PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “RNA, Untranslated”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Modifications of HIV-1 retrovirus-like particles to enhance safety and immunogenicity.

HIV-1 retrovirus-like particles can be produced in VERO cells that have been transfected with an expression construct encoding HIV-1 structural proteins. The particles are entirely non-infectious although structurally they resemble infectious virus particles. This makes them a promising candidate for use as an HIV-1 vaccine. In order to ensure their safety and enhance their immunogenicity, the retrovirus-like particles were modified in a number of ways. A large deletion in the HIV-1 pol gene has eliminated reverse transcriptase and integrase activities. Deletion of RNA packaging signals in the RNA untranslated leader sequence and in Gag reduced packaged RNA to 5% of that in HIV-1 virus. Replacement of the existing HIV-1LAI envelope protein with that of HIV-1MN has ensured that immune responses to the particles are relevant to those against the majority of HIV-1 clade B isolates. In addition to these changes in particle composition, yields of the modified particles were increased using a superior method of inducing the expression construct promoter, and an effective scheme for particle purification was developed. Immunization of non-human primates demonstrated that the particles were capable of generating anti-HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies. The technological refinements reported here will permit retrovirus-like particles to be tested safely in humans, and the change in envelope proteins should allow a more realistic evaluation of the immunogenicity of these particles. Experience gained in engineering these refinements will greatly facilitate other modifications that may be required to achieve maximum efficacy as a vaccine against HIV-1.

AIDS Vaccines↗

Avian bic, a gene isolated from a common retroviral site in avian leukosis virus-induced lymphomas that encodes a noncoding RNA, cooperates with c-myc in lymphomagenesis and erythroleukemogenesis.

bic is a novel gene identified at a common retroviral integration site in avian leukosis virus-induced lymphomas and has been implicated as a collaborator with c-myc in B lymphomagenesis. It lacks an extensive open reading frame and is believed to function as an untranslated RNA (W. Tam, Gene 274:157-167, 2001; W. Tam, D. Ben-Yehuda, and W. S. Hayward, Mol. Cell. Biol. 17:1490-1502, 1997). The oncogenic potential of bic, particularly its ability to cooperate with c-myc in oncogenesis, was tested directly by expressing c-myc and bic, either singly or in pairwise combination, in cultured chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) and in chickens using replication-competent retrovirus vectors. Coexpression of c-myc and bic in CEFs caused growth enhancement of cells. Most importantly, chick oncogenicity assays demonstrated that bic can cooperate with c-myc in lymphomagenesis and erythroleukemogenesis. The present study provides direct evidence for the involvement of untranslated RNAs in oncogenesis and provides further support for the role of noncoding RNAs as riboregulators.

Animals↗

The small RNA, DsrA, is essential for the low temperature expression of RpoS during exponential growth in Escherichia coli.

dsrA encodes a small, untranslated RNA. When over-expressed, DsrA antagonizes the H-NS-mediated silencing of numerous promoters. Cells devoid of DsrA grow normally and show little change in the expression of a number of H-NS-silenced genes. Expression of a transcriptional fusion of lacZ to dsrB, the gene next to dsrA, is significantly lower in cells carrying mutations in dsrA. All expression of beta-galactosidase from the dsrB::lacZ fusion is also dependent on the stationary phase sigma factor, RpoS. DsrA RNA was found to regulate dsrB::lacZ indirectly, by modulating RpoS synthesis. Levels of RpoS protein are substantially lower in a dsrA mutant, both in stationary and exponential phase cells. Mutations in dsrA decrease the expression of an RpoS::LacZ translational fusion, but not a transcriptional fusion, suggesting that DsrA is acting after transcription initiation. While RpoS expression is very low in exponential phase at temperatures of 30 degrees C and above, at 20 degrees C there is substantial synthesis of RpoS during exponential growth, all dependent on DsrA RNA. dsrA expression is also increased at low temperatures. These results suggest a new role for RpoS during exponential growth at low temperatures, mediated by DsrA.

Bacterial Proteins↗

The heterogeneity of the polymeric intracellular hemoglobin of Glycera dibranchiata and the cDNA-derived amino acid sequence of one component.

