The construction of a cDNA library enriched for immune genes and the analysis of 7535 ESTs from Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis is one of the most important aquaculture crustacean species in China. A cDNA library was constructed from hemocytes of E. sinensis challenged with the mixture of Listonella anguillarum and Staphylococcus aureus, and randomly sequenced to collect genomic information and identify genes involved in immune defense response. Single-pass 5' sequencing of 10368 clones yielded 7535 high quality ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags) and these ESTs were assembled into 2943 unigenes. BLAST analysis revealed that 1706 unigenes (58.0% of the total) or 4593 ESTs (61.0% of the total) were novel genes that had no significant matches to any protein sequences in the public databases. The rest 1237 unigenes; (42.0% of the total) were closely matched to the known genes or sequences deposited in public databases, which could be classed into 20 or 23 classifications according to "molecular function" or "biological process" respectively based on the Gene Ontology (GO). And 221 unigenes (7.5% of all 2943 unigenes, 17.9% of matched unigenes) or 969 ESTs (12.9% of all 7535 ESTs, 32.9% of matched ESTs) were identified to be immune genes. The relative higher proportion of immune-related genes in the present cDNA library than that in the normal library of E. sinensis and other crustaceans libraries, and the differences and changes in percentage and quantity of some key immune-related genes especially the immune inducible genes between two E. sinensis cDNA libraries may derive from the bacteria challenge to the Chinese mitten crab. The results provided a well-characterized EST resource for the genomics community, gene discovery especially for the identification of host-defense genes and pathways in crabs as well as other crustaceans. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discovery of genes involved in defense/immunity functions in a haemocytes cDNA library from Fenneropenaeus chinensis by ESTs annotation

Crustacean haemocytes play important roles in the host immune response including recognition, phagocytosis, melanization, cytotoxicity and inter-cellular signal communication. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) analysis is proved to be an efficient approach not only for gene discovery, but also for gene expression profiles performance. In order to further understand the innate immune system and defense mechanisms of Chinese shrimp at molecular level, complementary DNA library is constructed from the haemocyte tissue of Fenneropenaeus chinensis. A total of 2371 cDNA clones are successfully sequenced and the average sequence length is 460 bp. About 50% are identified as orthologs of known genes from other organisms by BLASTx and BLASTn program. By sequences comparability and analysis, 34 important genes including 177 ESTs are identified that may be involved in defense or immune functions in shrimp based on the known knowledge. These genes are categorized into five categories according to their putative functions in shrimp immune system: 13 genes are different types of antimicrobial peptides (AMP, penaeidin, antilipopolysaccharide factor, etc.), and their proportion is about 3 8%; 11 genes belong to prophenoloxidase system (prophenoloxidase, serine proteinase, serine proteinase inhibitor, etc.), and their proportion is about 32%; five genes have high homology with clotting protein (lectin, transglutaminase, etc), and their proportion is about 15%; three genes may be involved in inter-cell signal communication (peroxinectin, integrin), and their proportion is about 9%; two genes have been identified to be chaperone proteins (Hsc70, thioredoxin peroxidase), and their proportion is about 6%. These EST sequences enrich our understanding of the immune genes of F chinensis and will help farther experimental research into immune factors and improve our knowledge of the immune mechanisms of shrimp. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization and mapping of expressed sequence tags isolated from a subtracted cDNA library of Litopenaeus vannamei injected with white spot syndrome virus

