Enhanced extracellular production of alpha-lactalbumin from Bacillus subtilis through signal peptide and promoter screening

Alpha-lactalbumin(α-LA)is a major whey protein found in breast milk and plays a crucial role in the growth and development of infants.In this study,Bacillus subtilis RIK1285 harboring AprE signal peptide(SP)was selected as the original strain for the production ofα-LA.It was found thatα-LA was identified in the pellet after ultrasonic disruption and centrifugation instead of in the fermentation supernatant.The original strain most likely only producedα-LA intracellular,but not extracellular.To improve the expression and secretion ofα-LA in RIK1285,a library of 173 homologous SPs from the B.subtilis 168 genome was fused with target LALBA gene in the pBE-S vector and expressed extracellularly in RIK1285.SP YjcN was determined to be the best signal peptide.Bands in supernatant were observed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and purified by nickel column to calculate the highest yield signal peptide.In addition,different promoters(P_(aprE),P_(43),and P_(glv))were compared and applied.The results indicated that the strain RIK1285-pBE-P_(glv)-YjcN-LALBA had the highestα-LA yield,reaching 122.04μg/mL.This study demonstrates successful expression and secretion of humanα-LA in B.subtilis and establishes a foundation for simulating breast milk for infant formulas and developing bioengineered milk.

Computational Analysis of Signal Peptide-Dependent Secreted Proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Computer based software such as the SignalP v3.0, TargetP v1.01, big-PI predictor and TMHMM v2.0 were combined to predict the signal peptides, and the signal peptide-dependent secreted proteins among the 6 700 ORFs in genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results showed that 163 proteins were the secreted ones containing signal peptides, and they were secreted via Sec pathway. Among the 163 predicted secreted proteins, the signal peptides of 47 secreted proteins included only the H-domain and C-domain, without N-domain, but the signal peptides of other 116 secreted proteins included all the three domains. There were differences in the constitution of signal peptides between the secreted proteins of S. cerevisiae and of Candida albicans, but the length and amino acids types of their signal peptides were similar in general. Few of the same signal peptides occurred in the secreted proteins of S. cerevisiae genome, and the homology could be compared among the secreted proteins with the same signal peptides. The BLAST 2 SEQUENECES and CLUSTAL W were used to align the two protein sequences and multi-protein sequences, respectively. The alignment result indicated that homology of these sequences with the same signal peptide was very highly conservative in amino acid of complete gene. The effect of the signal peptides in S. cerevisia on expression of foreign eukaryotic secreted proteins is discussed in this paper.

Novel soybean peptide iglycin ameliorates insulin resistance of high-fat diet fed C57BL/6J mice and differentiated 3T3L1 adipocytes with improvement of insulin signaling and mitochondrial function

Soy consumption has been associated with potential health benefits in reducing chronic diseases.These physiological functions have been attributed to soy proteins or more commonly to bioactive peptides.Thus,more studies are required to identify these bioactive peptides,and elucidate their biological mechanisms of action.In the present study,a novel peptide iglycin was purifi ed from soybean seeds with a molecular mass of 3.88 k Da.Thereafter,iglycin reduced fasting blood glucose and restored insulin sensitivity of C57 BL/6 J mice on a high-fat diet with increased phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1(IRS1)and AKT in adipose tissue.Furthermore,it improved glucose uptake,induced translocation of intracellular GLUT4 to plasma membrane and activation of insulin signaling in adipocytes under insulin-resistant condition.In addition,it decreased reactive oxygen species production,lipid peroxidation and inhibited adipocyte apoptosis with improved mitochondrial function as evidenced by up-regulation of succinate dehydrogenase activity,mitochondrial membrane potential and intracellular ATP store.These data suggested that iglycin ameliorated insulin resistance via activation of insulin signaling,which was associated with inhibition of oxidative stress,adipocyte apoptosis,and improvement of mitochondrial function.

