Generation of a floxed allele of the mouse Endoglin gene

Endoglin is an auxiliary receptor for TGFbeta signalling. Heterozygous germline Endoglin mutations have been identified in patients with the vascular abnormality, Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia. Endoglin is upregulated in endothelial cells during angiogenesis and loss of Endoglin in the mouse results in embryonic lethality at mid-gestation. This phenotype points to an important role of Endoglin in new blood vessel formation but precludes analysis at later stages in development and in postnatal life. To bypass this limitation and allow further investigations of the function of Endoglin we have generated a floxed Endoglin allele in which loxP sites flank exons 5 and 6. Mice homozygous for this allele are normal and in the presence of appropriate Cre lines will allow time and cell specific Endoglin deletion for in vivo analysis of function in cardiovascular development and disease.     

Generation of a floxed allele of the mouse BMP type II receptor gene

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) regulate a wide range of cellular functions that contribute to embryonic development from mesoderm formation to organogenesis. BMP type II receptor (BMPR-II) transduces BMP signals by forming heteromeric complexes with and phosphorylating BMP type I receptors. Heterozygous germline mutations of BMPR-II gene have been identified in patients with familial and sporadic primary pulmonary hypertension, indicating that BMPR-II may contribute to the maintenance of normal pulmonary vascular structure and function. Since embryos homozygous for a null BMPR-II allele died during gastrulation, precluding further studies of BMPR-II function in organ formation and in adult tissues, we generated mice carrying a conditional mutant BMPR-II allele in which exons 4 and 5 were flanked by loxP sequences. We anticipate that studies of mice carrying a floxed BMPR-II allele and a Cre transgene (under the control of a tissue-specific promoter) will enable characterization of the role of BMPR-II in specific cell types during development and in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.     

Generation of cortactin floxed mice and cellular analysis of motility in fibroblasts

Cortactin is an F‐actin binding protein that has been suggested to play key roles in various cellular functions. Here, we generated mice carrying floxed alleles of the cortactin (Cttn) gene (Cttn^flox/flox mice). Expression of Cre recombinase in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) isolated from Cttn^flox/flox embryos depleted cortactin within days, without disturbing F‐actin distribution and localization of multiple actin‐binding proteins. Cre‐mediated deletion of Cttn also did not affect cell migration. To obtain mice with a Cttn null allele, we next crossed Cttn^flox/flox mice with transgenic mice that express Cre recombinase ubiquitously. Western blot and immunocytochemical analysis confirmed complete elimination of cortactin expression in MEFs carrying homozygously Cttn null alleles. However, we found no marked alteration of F‐actin organization and cell migration in Cttn null‐MEFs. Thus, our results indicate that depletion of cortactin in MEFs does not profoundly influence actin‐dependent cell motility. genesis 47:638–646, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Establishment of sperm associated antigen 6 gene knockout mouse model and its mechanism of deafness

To investigate the effects of knocking out the Sperm associated antigen6 (Spag6) gene on the auditory system of mice, the heterozygous type Spag6 knockout mouse model built in the previous period was used for mating and breeding, and homozygous type Spag6 gene knockout mouse (Spag−/−), heterozygous type Spag6 gene knockout mouse (Spag+/−) and wild type mouse (Spag+/+) were obtained. PCR technology was used to verify mouse models with different genotypes. After verification, the hearing threshold responses of Spag+/+ and Spag−/− genotype mice were detected. The localization of Spag6 gene in the basal membrane of the cochlea of the inner ear was detected by immunofluorescence staining. The changes of middle ear tissues were observed by H.E. staining sections. The relative expression of Prestin gene and Pgrn gene in different age mice was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. The relative expression of Prestin gene was detected by western blot. The results showed that Spag−/− mice had hearing impairment compared with Spag+/+ mice. And Spag6 protein is distributed in different genotypes of mouse hair cells; Spag−/− mice showed otitis media. The expression of Prestin mRNA and protein in Spag−/− mice was significantly higher than that in Spag+/+ mice (P < 0.01). The expression of Pgrn gene in Spag+/+ mice was significantly higher than that in Spag−/− mice (P < 0.05). It indicates that the loss of Spag6 gene would lead to the decline of hearing sense in mice. It is likely that the Spag6 gene could affect hearing by regulating the expression of Prestin gene. And the absence of the Spag6 gene causes otitis media in mice. The results of this study can lay a theoretical foundation for the follow-up studies of Spag6 gene in deafness diseases.     

