鲤鱼线粒体tRNA^CYS基因和轻链复制起始区的结构分析

我们测定了鲁鱼线粒体半胱氨酸ｔＲＮＡ基因和轻链复制起始区的核苷酸序列,绘制了半胱氨酸ｔＲＮＡ三叶草形的二级结构以及Ｌ链复制区的茎环结构。通过种脊椎动物ｔＲＮＡ＾ＣＹＳ基因的核苷酸序列分析发现,鲤鱼线粒体ｔＲＮＡ＾ＣＹＳ基因的不寻常的结构特点。鲤鱼线粒体Ｌ链复制起始区含有３６个碱基,复制起始区茎环名的茎含有１１对碱基,而环则是由１４个碱基组成。同其它１０种脊椎动物Ｌ－链复制起始区的核苷酸序列比较发现     

鲤鱼线粒体tRNA~(phe)基因结构的特异性

鲤鱼线粒体tRNA~(phe)基因的核酸序列已被测定。在鲸、人、爪蟾、牛、小鼠、鸡和鲤鱼中对此基因序列比较发现在D茎存在一个奇怪的保守结构,然而D茎在其余种类的已经测定的脊椎动物线粒体tRNA基因和细胞质tRNA基因中是极不保守的。这一保守结构包含有13bp碱基,我们将此保守区前7个碱基与真核生物RNA PolⅢ识别的A区相比较,发现在此不同物种的两种序列存在部分的同源性。考虑到tRNA~(phe)基因在线粒体基因组上位于置换环区和线粒体rRNA基因编码区之间这一特殊区域内,我们推测这一奇怪的保守结构可能存在其它更为有意义的功能。     

鲤鱼线粒体tRNA^phe基因结构的特异性

在脊椎动物线粒基因组的研究中。迄今为止已测定了人、牛、大鼠、爪蟾、鲸鱼、海豹、鸡等动物线粒体基因组的全序列。结果表明,脊椎动物线粒体基因组结构排列非常紧密。22个tRNA基因分布于结构基因和rRNA基因之间,并随其临近的基因一起转录,随后被精确地剪切焉,继续加工成熟。线粒体tRNA与细胞质tRNA相比有许多不同之处,如D环碱基数明显减少：TψC环中缺少T54－C－Pu－A序列：且各个臂上有高比例的碱基错配;同时在线粒体rRNA中A＋U含量很高。目前有报道指出线粒体中某些tRNA三叶草结构的变化与物种的进化相关联,但这一说法是否具有普遍性尚须探讨。我们最近完成了鲤鱼线粒体tRNA^phe基因的结构分析（图一）,并将其与上述已报导的几种脊椎动物粒体tRNA^phe基因进行了比较（表一）,发现这些tRNA^phe基因的D臂上都存在一个13bp的强保守区,而其它21种线粒体tRNA基因上的这一区域都是最不保守的。我们将此保守区前7个碱基与真核生物RNAPollIII识别的A区相比较,发现RNAPolIII识别的A区的3个强保守碱基在大事箕类型与碱基排列位置上完全与此保守区相同（图二）。考虑到tRNA^phe基因在线粒体基因组上位于置换环区和线粒体rRNA基因编码区之间这一特殊区域内,这种结构上的特殊性暗示着tRNA^phe基因与其它tRNSA基因在功能上存在着差异。鲤鱼线粒体tRNA^phe基因位于D环与12sRNA基因之间,由重链编码,长度为67bp,同哺乳动物线粒体tRNA基因一样,也不编码3′端的CCA序列。鲤鱼线料体tRNA^phe基因G＋C／A＋U＝0．76,可见其A＋U含量明显高于细胞质tRNA,从其二级结构上看,其氨基酸臂富含GC 对,存在二个错配碱基对,TψC环无TψC序列,T茎也有高比例的错配,且无细胞质tRNSA中特有的那组G－C对,D环由6个碱基组成,其D臂完全互补配对。在已知种类的线粒体其他tRNA基因结构中,反密码环最为保守,其次为氨基酸臂,D环和T环及其相应的臂最不保守。但是在tRNA^phe基因中最保守的却是D环的臂。这种tRNA^phe基因结构上的不寻常性,显示了其功能上的不寻常性,目前人们普遍的看法是线粒体tRNA^phe基因在其转录过程中,还起着识别转录本加工信号的作用,但这一过程的细节目前还不甚清楚。从结构上看,tRNA^phe基因 位于线粒体基因组D环一侧,而D环上具有重链复制启动始点和重链轻链转录调控区。在绝大多数由重链编码的基因中,tRNA^phe基因是被首先转录的基因,同时也是在各种成熟RNA转录本中,必须被剪切下来的tRNA。由此可见tRNA^phe基因在转录水平以及转录后的加工水平上均具有特殊的调控作用。我们推测脊椎动物tRNSA^phe其D臂上强保守结构的存在,也正是这种作用的一种反映。关于tRNA^phe基因结构与功能的关系及其表达调控特性的研究正在进行中。     

