A polymorphic DNA marker linked to cystic fibrosis is located on chromosome 7

Although cystic fibrosis (CF) is among the most common inherited diseases in Caucasian populations, the basic biochemical defect is not yet known. CF is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait apparently due to mutations in a single gene, whence the efforts made to identify the genetic locus responsible by linkage studies. Two markers have recently been identified that are genetically linked to CF: one is a genetic variation in serum level of activity of the enzyme paraoxonase, and the other is a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) identified with a randomly isolated DNA probe. We report here that the genetic locus DOCRI-917 defined by the cloned DNA probe is located on chromosome 7.     

Hundreds of variants clustered in genomic loci and biological pathways affect human height

Most common human traits and diseases have a polygenic pattern of inheritance: DNA sequence variants at many genetic loci influence the phenotype. Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified more than 600 variants associated with human traits, but these typically explain small fractions of phenotypic variation, raising questions about the use of further studies. Here, using 183,727 individuals, we show that hundreds of genetic variants, in at least 180 loci, influence adult height, a highly heritable and classic polygenic trait. The large number of loci reveals patterns with important implications for genetic studies of common human diseases and traits. First, the 180 loci are not random, but instead are enriched for genes that are connected in biological pathways (P = 0.016) and that underlie skeletal growth defects (P?相似文献   

H-2-linked low-molecular weight polypeptide antigens assemble into an unusual macromolecular complex

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a cluster of tightly linked genes whose products are of central importance in the functioning of the immune system. Class I and II MHC antigens are integral membrane proteins which regulate cell-surface interactions between T cells and their targets, while class III antigens are components of the complement system of serum proteins. All available evidence indicates that the structure and function of the MHC and its gene products are highly conserved among species (for review, see ref.5). We recently reported the existence in murine cells of a fourth class of MHC-linked polypeptides which are biochemically and genetically distinct from previously identified MHC gene products: BALB.B anti-BALB/c (anti-H-2d) antiserum immunoprecipitates a set of 16 cytoplasmic low-molecular weight polypeptides (LMP) from BALB/c spleen cells and from the WEHI-3 cell line. The production of these peptides is coordinately regulated (by immune interferon) with the production of the class I and II MHC antigens, suggesting that they too are functionally relevant to the immune system. We demonstrate here that these 16 polypeptides are associated with one another in vivo as a very large (580,000-molecular weight, Mr) noncovalent complex. The unusual nature of this complex has allowed the non-immunochemical identification of similar complexes from (serologically negative) H-2b murine cells and from a human cell line. Thus, LMP antigens display two properties in common with other MHC antigens: they are both polymorphic and genetically conserved across species.     

Polycomb group genes as the key regulators in gene silencing

The Polycomb group （PcG） genes repress gene expression mainly through chromatin modifications and regulation of chromatin structure. At present, at/east four protein complexes of PcG proteins are identified, including Polycomb repressive complex 1 （PRC1）, Polycomb repressive complex 2 （PRC2）, PHO-repressive complex （PhoRC） and Polycomb repressive deubiquitinase （PR-DUB）. In this review, the recent discoveries of the composition of the above complexes, as well as their roles in regulating histone modifications and gene silencing are discussed. We mainly focus on the composition of PRC1 and PRC2 complex and recruitment of PcG to target genes and mechanisms of PRC1 and PRC2-mediated gene silencing. Although much progress has been made in understanding gene silencing mediated by PcG proteins, we also discuss several important questions that still remained unanswered, such as the inheritance of histone modifications during cell division.     

LOD score exclusion analyses for candidate disease susceptibility genes using case-parents design

The focus of almost all the association studies of candidate genes is to test for their importance. We recently developed a LOD score approach that can be used to test against the importance of candidate genes for complex diseases and quantitative traits in random samples. As a complementary method to regular association analyses, our LOD score approach is powerful but still affected by the population admixture, though it is more conservative. To control the confounding effect of population heterogeneity, we develop here a LOD score exclusion analysis using case?parents design, the basic design of the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) approach that is immune to population admixture. In the analysis, specific genetic effects and inheritance models at candidate genes can be analyzed and if a LOD score is ≤-2.0, the locus can be excluded from having an effect larger than that specified. Simulations show that this approach has reasonable power to exclude a candidate gene having small genetic effects if it is not a disease susceptibility locus (DSL) with sample size often employed in TDT studies. Similar to association analyses with the TDT in nuclear families, our exclusion analyses are generally not affected by population admixture. The exclusion analyses may be implemented to rule out candidate genes with no or minor genetic effects as supplemental analyses for the TDT. The utility of the approach is illustrated with an application to test the importance of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene underlying the differential risk to osteoporosis.     