Generation of a conditional disruption of the Tsc2 gene

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the TSC1 or TSC2 gene. Patients afflicted with TSC develop tumors in various organ systems, but cerebral pathology is particularly severe. Conventional gene disruption of the Tsc1 or Tsc2 gene in mice cause limited central nervous system pathology. Homozygous deletion of either gene causes midgestation lethality. To circumvent the homozygous lethality of the conventional Tsc2 knockout we have generated a conditional allele of the Tsc2 gene by homologous recombination in mouse ES cells. The homozygous Tsc2(flox/flox) mice are identical to wildtype in many organs typically affected by TSC, especially the brain. Using this Tsc2(flox) allele we have generated a null allele using Cre recombination. This allele will be useful in investigating TSC pathology with appropriate cell and organ specific Cre-transgenic mice.     

Generation of a human melanocyte cell line by introduction of HPV16 E6 and E7 genes

Summary Availability of a standard human melanocyte cell line with unlimited growth potential and otherwise normal melanocytic properties will greatly facilitate research in melanocyte biology and in vitro studies on the etiology of pigmentary disorders and melanoma. Using a retroviral vector, E6 and E7 open reading frames of human papilloma virus type 16 (HPV 16) have been introduced into cultured normal human melanocytes. Cells selected by increased resistance to geneticin conveyed by the vector and expressing E6E7 mRNA have been cloned to ensure genetic homogeneity. Since their establishment as primary cells, cloned PIG1 cells have undergone more than twice the amount of population doublings of senescent parental cells. Moreover, in passage numbers when parental cells had become senescent, proliferation of clonal cells was retained at levels exceeding those of normal human melanocytes in third passage by 100%. Further characterization has revealed that the cells remain dependent on tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) for growth and do not proliferate in soft agar nor form tumors in nude mice. The antigenic profile of the cells was slightly altered as compared to parental cells, but was incomparable to that of M14 melanoma cells. Importantly, PIG1 cells contain more melanin pigment than parental cells.     

SNF2家族新成员Ercc6l的cDNA克隆与表达分析(英)

SNF2家族蛋白在基因组复制、修复与表达中具有重要作用. 报道了SNF2家族新成员Ercc6l (excision repair cross-complementing rodent repair deficiency, complementation group 6-like)的cDNA克隆、特性与表达分析.通过表达序列标签（EST）搜索和组装,获得了cDNA全长4 002 bp的新基因Ercc6l(GenBank Acc.No AY172688),然后通过RT-PCR在小鼠胚胎心脏成功克隆了该基因.Ercc6l在小鼠基因组中由两个外显子和一个内含子组成,定位于X染色体,最大开放阅读框（ORF）编码一个含1 240个氨基酸的假定蛋白质.该假定蛋白质含有SNF2蛋白的8个保守基序（SNF2结构域）.通过与SNF2家族各亚家族的成员进行多重比对,初步确认Ercc6l属于ERCC6亚家族成员.将Ercc6l编码区克隆到pEGFP-C3然后转染HeLa,3T3 和B16细胞,融合蛋白主要定位于胞浆.BLAST搜索检索出69条小鼠EST与Ercc6l同源,这些EST主要来自胚胎和肿瘤组织.对小鼠不同发育时期的多种组织进行RT-PCR,发现Ercc6l在胚胎期强表达,出生产后表达显著下调.这些结果提示Ercc6l在胚胎发育和肿瘤发生中可能具有重要作用.     

Generation of mice with a conditional allele for G6pc

Glucose‐6‐phosphatase‐α (G6Pase‐α or G6PC) catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucose‐6‐phosphate to glucose and is a key enzyme in interprandial glucose homeostasis. Mutations in the human G6PC gene, expressed primarily in the liver, kidney, and intestine, cause glycogen storage disease Type Ia (GSD‐Ia), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a disturbed glucose homeostasis. For better understanding of the roles of G6Pase‐α in different tissues and in pathological conditions, we have generated mice harboring a conditional null allele for G6pc by flanking Exon 3 of the G6pc gene with loxP sites. We confirmed the null phenotype by using the EIIa‐Cre transgenic approach to generate mice lacking Exon 3 of the G6pc gene. The resulting homozygous Cre‐recombined null mice manifest a phenotype mimicking G6Pase‐α‐deficient mice and human GSD‐Ia patients. This G6pc conditional null allele will be valuable to examine the consequence of tissue‐specific G6Pase‐α deficiency and the mechanisms of long‐term complications in GSD‐Ia. genesis 47:590–594, 2009. Published 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Hypervolemic hypertension in mice with systemic inactivation of the (floxed) guanylyl cyclase-A gene by alphaMHC-Cre-mediated recombination

