Molecular cloning and the nucleotide sequence of cDNA for neuron-specific enolase messenger RNA of rat brain

The cDNAs to mRNA for rat gamma gamma enolase (neuron-specific enolase; NSE; EC 4.2.1.11) were isolated from a cDNA library by using differential colony hybridization and a hybrid-selected translation assay. By overlapping of the nucleotide sequences of several cDNA inserts, it was found that they spanned 2232 base pairs (bp) which included 1299 bp of the complete coding region, 68 bp of the 5' noncoding region, and 848 bp of the 3' noncoding region, including a polyadenylylation signal. In addition, the poly(A) tail was also found. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence was composed of 433 amino acids. Southern blot analysis with a cDNA insert detected one hybridizing fragment in rat genomic DNA digested with several different restriction enzymes. Dot-blot and transfer hybridization analyses of poly(A)+ RNA from developing rat brains showed an increase of NSE mRNA 10-30 days after birth.

Induction of glycophorin gene expression in cultured murine erythroleukemia cells

In order to identify the mRNA for mouse glycophorin, mRNA was isolated from immature erythroid cells obtained from the spleens of anemic mice, translated in vitro in mRNA-dependent rabbit reticulocyte lysate, and then immunoprecipitated with a specific antiserum. Glycophorin mRNA was shown to be present only in erythroid cells. In immunofluorescent and in vitro translation studies, it was shown that glycophorin mRNA is absent in uninduced murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells, but is induced in dimethylsulfoxide-treated differentiating cells.

Molecular cloning and the nucleotide sequence of cDNA to mRNA for non-neuronal enolase (alpha alpha enolase) of rat brain and liver

The nucleotide sequence for alpha alpha enolase (non-neuronal enolase: NNE) of rat brain and liver was determined from recombinant cDNA clones. The sequence was composed of 1722 bp which included the 1299 bp of the complete coding region, the 108 bp of the 5'-noncoding region and the 312 bp of the 3'-noncoding region containing a polyadenylation signal. In addition, the poly(A) tail was also found. A potential ribosome-binding site was located 30 nucleotides upstream to the initiation codon in the 5'-noncoding region. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence was 433 amino acids in length and showed very high homology (82%) to the amino acid sequence of gamma gamma enolase (neuron-specific enolase: NSE), although the nucleotide sequence showed slightly lower homology (75%). The size of NNE mRNA was approximately 1800 bases by Northern transfer analysis and much shorter than that of NSE mRNA (2400 bases) indicating a short 3'-noncoding region. A dot-blot hybridization and Northern transfer analysis of cytoplasmic RNA from the developing rat brains using a labeled 3'-noncoding region of cDNA (no homology between NSE and NNE) showed a decrease of NNE mRNA at around 10 postnatal days and then a gradual increase to adult age without changes of mRNA size. Liver mRNA did not show any significant change during development.

Production of human alpha-interferon in silkworm using a baculovirus vector

Microorganisms are generally used for mass production of foreign gene products, but multicellular organisms such as plants have been proposed as an economical alternative. The silkworm may be useful in this context as it can be cultured easily and at low cost. We have therefore developed a virus vector to introduce foreign genes, for example, the gene for human alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha), into silkworms. We used the baculovirus Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) which has a large (greater than 100 kilobases, kb) double-stranded circular DNA genome within its rod-shaped capsid. Baculoviruses have been used previously as vectors for expression of beta-interferon and beta-galactosidase in established cell lines. Although BmNPV has not been used previously as an expression vector, it has an advantage over the baculovirus Autographa californica NPV in that it has a narrower host range and will not grow in wild insect pests in the field. In the present study, the polyhedrin gene encoding the major inclusion body protein of BmNPV was identified by hybridization with complementary DNA and cloned in a plasmid. For insertion of foreign genes, we constructed a recombinant plasmid carrying a polylinker linked to the promoter of the polyhedrin gene, and inserted the IFN-alpha gene into this plasmid. The resulting plasmid and the BmNPV genomic DNA were co-transfected into BM-N cells, and stable recombinant viruses isolated by plaque assay on BM-N cells. The recombinant virus replicated in silkworm larvae, which synthesized as much as 5 X 10(7) units (approximately 50 micrograms) of interferon in their haemolymph.

