一种新的短链脱氢/还原酶家族新成员:NADP(H)-依赖的视黄醇脱氢酶基因的克隆和分析

从牛的肝脏中快速抽提总RNA,根据GenBank已发表NADP(H)-依赖的视黄醇脱氢酶基因(NRDR)的cDNA序列,设计并合成特异引物,利用cDNA末端快速扩增(RACE)方法和反转录-聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR),得到牛肝内的NRDR cDNA的全长序列。经测序证实,牛肝NRDR的全长cDNA序列为1266bp,其开放读码框架在24～806bp,编码260个氨基酸(GenBank登录号：AF487454)。根据NRDR基因推导出的氨基酸序列与人、鼠、兔有高度同源性,并含有SDR超家族成员的两个高度保守的模序,在其C-端含有过氧化物酶体的靶向序列为SHL。结果表明,牛的NRDR应属于过氧化物酶体内SDR超家族成员并在维甲酸合成的限速步骤起作用的酶,也为维甲酸合成的传统通路提供一个补充。     

cDNA sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of bovine oviductal fluid catalase

A bovine oviductal fluid catalase (OFC) which preferentially binds to the acrosome surface of some mammalian spermatozoa has recently been purified. The objectives of this study were to clone the OFC, obtain the full-length cDNA and protein sequence and determine which characteristics of the proteins are associated with the binding of the enzyme to sperm surface. Northern blot analysis revealed low levels of catalase mRNA in bovine oviducts and uterus compared to the liver and kidney. Screening of a cDNA library from the cow oviduct permit to obtain a full-length cDNA of 2282 bp, with an open reading frame of 1581 bp coding for a deduced protein of 526 amino acids (59 789 Da). The deduced protein contained four potential N-glycosylation sites and many potential O-glycosylation sites. The OFC protein exhibited high identity with catalase from other bovine tissues, likewise with catalases from human fibroblast and kidney, and with rat liver catalase. The homology of amino acid sequence of OFC with bovine liver catalase was about 99%. However the OFC posses an extended carboxyl terminus of 20 amino acids not present on the liver catalase. This result is supported by a lower mobility of the OFC compared to the liver catalase when both proteins are submitted on SDS-PAGE. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 51:265–273, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

大黄鱼PPAR β全长cDNA的克隆和组织表达

利用RT-PCR和SMART RACE的方法从大黄鱼肝脏中克隆了PPARβ全长cDNA。该序列长3390bp,5′端非翻译区146bp,3′端非翻译区1711bp,开放阅读框1533bp,可编码一个由510个氨基酸组成的蛋白质,该蛋白质分子量为57.2kDa、等电点为6.46。氨基酸序列分析表明,PPARβ基因具有较高的保守性,大黄鱼PPARβ与花鲈、金头鲷、欧鲽、大西洋鲑、红鳍东方鲀、人、黑猩猩、牛、兔及小鼠等10个物种的同源性为72%~91%,其中与花鲈同源性最高,为91%。用RT-PCR法检测PPARβ基因的组织表达,结果表明该基因在大黄鱼肌肉、眼、脾、肾、肝、鳃、心、肠和脑等9个组织中均有表达,其中肝脏组织表达量最大,肌肉最少。     

Characterization of distinct mRNAs coding for putative isozymes of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase

Three distinct clones encoding full-length 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase (PFK-2)/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase-2) were characterized from a rat liver cDNA library. Clone 22c was 1859 bp long and coded for the 470 amino acids of the bifunctional subunit of the liver homodimer. This polypeptide is phosphorylated on serine 32 by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. Clone 4c (2681 bp) had a coding region identical to that of clone 22c but it included a putative intron of 959 bp. In clone 5c (1750 bp), the sequence upstream from amino acid 33 differed from that in clone 22c and coded for a unique N-terminal portion of 10 amino acids. Poly(A)-rich RNA from rat tissues was hybridized with cDNA probes corresponding to the unique N-terminal portions of clones 22c and 5c. Dot and Northern blots showed signals indicative of three distinct PFK-2/FBPase-2 mRNAs. There were a 6.8-kb mRNA typical of cardiac tissue, a 2.1-kb mRNA typical of liver, corresponding to clone 22c, and a 1.9-kb mRNA typical of skeletal muscle, corresponding to clone 5c. Primer extension analysis showed that clones 22c and 5c were nearly complete since their respective 5'-untranslated sequences were at most 96/97 bp and 44 bp shorter than the corresponding mRNAs. These data provide a molecular basis for the existence of PFK-2/FBPase-2 isozymes.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of a full-length cDNA for human liver gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase.

