贵州矮马与伊犁马生长激素基因5’侧翼区的结构特征

为了摸索贵州矮马生长发育的调控机制,探明贵州矮马与伊犁马生长激素基因5’侧翼区的结构特征,以4～5龄的贵州矮马和7～8龄的新疆伊犁马为研究对象,采用直接测序法从两种马基因组中克隆了生长激素(GH)基因5’侧翼区的DNA序列,并进行生物信息学分析。结果表明:1)从基因组中克隆的711bp片段为GH基因5’侧翼区序列;2)两个马品种的GH基因5’侧翼区中都存在TATA box、CAATbox、GC box和Octamer位点等真核生物启动子结构;3)从伊犁马GH基因5’侧翼区中检测到1个位于30bp处的突变位点发生了G→C颠换,由此新增了1个转录因子upstream stimulatory factor(USF)结合位点;4)从贵州矮马和伊犁马GH基因的5’侧翼区序列中发现了MZF1、CdxA、Nkx-2、AML-1a和c-Myc等19种共58个转录因子的结合位点。结论:克隆的711bp基因序列中存在大量的转录调控元件。     

牛SOCS5基因5′调控区多态性研究

【目的】筛选SOCS5基因启动子区多态位点（SNP）,并研究其对启动子功能元件的影响。【方法】选择贵州地方优良品种务川黑牛和中国荷斯坦奶牛两种生长性能差异明显的品种构建DNA池。直接测序后用DNASTAR软件进行序列拼接和校正,BLAST分析SOCS5基因多态性,然后用生物信息学软件预测序列核心启动子区和CpG岛,分析SNP位点对转录因子结合位点影响。【结果】牛SOC5基因5′调控区和第1外显子区存在3个SNP位点,分别为：C-577T、T-43C和C＋61T,其中C＋61T与SNP数据库中的rs110977810信息相符,C-577T和T-43C为新发现SNP位点。生物信息学软件预测得到SOCS5基因核心启动子区和CpG岛,SNP位点导致附近大量转录因子结合位点消失和新位点产生;SNP位点对转录因子结合位点有显著影响,但对核心启动子范围和起始位点无明显影响,不在甲基化水平上影响SOCS基因表达水平。【结论】牛SOCS5基因5′调控区存在3个对启动子功能元件有较大影响的SNP位点。     

鸡miR-17-92基因簇上游A/T富集区启动子活性鉴定与分析

文章采用基因定点突变和报告基因技术作A/T富集区启动子鉴定和转录调控分析,研究鸡miR-17-92基因簇上游A/T富集区是否具有启动子活性。PromPredict预测分析提示miR-17-92基因簇上游-388～-444 bp处可能是启动子区域。转录因子结合位点分析发现,A/T富集区存在3个E2F1潜在结合位点,分别位于miR-17-92基因簇上游-1 273 bp(结合位点1)、-1 186 bp(结合位点2)和-753 bp(结合位点3)处。报告基因活性分析发现,鸡miR-17-92基因簇上游A/T富集区具有启动子活性,其中miR-17-92基因簇上游-440/-1区域启动子活性最强。共转染分析显示,转录因子E2F1极显著抑制该A/T富集区启动子活性(P<0.01);进一步定点突变分析表明E2F1通过E2F1结合位点1和2抑制A/T富集区启动子活性。报告基因分析发现,与对A/T富集区启动子作用不同,E2F1促进miR-17-92基因簇宿主基因(MIR17HG)启动子活性。文章首次发现鸡miR-17-92基因簇上游存在一个新的转录调控区,对揭示鸡miR-17-92基因簇转录调控具有重要意义。     

Bovine leukemia virus long terminal repeat: a cell type-specific promoter

The functional activity of the promoter unit contained within the long terminal repeat (LTR) of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) was examined by monitoring transient expression of a heterologous gene placed under its control. Various cell lines were transfected with recombinant plasmids carrying the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene coupled to the BLV LTR (pBL-cat). Transient expression of CAT activity directed by the BLV LTR was observed only in the established BLV-producer cell lines derived from fetal lamb kidney (FLK) cells and bat lung cells. The amount of CAT activity transiently expressed in FLK-BLV cells was decreased approximately tenfold by deletion of LTR sequences located within a region 100 to 170 nucleotides upstream of the RNA start site. Surprisingly, removal of the region 50 base pairs downstream of the RNA initiation site to the 3'-end of the LTR reduced the expression of CAT activity by 87 percent. The BLV LTR thus appears to be an unusual promoter unit, functioning in a cell type-specific manner and possessing sequences on both the 5' and 3' sides of the RNA start site that influence gene expression.     

Identification of a putative regulator of early T cell activation genes

Molecules involved in the antigen receptor-dependent regulation of early T cell activation genes were investigated with the use of functional sequences of the T cell activation-specific enhancer of interleukin-2 (IL-2). One of these sequences forms a protein complex, NFAT-1, specifically with nuclear extracts of activated T cells. This complex appeared 10 to 25 minutes before the activation of the IL-2 gene. Studies with inhibitors of protein synthesis indicated that the time of synthesis of the activator of the IL-2 gene in Jurkat T cells corresponds to the time of appearance of NFAT-1. NFAT-1, or a very similar protein, bound functional sequences of the long terminal repeat (LTR) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1; the LTR of this virus is known to be stimulated during early T cell activation. The binding site for this complex activated a linked promoter after transfection into antigen receptor-activated T cells but not other cell types. These characteristics suggest that NFAT-1 transmits signals initiated at the T cell antigen receptor.