Human epidermal growth factor precursor: cDNA sequence, expression in vitro and gene organization

Complementary DNA clones encoding the human kidney epidermal growth factor (EGF) precursor have been isolated and sequenced. They predict the sequence of a 1,207 amino acid protein which contains EGF flanked by polypeptide segments of 970 and 184 residues at its NH2- and COOH-termini, respectively. The structural organization of the human EGF precursor is similar to that previously described for the mouse protein and there is 66% identity between the two sequences. Transfection of COS-7 cells with the human EGF precursor cDNA linked to the SV40 early promoter indicate that it can be synthesized as a membrane protein with its NH2-terminus external to the cell surface. The human EGF precursor gene is approximately 110 kilobase pairs and has 24 exons. Its exon-intron organization revealed that various domains of the EGF precursor are encoded by individual exons. Moreover, 15 of the 24 exons encode protein segments that are homologous to sequences in other proteins. Exon duplication and shuffling appear to have played an important role in determining the present structure of this protein.

Linkage relationships of the insulin receptor gene with the complement component 3, LDL receptor, apolipoprotein C2 and myotonic dystrophy loci on chromosome 19

Myotonic dystrophy is associated with disturbances in the insulin response, possibly due to an abnormality of the insulin receptor. Both the myotonic dystrophy (DM) and insulin receptor (INSR) genes are on chromosome 19. Using a cloned gene probe for INSR, we have studied its linkage relationships with the DM locus and other chromosome 19 markers. The results show that INSR is not closely linked to DM, but is located very close to C3, in the region 19pter-19p13.2. This implies that the basic genetic defect which causes DM is not directly responsible for the disturbed insulin response in these patients.

Sequences of liver cDNAs encoding two different mouse insulin-like growth factor I precursors

Complementary DNAs encoding mouse liver insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) have been isolated and sequenced. Alternative RNA splicing results in the synthesis of two types of mouse IGF-I precursor that differ in the size and sequence of the COOH-terminal peptide. The sequences of the signal peptides, IGF-I moieties and the first 16 amino acids of the COOH-terminal peptides or E-domains of the two precursors are identical. The sequence difference results from the presence in preproIGF-IB mRNA of a 52 base insertion which introduces a 17 amino acid segment into the COOH-terminal peptide of preproIGF-IB and also causes a shift in the reading frame of the mRNA. As a consequence of this insertion, the COOH-terminal 19 and 25 amino acids of mouse preproIGF-IA and -IB, respectively, are different. The sequences of mouse and human preproIGF-IA are highly conserved and possess 94% identity. In contrast, the sequences of mouse and human preproIGF-IB are quite different in the region of the COOH-terminal peptide. A comparison of the sequences of mouse and human preproIGF-IB mRNA indicates that they are generated by different molecular mechanisms.

Sequence of a placental cDNA encoding the mouse insulin-like growth factor II precursor

cDNAs encoding the mouse insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) precursor have been isolated from a placental library and sequenced. Mouse prepro-IGF-II is predicted to be 180 amino acids and has 84% and 97% identity with human and rat IGF-II precursors, respectively. There are two prepro-IGF-II transcripts in mouse placenta; the major transcript is 3850 bases and the minor one is 4800 bases. Prepro-IGF-II mRNA cannot be detected in adult mouse liver, but it is readily detected in adult human liver, indicating that there are differences in the regulation of expression of the IGF-II gene in the liver of adult mice and human beings.

RFLPs for transforming growth factor alpha (TGFA) gene at 2p13

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Three RFLPs for the insulin receptor gene INSR: EcoRI, Pst I, Hind III

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Mutations in the guinea pig preproglucagon gene are restricted to a specific portion of the prohormone sequence

A cDNA clone encoding guinea pig preproglucagon has been isolated from a pancreatic cDNA library. The predicted amino acid sequence of proglucagon is highly conserved in all regions, in comparison to other mammals, except for the C-terminal portion of the 29-residue glucagon region, in which 5 amino acid substitutions have occurred. These changes may serve to offset the reduced receptor-binding potency of the highly mutated insulin in this New World species.

RFLPs for epidermal growth factor (EGF), a single copy sequence at 4q25-4q27

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Relationships between the human pepsinogen DNA and protein polymorphisms

Pepsinogens (PGA) are the inactive precursors of pepsin, the major acid protease found in the stomach. The PGA gene family exhibits polymorphic variation in human populations that can either be demonstrated by electrophoretic analysis of the proteins or by analysis of the respective genes with cDNA probes. Here, we describe the interrelationships between the most common pepsinogen protein phenotypes and the corresponding pepsinogen haplotypes (A, B, and C) containing different combinations of the PGA3, PGA4, and PGA5 genes. We propose that this unusual genetic variation involving haplotypes that contain three, two, and one genes, respectively, is the result of molecular evolution by gene duplication.

