高致病性猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒TJ株致弱过程中遗传变异和致病性分析

为了研制高致病性猪繁殖与呼吸综合征(HP-PRRS)弱毒疫苗,将高致病性猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒(HP-PRRSV)TJ株进行了致弱驯化,在Marc-145细胞上对其进行了连续传代,每5～10代进行噬斑克隆纯化病毒。对致弱过程中不同代次病毒进行遗传变异及致病性分析。结果表明,TJ株在致弱过程中各基因均存在不同程度的变异,至第140代,共有58个氨基酸发生突变,同时在非结构蛋白nsp2区域,在不连续的30个氨基酸缺失(481位和533～561位)之后又出现连续120个氨基酸的缺失,与VR-2332相比,该缺失位点位于推定氨基酸序列的628～747位。动物接种试验结果表明,TJ株经Marc-145细胞传至第20代时,病毒对猪的致病性明显减弱,推测TJ株在这一传代过程中非结构蛋白nsp2-nsp5、nsp7和结构蛋白GP5所发生的遗传变异对病毒毒力致弱起到一定作用。     

The novel 5bp deletion polymorphism in the promoter region of bovine <Emphasis Type="Italic">ACRP30</Emphasis> gene

ACRP30 gene was located nearby the QTL affecting the marbling, ribeye muscle area and fat thickness on the BAT1 in Angus. In this study, a 5bp deletion mutation within the bovine ACRP30 gene was firstly detected and confirmed in 991 cattle by PCR-SSCP, DNA sequencing and direct PCR amplification. The deletion mutation was appeared in Qinchuan, Nanyang, Jiaxian and Hasake, but was not found in Jinnan, Chinese Holsteins and Angus. The association of the deletion polymorphism with growth traits (including birth weight, body weight, average daily gain and body sizes in different growth periods (6/12/18/24 month-old)) was analyzed in 224 Nanyang cattle. No signification association of the deletion polymorphism with growth traits were observed (P > 0.05). The deletion was located in the promoter region and it resulted in a new putative CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-β response element (C/EBP-RE).     

snthr-1Bao稀毛小鼠突变基因的精确定位及克隆鉴定

snthr^-1Bao稀毛小鼠是本实验室培育的呈单基因隐性遗传的突变系小鼠,突变基因已被初步定位于第9号染色体末端;为了精确定位并鉴定snthr^-1Bao稀毛小鼠的突变基因,将(C57BL/6J×snthr^-1Bao)F₁代互交繁殖F₂代小鼠4 400余只,其中稀毛小鼠1 100只,并在2个微卫星、35个可能的简单序列重复标记（simple sequence repeat,SSR）及3个酶切扩增多态性序列（c1eaved amplified polymorphic sequences,CAPS）标记中找到4个合适的基因组标记。利用这些标记及F₂代稀毛小鼠将突变基因精确定位到第9号染色体距着丝粒117.763 kb及119.129 kb之间1.367 Mb的范围内,在其间的21个基因中确定Plcd1为稀毛突变的强力候选基因。通过对基因组的直接测序,发现snthr^-1Bao稀毛小鼠基因组上有一个14 883 bp的缺失,这一缺失包含了Plcd1基因的4—15号外显子及Vill基因的10—19号外显子。推测极可能是Plcd1基因缺失导致snthr^-1Bao小鼠出现稀毛表型。     

Deletion mutations in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in Western Saudi children

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD and BMD) are caused, in the majority of cases, by deletions in the dystrophin gene (DMD). The disease is an X-linked neuromuscular diseases typically caused by disrupting (DMD) or non-disrupting (BMD) the reading frame in the dystrophin (DMD) gene. In the present study, amplifications of the genomic DNAs of unrelated 15 Saudi DMD males were carried out using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for nine-hotspot regions of exons 4, 8, 12, 17, 19, 44, 45, 48 and 51. We detected six Saudi patients having deletions in a frequency of 40%. The frequency of deletions in exon 51 (20%) was the most common deletion frequently associated with our Saudi sample males. Exons 19, 45, and 48 were present in a frequency of 6.7% each. All deletions were recognized as an individual exonic deletions, while no gross deletion where detected. Finally, the molecular deletions in the Saudi males was expected to be characterized by a moderate frequency among different populations due to the geographical KSA region, which it is in the crossroad of intense migrations and admixture of people coming from continental Asia, Africa, and even Europe. In conclusion, attempts to include an extra DNA samples might reflect a valid vision of the deletions within the high frequency deletion regions (HFDR’s) in the DMD gene mutations in KSA.     

