The role of clonal selection and somatic mutation in autoimmunity

Polyclonal activation has been proposed as the reason that autoantibodies are produced during autoimmune disease. This model denies a role for specific antigen selection of B cells and predicts instead a multiclonal population of unmutated or randomly mutated autoantibodies. We have found that the genetic features and clonal composition of spontaneously derived immunoglobulin G (IgG) antiself-IgG (rheumatoid factor (RF] autoantibodies derived from the autoimmune MRL/lpr mouse strain are inconsistent with both the predictions of this model and the actual outcome of experimental polyclonal activation. Instead we have found that MRL/lpr RFs are oligoclonal or even monoclonal in origin. They harbour numerous somatic mutations which are distributed in a way that suggests immunoglobulin-receptor-dependent selection of these mutations. In this sense, the MRL/lpr RFs resemble antibodies elicited by exogenous antigens after secondary immunization. The parallels suggest that, like secondary immune responses, antigen stimulation is important in the generation of MRL/lpr RFs.     

A unique clonal JAK2 mutation leading to constitutive signalling causes polycythaemia vera

Myeloproliferative disorders are clonal haematopoietic stem cell malignancies characterized by independency or hypersensitivity of haematopoietic progenitors to numerous cytokines. The molecular basis of most myeloproliferative disorders is unknown. On the basis of the model of chronic myeloid leukaemia, it is expected that a constitutive tyrosine kinase activity could be at the origin of these diseases. Polycythaemia vera is an acquired myeloproliferative disorder, characterized by the presence of polycythaemia diversely associated with thrombocytosis, leukocytosis and splenomegaly. Polycythaemia vera progenitors are hypersensitive to erythropoietin and other cytokines. Here, we describe a clonal and recurrent mutation in the JH2 pseudo-kinase domain of the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) gene in most (> 80%) polycythaemia vera patients. The mutation, a valine-to-phenylalanine substitution at amino acid position 617, leads to constitutive tyrosine phosphorylation activity that promotes cytokine hypersensitivity and induces erythrocytosis in a mouse model. As this mutation is also found in other myeloproliferative disorders, this unique mutation will permit a new molecular classification of these disorders and novel therapeutical approaches.     

纤维素降解菌的筛选与诱变育种

采用羧甲基纤维素（CMC）平板初筛和50℃培养, 筛选到一株纤维素酶活力较高的耐高温霉菌MY菌株, 其CMC培养基最适pH为6.0, 培养温度为40℃, 最佳产酶时间为5d. 以MY菌株为出发菌株, 分别采用紫外线和硫酸二乙酯诱变, 以透明圈直径与菌落直径的比值（HC值）提高30%以上或菌落形态发生明显变异为筛选指标, 共筛选到97株突变株; 通过测定粗酶液CMC酶活力, 从中筛选出29株CMC酶活力提高30%以上的菌株; 结合突变菌株的传代稳定性实验, 最后筛选得到1株性能优良的霉菌MY004突变株, 其CMC酶活力比原始菌株MY提高了80.6%.     

纤维素降解菌的筛选与诱变育种

采用羧甲基纤维素(CMC)平板初筛和50℃培养,筛选到一株纤维素酶活力较高的耐高温霉菌MY菌株,其CMC培养基最适pH为6.0,培养温度为40℃,最佳产酶时间为5d.以MY菌株为出发菌株,分别采用紫外线和硫酸二乙酯诱变,以透明圈直径与菌落直径的比值(HC值)提高30%以上或菌落形态发生明显变异为筛选指标,共筛选到97株突变株;通过测定粗酶液CMC酶活力,从中筛选出29株CMC酶活力提高30%以上的菌株;结合突变菌株的传代稳定性实验,最后筛选得到1株性能优良的霉菌MY004突变株,其CMC酶活力比原始菌株MY提高了80.6%.     