一种石磺科贝类线粒体基因组全序列分析

石磺线粒体基因组全序列对研究石磺科分子系统进化具有重要意义。利用LA-PCR技术对一种石磺Platevin-dexmortoni线粒体基因组全序列进行了测定和分析。结果表明,线粒体基因组序列全长13 991 bp,碱基组成分别为27.27%A、16.78%C、20.23%G、35.72%T;由22个tRNA、2个rRNA、13个蛋白编码基因和25个长度为2-118 bp的非编码区组成。4个蛋白质编码基因和5个tRNA基因从L链编码,其余基因均从H链编码。蛋白质基因的起始密码子,除ND2为GTG以外,均为典型的起始密码子ATN。ND2和Cytb基因使用了不完全终止密码子T,其余基因均使用典型的TAA或TAG。预测了22个tRNA基因的二级结构,发现tRNASer和TrnaAsn缺少DHU臂,tRNASer和tRNAThr的反密码子环上有9个碱基,而不是通常的7个碱基。最长的非编码区含有两个类似于的tRNAGln和tRNAPhy的二级结构。     

基于第二代测序技术兰州鲇线粒体基因组全序列测定与分析

研究采用高通量第二代测序技术,构建获得兰州鲇（Silurus lanzhouensis）线粒体基因组全序列,并对全序列特征和结构进行了分析。研究结果表明,兰州鲇线粒体基因组全序列长度为16523 bp,碱基组成具有高A+T低G+C含量的偏向性,具有脊椎动物典型的结构组成。13个PCG基因中存在2种启动子（ATG、GTG）、3种终止子（TAG、TAA和T或TA）。除tRNA-Ser（AGN）基因二级结构中DHU臂缺失,其余21个tRNA基因可折叠成典型三叶草结构。12S rRNA二级结构由45个茎环结构组成4个结构域,16S rRNA由54个茎环结构组成6个结构域。含有关键序列标签的控制区（CR）可分为3个不同的结构域:终止序列区（TAS1、TAS2）、中央保守区（CSB-F、CSB-E和CSB-D）和保守序列区（CSB1、CSB2和CSB3）。非编码区含有一段保守的控制轻链复制起始的序列区（O_L）。基于线粒体基因组全序列和通用标签COX1基因标记可区分兰州鲇同其他鲇形目鱼类种质进化关系。     

麦穗鱼线粒体基因组序列测定及分析

利用麦穗鱼Pseudorasbora parva和相关鱼类的部分线粒体基因序列,设计出2对长批引物和30对短批引物,采用基于长PCR的2次PCR扩增法测定并注释麦穗鱼线粒体基因组全序列。结果表明,麦穗鱼线粒体基因组长16600bp,A+T含量为58.9%,37个基因位置及组成与其它硬骨鱼一致,均由13个蛋白编码基因、22个tRNA、2个rRNA基因和1个控制区(D-loop)组成。其中L链仅含8个tRNA(Pro、T yr、Ser、Ala、Asn、Cys、Glu、Gln)及ND6基因,其余基因皆由H链编码。基因排列紧密,间隔序列共计13处64bp,长度从1～32bp不等;基因重叠区7处23bp,重叠碱基数在1～7bp之间。13个蛋白编码基因中,除COI起始密码子为GTG外,其余均以ATG为起始密码子;有8个基因(ND1、ND2、COI、ATP6、ATP8、ND4L、ND5、ND6)3’端有完全的TAA或TAG终止密码子,其它5个基因终止密码子为不完整的TA(ND3和ND4)或T(COⅡ,COⅢ,Cyt b)。除tRNASer(AGY)外,其余21个tRNA基因的二级结构均为典型的三叶草结构。预测的lrRNA二级结构共有6个结构域,53个茎环结构,srRNA二级结构包含43个茎环结构。控制区(D-loop)存在3个结构区:终止序列区(TAS)、中央保守区(CSB-F、CSB-D)和保守序列区(CSB-1、CSB-2、CSB-3),其中TAS与DNA复制终止相关,出现茎环结构。     

