古紫质等光驱质子泵以及该类活性蛋白质与聚合物的功能复合材料

将具有生物活性的蛋白质与具有良好加工和力学性能的合成高分子相结合制备高性能的杂化材料是材料科学一个新的生长点.本专论聚焦于对具有光驱质子泵功能的两类活性蛋白质——细菌视紫红质(BR)与古紫质4(AR4)的研究,其中BR作为一个著名的膜蛋白已有四十余年的研究历史,而AR4则为中国科研人员十余年前所发现.综述了AR4的研究,并对AR4和BR进行了对比,进一步介绍了光敏蛋白质(BR和AR4)与聚合物基质复合制备新型功能高分子材料的工作,还介绍了该类光敏蛋白质的基因工程改造以及蛋白质/聚合物复合膜用于信息材料方面的探索工作.论文总结了一系列创新成果,如(1)在光敏蛋白质的质子泵机理方面,提出了"弱偶联模型"并解释了AR4具有与BR相反的质子释放和提取时间顺序的内在机理;(2)光敏蛋白质与聚合物复合膜相关的高分子水凝胶和蛋白质聚集状态的研究,并发现与均聚物和两亲性小分子不同,两亲性嵌段共聚物可导致光敏蛋白质中间体的寿命有数量级的延长;(3)发展了光敏蛋白质与聚合物复合膜的制备技术,所得到的材料不仅保持了光学活性,其蛋白质的光学响应性能还得到进一步改善;(4)发现了含光敏蛋白质的紫膜强烈抗拒哺乳动物细胞黏附的新功能;(5)尝试将该蛋白质和聚合物的复合膜作为信息材料,实现了全光宽带图像显示.进一步展望了此类光敏蛋白质的后续研究和潜在的应用前景.     

新型小肽疫苗的设计——Ⅰ.多联体生长激素释放抑制因子基因的化学合成、克隆与表达

小分子多肽制备抗体效率很低。我们设计了一种新的制备小肽疫苗的方法——小肽自连疫苗。这种新疫苗无需用其它蛋白质作载体,因此纯度高,单一性强,无其它杂抗原。尤其在需要进行自身免疫时这种疫苗效率较高。根据这种设计,我们合成并克隆了一个多联的生长激素释放抑制因子的基因,经过筛选、鉴定,得到了一个最大为六联体的生长激素释放抑制因子基因。该基因放到大肠杆菌中表达,并做Western检测,得到六联体生长激素释放抑制因子的表达菌株,该菌株的表达产物能与生长激素释放抑制因子的抗体发生免疫反应。     

温敏核不育系水稻株1S及其矮秆突变SV14茎的蛋白质组学比较

采用双向凝胶电泳对温敏核不育水稻株1S和其矮秆突变体SV14的茎(穗颈下第1节和第2节)蛋白进行了分离,通过银染显色,获得了分辨率和重复性较好的双向电泳图谱.选取了26个蛋白质点采用MALDI-TOF-MS进行肽质谱指纹图分析,最终有12个蛋白质点得到了可靠鉴定.其中在SV14中相对于株1S上调的仅有OSJNBa0039C07.13 蛋白,其它蛋白均表现为下调.这些差异蛋白按照功能可分为4类: (1) 能量代谢相关蛋白;(2) 次生代谢相关蛋白;(3) 调控蛋白;(4) 未知蛋白.对光合系统Ⅱ氧延伸复合物蛋白质前体2,果糖二磷酸醛缩酶,UDP-葡糖醛酸脱羧酶对应的基因进行了半定量RT-PCR分析,发现这几个基因与蛋白质的表达不一致,可能是RNA发生了翻译后修饰而减少了蛋白表达量的结果.这些差异蛋白很可能与水稻矮化有关,为水稻矮秆基因的寻找提供了另一个有效途径.     

糖尿病肾病患者AR基因表达量测定

对50例正常人和80名糖尿病肾病不同分期的患者进行醛糖还原酶(Aldose Reductase, AR)基因的表达量测定, 提示AR基因有望成为糖尿病肾病(DN)早期诊断的生物标志物以及DN治疗上潜在的药物靶点, 并且利用AR基因对DN的中医诊断进行了分子生物学验证.     

