Assessment of Anti-recombination and Double-strand Break-induced Gene Conversion in Human Cells by a Chromosomal Reporter

Gene conversion is one of the frequent end results of homologous recombination, and it often underlies the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes in cancer cells. Here, we have developed an integrated assay system that allows simultaneous examination of double-strand break (DSB)-induced gene conversion events at the site of a DSB (proximal region) and at a surrounding region ～1 kb away from the break (distal region). Utilizing this assay system, we find that gene conversion events at the proximal and distal regions are relatively independent of one another. The results also indicate that synthesis-dependent strand annealing (SDSA) plays a major role in DSB-induced gene conversion. In addition, our current study has demonstrated that hMLH1 plays an essential role in anti-recombination and gene conversion. Specifically, the anti-recombination activity of hMLH1 is partially dependent on its interaction with hMRE11. Our data suggests that the role of hMLH1 and hMRE11 in the process of gene conversion is complex, and these proteins play different roles in DSB-induced proximal and distal gene conversions. In particular, the involvement of hMLH1 and hMRE11 in the distal gene conversion requires both hMSH2 and heteroduplex formation.     

入源中和性抗甲型肝炎病毒抗体Fab段基因的序列分析及可溶性表达

在用噬菌体表面呈现系统获得人源抗甲型肝炎(甲肝)病毒中和性基因工程Fab抗体的基础上,对所获得的4株中和性Fab抗体轻重链可变区基因进行了序列分析、可溶性表达及生物学特性鉴定.4株Fab抗体重链可变区拥有99%同源的核苷酸序列和相同的CDR区氨基酸序列,属于VHⅢ基因家族.而轻链可变区核苷酸序列同源性为95%和相似的CDR区氨基酸序列,属于VL5基因家族.这些重组抗体都能与人甲肝恢复期血清及具有中和活性的鼠抗甲肝单克隆抗体产生竞争抑制反应,表明其针对甲肝病毒结构蛋白上的主要抗原决定簇.     

Single and Coincident Intragenic Mutations Attributable to Gene Conversion in a Human Cell Line

Two polymorphic sites are located within the heterozygous TK1 locus in the human lymphoblastoid cell line TK6: an inactivating frameshift in exon 4 of the nonfunctional allele and a phenotypically silent frameshift in exon 7 of the functional allele. Through the use of these intragenic polymorphisms and microsatellite markers that flank TK1, we demonstrate that partial gene conversion accounts for 3/75 (0.04) spontaneous and 9/163 (0.06) X-ray-induced TK1(-) mutants, thus comprising a significant component of forward mutations at this locus. In all cases, the conversion tract is <1 cM, rendering double exchange a remote alternate explanation for these results. Sequence analysis of full length TK1 cDNA provides rigorous exclusion of deletion events as a mechanism for generation of these allelotypes. Detailed examination of allelotypes in TK1(-) mutants identified two mechanisms for the generation of coincident sequence alterations that sometimes accompanied gene conversions. Mutations within the conversion tract were attributed to either error-prone gap filling synthesis during recombinational repair or mismatch repair within a heteroduplex region following branch migration. These findings suggest that a proportion of point mutations may not be targeted to sites of DNA base damage, but rather may arise as secondary consequences from the repair of DNA strand breaks.     

Broad T-Cell Receptor Repertoire in T-Lymphocytes Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have enormous potential for the treatment of inherited and acquired disorders. Recently, antigen-specific T lymphocytes derived from hiPSCs have been reported. However, T lymphocyte populations with broad T cell receptor (TCR) diversity have not been generated. We report that hiPSCs derived from skin biopsy are capable of producing T lymphocyte populations with a broad TCR repertoire. In vitro T cell differentiation follows a similar developmental program as observed in vivo, indicated by sequential expression of CD7, intracellular CD3 and surface CD3. The γδ TCR locus is rearranged first and is followed by rearrangement of the αβ locus. Both γδ and αβ T cells display a diverse TCR repertoire. Upon activation, the cells express CD25, CD69, cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2) and cytolytic proteins (Perforin and Granzyme-B). These results suggest that most, if not all, mechanisms required to generate functional T cells with a broad TCR repertoire are intact in our in vitro differentiation protocol. These data provide a foundation for production of patient-specific T cells for the treatment of acquired or inherited immune disorders and for cancer immunotherapy.     

