Analysis of proteins that interact with nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV using 1 5-mer phage-displayed library

Analysis of proteins that interact with N protein of SARS-CoV using 15-mer phage-displayed library will help to explore the virus pathogenesis and to develop new drugs and vaccines against SARS. In this study, we cloned, expressed and purified N protein of SARS-CoV. This 46-kD N protein was verified by SDS-PAGE and Western-blot. Then, the peptides binding-specific to N protein were identified using 15-mer phage-displayed library. Surprisingly, all of the 89 clones from monoclonal ELISA were positive （S/N〉2.1） and the result was further confirmed experimentally once again. Six N protein-binding peptides, designated separately as SNA1, SNA2, SNA4, SNA5, SNA9 and SNG11, were selected for sequencing. Sequence analysis suggested that SNA5 shared approximatively 100% sequence identity to SNA4, SNA2, SNA9 and SNA1. In addition, the binding specificity of the 15-mer peptides with the SARS-CoV N protein was further demonstrated by blocking ELISA using the synthetical 15-mer peptide according to the deduced amino acid sequence of SNA5. Also, the deduced amino sequence of SNA5 was compared with proteins in translated database using the tblastx program, and the results showed that the proteins with the highest homology were Ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase iron-sulfur subunits （UCRI or UQCR）, otherwise known as the Rieske iron-sulfur proteins （RISP）. Notablely, in the [2Fe-2S] redox centre of UCRI, there were 6 residues [GGW（Y）F（Y）CP] compatible to the residues （position 2→7, GGWFCP7） of the NH2-terminal of the 15-mer peptide, which indicated higher binding specificity between the N protein of SARS-CoV and the redox centre of UCRI to some extent. Here, the possible molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV N protein in the pathogenesis of SARS are discussed.     

论神经系统与免疫机能的关系

阐述了大脑皮层功能障碍、大脑深部核群破坏、下丘脑—垂体、神经递质和神经肽对机体免疫机能的影响及机体免疫机能对神经系统的作用,展现了神经系统与免疫机能之间的相互影响关系.     

Release of calcitonin gene-related peptide from a human medullary carcinoma of the thyroid in vitro

Summary The secretion of human calcitonin gene-related peptide was examined in perifusates of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid with a sensitive radioreceptor assay. Calcitonin gene-related peptide was released after the addition of calcium (25–100 mM), in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that human medullary carcinomas of the thyroid secrete the calcitonin gene-related peptide as well as calcitonin.     

纤维结合素多肽衍生物的化学合成及对骨髓瘤细胞株K562的体外抑制作用

应用固相多肽合成技术，人工合成了一种衍生于纤维结合素的六肽ＧＲＧＤＳＳ。用高效液相层析进行纯度鉴定，并观察六肽对骨髓瘤细胞株Ｋ５６２的体外抑制作用。实验结果表明，六肽在７２ｈ内对骨髓瘤细胞的抑制率为３１％；多肽的结构对功能有一定的影响。根据竞争抑制原理，设计和合成多功能的多肽可为临床医学治疗肿瘤开辟一个新的途径。     

The role of glycosylation in protein antigenic properties

Glycosylation of proteins is a common event and contributes to protein antigenic properties. Most data have been obtained from model studies on glycoprotens with well-defined structure or synthetic glycopeptides and their respective monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies raised against glycoprotein antigens may be specific for their carbohydrate units which are recognized irrespective of the protein carrier (carbohydrate epitopes), or in the context of the adjacent amino acid residues (glycopeptidic epitopes). Conformation or proper exposure of peptidic epitopes of glycoproteins is also frequently modulated by glycosylation due to intramolecular carbohydrate-protein interactions. The effects of glycosylation are broad: glycosylation may 'inactivate' the peptidic epitope or may be required for its reactivity with the antibody, depending on the structure of the antigenic site and antibody fine specificity. Evidence is increasing that similar effects of glycosylation pertain to T cell-dependent cellular immune responses. Glycosylated peptides can be bound and presented by MHC class I or II molecules and elicit glycopeptide-specific T cell clones. Received 5 July 2001; received after revision 9 October 2001; accepted 11 October 2001     

The short proline-rich antibacterial peptide family

From the many peptide families that are induced upon bacterial infection and can be isolated from all classes of animals, the short, proline-rich antibacterial peptides enjoy particular interest. These molecules were shown to inactivate an intracellular biopolymer in bacteria without destroying or remaining attached to the bacterial cell membrane, and as such emerged as viable candidates for the treatment of mammalian infections. These peptides were originally isolated from insects, they kill mostly Gram-negative bacteria with high efficiency and they show structural similarities with longer insect- and mammal-derived antimicrobial peptides. However, while the distant relatives appear to carry multiple functional domains, apidaecin, drosocin, formaecin and pyrrhocoricin consist of only minimal determinants needed to penetrate across the cell membrane and bind to the target biopolymer. These peptides appear to inhibit metabolic processes, such as protein synthesis or chaperone-assisted protein folding. Pyrrhocoricin derivatives protect mice from experimental infections in vivo, suggesting the utility of modified analogs in the clinical setting. Sequence variations of the target protein at the peptide-binding site may allow the development of new peptide variants that kill currently unresponsive strains or species. Received 12 December 2001; received after revision 11 February 2002; accepted 19 February 2002     

大豆肽的生理及加工特性分析

主要采用酶解法水解大豆脱脂粕制取大豆肽 ,对肽的部分生理活性和理化特性进行了分析 ,表明其对铁离子有助溶作用 ;同时在反应时间为 5h时 ,抗氧化性最好 ;其粘度受浓度冲击性较好 ;在较大的pH值范围内 ,溶解性良好。