产木聚糖酶海洋微生物的筛选与诱变育种

以自制木聚糖为初筛培养基的唯一碳源,从多个海洋来源样品中一共筛到60株有透明圈且形态各异的菌株,摇瓶发酵结果显示,38株具有产木聚糖酶能力,其中B659菌株产酶能力最高,酶活力为525.3 U·m L-1.结合B659菌株的形态特征和16S r DNA序列分析鉴定该菌株属于Bacillus属.对B659菌株进行紫外诱变,筛选得到酶活提高13.9%且稳定遗传的突变菌株G3-17;对G3-17菌株进一步进行微波诱变得到酶活较G3-17菌株高出11.6%且稳定遗传的突变菌株W1-40.对B659菌株和W1-40突变菌株进行发酵试验,72 h时W1-40菌株的酶活力达到645.2 U·m L-1,比B659菌株(517.9 U·m L-1)提高24.6%.     

A point mutation of PRL gene in pituitary prolactin-secreting adenoma induced by 17-b-estradiol in SD rats

Animal model bearing pituitary prolactin-secreting adenomas (prolactinoma) induced by 17-β-estradiol (E₂) in both eutopic pituitary and ectopic pituitary grafted under the renal capsule was generated. Northern blotting assay indicated that PRL mRNA level in eutopic prolactinomas was higher than that in normal pituitaries and ectopic prolactinomas (P < 0.05-0.01). By polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing, a point mutation from C to A occurring at -36 nt in proximal promoter of rat PRL (rPRL) gene was found only in eutopic prolactinomas. No base change was detected in ectopic prolactinomas. Fusion gene transfection assayin vitro exhibited increased activity of the mutant promoter derived from eutopic prolactinoma (P < 0.01). These data suggested that the base change in the proximal promoter of rPRL gene may be associated with hyperexpression of rPRL gene in eutopic prolactinomas. The pathogenesis of eutopic and ectopic prolactinomas induced by E₂ in SD rats may be separate.     

Effects of an Rb mutation in the mouse.

The retinoblastoma gene is mutated in several types of human cancer and is the best characterized of the tumour-suppressor genes. A mouse strain has been constructed in which one allele of Rb is disrupted. These heterozygous animals are not predisposed to retinoblastoma, but some display pituitary tumours arising from cells in which the wild-type Rb allele is absent. Embryos homozygous for the mutation die between days 14 and 15 of gestation, exhibiting neuronal cell death and defective erythropoiesis.     

Gene mapping of a new coat mutation in mouse

Gene mapping of a mouse coat mutation has been investigated. First, 100 10-bp random primers were used to amplify DNA, but the mutation could not be located by this method because there were no correlation between the amplified products and coat phenotypes. Second, by usingIdh1, Car2, Mup1, Pgb1, Hbb, Es10, Es1, Mod1, Gdc1, Ce2, Es3 as genetic markers, linkage test crosses (two-point test) consisting of intercrossing uncovered BALB/c mice (homozygotes) to CBA/N and C57BV6 mice with normal hair and backcrossing the heterozygotes of the F1 to the uncovered BALB/c mice were made. It was soon evident that the mutation was linked toEs3 on chromosome 11. Furthermore, three-point test was made by usingEs3 and D11Mit8 (a microsatellite DNA) as genetic markers. The result showed that the mutation was linked toEs3 with the percentage recombination of (7.89 ± 2.19)%, and linked to Dl1Mit8 with the percentage recombination of (26.30± 3.57)%. The percentage recombination betweenEs3 and D11Mit8 was (32.90±3.81)%. The mutation was named Uncovered, with the symbolUncv. According to the recombinations, the loci order was D11Mit8-26.30±3.57-Uncv- 7.89 -2.19-Es3. From the location on the chromosome, it was concluded that the mutation was a new mutation which affected the skin and hair structure of mouse. TheUncv has entered MGD (Mouse Genome Database).     

