目标序列二级结构对RNA干扰效果的影响

目的探讨RNA二级结构对RNA干扰效果的影响,为RNA干扰靶序列的选择及设计有效siRNA提供依据。方法以K562细胞为模型,N-RAS基因mRNA为模板,分别针对二级结构茎区及二级结构环区设计4对siRNA,并分别采用RT-PCR、细胞活力检测及流式细胞检测等方法在RNA及细胞水平检测干扰效果差异。结果干扰结果表明,针对目标序列的siRNA均能对同源基因的表达产生一定程度的抑制,而针对二级结构环区目标序列的siR-NA干扰效果明显优于针对二级结构茎区的siRNA。结论RNA干扰效果与目标序列二级结构密切相关,在进行RNA干扰实验的目标序列选择时,应考虑二级结构的因素。     

携带甲胎蛋白基因小干扰RNA慢病毒载体的构建及其对靶基因的沉默效率

目的构建携带甲胎蛋白（AFP）基因小干扰RNA（siRNA）的慢病毒载体并转染肝癌细胞,评价其对AFP基因的沉默效率。方法设计和构建针对AFP基因的阳性siRNA及不针对任何已知基因的阴性siRNA,将其分别插入携带绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）基因的重组慢病毒载体,然后转染到表达AFP基因的人肝癌细胞HepG2并筛选阳性表达细胞株,分别为慢病毒转染阳性siRNA组和慢病毒转染阴性siRNA组。同时设立脂质体转染阳性siRNA组、脂质体转染阴性siRNA组以及加AFPsiRNA而未用转染试剂的siRNA组、空白对照组。荧光显微镜观察评估转染效率,荧光定量PCR和免疫印迹法检测各组HepG2细胞APFmRNA及蛋白的相对表达量,比较不同转染方法对AFP基因表达的抑制率。结果慢病毒能够有效地转染siRNA到HepG2细胞内。荧光定量PCR显示慢病毒转染siRNA对AFPmRNA表达的抑制率显著高于脂质体转染siRNA（92．1％比74．3％,P〈0．05）。免疫印迹亦显示慢病毒转染siRNA对AFP蛋白表达的抑制率显著高于脂质体转染siRNA（88．2％比63．7％,P〈0．05）。结论慢病毒转染AFPsiRNA能够更有效地抑制HepG2细胞内AFP基因表达。     

The Potato virus X TGBp3 protein associates with the ER network for virus cell-to-cell movement

Potato virus X (PVX) TGBp3 is required for virus cell-to-cell movement. Cell-to-cell movement of TGBp3 was studied using biolistic bombardment of plasmids expressing GFP:TGBp3. TGBp3 moves between cells in Nicotiana benthamiana, but requires TGBp1 to move in N. tabacum leaves. In tobacco leaves GFP:TGBp3 accumulated in a pattern resembling the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To determine if the ER network is important for GFP:TGBp3 and for PVX cell-to-cell movement, a single mutation inhibiting membrane binding of TGBp3 was introduced into GFP:TGBp3 and into PVX. This mutation disrupted movement of GFP:TGBp3 and PVX. Brefeldin A, which disrupts the ER network, also inhibited GFP:TGBp3 movement in both Nicotiana species. Two deletion mutations, that do not affect membrane binding, hindered GFP:TGBp3 and PVX cell-to-cell movement. Plasmids expressing GFP:TGBp2 and GFP:TGBp3 were bombarded to several other PVX hosts and neither protein moved between adjacent cells. In most hosts, TGBp2 or TGBp3 cannot move cell-to-cell.     

The triple gene block movement proteins of a grape virus in the genus Foveavirus confer limited cell-to-cell spread of a mutant Potato virus X

Grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV) is a member of the genus Foveavirus in the family Betaflexiviridae. The genome of GRSPaV encodes five proteins, among which are three movement proteins designated the triple gene block (TGB) proteins. The TGB proteins of GRSPaV are highly similar to their counterparts in Potato virus X (PVX), as reflected in size, modular structure, conservation of critical amino acid sequence motifs, as well as similar cellular localization. Based on these similarities, we predicted that the TGB proteins of these two viruses would be interchangeable. To test this hypothesis, we replaced the entire or partial sequence of PVX TGB with the corresponding regions from GRSPaV, creating chimeric viruses that contain the PVX backbone and different sequences from GRSPaV TGB. These chimeric constructs were delivered into plants of Nicotiana benthamiana through agro-infiltration to test whether they were capable of cell-to-cell and systemic movement. To our surprise, viruses derived from pPVX.GFP_(CH3) bearing GRSPaV TGB in place of PVX TGB lost the ability to move either cell-to-cell or systemically. Interestingly, another chimeric virus resulting from pPVX.GFP_(HY2) containing four TGB genes (TGB1 from PVX and TGB1-3 from GRSPaV), exhibited limited cell-to-cell, but not systemic, movement. Our data question the notion that analogous movement proteins encoded by even distantly related viruses are functionally interchangeable and can be replaced by each other. These data suggest that other factors, besides the TGB proteins, may be required for successful intercellular and/or systemic movement of progeny viruses. This is the first experimental demonstration that the GRSPaV TGB function as movement proteins in the context of a chimeric virus and that four TGB genes were required to support the intercellular movement of the chimeric virus.     

应用RNA干扰抑制乙肝病毒X基因促HepG2细胞凋亡的作用

目的:构建靶向乙肝病毒X基因(HBX)的shRNA表达载体pSilencer3.1-shHBX,并应用其体外抑制HBX促HepG2细胞凋亡的作用.方法:设计并构建靶向HBX的shRNA表达载体pSilencer3.1-shHBX,脂质体转染法将HBX表达载体pcDNA3.1-HBX与pSilencer3.1-shHBX共转染人肝癌HepG2细胞,培养72小时后,分别以RT-PCR、Western blot和免疫荧光检测HBX的表达量.Annexin V-FITC/PI双染经流式细胞仪检测细胞的凋亡变化.结果:重组质粒pSilencer3.1-shHBX酶切鉴定和测序结果均与设计的一致.该质粒使HBX基因mRNA表达量降低了47.1%,进而使HBx蛋白表达量降低了58.9%,HBx蛋白荧光强度减弱,并使HBX 诱导的HepG2细胞凋亡率降低了52.11%.而阴性对照质粒无此作用.结论:成功构建靶向HBX shRNA表达载体pSilencer3.1-shHBX,并可应用其抑制HBX促HepG2细胞凋亡的作用.     

Subcellular targeting and interactions among the Potato virus X TGB proteins

Potato virus X (PVX) encodes three proteins named TGBp1, TGBp2, and TGBp3 which are required for virus cell-to-cell movement. To determine whether PVX TGB proteins interact during virus cell-cell movement, GFP was fused to each TGB coding sequence within the viral genome. Confocal microscopy was used to study subcellular accumulation of each protein in virus-infected plants and protoplasts. GFP:TGBp2 and TGBp3:GFP were both seen in the ER, ER-associated granular vesicles, and perinuclear X-bodies suggesting that these proteins interact in the same subdomains of the endomembrane network. When plasmids expressing CFP:TGBp2 and TGBp3:GFP were co-delivered to tobacco leaf epidermal cells, the fluorescent signals overlapped in ER-associated granular vesicles indicating that these proteins colocalize in this subcellular compartment. GFP:TGBp1 was seen in the nucleus, cytoplasm, rod-like inclusion bodies, and in punctate sites embedded in the cell wall. The puncta were reminiscent of previous reports showing viral proteins in plasmodesmata. Experiments using CFP:TGBp1 and YFP:TGBp2 or TGBp3:GFP showed CFP:TGBp1 remained in the cytoplasm surrounding the endomembrane network. There was no evidence that the granular vesicles contained TGBp1. Yeast two hybrid experiments showed TGBp1 self associates but failed to detect interactions between TGBp1 and TGBp2 or TGBp3. These experiments indicate that the PVX TGB proteins have complex subcellular accumulation patterns and likely cooperate across subcellular compartments to promote virus infection.     

