Ets-related protein Elk-1 is homologous to the c-fos regulatory factor p62TCF.

A key event in the response of cells to proliferative signals is the rapid, transient induction of the c-fos proto-oncogene, which is mediated through the serum response element (SRE) in the fos promoter. Genomic footprinting and transfection experiments suggest that this activation occurs through a ternary complex that includes the serum response factor (SRF) and the ternary complex factor p62. Interaction of p62TCF with the SRF-SRE binary complex requires a CAGGA tract immediately upstream of the SRE. Proteins of the ets proto-oncogene family bind to similar sequences and we have found that a member of this family, Elk-1, forms SRF-dependent ternary complexes with the SRE. Elk-1 and p62TCF have the same DNA sequence requirements and antibodies against Elk-1 block the binding of both proteins. Furthermore, we show that like p62TCF, Elk-1 forms complexes with the yeast SRF-homologue MCM1 but not with yeast ARG80. But ARG80 mutants that convey interaction with p62TCF can also form complexes with Elk-1. The similarity, or even identity, between Elk-1 and p62TCF suggests a novel regulatory role for Ets proteins that is effected through interaction with other proteins, such as SRF. Furthermore, the possible involvement of an Ets protein in the control of c-fos has interesting implications for proto-oncogene cooperation in cellular growth control.     

百脉根Rac1基因启动子的克隆与表达分析

百脉根小G蛋白Rac1基因促进共生结瘤过程,但其转录调控机制尚不明确.采用生物信息学方法对百脉根Rac1基因的启动子序列进行了预测,并对该启动子中含有的顺式调控元件进行了统计分析.克隆了约1.8kb的启动子片段,并构建了GUS融合的重组质粒p1391Z-Rac1Pro.通过百脉根毛根转化法获得转基因毛根,进一步利用组织化学染色法对Rac1基因在阳性毛根中的表达部位进行了研究.结果显示:该启动子除含有常见的转录调控保守元件TATA-box和CAAT-box外,还含有调控防御和胁迫、激素、光照等信号的应答元件.组织化学染色发现,Rac1基因在接种根瘤菌的根毛、根尖、根瘤原基皮层中表达量较高.     

Differential expression analysis and regulatory network reconstruction for genes associated with muscle growth and adipose deposition in obese and lean pigs

During the growth and development of skeletal muscle cells and adipose cells, the regulatory mechanism of micro-effect polygenes determines porcine meat quality, carcass characteristics and other relative quantitative traits. Obese and lean type pig breeds show obvious differences in muscle growth and adipose deposition; however, the molecular mechanism underlying this phenotypic variation remains unknown. We used pathway-focused oligo microarray studies to examine the expression changes of 140 genes associated with muscle growth and adipose deposition in longissimus dorsi muscle at six growth stages （birth, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 months） of Landrace （a leaner, Western breed） and Taihu pigs （a fatty, indigenous, Chinese breed）. Variance analysis （ANOVA） revealed that differences in the expression of 18 genes in Landrace pigs and three genes in Taihu pigs were very significant （FDR-adjusted permutation, P 〈 0.01） and differences for 22 genes in Landrace pigs and seven genes in Taihu pigs were significant （FDR-adjusted permutation, P 〈 0.05） among six growth stages. Clustering analysis revealed a high level of significance （FDR-adjusted, P 〈 0.01） for four gene expression patterns, in which genes that strongly up-regulated were mainly associated with the positive regulation of myofiber formation and fatty acid biogenesis and genes that strongly down-regulated were mainly associated with the inhibition of cell proliferation and positive regulation of fatty acid β-oxidation. Based on a dynamic Bayesian network （DBN） model, gene regulatory networks （GRNs） were reconstructed from time-series data for each pig breed. These two GRNs initially revealed the distinct differences in physiological and biochemical aspects of muscle growth and adipose deposition between the two pig breeds; from these results, some potential key genes could be identified. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR （QRT-PCR） was used to verify the microarray data for five modulated genes, and a good correlation between     

即刻早基因ZENK的基因功能及其应用进展

即刻早基因ZENK是核基因组内编码转录因子的单拷贝基因,它受多种胞外信号,如血清、生长因子、细胞因子和激素的作用在不同类型细胞内迅速、大量表达.ZENK蛋白通过C2H2型锌指识别靶基因启动子中的GC丰富序列并发生作用,从而调控靶基因的转录.ZENK基因参与细胞生长、分化、发育的调控,而且其在大脑的诱导表达与动物的学习、记忆密切关联.另有研究显示,ZENK具有很高的进化保守性,可以作为新的分子标记运用于分子系统学研究.