BMP2，BMP4及BMP信号通路相关成员在发情周期小鼠子宫中的表达

研究目的：研究骨形态发生蛋白（BMP）2,4及BMP信号通路相关成员在发情周期小鼠子宫中的表达模式。创新要点：运用实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应（PCR）系统地研究了Bmp2和Bmp4及其BMP信号通路相关成员在小鼠子宫中mRNA水平表达模式,同时运用免疫组化方法研究了BMP2蛋白在小鼠子宫中的定位模式。研究方法：重要结论：收集发情周期各个时期小鼠子宫,一侧子宫角贮存于液氮或-80℃冰箱用于实时荧光定量PCR,另一侧子宫角用40mg／ml多聚甲醛固定用于BMP2蛋白免疫组化定位。实时荧光定量PCR结果表明,Bmp2的表达水平在发情前期显著高于发情期和发情后期（P〈0．05）,Bmp4的表达水平呈现显著波动,但Bmp2与Bmp4差异不显著（P〉0．05）。Bmprla和Bmpr2的表达水平在整个发情周期无显著变化（P〉0．05）。然而,Bmprlb的mRNA水平在发情期显著下降（P〈0．05）,在发情后期上升。此外,Bmprlb的mRNA水平显著低于相应时期Bmprla和Bmpr2的mRNA水平（P〈0．05）。三种R—Smads差异地表达于小鼠子宫,并且Smad1和Smad5的表达水平显著高于Smad8（P〈0．05）。此外,Smad4的表达水平在整个发情周期无显著变化。免疫组化结果显示,BMP2蛋白在整个发情周期差异表达,并主要定位于子宫腔上皮细胞和腺上皮细胞。我们的结果提供了BMP2和BMP4及其BMP信号通路相关成员mRNA水平表达变化信息,这些数据为论证BMP在子宫内膜中的作用如子宫内膜的退化与重塑提供量化和有用的信息。     

酶法改性对蛋白质结构性质的影响及与酶特异性的关系

采用分子生物物理学原理探讨了蛋白质的平均分子量、水化面积、极性、憎水性、柔性及电荷分布与酶作用的关系.研究表明:改性蛋白质的平均分子量与水解度成反比例关系;水化面积随水解度的增加成对数关系增大;极性与平均分子量成反比例关系;柔性与平均分子量成负指数函数关系;净电荷数在pH、温度和蛋白质浓度一定的条件下,随水解度的增加成正比例关系增大.改性蛋白质的憎水性由两部分构成,分别为肽键断裂引起憎水性的变化和构象变化引起的变化.其中肽键断裂引起憎水性变化与水解度成正比关系.总之,改性蛋白质的结构性质变化与酶作用之间存在明显的定量关系,而且结构性质的变化还与酶特异性有关.     

Interaction of lipid transfer protein with plasma lipoproteins and cell membranes

Summary The hydrophobic lipid components of lipoproteins, cholesteryl ester and triglyceride, are transferred between all lipoproteins by a specific plasma glycoprotein, termed lipid transfer protein (LTP). LTP facilitates lipid transfer by an exchange process in which cholesteryl ester and triglyceride compete for transfer. Thus, LTP promotes remodeling of the lipoprotein structure, and plays an important role in the intravascular metabolism of these particles and in the lipoprotein-dependent pathways of cholesterol clearance from cells. The properties of LTP, its mechanisms of action, its roles in lipoprotein metabolism, and its modes of regulation are reviewed along with recent data that suggest a possible role for this protein in directly modifying cellular lipid composition.     

Nonspecific reaction of a thiol:Protein disulfide oxidoreductase with the disulfide bonds of insulin

Summary A thiol:protein disulfide oxidoreductase from bovine liver was isolated after separation from protein disulfide isomerase. The enzyme, after activation (reduction) with glutathione, was reacted with stoichiometric amounts of insulin and the sulfhydryl groups of the partially reduced hormone were labeled with iodo (l-¹⁴C)acetamide. After separation of the insulin chains, the radioactivity was found in both the peptides, with a ratio A-chain/B-chain equal to 2/1.     

