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Modulation of tracer accumulation in malignant tumors: gene expression, gene transfer, and phage display.

Assessment of gene function following the completion of human genome sequencing may be done using radionuclide imaging procedures. These procedures are needed for the evaluation of genetically manipulated animals or new designed biomolecules which requires a thorough understanding of physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. The experimental approaches will involve many new technologies including in vivo imaging with SPECT and PET. Nuclear medicine procedures may be applied for the determination of gene function and regulation using established and new tracers or using in vivo reporter genes such as genes encoding enzymes, receptors, antigens or transporters. Visualization of in vivo reporter gene expression can be done using radiolabeled substrates, antibodies or ligands. Combinations of specific promoters and in vivo reporter genes may deliver information about the regulation of the corresponding genes. Furthermore, protein-protein interactions and activation of signal transduction pathways may be visualized non-invasively. The role of radiolabeled antisense molecules for the analysis of mRNA content has to be investigated. However, possible applications are therapeutic intervention using triplex oligonucleotides with therapeutic isotopes which can be brought near to specific DNA sequences to induce DNA strand breaks at selected loci. Imaging of labeled siRNA's makes sense if these are used for therapeutic purposes in order to assess the delivery of these new drugs to their target tissue. Finally, new biomolecules will be developed by bioengineering methods which may be used for isotope-based diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Animals↗

Model-based methods for identifying periodically expressed genes based on time course microarray gene expression data.

MOTIVATION: The expressions of many genes associated with certain periodic biological and cell cycle processes such as circadian rhythm regulation are known to be rhythmic. Identification of the genes whose time course expressions are synchronized to certain periodic biological process may help to elucidate the molecular basis of many diseases, and these gene products may in turn represent drug targets relevant to those diseases. RESULTS: We propose in this paper a statistical framework based on a shape-invariant model together with a false discovery rate (FDR) procedure for identifying periodically expressed genes based on microarray time-course gene expression data and a set of known periodically expressed guide genes. We applied the proposed methods to the alpha-factor, cdc15 and cdc28 synchronized yeast cell cycle data sets and identified a total of 1010 cell-cycle-regulated genes at a FDR of 0.5% in at least one of the three data sets analyzed, including 89 (86%) of 104 known periodic transcripts. We also identified 344 and 201 circadian rhythmic genes in vivo in mouse heart and liver tissues with FDR of 10 and 2.5%, respectively. Our results also indicate that the shape-invariant model fits the data well and provides estimate of the common shape function and the relative phases for these periodically regulated genes.

Algorithms↗

Transcriptional control of herpesvirus gene expression: gene functions required for positive and negative regulation.

We have used an in vitro nuclear run-off assay to measure the levels of transcription of specific herpes simplex virus genes at different times during a lytic infection. We analyzed the effects of inhibition of DNA replication and of defects in two herpes simplex virus regulatory proteins on the transcription of these genes. We present evidence that the transcription of the alpha ICP4 gene is negatively regulated during a lytic infection. The regulation of ICP4 gene transcription requires the beta protein ICP8 (where ICP = infected cell polypeptide). Transcription of the beta ICP8, gamma 1 ICP5, and gamma 2 glycoprotein C (gC) genes was dependent on ICP4, and transcription of the gamma 2gC gene was strongly inhibited when DNA replication was blocked. Defects in ICP8 also resulted in increased levels of transcription of the ICP4, ICP8, ICP5, and gC genes from parental viral genomes. Our results suggest that ICP8 may be important in maintaining the highly ordered cascade of viral gene expression.

DNA Replication↗

Generation of patterns from gene expression data by assigning confidence to differentially expressed genes.

