Although the multiple organellar RNA editing factors （MORFs） in the plastids of Arabidopsis thaliana have been extensively studied, molecular details underlying how MORFs affect plant development in other species, p...Although the multiple organellar RNA editing factors （MORFs） in the plastids of Arabidopsis thaliana have been extensively studied, molecular details underlying how MORFs affect plant development in other species, particularly in rice, remain largely unknown. Here we describe the characterization of wspl, a rice mutant with white-stripe leaves and panicles. Notably, wspl exhibited nearly white immature panicles at the heading stage. Transmission electron microscopy analysis and chlorophyll content measurement re- veale i a chloroplast developmental defect and reduced chlorophyll accumulation in wspl. Positional cloning of WSP1 found a point mutation in OsO4g51280, whose putative product shares high sequence similarity with MORF proteins. Complementation experiments demonstrated that WSP1 was responsible for the variegated phenotypes of wspl. WSP1 is localized to chloroplasts and the point mutation in wspl affected the editing of multiple organellar RNA sites. Owing to the defect in plastid RNA editing, chloroplast ribosome biogenesis and ndhA splicing were also impaired in wspl, which may affect normal chloroplast development in the leaves and panicles at the heading stage. Together, our results demonstrate the importance of rice WSP1 protein in chloroplast development and broaden our knowledge about MORF family members in rice.展开更多
In eukaryotic cells, initiation of protein translation is to recruit the ribosome to a specific mRNA, which is generally dependent on the 5＇ cap structure. However, protein translation can also be initiated in a cap-...In eukaryotic cells, initiation of protein translation is to recruit the ribosome to a specific mRNA, which is generally dependent on the 5＇ cap structure. However, protein translation can also be initiated in a cap-independent manner by using a cis-regulatory element termed the internal ribosome entry site （IRES）. The first experimentally validated IRES was reported in the poliovirus （Pelletier and Sonenberg, 1988）. Then eukaryotic cellular mRNAs were also validated to contain IRES elements.展开更多
The roles of concealed microproteins encoded by long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)are gradually being exposed,but their functions in tumorigenesis are still largely unclear.Here,we identify and characterize a conserved 99-a...The roles of concealed microproteins encoded by long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)are gradually being exposed,but their functions in tumorigenesis are still largely unclear.Here,we identify and characterize a conserved 99-amino acid microprotein named KRASIM that is encoded by the putative lncRNA NCBP2-AS2.KRASIM is differentially expressed in normal hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells and can suppress HCC cell growth and proliferation.Mechanistically,KRASIM interacts and colocalizes with the KRAS protein in the cytoplasm of human HuH-7 hepatoma cells.More importantly,the overexpression of KRASIM decreases the KRAS protein level,leading to the inhibition of ERK signaling activity in HCC cells.These results demonstrate a novel microprotein repressor of the KRAS pathway for the first time and provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of oncogenic signaling and HCC therapy.展开更多
Objective To analyze the structure of bacteria in drinking water by molecular biological techniques, Methods DNA of bacteria in drinking water was directly extracted without culture. 16S ribosomal DNA fragments, inclu...Objective To analyze the structure of bacteria in drinking water by molecular biological techniques, Methods DNA of bacteria in drinking water was directly extracted without culture. 16S ribosomal DNA fragments, including V-6, -7, and -8 regions, were amplified with universal primers （EUBf933CJC and EUBr1387） and analyzed by DGGE. Results DGGE indicated that amplification products could be separated, The results showed that DGGE could be used in the separation of different microbial 16SrRNA genes extracted from drinkng water. Though there were special bacteria in different water samples, the predominant bacteria were essentially the same. Three sequences of the reclaimed specific bands were obtained, and phylogenetic tree of these bands was made. Conclusion Bacterial diversity in drinking water is identified by molecular biological techniques.展开更多
A new ribosome-inactivating protein （RIP） with a molecular weight of 31 kDa induced by Cinchonaglycoside C （1） designated CIP31, was isolated from tobacco leaves. Analysis of this protein sequence indicated that i...A new ribosome-inactivating protein （RIP） with a molecular weight of 31 kDa induced by Cinchonaglycoside C （1） designated CIP31, was isolated from tobacco leaves. Analysis of this protein sequence indicated that it belongs to the RIP family and it was distinct from the other plant RIPs reported previously at its N-terminal amino acid sequence. CIP31 can directly impair synthesis of coat protein （CP） of tobacco mosaic virus （TMV）, which resulted in inhibition of TMV long distance movement and multiplication in tobacco plants at concentrations of ng/mL. Furthermore, no toxicity was shown to the growth and fertility of the plants. CIP31 was synthesized only in the presence of Cinchonaglycoside C （1） and was independent of the salicylic acid （SA） signal pathway. We provided evidence for the SA-independent biological induction of resistance.展开更多