Detection of beta-globin mRNA precursor in heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein associated with U1-RNP by using anti-RNP antibody

Heterogeneous nuclear RNA-ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) fractions were isolated from Friend erythroleukemia cells and separated by 15-45% sucrose gradient centrifugation. The distribution of small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) in hnRNP fractions indicated that the snRNAs are associated with hnRNP particles. HnRNP fractions were incubated with normal IgG or anti-U1 RNP IgG, and the resulting immunocomplexes were isolated by binding to a protein A-Sepharose column. HnRNP was found in bound fractions only when anti-U1 RNP IgG was used. By Northern hybridization of RNA extracted from the immunocomplexes with a beta-globin genomic DNA probe, 15S beta-globin mRNA precursors and 10S mature mRNA were detected. These findings suggest the existence of a complex of U1 RNP particles and hnRNP particles containing beta-globin pre-mRNA.

Structural analysis of a developmentally regulated 25-kDa protein gene of Sarcophaga peregrina

In the previous paper, we described the identification of two abundant mRNAs of Sarcophaga peregrina (flesh-fly) which are selectively expressed in the fat body of middle third instar larvae. One of these mRNAs was found to encode a protein with a molecular mass of about 25,000 (25-kDa protein) when translated in vitro (Tamura, H., et al. (1983) Dev. Biol. 99, 145-151). Present paper reports the nucleotide sequence of a 2.3 kb DNA containing the entire gene for the 25-kDa protein. This gene consisted of four exons and contained an open reading frame for 184 amino acids. A CAT box and a TATA box were found in the 5'-flanking sequence. A poly A addition signal of AATAAA was assigned to the non-coding region in the fourth exon. A sequence having 75% homology with SV40 enhancer core sequence was identified in the non-coding region of the first exon.

Translation of human macrophage activating factor (for glucose consumption) mRNA in Xenopus laevis oocytes

Total messenger RNA was extracted from a human T cell hybridoma, clone H-E4-9, which strongly produced macrophage activating factor for glucose consumption (MAF-G). This messenger RNA gave rise to functional MAF-G when translated in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Isoelectric focusing of culture supernatants of the mRNA-microinjected oocytes and the H-E4-9 cells revealed that the former contained MAF-Gs with isoelectric points of pH 5.0 and 3.0 while the latter contained MAF-Gs with isoelectric points of pH 5.0 and pH 3.3. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation analysis showed that MAF-G mRNA prepared from H-E4-9 cells sedimented at about 11.5 S.

Selective expression of adult beta-globin but not embryonic y-globin genes in hybrids of mouse yolk-sac and erythroleukemia cells

Hybrid cells from mouse erythroleukemia and yolk-sac cells from 12-day-old mouse embryos were formed, and the expression of adult beta-globin and embryonic y-globin genes was examined. In these hybrid cells, hemoglobin synthesis could be induced by the addition of dimethylsulfoxide. The adult beta-globin genes from both parental chromosomes were expressed, but embryonic y-globin genes were not. These results suggest that the expression of adult genes dominates that of embryonic genes.

Modulation of nonglobin mRNA levels in erythropoiesis

During erythropoiesis, the decrease of complexity of a RNA population is an important process as is globin mRNA accumulation. To determine the sequential control process of gene expression, many genomic clones which express in mouse reticulocytes were obtained and used for the titration of each mRNA level in the different stages of erythroid cells. The level of mRNAs of rt-clones decreases depending on the maturation of erythroid cells, and the coordinated and sequential control of this level is likely to be one of the factors affecting this process.

