Eya1-deficient mice lack ears and kidneys and show abnormal apoptosis of organ primordia

Haploinsufficiency for human EYA1, a homologue of the Drosophila melanogaster gene eyes absent (eya), results in the dominantly inherited disorders branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome and branchio-oto (BO) syndrome, which are characterized by craniofacial abnormalities and hearing loss with (BOR) or without (BO) kidney defects. To understand the developmental pathogenesis of organs affected in these syndromes, we inactivated the gene Eya1 in mice. Eya1 heterozygotes show renal abnormalities and a conductive hearing loss similar to BOR syndrome, whereas Eya1 homozygotes lack ears and kidneys due to defective inductive tissue interactions and apoptotic regression of the organ primordia. Inner ear development in Eya1 homozygotes arrests at the otic vesicle stage and all components of the inner ear and specific cranial sensory ganglia fail to form. In the kidney, Eya1 homozygosity results in an absence of ureteric bud outgrowth and a subsequent failure of metanephric induction. Gdnf expression, which is required to direct ureteric bud outgrowth via activation of the c-ret Rtk (refs 5, 6, 7, 8), is not detected in Eya1-/- metanephric mesenchyme. In Eya1-/- ear and kidney development, Six but not Pax expression is Eya1 dependent, similar to a genetic pathway elucidated in the Drosophila eye imaginal disc. Our results indicate that Eya1 controls critical early inductive signalling events involved in ear and kidney formation and integrate Eya1 into the genetic regulatory cascade controlling kidney formation upstream of Gdnf. In addition, our results suggest that an evolutionarily conserved Pax-Eya-Six regulatory hierarchy is used in mammalian ear and kidney development.

Lipodystrophy in the fld mouse results from mutation of a new gene encoding a nuclear protein, lipin

Mice carrying mutations in the fatty liver dystrophy (fld) gene have features of human lipodystrophy, a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by loss of body fat, fatty liver, hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance. Through positional cloning, we have isolated the gene responsible and characterized two independent mutant alleles, fld and fld(2J). The gene (Lpin1) encodes a novel nuclear protein which we have named lipin. Consistent with the observed reduction of adipose tissue mass in fld and fld(2J)mice, wild-type Lpin1 mRNA is expressed at high levels in adipose tissue and is induced during differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Our results indicate that lipin is required for normal adipose tissue development, and provide a candidate gene for human lipodystrophy. Lipin defines a novel family of nuclear proteins containing at least three members in mammalian species, and homologs in distantly related organisms from human to yeast.

Antioxidant activity of water-soluble chitosan derivatives

Water-soluble chitosan derivatives were prepared by graft copolymerization of maleic acid sodium onto hydroxypropyl chitosan and carboxymethyl chitosan sodium. Their scavenging activities against hydroxyl radical *OH were investigated by chemiluminescence technique. They exhibit IC(50) values ranging from 246 to 498 microg/mL, which should be attributed to their different contents of hydroxyl and amino groups and different substituting groups.

Mouse Eya homologues of the Drosophila eyes absent gene require Pax6 for expression in lens and nasal placode

We have identified and mapped three members of a new family of vertebrate genes, designated Eya1, Eya2 and Eya3, which share high sequence similarity with the Drosophila eyes absent (eya) gene. Comparison of all three murine Eya gene products and that encoded by the Drosophila eya gene defines a 271 amino acid carboxyl terminal Eya domain, which has been highly conserved during evolution. Eya1 and Eya2, which are closely related, are extensively expressed in cranial placodes, in the branchial arches and CNS and in complementary or overlapping patterns during organogenesis. Eya3 is also expressed in the branchial arches and CNS, but lacks cranial placode expression. All three Eya genes are expressed in the developing eye. Eyal is expressed in developing anterior chamber structures, including the lens placode, the iris and ciliary region and the prospective corneal ectoderm. Eyal is also expressed in retinal pigment epithelium and optic nerve. Eya2 is expressed in neural retina, sclera and optic nerve sheath. Moreover, Eya1 and Eya2 expressions in the lens and nasal placode overlap with and depend upon expression of Pax6. The high sequence similarity with Drosophila eya, the conserved developmental expression of Eya genes in the eye and the Pax6 dependence of Eya expression in the lens and nasal placode indicates that these genes likely represent functional homologues of the Drosophila eya gene. These results suggest that members of the Eya gene family play critical roles downstream of Pax genes in specifying placodal identity and support the idea that despite enormous morphological differences, the early development of insect and mammalian eyes is controlled by a conserved regulatory hierarchy.

