组蛋白去甲基化酶LSD1的结构和功能研究进展

组蛋白去甲基化酶LSD1的发现是表观遗传学领域的重要进展,揭示了组蛋白赖氨酸甲基化和其他化学修饰如乙酰化、磷酸化、泛素化等一样是一个动态调节的过程.结构和功能研究显示 LSD1调控着基因转录的激活和抑制以及p53的活性,在癌症的发生和发展中起着重要的作用,是一个潜在的抗癌药物开发靶蛋白.     

The histone H3.3 chaperone HIRA is essential for chromatin assembly in the male pronucleus

In sexually reproducing animals, a crucial step in zygote formation is the decondensation of the fertilizing sperm nucleus into a DNA replication-competent male pronucleus. Genome-wide nucleosome assembly on paternal DNA implies the replacement of sperm chromosomal proteins, such as protamines, by maternally provided histones. This fundamental process is specifically impaired in sésame (ssm), a unique Drosophila maternal effect mutant that prevents male pronucleus formation. Here we show that ssm is a point mutation in the Hira gene, thus demonstrating that the histone chaperone protein HIRA is required for nucleosome assembly during sperm nucleus decondensation. In vertebrates, HIRA has recently been shown to be critical for a nucleosome assembly pathway independent of DNA synthesis that specifically involves the H3.3 histone variant. We also show that nucleosomes containing H3.3, and not H3, are specifically assembled in paternal Drosophila chromatin before the first round of DNA replication. The exclusive marking of paternal chromosomes with H3.3 represents a primary epigenetic distinction between parental genomes in the zygote, and underlines an important consequence of the critical and highly specialized function of HIRA at fertilization.     

Evidence against Ha-ras-1 involvement in sporadic and familial melanoma

It was recently reported that different rare alleles at the Ha-ras-1 locus occurred at a significantly higher combined frequency in cancer patients than in an unaffected population. In particular, melanoma patients were reported to have a significantly higher frequency of such alleles. We have examined the frequency of rare Ha-ras-1 alleles in a large number of cases of sporadic melanoma. Our results indicate that the distribution of rare alleles in this population does not differ from that found in normal populations. Also, to test the hypothesis that a hereditary predisposition to melanoma could be inherited via an allele at the Ha-ras-1 locus, we examined the transmission of the segment of the short arm of chromosome 11 (11p) carrying the Ha-ras-1 locus in a number of families previously shown to exhibit a hereditary predisposition to melanoma and its precursor lesion, the dysplastic nevus syndrome (DNS). Our genetic linkage results thus obtained strongly exclude the association of a predisposition to melanoma or the precursor lesion with the inheritance of the Ha-ras-1 locus or the segment of chromosome 11 on which it is located. These results imply that hereditary predisposition to melanoma is associated with genes other than the Ha-ras-1 locus, contradicting the original suggestion of Krontiris et al., made on the basis of either an inadequate sample size or other misleading experimental factors.     

CycIin B1、CDK1在肺癌中过表达及其意义

采用免疫组化ABC法检测12例肺癌组织、11例癌旁组织及3例正常肺组织中cyclin B1、CDK1蛋白的表达情况,以探讨细胞周期蛋白cyclin Bl及细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶CDK1在不同肺癌组织中的异常表达及其临床意义.结果显示cyclin B1在正常肺组织、癌旁组织、癌组织中阳性率分别为0%、9.1%和50.0%,CDK1的阳性率则为0%、18.2%和75.0%,cyclin Bl、CDK1在小细胞肺癌和鳞癌中存在广泛的过表达,而在大细胞肺癌中没有表达,并且在不同肿瘤亚型中表达也有差异性.     

