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Fetal liver kinase 1 is a receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor and is selectively expressed in vascular endothelium.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), also known as vascular permeability factor, induces endothelial proliferation in vitro and vascular permeability in vivo. The human transmembrane c-fms-like tyrosine kinase Flt-1 has recently been identified as a VEGF receptor. Flt-1 kinase has seven immunoglobulin-like extracellular domains and a kinase insert sequence, features shared by two other human gene-encoded proteins, kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) and FLT-4. In this study we show that the mouse homologue of KDR, Flk-1, is a second functional VEGF receptor. Flk-1 binds VEGF with high affinity, undergoes autophosphorylation, and mediates VEGF-dependent Ca2+ efflux in Xenopus oocytes injected with Flk-1 mRNA. We also demonstrate by in situ hybridization that Flk-1 protein expression in the mouse embryo is restricted to the vascular endothelium and the umbilical cord stroma. VEGF and its receptors Flk-1/KDR and Flt-1 may play a role in vascular development and regulation of vascular permeability.

3T3 Cells↗

Nucleotide sequence analysis of genes essential for capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae type 19F.

Previous studies have shown that the capsular polysaccharide synthesis (cps) locus of the type 19F Streptococcus pneumoniae strain SSZ was closely linked to a copy of the insertion sequence IS1202 (J.K. Morona, A. Guidolin, R. Morona, D. Hansman, and J.C. Paton, J. Bacteriol. 176:4437-4443, 1994). In the present study, we used plasmid insertion and rescue and inverse PCR to clone 6,322 bp of flanking DNA upstream of IS1202. Sequence analysis indicated that this region contains six complete open reading frames (ORFs) and one partial ORF that are arranged as a single transcriptional unit. Chromosomal disruption of any of these ORFs in a smooth-type 19F strain leads to a rough (unencapsulated) phenotype, indicating that this operon is essential for capsule production. The ORFs have therefore been designated cps19fA to cps19fG, where cps19fA is the first gene of the type 19F cps locus. Furthermore, many of the gene products from this incomplete operon exhibit strong similarities to proteins known to be involved in the production of capsular polysaccharide, exopolysaccharide, teichoic acid, enterobacterial common antigen, and lipopolysaccharide from numerous other bacterial species. This has allowed us to propose functions for many of the type 19F cps gene products. Southern hybridization studies reveal that cps19fA and cps19fB are conserved among all 12 pneumococcal serotypes tested, whereas genes downstream of cps19fB are conserved among some, but not all, of the serotypes tested.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A gene cluster for chlorate metabolism in Ideonella dechloratans.

Chlorate reductase has been isolated from the chlorate-respiring bacterium Ideonella dechloratans, and the genes encoding the enzyme have been sequenced. The enzyme is composed of three different subunits and contains molybdopterin, iron, probably in iron-sulfur clusters, and heme b. The genes (clr) encoding chlorate reductase are arranged as clrABDC, where clrA, clrB, and clrC encode the subunits and clrD encodes a specific chaperone. Judging from the subunit composition, cofactor content, and sequence comparisons, chlorate reductase belongs to class II of the dimethyl sulfoxide reductase family. The clr genes are preceded by a novel insertion sequence (transposase gene surrounded by inverted repeats), denoted ISIde1. Further upstream, we find the previously characterized gene for chlorite dismutase (cld), oriented in the opposite direction. Chlorate metabolism in I. dechloratans starts with the reduction of chlorate, which is followed by the decomposition of the resulting chlorite to chloride and molecular oxygen. The present work reveals that the genes encoding the enzymes catalyzing both these reactions are in close proximity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Locus of enterocyte effacement from Citrobacter rodentium: sequence analysis and evidence for horizontal transfer among attaching and effacing pathogens.

The family of attaching and effacing (A/E) bacterial pathogens, which includes diarrheagenic enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), remains a significant threat to human and animal health. These bacteria intimately attach to host intestinal cells, causing the effacement of brush border microvilli. The genes responsible for this phenotype are encoded in a pathogenicity island called the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). Citrobacter rodentium is the only known murine A/E pathogen and serves as a small animal model for EPEC and EHEC infections. Here we report the full DNA sequence of C. rodentium LEE and provide a comparative analysis with the published LEEs from EPEC, EHEC, and the rabbit diarrheagenic E. coli strain RDEC-1. Although C. rodentium LEE shows high similarities throughout the entire sequence and shares all 41 open reading frames with the LEE from EPEC, EHEC, and RDEC-1, it is unique in its location of the rorf1 and rorf2/espG genes and the presence of several insertion sequences (IS) and IS remnants. The LEE of EPEC and EHEC is inserted into the selC tRNA gene. In contrast, the Citrobacter LEE is flanked on one side by an operon encoding an ABC transport system, and an IS element and sequences homologous to Shigella plasmid R100 and EHEC pO157 flank the other. The presence of plasmid sequences next to C. rodentium LEE suggests that the prototype LEE resided on a horizontally transferable plasmid. Additional sequence analysis reveals that the 3-kb plasmid in C. rodentium is nearly identical to p9705 in EHEC O157:H7, suggesting that horizontal plasmid transfer among A/E pathogens has occurred. Our results indicate that the LEE has been acquired by C. rodentium and A/E E. coli strains independently during evolution.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

