Expression, purification and characterization of the soluble CuA domain of cytochrome c oxidase ofParacoccus versutus

The key subunit Ⅱ of cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) contains a soluble binuclear copper center (Cu_A) domain. The Cu_A domain of Paracoccus versutus was cloned, expressed, purified and characterized. The gene encoding the Cu_A domain in pET11d vector was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The results showed that the Cu_A domain was expressed mostly in inclusion bodies and the Cu_A domain protein synthesized in E. coli cells represents approximately 10 percent of the total cellular proteins. Dissolved in urea, dialyzed and recombined with Cu⁺/Cu²⁺ and purified by the Q-sepharose fast flow anion-exchange column and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration column, the soluble purple-colored protein, which shows a single band in electrophoresis, was obtained. The UV-visible absorption spectrum of Cu_A domain showed that there are intense band at 478 nm and a shoulder peak at 530 nm, and two weak bands at 360 and 806 nm respectively, which can be assigned to the charge transfer and the interactions of obitals of Cu—S and Cu——Cu in the mixed-valence binuclear metal center (Cu₂S₂R₂). The far-UV CD spectrum indicated that this domain is predominantly in β-sheet structure. The fluorescence spectra showed that its maximal excitation wavelength and maximal emission wavelength are at 280 and 345 nm, respectively.     

Expression of E1 gene of a hepatitis C virus inE. coli and protein purification

The cDNA containing full encoding region of E1 antigen of HCV was cloned into an expression plasmid pRSETHisB. The recombinant plasmid pRSETE1 was introduced into the BL21 (DE3) strain ofE. coli. The engineering bacteria harbouring the pRSETE1 was cultivated in 2YT medium at 37°C. When the Expression of E1 protein was induced by 1 mmol IPTG, the bacteria was killed and the number of living cell was droped down from 10⁷ to 10³ cell/mL one hour post induction. Suggest that E1 protein is poisoned toE. coli. However, the 26kD polypeptide of E1 fussion protein still synthesized in appropriate condition. The expression level was about 10% of total protein 4 h after inducing. The E1 protin was purified by Ni²⁺-NTA-Agarose column chromatography to homogeneous. The purified E1 protein was sensitive and specific in reaction with anti-HCV antibody in sera. Supported by the Science Committec of Hubei Province Ye Linbai: born in Feb. 1948. Professor     

Magnetic properties of perpendicularly orientated L1<Subscript>0</Subscript> FePt nanoparticles

L10 FePt films were deposited on MgO (001) substrates heated to 700°C by magnetron sputtering.Assisted by the misfit of lattice between film and substrate,strong (001) texture was formed.The film at nominal thickness t N=5 nm was composed of nanoparticles with a size of～70 nm,and showed a high coercivity of～105 kOe at 4.2 K.At t N=～50 nm,as the film changed from discontinuous to continuous,the coercivity dropped about one order of magnitude.Micromagnetic simulation implies that the magnetization reversal is...     

The Escherichia coli O157:H7 DNA detection on a gold nanoparticle-enhanced piezoelectric biosensor

This paper presents development of a quartz crystal microbalance （QCM） biosensor for real-time detection of E. coil O157：H7 DNA based on nanogold particles amplification. Many inner Au nanoparticles were immobilized onto the thioled surface of the Au electrode, then more specific thiolated sin- gle-stranded DNA （ssDNA） probes could be fixed through Au-SH bonding. The hybridization was induced by exposing the ssDNA probe to the complementary target DNA of E. coli O157：H7 gene eaeA, then resulted in a mass change and corresponding frequency shifts （ △f ） of the QCM. The outer avidin-coated Au nanoparticles could combine with the target DNA to increase the mass. The electrochemical techniques, cyclic voltammetry （CV） and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） were adopted to manifest and character each step. The target DNA corresponding to 2.0×10^3 colony forming unit （CFU）/mL E. coil O157：H7 cells can be detected by this biosensor, so it is practical to develop a sensitive and effective QCM biosensor for pathogenic bacteria detection based on specific DNA analysis. The piezoelectric biosensing system has potential for further applications, such as food safety and environment monitoring, and this approach lays the groundwork for incorporating the method into an integrated system for in-field bacteria detection.     

