Conserved sequence pattern in a wide variety of phosphoesterases.

A unique sequence pattern, designated the GD/GNH signature, was shown to be conserved in a wide variety of phosphoesterases. The enzymes containing this signature cleave phosphoester bonds in such different substrates as (1) phosphoserine and phosphothreonine in polypeptides; (2) bis(5'-nucleosidyl)-tetraphosphates; (3) nucleoside 5' phosphates; (4) 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphates; (5) polynucleotides; (6) 2'-5' phosphodiesters in RNA (intron) lariats; (7) sphingomyelin; and (7) various phosphomonoesters. Two conserved acidic amino acid residues and a conserved histidine residue may be directly involved in phosphoester bond cleavage.     

Sequence and expression of the gene for N10-formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase from Clostridium cylindrosporum.

Sau3 A and Hind III restriction fragments of Clostridium cylindrosporum genomic DNA were used to isolate clones containing 80% of the N10-H4folate synthetase gene in a 5' fragment and the remaining 20% of the gene in the 3' fragment. These fragments were joined at a common SnaB I restriction site and expressed in Escherichia coli at a level equivalent to what is normally found in C. cylindrosporum. Sequence comparisons show a large degree of homology with genes from two other clostridial species, including a thermophile. Certain conserved sequences found in the three clostridial proteins and in the N10-H4folate synthetase portion of eukaryotic C1-H4folate synthases may represent consensus sequences for nucleotide and H4folate binding.     

Nucleotide sequence of the 5'nontranslated and virion polypeptides regions of coxsackievirus B6.

The nucleotide sequence of coxsackievirus B6 (CVB6) has been determined, and the nucleotides encoding the 5' nontranslated region (5' NTR) and virion polypeptides (VP4, 2, 3 and 1) were compared with other serotype CVBs. An Unweighted Pair-Group Method Analysis (UPGMA) of phylogenetic trees indicated that the 5' NTR of CVB6 locates on an independent branch from the other CVBs. The tree based on the amino acid sequences showed that CVB6 has close correlation with CVB4 in the VP4 and VP2 regions, with CVB1 and CVB5 in the VP3 region, and with CVB5 in the VP1 region. Amino acid sequences of variable regions within the VP2, VP3, and VP1 of CVB6 were unique among CVBs. Thus, by comparison of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of these variable regions, CVB6 can be easily distinguished from other serotypes. In addition, serine, instead of glycine, was found to locate at the amino-terminus of the VP1 region of CVB6, indicating that CVB6 has a unique cleavage site (i.e., glutamine/serine instead of glutamine/glycine) for proteinase 3C of Picornaviridae.     

Elongation of palindromic repetitive DNA by DNA polymerase from hyperthermophilic archaea: a mechanism of DNA elongation and diversification

DNA polymerase from hyperthermophilic bacteria can elongate tandem repetitive oligoDNA with a complete or incomplete palindromic sequence under isothermal conditions by "hairpin elongation". However, the product of the reaction has not yet been sufficiently characterized. Here, I demonstrate that when palindromic repetitive oligoDNA, e.g., (5'AGATATCT3')(6), was added as a "seed" to the DNA synthesis reaction catalyzed by DNA polymerase from the archaea Thermococcus litoralis (Vent polymerase) at 74 degrees C, the product was (5'AGATATCT3')(n). The product itself was palindromic and repetitive, and its motif (unit) sequence was exactly the same as that of the seed oligoDNA. On the other hand, when a pseudopalindrome, which contains a palindrome-breaking nucleotide (underlined), was present in seed oligoDNA, e.g., (5'GATTC3')(6), the product was (5'GATATC3')(n), which had a different motif sequence from that of the seed oligoDNA. When a pseudopalindrome (5'AGATATCA3')(6) was added to the reaction, the products were 5'TATCA . (AGATATCA)(3) . AGATATCT . (TGATATCT)(5) . TGATA3', etc. When 5'AGATATCA . (AGATATCT3')(5) was added, products were 5'TATCT . (AGATATCT)(2).TGATATCT . AGATATCT . AGATATCA . AGATATCT . AGA3', etc., demonstrating the generation of many "mutations" in the product DNA. I conclude that a tandem repetitive sequence is faithfully elongated (amplified) by hyperthermophilic DNA polymerase if it is completely palindromic, but is elongated with many errors if it is incompletely palindromic (pseudopalindromic) or mixed with a pseudopalindrome. The results suggest a protein-catalyzed elongation/diversification mechanism of short repetitive DNAs on the early earth.     