Chloroplasts （plastids） possess a genome and their own machinery to express it. Translation in plastids occurs on bacterial-type 70S ribosomes utilizing a set of tRNAs that is entirely encoded in the plastid genome....Chloroplasts （plastids） possess a genome and their own machinery to express it. Translation in plastids occurs on bacterial-type 70S ribosomes utilizing a set of tRNAs that is entirely encoded in the plastid genome. In recent years, the components of the chloroplast translational apparatus have been intensely studied by proteomic approaches and by reverse genetics in the model systems tobacco （plastid-encoded components） and Arabidopsis （nucleus-encoded components）. This work has provided important new insights into the structure, function, and biogenesis of chloroplast ribosomes, and also has shed fresh light on the molecular mechanisms of the translation process in plastids. In addition, mutants affected in plastid translation have yielded strong genetic evidence for chloroplast genes and gene products influencing plant develop- ment at various levels, presumably via retrograde signaling pathway（s）. In this review, we describe recent progress with the functional analysis of components of the chloroplast translational machinery and discuss the currently available evidence that supports a significant impact of plastid translational activity on plant anatomy and morphology.展开更多
Dear Editor,Streptomyces can produce a large variety of secondary metabolites as a major source of anti-infective, antitumor or immune-suppressive agents widely applied in clinical treatment. Antibiotics-resistant bac...Dear Editor,Streptomyces can produce a large variety of secondary metabolites as a major source of anti-infective, antitumor or immune-suppressive agents widely applied in clinical treatment. Antibiotics-resistant bacteria are spreading at alarming rates.展开更多
Since nucleic acids(DNA and RNA) play very important roles in cells,they are molecular targets of many clinically used drugs,such as anticancer drugs and antibiotics.Because of clinical demands for treating various de...Since nucleic acids(DNA and RNA) play very important roles in cells,they are molecular targets of many clinically used drugs,such as anticancer drugs and antibiotics.Because of clinical demands for treating various deadly cancers and drug-resistant strains of pathogens,there are urgent needs to develop novel therapeutic agents.Targeting nucleic acids hasn’t been the mainstream of drug discovery in the past,and the lack of 3D structural information for designing and developing drug specificity is one of the main reasons.Fortunately,many important structures of nucleic acids and their protein complexes have been determined over the past decade,which provide novel platforms for future drug design and discovery.In this review,we describe some useful nucleic acid structures,particularly their interactions with the ligands and therapeutic candidates or even drugs.We summarize important information for designing novel potent drugs and for targeting nucleic acids and protein-nucleic acid complexes to treat cancers and overcome the drug-resistant problems.展开更多
Ribosome biogenesis in the nucleolus requires numerous nucleolar proteins and small non-coding RNAs.Among them is ribosome biogenesis factor Bmsl,which is highly conserved from yeast to human.In yeast,Bmsl initiates r...Ribosome biogenesis in the nucleolus requires numerous nucleolar proteins and small non-coding RNAs.Among them is ribosome biogenesis factor Bmsl,which is highly conserved from yeast to human.In yeast,Bmsl initiates ribosome biogenesis through recruiting Rcll to pre-ribosomes.However,little is known about the biological function of Bmsl in vertebrates.Here we report that Bmsl plays an essential role in zebrafish liver development.We identified a zebrafish bms1l^（sq163） mutant which carries a T to A mutation in the gene bmsl-like（bms1l）.This mutation results in L^（152） to Q^（152） substitution in a GTPase motif in Bmsll.Surprisingly,bmsll^（sq163） mutation confers hypoplasia specifically in the liver,exocrine pancreas and intestine after 3 days post-fertilization（dpf）.Consistent with the bmsll^（sq163） mutant phenotypes,whole-mount in situ hybridization（WISH） on wild type embryos showed that bmsll transcripts are abundant in the entire digestive tract and its accessory organs.Immunostaining for phospho-Histone 3（P-H3） and TUNEL assay revealed that impairment of hepatoblast proliferation rather than cell apoptosis is one of the consequences of bms1l（sq163） giving rise to an under-developed liver.Therefore,our findings demonstrate that Bmsll is necessary for zebrafish liver development.展开更多