A large number of polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) or microsatellites are needed to develop a genetic map for shrimp. However, developing an SSR map is very time-consuming, expensive, and most SSRs are not specifically linked to gene loci of immediate interest. We report here on our strategy to develop polymorphic markers using expressed sequence tags (ESTs) by designing primers flanking single or multiple SSRs with three or more repeats. A subtracted cDNA library was prepared using RNA from specific pathogen-free (SPF) Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles (similar to 1 g) collected before (0) and after (48 h) inoculation with the China isolate of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). A total of 224 clones were sequenced, 194 of which were useful for homology comparisons against annotated genes in NCBI nonredundant (nr) and protein databases, providing 179 sequences encoded by nuclear DNA, 4 mitochondrial DNA, and 11 were similar to portions of WSSV genome. The nuclear sequences clustered in 43 groups, 11 of which were homologous to various ESTs of unknown function, 4 had no homology to any sequence, and 28 showed similarities to known genes of invertebrates and vertebrates, representatives of cellular metabolic processes such as calcium ion balance, cytoskeleton mRNAs, and protein synthesis. A few sequences were homologous to immune system-related (allergens) genes and two were similar to motifs of the sex-lethal gene of Drosophila. A large number of EST sequences were similar to domains of the EF-hand superfamily (Ca2+ binding motif and FRQ protein domain of myosin light chains). Single or multiple SSRs with three or more repeats were found in approximately 61 % of the 179 nuclear sequences. Primer sets were designed from 28 sequences representing 19 known or putative genes and tested for polymorphism (EST-SSR marker) in a small test panel containing 16 individuals. Ten (53%) of the 19 putative or unknown function genes were polymorphic, 4 monomorphic, and 3 either failed to satisfactorily amplify genomic DNA or the allele amplification conditions need to be further optimized. Five polymorphic ESTs were genotyped with the entire reference mapping family, two of them (actin, accession #CX535973 and shrimp allergen arginine kinase, accession #CX535999) did not amplify with all offspring of the IRMF panel suggesting presence of null alleles, and three of them amplified in most of the IRM F offspring and were used for linkage analysis. EF-hand motif of myosin light chain (accession #CX535935) was placed in ShrimpMap's linkage group 7, whereas ribosomal protein S5 (accession #CX535957) and troponin I (accession #CX535976) remained unassigned. Results indicate that (a) a large number of ESTs isolated from this cDNA library are similar to cytoskeleton mRNAs and may reflect a normal pathway of the cellular response after im infection with WSSV, and (b) primers flanking single or multiple SSRs with three or more repeats from shrimp ESTs could be an efficient approach to develop polymorphic markers useful for linkage mapping. Work is underway to map additional SSR-containing ESTs from this and other cDNA libraries as a plausible strategy to increase marker density in ShrimpMap.

