Functional identity of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and a DNA polymerase-delta auxiliary protein

The mechanism of replication of the simian virus 40 (SV40) genome closely resembles that of cellular chromosomes, thereby providing an excellent model system for examining the enzymatic requirements for DNA replication. Only one viral gene product, the large tumour antigen (large-T antigen), is required for viral replication, so the majority of replication enzymes must be cellular. Indeed, a number of enzymatic activities associated with replication and the S phase of the cell cycle are induced upon SV40 infection. Cell-free extracts derived from human cells, when supplemented with immunopurified SV40 large-T antigen support efficient replication of plasmids that contain the SV40 origin of DNA replication. Using this system, a cellular protein of relative molecular mass 36,000 (Mr = 36K) that is required for the elongation stage of SV40 DNA replication in vitro has been purified and identified as a known cell-cycle regulated protein, alternatively called the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) or cyclin. It was noticed that, in its physical characteristics, PCNA closely resembles a protein that regulates the activity of calf thymus DNA polymerase-delta. Here we show that PCNA and the polymerase-delta auxiliary protein have similar electrophoretic behaviour and are both recognized by anti-PCNA human autoantibodies. More importantly, both proteins are functionally equivalent; they stimulate SV40 DNA replication in vitro and increase the processivity of calf thymus DNA polymerase-delta. These results implicate a novel animal cell DNA polymerase, DNA polymerase-delta, in the elongation stage of replicative DNA synthesis in vitro.     

大鼠肝再生中Cyclin D1、PCNA的动态变化

采用蛋白质印迹技术分析了肝切除不同恢复时期cyclin D1 和PCNA的含量变化,结果显示两者表达趋势基本一致,呈显著正相关(r=0.619**,P<0.01),提示cyclin D1 和PCNA在肝再生中细胞周期的 G1/S期转换和S 期DNA合成中发挥关键作用.     

Cyclin is degraded by the ubiquitin pathway.

Cyclin degradation is the key step governing exit from mitosis and progress into the next cell cycle. When a region in the N terminus of cyclin is fused to a foreign protein, it produces a hybrid protein susceptible to proteolysis at mitosis. During the course of degradation, both cyclin and the hybrid form conjugates with ubiquitin. The kinetic properties of the conjugates indicate that cyclin is degraded by ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Thus anaphase may be triggered by the recognition of cyclin by the ubiquitin-conjugating system.     

RAD6-dependent DNA repair is linked to modification of PCNA by ubiquitin and SUMO

The RAD6 pathway is central to post-replicative DNA repair in eukaryotic cells; however, the machinery and its regulation remain poorly understood. Two principal elements of this pathway are the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes RAD6 and the MMS2-UBC13 heterodimer, which are recruited to chromatin by the RING-finger proteins RAD18 and RAD5, respectively. Here we show that UBC9, a small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-conjugating enzyme, is also affiliated with this pathway and that proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) -- a DNA-polymerase sliding clamp involved in DNA synthesis and repair -- is a substrate. PCNA is mono-ubiquitinated through RAD6 and RAD18, modified by lysine-63-linked multi-ubiquitination--which additionally requires MMS2, UBC13 and RAD5--and is conjugated to SUMO by UBC9. All three modifications affect the same lysine residue of PCNA, suggesting that they label PCNA for alternative functions. We demonstrate that these modifications differentially affect resistance to DNA damage, and that damage-induced PCNA ubiquitination is elementary for DNA repair and occurs at the same conserved residue in yeast and humans.     

8-oxo-guanine bypass by human DNA polymerases in the presence of auxiliary proteins

Specialized DNA polymerases (DNA pols) are required for lesion bypass in human cells. Auxiliary factors have an important, but so far poorly understood, role. Here we analyse the effects of human proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and replication protein A (RP-A) on six different human DNA pols--belonging to the B, Y and X classes--during in vitro bypass of different lesions. The mutagenic lesion 8-oxo-guanine (8-oxo-G) has high miscoding potential. A major and specific effect was found for 8-oxo-G bypass with DNA pols lambda and eta. PCNA and RP-A allowed correct incorporation of dCTP opposite a 8-oxo-G template 1,200-fold more efficiently than the incorrect dATP by DNA pol lambda, and 68-fold by DNA pol eta, respectively. Experiments with DNA-pol-lambda-null cell extracts suggested an important role for DNA pol lambda. On the other hand, DNA pol iota, together with DNA pols alpha, delta and beta, showed a much lower correct bypass efficiency. Our findings show the existence of an accurate mechanism to reduce the deleterious consequences of oxidative damage and, in addition, point to an important role for PCNA and RP-A in determining a functional hierarchy among different DNA pols in lesion bypass.     

