丝瓜和苦瓜核糖体失活蛋白的比较研究

从丝瓜和苦瓜种子中分离得到的丝瓜子和苦瓜子蛋白，均是含糖的单链核糖体失活蛋白，等电点在9-10之间，在抑制蛋白合成中丝瓜子蛋白的毒性高，而在抗生育活性中，苦瓜子蛋白较好。     

组蛋白去甲基化酶JHDM1的晶体结构研究

组蛋白甲基化是表观遗传修饰方式中的一种,参与异染色质形成、基因印记、X染色体失活和基因转录调控。组蛋白甲基化过程的异常参与多种肿瘤的发生。既往认为组蛋白甲基化是稳定的表观遗传标记,然而最近许多组蛋白特异性去甲基化酶的发现对这一观点提出了挑战。JHDM1是第一个被发现含有JmjC结构域的组蛋白去甲基化酶,它能够特异性地除去H3赖氨酸36位二甲基化和一甲基化修饰,但是不能去除H3赖氨酸36位三甲基化修饰。为了从分子水平上揭示JHDM1的去甲基化催化机理,我们解析了hJHDM1A及其与α-酮戊二酸复合的晶体结构。结构比较揭示α-酮戊二酸的结合能够稳定围绕活性中心的柔性环,这一构像变化对于hJHDM1A发挥去甲基化活性是非常重要的。结合突变试验结果,我们提出了底物的潜在结合位点,结构分析也揭示高度保守的S145对于区分不同的赖氨酸甲基化程度起重要作用。     

红霉素抗性基因ermE在链霉菌中的表达及抗性测定

红霉素抗性基因ermE编码一种甲基化酶，可以对50S核糖体亚基上的23SrRNA进行甲基化修饰．甲基化作用可能引起核糖体构型变化，阻碍红霉素与50S核糖体亚基的结合，从而使宿主获得抗性．研究中将来自红色糖多孢菌（Saccharopolyspora erythraea）的ermE基因克隆到链霉菌高拷贝表达栽体pUWL201和plJ6021上组成型启动子ermEp＊和硫链丝菌素诱导型启动子PfipA的下游，构建出了链霉菌表达质粒pKIM4，pKIM7和pKIM8．将pKIM4，pKIM7和pKIM8分别转入S．lividans链霉菌中，每种转化子都能表现出明显的红霉素抗性，并且ermE基因在TK64／pKIM8转化子中还实现了高效表达．     

两种相邻分布的水稻U14 BoxC/D snoRNA

通过对酵母U14BoxC/DsnoRNA保守元件的分析,推测出水稻BoxC/DsnoRNA可能具有的保守序列,进而在水稻第二号染色体上找到可能编码两种BoxC/DsnoRNA的序列.这两个BoxC/DsnoRNA在染色体上相邻分布,具有典型的BoxC和BoxD序列,末端形成茎环结构,这也是BoxC/DsnoRNA一个显著的特点.它们含有一段相同的“引导”序列,此序列能与水稻18S核糖体RNA(rRNA)第414位到第427位互补配对,这两者可能行使相同的功能:介导此配对区域内rRNA的核糖的甲基化.通过实验证明:(1)水稻18S核糖体RNA的配对区域内的确存在甲基化修饰;(2)这两种BoxC/DsnoRNA存在于水稻细胞中.通过序列同源性比较发现与玉米U14snoRNA有很高的同源性.将这两种在水稻中发现的BoxC/DsnoRNA命名为U14.1snoRNA和U14.2snoRNA.编码这两种BoxC/DsnoRNA的基因已被GenBank收录,其编号为AF332622.     

MS-RDA的改进及在白背飞虱的应用研究*

甲基化敏感性代表性差异分析方法（MS-RDA）适用于特异、低丰度基因组DNA甲基化的筛查与鉴定，已大量应用于哺乳动物的疾病发生和植物发育机理方面的研究，但昆虫中尚未发现该方法的应用。从DNA提取、酶切、扩增子制备、消减杂交等方面对该方法进行了改进，并在水稻重要害虫白背飞虱上得到成功应用，获得了4条与雌、雄性别相关联的特异性甲基化差异条带，其中有3条序列已被GenBank收录，登陆号分别为JX847621、JX624161、JX472453，经BLAST比对，有3条未发现同源性序列，属于功能未知的新基因；同时还获得了2条与长短翅型相关联的特异性甲基化差异条带，也已被 GenBank 收录，登陆号分别为 JX514031、JX472454，同源性分析发现与多种动物的18S核糖体和28S核糖体RNA基因序列高度相似，因此有关核糖体基因的甲基化可能对白背飞虱的翅型分化起到一定的调控作用。     

m6A RNA甲基化对神经系统发育及其相关疾病的调控作用

N6-甲基腺苷(m6 A)甲基化是RNA水平转录后的表观遗传学修饰,由RNA甲基转移酶催化腺嘌呤在N6位置发生甲基化的过程,调控RNA稳定性、定位、运输、剪切和翻译,将影响mRNA的命运与转归,进而影响机体结构和功能的改变.新近研究表明m6 A甲基化修饰在神经发育、传导、再生及学习记忆功能等方面发挥重要的作用,并与神经...     