SEQUENCE AND ANALYSIS OF COMPLETE MITOCHONDRIAL GENOME OF PSEUDORASBORA PARVA

利用麦穗鱼Pseudorasbora parva和相关鱼类的部分线粒体基因序列,设计出2对长批引物和30对短批引物,采用基于长PCR的2次PCR扩增法测定并注释麦穗鱼线粒体基因组全序列.结果表明,麦穗鱼线粒体基因组长16600 bp,A+T含量为58.9％,37个基因位置及组成与其它硬骨鱼一致,均由13个蛋白编码基因、22个tRNA、2个rRNA基因和1个控制区(D-loop)组成.其中L链仅含8个tRNA(Pro、Tyr、Ser、Ala、Asn、Cys、Glu、Gln)及ND6基因,其余基因皆由H链编码.基因排列紧密,间隔序列共计13处64 bp,长度从1～32 bp不等;基因重叠区7处23 bp,重叠碱基数在1～7bp之间.13个蛋白编码基因中,除COI起始密码子为GTG外,其余均以ATG为起始密码子;有8个基因(ND1、ND2、COI、ATP6、ATP8、ND4L、ND5、ND6)3端有完全的TAA或TAG终止密码子,其它5个基因终止密码子为不完整的TA (ND3和ND4)或T(COⅡ,COⅢ,Cyt b).除tRNAser(AGY)外,其余21个tRNA基因的二级结构均为典型的三叶草结构.预测的lrRNA二级结构共有6个结构域,53个茎环结构,srRNA二级结构包含43个茎环结构.控制区(D-loop)存在3个结构区:终止序列区(TAS)、中央保守区( CSB-F、CSB-D)和保守序列区(CSB-1、CSB-2、CSB-3),其中TAS与DNA复制终止相关,出现茎环结构.     

太平洋鳕线粒体全基因组测序及结构特征分析

通过二代基因测序技术获得太平洋鳕(Gadus macrocephalus)线粒体基因组全序列, 对线粒体基因进行了注释, 对其序列结构进行了分析。研究结果表明, 太平洋鳕线粒体基因组全长16569 bp, 共编码13个蛋白质, 并且包含了22个tRNA, 2个rRNA以及1个D-Loop区。碱基组成存在明显的AT偏向和弱AT负偏斜现象。太平洋鳕线粒体在蛋白质编码基因中共有5种终止密码子, 包含哺乳动物线粒体常见终止密码子AGG与AGA。除tRNA-Ser(GCT)基因缺失二氢尿嘧啶臂(DHU臂)外, 其余tRNA均能形成典型的三叶草结构。D-Loop区只存在与终止结合序列区(Terminal associated sequences, TAS)和保守序列框(Conserved sequences blocks, CSB)功能类似的序列, 并且出现17 bp的嘧啶序列。非编码区含有一段保守的控制轻链复制起始的序列(O_L)及一段74 bp的基因间隔区。基于线粒体基因组全序列和Cytb基因, 分别构建了鳕形目下几种鳕的进化树, 结果为揭示太平洋鳕进化地位提供了重要依据。     

