The vasopressin mRNA poly(A) tract is unusually long and increases during stimulation of vasopressin gene expression in vivo.

We developed a method, termed an H-blot, by which the poly(A) tract of any specific mRNA may be detected by RNA filter hybridization after its removal from the body of the mRNA by a RNase H-catalyzed endonucleolytic cleavage in the 3' untranslated region. Using this method, we studied the modulation of the length of the poly(A) tract of rat vasopressin mRNA in vivo during changes in the levels of this mRNA resulting from a physiologic stimulus, osmotic stress. The poly(A) tract of hypothalamic vasopressin mRNA in hydrated rats was, quite remarkably, approximately 250 nucleotides in length, in contrast to that of somatostatin mRNA, which was approximately 30 nucleotides long. Vasopressin mRNA poly(A) tail length increased progressively from approximately 250 to approximately 400 nucleotides with the application of the hyperosmotic stimulus and declined to base line after its removal; somatostatin mRNA poly(A) tail length did not change during osmotic stress. The poly(A) tract length of total hypothalamic mRNA was between 35 and 140 nucleotides and also did not change with osmotic stress. Modulation of poly(A) tract length of specific mRNAs during stimulation of gene expression may provide an additional level of genetic regulation.     

Molecular cloning and the nucleotide sequence of cDNA to mRNA for non-neuronal enolase (alpha alpha enolase) of rat brain and liver.

The nucleotide sequence for alpha alpha enolase (non-neuronal enolase: NNE) of rat brain and liver was determined from recombinant cDNA clones. The sequence was composed of 1722 bp which included the 1299 bp of the complete coding region, the 108 bp of the 5'-noncoding region and the 312 bp of the 3'-noncoding region containing a polyadenylation signal. In addition, the poly(A) tail was also found. A potential ribosome-binding site was located 30 nucleotides upstream to the initiation codon in the 5'-noncoding region. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence was 433 amino acids in length and showed very high homology (82%) to the amino acid sequence of gamma gamma enolase (neuron-specific enolase: NSE), although the nucleotide sequence showed slightly lower homology (75%). The size of NNE mRNA was approximately 1800 bases by Northern transfer analysis and much shorter than that of NSE mRNA (2400 bases) indicating a short 3'-noncoding region. A dot-blot hybridization and Northern transfer analysis of cytoplasmic RNA from the developing rat brains using a labeled 3'-noncoding region of cDNA (no homology between NSE and NNE) showed a decrease of NNE mRNA at around 10 postnatal days and then a gradual increase to adult age without changes of mRNA size. Liver mRNA did not show any significant change during development.     

Contribution of polyadenylate sequences to the translational efficiency of globin messenger RNAs.

mRNAs from reticulocyte polysomes were fractionated by chromatography on poly(U)-Sepharose and thermal elution. The molar ratio of alpha- to beta-globin mRNA was found to be 2:1 and 1:1 respectively in short- and long-poly(A) size classes. Translational analyses indicated that the globin mRNAs containing long poly(A) tracts (with a mean length of about 70 nucleotides) directed protein synthesis with higher rates than did mRNA containing short poly(A) tracts (15-35 nucleotides). Experiments performed with sub-saturating mRNA concentrations showed that the digestion with RNAase H induced a decrease in the translational capacity of both globin mRNAs and an increase in the alpha- to beta-globin synthesis ratio. No correlation was observed between the size of the poly(A) tail in mRNA and the optimal K+ requirement for translation.     

The length of the combined 3' untranslated region and poly(A) tail does not control rates of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mRNA translation in three species of parasitic protists

Experimental observations suggested that the length of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA 3' end has a role in regulating rates of translation in the parasitic protists Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania donovani, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Using a PCR assay for poly(A) tail length, we measured the size of the RNA 3' end under different growth conditions in all three species. Our results showed that the combined 3' untranslated region and poly(A) tail of GAPDH mRNA do not vary with different rates of translation.     

Alterations in the size of the poly(a) segment in newly-synthesized messenger RNA of mouse sarcoma 180 ascites cells

The size of the poly(A) segment present at the 3-end of mRNA molecules decreases gradually after entry of the mRNA into the cytoplasm. The size reduction seems to occur equally in free and polysome-bound mRNA. It is not affected by conditions that inhibit protein synthesis, such as treatment with cycloheximide and amino acid deprivation. The latter condition leads to a substantial increase in the size of nuclear poly(A). The rate of poly(A) cleavage could determine the length of time a mRNA molecule remains functional in the cytoplasm.     

Poly(A) dependent translation in rabbit reticulocyte lysate

Poly(A) tail has been known to enhance mRNA translation in eukaryotic cells. However, the effect of poly(A) tail in vitro is rather small. Rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL) is widely used for studying translation in vitro. Translation in RRL is typically performed in nuclease-treated lysate in which most of the endogenous mRNA have been removed. In this condition, the difference in the translational efficiency between poly(A)⁺ and poly(A)⁻ mRNAs is about two-fold. We studied the effect of poly(A) tail on luciferase mRNA translation in nuclease uncreated reticulocyte lysate, in which endogenous globin mRNAs were actively translated. In the case of capped mRNAs. stimulation of translation by poly(A) addition was about 1.5- to 1.6-fold and the effect of the poly(A) length was small. However, in the case of uncapped mRNAs, the addition of poly(A) tail increased luciferase expression over 10-fold. The effect of the poly(A) tail was dependent on its length. The difference in the translational efficiency was not due to the change of mRNA stability. These data indicate that RRL has the potential to translate mRNA in a poly(A) dependent manner.     

血管紧张素Ⅱ在紧张应激引起大鼠血压升高中的作用

实验在雄性Sprague Dawley大鼠上进行。实验动物被随机分为对照组、应激组和应激 腹腔注射卡托普利 (captopril)组。应激组大鼠每天给予电击足底结合噪声的应激刺激 ,每日 2次 ,每次 2h ,连续 15d ;应激 ipcaptopril组大鼠在给予应激刺激期间 ,经腹腔内注射captopril 5 0mg/kg d。实验结果观察到 ,15d后 ,三组大鼠平均尾动脉收缩压分别为 :对照组 16 32± 0 5 5kPa (n =7) ,应激组 19 75± 1 0kPa (n =8) ,应激 ipcaptopril组17 6 9± 1 0 7kPa (n =8)。应激 ipcaptopril组大鼠的尾动脉收缩压较对照组动物有显著升高 (P <0 0 5 ) ,但又显著低于应激组大鼠 (P <0 0 5 ) ;同时 ,三组大鼠下丘脑组织中AVP mRNA水平分别为 :对照组 7332 6 6± 5 2 2 6 5 (n =6 ) ;应激组 12 990 33± 15 33 5 8(n =6 ) ,应激 ipcaptopril组 10 6 15 5± 1410 49(n =6 )。应激 ipcaptopril组大鼠下丘脑组织中AVP mRNA水平较对照组有显著升高 (P <0 0 0 1) ,但又显著低于单纯应激组大鼠 (P <0 0 5 )。统计结果显示 :各组大鼠下丘脑组织中AVP mRNA水平与血压之间存在正相关关系 (P <0 0 0 1)。对照组大鼠在侧脑室注射 (icv)选择性血管升压素 (AVP)V1受体拮抗剂d(CH2 ) 5Tyr(Me)AVP 0 3μg后 ,其平均动脉压 (