cDNA微阵列技术分析NAG7基因对鼻咽癌细胞基因表达谱的影响

运用cDNA微阵列技术分析NAG7基因重表达对HNE1细胞基因表达谱的影响.抽提HNE1细胞和pcDNA3.1(+)/NAG7/HNE1细胞总RNA,分离polyA mRNA,将mRNA逆转录为cDNA,并在逆转录过程中用³³P-dATP进行标记,与含有16 150个基因和表达序列标签(EST)的cDNA表达阵列膜杂交,获得基因表达图谱.Array Gauge软件分析NAG7基因的重表达所导致的鼻咽癌细胞HNE1基因表达谱改变,并用RNA印迹对微阵列杂交结果进行验证.结果分析表明,2倍以上的差异表达基因或EST 179个,其中表达上调的91个,表达下调的88个;已明确基因表达产物的上调基因29个,下调基因37个.在差异表达基因中,涉及基因转录调控、信号转导、细胞生长、细胞代谢和细胞凋亡等基因.RNA印迹证实生长阻滞特异蛋白1（gas 1）基因表达上调.特别值得关注的是, 先前的蛋白质组研究结果亦发现NAG7基因可导致生长阻滞特异蛋白1表达上调,说明gas 1基因在NAG7重表达的HNE1细胞中具有重要作用,这为深入研究NAG7基因的作用环节和机理提供了重要的线索.     

印迹基因Igf2 对胎盘发育和胎儿生长的影响

基因组印迹是哺乳动物正常生长发育和行为的基础。印迹基因胰岛素样生长因子2(insulin-like growth factors II,Igf2)对胎盘及胎儿的营养供应起着不可或缺的影响。它影响胎盘的大小、形态和营养转运功能,进而影响胎儿生长的营养供应。因此Igf2表达的变化对发育编程具有重要意义,对胎盘发育和胎儿生长起着重要的作用。     

miRNAs的表达调控机制

microRNAs(miRNAs)是一类在转录后基因调控中发挥功能的非编码小RNAs,在发育、生长和分化等过程中发挥重要作用.至今已经在动物、植物和微生物等不同生物体中鉴定出来数千种miRNAs. miRNAs可以通过降解mRNA或抑制蛋白翻译的方式调节特异基因表达.生物体内约30%的基因都受miRNAs的调节.miRNAs的表达与功能受到转录因子、表观遗传学、多核苷酸多态性及其RNA编辑等多种因素的调节.此外,特异miRNA基因敲除的成功为研究miRNAs功能提供了有力的实验模型.     

正常与异常核型人类胚胎干细胞体外分化不同时期基因表达的异同

目的:研究正常核型和异常核型人胚胎干细胞(hESC)基因的表达异同.方法:实时荧光相对定量PCR检测两株正常核型(46,XX)及一株平衡易位13三体核型和一株三倍体核型hESC在体外自体分化不同时期X连锁基因PGK1、抑癌基因RBBP7及癌症基因GPC4的表达情况,并比较分化后不同时期、不同核型对父系印迹基因H19、IGF2R,母系印迹基因SNRPN及多能性调控基因OCT4、NANOG的影响.结果:随着分化时间的增加:①正常和异常核型hESC的PGK1均上调表达;②异常核型hESC抑癌基因RBBP7及癌症基因GPC4相对正常核型hESC呈现明显上调表达;③正常和异常核型hESC中印迹基因表达基本一致:H19、IGF2R上调而SNRPN表达变化不明显或下调;④多能性调控基因OCT4、NANOG在正常核型hESC中较在异常核型hESC中表达明显下降.结论:X连锁基因PGK1、印迹基因在hESC的发育过程中能维持正常调节而不受核型的影响.异常核型hESC抑癌基因、癌症基因在发育过程中的表达上调表明此种细胞具有更危险的发育前景,同时多能性基因在分化后仍能检出表明此种细胞分化能力较正常细胞弱.     

