The complete biosynthesis of the genetically encoded amino acid pyrrolysine from lysine

Pyrrolysine, the twenty-second amino acid found to be encoded in the natural genetic code, is necessary for all of the known pathways by which methane is formed from methylamines. Pyrrolysine comprises a methylated pyrroline carboxylate in amide linkage to the ε-amino group of L-lysine. In certain Archaea, three methyltransferases initiate methanogenesis from the various methylamines, and these enzymes are encoded by genes with an in-frame amber codon that is translated as pyrrolysine. Escherichia coli that has been transformed with the pylTSBCD genes from methanogenic Archaea can incorporate endogenously biosynthesized pyrrolysine into proteins. The decoding of UAG as pyrrolysine requires pylT, which produces tRNA(Pyl) (also called tRNA(CUA)), and pylS, which encodes a pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase. The pylB, pylC and pylD genes are each required for tRNA-independent pyrrolysine synthesis. Pyrrolysine is the last remaining genetically encoded amino acid with an unknown biosynthetic pathway. Here we provide genetic and mass spectrometric evidence for a pylBCD-dependent pathway in which pyrrolysine arises from two lysines. We show that a newly uncovered UAG-encoded amino acid, desmethylpyrrolysine, is made from lysine and exogenous D-ornithine in a pylC-dependent process followed by a pylD-dependent process, but it is not further converted to pyrrolysine. These results indicate that the radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) protein PylB mediates a lysine mutase reaction that produces 3-methylornithine, which is then ligated to a second molecule of lysine by PylC before oxidation by PylD results in pyrrolysine. The discovery of lysine as the sole precursor to pyrrolysine will further inform discussions of the evolution of the genetic code and amino acid biosynthetic pathways. Furthermore, intermediates of the pathway may provide new avenues by which the pyl system can be exploited to produce recombinant proteins with useful modified residues.     

Anticodon and acceptor stem nucleotides in tRNA(Gln) are major recognition elements for E. coli glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase

The correct attachment of amino acids to their corresponding (cognate) transfer RNA catalysed by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases is a key factor in ensuring the fidelity of protein biosynthesis. Previous studies have demonstrated that the interaction of Escherichia coli tRNA(Gln) with glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) provides an excellent system to study this highly specific recognition process, also referred to as 'tRNA identity'. Accurate acylation of tRNA depends mainly on two principles: a set of nucleotides in the tRNA molecule (identity elements) responsible for proper discrimination by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and competition between different synthetases for tRNAs. Elements of glutamine identity are located in the anticodon and in the acceptor stem region, including the discriminator base. We report here the production of more than 20 tRNA(2Gln) mutants at positions likely to be involved in tRNA discrimination by the enzyme. Unmodified tRNA, containing the wild-type anticodon and U or G at its 5'-terminus, can be aminocylated by GlnRS with similar kinetic parameters to native tRNA(2Gln). By in vitro aminoacylation the mutant tRNAs showed decreases of up to 3 x 10(5)-fold in the specificity constant (kcat/KM)14 with the major contribution of kcat. Despite these large changes, some of these mutant tRNAs are efficient amber suppressors in vivo. Our results show that strong elements for glutamine identity reside in the anticodon region and in positions 2 and 3 of the acceptor stem, and that the contribution of different identity elements to the overall discrimination varies significantly. We discuss our data in the light of the crystal structure of the GlnRS:tRNA(Gln) complex.     

不同年龄小白鼠全脑不溶蛋白凝胶等电聚焦比较分析

用含有酵母tRNA和小白鼠氨酰tRNA合成酶的异源检测体系,测定到小白鼠脑组织的氨酰tRNA合成酶,运载氨基酸tRNA的活力,随小白鼠年龄和不同氨基酸而异,是否小白鼠全脑的不溶蛋白,也随年龄而有变化。作者用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶等电聚焦技术,对小白鼠全脑的不溶蛋白进行了测定。根据凝胶等电聚焦图谱证实,不同年龄小白鼠全脑不溶蛋白的主要组分是相似的,但在530毫微米波长处的吸光值有明显的差异。这种变化结果是否与该组分的氨基酸组成及其含量有关,有待进一步探究。     

Structural basis of specific tRNA aminoacylation by a small in vitro selected ribozyme

