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Screening and cloning of target genes transactivated by hepatitis C virus p7 protein

AIM: To clone and identify human genes transactivated by hepatitis C virus p7 (HCVp7) protein.

METHODS: Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and bioinformatic techniques were used for screening and cloning of the target genes transactivated by HCVp7 protein. The mRNA was isolated from HepG2 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1(-)-p7 and pcDNA3.1(-) empty vector respectively, and SSH method was employed to analyze the differentially expressed DNA sequence between the two groups. After digestion with restriction enzyme Rsa I, cDNAs of small size were obtained. Then tester cDNA was divided into two groups and ligated to the specific adaptor 1 and 2 respectively. After tester cDNA was hybridized with driver cDNA twice and underwent nested PCR twice, and then the product was subcloned into T/A plasmid vectors to set up the subtractive library. Amplification of the library was carried out after transfected with E. coli strain DH5α. The cDNA was sequenced and analyzed in GenBank with Blast search after PCR.

RESULTS: The subtractive library of genes transactivated by HCVp7 was constructed successfully. The amplified library contained 71 positive clones. Colony PCR showed that 56 clones contained 200-1 000 bp inserts. Sequence analysis was performed in 33 clones randomly, and the full-length sequences were obtained with bioinformatics method. Altogether 15 coding sequences were obtained, including 14 known and 1 unknown.

CONCLUSION: The obtained sequences may be target genes transactivated by HCV p7, and some genes coding proteins get involved in cell cycle regulation, metabolism, and cell apoptosis.

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Hepatitis C virus NS3 protein up-regulates expression of thioredoxin reductase 1 gene

AIM: To investigate the transactivating effect of HCV NS3 protein on TXNRD1 gene promoter and the molecular biological mechanisms of HCV NS3 protein in HCV pathogeneicity.

METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was employed to amplify the sequence of TXNRD1 promoter from HepG2 genomic DNA, and the product was subcloned into pCAT3-Basic by Kpn I and Xho I, named pCAT3-TXNRD1p. pCAT3-TXNRD1p was transfected into the hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2, then cotransfected with pcDNA3.1(-)-NS3 by FuGENE 6 transfection reagents. The HepG2 cells transfected with pCAT3-Basic was used as negative control. The activity of CAT in HepG2 cells transfected was detected by an ELISA kit after 48 hours, which reflected the transactivating function of HCV NS3 protein to TXNRD1 gene promoter.

RESULTS: The expression vector pcDNA3.1(-)-NS3 and report vector pCAT3-TXNRD1p were constructed and confirmed by restriction enzyme digestion and sequencing. The expression of CAT in HepG2 cells co-transfected with pCAT3-TXNRD1p and pcDNA3.1(-)-NS3 is 9 times as higher as that of pCAT3-Basic, and twice as higher as that of pCAT3-TXNRD1p.

CONCLUSION: HCV NS3 protein can transactivate TXNRD1 promoter, and therefore up-regulate the expression of TXNRD1 gene.

Cloning and identification of NS5ATP2 gene and its spliced variant transactivated by hepatitis C virus non-structural protein 5A

AIM: To clone and identify a new gene NS5ATP2 and its spliced variant transactivated by hepatitis C virus non-structural protein 5A.

METHODS: On the base of subtractive cDNA library of genes transactivated by NS5A protein of hepatitis C virus, the coding sequence of new gene and its spliced variant were obtained by bioinformatics methods. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted to amplify NS5ATP2 gene.

RESULTS: The coding sequence of new gene and its spliced variant were cloned and Identification successfully.

CONCLUSION: A novel gene has been recognized as the new target transactivated by HCV NS5A protein. These results bring some new clues for studying the biological functions of the new gene and pathogenesis of the viral proteins.

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Identification and characterization of retinol dehydrogenase 11 as a hepatitis C virus core protein-binding protein by yeast-two hybrid technique

AIM: To screen the hepatocyte protein interacting with HCV core protein.

METHODS: By using HCV core protein as a bait, yeast-two hybrid system 3 was employed for screening and identification of HCV core protein-binding proteins from a hepatocyte cDNA library expressed in yeast cells. The protein-protein interaction was confirmed by back-cross experiment, and the inserts of the expressive vectors were sequenced and analyzed by bioinformatics methods.

RESULTS: Among them we identified retinol dehydrogenase 11(RDH11/androgen- regulated short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase 1 (ARSDR1) as a HCV core protein-interacting protein. This is the first time, to the best of our knowledge, to know the fact that there are interactions of HCV core protein-retinol dehydrogenase 11.

CONCLUSION: The identification of retinol dehydrogenase 11 as the HCV core protein binding partner paves a new way for further understanding of the pathogenesis of HCV infection.