生长分化因子9基因及其在生殖中的作用

生长分化因子9是卵母细胞分泌的一种生长因子,它对卵泡的生长分化起着重要作用.文章介绍了生长分化因子9的结构、功能和调控,生长分化因子9基因的克隆及基因结构、发育性表达、定位和多态性,并讨论了该基因与哺乳动物繁殖性能的关系.     

利用Tol2转座子介导的增强子诱捕技术获得血管相关转基因斑马鱼系

心血管系统形成于胚胎发育极早期并为其他器官的发育、维持、修复所必需,血管生长异常可造成多种疾病.然而,由于研究对象所限,胚胎血管的发育机制尚未完全阐明,调控血管发育的基因也所知有限.通过Tol2转座子介导的大规模增强子诱捕筛选到26个血管特异表达绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)报告基因的转基因斑马鱼系,其中有一些品系在胚胎的某些特异血管结构中表达绿色荧光.通过linker-mediated PCR克隆到22个鱼系中Tol2插入位点附近的斑马鱼基因组序列,其中有17个鱼系的Tol2插入可定位到现有的斑马鱼基因组中的单一位点.通过整体胚胎原位杂交对插入位点附近的基因进行表达谱分析,得到8个表达谱与转基因鱼系一致的基因,涵盖了9个鱼系,其中dusp5基因对应于2个不同的鱼系.这8个基因中包括hhex、ets1a和dusp5等3个功能已知的基因,但是大部分(5个)基因在斑马鱼中尚无功能研究,分别为zvsg1、micall2a、arl8b(1of2)、zgc:73355以及hecw2(1of2).hhex和ets1a基因对血管与血细胞前体的发育具有重要作用,所获得的EGFP报告基因受hhex或ets1a基因增强子控制的转基因斑马鱼(mp378b和mp430c-2)为国际首例,为深入研究这两个基因在血管与血液发育中的作用机制提供了新的机遇.筛选到的功能未知基因可以用来进一步研究其在血管发育中的功能;同时,利用所获得的转基因鱼系,可以实现实时、动态观察成血管细胞的起源、分化与基因表达调控,并可用于高通量小分子药物筛选等重要研究.     

鱼类生长激素生物活性和定量免疫测定技术的研究进展

生长激素(growth hormone, GH)是调节鱼类生长、发育和代谢的一种重要激素.为了弄清鱼体内GH水平与鱼体生长的关系, 以及研究外源GH基因在受体鱼体内的表达部位、表达效率和表达调控等问题, 首先必须建立鱼类GH灵敏、特异的微量检测技术.此外, 在进行鱼类GH分离纯化中, 很重要的一点就是鉴定所获得的GH制品是否具有生物活性, 同样也需要建立鱼类GH灵敏、特异的生物活性检测技术.     

非洲爪蟾PAPC多克隆抗体的制备及其特异性鉴定

非洲爪蟾ParaxialProtocadherin(PAPC)是一个在爪蟾Spemann组织者特异表达的膜蛋白.它在爪蟾原肠运动阶段的汇聚延伸运动和体节发生阶段的体节边界形成,以及早期听泡的形态发生和细胞特化过程中都有重要的作用.为了研究PAPC基因在早期胚胎发育过程中的表达及其生物学功能,需要制备PAPC抗体.应用谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(glutathioneStransferase,GST)表达系统表达GST-PAPC融合蛋白,亲和纯化后用以免疫新西兰大白兔,获得PAPC多克隆抗体.免疫印迹分析发现,以1∶3000稀释的该多克隆抗体为一抗时,能够在转染了全长PAPC质粒的HEK293T细胞的蛋白质抽提物中,特异地识别出150ku的印迹条带.同时,GST-PAPC融合蛋白可以竞争性抑制该抗体对全长PAPC质粒转染细胞的蛋白质抽提物的特异性条带.用1∶500稀释的该抗体为一抗进行免疫荧光分析时,发现,PAPC多克隆抗体能够识别在HEK293T细胞中过表达以及爪蟾动物极细胞中过表达的PAPC蛋白,荧光信号定位在细胞膜上.免疫印迹分析证明,PAPC抗体能够识别爪蟾胚胎中内源表达的PAPC蛋白.     