丝瓜核糖体失活蛋白的研究进展综述

丝瓜核糖体失活蛋白是一类具多种生物学功能和活性的蛋白,本文在阐述了该类蛋白的理化性质的同时，综述了该类蛋白的酶学机制、活性位点和用做免疫毒素等方面的研究进展。     

麻疯树核糖体失活蛋白Curcin和Curcin C与腺苷及腺嘌呤的互作方式分析

麻疯树核糖体失活蛋白Curcin和Curcin C均具N-糖苷酶活性，然而两者的体外翻译抑制能力却具有明显差异，这暗示着两者的N-糖苷酶活性也存在差异.为了探究造成这一差异的结构基础，本研究使用trRosetta对两种蛋白进行了三级结构的预测，通过PROCHECK和Qmean对预测得到的三级结构模型进行了质量评估，利用Chem3D对小分子配体腺嘌呤和腺苷进行了结构优化，借助UCSF Chimera对Curcin及Curcin C活性位点的氨基酸组成进行了预测.最终使用分子对接软件AutoDock将预测得到的模型与小分子腺嘌呤及腺苷进行分子对接.对接结果显示，两种蛋白与腺嘌呤的相互作用模式具有较高的相似性，但Curcin的关键氨基酸Arg并未参与到与配体的相互作用.此外Curcin C与腺嘌呤和腺苷之间的结合能都低于Curcin,且其和腺苷与腺嘌呤之间结合能的差值也要高于Curcin.这一结果暗示着Curcin和Curcin C之间的活性差异与其活性位点处的结构特征有关，Curcin C中的关键氨基酸Arg与腺嘌呤及腺苷的结合位点更为靠近，从而导致Curcin C与底物之间的结合能更低，...     

槲皮素与碱基相互作用的研究

槲皮素是一种具有较好抗肿瘤作用的黄酮类化合物.研究槲皮素与生物分子间的相互作用对药理学和新药的研发工作有着重要的意义.基于这一理念,在M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p)水平研究了甲基化的腺嘌呤、甲基化的胸腺嘧啶和甲基化的尿嘧啶等模型分子与槲皮素分子间的相互作用.通过计算槲皮素分子与模型生物分子间相互作用能并与相应的Watson-Crick型碱基间相应能量进行比较,从理论上初步探讨了槲皮素分子干扰核酸生物合成这一抗癌机制的可能性.研究结果表明:槲皮素分子QU1,QU2和QU5位点与碱基腺嘌呤之间的相互作用强度较强.从理论上讲,该分子可以实现对基因的复制或表达等过程的干扰.从这一角度讲,槲皮素分子具有阻断细胞繁殖、干扰遗传信息表达的作用.     

2'-氨基-2'-脱氧尿苷的合成

通过一种简便有效的合成方法对天然核苷进行修饰,制备了重要的生化中间体2’-氨基-2’-脱氧尿苷。经紫外、红外、光谱,核磁共振等分析确认其结构和特征。     

Identification and functional analysis of 23 novel box C／D snoRNAs from Oryza sativa

In a cDNA library generated from rice small nuclear RNAs,30box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) were identiffied through preliminary screen.Except 7 known snoRNAs such as U14,all snoRNAs were identified in rice for the first time experimentally.Among the 23 novel snoRNAs,11 snoRNAs appear rice-specific,6 snoRNAs are unique to plants,the remaining 6 snoRNAs have their counterparts in both Arabidopsis and yeast or mammals according to the conserved antisense sequencs that guide 2‘-O-ribose methylation of rRNA,17 of the 23 novel snoRNAs were predicted to guide 24 2‘‘-O-ribose methylations at the specificsites of rice 5.8S,18S,25S rRNAs,among which 19 methylated sites were determined by primer extension at low dNTP concentrations.The remaining 6 snoRNAs devoid of rRNA antisense elements may represent novel snoRNA species in rice.The results show that constructing a cDNA library from small nuclear RNAs is an effective experimental approach for novel snoRNA is identification.The novel snoRNAs are important in elucidating the genomic organization and expression of plant snoRNA genes and the mechanism through which 2‘‘-O-ribose methylations took place in rRNAs.     

Z25, a novel intronic snoRNA encoded in mammalian nucleolin gene

A novel intronic small nucleolar RNA ( snoRNA) , termed Z25, was identified from mammals by-computer analysis and experimental sequence methods. Z25 is a 69 nucleotides long RNA containing typical boxC/D motifs, terminal stem and an 11-nucleotide sequence complementary to 18S rRNA. In theory, Z25 functions as an RNA guide for the 2'-0-ribose methylation of adenine at position 1678 (human 18S rRNA coordinate) in 18S rRNA. Z25 snoRNA gene was found to be located in the fifth intron of nucleolin gene of human, mouse and rat, demonstrating that the mammalian nucleoline gene is a host gene encoding multiple snoRNAs.     

