OsEBP-89启动子中应答茉莉素信号的必需DNA区域的分析

水稻OsEBP-89基因的表达受乙烯（ET）、脱落酸（ABA）、茉莉素等激素和干旱、低温等逆境胁迫处理的诱导．本研究中,克隆该基因启动子和预测应答胁迫与激素信号相关顺式作用元件的基础上,通过农杆菌注射法介导的瞬时表达证实了该启动子在烟草叶片中驱动GUS报告基因的表达受茉莉素的诱导．为了进-步确定该启动子中应答茉莉素信号的重要DNA区域,对该启动子进行了-系列的缺失突变,并将相关的缺失启动子片段与GUS报告基因融合．烟草叶片中GUS报告基因瞬时表达分析表明,该启动子中位于-1200bp和-800bp的碱基是该基因应答茉莉素信号的必需DNA区域,其中在-1127bp处有一个G—box元件;结合已有的研究结果,发现应答茉莉素信号的必需DNA区域不同于该基因应答ACC处理的必需DNA区域（在-562bp处存在一个ERE元件）．总之,本研究结果有助于探讨该基因应答不同胁迫信号表达的分子机制．     

水蛭素12肽与低分子量单链尿激酶融合基因的构建、表达及产物特性分析

用化学合成的方法合成了水蛭素12肽基因的编码序列,通过DNA重组技术将水蛭素12肽基因片段与低分子量单链尿激酶cDNA片段连接构建了融合基因。融合基因在大肠杆菌中获得表达。体外实验结果表明,表达的融合蛋白具有溶纤活性和抗凝活性。     

基因枪接种乙型肝炎表面抗原促进DNA疫苗诱生的免疫应答转换

目的 为了克服基因枪接种乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)DNA疫苗诱生的免疫应答以Th2为主的缺点,在基因枪接种质粒HBsAg DNA疫苗的同时共导入或共表达乙型肝炎病毒壳(HBV core)基因作为佐剂,以促进其所诱生的HBsAg特异性的Th2型免疫应答向Tn1型转换。方法 构建可单独或共同表达HBsAg或核心抗原(HBcAg)的DNA免疫用载体pIRKS／core、pIRES／C149、pIRES／S、pIRES／S／Core和pIRES／S／C149,并在真核细胞进行表达验证。对BALB／c雌鼠进行免疫并检测小鼠免疫后的特异性体液免疫和细胞免疫指标。结果 共导入或共表达HBV core基因能增强基因枪接种HBsAg DNA疫苗诱生的Th1型免疫应答水平,包括HBsAg特异的IgG2a应答、CTL活性、IFN-γ产生能力等。结论 以HBV core基因为佐剂能促进基因枪接种HBsAg DNA疫苗诱生的Th2型免疫应答向Th1型免疫应答转换。     

糖皮质激素受体结构与功能研究进展

糖皮质激素受体（GR）是核受体超家族中的重要成员,也是一种典型的激素依赖性转录调节因子。与激素结合后通过与靶基因糖皮质激素反应元件（GRE）相互作用。从而调节靶基因的表达。引起各种生物学效应。近年对人GR（hGR)的分子结构与生物学作用的研究有一定进展。     

HBV包膜-核心蛋白融合基因DNA疫苗诱导小鼠持久的细胞免疫应答

构建编码HBV包膜-核心蛋白融合基因的DNA疫苗pSC、pSS1S2C和编码HBV包膜蛋白或核心蛋白基因的DNA疫苗pHBs、pHBc,分别肌肉注射免疫BALB/c小鼠,检测小鼠的血清抗体、T细胞增殖和细胞毒性T淋巴细胞反应,比较融合基因DNA疫苗与单基因DNA疫苗诱生免疫应答的强度,发现融合基因DNA疫苗诱生抗体的效率明显不及单基因DNA疫苗,但其能诱导更强、更持久的细胞免疫应答,表明HBV包膜-核心蛋白融合基因DNA疫苗对于治疗慢性乙型肝炎可能比单基因DNA疫苗更为有效.     