兔植入前移核胚中发育相关基因的差异表达分析

与早期胚胎发育相关的一些重要基因异常表达致使克隆胚细胞核的再程序化过程受阻,是导致动物克隆失败的重要原因.为了分离鉴定再程序化相关基因,我们改进了mRNA差异显示技术,成功地建立了单胚差示技术体系.以不同发育时期的兔克隆胚（MⅡ卵、2细胞、4细胞、8～16细胞克隆胚胎）为材料进行单胚差示, 分离了80个差异片段.经反向RNA印迹验证、亚克隆、序列分析及NCBI GenBank数据库检索, 结果表明：A028片段与CstF3基因有93％的同源性, 在早期胚胎发育过程中的表达有阶段特异性, 该基因在兔克隆胚的早期发育过程中起重要作用.RNA印迹显示：该基因在所检测的组织中,只在卵巢中有表达.这项研究为再程序化相关基因全长的克隆及功能研究奠定了良好的基础.     

银鲫HIRA多克隆抗体的制备及组织特异性表达分析

Hir/Hira基因家族的成员广泛存在于多种生物体中,但有关其在生物体发育过程中的具体功能还不甚清楚.对果蝇的研究表明,dHira基因产物可能在受精时精核的解凝过程和雄性原核的正常形成过程中起重要作用.本研究组前期已经分别克隆出雌核发育银鲫和两性生殖彩鲫的Hira基因(cagHira 和caHira),本实验在银鲫cagHira基因的特异区域,设计一对引物,以银鲫成熟卵母细胞总RNA逆转录出的cDNA为模板,扩增出cagHira的特异片段.再将该片段克隆到原核表达载体pET-32a上,转化BL21(DE3)菌株,经诱导后表达出融合蛋白.分析表明,该融合蛋白主要以包涵体形式表达.以纯化的融合蛋白作为抗原去免疫小鼠,制备多克隆抗血清,经蛋白质印迹分析检测,该抗血清(稀释到1:2000)与包涵体蛋白识别反应良好,确定获得了具有高效价的特异性银鲫CAGHIRA多克隆抗体,为进一步研究HIRA在鱼类发育和雌核生殖过程中的作用奠定了基础.对银鲫HIRA蛋白的组织特异性表达分析发现,该蛋白仅在成熟卵巢组织中特异表达,故表明HIRA可能对鱼类卵子发生和/或早期胚胎发育具有重要作用.     

Sequential gene activation and gene imprinting during early embryo development in maize

Gene imprinting is a widely observed epigenetic phenomenon in maize endosperm; however, whether it also occurs in the maize embryo remains controversial. Here, we used high‐throughput RNA sequencing on laser capture microdissected and manually dissected maize embryos from reciprocal crosses between inbred lines B73 and Mo17 at six time points (3–13 days after pollination, DAP) to analyze allelic gene expression patterns. Co‐expression analysis revealed sequential gene activation during maize embryo development. Gene imprinting was observed in maize embryos, and a greater number of imprinted genes were identified at early embryo stages. Sixty‐four strongly imprinted genes were identified (at the threshold of 9:1) on manually dissected embryos 5–13 DAP (more imprinted genes at 5 DAP). Forty‐one strongly imprinted genes were identified from laser capture microdissected embryos at 3 and 5 DAP (more imprinted genes at 3 DAP). Furthermore, of the 56 genes that were completely imprinted (at the threshold of 99:1), 36 were not previously identified as imprinted genes in endosperm or embryos. In situ hybridization demonstrated that most of the imprinted genes were expressed abundantly in maize embryonic tissue. Our results shed lights on early maize embryo development and provide evidence to support that gene imprinting occurs in maize embryos.     

