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A model for the detection of clonality in marked hematopoietic stem cells.

The semirandom location of retroviral integration in the target cell genome introduces a marker in the form of a fusion sequence composed of a genomic and a proviral part that is unique for each transduced cell and its clonal progeny. High-sensitivity detection of these fusion sequences would allow the tracking of clonal contributions of individual, marked hematopoietic progenitor, and stem cells in vivo. Clone detection by Southern blot has helped to analyze models of oligoclonal repopulation but is limited in sensitivity and specificity. Inverse PCR (Nolta et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93: 2414-2419) can demonstrate the clonal identity by sequencing but does not permit simultaneous detection of multiple clones. In an efficiently transduced rhesus macaque model (Tisdale et al., Blood 92: 2681-2687; Wu et al., Mol. Ther. 1: 285-293) Kim et al. (Blood 96: 1-8) have identified more than 40 insertion sequences from marrow CFU by inverse PCR. However, no previous study has been able to directly analyze the number of clones active in vivo. Here we demonstrate that the application of a recently developed PCR technology allows the simultaneous visualization of multiple integration sites from small clonal contributions to hematopoietic cells. By combining solid-phase primer extension with ligation-mediated PCR, direct genomic sequencing of retroviral integration sites was obtained in murine bone marrow samples. Further development of this technology will allow analysis of the clonal composition of marked hematopoiesis in small and large animals as well as in human gene transfer.

Animals↗

Generation of adenovirus vectors devoid of all viral genes by recombination between inverted repeats.

Direct or inverse repeated sequences are important functional features of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Considering the unique mechanism, involving single-stranded genomic intermediates, by which adenovirus (Ad) replicates its genome, we investigated whether repetitive homologous sequences inserted into E1-deleted adenoviral vectors would affect replication of viral DNA. In these studies we found that inverted repeats (IRs) inserted into the E1 region could mediate predictable genomic rearrangements, resulting in vector genomes devoid of all viral genes. These genomes (termed DeltaAd.IR) contained only the transgene cassette flanked on both sides by precisely duplicated IRs, Ad packaging signals, and Ad inverted terminal repeat sequences. Generation of DeltaAd.IR genomes could also be achieved by coinfecting two viruses, each providing one inverse homology element. The formation of DeltaAd.IR genomes required Ad DNA replication and appeared to involve recombination between the homologous inverted sequences. The formation of DeltaAd. IR genomes did not depend on the sequence within or adjacent to the inverted repeat elements. The small DeltaAd.IR vector genomes were efficiently packaged into functional Ad particles. All functions for DeltaAd.IR replication and packaging were provided by the full-length genome amplified in the same cell. DeltaAd.IR vectors were produced at a yield of approximately 10(4) particles per cell, which could be separated from virions with full-length genomes based on their lighter buoyant density. DeltaAd.IR vectors infected cultured cells with the same efficiency as first-generation vectors; however, transgene expression was only transient due to the instability of deleted genomes within transduced cells. The finding that IRs present within Ad vector genomes can mediate precise genetic rearrangements has important implications for the development of new vectors for gene therapy approaches.

Adenoviridae↗

A transcriptionally active human type II gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor gene homolog overlaps two genes in the antisense orientation on chromosome 1q.12.

GnRH-II peptide hormone exhibits complete sequence conservation across vertebrate species, including man. Type-II GnRH receptor genes have been characterized recently in nonhuman primates, but the human receptor gene homolog contains a frameshift, a premature stop codon (UGA), and a 3' overlap of the RBM8A gene on chromosome 1q.12. A retrotransposed pseudogene, RBM8B, retains partial receptor sequence. In this study, bioinformatics show that the human receptor gene promoter overlaps the peroxisomal protein 11-beta gene promoter and the premature UGA is positionally conserved in chimpanzee. A CGA [arginine (Arg)] occurs in porcine DNA, but UGA is shifted one codon to the 5' direction in bovine DNA, suggesting independent evolution of premature stop codons. In contrast to marmoset tissue RNA, exon- and strand-specific probes are required to distinguish differently spliced human receptor gene transcripts in cell lines (HP75, IMR-32). RBM8B is not transcribed. Sequencing of cDNAs for spliced receptor mRNAs showed no evidence for alteration of the premature UGA by RNA editing, but alternative splicing circumvents the frameshift to encode a two-membrane-domain protein before this UGA. A stem-loop motif resembling a selenocysteine insertion sequence and a potential alternative translation initiation site might enable expression of further proteins involved in interactions within the GnRH system.

