Localization of the gene encoding the human interleukin-2 receptor on chromosome 10

The human interleukin-2 receptor is an inducible growth factor receptor present on the surface of activated T lymphocytes. The receptor is required for a normal T-cell immune response. High-resolution fluorescence-activated chromosome sorting and DNA spot-blot analysis with complementary DNA's for the interleukin-2 receptor indicated that the receptor gene was located on chromosome 9, 10, 11, or 12. In situ hybridization studies showed that the interleukin-2 receptor gene is on the short arm of chromosome 10, p14----15.     

The role of individual cysteine residues in the structure and function of the v-sis gene product

The v-sis oncogene encodes a platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-related product whose transforming activity is mediated by its functional interaction with the PDGF receptor. PDGF, as well as processed forms of the v-sis gene product, is a disulfide-linked dimer with eight conserved cysteine residues in the minimum region necessary for biologic activity. Site-directed mutagenesis of the v-sis gene revealed that each conserved cysteine residue was required directly or indirectly for disulfide-linked dimer formation. However, substitution of serine for cysteine codons at any of four positions had no detrimental effect on transforming activity of the encoded v-sis protein. These results establish that interchain disulfide bonds are not essential in order for this protein to act as a functional ligand for the PDGF receptor. The remaining four substitutions of serine for cysteine each inactivated transforming function of the molecule. In each case this was associated with loss of a conformation shown to involve intramolecular disulfide bonds. These studies provide insight into the role of individual cysteine residues in determining the structure of the sis/PDGF molecule critical for biological activity.     

High-throughput identification of catalytic redox-active cysteine residues

Cysteine (Cys) residues often play critical roles in proteins; however, identification of their specific functions has been limited to case-by-case experimental approaches. We developed a procedure for high-throughput identification of catalytic redox-active Cys in proteins by searching for sporadic selenocysteine-Cys pairs in sequence databases. This method is independent of protein family, structure, and taxon. We used it to selectively detect the majority of known proteins with redox-active Cys and to make additional predictions, one of which was verified. Rapid accumulation of sequence information from genomic and metagenomic projects should allow detection of many additional oxidoreductase families as well as identification of redox-active Cys in these proteins.     

Evidence from cassette mutagenesis for a structure-function motif in a protein of unknown structure

The three-dimensional structure of most enzymes is unknown; however, many enzymes may have structural motifs similar to those in the known structures of functionally related enzymes. Evidence is presented that an enzyme of unknown structure [Ile-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetase] may share a functionally important structural motif with an enzyme of related function (Tyr-tRNA synthetase). This approach involves (i) identifying segments of Ile-tRNA synthetase that have been unusually conserved during evolution, (ii) predicting the function of one such segment by assuming a structural relation between Ile-tRNA synthetase and Tyr-tRNA synthetase, and (iii) testing the predicted function by mutagenesis and subsequent biochemical analysis. Random mutations were introduced by cassette mutagenesis into a ten-amino-acid segment of Ile-tRNA synthetase that was predicted to be involved in the formation of the binding site for isoleucine. Few amino acid substitutions appear to be tolerated in this region. However, one substitution (independently isolated twice) increased the Michaelis constant Km for isoleucine in the adenylate synthesis reaction by greater than 6000-fold, but had little effect on the Km for adenosine triphosphate, the apparent Km for tRNA, or the rate constant kcat.     

鸡白细胞介素-2基因在Pichia methanolica酵母中的表达

鸡白细胞介素-2(chIL-2)是近年来新发现的一种禽类细胞因子.为建立用甲醇型酵母Pichia methanolica (P. methanolica)表达鸡白细胞介素-2基因(chIL-2)的新途径,将chIL-2基因插入到P. methanolica分泌型表达载体pMETαA构建了重组PMAD11表达菌株(pMETαA/rchIL-2).经SDS-PAGE、Western印迹测定,证实chIL-2基因在P. methanolica中表达成功,rchIL-2的分子量约为16 kDa,其表达量占分泌总蛋白的35%.     

Site-specific gene expression in vivo by direct gene transfer into the arterial wall

A recombinant beta-galactosidase gene has been expressed in a specific arterial segment in vivo by direct infection with a murine amphotropic retroviral vector or by DNA transfection with the use of liposomes. Several cell types in the vessel wall were transduced, including endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. After retroviral infection, a recombinant reporter gene was expressed for at least 5 months, and no helper virus was detected. Recombinant gene expression achieved by direct retroviral infection or liposome-mediated DNA transfection was limited to the site of infection and was absent from liver, lung, kidney, and spleen. These results demonstrate that site-specific gene expression can be achieved by direct gene transfer in vivo and could be applied to the treatment of such human diseases as atherosclerosis or cancer.     

