ASPP家族对p53诱导细胞凋亡发挥调节作用的研究进展

ASPP(apoptosis stimulating protein of p53)即p53凋亡刺激蛋白家族,是科学家们近年来发现的新的蛋白家族.该家族包含有三个成员:ASPP1,ASPP2和iASPP.它们均可以与p53相结合,从而正向或负向地调节p53诱导细胞凋亡的作用,成为肿瘤治疗的新靶点.     

杨树LEA基因家族全基因组鉴定及表达分析

从杨树基因组中鉴定LEA蛋白家族成员,并分析基因在杨树各组织以及在种子形成、吸涨及萌发过程中的表达情况.从NCBI下载拟南芥、水稻以及大豆等植物的LEA蛋白家族成员,通过blastP程序从杨树基因组中鉴定出候选基因,并采用pfam程序进行进一步筛选获得杨树LEA蛋白基因,最后通过芯片以及EST数据分析基因的表达量.通过对杨树LEA蛋白基因家族在全基因组水平上的搜索,确定了杨树LEA蛋白家族8个亚家族,共87个成员,发现在花中有16个基因高量表达,且其中8个基因具有很高的组织特异性.在吸涨种子中,PtLEA1.1和PtLEA3.1有高量的表达,LEAⅣ,LEAⅤ,LEAⅥ及SMP亚家族成员都具有特异的表达.12个基因在萌发种子中有高量的表达,其中4个基因特异表达,5个基因在种子萌发过程中可能受到光照的影响.此外,3个基因在成熟叶片中出现了下调表达,8个基因在根中具有高量表达,3个基因的高量表达在木质部中被发现.杨树LEA蛋白不同亚家族成员可能参与了植物种子的生长发育、种子的萌发及对胁迫的响应等多种生理功能.     

水稻DUF642家族基因的鉴定及在非生物逆境中的表达分析

DUF(domain of unknown function)家族,是指含有未知功能域的蛋白质家族,在植物生命活动中发挥着重要的调控作用. DUF642是其中一个高度保守的植物特异性的未知细胞壁相关蛋白家族,参与调控植物的生长发育以及逆境响应.在水稻全基因组内对DUF642家族成员进行了鉴定,并对其染色体定位、进化关系、基因结构、蛋白结构和启动子顺式作用元件等进行了系统的分析.结果显示,水稻DUF642基因家族有6个成员,分布在1号、3号、4号、7号染色体上.系统发育进化树分析可将6个水稻DUF642蛋白分为3个亚组,基因结构和蛋白结构保守基序分析都表明水稻DUF642家族成员在进化上具有较高的保守性.启动子顺式作用元件预测以及非生物逆境诱导表达模式分析表明,OsDUF642家族基因在水稻响应非生物逆境胁迫中具有重要作用.以上结果加深了对植物DUF642基因家族的认识,并为进一步阐明OsDUF642基因家族成员在水稻抵御非生物逆境中的生物学功能提供了参考依据.     

硫酯蛋白家族保守区域分析

硫酯蛋白家族(thioester-containing proteins,TEPs)广泛分布于动物界,在动物非特异性免疫反应中发挥了重要的作用,然而其家族成员多,分子进化关系复杂.本研究从基因数据库中挑取已收录TEPs家族各成员的氨基酸全序列,包括α2-巨球蛋白、补体3、补体4、murinoglobulins、卵巨球蛋白、妊娠区带蛋白,α-1-抑制因子等.多重序列比对分析TEPs家族各成员间功能位点和保守区域的变化,构建系统进化树分析TEPs家族分子进化.TEPs家族除保守的GC*EQ**硫酯键区域及两侧的脯氨酸残基,还有7个完全保守的氨基酸残基及G*****Q*T,FPETW,QTD,KPTVK等保守区域.上述分析结果可为深入研究TEPs家族分子进化及动物非特异性免疫进化提供参考.     

