DNA binding,cleavage, and cytotoxicity of binuclear phenolate nickel(II) complexes

Three binuclear phenolate complexes, [Ni₂(L¹)₂(OAc)](BPh₄)·DMF (1), [Ni₂(L²)₂(OAc)](BPh₄) (2), and [Ni₂(L³)₂(OAc)](OH)·3H₂O (3), where L¹ = 2-{[bis-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-4-methyl-phenol, L² = 2-{[bis-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-4-methoxy-phenol, and L³ = 2-{[bis-(2-hydroxy-ethyl)-amino]-methyl}-4-tert-butyl-phenol), have been synthesized. Single-crystal diffraction reveals that all the metal atoms are in a distorted octahedral geometry. The interactions of the complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) have been investigated by UV–vis absorption, fluorescence emission, and circular dichroism spectroscopy and viscosity measurements. Furthermore, DNA cleavage mechanism shows that the complexes may be capable to promote DNA cleavage through oxidative DNA damage pathway, which is indicative of the involvement of hydroxyl radical, singlet oxygen, or singlet oxygen-like entity in the cleavage process. Cytotoxicity studies on the Hela and MCF-7 cancer cell lines show that complexes 1–3 exhibit excellent activity toward the tested tumor cell lines with respect to the standard drug carboplatin, revealing that they have the potential to act as effective metal-based anticancer drugs.     

用于单分子动力学实验的微流控混合器

设计制作了用于单分子动力学实验的微流控混合器, 该混合器用聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)芯片和石英载玻片密封而成, 具有低的荧光背景, 广泛的生物相容性, 结合激光共聚焦显微镜能够在非平衡态下进行单分子荧光探测. 我们设计的压力控制系统和进样流路方便而稳定, 保证了微流路中流形的长时间稳定, 从而实现了样品流速和流量的精准控制. 这些技术特点保证了单分子探测得到准确和高信噪比的结果. 利用蛋白质的塌缩过程远快于混合过程的特点,采用荧光标记的金黄色葡萄球菌核酸酶作为指示物,分辨出蛋白质变性态的特征峰,并利用变性态的荧光共振能量传递效率随时间的变化表征出混合器在适合于单分子探测条件下的混合时间为150 ms.     

Determination of intrinsic properties of immobilized enzymes

Staphylococcal nuclease has been insolubilized, directly through its amino groups, on CNBr-activated Sepharose 2B. For kinetic studies, a small substrate (thymidine 5′-(p-nitrophenyl phosphate) 3′-phosphate) has been used to measure the hydrolytic activity. With this system the absence of diffusional limitation has been proven. Eadie-Hofstee analysis of the data has been employed to determine the intrinsic kinetic constants of the insolubilized enzyme. Thek _cat-pH andK _M−pH profiles and the activation energies are similar for the soluble and for the insolubilized nuclease. At the same time conditions are established in which a stirred batch reactor containing particles of insolubilized nuclease behaves as an open system.     

对于核小体定位检测方法的比较研究

在真核细胞中,核小体是组成染色质的基本结构单位,是由DNA紧密缠绕在组蛋白八聚体上所形成的一个复合体结构。而DNA与组蛋白的结合并不是固定不变的,没有核小体结合的DNA区域易于各种调节蛋白的接近与结合。因此人们怀疑核小体的定位与基因的转录调节之间存在某种内在联系。对现行的核小体定位的检测方法进行了归类,并对其优缺点进行了分析整理。对更深入的探索核小体定位检测方法的应用有一定意义。     

A Click Chemistry Approach to Developing Molecularly Targeted DNA Scissors

Nucleic acid click chemistry was used to prepare a family of chemically modified triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) for application as a new gene-targeted technology. Azide-bearing phenanthrene ligands—designed to promote triplex stability and copper binding—were ‘clicked’ to alkyne-modified parallel TFOs. Using this approach, a library of TFO hybrids was prepared and shown to effectively target purine-rich genetic elements in vitro. Several of the hybrids provide significant stabilisation toward melting in parallel triplexes (>20 °C) and DNA damage can be triggered upon copper binding in the presence of added reductant. Therefore, the TFO and ‘clicked’ ligands work synergistically to provide sequence-selectivity to the copper cutting unit which, in turn, confers high stabilisation to the DNA triplex. To extend the boundaries of this hybrid system further, a click chemistry-based di-copper binding ligand was developed to accommodate designer ancillary ligands such as DPQ and DPPZ. When this ligand was inserted into a TFO, a dramatic improvement in targeted oxidative cleavage is afforded.     

氧化石墨烯保护的核酸分子探针及其在生物分析中的应用

近年来,氧化石墨烯(graphene oxide,GO)作为石墨烯的一类重要衍生物越来越受到人们的广泛关注.科学家们发现GO具有吸附单链核酸并保护其不受核酸酶降解的能力,该特性引发GO在生物分析领域一系列新的应用:一方面,基于GO能够保护RNA免受环境中普遍存在的核酸酶攻击,发展了稳定RNA探针分子的方法并用于特定目标物的检测、富集及分离;另一方面,基于单链核酸的吸附使其具有抗酶切能力,而形成双链核酸后脱吸附使其失去抗酶切能力,发展了循环酶切放大方法,并用于一系列分析物的高灵敏检测中.此外,功能核酸分子吸附于GO表面后,将具有较高的细胞转染效率、较低的细胞毒性以及较强的生物稳定性,从而被广泛应用于细胞内特定基因及代谢物的检测、成像等.在本篇综述中,首先介绍了GO对单链核酸的保护效果,在此基础上,进一步阐述受保护的单链核酸在生物分析领域的一系列应用.     