MOTIVATION: A protocol is described to attach expression patterns to genes represented in a collection of hybridization array experiments. Discrete values are used to provide an easily interpretable description of differential expression. Binning cutoffs for each sample type are chosen automatically, depending on the desired false-positive rate for the predictions of differential expression. Confidence levels are derived for the statement that changes in observed levels represent true changes in expression. We have a novel method for calculating this confidence, which gives better results than the standard methods. Our method reflects the broader change of focus in the field from studying a few genes with many replicates to studying many (possibly thousands) of genes simultaneously, but with relatively few replicates. Our approach differs from standard methods in that it exploits the fact that there are many genes on the arrays. These are used to estimate for each sample type an appropriate distribution that is employed to control the false-positive rate of the predictions made. Satisfactory results can be obtained using this method with as few as two replicates. RESULTS: The method is illustrated through applications to macroarray and microarray datasets. The first is an erythroid development dataset that we have generated using nylon filter arrays. Clones for genes whose expression is known in these cells were assigned expression patterns which are in accordance with what was expected and which are not picked up by the standards methods. Moreover, genes differentially expressed between normal and leukemic cells were identified. These included genes whose expression was altered upon induction of the leukemic cells to differentiate. The second application is to the microarray data by Alizadeh et al. (2000). Our results are in accordance with their major findings and offer confidence measures for the predictions made. They also provide new insights for further analysis.

Algorithms↗

Identification of differentially expressed genes in scrapie-infected mouse brains by using global gene expression technology.

The pathogenesis of prion diseases, a class of transmissible fatal neurodegenerative diseases in humans and animals, is still unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the differentially regulated genes that correlate with the development of prion diseases for a better understanding of their pathological mechanisms. We employed Affymetrix Mouse Expression Arrays 430A containing >22,000 transcripts and compared the global gene expression profiles from brains of mice who were intracerebrally inoculated with scrapie strains ME7 and RML with those from brains of uninfected and mock-infected mice. The microarray data were analyzed by Significance Analysis of Microarrays, revealing 121 genes whose expression increased at least twofold in both ME7- and RML-infected mouse brains, with an estimated false discovery rate of < or =5%. These genes encode proteins involved in proteolysis, protease inhibition, cell growth and maintenance, the immune response, signal transduction, cell adhesion, and molecular metabolism. The time course of expression generally showed up-regulation of these genes from 120 days postinoculation (dpi) for ME7-inoculated mouse brains and from 90 dpi for RML-inoculated mouse brains. The onset of elevated expression correlated temporally with the onset of PrP(Sc) accumulation and the activation of glia, which may have contributed to neuronal cell death. Among the differentially regulated genes reported in the present study, the emergence of genes for several cathepsins and S100 calcium binding proteins was conspicuous. These and other genes reported here may represent novel potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for prion disease.

Animals↗

Quantitation of insertion sequence IS10 transposase gene expression by a method generally applicable to any rarely expressed gene.

We have found that IS10 transposase is synthesized in tiny amounts, about 0.15 polypeptide chain per cell per generation on average, as judged from the beta-galactosidase activity of a single chromosomal copy of a suitable transposase-lacZ gene fusion. Enzymatic activity from the fusion gene is a factor of 10 lower in a permeabilized whole cell assay than in cell extracts. Probably, most cells contain fewer than four polypeptide chains, and these chains can assemble into active tetramers only after cell disruption. This interpretation permits formulation of two equations relating enzyme activities to transcription and translation rates, solution of which reveals that the fusion gene is expressed at the average rate of only 0.25 transcript per cell per generation, with an average of only 0.58 translation product per transcript. This methodology is generally applicable to analysis of any gene from which fewer than four polypeptide chains are synthesized per cell per generation.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Auxin-responsive gene expression: genes, promoters and regulatory factors.

A molecular approach to investigate auxin signaling in plants has led to the identification of several classes of early/primary auxin response genes. Within the promoters of these genes, cis elements that confer auxin responsiveness (referred to as auxin-response elements or AuxREs) have been defined, and a family of trans-acting transcription factors (auxin-response factors or ARFs) that bind with specificity to AuxREs has been characterized. A family of auxin regulated proteins referred to as Aux/IAA proteins also play a key role in regulating these auxin-response genes. Auxin may regulate transcription on early response genes by influencing the types of interactions between ARFs and Aux/IAAs.

Base Sequence↗

Differentiation-induced gene expression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Characterization of a differentially expressed gene encoding stearoyl-CoA desaturase.