The erythrocytes of the marine polychaete Glycera dibranchiata contain a number of different, single-chain hemoglobins, some of which self-associate into a 'polymeric' fraction. An oligodeoxynucleotide probe was synthesized based on partial amino acid sequences determined by chemical methods, and used to screen a cDNA library constructed from the poly(A+)mRNA of Glycera erythrocytes (Simons, P.C. and Satterlee, J.D. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 8525-8530). The longest positive inserts found were sequenced using the dideoxy nucleotide chain termination method. One complete clone was obtained: clone 5A, 816 bases long, contained 59 bases of 5'-untranslated RNA, an open reading frame of 441 bases coding for 147 amino acids and a 3'-untranslated region of 316 bases. The derived amino acid sequence of Glycera globin P1 was in agreement with the partial amino acid sequences obtained by chemical methods. Three additional inserts obtained in the screening were also sequenced: the inferred amino acid sequences proved to be partial globin sequences which were different from each other and from the sequence of P1. Thus, the 'polymeric' fraction of the intracellular hemoglobin of Glycera probably consists of at least four different globin chains much like the 'monomeric' fraction. Comparison of the 'polymeric' sequence with the two known 'monomeric' sequences, M-II and M-IV, shows that they share 54 identical residues. At 74 positions, the identical residues in M-II and M-IV differ from the corresponding residue in P1, including at E-7, where P1 has a distal His, in contrast to Leu in M-II and M-IV. The alignment of Bashford et al. ((1987) J. Mol. Biol. 196, 199-216) and their templates were used to examine the principal differences between the two types of Glycera globin sequences. They appear to consist of uncommon surface amino acid residues at positions C6 (Phe vs. Ala), E10 (Val vs. Lys), E17 (Lys vs. Val), G1 (Arg vs. Lys), G10 (Met vs. Ala) and H5 (Arg vs. Lys). One or more of these residues could be responsible for the self-association exhibited by the 'polymeric' Glycera globins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural analysis of an RNA molecule involved in replication control of plasmid R1.

The replication control circuit of the FII plasmids R1, R100 and R6-5 involves a small untranslated RNA molecule of about 93 nucleotides. This RNA, designated CopA RNA in plasmid R1, acts in vivo as a post-transcriptional inhibitor of the expression of the RepA protein whose synthesis is required for each round of plasmid replication. We have studied the structure of CopA RNA in solution by probing with single-strand- as well as double-strand-specific nucleases. Our data show that CopA RNA has two stem-loop structures connected by a long spacer region and a single-stranded 3'-tail. Enzyme reactions were performed under buffer conditions where we find strong and specific binding of CopA RNA to its target RNA (to be published elsewhere), and the patterns were compared to digests in two other buffer systems. All partial cleavages supported the proposed secondary structure. We also analyzed the stem-loop regions of CopA RNAs from two R1 copy number mutants. The data show that both RNAs have altered loop structures. The implications of these findings are discussed.

DNA Replication↗

Analysis of mRNA heterogeneity by ribonuclease H mapping: application to the insulin receptor.

The major species of human insulin receptor mRNA (5.9, 7.5, 8.5 and 10.2 kb) and those in rat tissues (7.4 and 9.6 kb) are each much larger than the 4.2 kb required to encode the insulin receptor precursor. To evaluate the structural basis for this mRNA size heterogeneity, we performed a ribonuclease H mapping technique. A small insulin receptor cDNA insert was annealed to human and rat poly(A) RNA, followed by site-specific enzymatic cleavage with ribonuclease H. Subsequent Northern blot analysis with cDNA probes specific to the 5' end of the cDNA revealed a single fragment from each of the human and rat insulin receptor mRNA species. The size of this fragment indicated that each mRNA contains approximately 0.4 kb of 5' untranslated mRNA. In contrast, a 3' region probe demonstrated multiple mRNA fragments after cleavage. The sizes of these fragments indicated that the human insulin receptor mRNA species contain from 1.5 to 5.4 kb, and the rat insulin receptor mRNAs either 2.8 or 5.3 kb, of 3' untranslated RNA. Thus, the presence of varied, but extensive, 3' untranslated sequences in insulin receptor mRNA transcripts accounts for their size heterogeneity and may affect mRNA stability and/or translation efficiency.

Animals↗

Distribution of maize mitochondrial transcripts in polysomal RNA: evidence for non-selectivity in recruitment of mRNAs.

The distribution of maize mitochondrial transcripts in polysomal RNA fractions obtained from root tissue, shoot tissue, or isolated intact mitochondria was analyzed. The distribution of cox3 transcripts that differ in 5' untranslated RNA sequence was similar in total polysomal and total mitochondrial RNA fractions, suggesting that 5' heterogeneity does not affect recruitment of transcripts into the polysomal RNA. The distribution of spliced and unspliced cox2 transcripts was also analyzed in polysomes from total tissue or isolated mitochondria, and both precursor and mature mRNAs were present in the high-molecular-weight RNA fraction. These results suggest that ribosomal association with mitochondrial transcripts is not selective.