Expression,purification and spectra characterization of neuroglobin

The expression, purification and spectra characterization of recombinant human neuroglobin （NGB） are reported. The pET3a plasmid with the gene of NGB was transformed to E. coli BL21 （DE3） plys cells and expressed in TB culture medium. The results indicated that the expression amount of NGB is about 10 percent of the total protein in cells. The NGB protein was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sepharose anion exchange column, Hiload 16/60 superdex 75 size exclusion chromatography and a Hiprep 16/10 Q FF anion exchange column, and a red soluble protein was obtained which showed a single band in electrophoresis. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry （ESI-MS） showed that its molecular weight is 16930.0 Da. UV-spectra indicated that the reduced NGB has a strong absorption peak at 425 nm, and two weak peaks at 531 and 559 nm, which can be assigned to γ, β and α bands of porphyrin, respectively, and the oxidized NGB has a strong absorption peak at 413 nm which corresponds to the transition of π electrons in the porphyrin ring. The fluorescence maximal excitation wavelength is at 281 nm and its maximal emission wavelength is at 338 nm. CD spectra indicated that its secondary structure is a typical α helix, and has a positive peak at 410 nm induced by heme, The NGB protein is stable when the pH is higher than 4.     

Insights into the subunit interactions of the chloroplast ATP synthase

Subunit interactions of the chloroplast F0F1- ATP synthase were studied using the yeast two-hybrid system. The coding sequences of all the nine subunits of spinach chloroplast ATP synthase were cloned in two-hybrid vectors. The vectors were transformed into the yeast strains HF7c and SFY526 by various pairwise combinations, and the protein interactions were analyzed by measuring the yeast growth on minimal SD medium without serine, lucine and histidine. Interactions of γ Subunit with wild type or two truncated mutants of γ sununit, △εN21 and △εC45, which lose their abilities to inhibit the ATP hydrolysis, were also detected by in vitro and in vivo binding assay. The present results are largely accordant to the common structure model of F0F1-ATP synthase. Different from that in the E. Coli F0F1-ATP synthase, the δ subunit of chloroplast ATP syn- thase could interact with β,γ,ε and all the CF0 subunits in the two-hybrid system. These results suggested that though the chloroplast ATP synthase shares the similar structure and composition of subunits with the enzyme from E. Coli, it may be different in the subunit interactions and con- formational change during catalysis between these two sources of ATP synthase. Based on the present results and our knowledge of structure model of E. Coli ATP synthase, a deduced structure model of chloroplast ATP synthase was proposed.     

Extraction of methyl red from industrial wastewater using xylene as an extractant

A laboratory study on the liquid–liquid extraction system has been carried out for the removal and recovery of methyl red from aqueous solutions using xylene as an extractant. The concentration of methyl red has been studied in the range of 1.72 × 10⁻⁴ to 1.72 × 10⁻³ mol L⁻¹. The efficiency of dye extraction increased with increasing time of extraction. Distribution ratio is reasonably high (D = 49) even in the presence of inorganic salts. Extracted dye in the organic phase has been stripped into sodium hydroxide solution. The organic solvent is reused for reextraction of the dye from aqueous solution. The efficiency of reused organic solvent was maintained up to 10 runs. Loading capacity of dye has been found to be 14.32 mg. Under optimized conditions, real textile wastewater has been studied and the results are satisfactory.     

一株尿路致病性大肠杆菌噬菌体的分离鉴定及生物学特性分析

本研究从尿路感染患者尿液样本中分离、鉴定大肠杆菌裂解性噬菌体,对其裂菌活性等生物学特性进行分析,为探索应用噬菌体治疗耐药性尿路致病性大肠杆菌导致的尿路感染奠定基础.利用双层琼脂平板法,从尿液样品中分离、纯化,得到一株能裂解大肠杆菌的噬菌体.通过电镜观察噬菌体形态,测定其裂菌谱、最佳感染复数、一步生长曲线、以及热稳定性、...     

