Natural selection on EPAS1 (HIF2 alpha) associated with low hemoglobin concentration in Tibetan highlanders

By impairing both function and survival, the severe reduction in oxygen availability associated with high-altitude environments is likely to act as an agent of natural selection. We used genomic and candidate gene approaches to search for evidence of such genetic selection. First, a genome-wide allelic differentiation scan (GWADS) comparing indigenous highlanders of the Tibetan Plateau (3,200 3,500 m) with closely related lowland Han revealed a genome-wide significant divergence across eight SNPs located near EPAS1. This gene encodes the transcription factor HIF2 alpha, which stimulates production of red blood cells and thus increases the concentration of hemoglobin in blood. Second, in a separate cohort of Tibetans residing at 4,200 m, we identified 31 EPAS1 SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium that correlated significantly with hemoglobin concentration. The sex-adjusted hemoglobin concentration was, on average, 0.8 g/dL lower in the major allele homozygotes compared with the heterozygotes. These findings were replicated in a third cohort of Tibetans residing at 4,300 m. The alleles associating with lower hemoglobin concentrations were correlated with the signal from the GWADS study and were observed at greatly elevated frequencies in the Tibetan cohorts compared with the Han. High hemoglobin concentrations are a cardinal feature of chronic mountain sickness offering one plausible mechanism for selection. Alternatively, as EPAS1 is pleiotropic in its effects, selection may have operated on some other aspect of the phenotype. Whichever of these explanations is correct, the evidence for genetic selection at the EPAS1 locus from the GWADS study is supported by the replicated studies associating function with the allelic variants.

蛇毒Ⅱ类磷脂酶A2 功能分化的分析研究

研究蛇毒Ⅱ类磷脂酶A2 (PLA2 ) 中D49 PLA2 和K49 PLA2 的功能分化及其功能分化决定位点的鉴定。方法: 运 用序列比较分析, 进化树构建和DIVERGE v1104 软件计算研究D49 PLA2 和K49 PLA2 的功能分化情况及其分化位点。结果: 序列比较分析, 进化树构建和DIVERGE v1104 软件计算结果表明蛇毒Ⅱ类PLA2 中D49 PLA2 和K49 PLA2 的确发生了功能分 化, 对于K49 PLA2 来说, 1S , 7K, 11Q , E12 , R34 , T56 , N88 , L92 , E108 , K116 , K128 可能为功能分化决定位点。对于 D49 PLA2 , L2 , G33 , G35 , F46 和Y118 可能为功能分化决定位点。结论: 我们首次通过序列比较分析, 进化树构建和DI2 VERGE v1104 软件计算鉴定出蛇毒Ⅱ类PLA2 中D49 PLA2 和K49 PLA2 可能的功能分化位点, 为今后通过基因重组和定点突 变方法研究蛇毒Ⅱ类PLA2 结构功能关系提供了线索。

Cyclin A2 is differentially expressed during oocyte maturation between gynogenetic silver crucian carp and gonochoristic color crucian carp

Silver crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) is a unique gynogenetic fish. Because of its specific genetic background and reproduction mode, it is an intriguing model system for understanding regulatory mechanism of oocyte maturation division. It keeps its chromosomal integrity by inhibiting the first meiotic division (no extrusion of the first pole body). The spindle behavior during oocyte maturation is significantly different from that in gonochoristic fish. The chromosomes are first arranged in a tripolar spindle, and then they turn around and are reunited mutually to form a normal bipolar spindle. A new member of the fish A-type cyclin gene, cyclin A2, has been isolated by suppression of subtractive hybridization on the basis of its differential transcription in fully-grown oocytes between the gynogenetic silver crucian carp and gonochoristic color crucian carp. There are 18 differing amino acids in the total 428 residues of cyclin A2 between the two forms of crucian carps. In addition, cDNAs of cyclin A1 and cyclin B have also been cloned from them. Thus two members of A-type cyclins, cyclin A1 and cyclin A2, are demonstrated to exist in fish, just as in frog, humans, and mouse. Northern blotting reveals that cyclin A2 mRNA is more than 20-fold and cyclin A1 mRNA is about 2-fold in fully grown oocytes of gynogenetic silver crucian carp compared to gonochoristic color crucian carp. However, cyclin B does not show such a difference between them. Western blot analysis also shows that the cyclin A2 protein stockpiled in fully grown oocytes of gynogenetic crucian carp is much more abundant than in gonochoristic crucian carp. Moreover, two different cyclin A2 expression patterns during oocyte maturation have been revealed in the two closely related crucian carps. For color crucian carp, cyclin A2 protein is translated only after hormone stimulation. For silver crucian carp, cyclin A2 protein can be detected throughout the process of maturation division. The different expression of cyclin A2 may be a clue to understanding the special maturation division of gynogenetic silver crucian carp.