棕头鸥线粒体基因组全序列测定与分析

基于长距PCR扩增及保守引物步移法测定并注释了棕头鸥(Larus brunnicephalus)的线粒体基因组全序列。结果表明,棕头鸥线粒体基因组全长16 769 bp,GenBank登录号JX155863。基因含量和排列次序与红原鸡一致,包含13个蛋白编码基因、22个tRNA、2个rRNA和一个D-loop区(控制区)。除COI基因以GTG、ND3基因以ATT为起始密码子外,其余11个蛋白质编码基因均以ATG起始。11个蛋白质编码基因以典型的完全终止密码子AGG、TAG、TAA或AGA终止,COIII和ND4基因为不完全终止密码子T。预测了22个tRNA基因的二级结构,发现tRNASer(AGN)缺少DHU臂,tRNAPhe的TψC臂出现第4种排列形式。预测的棕头鸥12S和16S rRNA二级结构分别包括4个结构域47个茎环和6个结构域60个茎环。其他鸟类控制区发现的F-box、E-box、D-box、C-box、B-box、Bird similarity-box和CSB-boxes(1-3)也存在于棕头鸥中,预测了控制区H链复制起始序列OH和双向复制起始序列LSP/HSP。系统发育分析支持将棕头鸥划归为面具鸥族(Masked gulls)。     

大壁虎线粒体基因组全序列及其结构(英文)

采用长PCR扩增、克隆和引物步行等方法,测定了大壁虎(Gekkogecko)线粒体基因组全序列。序列全长16435bp,共有13个蛋白质编码基因、2个rRNA基因和22个tRNA基因。基因组的组成、顺序、编码链的选择、tRNA的结构、较低的碱基G含量、对碱基T的偏好以及GC和AT偏斜,都与大部分脊椎动物相同或相近。但有些特征揭示了壁虎类的原始性蛋白质编码基因密码子第3位表现为对碱基A的偏好,更接近两栖类和鱼类而不是羊膜动物;标准终止密码子(TAA)只出现于3个蛋白质编码基因中,比大部分脊椎动物少。tRNA基因核苷酸长度为63～76nt,除了tRNACys和tRNASer(AGY)缺少D臂,其余的二级结构均呈典型的三叶草状。     

Isolation and Purification of Carp Mitochondrial DNA and Structural Analysis of Its tRNA~(Cys) Gene and the Light Strand Origin

A new method is presented with which we isolated milochondrial DNA from fresh carp liver usingdifferential centrifugation and DNase treatment that gave high yield of purified product with an easyand economical procedure. Highly distinct bands were displayed in agarose gel electrophoresls ofthe product digested with restrictlon enzymes, which were successfully used in constructingrestriction map and molecular clone of mitochondrial genes. With DNAs thus obtained, we havecloned cysteine tRNA gene (tRNA~(Cys) gene) of carp mitochondria, determined the nucleotide sequenceof it and the light strand origin, and depicted the cloverleaf secondary structure of tDNA~(Cya) and thelight strand origin. Analysis of nucleotide sequences of tRNA~(Cy) genes of 5 vertebrates has revealedunusual features of carp mitochondrial tRNA~(Cy) gene as compared with their cytoplasmic counter-parts, Altogether 36 bases were found in the light strand origin of carp mitochondriaf: 11 pairs in thestem; and 14 bases in the loop. As compared with those of other 11 vertebrate species, the sequenceof the stem is very conservative while both sequence and length of the loop are quite variable. Thestructure of the stem-loop may play an important role in light strand replication.     

Mechanism of mitochondrial DNA replication in mouse L-cells: localization and sequence of the light-strand origin of replication

In the novel replication mechanism of closed circular mouse L-cell mitochondrial DNA synthesis one strand of the duplex (the heavy-strand) is initiated at a defined origin and proceeds unidirectionally. Synthesis of the complementary light-strand is initiated at a different origin, located approximately two-thirds genome length from the heavy-strand origin, and also proceeds unidirectionally. The initiation of light-strand synthesis does not occur until synthesis of the heavy-strand has extended past the light-strand origin region. One intriguing consequence of this asynchrony is that the heavy-strand origin functions in a DNA duplex, while the light-strand origin functions as a single-stranded template. In order to obtain the precise location of the light-strand origin we have isolated replicative molecules in which light-strand synthesis has begun and subjected them to digestion by a combination of the single-strand specific nuclease S₁ and various restriction cndonucleases. By comparison of the sizes of the duplex fragments thus generated with those produced by cleavage of non-replicating molecules cleaved with the same enzymes we have located the 5′-end of daughter light-strands at a position 55 to 90 nucleotides from a HpaI cleavage site 0.67 genome length from the heavy-strand origin. The nucleotide sequence of a 318-base region surrounding this site, determined by chemical sequencing techniques, possesses the symmetry required for the formation of three hairpin loops. The most striking of these has a stem consisting of 12 consecutive basepairs and a 13-base loop. In the heavy-strand template, this loop contains 11 consecutive thymidine nucleotides. This light-strand origin region has been found to possess a remarkable degree of homology with several other prokaryotic and eukaryotic origin-related sequences, particularly those of the øX174 A region and the simian virus 40 EcoRII G fragment.It has previously been shown that mouse mitochondrial DNA contains alkali-labile sites, which are presumably due to the presence of ribonucleotides incorporated into the DNA. A cluster of sites, representing eight adjacent ribonucleotides, has been located in mature light strands at or near the origin of light-strand synthesis. The retention of ribonucleotides at this specific location may reflect inefficient removal of an RNA primer at the light-strand origin.     

