人血红蛋白β链氨基酸对的变异模式

根据氨基酸对可预测性分析人血红蛋白β链的244个变异,以确定哪些氨基酸对对变异更敏感。结果发现4种变异模式：（1）85.66%的变异发生在不可预测的氨基酸对,（2）绝大多数被替换掉的氨基酸对中包含一个或两个氨基酸对它们的实际频率大于预测频率,（3）79.51%的变异中被替换出的氨基酸对包含一个或两个在正常人β血红蛋白中不存在的氨基酸对,（4）大多数变异缩小了氨基酸对实际频率与预测频率之差。说明变异通常导致人血红蛋白β链的构成更随机、更稳定。     

新型冠状病毒复制依赖基因MTHFD1的表达及功能

【目的】研究新型冠状病毒(SARS CoV 2)复制依赖基因MTHFD1在人群间的功能差异以及该基因与病毒蛋白的相互作用关系。【方法】使用千人基因组计划和gnomAD数据库，系统分析MTHFD1基因的重要功能变异(包括有害错义变异和eQTL变异)在世界不同人群间的分布。并进一步通过蛋白互作数据库STRING和IntAct，以及手工文献检索，寻找与MTHFD1蛋白有相互作用的其他蛋白。【结果】MTHFD1基因上有419个错义突变，其中有害变异195个；大部分的有害变异都是低频的，唯一的例外是变异位点rs10813，它在全世界总人群中等位基因频率大于001且该位点在物种间具有保守性。此外，在肺组织中发现了1个MTHFD1基因的eQTL变异(rs57087457)，该位点在东亚人群中具有更低的等位基因频率，说明在东亚人群中MTHFD1基因可能具有较高表达水平。通过蛋白相互作用研究，发现GGH，ACSL3，MAT2B，ARF6，CUL2，BRD4等6个蛋白与MTHFD1蛋白存在蛋白互作。【结论】在不同人群中，MTHFD1存在天然抗性变异，这些变异的等位基因频率在人群间存在差异，可能对新型冠状病毒的易感性和感染后症状有影响；蛋白互作研究结果则提示MTHFD1基因在新型冠状病毒感染细胞中发挥了多种功能。     

柳树痂囊腔菌的基因组测序和比较基因组分析

【目的】报道柳树痂囊腔菌(Elsinoë murrayae)的全基因组序列,与甜橙痂囊腔菌杨树致病型的基因组进行比较分析,为阐述柳树痂囊腔菌的致病和适应性机制提供参考。【方法】采用Illumina HiSeq 2500 测序仪对柳树痂囊腔菌的全基因组序列进行测序,预测蛋白编码基因,筛选与致病相关的碳水化合物活性酶基因、小分泌蛋白基因和次生代谢产物基因簇。根据痂囊腔属真菌基因的直系同源关系,筛选柳树痂囊腔菌和甜橙痂囊腔菌杨树致病型之间共有特异性的基因和二者之间差异基因,并进行GO富集分析。鉴定柳树痂囊腔菌的交配类型位点,使用特异性引物进行PCR,检测分离株的交配类型。【结果】组装获得了1个20.7 Mb基因组,完整度99%;预测出8 256个蛋白编码基因,其中包括486个碳水化合物活性酶基因,193个小分泌蛋白基因和16个次生代谢产物基因簇 (GenBank登录号:NKHZ00000000)。系统进化和共线性分析显示柳树痂囊腔菌和甜橙痂囊腔菌杨树致病型亲缘关系最近,两者之间具有12个在其他痂囊腔菌中没有的共有特异性基因。两个真菌的比较基因组分析,筛选出752和1 746个差异基因,主要参与碳水化合物代谢和毒素代谢的生物学过程。已有分离株的交配类型均为MAT1-2。【结论】获得柳树病原真菌-柳树痂囊腔菌的基因组,筛选出痂囊腔菌中负责寄主适应性的候选基因,分析了柳树痂囊腔菌交配系统,这可为柳树病害防治和柳树-病原真菌相互作用研究提供关键信息。     