Previous studies have shown that differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes leads to the activation of transcription of an unidentified gene which encodes a 4.9-kilobase (kb) mRNA. Several cDNAs that include the complete sequence of this mRNA were obtained and used to isolate and characterize the gene. Analysis of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of both cDNA and genomic clones revealed that the gene encodes the mouse stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), an enzyme known to be expressed upon differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The predicted amino acid sequence (355 residues) of the mouse 3T3-L1 adipocyte SCD exhibits 92% identity to that of the rat liver SCD. There is also a high degree of nucleotide sequence identity between the mouse and rat mRNAs in their unusually long approximately 3.5-kb 3'-untranslated regions. Mice fed a diet containing unsaturated triacylglycerides express SCD mRNA only in adipose tissue, whereas mice starved and refed a fat-free diet, express SCD mRNA in both liver and adipose tissue. The mouse gene for the desaturase spans approximately 15 kb and contains 6 exons and 5 introns with all intron-exon junctions conforming to the GT/AG splicing rule. As determined by S1 nuclease mapping and primer extension analysis, the transcriptional initiation site maps 152 nucleotides upstream from the initiation methionine codon. A canonical promoter "TATA" box is located 30 base pairs upstream of the Cap site. A typical "CCAAT" box sequence is not present in the adjacent 5'-flanking region; however, there is a GC-rich sequence (at nucleotide -215) similar to the binding site for the nuclear transcription factor Sp1. Upstream from the transcriptional initiation site are elements with homology (approximately 75%) to the putative fat-specific transcriptional element FSE2 and core consensus sequences for cAMP and glucocorticoid regulatory elements. A chimeric construct, containing 363 base pairs of 5'-flanking sequence and 30 nucleotides of 5'-untranslated sequence of the mouse SCD gene ligated to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, was transfected into 3T3-L1 cells. When cells were induced to differentiate into adipocytes, expression of the SCD chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene increased approximately 63-fold, suggesting that the SCD promoter region contains elements that mediate the response to adipogenic agents which induce differentiation.

Adipose Tissue↗

Regulation of cytokine gene expression: gene activation in type I IFN and IL-2 systems.

Cytokines represent essential soluble mediators in cell-to-cell communication and they are known to play crucial roles in many biological processes, including viral infection, inflammation and immunity. We have been focusing on two cytokine systems, the interferon (IFN) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) systems each of which respectively plays a key role in viral infections and the immune response. In both cases, expression of those cytokines and, in the case of IL-2 system, the receptor is tightly regulated at the transcriptional level. Recent studies in our laboratory as well as others have uncovered the mechanism(s) operating in the regulation of those genes and have provided further insights on how the two cytokine systems operate and what is the biological significance of gene regulation in these systems. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the IFN system and IL-2 system in the context of host defense against viral infections and T cell neoplasms, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

SScore: an R package for detecting differential gene expression without gene expression summaries.

SUMMARY: SScore is an R package that facilitates the comparison of gene expression between Affymetrix GeneChips using the S-score algorithm. The S-score algorithm uses probe level data directly to assess differences in gene expression, without requiring a preliminary separate step of probe set expression summary estimation. Therefore, the algorithm avoids introduction of error associated with the expression summary estimation process and has been demonstrated to improve the accuracy of identifying differentially expressed genes. The S-score produces accurate results even when few or no replicates are available. AVAILABILITY: The R package SScore is available from Bioconductor at http://www.bioconductor.org

Algorithms↗

Gene expression per gene dose, a specific measure of gene expression in aquatic microorganisms.

A method for the measurement of specific levels of gene expression that combines target mRNA and target DNA quantitation has been developed. The use of target gene dose as a normalizing factor for mRNA provides an alternative to 16S or 23S rRNA, which are unsuitable for use in the environment because of their presence in nontarget organisms. Both target mRNA and DNA are recovered from replicate samples and detected by using antisense and sense single-stranded RNA gene probes. For efficient mRNA recovery, the use of Millipore Durapore filters and multiple extractions was necessary. Quantitation was performed by radiometric detection by using a beta-scanner and comparison of the sample signal against target mRNA and DNA standard curves. This method enabled the measurement of expression of the catechol-2,3-dioxygenase gene (xylE) contained on the thermoregulated plasmid pLV1013 in a marine Vibrio strain in culture and in the environment. In studies of the relationship between mRNA levels and enzyme activities, the appearance of enzyme activity lagged behind xylE mRNA synthesis by an hour after temperature induction. This suggests that mRNA analysis is well suited for determining rapid regulation of microbial gene expression at the transcriptional level in water column microbial populations.

