Squid major lens polypeptides are homologous to glutathione S-transferases subunits

The eye lenses of cephalopods and vertebrates evolved relatively recently and by independent routes. They provide a good experimental model for the study of convergent evolution at the protein level. One proposal is that pre-existing proteins were recruited as structural eye lens proteins during evolution. This has been confirmed for the vertebrate eye lens structural proteins, or crystallins, which have been intensively studied. Despite the limited information about cephalopod eye lenses, it has been suggested that glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a possible evolutionary ancestor of the squid major lens proteins. Recently, the N-terminal sequence of the squid major lens protein was shown to be 55% homologous with that of the Ya subunit of the rat GST. Here, we demonstrate that the squid major lens polypeptides are encoded by a gene family of at least three members. We characterize two cDNAs corresponding to these genes and show they probably either are GST subunits themselves, or share an evolutionary ancestor with them.     

Structure Characterization of the Folding Intermediates of Proteins

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｍａｌｌｓｉｎｇｌｅ ｄｏｍａｉｎ ｐｒｏｔｅｉｎｓｕｓｕａｌｌｙｕｎｆｏｌｄｒｅｖｅｒｓｉｂｌｙｂｙａｃｏｏｐｅｒａｔｉｖｅ ｐｒｏｃｅｓｓｉｎｗｈｉｃｈｐａｒｔｉａｌｌｙ ｆｏｌｄｅｄｉｎｔｅｒｍｅｄｉａｔｅｓｂｅｔｗｅｅｎｔｈｅｆｕｌｌｙｆｏｌｄｅｄ ,ｎａｔｉｖｅｓｔａｔｅａｎｄｔｈｅｆｕｌｌｙｕｎｆｏｌｄｅｄｓｔａｔｅａｒｅｎｏｔｓｔａｂｌｅａｔｅｑｕｉｌｉｂｒｉｕｍ .Ｕｎｄｅｒ ｐａｒｔｉｃｕｌａｒｃｏｎｄｉｔｉｏｎｓ ,ｓｏｍｅ ｐｒｏｔｅｉｎｓｈａｖｅｃｏｎｆｏｒ…     

A new way of enhancing the thermostability of proteases

Thermostability of enzyme can be enhanced by single amino acid substitutions. Recent advances in genetic engineering have made it possible to create novel proteins in a predictable manner where structural information for the protein is available. This 'protein engineering' has already been used to enhance enzyme thermostability, but it is usually not clear which amino acid substitutions should be made. We consider that the following approach should be helpful in engineering proteins with enhanced thermostability: highly conserved residues should be left unchanged; the sequences of known mesophilic and thermophilic proteins should be used to suggest the kinds of changes likely to increase thermostability; and substitutions should be made that increase internal hydrophobicity and that stabilize helices for strong internal packing. We describe here the use of this approach to alter the thermostability of the thermostable neutral protease of Bacillus stearothermophilus, the sequence of which is known. Surprisingly we find that a single mutation that decreases thermostability can require two mutations that increase stability to compensate for it. The effects on stability are not additive, suggesting cooperativity.     

蓝藻真核型蛋白质激酶与信号传导

对最近10年在蓝藻中找到大量编码Ser／Thr基因的研究结果进行了综述,并对这些蛋白质激酶在信号传导中的作用模式做了讨论．     

Assembly reflects evolution of protein complexes

A homomer is formed by self-interacting copies of a protein unit. This is functionally important, as in allostery, and structurally crucial because mis-assembly of homomers is implicated in disease. Homomers are widespread, with 50-70% of proteins with a known quaternary state assembling into such structures. Despite their prevalence, their role in the evolution of cellular machinery and the potential for their use in the design of new molecular machines, little is known about the mechanisms that drive formation of homomers at the level of evolution and assembly in the cell. Here we present an analysis of over 5,000 unique atomic structures and show that the quaternary structure of homomers is conserved in over 70% of protein pairs sharing as little as 30% sequence identity. Where quaternary structure is not conserved among the members of a protein family, a detailed investigation revealed well-defined evolutionary pathways by which proteins transit between different quaternary structure types. Furthermore, we show by perturbing subunit interfaces within complexes and by mass spectrometry analysis, that the (dis)assembly pathway mimics the evolutionary pathway. These data represent a molecular analogy to Haeckel's evolutionary paradigm of embryonic development, where an intermediate in the assembly of a complex represents a form that appeared in its own evolutionary history. Our model of self-assembly allows reliable prediction of evolution and assembly of a complex solely from its crystal structure.     