膜蛋白跨膜区段的预测分析

将连续小波变换技术的时频局部化特点和氨基酸的疏水特性相结合,提出了一种用于预测膜蛋白跨膜区段数目和位置的新方法,以代码为1YST的膜蛋白为例,对小波尺度和疏水值的种类进行了选择,同时描述了该法对跨膜螺旋区数目和位置的预测分析过程.从膜蛋白数据库中随机抽取36个蛋白质(含跨膜螺旋区232)作为测试集,采用该方法对其跨膜螺旋区进行预测,其中222个跨膜螺旋区能被准确预测,准确率为96.1%.结果表明,该法具有较高的预测准确性.     

温敏核不育系水稻株1S及其矮秆突变体SV14茎的蛋白质组学比较

采用双向凝胶电泳对温敏核不育水稻株1S和其矮秆突变体SV14的茎(穗颈下第1节和第2节)蛋白进行了分离, 通过银染显色, 获得了分辨率和重复性较好的双向电泳图谱. 选取了26个蛋白质点采用MALDI-TOF-MS进行肽质谱指纹图分析, 最终有12个蛋白质点得到了可靠鉴定. 其中在SV14中相对于株1S上调的仅有OSJNBa0039C07.13 蛋白, 其它蛋白均表现为下调. 这些差异蛋白按照功能可分为4类: (1) 能量代谢相关蛋白; (2) 次生代谢相关蛋白; (3) 调控蛋白; (4) 未知蛋白. 对光合系统Ⅱ氧延伸复合物蛋白质前体2, 果糖二磷酸醛缩酶, UDP-葡糖醛酸脱羧酶对应的基因进行了半定量RT-PCR分析, 发现这几个基因与蛋白质的表达不一致, 可能是RNA发生了翻译后修饰而减少了蛋白表达量的结果. 这些差异蛋白很可能与水稻矮化有关, 为水稻矮秆基因的寻找提供了另一个有效途径.     

定点突变提高IL-4免疫毒素对淋巴瘤的选择性和杀伤活性

采用软件分析选择与IL-4分子结合与活性相关的重要位点13T,121R,通过定点突变得到IL-4突变基因cpIL4(13D121E),将其与绿脓杆菌外毒素突变基因PE38KDEL融合,成功地构建了编码免疫毒素cpIL4(13D121E)-PE38KDEL的融合基因.该基因在原核表达系统中得到了高效表达,表达量占细胞全蛋白的30%以上.表达产物经亲和色谱和阴离子交换色谱纯化后,进行细胞毒性实验,证明其对表达型IL-4受体的淋巴瘤细胞Daudi具有良好的细胞毒作用,活性是同类型IL-4免疫毒素的2倍,而对表达型IL-4受体的内皮细胞活性较低.     

产黄青霉菌中细菌血红蛋白的基因表达及工程菌的应用研究

用产黄青霉HY876作受体菌,建立amds(Acetamidase)基因为选择标记的VHb表达系统.该系统构建包括原生质体的制备和再生;用于真菌表达VHb基因的质粒pVHbM和pVHBI的构建;pVHbM或pVHbI与选择标记质粒pUcamds的共转化;将VHb基因整合到产黄青霉HY876基因组中.结果表明,只有部分转化子整合有VHb基因,VHb蛋白的表达量与其在染色体上整合的位点和整合拷贝数有关,不同转化子产生不同效应.该菌株的摇瓶发酵实验表明,VHb可促进青霉素的合成,使青霉素效价提高39%.     

溶栓与抗栓双功能尿激酶原突变体的模拟、构建与表达

将抗栓肽(Decorsin)嫁接到低分子量尿激酶原(scuPA-32k)上,可以期望获得既具有抗血小板聚集活性,又具有溶栓活性的新型基因工程蛋白质分子.利用计算机辅助分子设计手段模拟了该融合蛋白的分子结构,证明其活性区可以正常发挥功能.根据大肠杆菌偏好密码子合成Decorsin的基因,与scuPA-32k基因融合在一起,构建新的嵌合体基因dscuPA,并在大肠杆菌中通过IPTG进行诱导表达,该重组蛋白在大肠杆菌中以包涵体的形式存在.对包涵体进行变性和复性并通过层析纯化得到目的蛋白质.用纤维蛋白平板法测得重组蛋白的比活为92000IU/mg.激活纤溶酶原的酶促动力学性质与天然低分子量尿激酶相似,且有较强的抑制血小板聚集的功能.重组蛋白dscuPA不但具有较强的溶栓功能,而且具有抗栓功能.     