应用Bulked-DNA寻找白菜型油菜核雄性不育基因的RAPD标记

采用随机扩增多态ＤＮＡ（ＲＡＰＤ）标记方法从白菜型油菜核不育两用系中筛选出了一个与白菜型 油菜育性基因连锁的ＲＡＰＤ标记。该ＤＮＡ片段大小约０．７２ｋｂ,与育性基因之间的遗传连锁距离为６．０８ｃＭ,ＬＯＤ值为９．１０。     

HB-EGF可挽救ADAM17缺失导致的大脑皮层神经前体细胞分化迁移异常

ADAM17金属蛋白酶对多种生长因子的成熟和功能有重要作用.实验室前期研究发现ADAM17对于大脑皮层神经前体细胞的迁移分化有重要作用,本研究进一步探究ADAM17影响大脑皮层神经前体细胞的迁移分化的分子机制.在小鼠胚胎E14.5天,采用IUE技术用针对性shRNA降低在大脑皮层中高表达的ADAM17底物(HB-EGF,L1-CAM,NRG1)的表达,或者在敲低ADAM17的同时共表达底物质粒,在E18.5天取样切片染色观测大脑皮层神经前体干细胞的迁移分化.结果显示敲低HB-EGF表达的大脑皮层神经前体细胞迁移分化异常表型与敲低ADAM17的表型相似;过表达HB-EGF胞外段成熟蛋白可以拯救敲低ADAM17的大脑皮层神经前体细胞迁移受阻的现象.因此推论,HB-EGF是ADAM17调控大脑皮层神经前体细胞的迁移分化过程中的一个主要底物.     

Sperm chromatin proteomics identifies evolutionarily conserved fertility factors

Male infertility is a long-standing enigma of significant medical concern. The integrity of sperm chromatin is a clinical indicator of male fertility and in vitro fertilization potential: chromosome aneuploidy and DNA decondensation or damage are correlated with reproductive failure. Identifying conserved proteins important for sperm chromatin structure and packaging can reveal universal causes of infertility. Here we combine proteomics, cytology and functional analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans to identify spermatogenic chromatin-associated proteins that are important for fertility. Our strategy employed multiple steps: purification of chromatin from comparable meiotic cell types, namely those undergoing spermatogenesis or oogenesis; proteomic analysis by multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) of factors that co-purify with chromatin; prioritization of sperm proteins based on abundance; and subtraction of common proteins to eliminate general chromatin and meiotic factors. Our approach reduced 1,099 proteins co-purified with spermatogenic chromatin, currently the most extensive catalogue, to 132 proteins for functional analysis. Reduction of gene function through RNA interference coupled with protein localization studies revealed conserved spermatogenesis-specific proteins vital for DNA compaction, chromosome segregation, and fertility. Unexpected roles in spermatogenesis were also detected for factors involved in other processes. Our strategy to find fertility factors conserved from C. elegans to mammals achieved its goal: of mouse gene knockouts corresponding to nematode proteins, 37% (7/19) cause male sterility. Our list therefore provides significant opportunity to identify causes of male infertility and targets for male contraceptives.     

Strategy for the mapping of interactive genes using bulked segregant analysis method and Mapmaker/Exp software

A qualitative trait is usually controlled by a single gene, but it may be sometimes controlled by two or even more genes. This phenomenon is called gene interaction. Rapidly searching for linked mo- lecular markers via bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and then constructing regional linkage map with Mapmaker/Exp has become a common approach to mapping single major genes. However, methods and computer programs developed for mapping single major genes cannot be simply applied to interactive genes because the genetic patterns of gene interac- tions are quite different from that of single-gene in- heritance. Up to now, experimental methods for quickly screening molecular markers linked to inter- active genes and statistical methods and corre- sponding computer softwares for simultaneously analyzing the linkage relationships of multiple mo- lecular markers to an interactive gene have not been available. To solve this problem, in this paper, we propose a strategy for mapping interactive genes using BSA and Mapmaker/Exp. We demonstrate that all interactive genes can be mapped by the 'BSA Mapmaker/Exp' strategy using F2 generation (in a few cases, F3 generation is also needed). As BSA and Mapmaker/Exp have been broadly used in gene mapping studies and are well known by many re- searchers, the strategies proposed in this paper will be useful for practical researches.     

成年小鼠大脑神经细胞特异性ADAM10基因敲除的认知功能研究

目的 探讨成年小鼠大脑神经细胞特异性ADAM10基因缺失后对小鼠行为的影响。方法 通过Y迷宫、高架十字迷宫以及旷场实验,了解ADAM10 基因敲除后,对小鼠的自主活动能力、探究学习能力的影响。结果 行为学实验结果显示ADAM10基因敲除小鼠的自主活动能力较对照组小鼠有所下降,其在新环境中探索的次数、时间和路程较对照组明显减少。说明了脑内神经细胞ADAM10 基因的缺失对成年小鼠的自主活动能力和探究学习能力都产生了一定的影响。     

Identification and characterization of a novel member of the nerve growth factor/brain-derived neurotrophic factor family

The survival and functional maintenance of vertebrate neurons critically depends on the availability of specific neurotrophic factors. So far, only two such factors, nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been characterized and shown to have the typical features of secretory proteins. This characterization has been possible because of the extraordinarily large quantities of NGF in some adult tissues, and the virtually unlimited availability of brain tissue from which BDNF was isolated. Both NGF and BDNF promote the survival of distinct neuronal populations in vivo and are related in their primary structure, suggesting that they are members of a gene family. Although there is little doubt about the existence of other such proteins, their low abundance has rendered their identification and characterization difficult. Taking advantage of sequence identities between NGF and BDNF, we have now identified a third member of this family, which we name neurotrophin-3. Both the tissue distribution of the messenger RNA and the neuronal specificity of this secretory protein differ from those of NGF and BDNF. Alignment of the sequences of the three proteins reveals a remarkable number of amino acid identities, including all cysteine residues. This alignment also delineates four variable domains, each of 7-11 amino acids, indicating structural elements presumably involved in the neuronal specificity of these proteins.     

