The products of the Drosophila gap genes hunchback and Krüppel bind to the hunchback promoters

The first zygotic genes to be expressed during early Drosophila development are the gap genes. Their role is to read and interpret coarse positional information deposited in the egg by the mother and to refine it by cross-regulatory interactions and by controlling a class of pair-rule genes. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which the three cloned gap genes carry out their genetically defined functions. Here we report that the Krüppel (Kr) gene product (Kr) binds to the sequence AAGGGGTTAA, whereas the hunchback (hb) gene product (Hb) recognizes the consensus ACNCAAAAAANTA. We have identified binding sites for these proteins upstream of the two hb promoters, which we suggest could mediate the repression of hb by Kr and perhaps allow hb to influence its own expression.     

Nucleotide sequence of cloned cDNA of human c-myc oncogene

Like other transforming genes of retroviruses, the v-myc gene of the avian virus, MC29, has a homologue in the genome of normal eukaryotic cells. The human cellular homologue, c-myc, located on human chromosome 8, region q24 leads to qter (refs 1, 2), is translocated into the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus on human chromosome 14 (ref. 3) in Burkitt's lymphoma, suggesting that c-myc has a primary role in transformation of some human haematopoietic cells. In addition, c-myc is amplified in the human promyelocytic leukaemia cell line, HL60 (refs 6, 7) which also contains high levels of c-myc mRNA. Recently, Colby et al. reported the nucleotide sequence of the human c-myc DNA isolated from a genomic recombinant DNA library derived from human fetal liver. This 4,053-base pair (bp) sequence includes two exons and one intron of the myc gene, and the authors have suggested the existence of a human c-myc mRNA of 2,291 nucleotides that has a coding capacity for a protein of molecular weight (Mr) 48,812. We have approached the problem of accurately defining the characteristics of the human c-myc mRNA and c-myc protein by determining the sequence of the c-myc cDNA isolated from a cDNA library prepared from mRNA of a clone of the K562 human leukaemic cell line. K562 cells are known to contain c-myc mRNA which is similar in size to the c-myc mRNA of other human cell types. We report here the sequence of 2,121 nucleotides of a human c-myc mRNA and demonstrate that its 5' noncoding sequence does not correspond to the sequence of the reported genomic human sequence. However, our data confirm that the intact human c-myc mRNA can encode a 48,812-Mr protein with a sequence identical to that reported by Colby et al.     

Analysis of enzymatically amplified beta-globin and HLA-DQ alpha DNA with allele-specific oligonucleotide probes

Allelic sequence variation has been analysed by synthetic oligonucleotide hybridization probes which can detect single base substitutions in human genomic DNA. An allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) will only anneal to sequences that match it perfectly, a single mismatch being sufficient to prevent hybridization under appropriate conditions. To improve the sensitivity, specificity and simplicity of this approach, we used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure to enzymatically amplify a specific segment of the beta-globin or HLA-DQ alpha gene in human genomic DNA before hybridization with ASOs. This in vitro amplification method, which produces a greater than 10(5)-fold increase in the amount of target sequence, permits the analysis of allelic variation with as little as 1 ng of genomic DNA and the use of a simple 'dot blot' for probe hybridization. As a further simplification, PCR amplification has been performed directly on crude cell lysates, eliminating the need for DNA purification.     

A genome-wide comparison of recent chimpanzee and human segmental duplications

We present a global comparison of differences in content of segmental duplication between human and chimpanzee, and determine that 33% of human duplications (> 94% sequence identity) are not duplicated in chimpanzee, including some human disease-causing duplications. Combining experimental and computational approaches, we estimate a genomic duplication rate of 4-5 megabases per million years since divergence. These changes have resulted in gene expression differences between the species. In terms of numbers of base pairs affected, we determine that de novo duplication has contributed most significantly to differences between the species, followed by deletion of ancestral duplications. Post-speciation gene conversion accounts for less than 10% of recent segmental duplication. Chimpanzee-specific hyperexpansion (> 100 copies) of particular segments of DNA have resulted in marked quantitative differences and alterations in the genome landscape between chimpanzee and human. Almost all of the most extreme differences relate to changes in chromosome structure, including the emergence of African great ape subterminal heterochromatin. Nevertheless, base per base, large segmental duplication events have had a greater impact (2.7%) in altering the genomic landscape of these two species than single-base-pair substitution (1.2%).     