We have cloned and sequenced a full-length cDNA for human liver gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS), the rate-limiting enzyme in glutathione biosynthesis. The cDNA consists of 2634 bp containing an open reading frame encoding a protein of 367 amino acids and having a calculated M(r) = 72,773. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA for human liver GCS shares an 84% overall similarity with the composite rat GCS sequence deduced from three overlapping partial cDNAs (Yan and Meister, JBC 265: 1588-1593, 1990). The deduced amino acid sequences are 94% similar. Comparison of Northern blots of total RNA isolated from rat kidney or liver with that from human kidney revealed the GCS mRNA to be larger in the human tissue (approximately 4.0 kb vs. approximately 3.7 kb). (The sequence for the human liver GCS cDNA has been assigned accession number M90656 in GenBank/EMBL databases.     

Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase from liver of Sparus aurata: nutritional regulation of enzyme expression

A cDNA clone encoding full-length 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (6PF-2-K/Fru-2, 6-P2ase) was isolated and sequenced from a Sparus aurata liver cDNA library. The 2527 bp nucleotide sequence of the cDNA contains a 73 bp 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR), an open reading frame that encodes a 469 amino acid protein and 1041 bp at the 3'-UTR. The deduced amino acid sequence is the first inferred 6PF-2-K/Fru-2, 6-P2ase in fish. The kinase and bisphosphatase domains, where the residues described as crucial for the mechanism of reaction of the bifunctional enzyme are located, present a high degree of homology with other liver isoenzymes. However, within the first 30 amino acids at the N-terminal regulatory domain of the fish enzyme a low homology is found. Nutritional regulation of the 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase activity, together with immunodetectable protein and mRNA levels of 6PF-2-K/Fru-2,6-P2ase, was observed after starvation and refeeding. In contrast to results previously described for rat liver, the decrease in immunodetectable protein and kinase activity caused by starvation was associated in the teleostean fish to a decrease in mRNA levels.     

Cloning, sequence, and developmental expression of a type 5, tartrate-resistant, acid phosphatase of rat bone.

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) is a characteristic constituent of osteoclasts and some mononuclear preosteoclasts and, therefore, used as a histochemical and biochemical marker for osteoclasts and bone resorption. We now report the isolation of a 1397-base pair (bp) full-length TRAP/tartrate-resistant acid ATPase (TrATPase) cDNA clone from a neonatal rat calvaria lambda gt11 cDNA library. The cDNA clone consists of a 92-bp untranslated 5'-flank, an open reading frame of 981 bp and a 324-bp untranslated 3'-poly(A)-containing region. The deduced protein sequence of 327 amino acids contains a putative cleavable signal sequence of 21 amino acids. The mature polypeptide of 306 amino acids has a calculated Mr of 34,350 Da and a pI of 9.18, and it contains two potential N-glycosylation sites and the lysosomal targeting sequence DKRFQ. At the protein level, the sequence displays 89-94% homology to TRAP enzymes from human placenta, beef spleen, and uteroferrin and identity to the N terminus of purified rat bone TRAP/TrATPase. An N-terminal amino acid segment is strikingly homologous to the corresponding region in lysosomal and prostatic acid phosphatases. The cDNA recognized a 1.5-kilobase mRNA in long bones and calvaria, and in vitro translation using, as template, mRNA transcribed from the full-length insert yielded an immunoprecipitated product of 34 kDa. In neonatal rats, TRAP/TrATPase mRNA was highly expressed in skeletal tissues, with much lower (less than 10%) levels detected in spleen, thymus, liver, skin, brain, kidney, brain, lung, and heart. In situ hybridization demonstrated specific labeling of osteoclasts at endostal surfaces and bone trabeculae of long bones. Thus, despite the apparent similarity of this osteoclastic TRAP/TrATPase with type 5, tartrate-resistant and purple, acid phosphatases expressed in other mammalian tissues, this gene appears to be preferentially expressed at skeletal sites.     

