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Soybean ENOD40 encodes two peptides that bind to sucrose synthase.

ENOD40 is expressed at an early stage in root nodule organogenesis in legumes. Identification of ENOD40 homologs in nonleguminous plants suggests that this gene may have a more general biological function. In vitro translation of soybean ENOD40 mRNA in wheat germ extracts revealed that the conserved nucleotide sequence at the 5' end (region I) encodes two peptides of 12 and 24 aa residues (peptides A and B). These peptides are synthesized de novo from very short, overlapping ORFs. Appropriate ORFs are present in all legume ENOD40s studied thus far. In this case small peptides are directly translated from polycistronic eukaryotic mRNA. The 24-aa peptide B was detected in nodules by Western blotting. Both peptides specifically bind to the same 93-kDa protein, which was affinity purified from soybean nodules. Using peptide mass fingerprinting, we identified this binding protein as nodulin 100, which is a subunit of sucrose synthase. Based on our data we suggest that ENOD40 peptides are involved in the control of sucrose use in nitrogen-fixing nodules.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A SAGE approach to identifying novel trans-acting factors involved in the X inactivation process.

X chromosome inactivation ensures the dosage compensation of X-linked genes in XX females compared to their XY male counterpart. It is characterised by the specific recruitment of an inhibitory ribonucleoprotein complex involving the non-coding Xist RNA to the presumptive inactive X chromosome and associated chromatin modifications, which result in the transcriptional silencing of the X chromosome. As an approach to the identification of some of the potential molecular players in this process we have performed comparative transcriptional profiling of mouse 6.5-dpc (days post-coitum) female and male embryos using a modified SAGE (Serial analysis of gene expression) technique which allows the analysis of small quantities of biological material. At 6.5 dpc, a moment when random X inactivation of embryonic tissues has just been achieved, some two hundred transcripts that were significantly enriched in the female gastrula compared to its male counterpart could be identified. The validation of an association with the X inactivation process of a subset of these transcripts has been studied, ex vivo, in differentiating female and male ES cells and in female ES cells in which the establishment of X inactivation is interrupted through the post-transcriptional inhibition of Xist synthesis.

Animals↗

A developmentally regulated and cAMP-repressible gene of Dictyostelium discoideum: cloning and expression of the gene encoding cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor.

A 1.6-kb genomic fragment containing the coding region for the inhibitor (PDI) of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PD) was isolated and sequenced. The genomic sequence includes 510 nucleotides (nt) of 5'-noncoding sequence and the full coding sequence, which contains two small introns. From the deduced amino acid (aa) sequence we predict a 26-kDa protein that, in agreement with previous data, contains approximately 15% Cys residues. The PDI possesses a hydrophobic leader sequence, five potential glycosylation sites, and three internal repeats. Northern-blot analysis showed a single transcript of 0.95 kb. The gene encoding PDI (pdi) was expressed early in development with little transcript remaining following aggregation. The appearance of pdi transcript was inhibited by cAMP, but when cAMP was removed the transcript appeared within 30 min. When cAMP was applied to cells containing pdi mRNA, the transcript disappeared with a half-life of less than 30 min.

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗

Analyses of the mRNA transcription processes of snowshoe hare bunyavirus S and M RNA species.

The time course of synthesis of snowshoe hare bunyavirus small (S)- and medium (M)-sized viral RNA (vRNA), viral cRNA (vcRNA), and mRNA species was analyzed by using single-stranded DNA probes representing the S- and M-coded gene products. In the presence of puromycin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, the subgenomic S mRNA species were detected, but not full-length S vcRNA or S vRNA species. No M-related RNA species were identified in puromycin-treated cells. In the absence of puromycin, full-length M and S vRNA, S vcRNA, and subgenomic S mRNA species were observed, as well as apparently full-length M vcRNA species, presumably including the approximately similar-sized M mRNA species. The 5' ends of the S and M mRNA species have been shown to be heterogeneous and some 12 to 17 bases longer than the ends of their corresponding presumptive replicative vcRNA species, in agreement with an earlier report that they represent nonviral primer sequences (D. H. L. Bishop, M. E. Gay, and Y. Matsuoko, Nucleic Acids Res. 11:6409-6418, 1983). The 3' ends of the M and S mRNA species were found to be shorter by some 60 and 100 nucleotides, respectively, than those of their corresponding full-length vcRNA species. Comparison of the 3' noncoding regions of the S and M vcRNA species revealed that there are conserved sequences following the translation termination codons of the two RNA species. One of these conserved sequences is a pyrimidine-rich template sequence that is approximately 20 nucleotides beyond the deduced S mRNA transcription termination site.