Insulin Dominantly Suppresses Hepatitis B Virus Gene Expression in Cultured Human Hepatoma Cells

We have shown previously that insulin suppresses the expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) gene from an endogenous integrated viral genome in cultured human hepatoma Hep3B cells. In this study, we demonstrated that insulin suppresses the viral mRNA transcribed from transiently transfected tandem repeat hepatitis B virus (HBV) dimer DNA or DNA fragment that contains only the major HBsAg gene. Insulin treatment also resulted in a decrease in HBV viral particles produced by the HBV-DNA-transfected cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, when insulin was simultaneously added with glucocorticoid, which stimulates HBV gene expression, the stimulatory effect of glucocorticoid was completely abolished. Our results suggest that insulin has a dominant negative effect on the HBV gene expression in cultured human liver cells.     

A Monoclonal Antibody that Binds Preferentially to Human Suppressor T Cells

A monoclonal antibody termed JM3-3-3A was produced by somatic cell hybridization. The reactivity was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence. JM3-3-3A was reactive with 41% human peripheral blood T cells and 48% non-T cells. Among various human lymphoblastoid cell lines (MOLT 4F, JM, and TALL-I), TALL-I was found not to be reactive with JM-13-3-3A. Human peripheral blood Tcells fractionated by JM3-3-3A-coated dish panning were submitted to functional studies. JM3-3-3A positive T cells responded to mitogens, concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin-P much better than JM3-3-3A negative T cells in the presence or absence of adherent cells. JM3-3-3A positive T cells showed suppressor activity and JM3-3-3A negative T cells showed helper activity in pokeweed mitogen-induced Ig production. More than fifty percent of the JM3-3-3A positive T cells were reactive with OKT8 which binds to suppressor/ cytotoxic T cells, whereas 18% of JM3-3-3A negative T cells were reactive with OKTIl. In addition, immunoprecipitation experiments identified a protein with an approximate molecular weight of 43,000 as a cell surface antigen for JM3-3-3A. Thus, the reactivity of JM3-3-3A showed a wide distribution but human peripheral blood T cells could be dissected functionally by this antibody.     

抗癌胚抗原单链抗体基因与核心链霉亲和素基因融合在昆虫细胞中的表达

将抗癌胚抗原单链抗体基因与核心链霉亲和素基因融合插入昆虫杆状病毒供体质粒 pFastBacHTa中 ,在粉纹夜蛾Tn 5B1 4细胞中进行表达。SDS PAGE分析结果表明 ,表达产物分子量为 4 1kD左右 ,Western印迹分析结果表明 ,以HRP标记的生物素进行蛋白质印迹在 4 1kD处可见表达条带 ,表明融合蛋白能特异性的与生物素结合 ,放射免疫分析表明重组杆状病毒表达产生的ScFv CS蛋白能特异性结合癌胚抗原     

Immune Repertoire Profiling Reveals that Clonally Expanded B and T Cells Infiltrating Diseased Human Kidneys Can Also Be Tracked in Blood

Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing allow for the competitive analysis of the human B and T cell immune repertoire. In this study we compared Immunoglobulin and T cell receptor repertoires of lymphocytes found in kidney and blood samples of 10 patients with various renal diseases based on next-generation sequencing data. We used Biomed-2 primer panels and ImmunExplorer software to sequence, analyze and compare complementarity determining regions and V-(D)-J elements. While generally an individual’s renal receptor repertoire is different from the repertoire present in blood, 94% (30/32) of the lymphocytes with clonal expansion in kidney can also be traced in blood however, not all of these clonotypes are equally abundant. Summarizing the data of all analyzed patients, 68% of highly expanded T cell clonotypes and 30% of the highly expanded B cell clonotypes that have infiltrated the kidney can be found amongst the five most abundant clonotypes in blood. In addition, complementarity determining region 3 sequences of the immunoglobulin heavy chains are on average more diverse than T cell receptor beta chains. Immune repertoire analysis of tissue infiltrating B and T cells adds new approaches to the assessment of adaptive immune response in kidney diseases. Our data suggest that expanded clonotypes in the tissues might be traceable in blood samples in the course of treatment or the natural history of the disease.     