Adenoma↗

Two abundant intramolecular transposition products, resulting from reactions initiated at a single end, suggest that IS2 transposes by an unconventional pathway.

The Escherichia coli insertion sequence, IS2, is a member of the IS3 family of bacterial transposable elements. Its transposase is a fusion protein, OrfAB, made by a programmed -1 translational frameshift near to the end of orfA and just after the start of orfB. We have characterized two major products of IS2 intramolecular transposition, which accumulate in cells that express the IS2 OrfAB fusion protein at elevated levels. The more abundant product is a minicircle composed of the complete IS2 with just a single basepair (occasionally 2bp) separating the two IS ends. In all cases, this basepair is derived from the vector sequence immediately adjacent to the left IS2 end (IRL). The second product is a figure-eight molecule that contains all the IS2 and vector sequences present in the parental plasmid. One DNA strand contains the parental sequences unrearranged. The other contains a single-stranded version of the minicircle junction--the precise 3' end of IRR has been cleaved and joined to a target just outside the 5' end of IRL; the remaining vector sequences have a free 5' end, derived from cleavage at the 3' end of IRR, and a free 3' end, released upon cleavage of the target site adjacent to IRL. We propose that figure-eight molecules are the precursor to IS2 minicircles and that the formation of these two products is the initial step in IS2 intermolecular transposition. This proposed transposition pathway provides a means for a transposase that can cleave only one strand at each IS end to produce simple insertions and avoid forming co-integrates.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Regulation of vsg expression site transcription and switching in Trypanosoma brucei.

Current understanding of expression-site transcription in Trypanosoma brucei, has been refined by recent results of promoter manipulations at vsg expression sites (ES) and examination of the behavior of ES promoters in ectopic locations both within the ES and at other loci. In summary, ES promoter sequences inserted into non-transcribed rRNA spacers are generally inactive, or have low activity, in bloodstream and procyclic forms. Some mechanism apparently operates to ensure full activation of a single ES in bloodstream-form trypanosomes and the inactivity of all ES promoters in procyclic forms. As previously shown, a rRNA promoter can replace an ES promoter. In bloodstream forms, the replacement rRNA promoter was down-regulated in a 'silent' ES but it was active in procyclic forms. In addition to manipulations of endogenous promoters, we have recently shown that, when an ES promoter is replaced by a T7 promoter, the T7 promoter is unregulated but transcription is attenuated before the vsg, and another ES switches on to maintain cell viability. However, T7 transcription is repressed in the context of core ES-promoter sequences in both stages, particularly in procyclic forms. These observations strongly argue that sequences in the vicinity of the ES core promoter play a role in ES control by nucleating critical events in silencing as well as in activation. Deletions of sequences surrounding the ES core promoter, in situ, did not affect its activity or regulation. In bloodstream forms, rRNA or ES promoters inserted adjacent to silent telomeres or to a non-telomeric 'basic-copy' vsg were > 98% repressed. After transformation to procyclic forms, the sub-telomeric rRNA promoter regained about 10% of its maximal activity but the 'basic-copy' rRNA promoter was fully active. Similarly-positioned ES promoters remained silent in procyclic forms. These results suggest that telomere-proximal or vsg-proximal sequences might mediate suppression of transcription via position-effects that could be sufficient to suppress the expression of chromosome-internal vsgs or telomeric metacyclic vsgs, in bloodstream-form trypanosomes. Recent experiments with T7 promoters indicate that sequences within the ES core promoter might be responsible for silencing ES promoters in procyclic forms. Precedents for regulatory mechanisms that modulate transcription over large chromatin domains are reviewed and possible models for ES regulation are presented.