T gamma protein is expressed on murine fetal thymocytes as a disulphide-linked heterodimer

During the search for genes coding for the mouse alpha and beta subunits of the antigen-specific receptor of mouse T cells we encountered a third gene, subsequently designated gamma. This gene has many properties in common with the alpha and beta genes, somatic assembly from gene segments that resemble the gene segments for immunoglobulin variable (V), joining (J) and constant (C) regions; rearrangement and expression in T cells and not in B cells; low but distinct sequence homology to immunoglobulin V, J and C regions; other sequences that are reminiscent of the transmembrane and intracytoplasmic regions of integral membrane proteins; and a cysteine residue at the position expected for a disulphide bond linking two subunits of a dimeric membrane protein. Despite these similarities the gamma gene also shows some interesting unique features. These include a relatively limited repertoire of the germ-line gene segments, more pronounced expression at the RNA level in immature T cells such as fetal thymocytes and an apparent absence of in-frame RNA in some functional, alpha beta heterodimer-bearing T cells or cultured T clones and hybridomas. To understand the function of the putative gamma protein it is essential to define the cell population that expresses this protein. To this end we produced a fusion protein composed of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase and the gamma-chain (hereafter referred to a beta-gal-gamma) using the phage expression vector lambda gt11 and raised rabbit antisera against the gamma determinants. Using the purified anti-gamma antibody we detected a polypeptide chain of relative molecular mass 35,000 (Mr 35K) on the surface of 16-day old fetal thymocytes. The gamma-chain is linked by a disulphide bridge to another component of 45K. No such heterodimer was detected on the surface of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clone 2C from which an in-phase gamma cDNA clone was originally isolated.     

Self-organized patchiness in asthma as a prelude to catastrophic shifts

Asthma is a common disease affecting an increasing number of children throughout the world. In asthma, pulmonary airways narrow in response to contraction of surrounding smooth muscle. The precise nature of functional changes during an acute asthma attack is unclear. The tree structure of the pulmonary airways has been linked to complex behaviour in sudden airway narrowing and avalanche-like reopening. Here we present experimental evidence that bronchoconstriction leads to patchiness in lung ventilation, as well as a computational model that provides interpretation of the experimental data. Using positron emission tomography, we observe that bronchoconstricted asthmatics develop regions of poorly ventilated lung. Using the computational model we show that, even for uniform smooth muscle activation of a symmetric bronchial tree, the presence of minimal heterogeneity breaks the symmetry and leads to large clusters of poorly ventilated lung units. These clusters are generated by interaction of short- and long-range feedback mechanisms, which lead to catastrophic shifts similar to those linked to self-organized patchiness in nature. This work might have implications for the treatment of asthma, and might provide a model for studying diseases of other distributed organs.     

川东南丁山-林滩场构造灯影组热液白云岩特征

通过地表地质与地下地质相结合,对川东南丁山-林滩场构造的上震旦统灯影组热液白云岩岩石学特征、地球化学特征、储层物性特征进行了研究.研究区热液白云岩在岩相学上表现为充填或交代状马鞍状白云石,发育条带状、角砾状构造.同时出现MVT型铅锌矿、马鞍状白云石-石英、马鞍状白云石-沥青、马鞍状白云石-天青石等热液矿物组合.马鞍状白云石的碳、氧、锶同位素值较灯影组围岩表现出明显的低碳、低氧,而富锶同位素:Δδ~(13)C_(PDB(脉-围岩))在-1.312‰~-0.501‰之间,Δδ~(18)OPDB(脉-围岩)在-4.257‰~-1.974‰之间,Δ(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr)(脉-围岩)在0.002 3~0.004 1之间,显示出热液活动的特征.热液活动使灯影组白云岩产生重结晶及热液溶蚀作用,使储层晶间孔、次生溶蚀孔在原岩基础上增加3%~10%.热液白云岩比未受热液影响的白云岩基质孔隙度平均值增加1.1%,渗透率平均值增加1.415×10~(-3) μm~2.热液白云岩的分布受桑木场断裂、现今构造高点及桐湾期不整合面控制.平面上,以现今桑木场背斜核部、桑木场断层及与之较近的林滩场构造较为发育,而较远的丁山构造则相对少见.纵向上,主要分布在距震旦系与寒武系之间的不整合面以下300 m之内,分布呈断续状.结合该区构造演化、油气热演化史,认为热液白云岩可能形成于早二叠世.