小鼠基因内含子中CpG岛和几个转录调控元件分析

内含子在基因转录调控中的作用已多次被实验报道,然而对其参与调控的普遍性还缺乏足够的理论支持。本研究利用计算分析方法,对小鼠基因内含子中的CpG岛(CpGisland)、TATA框(TATAbox)、CAAT框(CAATbox)以及GC框(GCbox)等元件的出现频率进行分析。结果发现,分别有56.01%、57.16%、65.88%和41.86%的第一内含子具有CpG岛、TATA框、CAAT框以及GC框,而它们在其它内含子中的平均出现频率则分别为14.07%、45.24%、49.91%和13.19%。即使考虑到不同位置的内含子,这些元件在第一内含子中的出现频率也显著高于它们在其它任何位置内含子中的出现频率。由于CpG岛、TATA框、CAAT框以及GC框均与基因的转录调控有关,据此推测小鼠第一内含子在基因转录调控过程中具有潜在的重要性。本研究结果为内含子参与转录调控提供了更多的理论依据。     

真核生物双向启动子的结构与功能

双向启动子(bidirectional promoter)是指位于两个相邻且转录方向相反的基因之间 的一段DNA序列.双向启动子的双向转录机制可能是两个RNA聚合酶同时聚集在无核小 体区的边界,然后在两个方向上起始转录.双向启动子在真核生物基因组中广泛分布 ,大多数的双向启动子缺少TATA盒,而具有较高的GC含量和丰富的CpG岛.本文概述了 双向启动子双向起始转录的最新研究,并对其在双向转录基因对共表达和稳定性表达 调控中的作用及其应用做了详细阐述.     

预测DNA序列中短CpG岛新方法

在基因表达调控中,长度在200~500bp之间的短CpG岛具有非常重要的作用,然而目前并没有一种非常好的方法寻找短CpG岛。基于给定长度DNA片段上碱基随机分布的排列组合算法,我们定义了一种计算CpG观察预期比的新方法。结合DNA片段长度和GC含量这两个参数,该方法给出了人类21号和22号染色体上CpG岛分布的预测结果。根据CpG岛与基因功能区、Alu重复序列和UCSC的CpG岛对比分析,本研究给出了新的CpG岛判断准则:(1)CpG岛不小于200bp;(2)GC占比不小于50%;(3)CpG观察预期比不小于1.4。通过与Takai方法的对比分析显示,新方法能够显著地排除Alu重复序列对CpG岛预测的影响,并且能够准确预测具有更短长度的CpG岛在DNA片段上的分布。多基因转录起始位点基因分析结果表明,短CpG岛是UCSC的CpG岛的核心组成部分,短CpG岛是参与基因表达调控的核心元件。本研究为预测和分析短CpG岛在人类基因调控中的作用提供了必要的手段。     

牛ASCL2基因生物信息学分析

在人与小鼠中,A SCL2基因是一个母源表达的印记基因,在早期胚胎和胎盘发育中起重要作用。牛A SCL2基因的印记状态和印记的分子机理还没有被研究。本研究采用生物信息学方法对牛A SCL2基因分子进化、启动子和CpG岛区域以及蛋白的高级结构进行分析和预测,为进一步揭示该基因生物学功能和其分子调控机理奠定基础。对21种哺乳动物A SCL2基因的mRNA序列进化分析表明：这21种哺乳动物间的遗传距离小于0.536,且牛与猪遗传距离最小,为0.106,与基因进化树分析结果一致。CpG岛在线软件预测显示,在牛中,该基因上游5 k序列中有三个CpG岛。启动子在线软件预测和转录因子分析相结合显示,启动子最可能位于该基因5'端上游4725~4775 bp处CpG岛区域内,此区域包括大量潜在转录因子结合位点,并在4734 bp处存在一个TATA框。蛋白质在线软件分析表明,A SCL2基因编码一种螺旋-环-螺旋形转录因子,有α-螺旋、β-转角和无规则卷曲3种二级结构。     

