CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF THE NOVEL CA2+ MESSENGER NAADP

The first total chemical synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (β-NADP, 2) as a single isomer was achieved. This was subsequently converted into the important second messenger nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (β-NAADP) 1 and the identity of this material confirmed by biological evaluation. This flexible synthetic route offers new opportunities for the generation of NAADP 1 analogues that cannot be generated directly from NADP 2 or mainly enzymatic methods.     

SYNTHESIS AND HYBRIDIZATION OF NOVEL CHIRAL PYRROLIDINE BASED PNA ANALOGUE

Four different PNA fragments containing units of either the R- or S- isomer of N-(2-pyrrolidine-methyl)-N-(thymine-1-acetyl)-glycine (Pmg) were synthesized on a solid support. UV thermal melting experiments with complementary RNAs were performed and it was found that R-Pmg containing PNAs bind better to RNA than those containing the S-Pmg units.     

Wheat Storage Proteins : ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GLIADIN MESSENGER RNAs

A total RNA extract was prepared from developing wheat seeds using guanidine-HCl to eliminate endogenous RNase activity. The RNA preparation, substantially free of protein, carbohydrate and DNA, was chromatographed on either a poly uridylic acid-agarose or poly guanylic acid-agarose column to yield a gliadin-enriched mRNA fraction. Only slight differences were observed for the products synthesized in a wheat germ cell-free translation system when either poly adenylic acid-enriched or cytosine-rich RNA was used as a template. These results are consistent with the high proline content of the gliadins and indicate that a large proportion of the mRNA activity in these RNA preparations is directed toward gliadin synthesis. After a second affinity chromatography step, the gliadin-enriched mRNA fraction was fractionated by two cycles on sucrose-density gradient centrifugation under denaturing conditions. The RNA sedimented as a broad band with a peak at 14S and a shoulder at the 11S region of the sucrose gradient. RNA from the peak 14S fraction translated predominantly the two major gliadin polypeptides which had molecular weights of 34,000 and 36,000. Analysis of the 14S RNA by methylmercury hydroxide-agarose gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a predominant RNA species with a molecular size of 415,000 (1,200 nucleotides).     

Messenger RNA isolation using novel PNA analogues

Homo-Thy hetero-oligomer probes composed of trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline based PNA-like (HypNA) monomers and phosphono PNA (pPNA) monomers demonstrated strong binding to complementary poly A+ RNA strands. We used a mixture of chimeric oligomers containing both "linear" and "clamping" PNA-analogues to develop an mRNA isolation procedure and demonstrate the improved recovery of RNA molecules with secondary structure at the 3'end as well as RNAs with short poly A tails.     

PERSISTENCE OF MESSENGER RNA THROUGH MITOSIS IN HELA CELLS

The decrease in protein synthesis which occurs in mammalian cells during cell division is associated with significant disaggregation of polyribosomes. For determining whether messenger RNA survives this disaggregation, the reformation of polyribosomes was investigated in synchronized HeLa cells as they progressed from metaphase into interphase in the presence of 2 µg/ml Actinomycin D. The persistence of messenger during cell division was evidenced by: (1) a progressive increase in the rate of protein synthesis in both treated and untreated cells for 45 min after metaphase; (2) reformation of polyribosomes, as determined by both sucrose gradients and electron microscopy, within 30 min after the addition of Actinomycin D to metaphase cells; (3) the persistence of approximately 50% of the rapidly labeled nonribosomal RNA which had associated with polyribosomes just before metaphase; (4) the resumption of synthesis, following cell division, of 6 selected peptides in Actinomycin-treated cells.     

Modulation of DNA and RNA by PNA

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA), a synthetic DNA mimic that is devoid of the (deoxy)ribose-phosphate backbone yet still perfectly retains the ability to recognize natural nucleic acids in a sequence-specific fashion, can be employed as a tool to modulate gene expressions via several different mechanisms. The unique strength of PNA compared to other oligonucleotide analogs is its ability to bind to nucleic acid targets with secondary structures such as double-stranded and quadruplex DNA as well as RNA. This digest aims to introduce general readers to the advancement in the area of modulation of DNA/RNA functions by PNA, its current status and future research opportunities, with emphasis on recent progress in new targeting modes of structured DNA/RNA by PNA and PNA-mediated gene editing.     

THE ORIGIN OF ECHINOID HATCHING ENZYME MESSENGER RNA*

To determine if echinoid hatching enzyme messenger RNA is newly synthesized from embryonic chromatin or is a maternal mRNA stored in the unfertilized egg, hybrid andromerogones have been constructed containing a sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) genome in sand dollar (Dendraster excentricus) cytoplasm. Such hybrid andromerogones developed at a normal rate to the blastula stage but failed to hatch. Diploid hybrids or merogones containing at least one complement of sand dollar genome hatched on the normal maternal schedule. Since the sea urchin hatching enzyme is not able to digest the sand dollar fertilization membrane, this failure to hatch is evidence that new mRNA synthesis from embryonic chromatin is required before hatching enzyme can be synthesized.     

