A single troponin T gene regulated by different programs in cardiac and skeletal muscle development

A cloned complementary DNA derived from a messenger RNA transiently present at low abundance levels in early chick embryonic skeletal muscle hybridizes to a messenger RNA present at high abundance levels in cardiac muscle. Genomic DNA hybridization and nucleotide sequence identity of complementary DNA's from both heart and skeletal muscle demonstrate that the messenger RNA's from both sources are encoded by the same gene. The encoded polypeptide is a troponin T sequence which is probably a cardiac isoform. This single copy troponin T isogene is governed by different regulatory programs in heart and skeletal muscle differentiation.     

DNA Complementary to Ribosomal RNA: Relation between Genomic Proportion and Ploidy

Ten Nicotiana species were assayed for the proportion of DNA that is complementary to ribosomal RNA. This proportion varies from 0.27 to 0.9 percent, with tetraploid species having lower values than the diploid species. The tetraploid species have about twice as much DNA per cell as do diploid species. Thus, the absolute number of genes for ribosomal RNA varies less than the proportion of complementary DNA. Further, the number of genes for the RNA in 80S ribosomes varies less among species than does that for the RNA in 70S ribosomes. The data indicate that loss of DNA complementary to ribosomal RNA is associated with tetraploidy in the genus Nicotiana.     

西瓜细菌性果斑病菌鞭毛基因fliS的功能分析

【目的】西瓜细菌性果斑病由西瓜噬酸菌(Acidovorax citrulli,Ac)引起,是一种严重的世界性病害。细菌的鞭毛通常被认为是细菌的运动器官,在细菌的侵染过程中也起重要作用,已有报道表明这种作用可受鞭毛蛋白基因fliS的调控,目前西瓜细菌性果斑病菌鞭毛蛋白基因fliS的功能及其调控机理尚不清楚,本研究旨在探讨该基因在鞭毛形成和致病性等生物学特性中的作用。【方法】以果斑病菌野生型致病菌株1号基因组DNA为模板,设计一系列引物,PCR扩增敲除基因fliS的上下游片段,通过回收、酶切、连接、转化等步骤构建敲除载体和互补载体,然后采用三亲杂交法,根据同源重组的原理,构建fliS基因缺失突变菌株及其互补菌株,并对其鞭毛的形态特征、致病性、过敏反应、游动性、群体感应、菌膜、生长速率、菌落形态等生物学特性进行测定;进一步提取细菌总RNA,以谷氨酰胺合成酶基因glnA为参照来校正目标基因的表达量,采用实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)方法,比较野生菌株、敲除菌株和互补菌株部分鞭毛蛋白基因flh D、fliE、fliC、flgK、flgM、fliD和fliA的表达量差异。【结果】通过抗性基因Gm的筛选和PCR验证,成功构建了果斑病菌鞭毛蛋白基因fliS缺失突变菌株1-fliS及其互补菌株1-fliShb,并对所得菌株的生物学特性和鞭毛进行观察,结果表明,与野生菌株相比,鞭毛蛋白基因缺失突变菌株的游动性、菌膜形成能力减弱,互补后游动性、菌膜形成能力基本恢复;缺失突变菌株对甜瓜、西瓜幼苗以及西瓜果实的致病性降低,互补后对西瓜、甜瓜幼苗及西瓜果实的致病力完全恢复。电镜测试显示,突变菌株鞭毛变短,长度约为野生菌株的1/3—1/4,互补后鞭毛合成能力基本恢复,鞭毛长度约为野生菌的4/5;光学显微镜下,可观察到在NA平板上的野生菌株菌落周围有明显的由细菌颤泳形成的特殊晕圈,而缺失突变菌株在NA平板上不能形成这种晕圈,互补后晕圈形成能力部分恢复;缺失突变菌株的生长速率比野生菌株慢,互补后生长速率没有恢复;野生菌株、突变菌株和互补菌株在过敏性反应和群体感应方面无差异。qRT-PCR分析结果显示,fliS基因缺失突变后,flh D表达量较野生菌株明显降低,fliE、fliC和flgK表达量较野生菌株明显升高,flgM和fliD表达量略微上升,fliA表达量基本不变;互补菌株中flhD、fliE和fliC表达量部分恢复,flgK、flgM和fliD表达量没有恢复,与突变菌株相同。【结论】鞭毛基因fliS对果斑病菌鞭毛丝的形成、游动性、菌膜形成能力、生长速率、菌落形态、致病性等均有调控作用。     