To dissect the tissue-specific functions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), we recently introduced loxP sites into the murine gene for its receptor, guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A), by homologous recombination (tri-lox GC-A). For either smooth-muscle or cardiomyocyte-restricted deletion of GC-A, floxed GC-A mice were mated to transgenic mice expressing Cre-recombinase under the control of the smooth-muscle SM22 or the cardiac alphaMHC promoter. As shown in these studies, Cre-mediated recombination of the floxed GC-A gene fully inactivated GC-A function in a cell-restricted manner. In the present study we show that alphaMHC-Cre, but not SM22-Cre, with high frequency generates genomic recombinations of the floxed GC-A gene segments which were transmitted to the germline. Alleles with partial or complete deletions were readily recovered from the next generation, after segregation of the Cre-transgene. We took advantage of this strategy to generate a new mouse line with global, systemic deletion of GC-A. Doppler-echocardiographic and physiological studies in these mice demonstrate for the first time the tremendous impact of ANP/GC-A dysfunction on chronic blood volume homeostasis.     

玉米不育系及其保持系线粒体atp6基因转录本编辑位点研究

以玉米同核异质细胞质雄性不育系T黄早四、C黄早四、S黄早四以及保持系N黄早四为材料, 比较研究了供试材料小孢子发育到单核期的线粒体atp6基因转录本保守区域的编辑位点。结果表明, DNA序列在T、C、S 3种胞质中完全一致, 与N胞质相比除在27、28核苷酸处不同外, 其余均一致, 而各胞质cDNA序列却不尽相同。DNA和cDNA序列比较显示: atp6基因转录本保守区域内, N、S胞质中均存在19个编辑位点, T胞质存在22个, C胞质存在20个, 它们相同的编辑位点有18个。大多数编辑位点都发生在密码子的第一、二位点上, 可改变氨基酸的种类。18个相同的编辑位点大都为完全编辑, 其中第1位点在各胞质中为部分编辑, 第19位点除在N胞质中为完全编辑外其余胞质都为部分编辑。而各胞质特有编辑位点均以部分编辑的形式出现。由此可见, 在玉米中atp6基因RNA编辑不仅具有序列特异性, 同时还受到胞质背景的影响。通过分析还可看出, 编辑的C残基前一个碱基多为嘧啶类碱基, 编码氨基酸Ser和Pro的密码子较其他类的密码子更易受到编辑, 且植物RNA的编辑有着改变蛋白质疏水性、增加物种间保守性的倾向。     

Systemic inactivation of Hs6st1 in mice is associated with late postnatal mortality without major defects in organogenesis

Heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans modulate the biological activity of a number of growth factors in development, homeostasis, and cancer. Specific modifications of HS chains by HS biosynthetic enzymes have been implicated in growth factor signaling in multiple aspects of organogenesis. Although the role of HS 6-O-sulfotransferases has been described in processes such as trachea formation in Drosophila and vasculogenesis in zebrafish, little is known about how HS 6-O-sulfotransferases (Hs6st1-3 in mice) influence mouse development. To address this issue, we generated a conditionally mutant Hs6st1 mouse line and then generated mice with systemic inactivation of Hs6st1. Hs6st1-null pups were viable and grossly normal at birth. The lack of obvious abnormalities in lung, liver, and kidney, which express high levels of Hs6st1 during development, suggests that at least during embryonic life, the loss of Hs6st1 function may be compensated for by mechanisms involving other HS modifying enzymes. During early adulthood, however, Hs6st1-null mice failed to thrive and exhibited growth retardation, body weight loss, enlargement of airspaces in the lung and, in some cases, lethality. Our results suggest a potentially critical role for HS 6-O sulfation by Hs6st1 in postnatal processes.     

Generation of a radial-like glial cell line

Rat C6 glioma is a cell line that has been used extensively as a model of astroglia. Although this cell line retains many of the properties of developing glia, it does not resemble morphologically the specialized form of glia found embryonically, the radial glia. In experiments designed to study a mutant form of receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase β, we isolated a subclone of C6 called C6-R which, like radial glia, assumes a highly polarized radial-like morphology in culture. C6-R cells and, to a somewhat lesser extent, C6 cells, express cytoskeletal proteins found in developing astroglia including glial fibrillary acidic protein and RC1. As seen with radial glia, cerebellar granule cell bodies and neurites migrated along radial processes of C6-R cells in culture. Morphological analysis of dye-labeled cells injected into the developing forebrain revealed that a large fraction (∼60%) of the C6-R cells in the cortex assumed a radial orientation and about half of these (∼30%) made contact with the pial surface. In contrast, the parental C6 cells generally formed aggregates and only displayed a radial alignment when associated with blood vessels. These results suggest that we have generated a stable cell line from C6 glioma which has adopted certain key features of radial glia, including the ability to promote neuronal migration in culture and integrate radially in vivo in response to local cues. This cell line may be particularly useful for studying receptors on radial glia that mediate neuronal migration. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 37: 291–304, 1998     

Generation of a mouse model for arginase II deficiency by targeted disruption of the arginase II gene

Mammals express two isoforms of arginase, designated types I and II. Arginase I is a component of the urea cycle, and inherited defects in arginase I have deleterious consequences in humans. In contrast, the physiologic role of arginase II has not been defined, and no deficiencies in arginase II have been identified in humans. Mice with a disruption in the arginase II gene were created to investigate the role of this enzyme. Homozygous arginase II-deficient mice were viable and apparently indistinguishable from wild-type mice, except for an elevated plasma arginine level which indicates that arginase II plays an important role in arginine homeostasis.     