In modern organisms, protein enzymes are solely responsible for the aminoacylation of transfer RNA. However, the evolution of protein synthesis in the RNA world required RNAs capable of catalysing this reaction. Ribozymes that aminoacylate RNA by using activated amino acids have been discovered through selection in vitro. Flexizyme is a 45-nucleotide ribozyme capable of charging tRNA in trans with various activated l-phenylalanine derivatives. In addition to a more than 10(5) rate enhancement and more than 10(4)-fold discrimination against some non-cognate amino acids, this ribozyme achieves good regioselectivity: of all the hydroxyl groups of a tRNA, it exclusively aminoacylates the terminal 3'-OH. Here we report the 2.8-A resolution structure of flexizyme fused to a substrate RNA. Together with randomization of ribozyme core residues and reselection, this structure shows that very few nucleotides are needed for the aminoacylation of specific tRNAs. Although it primarily recognizes tRNA through base-pairing with the CCA terminus of the tRNA molecule, flexizyme makes numerous local interactions to position the acceptor end of tRNA precisely. A comparison of two crystallographically independent flexizyme conformations, only one of which appears capable of binding activated phenylalanine, suggests that this ribozyme may achieve enhanced specificity by coupling active-site folding to tRNA docking. Such a mechanism would be reminiscent of the mutually induced fit of tRNA and protein employed by some aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases to increase specificity.     

Role of arginine-tRNA in protein degradation by the ubiquitin pathway

Degradation of intracellular proteins through the ubiquitin and ATP-dependent proteolysis pathway involves several steps. Initially, ubiquitin is covalently linked to the proteolytic substrate in an ATP-requiring reaction. Proteins marked by ubiquitin may then be selectively lysed in a reaction that also requires ATP (for reviews see refs 1-3). A major question concerns the structural features of a protein that make it a specific substrate for ubiquitin-mediated degradation. It was shown that a free alpha-NH2 group is one important feature of the protein structure recognized by the ubiquitin ligation system, and that the half-life in vivo of a protein with an exposed amino terminus depends on its amino terminal residue. We have previously demonstrated that transfer RNA (tRNA) is essential for conjugation of ubiquitin and for the subsequent degradation of proteins with acidic amino termini (aspartate or glutamate). We now show that tRNA is required for post-translational conjugation of arginine to acidic amino termini of proteins, a modification that is essential for their degradation by the ubiquitin pathway.     

Distinct domains of tRNA synthetase recognize the same base pair

Synthesis of proteins containing errors (mistranslation) is prevented by aminoacyl transfer RNA synthetases through their accurate aminoacylation of cognate tRNAs and their ability to correct occasional errors of aminoacylation by editing reactions. A principal source of mistranslation comes from mistaking glycine or serine for alanine, which can lead to serious cell and animal pathologies, including neurodegeneration. A single specific G.U base pair (G3.U70) marks a tRNA for aminoacylation by alanyl-tRNA synthetase. Mistranslation occurs when glycine or serine is joined to the G3.U70-containing tRNAs, and is prevented by the editing activity that clears the mischarged amino acid. Previously it was assumed that the specificity for recognition of tRNA(Ala) for editing was provided by the same structural determinants as used for aminoacylation. Here we show that the editing site of alanyl-tRNA synthetase, as an artificial recombinant fragment, targets mischarged tRNA(Ala) using a structural motif unrelated to that for aminoacylation so that, remarkably, two motifs (one for aminoacylation and one for editing) in the same enzyme independently can provide determinants for tRNA(Ala) recognition. The structural motif for editing is also found naturally in genome-encoded protein fragments that are widely distributed in evolution. These also recognize mischarged tRNA(Ala). Thus, through evolution, three different complexes with the same tRNA can guard against mistaking glycine or serine for alanine.     