眼镜王蛇泛素融合蛋白和核糖体蛋白L30的分子克隆与分析及大蹼铃蟾膜联蛋白A2样蛋白的纯化与活性研究

本论文分为两个部分。第一部分利用分子生物学手段对广西产眼镜王蛇（OPhiophagushannah）泛素融合蛋白基因和核糖体蛋白L30基因进行了克隆及分析；第二部分利用生物化学手段对大蹼铃蟾（Bombinamaxima）膜联蛋白A2样蛋白进行了初步研究。首先，从广西产眼镜王蛇毒腺中抽提总RNA，经mRNA纯化后构建眼镜王蛇毒腺。DNA文库，得到大概1.8*105个独立的克隆。从所构建的cDNA文库中，我们随机筛选200个克隆测序，得到两个在进化上高度保守的基因：泛素融合蛋白基因（GenBahk登录号为AF297036）和核糖体蛋白L30基因（GenBank登录号是AF297033）。前者cDNA的开放阅读框为387bp，后者为348bp。前者编码128个氨基酸残基组成的泛素融合蛋白前体；后者编码1巧个氨基酸残基组成的核糖体蛋白L30前体。由cDNA序列推导出的氨基酸序列分析表明，泛素融合蛋白前体包括N-末端的泛素结构域（76个氨基酸残基）和C-末端的核糖体蛋白L40结构域（52个氨基酸残基）。该蛋白为一高碱性蛋白，C末端含有一个"锌指"结构域。与16个物种比较的结果表明，眼镜王蛇与脊椎动物的泛素融合蛋白氨基酸序列相似度较高，具有高度的保守性。我们克隆到的眼镜王蛇泛素融合蛋白基因和核糖体蛋白L30基因为泛素家族和核糖体家族提供新的序列信息，有助于深入研究泛素蛋白和核糖体蛋白的结构、功能以及与其他物种的类似分子之间的相互关系。其次，通过阴离子交换，凝胶过滤和阳离子交换层析我们从大蹼铃蟾皮肤匀浆物中纯化了一个表观分子量为33000Da的单链蛋白，N-末端序列比较分析显示它与脊椎动物膜联蛋白AZ亚群有较高的同源性，与来自非洲爪蟾、红色原鸡和人膜联蛋白AZ序列的annexin核心的第一个重复区结构域序列一致性分别为78.9％、89％和68％，因此命名为大蹼铃蟾膜联蛋白AZ样蛋白（BAllLP）。BAllLP具有钙依赖性的抑制专一性血小板膜受体GPVI激动剂一Stejnulxin诱导人血小板聚集的生物学功能。

Direct Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis of Hemoglobin in Lipid Film Incorporated with Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid

A facile phospholipid/room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) composite material based on dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim]PF6) was exploited as a new matrix for immobilizing protein. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were adopted to characterize this composite film. Hemoglobin (Hb) was chosen as a model protein to investigate the composite system. UV-vis absorbance spectra showed that Hb still maintained its heme crevice integrity in this composite film.

Hemoglobin conjugated micelles based on triblock biodegradable polymers as artificial oxygen carriers

An artificial oxygen carrier is constructed by conjugating hemoglobin molecules to biodegradable micelles. Firstly a series of triblock copolymers (PEG-PMPC-PLA) in which the middle block contains pendant propargyl groups were synthesized and characterized. After the amphiphilic copolymer was self-assembled into core-shell micelles in aqueous solution, azidized hemoglobin molecules protected by carbon monoxide (CO) were conjugated to the micelles via click reaction between the propargyl and azido groups. The conjugation causes an increase of the micelle's mean diameter. Maximum conjugation ratio is 250 wt% in the hemoglobin-conjugated micelles (HCMs). Oxygen-binding ability of the HCMs was demonstrated by converting the CO-binding state of the HCMs into O-2-binding state.

Antioxidant Sensors Based on Iron Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid, Hematin, and Hemoglobin Modified TiO2 Nanoparticle Printed Electrodes

Antioxidant amperometric sensors based on iron-containing complexes and protein modified electrodes were developed. Indium tin oxide glass was printed with TiO2 nanoparticles, onto which iron-containing compounds and protein were adsorbed. When applied with negative potentials, the dissolved oxygen is reduced to H2O2 at the electrode surface, and the H2O2 generated in situ oxidizes Fe-II to Fe-III, and then electrochemical reduction of Fe-III therefore gives rise to a catalytic current. In the presence of antioxidants, H2O2 was scavenged, the catalytic current was reduced, and the decreased current signal was proportional to the quantity of existing antioxidants. A kinetic model was proposed to quantify the H2O2 scavenging capacities of the antioxidants. With the use of the sensor developed here, antioxidant measurements can be done quite simply: put the sensor into the sample solutions (in aerobic atmosphere), perform a cathodic polarization scan, and then read the antioxidant activity values. The present work can be complementary to the previous studies of antioxidant sensor techniques based on OH radicals and superoxide ions scavenging methods, but the sensor developed here is much easier to fabricate and use.