Microencapsulated Engineered <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactococcus lactis Cells</Emphasis> for Heterologous Protein Delivery: Preparation and In Vitro Analysis

This article demonstrates the potential of encapsulated, engineered Lactococcus lactis as a vehicle for the oral delivery of therapeutic proteins. Using alginate-poly-l-lysine-alginate membrane-encapsulated L. lactis engineered to secrete the reporter protein Staphylococcal aureus nuclease, we show comparable viability and protein secretion between free and immobilized cells. After 12 h, microcapsules with a cell density of 4.8 × 10⁵ colony forming unit (CFU) ml⁻¹ grew to 2.2 × 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ and released 0.24 arbitrary unit (AU) ml⁻¹ of nuclease, producing similar results as free cells, which grew from 3.4 × 10⁵ to 1.9 × 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ and secreted 0.21 AU ml⁻¹ of nuclease. Moreover, encapsulated cells at a density of 4.4 × 10⁷ CFU ml⁻¹ grew to 2.2 × 10¹⁰ CFU ml⁻¹ in 12 h and secreted 15.3 AU ml⁻¹ of nuclease although 3.1 × 10⁷ CFU ml⁻¹ of free cells reached only 2.3 × 10⁹ CFU ml⁻¹ and released 5.6 AU ml⁻¹ of nuclease. We also show the sustained stability of the microcapsules during storage at 4°C over 8 weeks.     

Characterization of immobilized nuclease P1

To improve the efficiency of the use of nuclease P1, enzyme immobilization technology was applied using nuclease P1. Characterization of immobilized nuclease P1 on different supports was studied. The results showed that the optimum pH and temperature of nuclease P1 immobilized via different supports were enhanced. The immobilized enzyme was obviously stable when stored for long periods and was reusable. The best results were obtained when nuclease P1 was immobilized on chitosan nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were applied to protect the activity of nuclease P1 and improved enzyme activity by 13.17% over that of free nuclease P1 at the same conditions. The Michaelis constant Km and V _max were determined for free and immobilized enzyme as well.     

Investigation of DNA cleavage activities of new oxime-type ligand complexes and molecular modeling of complex-DNA interactions

Nucleolytic activities of some new oxime-type ligand complexes were investigated by neutral agarose gel electrophoresis. Analysis of the cleavage products in agarose gel indicated that all complexes used converted supercoiled pUC18 plasmid DNA to its nicked or linear form. It was found that nucleolytic activities of the complexes depend on the complex concentration, reaction time and the presence of a cooxidant (magnesium monoperoxyphthalate, MMPP) in the reaction mixture. However, the complexes cleaved pUC18 plasmid DNA at all investigated pH values. Nucleolytic activities of complexes were investigated for different complex concentrations (0.1–100 μmol L⁻¹), pH values (6.0–10.0) and reaction times (0–60 min). Molecular modeling studies performed by the Hyperchem Software together with DNA-binding studies showed that planar sites of the complexes intercalated into double stranded DNA. It can be concluded that all oxime-type ligand complexes used can be evaluated as nuclease mimics.     

葡萄球菌核酸酶蛋白的时间分辨荧光与热力学特性

葡萄球菌核酸酶(SNase)是一种小型球状蛋白,其变体常用来研究蛋白质的折叠过程。不同于之前报道的研究方法和技术手段,采用时间相关单光子计数(TCSPC)及飞秒荧光上转换技术,结合紫外吸收谱和稳态荧光光谱,研究了SNase蛋白变体Δ+PHS和Δ+PHS+I92A的荧光动力学,以及不同温度下蛋白结构与热稳定性的关系,证明蛋白质内色氨酸残基可作为一种内源性探针对蛋白变体的结构折叠和热稳定性进行印证和研究。衰减相关光谱(DAS)表明了两种变体随温度变化的不同趋势,在此基础上进一步分析了这两种变体的结构折叠及热稳定性的差异。皮秒时间分辨发射光谱(TRES)显示色氨酸残基存在0.5 ns的连续光谱弛豫过程,而光谱移动量可作为SNase变体蛋白结构紧密程度的判断依据。飞秒上转换数据分析结果中,0.5 ps的DAS在光谱蓝端为正、红端为负,表明了色氨酸残基受到弛豫效应的影响。200 ps的寿命则说明色氨酸残基与周围猝灭基团之间存在电子转移过程。时间分辨荧光各向异性(anisotropy)的分析结果则说明了色氨酸残基在蛋白质体系内具有独立的局部运动,且其强弱与变体的热稳定性和热运动的整体效果有关。测量和分析色氨酸残基的时间分辨荧光性质为深入研究SNase蛋白的结构和功能提供了新的思路。