Cloning and identification of a novel human glioma differentiation related geneGDR1

In order to identify the genes associated with glioblastoma differentiation, some ESTs, expressed differentially in the control cell and the differentiated human glioblastoma cell line BT-325 induced by the all-trans retinoid acid, have been isolated by the method of DDRT-PCR. Of the 46 ESTs sequenced, 19 are from new genes. A full-length 1 535-bp cDNA, termed geneGDR1, has been isolated from the human cDNA library using the probe designed according to one of the novel ESTs, HGBB098. The open reading frame ofGDR1 gene encodes a putative protein containing 334 amino acid residues. Blast against the current GenBank DNA and protein sequence database did not reveal significant homology with any known proteins. RT-PCR shows thatGDR1 mRNA level increased in the differentiated BT-325 cells after being treated with RA. The different expression patterns ofGDR1 mRNA in human tissues have been detected through the multiple tissue Northern blot hybridization.     

Cloning of human cytokine signal transduction inhibitor genehumSOCS-2

An EST (gb/AA115239) with high identity to the mouse cytokine signal transduction inhibitor genemmSOCS-2 was selected in GenBank EST database by the homologous screening method. The cDNA with the same sequence of the EST was got in human placenta cDNA library by PCR and a 1011 bp cDNA fragment was selected using above cDNA as probes to perform walking hybridization in placenta cDNA library. The cDNA fragment contains one 594 bp open reading frame (ORF) which encodes 198 amino acid residues. It was proved to be novel after NCBl database screening. Homology comparison showed that this gene has 93% identity tommSOCS-2 at the amino acid level and it has high identities to other related genes in SH₂ domain and SOCS box, so it was namedhumSOCS-2 and the accession number in GenBank is gb/AF020590. The expression analysis showed that the gene is expressed obviously higher in prostate than in other 15 human tissues.     

Cloning and expression analysis ofMBLL cDNA

Thembl (muscleblind) gene ofDrosophila encodes a nuclear protein which contains two Cys₃His motifs. The mutation ofmbl gene will disturb the differentiation of all theDrosophila’s photoreceptors. Primers have been designed according to human EST086139, which is highly homologous tombl gene. Human fetal brain cDNA library has been screened and a novel cDNA clone has been obtained. The 2595 bp cDNA, designatedMBLL (muscleblind-like), contains an open reading frame which encodes 255 amino acids and has 4 Cys₃His motifs (GenBank Acc. AF061261). The amino acids sequence shares high homology toDrosophila’s mbl. The Northern blot and RNA dot blot hybridization of 43 human adult tissues and 7 fetal tissues show thatMBLL is a widely expressed gene, but the expression amounts differ in these tissues.     

Expression of ipt gene driven by tomato fruit specific promoter and its effects on fruit development of tomato

Fruit specific promoter (2A12) from Lycopersicom esculentum and cDNA of isopentenyl-transferase (ipt) from Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumerfaciens C58 were cloned by PCR procedure respectively. Two plant expression vectors with 2A12/gus or 2A12/ipt were respectively constructed. These two chimeric genes were transferred into tomato by Agrobacterium mediated procedure. The results of Southern hybridization showed that the fusion genes had been integrated into tomatoes. The result of gus histochemical staining showed that 2A12 had high fruit specific expressive capability in transgenic tomato. The ipt expression resulted in accumulation of high level of cytokinins (CTKs) in fruit lead to developmental changes in fruits and seeds. The fruit of ipt transformed tomato had the hyperplastic placenta with very few seeds or even seedless. The shelf life of transgenic fruits elongated for 1–2 weeks. The ratio of fruit set, the dry weight of fruit and the crude protein content in fruit were increased, while the soluble sugar of fruits decreased.     

Isolation and cloning of a novel cDNALDB1 encoding human LIM domain binding protein

Primers for screening cDNA library have been designed according to EST AA453734 which is corresponding to the mouse LIM domain binding protein Ldbl. Arrayed human fetal brain cDNA library has been screened by PCR and routine hybridization method. A 2398 bp-cD-NA clone has been obtained. The cDNA encodes a 347 amino acids protein highly homologous to the mouse Ldbl,Xenopus Xldbl andDrosophila Chip. It also contains an LIM binding domain and a nuclear localization signal. It has been namedLDB1 ( LIM domain binding protein 1), GenBank accession number is AF052389. Northern blot showed a 2.4 kb band, and the expression amounts ofLDBI in heart, brain and lung were considerably higher than those in other tissues.     

