Profiling catalase gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster during development and aging

Catalase represents one of the key antioxidant enzymes (AOE) in the metabolism of oxygen free radicals. A comprehensive analysis was brought to bear on establishing catalase gene expression profiles during development and aging, with the underlying objective being to identify potential regulatory factors. Expression of the catalase gene exhibits substantial variations during development and aging in a stage- and tissue-specific manner. At the temporal level, previous observations of the coincidence of ecdysteroid pulses with peaks in catalase expression during developmental stages were largely corroborated. In adults, a small but significant decline in catalase expression was noted in adults as a function of age. Spatially, it was ascertained that catalase expression is mostly confined to tissues related to intermediary metabolism, digestive and adipose systems as well as oenocytes. By combining histochemical analysis of reporter gene expression with immunostaining of the endogenous product, it was possible to identify putative positive and negative regulatory elements that control catalase expression. Finally, when adult flies were subjected to various environmental insults, such as heat, paraquat, hyperoxia and H(2)O(2), no significant responses were observed, suggesting that catalase gene expression is largely governed by intrinsic genetic programs.     

Stage and tissue-specific expression of fosB during mouse development

The product of the fos-related fosB gene shares many properties with c-Fos such as inducibility by growth factors, complex formation with members of the Jun family and cooperative binding with Jun to the TPA response element (TRE). To investigate whether in contrast to these functional similarities, the two genes might be differentially regulated, we have analysed the expression of fosB during mouse development by in situ hybridization. A spatially restricted accumulation of fosB mRNA in the visceral yolk sac and the nervous system was observed during late gestation. The highest levels of fosB mRNA were found in the cortex and the dorsal columns of the spinal cord. Moreover, stage-specific expression was seen in sensory organs such as retina and vibrissae, where the levels of fosB RNA either increased (retina) or decreased (vibrissae) between days 15 and 18. Our results suggest that fosB may have a specific function in the development of ectoderm-derived tissues. Expression of fosB during prenatal development differs markedly from the known expression pattern of c-fos, pointing to different tissue-specific functions for c-fos and fosB.     

A quantitative genetic analysis of tissue-specific catalase activity inMus musculus

Tissue-specific catalase activity in 3-week-old animals from inbred mouse strains 129/ReJ, BALB/c, C3H/HeAnl/Cas-1^b, C3H/HeSnJ, C3H/S, C57BL/6J, and Swiss-Webster was found to be highly variable by analysis of variance (P=0.01). Appropriate crosses were made among strains which were classified as normal (BALB/c, C3H/HeSnJ, C3H/S), hypocatalasemic (129/ReJ, C57BL/6J), and acatalasemic (C3H/HeAnl/Cas-1^b) with respect to blood catalase activity to study the inheritance of the blood, kidney, liver, and lung catalase activity levels in a number of generations (reciprocal F₁'s, F₂, two backcrosses —BC₁ and BC₂— and some RI lines). Segregation analysis and statistical methods which tested different models of inheritance as well as calculations of heritability were used in an effort to assess and evaluate genetic parameters that affect catalase activity. Results indicate that the inheritance of blood catalase activity in the cross involving acatalasemic and normal (BALB/c, C3H/HeSnJ) strains is compatible with the single-locus difference between the parental strains; however, the difference between the acatalasemic and the hypocatalasemic strain (C57BL/6J) would require additional genetic interaction for a satisfactory explanation. A similar pattern of generalization also applies to the inheritance of kidney catalase activity. The segregation pattern for the liver and lung catalase activity in most crosses is significantly different from the expectations of the single locus model. These results are compatible with the concept that a number of genes must affect tissue-specific catalase activity in mice. These may include previously described (e.g., Ce-1 and Ce-2) or novel genetic regulators/modifiers which interact with a single structural gene (Cas-1) or its product to produce the catalase phenotype characteristic of specific tissues in each strain.This investigation was supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada operating grant to S.M.S.     