Many plants contain ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) with N-glycosidase activity, which depurinate large ribosomal RNA and arrest protein synthesis. RIPs so far tested inhibit replication of mRNA as well as DNA v...Many plants contain ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) with N-glycosidase activity, which depurinate large ribosomal RNA and arrest protein synthesis. RIPs so far tested inhibit replication of mRNA as well as DNA viruses and these proteins, isolated from plants, are found to be effective against a broad range of viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV). Most of the research work related to RIPs has been focused on antiviral activity against HIV; however, the exact mechanism of antiviral activity is still not clear. The mechanism of antiviral activity was thought to follow inactivation of the host cell ribosome, leading to inhibition of viral protein translation and host cell death. Enzymatic activity of RIPs is not limited to depurination of the large rRNA, in addition they can depurinate viral DNA as well as RNA. Recently, Phase I/II clinical trials have demonstrated the potential use of RIPs for treating patients with HIV disease. The aim of this review is to focus on various RIPs from plants associated with anti-HIV activity.展开更多
Icariin(ICA) has a significant capacity to protect against depression and hippocampal injury,but it cannot effectively cross the bloodbrain barrier and accumulate in the brain.Therefore,the mechanism by which ICA prot...Icariin(ICA) has a significant capacity to protect against depression and hippocampal injury,but it cannot effectively cross the bloodbrain barrier and accumulate in the brain.Therefore,the mechanism by which ICA protects against hippocampal injury in depression remains unclear.In this study,we performed proteomics analysis of cerebrospinal fluid to investigate the mechanism by which ICA prevents dysfunctional hippocampal neurogenesis in depression.A rat model of depression was established through exposure to chronic unpredictable mild stress for 6 weeks,after which 120 mg/kg ICA was administered subcutaneously every day.The results showed that ICA alleviated depressive symptoms,learning and memory dysfunction,dysfunctional neurogenesis,and neuronal loss in the dentate gyrus of rats with depression.Neural stem cells from rat embryonic hippocampi were cultured in media containing 20% cerebrospinal fluid from each group of rats and then treated with 100 μM corticosterone.The addition of cerebrospinal fluid from rats treated with ICA largely prevented the corticosterone-mediated inhibition of neuronal proliferation and differentiation.Fifty-two differentially expressed proteins regulated by chronic unpredictable mild stress and ICA were identified through proteomics analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.These proteins were mainly involved in the ribosome,PI3 K-Akt signaling,and interleukin-17 signaling pathways.Parallel reaction monitoring mass spectrometry showed that Rps4 x,Rps12,Rps14,Rps19,Hsp90 b1,and Hsp90 aa1 were up-regulated by chronic unpredictable mild stress and down-regulated by ICA.In contrast,Htr A1 was down-regulated by chronic unpredictable mild stress and up-regulated by ICA.These findings suggest that ICA can prevent depression and dysfunctional hippocampal neurogenesis through regulating the expression of certain proteins found in the cerebrospinal fluid.The study was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine of China in March 2017.展开更多
文摘Although the multiple organellar RNA editing factors （MORFs） in the plastids of Arabidopsis thaliana have been extensively studied, molecular details underlying how MORFs affect plant development in other species, particularly in rice, remain largely unknown. Here we describe the characterization of wspl, a rice mutant with white-stripe leaves and panicles. Notably, wspl exhibited nearly white immature panicles at the heading stage. Transmission electron microscopy analysis and chlorophyll content measurement re- veale i a chloroplast developmental defect and reduced chlorophyll accumulation in wspl. Positional cloning of WSP1 found a point mutation in OsO4g51280, whose putative product shares high sequence similarity with MORF proteins. Complementation experiments demonstrated that WSP1 was responsible for the variegated phenotypes of wspl. WSP1 is localized to chloroplasts and the point mutation in wspl affected the editing of multiple organellar RNA sites. Owing to the defect in plastid RNA editing, chloroplast ribosome biogenesis and ndhA splicing were also impaired in wspl, which may affect normal chloroplast development in the leaves and panicles at the heading stage. Together, our results demonstrate the importance of rice WSP1 protein in chloroplast development and broaden our knowledge about MORF family members in rice.
基金supported by the grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61571223 and 61171191)
文摘In eukaryotic cells, initiation of protein translation is to recruit the ribosome to a specific mRNA, which is generally dependent on the 5＇ cap structure. However, protein translation can also be initiated in a cap-independent manner by using a cis-regulatory element termed the internal ribosome entry site （IRES）. The first experimentally validated IRES was reported in the poliovirus （Pelletier and Sonenberg, 1988）. Then eukaryotic cellular mRNAs were also validated to contain IRES elements.