Construction of chimaeric processed immunoglobulin genes containing mouse variable and human constant region sequences

The specificity of monoclonal antibodies provides a powerful diagnostic and therapeutic tool in investigating human neoplasia. Radiological scanning and immunotherapy with mouse tumour-specific monoclonal antibodies have been applied to patients with some success, but a major problem is the neutralization of the mouse antibody induced by repeated administration of heterologous antibodies. To avoid or reduce such immune reactions, chimaeric immunoglobulins consisting of mouse variable (V) and human constant (C) regions can be synthesized. We have constructed a recombinant retrovirus DNA carrying genomic heavy-chain (H) variable-diversity joining (VH-D-JH) and C gamma 1 genes from different species and show here that the chimaeric intervening sequences are spliced out precisely. This procedure provides a useful method to construct the chimaeric mouse-human immunoglobulin gene to be expressed in Escherichia coli, yeast and animal cells. Unexpectedly, a hidden splice donor site in the 5'-flanking region of a human VH gene is used in place of the donor site of the leader sequence exon, resulting in the formation of the V region without the leader sequence.     

一个新C2H2型锌指蛋白的功能的初步研究

通过筛选人18周胎脑cDNA文库,得到一条编码332AA的全长新基因,生物信息学研究表明,该蛋白质序列有2个C2H2型锌指结构,其中1个锌指结构有RNA－binding蛋白特异锌指的特征,虽然同源比较发现与多种蛋白质精氨酸N端转甲基酶（protein arginine N-methyltransferase) 有一定的同源性,但新锌指蛋白不含转甲基酶的活性功能区域,属功能未知的基因,利用芯片研究功能未知基因的表达是一种较好的手段,通过代谢增强剂PMA（phorbol myristae acetate)刺激培养的血管内皮细胞,观察细胞受激活后新锌指蛋白基因的表达变化,结果表明新基因表达量提高了11倍以上,证实新基因属内皮细胞的极早期应答基因（Immediate early response gene,ERG)。     

Establishment of widely expressed<Emphasis Type="Italic">hb1f</Emphasis> transgenic mouse lineage and its morphologic analysis

Human nuclear receptor hB1F is a novel member of the fushi tarazu factor Ⅰ subfamily of nuclear receptor superfamily. The studies about its homologous genes indicate that hB1F may play a key role in regulating the metabolic homeostasis of cholesterol. After obtaining the founder mice carrying the trausgeue of hblf by microiujectiou, each founder was mated to normal C57 mouse and the positive F1 by PCR identification of the same founder were iutercrossed within sisters and brothers to establish the trausgeuic mouse lineage. The results of F1, F2 and offspring of test cross identification showed that the widely expressed hb1f trausgeuic mouse lineage was established successfully in this study. The tissue morphology of the trausgeuic lineage was also analyzed preliminarily.     

The orthodenticle gene is regulated by bicoid and torso and specifies Drosophila head development

In the Drosophila embryo, cell fate along the anterior-posterior axis is determined by maternally expressed genes. The activity of the bicoid (bcd) gene is required for the development of larval head and thoracic structures, and that of maternal torso (tor) for the development of the unsegmented region of the head (acron). In contrast to the case of thoracic and abdominal segmentation, the hierarchy of zygotically expressed genes controlling head development has not been clearly defined. The bcd protein, which is expressed in a gradient, activates zygotic expression of the gap gene hunchback (hb), but hb alone is not sufficient to specify head development. Driever et al. proposed that at least one other bcd-activated gene controls the development of head regions anterior to the hb domain. We report here that the homeobox gene orthodenticle (otd), which is involved in head development, could be such a gene. We also show that otd expression responds to the activity of the maternal tor gene at the anterior pole of the embryo.     

