Bloom's syndrome protein unfolding G-quadruplexes in two pathways

The Bloom helicase(BLM) gene product encodes a DNA helicase that functions in homologous recombination repair to prevent genomic instability. BLM is highly active in binding and unfolding G-quadruplexes(G4), which are noncanonical DNA structures formed by Hoogsteen base-pairing in guanine-rich sequences. Here we use single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer(smFRET) to study the molecular mechanism of BLM-catalysed G4 unfolding and show that BLM unfolds G4 in two pathways. Our data enable us to propose a model in which the HRDC domain functions as a regulator of BLM, depending on the position of the HRDC domain of BLM in action: when HRDC binds to the G4 sequence, BLM may hold G4 in the unfolded state; otherwise, it may remain on the unfolded G4 transiently so that G4 can refold immediately.     

单分子技术研究T7解旋酶的解旋与换链

单分子荧光共振能量转移(smFRET)和磁镊(MT)技术目前广泛应用于研究分子马达.相较于常规技术,其具有高精度及动态观测的优点.本文研究对象为T7解旋酶,是六聚体解旋酶的典型代表.研究表明,这种解旋酶主要消耗脱氧胸苷三磷酸(dTTP)提供能量,且仅能沿着5′-3′单向进行行走和解旋工作.目前对于六聚体解旋酶的解旋和换链机制的认知仍然存在着诸多问题,因此本文主要以此作为切入点开展研究.首先通过运用smFRET技术研究T7解旋酶在不同DNA底物上的解旋现象,发现其需要3′-尾链参与到解旋工作中,但其为单链或双链结构并无明显区别;通过改变脱氧核糖核酸(DNA)序列中的GC含量,发现T7解旋酶随着序列中GC含量的升高会更容易在解旋过程中发生回退现象,导致解旋长度明显缩短;通过进一步分析发生回退先的实验数据,发现T7解旋酶除了可以瞬时回退到叉形DNA岔口或脱落外,还可以缓慢回退到叉形DNA岔口;运用MT技术研究该解旋酶,同样发现这种缓慢回退现象的存在.根据T7解旋酶解旋DNA遵循的单向性和极性,其只能沿着5′到3′方向进行行走和解旋.因此,本文推测这种缓慢回退的现象可能是解旋酶从5′-链转移至3′-链上,即发生换链过程;最后,本文提出了T7解旋酶在解旋过程中进行换链的模型,将有助于进一步理解环状六聚体解旋酶行使其功能的分子机制.     

New insight into the mechanism of DNA polymerase I revealed by single-molecule FRET studies of Klenow fragment

We use single-molecule FRET and newly-developed D-loop techniques to investigate strand displacement activity of Klenow fragment (exo-) of DNA polymerase I in DNA sequences rich in guanine and cytosine (GC) bases. We find that there exist in the FRET traces numerous ascending jumps, which are induced by the backsliding of Klenow fragment on DNA chains. Our measurements show that the probability of backsliding is closely related to the GC-richness and dNTP concentration: increasing the GC-richness leads to an increase in the backsliding probability, and increasing the dNTP concentration however leads to a decrease in the backsliding probability. These results provide a new insight into the mechanism of DNA polymerase I.     

脂质体包裹荧光受体方法研究a-突触核蛋白在磷脂膜上的结构和动态特征

α-突触核蛋白(α-synuclein,α-syn)在帕金森病的发病机理中起着关键的作用,因而近年来受到了越来越广泛的关注.α-syn在膜上的动力学过程对理解其功能至关重要.本文使用基于脂质体的单分子荧光衰减方法——LipoFRET,首次对较高浓度下α-syn与磷脂膜的相互作用的动态过程进行了单分子层面上的研究.研究发现,在溶液中α-syn浓度升高时,其中央NAC区域可离开磷脂膜表面进入水相中;而N端部分位于膜表面内的位置变浅,并有更高的概率脱离膜表面进入溶液中.利用单分子荧光成像对α-syn解离的观察则发现,随着溶液中的α-syn浓度升高,脂质体上的α-syn解离速率加快.因此高浓度下,α-syn在膜上各区域垂直位置变化促进了蛋白从膜上的解离.结合LipoFRET的实验结果可以推断,α-syn的解离可能是由于不同的α-syn分子膜作用位点互相竞争而导致的解离.这样的特征,可能是体内环境中影响α-syn控制其聚集的重要性质.