Persistent Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus infection in mice depends on plaque size

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) is an enteric pathogen of mice which causes acute and chronic neurological disorders in the natural host. When brain-derived stocks of TMEV isolates are adapted to cell culture they predominantly form either large or small plaques. In this study the type of central nervous system (CNS) infection (acute versus chronic) and the associated disease occurring in mice inoculated intracerebrally with large and small plaque strains of TMEV was investigated. Large and small plaque strains of TMEV were found to vary in virulence, type of neurological disease produced and ability to establish persistent CNS infection in mice. Two large plaque strains, GDVII and FA viruses, were highly virulent, produced acute encephalitis, but were cleared from the nervous systems of surviving animals. Therefore, it appears that these large plaque variants do not cause persistent CNS infection in mice. In contrast, five small plaque strains, DA, WW, TO4, Yale and BeAn8386 viruses, were relatively avirulent, usually produced no illness during the first month after inoculation, but readily established persistent CNS infection in mice. Persistently infected mice later developed demyelinating disease. Having identified strains of TMEV that differ regarding their ability to persist, we now hope to be able to exploit this difference in elucidating the basic mechanism(s) of TMEV persistence.     

Effects of mutations in the X gene of hepatitis B virus on the virus replication

Previously, we have found a?new mutation at nt 1726-1730 that is associated with lower hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels in the liver, and mutations at nt 1762/1764 that are correlated with higher HBV DNA levels. To confirm the effects of these mutations on the virus replication efficiency, substitutions nt 1726-1730 CTGAG and A1762T/G1764A in the HBV X (HBX) gene region were investigated alone or in combination. Cells Huh-7 or HepG2 were transfected with these constructs. The effects of these mutations on HBV were investigated at the gene and protein levels. The double mutation A1762T/G1764A increased whereas the nt 1726-1730 CTGAG mutations decreased the levels of released virion-associated and intracellular HBV DNA. The combined mutations had no appreciable effect on the replication capacity of the virus. Cells bearing the constructs with double mutations A1762T/G1764A contained the lowest levels of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). Lowest expression of HBV X protein was in constructs that had both A1762T/G1764A and 1726-1730 CTGAG mutations. We think that changes in secondary RNA structure that were caused by these mutations might have been responsible for those results. Keywords: hepatitis B virus; X gene; mutants; replication.     

Characteristics of the X gene of hepatitis B virus

The 465-nucleotide sequence of the X gene from our cloned hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA (subtype adw) was determined and compared to the same gene of 10 other published HBV sequences (3 of adw, 4 of adr, 2 of ayw, and 1 of ayr). We found (i) a total of 56 base differences among the 11 sequences (without counting the 27-base deletion in one adr) which resulted in 88% nucleotide homology, and (ii) 5 pairs of repeated sequence (3 direct repeats and 2 inverted repeats) that were highly conserved. Comparison of the protein amino acid sequences indicated that (i) there is 80% amino acid homology in total, and (ii) there are four highly conserved cysteine residues. In addition, the X gene of the adw subtype is more conserved than that of adr.     

Expression of the X gene of hepatitis B virus

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome carries an open reading frame of 462 bases, the X region, but the corresponding protein has yet to be identified as a natural product. In rodent cells cotransformed with the thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus and HBV DNA, however, Gough [1983] identified a mRNA that hybridises uniquely with the X region of the HBV genome. A large fragment of the X region was inserted into plasmid pCL19 delta Y-T in order to produce, in Escherichia coli, the X gene product, HBxAg, as a polypeptide fused to the N-terminal part of the phage lambda cro gene product. Antisera raised against this fused polypeptide gave positive immunofluorescence reactions with the transformed rodent cells. This provides direct evidence for the expression of the HBxAg gene in eukaryotic cells transformed with HBV DNA. The approach used here should be generally applicable.     

Genetic variability in the coat protein gene of Potato virus X and the current relationship between phylogenetic placement and resistance groupings

The complete coat protein nucleotide sequences of 11 Potato virus X isolates from Australia and two from Britain were compared to those of 72 others. On phylogenetic analysis, clade I contained all 11 Australian sequences, and sub-clade II-1 contained the two new British sequences. Clade I isolates were from six different continents, but those in sub-clades II-1 and II-2 were only from Europe and the Americas, respectively. Clade I contained isolates in strain groups 1, 3 and 4, and sub-clades II-1 and II-2, isolates in strain groups 2 and 4. Thus, strain group 4 now occurs within both clades.     

Two-object attentional interference depends on attentional set.