水母雪莲类黄酮次生代谢分子调控研究—cDNA 文库构建、关键酶及Myb 转录因子基因的克隆及其功能的初步鉴定

水母雪莲（Saussurea medusa Maxim）为名贵珍稀中药材，其主要药用成分为类黄酮，尤其是3-脱氧类黄酮。目前关于雪莲的研究主要集中在采用细胞培养生产类黄酮等方面，但对于雪莲类黄酮生物合成的分子机制了解甚少，极大限制了这一珍贵资源的利用。本研究采用水母雪莲红色系愈伤组织及悬浮细胞为材料，构建cDNA文库，从中克隆水母雪莲类黄酮次生代谢中的相关基因并对这些基因进行了深入的生物信息学分析、转基因研究初步确定其功能，以期了解雪莲类黄酮次生代谢的分子机制，为提高类黄酮的合成奠定基础。主要结果如下： 1. 成功地构建了水母雪莲红色系愈伤组织与悬浮细胞cDNA文库，原始文库滴度达到4×106pfu/ml，扩增文库滴度接近1011 pfu/ml，重组率达98%。PCR检测插入片段，均在0.5kb到3kb之间，1kb以上占62%。从文库中检测到了chs、dfr及Myb转录因子SmP，文库覆盖度达到要求且为PCR筛选文库提供了可能。 2. 采用部分简并引物，通过RT-PCR克隆了水母雪莲查尔酮异构酶基因Smchi特异探针，并根据这一探针序列设计特异引物，采用TD-PCR法筛选cDNA文库，获得Smchi cDNA序列，全长831bp，编码一个232氨基酸残基的蛋白。根据cDNA序列克隆了Smchi DNA序列，结果表明Smchi基因无内含子。Smchi cDNA序列与翠菊chi基因高度同源，ORF区域同源性高达84%，但推测氨基酸序列则只有79.3%。Smchi mRNA具有复杂的二级结构。SmCHI具有典型的Chalcone结构域，其二级结构与苜蓿CHI蛋白十分相似，7个α-螺旋与8个延伸链由随机结构联系起来。但其活性中心的第三个关键氨基酸残基N115为M115所取代，这一取代可能导致该蛋白无生物活性，也可能使它具有一般CHI不同的功能。构建Smchi正义、反义真核表达载体，通过农杆菌介导导入烟草，获得转正义、反义Smchi基因的烟草。转基因烟草花色未改变，但叶片总黄酮发生了显著的变化，50%转正义基因烟草总黄酮含量显著提高，最高比对照提高6倍，70%转反义基因烟草总黄酮含量显著下降，最多达85.1%，初步证明Smchi具有功能，并能有效调控烟草类黄酮次生代谢。因此，SmCHI可能是不同于已知CHI的一类新的CHI蛋白，它催化的反应可能与花色素合成无关，其反应机制也可能有所不同。 3. 伴随Smchi的克隆获得了一个黄烷酮3-羟化酶类似基因Smf3h的cDNA，全长1334bp，编码一个343aa的蛋白。根据这一cDNA序列克隆了Smf3h DNA序列，全长1630bp，结果表明该基因由4个外显子和3个内含子组成。Smf3h mRNA具有十分复杂的二级结构。 推测蛋白氨基酸同源性分析表明，SmF3H属于2OG-FeII_Oxy家族，与同一家族的的颠茄H6H的同源性为45%，与拟南芥F3H的同源性为40%，但对SmF3H、典型F3H及典型H6H推测蛋白二级结构、活性中心关键氨基酸残基的位置与相对距离、软件进行功能预测分析，发现SmF3H与F3H更相似。构建Smf3h的正义与反义真核表达载体，通过农杆菌介导导入烟草，但只获得一批转正义基因的烟草，反义基因导致烟草不能再生而未获得转反义基因烟草。转基因烟草花色未改变，叶片总黄酮也与对照相似，初步确认Smf3h与烟草类黄酮生物合成无关，而是一个既不属于f3h也不属于h6h的功能未确定的新基因。 4. 采用与克隆Smchi基因相似的方法，从cDNA文库中克隆了SmP基因cDNA，全长969bp，编码一个256 aa的蛋白质。根据cDNA序列克隆了SmP基因的DNA序列，结果表明，SmP基因无内含子。SmP基因cDNA 一级结构及mRNA二级结构预测分析表明，该基因A+T含量很高（63%），所形成二级结构以A-T配对为主，其稳定性可能较差。SmP推测蛋白序列具有R2R3-Myb转录因子的典型特征，在N-端具有两个Myb DNA-binding Domain，其二级结构与鸡Myb转录因子1A5J十分相似，与其他基因如水稻OsMYB、番茄ThMYB的同源区域主要集中在这一结构域，分别为71.3%和70.8%;C-端富含丝氨酸，与烟草NtMYB、葡萄VlMYB等类黄酮调控因子相似，都呈寡聚体分布，并具有相同的保守磷酸化位点S170与S206。构建SmP基因真核表达载体，通过农杆菌介导导入烟草，获得大量转基因烟草。转基因烟草花色未发生改变，但51%的转基因烟草叶片总黄酮含量都显著提高（0.5-6倍），表明SmP具有促进烟草类黄酮生物合成的功能，但所调控的支路与花色素合成无关。初步试验结果表明，转SmP基因烟草对蚜虫具有很高的抗性，可有效地抑制蚜虫在烟草上的生长，抑制率最高可达92%-100%。这一抗性与烟草中类黄酮的积累可能具有直接的联系，但还需要进一步的试验证明。 5. 与美国俄亥俄州立大学Erich Grotewold 博士实验室合作，完成了微型EST库50个克隆的测序并进行了分析，从中获得了水母雪莲花色素合酶基因SmANS及醛脱氢酶基因SmALDH的特异探针。根据SmANS特异探针设计引物，采用PCR从这50个克隆中筛选获得了SmANS的cDNA序列，全长1229bp，编码一个356aa的蛋白质。SmANS在cDNA水平上与同属的翠菊ANS基因高度同源，但同源区域集中在ORF区域，达到80%，mRNA 预测二级结构十分复杂;推测氨基酸序列与翠菊ANS同源性达到82.9%。SmANS属于2OG-FeII_Oxy家族，在2OG-FeII_Oxy结构域高度保守，与翠菊、甜橙ANS保守结构域同源性达到94%。预测蛋白二级结构以α-螺旋-β-折叠为主，由7个主螺旋和11个主β-折叠及随机结构连接而成，并具有2OG-FeII_Oxy家族活性中心的三个保守的组氨酸残基（His84、His235、His291）和一个天冬氨酸残基（Asp237）。 6. 根据微型EST库中获得的SmALDH特异探针设计引物，采用PCR从这50个克隆中筛选获得了SmALDH基因cDNA 序列，全长1664bp，编码一个491aa的蛋白质。SmALDH基因cDNA具有独特的碱基组成，3/-UTR富含A+T，占该区域碱基总量的80%，5/-UTR的A+T和G+C各占50%，比ORF区域（52%）还低，因此其mRNA二级结构中5/-UTR可以单独形成自身二级结构并且十分稳定，这可能影响基因的表达。这一现象在水稻、玉米等植物中也存在。SmALDH在cDNA水平上在ORF区域与拟南芥、藏红花、水稻等具有较高同源性，分别为64.03%、63.89%、63.72%，但在推测蛋白氨基酸序列水平上同源性反而较低，分别为54.9%、54.3%、54.0%。SmALDH缺少线粒体定位信号，为胞质醛脱氢酶，具有一个Aldedh 保守结构域，还具有与1OF7-H相似的以α-螺旋-β-折叠为主的二级结构，由10个主螺旋和15个主β-折叠及随机结构连接而成。由于ALDH在植物细胞乙醇发酵中具有解除醛类物质毒害的功能，因此SmALDH基因的克隆为改造细胞自身以适应发酵培养条件，解决水母雪莲细胞大规模培养中需氧问题提供了可能。