Improved extracellular endo-1,4-β-mannosidase activity of recombinant Pichia pastoris by optimizing signal peptide

In order to improve the extracellular endo-1,4-β-mannosidase(MAN) activity of recombinant Pichia pastoris, optimization of signal peptides was investigated. At first, five potential signal peptides(W1, MF4 I, INU1 A, αpre, HFBI) were chosen to be analyzed by Signal P 4.0, among which W1 was designed. Then, the widely used signal peptide α-factor in expression vector p GAPZαA was replaced by those five signal peptides to reconstruct five new expression vectors. MAN activity was assayed after expression vectors were transformed into Pichia pastoris. The data show that the relative efficiencies of W1, MF4 I, INU1 A, αpre, and HFBI signal peptides are 23.5%, 203.5%, 0, 79.7%, and 120.3% compared with α-factor, respectively. The further gene copy number determination by the quantitative real-time PCR reveals that the MAN activities mediated by α-factor from 1 to 6 gene copy number levels are 12.95, 43.33, 126.63, 173.53, 103.23 and 88.63 U/m L, while those mediated by MF4 I are 79.22, 133.89, 260.14, 347.5, 206.15 and 181.89 U/m L, respectively. The maximum MAN activity reached 347.5 U/m L with 4 gene copies mediated by MF4 I. These results indicate that replacing the signal peptide α-factor with MF4 I and increasing MAN gene copies to a proper number can greatly improve the secretory expression of MAN.

The protective effects of peptides from Chinese baijiu on AAPH-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells via Nrf2 signaling pathway

Antioxidant peptides have been widely reported.However,only a few reports have been published examining the antioxidant peptides derived from Chinese baijiu.In this study,6 novel peptides derived from Chinese baijiu were identified successfully using high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupoletime-of-flight mass spectrometry(HPLC-QTOF-MS)with a concentration of 0.835–24.540μg/L.The underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated,and their cytoprotective effects were examined against 2,2’-azobis(2-methylpropanimidamidine)dihydrochloride(AAPH)-induced oxidative stress in Hep G2 cells.The results showed that these peptides exerted protective effects by suppressing reactive oxygen species(ROS)generation,preventing malondialdehyde(MDA)formation,and upregulating cellular antioxidant enzyme activities(SOD,CAT,and GSH-Px)in a dose-dependent manner.Further experiments proved that these peptides exerted antioxidant effects via Nrf2/ARE-mediated signaling pathway by promoting Nrf2 nuclear translocation,inhibiting ubiquitination,and enhancing transcription capacity of Nrf2 in Hep G2 cells.These findings provide the molecular basis for the effects of antioxidant peptides derived from Chinese baijiu,which is important for a deeper understanding of the relationship between human health and moderate drinking.

Protective effects of peptide KSPLY derived from Hericium erinaceus on H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells

Reactive oxygen species(ROS)-induced oxidative damage is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of chronic diseases,and natural antioxidant peptides have good abilities of scavenging ROS.The antioxidant activity of peptide Lys-Ser-Pro-Leu-Tyr(KSPLY)derived from Hericium erinaceus remains unclear.In the present study,the antioxidant effect and mechanism of KSPLY on H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells were investigated.The results indicated that KSPLY exhibited the antioxidant capacity in H_(2)O_(2)-induced HepG2 cells by enhancing superoxide dismutase(SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),and catalase(CAT)activities.In comparison with the H_(2)O_(2)-treated damage group,the apoptosis rate,ROS level,and malondialdehyde(MDA)content of HepG2 cells treated with KSPLY were significantly decreased.The H.erinaceus-derived peptide KSPLY pretreatment promoted the expression of detoxification and antioxidant enzymes via the Keap1/Nrf2 signal pathway,thereby inhibiting the generation of ROS and MDA.In conclusion,the H.erinaceus-derived peptide KSPLY effectively protected HepG2 cells against H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative damage,and it provided a theoretical basis for the further development of new natural antioxidants.