茶树ANR基因家族的全基因组鉴定与分析

花青素还原酶(anthocyanidin reductase, ANR)是原花青素生物合成途径中的关键酶之一，同时，ANR通过调节植物不同组织中花青素的积累影响植物对光的吸收程度和叶面温度，提高茶树的防御力和对环境的适应性。利用生物信息学分析方法，从‘舒茶早’基因组数据中鉴定出茶树ANR基因家族成员，并分析ANR家族成员的基因结构、蛋白理化性质、保守基序及顺势作用元件。结果表明，CsANR家族有21个成员，分为7类，含有多个保守基序，编码287～627个氨基酸，其中，有15个蛋白为亲水性蛋白，6个为疏水性蛋白。对CsANR家族基因的顺势作用元件分析表明CsANR家族含有光响应、防御和胁迫响应、植物激素响应(茉莉酸甲酯、生长素、脱落酸及赤霉素)和低温响应元件，说明该基因家族可能在参与植物生长发育及应对胁迫中发挥作用，本研究结果可为茶树ANR基因功能研究提供依据。     

麻疯树(Jatropha curcas)毒蛋白curcin基因家族成员的分离和描述

麻疯树curcin基因家族中4个成员通过PCR扩增被分离．它们都不合有内含子,序列分析表明它们编码Ⅰ型核糖体失活蛋白（Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins,RIPs）,证明curcin基因如同大多数RIPs一样由多基因家族编码．四个curcin基因家族成员和另两个已知curcin基因家族成员的开放阅读框（Open Reading Frame,ORF）的序列比对结果显示curcin基因家族成员至少可分为两个亚类群,亚类群之间的氨基酸序列相似性低于88％．分别将这4个curcin基因家族成员命名为curA2、curA3、curB2、curB3．对四条基因启动子区和ORF生物信息学分析推测CurB2、curB3可能是被真菌及逆境诱导的curcin基因家族成员全长,而curA2、curA3可能是麻疯树胚乳贮存的curcin基因家族成员全长．Southern杂交结果显示,麻疯树基因组中至少有3个以上curcin基因家族成员．     

菠菜SoSWEET蛋白家族基因鉴定与表达分析

以现有菠菜基因组信息为基础,通过生物信息学方法筛选鉴定16个菠菜SoSWEET蛋白家族成员,命名为SoSWEET1~SoSWEET16.氨基酸残基数量在648~1 140之间,分子质量在54 070.32~95 868.64 u之间,理论等电点（pI）在5.06~5.19之间.亚细胞定位预测有6个SoSWEET蛋白定位于细胞膜,5个SoSWEET蛋白定位于内质网,5个SoSWEET蛋白定位于细胞膜、内质网.系统进化分析将菠菜SoSWEET蛋白家族分成4个亚族,在此基础上对基因结构、保守基序、顺式作用调控元件等进行分析.共鉴定了10个高度保守基序,其中所有菠菜SoSWEET蛋白都包含基序1,2和4,是构成菠菜SoSWEET蛋白中最高度保守的部分.所有菠菜SoSWEET蛋白家族成员都含MtN3_slv和PQ-loop superfamily结构域.大多数SoSWEET蛋白家族的基因含有5个内含子.顺式作用元件预测结果表明,菠菜SoSWEET基因启动子上包含光响应、生长发育、植物激素响应和逆境胁迫响应等顺式作用元件.组织表达分析表明,所有SoSWEET基因在根、茎、叶和叶柄中都有表达,霜霉病胁迫处理后16个基因表现出不同响应变化.本研究为后续深入研究菠菜SoSWEET蛋白家族成员的功能提供了重要参考.     

茶树NAC转录因子家族的鉴定及生物信息学分析

利用生物信息学手段对茶树NAC转录因子家族的成员、系统发育、编码蛋白的理化性质和结构以及创伤胁迫处理后的表达进行分析.研究结果显示,茶树NAC转录因子家族包含49个成员,与拟南芥的106个NAC成员构建系统发育进化树,结果显示,茶树缺乏拟南芥NAC家族17个亚族中的第10和第14两个亚族.理化性质和结构分析显示茶树NAC蛋白质绝大多数是亲水氨基酸,二级结构以无规则卷曲为主,三级结构大部分相似.保守基序分析表明,茶树NAC成员共包含7个保守基序,其中基序3、4、2和5、1分别代表NAC结构域的A、B、C和D亚结构域,而基序7表示的是亚结构域E.第15,16和17亚族的大部分成员都缺失了第2和第4两个保守基序,而第15亚族成员具有一个特异的保守基序6.在机械创伤处理条件下表达模式分析表明,第11亚族的CsNAC33和CsNAC34两个成员虽然具有不一样的蛋白结构域组成,但在应对创伤处理时呈现相对一致的表达模式,而16亚族的CsNAC47和CsNAC48两个成员具有一致的蛋白结构域组成,但其表达模式出现分化.上述结果为后续进行茶树NAC基因家族功能的研究提供了理论依据.     

