Expression of foreign proteins in Trypanosoma congolense

An expression vector was constructed to express foreign genes in Trypanosoma congolense. The foreign gene and a neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT) gene are flanked by glutamate and alanine rich protein (GARP) gene processing signals and their expression is driven by a ribosomal RNA gene promoter. The plasmid is not maintained as an episome in T. congolense, but the NPT gene permits selection of cells in which the plasmid has integrated into the genome. We used this plasmid to express luciferase, green fluorescent protein and a surface protein of Trypanosoma brucei, glycine-proline-glutamate glutamate threonine procyclic acidic repetitive protein (GPEET PARP). The plasmid-derived GPEET PARP is expressed on the surface of procyclic T. congolense and comigrates on a polyacrylamide gel with native GPEET PARP from T. brucei procyclic cells. We also attempted to use the plasmid to overexpress a previously identified T. congolense cysteine protease. The plasmid-derived cysteine protease mRNA species occurs in the transfected cells, but we were unable to detect increased levels of protein or protease activity.     

Prohibitin启动子中胆固醇活性作用位点研究

 目的：验证抑制素（prohibitin,PHB）基因启动子胆固醇敏感活性作用位点,为PHB在前列腺癌靶向基因治疗中的应用提供实验依据。方法：采用PCR分段扩增PHB启动子,克隆入pGL3-Basic萤光素酶报告基因载体。将构建的重组质粒用脂质体转染至人前列腺癌PC-3细胞,再分别培养于低胆固醇培养基和普通胆固醇培养基中,检测PHB启动子各分段重组质粒萤光素酶活性的变化。限定PHB启动子约200 bp的胆固醇敏感启动区域,找出其中的固醇调节元件（sterol regulatory element,SRE）同源位点并进行点突变,证实PHB基因的胆固醇敏感调控位点。结果：PHB启动子和各分段产物构建质粒完整。与转染完整PHB启动子（pPHB-1192）的PC-3细胞比较,转染pPHB-179 (-35/+138)的PC-3细胞萤光素酶活性显著降低（P<0.05）。点突变位于PHB启动子上的-117到-108 bp的SRE可能位点后,与转染pPHB-1192的PC-3细胞比较,转染SRE点突变的PC-3细胞萤光素酶活性显著降低（P<0.05）。结论：PHB启动子在人前列腺癌PC-3细胞中的活性受胆固醇调节。PHB启动子中对胆固醇敏感的作用位点位于-117到-108 bp的SRE同源位点。PHB可能成为前列腺癌靶向基因治疗的有效工具。     

Molecular characterization of the non-coding promoter and leader regions and full-length 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of Taylorella asinigenitalis

The 3,339 base pair (bp) sequences encoding a putative open reading frame (ORF), non-coding promoter and leader regions (approximately 320 bp), full-length 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene (approximate 1,540 bp) and part of the 16S-23S rDNA internal spacer region (ISR) were determined from genome DNA libraries of the Taylorella asinigenitalis (UK-1) isolate. The non-coding promoter and leader regions included antiterminators (boxB, boxA and boxC) immediately upstream of the 16S rRNA gene sequence. An approximately 680 bp region upstream of the non-coding promoter region appears to contain a putative ORF with high sequence similarity to GTP cyclohydrolase I. In addition, a typical order of intercistronic tRNA genes with the 48 nucleotide spacer of 5'-16S rDNA-tRNA(Ile)-tRNA(Ala)-23S rDNA-3' was demonstrated in a part of the 16S-23S rDNA ISR. The antiterminators of boxB and boxA were also identified in the ISR.A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence information clearly demonstrated that the five T. asinigenitalis isolates formed a cluster together with the three T. equigenitalis strains, more similar to Pelistega europaea than the other beta-Proteobacteria from the 13 species of 11 genera.     