Subtractive hybridization reveals tissue-specific expression of ahnak during embryonic development

The gene product ahnak has been identified from extra-embryonic mesoderm cDNA enriched using a subtractive hybridization approach modified for using small amounts of starting material. Clones for cyclin D2 and H19 have also been isolated as being preferentially enriched in the extra-embryonic mesoderm compared with the embryo proper of embryonic day (E) 7.5 neural plate stage mouse embryos. The differential expression of these genes was confirmed at gastrulation stage using in situ hybridization. More detailed analysis of the human genomic ahnak sequence suggests that its highly repetitive structure was formed by unequal cross-over and gene conversion. During organogenesis, ahnak is expressed in a variety of tissues, including migratory mesenchyme. By E12.5, the major site of expression of ahnak is craniofacial mesenchyme. Immunohistochemical analysis has shown that ahnak protein is expressed mainly at the cell membrane of migratory mesenchymal cells, primarily in the nucleus of bone growth plate cells and mostly in the cytoplasm of differentiating nasal epithelia. The potential functions of ahnak are discussed in light of these results.     

Carboxypeptidase-like activity during development and aging of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis

An acid carboxypeptidase whose activity, based on several biochemical parameters, was determined to be similar to mammalian lysosomal carboxypeptidase was maximal at pH 5.0 during the early parasitic stages of development of the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. No such enzyme activity could be detected in the early free-living larval stages of this nematode. Carboxypeptidase activity declined as the age of the parasitic adult increased. Timing of maximum activity corresponds to the shift from free-living to parasitic stages of the life cycle.     

Inheritance of tissue-specific expression of barley hordein promoter-uidA fusions in transgenic barley plants

 Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) hordeins are alcohol-soluble redundant storage proteins that accumulate in protein bodies of the starchy endosperm during seed development. Strong endosperm-specific β-glucuronidase gene-(uidA; gus) expression driven by B₁- and D-hordein promoters was observed in stably transformed barley plants co-transformed with the selectable herbicide resistance gene, bar. PCR analysis using DNA from calli of 22 different lines transformed with B₁- or D-hordein promoter-uidA fusions showed the expected 1.8-kb uidA fragment after PCR amplification. DNA-blot analysis of genomic DNA from T₀ leaf tissue of 13 lines showed that 12 (11 independent) lines produced uidA fragments and that one line was uidA-negative. T₁ progeny from 6 out of 12 independent regenerable transgenic lines tested for uidA expression showed a 3 : 1 segregation pattern. Of the remaining six transgenic lines, one showed a segregation ratio of 15 : 1 for GUS, one expressed bar alone, one lacked transmission of either gene to T₁ progeny, and three were sterile. Stable GUS expression driven by the hordein promoters was observed in T₅ progeny in one line, T₄ progeny in one line, T₃ progeny in three lines and T₂ or T₁ progeny in the remaining two fertile lines tested; homozygous transgenic plants were obtained from three lines. In the homozygous lines the expression of the GUS protein, driven by either the B₁- or D-hordein promoters, was highly expressed in endosperm at early to mid-maturation stages. Expression of bar driven by the maize ubiquitin promoter was also stably transmitted to T₁ progeny in seven out of eight lines tested. However, in most lines PAT expression driven by the maize ubiquitin promoter was gradually lost in T₂ or later generations; one homozygous line was obtained. In contrast, six out of seven lines stably expressed GUS driven by the hordein promoters in T₂ or later generations. We conclude that the B₁- and D-hordein promoters can be used to engineer, and subsequently study, stable endosperm-specific gene expression in barley and potentially to modify barley seeds through genetic engineering. Received: 28 May 1998 / Accepted: 19 December 1998     

Long-term dietary restriction up-regulates activity and expression of renal arginase II in aging mice

Arginase II is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of L-arginine into urea and ornithine. It is present in other extra-hepatic tissues that lack urea cycle. Therefore, it is plausible that arginase II has a physiological role other than urea cycle which includes polyamine, proline, glutamate synthesis and regulation of nitric oxide production. The high expression of arginase II in kidney, among extrahepatic tissues, might have an important role associated with kidney functions. The present study is aimed to determine the age-associated alteration in the activity and expression of arginase II in the kidney of mice of different ages. The effect of dietary restriction to modulate the age-dependent changes of arginase II was also studied. Results showed that renal arginase II activity declines significantly with the progression of age (p<0.01 and p<0.001 in 6- and 18-month-old mice, respectively as compared to 2-month old mice) and is due to the reduction in its protein as well as the mRNA level (p<0.001 in both 6- and 18-month-old mice as compared to 2-month-old mice). Long-term dietary restriction for three months has significantly up-regulated arginase II activity and expression level in both 2- and 18-month-old mice (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively as compared to AL group). These findings clearly indicate that the reducing level of arginase II during aging might have an impact on the declining renal functions. This age-dependent down-regulation of arginase II in the kidney can be attenuated by dietary restriction which may help in the maintenance of such functions.