p63在胃癌组织中的表达

目的:探讨抑癌基因p53蛋白家族成员p63蛋白在胃癌及癌旁组织中的表达情况.方法:回顾性分析41例胃癌及37例癌旁组织,利用组织微阵列技术,构建88点组织阵列,并采用免疫组织化学技术S-P法检测该阵列中p63蛋白在胃癌及其癌旁组织中表达情况.结果:①p63蛋白定位于细胞核,呈弥漫分布的棕黄色颗粒;②胃癌组织中,p63蛋白表达于核大间变细胞中;p63蛋白在高分化型胃癌中阳性表达率为5.9%,在低分化型胃癌中的阳性表达率为41.7%,两者比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);③p63蛋白在胃癌癌旁组织中无表达,在胃癌中的阳性表达率为24.4%,两者比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论:①p63蛋白的高表达可能参与了胃癌的发生;②p63与胃癌的分化程度有关,并可能参与了胃癌细胞的分化.     

SUN-domain蛋白家族在植物中的研究进展

SUN-domain蛋白家族是植物细胞膜上核骨架与细胞骨架连接复合体(LINC)的重要组成成分,在细胞核的形态、定位和迁移以及染色体移动和配对的过程中均发挥着重要作用.由于功能域在编码基因中所在位置不同,SUN-domain蛋白家族可以分为羧基端SUN-domain蛋白(Cter-SUN)亚家族和中间SUN-domain蛋白(Mid-SUN)亚家族. Cter-SUN蛋白定位于内核膜上,而Mid-SUN蛋白在核周质、内质网上均有出现.受基因复制事件和选择性剪切事件的影响,SUN-domain蛋白家族在不同植物中的成员数目和功能作用也存在一定的差异.从系统进化上来看,SUN-domain蛋白家族的起源古老,可能出现在单细胞生物进化为多细胞生物之前.根据目前对植物SUN-domain蛋白的理解,文章阶段性总结了该蛋白家族在植物各主要类群中的成员组成、编码基因的特点和表达模式以及各蛋白的功能特性等方面的研究进展,为深入理解该蛋白家族在植物进化中的作用奠定了基础.     

Epidermal growth factor stimulates guanine nucleotide binding activity and phosphorylation of ras oncogene proteins

Several human tumour cell lines contain genes that can transform NIH 3T3 cells into malignant cells. Certain genes have been classified as members of the ras oncogene family, namely, Ha-ras, Ki-ras or N-ras. The proteins encoded by the ras family are generally small (Ha-ras, for example, encodes a protein of molecular weight 21,000 named p21), and are associated with the inner surface of the plasma membrane. The only known biochemical property common to all forms of the ras proteins is the ability to bind guanine nucleotides, a property which may be closely related to the transforming ability of ras proteins. A GTP-dependent, apparent autophosphorylation (on threonine 59) activity has been identified only in the case of the v-Ha-ras protein. Although the role of these biochemical activities in the transformation process remains unclear, we have initiated studies to determine the possible biochemical interactions of ras proteins with other membrane components. We report here the evidence that epidermal growth factor enhances the guanine nucleotide binding activity of activated c-Ha-ras or v-Ha-ras p21, and phosphorylation of v-Ha-ras p21, suggesting that some mitogenic growth factors may regulate those activities.     

Germ-line transmission of a mutated p53 gene in a cancer-prone family with Li-Fraumeni syndrome

Tumour suppressor genes, whose usual function seems to be controlling normal cell proliferation, have been implicated in many inherited and sporadic forms of malignancies Much evidence supports the concept of tumour formation by loss-of-function mutations in suppressor genes, as predicted by the two-hit model of Knudson and DeMars. The suppressor gene, p53, is affected in such a manner by numerous mutations, which occur in a variety of human tumours. These mutations usually represent the loss of one allele and the substitution of a single base in the other. We have now analysed the p53 gene in a family affected by Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by the occurrence of diverse mesenchymal and epithelial neoplasms at multiple sites. In some instances the neoplasms seem to be related to exposure to carcinogens, including ionizing radiation. The Li-Fraumeni family that we studied had noncancerous skin fibroblasts (NSF) with an unusual radiation-resistant phenotype. DNA derived from the NSF cells of four family members, spanning two generations, had the same point mutation in codon 245 (GGC----GAC) of the p53 gene. This mutation leads to substitution of aspartic acid for glycine in one of the regions identified as a frequent target of point mutations in p53. The NSF cell lines with the mutation also retained the normal p53 allele. This inherited p53 mutation may predispose the members of this family to increased susceptibility to cancer.     