人类全基因组范围的CpG岛的预测与分析

CpG岛的甲基化是表观遗传中基因表达调控的重要机制。虽然目前已存在几个从DNA序列判别CpG岛的标准,但如何在标准中选择合适的参数仍是研究的焦点。文章通过分析比较两种经典CpG岛判定标准与三种预测方法,提出了改进的CpG岛预测方法——CpGISeeker。应用该预测方法,结合判定标准中的三个基本参数组合出的13组组合参数,在人类全基因组范围内进行了CpG岛预测,并统计分析了CpG岛的重复序列组成以及相对于基因转录起始位点的位置分布情况。分析结果表明CpGISeeker具有更精确判定CpG岛的特性;同时还提示,随着判定标准严格性的增加,CpG岛的重复序列含量降低,与基因转录起始位点的相关性提高。将CpG岛最小尺寸为500bp、GC含量为60%、CpG出现率达到0.65的组合参数作为标准,是目前预测CpG岛的最佳方式。     

人类基因组上CpG岛的定位和系统分析

为了研究CpG岛产生和消失机制以及位于基因启动子区域外的CpG岛保守性等问题,我们通过序列比对和进化保守性分析等方法,分析在人类和小鼠中保守的基因上的CpG岛。结果显示已有保守序列的突变以及序列插入删除是CpG岛产生和消失的主要原因,进一步分析发现52%的在小鼠基因组上保守序列完全缺失的CpG岛位于两个转座子之间,提示转座子所介导的序列插入是CpG岛形成和消失的重要原因。人类基因组上在启动子区域外的CpG岛中约有79%为新产生的CpG岛,显著高于启动子区域内新产生的CpG岛比例(41%)。GO分析表明与这些CpG岛相关的部分基因与神经系统发育显著相关,提示新产生的CpG岛参与神经发育过程。     

奶牛产奶性状与乳房炎相关基因CpG含量及分布特征的比较分析

DNA甲基化是表观遗传学的重要组成部分,基因启动子区及第一外显子区的CpG甲基化通常抑制该基因的表达,而去甲基化则促进基因表达。已有的研究发现荷斯坦牛的乳房炎指标SCC(Somatic cell count)与产奶量呈较强负相关。文章分析并比较了这两类性状的相关基因的启动子区、第一外显子、下游2 000 bp序列中CpG含量及分布特征。结果表明,乳房炎相关基因的启动子、第一外显子中CpG含量显著低于产奶性状相关基因,而两类性状基因下游2 000 bp序列中CpG含量无显著性差异。另外,文中提出了两个量化基因序列中CpG特征的指标,一个是CpG平均距离,用来衡量序列中的CpG分布;另一个是条件概率p(G|C),用以量化序列中二核苷酸CpG随碱基C出现的可能性,并对两类基因的启动子和第一外显子区域的这两个指标做了统计检验。研究结果对产奶性状与乳房炎相关基因的DNA甲基化调控研究奠定了基础。     

家蚕云7A Sericin1基因启动子克隆及活性分析

家蚕Sericin1基因(Ser1)是中部丝腺特异表达基因,其启动子在家蚕生物反应器研究方面发挥着重要作用。为了解云南家蚕品种云7 Ser1基因上游调控序列存在的多态性,进而获得具有驱动活性的Ser1启动子序列,克隆了家蚕Ser1基因启动子并进行序列分析,构建了由该基因启动子驱动红色荧光蛋白基因Ds Red的表达载体p Bac[Ser1p-Ds RedSV40+A3-EGFP],转染家蚕Bm N细胞进行瞬时表达来验证启动子活性。该启动子同已报道Ser1基因上游调控序列比对发现,顺式作用元件区域高度保守,而其他区域存在422 bp的碱基缺失;Ser1基因上游调控序列中存在启动子TATA框和CAAT框分别位于-24~-30处和-112~-115处,其中TATA框的保守序列是TATAAAA;而启动子驱动下的Ds Red基因在Bm N细胞和中部丝腺中成功表达。结果表明云南家蚕品种Ser1上游调控序列存在多态性和驱动活性,为了解不同家蚕品种丝胶合成能力差异和获得高效启动子奠定了基础。     

