Osteogenic protein-2. A new member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily expressed early in embryogenesis.

Osteogenic protein-2, OP-2, a new member of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily, closely related to the osteogenic/bone morphogenetic proteins, was discovered in mouse embryo and human hippocampus cDNA libraries. The TGF-beta domain of OP-2 shows 74% identity to OP-1, 75% to Vgr-1, and 76% to BMP-5, hence OP-2 may also have bone inductive activity. The genomic locus of OP-2 has seven exons, like OP-1, and spans more than 27 kilobases (kb). In the C-terminal TGF-beta domain, OP-2 has a unique additional cysteine. Mouse embryos express relatively high levels of OP-2 mRNA at 8 days, two species of 3 and 5 kb. A careful study of mRNA expression of the osteogenic proteins in specific organs revealed discrete mRNA species for BMP-3, BMP-4, BMP-5, and BMP-6/Vgr-1 in lung or liver of young and adult mice. OP-1 is expressed in kidney; however, OP-2 and BMP-2 mRNAs were not detected in any organs studied, suggesting an early developmental role.     

Bovine osteogenic protein is composed of dimers of OP-1 and BMP-2A, two members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily

A bone-inductive protein has been purified from bovine bone and designated as osteogenic protein (OP). The purified OP induces new bone at less than 5 ng with half-maximal bone differentiation activity at about 20 ng/25 mg of matrix implant in a subcutaneous bone induction assay. The purified osteogenic protein is composed of disulfide-linked dimers that migrate on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels as a diffuse band with an apparent molecular weight of 30,000. Upon reduction, the dimers yield two subunits that migrate with molecular weights of 18,000 and 16,000. Both subunits are glycosylated. After chemical or enzymatic deglycosylation, the dimers migrate as a diffuse 27-kDa band that upon reduction yields two polypeptides that migrate at 16 kDa and 14 kDa, respectively. The carbohydrate moiety does not appear to be essential for biological activity since the deglycosylated proteins are capable of inducing bone formation in vivo. Amino acid sequences of peptides generated by proteolytic digestion show that the subunits are distinct but related members of the transforming growth factor-beta super-family. The 18-kDa subunit is the protein product of the bovine equivalent of the human OP-1 gene and the 16-kDa subunit is the protein product of the bovine equivalent of the human BMP-2A gene.     

Recombinant human osteogenic protein-1 (hOP-1) induces new bone formation in vivo with a specific activity comparable with natural bovine osteogenic protein and stimulates osteoblast proliferation and differentiation in vitro.

We reported previously that a 32-36-kDa osteogenic protein purified from bovine bone matrix is composed of dimers of two members of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily: the bovine equivalent of human osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) and bone morphogenetic protein-2a, BMP-2a (BMP-2). In the present study, we produced the recombinant human OP-1 (hOP-1) in mammalian cells as a processed mature disulfide-linked homodimer with an apparent molecular weight of 36,000. Examination of hOP-1 in the rat subcutaneous bone induction model demonstrated that hOP-1 was capable of inducing new bone formation with a specific activity comparable with that exhibited by highly purified bovine osteogenic protein preparations. The half-maximal bone-inducing activity of hOP-1 in combination with a rat collagen matrix preparation was 50-100 ng/25 mg of matrix as determined by the calcium content of day 12 implants. Evaluation of hOP-1 effects on cell growth and collagen synthesis in rat osteoblast-enriched bone cell cultures showed that both cell proliferation and collagen synthesis were stimulated in a dose-dependent manner and increased 3-fold in response to 40 ng of hOP-1/ml. Examination of the expression of markers characteristic of the osteoblast phenotype showed that hOP-1 specifically stimulated the induction of alkaline phosphatase (4-fold increase at 40 ng of hOP-1/ml), parathyroid hormone-mediated intracellular cAMP production (4-fold increase at 40 ng of hOP-1/ml), and osteocalcin synthesis (5-fold increase at 25 ng of hOP-1/ml). In long-term (11-17 day) cultures of osteoblasts in the presence of beta-glycerophosphate and L(+)-ascorbate, hOP-1 markedly increased the rate of mineralization as measured by the number of mineral nodules per well (20-fold increase at 20 ng of hOP-1/ml). Direct comparison of TGF-beta 1 and hOP-1 in these bone cell cultures indicated that, although both hOP-1 and TGF-beta 1 promoted cell proliferation and collagen synthesis, only hOP-1 was effective in specifically stimulating markers of the osteoblast phenotype.     

Structural studies of cDNA and the gene for the beta-subunit of cGMP phosphodiesterase from human retina]

cDNA clones encoding the beta-subunit of the photoreceptor cGMP phosphodiesterase-(PDE) were isolated from a human retinal library. The encoded polypeptide has 854 amino acid residues with calculated molecular mass of 98416 Da. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence with the previously analysed alpha-, beta- and alpha'-subunits of the bovine and mouse PDEs demonstrates highly significant similarities. We have also isolated, from a genomic library, two overlapping recombinant lambda phage clones containing 26 kb of the human PDE beta-subunit gene. The cloning of the human gene and the knowledge of its genomic organization will allow the rapid assessment of the role of this gene in the causation of human retinopathies.     

