哺乳动物印记域DLK1-DI03的研究进展

DLK1-D103印记域定位于人14号染色体、小鼠12号染色体及绵羊18号染色体远端,在真哺乳亚纲动物中印记保守.该印记域包含3个编码蛋白的父系表达基因DIk1、Rt11和Di03以及若干大小不同的母系表达印记非编码RNA,如miRNAs、snoRNAs和大型非编码RNA Gtl2等.人和小鼠该印记域内印记基因剂量的改变将导致严重的表型异常甚至胚胎致死,暗示正常的发育需要域内印记基因的正常表达.文章重点论述了哺乳动物DLK1-DI03印记域的印记调控机制和域内印记基因及其功能的研究进展.     

哺乳动物印记域DLK1-DIO3的研究进展

DLK1-DIO3印记域定位于人14号染色体、小鼠12号染色体及绵羊18号染色体远端, 在真哺乳亚纲动物中印记保守。该印记域包含3个编码蛋白的父系表达基因Dlk1、Rtl1和Dio3以及若干大小不同的母系表达印记非编码RNA, 如miRNAs、snoRNAs 和大型非编码RNA Gtl2等。人和小鼠该印记域内印记基因剂量的改变将导致严重的表型异常甚至胚胎致死, 暗示正常的发育需要域内印记基因的正常表达。文章重点论述了哺乳动物DLK1-DIO3印记域的印记调控机制和域内印记基因及其功能的研究进展。     

基因印记与lncRNA

基因印记是一种表观遗传调控机制,在二倍体哺乳动物的发育过程中,基因印记可以调控来自亲代的等位基因差异表达。非编码RNA是不编码蛋白质的RNA,它在RNA水平调控基因表达。研究表明大多数印记基因中存在长非编码RNA（长度>200nt的非编码RNA）的转录,长非编码RNA主要通过顺式的转录干扰作用来实现基因印记。同时基因印记及其相关的长非编码RNA异常表达与许多先天疾病相关,迄今已发现数十种人类遗传疾病与基因印记有关,而lncRNA引起的基因印记在疾病的发生和治疗中起着重要作用。     

非编码RNA与哺乳动物基因组印记的起源

基因组印记是由亲本来源不同而导致等位基因表达差异的一种遗传现象,主要发生在胎盘哺乳动物（真哺乳类）和显花植物中.大部分印记基因都分布在印记基因簇内,其中包含大量的非编码RNA基因.印记基因的表达受印记控制区（ICRs）的顺式调控.基因组印记产生的原因及过程是现代遗传学研究的一个热点问题,分析印记同源区从非印记物种到印记物种的过渡,为解决这一问题提供了重要启示.最近,原始哺乳动物（有袋类和单孔类）模式物种全基因组测序的完成,极大地促进了印记同源区的比较分析研究.本文对这些研究进行了回顾和分析,发现非编码RNA与哺乳动物基因组印记获得关系密切.主要依据为：（1）伴随着基因组印记的获得,印记区有大量的非编码RNA新基因出现;（2）与基因组印记相关的一些保守非编码RNA的表达发生了显著变化.此外,对15种脊椎动物中印记snoRNA基因系统分析的结果表明：印记snoRNA起源于真哺乳类与有袋类动物分化之后,并且在真哺乳类辐射进化之前发生了迅速的扩张,主要的基因家族在这一时期已经形成.这些结果进一步证明了非编码RNA与基因组印记获得的密切联系.非编码RNA可能主要通过调控印记表达和诱导染色体表观遗传修饰两种机制,参与哺乳动物基因组印记的获得.     

宗地花猪和从江香猪ADRP基因多态性及生物信息学分析

为研究宗地花猪和从江香猪ADRP基因的单核苷酸多态性,为选种选育提供理论参考,试验以宗地花猪和从江香猪为对象,构建DNA池,采用PCR产物测序法对ADRP基因8个外显子进行单核苷酸多态性检测,并利用生物信息学方法对ADRP基因编码产物进行结构功能预测。结果显示,在两个猪种ADRP基因中筛查到5个SNPs,分别是T37C、T140C、G777A、A1061G、A1117G,其中T37C位于非编码区内,T140C和A1061G为同义突变,G777A(Val→Ile)和A1117G(Asn→Ser)为错义突变;突变前后ADRP基因m RNA二级结构、编码蛋白二级结构及三级结构均发生了变化。研究结果表明,宗地花猪和从江香猪ADRP基因具有较高的遗传多样性,可为猪种的选育和创新提供参考。     