Gene Conversion Tracts from Double-Strand Break Repair in Mammalian Cells

Mammalian cells are able to repair chromosomal double-strand breaks (DSBs) both by homologous recombination and by mechanisms that require little or no homology. Although spontaneous homologous recombination is rare, DSBs will stimulate recombination by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude when homology is provided either from exogenous DNA in gene-targeting experiments or from a repeated chromosomal sequence. Using a gene-targeting assay in mouse embryonic stem cells, we now investigate the effect of heterology on recombinational repair of DSBs. Cells were cotransfected with an endonuclease expression plasmid to induce chromosomal DSBs and with substrates containing up to 1.2% heterology from which to repair the DSBs. We find that heterology decreases the efficiency of recombinational repair, with 1.2% sequence divergence resulting in an approximately sixfold reduction in recombination. Gene conversion tract lengths were examined in 80 recombinants. Relatively short gene conversion tracts were observed, with 80% of the recombinants having tracts of 58 bp or less. These results suggest that chromosome ends in mammalian cells are generally protected from extensive degradation prior to recombination. Gene conversion tracts that were long (up to 511 bp) were continuous, i.e., they contained an uninterrupted incorporation of the silent mutations. This continuity suggests that these long tracts arose from extensive degradation of the ends or from formation of heteroduplex DNA which is corrected with a strong bias in the direction of the unbroken strand.     

鸡球虫18S rRNA基因序列的测定与分析

为了利用18S rRNA基因进行鸡球虫系统进化分析,对巨型艾美耳球虫(Eimeria maxima)、柔嫩艾美耳球虫(E.tenella)、堆形艾美耳球虫(E.acervulina)3种共8个不同来源的虫株,分别提取总DNA进行18S rRNA基因的扩增和测序;将得到的序列登录GenBank进行同源性和趋异性分析,并结合GenBank中其它原虫的18S rRNA基因序列构建进化树.结果显示扩增获得8株鸡球虫18S rRNA基因长度为1746～1756 bp,序列比对显示同种不同株间的同源性大于不同种间的同源性,其中3株E.maxima株间同源性在98.7%～99.3%之间,4株E.tenella株间同源性在99.7%～99.9%之间;不同种间同源性为96.5%～98.1%,其中E.maxima与E.tenclla的遗传距离最大,为0.038;E.maxima与E.acervulina的遗传距离最小,为0.021.顶复器门9个不同属所构建的进化树结果显示,E.imeria和等孢属(Isospora)聚为一支,说明亲缘关系比较近.与GertBank中其它5株不同鸡球虫的18S rRNA基因共同构建的进化树显示,3株E.maxima聚为一支,与E.brunetti、E.mitis、E.mivati、E.praecox和E.acervulina聚为一大分支;4株E.tenella与1株E.necatrix共同形成一个分支,说明E.tenella与E.necattix的亲缘关系最近.本研究证实了在鸡球虫系统进化研究中,18S rRNA基因不仅可以区分不同种,而且有可能成为区分同种不同株的理想靶基因.     