Serine/threonine protein phosphatases in DNA damage response

DNA damage response (DDR) is among the most important of the mechanisms that maintain genome stability which, when destabilized, predisposes organs to cancer. Reversible phosphorylation mediated by protein kinases and protein phosphatases regulates most, if not all, cellular activities, including DDR. Protein kinase inhibitors have become the main focus of targeted therapy and anticancer drug development. However, our limited knowledge of protein phosphatase function is compromising our capacity to develop therapeutic agents against phosphatases. In this review, we summarize the roles of serine/threonine protein phosphatases involved in DDR and propose that in situ dephosphorylation of phosphoproteins by protein phosphatases, instead of proteasome-mediated degradation of phosphoproteins, is mainly employed by cells.     

生物蛋白改性助剂对羊毛纤维的改性研究

研究了NaHSO3预处理条件,以及鸡毛蛋白改性助剂改性条件对羊毛纤维活性染料和酸性染料染色性能的影响.结果表明,经过NaHSO3预处理与鸡毛蛋白改性助剂联合改性的羊毛纤维可以显著改善染色性能,提高染料上染百分率、固色率、耐洗色牢度,尤其适合染深浓色产品.同时,毛织物吸湿性提高,穿着舒适性改善.     

ATM phosphorylation of Nijmegen breakage syndrome protein is required in a DNA damage response

Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is characterized by extreme radiation sensitivity, chromosomal instability and cancer. The phenotypes are similar to those of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) disease, where there is a deficiency in a protein kinase that is activated by DNA damage, indicating that the Nbs and Atm proteins may participate in common pathways. Here we report that Nbs is specifically phosphorylated in response to gamma-radiation, ultraviolet light and exposure to hydroxyurea. Phosphorylation of Nbs mediated by gamma-radiation, but not that induced by hydroxyurea or ultraviolet light, was markedly reduced in ATM cells. In vivo, Nbs was phosphorylated on many serine residues, of which S343, S397 and S615 were phosphorylated by Atm in vitro. At least two of these sites were underphosphorylated in ATM cells. Inactivation of these serines by mutation partially abrogated Atm-dependent phosphorylation. Reconstituting NBS cells with a mutant form of Nbs that cannot be phosphorylated at selected, ATM-dependent serine residues led to a specific reduction in clonogenic survival after gamma-radiation. Thus, phosphorylation of Nbs by Atm is critical for certain responses of human cells to DNA damage.     

DNA-dependent protein kinase is not required for the p53-dependent response to DNA damage.

Damage to DNA in the cell activates the tumour-suppressor protein p53, and failure of this activation leads to genetic instability and a predisposition to cancer. It is therefore crucial to understand the signal transduction mechanisms that connect DNA damage with p53 activation. The enzyme known as DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) has been proposed to be an essential activator of p53, but the evidence for its involvement in this pathway is controversial. We now show that the p53 response is fully functional in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking DNA-PK: irradiation-induced DNA damage in these defective fibroblasts induces a normal response of p53 accumulation, phosphorylation of a p53 serine residue at position 15, nuclear localization and binding to DNA of p53. The upregulation of p53-target genes and cell-cycle arrest also occur normally. The DNA-PK-deficient cell line SCGR11 contains a homozygous mutation in the DNA-binding domain of p53, which may explain the defective response by p53 reported in this line. Our results indicate that DNA-PK activity is not required for cells to mount a p53-dependent response to DNA damage.     