奶牛乳铁蛋白基因5非翻译区PCR­SSCP多态性分析

采用PCR-SSCP技术,对奶牛乳铁蛋白基因5^'非翻译区1122bp序列进行多态性分析。在该区所划分的5个亚片段上,发现 Blf 5^'-1(227bp),Blf 5^'-3(175bp)和Blf 5^'-5（293bp）3个DNA片段存在多态。进一步对这3个片段进行测序分析,在Blf 5^'-1序列中,发现位于转录起始位点上游-926和-915位分别有G→A及T→G点突变;在Blf 5^'-3片段中,-478位存在G的插入;Blf 5^'-5位点上,发生-28位的C颠换为A和+33位的G颠换为C两处突变。利用TFSEARCH （ver.1.3）软件对乳铁蛋白基因5^'非翻译区潜在调控元件及蛋白质结合位点进行了预测,结果显示5^'非翻译区的突变引起了蛋白质结合因子的变化。     

三个绵羊群体MC4R基因多态性及生物信息学分析

旨在探讨绵羊黑素皮质素受体-4(melanocortin-4 receptor,MC4R)的分子机理,采用PCR-SSCP方法对3个绵羊群体(甘肃肉用绵羊新品种群、小尾寒羊和湖羊)的MC4R基因外显子进行多态性检测和生物信息学分析。结果表明,3个绵羊群体均存在3种基因型AA型、AB型和BB型,优势基因型为BB,其中优势等位基因为B;测序结果表明,野生型BB型和突变型AB型相比,AB型个体在该基因编码区第511位点发生G→A突变,第495位发生C→T突变;AA型个体在该基因编码区第511位点发生G→A突变,出现AA的纯合,第495位发生C→T突变,出现CC纯合;3个绵羊群体中小尾寒羊的多态信息含量属于中度多态(0.25PIC0.50),甘肃肉用绵羊新品种群羊和湖羊属于低度多态(PIC0.25);χ2适合性检验表明除湖羊之外,其余2个绵羊品种均处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态。生物信息学分析发现MC4R氨基酸序列有明显的疏水性区域,有7个跨膜螺旋区及信号肽,其编码蛋白主要的二级结构元件是α螺旋和无规则卷曲;同源性比对发现绵羊MC4R基因与山羊、牛、野猪、人类及大猩猩的相似度分别为97%、94%、81%、83%及83%,说明MC4R是一个非常保守的蛋白,在绵羊的生长发育中起着重要作用。     

基因组印记与疾病研究进展

基因组印记是一种特别的非孟德尔遗传现象,即来自双亲的等位基因在子代中的差异性表达,是遗传后的基因调控方式,主要与基因组甲基化模式有关,包括去甲基化、重新甲基化及甲基化维持三个过程。印记基因主要通过对启动子、边界元件及非编码RNA的作用来调控基因表达。基因组印记异常与一些先天性疾病相关,也与肿瘤发生和易感性有关,     

长链非编码RNA与表观遗传调控

近年来,表观遗传学(epigenetics)备受关注.表观遗传调控的方式主要包括DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰和染色质重塑等.ENCODE计划及随后的研究发现,人类基因组中仅有很小一部分DNA序列负责编码蛋白质,而其余大部分被转录为非编码RNA(non-codingRNA,ncRNA).其中长链非编码RNA(long non-codingRNA,lncRNA)是一类长度大于200nt并且缺乏蛋白质编码能力的RNA分子.越来越多的研究表明,lncRNAs能够通过表观遗传调控、转录调控以及转录后调控等多个层面调节基因的表达,从而参与细胞增殖、分化和凋亡等多种生物学过程.本文将着重综述lncRNAs在表观遗传调控中的作用及其最新的研究进展.     