Cloning and expression of a Xenopus embryonic gap junction protein

Gap junctions in the early amphibian embryo may play a fundamental role in the regulation of differentiation by mediating the cell-to-cell transfer of chemical signals. A complementary DNA encoding a gap junction present in Xenopus oocytes and early embryos has now been cloned and sequenced. This protein sequence is homologous to the well-characterized gap junction structural proteins rat connexin32 and connexin43. RNA blot analysis of total Xenopus oocyte RNA showed hybridization to a single 1.6-kilobase band. This messenger RNA is abundant in oocytes, decreases to levels below the sensitivity of our assay by stage 15 (18 hours), and is not detectable in RNA from a number of adult organs. To confirm that the oocyte cDNA encodes a gap junction channel, the protein was over expressed in Xenopus oocytes by injection of RNA synthesized in vitro. Pairs of RNA-injected oocytes formed many more time- and voltage-sensitive cell-cell channels than water-injected pairs.     

Existence of high abundance antiproliferative mRNA's in senescent human diploid fibroblasts

Polyadenylated RNA isolated from senescent human diploid fibroblasts (HDF) inhibited DNA synthesis in proliferation-competent cells after microinjection, whereas polyadenylated RNA from young HDF had no inhibitory effect. Polyadenylated RNA from young cells made quiescent by removal of serum growth factors had a slight inhibitory effect on DNA synthesis. The abundance level of inhibitor messenger RNA (mRNA) from senescent cells was estimated at 0.8 and that of quiescent cells at 0.005 percent. These results demonstrate the existence of one or more antiproliferative mRNA's in nonproliferating normal human cells; these RNA's code for factors that either work antagonistically to initiators of DNA synthesis or regulate the expression of the initiators in some way. The abundance level of the inhibitory mRNA in senescent cells indicates the feasibility of developing a complementary DNA probe that will be useful in studying cell cycle control mechanisms.     

A chemoattractant receptor controls development in Dictyostelium discoideum

During the early stages of its developmental program, Dictyostelium discoideum expresses cell surface cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) receptors. It has been suggested that these receptors coordinate the aggregation of individual cells into a multicellular organism and regulate the expression of a large number of developmentally regulated genes. The complementary DNA (cDNA) for the cyclic AMP receptor has now been cloned from lambda gt-11 libraries by screening with specific antiserum. The 2-kilobase messenger RNA (mRNA) that encodes the receptor is undetectable in growing cells, rises to a maximum at 3 to 4 hours of development, and then declines. In vitro transcribed complementary RNA, when hybridized to cellular mRNA, specifically arrests in vitro translation of the receptor polypeptide. When the cDNA is expressed in Dictyostelium cells, the undifferentiated cells specifically bind cyclic AMP. Cell lines transformed with a vector that expresses complementary mRNA (antisense) do not express the cyclic AMP receptor protein. These cells fail to enter the aggregation stage of development during starvation, whereas control and wild-type cells aggregate and complete the developmental program within 24 hours. The phenotype of the antisense transformants suggests that the cyclic AMP receptor is essential for development. The deduced amino acid sequence of the receptor reveals a high percentage of hydrophobic residues grouped in seven domains, similar to the rhodopsins and other receptors believed to interact with G proteins. It shares amino acid sequence identity and is immunologically cross-reactive with bovine rhodopsin. A model is proposed in which the cyclic AMP receptor crosses the bilayer seven times with a serine-rich cytoplasmic carboxyl terminus, the proposed site of ligand-induced receptor phosphorylation.