Structure of the parainfluenza virus 5 F protein in its metastable, prefusion conformation

Enveloped viruses have evolved complex glycoprotein machinery that drives the fusion of viral and cellular membranes, permitting entry of the viral genome into the cell. For the paramyxoviruses, the fusion (F) protein catalyses this membrane merger and entry step, and it has been postulated that the F protein undergoes complex refolding during this process. Here we report the crystal structure of the parainfluenza virus 5 F protein in its prefusion conformation, stabilized by the addition of a carboxy-terminal trimerization domain. The structure of the F protein shows that there are profound conformational differences between the pre- and postfusion states, involving transformations in secondary and tertiary structure. The positions and structural transitions of key parts of the fusion machinery, including the hydrophobic fusion peptide and two helical heptad repeat regions, clarify the mechanism of membrane fusion mediated by the F protein.     

Crystal structure of opsin in its G-protein-interacting conformation

Opsin, the ligand-free form of the G-protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin, at low pH adopts a conformationally distinct, active G-protein-binding state known as Ops*. A synthetic peptide derived from the main binding site of the heterotrimeric G protein-the carboxy terminus of the alpha-subunit (GalphaCT)-stabilizes Ops*. Here we present the 3.2 A crystal structure of the bovine Ops*-GalphaCT peptide complex. GalphaCT binds to a site in opsin that is opened by an outward tilt of transmembrane helix (TM) 6, a pairing of TM5 and TM6, and a restructured TM7-helix 8 kink. Contacts along the inner surface of TM5 and TM6 induce an alpha-helical conformation in GalphaCT with a C-terminal reverse turn. Main-chain carbonyl groups in the reverse turn constitute the centre of a hydrogen-bonded network, which links the two receptor regions containing the conserved E(D)RY and NPxxY(x)(5,6)F motifs. On the basis of the Ops*-GalphaCT structure and known conformational changes in Galpha, we discuss signal transfer from the receptor to the G protein nucleotide-binding site.     

冠心病患者血清超敏C反应蛋白的检测及其临床意义

目的:探讨血清超敏C反应蛋白(Hs-CRP)在冠心病患者中的变化及其临床意义. 方法:采用胶乳增强免疫比浊法分别测定3例稳定性心绞痛(SAP)、48例不稳定性心绞痛(UAP)、12例缺血性心肌病(ICM),29例急性心肌梗死(AMI)及29例急性心肌梗死恢复期患者血清Hs-CRP含量,并与40例健康人做比较,同时探讨Hs-CRP与肌酸激酶(CK)、肌酸激酶同工酶(CK-MB)的关系.结果:SAP、UAP、ICM、AMI和AMI恢复期组血清Hs-CRP质量浓度分别为:(0.78±0.52)mg/L、(1.43±1.27)mg/L、(1.67±0.89)mg/L、(31.64±37.37)mg/L及(0.56±0.27)mg/L,经与对照组(0.55±0.23)mg/L比较,UAP、ICM、AMI均显著性升高(P<0.01).结论:Hs-CRP与冠心病发生有关,对冠心病的预测、发展及预后判断有重要的临床价值.     

Regulated import and degradation of a cytosolic protein in the yeast vacuole.

The key regulatory enzyme in gluconeogenesis, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) is subject to glucose-stimulated proteolytic degradation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This process involves the regulated transfer of FBPase directly from the cytosol into the vacuole or a vacuole-related organelle. Glucose may regulate the production of an FBPase receptor or import factor that is transported to the vacuole through the secretory pathway.     

白术多糖的溶液构象及其变化

采用刚果红实验判断白术多糖WAM在溶液中的构象特征,通过测定不同溶液体系中多糖分子的黏度、比旋度、紫外吸收光谱和圆二色谱的变化来研究多糖构象及其变化规律.实验结果表明:WAM不具有螺旋结构,温度、金属离子、变性剂均可以使WAM构象发生改变.WAM在溶液中以无规则线团形式存在.     

