Organization and promoter analysis of a tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon single WAP domain-containing protein gene

The main function of the single whey acidic protein domain (SWD)-containing protein in shrimp is unknown. To elucidate the function of the SWD-containing protein in vivo, the SWD-containing protein gene was isolated and characterized. A 9.3-kb shrimp SWD-containing protein gene, and a 3.9-kb 3′-flanking region. The shrimp SWD-containing protein gene contained three exons and two introns. Different fragments of the shrimp SWD-containing protein 5′-flanking region were transfected into HeLa cells. The promoter activities were assayed by basal human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LRH), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) treatments. The in vitro actions of the SWD-containing protein promoter expression pattern were studied by transfection of an SWD-containing protein promoter (1 kb)-driven green fluorescent protein (GFP) encoding the GFP cDNA transgene into the HeLa cell line, which was then microinjected into zebrafish Danio rerio embryos. These results indicate that the shrimp SWD-containing protein promoter might play an important role in gene regulation of sex hormones in mammalian cell lines and in gene regulation of developmental stages in zebrafish.     

Molecular cloning and sequencing of hemoglobin-β gene of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus Rafinesque

The hemoglobin-β gene of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, was cloned and sequenced. Total RNA from head kidneys was isolated, reverse transcribed and amplified. The sequence of the channel catfish hemoglobin-β gene consists of 600 nucleotides. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence reveals one open reading frame and 5′- as well as 3′-untranslated regions. The open reading frame of the sequence potentially encodes 148 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 16.3 kDa. The pI and charge at pH 7.0 of the deduced hemoglobin-β protein were 7.28 and 0.47, respectively. Overall, 22 amino acid residues were conserved throughout the sequences, including His64 and His93, the sites for heme-binding. Unlike the counterpart of other common cultured fish such as Salmo salar, Oncorhynchus nerka, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Cyprinus carpio and Ctenopharyngodon idella, the hemoglobin-β of channel catfish did not have cysteine. The amino acid sequence of channel catfish hemoglobin-β shows 84% homology with that of Silurus asotus (both are in the order Siluriformes). However, comparison with those of other fish species shows homology ranging from 53 to 68%. Structural analysis by the 3D-PSSM program displays that channel catfish hemoglobin-β has eight α-helices, A–H.     

cDNA cloning and expression analysis of two heat shock protein genes,Hsp90 and Hsp60, from a sterile Ulva pertusa (Ulvales,Chlorophyta)

Molecular chaperones are synthesized and accumulated under a variety of unfavorable conditions in all organisms. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and Hsp60, which are classified into the major classes of molecular chaperones, play important roles in cellular stress responses. In this study, we characterized sterile Ulva pertusa Hsp90 (UpHsp90) and UpHsp60 genes which may be involved in tolerance to thermal and heavy metal stresses in this alga. The UpHsp90 cDNA consisting of 2,118 nucleotides encoded a polypeptide of 705 amino acids (AA). On the other hand, the UpHsp60 cDNA consisting of 1,722 nucleotides encoded a protein whose predicted length was 573 AA. The AA sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses showed that the UpHsp90 and UpHsp60 proteins were more similar to cytoplasmic Hsp90s and mitochondrial Hsp60s, respectively, than to other types of the respective Hsps. Southern blot analysis indicated that the sterile U. pertusa genome had at least two cytoplasmic Hsp90-encoding genes and two mitochondrial Hsp60-encoding genes. The UpHsp90 and UpHsp60 mRNA levels were significantly affected by diurnal and temperature changes, and slightly affected by exposure to heavy metals. These results suggest that UpHsp90 and UpHsp60 genes play particularly important roles in adaptation to diurnal and temperature changes.     

一种免疫诱导型鲤启动子的克隆与功能分析

为发掘适用于基因工程抗病育种的鱼类启动子,通过实时荧光定量PCR实验对鲤Rab GTP酶(Ras-associated binding-GTPases 1a3,Rab1a3)基因的表达模式进行了分析,证实该基因在鳃、头肾等与机体免疫防御功能密切相关的组织内转录水平较高,且免疫激活后转录显著增强,符合基因工程抗病育种所需的外源免疫基因转录模式。从鲤细菌人工染色体文库中,使用Rab1a3基因特异引物筛选获得包含该基因区域的文库克隆,测序获得该基因完整序列,以及上下游调控序列。通过生物信息学手段,预测到长度为1014 bp的鲤Rab1a3基因启动子序列,该启动子不具有典型的TATA盒或CpG岛特征,存在多个免疫相关转录因子结合位点。在草鱼肾组织细胞系内验证该启动子活性,结果显示,绿色荧光蛋白基因和萤火虫荧光素酶基因都能够在该启动子驱动下表达,证实该片段具有启动子活性,且启动子活性在受到免疫诱导后增强,双荧光素酶报告基因检测结果显示,该启动子活性在免疫刺激后增强至免疫刺激前的8.67倍。研究表明,鲤Rab1a3基因启动子有望被开发成为免疫诱导型的基因工程元件,驱动外源免疫基因在鱼体内适时表达,抵御外界病原感染,同时避免非必要条件下的过度表达形成生长负担。     

