We have introduced a hybrid gene, pVVim2, composed of the 5' region of the hamster vimentin gene encoding the head and rod domain of vimentin and the 3' region of the hamster desmin gene encoding the tail domain of desmin, into the germ line of mice by pronuclear injection. RNA and protein analysis of mice transgenic for this construct showed that the pVVim2 gene was expressed at high levels in a developmental and tissue-specific manner. This indicates that the vimentin-derived segment of the fusion gene contains all the regulatory elements required for vimentin-specific expression. Immunohistochemical staining of fibroblast cultures derived from the transgenic mice with antibodies specific for vimentin and desmin demonstrated that the pVVim2 protein is assembled into filaments that co-localize with the endogenous vimentin filaments. The expression of pVVim2 protein in mesenchymal cells does not interfere with the function of vimentin in these cells. 相似文献
The expression of the intermediate filament (IF) constituents desmin, vimentin and keratin, as well as the striated-muscle-specific marker titin, was studied in mouse embryos of 8.0 to 9.5 days post coitum (d.p.c.), using the indirect immunofluorescence technique in combination with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. During the development of the embryo, desmin was first detected at 8.25 d.p.c. in the ectoderm, where it was transiently coexpressed with keratin and vimentin. At later stages, the ectoderm contained only keratin and to a certain extent also vimentin IF. At 8.5 d.p.c., desmin was found exclusively in the heart rudiment, and remained present with increasing intensity in the myocardial cells during later cardiogenesis. Striation of desmin in the heart muscle cells was observed in 9.5 d.p.c. embryos. At these stages (8.5-9.5 d.p.c.), triple expression of the IF proteins desmin, vimentin and keratin was evident in these cells. From 9.0 d.p.c. onwards, desmin could be detected in the myotomes as well. Immunoblotting studies of 9.5 d.p.c. mouse embryos confirmed the immunohistochemical data. Titin was found in the early heart anlage at stage 8.25 d.p.c., when no desmin expression was observed in this tissue. At this stage the titin appeared in a punctate pattern, similar to that observed in cardiac myofibrils of early chicken embryos (Tokuyasu and Maher, 1987; J. Cell Biol. 105, 2781-2793). In 8.5 d.p.c. mouse embryos, this punctate titin staining pattern was still observed, while, at this stage, a filamentous staining reaction could be seen with the desmin antibodies. During further development, cross-striation was detected within myocardial cells using the polyclonal titin antibody from 9.0 d.p.c. onwards, i.e. before such striation could be detected with the desmin antibodies. From these data, we conclude that titin synthesis may anticipate desmin expression in the developing mouse myocard, although the level of expression of the former protein remains low until 9.0 d.p.c. 相似文献
We have broadly defined the DNA regions regulating esterase6 activity in
several life stages and tissue types of D. melanogaster using P-
element-mediated transformation of constructs that contain the esterase6
coding region and deletions or substitutions in 5' or 3' flanking DNA.
Hemolymph is a conserved ancestral site of EST6 activity in Drosophila and
the primary sequences regulating its activity lie between -171 and -25 bp
relative to the translation initiation site: deletion of these sequences
decrease activity approximately 20-fold. Hemolymph activity is also
modulated by four other DNA regions, three of which lie 5' and one of which
lies 3' of the coding region. Of these, two have positive and two have
negative effects, each of approximately twofold. Esterase6 activity is
present also in two male reproductive tract tissues; the ejaculatory bulb,
which is another ancestral activity site, and the ejaculatory duct, which
is a recently acquired site within the melanogaster species subgroup.
Activities in these tissues are at least in part independently regulated:
activity in the ejaculatory bulb is conferred by sequences between -273 and
-172 bp (threefold decrease when deleted), while activity in the
ejaculatory duct is conferred by more distal sequences between -844 and
-614 bp (fourfold decrease when deleted). The reproductive tract activity
is further modulated by two additional DNA regions, one in 5' DNA (-613 to
-284 bp; threefold decrease when deleted) and the other in 3' DNA (+1860 to
+2731 bp; threefold decrease when deleted) that probably overlaps the
adjacent esteraseP gene. Collating these data with previous studies
suggests that expression of EST6 in the ancestral sites is mainly regulated
by conserved proximal sequences while more variable distal sequences
regulate expression in the acquired ejaculatory duct site.