基于序列和结构特征分析植物TATA和TATA-less启动子

分析启动子区域内调控元件是阐明基因转录起始机制的重要前提．利用从PlanPromDB数据库下载的植物Pol-ⅡTATA和TATA-less启动子数据,深入分析了两类启动子GC偏好、位点结构保守性、序列碱基组分、保守模体分布、TATA box位点分布及关联位点保守性等特点,统计出两类植物启动子许多特有的序列组分和结构规律,这些规律对进一步揭示植物Pol-Ⅱ启动子的转录调控机制有一定的帮助．通过构建能够同时考虑位点保守性和关联性的位点关联性权重矩阵扫描模型(PCWM), 利用相应打分函数(Score)对两类启动子进行区分,得到了较好结果, 说明PCWM的预测性能要优于单碱基的位点权重矩阵(PWM)．     

染色质调节元件与不同启动子的相互作用对基因表达调控的影响

为探究DNA序列元件对不同启动子调节转基因稳定表达的影响,利用遍在染色质开放元件 (Ubiquitous chromatin opening elements,UCOE) 和基质黏附序列 (Scaffold/matrix-attachment regions,MAR) 分别与含增强子的oct4基因启动子、含CpG岛的sox2基因启动子和不含调控元件的nanog基因启动子以及同时包含增强子和CpG岛的CMV启动子组合构建pOCT4-MAR、pOCT4-UCOE、pSOX2-MAR、pSOX2-UCOE、pNANOG-MAR、pNANOG-UCOE、pCMV-UCOE、pCMV-MAR等质粒,分析这些质粒稳定转染后的表达量和嵌合表达差异。结果发现,UCOE与含增强子元件的oct4启动子组合能较稳定高效表达,而MAR与含CpG岛的sox2启动子组合能较稳定高效表达。利用排除位置效应原因的嵌合表达对染色质高级结构调控基因表达的稳定性分析表明：(1) 通常情况下UCOE比MAR调节的表达载体的表达更高效和更稳定;UCOE连接含CpG岛的启动子形成开放染色质调节的高表达更稳定;(2) MAR与启动子上TATA盒或增强子可能通过染色质环产生高表达,但相对不稳定。结论：染色质调节元件UCOE和MAR与启动子调控元件之间能通过染色质开放状态或染色质环调控基因稳定表达。     

CpG islands: features and distribution in the genomes of vertebrates

We have investigated the distribution of unmethylated CpG islands in vertebrate genomes fractionated according to their base composition. Genomes from warm-blooded vertebrates (man, mouse and chicken) are characterized by abundant CpG islands, whose frequency increases in DNA fractions of increasing % of guanine + cytosine; % G + C (GC), in parallel with the distribution of genes and CpG doublets. Small, yet significant, differences in the distribution of CpG islands were found in the three genomes. In contrast, genomes from cold-blooded vertebrates (two reptiles, one amphibian, and two fishes) were characterized by an extreme scarcity or absence of CpG islands (detected in these experiments as HpaII tiny fragments or HTF). CpG islands associated with homologous genes from cold- and warm-blooded vertebrates were then compared by analyzing CpG frequencies, GC levels, HpaII sites, rare-cutter sites and G/C boxes (GGGGCGGGGC and closely related motifs) in sequences available in gene banks. Small, yet significant, differences were again detected among the CpG islands associated with homologous genes from warm-blooded vertebrates, in that CpG islands associated with mouse or rat genes often showed low CpG and/or GC levels, as well as low numbers of HpaII sites, rare-cutter sites and G/C boxes, compared to homologous human genes; more rarely, CpG islands were just absent. As far as cold-blooded vertebrates were concerned, a number of genes showed CpG islands, which exhibited a much lower frequency of CpG doublets than that found in CpG islands of warm-blooded vertebrates, but still approached the statistically expected frequency; none of the other features of CpG islands associated with genes from warm-blooded vertebrates were present. Other genes did not show any associated CpG islands, unlike their homologues from warm-blooded vertebrates.     