Multi-gene structure of the storage protein genes of Sarcophaga peregrina

Three recombinant phages containing chromosomal segments of Sarcophaga peregrina encoding storage protein were isolated. These clones were found to contain sequences hybridized with the messenger RNA of 75,000 Mr protein, a monomer of storage protein. From restriction analysis it was found that message-homologous regions are not identical, and thus are different genes with similar sequences. From the analysis of these clones it was concluded that the storage protein gene belongs to a multi-gene family.

Identification of the DNA binding subunit of RNA polymerase II from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

The DNA binding subunits of RNA polymerase II from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells were investigated in the following three ways. (1) RNA polymerase II was dissociated in urea and the binding of the dissociated subunits to DNA was investigated. (2) The RNA polymerase II: DNA complex was dissociated progressively with various concentrations of urea, and the subunits firmly attached to DNA were investigated. (3) RNA polymerase II was dissociated into subunits in a SDS-polyacrylamide gel containing urea and blotted onto a nitrocellulose filter. The filter was then incubated with 32P-nick-translated DNA to identify the DNA binding subunits. These procedures all showed that the largest subunit a of RNA polymerase II had strong affinity to DNA. It was found that a portion of subunits b and c could be recovered in DNA fraction when analyzed by procedures (1) and (2), but no significant DNA binding activity was detected when analyzed by procedure (3), suggesting that these subunits have either a much weaker affinity toward DNA compared to a or have affinity to a itself.

Transformation of L cells with virus thymidine kinase genes introduced by red cell-mediated microinjection

Fusion of red cell ghosts containing foreign materials with cells results in the introduction of the materials into the cells (red cell-mediated microinjection). Until now, 'two-step dialysis' has mainly been used for trapping proteins in the ghosts. Large-sized materials such as DNA, however, are rarely trapped in the ghosts, since the holes in the red cell membrane caused by osmotic shock are too small for such materials to pass through. In this study, we improved the trapping technique. Some of the Hind III fragments of lambda phage DNA as well as proteins could be trapped in the ghosts when the mixture of these materials and red cells were frozen at -80 degrees C for a short period followed by quick thawing. Red cell-mediated microinjection using ghosts containing plasmid pBR322 linked with a Herpes simplex viral thymidine kinase (tk) gene brought about transformation of tk-defective L cells, the efficiency of transformation was 1 out of 20 000-60 000 cells fused with the ghosts.

Differential expression of two abundant messenger RNAs during development of Sarcophaga peregrina

Expression of two abundant mRNAs in the fat body of third instar larvae of Sarcophaga peregrina was studied using genomic clones of storage protein and 25K protein as probes. It was found that these two genes were expressed sequentially in the third instar with a 20-hr interval between their expressions. No amplification of genes was detected during larval development, suggesting that the high level of mRNA was due to efficient transcription. The contents of the two mRNAs in third instar larvae were about the same, although the synthesis of storage protein was much more than that of 25K protein.

Structural organization of the tissue-specific middle repetitive sequence of the mouse genome

The structural genes closely linked to the particular middle repetitive sequence (MRS) expressed in liver nuclei were cloned from the mouse genomic library. From one-fourth of 3,200 MRS-containing clones, 21 clones were obtained as mRNA coding sequence-linked MRS clones. From examination of the structural organization and specificity of expression of the MRS and the mRNA coding sequence, it was concluded that expressions of the MRS and the structural genes closely linked to the MRS are independently regulated.

Selective expression of cloned middle-repetitive sequences in nuclear RNA of mouse organs

Mouse middle-repetitive sequences have been cloned in the bacterial plasmid pBR322. The DNA sequences, expressed only in nuclei, were screened by filter hybridization using nuclear RNA as probes. Several clones were expressed predominantly in the nuclear RNA in certain types of organs. The copy numbers of typical middle-repetitive sequence clones in genomic DNA were analyzed quantitatively and results showed that 10(3)-10(4) copies exist per haploid DNA, indicating that they belong to a relatively abundant class of repeated sequences. Homology within the family of each middle-repetitive sequence ranged from 81% to 94%. The expression of cloned middle-repetitive sequences was analyzed by liquid-phase hybridization with nuclear RNAs from particular organs. The content of transcripts of the middle-repetitive sequence in nuclear RNA of a particular organ was at least 1000 times higher than that in other organs. In steady-state nuclear RNA these transcripts were calculated to amount to 10(2)-10(4) copies per nucleus. Most of these transcripts seem to be retained in the nuclei and do not appear in the cytoplasm.

