人PNRC基因启动子的初步鉴定

 PNRC (praline-rich nuclear receptor coactivator) 是最近发现的一种新的核受体辅活化子,它是以牛类固醇生成因子-1(SF1)作诱饵,利用酵母双杂系统从人乳腺cDNA表达文库中筛选得到的.为了研究人PNRC基因的表达调控机制,在对人PNRC基因的生物信息分析的基础上,采用5′RACE法确定了PNRC基因的转录起始位点,克隆了人PNRC基因的5′侧翼区,并对该区进行功能分析.分别构建了11种含不同长度启动子序列的荧光素酶报告基因表达质粒,将它们瞬时转染HepG2细胞,检测其荧光素酶活性.结果发现,PNRC的5′侧翼区的-323～+27、-323～+57-123～+57、-123～+27区域的启动子活性显著升高,其中-323～+27区域的启动子活性最高.研究表明,人PNRC基因启动子的最小区域位于PNRC的5′侧翼区的-123～+27区域. .     

应用酵母双杂交系统筛选新基因Collectrin相关蛋白

Collectrin是在小鼠 5 6肾切除后 ,在肾小球的高滤过、高增生期分离克隆的一个新基因 .通过酵母双杂交系统从人肾脏cDNA文库中筛选与collectrin相互作用的蛋白 ,可以为该基因的功能研究提供线索 .构建collectrin的真核表达载体collectrin pGBKT7 c myc ,转化酵母菌AH10 9.Western印迹证实 ,collectrin蛋白能够在酵母中正常表达 ,对酵母细胞无毒性 ,不存在自激活现象 .将AH10 9 collectrin pGBKT7 c myc与转化了成人肾脏cDNA文库的酵母菌Y187接合 ,共筛选到 5个与细胞代谢有关的蛋白 ,包括鞘磷脂激活蛋白、精氨琥珀酸合成酶、氨基酸转运蛋白XAT2、NADH脱氢酶 1和金属硫蛋白 2A .由此推论 ,collectrin可能通过与细胞内某些酶类相互作用而影响细胞代谢 ,为新基因collectrin的功能研究提供了重要线索 .     

A large protein containing zinc finger domains binds to related sequence elements in the enhancers of the class I major histocompatibility complex and kappa immunoglobulin genes.

A cDNA from a B-cell library was previously isolated that encodes a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein with affinities for related sites in a class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and kappa immunoglobulin gene enhancers. We report here approximately 6.5 kilobases of sequence of the MBP-1 (MHC enhancer binding protein 1) cDNA. MBP-1 protein has a molecular weight predicted to be greater than 200,000. A DNA-binding domain with high affinity for the MHC enhancer sequence TGGGGATTCCCCA was localized to an 118-amino-acid protein fragment containing two zinc fingers of the class Cys2-X12-His2. Analysis of expression of MBP-1 mRNA revealed relatively high expression in HeLa cells and in a human retinal cell line, with lower levels in Jurkat T cells and in two B-cell lines. Interestingly, expression of MBP-1 mRNA was inducible by mitogen and phorbol ester treatment of Jurkat T cells and by serum treatment of confluent serum-deprived human fibroblasts.     

Identification and characterization of a novel gene EOLA1 stimulating ECV304 cell proliferation

To study the changes in gene expression in endothelial cells stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) we performed subtraction hybridization on control human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) versus HUVEC stimulated by LPS. A novel cDNA, named endothelial-overexpressed lipopolysaccharide-associated factor 1 (EOLA1), was cloned from our differentially expressed EST database of HUVEC cDNA library (GenBank Accession No. ). Computational analysis showed that EOLA1 is 1404bp long, encoding a 158aa, 17.8kDa protein, mapped to chromosome Xq27.4 with 5 exons, expressed in different human normal tissues and cancer cell lines. Using the EOLA1 cDNA as bait, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screening of a human liver cDNA library and identified metallothionein 2A (MT2A) as associated protein. Stable transfection of EOLA1 stimulates ECV304 cell proliferation. Our data suggest that the physical interaction of EOLA1 and MT2A may have an important role of cell protection in inflammation reaction.     

Cloning and characterization of a c-myc intron binding protein (MIBP1).

The cDNA for a c-myc intron 1 binding protein 1 (MIBP1) in the rat was isolated from lambda gt11 and lambda ZAPII cDNA libraries. Sequencing of the cDNA clones revealed a long ORF which encoded a putative protein of 2437 amino acid residues. This protein has two widely separated zinc finger regions, each of which carries C2H2 motifs. When expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein, part of the MIBP1 showed sequence-specific binding to the target sequence, i.e., a 9-bp sequence in the rat c-myc intron 1. MIBP1 is most likely the rat counterpart of human MHC binding protein-2 (MBP-2/HIV-EP2), based on the 86% similarity in nucleotide sequence and 93% similarity in amno acid sequence. Northern blotting revealed a high level of MIBP1 mRNA in the brain.     

Identification of a novel protein interacting with laforin,the EPM2a progressive myoclonus epilepsy gene product

We have identified an interacting partner protein (encoded by the human EPM2AIP1 gene (approved symbol)) for laforin, the product of the EPM2A gene, which is mutated in an autosomal recessive form of adolescent progressive myoclonus epilepsy. The EPM2AIP1 gene was identified in a screen for laforin-interacting proteins with a human brain cDNA library using the yeast two-hybrid system. The specificity of the interaction was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation of in vivo-transfected protein and by using EPM2A deletion constructs. Subcellular colocalization of laforin and EPM2AIP1 protein was also demonstrated. The human EPM2AIP1 gene, corresponding to the KIAA0766 cDNA clone in the databases, was characterized and shown, like EPM2A, to be ubiquitously expressed. The gene, which comprises one large exon 1824 nucleotides in length and has alternative 3' untranslated regions, maps to human chromosome 3p22.1. The function is currently not known and extensive analyses do not reveal any homology to other proteins or any obvious structural motifs. Because genetic heterogeneity in Lafora disease has been described, mutational analysis of the EPM2AIP1 gene was performed on non-EPM2A patients, but no mutations were found. The identification of this first binding partner for laforin promises to be an important step toward unraveling the underlying pathogenesis of this severest form of teenage-onset epilepsy.