Partition of tRNA synthetases into two classes based on mutually exclusive sets of sequence motifs

The aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetases (aaRS) catalyse the attachment of an amino acid to its cognate transfer RNA molecule in a highly specific two-step reaction. These proteins differ widely in size and oligomeric state, and have limited sequence homology. Out of the 18 known aaRS, only 9 referred to as class I synthetases (GlnRS, TyrRS, MetRS, GluRS, ArgRS, ValRS, IleRS, LeuRS, TrpRS), display two short common consensus sequences ('HIGH' and 'KMSKS') which indicate, as observed in three crystal structures, the presence of a structural domain (the Rossman fold) that binds ATP. We report here the sequence of Escherichia coli ProRS, a dimer of relative molecular mass 127,402, which is homologous to both ThrRS and SerRS. These three latter aaRS share three new sequence motifs with AspRS, AsnRS, LysRS, HisRS and the beta subunit of PheRS. These three motifs (motifs 1, 2 and 3), in a search through the entire data bank, proved to be specific for this set of aaRS (referred to as class II). Class II may also contain AlaRS and GlyRS, because these sequences have a typical motif 3. Surprisingly, this partition of aaRS in two classes is found to be strongly correlated on the functional level with the acylation occurring either on the 2' OH (class I) or 3' OH (class II) of the ribose of the last nucleotide of tRNA.     

Mechanism of ribosome frameshifting during translation of the genetic code

Some frameshift mutations are strongly suppressed by limitation for particular aminoacyl-tRNA species. Here, we show that ribosome frameshifting at a specific tryptophan codon during Trp-tRNA limitation accounts for suppression of a group of downstream frameshift alleles in the rIIB gene of bacteriophage T4. Genetic and physiological observations strongly suggest that ribosome frameshifting at this position depends on the binding of a noncognate (leucine) tRNA.     

Heterogeneous pathways and timing of factor departure during translation initiation

The initiation of translation establishes the reading frame for protein synthesis and is a key point of regulation. Initiation involves factor-driven assembly at a start codon of a messenger RNA of an elongation-competent 70S ribosomal particle (in bacteria) from separated 30S and 50S subunits and initiator transfer RNA. Here we establish in Escherichia coli, using direct single-molecule tracking, the timing of initiator tRNA, initiation factor 2 (IF2; encoded by infB) and 50S subunit joining during initiation. Our results show multiple pathways to initiation, with orders of arrival of tRNA and IF2 dependent on factor concentration and composition. IF2 accelerates 50S subunit joining and stabilizes the assembled 70S complex. Transition to elongation is gated by the departure of IF2 after GTP hydrolysis, allowing efficient arrival of elongator tRNAs to the second codon presented in the aminoacyl-tRNA binding site (A site). These experiments highlight the power of single-molecule approaches to delineate mechanisms in complex multicomponent systems.     

不同折叠类型蛋白中基于密码子的二级结构偏向性分析

在传统的Chou-Fasman蛋白质二级结构预测方法的基础上引入同义密码子使用的信息,计算了200个蛋白(49种全α结构蛋白,69种全β结构蛋白,38种仅α β结构蛋白,44种α/β结构蛋白)中不同密码子对应的氨基酸形成不同二级结构(α：螺旋,β：折叠,C：卷曲)的偏向性参数．通过对这些密码子对应氨基酸二级结构偏向性的分析,得到了氨基酸二级结构偏向性分析中所忽略的同义密码子的蛋白结构信息．这些新的信息量对于指导蛋白质设计以及提高蛋白质二级结构预测的准确率有着一定的作用．     

Identification of a novel translation factor necessary for the incorporation of selenocysteine into protein

During the biosynthesis of selenoproteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, selenocysteine is cotranslationally incorporated into the nascent polypeptide chain through a process directed by a UGA codon that normally functions as a stop codon. Recently, four genes have been identified whose products are required for selenocysteine incorporation in Escherichia coli. One of these genes, selC, codes for a novel transfer RNA species (tRNAUCA) that accepts serine and cotranslationally inserts selenocysteine by recognizing the specific UGA codon. The serine residue attached to this tRNA is converted to selenocysteine in a reaction dependent on functional selA and selD gene products. By contrast, the selB gene product (SELB) is not required until after selenocysteyl-tRNA biosynthesis. Here we present evidence indicating that SELB is a novel translation factor. The deduced amino-acid sequence of SELB exhibits extensive homology with the sequences of the translation initiation factor-2 (IF-2) and elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu). Furthermore, purified SELB protein binds guanine nucleotides in a 1:1 molar ratio and specifically complexes selenocysteyl-tRNAUCA, but does not interact with seryl-tRNAUCA. Thus, SELB could be an amino acid-specific elongation factor, replacing EF-Tu in a special translational step.     