蛋白丝氨酸/苏氨酸磷酸酶对细胞周期的调节作用及其与肿瘤关系的研究进展

综述蛋白丝氨酸/苏氨酸磷酸酶的分类及其在细胞生长、分化方面的作用,蛋白丝氨酸/苏氨酸磷酸酶对细胞周期调节作用及其与肿瘤的关系研究进展。蛋白丝氨酸/苏氨酸磷酸酶抑制剂的研究有助于我们了解细胞生长、发育、调控的机制,寻找预防和治疗肿瘤的新途径。     

A yeast prion provides a mechanism for genetic variation and phenotypic diversity

A major enigma in evolutionary biology is that new forms or functions often require the concerted effects of several independent genetic changes. It is unclear how such changes might accumulate when they are likely to be deleterious individually and be lost by selective pressure. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae prion [PSI+] is an epigenetic modifier of the fidelity of translation termination, but its impact on yeast biology has been unclear. Here we show that [PSI+] provides the means to uncover hidden genetic variation and produce new heritable phenotypes. Moreover, in each of the seven genetic backgrounds tested, the constellation of phenotypes produced was unique. We propose that the epigenetic and metastable nature of [PSI+] inheritance allows yeast cells to exploit pre-existing genetic variation to thrive in fluctuating environments. Further, the capacity of [PSI+] to convert previously neutral genetic variation to a non-neutral state may facilitate the evolution of new traits.     

电子支付市场的创新策略与演化

为了研究支付机构间的竞争性互动行为,通过引入支付市场用户的“转换成本”差异分析用户的异质性及其行为对支付创新策略的影响,并运用演化博弈推论局部渐进演化稳
定战略的形成条件。证明了当演化均衡路径可达时,会强化或弱化整个支付市场的创新行为,为研究支付机构群体间创新所带来的竞争性互动提供了理论框架。     

Role of a subdomain in the folding of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor.

The disulphide-bonded intermediates that accumulate in the oxidative folding of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) were characterized some time ago. Structural characterization of these intermediates would provide an explanation of the kinetically preferred pathways of folding for BPTI. When folding occurs under strongly oxidizing conditions, more than half the molecules become trapped in an intermediate, designated N*, which is similar to the native protein but lacks the 30-51 disulphide bond. We have tested the hypothesis that the precursor to N* is the one-disulphide intermediate [5-55], which contains the most stable disulphide in BPTI, and present evidence here that this is the case. A peptide model of [5-55], corresponding to a subdomain of BPTI, seems to fold into a native-like conformation, explaining why [5-55] does not lead to native protein and why it folds rapidly to N*. A native-like subdomain structure in a peptide model of [30-51], the other crucial one-disulphide intermediate, may explain the route by which [30-51] folds to native protein. Thus, much of the folding pathway of BPTI can be explained by the formation of a native-like subdomain in these two early intermediates. This suggests that a large part of the protein folding problem can be reduced to identifying and understanding subdomains of native proteins.     

大亚湾沉积物中氨基酸的垂直分布——沉积物柱样W9中的水解氨基酸和游离氨基酸

目的：研究沉积物中水解和游离氨基酸的垂直分布特征。方法：采集60 cm大亚湾柱状沉积物样品，每2cm为一层分割，用反相高效液相色谱法分析每层样品中的水解和游离氨基酸含量，对分析结果进行曲线拟合的相关分析。结果：15种游离氨基酸和水解氨基酸中的丝氨酸、苏氨酸、丙氨酸、缬氨酸、异亮氨酸和亮氨酸含量的对数值与深度之间存在显著的线性关系；中性氨基酸甘氨酸、丝氨酸、苏氨酸、丙氨酸、缬氨酸、异亮氨酸和亮氨酸的水解和游离氨基酸含量之间存在显著的相关关系。结论：15种游游离氨基酸和6种中性水解氨基酸的垂直分布可用指数方程来描述；中性水解氨基酸和游离基酸之间存在显著的相关性。     

Protein dispensability and rate of evolution.

If protein evolution is due in large part to slightly deleterious amino acid substitutions, then the rate of evolution should be greater in proteins that contribute less to individual fitness. The rationale for this prediction is that relatively dispensable proteins should be subject to weaker purifying selection, and should therefore accumulate mildly deleterious substitutions more rapidly. Although this argument was presented over twenty years ago, and is fundamental to many applications of evolutionary theory, the prediction has proved difficult to confirm. In fact, a recent study showed that essential mouse genes do not evolve more slowly than non-essential ones. Thus, although a variety of factors influencing the rate of protein evolution have been supported by extensive sequence analysis, the relationship between protein dispensability and evolutionary rate has remained unconfirmed. Here we use the results from a highly parallel growth assay of single gene deletions in yeast to assess protein dispensability, which we relate to evolutionary rate estimates that are based on comparisons of sequences drawn from twenty-one fully annotated genomes. Our analysis reveals a highly significant relationship between protein dispensability and evolutionary rate, and explains why this relationship is not detectable by categorical comparison of essential versus non-essential proteins. The relationship is highly conserved, so that protein dispensability in yeast is also predictive of evolutionary rate in a nematode worm.     