转座因子IS10一个新的插入靶位点的序列分析

转座因子在生物体内广泛存在,它在研究基因的重组机理以及生物染色体的进化方面有着重要意义。IS10是细菌中的一种转座因子,它既能单独作为插入序列,也能作为Tn10的一部分进行转座。利用含sacB基因的质粒pXT3sacB,获得了由转座因子IS10插入而导致sacB基因失活的突变体。通过对插入突变体质粒DNA的序列测定（GenBank登记号为AY580883．1）,结果表明IS10两端分别包括22bp倒置重复区CTGAGAGATCCCCTCATAATTT和AAATCATTAGGGGATTCATCAG,这与前人的报道一致;而IS10两端的插入靶位点序列为TGCTTGGTT,该9bp靶位点序列与前人报道的序列NGCTNAGCN不同。根据文献资料,本研究中的靶位点序列是首次报道。此外,通过Southern blot杂交分析,插入sacB基因中的IS10来源于宿主大肠杆菌DH5α染色体DNA,并且IS10在DH5α染色体中为两个拷贝。此外,本研究利用sacB基因捕获到转座因子IS10,该方法为研究其他插入序列提供了一个有益的体系。     

Studies on the terminal stages of antibody-complement-mediated killing of a tumor cell. II. Inhibition of transformation of T to dead cells by 3'5' cAMP.

Transformation of T to dead cells was prevented by 3'5' cAMP. The effect of 3'5' cAMP was dose, time, and temperature dependent. T washed free of 3'5' cAMP after short-term incubation proceeded to die to the same extent as control cells. After 3 hr of incubation of T with 3'5' cAMP the level of killing was significantly reduced. The 3'5' cyclic nucleotides of uridine, guanine, cytosine, and thymidine and the 2'3' cyclic adenosine nucleotide were not effective. It was concluded that prolonged treatment of T with 3'5' cAMP either irreversibly blocked the damage-producing process or facilitated the reapir of damaged sites.     

The complete nucleotide sequence of RNa1 of barley mild mosaic virus (asl1) and attempts at bacterial expression of the P3 protein

The complete nucleotide sequence of RNA1 of an Aschersleben isolate of barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV) was determined. It consists of 7263 nucleotides (nt) excluding the 3' poly (A) tail. The 5' and 3' nontranslated regions (NTR) are 148 and 338 nt in length, respectively, and flank a single large open reading frame coding for a precursor polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 256 kDa. Sequence comparison revealed a 96% amino acid (aa) identity to RNA1 translation products of Japanese and French BaMMV isolates. Conserved nucleotide motifs in the 3' sense and 5' complementary sense NTR of the two genomic RNAs were identified that may represent the polymerase recognition sites. A range of constructs containing various parts of the coding region of the P3 nonstructural protein was prepared for expression in Escherichia coli . A short stretch of 35 aa in the C-proximal region of P3 appeared to be highly toxic to the bacterium.     

2' Derivatives of guanosine and inosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphates. Synthesis, enzymic activity, and the effect of 8-substituents.

