Epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian nuclear transfer

Somatic cloning has been succeeded in some species, but the cloning efficiency is very low, which limits the application of the technique in many areas of research and biotechnology. The cloning of mammals by somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) requires epigenetic reprogramming of the differentiated state of donor cell to a totipotent, embryonic ground state. Accumulating evidence indicates that incomplete or inappropriate epigenetic reprogramming of donor nuclei is likely to be the primary cause of failures in nuclear transfer. This review summarizes the roles of various epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone acetylation, imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation, telomere maintenance and expressions of development-related genes on somatic nuclear transfer.     

元胞自动机中染色体端粒的动力学方程

通过引入染色体端粒的概念, 建立了一维元胞自动机中染色体端粒的具有齐次性动力学演化方程, 进一步给出染色体长度以及染色体长度变化率的动力学方程.     

Epithalon对人胎肝细胞端粒酶活性和端粒长度的影响

以松果体分泌物,"Epithalamin"缩氨酸为基础,人工合成多肽"Epithalon"。通过用细胞形态学观察用药后细胞的生长情况,MTT法检测Epithalon多肽对人肝细胞株L-02增殖与活力的影响,以及运用端粒酶重复序列扩增——焦磷酸根酶联发光技术检测人肝细胞株L-02端粒酶活性,流式荧光原位杂交法检测端粒长度。研究了多肽作用于人肝细胞L-02后对细胞的生长情况、细胞端粒长度以及细胞端粒酶活性所产生的影响。研究显示Epithalon多肽具有提高端粒酶活性,延缓端粒缩短的作用。     

Expression ofBcl-2 in cells with different telomerase activities

Both telomerase andBcl-2 are important genes in controlling apoptosis. The activation of telomerase and the abnormal regulation ofBcl-2 are also closely related to carcinogenesis. However, little is known about the linkage between telomerase andBcl-2. The effect of activated telomerase on the expression ofBcl-2 has been investigated. It is demonstrated that in tumor and transformed cells with higher telomerase activity,Bcl-2 expression is significantly lower than that in telomerase negative or less telomerose activity cells. Further study showed that in the telomerase gene-transformed 2BS-fibroblasts,Bcl-2 expression is inhibited significantly while the exogenous telomerase catalytic subunit gene is re-expressed in fibroblasts. Results indicated that there might be a certain linkage between the expression of telomerase andBcl-2, and overexpression of exogenous telomerase gene might down regulate the expression ofBcl-2. They contributed equally to this work.     

端粒、端粒酶的研究与人类肿瘤

近年来 ,有关端粒、端粒酶及其与人类肿瘤关系问题已经成为学科研究较为关注的热点 ,认为人类端粒酶与恶性肿瘤的发生和人的衰老之间具有非常密切的关系 ,研究已取得了长足的进展 .本文介绍了一些研究成果、进展情况 ,探讨端粒、端粒酶活性同肿瘤诊断之间的关系 .     

邻菲罗啉衍生物与人端粒G-四链体DNA的相互作用及细胞活性研究

通过紫外可见吸收滴定,荧光滴定和聚合酶链反应停止分析(PCR stop assay)方法研究了3个邻菲罗啉衍生物1-3与人端粒G-四链体DNA在包含100mmol·L-1 KCl的磷酸缓冲体系中的相互作用,并用MTT法研究了化合物对人肝癌细胞HepG2增殖的影响.结果表明:这三个化合物都能与G-四链体相互作用并显著稳定其结构,结合常数约为1×106 mol-1·L;同时这些化合物能在微摩尔浓度抑制HepG2细胞增殖.     

关于端粒酶研究:结果与问题

端粒酶是一种由RNA和蛋白质构成的复合结构，在活性状态下端粒酶可以其自身的RNA中的内设模板区为模板，以逆转录方式为染色体末端“加尾”。端粒酶活性的恢复是动物克隆成功的关键因素之一。但是，端粒酶活性恢复机制、端粒酶基因表达调控信号及端粒酶活性与衰老体细胞中染色体端粒恢复的关系等问题还有待研究解决。     

Circular dichroism spectroscopic studies on structures formed by telomeric DNA sequencesin vitro

Telomere plays an important role in cellular processes, such as cell aging, death and carcinogenisis. Having special sequences, it can form quadruplex structurein vitro. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic studies show that TTAGGG, (TTAGGG)₂ and (TTAGGG)₄ can all form quadruplexin vitro and exist mainly as parallel quadruplex without metal ions. Both K⁺ and Na⁺ can stabilize the tetrameric structure and facilitate the forming of anti-parallel conformation. Furthermore, the conformations of quadruplex can also be affected by sequence length, the nature and concentration of metal ions.