差异蛋白质组学在水生动物免疫研究中的应用

差异蛋白质组学是指依据蛋白质样品在不同时期、不同组织、不同状态或不同外界条件下表达不同,来筛选、鉴定蛋白质,可以通过对差异蛋白质的分析鉴定研究编码该差异蛋白的基因,扩展对该基因功能的研究,也可以结合功能蛋白质组学研究,发现新的蛋白质,完善已有的蛋白质组数据库.     

Two photon dissociation dynamics of NO2 and NO2 + H2O

To explore the dynamics of OH formation from two photon absorbed NO(2) with H(2)O, a high-level multiconfigurational perturbation theory was used to map the potential energy profiles of NO(2) dissociation to O ((1)D) + NO (X(2)Π), and subsequent hydrogen abstraction producing 2OH (X(2)Π) + NO (X(2)Π) in the highly excited S(PP) (?(2)A', (2)ππ*) state. The ground state NO(2) is promoted to populate in the S(NP1) (?(2)A", (2)nπ*) intermediate state by one photon absorption at ~440 nm, one thousandth of which is further excited to S(PP) (?(2)A', (2)ππ*) state and undergoes a medium-sized barrier (~11.0 kcal/mol) to give rise to OH radicals. In comparison with the hydrogen abstraction reaction in highly vibrationally excited NO(2) ground state, two photon absorption facilitates NO(2) dissociation to O ((1)D) and O ((1)D) + H(2)O → 2OH (X(2)Π) but results in low quantum yield of NO(2)** since there is a weak absorption upon the second beam light at ~440 nm. It can be concluded that the reaction of two photon absorbed NO(2) with H(2)O makes negligible contributions to the formation of OH radicals. In contrast, single photon absorption at <554 nm is a possible process on the basis of the present and previous computations.     

STEADY HYPSOCHROMIC SHIFT OF PEAK RESPONSIVITY TO ATTRACTANT LIGHT FROM 590 nm TO 560 nm IN Halobacterium halobium*

Abstract— Peak responsivity of photoattraction in Halobacterium halobium cells shows steady hypsochromic shift from 590 nm wavelength under low irradiance conditions to 560 nm under high irradiance conditions. Inversion of the photoattractant response, as dependent on blue vs red background light, is compatible with the known properties of photochromic sensory rhodopsin-I (SR-I) with ground state maximum absorption at 587 nm. Relaxation of the photoattractant response in H. halobium, as a function of wavelength and irradiance, gives a hint at an antagonistic pigment or intermediate state, different from ground state SR-I, with peak sensitivity at 620 nm or even above. The less sensitive photoattractant response at 560 nm persists without photorelaxation and represents the peak responsivity under high irradiance conditions.     

Theoretical study of absorption and fluorescence spectra of firefly luciferin in aqueous solutions

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of firefly luciferin, which is an analog of oxyluciferin, are investigated by performing the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, especially focusing on the experimentally unassigned peaks. Time-dependent DFT calculations are performed for the excited states of firefly luciferin and its conjugate acids and bases. We find that (1) the peaks in the experimental absorption spectra correspond to the excited states of not only (6'O(-), 4COO(-)) and (6'OH, 4COO(-)), but also (6'OH, 4COOH) and (6'OH, 3H(+), 4COOH); (2) the peaks in the experimental fluorescence spectra correspond to the excited states of not only (6'O(-), 4COO(-)), but also (6'OH, 4COO(-)), (6'O(-), 4COOH), (6'OH, 4COOH) and (6'OH, 3H(+), 4COOH); (3) the unassigned peak near 400 nm in the experimental absorption spectra at pH 1 is assigned to the absorption from the equilibrium ground state to the first excited state of (6'OH, 3H(+), 4COOH); and (4) the unassigned peak at 610 nm in the experimental fluorescence spectra corresponds to the transition from the equilibrium first excited state to the ground state of (6'OH, 4COO(-)).     