The evolutionary origin of flatfish asymmetry

All adult flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes), including the gastronomically familiar plaice, sole, turbot and halibut, have highly asymmetrical skulls, with both eyes placed on one side of the head. This arrangement, one of the most extraordinary anatomical specializations among vertebrates, arises through migration of one eye during late larval development. Although the transformation of symmetrical larvae into asymmetrical juveniles is well documented, the evolutionary origins of flatfish asymmetry are uncertain because there are no transitional forms linking flatfishes with their symmetrical relatives. The supposed inviability of such intermediates gave pleuronectiforms a prominent role in evolutionary debates, leading to attacks on natural selection and arguments for saltatory change. Here I show that Amphistium and the new genus Heteronectes, both extinct spiny-finned fishes from the Eocene epoch of Europe, are the most primitive pleuronectiforms known. The orbital region of the skull in both taxa is strongly asymmetrical, as in living flatfishes, but these genera retain many primitive characters unknown in extant forms. Most remarkably, orbital migration was incomplete in Amphistium and Heteronectes, with eyes remaining on opposite sides of the head in post-metamorphic individuals. This condition is intermediate between that in living pleuronectiforms and the arrangement found in other fishes. Amphistium and Heteronectes indicate that the evolution of the profound cranial asymmetry of extant flatfishes was gradual in nature.     

A new method of research on molecular evolution of proteinase superfamily

The molecular evolutionary tree, also known as a phylogenetic tree, of the serine proteinase superfamily was constructed by means of structural alignment. Three-dimensional structures of proteins were aligned by the SSAP program of Orengo and Taylor to obtain evolutionary distances. The resulting evolutionary tree provides a topology graph that can reflect the evolution of structure and function of homology proteinase. Moreover, study on evolution of the serine proteinase superfamily can lead to better understanding of the relationship and evolutionary difference among proteins of the superfamily, and is of significance to protein engineering, molecular design and protein structure prediction. Structure alignment is one of the useful methods of research on molecular evolution of protein.     

中性植酸酶结构与功能关系研究进展

中性植酸酶是一种新型、绿色环保的饲料用酶。从中性植酸酶的微生物来源、酶学性质、序列结构特点及分子改造研究等方面进行综述,以期为改善中性植酸酶的热稳定性及催化活性提供参考。     

产业集群知识共享机制的演化博弈分析

运用演化博弈理论方法,建立了一个产业集群的知识共享机制的演化博弈模型,分析了产业集群的知识共享机制的动态演变过程,得出了产业集群的文化环境所形成的机制是影响产业集群的知识共享演化的关键因素。     

耐热、高产重组人Cu,Zn-SOD改构体的构建及纯化方法的研究

目的通过对天然人Cu,Zn-SOD基因的改造,得到热稳定性、活性产量提高的重组人Cu,Zn-SOD(rhCu,Zn-SOD)改构体,并进行蛋白纯化方法的研究。方法重叠PCR技术将天然hCu,Zn-SOD的Cys6突变为A la6,Cys111突变为Ser111,构建重组质粒pET22b-rmhCu,Zn-SOD6A la,111Ser,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),IPTG诱导后SDS-PAGE分析改构体蛋白的表达,并进行W estern blot鉴定;研究改构体蛋白的纯化方法,HPLC检测蛋白纯度,比较rhCu,Zn-SOD及其改构体的活性和热稳定性。结果成功构建了rmhCu,Zn-SOD6A la,111Ser表达载体;SDS-PAGE显示rmhCu,Zn-SOD6A la,111Ser蛋白在BL21(DE3)宿主菌中得到了有效表达,表达量占菌体蛋白总量的64.6%;Western blot结果显示表达产物可以特异性地与小鼠抗人SOD多克隆抗体结合;纯化得到纯度大于95%的rmhCu,Zn-SOD6A la,111Se改构体蛋白,从1g湿菌体中获得的活性蛋白总量高于未改构体的2倍;改构体的热稳定性较未改构体获得大幅提高。结论构建的rmhCu,Zn-SOD6A la,111Ser改构体具有较好的热稳定性和较高的活性产量,摸索出一种比较简易的蛋白纯化工艺,为Cu,Zn-SOD的广泛应用奠定基础。     

A CHASE domain containing protein kinase OsCRL4, represents a new AtCRE1-like gene family in rice

AtCRE1 is known to be a cytokinin receptor inArabidopsis. The AtCRE1 protein contains CHASE domain at the N-terminal part, followed by a transmitter (histidine kinase) domain and two receiver domains. The N-terminal CHASE domain of AtCRE1 contains putative recognition sites for cytokinin. Five CHASE domains containing proteins were found in rice, OsCRLla, OsCRLlb, OsCRL2, OsCRL3, and OsCRL4. OsCRL1a, OsCRL1b, OsCRL2 and OsCRL3 contain the four domains existing in CRE1, whereas OsCRL4 only contains the CHASE domain and a putative Ser/Thr protein kinase domain The authors cloned the encoding gene OsCRL4 and found that it represents a new member of the cytokinin receptor protein in rice.     

TOR(target of rapamycin)介导的翻译调控

TOR是细胞营养状态、能量状态的传感器,其信号转导系统参与了细胞外营养成分、生长因子等对细胞生长的调控,它通过调控蛋白质翻译过程的多个环节,如通过调控S6KI、4E-BPI、eEF2等多种因子的生物功能,从而在蛋白质翻译的起始、延伸等多个水平调控体内蛋白质的翻译,从而影响细胞的生长以及细胞周期的调控。