苏云金芽胞杆菌含不同质粒和不同基因工程菌的生长代谢

用微量热法研究了世界上产量最大的微生物杀中心剂苏云芽胞杆菌(Bacillusthuringiensis)野生菌株YBT－1463,无晶体突变株BMB160和无质粒、无晶体突变株BMB171以及含量不同杀虫蛋白基因工程菌BMB－304－171－A和BMB－304－171－B的生长代谢动力学变化。结果是,含有14个质粒的野生菌株YBT－1463的生长代谢热比无晶体含6个质粒的变株BMB160和无晶体、无质粒突变株BMB171低;将杀虫晶体蛋白基因vryⅠAc和cryⅠC分别转入受体菌BMB171中后,两个工程菌BMB－303－171－A和BMB－304－171－B生长代谢热与受体菌BMB171相比也吸显降低;表明质粒形成一个耗能过程,当受体菌BMB171转入杀虫晶体蛋白基因后,工菌比受茶杯菌的放热大幅度减少,表明基因编码杀虫晶体蛋白也是一个耗能过程,但是含基因cryⅠAc和cryⅠC工程菌BMB－304－171－A和BMB－304－171－B之间的生长代谢没有明显差异。首次报道这些热动力学变化,对杀虫剂发酵生产过程的代谢控有重要指导意义。     

重组质粒对大肠杆菌HB101生长影响的微量热研究

用微量热方法研究了嗜麦芽假单胞菌AT18, 受体菌大肠杆菌HB101, mel基因工程菌——大肠杆菌HB101/pWSY8和携带克隆载体pUC18质粒的大肠杆菌HB101等的生长代谢过程. 实验结果从热化学和热动力学上阐明了细菌的生长速率常数与其所含质粒的大小呈负相关. 探讨了低温处理对含不同质粒大肠杆菌生长的影响, 发现低温处理对工程菌生长影响最大.     

极端嗜盐古生菌启动子序列缺失突变的微量热研究

用微量热方法和DNA缺失突变技术研究了来源于极端嗜盐古生菌R1上的一个推测的启动子片段(RM10)在大肠杆菌中的启动子功能. 启动子片段融合到质粒pKK232-8上无启动子的氯霉素乙酰转移酶(CAT)基因前来检测它驱动基因表达的能力, 缺失分析RM10启动子片段定位具有启动活性的重要功能区. 实验结果从热动力学角度揭示, 这个启动子片段上含有－35区和－10区特征的1382～1517 bp(碱基对)区段是它在大肠杆菌中具有启动子功能的关键部分; 在1～1382 bp区段或1571～1848 bp区段上还存在它的负调控区. 该研究为基因启动子功能研究提供了一种新的、更加灵敏便捷的、化学与生物学相结合的方法.     

Multiplex, construct-specific, and real-time PCR-based analytical methods for Bt rice with cry1Ac gene

Qualitative and quantitative analytical methods based on PCR for Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) rice hybrid, namely, MRP 5401 Bt expressing a modified version of the Bt cry1Ac gene, are reported here. Multiplex PCR assays were developed to target the cry1Ac transgene, Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase (nos) terminator, the neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptLL) marker gene, and an endogenous a-tubulin (TubA) gene in Bt rice. The 3.178 kb region of inserted gene construct comprising the region of the CaMV 35S promoter and cry1Ac gene was amplified, and the construct integrity was confirmed by the nested PCR. The LOD for cry1Ac gene-specific simplex PCR was 0.01%, as established using Bt rice DNA dilutions with 100, 10, 1.0, 0.1, 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001% genetically modified trait. A real-time PCR assay was also developed to quantify the cry1Ac gene. The method performance of the reported real-time PCR assay was in line with the acceptance criteria of Codex Alimentarius Commission ALINORM 10/33/23, with LOD and LOQ values of 0.05%. The reliable PCR assays prior to commercial release of Bt rice would facilitate efficient regulatory compliance for identification of genetic trait, labeling requirements, and effective risk assessment and management. They could also address consumers' concerns and legal disputes that may arise.     

Development of dipsticks for simultaneous detection of vip3A and cry1Ab/cry1Ac transgenic proteins

The number of genetically modified (GM) crops being cultivated and its produce reaching market is increasing every year. The transgenes (vip3A, cry1Ab, and cry1Ac) from Bacillus thuringiensis are being used by plant breeders, apart from other transgenes for developing insect pest-resistant GM crops. It is therefore necessary to develop an easy, rapid, and reliable detection assay to discriminate GM crops and non-GM crops. Dipstick strips using colloidal gold-labeled polyclonal antibodies were developed for simultaneous detection of Vip3A and Cry1Ab/CrylAc proteins. The assay was essentially based on the sandwich format of immunoassay, which was completed within 10 min, and the results were evaluated visually. The detection limits were 50 ng/mL (50 ppb) for both CrylAc and CrylAb proteins, and 100 ng/mL (100 ppb) for Vip3A protein. The developed dipsticks are suitable for on-site simultaneous screening of GM crops bearing two proteins, which, in turn, reduce cost and time of the assay.     