Calcium-releasing activity induced by nuclei of mouse fertilized early embryos

At fertilization,repectitive transient rises of intracellular calcium concentration occur in all mammals studied so far .It has been shown that calcium rises could be induced when mouse fertilized 1-,2-cell nuclei were trans-planted into unfertilized eggs and that the reconstituted embryo could be activated .Howerver,whecther the capability of inducing calcium rises occurs in all stages of mammalian embryos remains unknown ,In this study ,by using the nuclear transplantation technique and measurement of intracellular calcium rises in living cells,we showed that only the nuclei from mouse fertilized 1-cell and 2-cell embryos ,neither the nuclei from 4-,8-cell and ethanol activated parthe-nogenetic embryos nor 2 or 3 nuclei of electrofused 4-cell stage syncytium ,have calcium -releasing activity when they were transferred into unfertilized mature oocytes,Our results indicate that the calcium-releasing activity in nuclei of 1-,2-cell embryos is produced during fertilization and exists at the special stage of fertilized early embryos.These sug-gested that the capacity of inducting calcium release activity in fertilized early embryos is important for normal embryonic development.     

Production of a mutation in mouse En-2 gene by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells

A full understanding of the function of genes that control developmental events can be obtained only by a combination of molecular and mutational analysis. One putative developmental gene is the mouse engrailed-like gene En-2, which was isolated by virtue of its extensive homology to Drosophila engrailed, which contributes to the control of segmentation in the developing insect. Our hybridization analysis in situ has revealed that expression of En-2 is restricted to a specific domain of the developing central nervous system from 8 days of development on, indicating a role for the gene in establishing spatial domains in the brain. Unfortunately no En-2 mutations are available to elucidate further its function in development. To this end, we report here the isolation of three pluripotent embryonic stem cell lines in which one copy of the homoeobox-containing gene, En-2, has been altered by homologous recombination.     

Lymphoid tissue genesis induced by commensals through NOD1 regulates intestinal homeostasis

Intestinal homeostasis is critical for efficient energy extraction from food and protection from pathogens. Its disruption can lead to an array of severe illnesses with major impacts on public health, such as inflammatory bowel disease characterized by self-destructive intestinal immunity. However, the mechanisms regulating the equilibrium between the large bacterial flora and the immune system remain unclear. Intestinal lymphoid tissues generate flora-reactive IgA-producing B cells, and include Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes, as well as numerous isolated lymphoid follicles (ILFs). Here we show that peptidoglycan from Gram-negative bacteria is necessary and sufficient to induce the genesis of ILFs in mice through recognition by the NOD1 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 1) innate receptor in epithelial cells, and beta-defensin 3- and CCL20-mediated signalling through the chemokine receptor CCR6. Maturation of ILFs into large B-cell clusters requires subsequent detection of bacteria by toll-like receptors. In the absence of ILFs, the composition of the intestinal bacterial community is profoundly altered. Our results demonstrate that intestinal bacterial commensals and the immune system communicate through an innate detection system to generate adaptive lymphoid tissues and maintain intestinal homeostasis.     

Trembler mouse carries a point mutation in a myelin gene.

The autosomal dominant trembler mutation (Tr), maps to mouse chromosome 11 (ref. 2) and manifests as a Schwann-cell defect characterized by severe hypomyelination and continuing Schwann-cell proliferation throughout life. Affected animals move clumsily and develop tremor and transient seizures at a young age. We have recently described a potentially growth-regulating myelin protein, peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP-22; refs 7, 8), which is expressed by Schwann cells and found in peripheral myelin. We now report the assignment of the gene for PMP-22 to mouse chromosome 11. Cloning and sequencing of PMP-22 complementary DNAs from inbred Tr mice reveals a point mutation that substitutes an aspartic acid residue for a glycine in a putative membrane-associated domain of the PMP-22 protein. Our results identify the PMP-22 gene as a likely candidate for the mouse trembler locus and will encourage the search for mutations in the corresponding human gene in pedigrees with hypertrophic neuropathies such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth and Dejerine-Sottas diseases (hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies I and III).