Improving DNA damage repair ability ofE. coli to UV-radiosensitivity by DNA-mediated gene transfer of low energy ion beam

Using calcium chloride method of transfer gene as control, a new technique of transferring gene by low energy ion beam has been applied to the study of improving DNA damage repair ability ofE. coli to UV-radiosensitivity. The genome DNA pieces ofDeinococcus radiodurans, as “foreign” genetic materials, were introduced into the UV-radiosensitive strains ofE. coli by implantation of 20 keV Ar⁺ at doses ranging from 1 × 10¹⁵ to 2 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm². Results show that the transfected strains present higher UV-radioresistance than that of un-transfected ones and start ones. The survival rate of transfected strains and their unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) ability is increased, indicating that the transfer gene is a success.     

A role for the two-helix finger of the SecA ATPase in protein translocation

An important step in the biosynthesis of many proteins is their partial or complete translocation across the plasma membrane in prokaryotes or the endoplasmic reticulum membrane in eukaryotes. In bacteria, secretory proteins are generally translocated after completion of their synthesis by the interaction of the cytoplasmic ATPase SecA and a protein-conducting channel formed by the SecY complex. How SecA moves substrates through the SecY channel is unclear. However, a recent structure of a SecA-SecY complex raises the possibility that the polypeptide chain is moved by a two-helix finger domain of SecA that is inserted into the cytoplasmic opening of the SecY channel. Here we have used disulphide-bridge crosslinking to show that the loop at the tip of the two-helix finger of Escherichia coli SecA interacts with a polypeptide chain right at the entrance into the SecY pore. Mutagenesis demonstrates that a tyrosine in the loop is particularly important for translocation, but can be replaced by some other bulky, hydrophobic residues. We propose that the two-helix finger of SecA moves a polypeptide chain into the SecY channel with the tyrosine providing the major contact with the substrate, a mechanism analogous to that suggested for hexameric, protein-translocating ATPases.     

从猪粪中分离抗铜大肠杆菌及其抗铜基因的初步定位

 从云南昆明周边的4个养猪场采集不同年龄段的猪粪样品,分离猪粪中的大肠杆菌.从分离到的大肠杆菌中发现了具有金属铜抗性的菌株并统计出抗性菌株的发生率.摸索了测定硫酸铜对抗铜性大肠杆菌的最低抑菌浓度(MIC)的方法,接合实验确定抗铜基因是否位于可移动的接合质粒上.实验结果初步表明抗铜大肠杆菌的发生率与饲料中添加硫酸铜的量成正相关性,且72%的抗性菌株中的抗铜基因位于可移动的接合质粒上.     

Structure of a complex of the ATPase SecA and the protein-translocation channel

Most proteins are secreted from bacteria by the interaction of the cytoplasmic SecA ATPase with a membrane channel, formed by the heterotrimeric SecY complex. Here we report the crystal structure of SecA bound to the SecY complex, with a maximum resolution of 4.5 ?ngstr?m (A), obtained for components from Thermotoga maritima. One copy of SecA in an intermediate state of ATP hydrolysis is bound to one molecule of the SecY complex. Both partners undergo important conformational changes on interaction. The polypeptide-cross-linking domain of SecA makes a large conformational change that could capture the translocation substrate in a 'clamp'. Polypeptide movement through the SecY channel could be achieved by the motion of a 'two-helix finger' of SecA inside the cytoplasmic funnel of SecY, and by the coordinated tightening and widening of SecA's clamp above the SecY pore. SecA binding generates a 'window' at the lateral gate of the SecY channel and it displaces the plug domain, preparing the channel for signal sequence binding and channel opening.     

产丁醇大肠杆菌工程菌的构建

【目的】为了在大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)中导入改良的丁醇合成途径,使非生产菌株大肠杆菌具备产丁醇的能力。【方法】克隆大肠杆菌乙酰转移酶基因atoB和丙酮丁醇梭菌(Clostridium acetobutylicum)丁醇合成途径关键酶基因(crt、hbd、adhE),构建多顺反子表达质粒pSE380-atoB-adhE-crt-hbd;克隆齿垢密螺旋体(Treponema denticola)反式烯酰辅酶A还原酶基因ter,构建表达质粒pSTV29-ter,并将双质粒导入到大肠杆菌。【结果】构建的工程菌能半厌氧发酵产微量丁醇,产量为0.08g/L。【结论】大肠杆菌中的丁醇合成途径导入成功,构建了产丁醇的大肠杆菌工程菌。     