人B组轮状病毒vp7基因的克隆和序列分析

利用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)技术,扩增了人B组轮状病毒WH-2vp7基因,连接到克隆载体pUCm-T,并对其基因序列进行了分析.WH-2与ADRV的同源性达98%,与印度加尔各达分离株CAL-1达92%,而与动物B组轮状病毒同源性差别较大,如与IDIR(鼠)同源性仅为58%,与WD653(牛)B组轮状病毒同源性为63%,与ATI(牛)同源性为61%.对vp7基因的二级结构分析发现其mRNA折叠形成多达18个发卡环状结构.VP7蛋白是249个氨基酸组成,分子量为28.4kDa,含有3个潜在的N连接的糖基化位点和多个磷酰化位点,从氨基酸序列的同源性来看,WH-2与ADRV的同源性达99%,与CAL-1达95%,而IDIR仅为51%,说明了WH-2和ADRV的起源相同.此研究对了解B组轮状病毒基因的进化和变异规律具有重要意义,也将为B组轮状病毒预防性疫苗的研制提供科学的依据.     

人B组轮状病毒vp7基因的克隆和序列分析

利用逆转录—聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)技术,扩增了人B组轮状病毒WH—2vp7基因,连接到克隆载体pUCm—T,并对其基因序列进行了分析。WH—2与ADRV的同源性达98％,与印度加尔各达分离株CAL—1达92％,而与动物B组轮状病毒同源性差别较大,如与IDIR(鼠)同源性仅为58％,与WD653(牛)B组轮状病毒同源性为63％,与ATI(牛)同源性为61％。对vp7基因的二级结构分析发现其mRNA折叠形成多达18个发卡环状结构。VP7蛋白是249个氨基酸组成,分子：量为28．4kDa,含有3个潜在的N连接的糖基化位点和多个磷酰化位点,从氨基酸序列的同源性来看,WH—2与ADRV的同源性达99％,与CAL—1达95％,而IDIR仅为51％,说明了WH—2和ADRV的起源相同。此研究对了解B组轮状病毒基因的进化和变异规律具有重要意义,也将为B组轮状病毒预防性疫苗的研制提供科学的依据。     

Gene Regulatory Programs Conferring Phenotypic Identities to Human NK Cells

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Signals of Historical Interlocus Gene Conversion in Human Segmental Duplications

Standard methods of DNA sequence analysis assume that sequences evolve independently, yet this assumption may not be appropriate for segmental duplications that exchange variants via interlocus gene conversion (IGC). Here, we use high quality multiple sequence alignments from well-annotated segmental duplications to systematically identify IGC signals in the human reference genome. Our analysis combines two complementary methods: (i) a paralog quartet method that uses DNA sequence simulations to identify a statistical excess of sites consistent with inter-paralog exchange, and (ii) the alignment-based method implemented in the GENECONV program. One-quarter (25.4%) of the paralog families in our analysis harbor clear IGC signals by the quartet approach. Using GENECONV, we identify 1477 gene conversion tracks that cumulatively span 1.54 Mb of the genome. Our analyses confirm the previously reported high rates of IGC in subtelomeric regions and Y-chromosome palindromes, and identify multiple novel IGC hotspots, including the pregnancy specific glycoproteins and the neuroblastoma breakpoint gene families. Although the duplication history of a paralog family is described by a single tree, we show that IGC has introduced incredible site-to-site variation in the evolutionary relationships among paralogs in the human genome. Our findings indicate that IGC has left significant footprints in patterns of sequence diversity across segmental duplications in the human genome, out-pacing the contributions of single base mutation by orders of magnitude. Collectively, the IGC signals we report comprise a catalog that will provide a critical reference for interpreting observed patterns of DNA sequence variation across duplicated genomic regions, including targets of recent adaptive evolution in humans.     

Prevalence in England of Antibody to Human Polyomavirus (B.K.)

Over 500 human sera were tested by complement fixation and haemagglutination inhibition tests for antibody to the human polyomavirus (B.K.). Both tests showed that antibody to this virus was very common in the population and began to be acquired after the age of 1 year. No clinical illness has so far been associated with the development of this antibody in a series of paired sera from children.     