相似文献
Esterase 6 (Est-6/EST6) is polymorphic in both Drosophila melanogaster and
D. simulans for two common allozyme forms, as well as for several other
less common variants. Parallel latitudinal clines in the frequencies of the
common EST6-F and EST6-S allozymes in these species have previously been
interpreted in terms of a shared amino acid polymorphism that distinguishes
the two variants and is subject to selection. Here we compare the sequences
of four D. simulans Est-6 isolates and show that overall estimates of
nucleotide heterozygosity in both coding and 5' flanking regions are more
than threefold higher than those obtained previously for this gene in D.
melanogaster. Nevertheless, the ratio of replacement to exon silent-site
polymorphism in D. simulans is less than the ratio of replacement to silent
divergence between D. simulans and D. melanogaster, which could be the
result of increased efficiency of selection against replacement
polymorphisms in D. simulans or to divergent selection between the two
species. We also find that the amino acid polymorphisms separating EST6- F
and EST6-S in D. simulans are not the same as those that separate these
allozymes in D. melanogaster, implying that the shared clines do not
reflect shared molecular targets for selection. All comparisons within and
between the two species reveal a remarkable paucity of variation in a
stretch of nearly 400 bp immediately 5' of the gene, indicative of strong
selective constraint to retain essential aspects of Est-6 promoter
function.
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Plant breeding aims to develop improved crop varieties. Many crops have a polyploid and often highly heterozygous genome, which may make breeding of polyploid crops a real challenge. The efficiency of traditional breeding based on crossing and selection has been improved by using marker-assisted selection (MAS), and MAS is also being applied in polyploid crops, which helps e.g. for introgression breeding. However, methods such as random mutation breeding are difficult to apply in polyploid crops because there are multiple homoeologous copies (alleles) of each gene. Genome editing technology has revolutionized mutagenesis as it enables precisely selecting targets. The genome editing tool CRISPR/Cas is especially valuable for targeted mutagenesis in polyploids, as all alleles and/or copies of a gene can be targeted at once. Even multiple genes, each with multiple alleles, may be targeted simultaneously. In addition to targeted mutagenesis, targeted replacement of undesirable alleles by desired ones may become a promising application of genome editing for the improvement of polyploid crops, in the near future. Several examples of the application of genome editing for targeted mutagenesis are described here for a range of polyploid crops, and achievements and bottlenecks are highlighted.
Acidity has profound effects on the taste of apples (Malus × domestica). Malic acid is the predominant organic acid in apples. Differences in malic acid content are caused by differences in accumulation of malic acid in the vacuole. This accumulation may be caused by a gene that is responsible for transport of malic acid from the cytosol into the vacuole. Here, we provide evidence that a malic acid transporter gene at the top of chromosome 16 caused significant differences in malic acid concentration and pH of apples. The pH of apples in a segregating F1 population was mapped and at the pH locus (named henceforth Ma locus for malic acid), two putative malic acid transporter genes were detected. These genes show high homology to AtALMT genes that code for malate channel proteins located in vacuolar membrane in Arabidopsis. The expression of one of the candidate genes (Ma1) cosegregated clearly with malic acid content. The inheritance of at least one dominant allele of this gene sufficed for an increased expression level that likely caused the observed threefold increase of the malic acid concentration and the reduction of the pH from 4 to 3 in mature apples, compared to the presence of the recessive, lowly expressed allele only. Our results show that differences in fruit acidity were probably caused by differences in expression levels of alleles of a malic acid transporter gene. 相似文献