Animals↗

Post-entrapment genome engineering: first exon size does not affect the expression of fusion transcripts generated by gene entrapment.

Gene trap mutagenesis in mouse embryonic stem cells has been widely used for genome-wide studies of mammalian gene function. However, while large numbers of genes can be disrupted, individual mutations may suffer from limitations due to the structure and/or placement of targeting vector. To extend the utility of gene trap mutagenesis, replaceable 3' [or poly(A)] gene trap vectors were developed that permit sequences inserted in individual entrapment clones to be engineered by Cre-mediated recombination. 3' traps incorporating different drug resistance genes could be readily exchanged, simply by selecting for the drug-resistance gene of the replacement vector. By substituting different 3' traps, we show that otherwise identical fusion genes containing a large first exon (804 nt) are not expressed at appreciably lower levels than genes expressing small first exons (384 and 151 nt). Thus, size appears to have less effect on the expression and processing of first exons than has been reported for internal exons. Finally, a retroviral poly(A) trap (consisting of a RNA polymerase II promoter, a neomycin-resistance gene, and 5'-splice site) typically produced mutagenized clones in which vector sequences spliced to the 3'-terminal exons of cellular transcription units, suggesting strong selection for fusion transcripts that evade nonsense-mediated decay. The efficient exchange of poly(A) traps should greatly extend the utility of mutant libraries generated by gene entrapment and provides new strategies to study the rules that govern the expression of exons inserted throughout the genome.

Animals↗

Nucleotide sequence of Moloney leukemia virus: 3' end reveals details of replications, analogy to bacterial transposons, and an unexpected gene.

We have determined the sequence of a cloned DNA fragment 1108 base pairs long which corresponds to the 3' end of the Moloney murine leukemia provirus. The clone was obtained as the primary product of reverse transcription and begins with the Moloney "strong stop" sequence, then extends towards the 5' end of the provirus. Our sequence: (i) proves that reverse transcriptase switches templates during minus strand synthesis; (ii) defines the limits of the 515-base-pair repeats which occupy both ends of the integrated provirus; (iii) shows that the structure of the proviral repeats has strong analogy to bacterial insertion sequences, indicating that the Moloney provirus is a transposon; (iv) identifies the putative promotor for genomic transcription within these repeats; (v) shows that the presumed origin of second strand synthesis, which lies just outside the 3' repeat, has tertiary structure analogous to single-stranded bacteriophage origins of replication; (vi) solves the amino acid sequence of most of pI5E, the carboxy-terminal product of the env gene; (vii) allows detailed mapping of the mink cell focus-forming virus substitution locus in a central location within the gp70 region of the env gene; and (viii) identifies a long open translation frame to the right of the env gene (R gene) which could be involved in leukemogenesis.

Animals↗

Molecular characterisation of the enolase gene from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Evidence for ancestry within a photosynthetic lineage.

