Conformation of uteroglobin fragments.

The conformation of three fragments of uteroglobin in aqueous solution and in the presence of SDS micelles is described. Two of these fragments correspond to helix II and helix III of uteroglobin, the crystal structure of which is made of four helices. The third peptide comprises helices II and III, with the connecting beta-turn. While helix II does not interact strongly with the micelles, helix III adopts a rather clear alpha-helix in this system. The elongation of helix III with the addition of helix II at the N-terminus somewhat stabilizes the ordered structure. It is possible that the beta-turn found in the crystal is also present in solution.     

Expression and regulation of the rabbit uteroglobin gene in transgenic mice

The rabbit uteroglobin (UG) gene, with varying lengths of 5' flanking sequence, was introduced into the mouse genome to investigate the DNA sequences required for tissue-specific expression and regulation by steroid hormones. The pattern of expression and steroid hormone regulation of the transgene was compared to the expression and regulation of the endogenous mouse UG-like gene. In the rabbit, UG is induced in the uterus by progesterone and is expressed constitutively in the lungs, where it is weakly regulated by glucocorticoids. Genomic DNA fragments containing the complete UG-coding sequence with 4.0 (UG4.0), 3.0 (UG3.0), 2.3 (UG2.3), or 0.6 (UG0.6) kilobases of 5' flanking sequence were used to establish lines of transgenic mice. Expression of UG mRNA was observed in the lungs of UG4.0 (2/4 lines), UG3.0 (4/4 lines), UG2.3 (1/2 lines), and UG0.6 (4/4 lines) mice. Uterine expression was observed in UG3.0 (3/4 lines), UG2.3 (1/2 lines), and UG0.6 (2/4 lines). In the lungs of UG3.0 and UG2.3 mice, RNA expression was stimulated by treatment with dexamethasone. In the one line of UG3.0 mice examined, UG was regulated by ovarian steroids in the uterus. The endogenous mouse UG-like gene showed the major site of expression to be in the lung. Unlike the transgene, the endogenous gene was more strongly stimulated by glucocorticoids. Thus, we conclude that the cis elements needed for pulmonary expression of UG are contained within the UG2.3 fragment used to generate transgenic mice, but that other elements are required for full glucocorticoid regulation. Also, the transgene did not show the full uterine expression observed in the rabbit, but regulation by the ovarian steroids was observed.     

Testosterone induces the expression of the uteroglobin gene in rabbit epididymis.

Uteroglobin was characterized in the rabbit epididymis by radioimmunoassay and electrophoretic determinations, as well as by analysis of its mRNA by means of 'Northern blot' and nuclease-S1 mapping. Treatment of sexually immature rabbits with testosterone during 5 days increased up to 8-fold the concentrations of both uteroglobin and its mRNA in the epididymis. The amounts of beta-tubulin mRNA, measured as reference, remained unchanged after the hormonal treatment. The synthesis of uteroglobin occurred mainly in the middle region of the epididymis, progressively decreasing toward the distal part of the organ. Uteroglobin was not detected in the testis by radioimmunoassay. The results are discussed in relation to a possible role of uteroglobin in the reproductive functions.     

放线菌基因组大片段克隆载体及异源表达宿主改造的研究进展

大规模基因组测序发现放线菌基因组内包含有极丰富的天然产物合成基因, 是非常有价值的资源。放线菌基因组中负责天然产物合成的基因通常成簇存在。要想完整地克隆这些较大的基因簇并且进行功能研究, 或者通过异源表达激活原本沉默的天然产物合成基因簇, 需要大容量的载体系统和合适的异源宿主。本文重点介绍了放线菌中常用于基因组大片段克隆的载体及异源表达宿主改造的研究进展。     

Progesterone dependent uptake of uteroglobin by rabbit endometrium

Summary Unlabeled or³H-labeled UGL, isolated from rabbit lungs, was injected intraluminally into the uteri of ovariectomized low dose progesterone substituted and unsubstituted animals as well as into mated animals on the fifth day of pregnancy. It was offered to the endometrium, in this last case, in competition with endogenously synthesized UGL.³H-labeled IgG served as a control. The animals were killed 24 h after the experiment. Immunohistograms and autoradiograms showed that UGL was taken up by the whole endometrium of the ovariectomized animals but only when progesterone was present. In the preimplantation uterus, uptake was limited to clusters of smaller cells accumulated in the lumen adjacent to the epithelium, whereas IgG remained within the uterine lumen, forming a dense layer on the endometrial surface. A preliminary report of parts of this investigation has been presented at the 15th EDBO International Embryological Conference, June 21–25, 1982, in Strasbourg (France) (Abstract 187)     

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic data of rabbit uteroglobin

Uteroglobin is a steroid-binding protein of 15,800 molecular weight, composed of two chemically identical subunits which, in the oxidized form, are covalently linked by disulphide bridges. Large crystals have been grown from ammonium sulphate solutions by vapour diffusion as well as by equilibrium dialysis. The crystals are very stable under X-rays, diffract to at least 2.2 Å resolution and belong to space group P2₁. The unit cell, with dimensions $\text{a = 43.3}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 31.1}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 34.5}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, and}\text{β = 90.7 °}$, contains two dimeric molecules. The crystals exhibit a prominent pseudo symmetry corresponding to space group P2₁2₁2 which indicates that the two subunits should be structurally nearly identical.     