Genotypic and phenotypic analysis of Mycoplasma fermentans strains isolated from different host tissues.

A correlation was found between the expression of a specific Mycoplasma fermentans surface antigen (Pra, proteinase-resistant antigen) and the site of isolation of the organism from the infected host. Strains which expressed Pra were most frequently associated with cells of bone marrow origin, and strains which lacked expression of Pra were most commonly isolated from the respiratory tract, genital tract, and arthritic joints, i.e., epithelial cell surfaces. Pra was previously shown to be resistant to degradation by proteinases and was hypothesized to play a protective role at the organism surface and perhaps to influence which host tissue site was colonized by the organism. The methods used for this phenotyping scheme required isolation and growth of the mycoplasma in quantities sufficient for immunoblot analysis using monoclonal antibodies. We wanted to determine a more rapid and less cumbersome technique to supplement this method for determining the Pra phenotype directly in clinical specimens. Here we describe PCR studies to investigate the movement of a previously identified M. fermentans insertion sequence (IS)-like element. These data showed a correlation between a specific IS genotype and the Pra+ phenotype. Production of a 160-bp product using a single set of IS-based primers was associated with expression of Pra. The genomic IS location resulting in the 160-bp product was determined by using Southern blot analysis and was found to be a stable insertion site characteristic of genotype I strains. Additional analyses of sequences within and flanking the IS insertion sites revealed another pair of PCR primer sites which resulted in the consistent production of a 450-bp amplicon. The stability of this site was dependent on the absence of the IS-like element between the primer sites. The production of this 450-bp amplicon correlated with the Pra mutant phenotype and was characteristic of genotype II strains. The data showed that the sequence within the IS may be unstable and that reliable genotyping sequences are more easily found in the stable genomic sites which flank the IS element.

DNA Transposable Elements↗

DNA sequences required for translational frameshifting in production of the transposase encoded by IS1.

The transposase encoded by insertion sequence IS1 is produced from two out-of-phase reading frames (insA and B'-insB) by translational frameshifting, which occurs within a run of six adenines in the -1 direction. To determine the sequence essential for frameshifting, substitution mutations were introduced within the region containing the run of adenines and were examined for their effects on frameshifting. Substitutions at each of three (2nd, 3rd and 4th) adenine residues in the run, which are recognized by tRNA(Lys) reading insA, caused serious defects in frameshifting, showing that the three adenine residues are essential for frameshifting. The effects of substitution mutations introduced in the region flanking the run of adenines and in the secondary structures located downstream were, however, small, indicating that such a region and structures are not essential for frameshifting. Deletion of a region containing the termination codon of insA caused a decrease in beta-galactosidase activity specified by the lacZ fusion plasmid in frame with B'-insB. Exchange of the wild-type termination codon of insA for a different one or introduction of an additional termination codon in the region upstream of the native termination codon caused an increase in beta-galactosidase activity, indicating that the termination codon in insA affects the efficiency of frameshifting.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification and characterization of IS2404 and IS2606: two distinct repeated sequences for detection of Mycobacterium ulcerans by PCR.