尖镰孢菌细胞色素P45055A1与NO相互作用的荧光光谱法研究

以大肠杆菌为宿主表达了尖镰孢菌细胞色素P450 55A1(CYP450 55A1),并采用荧光光谱法研究了其与NO的相互作用.结果表明:在大肠杆菌(DE3)中成功表达了具有酶活性的CYP55A1.在280 nm波长激发下,NO的加入使CYP55A1的荧光逐渐降低,但随温度的变化差异较小;在413 nm波长激发下,NO的加入使CYP55A1的荧光逐渐升高,但加入NADH后其荧光又恢复到原来的值.     

The short C-terminal hydrophilic domain of NhaH Na^＋/H^＋ antiporter from Halobacillus dabanensis with roles in resistance to salt and in pH sensing

The Na^＋/H^＋ antiporter plays key roles in maintaining low cytoplasmic NaNa^＋ level and pH homeostasis, while little is known about the Carboxyl-terminal hydrophilic tails of prokaryotic antiporters. In our previous study, the first Na^＋/H^＋ antiporter gene nhaH from moderate halophiles was cloned from Halobacillus dabanensis D-8 by functional complementation. A topological model suggested that only nine amino acid residues （^395PLIKKLGMI403） existed in the hydrophilic C-terminal domain of NhaH. The C-terminal truncated mutant of NhaH was constructed by PCR strategy and designated as nhaH△C. Salt tolerance experiment demonstrated that the deletion of hydrophilic C-terminal nine amino acid residues significantly inhibited the complementation ability of E. coil KNabc, in which three main Na^＋/H^＋ antiporters nhaA, nhaB and chaA were deleted. Everted membrane vesicles prepared from E. coil KNabc/nhaHAC decreased both Na^＋/H^＋ and Li^＋/H^＋ exchange activities of NhaH, and also resulted in an acidic shift of its pH profile for Na^＋, indicating a critical role of the short C-terminal domain of NhaH antiporter in alkali cation binding/translocation and pH sensing.     

Conformational transition of Sec machinery inferred from bacterial SecYE structures

Over 30% of proteins are secreted across or integrated into membranes. Their newly synthesized forms contain either cleavable signal sequences or non-cleavable membrane anchor sequences, which direct them to the evolutionarily conserved Sec translocon (SecYEG in prokaryotes and Sec61, comprising alpha-, gamma- and beta-subunits, in eukaryotes). The translocon then functions as a protein-conducting channel. These processes of protein localization occur either at or after translation. In bacteria, the SecA ATPase drives post-translational translocation. The only high-resolution structure of a translocon available so far is that for SecYEbeta from the archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii, which lacks SecA. Here we present the 3.2-A-resolution crystal structure of the SecYE translocon from a SecA-containing organism, Thermus thermophilus. The structure, solved as a complex with an anti-SecY Fab fragment, revealed a 'pre-open' state of SecYE, in which several transmembrane helices are shifted, as compared to the previous SecYEbeta structure, to create a hydrophobic crack open to the cytoplasm. Fab and SecA bind to a common site at the tip of the cytoplasmic domain of SecY. Molecular dynamics and disulphide mapping analyses suggest that the pre-open state might represent a SecYE conformational transition that is inducible by SecA binding. Moreover, we identified a SecA-SecYE interface that comprises SecA residues originally buried inside the protein, indicating that both the channel and the motor components of the Sec machinery undergo cooperative conformational changes on formation of the functional complex.     

重组人粒细胞-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子菌种稳定性研究

 为了解含重组质粒的大肠杆菌菌种连续传代及发酵罐培养中质粒的遗传稳定性,将GM-CSF菌种在含氨苄青霉素的琼脂平皿上连续划线传代培养,以及在不含安苄青霉素的培养基中进行发酵罐培养和42℃诱导表达.结果显示pBV220GM-CSF工程菌在氨苄青霉素选择压力下连续传代10,25,50和100次后质粒稳定、不丢失,而在不含氨苄青霉素的培养基中进行发酵罐大规模培养42℃诱导表达时,质粒稳定性下降,质粒易丢失,其表达量随诱导时间而变化.