We have isolated and characterised the gene encoding the glycolytic enzyme enolase (2-phospho-D-glycerate hydrolase) from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This was achieved using a combination of cDNA sequencing and inverse-PCR techniques. The gene maps to chromosome 10 of the parasite. We have also mapped two further glycolytic enzyme genes, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and triose-phosphate isomerase, to chromosome 14. The enolase gene encodes a protein of 446 amino acids (48.7 kDa), and all amino acid residues implicated in substrate/cofactor binding and catalysis are conserved in the malarial enolase molecule. The predicted protein sequence displays approximately 60-70% identity to enolase molecules of other eukaryotes, the closest relationship with its homologues seen amongst the seven fully described glycolytic pathway enzymes of P. falciparum. Of particular significance in this well conserved molecule is a characteristic 5-amino-acid insertion sequence that is identical in position and virtually identical in primary structure to that which is otherwise found uniquely in plant enolase proteins. This pentapeptide, together with other features of the plasmodial sequence, points to a common ancestry with photosynthetic organisms at the level of a protein-encoding nuclear gene, thus extending earlier analyses of nuclear small-subunit ribosomal RNA genes, and of an extrachromosomal circular 35-kb DNA element found in P. falciparum, which have also indicated such a relationship.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Evaluation of the Applied Biosystems automated Taqman polymerase chain reaction system for the detection of meningococcal DNA.

In a period where the proportion of culture confirmed cases in the UK has been steadily declining, diagnosis by PCR has been used to increase the number of confirmed cases and provide additional epidemiological data. This report presents a comparative evaluation of the fluorogenic probe-based 5' exonuclease assay (Taqman) using the Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems automated sequence detection system 7700 with previously reported polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunosorbent (PCR ELISA) assays for the detection of meningococcal DNA in CSF, plasma and serum samples. Taqman assays developed were based on the detection of a meningococcal capsular transfer gene (ctrA), the insertion sequence IS1106 and the sialytransferase gene (siaD) for serogroup B and C determination and compared with similar assays in a PCR ELISA format. The Taqman ctrA assay was specific for Neisseria meningitidis, however the IS1106 assay gave false positive reactions with a number of non-meningococcal isolates. Sensitivity of the Taqman ctrA, IS1106 and siaD assays testing samples from culture-confirmed cases were 64, 69 and 50%, respectively, compared with 26, 67 and 43% for the corresponding PCR ELISA assays. Improvements to the DNA extraction procedure has increased the sensitivity to 93 and 91% for the TaqMan ctrA and siaD assays, respectively, compared to culture confirmed cases. Since the introduction of Taqman PCR a 56% increase in laboratory confirmed cases of meningococcal disease has been observed compared to culture only confirmed cases. The developed Taqman assays for the diagnosis of meningococcal disease enables a high throughput, rapid turnaround of samples with considerable reduced risk of contamination.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Multiple genomic defects result in an alternative RNA splice creating a human gamma H chain disease protein.

Heavy chain diseases (HCD) are human lymphoproliferative disorders in which a clonal B cell population produces Ig molecules made of truncated H chains without associated L chain. We characterized the rearranged H chain gene and its mRNA from the leukemic cells of a patient (RIV) with gamma-HCD. The abnormal RIV serum Ig consisted of shortened, dimeric gamma 1-chains which had an amino terminus within the hinge region. RIV lymphoblasts possessed a foreshortened (1200 bp) gamma 1-mRNA which had sequences for only the leader, hinge, second, and third constant region domains (CH2 + CH3), but lacked variable (VH) and CH1 information. Sequence of the productive gamma 1 allele revealed it had undergone VH-JH and H chain class switch recombinations. However, normal RNA splice sites had been eliminated by a DNA insertion/deletion (VH acceptor site), mutations (JH donor site), or a large deletion (CH1 region). Inserted sequences were of non-Ig and apparently non-genomic origin. These DNA alterations resulted in aberrant mRNA processing in which the leader region was spliced directly to the hinge region, accounting for the HCD protein.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

IS902, an insertion element of the chronic-enteritis-causing Mycobacterium avium subsp. silvaticum.

An insertion sequence element of Mycobacterium avium subsp. silvaticum was isolated and its complete nucleotide sequence determined. IS902 is 1470 bp in size and is repeated 10-12 times per genome. An open reading frame of 1200 bp was identified, encoding a protein product of Mr 43932. This protein is highly similar to the predicted proteins of IS900 of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis, IS116 of Streptomyces clavuligerus and IS110 of Streptomyces coelicolor. IS902 lacks terminal inverted repeats and flanking direct repeats but displays insertion site specificity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inverted repeats in the long-terminal repeats of the wheat retrotransposon Wis 2-1A.