In this study, we explored the influence of an irrelevant translational event on the automatic capture of attention to one of two superimposed surfaces defined by transparent motion. The results showed that an irrelevant translation on one surface did not automatically capture the subjects' attention if the attentional resources have been endogenously allocated on the other surface. Moreover, the reduction in the motion-onset component of the event-related potential observed in trials where the irrelevant event affected the uncued surface supports the existence of a top-down control of early sensorial processing in this paradigm. This study provides further evidence of the interaction of stimulus-driven and goal-directed mechanisms in the control of visual attention.     

Enhancement by potato virus Y of potato virus X synthesis in doubly infected tobacco depends on the timing of invasion by the viruses

The time required for movement of potato virus Y (PVY) and two strains of potato virus X (PVX) from an inoculated lower leaf of small tobacco plants to the fourth leaf above, where maximal enhancement of PVX synthesis occurs, was determined. PVY required 12 hr longer than one PVX strain and 6 hr longer than the other; timing was from the time of inoculation of lower leaves. The rates of movement of the two viruses were the same in singly or doubly inoculated plants. Lower leaves were then inoculated with PVX and PVY at times so that invasion of fourth leaves by the two viruses occurred at predicted intervals. Maximum enhancement of one PVX strain occurred when PVY invaded fourth leaves 12 hr before PVX; enhancement of the other PVX strain occurred when PVY invaded 6 hr after PVX. Enhancement was always less than maximal when invasion by either virus preceded invasion by the other by more than 24 hr. These results were interpreted as indicating that enhancement occurs only in cells invaded by the two viruses within a relatively short period of time and that maximum enhancement results when critical stages in the replication cycle of each virus coincide; in such cells replication of both viruses was probably occurring simultaneously.     

In vivo interference in vesicular stomatitis virus infection.

Inactivated defective interfering and complete particles of vesicular stomatitis virus given intracerebrally to adult mice protect them against challenge with homologous virus whether this is given at the same time or several days later. Two separate protective processes appear to be involved. The first, which comes into operation immediately after inoculation, is also effective against heterologous strains of vesicular stomatitis virus, rabies (another rhabdovirus), and a neurotropic strain of foot-and-mouth disease virus. The second, later effect, which is strain specific, appears to be correlated with the appearance of circulating neutralizing antibody. Our results suggest that the protective effect that Holland and his colleagues described using defective interfering particles of vesicular stomatitis virus may also be accounted for by an immunological mechanism rather than one involving interference.     

Expression of multiple foreign epitopes presented as synthetic antigens on the surface of Potato virus X particles

Summary. We describe the construction of recombinant Potato virus X (PVX) vectors expressing two different epitopes, ep4 and ep6, from Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV). The seven-amino-acid epitopes were expressed as N-terminal coat protein fusions and were displayed on the surface of PVX particles. Particle assembly into full virions was successful even though no wild type coat protein subunits were present, and the epitopes could be detected in crude extracts and purified virus preparations with appropriate antibodies. A construct containing both epitope sequences in tandem was also prepared. The resulting PVX particles could be detected by antibodies against ep4 and ep6, either individually or simultaneously, showing that both epitopes were accessible. In addition mixed infections with PVX vectors containing the individual ep4 and ep6 sequences were carried out. This resulted in the formation of PVX particles displaying ep4 alone, ep6 alone, or both epitopes. These experiments demonstrate for the first time that PVX can be utilized to present multiple epitopes, either tandemly on every coat protein subunit or as heteromultimeric assemblies, both of which could be useful vaccination strategies. The production of epitope-presenting viruses in which every coat protein subunit contains a foreign epitope allows the high-level expression of defined numbers of foreign antigen sites, making such viruses useful standards for immune detection.     

Inhibition of herpes simplex virus infection by lactoferrin is dependent on interference with the virus binding to glycosaminoglycans

Previous reports have indicated that lactoferrin inhibits herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection during the very early phases of the viral replicative cycle. In the present work we investigated the mechanism of the antiviral activity of lactoferrin in mutant glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-deficient cells. Bovine lactoferrin (BLf) was a strong inhibitor of HSV-1 infection in cells expressing either heparan sulfate (HS) or chondroitin sulfate (CS) or both, but was ineffective or less efficient in GAG-deficient cells or in cells treated with GAG-degrading enzymes. In contrast to wild-type HSV-1, virus mutants devoid of glycoprotein C (gC) were significantly less inhibited by lactoferrin in GAG-expressing cells, indicating that lactoferrin interfered with the binding of viral gC to cell surface HS and/or CS. Finally, we demonstrated that lactoferrin bound directly to both HS and CS isolated from surfaces of the studied cells, as well as to commercial preparations of GAG chains. The results support the hypothesis that the inhibition of HSV-1 infectivity by lactoferrin is dependent on its interaction with cell surface GAG chains of HS and CS.     