Cloning of rat ABCA7 and its preferential expression in platelets

We cloned the full-length cDNA of a rat orthologue of ABCA7 (rABCA7) from rat platelets. The cDNA of rABCA7 is 6510bp in length and encodes a protein of 2170 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of rABCA7 exhibits homology to those of mouse ABCA7 (92.5% identical in amino acid sequence) and human ABCA7 (76.6%). We obtained two clones of monoclonal antibodies against rABCA7 recognizing different epitopes. Analysis of CHO cells stably expressing rABCA7 by confocal laser-scanning microscopy indicated that rABCA7 is mainly located in the plasma membrane. Western blot analysis of rat tissues revealed that rABCA7 was preferentially expressed in platelets and that its apparent molecular mass was 250kDa. This is the first report of the tissue distribution of rABCA7 at the protein level and is the first reported case of ABC transporters being expressed in platelets, suggesting their important role in platelet function.     

Molecular cloning, complementary deoxyribonucleic acid structure and predicted full-length amino acid sequence of the hormone-inducible regulatory subunit of 3'-5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from human testis

In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of a full-length cDNA clone for the hormone-inducible regulatory subunit RII beta (formerly called RII51) of type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase from a human testis cDNA library. The cloned cDNA demonstrated tissue-specific expression of RII beta mRNA in human tissues, with the highest mRNA levels in testis and ovary. The isolated human cDNA clone was 3.3 kilobases (kb) in length and contained 166 base pairs (bp) of G/C-rich 5'-noncoding sequence, an open reading frame of 1254 bp and an A/T-rich 3'-nontranslated region containing 1836 bp followed by an 89 nucleotide long poly(A)-tail. The predicted protein contains 418 amino acids including the start methionine, and the estimated mol wt of human RII beta is 53,856. The nucleotide sequence within the open reading frame and the predicted amino acid sequence of human RII beta are highly conserved compared with partial rat RII beta sequences, displaying 91% and 97% similarity, respectively. Codon preference analysis of the cloned cDNA sequence indicated that the two cAMP-binding domains and the hinge region are highly conserved through evolution, whereas the dimerization domain displayed a codon preference pattern indicative of appearance at a later stage of evolution. The isolated human cDNA detected an FSH- and cAMP-inducible mRNA of 3.2 kb in rat Sertoli cells, thus confirming that the cloned cDNA represents the hormone-inducible regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. This is the first report documenting the isolation of a full-length cDNA clone for the RII beta of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Sequence and chromosomal assignment of a human novel cDNA: similarity to gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the predominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain. Although initially thought to be confined to the central nervous system, GABAergic activity has also been described in other tissues throughout the body. In the present study, we report the cloning and localization of human GABA transporter cDNA and document its expression in various human tissues. A human liver cDNA library was initially screened by a 32P-labeled murine brain GABA transporter 3 (GAT-3) cDNA probe, and full-length cDNA was cloned by employing Marathon-Ready human kidney cDNA. The human GABA transporter cDNA encoded a 569 amino acid hydrophobic protein with 12 transmembrane domains (TMs). Search of published sequences revealed high homology with rat GAT-2, murine GAT-3 cDNA, human solute carrier family 6 member 13 (SLC6A13), and a human peripheral betaine/GABA transporter. Northern blot analyses demonstrated that the human GABA transporter is expressed strongly in the kidney and to a lesser extent in the liver and brain. The sequence was well matched with human chromosome 12p13.3, suggesting the human GABA transporter contains 14 exons. The above findings confirm the existence of and further characterize a specific GABA transporter in human tissues.     

The human P2X4 receptor gene is alternatively spliced

ATP acts as a fast excitatory neurotransmitter by binding to a large family of membrane proteins, P2X receptors, that have been shown to be ligand-gated, non-selective cation channels. We report the cloning of a full-length and alternatively spliced form of the human P2X₄ gene. Clones were identified from a human stomach cDNA library using a rat P2X₄ probe. Nucleotide sequence analysis of positive clones identified the full-length human P2X₄ cDNA, which codes for a 388-residue protein that is highly homologous (82%) to the rat gene, and an alternatively spliced cDNA. In the alternatively spliced cDNA, the 5′-untranslated region and the first 90 amino acids in the coding region of full-length human P2X₄ are replaced by a 35 amino acid coding sequence that is highly homologous with a region of chaparonin proteins in the hsp-90 family. The open reading frames of the full-length and splice variant clones were confirmed by in vitro translation. Northern analysis indicated expression of the full-length P2X₄ message in numerous human tissues including smooth muscle, heart, and skeletal muscles. Alternatively spliced RNAs were identified in smooth muscle and brain by RT–PCR and confirmed by RNAse protection assays using a 710 bp anti-sense RNA probe that spanned the alternatively spliced and native P2X₄ regions. Injection of full-length, but not alternatively spliced, cRNA into Xenopus oocytes resulted in the expression of ATP gated non-selective cation currents.     

