Membrane fusion: the process and its energy suppliers

Membrane fusion constitutes a pivotal process in eukaryotic cell physiology. Both specialized proteins and membrane lipids play key roles in fusion. Here, our current understanding of the mechanism of membrane fusion is reviewed. The focus is on the relatively simple and well-understood proteinaceous fusion machinery of enveloped viruses and the physical properties of lipids that appear to be of great relevance for fusion progression. Recent observations suggest that viral fusion proteins use packed conformational energy and bilayer-destabilizing domains to (i) bring participating membranes into intimate contact, (ii) merge proximal lipid monolayers through highly curved stalk/hemifusion intermediates, and (iii) generate a lipid-containing fusion pore, thereby terminating the fusion process. Received 4 January 2002; received after revision 3 April 2002; accepted 5 April 2002     

小鼠噬菌体抗体库的构建和N-肽结合单链抗体的筛选

成功构建一库容量为1.7×10⁸的小鼠噬菌体抗体库,并从中淘选出对N-肽有结合活性的单链抗体。首先从未免疫小鼠的脾脏中提取总RNA,分离出mRNA,经逆转录合成其总cDNA。随后通过PCR分别扩增出抗体重链和轻链可变区V_H、V_L的基因片断,再经重组PCR将两片断由一编码(Gly₄Ser)₃十五肽的接头连在一起,并克隆到噬菌质粒pCANTAB 5E中,电击转化大肠杆菌TG1。经辅助噬菌体M13KO7超感染回收全部重组噬菌体,此即噬菌体抗体库。N-肽是一种新发现的神经肽,其N端与阿片肽高度同源,可与阿片肽受体相互作用。对其研究可能有助于了解成瘾机制和有临床应用价值。将生物素化的N-肽与抗体库相互作用,用偶联有链霉亲和素的磁珠富集与N-肽结合的重组噬菌体,经四轮淘选,得到亲和力较高的单链抗体。     

鲢鱼副产物蛋白酶水解时间的确定及对产物的影响

本文通过试验证明,水解时间影响水解度和蛋白回收率．进一步从凝胶色谱分析中可以看出,肽分子的分布是连续的。随着水解时间的延长,水解程度提高,小肽分子的数量增多。     

利用噬菌体展示筛选结合水稻条叶枯病毒S蛋白的短肽

利用噬菌体展示技术在随机7肽库中筛选到结合水稻条叶枯病毒（rice stripe virus ,RSV）病害特异蛋白（stripe disease-specific protein,S蛋白）的6个短肽,并进行了序列测定,ELISA结果表明,6个短肽和S蛋白具有一定的亲和能力,筛选到的短肽对今后S蛋白功能分析、转基因抗RSV和水稻条叶枯病的诊断提供了条件。     

导向溶栓分子scFv-UK32中连接肽的引入和在昆虫细胞中的表达

为了提高重组导向溶栓分子scFv-UK32的溶纤活性,通过重组PCR方法在编码scFv与UK32的碱基之间引入编码KLGGGG连接肽的碱基序列,并克隆到转移载体pBacPAK9上,通过与线性病毒DNA BacPAK6/Bsu36I digest共转染到昆虫细胞Sf 9内,进行表达。表达产物分泌到上清中,共转染后第5d(天)用纤维平板法测得Sf 9细胞上清溶纤活性达到107 IU/mL,比未引入连接肽的scFv-UK32的表达活性(25 IU/mL)高。ELISA实验表明共转染上清具有明显对活化血小板特异结合能力。Western Blotting实验表明共转染上清可与Pro-UK的单抗特异结合。     

蛋白质二级结构由氨基酸和mRNA序列编码

据氨基酸序列,密码子序列和蛋白质二级结构序列的比较,指出约18％的两肽的密切子具有反常的蛋白质结构偏好性,并且这种以常不能用随机涨落解释,因而关于蛋白质折迭的Anfinsen原理可能需要作适当修正。     

毕赤酵母表达风味强化肽的分离与纯化

为了开发新型风味强化剂,采用硫酸铵分段盐析法、中空纤维超滤、阴离子交换树脂分离等方法,对构建的工程菌P.,postoris GS115-16B2发酵表达的16拷贝风味强化肽的分离纯化效果进行研究.实验结果表明,分离纯化最佳方法为:首先使用中空纤维进行超滤浓缩,经过两次稀释过滤浓缩后的浓缩液再采用离子交换树脂DEAE–52进一步分离纯化.经SDS-PAGE检测,纯化后16拷贝风味强化肽的平均纯度可达93.19%.     

由饱和5(4H)-噁唑酮合成N-酰基-2-硫酮氢化噻唑的方法

N-酰基-2-硫酮氢化噻唑在合成酯、酰胺、醛、二醇等,特别是在不对称的Aldol反应中得到了应用。用三聚氯氰在三乙胺存在下,使羧酸与2-硫酮氢化噻唑反应,直接分子间脱水缩合,成功地得到了N-酰基-2-硫酮氢化噻唑。本文报道了另一种新的合成方法,在三乙胺存在下,由饱和5(4H)-噁唑酮与2-硫酮氢化噻唑反应合成了N-酰基-2-硫酮氢化噻唑(I),并由此进一步得到了N-酰基二肽和三肽(Ⅱ_(a～d))。     

Urotensin Ⅱ increases endothelin production by vascular smooth muscle cells in rats

The aim of this study was to observe the effects of urotensin Ⅱ (UII) on production of endothelin (ET) in rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Cultured VSMCs incubated with various concentrations of UII were used to measure the VSMC 3H-TdR incorporation, the amount of ET mRNA and ET production in VSMCs. In this work we found that UII (10-10-10-8 mol/L) promoted VSMC 3H-TdR incorporation (47%-83%, P < 0.01) and increased the amount of ET mRNA by 17.1% (P < 0.05) to 112.8% (P < 0.01), respectively, in a concentration dependent manner compared with control. After 4 and 8 h incubation, 10-10-10-8 mol/L of UII elevated the ET synthesis and release in a concentration dependent manner. After 4 h incubation, the content of ET in medium was 4.9, 5.36 and 7.12 pg/mL (P < 0.01). After 8 h incubation, the ET content released from VSMCs was 12.6, 12.07 and 17.17 pg/mL (P < 0.01). In addition, it was found that BQ123, a specific ETA receptor antagonist, obviously decreased the VSMC DNA synthesis induced by UII. The results of this study showed that UII could stimulate the ET mRNA expression and ET production in VSMC. The effects of UII on VSMC DNA synthesis were partly mediated by ET autocrine pathway. It suggests that the interaction between UII and ET plays an important biological regulating role as endogenous active peptides.     

Regulatory peptides in the respiratory system

Summary Many regulatory peptides have been described in the respiratory tract of animals and humans. Some peptides (bombesin, calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide) are localised to neuroendocrine cells and may have a trophic or transmitter role. Others are localised to motor nerves. Vasoactive intestinal peptide and peptide histidine isoleucine are candidates for neurotransmitters of non-adrenergic inhibitory fibres and may be cotransmitters in cholinergic nerves. These peptides may regulate airway smooth muscle tone, bronchial blood flow and airway secretions. Sensory neuropeptides (substance P, neurokinin A and B, calcitonin gene-related peptide) may contract airway smooth muscle, stimulate mucus secretion and regulate bronchial blood flow and microvascular permeability. If released by an axon reflex mechanism these peptides may be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Other peptides, such as galanin and neuropeptide Y, are also present but their function is not yet known.