小鼠中血清因子结合位点位置分布及保守性的生物信息学分析

目的：血清反应因子在与心血管相关的疾病基因调控方面的作用越来越重要。血清反应因子识别的结合位点CArG元件因其重要的基因调控作用近年来随之备受关。本研究目的是揭示血清因子结合位点的位置分布与功能的关系及CArG元件内部各个住点的保守性。方法：本研究应用生物信息学方法结合遗传学方法对小鼠中CArG元件的位置分布、位点替换率及G0分类进行深入研究。结果：结果表明,71％的功能CArG元件分布在转录起始位点上游,且距离转录起始位点越近,CArG元件的数量越多。保守性分析发掘出元件内部的替换冷点、热点及替换规律。GO分类结果显示,CArG依赖性基因多为信号转导和细胞骨架蛋白。结论：上述研究结果将为准确预测候选CArG元件提供重要理论基础,同时也将为更为深入阐述SRF的调控模式奠定基础。     

Natural and synthetic DNA elements with the CArG motif differ in expression and protein-binding properties.

DNA elements with the CC(A/T)6GG, or CArG, motif occur in promoters that are under different regulatory controls. CArG elements from the skeletal actin, c-fos, and myogenin genes were tested for their abilities to confer tissue-specific expression on reporter genes when the individual elements were situated immediately upstream from a TATA element. The c-fos CArG element, also referred to as the serum response element (SRE), conferred basal, constitutive expression on the test promoter. The CArG motif from the myogenin gene was inactive. The skeletal actin CArG motif functioned as a muscle regulatory element (MRE) in that basal expression was detected only in muscle cultures. Muscle-specific expression from the 28-bp MRE and the 2.3-kb skeletal actin promoter was trans repressed by the Fos and Jun proteins. The expression and factor-binding properties of a series of synthetic CArG elements were analyzed. Muscle-specific expression was conferred by perfect 28-bp palindromes on the left and right halves of the skeletal actin MRE. Chimeric elements of the skeletal actin MRE and the c-fos SRE differed in their expression properties. Muscle-specific expression was observed when the left half of the MRE was fused to the right half of the SRE. Constitutive expression was conferred by a chimera with the right half of the MRE fused to the left half of the SRE and by chimeras which exchanged the central CC(A/T)6GG sequences. At least three distinct proteins specifically bound to these CArG elements. The natural and synthetic CArG elements differed in their affinities for these proteins; however, muscle-specific expression could not be attributed to differences in the binding of a single protein. Furthermore, the MRE did not bind MyoD or the myogenin-E12 heterodimer, indicating that muscle-specific expression from this element does not involve a direct interaction with these helix-loop-helix proteins. These data demonstrate that the conserved CArG motifs form the core of a family of functionally different DNA regulatory elements that may contribute to the tissue-specific expression properties of their cognate promoters.     

血清反应因子结合位点在小鼠及人基因组中保守性、 多样性及进化的研究

目的:CArG元件因其为血清反应因子识别的结合位点近年来备受关注。然而迄今为止尚未见到有关CArG元件的序列特征及进化模式的研究。方法:本研究应用生物信息学方法结合遗传学方法对小鼠及人基因组中CArG元件的位置分布序列类型、多样性及保守性进行深入研究。结果:多样性研究结果显示,CArG元件的序列在小鼠及人类基因组存在大量的不同类型。但是,小鼠和人基因组中CArG元件的主要类型又存在明显差异。同源性分析结果表明人类和小鼠中的CArG元件存在两种进化历程,一部分CArG元件拥有共同的祖先,一部分是在物种分化以后突变产生的。结论:上述研究结果将为更为深入阐述SRF的调控模式奠定理论基础,同时为更清楚的阐释CArG元件序列变化对下游基因的表达影响提供理论支持。     

血清反应因子结合位点在小鼠及人基因组中保守性、多样性及进化的研究

目的：CArG元件因其为血清反应因子识别的结合位点近年来备受关注。然而迄今为止尚未见到有关CArG元件的序列特征及进化模式的研究。方法：本研究应用生物信息学方法结合遗传学方法对小鼠及人基因组中CArG元件的位置分布序列类型、多样性及保守性进行深入研究。结果：多样性研究结果显示,CArG元件的序列在小鼠及人类基因组存在大量的不同类型。但是,小鼠和人基因组中CArG元件的主要类型又存在明显差异。同源性分析结果表明人类和小鼠中的CArG元件存在两种进化历程,一部分CArG元件拥有共同的祖先,一部分是在物种分化以后突变产生的。结论：上述研究结果将为更为深入阐述SRF的调控模式奠定理论基础,同时为更清楚的阐释CArG元件序列变化对下游基因的表达影响提供理论支持。     

小鼠中血清因子结合位点位置分布及保守性的生物信息学分析

目的:血清反应因子在与心血管相关的疾病基因调控方面的作用越来越重要。血清反应因子识别的结合位点CArG元件因其重要的基因调控作用近年来随之备受关。本研究目的是揭示血清因子结合位点的位置分布与功能的关系及CArG元件内部各个位点的保守性。方法:本研究应用生物信息学方法结合遗传学方法对小鼠中CArG元件的位置分布、位点替换率及GO分类进行深入研究。结果:结果表明,71%的功能CArG元件分布在转录起始位点上游,且距离转录起始位点越近,CArG元件的数量越多。保守性分析发掘出元件内部的替换冷点、热点及替换规律。GO分类结果显示,CArG依赖性基因多为信号转导和细胞骨架蛋白。结论:上述研究结果将为准确预测候选CArG元件提供重要理论基础,同时也将为更为深入阐述SRF的调控模式奠定基础。     