cDNA cloning and expression of earthworm fibrinolytic enzyme component A

Earthworm fibrinolytic enzyme component A(EFEa),a protein with dual fibrinolytic activity ,is one of the major therapeutically important earthworm fibrinoltic enzyme components .The cDNA fragment encoded the mature protein was cloned from earthworm (Eisenia fetida )by the RT-PCR technique,The deduced amino acid sequence of the EFE component A show high homology with some members of serine proteases trypsin family,and the amino acid residues constituting the active sites are conserved in the EFEa as compared with the other proteins of the trypsin family ,The cDNA fragment was subcloned into the expression vector pQE31 and pMAL-c2X of E.coli.The resulting expression plasmids,pQE-efea and pMAL-efea ,were used to transform the E.coli strain M15.Recombinant protein bands corresponding with calcuated molecular witht were induced .The induced His6-EFEa fusion protein with pQE-efea was accumulated into inclusion body ,while the induced MBP-EFEa fusion protein with pMAL-efea was soluble and showed fibrinoloytic activities.     

11-氰基十一酸的甲酯化研究

11-氰基十一酸甲酯(MCU)可由11-氰基十一酸(CUA)与甲醇酯化合成.CUA的氰基酯化时易水解,需选择合适的催化剂并控制好酯化条件.通过实验确定98% H2SO4是酯化反应合适的催化剂(兼具吸水作用).用正交试验考察酯化条件,优化条件为:将0.03 mol的CUA和3.0g硅胶(吸水剂)加入到0.225 mol甲醇与0.015 mol的浓H2SO4混合液中,回流3 h,反应的产品收率可达65.8%,酸醇比对收率影响最大.合成产物用正己烷结晶精制后经质谱测得其相对分子量为225,红外光谱、质谱、核磁共振(1HNMR及13CNMR)结构表征证明酯化产物确为MCU;其熔点27.3～28.4 ℃,40℃时折光率1.440 3.     

转移RNA结构基因共有序列的统计分析

本文以大肠杆菌、地钱叶绿体和鸡线粒体基因组中:RNA结构基因的全部拷贝数为分析总体,统计出了碱基分布。在大肠杆菌中证实了Pu52-Py62半不变核苷酸对,排除了A21的共有性,确认了24个共有核苷酸,其中半数核苷酸参加三级氢键的形成作用;螺旋区碱基标准配对率平均为95％;在非标准配对中以GU为主而且集中在两个连续双螺旋的缺口处,又发现在第10、27、49位G居多现象,其意义有待阐明。大肠杆菌tRNA序列与地钱叶绿体tRNA序列极为相似,鸡线粒体tRNA由于缺乏典型的D环和TψC环而与大肠杆菌tRNA序列差别较大。本文还计算了大肠杆菌tRNA基因拷贝数与密码子利用率之间相关系数(r=0.976),并讨论了影响细胞内tRNA含量的基因剂量效应,位置效应诸问题。     

Duplication and remoulding of tRNA genes during the evolutionary rearrangement of mitochondrial genomes

During the evolution of sea urchins, a transfer RNA gene lost its tRNA function and became part of a protein-coding gene. This functional loss of a tRNA with specificity for one group of leucine codons (CUN, where N is any base) was accompanied by the gain of a new tRNA with that specificity. The new tRNA gene for CUN codons appears to have evolved by duplication and divergence from a tRNA gene specific for another group of leucine codons (UUR, where R is a purine). These proposals account for (1) the strong sequence resemblance between the modern tRNA genes for CUN and UUR codons in Paracentrotus, (2) the altered location of the CUN gene in mitochondrial DNA of this urchin, and (3) the persistence of a 72-base pair sequence containing a trace of the old CUN gene at its original location. The old CUN gene now codes for an extra 24 amino acids at the amino end of subunit 5 in NADH dehydrogenase. Besides giving clues about the mechanisms by which tRNA genes move during mitochondrial DNA evolution, this finding leads us to propose a pathway relating the arrangements of other genes in mitochondrial DNAs from four animal phyla.     

基于SVM的革兰氏阴性菌分泌系统蛋白识别方法

本文提出了一种基于SVM快速识别革兰氏阴性菌分泌系统蛋白的方法.该方法以氨基酸组成和位置特异性得分矩阵为最优特征集,充分考虑了蛋白质的序列信息及进化信息.实验结果表明,本文提出的方法对革兰氏阴性菌分泌系统蛋白具有较好的预测性能,可作为细菌分泌系统研究的有益补充.