Tissue-specific distribution of DNA-binding nuclear proteins

The DNA-binding capacity of nuclear proteins of mouse cells was examined by the protein-blotting method. Under conditions in which the lac repressor specifically binds to the lac operator, the DNA-binding nuclear proteins from different tissues showed a tissue-specific distribution, suggesting that the species and amounts of nuclear proteins with DNA binding activity differ in different tissues. When cloned eukaryotic genes were used for binding, eukaryotic DNA showed stronger binding than prokaryotic DNA. Competition experiments suggested that many nuclear proteins have different DNA binding properties from that of the prokaryotic repressor.

The 'pricking' method. A new efficient technique for mechanically introducing foreign DNA into the nuclei of culture cells

Using the thymidine kinase gene-containing plasmid pTK-1 and the mouse fibroblast thymidine kinase-deficient LTK- cell line, we obtained results indicating that the plasmid molecules suspended in the external medium were introduced into the nuclei by pricking cells on the nuclei with a microneedle. Approx. 25% of the cells pricked in the presence of the plasmid pTK-1 showed TK gene expression, and 2% of the cells became stable TK+ transformants. This 'pricking' method is applicable for introducing DNA into cell nuclei and is more efficient than the conventional calcium phosphate transformation method.

Structure of thymidine kinase gene introduced into mouse Ltk- cells by a new injection method

Pricking, a new injection method developed by Yamamoto et al. (1981), can be used to introduce DNA into cultured cells with high efficiency. Closed circular plasmid DNA containing the cloned HSV-TK gene (pTK-1) was introduced by this method and the structure of DNA in stable transformants was examined. In most clones, the introduced DNA was integrated into the mouse genome in a tandemly repeated form. The possibility of multiple integration via mouse middle repetitive sequences was also examined using the chimeric plasmid with TK genes and middle repetitive sequences (pMRTK-1). Digestion with restriction enzymes showed that the middle repetitive sequence used in this experiment had no effect on the efficiency of transformation, suggesting that this sequence is unable to mediate homologous recombination with mouse genomes.

Identification of storage-protein messenger RNA of the fleshfly Sarcophaga peregrina

Storage-protein mRNA was found to be abundant in poly(A)-containing RNA extracted from the fat-body of third-instar larvae of Sarcophaga peregrina (fleshfly). This RNA sedimented at the position of 19S on sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation and the product of its translation in vitro was 75K protein (protein of mol.wt. 75 000), which was precipitated specifically with antibody against storage protein. This product was suggested to contain a signal sequence that is missing in mature storage protein. The poly(A)-containing RNA was also found to contain much of another mRNA coding for 25K protein (protein of mol.wt. 25 000), but the function of this protein is unknown.

Stimulation of messenger ribonucleic acid synthesis in isolated nuclei by a protein that stimulates RNA polymerase II

A factor stimulating RNA polymerase II purified from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was found to stimulate alpha-amanitin-sensitive RNA synthesis in nuclei isolated from spleen cells of anemic mice, though less than it stimulated purified RNA polymerase II. The fidelity of the resulting RNA synthesis was monitored by measuring the stimulation of globin mRNA synthesis. Globin mRNA was measured quantitatively by DNA-RNA hybridization by using plasmid DNA containing globin DNA sequences. Results showed that the synthesis of globin mRNA was enhanced in isolated nuclei in the presence of this factor coinciding with an increase of overall alpha-amanitin-sensitive RNA synthesis. Thus, it was concluded that an externally added factor did not stimulate random transcription but meaningful RNA synthesis in isolated nuclei.