β-淀粉样蛋白基元序列寡聚化及纤维化的功能研究

【目的】β-淀粉样蛋白形成的寡聚体是引起阿尔茨海默症(Alzheimer disease,AD)发病的主要原因之一,研究β-淀粉样蛋白各段序列在寡聚和纤维化过程中的作用,以便更好地阐明该蛋白的寡聚机制和毒性作用。【方法】以C-端及N-端删节的6种β-淀粉样肽段作为研究对象,通过硫磺素T荧光检测、Tris-Tricine电泳、透射电镜等方法定性定量分析这些肽段的寡聚化和纤维化能力。【结果】1)氨基酸37~42具有增强Aβ寡聚化和纤维化的功能;2)氨基酸18~36对于寡聚和纤维化很重要,但不能缺少N-端的参与;3)Aβ1-17参与β-淀粉样蛋白长纤维的形成。【结论】β-淀粉样蛋白各段氨基酸序列对该蛋白寡聚和纤维化所贡献的不同作用,这对于β-淀粉样蛋白毒性机制的研究起到一定的帮助作用。     

β-淀粉样蛋白基元序列寡聚化及纤维化的功能研究

【目的】β-淀粉样蛋白形成的寡聚体是引起阿尔茨海默症(Alzheimer disease,AD)发病的主要原因之一,研究β-淀粉样蛋白各段序列在寡聚和纤维化过程中的作用,以便更好地阐明该蛋白的寡聚机制和毒性作用。【方法】以C-端及N-端删节的6种β-淀粉样肽段作为研究对象,通过硫磺素T荧光检测、Tris-Tricine电泳、透射电镜等方法定性定量分析这些肽段的寡聚化和纤维化能力。【结果】1)氨基酸37~42具有增强Aβ寡聚化和纤维化的功能;2)氨基酸18~36对于寡聚和纤维化很重要,但不能缺少N-端的参与;3)Aβ1-17参与β-淀粉样蛋白长纤维的形成。【结论】β-淀粉样蛋白各段氨基酸序列对该蛋白寡聚和纤维化所贡献的不同作用,这对于β-淀粉样蛋白毒性机制的研究起到一定的帮助作用。
     

基于全基因组序列的核桃细菌性黑斑病菌分泌蛋白的预测及特征分析

【目的】充分了解核桃黑斑病菌的侵染机制。【方法】以全基因组序列已经公布的7个核桃细菌性黑斑病菌菌株CFBP2528、CFBP7179、CFBP8253、DW3F3、J303、NCPPB1447、Xaj417等所具有的蛋白序列为预测数据,基于分泌蛋白所具有的主要特征,利用SignalP v4.1、ProtCompB v9.0、TMHMM v2.0、big-PI Fungal predictor、TargetP v1.1、LipoP v1.0等在线分析程序对分泌蛋白进行预测,同时分析其氨基酸组成及分布、信号肽长度、信号肽切割位点等特征。【结果】核桃细菌性黑斑病菌的分泌蛋白平均为74个,其氨基酸长度多集中于101～400氨基酸,所占比例为63.65%。信号肽氨基酸残基中以A最多,所占比例为22.04%; 其次是L,所占比例为19.27%。信号肽长度以19～29个氨基酸的最多,所占比例为79.62%,信号肽切割位点属于A-X-A类型。【结论】核桃细菌性黑斑病菌中分泌蛋白的有效预测,可为深入解析核桃细菌性黑斑病菌中分泌蛋白在侵染过程中所发挥的功能提供理论依据。     

囊性纤维化及其治疗

囊性纤雏化是白种人中常见的一种致死性常染色体隐性外分泌腺遗传疾病。病变涉及呼吸遭、胃肠道、消化腺、生殖腺、皮肤等多种上皮组织和器官。本文主要概述了囊性纤维化发病机理、临床症状及其治疗策略。     