Molecular analysis of Mycobacterium ulcerans has revealed two new insertion sequences (ISs), IS2404 and IS2606. IS2404 was identified by complete sequencing of a previously described repetitive DNA segment from M. ulcerans. This element is 1,274 bp long, contains 12-bp inverted repeats and a single open reading frame (ORF) potentially encoding a protein of 327 amino acids (aa), and apparently generates 7-bp direct repeats upon transposition. Amino acid similarity was found between the putative transposase and those encoded by ISs in other bacterial sequences from Aeromonas salmonicida (AsIs1), Escherichia coli (H repeat element), Vibrio cholerae (VcIS1), and Porphyromonas gingivalis (PGIS2). The second IS, IS2606, was discovered by sequence analysis of a HaeIII fragment of M. ulcerans genomic DNA containing a repetitive sequence. This element is 1,404 bp long, with 12-bp inverted repeats and a single ORF potentially encoding a protein of 445 aa. Database searches revealed a high degree of amino acid identity (70%) with the putative transposase of IS1554 from M. tuberculosis. Significant amino acid identity (40%) was also observed with transposases from several other microorganisms, including Rhizobium meliloti (ISRm3), Burkholderia cepacia (IS1356), Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and Yersinia pestis. PCR screening of DNA from 45 other species of mycobacteria with primers for IS2404 confirm that this element is found only in M. ulcerans. However, by PCR, IS2606 was also found in Mycobacterium lentiflavum, another slow-growing member of the genus Mycobacterium that is apparently genetically distinct from M. ulcerans. Testing the sensitivity of PCR based on IS2404 and IS2606 primers demonstrated the ability to detect 0.1 and 1 M. ulcerans genome equivalents, respectively. The ability to detect small numbers of cells by using two gene targets will be particularly useful for analyzing environmental samples, where there may be low concentrations of M. ulcerans among large numbers of other environmental mycobacteria.

Base Sequence↗

Molecular studies on interspersed repetitive and unique sequences in the region of the complementation group uncoordinated on the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster.

The technique of chromosome walking was used to isolate approximately 60 kb of DNA from the region containing the complementation group uncoordinated of Drosophila melanogaster, located in that part of the X chromosome which spans the euchromatin-heterochromatin junction. The cloned DNA can be divided into two distinct regions. The first contains sequences that are low copy number or unique and are largely conserved between strains. The second region is characterized by units repeated in tandem arrays and is polymorphic within, and between, strains. Each repetitive unit is separated by a member of an abundant sequence family, part of which is homologous to the ribosomal type 1 insertion sequence of D. melanogaster. The molecular organization of the cloned DNA was compared with that of sequences isolated from regions of intercalary heterochromatin and also with genes which have been characterized from more conventional euchromatic regions.

Animals↗

Plasma membrane calcium pump: structure, function and relationships.

The plasma membrane Ca-pump (134 kDa) is stimulated by calmodulin and by other treatments (exposure to acidic phospholipids, treatments with proteases, phosphorylation by protein kinases A or C, self-association to form oligomers). It is the product of four genes (in humans), but additional isoforms originate through alternative mRNA spicing. Most of the pump mass protrudes into the cytoplasm with three main units. The calmodulin binding domain is located in the C-terminal protruding unit. The domain is a positively charged segment of about 25 residues. The calcium-activated protease calpain activates the pump by removing its calmodulin binding domain and the portion C-terminal to it. The-resulting 124 KDa fragment has been used to test the suggestion of an autoinhibitory function of the calmodulin binding domain. The latter interacts with two domains of the pump, one located close to the active site in the mid-cytoplasmic protruding unit, the other in the first (N-terminal) protruding unit. The isoforms of the pump show variations in the regulatory domains, e.g., alternative mRNA splicing can eliminate the domain phosphorylated by protein kinase A, or alter the sensitivity of the pump to calmodulin. This occurs by inserting sequences rich in His between calmodulin binding subdomains A and B. The inserted domain(s) confer pH sensitivity to the binding of calmodulin. Calcium binding sites have been found in acidic regions preceding and following the calmodulin binding domain.

Animals↗

Ataxia telangiectasia: an investigation of the repair defect in the cell line AT5BIVA by plasmid reconstitution.

The ataxia telangiectasia cell line, AT5BIVA, exhibited low repair fidelity measured by the reconstitution of transfected linear plasmid. This assay involves transfecting a linear plasmid containing two selectable marker genes: one gene (neo) is undamaged and marks transfection and the other gene (gpt) is cleaved to test functional repair. The proportion of transfected cells which have a functionally intact gpt gene gives a measure of repair fidelity. Southern analysis of individual transfected clones showed that integrated plasmids in AT5BIVA had a high frequency of sequence rearrangement. Blunt or staggered-ended termini of a linear plasmid did not determine the type of misrepair. A variety of sizes of deletions and sequence insertions were found at and around the cleavage site. Loss of intact sequence occurred similarly following transfection by linear or circular plasmid (misrepair or rearrangement error). This suggests that the action of excess exonuclease activity upon, or lack of protection of, exposed DNA termini is not the sole mechanism of misrepair. Erroneous rearrangement of circular plasmid could involve any location along the plasmid. Rearrangement of transfected circular plasmid occurred in multiple copies of the same abnormal size, suggesting that error-prone recombination rather than degradation of presumed nicked circular plasmid was the underlying mechanism. It is hypothesized that misrepair in ataxia-telangiectasia arises by error-prone recombination.

