Effective small interfering RNAs and phosphorothioate antisense DNAs have different preferences for target sites in the luciferase mRNAs

Antisense DNA target sites can be selected by the accessibility of the mRNA target. It remains unknown whether a mRNA site that is accessible to an antisense DNA is also a good candidate target site for a siRNA. Here, we reported a parallel analysis of 12 pairs of antisense DNAs and siRNA duplexes for their potency to inhibit reporter luciferase activity in mammalian cells, both of the antisense DNA and siRNA agents in a pair being directed to same site in the mRNA. Five siRNAs and two antisense DNAs turned out to be effective, but the sites targeted by those effective siRNAs and antisense DNAs did not overlap. Our results indicated that effective antisense DNAs and siRNAs have different preferences for target sites in the mRNA.     

MLC_2-糜酶融合基因克隆及转基因小鼠的产生

为研究糜酶基因在体内的结构与功能以及与心肌肥厚的关系,并提高糜酶基因在小鼠心脏中的表达,构建肌球蛋白轻链－２启动子（ｍｙｏｓｉｎｌｉｇｈｔｃｈａｉｎ－２ｐｒｏｍｏｔｅｒ,ＭＬＣ２）－糜酶融合基因并产生转基因小鼠．通过删除糜酶基因启动子序列,构建结构基因克隆,然后与大鼠心脏肌球蛋白轻链－２启动子序列相拼接,构建ＭＬＣ２－糜酶融合基因克隆,回收并纯化融合基因片段,显微注射入小鼠受精卵产生转基因小鼠,经ＰＣＲ扩增、Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ印迹杂交和ＰＣＲ扩增产物的测序,筛选和确定转基因鼠．在新出生的４６只小鼠中有２只为转基因阳性鼠,且外源基因能稳定遗传给后代,从而获得了可用于研究糜酶基因在体内的结构与功能以及与心肌肥厚的关系的转基因小鼠模型．     

CD3ε和PMA对fas基因转录调控作用的研究

研究了ＣＤ３ε和ＰＭＡ对细胞凋亡基因ｆａｓ的转录调控作用．根据已知的人ｆａｓ基因５＇上游序列设计引物,用ＰＣＲ法从人胸腺细胞基因组ＤＮＡ中扩增出ｆａｓ５＇上游长为４４６ｂｐ的启动子片段．将此片段定向克隆到以虫荧光素酶为报告基因的真核细胞表达载体ｐＸＰ２中．经限制性内切酶酶切鉴定及序列测定分析表明此重组表达质粒ＤＮＡ的结构和序列正确．用此质粒（ｐＸＰ２－ｆａｓｕｐ）瞬时转染人ＪｕｒｋａｔＴ淋巴细胞,分析报告基因的表达水平．结果表明ｆａｓ基因上游－５０６到－６０的区域有弱启动子活性,约是阴性对照的１．５倍．抗ＣＤ３ε抗体和ＰＭＡ处理均可增强ｆａｓ启动子的活性,促进报告基因的表达,其虫荧光素酶活性分别是未经处理的ｐＸＰ２－ｆａｓｕｐ转染细胞的１．７倍和３．３倍,但二者没有协同作用．ＰＫＣ的抑制剂ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ和ＰＴＫ的抑制剂ｈｅｒｂｉｍｙｃｉｎＡ可抑制ＰＭＡ诱导的ｆａｓ基因转录,使虫荧光素酶基因的表达降至未用ＰＭＡ处理的水平．但ＰＴＫ的另一种抑制剂ｇｅｎｉｓｔｅｉｎ可与ＰＭＡ发挥协同作用,上调ｆａｓ基因的转录,使虫荧光素酶活性增加到５倍．这些结果为阐明ＣＤ３ε及ＰＭＡ介导Ｔ淋巴细胞激活和凋亡的分子机制     

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database: major new developments