汞的生物毒性及其防治策略

汞是一种剧毒环境污染物。汞与生物大分子上的活性点结合,使其失去活性,导致病变。     

The Janus kinase family of protein tyrosine kinases and their role in signaling

In the early 1990s, the search for protein kinases led to the discovery of a novel family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases, the Janus kinases or JAKs. These proteins were unusual because they contained two kinase homology domains and no other known signaling modules. It soon became clear that these were not ‘just another’ type of kinase. Their ability to complement mutant cells insensitive to interferons and to be activated by a variety of cytokines demonstrated their central signaling function. Now, as we approach the end of the decade, it is evident from biochemical studies to knockout mice that JAKs play non-redundant functions in development, differentiation, and host defense mechanisms. Here, recent progress is reviewed, with particular emphasis on structure-function studies aimed at revealing how this family of tyrosine kinases is regulated.     

Biological activity and pathological implications of misfolded proteins

The physiological metabolism of proteins guarantees that different cellular compartments contain the appropriate concentration of proteins to perform their biological functions and, after a variable period of wear and tear, mediates their natural catabolism. The equilibrium between protein synthesis and catabolism ensures an effective turnover, but hereditary or acquired abnormalities of protein structure can provoke a premature loss of biological function, an accelerated catabolism and diseases caused by the loss of an irreplaceable function. In certain proteins, abnormal structure and metabolism are associated with a strong tendency to self-aggregation into a polymeric fibrillar structure, and in these cases the disease is not principally caused by the loss of an irreplaceable function but by the action of this new biological entity. Amyloid fibrils are an apparently inert, insoluble, mainly extracellular protein polymer that kills the cell without tissue necrosis but by activation of the apoptotic mechanism. We analyzed the data reported so far on the structural and functional properties of four prototypic proteins with well-known biological functions (lysozyme, transthyretin, β2-microglobulin and apolipoprotein AI) that are able to create amyloid fibrils under certain conditions, with the perspective of evaluating whether the achievement of biological function favors or inhibits the process of fibril formation. Furthermore, studying the biological functions carried out by amyloid fibrils reveals new types of protein-protein interactions in the transmission of messages to cells and may provide new ideas for effective therapeutic strategies. Received 9 November 1998; received after revision 15 January 1999; accepted 15 January 1999     

Maternal vitamin A restriction alters biochemical development of the brain in rats

Summary The biochemical development of the fetal brain in relation to maternal vitamin A restriction was studied in rats. The vitamin A status of pregnant rats was varied by supplying low, medium and adequate amounts (6, 40, and 100 g retinol/day/kg body weight, respectively) of vitamin A during pregnancy and suckling. The maternal vitamin A restriction caused an altered brain development in terms of tissue weight, DNA, RNA and protein levels, and biosynthesis of DNA and protein from [³H]-thymidine and [³H]-leucine, respectively. A dose-dependent effect of maternal vitamin A restriction on the metabolism of DNA, RNA and protein was noticed in the developing fetal brain of rats.     

人类基因ZNF569结构域在MAPK信号途径中的作用

有丝分裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）信号途径是细胞信号转导过程的重要组成部分，MAPK将膜转导蛋白与其细胞内的关键调控靶蛋白联系起来，从而介导胞外的多种信号并将这些信号级联放大后传递给相应的下游因子，通过激活包括SRE，ELK-1，AP-1等在内的多种转录因子，最终开启细胞特定功能基因的表达，锌指蛋白是人类最大的基因家族之一，其蛋白产物主要通过与DNA相互作用而起转录因子作用，调节靶基因的表达以适应生物体发育、分化、成熟过程的需要，运用MAPK信号途径对锌指基因ZNF569的结构域进行了转录活性分析，分析表明在COS-7细胞中过表达ZNF569蛋白可以使MAPK信号途径的两个下游转录因子AP-1和SRE的转录抑制活性显著下降，ZNF569在核质内的亚细胞定位分析进一步证明了其作为转录因子的作用，对ZNF569的分段report assays分析表明，ZNF569可能通过KRAB框和C2H2锌指结构域行使其抑制转录的作用，这些结果表明，ZNF569可以通过MAPK信号途径参与了对细胞生命活动的调控过程。