Developing high-efficiency base editors by combining optimized synergistic core components with new types of nuclear localization signal peptide

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated protein(Cas) system has been widely used for genome editing. In this system, the cytosine base editor(CBE) and adenine base editor(ABE) allow generating precise and irreversible base mutations in a programmable manner and have been used in many different types of cells and organisms. However, their applications are limited by low editing efficiency at certain genomic target sites or at specific target cytosine(C) or adenine(A) residues. Using a strategy of combining optimized synergistic core components, we developed a new multiplex super-assembled ABE(sABE) in rice that showed higher base-editing efficiency than previously developed ABEs. We also designed a new type of nuclear localization signal(NLS) comprising a FLAG epitope tag with four copies of a codon-optimized NLS(F4NLS^(r2)) to generate another ABE named F4NLS-sABE. This new NLS increased editing efficiency or edited additional A at several target sites. A new multiplex super-assembled CBE(sCBE) and F4NLS^(r2) involved F4NLS-sCBE were also created using the same strategy. F4NLS-sCBE was proven to be much more efficient than sCBE in rice. These optimized base editors will serve as powerful genome-editing tools for basic research or molecular breeding in rice and will provide a reference for the development of superior editing tools for other plants or animals.

Endogenous Endothelin-1 Regulates Hypoxia-Induced Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Secretion by Activating the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathways in Isolated Beating Rabbit Atria

The present study investigated a possible mechanism for endogenous endothelin-1 (ET-1) regulation of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion in isolated perfused acute hypoxic rabbit atria. Acute hypoxia significantly enhanced the release of ET-1 and the expression of the ET receptor (ETR) type A and B (ETRA and ETRB) in atrial tissues, with a concomitant increase in ANP secretion. The ETRA or ETRB antagonist, BQ123 (0.3 μmol/L) or BQ788 (0.3 μmol/L), respectively attenuated hypoxia-induced ANP secretion. Both antagonists significantly attenuated the levels of hypoxiainduced atrial phosphorylated (p)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p-protein kinase B (Akt). The ERK and Akt inhibitors, PD098059 (30 μmol/L) and LY294002 (30 μmol/L), respectively mimicked the effect of the ETR antagonists. These results demonstrated that acute hypoxia- mediated atrial ET-1 regulated ANP secretion through ETR and the subsequent mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK and ETR-phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways. These pathways may mediate atrial endocrine functions under hypoxic conditions.

Signal Peptide and Denaturing Temperature are Critical Factors for Efficient Mammalian Expression and Immunoblotting of Cannabinoid Receptors

Many researchers employed mammalian expression system to artificially express cannabinoid receptors, but immunoblot data that directly prove efficient protein expression can hardly be seen in related research reports. In present study, we demonstrated cannabinoid receptor protein was not able to be properly expressed with routine mammalian expression system. This inefficient expression was rescued by endowing an exogenous signal peptide ahead of cannabinoid receptor peptide. In addition, the artificially synthesized cannabinoid receptor was found to aggregate under routine sample denaturing temperatures (i.e.,≥95°C), forming a large molecular weight band when analyzed by immuno-blotting. Only denaturing temperatures ≤75°C yielded a clear band at the predicted molecular weight. Collectively, we showed that efficient mammalian expression of cannabinoid receptors need a signal peptide sequence, and described the requirement for a low sample denaturing temperature in immuno-blot analysis. These findings provide very useful information for efficient mammalian expression and immuno-blotting of membrane receptors.

A new peptide,VD11,promotes structural and functional recovery after spinal cord injury

The regenerative capacity of the central nervous system is very limited and few effective treatments are currently available for spinal cord injury.It is therefore a priority to develop new drugs that can promote structural and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Previous studies have shown that peptides can promote substantial repair and regeneration of injured tissue.While amphibians have a pronounced ability to regenerate the spinal cord,few studies have investigated the effect of amphibian spinal cord-derived peptides on spinal cord injury.Here we report for the first time the successful identification and isolation of a new polypeptide,VD11(amino acid sequence:VDELWPPWLPC),from the spinal cord of an endemic Chinese amphibian(Odorrana schmackeri).In vitro experiments showed that VD11 promoted the secretion of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in BV2 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide,as well as the proliferation and synaptic elongation of PC12 cells subjected to hypoxia.In vivo experiments showed that intravertebral injection of VD11 markedly promoted recovery of motor function in rats with spinal cord injury,alleviated pathological damage,and promoted axonal regeneration.Furthermore,RNA sequencing and western blotting showed that VD11 may affect spinal cord injury through activation of the AMPK and AKT signaling pathways.In summary,we discovered a novel amphibian-derived peptide that promotes structural and functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