Journal Article↗

The intricacies of beta-globin gene expression.

Gene expression is an extremely complicated process in which several mechanisms are involved. Owing to its developmental and tissue-specific expression, the beta-globin gene is an excellent model for studying gene expression. beta-Globin gene expression involves an interplay between several different mechanisms. Chromatin structure is thought to be altered by the locus control region (LCR) located far upstream of the beta-globin gene locus. As well, multiple transcription factors come into play both in the LCR and in the individual promoters and enhancers of the beta-globin genes. The interaction between these then allows for delicate regulation of beta-globin gene expression. In the following review the elaborate system of beta-globin gene expression will briefly be examined.

Beta-Globulins↗

The kinetics of transcriptomic changes induced by cigarette smoke in rat lungs reveals a specific program of defense, inflammation, and circadian clock gene expression.

Gene expression profiling in animal models exposed to cigarette mainstream smoke (CS) shapes up as a promising tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in the onset and development of CS-related disease and may aid in the identification of disease candidate genes. Here we report on differential gene expression in lungs of rats exposed for 2, 7, and 13 weeks to 300 and 600 microg total particulate matter/l CS with sacrifice 2, 6, or 20 h after the last exposure. Regarding antioxidant and xenobiotic-metabolizing (phase I/II) enzymes, a stereotypic, mostly transient, expression pattern of differentially expressed genes was observed after each exposure period. The expression patterns were generally dose dependent for antioxidant and phase II genes and not dose dependent for phase I genes at the CS concentrations tested. However, with increasing length of exposure, there was a distinct, mostly sustained and dose-sensitive, expression of genes implicated in innate and adaptive immune responses, clearly pointing to an emerging inflammatory response. Notably, this inflammatory response included the expression of lung disease-related genes not yet linked to CS exposure, such as galectin-3, arginase 1, and chitinase, as well as genes encoding proteolytic enzymes. Finally, our experiments also revealed a CS exposure-dependent shift in the cyclical expression of genes involved in controlling the circadian rhythm. Altogether, these results provide further insight into the molecular mechanisms of CS-dependent disease onset and development and thus may also be useful for defining CS-specific molecular biomarkers of disease.

ARNTL Transcription Factors↗

Distant HNF1 site as a master control for the human class I alcohol dehydrogenase gene expression.

Gene duplication and divergence have contributed to the biochemical diversity of the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) family. Class I ADH is the major enzyme that catalyzes alcohol to acetaldehyde in the liver. To investigate the mechanism(s) controlling tissue-specific and temporal regulation of the three human class I ADH genes (ADH1A, ADH1B, and ADH1C), we compared genomic sequences for the human and mouse ADH loci and analyzed human ADH gene expression in BAC transgenic mice carrying different lengths of the upstream sequences of the class I ADH. A conserved noncoding sequence, located between the class I and class IV ADH (ADH7) genes, was found to be essential for directing class I ADH gene expression in fetal and adult livers. Within this region, a 275-bp fragment displaying liver-specific DNase I hypersensitivity was bound by HNF1. The HNF1-containing upstream sequence enhanced all three class I ADH promoters in an orientation-dependent manner, and the transcriptional activation depended on binding to the HNF1 site. Deletion of the conserved HNF1 site in the BAC led to the shutdown of human class I ADH gene expression in the transgenic livers, leaving ADH1C gene expression in the stomach unchanged. Moreover, interaction between the upstream element and the class I ADH gene promoters was demonstrated by chromosome conformation capture, suggesting a DNA looping mechanism is involved in gene activation. Taken together, our data indicate that HNF1 binding, at approximately 51 kb upstream, plays a master role in controlling human class I ADH gene expression and may govern alcohol metabolism in the liver.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Transcription factor PRDII-BF1 activates human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gene expression.