意大利蜜蜂AmCht11基因的克隆鉴定和发育时期表达分析

【目的】克隆鉴定和定量PCR组织表达分析意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera)几丁质酶AmCht11基因。【方法】克隆测序鉴定AmCht11基因序列,通过多重序列比对分析该基因编码的氨基酸序列特征和结构域组成;在线预测AmCht11蛋白的二级结构、三级结构以及相互作用靶蛋白,构建系统进化树分析该蛋白在几丁质酶家族中的分类和进化关系;实时定量PCR分析AmCht11基因的组织表达特征。【结果】AmCht11基因cDNA序列全长1404bp,编码468个氨基酸;预测AmCht11蛋白质相对分子质量为53.5kDa,等电点为7.21。多重序列比对和系统进化分析表明,AmCht11蛋白为几丁质酶GH18家族Group-Ⅷ亚家族成员,该蛋白的氨基酸序列N-端含有跨膜域,具典型的几丁质酶催化结构域,无结合结构域,也不具信号肽。进一步实时定量PCR分析表明,AmCht11基因表达量在意大利蜜蜂幼虫发育第2至第5日龄无明显波动,至幼虫后期第6日龄表达量明显上调。【结论】推测AmCht11基因与意大利蜜蜂幼虫发育后期的蜕皮有关。
     

微孢子虫感染下意大利蜜蜂谷胱甘肽降解酶基因

【目的】通过生物信息学鉴定意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera ligustica)谷胱甘肽特异性γ-谷氨酰环转移酶2(AmCHAC2)，并通过定量PCR分析该蛋白的编码基因〖STBX〗AmCHAC2〖STBZ〗在意大利蜜蜂组织中的时空表达特征，探讨该基因在蜜蜂抵抗微孢子虫感染中的作用。【方法】采用多重序列比对分析AmCHAC2的氨基酸序列特征和结构域组成；在线预测该蛋白的结构、互作蛋白网络、细胞定位特征和功能；构建系统进化树分析该蛋白的的系统分类和进化关系；实时定量PCR分析〖STBX〗AmCHAC2〖STBZ〗在供试蜜蜂组织中的时空表达特征；采用试剂盒检测分析供试蜜蜂组织谷胱甘肽含量的表达特征；采用ELISA法检测分析供试蜜蜂中肠活性氧含量。【结果】AmCHAC2由245个氨基酸残基组成，相对分子质量为28.3 kDa，pI为6.71。AmCHAC2为疏水蛋白，不具备信号肽，定位于细胞质。供试蜜蜂在感染东方蜜蜂微孢子虫(Noseama ceranae)14 d后大量死亡，存活率仅为23%；与对照组相比，感染微孢子虫的供试蜜蜂胸部和中肠组织中〖STBX〗AmCHAC2〖STBZ〗表达明显上调，GSH含量明显下降，且中肠内活性氧含量明显上升而触发氧化应激。【结论】〖STBX〗AmCHAC2〖STBZ〗在受到东方蜜蜂微孢子虫感染后表达上调，这可能在意大利蜜蜂抵抗微孢子虫感染过程中扮演着重要角色。     

意大利蜜蜂AmCht11基因的克隆鉴定和发育时期表达分析

【目的】克隆鉴定和定量PCR分析不同发育时期意大利蜜蜂(Apis mellifera)几丁质酶AmCht11基因。【方法】克隆测序鉴定AmCht11基因序列,通过多重序列比对分析该基因编码的氨基酸序列特征和结构域组成;在线预测AmCht11蛋白的二级结构、三级结构以及相互作用靶蛋白,构建系统进化树分析该蛋白在几丁质酶家族中的分类和进化关系;实时定量PCR分析AmCht11基因的组织表达特征。【结果】AmCht11基因c DNA序列全长1 404 bp,编码468个氨基酸;预测AmCht11蛋白质相对分子质量为53.5 k Da,等电点为7.21。多重序列比对和系统进化分析表明,AmCht11蛋白为几丁质酶GH18家族Group-Ⅷ亚家族成员,该蛋白的氨基酸序列N-端含有跨膜域,具典型的几丁质酶催化结构域,无结合结构域,也不具信号肽。进一步实时定量PCR分析表明,AmCht11基因表达量在意大利蜜蜂幼虫发育第2至第5日龄无明显波动,至幼虫后期第6日龄表达量明显上调。【结论】推测AmCht11基因与意大利蜜蜂幼虫发育后期的蜕皮有关。     

A cluster of cystic fibrosis mutations in the first nucleotide-binding fold of the cystic fibrosis conductance regulator protein.

