Ghox 4.7: a chick homeobox gene expressed primarily in limb buds with limb-type differences in expression.

Homeobox genes play a key role in specifying the segmented body plan of Drosophila, and recent work suggests that at least several homeobox genes may play a regulatory role during vertebrate limb morphogenesis. We have used degenerate oligonucleotide primers from highly conserved domains in the homeobox motif to amplify homeobox gene segments from chick embryo limb bud cDNAs using the polymerase chain reaction. Expression of a large number of homeobox genes (at least 17) is detected using this approach. One of these genes contains a novel homeobox loosely related to the Drosophila Abdominal B class, and was further analyzed by determining its complete coding sequence and evaluating its expression during embryogenesis by in situ hybridization. Based on sequence and expression patterns, we have designated this gene as Ghox 4.7 and believe that it is the chick homologue of the murine Hox 4.7 gene (formerly Hox 5.6). Ghox 4.7 is expressed primarily in limb buds during development and shows a striking spatial restriction to the posterior zone of the limb bud, suggesting a role in specifying anterior-posterior pattern formation. In chick, this gene also displays differences in expression between wing and leg buds, raising the possibility that it may participate in specifying limb-type identity.     

Expression of DLX3 in chick embryos

Higher vertebrates appear to possess six genes encoding a homeodomain of the distal-less type. We report the cloning and expression pattern of the chicken DLX3 gene, a homeobox gene highly related to the DLX5 gene with regard to both the encoded protein structure and the expression pattern. DLX3 RNA was observed during the development of the olfactory and otic placodes, in the distal portion of the first and second visceral arch mesenchyme, in the growing limb buds, and in the tail tip. No expression occurs in the central nervous system.     

甘蓝型油菜pol CMS育性恢复基因对orf224/atp6的转录调控

用 10个线粒体基因探针对波里马细胞质雄性不育 (polimaCMS)三系 1141A(pol) ,1141B(nap)和 1141R(pol)的花蕾线粒体RNA进行了Northern检测。结果表明 ,只有 3个探针atp6、orf2 2 4和orf2 2 2检测到转录本的差异。atp6在可育的 1141B中只转录产生一个丰度很高的 1 1kb转录本 ,在雄性不育的 1141A和pol胞质恢复系 1141R中 ,这个转录本的丰度明显减少并出现了分子量较大的 2个转录本 2 2kb、1 9kb转录本。与 1141A相比 ,恢复系1141R的 2 2kb和 1 9kb转录本丰度明显减少 ,并伴随着两个新的转录本 1 4kb和 1 3kb。表明orf2 2 4 atp6的表达与polCMS有关 ,并且其转录受到恢复基因Rfp的调控。同时通过对杂种F1 ( 1141A× 1141R)与另一个恢复系RS35 (pol)的比较证实 ,Rfp对orf2 2 4 atp6的调控与Rfp纯合与否无关。orf2 2 4 atp6在 1141A的苗期叶片中还转录产生育性恢复特异的 1 4kb转录本 ,这可能与细胞核基因型和相对低温条件有关。     

A regulatory region from the mouse Hox-2.2 promoter directs gene expression into developing limbs

To characterize cis-acting regulatory elements of the murine homeobox gene, Hox-2.2, transgenic mouse lines were generated that contained the LacZ reporter gene under the control of different fragments from the presumptive Hox-2.2 promoter. A promoter region of 3600 base pairs (bp) was identified, which reproducibly directed reporter gene expression into specific regions of developing mouse embryos. At 8.5 days postcoitum (p.c.) reporter gene activity was detected in posterior regions of the lateral mesoderm and, in subsequent developmental stages, expression of the LacZ gene was restricted to specific regions of the developing limb buds and the mesenchyme of the ventrolateral body region. This pattern of Hox-2.2-LacZ expression was found in all transgenic embryos that have been generated with the 3.6 kb promoter fragment (two founder embryos and embryos from five transgenic lines). In addition, embryos from two transgenic mouse lines expressed the reporter gene at low levels in the developing central nervous system (CNS). Our results are consistent with the idea that in addition to their presumptive role in CNS and vertebrae development, Hox-2.2 gene products are involved in controlling pattern formation in developing limbs.     

10个线粒体基因在甘蓝型油菜NCa不育系统不同组织中的转录调控及其与育性的关系

用10个线粒体基因为探针,对NCα不育系、保持系和可育F1的苗期叶片、幼蕾及未成熟种子的线粒体RNA进行了Northern分析。结果表明,这10个线粒体基因除atp6外,其余9个基因在同一材料的不同组织中没有表达差异,都属于组成型表达的线粒体基因。其中,off139、orf222、atp1、cox1、cox2、cob、rm5S、rm26S等8个线粒体基因在不育系、保持系和可育F1的苗期叶片、幼蕾及未成熟种子中有着相同的表达,属于表达不受核基因型影响,没有组织特异性的类型：atp9基因分别在同一材料的不同组织中的转录也基本没有变化,但是在3个不同的材料间具有表达差异：可能属于表达受核基因型影响、没有组织特异性的线粒体基因。atp6基因也在3个材料的叶、蕾和种子中都产生相同大小的转录本,但是在各个材料的不同组织中存在着信号强度的差异,可能是属于表达既受核基因型影响、又有组织特异性的线粒体基因。Orf222和off139分别在不育系和可育F1幼蕾中产生相同大小和丰度的转录本,但是在保持系幼蕾中没有检测到转录本;orf222检测到的3条转录本分别为1．1kb、0．9kb、0．6kb,而off139检测到0．8kb和0．6kb两条带。atp9探针在不育系和保持系幼蕾中都检测到1条0．6kb的转录本,而在可育F1幼蕾中检测到0．6kb和1．2kb的转录本。讨论了orf222、off139、atp9基因的表达与NCα细胞质雄性不育的可能关系。