The efficiency of combined therapy of herpes virus infection in HIV infected patients

The target of the case study was to investigate the efficiency of an alternative combined therapy scheme of herpes simplex infections versus the routine therapy by acyclovir or famvir as applicable to HIV-infected patients. leukinferon was shown to induce the antoherpetic acyclovir efficiency. The use of the latter concurrently with cycloferon for the treatment of infections provoked by herpes simple virus-1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 in HIV-infected patients prolongs the remission period in case of the above opportunistic infections. The leukinferon anti-herpetic efficiency is, obviously, related with the phagocytosis stimulation and with its positive influence exerted on hemopoiesis. The combined therapy can be stated to be most effective in HIV, clinical stages B1 and 2.     

利用RNA干扰技术干扰HBeAg表达的研究

构建针对乙肝病毒HBeAg前c/c区(HBV prec/c)的短发夹环RNA(shRNA)质粒(psiHBV),观察其在体内外对HBV复制的抑制作用。构建RNA干扰真核表达载体psiHBV,与1.5倍HBV真核表达质粒pHBV1.5共转染HeLa细胞,用微粒子化学发光分析仪(MEIA)分别检测细胞上清和细胞裂解液中HBeAg表达水平;用半定量PCR检测prec/cmRNA的转录情况。随后用水动力学方法,向小鼠尾静脉注射pHBV1.5建立小鼠急性乙型肝炎病毒感染模型。采用此感染模型,将pHBV1.5与在体外实验筛选到有明显抑制作用的shRNA表达载体(psiHBV4)共注射,注射后第6天用同样方法检测其干扰效果。结果显示,成功构建了针对HBV前c/c区的shRNA表达载体psiHBV4、psiHBV5、psiHBV6及无关shRNA表达载体psiC,筛选到在体外对HBeAg有明显的抑制作用的psiHBV4载体;注射pHBV1.5的动物血清高表达HBsAg和HBeAg。而共注射干扰性psiHBV4明显抑制了HBeAg的表达,与单纯感染组相比有显著差异,RT-PCR显示肝内HBV C mRNA水平亦明显降低。上述结果表明,siRNA能特异抑制HBV的复制和表达,对乙型肝炎的治疗有潜在应用前景。     

Sequences present in a small region of the AKV virus envelope gene determine the efficiency with which pseudotyped spleen focus-forming virus infects erythroid target cells.

Induction of erythroleukemia in mice by the replication-defective spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) relies on the presence of a helper virus to deliver the SFFV genome to erythroid target cells. Pseudotyping studies with different ecotropic murine leukemia viruses (MuLV) have shown that SFFV pseudotyped with Akv, the endogenous ecotropic virus of AKR mice, inefficiently gives rise to virus-induced erythroid bursts (vBFU-E) in vitro and fails to cause erythroleukemia in mice when compared to SFFV pseudotyped with Friend or Moloney MuLV. In order to locate the region(s) of the Akv genome responsible for its inability to act as a helper for SFFV, six different Moloney MuLV chimeras containing Akv envelope sequence substitutions were constructed. Virions with the chimeric envelopes were used to pseudotype SFFV and the complexes were analyzed for their ability to induce vBFU-E in vitro and erythroleukemia in mice. SFFV preparations pseudotyped with three of the constructs containing chimeric envelope genes efficiently gave rise to vBFU-E as did SFFV pseudotyped with Moloney MuLV. SFFV pseudotypes generated from the other three constructs, which all share a common 304-bp region located near the center of the Akv gp70 coding region, and Akv gave rise to very few vBFU-E. However, all SFFV preparations, with the exception of SFFV pseudotyped with Akv, induced erythroleukemia in mice. The results suggest that specific sequences present in the envelope gene of Akv are responsible for the inefficiency of the virus to infect erythroid target cells for SFFV, but additional Akv sequences outside those used in this study affect the ability of the Akv/SFFV virus complex to cause erythroleukemia in mice.