Active Site Mutations in Mammalian DNA Polymerase δ Alter Accuracy and Replication Fork Progression

DNA polymerase δ (pol δ) is one of the two main replicative polymerases in eukaryotes; it synthesizes the lagging DNA strand and also functions in DNA repair. In previous work, we demonstrated that heterozygous expression of the pol δ L604G variant in mice results in normal life span and no apparent phenotype, whereas a different substitution at the same position, L604K, is associated with shortened life span and accelerated carcinogenesis. Here, we report in vitro analysis of the homologous mutations at position Leu-606 in human pol δ. Four-subunit human pol δ variants that harbor or lack 3′ → 5′-exonucleolytic proofreading activity were purified from Escherichia coli. The pol δ L606G and L606K holoenzymes retain catalytic activity and processivity similar to that of wild type pol δ. pol δ L606G is highly error prone, incorporating single noncomplementary nucleotides at a high frequency during DNA synthesis, whereas pol δ L606K is extremely accurate, with a higher fidelity of single nucleotide incorporation by the active site than that of wild type pol δ. However, pol δ L606K is impaired in the bypass of DNA adducts, and the homologous variant in mouse embryonic fibroblasts results in a decreased rate of replication fork progression in vivo. These results indicate that different substitutions at a single active site residue in a eukaryotic polymerase can either increase or decrease the accuracy of synthesis relative to wild type and suggest that enhanced fidelity of base selection by a polymerase active site can result in impaired lesion bypass and delayed replication fork progression.     

Suppressor analysis of the mpt5/htr1/uth4/puf5 deletion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The MPT5/HTR1/UTH4/PUF5 gene encodes an RNA-binding Puf-family protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The Δmpt5 cells exhibit pleiotropic phenotypes, including the G2/M arrest of the cell cycle and weakened cell wall at high temperatures. The Δmpt5 disruptant was also hydroxyurea (HU) sensitive. In this study we screened deletion suppressors to rescue the temperature sensitivity of Δmpt5, and identified dsf1 (YEL070W), dsf2 (YBR007C), sir2, sir3, sir4 and swe1. Multicopy suppressors identified were PKC1 and its upstream genes, but not the downstream MAPK cascade genes. The overexpression of PKC1, however, did not suppress the HU sensitivity of Δmpt5. In contrast, both the HU- and temperature-sensitivities of a-type Δmpt5 cells were suppressed by each sir deletion or a multicopy of MATα2, suggesting that a diploid-type expression is involved. We found that a diploid-specific IME4 gene encoding an RNA-modifying protein was responsible for the suppression of the temperature sensitivity, but not of the HU sensitivity. Furthermore, the suppression of the HU sensitivity depended on PUF4, another Puf-family gene, and overexpression of PUF4 suppressed only the HU sensitivity of Δmpt5. The protein level of Puf4 was not affected by the sir mutation. Thus, these Ime4 and Puf4 proteins play complementary roles to rescue the defects in Δmpt5 Δsir cells.     

The fission yeast rpa17+ gene encodes a functional homolog of AC19, a subunit of RNA polymerases I and III of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic RNA polymerases I and III consist of multiple subunits. Each of these enzymes includes two distinct and evolutionarily conserved subunits called α-related subunits which are shared only by polymerases I and III. The α-related subunits show limited homology with the α-subunit of prokaryotic RNA polymerase. To gain further insight into the structure and function of α-related subunits, we cloned and characterized a gene from Schizosaccharomyces pombe that encodes a protein of 17 kDa which can functionally replace AC19 – an α-related subunit of RNA polymerases I and III of Saccharomyces cerevisiae– and was thus named rpa17 ⁺. RPA17 has 125 amino acids and shows 63% identity to AC19 over a 108-residue stretch, whereas the N-terminal regions of the two proteins are highly divergent. Disruption of rpa17 ⁺ shows that the gene is essential for cell growth. Sequence comparison with other α-related subunits from different species showed that RPA17 contains an 81-amino acid block that is evolutionarily conserved. Deletion analysis of the N- and C-terminal regions of RPA17 and AC19 confirms that the 81-amino acid block is important for the function of the α-related subunits. Received: 1 October 1998 / Accepted: 3 December 1998     