The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/) incorporates, organizes and distributes nucleotide sequences from all available public sources. The database is located and maintained at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) near Cambridge, UK. In an international collaboration with DDBJ (Japan) and GenBank (USA), data are exchanged amongst the collaborating databases on a daily basis to achieve optimal synchronization. Webin is the preferred web-based submission system for individual submitters, while automatic procedures allow incorporation of sequence data from large-scale genome sequencing centres and from the European Patent Office (EPO). Database releases are produced quarterly. Network services allow free access to the most up-to-date data collection via FTP, Email and World Wide Web interfaces. EBI's Sequence Retrieval System (SRS) integrates and links the main nucleotide and protein databases plus many other specialized molecular biology databases. For sequence similarity searching, a variety of tools (e.g. Fasta, BLAST) are available which allow external users to compare their own sequences against the latest data in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database and SWISS-PROT. All resources can be accessed via the EBI home page at http://www.ebi.ac.uk.     

Association of IFN‐γ polymorphisms with ankylosing spondylitis risk

The case‐control study was designed to investigate the genetic effects of interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) rs2069727 and rs1861494 polymorphisms on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) susceptibility in a Chinese Han population. Blood samples were collected from 108 AS patients and 110 healthy controls. IFN‐γ polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP). Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) test was performed in control group. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using chi‐square test to evaluate the association between AS susceptibility and IFN‐γ polymorphisms, and the results were adjusted by logistic regressive analysis. The frequency of rs2069727 CC genotype was much higher in cases than that in controls, suggested its significant association with increased AS risk (adjusted OR = 5.899, 95% CI = 1.563‐22.261; P = .009). In addition, C allele also showed close association with increased risk of AS (adjusted OR = 2.052, 95% CI = 1.286‐1.704, P  = 0 .003). While the genotype and allele frequencies of IFN‐γ rs1861494 polymorphism were not significantly different between patients and controls (P  > 0.05 for all), IFN‐γ rs2069727 polymorphism is significantly associated with increased AS risk in a Chinese Han Population.     

Immobilization of laccase onto modified PU/RC nanofiber via atom transfer radical polymerization method and application in removal of bisphenol A

In this study, 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was used as the monomers for surface grafting on electrospun PU/RC nanofiber membrane via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method, and the PU/RC‐poly(HEMA) nanofiber membrane was investigated as a carrier for LAC. Free and immobilized LAC was characterized, and efficiency of bisphenol A (BPA) removal was determined. The results indicated that the PU/RC‐poly(HEMA)‐LAC showed relatively higher pH stability, temperature stability, and storage stability than free and PU/RC‐LAC; moreover, more than 60% of the PU/RC‐poly(HEMA)‐LAC activity was retained after 10 cycles of ABTS treatment. Notably, the BPA removal efficiency of PU/RC‐poly(HEMA)‐LAC membrane generally ranged from 87.3 to 75.4% for the five cycles. Therefore, the PU/RC‐poly(HEMA) nanofiber membrane has great potential as a carrier for the LAC immobilization for various industrial applications and bioremediation.     

Probing interactions between the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein and the DEAD-box protein, Prp5

Pre-mRNA binding to the yeast U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) during prespliceosome formation requires ATP hydrolysis, the highly conserved UACUAAC box of the branch point region of the pre-mRNA, and several factors. Here we analyzed the binding of a radiolabeled 2'-O-methyl oligonucleotide complementary to U2 small nuclear RNA to study interactions between the UACUAAC box, U2 snRNP, and Prp5p, a DEAD box protein necessary for prespliceosome formation. Binding of the 2'-O-methyl oligonucleotide to the U2 snRNP in yeast cell extract was assayed by gel electrophoresis. Binding was rapid, enhanced by ATP, and dependent on the integrity and conformation of the U2 snRNP. It was also stimulated by Prp5p that was found to associate physically with U2 snRNP. In vitro heat inactivation of the temperature-sensitive prp5-1 mutant extract decreased oligonucleotide binding to U2 and the ATP enhancement of binding by 3-fold. Furthermore, the temperature-sensitive prp5-1 mutation maps to the ATP-binding motif I within the helicase-like domain. Thus the catalytic activity of Prp5p likely promotes a conformational change in the U2 snRNP.