三联体密码子在mRNA二级结构中的分布

对编码成熟肽的ｍＲＮＡ二级结构的分析显示,每个密码子在ｍＲＮＡ二级结构中的位置有一定的倾向性,这种倾向性似乎与相应氨基酸的构象性质相一致。大多数编码疏水氨基酸的密码子位于ｍＲＮＡ二级结构中较稳定的茎区;反之,大多数编码亲水氨基酸的密码子位于柔性的环区。这个结果支持了最近得到的关于ｍＲＮＡ与蛋白质之间存在丰三维结构信息传递的结论。     

STABILITIES OF NUCLEAR AND MESSENGER RNA MOLECULES IN SEA URCHIN EMBRYOS

The kinetics of accumulation of radioactive adenosine in adenosine triphosphate and in RNA of nuclear, cytoplasmic, and polysomal fractions of sea urchin embryos have been analyzed. 85% of the RNA synthesized decays in the nucleus with an apparently uniform half-life of about 7 min. The remaining 15% goes to the cytoplasm, mostly entering polysomes, and decays with a quite uniform half-life of about 75 min. The nuclear RNA accounts for one-third and the cytoplasmic RNA accounts for two-thirds of the total unstable RNA which accumulates at steady state in the embryo. The size distribution of short-labeled nuclear RNA is very similar to that of long-labeled messenger RNA, when both are extracted directly from the cells without a previous cell fractionation.     

HYBRIDIZATION PROPERTIES OF DNA SEQUENCES DIRECTING THE SYNTHESIS OF MESSENGER RNA AND HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEAR RNA

The relationship of the DNA sequences from which polyribosomal messenger RNA (mRNA) and heterogeneous nuclear RNA (NRNA) of mouse L cells are transcribed was investigated by means of hybridization kinetics and thermal denaturation of the hybrids. Hybridization was performed in formamide solutions at DNA excess. Under these conditions most of the hybridizing mRNA and NRNA react at values of D_ot (DNA concentration multiplied by time) expected for RNA transcribed from the nonrepeated or rarely repeated fraction of the genome. However, a fraction of both mRNA and NRNA hybridize at values of D_ot about 10,000 times lower, and therefore must be transcribed from highly redundant DNA sequences. The fraction of NRNA hybridizing to highly repeated sequences is about 1.7 times greater than the corresponding fraction of mRNA. The hybrids formed by the rapidly reacting fractions of both NRNA and mRNA melt over a narrow temperature range with a midpoint about 11°C below that of native L cell DNA. This indicates that these hybrids consist of partially complementary sequences with approximately 11% mismatching of bases. Hybrids formed by the slowly reacting fraction of NRNA melt within 4°–6°C of native DNA, indicating very little, if any, mismatching of bases. Hybrids of the slowly reacting components of mRNA, formed under conditions of sufficiently low RNA input, have a high thermal stability, similar to that observed for hybrids of the slowly reacting NRNA component. However, when higher inputs of mRNA are used, hybrids are formed which have a strikingly lower thermal stability. This observation can be explained by assuming that there is sufficient similarity among the relatively rare DNA sequences coding for mRNA so that under hybridization conditions, in which these DNA sequences are not truly in excess, reversible hybrids exhibiting a considerable amount of mispairing are formed. The fact that a comparable phenomenon has not been observed for NRNA may mean that there is less similarity among the relatively rare DNA sequences coding for NRNA than there is among the rare sequences coding for mRNA.     

RNA cleavage by 2,9-diamino-1,10-phenanthroline PNA conjugates

We report on the synthesis of 2,9-diamino-1,10-phenanthroline PNA conjugates as well as on their action in cleavage of a target RNA. Synthesis of the PNA conjugates are performed on solid support and the phenanthroline derivative is conjugated either to the amino-end or to a centrally positioned diaminopropionic acid in the PNA via a urea linker. Cleavage of the target RNA is achieved and compared to cleavage with the corresponding 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and glycine conjugates.     

水稻叶片硝酸还原酶mRNA的体外翻译

水稻叶片总RNA经Oligo(dT)—Cellulose柱层析分离Poly(A)~+RNA。在往层析中采用变温洗脱的方法,可减少rRNA的混杂,提高mRNA的纯度和体外翻译活力。它对麦胚无细胞系统蛋白质合成的促进可稳定在10倍,有时高达20多倍。NR—mRNA的体外翻译产物可用以NR为载体的火箭免疫电泳方法进行鉴定,其量可用火箭峰内的放射强度来表示。     