The wheat insertion sequence Wis 2-1A possesses all the structural features characteristic of retrotransposons. Its long-terminal repeats (LTRs) are unusually long (1,755 bp) compared with those of other retrotransposons. Sequence analysis revealed that they differ from each other by only six point mutations. They contain a few tandem direct repeats, which could be explained by slippage mechanisms during replication. Almost half (44%) of the length of the LTRs is occupied by hairpin structures, which may relate to their large size. Possible origins of these inverted repeats are proposed, including the insertion and imprecise excision of transposable elements and errors when the DNA replication intermediate switches RNA template during retrotransposon replication.

Base Sequence↗

A second L-type isozyme of potato glucan phosphorylase: cloning, antisense inhibition and expression analysis.

In potato tubers two starch phosphorylase isozymes, types L and H, have been described and are believed to be responsible for the complete starch breakdown in this tissue. Type L has been localized in amyloplasts, whereas type H is located within the cytosol. In order to investigate whether the same isozymes are also present in potato leaf tissue a cDNA expression library from potato leaves was screened using a monoclonal antibody recognizing both isozyme forms. Besides the already described tuber L-type isozyme a cDNA clone encoding a second L-type isozyme was isolated. The 3171 nucleotide long cDNA clone contains an uninterrupted open reading frame of 2922 nucleotides which encodes a polypeptide of 974 amino acids. Sequence comparison between both L-type isozymes on the amino acid level showed that the polypeptides are highly homologous to each other, reaching 81-84% identity over most parts of the polypeptide. However the regions containing the transit peptide (amino acids 1-81) and the insertion sequence (amino acids 463-570) are highly diverse, reaching identities of only 22.0% and 29.0% respectively. Northern analysis revealed that both forms are differentially expressed. The steady-state mRNA levels of the tuber L-type isozyme accumulates strongly in potato tubers and only weakly in leaf tissues, whereas the mRNA of the leaf L-type isozyme accumulates in both tissues to the same extent. Constitutive expression of an antisense RNA specific for the leaf L-type gene resulted in a strong reduction of starch phosphorylase L-type activity in leaf tissue, but had only sparse effects in potato tuber tissues. Determination of the leaf starch content revealed that antisense repression of the starch phosphorylase activity has no significant influence on starch accumulation in leaves of transgenic potato plants. This result indicated that different L-type genes are responsible for the starch phosphorylase activity in different tissues, but the function of the different enzymes remains unclear.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A native plasmid of Pasteurella haemolytica serotype A1: DNA sequence analysis and investigation of its potential as a vector.

The complete nucleotide sequence of a 4.3 kilobase pair plasmid, pAB2, isolated from a bovine strain of Pasteurella haemolytica serotype A1, was determined. It encodes a Rob-1 type beta-lactamase and a region with homology to the mobilisation (mob) region of the Escherichia coli plasmid, ColE1. An insertion mutant of pAB2 (pTC2/81) carrying a copy of Tn5 was transferred to E coli K12 by conjugation. Subsequently pTC2/81 could be transferred by transformation to E coli HB101, but not to P haemolytica serotypes A1 or A2. However, a derivative of this construct containing only a fragment of the Tn5 insertion sequence was able to transform P haemolytica. A further construct containing a fragment of the P haemolytica A1 leucotoxin A gene, was similarly restricted to transforming E coli. These results demonstrate that the pAB2 plasmid is capable of acting as an E coli/P haemolytica shuttle vector. However, the nature of the cloned DNA sequences are important to transformation.

Base Sequence↗

Alterations in cloned Xenopus ribosomal spacers generated by high-frequency plasmid recombination.