Photoinduced electron transfer between a carotenoid and TiO2 nanoparticle

The dynamics of photoinduced electron injection and recombination between all-trans-8'-apo-beta-caroten-8'-oic acid (ACOA) and a TiO(2) colloidal nanoparticle have been studied by means of transient absorption spectroscopy. We observed an ultrafast ( approximately 360 fs) electron injection from the initially excited S(2) state of ACOA into the TiO(2) conduction band with a quantum yield of approximately 40%. As a result, the ACOA(*)(+) radical cation was formed, as demonstrated by its intense absorption band centered at 840 nm. Because of the competing S(2)-S(1) internal conversion, approximately 60% of the S(2)-state population relaxes to the S(1) state. Although the S(1) state is thermodynamically favorable to donate electrons to the TiO(2), no evidence was found for electron injection from the ACOA S(1) state, most likely as a result of a complicated electronic nature of the S(1) state, which decays with a approximately 18 ps time constant to the ground state. The charge recombination between the injected electrons and the ACOA(*)(+) was found to be a highly nonexponential process extending from picoseconds to microseconds. Besides the usual pathway of charge recombination forming the ACOA ground state, about half of the ACOA(*)(+) recombines via the ACOA triplet state, which was monitored by its absorption band at 530 nm. This second channel of recombination proceeds on the nanosecond time scale, and the formed triplet state decays to the ground state with a lifetime of approximately 7.3 micros. By examination of the process of photoinduced electron transfer in a carotenoid-semiconductor system, the results provide an insight into the photophysical properties of carotenoids, as well as evidence that the interfacial electron injection occurs from the initially populated excited state prior to electronic and nuclear relaxation of the carotenoid molecule.     

Fine pattern fabrication on SnO2:Sb thin films formed by the sol–gel process

The effects of UV irradiation on the properties of Sb⁵⁺ doped gel films were studied, which were prepared from stannic chloride (SnCl₄·5H₂O) and sodium alkoxide (NaOR) modified with benzytone (BzAcH). It was found that the absorption peak at around 335 nm due to the π → π* transition showed the formation of a chelate ring to Sn. The intensity of the absorption band decreased with UV light irradiation at 365 nm from a high‐pressure mercury lamp (250W). This finding showed that the SnO₂:Sb gel films modified with BzAcH were photosensitive to UV light. Additionally, this finding was applied to the fabrication of patterns on the SnO₂:Sb thin films. A gel film was irradiated through a mask and leached in water. Then a positive pattern was formed on the SnO₂:Sb thin films attached to the substrate. After heat treatment, the SnO₂:Sb gel films changed into transparent conductive films with an average conductivity of 1.20 × 10^?2Ω cm and with a transmission of 97.1%. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis, photophysics, and optical limiting of platinum(II) 4'-tolylterpyridyl arylacetylide complexes

A series of 4'-tolylterpyridyl platinum(II) complexes with different arylacetylide ligands, namely, phenylacetylide, 4-bromophenylacetylide, 4-nitrophenylacetylide, 4-methoxyphenylacetylide, 4-dimethylaminophenylacetylide, 1-naphthylacetylide, and 3-quinolinylacetylide, were synthesized. Their photophysical properties, such as electronic absorption spectra, emission characteristics at room temperature and 77 K, and transient difference absorption spectra, have been investigated. All of these complexes exhibit a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (1MLCT) transition at ca. 420-430 nm in their electronic absorption spectra. For ttpy-Ph, ttpy-C6H4Br-4, ttpy-C6H4OCH3-4, ttpy-C6H4N(CH3)2-4, and ttpy-Np, an additional solvatochromic charge-transfer band appears at ca. 460-540 nm. This band is sensitive to the para substituents on the phenylacetylide ligand and is tentatively assigned to a metal- or/and acetylide-to-terpyridyl charge-transfer transition (i.e., a 1MLCT or/and 1LLCT transition). All of the complexes exhibit room-temperature phosphorescence. The emission can be attributed to a 3MLCT state except for ttpy-C6H4NO2-4, for which the emission likely originates from an intraligand 3pi,pi* state involving the nitrophenylacetylide ligand. For ttpy-C6H4OCH3-4, ttpy-C6H4N(CH3)2-4, and ttpy-Np, there probably is more than one low-energy state in close energy proximity, resulting in multiple exponential decays. In addition, the triplet transient absorption difference spectra of ttpy-Ph, ttpy-C6H4Br-4, ttpy-C6H4NO2-4, and ttpy-Quin exhibit moderately intense, broad absorption bands in the visible region and extending into the near-IR region, which likely originate from the same excited state that emits or from a state that is in equilibrium with the emitting state. It appears that the electron-rich arylacetylide ligands, especially 4-methoxyphenylacetylide and 4-dimethylaminophenylacetylide, cause a decrease of the emission efficiency and disappearance of the transient absorption. In contrast, the complexes that exhibit positive absorption bands in the visible spectral region of the triplet transient difference absorption spectra show substantial optical limiting for nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm.     