Base Sequence↗

Evidence for ovarian granulosa stem cells: telomerase activity and localization of the telomerase ribonucleic acid component in bovine ovarian follicles.

We have previously postulated that granulosa cells of developing follicles arise from a population of stem cells. Stem cells and cancer cells can divide indefinitely partly because they express telomerase. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that repairs the ends of telomeres that otherwise shorten progressively upon each successive cell division. In this study we carried out cell cycle analyses and examined telomerase expression to examine our hypothesis. Preantral (60-100 microm) and small (1 mm) follicles, as well as granulosa cells from medium-sized (3 mm) and large (6-8 mm) follicles, were isolated. Cell cycle analyses and expression of Ki-67, a cell cycle-related protein, were undertaken on follicles of each size (n = 3) by flow cytometry; 12% to 16% of granulosa cells in all follicles were in the S phase, and less than 2% were in the G(2)/M phase. Telomerase activity (n = 3) was highest in the small preantral follicles, declining at the 1-mm stage and even further at the 3-mm stage. In situ hybridization histochemistry was carried out on bovine ovaries, and telomerase RNA was detected in the granulosa cells of growing follicles but not primordial follicles. Two major patterns of staining were observed in the membrana granulosa of antral follicles: staining in the middle and antral layers, and staining in the middle and basal layers. No staining was detected in oocytes. Our results strongly support our hypothesis that granulosa cells arise from a population of stem cells.

Animals↗

Mechanisms of genomic imprinting.

A small number of mammalian genes undergo the process of genomic imprinting whereby the expression level of the alleles of a gene depends upon their parental origin. In the past year, attention has focused on the mechanisms that determine parental-specific expression patterns. Many imprinted genes are located in conserved clusters and, although it is apparent that imprinting of adjacent genes is jointly regulated, multiple mechanisms among and within clusters may operate. Recent developments have also refined the timing of the gametic imprints and further defined the mechanism by which DNA methyltransferases confer allelic methylation patterns.

Alleles↗

Brain-specific small nucleolar RNAs.

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a group of noncoding RNAs that function mainly as guides for modification of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). A subgroup of snoRNAs was found to be predominantly expressed in the brain; and interestingly, these brain-specific snoRNAs (b-snoRNAs) appear not to be involved in modification of rRNAs and snRNAs, raising the question of what their function and targets might be. Expression studies of b-snoRNAs in mice have shown potential involvement of two b-snoRNAs, MBII-48 and MBII-52, in learning and memory. HBII-52, the human homolog of MBII-52, appears to be involved with regulation of 5-HT(2C) receptor subunit mRNA. Furthermore, several reports link the disruption of expression of a specific b-snoRNA, HBII-85, with a neurobehavioral disorder, Prader-Willi syndrome. This paper reviews the current knowledge of the properties, expression, and functions of b-snoRNAs.

Animals↗

Interacting endogenous and exogenous RNAi pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans.

C. elegans contains numerous small RNAs of ~21-24 nt in length. The microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs produced by DCR-1- and ALG-dependent processing of self-complementary hairpin transcripts. Endogenous small interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs), associated with ongoing silencing of protein-coding genes in normal worms, are produced by mechanisms that involve DCR-1 but, unlike miRNAs, also involve RDE-2, RDE-3, RDE-4, RRF-1, and RRF-3. The tiny noncoding (tncRNAs) are similar to endo-siRNAs in their biogenesis except that they are derived from noncoding sequences. These endo-siRNA- and tncRNA-based endogenous RNAi pathways involve some components, including DCR-1 and RDE-4, that are shared with exogenous RNAi, and some components, including RRF-3 and ERI-1, that are specific to endogenous RNAi. rrf-3 and eri-1 mutants are enhanced for some silencing processes and defective for others, suggesting cross-regulatory interactions between RNAi pathways in C. elegans. Microarray expression profiling of RNAi-defective mutant worms further suggests diverse endogenous RNAi pathways for silencing different sets of genes.