Catalysis of guanine nucleotide exchange on the CDC42Hs protein by the dbl oncogene product

THE superfamily of low molecular mass GTP-binding proteins, for which the ras proteins are prototypes, has been implicated in the regulation of diverse biological activities including protein trafficking, secretion, and cell growth and differentiation. One member of this family, CDC42Hs (originally referred to as Gp or G25K), seems to be the human homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell-division-cycle protein, CDC42Sc. A second S. cerevisiae protein, CDC24, which is known from complementation studies to act with CDC42Sc to regulate the development of normal cell shape and the selection of nonrandom budding sites in yeast, contains a region with sequence similarity to the dbl oncogene product. Here we show that dbl specifically catalyses the dissociation of GDP from CDC42Hs and thereby qualifies as a highly selective guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the GTP-binding protein. Although guanine nucleotide exchange activities have been previously described for other members of the Ras-related GTP-binding protein family, this is the first demonstration, to our knowledge, of the involvement of a human oncogenic protein in catalysing exchange activity.     

留守家庭环境对初中学生主观幸福感影响实证研究

为探讨留守家庭环境对未成年初中生主观幸福感的影响,采用家庭环境量表（FES）和总体幸福感量表（GWB）对农村200名初中留守学生进行问卷调查分析,结果发现：留守家庭中成员间的亲密度和矛盾性是影响学生总体幸福感的主要家庭环境因素。多沟通、多见面能提高成员间亲密度,有效解决成员间矛盾,增加留守孩子的主观幸福感。     

p63 and p73 are required for p53-dependent apoptosis in response to DNA damage

The tumour-suppressor gene p53 is frequently mutated in human cancers and is important in the cellular response to DNA damage. Although the p53 family members p63 and p73 are structurally related to p53, they have not been directly linked to tumour suppression, although they have been implicated in apoptosis. Given the similarity between this family of genes and the ability of p63 and p73 to transactivate p53 target genes, we explore here their role in DNA damage-induced apoptosis. Mouse embryo fibroblasts deficient for one or a combination of p53 family members were sensitized to undergo apoptosis through the expression of the adenovirus E1A oncogene. While using the E1A system facilitated our ability to perform biochemical analyses, we also examined the functions of p63 and p73 using an in vivo system in which apoptosis has been shown to be dependent on p53. Using both systems, we show here that the combined loss of p63 and p73 results in the failure of cells containing functional p53 to undergo apoptosis in response to DNA damage.     

Amino-terminal domains of c-myc and N-myc proteins mediate binding to the retinoblastoma gene product

The proteins encoded by the myc gene family are involved in the control of cell proliferation and differentiation, and aberrant expression of myc proteins has been implicated in the genesis of a variety of neoplasms. In the carboxyl terminus, myc proteins have two domains that encode a basic domain/helix-loop-helix and a leucine zipper motif, respectively. These motifs are involved both in DNA binding and in protein dimerization. In addition, myc protein family members share several regions of highly conserved amino acids in their amino termini that are essential for transformation. We report here that an N-terminal domain present in both the c-myc and N-myc proteins mediates binding to the retinoblastoma gene product, pRb. We show that the human papilloma virus E7 protein competes with c-myc for binding to pRb, indicating that these proteins share overlapping binding sites on pRb. Furthermore, a mutant Rb protein from a human tumour cell line that carried a 35-amino-acid deletion in its C terminus failed to bind to c-myc. Our results suggest that c-myc and pRb cooperate through direct binding to control cell proliferation.     

Homology between phosphotyrosine acceptor site of human c-abl and viral oncogene products

The human homologues of several independent viral oncogenes, each of which encodes tyrosine-specific protein kinases, have been identified. Of these, three (v-src, v-yes and v-fes/fps) are known to exhibit considerable sequence homology, particularly in the regions of their phosphorylation acceptor sites. In the present study, sequences encoding the tyrosine phosphorylation acceptor sites of the Abelson murine leukaemia virus oncogene, v-abl, and its human cellular homologue, c-abl, have been identified and their nucleic acid sequences determined. Our results establish extensive homology between this region of c-abl and acceptor domains of the v-src, v-yes and v-fes/fps family of viral oncogenes, as well as more distant relatedness to the catalytic chain of the mammalian cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. These findings suggest that, of the homologues of retroviral oncogenes with tyrosine protein kinase activity examined to date, all were probably derived from a common progenitor and may represent members of a diverse family of cellular protein kinases.