羊草cDNA文库的构建及果聚糖水解酶的分离与鉴定

羊草(Leymus chinensis(Trin.) Tzvel.)又称碱草，隶属禾本科赖草属，是欧亚大陆草原区东部草甸草原及干旱草原上的重要建群种之一。作为一种兼具重要经济价值和生态价值的优良牧草，羊草受到了广泛的关注。但长期以来，对羊草的研究主要集中在生态学、生殖生物学方面，在分子生物学方面知之甚少。为了保存羊草基因资源，并在基因水平上研究羊草生物代谢的调控机理，本研究采用羊草根、叶片混合后做为材料，构建cDNA文库，并对文库中部分基因序列进行了分析。同时从中克隆获得羊草果聚糖水解酶全长基因并对这些基因进行了深入的生物信息学分析、转化毕赤酵母研究初步确定其功能，为深入了解羊草代谢的分子机制提供理论依据。主要结果如下： 1. 成功地构建了羊草根、叶混合cDNA文库，原始文库滴度达到4×106 pfu/ml，扩增文库滴度接近1011 pfu/ml ，重组率达97% 。PCR检测插入片段，均在0.5 kb到3 kb之间，l kb以上占68%。从文库中检测到了TC、γ-TMT、FEH基因，文库覆盖度达到要求且为PCR筛选文库提供了可能。 2. 随机挑取经检测过的597个单克隆进行测序，去除插入片段小于和污染序列后，获得了584条高质量的序列。所有584条EST序列与NCBI的核酸数据库比对时，有30.99%的EST序列与己知序列有很大的同源性：而与蛋白质数据库进行比对时，有61.27%的EST序列与已知序列有很大的同源性。核酸比对中，有32.87%的序列为未知功能新基因，而蛋白质比对结果只有11.27%的序列为未知功能新基因。其中获得5条全长基因。 3. 文库中测序得到果聚糖水解酶（FEH）片段，依据其核酸、蛋白序列，以羊草根茎为材料，结合果聚糖水解酶基因的保守序列设计引物，通过 RACE 方法，获得羊草果聚糖水解酶基因 Lc 1-FEH 的全长序列（2040bp），包含一个 1803bp 的开放阅读框，采用生物信息学方法对该基因编码蛋白质进行功能分析，该基因编码的氨基酸序列具有明显的果聚糖水解酶类蛋白特征(NDPNG，FRDP 和[WEC (V/P)D] 结构域)，其分子量为 66.8kD，等电点 pI 为 5.49，是一种酸性蛋白质。同源性分析结果表明Lc1-FEH与单子叶植物小麦、大麦和黑麦草细胞壁类酵素酶同源性最高，分别为89％、87％ 和72％。运用实时定量方法对Lc 1-FEH表达量在羊草发育各时期及不同逆境处理下进行测定，结果发现，幼苗中以叶中表达量最低，根茎中表达较高，成苗中花梗中的表达量最高；Lc1-FEH在转录水平明显受碱、ABA、SA及低温胁迫诱导，随着胁迫时间延长，表达量迅速增加，到达到最大值，之后表达水平逐渐降低，在盐、干旱的诱导下的表达量迅速降低。 4. 羊草果聚糖水解酶Lc1-FEH基因在毕赤酵母中的高效表达 将pMD-Lc1-FEH 质粒经双酶切后构建果聚糖酵母表达载体 pPICZα- Lc1-FEH 。将重组表达载体线性化后电击转化毕赤酵母Pichia pastoris X33，经抗生素 Zeocin 和酵母 PCR 筛选获得高效表达酵母工程菌。毕赤酵母表达的果聚糖水解酶蛋白经SDS-PAGE 分析表明Lc1-FEH表观分子量为 67 kD 左右。其最适反应 pH 值为 5.5，在 pH 值为 4.5~6.5 的范围内能保持较高的酶活力；表达Lc1-FEH的最适反应温度为 30 ℃；在温度在 20～30℃度范围内有较高的酶活。 Lc 1-FEH能够水解含有β-2，1糖苷键类型果聚糖：蔗果四糖、菊粉、6-蔗果三糖；而对β-2，6糖苷键类型果聚糖：6-蔗果三糖、新蔗果三糖、细菌类果聚糖及蔗糖基本不具水解活性。