Comparison of multimarker logistic regression models, with application to a genomewide scan of schizophrenia

Background

Imprinted genes show expression from one parental allele only and are important for development and behaviour. This extreme mode of allelic imbalance has been described for approximately 56 human genes. Imprinting status is often disrupted in cancer and dysmorphic syndromes. More subtle variation of gene expression, that is not parent-of-origin specific, termed 'allele-specific gene expression' (ASE) is more common and may give rise to milder phenotypic differences. Using two allele-specific high-throughput technologies alongside bioinformatics predictions, normal term human placenta was screened to find new imprinted genes and to ascertain the extent of ASE in this tissue.

Results

Twenty-three family trios of placental cDNA, placental genomic DNA (gDNA) and gDNA from both parents were tested for 130 candidate genes with the Sequenom MassArray system. Six genes were found differentially expressed but none imprinted. The Illumina ASE BeadArray platform was then used to test 1536 SNPs in 932 genes. The array was enriched for the human orthologues of 124 mouse candidate genes from bioinformatics predictions and 10 human candidate imprinted genes from EST database mining. After quality control pruning, a total of 261 informative SNPs (214 genes) remained for analysis. Imprinting with maternal expression was demonstrated for the lymphocyte imprinted gene ZNF331 in human placenta. Two potential differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were found in the vicinity of ZNF331. None of the bioinformatically predicted candidates tested showed imprinting except for a skewed allelic expression in a parent-specific manner observed for PHACTR2, a neighbour of the imprinted PLAGL1 gene. ASE was detected for two or more individuals in 39 candidate genes (18%).

Conclusions

Both Sequenom and Illumina assays were sensitive enough to study imprinting and strong allelic bias. Previous bioinformatics approaches were not predictive of new imprinted genes in the human term placenta. ZNF331 is imprinted in human term placenta and might be a new ubiquitously imprinted gene, part of a primate-specific locus. Demonstration of partial imprinting of PHACTR2 calls for re-evaluation of the allelic pattern of expression for the PHACTR2-PLAGL1 locus. ASE was common in human term placenta.     

Epigenetic Resetting of a Gene Imprinted in Plant Embryos

Genomic imprinting resulting in the differential expression of maternal and paternal alleles in the fertilization products has evolved independently in placental mammals and flowering plants. In most cases, silenced alleles carry DNA methylation [1]. Whereas these methylation marks of imprinted genes are generally erased and reestablished in each generation in mammals [2], imprinting marks persist in endosperms [3], the sole tissue of reported imprinted gene expression in plants. Here we show that the maternally expressed in embryo 1 (mee1) gene of maize is imprinted in both the embryo and endosperm and that parent-of-origin-specific expression correlates with differential allelic methylation. This epigenetic asymmetry is maintained in the endosperm, whereas the embryonic maternal allele is demethylated on fertilization and remethylated later in embryogenesis. This report of imprinting in the plant embryo confirms that, as in mammals, epigenetic mechanisms operate to regulate allelic gene expression in both embryonic and extraembryonic structures. The embryonic methylation profile demonstrates that plants evolved a mechanism for resetting parent-specific imprinting marks, a necessary prerequisite for parent-of-origin-dependent gene expression in consecutive generations. The striking difference between the regulation of imprinting in the embryo and endosperm suggests that imprinting mechanisms might have evolved independently in both fertilization products of flowering plants.     