Cyclin B1、CDK1在肺癌中过表达及其意义

摘要：采用免疫组化ABC法检测12例肺癌组织、11例癌旁组织及3例正常肺组织中cyclin B1、CDK1蛋白的表达情况，以探讨细胞周期蛋白eyelin B1及细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶CDK1在不同肺癌组织中的异常表达及其临床意义。结果显示cyclin B1在正常肺组织、癌旁组织、癌组织中阳性率分别为0％、9．1％和50．0％，CDK1的阳性率则为0％、18.2％和75.0％，cyclin B1、CDK1在小细胞肺癌和鳞癌中存在广泛的过表达，而在大细胞肺癌中没有表达，并且在不同肿瘤亚型中表达也有差异性．     

A cellular oncogene (c-Ki-ras) is amplified, overexpressed, and located within karyotypic abnormalities in mouse adrenocortical tumour cells

The cellular oncogene c-Ki-ras is amplified 30- to 60-fold in cells of the mouse adrenocortical tumour Y1. The amplified oncogene is located in double minute chromosomes and in a homogeneously staining chromosomal region, common karyotypical anomalies of tumour cells. The amounts of c-Ki-ras specific mRNA and of the protein (p21) encoded by the amplified gene are correspondingly elevated. Amplification and enhanced expression of cellular oncogenes may contribute to the genesis and/or maintenance of at least some naturally occurring tumours.     

Bmi1 is essential for cerebellar development and is overexpressed in human medulloblastomas

Overexpression of the polycomb group gene Bmi1 promotes cell proliferation and induces leukaemia through repression of Cdkn2a (also known as ink4a/Arf) tumour suppressors. Conversely, loss of Bmi1 leads to haematological defects and severe progressive neurological abnormalities in which de-repression of the ink4a/Arf locus is critically implicated. Here, we show that Bmi1 is strongly expressed in proliferating cerebellar precursor cells in mice and humans. Using Bmi1-null mice we demonstrate a crucial role for Bmi1 in clonal expansion of granule cell precursors both in vivo and in vitro. Deregulated proliferation of these progenitor cells, by activation of the sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway, leads to medulloblastoma development. We also demonstrate linked overexpression of BMI1 and patched (PTCH), suggestive of SHH pathway activation, in a substantial fraction of primary human medulloblastomas. Together with the rapid induction of Bmi1 expression on addition of Shh or on overexpression of the Shh target Gli1 in cerebellar granule cell cultures, these findings implicate BMI1 overexpression as an alternative or additive mechanism in the pathogenesis of medulloblastomas, and highlight a role for Bmi1-containing polycomb complexes in proliferation of cerebellar precursor cells.     

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 prolyl isomerase Pin1 is a regulator of p53 in genotoxic response

p53 is activated in response to various genotoxic stresses resulting in cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. It is well documented that DNA damage leads to phosphorylation and activation of p53 (refs 1-3), yet how p53 is activated is still not fully understood. Here we report that DNA damage specifically induces p53 phosphorylation on Ser/Thr-Pro motifs, which facilitates its interaction with Pin1, a member of peptidyl-prolyl isomerase. Furthermore, the interaction of Pin1 with p53 is dependent on the phosphorylation that is induced by DNA damage. Consequently, Pin1 stimulates the DNA-binding activity and transactivation function of p53. The Pin1-mediated p53 activation requires the WW domain, a phosphorylated Ser/Thr-Pro motif interaction module, and the isomerase activity of Pin1. Moreover, Pin1-deficient cells are defective in p53 activation and timely accumulation of p53 protein, and exhibit an impaired checkpoint control in response to DNA damage. Together, these data suggest a mechanism for p53 regulation in cellular response to genotoxic stress.     

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.     

The Ph1 locus is needed to ensure specific somatic and meiotic centromere association

The correct pairing and segregation of chromosomes during meiosis is essential for genetic stability and subsequent fertility. This is more difficult to achieve in polyploid species, such as wheat, because they possess more than one diploid set of similar chromosomes. In wheat, the Ph1 locus ensures correct homologue pairing and recombination. Although clustering of telomeres into a bouquet early in meiosis has been suggested to facilitate homologue pairing, centromeres associate in pairs in polyploid cereals early during floral development. We can now extend this observation to root development. Here we show that the Ph1 locus acts both meiotically and somatically by reducing non-homologous centromere associations. This has the effect of promoting true homologous association when centromeres are induced to associate. In fact, non-homologously associated centromeres separate at the beginning of meiosis in the presence, but not the absence, of Ph1. This permits the correction of homologue association during the telomere-bouquet stage in meiosis. We conclude that the Ph1 locus is not responsible for the induction of centromere association, but rather for its specificity.     