高亲和力PO4(3-)转运子编码基因的cDNA克隆及特性分析

以简并引物，利用RT -PCR，克隆了普通小麦和黑麦根系的PO 43-转运子( Trans-porter)基因长约1.2kb的部分cDNA序列。对其与GenBank中的已知序列进行同源性比较，结果表明：(1)小麦与拟南芥、番茄等高等植物的氨基酸水平的同源性为60%～78%; (2)与酵母较低为40%左右，而与丝状真菌和细菌的同源性则<27%; (3)小麦与黑麦的同源性为75%。对其表达特性的研究表明：(1)该基因在根系和茎叶组织中均有表达，但在根系组织中转录产物的累积量显著高于茎叶;(2)磷饥饿条件下，茎叶和根系组织中该基因的表达均增强，但根系组织中增强幅度较大，由此认为该基因产物的功能不只是根系从生长环境中吸收PO 43-，而与PO 43-在植物体内的转运密切相关;(3)磷饥饿5天 后的植株重新供给充足的PO 43-，则该基因的表达在24小时内即显著减弱;(4)分根试验中同株的部分根系生长于磷饥饿(OuM)环境中，而另一部分根系生长于PO 43-充足(250uM)的环境中，这两部分根系中该基因转录产物的积累水平并无显著差异。因此认为植物感受磷饥饿胁迫的信号可能来自植物体内部POi-库的耗竭。此外，用磷讥饿条件下的普通小麦根系mRNA构建了cDNA文库，以克隆的部分序列为探针，从cDNA文库中分离了全长序列。

恒河猴大脑前额叶cDNA 文库的构建

为筛选出与认知、记忆相关的脑部表达基因及基因家族,利用TRIzol试剂从恒河猴大脑前额叶组织抽提总RNA,再用纯化试剂盒从总RNA中成功纯化出mRNA。按照Stratagene公司的cDNASynthesisKit(200401)、ZAP-cDNASynthesisKit(200400)和ZAP-cDNAGigapackⅢGoldCloningKit(200450)三个试剂盒的操作说明,构建了恒河猴大脑前额叶组织的cDNA文库。文库总库容为2·0×106克隆;绝大多数的cDNA插入片段≥0·5kb,平均长度≈1·0kb;cDNA片段与噬菌体载体重组率为97·3%。文库各项指标均达要求,为克隆大脑PFC区表达基因、测定基因编码区序列、揭示具有多种剪切组合模式等提供了可靠资源,也为相关基因表达调控的研究提供了方便。

利用修饰的随机引物构建非洲爪蟾酵母双杂交定向cDNA文库

描述了一种新的构建cDNA文库的方法,其中用来合成cDNA第一链的随机引物5'-端被加上碱基d(AC),在cDNA双链合成后所添加的连接头的末端含有碱基d(GTCG).在cDNA舣链3'-端,连接头连接上后会形成一个完整的Sall酶切位点d(GTCGAC),而在5'-端几乎不会形成Sall位点.在Sall酶切后利用形成的3'-粘性末端与5'-EcoRI粘性末端一起将cDNA双链定向导入线性化的质粒载体,再通过转化细菌获得cDNA文库.利用此方法构建了一个不同发育时期非洲爪蟾胚胎酵母双杂交cDNA文库.检测了文库中空载体的比例,插入片段大小和不同基因的表达水平几个指标,都符合预期,但是同时发现定位于mRNA的3'-端的插入片段比例比较低.这种倾向性符合文献报道,应该是实验系统的倾向性,不影响进一步的酵母双杂交实验.这些数据证明成功地构建了定向非洲爪蟾酵母双杂交cDNA文库.