Quarantine security of bananas at harvest maturity against Mediterranean and Oriental fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii

Culled bananas (dwarf 'Brazilian', 'Grand Nain', 'Valery', and 'Williams') sampled from packing houses on the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu identified specific "faults" that were at risk from oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), infestation. Faults at risk included bunches with precociously ripened bananas, or bananas with tip rot, fused fingers, or damage that compromised skin integrity to permit fruit fly oviposition into fruit flesh. No Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), or melon fly, B. cucurbitae (Coquillett), infestations were found in culled banana samples. Field infestation tests indicated that mature green bananas were not susceptible to fruit fly infestation for up to 1 wk past the scheduled harvest date when attached to the plant or within 24 h after harvest. Recommendations for exporting mature green bananas from Hawaii without risk of fruit fly infestation are provided. The research reported herein resulted in a USDA-APHIS protocol for exporting mature green bananas from Hawaii.     

一种快速高效的全基因组甲基化CpG岛富集方法的建立

高甲基化的CpG岛所致基因表观遗传学转录失活已经成为肿瘤表观基因组学研究的重要内容。现在已有很多检测CpG岛甲基化的方法,但由于各自的局限,还没有建立一种能快速在全基因组水平上进行甲基化CpG岛的富集方法。本研究利用甲基化结合蛋白MBD2b具有特异性结合甲基化DNA的特性, 建立了一种基于DNA免疫共沉淀技术的全基因组甲基化CpG岛的富集方法。在大肠杆菌中表达重组的GST-MBD2b蛋白,通过Glutathione Sepharose 4B对重组蛋白进行纯化,制备成亲和层析柱,利用在不同的盐离子强度下甲基化DNA和非甲基化DNA的结合能力不同,对甲基化DNA进行富集。用甲基化酶SssI处理过的DNA片段与非甲基化DNA片段进行富集效率的检测,发现0.5M KCl的浓度是甲基化DNA片段和非甲基化DNA片段得以分开的临界条件。样品的富集效率用Real Time PCR进行检测。结果表明,这种方法能够实现对全基因组甲基化DNA的有效富集且最高的富集倍数可达到100多倍。富集到的甲基化DNA可以进行后续的定量PCR, DNA测序和全基因组芯片的分析等工作,为大规模分析全基因组CpG 岛甲基化的改变奠定了基础。     

The length of CpG islands is associated with the distribution of Alu and L1 retroelements

Alu and L1 retroelements have been suggested to initiate the spread of CpG methylation. In this study, the spread of CpG methylation was estimated based on the distance between the CpG islands and the nearest retroelements. All human genes (23,116) were examined and the correlations between the length of the CpG islands and the distance and density of the confronting retroelements were examined using nonoverlapping 5-kb windows. There was a linear relationship between the length of the CpG islands and the density of the Alu elements and an inverse relationship between the CpG islands and the L1 elements located more distantly, suggesting a suppressive effect of the Alu's on the spread of L1 methylation. Methylation analysis of the transitional CpG sites between the CpG islands and the nearest retroelements upstream of 16 genes was then carried out using DNA preparations from 11 different human tissues. Methylation-variable transitional CpGs were observed for the selected genes and the different tissues.     

Primate CpG islands are maintained by heterogeneous evolutionary regimes involving minimal selection

Mammalian CpG islands are key epigenomic elements that were first characterized experimentally as genomic fractions with low levels of DNA methylation. Currently, CpG islands are defined based on their genomic sequences alone. Here, we develop evolutionary models to show that several distinct evolutionary processes generate and maintain CpG islands. One central evolutionary regime resulting in enriched CpG content is driven by low levels of DNA methylation and consequentially low rates of CpG deamination. Another major force forming CpG islands is biased gene conversion that stabilizes constitutively methylated CpG islands by balancing rapid deamination with CpG fixation. Importantly, evolutionary analysis and population genetics data suggest that selection for high CpG content is not?a significant factor contributing to conservation of CpGs in differentially methylated regions. The heterogeneous, but not selective, origins of CpG islands have direct implications for the understanding of DNA methylation patterns in healthy and diseased cells.