Base Sequence↗

cDNA cloning and predicted amino acid sequence of Glycera dibranchiata monomer hemoglobin IV.

The three major monomer hemoglobins from Glycera dibranchiata erythrocytes isolated in this laboratory were sequenced from their N-termini. A stretch of amino acid sequence identity was used to determine the sequence of a mixed oligodeoxynucleotide that would be complementary to all 12 possible mRNA sequences coding for the amino acids. A cDNA library was constructed by using poly(A+) RNA from G. dibranchiata erythrocytes, the library was probed with the oligonucleotide, and the longest positive inserts found were subcloned into a sequencing plasmid and then sequenced. The first one was 745 bases long, containing 85 bases of 5'-untranslated RNA, an open reading frame of 444 bases coding for 148 amino acids, and a 3'-untranslated region of 216 bases. The predicted amino acid sequence matches the first 25 amino acids of G. dibranchiata monomer globin component IV. The sequence contains an N-terminal methionine plus 18 other mostly conservative sequence changes compared to the published sequence of Imamura et al. (1972), which appears from our partial sequencing to be monomer globin component II. We confirm the presence of leucine in the E7 position, which is histidine in most myoglobins and hemoglobins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The rat androgen-binding protein (ABP/SHBG) gene contains triplet repeats similar to unstable triplets: evidence that the ABP/SHBG and the fragile X-related 2 genes overlap.

The rat androgen-binding protein/sex hormone-binding globulin (ABP/SHBG) gene is regulated by promoters P1 and PA. P1 regulates the mRNA encoding secreted ABP/SHBG, whereas PA regulates an alternate mRNA which encodes a modified protein that is targeted to the nucleus. Promoter PA is GC rich, consisting of 70-80% GC residues. During routine BLAST sequence analysis it was discovered that this GC-rich region is highly related to the human fragile X-related protein 2 (FXR-2) 5'-untranslated RNA sequence. Furthermore, the nucleotide coding sequence of the initial 14 FXR-2 amino acid residues was identical in the ABP/SHBG gene. The 5'-untranslated FXR-2 sequence contains triplet (CGG) repeats, which are also present in the rat ABP/SHBG gene. The meiotic instability of CGG repeats in the human fragile X (FMR1) gene causes the fragile X mental retardation syndrome. The data presented here suggest that the ABP/SHBG and FXR-2 genes overlap with each gene transcribed in the opposite direction. In support of this structure, the human ABP/SHBG and the FXR-2 genes map to the same site on chromosome 17. Thus, the ABP/SHBG gene contains triplet repeats in the alternate promoter PA. It will be of particular interest to determine if triplet instability affects ABP/SHBG gene expression. A triplet instability in the X-linked androgen receptor gene causes spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.

Androgen-Binding Protein↗

The SCA8 transcript is an antisense RNA to a brain-specific transcript encoding a novel actin-binding protein (KLHL1).

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a CTG trinucleotide repeat that is transcribed as part of an untranslated RNA. As a step towards understanding the molecular pathology of SCA8, we have defined the genomic organization of the SCA8 RNA transcripts and assembled a 166 kb segment of genomic sequence containing the repeat. The most striking feature of the SCA8 transcripts is that the most 5' exon is transcribed through the first exon of another gene that is transcribed in the opposite orientation. This gene arrangement suggests that the SCA8 transcript is an endogenous antisense RNA that overlaps the transcription and translation start sites as well as the first splice donor sequence of the sense gene. The sense transcript encodes a 748 amino acid protein with a predicted domain structure typical of a family of actin-organizing proteins related to the Drosophila Kelch gene, and so has been given the name Kelch-like 1 (KLHL1). We have identified the full-length cDNA sequence for both the human and mouse KLHLI genes, and have elucidated the general genomic organization of the human gene. The predicted open reading frame and promoter region are highly conserved, and both genes are primarily expressed in specific brain tissues, including the cerebellum, the tissue most affected by SCA8. Transfection studies with epitope-tagged KLHL1 demonstrate that the protein localizes to the cytoplasm, suggesting that it may play a role in organizing the actin cytoskeleton of the brain cells in which it is expressed.

Alternative Splicing↗

Larval salivary gland secretion proteins in Drosophila structural analysis of the Sgs-5 gene.