The objective of the present study was to develop a stain permitting automated quantification of myocellular lipid depositions in skeletal muscle sections together with immunolocalisation of other myocellular constituents by fluorescence microscopy. Lipid droplets were detected in skeletal muscle by oil red O (ORO). Conventional ORO was modified to diminish background staining, prevent crystallisation of ORO and to optimise lipid retention in cryosections. These modifications resulted in a punctate staining of lipid droplets, rather than the somewhat diffuse staining by conventional ORO. Small cavities in muscle sections (like the lumen of small blood vessels) lack ORO when using the protocol presented here. In addition a staining protocol is presented combining ORO with immunofluorescence. This combination permits multiple staining studies in the same section. Thus, lipid droplets can be studied together with immunolabelling of proteins involved in lipid handling and metabolism. This will extend our knowledge on the subcellular localisation of lipid handling proteins (i.e. enzymes and fatty acid transporting proteins) in relation to the localisation of lipid depositions. In conclusion, the protocol presented here permits examination of ORO-stained lipid droplets in skeletal muscle sections together with multiple staining of other immunodetectable proteins present in skeletal muscle by quantitative fluorescence microscopy. 相似文献
Intramuscular triglycerides (IMTG) are assumed to form an important substrate source during prolonged endurance exercise in trained males. This study investigated the effects of endurance exercise and recovery diet on IMTG content in vastus lateralis muscle. Nine male cyclists were provided with a standardized diet for 3 days, after which they performed a 3-h exercise trial at a 55% maximum workload. Before and immediately after exercise and after 24 and 48 h of recovery, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was performed to quantitate IMTG content. Muscle biopsies were taken after 48 h of recovery to determine IMTG content by using quantitative fluorescence microscopy. The entire procedure was performed two times; in one trial, a normal diet containing 39% energy (En%) as fat was provided (NF) and in the other a typical carbohydrate-rich athlete's diet (LF: 24 En% fat) was provided. During exercise, IMTG content decreased by 21.4 +/- 3.1%. During recovery, IMTG content increased significantly in the NF trial only, reaching preexercise levels within 48 h. In accord with MRS, fluorescence microscopy showed significantly higher IMTG content in the NF compared with the LF trial, with differences restricted to the type I muscle fibers (2.1 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.2% area lipid staining, respectively). In conclusion, IMTG content in the vastus lateralis muscle declines significantly during prolonged endurance exercise in male cyclists. When a normal diet is used, IMTG contents are subsequently repleted within 48 h of postexercise recovery. In contrast, IMTG repletion is impaired substantially when a typical, carbohydrate-rich athlete's diet is used. Data obtained by quantitative fluorescence microscopy correspond well with MRS results, implying that both are valid methods to quantify IMTG content. 相似文献
Rod and cone photoreceptors project from the outer retinal surface into a
carbohydrate-rich interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM). Unique IPM
glycoconjugates are distributed around rods and cones. Wheat germ
agglutinin (WGA) strongly decorates the rod matrix domains and weakly
decorates the cone matrix domains. This study characterizes the major
WGA-binding glycoprotein in the human IPM, which we refer to as SPACR
(sialoprotein associated with cones and rods). SPACR, which has a molecular
weight of 147 kDa, was isolated and purified from the IPM by lectin
affinity chromatography. A polyclonal antibody to SPACR was prepared that
colocalizes in tissue preparations with WGA-binding domains in the IPM.
Sequential digestion of SPACR with N- and O- glycosidases results in a
systematic increase in electrophorectic mobility, indicating the presence
of both N- and O-linked glycoconjugates. Complete deglycosylation results
in a reduction in the relative molecular mass of SPACR by about 30%.
Analysis of lectin binding allowed us to identify some of the structural
characteristics of SPACR glycoconjugates. Treatment with neuraminidase
exposes Galbeta1- 3GalNAc disaccharide as indicated by positive peanut
agglutinin (PNA) staining, accompanied by the loss of WGA staining. Maackia
amurensis agglutinins (MAA-1 and MAA-2), specific for sialic acid in
alpha2-3 linkage to Gal, bind SPACR, while Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA),
specific for alpha2-6 linked sialic acid, does not, indicating that the
dominant glycoconjugate determinant on SPACR is the O-linked carbohydrate,
NeuAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-3GalNAc. The abundance of sialic acid in SPACR
suggests that this glycoprotein may contribute substantially to the
polyanionic nature of the IPM. The carbohydrate chains present on SPACR
could also provide sites for extensive crosslinking and participate in the
formation of the ordered IPM lattice that surrounds the elongate
photoreceptors projecting from the outer retinal surface.
相似文献