准噶尔雅罗鱼β-肌动蛋白基因启动子克隆及序列分析

利用PCR方法克隆了准噶尔雅罗鱼(Leuciscus merzbacheri)的β-actin基因启动子片段SZ21,大小是2398bp。对克隆的启动子序列进行了转录调控元件的生物信息学预测分析,同时,基于启动子中包含的开放阅读框和内含子序列,探讨了准噶尔雅罗鱼与鲤鱼(Cyprinus carpio)、草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idella)、青鱼(Mylopharyngodon piceus)、团头鲂(Megalobrama amblycephala)、泥鳅(Misgurnus mizolepis)间的系统进化关系。结果显示,该启动子序列的3个核心启动子转录元件:CAAT-box、CArGmotif和TATA-box分别在转录起始位点(+1)上游的-89、-59、-26处,序列中还含有MEF2、SATB、CHRF、INRE、MTEN、E-box、RU49、ZBPF、CREB、Enhance region、CEBP位点等多种转录调控元件。在剪接体内含子中,剪接位点遵循GT…AG法则。启动子SZ21序列含有3个内含子和155个氨基酸。内含子1、内含子2、内含子3的系统发育分析表明,团头鲂与草鱼和青鱼的亲缘关系要比与准噶尔雅罗鱼的更近一些,这与传统分类中的亲缘关系显示不一致,其原因尚需探讨。     

The sheep genome contributes to localization of control elements in a human gene with complex regulatory mechanisms

Genes that show complex tissue-specific and temporal control by regulatory elements located outside their promoters present a considerable challenge to identify the sequences involved. The rapid accumulation of genomic sequence information for a number of species has enabled a comparative phylogenetic approach to find important regulatory elements. For some genes, which show a similar pattern of expression in humans and rodents, genomic sequence information for these two species may be sufficient. Others, such as the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, show significant divergence in expression patterns between mouse and human, necessitating phylogenetic approaches involving additional species. The ovine CFTR gene has a temporal and spatial expression pattern that is very similar to that of human CFTR. Comparative genomic sequence analysis of ovine and human CFTR identified high levels of homology between the core elements in several potential regulatory elements defined as DNase I hypersensitive sites in human CFTR. These data provide a case for the power of an artiodactyl genome to contribute to the understanding of human genetic disease.     

Hprt-targeted transgenes provide new insights into smooth muscle-restricted promoter activity

Mouse telokin and SM22 promoters have previously been shown to direct smooth muscle cell-specific expression of transgenes in vivo in adult mice. However, the activity of these promoters is highly dependent on the integration site of the transgene. In the current study, we found that the ectopic expression of telokin promoter transgenes could be abolished by flanking the transgene with insulator elements from the H19 gene. However, the insulator elements did not increase the proportion of mouse lines that exhibited consistent, detectable levels of transgene expression. In contrast, when transgenes were targeted to the hprt locus, both telokin and SM22 promoters resulted in reproducible patterns and levels of transgene expression in all lines of mice examined. Telokin promoter transgene expression was restricted to smooth muscle tissues in adult and embryonic mice. As reported previously, SM22 transgenes were expressed at high levels specifically in arterial smooth muscle cells; however, in contrast to randomly integrated transgenes, the hprt-targeted SM22 transgenes were also expressed at high levels in smooth muscle cells in veins, bladder, and gallbladder. Using hprt-targeted transgenes, we further analyzed elements within the telokin promoter required for tissue specific activity in vivo. Analysis of these transgenes revealed that the CArG element in the telokin promoter is required for promoter activity in all tissues and that the CArG element and adjacent AT-rich region are sufficient to drive transgene expression in bladder but not intestinal smooth muscle cells. visceral smooth muscle; development; myosin light chain kinase; embryos; CArG element     

Polymorphic core promoter GA-repeats alter gene expression of the early embryonic developmental genes

Protein complexes that bind to ‘GAGA’ DNA elements are necessary to replace nucleosomes to create a local chromatin environment that facilitates a variety of site-specific regulatory responses. Three to four elements are required for the disruption of a preassembled nucleosome. We have previously identified human protein-coding gene core promoters that are composed of exceptionally long GA-repeats. The functional implication of those GA-repeats is beginning to emerge in the core promoter of the human SOX5 gene, which is involved in multiple developmental processes. In the current study, we analyze the functional implication of GA-repeats in the core promoter of two additional genes, MECOM and GABRA3, whose expression is largely limited to embryogenesis. We report a significant difference in gene expression as a result of different alleles across those core promoters in the HEK-293 cell line. Across-species homology check for the GABRA3 GA-repeats revealed that those repeats are evolutionary conserved in mouse and primates (p < 1 × 10^− 8). The MECOM core promoter GA-repeats are also conserved in numerous species, of which human has the longest repeat and complexity. We propose a novel role for GA-repeat core promoters to regulate gene expression in the genes involved in development and evolution.