Ataxia Telangiectasia↗

FK506-binding protein-type peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase from a halophilic archaeum, Halobacterium cutirubrum.

The halophilic archaeum, Halobacterium cutirubrum, has been shown to have a cyclophilin-type peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase). Because most archaeal genomes studied only have genes for FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs) as a PPIase, it has been unclear whether H. cutirubrum has an FKBP-type PPIase or not. In the present study, a gene encoding an FKBP-type PPIase was cloned from genomic DNA of H. cutirubrum and then sequenced. This FKBP was deduced to be composed of 303 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 33.3kDa. Alignment of its amino acid sequence with those of other reported FKBPs showed that it contained two insertion sequences in the regions corresponding to the bulge and flap of human FKBP12, which are common to archaeal FKBPs. Its C-terminal amino acid sequence was approximately 130 amino acids longer than the FKBPs of Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus and Thermococcus sp. KS-1. Among the 14 conserved amino acid residues that form the FK506 binding pocket, only three were found in this FKBP. This gene was expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST) in Escherichia coli, and the N-terminal GST portion was removed by protease digestion. The purified recombinant FKBP showed a weak PPIase activity with a low sensitivity to FK506. This FKBP suppressed aggregation of the unfolded protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) affinity biosensor for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) detection.

A DNA piezoelectric sensor has been developed for the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Single stranded DNA (ssDNA) probes were immobilised on the sensor surface of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) device and the hybridisation between the immobilised probe and the target complementary sequence in solution was monitored. The probe sequences were internal to the sequence of the 35S promoter (P) and Nos terminator (T), which are inserted sequences in the genome of GMOs regulating the transgene expression. Two different probe immobilisation procedures were applied: (a) a thiol-dextran procedure and (b) a thiol-derivatised probe and blocking thiol procedure. The system has been optimised using synthetic oligonucleotides, which were then applied to samples of plasmidic and genomic DNA isolated from the pBI121 plasmid, certified reference materials (CRM), and real samples amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The analytical parameters of the sensor have been investigated (sensitivity, reproducibility, lifetime etc.). The results obtained showed that both immobilisation procedures enabled sensitive and specific detection of GMOs, providing a useful tool for screening analysis in food samples.

Affinity Labels↗

Beta-sheet secondary structure of the trimeric globular domain of C1q of complement and collagen types VIII and X by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and averaged structure predictions.

C1q plays a key role in the recognition of immune complexes, thereby initiating the classical pathway of complement activation. Although the triple-helix conformation of its N-terminal segment is well established, the secondary structure of the trimeric globular C-terminal domain is as yet unknown. The secondary structures of human C1q and C1q stalks and pepsin-extracted human collagen types I, III and IV (with no significant non-collagen-like structure) were studied by Fourier-transform i.r. spectroscopy in 2H2O buffers. After second-derivative calculation to resolve the fine structure of the broad amide I band, the Fourier-transform i.r. spectrum of C1q showed two major bands, one at 1637 cm-1, which is a characteristic frequency for beta-sheets, and one at 1661 cm-1. Both major bands were also detected for Clq in H2O buffers. Only the second major band was observed at 1655 cm-1 in pepsin-digested C1q which contains primarily the N-terminal triple-helix region. The Fourier-transform i.r. spectra of collagen in 2H2O also showed a major band at 1659 cm-1 (and minor bands at 1632 cm-1 and 1682 cm-1). It is concluded that the C1q globular heads contain primarily beta-sheet structure. The C-terminal domains of C1q show approximately 25% sequence identity with the non-collagen-like C-terminal regions of the short-chain collagen types VIII and X. To complement the Fourier-transform-i.r. spectroscopic data, averaged Robson and Chou-Fasman structure predictions on 15 similar sequences for the globular domains of C1q and collagen types VIII and X were performed. These showed a clear pattern of ten beta-strands interspersed by beta-turns and /or loops. Residues thought to be important for C1q-immune complex interactions with IgG and IgM were predicted to be at a surface-exposed loop. Sequence insertions and deletions, glycosylation sites, the free cysteine residue and RGD recognition sequences were also predicted to be at surface-exposed positions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nucleotide sequences of integrated Moloney sarcoma provirus long terminal repeats and their host and viral junctions.