The gene responsible for cystic fibrosis (CF) has recently been identified and is predicted to encode a protein of 1,480 amino acids called the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Several functional regions are thought to exist in the CFTR protein, including two areas for ATP-binding, termed nucleotide-binding folds (NBFs), a regulatory (R) region that has many possible sites for phosphorylation by protein kinases A and C, and two hydrophobic regions that probably interact with cell membranes. The most common CF gene mutation leads to omission of phenylalanine residue 508 in the putative first NBF, indicating that this region is functionally important. To determine whether other mutations occur in the NBFs of CFTR, we determined the nucleotide sequences of exons 9, 10, 11 and 12 (encoding the first NBF) and exons 20, 21 and 22 (encoding most of the second NBF) from 20 Caucasian and 18 American-black CF patients. One cluster of four mutations was discovered in a 30-base-pair region of exon 11. Three of these mutations cause amino-acid substitutions at residues that are highly conserved among the CFTR protein, the multiple-drug-resistance proteins and ATP-binding membrane-associated transport proteins. The fourth mutation creates a premature termination signal. These mutations reveal a functionally important region in the CFTR protein and provide further evidence that CFTR is a member of the family of ATP-dependent transport proteins.     

Altered chloride ion channel kinetics associated with the delta F508 cystic fibrosis mutation.

Cystic fibrosis is associated with a defect in epithelial chloride ion transport which is caused by mutations in a membrane protein called CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator). Heterologous expression of CFTR produces cyclicAMP-sensitive Cl(-)-channel activity. Deletion of phenylalanine at amino-acid position 508 in CFTR (delta F508 CFTR) is the most common mutation in cystic fibrosis. It has been proposed that this mutation prevents glycoprotein maturation and its transport to its normal cellular location. We have expressed both CFTR and delta F508 CFTR in Vero cells using recombinant vaccinia virus. Although far less delta F508 CFTR reached the plasma membrane than normal CFTR, sufficient delta F508 CFTR was expressed at the plasma membrane to permit functional analysis. delta F508 CFTR expression induced a reduced activity of the cAMP-activated Cl- channel, with conductance, anion selectivity and open-time kinetics similar to those of CFTR, but with much greater closed times, resulting in a large decrease of open probability. The delta F508 mutation thus seems to have two major consequences, an abnormal translocation of the CFTR protein which limits membrane insertion, and an abnormal function in mediating Cl- transport.     

Complete mutagenesis of the HIV-1 protease

Retroviruses encode a protease which needs to be active for the production of infectious virions. A disabling mutation in the protease results in the production of non-infectious virus particles and examination of proteins from these mutant virions reveals unprocessed Gag and Gag-Pol precursor proteins, the substrates of the viral protease. Each amino acid of the HIV-1 protease was individually mutated using a simple mutagenesis procedure which is capable of introducing and identifying missense mutations in each residue of a protein. Phenotypic screening of these mutants in a heterologous assay system reveals three regions within the protease where multiple consecutive amino-acid residues are sensitive to mutation. These results show that random mutagenesis can be used to identify functionally important regions within a protein. Mutants with conditional phenotypes have also been identified within this collection.     

Expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator corrects defective chloride channel regulation in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) was expressed in cultured cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells and Cl- channel activation assessed in single cells using a fluorescence microscopic assay and the patch-clamp technique. Expression of CFTR, but not of a mutant form of CFTR (delta F508), corrected the Cl- channel defect. Correction of the phenotypic defect demonstrates a causal relationship between mutations in the CFTR gene and defective Cl- transport which is the hallmark of the disease.     

A frame-shift mutation in the cystic fibrosis gene.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common recessive lethal genetic disorder, affecting 1 in 1,600 Caucasians. The disease causes defective regulation of chloride-ion transport in exocrine cells. Although in all CF families the disease is linked to a locus on chromosome 7q31, there is clinical heterogeneity in the severity of the disease and the age at which it is diagnosed. CF is caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. A three-nucleotide deletion (delta F508) causing the loss of a phenylalanine residue in the tenth exon of the CFTR gene has been found on 70% of CF chromosomes. We have now characterized a CF family in which neither parent of the affected individual carries the common mutation, and identified a two-nucleotide insertion in the CF allele of the mother. The mutation introduces a termination codon in exon 13 of the CFTR gene at residue 821, and is predicted to result in the production of a severely truncated nonfunctional protein.     