Intelectin gene from the grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella: cDNA cloning, tissue expression, and immunohistochemical localization

The cDNA encoding grass carp intelectin was isolated from a head kidney cDNA library, and termed gcIntL. The deduced amino acid sequence of gcIntL consists of 318 amino acids, and about 55% identical and 74% similar to human intelectin, which is a new type of lectin recognizing galactofuranose, and plays a role in the recognition of bacteria-specific components in animal hosts. The gcIntL gene consists of seven exons and six introns, spacing over approximately 3 kb of genomic sequence. Phylogenetic analysis clearly demonstrated that the gcIntL formed a clade with Danio rerio intelectin and 35 kDa serum lectin. By real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis, gcIntL transcripts were significantly induced in head kidney, trunk kidney, spleen, and intestine from LPS-stimulated fish. RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis demonstrated that the mRNA and protein of gcIntL gene have the same expression pattern, and both were detected in brain, gill, intestine, head kidney, trunk kidney, spleen, and heart. Furthermore, gcIntL protein could be detected in gill, intestine, trunk kidney, head kidney, spleen, heart, and brain including medulla oblongata and optic lobe, as determined by immunohistochemistry. This is the first report of intelectin expression pattern in fish, and of recombinant gcIntL and polyclonal antibody against gcIntL. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

cDNA cloning and characterization of a novel SNX gene differentially expressed in previtellogenic oocytes of gibel carp

To understand the molecular events governing fish oogenesis, a multiple technique was used to identify the genes differentially expressed at different phases during fish oogenesis. This technique is a combination of suppression subtractive hybridization, SMART cDNA synthesis and RACE-PCR. Here we report the cDNA cloning and expression characterization of a novel SNX gene based on its differential transcription between previtellogenic and fully mature oocytes in naturally gynogenetic gibel carp. First, a cDNA fragment selectively expressed in previtellogenic oocytes was identified and used to screen a SMART cDNA library prepared from the same mRNA sample by RACE-PCR for cloning fully length cDNA. The full length cDNA was 1392-bp long and coded for a novel SNX protein with 225 amino acids. The 5' UTR had 72 bp and 3' UTR had 642 bp. Unlike most of maternal genes that are transcribed after vitellogenesis and stored in oocytes, this gene is expressed at a higher level in the previtellogenic oocytes and at a much lower level in fully matured oocytes. However, RT-PCR analysis of tissues showed it was ubiquitous transcription. The novel gene is named fish sorting nexin (fSNX), because it contains a conserved PX domain. The fact which major expression of the gene occurs in the previtellogenic oocytes suggests that it might have an important function in the oogenesis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

非洲爪蟾Brunol和MCPH基因在早期胚胎发育过程中表达的研究及随机定向酵母双杂交cDNA文库的构建

BRUNOL/CELF家族RNA结合蛋白在转录后调控（post-transcriptional regulation）中起着至关重要的作用，参与多种组织的发育过程。本研究中，我们描述了非洲爪蟾5个Brunol 基因的克隆与表达。其中只有Brunol2是母源性以及合子表达的，其它的4个Brunol基因都是合子表达的，但起始表达的发育时期有所不同。爪蟾发育过程中，Brunol1、4和5基因特异性地在神经系统中表达，包括脑、脊髓、眼泡和耳泡。Brunol2和3基因在体节中胚层与神经系统表达。Brunol2也在晶状体中有非常高的表达。在转染的Hela细胞中，BRUNOL1、2和3蛋白定位于细胞质和细胞核中，BRUNOL4和5只是定位于细胞质中，显示它们具有不同的功能。 人的microcephalin1（MCPH1）基因的遗传突变产生原发性小头症，而在人类的进化过程中，这个基因的变化可能对人脑体积的增加和认知能力的增强也起到重要的作用。但是对于MCPH基因在其它物种中功能的研究才刚刚开始。我们克隆了非洲爪蟾MCPH基因，发现非洲爪蟾具有A，B两个同源基因，其功能域的保守性较高，暗示非洲爪蟾MCPH基因仍然执行一些保守的功能，但MCPHB由于突变只编码一种截短的蛋白，目前尚不清楚它是否是有功能的。胚胎原位杂交的结果显示MCPHA，B基因在胚胎发育中的表达图式相似，但MCPHB的表达水平较低。在神经胚期，二者均表达于头部基板区，在尾芽期主要表达于咽鳃区，而在脑区的表达并不显著，与小鼠中的表达模式不同，提示在爪蟾中MCPH基因可能主要参与咽鳃区而不是脑的发育。 为了进一步筛选这些蛋白可能的结合因子，我们构建了非洲爪蟾双杂交cDNA文库。其中利用修饰的随机引物和特别设计的连接头在合成双链cDNA时，在下游合成一个SalI限制性酶切位点，可以将cDNA定向插入载体。通过对于空克隆率和插入片段长度等一系列参数的分析，表明这个定向cDNA文库的构建是成功的。