Structural Basis for the Recognition of Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein B by a Neutralizing Human Antibody

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections are life-threating to people with a compromised or immature immune system. Upon adhesion, fusion of the virus envelope with the host cell is initiated. In this step, the viral glycoprotein gB is considered to represent the major fusogen. Here, we present for the first time structural data on the binding of an anti-herpes virus antibody and describe the atomic interactions between the antigenic domain Dom-II of HCMV gB and the Fab fragment of the human antibody SM5-1. The crystal structure shows that SM5-1 binds Dom-II almost exclusively via only two CDRs, namely light chain CDR L1 and a 22-residue-long heavy chain CDR H3. Two contiguous segments of Dom-II are targeted by SM5-1, and the combining site includes a hydrophobic pocket on the Dom-II surface that is only partially filled by CDR H3 residues. SM5-1 belongs to a series of sequence-homologous anti-HCMV gB monoclonal antibodies that were isolated from the same donor at a single time point and that represent different maturation states. Analysis of amino acid substitutions in these antibodies in combination with molecular dynamics simulations show that key contributors to the picomolar affinity of SM5-1 do not directly interact with the antigen but significantly reduce the flexibility of CDR H3 in the bound and unbound state of SM5-1 through intramolecular side chain interactions. Thus, these residues most likely alleviate unfavorable binding entropies associated with extra-long CDR H3s, and this might represent a common strategy during antibody maturation. Models of entire HCMV gB in different conformational states hint that SM5-1 neutralizes HCMV either by blocking the pre- to postfusion transition of gB or by precluding the interaction with additional effectors such as the gH/gL complex.     

The Mechanism of Gene Targeting in Human Somatic Cells

Gene targeting in human somatic cells is of importance because it can be used to either delineate the loss-of-function phenotype of a gene or correct a mutated gene back to wild-type. Both of these outcomes require a form of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair known as homologous recombination (HR). The mechanism of HR leading to gene targeting, however, is not well understood in human cells. Here, we demonstrate that a two-end, ends-out HR intermediate is valid for human gene targeting. Furthermore, the resolution step of this intermediate occurs via the classic DSB repair model of HR while synthesis-dependent strand annealing and Holliday Junction dissolution are, at best, minor pathways. Moreover, and in contrast to other systems, the positions of Holliday Junction resolution are evenly distributed along the homology arms of the targeting vector. Most unexpectedly, we demonstrate that when a meganuclease is used to introduce a chromosomal DSB to augment gene targeting, the mechanism of gene targeting is inverted to an ends-in process. Finally, we demonstrate that the anti-recombination activity of mismatch repair is a significant impediment to gene targeting. These observations significantly advance our understanding of HR and gene targeting in human cells.     

人乙型肝炎病毒前表面抗原preS基因的克隆与序列分析

从杭州、兰州两地各一例乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)表面抗原阳性血清中提取病毒DNA,采取PCR技术扩增出前表面抗原(preS)基因片段,重组到质粒载体上,对该基因进行了全序列测定[GenBank索取号CpreS-HZAF325674;preS-LZAF325675].克隆的HBVpreS基因杭州分离物(preS-HZ)和兰州分离物(preS-LZ)全长522个核苷酸,编码174个氨基酸.preS-HZ与已发表的HBVadr亚型上海分离物[8]、北京分离物[9]、日本分离物[5]、HBVadw亚型[10]和ayw亚型[11]preS基因的核苷酸序列同源性分别为96.7%、96.2%、97.3%、88.7%和84.1%,氨基酸序列同源性分别为96.0%、94.9%、97.1%、85.1%和85.4%;preS-LZ与相应序列的核苷酸序列同源性分别为96.4%、96.2%、96.9%、88.7%、83.7%,氨基酸序列同源性分别为94.9%、94.9%、96.0%、85.1%、84.1%.分子进化分析(DNASTAR,1999)表明,克隆的两例HBVpreS基因属于adr亚型.preS-LZ与preS-HZ之间有两个核苷酸变异(对应两个氨基酸变异),相对于以上报道的序列二者含有四个特异的氨基酸突变位点.在免疫保护区内二者具有较好的保守性,可用于表达乙肝重组亚单位疫苗.