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2017YFA0504400)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31370791,31671349,31770879)+2 种基金Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(14lgjc18)This research was supported in part by the Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Computational Science(13lgjc05)the Guangdong Province Computational Science Innovative Research Team(14lgjc18).
文摘The roles of concealed microproteins encoded by long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)are gradually being exposed,but their functions in tumorigenesis are still largely unclear.Here,we identify and characterize a conserved 99-amino acid microprotein named KRASIM that is encoded by the putative lncRNA NCBP2-AS2.KRASIM is differentially expressed in normal hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells and can suppress HCC cell growth and proliferation.Mechanistically,KRASIM interacts and colocalizes with the KRAS protein in the cytoplasm of human HuH-7 hepatoma cells.More importantly,the overexpression of KRASIM decreases the KRAS protein level,leading to the inhibition of ERK signaling activity in HCC cells.These results demonstrate a novel microprotein repressor of the KRAS pathway for the first time and provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of oncogenic signaling and HCC therapy.
基金This research was supported by grants from Chinese National Science Foundation (50478086). The 10th Five-year Key Programs for Science and Technology Development of China (2002AA601120).
文摘Objective To analyze the structure of bacteria in drinking water by molecular biological techniques, Methods DNA of bacteria in drinking water was directly extracted without culture. 16S ribosomal DNA fragments, including V-6, -7, and -8 regions, were amplified with universal primers （EUBf933CJC and EUBr1387） and analyzed by DGGE. Results DGGE indicated that amplification products could be separated, The results showed that DGGE could be used in the separation of different microbial 16SrRNA genes extracted from drinkng water. Though there were special bacteria in different water samples, the predominant bacteria were essentially the same. Three sequences of the reclaimed specific bands were obtained, and phylogenetic tree of these bands was made. Conclusion Bacterial diversity in drinking water is identified by molecular biological techniques.
基金the NationaI NaturaI Science Foundation of China(30370957)the NaturaI Science Foundation of Yunnan Province(2003C0061M).
文摘A new ribosome-inactivating protein （RIP） with a molecular weight of 31 kDa induced by Cinchonaglycoside C （1） designated CIP31, was isolated from tobacco leaves. Analysis of this protein sequence indicated that it belongs to the RIP family and it was distinct from the other plant RIPs reported previously at its N-terminal amino acid sequence. CIP31 can directly impair synthesis of coat protein （CP） of tobacco mosaic virus （TMV）, which resulted in inhibition of TMV long distance movement and multiplication in tobacco plants at concentrations of ng/mL. Furthermore, no toxicity was shown to the growth and fertility of the plants. CIP31 was synthesized only in the presence of Cinchonaglycoside C （1） and was independent of the salicylic acid （SA） signal pathway. We provided evidence for the SA-independent biological induction of resistance.
文摘Chloroplasts （plastids） possess a genome and their own machinery to express it. Translation in plastids occurs on bacterial-type 70S ribosomes utilizing a set of tRNAs that is entirely encoded in the plastid genome. In recent years, the components of the chloroplast translational apparatus have been intensely studied by proteomic approaches and by reverse genetics in the model systems tobacco （plastid-encoded components） and Arabidopsis （nucleus-encoded components）. This work has provided important new insights into the structure, function, and biogenesis of chloroplast ribosomes, and also has shed fresh light on the molecular mechanisms of the translation process in plastids. In addition, mutants affected in plastid translation have yielded strong genetic evidence for chloroplast genes and gene products influencing plant develop- ment at various levels, presumably via retrograde signaling pathway（s）. In this review, we describe recent progress with the functional analysis of components of the chloroplast translational machinery and discuss the currently available evidence that supports a significant impact of plastid translational activity on plant anatomy and morphology.
基金supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2015CB150600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31571281 and 31771378)
文摘Dear Editor,Streptomyces can produce a large variety of secondary metabolites as a major source of anti-infective, antitumor or immune-suppressive agents widely applied in clinical treatment. Antibiotics-resistant bacteria are spreading at alarming rates.
基金financially supported by the Georgia Cancer Coalition(GCC) Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientists and by the US National Science Foundation(NSF MCB-0824837)
文摘Since nucleic acids(DNA and RNA) play very important roles in cells,they are molecular targets of many clinically used drugs,such as anticancer drugs and antibiotics.Because of clinical demands for treating various deadly cancers and drug-resistant strains of pathogens,there are urgent needs to develop novel therapeutic agents.Targeting nucleic acids hasn’t been the mainstream of drug discovery in the past,and the lack of 3D structural information for designing and developing drug specificity is one of the main reasons.Fortunately,many important structures of nucleic acids and their protein complexes have been determined over the past decade,which provide novel platforms for future drug design and discovery.In this review,we describe some useful nucleic acid structures,particularly their interactions with the ligands and therapeutic candidates or even drugs.We summarize important information for designing novel potent drugs and for targeting nucleic acids and protein-nucleic acid complexes to treat cancers and overcome the drug-resistant problems.