人生长激素基因在小鼠细胞中的调节表达

我们已经提过,在人生长激素基因周围是否存在着一些序列,它们使生长激素基因可以被糖皮质激素所诱导。用同转化法将含有人生长激素基因的重纽克隆引入鼠成纤维细胞染色体,在有糖皮质激素存在下,同转化体可被诱导出8到5倍的人生长激素mRNA,对人生长激素蛋白的分泌也有相似的诱导。诱导所需的DNA序列位于DNA5’端,有500个核苷酸。把该DNA6’端片段融合到一个非激素敏感基因的结构基因中,例如胸苷激酶,可使该基因对糖皮质激素的诱导产生反应。     

ACA基因启动子的克隆及功能初探

根据已知的ACA基因的5’端序列设计三个基因特异的反向引物(GSP-1,GSP-2,GSP-3)分别与11个简并引物(AD1-AD11)配对,进行热不对称嵌套PCR(Thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR,TAIL-PCR)扩增,获得了ACA基因起始密码子上游约700bp的片段。为检测其表达特性,构建了该片段与Gus嵌合基因的表达载体pBpAG,在真空条件下通过农杆菌介导,转化了植物的叶、果实、种子三种不同组织,Gus瞬时表达染色结果显示,该DNA片段具有种子特异的启动子活性?对该启动子的一些顺式元件进行了讨论。     

大豆转录因子GmERF5启动子的克隆及活性分析

乙烯响应因子(Ethylene-responsive factors,ERFs)广泛参与植物对生物和非生物胁迫的应答。从大豆吉林32的基因组DNA中分离到GmERF5的启动子片段,全长1 924 bp。该区段含有9种与逆境相关的顺式作用元件,即G-box、GT-1、LTRE-1、W-box、TL1、DPBF、MYB、MYC和BIHD10S。将该启动子构建到植物表达载体pCAMBIA1301上与葡萄糖苷酸酶(GUS)基因融合,注射法转化烟草叶片,并进行干旱、高盐和低温处理,通过GUS组织化学染色和GUS荧光值的测定分析启动子的启动活性。结果表明,在未处理条件下,该启动子能驱动下游GUS基因的表达。干旱和低温处理10 h能明显增强GmERF5P的启动活性。     

小麦细胞增殖核抗原基因启动子的克隆及活性分析

细胞增殖核抗原（proliferating cell nuclear antigen,PCNA）基因是DNA聚合酶δ的辅助因子,在真核细胞DNA复制及其损伤修复中发挥着重要的作用.采用高效热不对称交互PCR法（high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR,hiTAIL PCR）从小麦西农1 376基因组中扩增得到小麦PCNA基因启动子片段,并命名为TaPCNA启动子. PlantCARE启动子在线分析软件预测含有光应答调控元件（Box I）、脱落酸应答元件（ABRE）、花粉发育应答元件（GGTT motif,GTGA motif）及细胞周期转换结合位点（E2F-binding site）等.为了分析其启动子活性, 通过替换pBI121载体上的CaMV35S启动子,构建了TaPCNA启动子与β-葡糖醛酸酶（GUS）基因的融合表达载体,通过农杆菌介导法在烟草叶片中进行瞬时表达. GUS组织化学染色结果表明,TaPCNA基因启动子能够驱动GUS基因在烟草叶片中表达,证实了所获得的启动子序列具有启动活性.本研究通过hiTAIL-PCR法克隆得到TaPCNA基因的启动子,为深入研究该基因的功能奠定了基础.     

人体TK-C基因片段和TK cDNA片段并发转化细胞的稳定性研究

本文报道了人体细胞质胸腺嘧啶核苷激酶(TK-C;EC2.7.1.21)基因的一个片段同TKcDNA的一个片段,一起转化小鼠TK缺陷型细胞株Ltk~-细胞时,这两个单独都不能表达TK活性的DNA片段可能通过同源重组,重新构建成一个能够表达TK的完整的功能单位。分析了TK~+并发转化细胞表达TK的稳定性,并用Southern印迹法杂交证实这两个外源DNA片段已重组成一个片段而整合在受体细胞基因组里,因而并发转化细胞全是稳定型。讨论了两个功能上可以互补的外源DNA片段,在受体细胞里重组成一个能表达基因活性的功能单位的可能机制。     

Glucocorticoid and retinoid regulation of alpha-2 type I procollagen promoter activity.

Glucocorticoids decrease type I procollagen synthesis by decreasing the steady state levels of procollagen mRNAs and mRNA synthesis. The present studies were undertaken to determine the functional sequences of the pro alpha 2(I) collagen gene required for the glucocorticoid-mediated decrease of type I procollagen mRNA synthesis. Embryonic mouse fibroblasts were stably transfected with the pR40 DNA CAT construct containing the 5' flanking region fragment from -2048 to +54 and the intronic fragment from +418 to +1524 of the mouse alpha 2(I) collagen gene. Dexamethasone treatment of these pR40 transfected fibroblasts resulted in a significant decrease in CAT activity which agrees with the glucocorticoid-mediated decrease of the steady state levels of type I procollagen mRNAs. To determine the possible role of the first intron fragment in the dexamethasone-mediated decrease of CAT activity, pR36, a CAT plasmid containing the first intron fragment and the SV40 early promoter, was transfected into mouse fibroblasts and treated with dexamethasone. No significant decrease in CAT activity was observed. The dexamethasone-mediated response was then localized within the 5' flanking region by preparing a series of constructs containing internal deletions and transfecting these plasmids into mouse fibroblasts. The regions -2048 to -981 and -506 to -351 were required for the dexamethasone response of gene activity. However, the DNA stretch from -981 to -506 was not. Analysis of the DNA sequences of these regions revealed a single GRE at -1023 to -1018 and a modified doublet at -873 to -856.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Transcriptional regulation of alpha-fetoprotein expression by dexamethasone in human hepatoma cells

