内含子对提高转基因动物基因表达效率的影响

综述了内含子在转基因动物基因表达中的作用,对内源性内含子和异源内含子对转基因表达的影响进行分析,讨论了内含子提高转基因动物基因表达效率的三种可能机制,并指出在表达载体构建中应考虑到内含子的重要性．     

Kidney-Specific Activity of the Bovine Uromodulin Promoter

A 10-kilobase (kb) bacteriophage bovine genomic clone containing 5.4 kb of the 5-flanking region, exons, and introns of bovine uromodulin gene was isolated. Transgenic mice containing 3.9 kb of the bovine uromodulin promoter and a lacZ reporter gene were generated by pronuclear microinjection. RT-PCR and northern blot analyses of transgene expression in various tissues of founder and F1 mice showed that the transgene was expressed exclusively in the kidney. In situ hybridization and histochemistry for lacZ demonstrated that transgene expression was restricted to tubule epithelial cells of the loop of Henle in the kidney. Stepwise 5 deletion analysis revealed that transfection of luciferase reporter constructs fused to various proximal 5-flanking regions of the bovine uromodulin gene markedly increased luciferase activity in mouse renal epithelial cells but not in mesenchymal cells and that the most critical cis elements of the uromodulin gene are located within the 600 bp upstream region.     

Activity of the Human Telomerase Catalytic Subunit (hTERT) Gene Promoter Could Be Increased by the SV40 Enhancer

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex of which the function is to add telomeric repeats to chromosomal ends. Telomerase consists of two essential components, the telomerase RNA template (hTR) and the catalytic subunit (hTERT). hTERT is expressed only in cells and tissues positive for telomerase activity, i.e., tumor and fetal cells. The aim of this study is to test the increased telomerase promoter activity for cancer gene therapy in adenovirus vector. We cloned the hTERT promoter in place of the SV40 promoter in the pGL3-contol vector to be increased by the SV40 enhancer sequences, resulting in strong expression of luc+ only in telomerase positive cancer cells. Then we transfected the constructed plasmid into a normal human cell line and several cancer cell lines. Through these experiments, we identified the selective and increased expression of the luciferase gene controlled by the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer in the telomerase positive cancer cell lines. To investigate the possibility of utilizing the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer in targeted cancer gene therapy, we constructed an adenovirus vector expressing HSV-TK controlled by the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer for the induction of specific telomerase positive cancer cell death. NSCLC cells infected by Ad-hT-TK-enh were more significantly suppressed and induced apoptosis than those infected by Ad-hT-TK. Telomerase is activated in 80～90% of cancers, so adenovirus with increasing telomerase promoter activity might be used for targeted cancer gene therapy using suicide genes. These results show that the hTERT promoter and the SV40 enhancer might be used for targeted cancer gene therapy.     

Comprehensive Analysis of a cis-Regulatory Region Reveals Pleiotropy in Enhancer Function

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Enhancer analysis by chicken embryo electroporation with aid of genome comparison

The identification of the enhancers associated with each developmentally regulated gene is a first step to clarify the regulatory mechanisms underlying embryogenesis. The electroporation technique using chicken embryo is a powerful tool to identify such enhancers. The technique enables us to survey a large genomic region and to analyze the enhancers in great detail. Comparison of the genomic sequences of the chicken and other vertebrate species identifies conserved non-coding sequence blocks to which the functionally identified enhancers often correspond. In this review, I describe in detail the methods to analyze the enhancers using the chicken embryo electroporation and genome comparison.     

家蚕核多角体病毒解旋酶基因启动子及增强子hr3功能分析

从BmNPVZJ8株克隆了解旋酶（helicase)基因ATG上游的510bp启动子,序列分析发现,该启动子同时具有早期和晚期RNA转录起始位点,将起始密码突变为ATT后,引入萤火虫荧光素酶（Luc)基因作瞬时表达分析,用表达质粒pBmhel510luc转染Bm-5和Sf-21细胞,解旋酶基因启动子能被细胞的RNA聚合酶识别,具有早期启动子的特性,且病毒因子对hel510启动子具有反式激活作用。杆状病毒同源重复区（hr)序列是病毒DNA复制起始点,又具有增强子功能,将BmNPVhr3序列克隆到hel510启动子的下游进行瞬时表达,结果表明,hr3可增强hel510启动子在昆虫细胞和家蚕幼虫中的转录活性分别在7000倍和1000倍左右。     