Animals↗

RNAs templating chromatin structure for dosage compensation in animals.

The role of RNA as a messenger in the expression of the genome has been long appreciated, but its functions in regulating chromatin and chromosome structure are no less interesting. Recent results have shown that small RNAs guide chromatin-modifying complexes to chromosomal regions in a sequence-specific manner to elicit transcriptional repression. However, sequence-specific targeting by means of base pairing seems to be only one mechanism by which RNA is employed for epigenetic regulation. The focus of this review is on large RNAs that act in the dosage-compensation pathways of flies and mammals. These RNAs associate with chromatin over the length of whole chromosomes and are crucial for spreading epigenetic changes in chromatin structure. They do not appear to act in a sequence-specific manner but might provide scaffolds for co-operative binding of chromatin-associated complexes that enable spreading of chromatin modifications.

Animals↗

The highly conserved Chinese hamster GNAI3 gene maps less than 60 kb from the AMPD2 gene and lacks the intronic U6 snRNA present in its human counterpart.

The identity of a gene coamplified with the adenylate deaminase 2 gene (AMPD2) in coformycin-resistant cells was determined by analysis of its genomic sequence. Sequence comparisons reveal a significant homology with the 3' terminal part of the gene encoding the alpha i3 subunit of Gi proteins from several species (GNAI3). Identification of the gene was confirmed by Western blot analysis of its products. A precise sequence comparison was performed with the human genomic sequence. It showed that conservation remains important in noncoding exons as well as in introns. However, sequences corresponding to combined U6 snRNA and E protein pseudogene, previously identified inside intron 7 of the human gene, were not found in the Chinese hamster gene. GNAI3 is mapped to a region of conserved linkage between human chromosome 1 (locus 1p13) and mouse chromosome 3 (at 48.4 cM). The Chinese hamster GNAI3 gene maps to chromosome 1 within a 120-kb fragment that also comprises the AMPD2 and GSTM genes.

AMP Deaminase↗

Isolation and characterization of a new major intestinal CYP3A form, CYP3A62, in the rat.

Based on information of the nucleotide sequence obtained from rat genome clones, a new CYP3A (CYP3A62) cDNA was isolated from the cDNA library of a rat liver. The CYP3A62 cDNA was 1746 base pairs (bp) in length, which included 1491 bp of an open reading frame and 93 bp and 209 bp of the respective 5'- and 3'-noncoding regions. Amino acid sequence deduced from CYP3A62 cDNA shared the highest similarity with rat CYP3A9 (79.9%) among human and rat CYP3A forms previously reported. CYP3A62 mRNA and protein were consistently detected in small intestines as well as livers. CYP3A62 was a major form in small intestines of both sexes but was a female-predominant form in livers of adult rats. CYP3A62 in both tissues of male and female rats were clearly enhanced by the treatment with dexamethasone. These expression profiles resembled those of CYP3A9. Despite clear detection of CYP3A62, no detectable levels of CYP3A1 and CYP3A2 proteins, as well as those of mRNAs, were found in the intestinal tract. Therefore, CYP3A62 may play major roles together with CYP3A9 and CYP3A18 in endogenous or exogenous detoxification at the absorption site.

Animals↗

Site-selected insertion of the transposon Tc1 into a Caenorhabditis elegans myosin light chain gene.