Cloning and characterization of a gene encoding phagerelated tail protein (PrTP) of endosymbiont Wolbachia

Wolbachia is an obligatory, maternally inherited intracellular bacterium, known to infect a wide range of arthropods. It has been implicated in causing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), parthenogenesis, the feminization of genetic males and male-killing in different hosts. However, the molecular mechanisms by which this fastidious bacterium causes these reproductive abnormalities have not yet been determined. In this study, we report on the cloning and characterization of the gene encoding phage-related tail protein (PrTP) from Wolbachia in Drosophila melanogaster CantonS (wMelCS) and from Wolbachia in Drosophila melanogaster yw67c23 (wMel) by representational difference analysis (RDA) and ligation-mediated PCR (LM-PCR). The functionality of a bipartite nuclear localization signal sequence (NLS) of the gene was also successfully tested in Drosophila S2 cells. PrTP expression in various strains of Wolbachia was investigated. Our results suggest that PrTP may not induce CI directly. However, the existence of prtp provided direct evidence of phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer (HGT) that might play an important role in a variety of reproductive abnormalities of Wolbachia.     

Molecular characterization of a K+ channel blocker in the scorpionButhus martensii Karsch

K⁺ channel blockers of scorpion venoms are of important value in studying pharmacology and physiology of specific K⁺ channel of cells. Based on the amino acid sequences of BmP01 previously characterized as a small-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel blocker, two “back to back” degenarate primers have been designed and synthesized for inverse PCR strategy, its full-length cDNA has been cloned from the venom gland of the Chinese scorpionButhus martensii. The cDNA is composed of 3 parts: 5′ UTR, ORF and 3′ UTR. The flanking sequence of translation initiation codon ATG is AAAATGA, which is highly conserved in scorpion Na⁺ channel toxin and protozoan genes, suggesting that these genes may have followed a common mechanism for translation initiation. The 3′ UTR contains poly(A) signal AATAAA. The open reading frame encodes a precursor of 57 residues with a signal peptide of 28 residues and a mature peptide of 29 residues. The signal peptide is rich in hydrophobic amino acid residues and its length is significantly different from that of the determined scorpion Na⁺ channel toxin. The deduced amino acid sequence of mature peptide is completely consistent with BmP01 previously determined by primary structure analysis.     

Molecular cloning, in vitro expression and enzyme activity analysis of violaxanthin de-epoxidase from Oryza sauva L.

The violaxanthin de-epoxidase gene was cloned from rice (Oryza sauva subsp japonica). The full length of the cDNA is 1887 bp, encoding a 446-amino acids protein with the transit peptide of 98 amino acids. The bacterial expression vector pET-Rvde was constructed and the expression quantity of the exogenous protein increased with the induction time by 0.4 mmol/L IPTG. Its molecular weight was similar with that of the native VDE. Western blotting indicated that the expressed protein has immunological reaction with the VDE polyclonal antibody. The absorbance spectrum together with xanthophyll pigments quantification by HPLC demonstrated that the expressed VDE has its enzyme activity, which can de-epoxidate violaxanthin into antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin in vitro.     

Construction of cDNA library from iron-deficiency induced maize roots and screening and identification of iron-stress geneFdr3

To isolate Fe-deficient related (Fdr) genes, an expression cDNA library of 4.5×10⁵ pfu/μg has been constructed from maize roots in iron-stress. 6 clones have been screened from the cDNA library by differential hybridization screening. It is proved that anFdr3 cDNA clone expressed stronger under iron-deficient condition than under iron-sufficient one by Northern blot and Western blot.     

Molecular characterization of diapause hormone inHelicoverpa armigera

Diapause hormone (DH) is a neurohormone which is secreted from suboesophageal ganglion and responsible for induction of embryonic diapause in many insects. Using rapid amplification of the cDNA ends (RACE) method, the cDNA encoding diapause hormone inHelicoverpa armigera, a main kind of crops pest was cloned. The nucleotide sequence reveals that the mRNA encodes an open reading frame and the 25-aa DH peptide is localized at N-terminal region just after the signal peptide. A homology search showed thatH. armigera DH has high homology with the diapause hormone ofBombyx mori andHelicoverpa zea; and it also belongs to the FXPRL neuropeptide family. Thus,H. armigera DH seems to be a new type of diapause hormone molecule.     

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of a novel human cDNA fragment encoding a putative Ser/Thr protein kinase

A novel full-length cDNA encoding a putative serine/threonine kinase has been isolated from a human testis cDNA library. A nucleotide sequence of 1225 bp length has been determined containing an open reading frame of 1 044 nucleotides (encoding 348 amino acids). In view of its degree of homology to members of the Ser/Thr protein kinase family and the closest relationship toMus musculus STK-1, the predicted product was designated by the name of HUMSTK-1. Its mRNA is present in large amounts in thymus, and small amounts in testis, small intestine and colon.     