A series of representative derivatives of guanosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (cGMP) and inosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (cIMP) which contained modifications in either the 2' position or the 8 and 2' positions were synthesized. Three types of derivatives were investigated: (1) derivatives in which the 2' position has been altered to produce a 2'-deoxynucleoside cyclic 3',5'-phosphate or a 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylpurine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate; (2) 2'-omicron-acyl derivatives; and (3) doubly modified derivatives containing a 2' modification [as in (1) and (2)] and an 8-substitution. 2'-Deoxyinosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate and 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylhypoxanthine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate were obtained by HNO2 deamination of 2'-deoxyadenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate and 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (ara-cAMP), respectively. Treatment of 8-bromo-2'-omicron-(p-toluenesulfonyl) adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate with NaSH yielded the intermediate 8,2'-anhydro-9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-8-mercaptoadenine cyclic 3',5-phosphate, which was converted directly to 2'-deoxyadenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (dcAMP) by treatment with Raney nickel. 8-Bromo-2'-omicron-(p-toluenesulfonyl) guanosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate was converted to 8,2'-anhydro-9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-8-mercaptoguanine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate, and the latter was desulfurized with Raney nickel to give 2-deoxyguanosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate. Ara-cAMP, 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate, and 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-8-mercaptoguanine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate have been previously reported (Mian et al. (1974), J. Med. Chem. 17, 259). 8-Bromo-2'-omicron-acetylinosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate and 8-[(p-chlorophenyl)thio]-2'-omicron-acetylinosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate were produced by acylation of 8-bromoinosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate and 8-[(p-chlorophenyl)thio]inosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate, respectively; while 8-bromo-2'-omicron-butyrylguanosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate was synthesized by bromination of 2'-omicron-butyrylguanosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate.     

Complete nucleotide sequence and genome organization of tobacco mosaic virus isolated from Viciafaba

Based on reported TMV-U1 sequence, primers were designed and fragments covering the entire genome of TMV broad bean strain (TMV-B) were obtained with RT-PCR. These fragments were cloned and sequenced and the 5' and 3' end sequences of genome were confirmed with RACE. The complete sequence of TMV-B comprises 6 395 nucleotides (nt) and four open reading frames, which correspond to 126 ku (1 116 amino acids), 183 ku (1 616 amino acids), 30 ku (268 amino acids) and 17.5 ku proteins (159 amino acids). The complete nucleotide sequence of TMV-B is 99.4% identical to that of TMV-U1. The two virus isolates share the same sequence of 5', 3' non-coding region and 17.5 K ORF, and 6, 1 and 3 amino acid changes are found in 126 K protein, 54 K protein and 30 K protein, respectively. The possible mechanism on the infection of TMV-B in Vicia faba is discussed.     

水稻条叶枯病毒基因组组分3的克隆与序列分析

利用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ技术,合成并扩增了水稻条叶枯病毒（ＲＳｔＶ）中国云南分离 物基因组组分３的全长ｃＤＮＡ。将ＰＣＲ产物克隆在载体ｐＣＲⅡ上,进行全序列测定。将所得核苷酸序列及其所推导的氨基酸序列与日本分离物Ｔ进行同源性比较,结果表明,在核苷酸水平上,两分离物的５’端非编码区序列相同,ｖＯＲＦ、ｖｃＯＲＦ及基因间非编码区序列的同源性分别为９７．６％、９６．８％及８７．６％,而３’端非编码区同源性为９８     

貂肠炎病毒的核苷酸序列和基因组结构

本试验测定了已克隆的貂肠炎病毒(MEV)复制型(RF)DNA的核苷酸序列,确定MEV基因组全长约为5064个核苷酸(nucleotides,nt),推测了3'端和5'端结构,在5'端非编码区有3个51 nt的重复。MEV基因组序列与犬细小病毒(CPV)、猫细小病毒(FPV)有很高的同源性,结构基因区的同源性分别达99.1%和99.9%,但在5'端非编码区有较大差异。MEV基因组结构与CPV和FPV基本一致,有两个大的开放阅读框架,分别编码688和722个氨基酸。在map unit(m.u.)3.7和m.u.39处有两个启动子,在m.u.97处有poly A位点。NS2、VP1和VP2的mRNA都发生剪接。     

In vitro processing of B. mori transfer RNA precursor molecules.