cDNA cloning and gene expression pattern following bacterial challenge of peroxinectin in Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

Peroxinectin, a cell-adhesive hemoperoxidase that binds superoxide dismutase and mediates blood cells adhesion and migration in invertebrate, is believed to play an important role in cellular immune reaction. In this study, we reported a new peroxinectin gene homologue from Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis. Based on expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of haemocyte cDNA library, we cloned a 2,611 bps full-length cDNA of peroxinectin gene homologue encoded 801 amino acids. Motif scanning of the predicted polypeptide revealed a peroxidase domain and an integrin binding motif (Lys-Gly-Asp, KGD). Peroxinectin gene expressed constitutively in haemocyte as determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, the expression level varied following bacterial challenge. These findings suggested that peroxinectin expression is susceptible to exterior stimulus and maintains at a high expression level during bacterial infection.

CDNA cloning and mRNA expression of the lipopolysaccharide- and beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein gene from scallop Chlamys farreri

Lipopolysaccharide and beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein (LGBP) play a crucial role in the innate immune response of invertebrates as a pattern recognition protein (PRP). The scallop LGBP gene was obtained from Chlamys farreri challenged by Vibrio anguillarum by randomly sequencing cDNA clones from a whole body cDNA library, and by fully sequencing a clone with homology to known LGBP genes. The scallop LGBP consisted of 1876 nucleotides with a canonical polyadenylation signal sequence AATAAA and a poly(A) tail, encoding a polypeptide of 440 amino acids with the estimated molecular mass of 47.16 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 5.095. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a high similarity to that of invertebrate recognition proteins from blue shrimp, black tiger shrimp, mosquito, freshwater crayfish, earthworms, and sea urchins, with conserved features including a potential polysaccharide-binding motif, a glucanase motif, and N-glycosylation sites. The temporal expression of LGBP genes in healthy and V. anguillarum-challenged C farreri scallop, measured by real-time semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), showed that expression was up-regulated initially, followed by recovery as the stimulation cleared. Results indicated that scallop LGBP was a constitutive and inducible acute-phase protein that could play a critical role in scallop-pathogen interaction. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Discovery of the genes in response to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection in Fenneropenaeus chinensis through cDNA microarray

We used microarray technology to study differentially expressed genes in white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)-infected shrimp. A total of 3136 cDNA targets, including 1578 unique genes from a cephalothorax cDNA library and 1536 cDNA clones from reverse and forward suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) libraries of Fenneropenaeus chinensis, plus 14 negative and 8 blank control clones, were spotted onto a 18 x 18 mm area of NH2-modified glass slides. Gene expression patterns in the cephalothorax of shrimp at 6 h after WSSV injection and moribund shrimp naturally infected by WSSV were analyzed. A total of 105 elements on the arrays showed a similar regulation pattern in artificially infected shrimp and naturally infected moribund shrimp; parts of the results were confirmed by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The up-regulated expression of immune-related genes, including heat shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP90), trehalose-phosphate synthase (TPS), ubiquitin C, and so forth, were observed when shrimp were challenged with WSSV. Genes including myosin LC2, ATP synthase A chain, and arginine kinase were found to be down-regulated after WSSV infection. The expression of housekeeping genes such as actin, elongation factor, and tubulin is not stable, and so these genes are not suitable as internal standards for semiquantitative RT-PCR when shrimp are challenged by WSSV. As a substitute, we found that triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) was an ideal candidate of interstandards in this situation.