W544F定点突变提高苏云金杆菌Cry1Ac蛋白的稳定性

W544是Cry1Ac蛋白上独特于其它Cry类蛋白的一个氨基酸, 它与F578和F604一起组成一个“螺旋桨状”的疏水簇, 通过疏水相互作用维持蛋白的三维结构稳定. 本研究通过定点突变将W544保守地替换为苯丙氨酸, SDS-PAGE分析结果表明其纯化的原毒素对紫外照射、胰蛋白酶处理和室温存贮的稳定性相对于野生Cry1Ac都有一定程度的提高; 经原子力显微镜观察, 发现W544F产生的晶体两个顶点间的垂直距离比野生型Cry1Ac约长0.6 μm, 且晶体表面不及野生型光滑; 此外, W544F与野生Cry1Ac的杀虫活性相似, 但经过紫外光照射9 h后, 其保留的杀虫活性比野生型高4倍以上. W544F突变较好地解决了Cry1Ac毒素蛋白田间应用不持久的问题, 具有重要的应用价值.     

Cloning, characterization, and expression of a new cry2Ab gene from Bacillus thuringiensis strain 14-1

Bacillus thuringiensis is the major source for transfer of genes to impart insect resistance in transgenic plants. Cry2A proteins of B. thuringiensis are promising candidates for management of resistance development in insects owing to their difference from the currently used Cry1A proteins, in structure and insecticidal mechanism. The cry2Ab gene was found to lack a functional promoter and, hence, is cryptic in nature. The cry2Ab7 gene was cloned from a new indigenous B. thuringiensis strain, 14-1. Nucleotide sequencing of the cry2Ab gene cloned from B. thuringiensis strain 14-1 revealed an open reading frame of 1902 bp. The deduced amino acid sequence of Cry2Ab of B. thuringiensis strain 14-1 showed a variation in three amino acid residues in comparison to the holotype sequence, Cry2Ab1. Expression of the newly cloned cry2Ab gene was studied in an acrystalliferous strain of B. thuringiensis (4Q7) by fusing the cry2Ab gene downstream of cry2Aa promoter and orf1+orf2 sequences. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of a spore-crystal mixture obtained from transformants of B. thuringiensis strain 4Q7 showed production of Cry2Ab protein of about 65 kDa. Alkali solubilized Cry2Ab7 protein showed toxicity against Helicoverpa armigera neonates.     

Adsorption on montmorillonite prevents oligomerization of Bt Cry1Aa toxin

The adsorption of the insecticidal Cry1Aa protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt-toxin) on a model clay surface was studied to understand the structural changes of the protein induced by the clay surface. We studied the adsorption of the monomeric and soluble oligomeric forms of the Cry1Aa toxin as a function of pH and ionic strength conditions on montmorillonite, which is an electronegative phyllosilicate. Cry1Aa secondary structure was determined from the amide I' FTIR absorption profiles. Accessibility to the solvent was determined by NH/ND exchange to characterize conformational flexibility of the different states of the Cry1Aa protein. The size distribution of Cry1Aa solutions was obtained by dynamic light scattering (DLS). From combined DLS and FTIR measurements, we conclude that montmorillonite traps the Cry1Aa toxin in its monomeric state, preventing the oligomerization of the protein. The oligomeric forms were adsorbed onto the clay without significant structural changes.     

Phenotypic and genetic diversity of Bacillus thuringiensis strains isolated in India active against Spodoptera litura