无脊椎动物胰岛素样蛋白(Insulin-like/related peptides)研究进展——以昆虫为例

胰岛素样蛋白(Insulin-like/related peptides,ILPs)是无脊椎动物中胰岛素的同源基因。以昆虫为例,概述了ILPs的结构、表达以及相关通路特别是胰岛素信号通路(Insulin signaling pathway),并总结了其在调控机体生长、发育、新陈代谢、繁殖和免疫等生命过程中的作用。

Effect of Soybean Peptides on in vitro Ruminal Fermentation and Microbial Population

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Soybean Peptides(SPs) on ruminal fermentation and microbial diversity in vitro. Four levels of SPs supplements(0, 0.25%, 0.50% and 0.75% dry matter basis) were tested. p H, NH3-N, Neutral Detergent Fiber(NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber(ADF), Dry Matter Digestibility(DMD) and the Total Volatile Fatty Acid(TVFA) were measured at 6, 24, 48 h of in vitro mixed incubation the fluids. Microbial populations were determined at 24 h and Microbial Proteins(MCP) were determined at 24 and 48 h. The gas production after 48 h in vitro incubation presented linear growth(p<0.05) and the highest content was the level of 0.5% SPs(dry matter basis). NH3-N concentration reached the highest concentration with 0.75%(dry matter basis) at 48 h. p H linearly increased(linear, p<0.05) from 6 to 48 h. The digestion of DMD increased with increasing doses of SPs at 24 h. NDF and ADF linearly(p<0.01) decreased by adding SPs. The concentration of TVFA linearly increased(p<0.05) at 6, 24 and 48 h, and reached the highest concentration at the level of 0.75%(dry matter basis). SPs decreased(p<0.05) the molar proportion of acetate and propionate, respectively at 24 and 48 h. Acetat to Propionate ratio(A/P; linear, p<0.05) increased at 48 h, and reached the greatest value at the level of 0.75%(dry matter basis) at 48 h. The populations of rumen Ruminococcus flavefaciens(R. flavefaciens), Ruminococcusalbus(R. albus), Fibrobacter succinogenes(F. succinogenes), Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens(B. fibrisolvens), Streptococcus bovis(S.bovis), Ruminobacter amylophilus(R. amylophilus) and Succinimonas amylolytica(S. amylolytica) were analyzed based on the total rumen bacterial 16 S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid(r DNA). The relative abundance of R. flavefaciens and R. albus increased at 24 h, but the relative abundance of F. succinogenes decreased at this time. The incubation of SPs had no effect on the abundance of S. bovis and R. amylophilus. The relative abundance of B. fibrisolvens and S. amylolytica reached the greatest value(p<0.05) at middle doses of SPs inclusion at 24 h. The value of MCPs linearly increased(p<0.05) at 24 and 48 h. These results showed that SPs could improve in vitro fermentation and nutrient digestion of feed substrates, and had the ability to modulate the ruminal fermentation pattern by regulating the composition of functional rumen microbes. Hence, SPs might be a potential feed additive applied in the diets of ruminants.