Photodissociation dynamics of indole in a molecular beam

Photodissociation of indole at 193 and 248 nm under collision-free conditions has been studied in separate experiments using multimass ion imaging techniques. H atom elimination was found to be the only dissociation channel at both wavelengths. The photofragment translational energy distribution obtained at 193 nm contains a fast and a slow component. Fifty-four percent of indole following the 193 nm photoexcitation dissociate from electronically excited state, resulting in the fast component. The rest of 46% indole dissociate through the ground electronic state, giving rise to the slow component. A dissociation rate of 6 x 10(5) s(-1), corresponding to the dissociation from the ground electronic state, was determined. Similar two-component translational energy distribution was observed at 248 nm. However, more than 80% of indole dissociate from electronically excited state after the absorption of 248 nm photons. A comparison with the potential energy surfaces from the ab initio calculation has been made.     

pH-dependent transitions in xanthorhodopsin

Xanthorhodopsin (XR), the light-driven proton pump of the halophilic eubacterium Salinibacter ruber, exhibits substantial homology to bacteriorhodopsin (BR) of archaea and proteorhodopsin (PR) of marine bacteria, but unlike them contains a light-harvesting carotenoid antenna, salinixanthin, as well as retinal. We report here the pH-dependent properties of XR. The pKa of the retinal Schiff base is as high as in BR, i.e. > or =12.4. Deprotonation of the Schiff base and the ensuing alkaline denaturation cause large changes in the absorption bands of the carotenoid antenna, which lose intensity and become broader, making the spectrum similar to that of salinixanthin not bound to XR. A small redshift of the retinal chromophore band and increase of its extinction, as well as the pH-dependent amplitude of the M intermediate indicate that in detergent-solubilized XR the pKa of the Schiff base counterion and proton acceptor is about 6 (compared to 2.6 in BR, and 7.5 in PR). The protonation of the counterion is accompanied by a small blueshift of the carotenoid absorption bands. The pigment is stable in the dark upon acidification to pH 2. At pH < 2 a transition to a blueshifted species absorbing around 440 nm occurs, accompanied by loss of resolution of the carotenoid absorption bands. At pH < 3 illumination of XR with continuous light causes accumulation of long-lived photoproduct(s) with an absorption maximum around 400 nm. The photocycle of XR was examined between pH 4 and 10 in solubilized samples. The pH dependence of recovery of the initial state slows at both acid and alkaline pH, with pKas of 6.0 and 9.3. The decrease in the rates with pKa 6.0 is apparently caused by protonation of the counterion and proton acceptor, and that at high pH reflects the pKa of the internal proton donor, Glu94, at the times in the photocycle when this group equilibrates with the bulk.     

Biosynthesis of riboflavin. Single turnover kinetic analysis of 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine synthase

6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine synthase (lumazine synthase) catalyzes the condensation of 5-amino-6-ribitylamino-2,4-(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione with 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate, affording the riboflavin precursor, 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine. Single turnover experiments monitored by multiwavelength photometry were performed with the recombinant lumazine synthase of Bacillus subtilis. Mixing of the enzyme with the pyrimidine type substrate is conducive to a hypsochromic shift as well as a decrease in absorbance of the heterocyclic substrate; the rate constant for that reaction is 0.02 s(-1) microM(-1). Rapid mixing of the complex between enzyme and pyrimidine type substrate with the second substrate, 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate, is followed by the appearance of an early optical transient characterized by an absorption maxima at 330 nm of low intensity which was tentatively assigned as a Schiff base intermediate. The subsequent elimination of phosphate affords a transient with intense absorption maxima at 455 and 282 nm, suggesting an intermediate with an extended system of conjugated double bonds. The subsequent formation of the enzyme product, 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine, is the rate-determining step.     

Picosecond relaxation path of ethyl violet

Steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy of a triphenylmethane dye (ethyl violet) exhibiting a fast electronic relaxation is studied. Transient transmissions were probed with a supercontinuum in the 1-20 ps range and fluorescence decays were monitored with a streak camera. Delayed bleaching is observed in solution at room temperature when probing in the short wavelength edge of the main ground state absorption band (530–560 nm). The various shapes of the transmission curves measured at wavelengths where transient absorption, ground state bleaching or amplification dominates are explained by a model involving one absorbing intermediate state. The existence of two electronic transitions in the visible ground state absorption is confirmed as well as non-exponential fluorescence decay. The relaxation mechanism is discussed in terms of internal twisting with charge redistribution.