基金supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(No.31171391) to LJLan NSFC grant(No. 30825025) to JRP and a grant from the National Research Foundation of Singapore(R-154-000-529-281) to YHH
文摘Ribosome biogenesis in the nucleolus requires numerous nucleolar proteins and small non-coding RNAs.Among them is ribosome biogenesis factor Bmsl,which is highly conserved from yeast to human.In yeast,Bmsl initiates ribosome biogenesis through recruiting Rcll to pre-ribosomes.However,little is known about the biological function of Bmsl in vertebrates.Here we report that Bmsl plays an essential role in zebrafish liver development.We identified a zebrafish bms1l^（sq163） mutant which carries a T to A mutation in the gene bmsl-like（bms1l）.This mutation results in L^（152） to Q^（152） substitution in a GTPase motif in Bmsll.Surprisingly,bmsll^（sq163） mutation confers hypoplasia specifically in the liver,exocrine pancreas and intestine after 3 days post-fertilization（dpf）.Consistent with the bmsll^（sq163） mutant phenotypes,whole-mount in situ hybridization（WISH） on wild type embryos showed that bmsll transcripts are abundant in the entire digestive tract and its accessory organs.Immunostaining for phospho-Histone 3（P-H3） and TUNEL assay revealed that impairment of hepatoblast proliferation rather than cell apoptosis is one of the consequences of bms1l（sq163） giving rise to an under-developed liver.Therefore,our findings demonstrate that Bmsll is necessary for zebrafish liver development.
基金Indo-Swiss Joint research Program (ISJRP)#17/2011
文摘Many plants contain ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) with N-glycosidase activity, which depurinate large ribosomal RNA and arrest protein synthesis. RIPs so far tested inhibit replication of mRNA as well as DNA viruses and these proteins, isolated from plants, are found to be effective against a broad range of viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV). Most of the research work related to RIPs has been focused on antiviral activity against HIV; however, the exact mechanism of antiviral activity is still not clear. The mechanism of antiviral activity was thought to follow inactivation of the host cell ribosome, leading to inhibition of viral protein translation and host cell death. Enzymatic activity of RIPs is not limited to depurination of the large rRNA, in addition they can depurinate viral DNA as well as RNA. Recently, Phase I/II clinical trials have demonstrated the potential use of RIPs for treating patients with HIV disease. The aim of this review is to focus on various RIPs from plants associated with anti-HIV activity.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81774102 (to LLW)。
文摘Icariin(ICA) has a significant capacity to protect against depression and hippocampal injury,but it cannot effectively cross the bloodbrain barrier and accumulate in the brain.Therefore,the mechanism by which ICA protects against hippocampal injury in depression remains unclear.In this study,we performed proteomics analysis of cerebrospinal fluid to investigate the mechanism by which ICA prevents dysfunctional hippocampal neurogenesis in depression.A rat model of depression was established through exposure to chronic unpredictable mild stress for 6 weeks,after which 120 mg/kg ICA was administered subcutaneously every day.The results showed that ICA alleviated depressive symptoms,learning and memory dysfunction,dysfunctional neurogenesis,and neuronal loss in the dentate gyrus of rats with depression.Neural stem cells from rat embryonic hippocampi were cultured in media containing 20% cerebrospinal fluid from each group of rats and then treated with 100 μM corticosterone.The addition of cerebrospinal fluid from rats treated with ICA largely prevented the corticosterone-mediated inhibition of neuronal proliferation and differentiation.Fifty-two differentially expressed proteins regulated by chronic unpredictable mild stress and ICA were identified through proteomics analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.These proteins were mainly involved in the ribosome,PI3 K-Akt signaling,and interleukin-17 signaling pathways.Parallel reaction monitoring mass spectrometry showed that Rps4 x,Rps12,Rps14,Rps19,Hsp90 b1,and Hsp90 aa1 were up-regulated by chronic unpredictable mild stress and down-regulated by ICA.In contrast,Htr A1 was down-regulated by chronic unpredictable mild stress and up-regulated by ICA.These findings suggest that ICA can prevent depression and dysfunctional hippocampal neurogenesis through regulating the expression of certain proteins found in the cerebrospinal fluid.The study was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine of China in March 2017.