We used the polymerase chain reaction to detect insertions of the transposon Tc1 into mlc-2, one of two Caenorhabditis elegans regulatory myosin light chain genes. Our goals were to develop a general method to identify mutations in any sequenced gene and to establish the phenotype of mlc-2 loss-of-function mutants. The sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction allowed us to identify nematode populations containing rare Tc1 insertions into mcl-2. mlc-2::Tc1 mutants were subsequently isolated from these populations by a sib selection procedure. We isolated three mutants with Tc1 insertions within the mlc-2 third exon and a fourth strain with Tc1 inserted in nearby noncoding DNA. To demonstrate the generality of our procedure, we isolated two additional mutants with Tc1 insertions within hlh-1, the C. elegans MyoD homolog. All of these mutants are essentially wild type when homozygous. Despite the fact that certain of these mutants have Tc1 inserted within exons of the target gene, these mutations may not be true null alleles. All three of the mlc-2 mutants contain mlc-2 mRNA in which all or part of Tc1 is spliced from the pre-mRNA, leaving small in-frame insertions or deletions in the mature message. There is a remarkable plasticity in the sites used to splice Tc1 from these mlc-2 pre-mRNAs; certain splice sites used in the mutants are very different from typical eukaryotic splice sites.

Alleles↗

The location of a disease-associated polymorphism and genomic structure of the human 52-kDa Ro/SSA locus (SSA1).

Sera from approximately 30% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) contain high titers of autoantibodies that bind to the 52-kDa Ro/SSA protein. We previously detected polymorphisms in the 52-kDa Ro/SSA gene (SSA1) with restriction enzymes, one of which is strongly associated with the presence of SLE (P < 0.0005) in African Americans. A higher disease frequency and more severe forms of the disease are commonly noted among these female patients. To determine the location and nature of this polymorphism, we obtained two clones that span 8.5 kb of the 52-kDa Ro/SSA locus including its upstream regulatory region. Six exons were identified, and their nucleotide sequences plus adjacent noncoding regions were determined. No differences were found between these exons and the coding region of one of the reported cDNAs. The disease-associated polymorphic site suggested by a restriction enzyme map and confirmed by DNA amplification and nucleotide sequencing was present upstream of exon 1. This polymorphism may be a genetic marker for a disease-related variation in the coding region for the protein or in the upstream regulatory region of this gene. Although this RFLP is present in Japanese, it is not associated with lupus in this race.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Increased neurovirulence associated with a single nucleotide change in a noncoding region of the Sabin type 3 poliovaccine genome.

Most of the small number of cases of poliomyelitis which occur in countries where Sabin's attenuated poliovirus vaccines are used are temporally associated with administration of vaccine and involve polioviruses of types 2 and 3 (ref. 1). Recent studies have provided convincing evidence that the Sabin type 2 and 3 viruses themselves may revert to a neurovirulent phenotype on passage in man. We report here that a point mutation in the 5' noncoding region of the genome of the poliovirus type 3 vaccine consistently reverts to wild type in strains isolated from cases of vaccine-associated poliomyelitis. Virus with this change is rapidly selected on passage through the human gastrointestinal tract. The change is associated with a demonstrable increase in the neurovirulence of the virus.

Base Sequence↗

Structure and comparison of the oxytocin and vasopressin genes from rat.

The gene encoding the precursor protein to the hormone oxytocin and its associated neurophysin has been isolated from a rat genomic library, and its sequence has been determined. The small gene (approximately equal to 850 base pairs) predicts a mRNA of approximately equal to 500 bases [without the poly(A) tail]. The exon-intron organization is similar to that of the vasopressin gene, with two splice sites in the protein-coding region. The first exon (A) comprises the 5' noncoding promoter region, a putative signal peptide, the nonapeptide hormone oxytocin, and the NH2-terminal, variable region of neurophysin. The second exon (B) encodes the central, conserved region of neurophysin, and the third exon (C) encodes the remaining COOH terminus of neurophysin, with an additional arginine residue at its end, presumably cleaved off during post-translational processing. A stretch of 143 nucleotides within exon B, except for a single base change, is entirely homologous to the equivalent part of the rat vasopressin gene, offering support for a gene conversion event having recently affected the two genes.