Isolation and characterization of novel peptides from fermented products of Lactobacillus for ulcerative colitis prevention and treatment

Ulcerative colitis(UC)is an incurable and highly complex digestive disease affecting millions of people worldwide.Compared to the current therapeutic drugs,bioactive peptides are more promising and safe substances as functional foods or drugs for the prevention and treatment of UC.The alcohol-soluble components from fermentation broth by fresh wheat germ and apple(AC-WGAF)were found to be effective in UC prevention in dextran sulfate sodium-induced mice in vivo.Herein,4 novel peptides are identifi ed from AC-WGAF by membrane ultrafi ltration,recycling preparative high-performance liquid chromatography,and matrix-assisted laser desorption–ionization time-of-fl ight/time-of-fl ight mass spectrometry,possessing anticolitis activity via using an in vitro model.One of those peptides named T24(PVLGPVRGPFPLL)exhibited the most remarkable anti-colitis activity by preventing tight junction protein loss,maintaining epithelial barrier integrity,and promoting cell proliferation during in vitro and in vivo studies by regulating mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways.Thus,T24 is a promising peptide as a functional food or novel drug for UC prevention and treatment.

基于BCL-XL/Bax/Caspase-3/p53/CREB/BDNF信号通路解析南极磷虾蛋白肽辅助增强记忆的靶向作用机理

目的:探索南极磷虾蛋白肽(EHAK)对东莨菪碱所致小鼠记忆损伤的预防作用。方法:将小鼠分为5组:空白对照组、记忆损伤模型组、南极磷虾蛋白肽低(31.25 mg/kg)、中(62.5 mg/kg)、高(125 mg/kg)剂量组,测定小鼠行为学指标、血清以及海马的生化指标和神经细胞蛋白表达水平,观察海马神经元状态。结果:行为实验表明EHAK能提高小鼠的空间学习记忆能力。在氧化应激水平和胆碱能系统方面,与模型组相比,125 mg/kg EHAK组小鼠血清中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性升高(10.13±1.00)U/mg prot,丙二醛(MDA)含量降低(1.04±0.26)nmol/mg prot,乙酰胆碱(ACh)含量增加(10.13±1.00)μg/mg prot,乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)活性和MDA含量分别下降(0.90±0.05)U/mg prot和(1.16±0.01)nmol/mg prot。这些数据表明,EHAK通过预防氧化应激和胆碱能功能障碍来减轻东莨菪碱诱导的认知障碍。海马神经元状态显示南极磷虾蛋白肽可有效预防海马神经元凋亡,发生排列不均等情况。此外,EHAK可通过BCL-XL/Bax/Caspase-3/p53/CREB/BDNF信号通路抑制神经元凋亡,调节神经元的可塑性。结论:EHAK通过调节胆碱能系统和保护海马神经元来预防东莨菪碱引起的记忆障碍,提示EHAK有潜力作为有关功能食品的组成成分。

实验性脾虚证大鼠胃窦部SP、VIP、CGRP含量的研究

采用放射免疫分析方法（ＲＩＡ）观察了实验性脾虚证大鼠胃窦部Ｐ物质（ＳＰ）、血管活性肠肽（ＶＩＰ）、降钙素基因相关肽（ＣＧＲＰ）含量的变化。结果：脾虚组胃窦部ＳＰ、ＶＩＰ、ＣＧＲＰ免疫活性肽（ｉｒＳＰ、ｉｒＶＩＰ、ｉｒＣＧＲＰ）含量均明显降低，下降百分率为ｉｒＳＰ＞ｉｒＶＩＰ＞ｉｒＣＧＲＰ。自然恢复组ｉｒＳＰ含量无明显恢复，ｉｒＶＩＰ、ｉｒＣＧＲＰ含量均恢复正常。加味四君子汤治疗组ｉｒＳＰ含量有一定程度恢复，但与对照组相比仍有显著差异，ｉｒＶＩＰ、ｉｒＣＧＲＰ含量均恢复正常。结果提示：脾虚大鼠胃窦部ｉｒＳＰ、ｉｒＶＩＰ、ｉｒＣＧＲＰ含量的改变可能与脾虚证胃动力失调有一定关系。