锦鲤Hepcidin基因的克隆及其组织特异性表达分析

【目的】克隆锦鲤hepcidin全长cDNA序列(k-hepc),并获得此基因在鱼体内的表达模式。【方法】利用RT-PCR和RACE PCR的方法,从锦鲤肝脏中克隆锦鲤hepcidin的全长cDNA,进行序列测定和分析;锦鲤经肌肉注射维氏气单胞菌0、4、8、12、24和48 h后,分别取其肝、脾、肾、肠、脑、心、肌肉和鳃组织,采用实时荧光定量PCR的方法,以β-actin为内参基因,检测k-hepc基因的表达量。【结果】锦鲤抗菌肽(GenBank登录号KC795559)全长755 bp,编码序列276 bp,编码91个氨基酸,包括信号肽、原肽和成熟肽,成熟肽C端含有8个半胱氨酸,可形成4个分子内二硫键。与已报道的普通鲤鱼hepcidin氨基酸序列的一致性为93%,与其他鱼类hepcidin氨基酸序列的一致性为29%?93%。在本研究所检测的正常锦鲤的组织中,k-hepc均有表达,其中在肝组织中表达量最高,鳃组织中表达量最低。经维氏气单胞菌感染后,k-hepc在肝和心组织中的表达量明显增加,在其余组织中变化不显著。【结论】k-hepc编码的蛋白是Hepcidin家族的成员之一。锦鲤Hepcidin的表达主要受内在调节因素影响。     

Isolation and sequence analysis of a cDNA encoding rat liver alpha-L-fucosidase.

cDNA clones for alpha-L-fucosidase were isolated from a rat liver lambda gt11 expression library by using both monospecific polyclonal antibodies against the affinity-purified enzyme and biotinylated rat liver fucosidase cDNA sequences as probes. The largest clone, lambda FC9, contained a 1522 bp full-length cDNA insert (FC9) that encoded the 434-amino acid-residue subunit (Mr 50439) of rat liver alpha-L-fucosidase. A putative signal peptide 28 amino acid residues in length preceded the sequence for the mature protein. In addition, FC9 specified for 11 nucleotide residues of 5' untranslated sequence, 78 nucleotide residues of 3' untranslated sequence and a poly(A) tail. The deduced amino acid sequence from FC9 in conjunction with the experimentally determined N-terminus of the mature enzyme suggested that rat liver fucosidase did not contain a pro-segment. However, there was the possibility of limited N-terminal processing (one to five amino acid residues) having occurred after removal of the predicted signal peptide. Amino acid sequences deduced from FC9 were co-linear with amino acid sequences measured at the N-terminus of purified fucosidase and on two of its CNBr-cleavage peptides. An unusual aspect of rat liver alpha-L-fucosidase protein structure obtained from the FC9 data was its high content of tryptophan (6%). The coding sequence from FC9 showed 82% sequence identity with that from a previously reported incomplete human fucosidase sequence [O'Brien, Willems, Fukushima, de Wet, Darby, DiCioccio, Fowler & Shows, (1987) Enzyme 38, 45-53].     

Molecular cloning and expression of cDNA for rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase

A full-length cDNA complementary to the rat pancreatic cholesterol esterase mRNA was isolated by screening a rat pancreatic cDNA expression library in lambda gt11 vector with antibodies against the porcine pancreatic cholesterol esterase. The isolated cholesterol esterase cDNA is 2050 bp in length and contains an open reading frame coding for a protein of 612 amino acids. A 20-amino acid hydrophobic leader sequence is predicted, based on the position of the first ATG initiation codon upstream from the sequenced amino terminus of the isolated cholesterol esterase. The cholesterol esterase cDNA was subcloned into a mammalian expression vector, pSVL, for transfection studies. Expression of the cDNA in COS cells resulted in the production of bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase. Comparison of the cholesterol esterase cDNA sequence with other proteins revealed that the pancreatic cholesterol esterase is identical to rat pancreatic lysophospholipase. The primary structure of cholesterol esterase displayed no significant homology with other lipases, although the putative lipid interfacial recognition site of G-X-S-X-G is present in the cholesterol esterase sequence. However, the cholesterol esterase sequence revealed a 63-amino-acid domain which is highly homologous to the active site domain of other serine esterases. These data suggest that cholesterol esterase may be a member of the serine esterase supergene family. Analysis of the cholesterol esterase structure also revealed a repetitive sequence enriched with Pro, Asp, Glu, Ser, and Thr residues at the C-terminal end of the protein. This sequence is reminiscent of the PEST-rich sequences in short-lived proteins, suggesting that cholesterol esterase may have a short half-life in vivo. Northern blot hybridization showed that the bile salt-stimulated cholesterol esterase mRNA is present in liver suggesting that this protein may also be synthesized by liver cells.     

Identification of a new gene (rat TM6P1) encoding a fasting-inducible, integral membrane protein with six transmembrane domains

We describe the isolation of a new gene that encodes a membrane-integrated protein with six transmembrane domains, termed TM6P1. A 403-bp expressed sequence tag was isolated from fasted rat liver subtracted cDNA library, and its full-length cDNA is 1482 bp long. It contains an open reading frame of 816 bp and is predicted to encode a 271-amino acid protein with a deduced mass of 29520 Da. A sequence homology search failed to show significant correspondence to any known protein in the databank. TM6P1 has six highly hydrophobic domains that are predicted to be transmembrane helices. Consistent with this prediction, the TM6P1-EGFP fusion protein was shown to localize to the plasma membrane. TM6P1 mRNA is widely expressed in rat tissues, with placenta and liver being the most abundant sites. Fasting increased TM6P1 mRNA nearly two-fold in liver. Taken together, our data suggest that TM6P1 is a unique new membrane integral protein that might have a function important during fasting-induced catabolism.     

Cloning, characterization, and expression analysis of a putative 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 11 in the abalone, Haliotis diversicolor supertexta

The 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (17β-HSDs) are key enzymes for sex steroid biosynthesis. To date, relatively little is known about the presence and function of 17β-HSDs in marine gastropods. In the present study, a cDNA sequence encoding putative 17β-HSD type 11 (17β-HSD-11) was identified in marine abalone (Haliotis diversicolor supertexta). The full-length cDNA contains 1058bp, including an open reading frame (ORF) of 900bp that encodes a protein of 299 amino acids. Comparative structural analysis revealed that abalone 17β-HSD-11 shares relatively high homology with other 17b-HSD-11 hormologues, and a lesser degree of amino acid identity with other forms of 17b-HSD, especially in the functional domains, including the cofactor binding domain (TGxxxGxG) and catalytic site (YxxSK). Phylogenetic analysis showed that abalone 17β-HSD-11 belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family. Functional analysis following transient transfection of the ORF into human embryonic kidney-293 (HEK-293) cells indicated that abalone 17β-HSD-11 has the ability to convert 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol (3α-diol) to androsterone (A) and testosterone (T) to androstenedione (4A). Expression analysis in vivo demonstrated that abalone 17β-HSD-11 is differentially expressed during three stages (non-reproductive, reproductive, and post-reproductive). Taken together, these results indicate that ab-17β-HSD-11 is an SDR family member with a potential role in steroid regulation during the reproductive stage.     

The nucleotide and partial amino acid sequences of rat fetuin. Identity with the natural tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the rat insulin receptor.

Fetuins are among the major plasma proteins, yet their biological role has remained elusive. Here we report the molecular cloning of rat fetuin and the sequence analysis of a full-length clone, RF619 of 1456 bp with an open reading frame of 1056 bp encoding 352 amino acid residues. The coding part of RF619 was identical with the cDNA sequence of the natural inhibitor of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase from rat (pp63) except for four substitutions and a single base insertion causing divergence of the predicted protein sequences. Partial amino acid sequences of rat plasma fetuin were in agreement with the predictions based on the RF619 cDNA. Purified rat fetuin inhibited the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase in vitro. Therefore, we conclude that RF619 and pp63 cDNA encode the same protein, i.e. authentic rat fetuin which is a functional tyrosine kinase inhibitor.