Estimation of divergence times from multiprotein sequences for a few mammalian species and several distantly related organisms

When many protein sequences are available for estimating the time of divergence between two species, it is customary to estimate the time for each protein separately and then use the average for all proteins as the final estimate. However, it can be shown that this estimate generally has an upward bias, and that an unbiased estimate is obtained by using distances based on concatenated sequences. We have shown that two concatenation-based distances, i.e., average gamma distance weighted with sequence length (d(2)) and multiprotein gamma distance (d(3)), generally give more satisfactory results than other concatenation-based distances. Using these two distance measures for 104 protein sequences, we estimated the time of divergence between mice and rats to be approximately 33 million years ago. Similarly, the time of divergence between humans and rodents was estimated to be approximately 96 million years ago. We also investigated the dependency of time estimates on statistical methods and various assumptions made by using sequence data from eubacteria, protists, plants, fungi, and animals. Our best estimates of the times of divergence between eubacteria and eukaryotes, between protists and other eukaryotes, and between plants, fungi, and animals were 3, 1.7, and 1.3 billion years ago, respectively. However, estimates of ancient divergence times are subject to a substantial amount of error caused by uncertainty of the molecular clock, horizontal gene transfer, errors in sequence alignments, etc.

Primate eta-globin DNA sequences and man's place among the great apes

Molecular studies indicate that chimpanzee and gorilla are the closest relatives of man (refs 1-7 and refs therein). The small molecular distances found point to late ancestral separations, with the most recent being between chimpanzee and man, as judged by DNA hybridization. Kluge and Schwartz contest these conclusions: morphological characters group a chimpanzee-gorilla clade with the Asian ape orang-utan in Kluge's cladistic study and with an orang-utan-human clade in Schwartz's study. Clearly, extensive sequencing of nuclear DNA is needed to resolve by cladistic analysis the branching order within Hominoidea. Towards this goal, we are sequencing orthologues of the primate psi eta-globin locus. Here, we compare the newly completed sequences of orang-utan and rhesus monkey with human, chimpanzee, gorilla, owl monkey, lemur and goat orthologues. Our findings substantially increase the evidence indicative of a human-chimpanzee-gorilla clade with ancestral separations around 8 to 6 Myr ago. We also verify that neutral hominoid DNA evolved at markedly retarded rates.

Association between increased estrogen status and increased fibrinolytic potential in the Framingham Offspring Study

BACKGROUND

Although extensive evidence indicates that estrogen is responsible for the markedly decreased cardiovascular risk of premenopausal women, the mechanism through which estrogen might exert its protective effect has not been adequately explained. Since thrombosis is now recognized to play an important role in the onset of cardiovascular disease, we investigated the relation between estrogen status and fibrinolytic potential, a determinant of thrombotic risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We determined levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) antigen and tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) antigen in 1431 subjects from the Framingham Offspring Study. Fibrinolytic potential was compared between subjects with high estrogen status (premenopausal women and postmenopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy) and low estrogen status (men and postmenopausal women not receiving hormone replacement therapy). In all comparisons, subjects with high estrogen status had greater fibrinolytic potential (lower PAI-1 levels) than subjects with low estrogen status. First, postmenopausal women receiving estrogen replacement therapy had lower levels of PAI-1 than those not receiving therapy (13.0 +/- 0.5 versus 19.5 +/- 1.0 ng/mL, P < .001). Second, premenopausal women had lower levels of PAI-1 than men of a similar age (14.8 +/- 0.6 versus 20.3 +/- 0.8 ng/mL, P < .001); this sex difference diminished when postmenopausal women not receiving hormone replacement therapy were compared with men of a similar age (19.6 +/- 0.7 versus 21.1 +/- 0.7 ng/mL, P = .089). Third, premenopausal women had markedly lower levels of PAI-1 antigen than postmenopausal women not receiving estrogen therapy (14.8 +/- 0.6 versus 19.5 +/- 1.0 ng/mL, P < .001). The between-group differences observed for TPA antigen were similar to those for PAI-1 antigen.