The Cdt1 protein is required to license DNA for replication in fission yeast

To maintain genome stability in eukaryotic cells, DNA is licensed for replication only after the cell has completed mitosis, ensuring that DNA synthesis (S phase) occurs once every cell cycle. This licensing control is thought to require the protein Cdc6 (Cdc18 in fission yeast) as a mediator for association of minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins with chromatin. The control is overridden in fission yeast by overexpressing Cdc18 (ref. 11) which leads to continued DNA synthesis in the absence of mitosis. Other factors acting in this control have been postulated and we have used a re-replication assay to identify Cdt1 (ref. 14) as one such factor. Cdt1 cooperates with Cdc18 to promote DNA replication, interacts with Cdc18, is located in the nucleus, and its concentration peaks as cells finish mitosis and proceed to S phase. Both Cdc18 and Cdt1 are required to load the MCM protein Cdc21 onto chromatin at the end of mitosis and this is necessary to initiate DNA replication. Genes related to Cdt1 have been found in Metazoa and plants (A. Whitaker, I. Roysman and T. Orr-Weaver, personal communication), suggesting that the cooperation of Cdc6/Cdc18 with Cdt1 to load MCM proteins onto chromatin may be a generally conserved feature of DNA licensing in eukaryotes.     

SJT-B/表面活性剂/聚合物体系传输和转向能力实验研究

三元复合驱是最具应用前景的提高采收率技术之一，但采出液所引起的采油设备腐蚀和结垢问题制约着该技术的大规模推广应用。SJT-B助剂是一种磷硅酸盐化学添加剂，它具有良好的缓蚀防垢和降低界面张力效果。本文通过相关物理模拟实验研究，考察了“聚合物/SJT-B助剂/活性剂DQ”和“聚合物/SJT-B助剂”复合体系的传输和转向或调剖能力。结果表明，与聚合物溶液或普通三元复合体系相比较，添加SJT-B助剂后二元和三元复合体系的传输能力减弱，转向能力增强，这表明SJT-B助剂不仅具有良好的缓蚀防垢和降低界面张力效果，而且具有较强的调剖能力。     

Cyclin specificity in the phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinase substrates

Cell-cycle events are controlled by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), whose periodic activation is driven by cyclins. Different cyclins promote distinct cell-cycle events, but the molecular basis for these differences remains unclear. Here we compare the specificity of two budding yeast cyclins, the S-phase cyclin Clb5 and the M-phase cyclin Clb2, in the phosphorylation of 150 Cdk1 (Cdc28) substrates. About 24% of these proteins were phosphorylated more efficiently by Clb5-Cdk1 than Clb2-Cdk1. The Clb5-specific targets include several proteins (Sld2, Cdc6, Orc6, Mcm3 and Cdh1) involved in early S-phase events. Clb5 specificity depended on an interaction between a hydrophobic patch in Clb5 and a short sequence in the substrate (the RXL or Cy motif). Phosphorylation of Clb5-specific targets during S phase was reduced by replacing Clb5 with Clb2 or by mutating the substrate RXL motif, confirming the importance of Clb5 specificity in vivo. Although we did not identify any highly Clb2-specific substrates, we found that Clb2-Cdk1 possessed higher intrinsic kinase activity than Clb5-Cdk1, enabling efficient phosphorylation of a broad range of mitotic Cdk1 targets. Thus, Clb5 and Clb2 use distinct mechanisms to enhance the phosphorylation of S-phase and M-phase substrates.     

The B-cell surface protein CD72/Lyb-2 is the ligand for CD5.

The glycoprotein CD5 is expressed on the surface membrane of all mature T cells and a small proportion of B lymphocytes. Its exact role in immune interactions is still unknown. Studies indicate that CD5 functions both in mice and humans as a receptor, delivering co-stimulatory signals to T cells in a manner similar to CD2 (ref. 11) and CD28 (ref. 12). Anti-CD5 antibodies stimulate both T-cell proliferation mediated by CD3 in association with the T-cell receptor and secretion of interleukin-2 and expression of its receptor, as well as inducing an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration (refs 5-10). To identify the ligand for CD5 we purified the human CD5 protein, labelled it with biotin and used it as a probe. Here we report that CD5 specifically interacts with the cell-surface protein CD72 exclusive to B cells. This interaction is blocked by anti-CD72 antibodies, but not by any other anti-B-cell antibodies. Moreover, non-B cells (mouse L-cell fibroblasts and human Jurkat T cells) expressing a transfected human CD72 complementary DNA could bind to the CD5-biotin conjugate. The results demonstrate that the B-cell surface protein CD72 (Lyb-2 in mice) is the ligand for CD5.     

浅论前手翻教学中的辅助练习

前手翻是体育院校学生普修体操技巧单项的重点动作。本文主要介绍用手倒立作为前手翻教学的辅助性练习，使学生较快较好地掌握前手翻的技术。