Thermodynamics of cell adhesion. II. Freely mobile repellers

The equilibrium adhesion of a cell or vesicle to a substrate is analyzed in a theoretical model in which two types of mobile molecules in the cell membrane are of interest: receptors that can form bonds with fixed ligands in the substrate and repellers that repel the substrate. If the repulsion between the repeller molecule and substrate is greater than kT, there is substantial redistribution of the repellers from the contact area. Coexisting equilibrium states are observed having comparable free energies (a) with unstretched bonds and repeller redistribution and (b) with stretched bonds and partial redistribution.

The gene for human transforming growth factor alpha is on the short arm of chromosome 2

Transforming growth factor alpha is a polypeptide growth factor that participates in the reversible transformation of cells in vitro and is secreted by many transformed cell lines. It also shares sequence and functional homologies with epidermal growth factor. Working with a cloned cDNA probe (lambda hTGF1-10) and derivatives, we have mapped this gene (TGFA) to 2p13 with the use of somatic cell hybrids and in situ hybridization. This is the same region involved in the 2;8 translocations of Burkitt lymphoma. Such a rearrangement could orient c-myc (8q24) adjacent to TGFA, resulting in activation of one or both of these genes.

The glucagon superfamily: precursor structure and gene organization

The glucagon superfamily includes the polypeptides glucagon, secretin, vasoactive inhibitory peptide (VIP), gastric inhibitory peptide and growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF). Complementary DNA clones which encode the precursors to glucagon, VIP and GHRF have been isolated. Although the sizes and sequences of preproglucagon, prepro VIP and preproGHRF are distinct, the structural organization of the three precursors is similar. Each has a signal peptide, an NH2-terminal peptide and one, two or three peptides whose sequences are related to glucagon. Prepro VIP and preproGHRF also have a COOH-terminal peptide. The sequences of two different anglerfish preproglucagon molecules have been determined and they contain the sequences of glucagon and a related peptide. In contrast, hamster, cow and rat preproglucagon contain the sequences of glucagon and two related peptides. Human and rat prepro VIP contain the sequences of VIP and the related peptide PHM/PHI-27. Human and rat preproGHRF contain the sequence of only one peptide related to glucagon, i.e., GHRF. The genes for both preproglucagon and preproGHRF have been isolated. Their exon-intron organization indicates that each exon encodes a functionally distinct region of the precursor and mRNA.

Human genes for insulin-like growth factors I and II and epidermal growth factor are located on 12q22----q24.1, 11p15, and 4q25----q27, respectively

The genes coding for insulin-like growth factors I and II and epidermal growth factor have been localized to human chromosomes 12q22----q24.1, 11p15, and 4q25----q27, respectively.

Rsa1 polymorphism at the insulin receptor locus (INSR) on chromosome 19

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On the adhesion of vesicles by cell adhesion molecules

This paper gives a detailed analysis of experiments on the kinetics of aggregation of lipid vesicles containing neural cell adhesion molecules (N-CAM). An explanation for the dependence of the "initial aggregation rate," kagg, on the square of the vesicle concentration is given, accounting both for Brownian motion of the vesicles and shear effects. A model in which trimers of N-CAM are one-half of the molecular unit bridging two vesicles explains the observed dependence of kagg on up to the sixth power of the lateral N-CAM concentration and corroborates electron micrographic evidence for N-CAM "triskelions."

Isolation of the human insulin-like growth factor genes: insulin-like growth factor II and insulin genes are contiguous

Overlapping recombinant clones that encompass the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I and II genes have been isolated from a human genomic DNA library. Each gene is present once per haploid genome; the IGF-I gene spans greater than 35 kilobase pairs (kbp) and the IGF-II gene is at least 15 kbp. The exon-intron organization of these genes is similar, each having four exons, which is one more than the related insulin gene. Comparison of the restriction endonuclease cleavage maps of the IGF-II and insulin genes, including their flanking regions and hybridization with an IGF-II cDNA probe, revealed that they are adjacent to one another. The IGF-II and insulin genes have the same polarity and are separated by 12.6 kbp of intergenic DNA that includes a dispersed middle repetitive Alu sequence. The order of the genes is 5'-insulin-IGF-II-3'.