Ribonuclease P and 3'-5' nuclease, two enzymatic activities necessary for tRNA synthesis in E. coli, are also found in the silkgland cells of Bombyx mori. B. mori subcellular extracts containing RNAase P activity can cleave the E. coli tRNA precursor molecule endonucleolytically at the same site as the E. coli enzyme, and will also cleave in vitro all E. coli tRNA precursors (pre-tRNAs) which the bacterial enzyme recognizes. B. mori RNAase P will not cleave two E. coli RNAase P substrates that are structurally unrelated to tRNA. Pre-tRNAs from B. mori contain extra 5' and 3' nucleotides as judged by RNA fingerprinting and 5' terminal phosphate analysis. Crude silkgland extracts containing both RNAase P and 3'-5' nuclease can remove the 5' and 3' extra nucleotides from B. mori pre-tRNAs, whereas purified fractions containing RNAase P remove only 5' extra nucleotides. Only large silkworm pre-tRNAs were found to be susceptible to cleavage by B. mori RNAase P. This observation and sequence analysis of intermediates of in vitro processing reactions indicate a two-step process of pre-tRNA maturation in which extra 5' nucleotides are first removed by RNAase P and extra 3' nucleotides are then trimmed off by a 3'-5' nuclease.     

Mutants of ETS domain PU.1 and GGAA/T recognition: free energies and kinetics.

The ETS family members display specific DNA binding site preferences. As an example, PU.1 and ETS-1 recognize different DNA sequences with a core element centered over 5'-GGAA-3' and 5'-GGAA/T-3', respectively. To understand the molecular basis of this recognition, we carried out site-directed mutagenesis experiments followed by DNA binding studies that use electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and surface plasmon resonance methods. EMSA experiments identified amino acid changes A231S and/or N236Y as being important for PU.1 recognition of both 5'-GGAA-3' and 5'-GGAT-3' containing oligonucleotides. To confirm these data and obtain accurate binding parameters, we performed kinetic studies using surface plasmon resonance on these mutants. The N236Y substitution revealed a weak protein-DNA interaction with the 5'-GGAA-3' containing oligonucleotide caused by a faster release of the protein from the DNA (k(off) tenfold higher than the wild-type protein). With the double mutant A231S-N236Y, we obtained an increase in binding affinity and stability toward both 5'-GGAA-3' and 5'-GGAT-3' containing oligonucleotides. We propose that substitution of alanine for serine introduces an oxygen atom that can accept hydrogen and interact with potential water molecules or other atoms to make an energetically favorable hydrogen bond with both 5'-GGAA-3' and 5'-GGAT-3' oligonucleotides. The free energy of dissociation for the double mutant A231S-N236Y with 5'-GGAA-3' (delta deltaG((A231S-N236Y) - (N236Y)) = -1.2 kcal mol confirm the stabilizing effect of this mutant in the protein-DNA complex formation. We conclude that N236Y mutation relaxes the specificity toward 5'-GGAA-3' and 5'-GGAT-3' sequences, while A231S mutation modulates the degree of specificity toward 5'-GGAA-3' and 5'GGAT-3' sequences. This study explains why wild-type PU.1 does not recognize 5'-GGAT-3' sequences and in addition broadens our understanding of 5'-GGAA/T-3' recognition by ETS protein family members.     

Characterization of restriction endonuclease AjoI from Acinetobacter johnsonii

Abstract A new type II restriction endonuclease, named Ajo I, was detected in Acinetobacter johnsonii . The enzyme Ajo I, an isoschizomer of Pst I, recognized the hexanucleotide sequence [5'-CTGCA/G-3'], with a cleavage site generating fragments of DNA with protruding cohesive 3' termini.     

Purification and characterization of DNA methyltransferases from Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Three DNA methyltransferases, M.NgoAI, and M.NgoBI and M.NgoBII, free of any nuclease activities were isolated from Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains WR220 and MUG116 respectively. M.NgoAI recognizes the sequence 5' GGCC 3' and methylates the first 5' cytosine on both strands. M.NgoBI and M.NgoBII recognize 5' TCACC 3' and 5' GTAN5CTC 3' respectively. M.NgoBII methylates cytosine on only one strand to produce 5' GTAN5mCTC 3'.     

Nucleotides. VI. Syntheses and spectral properties of some deazaadenylyl-deazaadenosines (dinucleoside monophosphates with unusual CD-spectrum) and closely related dinucleoside monophosphates.