在转基因水稻植株中蜡质基因第1内含子对-基因表达影响的分析

为阐明水稻Wx基因第1内含子在整体植株的胚乳发育阶段是否确有增强基因表达的功能,以及弄清高和中、低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种Wx基因第1内含子1 126个碱基之间有差异的16个碱基中哪几个碱基影响了该内含子的正常剪接从而降低了基因的表达水平,我们分别用高直链淀粉含量品种的Wx基因翻译起始密码子ATG上游3.1和2.1 kb片段与GUS基因编码区融合构建成嵌合质粒,并在此基础上,(1)去除嵌合质粒中Wx基因的第1内含子;(2)将嵌合质粒Wx基因的第1内含子中(3.1 kb)与中、低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种Wx基因第1内含子有差异的6个碱基以中、低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种的碱基替换.将上述改造过的几种质粒分别转化粳稻品种中花11,测定转化植株未成熟种子胚乳中的GUS活性.结果表明第1内含子的缺失或此内含子的5′端剪接点上的碱基G以T替换均造成GUS活性的急剧下降,说明第l内含子在植株体内的确有增强基因表达的功能,而且在中、低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种中Wx基因第1内含子5′端剪接点上自然存在的G→T突变是造成这些品种中该内含子剪接不正常、从而使Wx基因表达水平和直链淀粉含量下降的主要原因.     

植物抗寒基因表达调控研究进展

低温胁迫是植物生长过程中的主要非生物胁迫因子之一,也是影响农作物生产的主要因素之一。研究表明,在植物体内存在着一个复杂的对低温胁迫信号感知及传导的网络系统,该系统中大量的相关基因已有报道,这些基因不仅仅涉及植物激素的应答,还涉及到植物基因的转录调控及转录后的修饰与调控等各个方面。该文就近年来国内外有关植物抗寒基因表达调控的研究进展进行综述。     

鼻咽癌细胞中ezrin基因增强子区的定位分析

本研究采用嵌套缺失和荧光素酶检测技术对鼻咽癌CNE2细胞ezrin基因增强子区进行定位分析。实验结果显示,CNE2细胞中,ezrin基因-1541/-706具有转录激活和转录增强作用,存在转录正调控区和负调控区。对5个潜在转录调控区的进一步研究发现,ezrin基因-1297/-1186对ezrin启动子和SV40启动子具有显著的转录增强作用;其它4个区域对启动子不表现转录调控作用,或表现弱的转录增强作用。结果表明,ezrin基因-1297/-1186是具有增强子作用的关键转录调控区,它有可能与其它潜在转录调控区以共同或协同的方式调控ezrin基因转录。     

水稻OsBP-73基因表达需要其内含子参与

该实验室以前的研究表明,水稻OsBP-73基因含有2个外显子和1个长度为2 471 bp的内含子.该文报告用OsBP-73基因ATG翻译起始密码子(在第1外显子中)上游序列(1- 818～ 215)与GUS基因构成嵌合质粒pRSSl,将该质粒转化水稻后,在抗性愈伤组织和转基因植株中未能检测到GUS基因的表达.只有用含有完整的内含子及其上游序列(1 818～ 2 844)与GUS基因构成嵌合质粒(p13GNF)时,才能在p13GNF的转基因抗性愈伤组织和植株中检测到GUS基因的表达.实验还证明,单是内含子序列并不能驱动GUS基因在转基因水稻中表达.由此推测:OsBP-73基因的启动子序列驱动基因表达时,需要基因内含子的参与.     

植物花青素合成途径中的调控基因研究进展

花青素广泛分布于高等植物中,是一种水溶性的植物色素,与农作物的多种品质性状密切相关。虽长期受到关注,但其生物合成途径则是近年来随着拟南芥等植物突变体研究的深入才取得突破的。对于花、果实和种子中的花青素研究始终是热点,近来国内外有很多关于花青素合成与基因调控发明研究的报道。随着研究的深入不仅可以为医疗保健等提供科学依据,而且有助于其在农业生产中应用。本文综述了植物花青素基因的研究现状和发展趋势,包括植物花青素生物合成途径,生物合成途径中相关转录因子的调控,以及已经分离和克隆的调控基因在功能方面的研究进展。     

Prediction and Computer Analysis of the Exon–Intron Structure of Human Genes

This review of the original works on computer analysis of the human genome considers (i) the development of methods to predict the exon–intron structure of genes and (ii) analysis of alternative splicing. Prediction of the gene structure is based on homology between the gene product and a known protein or between the genomic sequences of the gene and its homolog from another organism. The methods were tested and proved highly efficient. Human gene splicing was analyzed with original methods and EST databases. Genes with alternative splicing were for the first time shown to account for no less than 35% of total genes. Alternative splicing was compared for the human and mouse genomes. Species-specific isoforms were demonstrated for 50% of alternatively spliced genes (25% of total genes).     