Processing of mutant cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator is temperature-sensitive.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a plasma membrane Cl- channel regulated by cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation and by intracellular ATP. Mutations in CFTR cause cystic fibrosis partly through loss of cAMP-regulated Cl- permeability from the plasma membrane of affected epithelia. The most common mutation in cystic fibrosis is deletion of phenylalanine at residue 508 (CFTR delta F508) (ref. 10). Studies on the biosynthesis and localization of CFTR delta F508 indicate that the mutant protein is not processed correctly and, as a result, is not delivered to the plasma membrane. These conclusions are consistent with earlier functional studies which failed to detect cAMP-stimulated Cl- channels in cells expressing CFTR delta F508 (refs 16, 17). Chloride channel activity was detected, however, when CFTR delta F508 was expressed in Xenopus oocytes, Vero cells and Sf9 insect cells. Because oocytes and Sf9 cells are typically maintained at lower temperatures than mammalian cells, and because processing of nascent proteins can be sensitive to temperature, we tested the effect of temperature on the processing of CFTR delta F508. Here we show that the processing of CFTR delta F508 reverts towards that of wild-type as the incubation temperature is reduced. When the processing defect is corrected, cAMP-regulated Cl- channels appear in the plasma membrane. These results reconcile previous contradictory observations and suggest that the mutant most commonly associated with cystic fibrosis is temperature-sensitive.     

Control of CFTR chloride conductance by ATP levels through non-hydrolytic binding.

Site-specific mutation and membrane reconstitution experiments provide compelling evidence that the product of the gene which is at fault in the disease cystic fibrosis, termed the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), is a small-conductance chloride channel activated by phosphorylation. As transport of chloride ions is passive, the predicted presence of two nucleotide-binding domains in CFTR seems as puzzling as a report that ATP hydrolysis is essential to activate the channel. We now find that in the sweat duct, which expresses high levels of CFTR and has a very high Cl- conductance, intracellular concentrations of ATP must be about normal (5 mM) for activation of this conductance, apparently by a non-hydrolytic, perhaps allosteric, mechanism. This passive dependence on ATP should mean that even a modest depletion of cell energy levels will significantly lower the energy demands of electrolyte transport by decreasing chloride conductance. We believe this direct coupling between cellular ATP levels and chloride channel activity is an adaptive mechanism to protect the tissue from damage resulting from excessive energy depletion.     

Control of dynamic CFTR selectivity by glutamate and ATP in epithelial cells

Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), an anion channel. Phosphorylation and ATP hydrolysis are generally believed to be indispensable for activating CFTR. Here we report phosphorylation- and ATP-independent activation of CFTR by cytoplasmic glutamate that exclusively elicits Cl-, but not HCO3-, conductance in the human sweat duct. We also report that the anion selectivity of glutamate-activated CFTR is not intrinsically fixed, but can undergo a dynamic shift to conduct HCO3- by a process involving ATP hydrolysis. Duct cells from patients with DeltaF508 mutant CFTR showed no glutamate/ATP activated Cl- or HCO3- conductance. In contrast, duct cells from heterozygous patients with R117H/DeltaF508 mutant CFTR also lost most of the Cl- conductance, yet retained significant HCO3- conductance. Hence, not only does glutamate control neuronal ion channels, as is well known, but it can also regulate anion conductance and selectivity of CFTR in native epithelial cells. The loss of this uniquely regulated HCO3- conductance is most probably responsible for the more severe forms of cystic fibrosis pathology.     

计算变异学创立背景及其用途

为了克服生物信息学和计算生物学中字母或数字不受序列长度、氨基酸组成和位置、相邻氨基酸影响的缺陷,根据自然界普遍存在的随机性原理,创立计算变异学。计算变异学用氨基酸对可预测性、氨基酸分布概率和变异概率3种方法量化整个蛋白质及每个氨基酸,用活的、动态的测量指标量化分析蛋白质。计算变异学方法可以应用于研究蛋白质进化、遗传病定量诊断,分析蛋白质结构与功能、药物设计和病毒变异预测等领域。