Progesterone dependent uptake of uteroglobin by rabbit endometrium

Unlabeled or 3H-labeled UGL, isolated from rabbit lungs, was injected intraluminally into the uteri of ovariectomized low dose progesterone substituted and unsubstituted animals as well as into mated animals on the fifth day of pregnancy. It was offered to the endometrium, in this last case, in competition with endogenously synthesized UGL. 3H-labeled IgG served as a control. The animals were killed 24 h after the experiment. Immunohistograms and autoradiograms showed that UGL was taken up by the whole endometrium of the ovariectomized animals but only when progesterone was present. In the preimplantation uterus, uptake was limited to clusters of smaller cells accumulated in the lumen adjacent to the epithelium, whereas IgG remained within the uterine lumen, forming a dense layer on the endometrial surface.     

Glucocorticoids induce the expression of the uteroglobin gene in rabbit foetal lung explants cultured in vitro.

In 27-day-old rabbit foetal lung explants cultured in vitro, the synthesis of the protein uteroglobin decreased progressively during several days of culture. Addition of glucocorticoids to the medium progressively induced the synthesis of uteroglobin in a dose-dependent manner without affecting the synthesis of total proteins. The glucocorticoid-mediated induction of uteroglobin appears mainly due to increased amounts of uteroglobin mRNA and seems to be independent of simultaneous cell proliferation, suggesting a glucocorticoid-triggered differentiation of pre-existing cells. The results suggest a major role of glucocorticoids in the developmental regulation of the uteroglobin gene in the lung.     

Cloning of small DNA fragments containing the Escherichia coli tryptophan operon promoter and operator

A41-bp AluI restriction fragment from the trp promoter-operator region has been cloned into the PvuII site of pBR322, regenerating PvuII sites. Transformants were selected on media that allowed the selection of trp-operator-bearing plasmids. The cloned 41-bp fragment can be released from the vector by PvuII digestion, and it possesses a functional promoter and operator as demonstrated by in vivo tests. The 41-bp fragment contains several restriction sites: HincII, TaqI, RsaI, and a HpaI site that is located at the center of the operator sequence. Two new operator derivatives, symmetrical about the HpaI site, were prepared from the 41-bp fragment by joining two right-side, or two left-side PvuII-HpaI pieces together at the HpaI site. These derivatives showed in vivo operator activity. Plasmids containing up to five copies of the 41-bp trp-promoter-operator fragment have been constructed. These plasmids should be useful in preparing large amounts of the 41-bp fragment.     

Uptake of tritiated uteroglobin by the endometrium of the rabbit during peri-implantation

Summary Uteroglobin, labelled with N-succinimidyl-(2–3³H)-propionate, was applied in vivo for 3 h to pregnant rabbit uteri 7 and 9 days after mating. Light- and electronmicroscopic autoradiographs showed that the endometrial epithelium, both ciliated and non-ciliated cells, is able to take up³H-uteroglobin, however, with differing intensity. Large areas of labelling were found in the luminal epithelium, whereas the glandular epithelium contained fewer silver grains. Moreover, intensively labelled single cells or symplasms occurred in both luminal and glandular epithelium. They were identified as degenerating or dead cells. After internalization by pinocytosis or phagocytosis, the tritiated uteroglobin was observed in multivesicular bodies or in lysosomes with floccular content. Later, radioactivity was either found within residual bodies or distributed throughout the entire epithelium and the subepithelial stroma, i.e., the silver grains could no longer be assigned to specific cell organelles.     

兔IFRG基因的克隆及表达分析

实验通过对兔子基因组DNA进行PCR获得兔IFRG基因,将其克隆到pGEM-T载体,双酶切鉴定和测序结果表明成功构建了重组克隆载体pGEM-T-IFRG。通过RT-PCR分析发现IFRG基因在兔不同组织中有不同程度的表达。将重组克隆载体pGEM-T-IFRG和表达载体pET-41（c）经过EcoR1和Xho1双酶切后连接构建重组表达载体pET-41（c）-IFRG,将双酶切鉴定正确的重组表达载体转化入E.coli BL21,IPTG诱导融合蛋白的表达,SDS-PAGE结果显示兔IFRG基因在大肠杆菌中得到了良好的表达。