Molecular cloning of a fulllength cDNA for ECBP21 from Angelica dahurica

ECBP21 is an extracellular calmodulin-binding protein which was first detected and purified from extracellular extracts of suspension-cultured cells of Angelica dahurica. The purified protein was electroblotted onto PVDF membrane and the amino acid sequences from 1 to 20 were determined. Using degenerate oligonucleotides of the sequence, a full-length cDNA coding for ECBP21 was isolated by a combination of RT-PCR and 5′-RACE cloning. The cDNA contains 947 nucleotides and codes for a precursor protein of 216 amino acids. The N-terminal 1–25 amino acid sequence is a predicted signal peptide and the other 26–216 amino acid sequence is a mature peptide. The 26–45 amino acid sequence shows identity with the N-terminal amino acid sequence of purified ECBP21 from Angelica dahurica. The fragment of encoding the mature protein was cloned into pET-28b(+) and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3). A protein with relative molecular mass 21 ku was expressed in E. coli. Using a biotinylated-CaM gel overlay technique, the expression protein was tested for its ability to bind CaM. The results indicated that the expression protein is a Ca²⁺-dependent CaM-binding protein. Thus, these results further defined the cDNA clone for ECBP21. This work laid a foundation for elucidating biological functions of ECBP21 by using molecular biological means.     

Heterologous Expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis AgSSB in Pichia pastoris

The DNA fragment encoding matureMycobacterium tuberculosis major secretory protein Ag85B was inserted into thePichia pastoris secretory expression vector pHBM905A, under the control of theAOX1 promoter. The recombinant plasmid pHBM905A-85B linearized bySal I was introduced intoPichia pastoris strain GS115 by PEG1000 transformation method. After phenotype screening and PCR identification, the resulting GS115-pHBM905A-85B strain was cultivated and induced with methanol. The recombinant Ag85B protein in secreted form was attained with molecular weight of 35×10³ approximately detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. ELISA experiment proved that the protein had good antigen specificity. Secretory expression of recombinantM. tuberculosis Ag85B inP. pastoris will open a door to mass production of the protein in heterologous host and allow ready evaluation of its immunological function. Foundation item: Supported by the Key Scientific and Technological Project of Wuhan(301121028) Biography: LIU Yan(1971-), female, Ph. D candidate, research direction: vaccine against tuberculosis.     

Identification of a novel DNA molecule associated with Tobacco leaf curl virus

A circular DNA molecule, designated as DNAβ, was identified in tobacco plants infected with Tobacco leaf curl virus (TLCV) isolates Y5 and Y8 by PCR using primers based on the conserved region of the two reported DNAβ sequences of whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses (WTGs). The complete nucleotide sequences of DNAβ of Y5 and Y8 (TLCV DNAβ) were determined. Y5 DNAβ comprises 1333 nucleotides encoding 8 predicted ORFs with 4 ORFs in virion-sense DNA and 4 ORFs in complementary-sense DNA; Y8 DNAβ consists of 1338 nucleotides encoding 7 predicted ORFs with 4 ORFs in virion-sense DNA and 3 ORFs in complementary-sense DNA. TLCV DNAβ has little sequence homology to DNA-A of TLCV., except that it shares conserved TAATATTAC loop sequence with TLCV DNA-A. Sequence comparison showed that Y5 DNAβ shared 85% sequence homology with Y8 DNAβ, and both Y5 DNAβ and Y8 DNAβ had relatively low sequence identity (51%–65%) with the reported DNAβ molecules associated with Ageratum yellow vein virus and Cotton leaf curl virus. The immunotrapping PCR and whitefly transmission tests showed that DNAβ molecule could be encapsidated in virus particle and transmitted by Bemisia tabaci. This is the first report of DNAβ associated with WTGs in China.     

Molecular cloning, identification and characteristics of NYD-SP9: Gene coding protein kinase presumably involved in spermatogenesis

Using cDNA microarray hybridization from a human testicular cDNA library, one gene exhibiting ten-fold difference at expression level between adult and embryo human testes was cloned and named NYD-SP9, which was believed to be involved in spermatogenesis. Southern blot hybridization results showed that NYD-SP9 expressed highly in testis but low in ovary. Protein motif analysis of this cDNA sequence revealed a cluster of phosphorylation sites, indicating its potential involvement in signal pathways during spermatogenesis. Furthermore, one transmembrane helix was predicted in N-terminal region, indicating that putative NYD-SP6 may be served as a transmembrane protein. The proximity of these potential phosphorylation sites to each other indicates that there may be interaction among these sites to regulate spermatogenesis. These findings suggested that protein kinase NYD-SP9 might play a role in male germ cell differentiation.