Rearrangements of mitochondrial transfer RNA genes in marsupials

Summary The nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial origin of light-strand replication and the five tRNA genes surrounding it were determined for three marsupials. The region was found to be rearranged, leaving only the tRNA^Tyr gene at the same position as in placental mammals andXenopus. Distribution of the same rearranged genotype among two marsupial families indicates that the events causing the rearrangements took place in an early marsupial ancestor. The putative mitochondrial light-strand origin of replication in marsupials contains a hairpin structure similar to other vertebrate origins and, in addition, extensive flanking sequences that are not found in other vertebrates. Sequence comparisons among the marsupials as well as placentals indicate that the tRNA^Tyr gene has been evolving under more constraints than the other tRNA genes.Deceased July 21, 1991     

Characterization of the carp myosin heavy chain multigene family

We isolated partial coding sequences for 29 carp myosin heavy chain genes (MyoHCs) and determined the nucleotide sequences around the region encoding the loop 2 of the myosin molecule. The predicted amino acid sequences from the isolated genes all showed very high similarity to those of skeletal and cardiac muscles from higher vertebrates, but not to those of smooth and non-muscle counterparts. Among all clones isolated, carp MyoHC10, MyoHCI-1-3 and MyoHC30 showed exon-nucleotide sequences identical to those of cDNAs encoding the loop 2 region of the 10 degrees C-, intermediate- and 30 degrees C-type fast skeletal isoforms [Hirayama and Watabe, Euro. J. Biochem. 246 (1997) 380-387]. The loop 2 of 28 types of carp MyoHCs was encoded by two exons separated by an intron corresponding to that of the 16th in higher vertebrate MyoHCs, whilst this intron was not found in carp MyoHC30. Although carp MyoHC30 had a gene organization different from those of higher vertebrates and other carp MyoHCs, its predicted amino acid sequence for loop 2 showed the highest homology to those of higher vertebrates among carp MyoHCs. In the 28 carp MyoHCs containing the intron, a combination of different nucleotide sequences for the two resulted in 14 distinct series for the combined coding sequence. These different nucleotide sequences encoded nine distinct amino acid sequences. Phylogenetic analysis for the present loop 2 and light meromyosin previously reported for carp MyoHCs [Imai et al., J. Exp. Biol. 200 (1997) 27-34] revealed that carp MyoHCs have recently diverged and are more closely related to each other than to MyoHCs from other species.     

The red clover necrotic mosaic virus RNA2 trans-activator is also a cis-acting RNA2 replication element

The expression of the coat protein gene requires RNA-mediated trans-activation of subgenomic RNA synthesis in Red clover necrotic mosaic virus (RCNMV), the genome of which consists of two positive-strand RNAs, RNA1 and RNA2. The trans-acting RNA element required for subgenomic RNA synthesis from RNA1 has been mapped previously to the protein-coding region of RNA2, whereas RNA2 is not required for the replication of RNA1. In this study, we investigated the roles of the protein-coding region in RNA2 replication by analyzing the replication competence of RNA2 mutants containing deletions or nucleotide substitutions. Our results indicate that the same stem-loop structure (SL2) that functions as a trans-activator for RNA-mediated coat protein expression is critically required for the replication of RNA2 itself. Interestingly, however, disruption of the RNA-RNA interaction by nucleotide substitutions in the region of RNA1 corresponding to the SL2 loop of RNA2 does not affect RNA2 replication, indicating that the RNA-RNA interaction is not required for RNA2 replication. Further mutational analysis showed that, in addition to the stem-loop structure itself, nucleotide sequences in the stem and in the loop of SL2 are important for the replication of RNA2. These findings suggest that the structure and nucleotide sequence of SL2 in RNA2 play multiple roles in the virus life cycle.     