Bacillus thuringiensis strains isolated from different agroclimatic regions of India were found to harbor cry1 family genes. Of 831 strains 18 that were found to produce 130- and 68-kDa mol wt proteins in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were subjected to bioassay against second instar larvae of Spodoptera litura. According to the time response curve, while the highest toxic activity against S. litura was observed in PBT-782 with an LT₅₀ of 25.46 h, strains PBT-372, PBT-574, PBT-801, and PBT-716 in descending order of merit had LT₅₀ values of 36.81, 48.18, 50.35, and 73.53 h. The results of the field experiment testing the efficacy of different B. thuringiensis strains in controlling S. litura larvae infecting peanut plants showed that the chemical insecticide chlorpyriphos was the most effective in controlling S. litura throughout the study period. However, among B. thuringiensis strains, PBT-372 was superior. All the B. thuringiensis strains except PBT-689 were found to contain cry1Ac1-type gene. However, only nine strains contained cry1Aa1 gene. While cry1Ab1 was present only in PBT-372 and PBT-689, cry1Ca1 was present in PBT-574, PBT-688, PBT-689, and PBT-695. cry1Da1 was detected only in PBT-688 and PBT-692. None of the strains contained cry1Ba1 and cry1Ea1 genes. When polymerase chain reaction analysis using cry1Ca1 primer was performed, PBT-695 produced an unexpected 739-bp product, which showed 33% homology with cry1Ca1 gene between nucleotides 1819 and 2107. Our results indicated that among the field-collected B. thuringiensis strains, PBT-372 harbors multiple cry-type genes and could be employed for biological control of insects.     

分子生物学手段检测转Bt基因棉花中Cry杀虫蛋白的定性和定量方法

建立了转Bt基因棉花中Cry杀虫蛋白的提取、样品前处理以及酶联免疫(ELISA)定量分析方法,并使用凝胶电泳、普通聚合酶链式反应(PCR)和实时荧光定量PCR等分子生物学手段对转基因棉花中的Bt基因进行定性和定量检测.所建立的苏云金芽孢杆菌杀虫晶体蛋白(Cry1Ab蛋白和Cry1Ac蛋白)标准曲线线性关系良好,相关系数r2均大于0.999,相对标准偏差RSD均小于2.0%.方法简单、快速、重现性和精密度好,可为农业食品行业和环境领域科研人员提供一种简便快速地从转基因棉花中检测Bt毒蛋白的分析方法.     

Amino acid sequences of 60B8 antigens induced in HL-60 cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The antigens are identical with macrophage-related protein-14 and -8

A differentiation antigen 60B8 appeared in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells which had been induced to differentiate into macrophage-like cells by treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The antigen was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography and separated into two proteins, 60B8-A and -B antigens, by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Both proteins were digested with proteases, and the resulting peptides were subjected to amino acid sequence analysis after purification by reverse-phase HPLC. The amino acid sequences of 60B8-A and -B antigens were identical with those of the proteins MRP-14 and -8, respectively, which were recently predicted from the nucleotide sequences of their complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) clones by Odink et al. (Nature (London), 330, 80 (1987)). Although they did not characterize the chemical properties of the two proteins, our results clearly indicate that macrophage-related protein (MRP)-14 and -8 are expressed without post-translational modification, except that the amino-terminus of MRP-14 is blocked, in differentiated HL-60 cells.     

First total syntheses of aeruginosin 298-A and aeruginosin 298-B, based on a stereocontrolled route to the new amino acid 6-hydroxyoctahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid

The first total syntheses of aeruginosin 298-A (1) and aeruginosin 298-B (3) are described. The syntheses of the alternative putative structures 2 and 4 were also accomplished. The key common strategic element is the stereo-controlled synthesis of (2S,3aS,6R,7aS)-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid (L-Choi, 5) from L-tyrosine. The synthesis of this new bicyclic alpha-amino acid, which is the core of aeruginosins, involves Birch reduction of O-methyl-L-tyrosine (6) and aminocyclization of the resulting dihydroanisole 7 in acid medium, followed by N-benzylation to give the diastereoisomers 12 and 13. Upon acid treatment with HCl-MeOH, the last two produce an equilibrium mixture in which the endo isomer 13 significantly predominates. Hydrogenation of 13 in the presence of (Boc)2O gives 16, which on reduction with LS-Selectride furnishes the alcohol 22, a protected L-Choi. Successive couplings of 22 with D-leucine, protected (R)-(4-hydroxyphenyl)lactic acid, and L-arginine fragments, followed by reduction to the argininol level and a deprotection end step complete the synthetic sequence to produce aeruginosin 298-A (1). Spectral comparison showed that peptide 2, with the structure previously proposed for aeruginosin 298-A, was different from the natural product. However, synthetic 1 was found to be identical to the isolated natural sample of aeruginosin 298-A. These results unequivocally establish that the absolute stereochemistry of aeruginosin 298-A, formerly assigned incorrectly, is D-Hpla-D-Leu-L-Choi-L-Argol, as shown by structure 1. Aeruginosin 298-B was also synthesized and shown to be a mixture of rotamers of D-Hpla-D-Leu-L-ChoiNH2 (3), rather than an epimeric mixture of 3 and the L-Leu-incorporating 4.