SPA基因启动子的克隆及转录靶向活性分析

目的：克隆大鼠肺表面活性蛋白A（SPA）基因启动子并构建该启动子的荧光报告系统,探讨该启动子的活性及转录靶向性，为进一步研究SPA 基因的表达调控机制和探讨靶向性基因治疗奠定基础。方法:①从GenBank中获取大鼠SPA 基因序列，对其上游基因组序列进行计算机生物信息学分析，推断其上游序列约163bp的区域具有启动子功能。②利用PCR技术扩增SPA 基因上游启动子序列,将其亚克隆入pGL3-basic 中,构建pGL3-SPA 质粒，将其亚克隆于pGL3-control 中，构建pGL3-SPA-enhancer 质粒。③将构建pGL3-SPA质粒、pGL3-SPA-enhancer 质粒、pGL3-control质粒和pGL3-basic 质粒分别与内参质粒pRL-TK共转染入A549细胞和H441细胞, 用双荧光素酶报告系统检测该质粒在两种细胞中的荧光素酶活性表达。 结果:酶切及测序结果均证实成功克隆了SPA基因启动子序列,并已将该序列正确插入到荧光素酶报告基因系列载体中。重组的pGL3-SPA-enhancer 质粒、pGL3-SPA质粒转染H441 细胞后可以检测到荧光素酶的高表达。结论:成功构建了含有SPA 基因启动子序列的荧光素酶基因报告系统,证实了它在高表达SPA蛋白的细胞中有较高的转录活性， 为下一步研究SPA 基因功能及其转录调控以及探讨基因治疗的靶向性奠定了基础。     

Identification and analysis of the promoter region of the STGC3 gene

Introduction

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. The STGC3 gene is related to development of nasopharyngeal cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the promoter region of the STGC3 gene.

Material and methods

The bioinformatic technique was applied to predict its promoter region and construct the gene promoter region luciferase for the gene vector and transfection of the human embryonic kidney epithelial 293T cell line, human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE2 cell line and immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial NP69 cell line. The recombinant plasmid pGL3-en283, pGL3-en281, pGL3-en571, empty plasmid pGL3-control, negative control pGL3-enhance and internal control of marine intestine luciferase expression vector pRL-SV40 were transfected into NP69 cells, 293T cells and CNE2 cells. Dual luciferase activity detection showed luciferase luminescence values and marine intestine luciferase luminescence values. Relative luciferase activity (RLA) in each cell was calculated.

Results

We observed strong promoter activity of plasmid pGL3-en283, pGL3-en281 and pGL3-en571 in NP69, 293T and CNE2 cells compared with the negative control pGL3-enhance plasmid. Among them, pGL3-en281 showed the strongest promoter activity, and these three kinds of recombinant plasmids showed stronger promoter activity in 293T cells than in CNE2 cells.

Conclusions

The pGL3-en281 plasmid showed stronger promoter activity than pGL3-en571 in the three cells, indicating that –11048 bp to –653 bp might be the core promoter region.     

CD2相关蛋白启动子区域保守序列的功能分析

目的 在不同物种间通过保守序列分析和荧光素酶功能测定的方法寻找发现CD2相关蛋白(cD2AP)基因启动子重要的调节成分.方法 用BLAST分析软件进行序列比较和同源分析不同种系CD2AP启动子序列,构建人CD2AP启动子不同的缺失变异载体,转染来自不同种类的细胞,测定荧光素酶活性,并用全反式维甲酸处理,观测其对CD2AP启动子活性的影响.结果 在人、牛、猪的CD2AP推断的启动子区域进行同源比较发现推断的sp1(specific protein 1)和下游启动子成分高度进化保守,进行性缺失荧光素酶分析表明在人胚肾细胞株HEK-293、非洲绿猴肾细胞株Vero、仓鼠肾细胞株BHK-21中人CD2AP启动子活性有相似的形式,ATG上游500 bp有基本的启动子活性,再向上100 bp启动子活性增加10倍,两个推断的Sp1位点位于该100 bp区域内,全反式维甲酸可下调CD2AP启动子的活性.结论 我们初步发现推断的Sp1位点和下游启动子成分在CD2AP启动子调控中起重要作用.