Cloning, sequencing and bacterial expression of human glycine tRNA synthetase.

The human glycine tRNA synthetase gene (GlyRS) has been cloned and sequenced. The 2462 bp cDNA for this gene contains a large open reading frame (ORF) encoding 685 amino acids with predicted M(r) = 77,507 Da. The protein sequence has approximately 60% identity with B. mori GlyRS and 45% identity with S. cerevisiae GlyRS and contains motifs 2 and 3 characteristic of Class II tRNA synthetases. A second ORF encoding 47 amino acids is found upstream of the large ORF. Translation of this ORF may precede the expression of GlyRS as a possible regulatory mechanism. The enzyme was expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein with a 13 kDa biotinylated tag with an apparent M(r) = 90 kDa. The fusion protein was immunoprecipitated from crude bacterial extract with human EJ serum, which contains autoantibodies directed against GlyRS, and with rabbit polyclonal serum raised against a synthetic peptide derived from the predicted amino acid sequence of human GlyRS. Bacterial extract containing the fusion protein catalyses the aminoacylation of bovine tRNA with [14C]-gly at 10-fold increased level above normal bacterial extract and confirms that the cDNA encodes human GlyRS.     

Cloning of the cDNA encoding phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase regulatory alpha-subunit-like protein whose expression is down-regulated during differentiation.

Hybrid polar compounds (HPCs), such as suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), induce differentiation of transformed cells. Differential display of RNA was used to identify genes whose expression is changed during SAHA-induced differentiation of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. One such cDNA was identified whose mRNA level decreased by 50% after 8h of SAHA treatment as determined by Northern blot analysis. The full-length cDNA (1944bp in length) was cloned by sequencing of an EST clone and rapid amplification of 5' cDNA ends (5'-RACE). The predicted amino acid sequence is 589 amino acids and shares 45% identity with the yeast cytoplasmic phenylalanyl tRNA synthetase (PheRS) regulatory alpha-subunit. Human EST clones which share over 90% identity of predicted amino acid sequence with this cDNA map to chromosome 2 near the paired box homeotic gene 3 (PAX3) locus, a region syngenic to mouse chromosome 1. This is the first report of the cloning of the full-length cDNA for the murine PheRS regulatory alpha-subunit-like protein. The level of PheRS alpha-subunit-like mRNA is regulated during differentiation but not during cell cycle progression.     

Lipase H,a new member of the triglyceride lipase family synthesized by the intestine

We report here the molecular cloning of a novel member of the triglyceride lipase family, a 2.4-kb cDNA encoding human lipase H (LIPH) and the mouse ortholog (Liph). The human LIPH cDNA encodes a 451-amino-acid protein with a lipase domain. Mouse Liph shows 85% amino acid identity and 75% nucleotide identity to human LIPH. Human LIPH exhibits 47% identity with phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A1 (PS-PLA1) and 46% identity with endothelial lipase (LIPG) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). LIPH is localized on human chromosome 3q27-q28. Northern blot analysis revealed specific expression of LIPH mRNA in intestine, lung, and pancreas. Lipase H protein was also detected in human intestine. Lipase H is a secreted protein with an apparent molecular weight of 63 kDa. Although several lipid substrates were tested, the lipid substrate of LIPG was not identified. Like the other members of this gene family, LIPH may be involved in lipid and energy metabolism.     

麦红吸浆虫蜕皮激素受体（EcR）基因的克隆与表达分析

为了研究蜕皮激素受体（EcR）在麦红吸浆虫Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin)滞育活动中的作用, 利用RT PCR和RACE技术克隆得到了麦红吸浆虫蜕皮激素受体基因cDNA全长, 并通过Real-time quantitative PCR研究了其表达情况。该cDNA全长序列被命名为SmEcR （GenBank登录号： KC491135）, 其开放阅读框长1 386 bp, 编码461个氨基酸残基。其蛋白预测分子量52.90 kD, 理论等电点6.24。该蛋白与其他已报道的昆虫EcR蛋白具有很高的同源性, 其中与迟眼蕈蚊Bradysia coprophila中相应蛋白的氨基酸序列一致性高达92%。SmEcR在麦红吸浆虫不同滞育时期和不同虫态中均有表达, 且在不同滞育时期、 不同虫态中的表达量差异很大。在滞育不同时期以11月表达量最高, 12月表达量最低; 在不同虫态以麦穗幼虫中的表达量较低, 而成虫中的表达水平很高。本研究为进一步明确SmEcR在麦红吸浆虫滞育调控中的作用奠定了基础。