Molecular spectra of HPRT deletion mutations in circulating T-lymphocytes in Fanconi anemia patients

The principal cellular feature of Fanconi anemia (FA), an inherited cancer prone disorder, is a high level of chromosomal breakage, amplified after treatment with crosslinking agents. Three of the eight genes involved in FA have been cloned: FANCA, FANCC and FANCG. However, their biological functions remain unknown. We previously observed an excessive production of deletions at the HPRT locus in FA lymphoblasts belonging to the relatively rare complementation group D(1) and an increased frequency of glycophorin A (GPA) variants in erythrocytes derived from FA patients (2). In thi study, we examined the molecular nature of 31 HPRT mutations formed in vivo in circulating T-lymphocytes isolated from 9 FA male patients. The results show that in all FA patients investigated the deletions are by far the most prevalent mutational event in contrast to age matched healthy donors, in which point mutations predominate. The complementation group in the FA patients examined in the present study has not yet been defined. However, knowing that mutations in the FANCA and FANCC gene are found to be involved in at least 70% of the FA patients, it can be expected that the excessive production of deletions is a general feature of the FA phenotype. In addition, the spectrum of HPRT deletions observed in FA patients differs from that of healthy children: there is a high frequency of 3'-terminal deletions and a strikingly low proportion of V(D)J mediated events. Based on previous findings, a decreased fidelity of coding V(D)J joint formation (3) and an inaccurate repair of specific DNA double strand breaks via Non-Homologous End Joining (4), we propose that FA genes play a role in the control of the fidelity of rejoining of specific DNA ends. Such a defect may explain several basic features of FA, such as chromosomal instability and deletion pronenness.     

Unbalanced translocation 8;Y (45,X,dic(Y;8)(q11.23;p23.1)): case report and review of terminal 8p deletions

A boy with a rare unbalanced de novo Y/autosome translocation is presented. Main clinical features in the boy comprised a psychomotor delay, talipes planus, a dolichocephalus, low set and retroverted ears, supraorbital fullness of subcutaneous tissue and a bulbous nasal tip. Chromosomal analysis on amniocytes showed a single X chromosome and a derivative 8p (Karyotype: 45,X,der(8)GTG). The following DAPI staining revealed the inactivated centromere of the chromosome Y located on 8p and the absence of heterochromatic material Yq. Microsatellite analysis on fetal blood DNA using markers between SRY on Yp and DYS 240 on Yq proved presence of the spermatogenetic relevant factors. A terminal deletion of 8p was confirmed by FISH postnatally. Molecular genetic reassessment revealed the monosomy 8p to be of maternal origin; the translocation can thus be proven to have occurred in the zygote. The breakpoint in 8p was localised distal to GATA4, a gene which is involved in heart development; the finding that our patient did not suffer from cardiac problems agrees with the disomic presence of GATA4. Only the application of FISH combined with microsatellite analysis allowed a precise correlation between clinical phenotype and a subtle deletion of terminal 8p; furthermore, a recurrence risk for the parents could be excluded.     

GFPs of insertion mutation generated by molecular size-altering block shuffling

Insertion and deletion analyses of a protein have been less common than point mutation analyses, partly due to the lack in effective methods. This is the case with the green fluorescent protein (GFP), which is so widely applied in molecular biology and other fields. In this paper we first introduce a systematic approach for generating insertion/deletion mutants of GFP. A new technology of Y-ligation-based block shuffling (YLBS) was successfully applied to produce size-altered GFPs, providing insertion-containing GFPs of fluorescence, though no deletion type of fluorescence was obtained so far as examined. The analysis of these proteins suggested that size alteration (deletion/insertion) is acceptable so far as some type of rearrangement in a local structure can accommodate it. This paper demonstrates that YLBS can generate insertion and deletion mutant libraries systematically, which are beneficial in the study of structure-function relationship.