last interglacial paleosols （S1） from Dingxi, Tianshui and Lantian, along a NW-SE transect across the Chinese Loess Plateau, were geo- chemically investigated. Our results show that the Rb concentration exhibits an increasing trend along the NW-SE transect both in the paleosol （S1） and the measured portions of the loess units （L1 and L2）, being supportive to the assumption that Rb is enriched in the fine particles. But we also found that Rb loss did occur to some extent in the three profiles, contradicting to the presumption of Rb immobility during pedogenic processes. The Zr concentration exhibits an expected decreasing trend in the measured portions of the loess units and an unexpected increasing trend in the paleosol along the NW-SE transect. Moreover, the ratios of Zirconium to Hafnium （Zr/Hf） show different variation patterns between interglacial and glacial, implying that Zr-bearing minerals and their resident grain size fractions are probably not identical during interglacial and glacial. Thus, the assumption that Zr is enriched in coarse grain size fraction can no longer hold. We conclude that the final Zr/Rb value is not only dependent on grain size sorting processes but also on post-depositional alteration and source prove- nance. Under enhanced chemical weathering, especially when chemical index of alterat     

视网膜母细胞瘤基因产物磷酸化水平与细胞生长状态的关系

随着无血清培养细胞时间的延长，红胞合成Ｒｂ蛋白量和磷酸化水平逐渐降低，当细胞生长停止时，Ｒｂ蛋白处于低磷外化状态．正丁酸钠可诱导ＨＬ６０终端分化为单核－巨噬细胞；视黄酸、二甲基亚砜使ＨＬ６０分化为粒细胞．尽管分化途径不同．但是终端分化的细胞都只能合成低磷酸化的Ｒｂ蛋白．结果表明当细胞处于生长停滞状态，细胞都只能合成低磷酸化的Ｒｂ蛋白．     

A cellular protein that competes with SV40 T antigen for binding to the retinoblastoma gene product

Tumour-suppressor genes, such as the human retinoblastoma susceptibility gene (Rb), are widely recognized as being vital in the control of cell growth and tumour formation. This role is indicated, in part, by the suppression of tumorigenicity of human tumour cells after retrovirus-mediated Rb replacement. How Rb acts to bring about this suppression is not clear but one clue is that the Rb protein forms complexes with the transforming oncoproteins of several DNA tumour viruses, and that two regions of Rb essential for such binding frequently contain mutations in tumour cells. These observations suggest that endogenous cellular proteins might exist that bind to the same regions of Rb and thereby mediate its function. We report here the identification of one such human cellular Rb-associated protein of relative molecular mass 46,000 (46K) (RbAP46). Two lines of evidence support the notion that RbAP46 and simian virus 40 T antigen have homologous Rb-binding properties: first, several mutated Rb proteins that failed to bind to T also did not associate with RbAP46; and second, both T antigen and T peptide (amino acids 101-118) were able to compete with RbAP46 for binding to Rb. The apparent targeting of the RbAP46-Rb interaction by oncoproteins of DNA tumour viruses strongly suggests that formation of this complex is functionally important.