Nine dinucleoside phosphates containing 1-deaza-(1A) and 3-deazaadenosine (3A) were prepared. Hypochromicity and CD spectra of these dimers were determined. It was found that varying degrees of base-stacking are operative with these oligonucleotides and their CD spectra fall into three classes. The first class CD spectra which are more or less similar in profile to those of adenylyl-(3'-5')-adenosine includes the CD spectra of 1A2'p5'A, 1A3'p5A, 3A2'p5'A and 3A3'p5'A. The second class includes the CD spectra of A2'p5'1A and A3'p5'1A whose characteristic is that the positive Cotton band appears in the range of 280-310 nm. The third type CD spectra has the characteristics that the negative Cotton band appears in the longer wavelength region and th CD spectra are similar in profile to those of L-adenylyl-(3'-5')-L-adenosine which has the "left-handed helical" conformation. The CD spectra of A2'p5'3A, A3'p5'3A and 3A3'p5'A belong to this class. Another salient observation emerging from the CD-determination is that 3A3'p5'3A has the spectrum quite different from that of poly 3-deazaadenylic acid.     

Some restriction endonucleases tolerate single mismatches of the pyrimidine.purine type.

DNAs from phage mutants M13mp18 and M13mp18/MP-1 were used to construct two closed circular heteroduplexes. One of them carried the sequence 5'-CCTGGG-3' 3'-GGGCCC-5' with a T.G mismatch at the position 6248. The other carried the sequence 5'-CCCGGG-3' 3'-GGACCC-5' with a C.A mismatch at the same position. Heteroduplexes were exposed to 7 restriction endonucleases having recognition sites within the sequence 5'-CCCGGG-3' 3'-GGGCCC-5' and to 1 restriction endonuclease having a recognition site within the sequence 5'-CCTGGG-3' 3'-GGACCC-5'. All tested enzymes cleaved at least one mismatch-containing sequence although with reduced efficiency. Smal and Xmal tolerated both mismatch-containing sequences. Aval, Hpall, Mspl, Ncil and Nsplll were able to tolerate only the T.G containing sequence, while BstNl was able to tolerate only the C.A containing sequence. It is inferred that the tolerance displayed by Smal and Xmal depends on the presence of either the original purines or the original pyrimidines in mismatches of both the T.G and C.A type and that all other tested enzymes require the presence of the original purines in mismaches of both types.     

Two new restriction endonucleases from Proteus vulgaris.

Two novel sequence-specific endonucleases have been isolated from Proteus vulgaris, ATCC 13315. PvuI recognizes the sequence: 5' C G A T decrease C G 3' 3' G C increase T A G C 5' and PvuII recognizes the sequence: 5' C A G decrease C T G 3' 3' G T C increase G A C 5' and cleave as indicated by the arrow (decrease). PvuI is an isoschizomer of XorII, RshI, and XniI. No enzyme with the specificity of PvuII has been described previously.     

Sequencing and analysis for the full-length genome RNA of foot-and-mouth disease virus China/99

The complete nucleotide sequence of genomic RNA of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) strain China/99 from infected bovine tongue epithelium is presented. The nucleotide sequence extending from the 5' end of the genomic RNA to the 5' end of poly (A) tail contains 8173 nucleotides (nt). Its open reading frame, which encodes a single polypeptide of 2332 amino acids, encompasses 6999 nt starting from the initiation codon AUG and terminating at the UAA codon 93 bases upstream from the 5' end of poly (A) tract. The 5' untranslated region (UTR) is composed of 1081 nt. The consensus of the 1d gene of FMDV strain China/99 compared with that of UKG/6/2001, UKG/12/2001, China/99HN4 and China/3/Tibet is over 97%. The result showed the stains belong to the members of the Pan-Asia family. There is a remarkable differentiation in the function-unknown (FUR), p2 and p3 regions between FMDV isolates from infected cattle and swine, especially in 3a gene. No deletion was found in genes /, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2c, 3b, and 3d. Thes