Animals↗

Animal MicroRNAs confer robustness to gene expression and have a significant impact on 3'UTR evolution.

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that serve as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression in higher eukaryotes. Their widespread and important role in animals is highlighted by recent estimates that 20%-30% of all genes are microRNA targets. Here, we report that a large set of genes involved in basic cellular processes avoid microRNA regulation due to short 3'UTRs that are specifically depleted of microRNA binding sites. For individual microRNAs, we find that coexpressed genes avoid microRNA sites, whereas target genes and microRNAs are preferentially expressed in neighboring tissues. This mutually exclusive expression argues that microRNAs confer accuracy to developmental gene-expression programs, thus ensuring tissue identity and supporting cell-lineage decisions.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

C-ski transcripts with and without exon 2 are expressed in skeletal muscle and throughout chick embryogenesis.

Overexpression of v-ski or c-ski cDNAs has a pronounced effect on proliferation, morphological transformation and myogenic differentiation in cells in culture and in transgenic animals. Yet, little is known about expression of the c-ski locus or the relationship between c-ski cDNAs and alternatively spliced c-ski transcripts in chicken tissues, particularly in skeletal muscle or during embryogenesis. We developed a series of probes and oligonucleotide primers specific for the eight coding exons and the long 3' noncoding region found in chicken c-ski mRNAs. The most abundant chicken c-ski mRNAs in a vast array of tissues are 8.5 kb, with additional, but less abundant, mRNAs of 7.5, 6.5 and 4.4 kb. Steady-state levels of c-ski mRNAs, indistinguishable from transcripts in other tissues, accumulate in skeletal muscle from embryonic, newly hatched, and adult chicks. Only exon 2, a small exon of 111 bp, was found to be alternatively spliced in c-ski mRNAs. Transcripts with and without exon 2 appear in all tissues, in somites, and from the earliest stages of chick embryogenesis. Thus, c-ski cDNA sequences, which extend about 4.3 kb, represent either the least abundant form of c-ski mRNAs in tissues or a severely truncated form of the major 8.5 kb transcripts.

Animals↗

Growth-restricted dengue virus mutants containing deletions in the 5' noncoding region of the RNA genome.

The dengue type 4 virus (DEN4) RNA genome contains a 101-nt 5' noncoding (NC) sequence which is predicted to form a stable secondary structure. DEN4 cDNA from which infectious RNA can be transcribed was used to engineer deletions in the 5' NC region for functional analysis of RNA structure and for isolation of DEN4 mutants that could be evaluated as candidates for use in a live attenuated vaccine. Eleven distinct deletions in the region of the DEN4 genome between nts 18 and 98 were constructed; each mutation was predicted to alter or disrupt the local base-parings in the 5' NC RNA structure. An infectious virus was not recovered from the RNA transcripts of five of these deletion mutants. Significantly, four of the five apparently lethal deletions were located in a 5- to 6-nt base-paired region of a predicted long stem or adjacent to it. In contrast, with one exception, mutants which yielded infectious virus had deletions which were located in a loop or short stem region. The effect of the deletions on the efficiency of translation of viral RNA transcripts was examined in vitro. The RNA transcripts of deletion constructs which did not yield viable virus were translated at an efficiency ranging from 40 to 160% that of wild-type virus transcripts. The translation efficiency of infectious RNA transcripts also varied. Deletion mutants recovered from RNA transcripts that exhibited low to moderate efficiency of translation had a small plaque morphology and exhibited reduced growth in simian LLC-MK2 and mosquito C6/36 cells compared to the wild-type virus. Among the 11 mutant constructs, deletion of nts 82-87 caused the greatest reduction in translation efficiency. Nevertheless, an infectious virus was recovered from LLC-MK2 cells transfected with the RNA transcripts of mutant d(82-87). The progeny of this mutant produced small plaques on LLC-MK2 cells and grew to low titer in these cells. Unlike wild-type DEN4 or other DEN4 deletion mutants tested, mutant d(82-87) failed to produce plaques on C6/36 cells and was also replication-defective in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus following intrathoracic inoculation.

Aedes↗