中华绒螯蟹（Eriocheir sinensis）cDNA文库的构建、EST分析及其酚氧化酶系统关键基因的研究

中华绒螯蟹（Eriocheir sinensis）是我国的特色物种，具有重要的经济和科研价值。酚氧化酶系统作为节肢动物特有的免疫机制，在中华绒螯蟹的免疫反应中发挥重要作用。本研究构建了一个中华绒螯蟹的cDNA文库，利用表达序列标签 (Expressed Sequence Tag，EST) 技术，对中华绒螯蟹表达序列进行了大规模测序分析，并利用cDNA末端快速扩增（rapid amplification of cDNA ends，RACE）、实时定量PCR、原核重组和RNAi等技术研究了其酚氧化酶免疫系统的分子基础及其相应功能。 用鳗弧菌和金黄色葡萄球菌同时感染中华绒螯蟹，提取血细胞的RNA构建了一个库容为3.3×106 克隆cDNA文库。随机测序后获得7535条高质量的EST序列，其中在GenBank数据库中未发现同源序列的为4593 条，而具有较高同源性2942条可以分为20个功能类别，参与了23个生物学反应。 进一步分析发现，969 条（32.9% ）EST与免疫相关，可拼接成221个免疫基因。这个比例高于其它任何一个已公布的甲壳动物cDNA文库。在免疫相关EST中，抗菌肽比例最高，约占总数的20.1%（195条EST）。免疫基因的高比例和抗菌肽的高表达，证明细菌刺激是提高cDNA 文库中免疫基因丰度的有效方法。 EST序列的获得和免疫基因的富集，丰富了中华绒螯蟹的基因组信息，初步了解了中华绒螯蟹固有免疫系统的概况, 为进一步克隆和研究中华绒螯蟹免疫防御功能基因提供了序列基础。 本研究在EST分析的基础上，克隆获得了中华绒螯蟹酚氧化酶系统10个基因的cDNA全长序列, 它们分别是前酚氧化酶（EsproPO），丝氨酸蛋白酶同源物（EsSPH), 丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂pacifastin, serpin, PAPII (EsPLC, Es serpin, EsPAPII), 模式识别丝氨酸蛋白酶（EsPRSP），peroxinectin (Esperoxinectin)和3个前酚氧化酶激活酶 (EsPAP1, 2, 3)。它们与相近物种的酚氧化酶系统相应基因均具有较高同源性，并含有胰酶催化结构域，CLIP结构域，PLD结构域，KAZAL结构域，Serpin结构域以及酚氧化酶结构域等酚氧化酶系统相应基因典型的特征结构域。分析发现，PAPs的CLIP结构域和PRSP，Pacifastin，Proxinectin，proPO基因是节肢动物特有的，是酚氧化酶系统作为节肢动物特有免疫机制的分子基础。本研究从多个基因的3′UTR区发现了调控元件，如15-LOX-DICE，K-box和 Brd-Box。在所推断的蛋白中，EsPAP3和EsPAPII的等电点呈碱性，Esperoxinetin的为中性，而EsPRSP，EsSPH，EsproPO, EsPAPII, Esserpin，EsPAP1的等电点在酸性区间。健康中华绒螯蟹 EsPAP1，EsPAP2，EsPAPII基因在肌肉中的表达量最高，而在血细胞中的表达量相对较低；EsPAP3，EsproPO，EsPLC基因在血细胞中表达量较高，在肌肉中的表达量最低。其中，EsPAP3在血细胞中的表达量是其在肌肉组织中表达量的526.35倍。调控元件和多种激活酶与抑制剂的存在、组织分布和等电点的差异，说明中华绒螯蟹酚氧化酶系统在转录、翻译、激活等多个层次上受到了调控。在中华绒螯蟹受到鳗弧菌刺激后，EsPAP1，EsPAP2，EsPAP3，EsPLC和EsPAPII基因的表达量呈上升或下降的趋势，但表达量的极限值均出现在2小时和12小时，这一规律与EsproPO应激后的mRNA表达和酶比活力的变化特点相吻合，说明中华绒螯蟹酚氧化酶系统各因子相互协调共同参与中华绒螯蟹对入侵细菌的防御反应。同时EsPAP2，EsPAP3，EsproPO，EsPAPII，EsPLC在中华绒螯蟹受到鳗弧菌刺激后的表达呈现反复多次上升，表明酚氧化酶系统可能参与了多种免疫反应。研究还发现EsPAP1参与中华绒螯蟹血液凝集过程，而EsPAP3是蟹血细胞中的有效的前酚氧化酶激活因子。研究结果初步揭示了中华绒螯蟹酚氧化酶系统的分子基础、对微生物的响应机制及其调控机制和演化趋势，为节肢动物固有免疫系统研究奠定了良好基础。