Gene expression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is modulated by both cellular transcription factors, which bind to cis-acting regulatory elements in the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) and the viral transactivator, tat. The enhancer element in the HIV-1 LTR which extends from -103 to -82 is critical for gene expression. This region contains two identical 10-bp direct repeats which serve as binding sites for members of the NF-kappa B family of transcription factors. However, several other cellular transcription factors, including a group of zinc finger DNA-binding proteins, also bind to NF-kappa B and related motifs. A member of this family of transcription factors, designated PRDII-BF1 or MBP-1, is a 300-kDa cellular protein which contains two widely separated zinc finger DNA binding domains. Each of these binding domains is capable of binding to NF-kappa B or related recognition motifs. Since no functional role for this protein has been demonstrated in the regulation of viral and cellular promoters, we began studies to determine whether PRDII-BF1 could modulate HIV-1 gene expression. DNase I footprinting of the HIV-1 LTR indicated that PRDII-BF1 bound to both NF-kappa B and TAR transactivation response DNA elements. Both in vitro translation and vaccinia virus expression of PRDII-BF1 cDNA resulted in the synthesis of the full-length 300-kDa PRDII-BF1 protein. Transfection experiments, using both eucaryotic expression vectors and antisense constructs, indicated that PRDII-BF1 activated HIV-1 gene expression in both the presence and absence of tat. These results are consistent with a role for PRDII-BF1 in activating HIV-1 gene expression.

Base Sequence↗

The regulation of gene expression in transformed maize aleurone and endosperm protoplasts. Analysis of promoter activity, intron enhancement, and mRNA untranslated regions on expression.

Gene expression in the aleurone and endosperm is highly regulated during both seed development and germination. Studies of alpha-amylase expression in the aleurone of barley (Hordeum vulgare) have generated the current paradigm for hormonal control of gene expression in germinating cereal grain. Gene expression studies in both the aleurone and endosperm tissues of maize (Zea mays) seed have been hampered because of a lack of an efficient transformation system. We report here the rapid isolation of protoplasts from maize aleurone and endosperm tissue, their transformation using polyethylene glycol or electroporation, and the regulation of gene expression in these cells. Adh1 promoter activity was reduced relative to the 35S promoter in aleurone and endosperm protoplasts compared to Black Mexican Sweet suspension cells in which it was nearly as strong as the 35S promoter. Intron-mediated stimulation of expression was substantially higher in transformed aleurone or endosperm protoplasts than in cell-suspension culture protoplasts, and the data suggest that the effect of an intron may be affected by cell type. To examine cytoplasmic regulation, the 5' and 3' untranslated regions from a barley alpha-amylase were fused to the firefly luciferase-coding region, and their effect on translation and mRNA stability was examined following the delivery of in vitro synthesized mRNA to aleurone and endosperm protoplasts. The alpha-amylase untranslated regions regulated translational efficiency in a tissue-specific manner, increasing translation in aleurone or endosperm protoplasts but not in maize or carrot cell-suspension protoplasts, in animal cells, or in in vitro translation lysates.

Animals↗

Mechanisms of transcriptional regulation and neural gene expression.

Gene transcription is governed by a set of basal transcription machineries and gene-specific factors. Eukaryotic RNA polymerases alone can not direct specific transcription, but need associated factors, namely general transcription factors (GTFs). The basal transcription machineries composed of RNA polymerase and GTFs bind to a promoter and govern efficient and correct transcription for constitutive gene expression. Protein-coding genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase (Pol) II whereas Pol I and Pol III synthesize ribosomal RNA and various small RNAs, respectively. Enhancer is another class of cis-element for Pol II to which transcription regulatory factors bind. Those factors are involved in inducible, repressive, and tissue-specific gene expressions via binding to their target sequences. Regulatory factors have multiple structural motifs and interact with basal machineries directly or indirectly (using mediators) in addition to DNA. Many transcription factors are known to regulate nervous system-specific gene expression, which include bHTH, bHLH, basic leucine zipper, and zinc finger factors and prorine-rich activators. These factors, some of which belong to a neural silencer factor, play roles in neural development, establishment of memory and learning, and expression of nervous system-specific proteins.

Animals↗