In an attempt to understand the mechanisms that have led to the complex intraspecific heterogeneity in spacer organisation found in Xenopus r.DNA, we have transformed Escherichia coli strains that exhibit high levels of plasmid recombination with Xenopus laevis r.DNA sequences inserted in pBR322. We have found that in these recBC sbcA strains, plasmid recombination results in the generation of many types of altered r.DNA spacer at a high frequency. The altered spacers result from two types of deletion/duplication events that occur in the promoter-derived sequences making up much of the spacer. The alterations caused by these events mimic in several ways the different types of organisation found among spacers in the genome. The sbcA-dependent plasmid recombination apparently provides a test system for reconstructing some of the recombinational events that operate during the evolution and maintenance of spacer DNA sequences in vivo.

Animals↗

Nucleotide sequence of a repetitive element isolated from Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo type hardjo-bovis.

A repetitive element from the genome of Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo type hardjo-bovis ('L. hardjo-bovis') was identified, cloned and sequenced. Similar sequences were shown by hybridization to be encoded by a further eight of 32 other leptospiral serovars tested. An undefined number of repetitive elements were located in the L. hardjo-bovis genome; sequence degeneracy of the elements was observed and no significant open reading frames were identified within the AT-rich (60%) 1467 bp repetitive element. The termini encoded a GC-rich 8 bp repeat motif and two variants showed rearrangements centred on these motifs. The nucleotide sequences of the chromosomal regions flanking the repetitive elements were determined but showed no similarities, with one exception which had a GAAC repeat directly adjacent to both termini. Similar hybridization patterns were shown by Southern transfers of L. hardjo-bovis total genomic digests probed with the repetitive element. Oligonucleotide primer pairs designed from sequences internal to the repetitive element and adjacent chromosomal regions were used in polymerase chain reaction experiments. With one primer pair all L. hardjo-bovis isolates, but no other serovar, gave identical amplified products. Evidence that the repetitive element may have derived from an acquired insertion sequence that is now inactive and chromosomally fixed is discussed.

Base Sequence↗

IS900-promoted stable integration of a foreign gene into mycobacteria.

An artificial mycobacterial transposon was constructed by placing two copies of the insertion sequence IS900 flanking a kanamycin resistance gene into a non-(mycobacterial) replicating vector. Constructs were introduced into mycobacteria by electroporation and transposition events conferring kanamycin resistance were selected. Integration of IS900 into several genomic sites was analysed by Southern blotting and shown to involve both simple insertions and cointegrate formation, suggesting that IS900 can transpose by a replicative mechanism. Kanamycin resistance of IS900-integrated transformants was shown to be stable in the absence of selection.

Blotting, Southern↗

Evolution of Mycobacterium ulcerans and other mycolactone-producing mycobacteria from a common Mycobacterium marinum progenitor.

It had been assumed that production of the cytotoxic polyketide mycolactone was strictly associated with Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer. However, a recent study has uncovered a broader distribution of mycolactone-producing mycobacteria (MPM) that includes mycobacteria cultured from diseased fish and frogs in the United States and from diseased fish in the Red and Mediterranean Seas. All of these mycobacteria contain versions of the M. ulcerans pMUM plasmid, produce mycolactones, and show a high degree of genetic relatedness to both M. ulcerans and Mycobacterium marinum. Here, we show by multiple genetic methods, including multilocus sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization, that all MPM have evolved from a common M. marinum progenitor to form a genetically cohesive group among a more diverse assemblage of M. marinum strains. Like M. ulcerans, the fish and frog MPM show multiple copies of the insertion sequence IS2404. Comparisons of pMUM and chromosomal gene sequences demonstrate that plasmid acquisition and the subsequent ability to produce mycolactone were probably the key drivers of speciation. Ongoing evolution among MPM has since produced at least two genetically distinct ecotypes that can be broadly divided into those typically causing disease in ectotherms (but also having a high zoonotic potential) and those causing disease in endotherms, such as humans.

Bacterial Toxins↗