Ornithine decarboxylase is degraded by the 26S proteasome without ubiquitination.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, is the most rapidly turned over mammalian enzyme. We have shown that its degradation is accelerated by ODC antizyme, an inhibitory protein induced by polyamines. This is a new type of enzyme regulation and may be a model for selective protein degradation. Here we report the identification of the protease responsible for ODC degradation. Using a cell-free degradation system, we demonstrate that immunodepletion of proteasomes from cell extracts causes almost complete loss of ATP- and antizyme-dependent degradation of ODC. In addition, purified 26S proteasome complex, but not the 20S proteasome, catalyses ODC degradation in the absence of ubiquitin. These results strongly suggest that the 26S proteasome, widely viewed as specific for ubiquitin-conjugated proteins, is the main enzyme responsible for ODC degradation. The 26S proteasome may therefore have a second role in ubiquitin-independent proteolysis.     

高效液相色谱测定鸟氨酸脱羧酶活性方法的改进

对柴彪新等报道的高效液相色谱测定鸟氨酸脱羧酶(ODC)活性的方法作了改进.结果表明,改进后的方法更灵敏,更简便,线性范围明显扩大,相关系数为0.9998,显著高于柴彪新等报道的0.9939.同时,新方法还可使苯甲酸和苯甲酰氯降到很低.     

运用化归 活化思维

阐述了化归法在化学教学中的运用，指出化归法是研究解决问题的一种逻辑思维方法，具有灵活的解题策略，能有效地提高解题速度．     

CLEC5A is critical for dengue-virus-induced lethal disease

Dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, the most severe responses to dengue virus (DV) infection, are characterized by plasma leakage (due to increased vascular permeability) and low platelet counts. CLEC5A (C-type lectin domain family 5, member A; also known as myeloid DAP12-associating lectin (MDL-1)) contains a C-type lectin-like fold similar to the natural-killer T-cell C-type lectin domains and associates with a 12-kDa DNAX-activating protein (DAP12) on myeloid cells. Here we show that CLEC5A interacts with the dengue virion directly and thereby brings about DAP12 phosphorylation. The CLEC5A-DV interaction does not result in viral entry but stimulates the release of proinflammatory cytokines. Blockade of CLEC5A-DV interaction suppresses the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines without affecting the release of interferon-alpha, supporting the notion that CLEC5A acts as a signalling receptor for proinflammatory cytokine release. Moreover, anti-CLEC5A monoclonal antibodies inhibit DV-induced plasma leakage, as well as subcutaneous and vital-organ haemorrhaging, and reduce the mortality of DV infection by about 50% in STAT1-deficient mice. Our observation that blockade of CLEC5A-mediated signalling attenuates the production of proinflammatory cytokines by macrophages infected with DV (either alone or complexed with an enhancing antibody) offers a promising strategy for alleviating tissue damage and increasing the survival of patients suffering from dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, and possibly even other virus-induced inflammatory diseases.     

GILT is a critical host factor for Listeria monocytogenes infection

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive, intracellular, food-borne pathogen that can cause severe illness in humans and animals. On infection, it is actively phagocytosed by macrophages; it then escapes from the phagosome, replicates in the cytosol, and subsequently spreads from cell to cell by a non-lytic mechanism driven by actin polymerization. Penetration of the phagosomal membrane is initiated by the secreted haemolysin listeriolysin O (LLO), which is essential for vacuolar escape in vitro and for virulence in animal models of infection. Reduction is required to activate the lytic activity of LLO in vitro, and we show here that reduction by the enzyme gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT, also called Ifi30) is responsible for the activation of LLO in vivo. GILT is a soluble thiol reductase expressed constitutively within the lysosomes of antigen-presenting cells, and it accumulates in macrophage phagosomes as they mature into phagolysosomes. The enzyme is delivered by a mannose-6-phosphate receptor-dependent mechanism to the endocytic pathway, where amino- and carboxy-terminal pro-peptides are cleaved to generate a 30-kDa mature enzyme. The active site of GILT contains two cysteine residues in a CXXC motif that catalyses the reduction of disulphide bonds. Mice lacking GILT are deficient in generating major histocompatibility complex class-II-restricted CD4(+) T-cell responses to protein antigens that contain disulphide bonds. Here we show that these mice are resistant to L. monocytogenes infection. Replication of the organism in GILT-negative macrophages, or macrophages expressing an enzymatically inactive GILT mutant, is impaired because of delayed escape from the phagosome. GILT activates LLO within the phagosome by the thiol reductase mechanism shared by members of the thioredoxin family. In addition, purified GILT activates recombinant LLO, facilitating membrane permeabilization and red blood cell lysis. The data show that GILT is a critical host factor that facilitates L. monocytogenes infection.     

Three new types of viral oncogene of cellular origin specific for haematopoietic cell transformation.

The RNAs of seven replication-defective leukaemia virus (DLV) strains contain three types of unique sequences, which correlate with the capacity of a given virus strain to transform erythroblasts, macrophage-like cells and myeloblasts, respectively. These sequences, termed erb, mac and myb, have their counterparts in the normal DNA of avian and mammalian species. Our results indicate that DLVs represent recombinants between a common 'vector' related to a chicken endogenous virus and one of three types of cellular gene possibly involved in haematopoietic differentiation.     