黑头软口鲦上皮瘤细胞ifn-1基因的表达及抗病毒活性

为了体外表达黑头软口鲦上皮瘤细胞(EPC)I型干扰素(IFN-1),本实验通过RTPCR从EPC中扩增ifn-1基因,构建重组表达质粒pET-32a-IFN-1,并转化到感受态细胞Transetta(DE3),体外纯化后检测其抗病毒活性。结果显示,ifn-1编码区大小为552 bp,编码184个氨基酸,与草鱼干扰素1(CiIFN1)亲缘关系最近。通过SDS-PAGE分析,重组表达质粒pET-32a-IFN-1在宿主菌中可明显表达约35 ku的融合蛋白条带,且部分呈可溶性表达,进而通过亲和纯化可溶性重组IFN-1(rIFN-1),免疫新西兰大白兔获得效价较高的抗IFN-1多克隆抗体,可用于检测细胞内源性的IFN-1。定量PCR显示rIFN-1与EPC细胞孵育可以诱导抗病毒蛋白Mx1的表达,并抑制鲤春病毒血症病毒(SVCV)引起的细胞病变(CPE)及SVCV的复制,表明rIFN-1具有抗病毒活性。     

大口黑鲈ghrelin基因SNPs的筛选及与生长性状关联性分析

ghrelin是脊椎动物的一种脑肠肽,有促进摄食的功能,并能促进生长激素(GH)释放,参与能量平衡调控和糖类代谢。为探索ghrelin基因多态性与大口黑鲈生长性状的相关性,针对大口黑鲈ghrelin基因的启动子序列,实验采用直接测序法获得了2个SNPs位点:S1(A-642C)和S2(A-639C)。随机选取同批繁殖、同塘养殖的大口黑鲈采用Sna Pshot方法进行SNPs位点检测和分型。结果显示,实验群体在ghrelin基因2个SNPs位点上基本处于哈温平衡,S1和S2共组成5种双倍型(D1、D2、D3、D4和D5)。基因型与生长性状的相关性分析结果表明,S1位点AC型个体在体高与全长上显著高于CC型个体,S2位点AA型个体在头长上显著高于AC型个体。双倍型D1在体质量、全长和体高方面显著高于双倍型D3,在体质量、体宽和体高方面显著高于双倍型D4。本研究在大口黑鲈ghrelin基因启动子区域获得的与生长性状相关的SNPs标记,可为大口黑鲈分子标记辅助育种提供帮助。     

杂色鲍HSP90基因启动子的功能分析

为探索启动子在热休克蛋白90表达调控中的作用,本研究在课题组已有杂色鲍HSP90基因cDNA的基础上,通过Genome walking、Tail-PCR和常规PCR等技术克隆获得该基因的5′调控区序列。在翻译起始位点(ATG)和第一外显子(长度94 bp)之间有一个809bp的内含子,第一外显子之前的5′调控区共2800 bp,从预测的转录起始位点(A)起,共2811 bp。在转录起始位点(A)上游–30 bp处存在TATA box。潜在的转录因子结合位点包括ATF、TBP、Sp1、Oct-1、C/EBPalpha、NF-1、NF-κappa B、GATA-1、Sox-2等。CpG岛预测软件分析其含1个CpG岛,长度为131 bp。实验构建了8个启动子缺失片段的萤火虫荧光素酶表达载体,通过瞬时转染293T细胞并进行双荧光素酶报告基因活性检测,确定杂色鲍HSP90基因核心启动子区位于–98~83 bp。在–624~–539 bp,Oct-1、C/EBPalpha、NF-1这3个转录因子都起到一定的抑制作用。     

A comparative account of the structure of the growth hormone encoding gene and genetic interrelationship in six species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Labeo</Emphasis>

The growth hormone (GH) gene isolated and cloned from various Labeo species (L. rohita, L. calbasu, L. fimbriatus, L. gonius, L. bata, and L. kontius) is shown to contain a single copy in the haploid genome, with an overall size of ∼2.5 kb. The GH gene in all the Labeo species studied has five exons and four introns of various sizes with the exon/intron boundary sequence of GT/AG. The length variation of the GH gene between the species is found to be due to length variation in the form of several deletions in the third intron. The length of individual exons is the same in all the species with an open reading frame (ORF) of 630 bp (210 amino acids) except in L. rohita, which has a 9 bp deletion in the fourth exon, resulting in a shorter GH of 621 bp (207 amino acids). The similarity in the nucleotide and amino acid sequences between the different Labeo species is greater than 97%, in spite of eight amino acids being altered in the GH protein of Labeo that reside outside the conserved domain sequence required for its function. Nucleotide substitutions are seen in the form of 20 transitions and three transversions in the ORF of the GH gene. Both types of transitions (A–G; T–C) and only one type of transversion (A–C) are detected in the GH gene. Codon preference in GH gene shows a strong preference for G and C in the wobble position of the codons. Genetic interrelationships determined between Labeo and other species of fishes using nucleotide sequence of GH cDNA supports the overall teleost classification of Nelson (Fishes of the World. Wiley, New York, 1984) with separate clades for Ostariophysi, Protacanthopterygii, and Acanthopterygii. Besides, the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) analysis clearly distinguishes between the species having five exons and four introns in the GH gene from the species having six exons and five introns in the same gene. The Labeo species analyzed in the present study could be clustered into two groups using the maximum-parsimony method on the intron sequences data of the GH gene.