Targeted disruption of the Pak5 and Pak6 genes in mice leads to deficits in learning and locomotion

PAK6 is a member of the group B family of PAK serine/threonine kinases, and is highly expressed in the brain. The group B PAKs, including PAK4, PAK5, and PAK6, were first identified as effector proteins for the Rho GTPase Cdc42. They have important roles in filopodia formation, the extension of neurons, and cell survival. Pak4 knockout mice die in utero, and the embryos have several abnormalities, including a defect in the development of motor neurons. In contrast, Pak5 knockout mice do not have any noticeable abnormalities. So far nothing is known about the biological function of Pak6. To address this, we have deleted the Pak6 gene in mice. Since Pak6 and Pak5 are both expressed in the brain, we also generated Pak5/Pak6 double knockout mice. These mice were viable and fertile, but had several locomotor and behavioral deficits. Our results indicate that Pak5 and Pak6 together are not required for viability, but are required for a normal level of locomotion and activity as well as for learning and memory. This is consistent with a role for the group B PAKs in the nervous system.     

Insertional polymorphisms of ETn retrotransposons include a disruption of the wiz gene in C57BL/6 mice

ETn (early transposon) elements are moderate repetitive sequences present in hundreds of copies in the mouse genome. Their length ranges from 4.4 to 7.1 kb, and, like transposons, they contain long terminal repeats (LTRs) on both sides and are flanked by target site duplications (Kaghad et al. 1985). ETn-related elements can be grouped into three distinct families. Members of the ETn I and ETn II families mainly contain sequences of unknown origin in their core region. Only very short stretches of retrovirus-like sequences are present, and there are no ORFs. ETn I and ETn II elements differ primarily in the 3- half of both the 5- and 3- LTR, and in the 5- end of the core region (see Fig. 1). As a consequence, only ETn II elements contain a primer binding site for tRNALys. In contrast to ETn I and ETn II, members of the recently described MusD family (Mager and Freeman 2000) contain ORFs for (at least parts of) D-type virus Gag, Pro, and Pol proteins. However, in other regions they are structurally similar to ETn II elements and contain an intact primer binding site. It has been shown that MusD sequences are evolutionarily older than ETn II elements, suggesting that the latter might have arisen by recombinatory replacement of the MusD gene-coding sequences with sequences of unknown origin (Mager and Freeman 2000). ETn elements are still active as retrotransposons. In the past years, several germ line and somatic mutations caused by fresh ETn integrations have been found (Table 1). From 19 mutations, sufficient sequence is available in seven cases to show that the insertion was an ETn II element. In eight cases, the sequence data available indicate either an ETn II or a MusD element. ETn I has not been found to be the cause of any mutations, prompting the suggestion that ETn II is the "mobile" family, whereas ETn I elements have lost the capacity to retrotranspose.     

Immobilisation of the Thermostable l -aminoacylase from Thermococcus litoralis to Generate a Reusable Industrial Biocatalyst

A thermostable archaeal l -aminoacylase from Thermococcus litoralis has been used in immobilisation trials to optimise its application in industrial biotransformation reactions. Immobilisation techniques used included direct adsorption and crosslinking of the enzyme onto solid supports, bioencapsulation, and covalent bonding onto a variety of activated matrices. The most successful immobilisation methods were covalent binding of the enzyme onto glyoxyl-Sepharose and Amberlite XAD7. These methods yielded an average of 15 and 80 mg of protein bound per gram of support (wet weight for glyoxyl-Sepharose), respectively, with nearly 80% activity recovery in both cases. Enzyme immobilised onto glyoxyl-agarose was stabilised 106-fold under aqueous conditions and 142-fold in 100% acetonitrile when activity was measured after 24 h at 90°C. A column bioreactor containing the recombinant l -aminoacylase immobilised onto Sepharose beads was constructed with the substrate, N -acetyl- dl -Trp, continuously flowing at 60°C for 10 days. No loss of activity was detected over five days, with 32% activity remaining after 40 days at 60°C. These results show the potential of the use of immobilised l -aminoacylase in biotransformation reactions for the production of fine chemicals.