The structure of the Drosophila melanogaster salivary gland secretion gene Sgs-5 has been determined by DNA sequence analysis of cloned genomic DNA. This developmentally and tissue-specific gene is a member of the third instar intermolt gene set and is under control of the insect molting hormone ecdysterone. RNA protection experiments show that the RNA coding region of Sgs-5 contains 769 nucleotides and is divided into three exons by two small introns. The protein-coding region appears to begin after a short untranslated RNA leader (33 nucleotides) and to result in a protein of 163 amino acids. The first 18 amino acids give the amino-terminal end the highly hydrophobic nature characteristic of a signal peptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

RNA location and modeling of a WD40 repeat domain within the vault.

The vault complex is a ubiquitous 13-MDa ribonucleoprotein assembly, composed of three proteins (TEP1, 240 kDa; VPARP, 193 kDa; and MVP, 100 kDa) that are highly conserved in eukaryotes and an untranslated RNA (vRNA). The vault has been shown to affect multidrug resistance in cancer cells, and one particular component, MVP, is thought to play a role in the transport of drug from the nucleus. To locate the position of the vRNA, vaults were treated with RNases, and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) was performed on the resulting complexes. Using single-particle reconstruction techniques, 3,476 particle images were combined to generate a 22-A-resolution structure. Difference mapping between the RNase-treated vault and the previously calculated intact vault reconstructions reveals the vRNA to be at the ends of the vault caps. In this position, the vRNA may interact with both the interior and exterior environments of the vault. The finding of a 16-fold density ring at the top of the cap has allowed modeling of the WD40 repeat domain of the vault TEP1 protein within the cryo-EM vault density. Both stoichiometric considerations and the finding of higher resolution for the computationally selected and refined "barrel only" images indicate a possible symmetry mismatch between the barrel and the caps. The molecular architecture of the complex is emerging, with 96 copies of MVP composing the eightfold symmetric barrel, and the vRNA together with one copy of TEP1 and four predicted copies of VPARP comprising each cap.

Animals↗

The complete DNA sequence and regulatory regions of the Bacillus licheniformis spoOH gene.

We have determined the sequence of a 1228 base-pair cloned DNA fragment from Bacillus licheniformis capable of specifically complementing mutations in the spoOH gene, which is required for the early stage of sporulation in B. subtilis. The sequence has only one long open reading frame consisting of 168 codons. In vivo and in vitro transcription mapping studies indicate the size of complementary RNA to be around 1 kb with the 5' initiation site at base 79 and the 3' termination site in the area of base 1138. This indicates the presence of a 5' untranslated RNA and a fairly long 3' extension. The promoter sequence of this gene is 5'TATAAT3' at -10, and 5'TTGACG3' at -35, a typical E. coli-like promoter sequence, and is transcribed in vitro specifically only by RNA polymerase containing delta 55 and not delta 37-containing holoenzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Antisense RNA-dependent transcription termination sites that modulate lysogenic development of satellite phage P4.

In the lysogenic state, bacteriophage P4 prevents the expression of its own replication genes, which are encoded in the left operon, through premature transcription termination. The phage factor responsible for efficient termination is a small, untranslated RNA (CI RNA), which acts as an antisense RNA and controls transcription termination by pairing with two complementary sequences (seqA and seqC) located within the leader region of the left operon. A Rho-dependent termination site, timm, was previously shown to be involved in the control of P4 replication gene expression. In the present study, by making use of phage PhiR73 as a cloning vector and of suppressor tRNAGly as a reporter gene, we characterized two additional terminators, t1 and t4. Although transcription termination at neither site requires the Rho factor, only t1 has the typical structure of a Rho-independent terminator. t1 is located between the PLE promoter and the cI gene, whereas t4 is located between cI and timm. Efficient termination at t1 requires the CI RNA and the seqA target sequence; in vitro, the CI RNA enhanced termination at t1 in the absence of any bacterial factor. A P4 mutant, in which the t1 terminator has been deleted, can still lysogenize both Rho+ and Rho- strains and exhibits increased expression of CI RNA. These data indicate that t1 and the Rho-dependent timm terminators are not essential for lysogeny. t1 is involved in CI RNA autoregulation, whereas t4 appears to be the main terminator necessary to prevent expression of the lytic genes in the lysogenic state.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

Evidence for differential ribonucleoprotein complex assembly in vitro on the 5'-untranslated region of the human IGF-IR transcript.

