Sequence of a Euplotes crassus macronuclear DNA molecule encoding a protein with homology to a rat form-I phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C.

A 604-base pair macronuclear DNA molecule from the hypotrichous ciliate Euplotes crassus was cloned and its DNA sequence determined. The DNA sequence contains an open reading frame capable of encoding a protein 141 amino acids in length. The putative protein contains significant sequence similarity to other eukaryotic proteins, including the rat form-I phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase-C.     

DNA sequence of a human Sm autoimmune antigen. The multigene family contains a processed pseudogene

The sequence of a complementary DNA clone coding for a human autoimmune antigen has been determined. This DNA sequence predicts the amino acid sequence of a small protein ("E") which is associated with small nuclear RNA in human cells. Analysis of the predicted protein sequence suggests that the E protein is not closely related to other nucleic acid binding proteins. Screening of a human genomic DNA library has led to the isolation of several members of the E protein multigene family. Sequence analysis of one member of this family reveals that it is flanked by direct repeats and contains several mutations. One of these mutations, an insertion, terminates the long open reading frame. These features are compatible with the designation of this sequence as a processed pseudogene.     

Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1 trans-activator specifically binds to a consensus AP-1 site and is related to c-fos.

Two regions of the Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1 trans-activator protein have sequence similarity to the c-fos protein. Part of the similarity corresponds to the region of c-fos which is similar to the DNA binding domain of c-jun and GCN-4. The structure of the exon which contains this region in c-fos and BZLF1 is also highly conserved between the two genes. Complete BZLF1 protein and a C terminal fragment were prepared either as purified fusion proteins or by in vitro translation from a BZLF1 cDNA. Gel retardation and DNase footprinting assays using these proteins show that BZLF1 is a sequence specific DNA binding protein capable of binding to a target sequence which contains a consensus AP-1 site.     

Molecular cloning and sequence of the gene for p9Ka. A cultured myoepithelial cell protein with strong homology to S-100, a calcium-binding protein

The gene for p9Ka, a protein of molecular weight 9000 that is expressed in cultured rat mammary myoepithelial cells, has been isolated from a normal rat genomic library in bacteriophage lambda, by its ability to hybridize to a cloned complementary DNA corresponding to p9Ka mRNA. The cloned rat genomic DNA fragment hybridized to translatable p9Ka mRNA. A nucleotide sequence of 2340 base-pairs of genomic DNA surrounding the p9Ka cDNA sequence has been obtained; the gene contains one intervening sequence of 675 nucleotides. The 3' end of the p9Ka mRNA has been identified on the gene sequence to be 13 nucleotides downstream from a poly(A) addition signal AATAAA. The gene contains an open reading frame of 101 amino acid residues, which is the only open reading frame in the entire gene long enough to encode a protein of molecular weight at least 9000. This hypothetical protein sequence shows greater than 40% homology to rat or bovine S-100 protein and over 30% homology to bovine intestinal calcium-binding protein. The results suggest that p9Ka may be related to a family of low molecular weight calcium-binding proteins.     

The primary structure of chicken ribosomal protein L37a.

The amino acid sequence of chicken ribosomal protein L37a was deduced from the nucleotide sequence of a recombinant cDNA and its genomic DNA. Chicken ribosomal protein L37a has 92 amino acids and a molecular mass of 10,247 Da including the initiator methionine. The protein contains a typical Cys2Cys2 zinc finger motif, which may be involved in protein-RNA interaction.     

Messenger RNA expressed in mouse teratocarcinoma stem cells and down-regulated by a tumor-promoting phorbol ester codes for a novel transmembrane protein

Cloning and sequence analysis of a DNA complementary to the mRNA expressed in undifferentiated mouse F9 teratocarcinoma stem cells but disappearing rapidly after treatment with a tumor-promoting phorbol ester revealed it to be a 1.9 kilobase pairs-long cDNA encoding a protein of 323 amino acid residues. Computer-assisted analyses of the deduced amino acid sequence indicated that this protein contains a typical hydrophobic signal peptide consisting of 33 amino acid residues and six putative membrane-spanning segments. The deduced amino acid sequence, as a whole, bears no significant sequence homology to any previously described protein.     

Identification of PDZ5, a candidate universal minicircle sequence binding protein of Trypanosoma cruzi

The dodecamer universal minicircle sequence is a conserved sequence present in minicircles of trypanosomatid kinetoplast DNA studied so far. This sequence is recognised by a protein named universal minicircle sequence binding protein, described for Crithidia fasciculata, involved in minicircle DNA replication. We have identified a Trypanosoma cruzi gene homologue of the Crithidia fasciculata universal minicircle sequence binding protein. Similar to the Crithidia fasciculata universal minicircle sequence binding protein, the Trypanosoma cruzi protein, named PDZ5, contains five zinc finger motifs. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis indicated that the pdz5 gene is located in the chromosomal band XX of the Trypanosoma cruzi genome. The predicted amino acid sequence of PDZ5 shows a high degree of similarity with several trypanosomatid zinc finger proteins. Specific antibody raised against Crithidia fasciculata universal minicircle sequence binding protein recognises both the recombinant and endogenous PDZ5. The complete pdz5 coding sequence cloned in bacteria expresses a recombinant PDZ5 protein that binds specifically to the universal minicircle sequence dodecamer. These data strongly suggest that PDZ5 represents a Trypanosoma cruzi universal minicircle sequence binding protein.