Cloning and characterization of the carp prolactin gene

A carp genomic DNA clone containing the carp prolactin (Prl) gene was isolated with carp Prl cDNA as a probe. The organization of the carp Prl gene was determined by restriction nuclease mapping and nucleotide sequencing. The Prl gene comprises approx. 2.8 kilobasepairs (kb) of DNA including the 5'-flanking region, five exons, four introns and the 3'-flanking region. Analysis of the 5'-flanking region reveals (1) the sequence TATATAAT at positions -38 to -31 upstream from the cap site which was found to be a guanine residue, and (2) the palindrome, CTCATTGCATATACAAATGAG at positions -79 to -59. The carp Prl gene matches with the reported cDNA except for one difference in coding region and five in the 3'-flanking region, while the encoded amino acid sequences are identical. The arrangement of exons and introns is very similar to that seen in carp GH as well as mammalian Prl, which, however, have much longer introns.     

The nucleotides on the stem-loop RNA structure in the junction region of the hepatitis E virus genome are critical for virus replication

The roles of conserved nucleotides on the stem-loop (SL) structure in the intergenic region of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) genome in virus replication were determined by using Huh7 cells transfected with HEV SL mutant replicons containing reporter genes. One or two nucleotide mutations of the AGA motif on the loop significantly reduced HEV replication, and three or more nucleotide mutations on the loop abolished HEV replication. Mutations on the stem and of the subgenome start sequence also significantly inhibited HEV replication. The results indicated that both the sequence and the SL structure in the junction region play important roles in HEV replication.     

Template requirements and binding of hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase during in vitro RNA synthesis from the 3'-end of virus minus-strand RNA

In our attempt to obtain further information on the replication mechanism of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), we have studied the role of sequences at the 3'-end of HCV minus-strand RNA in the initiation of synthesis of the viral genome by viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). In this report, we investigated the template and binding properties of mutated and deleted RNA fragments of the 3'-end of the minus-strand HCV RNA in the presence of viral polymerase. These mutants were designed following the newly established secondary structure of this viral RNA fragment. We showed that deletion of the 3'-SL-A1 stem loop significantly reduced the level of RNA synthesis whereas modifications performed in the SL-B1 stem loop increased RNA synthesis. Study of the region encompassing the 341 nucleotides of the 3'-end of the minus-strand RNA shows that these two hairpins play a very limited role in binding to the viral polymerase. On the contrary, deletions of sequences in the 5'-end of this fragment greatly impaired both RNA synthesis and RNA binding. Our results strongly suggest that several domains of the 341 nucleotide region of the minus-strand 3'-end interact with HCV RdRp during in vitro RNA synthesis, in particular the region located between nucleotides 219 and 239.     

Precise nucleotide location of the 5' ends of RNA-primed nascent light strands of mouse mitochondrial DNA

The mouse mitochondrial DNA origin of light-strand replication has been defined as a 32-nucleotide region located among five transfer RNA genes in the genomic sequence. A distinctive feature of this origin is its potential to form a perfectly complementary stem and 11-nucleotide loop structure. Previous studies have demonstrated that the 5′ ends of nascent light strands map within this region and a major trinucleotide ribosubstitution site in closed circular mouse mitochondrial DNA has been mapped within the stem sequence.Direct analysis and precise localization of the 5′ ends of nascent light strands indicate that essentially all 5′ ends are ribonucleotides mapping in the originspecific dyadic structure. The major 5′ end identified is the rG at position 5187 in the genomic sequence. Priming of replication most likely occurs within the loop portion of the potential dyad and continues for 2 to 16 nucleotides with a sharply defined switch to deoxyribonucleotide synthesis. This functional transition point is identical in map position to the trinucleotide ribosubstitution site in mature, closed circular mitochondrial DNA.