长链内含子非编码RNA在基因表达过程中的调控作用

在绝大多数人类基因中都存有非蛋白编码RNA（non-coding RNA,ncRNA）.长链内含子ncRNA（long intronic non-coding RNA,lincRNA）是众多ncRNA中的一员,而内含子区域则是具有调节性的ncRNA的关键源.长链内含子ncRNA可通过作为短链RNA的前体、或是与启动子元件的交互作用、组蛋白甲基化修饰、蛋白编码RNA选择性剪接以及蛋白质编码RNA的稳定性,从而对基因表达进行调控.至此我们可以逐步揭示出基于长链内含子ncRNA的调控系统模式.     

The callipyge locus: evidence for the trans interaction of reciprocally imprinted genes

The callipyge phenotype in sheep is an inherited muscular hypertrophy that affects only heterozygous individuals who receive the CLPG mutation from their father. The CLPG mutation is a single nucleotide substitution in what is probably a long-range control element (LRCE) within the DLK1-GTL2 imprinted domain. Recent results suggest that the unique mode of inheritance of callipyge, referred to as polar overdominance, results from the combination of the cis-effect of the CLPG mutation on the expression levels of genes in the DLK1-GTL2 imprinted domain, and the trans interaction between the products of reciprocally imprinted genes.     

Abnormal postnatal maintenance of elevated DLK1 transcript levels in callipyge sheep

The underlying mechanism of the callipyge muscular hypertrophy phenotype in sheep (Ovis aries) is not presently understood. This phenotype, characterized by increased glycolytic type II muscle proportion and cell size accompanied by decreased adiposity, is not visibly detectable until approximately three to eight weeks after birth. The muscular hypertrophy results from a single nucleotide change located at the telomeric end of ovine Chromosome 18, in the region between the imprinted MATERNALLY EXPRESSED GENE 3 (MEG3) and DELTA, DROSOPHILA, HOMOLOG-LIKE 1 (DLK1) genes. The callipyge phenotype is evident only when the mutation is paternally inherited by a heterozygous individual. We have examined the pre- and postnatal expression of MEG3 and DLK1 in sheep of all four possible genotypes in affected and unaffected muscles as well as in liver. Here we show that the callipyge phenotype correlates with abnormally high DLK1 expression during the postnatal period in the affected sheep and that this elevation is specific to the hypertrophy-responsive fast-twitch muscles. These results are the first to show anomalous gene expression that coincides with both the temporal and spatial distribution of the callipyge phenotype. They suggest that the effect of the callipyge mutation is to interfere with the normal postnatal downregulation of DLK1 expression.     

Mosaicism of Solid Gold supports the causality of a noncoding A-to-G transition in the determinism of the callipyge phenotype

To identify the callipyge mutation, we have resequenced 184 kb spanning the DLK1-, GTL2-, PEG11-, and MEG8-imprinted domain and have identified an A-to-G transition in a highly conserved dodecamer motif between DLK1 and GTL2. This was the only difference found between the callipyge (CLPG) allele and a phylogenetically closely related wild-type allele. We report that this SNP is in perfect association with the callipyge genotype. The demonstration that Solid Gold-the alleged founder ram of the callipyge flock-is mosaic for this SNP virtually proves the causality of this SNP in the determinism of the callipyge phenotype.     

Polar overdominant inheritance of a DLK1 polymorphism is associated with growth and fatness in pigs

The polar overdominance model of inheritance was proposed to explain the non-Mendelian expression of callipyge muscular hypertrophy in sheep. The callipyge locus (CLPG) maps to the distal portion of ovine Chromosome 18 within the DLK1– GTL2 region and corresponds to human Chromosome 14q32, where uniparental disomy (UPD) of the region is associated with multiple congenital anomalies, including growth retardation and obesity. We investigated the porcine DLK1– GTL2 region in a cross of two pig breeds to determine if the callipyge polar overdominance is present in another species. Analyses of the parental origin of DLK1 polymorphism in the F2 offspring found that paternal inheritance of DLK1 allele 2 and maternal inheritance of the allele 1 was significantly associated with decreased fat deposition and increased lean muscle mass, while the opposite parental inheritance of these alleles was associated with slower prenatal and postnatal growth. These results suggest that the polar overdominance mode of inheritance is present in the pig chromosomal region that is homologous to the CLPG locus in sheep. Further study in pigs can provide important insights into understanding the molecular regulation of imprinted genes that are associated with human UPD14 and sheep callipyge phenotypes.