心肌细胞周期调控的研究进展

尽管分子心脏学在很多方面已经取得了较大的进展,但是有关心脏形成细胞的起源、诱导心脏发生的机理、胚胎期和成人期心肌细胞增殖的调控途径仍然不是很清楚.在最近的研究中,人们对心肌细胞周期调控已有所了解.主要就心肌细胞周期活动和成人心肌细胞发生的研究进展进行了综述.     

Control of Human PLP1 Expression Through Transcriptional Regulatory Elements and Alternatively Spliced Exons in Intron 1

Although the myelin proteolipid protein gene (PLP1) encodes the most abundant protein in central nervous system (CNS) myelin, not much is known about the mechanisms that govern expression of the human gene (hPLP1). Much more is known about the processes that regulate Plp1 gene expression in rodents. From studies with Plp1-lacZ transgenic mice, it was determined that the first intron of mouse Plp1 (mPlp1) is required to attain high levels of expression in brain, concurrent with the active myelination period. Other studies have suggested that within mPlp1 intron 1 (>8 kb) lie several regions with enhancer-like activity. To test whether these sequences (and possibly others) in hPLP1 intron 1 are functional, deletion-transfection analysis was performed with hPLP1-lacZ constructs that contain various portions of the intron, or lack it altogether. Results presented here demonstrate the importance of hPLP1 intron 1 in achieving maximal levels of expression in the immortalized oligodendroglial cell line, Oli-neu. Deletion analysis indicates that the intron contains multiple positive regulatory elements which are active in Oli-neu cells. Some of these elements appear to be functionally conserved between human and mouse, while others are not. Furthermore, our studies demonstrate that multiple splice variants can be formed due to inclusion of extra (supplementary) exons from what is classically thought of as hPLP1 intron 1. Thus, splicing of these novel exons (which are not recognized as such in mPlp1 due to lack of conserved splice sites) must utilize factors common to both human and mouse since Oli-neu cells are of mouse origin.     

糯性水稻中蜡质基因第1内含子的剪接活性

以前的研究结果表明 ,非糯性的稻米中直链淀粉的含量与各品种中蜡质基因 (Wx)第 1内含子被剪接的效率有关 ,即剪接效率高的品种直链淀粉含量也高。为弄清糯米中不含直链淀粉是否也与此内含子剪接效率有关系 ,构建了蜡质基因启动子 (来自籼稻品种2 32 )、蜡质基因第 1内含子 [来自籼稻品种 2 32 (高直链淀粉含量的品种 )或粳稻品种寒丰 6 36 6 (中、低直链淀粉含量的品种 ) ]与GUS报告基因组成的两种嵌合基因 ,将含有这两种嵌合基因的质粒分别转化进粳性糯稻品种奉糯 5 93中 ,同时还分别转化进非糯性的籼稻品种特青和粳稻品种中花 11中作为对照 ,测定它们的抗性愈伤组织与转基因植株未成熟种子胚乳中的GUS酶活性。结果表明与在非糯性的籼稻和粳稻中一样 ,这两种嵌合质粒在不合成直链淀粉的糯稻中也有相当水平的表达。从此结果可以推测 ,糯稻品种有从嵌合基因的转录本中剪接蜡质基因第 1内含子的正常能力 ,而在糯稻中缺乏直链淀粉可能是糯稻蜡质基因第1内含子中的其它突变所造成的     

Runx2参与调控Osterix 启动子活性及其基因表达

尽管Runx2和Osterix都是成骨细胞分化途径中关键的转录因子,但是Runx2是否能够调控Osterix,还不为所知.研究发现,在非成骨细胞系,无论是间充质干细胞还是已分化的细胞,以及成骨细胞系中,Runx2都能诱导Osterix的表达.同时Runx2能够上调3.2kb人的Osterix基因启动子活性.进一步实验证明,在这一段启动子中存在Runx2功能性的结合位点.因而,实验结果有力地支持了这样一个假设,即Runx2参与了Osterix基因的表达调控.瞬时转染和荧光素酶双报告分析结果显示,在非成骨细胞中,Osterix明显上调2.3kb的Ⅰ型胶原蛋白启动子活性,但Runx2却不能.这样的差别暗示,在成骨细胞分化过程中位于Runx2下游的转录因子Osterix是刺激Ⅰ型胶原蛋白基因表达所必需的.