Sequence of the human factor VIII-associated gene is conserved in mouse.

cDNA and genomic clones corresponding to the human factor VIII-associated gene (F8A) were isolated from mouse cDNA and F8A-enriched genomic libraries. The sequences of these clones revealed an intronless gene coding for 380 amino acids, with 85% identity to the predicted human sequence. The single murine gene copy is genetically linked to factor VIII, but appears to lie outside the factor VIII gene by physical mapping. Like the human gene, the mouse F8A gene is highly expressed in a wide variety of tissues. This evolutionary comparison has helped to clarify the derived amino acid sequence in the human and strongly supports the hypothesis that the F8A gene encodes a protein.     

Genomic structure and expression of human guanosine monophosphate reductase

Summary In vitro translation in the rabbit reticulocyte system and transient expression in Cos7 cells were performed to characterize the protein encoded by a chromosome 6-linked human cDNA clone, whose nucleotide sequence is homologous to that of Escherichia coli guanosine monophosphate reductase (GMP reductase) cDNA. The molecular weight of the peptide produced by the cDNA was about 37,000 Dalton, and the protein produced in the Cos7 cells exhibited GMP reductase activity, substantiating that the cDNA is for human GMP reductase. The corresponding genomic clones were obtained from two human genomic libraries. The gene spans about 50 Kb and is composed of 9 exons, which encode 345 amino acid residues. Organization of exons and introns was established by DNA sequencing of each exon and splicing junctions. The gene contains two potential SpI binding sites within exon 1, and a functional atypical polyadenylation signal in exon 9.     

Characterization and Chromosomal Localization of the Gene for Human Rhodopsin Kinase

G-protein-dependent receptor kinases (GRKs) play a key role in the adaptation of receptors to persistent stimuli. In rod photoreceptors rhodopsin kinase (RK) mediates rapid desensitization of rod photoreceptors to light by catalyzing phosphorylation of the visual pigment rhodopsin. To study the structure and mechanism of GRKs in human photoreceptors, we have isolated and characterized cDNA and genomic clones derived from the human RK locus using a bovine rhodopsin kinase cDNA fragment as a probe. The RK locus, assigned to chromosome 13 band q34, is composed of seven exons that encode a protein 92% identical in amino acid sequence to bovine rhodopsin kinase. The marked difference between the structure of this gene and that of another recently cloned human GRK gene suggests the existence of a wide evolutionary gap between members of the GRK gene family.     

cDNA sequence of a Drosophila melanogaster gene, Dfur1, encoding a protein structurally related to the subtilisin-like proprotein processing enzyme furin

Screening a genomic library of Drosophila melanogaster DNA with a human fur cDNA probe resulted in the isolation of DNA clones that apparently belonged to two different DNA regions of the Drosophila genome. Subsequently, corresponding Drosophila cDNA clones were isolated. Nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that these cDNA clones originated from two different genes, which were called Dfur1 and Dfur2. From overlapping Dfur1 cDNA clones, a composite cDNA could be constructed and analysis of its nucleotide sequence revealed the coding sequence for a protein of 899 amino acid residues. This protein, designated Dfurin1, exhibited striking sequence homology to human furin and contained the same protein domains except for the cysteine-rich region. Furthermore, unlike human furin, Dfurin1 possessed an extended amino-terminal region in which a potential transmembrane anchor was present.     

Structure and expression of the lignin O-methyltransferase gene from Zea mays L.

The isolation and characterization of cDNA and homologous genomic clones encoding the lignin O-methyltransferase (OMT) from maize is reported. The cDNA clone has been isolated by differential screening of maize root cDNA library. Southern analysis indicates that a single gene codes for this protein. The genomic sequence contains a single 916 bp intron. The deduced protein sequence from DNA shares significant homology with the recently reported lignin-bispecific caffeic acid/5-hydroxyferulic OMTs from alfalfa and aspen. It also shares homology with OMTs from bovine pineal glands and a purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacterium. The mRNA of this gene is present at different levels in distinct organs of the plant with the highest accumulation detected in the elongation zone of roots. Bacterial extracts from clones containing the maize OMT cDNA show an activity in methylation of caffeic acid to ferulic acid comparable to that existing in the plant extracts. These results indicate that the described gene encodes the caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferase (COMT) involved in the lignin biosynthesis of maize.     

Human gastric intrinsic factor: characterization of cDNA and genomic clones and localization to human chromosome 11

A human gastric intrinsic factor (IF) cDNA clone was isolated using a rat cDNA clone as a probe. Comparison of the predicted amino acid sequence revealed 80% identity of human IF with rat IF. These cDNA clones were used to isolate and map two overlapping clones encoding the human IF gene. The first exon of the cloned region (exon 2) contains 30 bp of the 5' untranslated region, the signal peptide, and the first 8 amino acids of the mature protein. Exons 3-10 encode the remainder of the coding and 3' noncoding regions. Southern analysis of genomic DNA indicated the presence of a single human IF gene and also revealed the presence of strong hybridizing sequences in genomic DNA from monkey, rat, mouse, cow, and human, suggesting that the IF gene is well conserved. The IF gene was localized to human chromosome 11 by concurrent cytogenetic and cDNA probe analysis of a panel of human X mouse somatic cell hybrids. Southern analysis of genomic DNA from patients with congenital pernicious anemia (lacking intrinsic factor) revealed normal restriction fragment patterns, suggesting that a sizable gene deletion was not responsible for the deficiency.