Sequence organization and genomic complexity of primate theta 1 globin gene, a novel alpha-globin-like gene

The alpha-like and beta-like globin genes have provided a paradigm for the study of molecular evolution and regulation of multigene families in eukaryotes. The human alpha-globin gene cluster, which is on chromosome 16 (ref. 1), consists of six genes arranged in the order 5'-zeta(embryonic)-psi zeta-psi alpha 2-psi alpha 1-alpha 2(adult)-alpha 1(adult)-3'. DNA sequencing data have demonstrated that zeta (ref. 6) and alpha 2 (or alpha 1, refs 7-9) are the embryonic and adult genes, respectively, while psi zeta (ref. 6), psi alpha 2 (ref. 5) psi alpha 1 (ref. 10) are all inactive pseudogenes. Restriction mapping analysis has shown that the structure of this locus in several anthropoid primates is nearly identical to that of the human. Recently, we have isolated the adult alpha-globin gene region from orang-utan, olive baboon and rhesus macaque by molecular cloning. We report here the complete nucleotide sequence of a gene located immediately downstream from the adult alpha 1-globin gene of the orang-utan, along with its flanking DNA. We designate this gene as theta 1, and show that it contains the essential sequence elements required for an expressive gene. The putative polypeptide is 141 amino acids long, identical to that of the alpha- or zeta-globin, but its predicted amino-acid sequence is nearly as different from the orang-utan alpha-globin (55 differences) as the human zeta-globin is from the human alpha-globin (59 differences), suggesting an ancient history for the theta 1-globin gene. Results of blot hybridization experiments using the cloned orang-utan theta 1 gene sequence as probe demonstrate a similar alpha 2-alpha 1-theta 1 linkage map existing in the human genome. Furthermore, multiple copies of sequences homologous to the theta 1 gene are detected in both human and orang-utan. These results cast a new light on the primate alpha-globin gene family, and have intriguing implications for the existence of previously unreported, functional globin-like gene(s) in the primate genomes.     

Melanoma genome sequencing reveals frequent PREX2 mutations

Melanoma is notable for its metastatic propensity, lethality in the advanced setting and association with ultraviolet exposure early in life. To obtain a comprehensive genomic view of melanoma in humans, we sequenced the genomes of 25 metastatic melanomas and matched germline DNA. A wide range of point mutation rates was observed: lowest in melanomas whose primaries arose on non-ultraviolet-exposed hairless skin of the extremities (3 and 14 per megabase (Mb) of genome), intermediate in those originating from hair-bearing skin of the trunk (5-55 per Mb), and highest in a patient with a documented history of chronic sun exposure (111 per Mb). Analysis of whole-genome sequence data identified PREX2 (phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent Rac exchange factor 2)--a PTEN-interacting protein and negative regulator of PTEN in breast cancer--as a significantly mutated gene with a mutation frequency of approximately 14% in an independent extension cohort of 107 human melanomas. PREX2 mutations are biologically relevant, as ectopic expression of mutant PREX2 accelerated tumour formation of immortalized human melanocytes in vivo. Thus, whole-genome sequencing of human melanoma tumours revealed genomic evidence of ultraviolet pathogenesis and discovered a new recurrently mutated gene in melanoma.     

