Expression and Thermal Stability Analysis of Peat1 and the 3 Deletion Mutants

[Objective] The research aimed to reveal the functions of NAC and UBA domains in Peatl＇s thermal stability. [Method] Fusion expression vectors of Pearl protein and the 3 deletion mutants were constructed. The recombinant plasmids were induced by IPTG and the target proteins （Peatl, Peatl-△CD99,Peatl-△ND49 and Pearl-△ND108 ）were expressed obtained by AKTA and its thermal stability was analyzed. [Result] The research found that 3 deletion mutants have good thermal stability like Pearl. [Conclusion] The research demonstrated that the coexistence of NAC or UBA domains is not necessary to thermal stability of Pearl protein , and they may give the protein particular stability structure seperately.

Characterization of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Deletion Mutant

The genome of the isolate of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus （PRRSV） from China, designated HPBEDV, was sequenced and analyzed. The size of the genome of HPBEDV was 15 334 nucleotides （nt）. Comparative analysis of HPBEDV with the genomic sequences of the domestic and other isolates （JXA 1, HUN4, CH-1 a, B J-4, VR2332, and LV） revealed that HPBEDV shared 98.4, 98.0, 89.0, 88.7, and 88.6% identity with the American strain JXA1, HUN4, CH- 1a, BJ-4, and VR2332, respectively, but only 54.7% identity with the European reference strain Lelystad virus. The NSP2 gene had 2 850 nt and encoded 950 amino acids （aa）, with two discontiguous deletions of 1 aa and 29 aa at positions 482 and 534-562, respectively, relative to VR-2332. Also, phylogenetic analysis with the published PRRSV genomic sequences indicated that the newly emerging isolate form a clade with the VR-2332 isolates. Therefore, HPBEDV was a novel strain with deletions in NSP2 gene.

Molecular Cloning and Construction of agp Gene Deletion-mutant in Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The agp gene encoding the ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase involved in cyanobacterial glycogen synthesis was amplified by PCR. The resulting agp fragment was cloned in plasmid pUC118 to generate plasmid pUCA. Part of the fragment within the agp DNA was deleted and replaced by an erythromycin resistance cassette to generate plasmid pUCAE, which was used to transform the Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 wild-type strain and a mutant with resistance to erythromycin was obtained. PCR analysis of the genomic DNA from the resulting mutant indicated that the appropriate deletion and insertion indeed had occurred. The cell growth and Chl a, glycogen content in the mutant showed difference from those in the wild-type strain. The obtained biomass as well as the Chl a content in the mutant strain was higher than that of the wild-type strain, which suggested that the photosynthesis efficiency in the agp(-) strain was higher than that in the wild-type strain. No glycogen was found in the mutant, providing evidence for the correction of the mutant in physiological level.

Studies on Crystalline Growth of MoFe Protein from a nifZ Deleted Strain of Azotobacter vinelandii

Under a given condition of crystallization, dark brown short rhombohedron crystals could be obtained from Δ nifZ MoFe protein purified from a nifZ deleted mutant strain of Azotobacter vinelandii Lipmann. Systematic studies on the effect of concentrations of PEG 8000,MgCl 2, NaCl,Tris and buffer pH on the crystallization and crystal growth of the protein showed that the protein could not be crystallized in lower concentrations of the chemicals and lower buffer pH. A large amount of smaller crystals of the protein appeared in a week with gradual increasing in the chemical concentrations and pH≥8.0. When the chemical concentrations were further increased, the time for crystallization was increased and a few high grade crystals of larger size were formed. If the concentrations of the chemicals were continuously increased, many crystals with smaller size, and, sometimes of poor quality appeared again and eventually ceased to produce any crystals. The optimal concentration for each of the above mentioned chemicals varies with other variable factors. Only one bigger crystal (both of the longest two sides: 0.16 mm) could be obtained in a hanging drop of protein sample when the concentrations of PEG 8000, MgCl 2, NaCl,Tris and protein were kept at 1.86%, 300 mmol/L, 400 mmol/L, 53 mmol/L and 4.64 g/L , respectively, with Tris buffer pH 8.2.

Evaluation of the function of a luciferase-like monooxygenase homologue in 4,4´-dithiodibutyric acid catabolism in Rhodococcus erythropolis MI2

The bacterium Rhodococcus erythropolis MI2 uses 4,4´-dithiodibutyric acid(DTDB)as carbon source to synthesize polythioesters(PTE).The first step for the production of PTE using DTDB is catalyzed by an NADH:flavin oxidoreductase(nox)as it was previously shown in our laboratory,and the second step is catabolized by a putative luciferase-like monooxygenase(Llm).In the current study,experiments were carried out to identify the function of Llm.Hence,the llm gene,which encodes for the Llm protein,was amplified from the genomic DNA of MI2 using polymerase chain reaction and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 cells.Protein purification was done using His Spin Trap affinity columns.Enzyme assay was carried out using the purified protein and p-coumaric acid as substrate giving a specific activity of 1.6 U/mg protein for the purified Llm.The responsible gene(llm)was deleted in the genome of MI2,and a single deletion mutant was subsequently generated.Finally,growth of the wild-type strain(MI2)and the mutant strain(MI2Δllm)were compared using DTDB or succinate as carbon sources.Whereas the wild type was successfully grown with DTDB or succinate,the llm-negative mutant exhibited low grow with DTDB although it grows very well with succinate.

Lysine residues K66, K109, and K110 in the bovine foamy virus transactivator protein are required for transactivation and viral replication

Bovine foamy virus(BFV) is a complex retrovirus that infects cattle. Like all retroviruses, BFV encodes a transactivator Tas protein(BTas) that increases gene transcription from viral promoters.BFV encodes two promoters that can interact with BTas, a conserved promoter in the 5' long terminal repeat(LTR) and a unique internal promoter(IP). Our previous study showed that BTas is acetylated by p300 at residues K66, K109, and K110, which markedly enhanced the ability of BTas to bind to DNA. However, whether these residues are important for BFV replication was not determined. Therefore, in this study we provide direct evidence that BTas is required for BFV replication and demonstrate that residues K66, K109, and K110 are critical for BTas function and BFV replication. Full-length infectious clones were generated, which were BTas deficient or contained lysine to arginine(K→R) mutations at position 66, 109, and/or 110. In vivo data indicated that K→R mutations at positions 66, 109, and 110 in BTas impaired transactivation of both the LTR and IP promoters. In addition, the K→R mutations in full-length infectious clones reduced expression of viral proteins, and the triple mutant and BTas deletion completely abrogated viral replication. Taken together, these results indicate that lysine residues at positions 66, 109, and 110 in the BTas protein are crucial for BFV replication and suggest a potential role for BTas acetylation in regulating the viral life cycle.