北京鸭卵对蛋白mRNA的提纯及某些性质的鉴定

 本文报道了从产卵期北京鸭输卵管中提取总RNA,经Olilo(dT)-纤维素柱层析,再经sepharose 4B柱层析步骤,得到了纯化的鸭卵清蛋白mRNA。我们建立了麦胚无细胞体系并探索了鸭卵清蛋白mRNA在此体系中翻译的最适条件。在此条件下测定了各纯化步骤的总mRNA翻译活性,并用免疫沉淀法测定其中卵清蛋白mRNA的活性。测定结果表明我们从mRNA中分离得到了纯鸭卵清蛋白mRNA。用变性的琼脂糖凝胶电泳对各纯化步骤的核酸样品进行组成分析,确定出鸭卵清蛋白mRNA的大小约为21S。     

用火箭电泳法测定溶菌酶活性

<正> 测定体液中溶菌酶含量的方法有免疫学和酶学方法两大类。常用的琼脂平板打孔法是一种酶学测定法,其测定范围为10—1000μg/ml。但人和小鼠血清溶菌酶活性分别约为2μg/ml和5μg/ml,低于上述测定范围。因此单用琼脂平板打孔法研究血清溶菌酶活性的细微变化是有困难的。我们将酶学方法和电泳方法结合在一起。由于酶的作用区域增加,灵敏度随之提高。此法类似抗原抗体在电冰过程中形成沉淀的火箭电泳法,但实际上并不是     

A COMPARISON BETWEEN HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEAR RNA AND POLYSOMAL MESSENGER RNA IN HELA CELLS BY RNA-DNA HYBRIDIZATION

Heterogeneous nuclear RNA (HnRNA) and mRNA from cytoplasmic polyribosomes of HeLa cells have been compared by RNA-DNA hybridization tests. 1 µg of HeLa cell DNA binds 0.05–0.10 µg of either HnRNA or mRNA. In addition, HeLa DNA that is preexposed to unlabeled HnRNA was found to have a reduced capacity to bind either HnRNA or mRNA. The results are compatible with considerable sequence similarity in the two types of RNA but, as is discussed, firm conclusions are precluded by imperfections of the hybridization reaction as presently employed.     

利用氯化苄提取适于分子生物学分析的真菌DNA

随着生物技术的飞速发展,更加需要简便、快速地提取高质量的DNA。以往报导的提取真菌DNA的方法大都采用液氮研磨或酶解破坏细胞壁和膜的方式,从而导致繁琐、复杂和费时的提取过程。根据氯化苄在弱碱条件下与多糖上的羟基反应形成醚从而使多糖长链断裂的事实,我们发展了一种全新的真菌DNA提取方法,该方法使氯化苄在pH9.0时与细胞壁多糖作用,破坏细胞壁,基因组DNA因而得以从细胞中释放出来。新方法具有简便、快速、价廉的优点,得到的DNA蛋白质污染少、质量较高、产量稳定。对该法提取的DNA作进一步的分子生物学分析,如限制性内切酶酶解、RFLP分析、RAPD扩增,都取得了令人满意的结果。利用氯化苄提取真菌DNA的研究,迄今在国际、国内均尚未见报道。     

利用氯化苄提取适于分子生物学分析的真菌 DNA

随着生物技术的飞速发展,更加需要简便、快速地提取高质量的DNA。以往报导的提取真菌DNA的方法大都采用液氮研磨或酶解破坏细胞壁和膜的方式,从而导致繁琐、复杂和费时的提取过程。根据氯化苄在弱碱条件下与多糖上的羟基反应形成醚从而使多糖长链断裂的事实,我们发展了一种全新的真菌DNA提取方法,该方法使氯化苄在pH9.0时与细胞壁多糖作用,破坏细胞壁,基因组DNA因而得以从细胞中释放出来。新方法具有简便、快速、价廉的优点,得到的DNA蛋白质污染少、质量较高、产量稳定。对该法提取的DNA作进一步的分子生物学分析,如限制性内切酶酶解、RFLP分析、RAPD扩增,都取得了令人满意的结果。利用氯化苄提取真菌DNA的研究,迄今在国际、国内均尚未见报道。     

INSTABILITY OF MESSENGER AND RIBOSOMAL RNA IN A GLUE-PROTEIN MUTANT OF Bombyx mori

The mucous glands of Bombyx pupae secrete glue proteins which attach deposited eggs to the mounting sheet. A mutant of a dominant gene, named no glue (Ng) , produces nonadhesive eggs which have a low capacity for glue-protein synthesis. In the present study it was shown that the mucous glands of Ng silkworms showed rapid degradation of mRNA as well as rRNA during development; this may cause the low capacity for glue-protein synthesis in the mutant organ. In contrast, the mucous glands of normal silkworms showed a significant increase in content of RNA's until the maximum rate of glue-protein synthesis was achieved. The degradation of RNA in the Ng mucous gland was inhibited by actinomycin D injected into the body fluid. Thus it is supposed that the Ng gene codes for a presumptive controller RNA, which would be the mediator of RNA instability in the mucous glands of Ng pupae.