人骨髓单核细胞表面分化抗原CD14基因的扩增、克隆和鉴定

根据人骨髓单核细胞表面分化抗原ＣＤ１４（ｈＣＤ１４）基因的核苷酸序列，设计ｈＣＤ１４基因５＇端和３＇端的两个引物．以人血中提取的基因组总ＤＮＡ为模板，利用聚合酶链式反应（ＰＣＲ）技术特异性扩增该基因１２４５加的编码序列．扩增产物经Ｘｂａｌ、ＫｐｎⅠ双酶切后，克隆到ｐＵＣ１８质粒ＸｂａＩ－ＫｐｎＩ位点间，随后转化大肠杆菌ＪＭ１０９．用ＰＣＲ方法筛选出重组菌落．经酶切和序列分析方法检测后，证明获得了含ｈＣＤ１４基因的重组克隆ｐＨＣＤ１４．巳测出的插入片段５＇端部分中包含着人ＣＤ１４基因４８８ｂｐ的序列，与巳报道的相应ＤＮＡ序列相比具有９９％的同源性．     

Distinct classes of chromosomal rearrangements create oncogenic ETS gene fusions in prostate cancer

Recently, we identified recurrent gene fusions involving the 5' untranslated region of the androgen-regulated gene TMPRSS2 and the ETS (E26 transformation-specific) family genes ERG, ETV1 or ETV4 in most prostate cancers. Whereas TMPRSS2-ERG fusions are predominant, fewer TMPRSS2-ETV1 cases have been identified than expected on the basis of the frequency of high (outlier) expression of ETV1 (refs 3-13). Here we explore the mechanism of ETV1 outlier expression in human prostate tumours and prostate cancer cell lines. We identified previously unknown 5' fusion partners in prostate tumours with ETV1 outlier expression, including untranslated regions from a prostate-specific androgen-induced gene (SLC45A3) and an endogenous retroviral element (HERV-K_22q11.23), a prostate-specific androgen-repressed gene (C15orf21), and a strongly expressed housekeeping gene (HNRPA2B1). To study aberrant activation of ETV1, we identified two prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP and MDA-PCa 2B, that had ETV1 outlier expression. Through distinct mechanisms, the entire ETV1 locus (7p21) is rearranged to a 1.5-megabase prostate-specific region at 14q13.3-14q21.1 in both LNCaP cells (cryptic insertion) and MDA-PCa 2B cells (balanced translocation). Because the common factor of these rearrangements is aberrant ETV1 overexpression, we recapitulated this event in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating that ETV1 overexpression in benign prostate cells and in the mouse prostate confers neoplastic phenotypes. Identification of distinct classes of ETS gene rearrangements demonstrates that dormant oncogenes can be activated in prostate cancer by juxtaposition to tissue-specific or ubiquitously active genomic loci. Subversion of active genomic regulatory elements may serve as a more generalized mechanism for carcinoma development. Furthermore, the identification of androgen-repressed and insensitive 5' fusion partners may have implications for the anti-androgen treatment of advanced prostate cancer.     

Transgenic tobacco plants harboring tomato proteinase inhibitor II gene and their insect resistance

The plant expression vectors pBCT2 and pBT2 were constructed with the cDNA sequence (tin2) and genomic DNA sequence (tin2i) of tomato proteinase inhibitor II gene respectively. Then the two expression vectors were transferred into tobacco via the Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404, and transgenic tobacco plants were generated. Molecular analysis and trypsin activity assay showed that both cDNA and genomic DNA were expressed properly in the transgenic plants. Insecticidal activities in these transgenic plants indicated that transgenic tobacco plants carrying tin2i sequence were more resistant to 2-instar larvae of Heliothis armigera Hubner than those carrying tin2 sequence. Therefore the intron of tin2i sequence might be a contributor to insecticidal activity of the transgenic tobacco.     

用计算机对人类TSPYl基因P53结合位点的鉴定

根据p53下游基因在其调节区域（启动子或内含子）含有与P53蛋白特异性结合的一致性序列5’-RRRCWWGYYYN（0-13）RRRCWWGYYY-3’，R—G或A，W—T或A，Y—C或T，N—A，C，T，G。用计算机对人类基因组中P53结合位点进行了研究，发现Y染色体上的TSPY1基因内含子中含有这样的一致性序列5’-GGGCTAGTTTtgGAGCTAGCCT-3’，意味着TSPY1基因有可能是一个p53下游基因。