The conserved protein DCN-1/Dcn1p is required for cullin neddylation in C. elegans and S. cerevisiae

SCF-type E3 ubiquitin ligases are multi-protein complexes required for polyubiquitination and subsequent degradation of target proteins by the 26S proteasome. Cullins, together with the RING-finger protein Rbx1, form the catalytic core of the ligase, and recruit the substrate-recognition module. Cycles of covalent modification of cullins by the ubiquitin-like molecule Nedd8 (neddylation) and removal of Nedd8 by the COP9 signalosome (deneddylation) positively regulate E3 ligase activity. Here we report the identification and analysis of a widely conserved protein that is required for cullin neddylation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. C. elegans DCN-1 and S. cerevisiae Dcn1p (defective in cullin neddylation) are characterized by a novel UBA-like ubiquitin-binding domain and a DUF298 domain of unknown function. Consistent with their requirements for neddylation, DCN-1 and Dcn1p directly bind Nedd8 and physically associate with cullins in both species. Moreover, overexpression of Dcn1p in yeast results in the accumulation of Nedd8-modified cullin Cdc53p. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments indicate that Dcn1p does not inhibit deneddylation of Cdc53p by the COP9 signalosome, but greatly increases the kinetics of the neddylation reaction.     

RACK1依赖的miRNA途径参与调节植物叶绿素的生物合成

为深入探索活化C激酶受体1(receptor of activated C kinase 1,RACK 1)在调节植物microRNA(miRNA)的生物发生,以及其靶基因中的关键作用,对在美国国家生物技术信息中心(National Center for Biotechnology Information,NCBI)网站上共享的基因表达综合数据库(Gene Expression Omnibus,GEO)中有关rack1突变体的小RNA序列数据重新进行了系统分析和挖掘,找到了19个新miRNA.通过解析差异miRNA表达,鉴定到了特异调控叶绿素合成相关基因HEMA和HEMC表达的miRNA,为今后深入系统地研究RACK1在调节叶绿体发育和光合作用机理提供了关键的理论依据,也为利用公共数据库挖掘潜在的数据信息提供了基本的研究设想和思路.     

OX40L在小鼠B16黑素瘤细胞中表达及对活化淋巴细胞凋亡影响

目的:构建OX40L的真核表达载体,分析其在B16细胞中的表达,研究OX40L对活化T淋巴细胞凋亡的影响.方法:以小鼠C57BL/6脾脏的cDNA为模板,PER扩增小鼠OX40L基因,构建真核表达载体pVAX1-OX40L,转染B16细胞后,荧光染色检测OX40L的表达;利用AnnexinV-PE凋亡试剂盒,检测B16黑素瘤细胞-淋巴细胞体外混合培养中对活化淋巴细胞凋亡的影响.结果:成功构建OX40L的真核表达载体,并转染B16细胞中,流式细胞术和激光共聚焦显微术均可检测到OX40L表达于B16细胞表面.淋巴细胞体外混合培养显示,表达OX40L的B16细胞组活化淋巴细胞的凋亡率为6.57%,而空质粒转染组为17.24%.结论:OX40L能表达于B16细胞表面,并能显著抑制活化淋巴细胞凋亡.     

Plaxo及其实现研究

P laxo是目前国外发展比较迅速,影响面比较大的一个数据同步、通讯录管理软件,一个被称之为下一个Google的软件.现首先介绍P laxo的主要功能及其使用情况;然后就P laxo的两个主要功能:数据同步和通讯录更新自动通知更改功能阐述了其基本实现原理.在文章的最后,针对P laxo的两点不足提出了自己的改进方案.     

系统中的O-1矩阵及其主要性质

系统是若干要素相互联系的有机整体；而系统中各要素之间的相互联系可定义出元素为由0—1两个数所构成的矩阵，由该矩阵的性质可得到系统中的某些内部结构；本文给出0—1矩阵的概念及其运算法则，指出了系统结构中0—1矩阵的主要性质．     

系统中的0-1矩阵及其主要性质

系统是若干要素相互联系的有机整体;而系统中各要素之间的相互联系可定义出元素为由0、1两个数所构成的矩阵,由该矩阵的性质可得到系统中的某些内部结构;本文给出0-1矩阵的概念及其运算法则,指出了系统结构中0-1矩阵的主要性质.