The type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) plays a key role in the control of cellular proliferation and survival. The human IGF-IR transcript is characterized by an unusually long 1038 nucleotide 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR). We hypothesized that the contribution of this complex 5'-untranslated RNA sequence to the post-transcriptional regulation of IGF-IR expression would involve a dynamic interplay between RNA structure and specific RNA-binding proteins. Here we have detected and characterized a diverse series of regulatory proteins binding the IGF-IR 5'-UTR under disparate conditions. One pair of proteins ( approximately 42/38 kDa) binds readily to the intact 5'-UTR, which is predicted to adopt a highly base-paired, highly favorable (dG=-498 kcal/mol) three-domain structure. Another protein(s) (p20*) specifically induces formation of a novel RNA structure from within the initial 209 nucleotides of the nascent IGF-IR transcript, but fails to UV crosslink to this RNA sequence. A third group of proteins recognizes and binds the IGF-IR 5'-UTR under highly stringent conditions, but only after higher-ordered RNA structure has been disrupted. Our in vitro results indicate that the IGF-IR 5'-UTR may exist in at least three distinct states, and we propose that interconversion between these states might take place in vivo and differentially alter IGF-IR transcript utilization.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

A high-affinity interaction between NusA and the rrn nut site in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The bacterial NusA protein enhances transcriptional pausing and termination and is known to play an essential role in antitermination. Antitermination is signaled by a nut-like cis-acting RNA sequence comprising boxB, boxA, and boxC. In the present study, we demonstrate a direct, specific high-affinity interaction between the rrn leader nut-like sites and the NusA proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Escherichia coli. This NusA-RNA interaction relies on the conserved region downstream of boxA, the boxC region, thus demonstrating a key function of this element. We have established an in vivo assay for antitermination in mycobacteria and use this to show that the M. tuberculosis rrn nut-like site enhances transcriptional read-through of untranslated RNA consistent with an antitermination signal within this site. Finally, we present evidence that this NusA-RNA interaction affects transcriptional events further downstream.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Transcription of the sulA-ompA region of Escherichia coli during the SOS response and the role of an antisense RNA molecule.

The transcriptional pattern of the 22 min region of the Escherichia coli chromosome containing the linked sulA and ompA genes, which encode an SOS-inducible inhibitor of cell division and a constitutively expressed, major outer membrane protein, respectively, has been re-examined. During normal growth, the sulA gene was repressed whereas the ompA gene produced a stable 1250 nucleotide transcript. Counter-transcription of sulA occurred from a promoter situated in the sulA-ompA intergenic region and the product of this transcriptional circuit, named isf, is a 353 nucleotide untranslated RNA. Since the isf RNA is complementary to the 3'-end of the sulA transcript, it could modulate sulA function by serving as an anti-messenger. On induction of the SOS-response, massive transcription of sulA took place, resulting in the 'silencing' of the isf gene, production of an abundant approximately 615 nucleotide sulA mRNA and a novel hybrid transcript of approximately 2100 nucleotides encoding both the SulA and OmpA proteins. Production of the latter RNA species, caused by transcription reading through the sulA terminator, the intergenic region and the coding sequences, was accompanied by a decrease in the abundance of the ompA mRNA as a result of promoter occlusion. However, the amount of OmpA protein produced was only slightly reduced.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

Partial amino acid sequence of human thrombospondin as determined by analysis of cDNA clones: homology to malarial circumsporozoite proteins.

A lambda gt 11 library prepared from human umbilical vein endothelial cell RNA was screened for cDNAs encoding thrombospondin. Reagents included a monospecific antibody to human thrombospondin and a mixture of four synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides derived from an amino acid sequence near the NH2 terminus of mature human thrombospondin. Two series of cDNA clones coding for sequences at the 5' and 3' ends of thrombospondin mRNA, respectively, were isolated. The nucleotide sequence of a 1.3-kilobase (kb) 5' clone (lambda TS-33) coded for 99 bases of 5' untranslated RNA, a signal peptide of 18 amino acids, and the first 379 amino acids of thrombospondin. Northern blot analysis with lambda TS-33 detected a single mRNA species of approximately 6.0 kb in rat aortic smooth muscle cell RNA. Thrombospondin mRNA levels increased rapidly, but transiently, in quiescent smooth muscle cells treated with platelet-derived growth factor. The kinetics of this response were very similar to those of the thrombospondin protein to this growth factor. There was significant homology in amino acid sequence between thrombospondin and a conserved region in the circumsporozoite protein of two malarial sporozoites. This region of thrombospondin may therefore represent a potential recognition site for a cell surface thrombospondin receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