DNase I hypersensitive sites in the chromatin of human mu immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes

An immunoglobulin polypeptide chain is encoded by multiple gene segments that lie far apart in germ-line DNA and must be brought together to allow expression of an immunoglobulin gene active in B lymphocytes. For the immunoglobulin heavy chain genes, one of many variable (V) region genes becomes joined to one of several diversity (D) segments which are fused to one of several joining (J) segments lying 5' of the constant region (C) genes. Here we show that the rearranged mu genes of an IgM-producing human B-lymphocyte cell line exhibit pancreatic deoxyribonuclease (DNase I) hypersensitive sites in the JH-C mu intron that are absent in naked DNA or the chromatin of other differentiated cell types. DNA sequence analysis reveals that the major hypersensitive site maps to a conserved region of the JH-C mu intron recently shown to function as a tissue-specific enhancer of heavy-chain gene expression. A similar association of an enhancer-like element with a DNase I hypersensitive site has been reported for the mouse immunoglobulin light-chain J kappa-C kappa intron. These results implicate disruption of local chromatin structure in the mechanism of immunoglobulin enhancer function.     

The 5' ends of Drosophila heat shock genes in chromatin are hypersensitive to DNase I

Many specific sites in Drosophila chromatin are hypersensitive to DNase I. The positions of such sites were mapped along the regions of the genome coding for two heat shock proteins. Such sites lie at the 5' ends of heat shock genes and may function as elements for recognition by molecules which regulate gene activity.     

Atomic structure of the actin:DNase I complex

The atomic models of the complex between rabbit skeletal muscle actin and bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease I both in the ATP and ADP forms have been determined by X-ray analysis at an effective resolution of 2.8 A and 3A, respectively. The two structures are very similar. The actin molecule consists of two domains which can be further subdivided into two subdomains. ADP or ATP is located in the cleft between the domains with a calcium ion bound to the beta- or beta- and gamma-phosphates, respectively. The motif of a five-stranded beta sheet consisting of a beta meander and a right handed beta alpha beta unit appears in each domain suggesting that gene duplication might have occurred. These sheets have the same topology as that found in hexokinase.     

猴空泡病毒(SV40)PCR检测方法的建立与初步应用

目的建立检测实验猴及生物制品中猴空泡病毒(SV40)的PCR方法。方法根据SV40-776株设计合成三对引物对现有毒株进行PCR扩增并克隆测序。用这三对引物对56份猴肾、肺、脾及10批脊髓灰质炎疫苗进行检测。结果三对引物均扩增出目的片段;56份猴脏器和10批疫苗SV40检测均为阴性。结论56只恒河猴和10批疫苗中未检测到SV40,所设计的三对引物检测结果准确,均可用于检测。     

猕猴肉瘤病毒SV40 T-ag-C 基因克隆及序列分析

摘要: 目的对来源于一株自然感染猕猴肉瘤病毒SV40 的猴肾细胞培养物进行大T 抗原C-羧基端( T-ag-C) 基因 克隆及核苷酸序列分析。方法采用PCR 法分别从一株自然感染SV40 病毒的猴肾细胞培养物和SV40776 标准 株接种的vero 细胞培养物提取的总DNA 中扩增出441bp 的SV40 大T 抗原C-羧基端( T-ag-C) 基因片段,分别将其 克隆到PMD18-T 载体中,转化至JM109 感受态大肠杆菌细胞后,挑取阳性克隆进行测序鉴定,并对获得的目的基 因核苷酸序列进行序列分析及同源性分析。结果来源于猴肾细胞培养物的SV40 大T 抗原片段与本实验室来源 于云南野生猴群的猕猴外周血所得到的SV40 大T 抗原片段同源性为97. 31% ,与GenBank 中登录号为NC _ 001669. 1 序列进行比对,同源性为96. 33% ; 与SV40-776 标准株接种的vero 细胞培养物所扩增的大T 抗原片段同 源性为97. 55% 。结论对大T 抗原基因克隆和序列分析是了解和掌握SV40 病毒分子流行病学及其变异趋势的 重要手段。     

Mechanism of recognition of the 5' splice site in self-splicing group I introns

Group I introns include many mitochondrial ribosomal RNA and messenger RNA introns and the nuclear rRNA introns of Tetrahymena and Physarum. The splicing of precursor RNAs containing these introns is a two-step reaction. Cleavage at the 5' splice site precedes cleavage at the 3' splice site, the latter cleavage being coupled with exon ligation. Following the first cleavage, the 5' exon must somehow be held in place for ligation. We have now tested the reactivity of two self-splicing group I RNAs, the Tetrahymena pre-rRNA and the intron 1 portion of the Neurospora mitochondrial cytochrome b (cob) pre-mRNA, in the intermolecular exon ligation reaction (splicing in trans) described by Inoue et al. The different sequence specificity of the reactions supports the idea that the nucleotides immediately upstream from the 5' splice site are base-paired to an internal, 5' exon-binding site, in agreement with RNA structure models proposed by Davies and co-workers and others. The internal binding site is proposed to be involved in the formation of a structure that specifies the 5' splice site and, following the first step of splicing, to hold the 5' exon in place for exon ligation.     

Mechanism of hmnan immunodeficiency virus type I entry into the target cells

Based on the recent advances of the research on the mechanism of HIV-1 infection, a novel model to elucidate the mechanism of HIV entry into the target cells is proposed and the perspective about the putative receptor is discussed in this review. Understanding of the crystal structure of HIV-1 transmembrane protein gp41 and the functions of HIV-1 receptor, co-receptor and the putative receptor will lead to developing effective HIV vaccine and anti-HIVdrugs.     

Mechanism of human immunodeficiency virus type I entry into the target cells

Based on the recent advances of the research on the mechanism of HIV-1 infection, a novel model to elucidate the mechanism of HIV entry into the target cells is proposed and the perspective about the putative receptor is discussed in this review. Understanding of the crystal structure of HIV-1 transmembrane protein gp41 and the functions of HIV-1 receptor, co-receptor and the putative receptor will lead to developing effective HIV vaccine and anti-HIV drugs.     

Antibody production to the nucleocapsid and envelope of the hepatitis B virus primed by a single synthetic T cell site

The nucleocapsid (HBcAg) of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) can induce antibody responses via both a T-cell dependent and a T-cell independent pathway and is highly immunogenic during infection. We have examined the T-cell determinants of the antigen and find that HBcAg-specific helper T cells (TH) can help B cells produce antibody against envelope (HBsAg) antigens as well as HBcAg, even though these antigens are found on separate molecules. We have also been able to prime helper T cells with synthetic T-cell epitopes of HBcAg; helper cells primed with a single synthetic epitope can induce B cells to produce antibody that reacts with multiple HBsAg epitopes. One problem with the development of an HBV vaccine is that some vaccinees and patients do not respond to HBsAg directly; our results indicate that this problem can be circumvented using the response to HBcAg.