The level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) mRNA in HuH-7 human hepatoma cells is elevated by the addition of dexamethasone to the culture medium. To locate the DNA region involved in hormonal regulation of the AFP gene, we constructed recombinant plasmids in which various lengths of the 5'-flanking sequence of the human AFP gene were fused to the CAT gene. Various cell lines were transfected with the recombinant plasmids, incubated with or without 3 x 10(-6) M dexamethasone, and then assayed for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression. In hepatoma cells that produce AFP, the dexamethasone treatment resulted in the stimulated chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression when the transfected plasmids contained 169 base pairs (bp) or longer AFP 5'-flanking sequence. No dexamethasone effect was observed when the 5'-flanking sequence was less than 98 bp long. The dexamethasone stimulation was effectively suppressed by the glucocorticoid antagonist RU486, indicating that this effect is mediated by glucocorticoid receptors. The 71-bp region between positions -169 and -98 contains a nucleotide stretch which is similar to the consensus sequence of the glucocorticoid responsive element (GRE). Partial alterations of this sequence resulted in decreased dexamethasone response. The GRE-containing region stimulated heterologous (SV40) promoter activity in response to dexamethasone treatment in an orientation- and position-independent manner. The GRE and the upstream AFP enhancer function independently from each other.     

Transcriptional trans-activating function of hepatitis B virus

The ability of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to stimulate the expression of a cellular gene was investigated by using a transient-expression system. A plasmid in which the expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) gene had been placed under the control of the DNA sequences that regulate the expression of the human beta-interferon gene was constructed. In Vero cells, cotransfection of the 2.7-kilobase BglII DNA fragment of HBV together with the test plasmid containing the cat gene resulted in stimulation of the expression of the cat gene. This HBV DNA fragment was specific in its trans-activation; no significant stimulation of CAT activity was observed in constructs when the promoter and enhancer elements were derived from the murine sarcoma viral long terminal repeat, Rous sarcoma virus, BK virus, or simian virus 40. Results of subcloning of the HBV DNA fragment indicate that the trans-activating function resides in a 944-base-pair EcoRV-BglII DNA fragment of the HBV genome that contains the X structural gene and its promoter element. Removal of the promoter from the X structural gene resulted in loss of the trans-activating function. A frameshift mutation within the X gene region also eliminated the trans-activating activity. These results suggest that the X antigen could play a role in HBV infections by activating the expression of cellular genes.     

Identification of a promoter element located upstream from the hepatitis B virus X gene.

We have analyzed a series of plasmids in which the sequences located upstream from the hepatitis B virus (HBV) X gene were linked to the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene. Expression of the marker CAT gene in transfected cells clearly demonstrated that sequences preceding the X gene contain an active promoter. RNA mapping by primer extension indicated that the RNA encoded by the X gene promoter initiates at multiple sites spanning nucleotides 1250 to 1350 on the HBV genome. Deletion within the adjacent HBV enhancer element region significantly reduced the activity of the X gene promoter, suggesting that the X gene promoter requires the enhancer element for maximal activity.     

Characterization of restriction endonuclease maps of hepatitis B viral DNAs

The HBV DNA isolated from Dane particles of 9 patients' plasma was cloned into the EcoRI or BamHI site of the pUC8 plasmids. Two plasmids with full length HBV DNA and four plasmids containing the HBV surface antigen gene were obtained. Based on our cloned HBV DNA and a comparison with 7 complete sequences and 5 restriction endonuclease patterns of HBV DNA published by others, we can recognize common restriction sites shared by different subtypes (adw, adr, ayw, and adyw): (1) a HincII site in the S gene, (2) a BamHI site in the X region, and (3) two BglII sites in the C gene. In addition adw has specific sites for HincII, BamHI, and PstI in the pre-S region. A unique XhoI site is present in the pre-S region in all subtypes except for adw.