猪白细胞介素-2基因的克隆与表达

根据GenBank上发表的猪白细胞介素-2（Interleukin．2,IL-2）基因序列,设计1对引物。采用RT-PCR技术,以ConA刺激的猪外周血淋巴细胞为材料,从总RNA中扩增出484bp的特异性片段,将其克隆入pGEM-Teasy载体。序列测定表明;扩增片段为猪IL-2基因,该基因与GenBank上发表的猪IL-2基因的核苷酸序列同源性达99．8％。将其定向克隆至原核表达载体pET32a,构建了表达重组猪IL-2的基因工程菌株,经IPTG诱导表达和层析纯化,获得了纯化的重组猪IL-2蛋白。     

毛白杨巯基蛋白酶抑制剂基因cDNA的克隆及序列分析

为了发掘我国乡土树种毛白杨巯基蛋白酶抑制剂(CPI)基因资源,该研究在对已知植物巯基蛋白酶抑制剂氨基酸序列保守性和杨树表达序列标签(EST)序列分析的基础上,设计了1对简并引物和1对杨树特异性CPI引物,应用RT-PCR技术在毛白杨形成层中扩增出了一个696 bp的cDNA片段,将此片段连接到pGEM-T Easy载体上并测序.结果表明,该片段含有一个417 bp的开放阅读框,编码138个氨基酸残基.进一步对氨基酸序列分析表明,该氨基酸具有典型植物巯基蛋白酶抑制剂的保守区段,即靠近氨基端具有甘氨酸（G）残基和［LVI］-［AGT］-［RKE］-［FY］-［AS］-［VI］-［EDQV］-［HYFQ］序列,羧基端具有与酶活性有关的QXVXG结构和PW残基,说明毛白杨形成层中存在CPI基因并能够有效表达.氨基酸序列同源性分析表明,该基因与其他林木CPI的同源性在47%～68%之间.      

广西巴马小型猪白细胞介素17基因的克隆及其序列分析

用ConA刺激巴马小型猪的外周血淋巴细胞,22 h后提取总RNA,用RT-PCR方法成功扩增出巴马小型猪白细胞介素17（IL-17）基因,将其克隆到pMD18-T载体上,进行序列分析.结果表明,克隆的IL-17的基因序列与GenBank上登录的猪IL-17基因序列同源性为99.4 %.     

猪CAPN2基因的生物信息学分析

CAPN2基因对肌原纤维蛋白的降解起重要作用,在肉熟化过程中可能参与肉的嫩化过程。本研究通过生物信息学方法,对猪CAPN2基因进行了电子克隆,获得了3 150 bp的cDNA全长序列,含有一个编码700个氨基酸的完整开放阅读框架。通过序列同源比对发现,该基因的核苷酸和氨基酸水平与人、大鼠及小鼠都具有较高的同源性。在序列多重比较的基础上,分别进行了基因与蛋白质的系统发育树分析,结果表明,该基因与其编码蛋白的聚类结果具有一致性。此外,蛋白质性质与功能的生物信息学分析显示,该基因编码的蛋白是一种等电点为4.87的水溶性稳定蛋白,定位于细胞质,属于非分泌性蛋白,具有跨膜螺旋结构以及钙蛋白酶类催化基序结构。     

Biological activity of recombinant human interleukin-2 produced in Escherichia coli

The gene for interleukin-2 was isolated from the Jurkat cell line and from normal peripheral blood lymphocytes and, when inserted in Escherichia coli, was expressed at high concentrations. This interleukin-2 was purified to apparent homogeneity and tested for biological activity in a variety of assays in vitro and in vivo. The recombinant lymphokine supports the growth of murine and human interleukin-2 dependent cell lines, enhances the generation of murine and human cytolytic cells in vitro, and generates lymphokine activated killer cells from murine and human lymphocytes. It has a serum half-life of 2 to 3 minutes in the mouse and significantly enhances the generation of cytolytic cells in vivo after alloimmunization. No functional differences between native and the recombinant interleukin-2 molecules have been detected.     

Cloning and expression of the human interleukin-6 (BSF-2/IFN beta 2) receptor

Interleukin-6 (IL-6/BSF-2/IFN beta 2) is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates the growth and differentiation of various tissues, and is known particularly for its role in the immune response and acute phase reactions. A complementary DNA encoding the human IL-6 receptor (IL-6-R) has now been isolated. The IL-6-R consists of 468 amino acids, including a signal peptide of approximately 19 amino acids and a domain of approximately 90 amino acids that is similar to a domain in the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. The cytoplasmic domain of approximately 82 amino acids lacks a tyrosine/kinase domain, unlike other growth factor receptors.     

Site-specific cleavage of human chromosome 4 mediated by triple-helix formation.

Direct physical isolation of specific DNA segments from the human genome is a necessary goal in human genetics. For testing whether triple-helix mediated enzymatic cleavage can liberate a specific segment of a human chromosome, the tip of human chromosome 4, which contains the entire candidate region for the Huntington's disease gene, was chosen as a target. A 16-base pyrimidine oligodeoxyribonucleotide was able to locate a 16-base pair purine target site within more than 10 gigabase pairs of genomic DNA and mediate the exact enzymatic cleavage at that site in more than 80 percent yield. The recognition motif is sufficiently generalizable that most cosmids should contain a sequence targetable by triple-helix formation. This method may facilitate the orchestrated dissection of human chromosomes from normal and affected individuals into megabase sized fragments and facilitate the isolation of candidate gene loci.