一株昆虫内生真菌Alternaria sp.次级代谢产物研究

采用硅胶柱色谱,Sephadex LH-20凝胶柱色谱及HPLC等方法从昆虫共生真菌Alternaria sp.(Be-1)的发酵液分离得到7个代谢产物,经NMR,MS及理化性质等确定为4个环肽和3个聚酮类化合物,4-甲氧基格链孢酚(1),5'-methoxy-6-methyl-biphenyl-3,4,3'-triol(2),altenusin(3),二氢腾毒素(4),腾毒素(5),环(4-羟基-脯-亮)二肽(6)和cyclo(L-Phenylalanine-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline)(7)。测定了化合物1-7对抗肿瘤治疗靶点-受体酪氨酸激酶的抑制活性,药理实验结果表明,化合物1-6对三种酪氨酸激酶(EGFR,VEGFR-1,c-Met)具有不同程度的抑制活性,化合物1,3,6对EGFR,VEGFR-1,c-Met均具有强的抑制作用,而且化合物6还有选择性抑制EGFR和c-Met的活性。

SP-TAT-Apoptin融合蛋白对HepG2细胞周期的影响

目的:研究SP-TAT-Apoptin融合基因诱导人肝癌HepG2细胞凋亡和细胞周期阻滞,探讨其用于肝癌治疗的可能性。方法:通过DNA重组技术,以pcDNA3.1/Apoptin质粒11为模板,构建SP-TAT-Apoptin融合基因plenti6-V5-D-TOPO真核表达载体。用SP-TAT-Apoptinplenti6-V5-D-TOPO真核表达载体转染中国仓鼠卵巢细胞(CHO),转染后Blasticidin霉素进行筛选,并进行鉴定得到稳定表达SP-TAT-Apoptin的CHO细胞株。收集含有TAT-Apoptin融合蛋白的筛选细胞培养上清,用于HepG2细胞培养。于共培养后的不同时段收集HepG2细胞,流式细胞术(FCM)检测细胞凋亡和细胞周期。结果:用包含SP-TAT-Apoptin融合基因的plenti6-V5-D-TOPO真核表达载体瞬时转染中国仓鼠卵巢细胞(CHO),成功筛选出稳定表达SP-TAT-Apoptin融合蛋白的CHO细胞,收集细胞培养上清,继续用于HepG2细胞培养,可观察到HepG2细胞阻滞于G1期并引起细胞凋亡。结论:SP-TAT-Apoptin融合表达可引起HepG2细胞的细胞周期G1期阻滞。

济川煎及其拆方对STC模型大鼠血清SP VIP水平的影响

目的:观察济川煎对慢传输型便秘模型大鼠血清SP、VIP水平的影响,探讨该方温肾润肠的作用机制及其组方配伍规律。方法:复制大鼠慢传输型便秘模型,检测济川煎及其拆方对模型大鼠粪便干、湿重和血清SP、VIP水平的影响。结果:与模型组相比,温肾润肠组粪便干湿比显著升高(P<0.01),其余各药物治疗组粪便干湿比显著降低(P<0.01)。济川煎及拆方各组血清SP升高,而VIP水平均显著低于模型对照组(P<0.01)。结论:济川煎及拆方各组可改善STC模型动物粪便性状,其作用机理与血清SP水平升高,以及异常升高的VIP的降低有关。

Bacillussp.fmbJ224发酵产新型抗菌肽培养基的优化研究

采用Plackett_Burman设计(Plackett_BurmanDesign,PB)法,对影响Bacillussp.fmbJ224产新型抗菌肽的17个因素进行了筛选。结果表明:影响该菌发酵产新型抗菌肽的主要培养基成分为葡萄糖、NH4NO3、谷氨酸、CaCl2、MnSO4。在此基础上,再采用响应曲面法(ResponseSurfaceMethodology,RSM)对其5个显著因子的最佳水平范围进行研究。通过对二次多项回归方程求解得知,在上述自变量分别为葡萄糖8·13g/L、NH4NO36·14g/L、谷氨酸4·2g/L、CaCl23·98mg/L、MnSO44·87mg/L时,新型抗菌肽的产量从1304·21μg/mL提高到了1487·58μg/mL。