ICOS is critical for CD40-mediated antibody class switching

The inducible co-stimulatory molecule (ICOS) is a CD28 homologue implicated in regulating T-cell differentiation. Because co-stimulatory signals are critical for regulating T-cell activation, an understanding of co-stimulatory signals may enable the design of rational therapies for immune-mediated diseases. According to the two-signal model for T-cell activation, T cells require an antigen-specific signal and a second, co-stimulatory, signal for optimal T-cell activation. The co-stimulatory signal promotes T-cell proliferation, lymphokine secretion and effector function. The B7-CD28 pathway provides essential signals for T-cell activation, but does not account for all co-stimulation. We have generated mice lacking ICOS (ICOS-/- ) to determine the essential functions of ICOS. Here we report that ICOS-/- mice exhibit profound deficits in immunoglobulin isotype class switching, accompanied by impaired germinal centre formation. Class switching was restored in ICOS-/- mice by CD40 stimulation, showing that ICOS promotes T-cell/B-cell collaboration through the CD40/CD40L pathway.     

优化感受态细胞制备方法提高转化效率的研究

通过研究不同生长状态、处理溶液、保存时间及热激时间对感受态细胞制备的影响,分析了影响大肠杆菌株JM109和DH5α感受态细胞形成因素,优化了制备感受态细胞的方法.结果表明,OD600为0.43的大肠杆菌菌液经处理液(20 mmol/L MgCl2 + 80 mmol/L CaCl2)处理,-85℃放置12～14 h,42℃热激处理90 s,转化效率最高,可达5.5×105～6×105 cfu/μg DNA(pSilencer2.1-U6-neo),随着质粒放置时间增加,转化效率下降.     

鸟氨酸脱羧酶及多胺对细胞增殖影响

鸟氨酸脱羧酶(Ornithinedecarboxylase,ODC)是多胺生物合成中的限速酶,ODC活性和多胺水平对细胞增殖起关键作用.本文就近年来的有关报道,对它们的结构、对细胞增殖的影响及其作用机理加以综述.     

Association of phosphatidylinositol kinase activity with polyoma middle-T competent for transformation

Polyoma middle-T antigen is required for viral transformation of cultured cells and for tumorigenesis in animals. Like many other transforming gene products, middle-T is bound to the membrane and has an associated tyrosine kinase activity in vitro. This activity seems to result from the interaction of middle-T with pp60c-src, the cellular homologue of the transforming gene product of the Rous sarcoma virus, pp60v-src (refs 3-5). Both pp60v-src (ref. 6) and another retrovirus transforming gene product, pp68v-ros (ref. 7) were shown recently to have an associated phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase activity in vitro and to increase PI turnover in vivo. These results suggest that viral transformation may be directly connected to a complex network of second messengers generated from PI turnover. Here, we assayed for PI kinase activity in immunoprecipitates made with middle-T- or pp60c-src-specific antisera of cells infected with polyoma virus. A PI kinase activity was detected in those immunoprecipitates which contained middle-T. Studies of mutants of middle-T defective in transformation indicate a close correlation between PI kinase activity and transformation.     

CD38 is critical for social behaviour by regulating oxytocin secretion

CD38, a transmembrane glycoprotein with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, catalyses the formation of Ca2+ signalling molecules, but its role in the neuroendocrine system is unknown. Here we show that adult CD38 knockout (CD38-/-) female and male mice show marked defects in maternal nurturing and social behaviour, respectively, with higher locomotor activity. Consistently, the plasma level of oxytocin (OT), but not vasopressin, was strongly decreased in CD38-/- mice. Replacement of OT by subcutaneous injection or lentiviral-vector-mediated delivery of human CD38 in the hypothalamus rescued social memory and maternal care in CD38-/- mice. Depolarization-induced OT secretion and Ca2+ elevation in oxytocinergic neurohypophysial axon terminals were disrupted in CD38-/- mice; this was mimicked by CD38 metabolite antagonists in CD38+/+ mice. These results reveal that CD38 has a key role in neuropeptide release, thereby critically regulating maternal and social behaviours, and may be an element in neurodevelopmental disorders.     

Noradrenaline in the ventral forebrain is critical for opiate withdrawal-induced aversion

Cessation of drug use in chronic opiate abusers produces a severe withdrawal syndrome that is highly aversive, and avoidance of withdrawal or associated stimuli is a major factor contributing to opiate abuse. Increased noradrenaline in the brain has long been implicated in opiate withdrawal, but it has not been clear which noradrenergic systems are involved. Here we show that microinjection of beta-noradrenergic-receptor antagonists, or of an alpha2-receptor agonist, into the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in rats markedly attenuates opiate-withdrawal-induced conditioned place aversion. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that numerous BNST-projecting cells in the A1 and A2 noradrenergic cell groups of the caudal medulla were activated during withdrawal. Lesion of these ascending medullary projections also greatly reduced opiate-withdrawal-induced place aversion, whereas lesion of locus coeruleus noradrenergic projections had no effect on opiate-withdrawal behaviour. We conclude that noradrenergic inputs to the BNST from the caudal medulla are critically involved in the aversiveness of opiate withdrawal.