Z3, a novel antisense snoRNA fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) is one of the most important elements participating in eukaryotic ribosomal biogenesis. The present report describes the results of the identification of a novel snoRNA, Z3, from yeast S. cerevisiae. Z3 snoRNA is 106 nts in length. It contains box C, D elements and a 13 nt complementarity to 25S rRNA. This antisense segment, together with the downstream box D, guides a 2′-O-ribose methylation of cytidine acid at position 2956th in yeast 25 S rRNA. Z3 snoRNA, encoded by an independent transcribed gene on the chromosome  of yeast, possesses the same functional elements responsible for the rRNA methylation site as that of the intron-encoded U35 snoRNA of vertebrate.     

Identification and characterization of two novel box H/ACA snoRNAs from Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Ineukaryotes,alargenumberofsmallnucleolar RNAs(snoRNAs)accumulatedwithinthenucleolus playimportantrolesinprecursorribosomalRNA(pre RNA)processingandmaturation[1].AllsnoR NAs,withtheexceptionofRNaseMRP,canbe broadlydividedintotwoexpendinggroups,boxC/D andH/ACAsnoRNAs,basedonconservedsequence elements[2].BoxC/DsnoRNAscontaintwocon servedshortsequencemotifs,boxC(UGAUGA)and boxD(CUGA),locatedonlyafewnucleotidesaway fromthe5′and3′ends,respectively,generallyas partofatypical5′3…     

攀援植物苦瓜对遮阴和外界支持物的形态可塑性反应

通过人为蔗阴和人为提供外界支持物的方法,对草本攀援植物苦瓜的生长动态以及形态特征进行了研究,结果表明：（1）不同蔗阴处理下苦瓜植物的生长有较大的差异,弱光照下不利于苦瓜构件数量的增加和生物量的积累;（2）植株在弱光下形成较少的分枝、较薄的叶片,以及较细长的主茎和叶柄,表现比强光生长环境下更强的形态可塑性;（3）植株在生长早期较生长晚期有较大的形态可塑性,（4）在光资源充足的情况下,外界支持物的缺乏不会对苦瓜的生长造成太大的影响。     

Recognition of hemi-methylated DNA by the SRA protein UHRF1 by a base-flipping mechanism

DNA methylation of CpG dinucleotides is an important epigenetic modification of mammalian genomes and is essential for the regulation of chromatin structure, of gene expression and of genome stability. Differences in DNA methylation patterns underlie a wide range of biological processes, such as genomic imprinting, inactivation of the X chromosome, embryogenesis, and carcinogenesis. Inheritance of the epigenetic methylation pattern is mediated by the enzyme DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1), which methylates newly synthesized CpG sequences during DNA replication, depending on the methylation status of the template strands. The protein UHRF1 (also known as Np95 and ICBP90) recognizes hemi-methylation sites via a SET and RING-associated (SRA) domain and directs Dnmt1 to these sites. Here we report the crystal structures of the SRA domain in free and hemi-methylated DNA-bound states. The SRA domain folds into a globular structure with a basic concave surface formed by highly conserved residues. Binding of DNA to the concave surface causes a loop and an amino-terminal tail of the SRA domain to fold into DNA interfaces at the major and minor grooves of the methylation site. In contrast to fully methylated CpG sites recognized by the methyl-CpG-binding domain, the methylcytosine base at the hemi-methylated site is flipped out of the DNA helix in the SRA-DNA complex and fits tightly into a protein pocket on the concave surface. The complex structure suggests that the successive flip out of the pre-existing methylated cytosine and the target cytosine to be methylated is associated with the coordinated transfer of the hemi-methylated CpG site from UHRF1 to Dnmt1.     

Interaction of elongation factors EF-G and EF-Tu with a conserved loop in 23S RNA

The elongation factors EF-Tu and EF-G interact with ribosomes during protein synthesis: EF-Tu presents incoming aminoacyl transfer RNA to the programmed ribosome as an EF-Tu-GTP-tRNA ternary complex and EF-G promotes translocation of peptidyl-tRNA and its associated messenger RNA from the A to the P site after peptidyl transfer. Both events are accompanied by ribosome-dependent GTP hydrolysis. Here we use chemical probes to investigate the possible interaction of these factors with ribosomal RNA in E. coli ribosomes. We observe EF-G-dependent footprints in vitro and in vivo around position 1,067 in domain II of 23S rRNA, and in the loop around position 2,660 in domain VI.EF-Tu gives an overlapping footprint in vitro at positions 2,655 and 2,661, but shows no effect at position 1,067. The 1,067 region is the site of interaction of the antibiotic thiostrepton, which prevents formation of the EF-G-GTP-ribosome complex and is a site for interaction with the GTPase-related protein L11 (ref. 3). The universally conserved loop in the 2,660 region is the site of attack by the RNA-directed cytotoxins alpha-sarcin and ricin, whose effects abolish translation and include the loss of elongation factor-dependent functions in eukaryotic ribosomes.