Maternal control of nutrient allocation in plant seeds by genomic imprinting

Imprinted genes are commonly expressed in mammalian placentas and in plant seed endosperms, where they exhibit preferential uniparental allelic expression. In mammals, imprinted genes directly regulate placental function and nutrient distribution from mother to fetus; however, none of the >60 imprinted genes thus far reported in plants have been demonstrated to play an equivalent role in regulating the flow of resources to the embryo. Here we show that imprinted Maternally expressed gene1 (Meg1) in maize is both necessary and sufficient for the establishment and differentiation of the endosperm nutrient transfer cells located at the mother:seed interface. Consistent with these findings, Meg1 also regulates maternal nutrient uptake, sucrose partitioning, and seed biomass yield. In addition, we generated an imprinted and nonimprinted synthetic Meg1 ((syn)Meg1) dosage series whereby increased dosage and absence of imprinting both resulted in an unequal investment of maternal resources into the endosperm. These findings highlight dosage regulation by genomic imprinting as being critical for maintaining a balanced distribution of maternal nutrients to filial tissues in plants, as in mammals. However, unlike in mammals, Meg1 is a maternally expressed imprinted gene that surprisingly acts to promote rather than restrict nutrient allocation to the offspring.     

Extensive tissue-specific variation of allelic methylation in the Igf2 gene during mouse fetal development: relation to expression and imprinting

The imprinted Igf2 gene is active only on the paternal allele in most tissues. Its imprinting involves a cis-acting imprinting-control region (ICR) located upstream of the neighboring and maternally expressed H19 gene. It is thought that differential methylation of the parental alleles at the ICR is crucial for parental imprinting of both genes. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) have also been identified within the Igf2 gene and their differential methylation is thought to be established during early development. To gain further insight into the function of these DMRs, we performed a quantitative analysis of their allelic methylation levels in different tissues during fetal development and the postnatal period in the mouse. Surprisingly, we found that the methylation levels of Igf2 DMRs vary extensively during fetal development, mostly on the expressed paternal allele. In particular, in skeletal muscle, differential allelic methylation in both DMR 1 and DMR 2 occurs only after birth, whereas correct paternal monoallelic expression is always observed, including in the embryonic stages. This suggests that differential methylation in the DMR 1 and DMR 2 of the Igf2 gene is dispensable for its imprinting in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, progressive methylation of the Igf2 paternal allele appears to be correlated with concomitant postnatal down-regulation and silencing of the gene. We discuss possible relations between Igf2 allelic methylation and expression during fetal development.     

Variable allelic expression of imprinted genes in human pluripotent stem cells during differentiation into specialized cell types in vitro

Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon by which a subset of genes is asymmetrically expressed in a parent-of-origin manner. However, little is known regarding the epigenetic behaviors of imprinted genes during human development. Here, we show dynamic epigenetic changes in imprinted genes in hESCs during in vitro differentiation into specialized cell types. Out of 9 imprinted genes with single nucleotide polymorphisms, mono-allelic expression for three imprinted genes (H19, KCNQ1OT1, and IPW), and bi- or partial-allelic expression for three imprinted genes (OSBPL5, PPP1R9A, and RTL1) were stably retained in H9-hESCs throughout differentiation, representing imprinting stability. Three imprinted genes (KCNK9, ATP10A, and SLC22A3) showed a loss and a gain of imprinting in a lineage-specific manner during differentiation. Changes in allelic expression of imprinted genes were observed in another hESC line during in vitro differentiation. These findings indicate that the allelic expression of imprinted genes may be vulnerable in a lineage-specific manner in human pluripotent stem cells during differentiation.     

Genomic imprinting absent in Drosophila melanogaster adult females

Genomic imprinting occurs when expression of an allele differs based on the sex of the parent that transmitted the allele. In D. melanogaster, imprinting can occur, but its impact on allelic expression genome-wide is unclear. Here, we search for imprinted genes in D. melanogaster using RNA-seq to compare allele-specific expression between pools of 7- to 10-day-old adult female progeny from reciprocal crosses. We identified 119 genes with allelic expression consistent with imprinting, and these genes showed significant clustering within the genome. Surprisingly, additional analysis of several of these genes showed that either genomic heterogeneity or high levels of intrinsic noise caused imprinting-like allelic expression. Consequently, our data provide no convincing evidence of imprinting for D. melanogaster genes in their native genomic context. Elucidating sources of false-positive signals for imprinting in allele-specific RNA-seq data, as done here, is critical given the growing popularity of this method for identifying imprinted genes.