Measurement of a stimulatory protein of RNA polymerase II in various mouse organs by the complement fixation test

The amount of S-II, a protein specifically stimulating RNA polymerase II, was measured in various mouse organs by a micro complement fixation assay. The amount was almost the same in brain, liver, kidney, spleen, and Ehrlich ascites tumor cells on the basis of DNA, being about 3.8 micrograms/mg DNA, which corresponds to 3.6 X 10(5) molecules/cell. However, the amount of S-II decreased greatly during erythro-differentiation of Friend leukemia cells and no S-II was detected matured erythrocytes.

Change in message sequences during erythrodifferentiation

The change in the poly A(+) mRNA population during erythrodifferentiation was analyzed by cDNA-RNA hybridization. Poly A(+) RNA was isolated from spleen erythroblasts. When mice became anemic, the amount of globin mRNA increased to 50% of the total poly A(+) mRNA. cDNA from anemic spleen erythroblasts that did not contain globin mRNA sequences was cross-hybridized with mRNAs from mouse reticulocytes and cultured Friend leukemia (FL) cells. Only half the spleen cDNA hybridized with reticulocyte mRNA, whereas most of it hybridized with mRNA from FL cells. The results suggest that decrease in the complexity of the message population and increase in the concentration of globin mRNA are important in erythrodifferentiation.

Sequence differences between mouse embryonic y- and adult beta-globin messenger ribonucleic acids

Poly(A)-containing RNA was isolated from yolk sac cells of BDF1 hybrid mice on the 12th day of gestation. In vitro translation of the poly(A)-containing RNA by a messenger RNA (mRNA) dependent reticulocyte lysate system revealed that this RNA contained a high concentration of mRNAs from two embryonic globin chain subunits, y-1 and y-2. Cross hybridization of complementary DNA (cDNA) to the embryonic globin mRNAs with adult reticulocyte globin mRNAs and with cloned cDNAs for adult alpha- and beta-globin chain mRNAs showed that the sequence of embryonic globin y-chain mRNA differed from that of adult beta-chain mRNA.

Induction of globin gene expression in cultured erythroleukemia cells by butyric acid

Butyric acid induces erythroid differentiation of cultured Friend leukemia cells when added to the culture medium. A high level of globin messenger RNA (mRNA) was detected in Friend leukemia cells treated with butyric acid by a liquid hybridization method using radioactive DNA complementary to reticulocyte globin mRNA. The content of globin mRNA molecules induced in the cytoplasm of the butyric acid-treated Friend leukemia cells paralleled the hemoglobin content determined by the benzidine staining method. Therefore, this hemoglobin synthesis may be most reasonably explained in terms of transcriptional activation of globin genes, as previously proposed in the case of dimethylsulfoxide, another inducer of erythroid differentiation. Induced accumulation of globin mRNA in the nuclei also supports this interpretation.

Nuclear receptors for thyroid hormone: evidence for nonrandom distribution within chromatin

Chromatin receptor proteins appear to mediate some actions of thyroid hormone. In this study, sheared mammalian chromatin containing [125I]triiodothyronine (T3) bound by these receptors was separated using sucrose gradient velocity sedimentation. T3-receptor complexes were distributed throughout the chromatin fractions, but were enriched in the slowly sedimenting fractions. The latter contain most of the template capacity for RNA synthesis and most of the endogenous RNA polymerase activity but a minor portion of the total DNA. Formaldehyde treatment of chromatin containing receptor-bound [125 I ]T3 resulted in fixation of radioactivity, as evidenced by its migration with chromatin after equilibrium density gradient sedimentation in both cesium chloride and Conray. This fixation implies that the T3 receptor protein is closely associated with chromatin. These results suggest that proteins involved in the regulation of gene function may be nonrandomly distributed within chromatin subfractions, and are consistent with a direct role for thyroid hormone in regulating genetic expression.