出芽酵母蛋白激酶TOS3的过量表达及其在热胁迫应答中的作用

出芽酵母SNF1蛋白激酶参与葡萄糖阻遏和细胞胁迫应答.TOS3可通过磷酸化激活SNF1,参与SNF1调控的信号途径.本研究利用PCR方法扩增tos3基因的蛋白质编码序列,克隆到多拷贝表达载体pYES2/NTA上构建真核表达载体,转化酵母细胞并诱导TOS3过量表达.带HIS6标签的重组TOS3蛋白通过免疫印迹得以鉴定.进一步研究了过量表达TOS3对细胞热胁迫耐受性的影响,发现在热胁迫处理条件下,TOS3过量表达可恢复△snf1突变体细胞的生长缺陷,表明TOS3可能通过不依赖SNF1的其他信号途径参与细胞对热胁迫应答的调控.     

Widespread changes in protein synthesis induced by microRNAs

Animal microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by inhibiting translation and/or by inducing degradation of target messenger RNAs. It is unknown how much translational control is exerted by miRNAs on a genome-wide scale. We used a new proteomic approach to measure changes in synthesis of several thousand proteins in response to miRNA transfection or endogenous miRNA knockdown. In parallel, we quantified mRNA levels using microarrays. Here we show that a single miRNA can repress the production of hundreds of proteins, but that this repression is typically relatively mild. A number of known features of the miRNA-binding site such as the seed sequence also govern repression of human protein synthesis, and we report additional target sequence characteristics. We demonstrate that, in addition to downregulating mRNA levels, miRNAs also directly repress translation of hundreds of genes. Finally, our data suggest that a miRNA can, by direct or indirect effects, tune protein synthesis from thousands of genes.     

LysM蛋白在植物免疫中的作用

溶解素基序（LysM）是在多种蛋白质中普遍存在的结构域.植物LysM蛋白能够感知几丁质及其寡糖等分子配体,从而启动植物对病原菌的免疫反应.在水稻、拟南芥等植物免疫应答过程中,LysM蛋白作为一种重要的模式识别受体,通过不同形式的寡聚化,激活多种类受体胞质激酶及其下游的MAPK（mitogen activated protein kinase）级联反应传递信号.同时,蛋白质可逆磷酸化和蛋白质降解途径可以负调节LysM蛋白介导的防御信号转导.文章综述了植物免疫过程中LysM蛋白介导的信号转导分子机制.     

The conformation of the DNA double helix in the crystal is dependent on its environment

Studies of the crystal structures of more than 30 synthetic DNA fragments have provided structural information about three basic forms of the double helix: A-, B- and Z-form DNA. These studies have demonstrated that the DNA double helix adopts a highly variable structure which is related to its base sequence. The extent to which such observed structures are influenced by the crystalline environment can be found by studying the same molecule in different crystalline forms. We have recently crystallized one particular oligomer in various crystal forms. Here we report the results of structural analyses of the different crystal structures and demonstrate that the DNA double helix can adopt a range of conformations in the crystalline state depending on hydration, molecular packing and temperature. These results have implications on our understanding of the influence of the environment on DNA structure, and on the modes of DNA recognition by proteins.     

The role of protein surface charges in ion binding

Protein engineering is a means of probing the role of electrostatic interactions in protein functions; this elegant technique has been applied to the elucidation of electrostatic effects in enzyme catalysis. Here we show how the use of mutant proteins allows the determination of the contributions of individual charges to the free energy of ion binding to proteins. We have investigated the importance of three negatively charged side chains in the binding of Ca2+ to bovine calbindin D9K (ref.2): these are clustered around the calcium sites but are not directly involved as ligands. Each of these charges is found to contribute approximately 7 kJ mol-1 to the free energy of binding of two Ca2+ ions and to affect the cooperativity of Ca2+ binding. The influence of surface charges on ion binding to proteins may be more common than generally supposed and could have important consequences for protein function.     

论信息社会高职教师角色的转变

信息技术在教育领域的深入应用,使得教育思想、观念、教学模式、方法、手段等诸多方面都发生了很大的变化。与教育环境紧密相联的教师角色受到巨大挑战,面临着转变与重新定位。本文在对传统教师角色的局限性、信息社会教育发展的新趋势进行全面分析的基础上,揭示信息社会对高职教师的新要求,进而探讨高职教师角色的新内涵,试图对新的环境下的高职教师角色建立一个较为清晰的认识。