Genes for insulin I and II, parathyroid hormone, and calcitonin are on rat chromosome 1

Insulin, parathyroid hormone, and calcitonin are polypeptide hormones that regulate important physiological processes in target tissues. Rat genes encoding each hormone were chromosomally assigned to rat chromosome 1. Both rats and mice have two insulin genes (I and II). However, in contrast to mice in which insulin I and II are asyntenic, rat insulin I and II were both localized to chromosome 1. This study identifies a conserved syntenic group on rat chromosome 1, and implies that mouse insulin I and II genes were chromosomally separated after rats and mice diverged 20-35 million years ago.

Expression of insulin-like growth factor-II transcripts in Wilms' tumour

Wilms' tumour probably arises from embryonal kidney cells and occurs in both hereditary and sporadic forms. Knudson and Strong have suggested that both forms of the disease are initiated by two mutational events. In the case of the inherited form, cytogenetic evidence indicates that a germline deletion of chromosome band 11p13 may correspond to one of the two mutations. DNA mapping evidence is consistent with the notion that the tumour susceptibility gene (Wg) on chromosome 11 is actually recessive. Comings has proposed that the dominantly inherited tumours may arise by the inactivation or loss of a diploid pair of regulatory genes which normally suppress the expression of a structural transforming gene (Tg). It has recently been suggested that the N-myc oncogene may serve as a transforming gene in retinoblastoma, although no such gene has yet been identified in Wilms' tumour. We now report that in four cases of Wilms' tumour, insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) transcripts are highly elevated compared with the adjacent normal kidney. In addition, we have mapped the gene for IGF-II to chromosome band 11p14.1, which is in the immediate vicinity of Wg. These findings suggest that IGF-II may be involved in the aetiology of Wilms' tumour.

Insulin-like growth factor-II gene expression in Wilms' tumour and embryonic tissues

Wilms' tumour (nephroblastoma) is an embryonal neoplasm occurring in hereditary and spontaneous forms. Both types show rearrangements of the short arm of chromosome 11. The germ line of children with the rare inherited triad of aniridia, genito-urinary abnormality and mental retardation carry a chromosome 11 that has a deletion in its short arm (band 11p13) and these children are at increased risk of developing Wilms' tumour. Neonates with the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, in which there may be duplication of the 11p13-11p15 region, are similarly predisposed. In the spontaneous form of the tumour a deletion of the 11p14 band in tumour cells, but not in normal cells, has been reported, and the development of homozygosity for recessive mutations in the 11p region is implicated in the aetiology of Wilms' tumour. In view of these chromosomal rearrangements and because Wilms' tumour is histologically indistinguishable from the early stages of kidney development, we have now examined the expression of genes localized to 11p in Wilms' tumour and human embryonic tissue. In 12 sporadic tumours examined, the expression of the gene coding for insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), localized to the 11p15 region, was markedly increased relative to adult tissues, but was comparable to the level of expression in several fetal tissues including kidney, liver, adrenals and striated muscle. This may reflect the stage of tumour differentiation, but could also contribute to the malignant process, as IGF-II is an embryonal mitogen.

Variable numbers of pepsinogen genes are located in the centromeric region of human chromosome 11 and determine the high-frequency electrophoretic polymorphism

A panel of 26 mouse-human somatic cell hybrids containing different human chromosome complements was analyzed with a cloned human pepsinogen cDNA probe to determine the chromosomal location and the number of genes encoding these proteins. A complex containing variable numbers of pepsinogen genes was localized to the centromeric region of human chromosome 11 (p11----q13). Examination of somatic cell hybrids containing single copies of chromosome 11 and the corresponding human parental cell lines revealed a restriction fragment length polymorphism determined by pepsinogen haplotypes that contained two or three genes, respectively. Concurrent studies of DNA from individuals exhibiting the most common pepsinogen electrophoretic phenotypes with exon-specific probes demonstrated that the absence of one gene among the different restriction fragment patterns correlated with the absence of one specific isozymogen (Pg 5). Thus, our studies demonstrate that this genetic polymorphism involving intensity variation of individual pepsinogen isozymogens results from chromosome haplotypes that contain different numbers of genes. The regional localization of this polymorphic gene complex will facilitate detailed linkage analysis of human chromosome 11.

Cassette of eight exons shared by genes for LDL receptor and EGF precursor

The amino acid sequences of the human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and the human precursor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) show 33 percent identity over a stretch of 400 residues. This region of homologous is encoded by eight contiguous exons in each respective gene. Of the nine introns that separate these exons, five are located in identical positions in the two protein sequences. This finding suggests that the homologous region may have resulted from a duplication of an ancestral gene and that the two genes evolved further by recruitment of exons from other genes, which provided the specific functional domains of the LDL receptor and the EGF precursor.