Integrated Moloney murine sarcoma provirus (MSV) has direct terminal repeat sequences (TRS). We determined the nucleotide sequence of both 588-base-pair TRS elements and the adjacent host and viral junctions of an integrated MSV cloned in bacteriophage lambda. Sequences were identified corresponding to the tRNAPro primer binding site in genomic RNA and the reverse-transcribed minus strong stop DNA. Each 588-base-pair repeat contains putative sites for promoting RNA synthesis and RNA polyadenylylation. The first and last 11 nucleotides of the TRS are inverted with respect to each other, and the same four-nucleotide host sequence is found bracketing integrated MSV. Some similarities of TRS and prokaryotic insertion sequence elements are discussed.

Animals↗

A tolerance of DNA heterology in the mammalian targeted gene repair reaction.

Targeted gene repair consists of at least two major steps, the pairing of an oligonucleotide to a site bearing DNA sequence complementarity followed by a nucleotide exchange reaction directed by the oligonucleotide. In this study, oligonucleotides with different structures were designed to target a stably integrated (mutant) enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene and used to direct the repair of a single base mutation. We show that the efficiency of correction is influenced by the degree of DNA sequence homology existing between the oligonucleotide and target gene. Correction is reduced when a heterologous stretch of DNA sequence is placed in the center of the oligonucleotide and the mismatched base pair is then formed near the terminus. The negative impact of heterology is dependent on the type of DNA sequence inserted and on the size of the heterologous region. If the heterologous sequence is palindromic and adopts a secondary structure, the negative impact on the correction frequency is removed, and wild-type levels of repair are restored. Although differences in the efficiency of correction are observed in various cell types, the effect of structural changes on gene repair is consistent. These results reveal the existence of a directional-specific repair pathway that relies on the pairing stability of a bilateral complex and emphasize the importance of sequence homology between pairing partners for efficient catalysis of gene repair.

Animals↗

Macronuclear and micronuclear configurations of a gene encoding the protein synthesis elongation factor EF 1 alpha in Stylonychia lemnae.

The micronuclear and macronuclear configurations of a gene encoding the protein synthesis elongation factor EF 1 alpha in the hypotrich ciliate Stylonychia lemnae were compared. The two sequences are generally colinear. The coding sequence of the micronuclear gene is, however, interrupted by a 64 bp insert flanked by a 2 bp direct repeat in a gene region which is moderately conserved among EF 1 alpha genes of different organisms. The insertion site is distinct from known intron positions in eukaryotic EF 1 alpha genes. The insert sequence shows inverted repeats at its ends and thus exhibits typical features of an internal eliminated sequence (IES). Comparison with other such sequences in the related organism Oyxtricha nova shows that the IES falls into a new group of such elements. The macronuclear gene exhibits a strikingly limited codon usage, which cannot be simply explained by the overall base composition of the DNA but probably also relates to the very high copy number of the macronuclear gene and the putative high amount of the gene product.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genetic analysis of a multiresistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing PER-1 beta-lactamase.

A multiresistant strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, PA2345, belonging to serotype O:1, was isolated at the Teaching Hospital of Besançon, France. Resistance to beta-lactams, including third-generation cephalosporins, depended upon a chromosomally-located composite transposon carrying the bla(PER-1) gene encoding extended-spectrum beta-lactamase PER-1. PA2345 was unrelated genotypically to two previous PER-1-producing isolates of P. aeruginosa. Sequence analysis of the transposon in PA2345 revealed the presence of two insertion sequences (ISPa23 and ISPa24) with very different predicted transposases (TnpA1, TnpA2), which were both bordered by closely related 16-bp inverted repeats. High resistance of PA2345 to aminoglycosides was caused, in part, by a chromosomal class-I integron containing gene cassettes aadB, encoding an ANT(2'') enzyme, and aadA11, encoding a new ANT(3'') enzyme with 281 amino-acids that conferred elevated resistance to streptomycin and spectinomycin. Stable overproduction of efflux system MexXY contributed to resistance to amikacin, while mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining regions of gyrA and parC accounted for the high resistance of PA2345 to fluoroquinolones. The study indicates that multidrug resistance in P. aeruginosa might arise from sequential acquisition of a variety of mechanisms provided by both horizontal gene transfers and mutations in chromosomal genes.

Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial↗

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of Fusobacterium necrophorum using a novel repeat DNA sequence and a 16S rRNA gene probe.

A repeated DNA sequence was isolated from Fusobacterium necrophorum biotype AB, strain FnS1. The repeated sequence shared considerable homology with the transposase gene from the Pseudomonas syringiae insertion sequence IS801. The repeat sequence was used together with a 16S ribosomal RNA gene probe to type F. necrophorum isolates using restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The probes revealed differences between several clinical isolates and will be useful tools to study the epidemiology of ovine foot abscess and other diseases caused by F. necrophorum.

Amino Acid Sequence↗