CONCLUSIONS

Each of these comparisons indicates that the cardioprotective effect of estrogen may be mediated, in part, by an increase in fibrinolytic potential. These findings might provide at least a partial explanation for the protection against cardiovascular disease experienced by premenopausal women, and the loss of that protection following menopause.

Identification of a distinct family of genes encoding atypical odorant-binding proteins in the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae

We performed a genome-wide analysis for candidate odorant-binding protein (OBP) genes in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae (Ag). We identified fifty-seven putative genes including sixteen genes predicted to encode distinct, higher molecular weight proteins that lack orthologues in Drosophila. Expression analysis indicates that several of these atypical AgOBPs are transcribed in chemosensory organs in adult and immature stages. Phylogenetic analysis of the Anopheles and Drosophila OBP families reveals these proteins fall into several clusters based on sequence similarity and suggests the atypical AgOBP genes arose in the mosquito lineage after the divergence of mosquitoes and flies. The identification of these AgOBP genes is the first step towards determining their biological roles in this economically and medically important insect.

Mouse Eya genes are expressed during limb tendon development and encode a transcriptional activation function

Vertebrate limb tendons are derived from connective cells of the lateral plate mesoderm. Some of the developmental steps leading to the formation of vertebrate limb tendons have been previously identified; however, the molecular mechanisms responsible for tendinous patterning and maintenance during embryogenesis are largely unknown. The eyes absent (eya) gene of Drosophila encodes a novel nuclear protein of unknown molecular function. Here we show that Eya1 and Eya2, two mouse homologues of Drosophila eya, are expressed initially during limb development in connective tissue precursor cells. Later in limb development, Eya1 and Eya2 expression is associated with cell condensations that form different sets of limb tendons. Eya1 expression is largely restricted to flexor tendons, while Eya2 is expressed in the extensor tendons and ligaments of the phalangeal elements of the limb. These data suggest that Eya genes participate in the patterning of the distal tendons of the limb. To investigate the molecular functions of the Eya gene products, we have analyzed whether the highly divergent PST (proline-serine-threonine)-rich N-terminal regions of Eya1-3 function as transactivation domains. Our results demonstrate that Eya gene products can act as transcriptional activators, and they support a role for this molecular function in connective tissue patterning.

Statistical optimization of medium components for enhanced acetoin production from molasses and soybean meal hydrolysate

The nutritional requirements for acetoin production by Bacillus subtilis CICC 10025 were optimized statistically in shake flask experiments using indigenous agroindustrial by-products. The medium components considered for initial screening in a Plackett-Burman design comprised a-molasses (molasses submitted to acidification pretreatment), soybean meal hydrolysate (SMH), KH(2)PO(4).3H(2)O, sodium acetate, MgSO(4).7H(2)O, FeCl(2), and MnCl(2), in which the first two were identified as significantly (at the 99% significant level) influencing acetoin production. Response surface methodology was applied to determine the mutual interactions between these two components and optimal levels for acetoin production. In flask fermentations, 37.9 g l(-1) acetoin was repeatedly achieved using the optimized concentrations of a-molasses and SMH [22.0% (v/v) and 27.8% (v/v), respectively]. a-Molasses and SMH were demonstrated to be more productive than pure sucrose and yeast extract plus peptone, respectively, in acetoin fermentation. In a 5-l fermenter, 35.4 g l(-1) of acetoin could be obtained after 56.4 h of cultivation. To our knowledge, these results, i.e., acetoin yields in flask or fermenter fermentations, were new records on acetoin fermentation by B. subtilis.

Regulation of Pax6 expression is conserved between mice and flies

Pax6 plays a key role in visual system development throughout the metazoa and the function of Pax6 is evolutionarily conserved. However, the regulation of Pax6 expression during eye development is largely unknown. We have identified two physically distinct promoters in mouse Pax6, P0 and P1, that direct differential Pax6 expression in the developing eye. P0-initiated transcripts predominate in lens placode and corneal and conjunctival epithelia, whereas P1-initiated transcripts are expressed in lens placode, optic vesicle and CNS, and only weakly in corneal and conjunctival epithelia. To further investigate their tissue-specific expression, a series of constructs for each promoter were examined in transgenic mice. We identified three different regulatory regions which direct distinct domains of Pax6 expression in the eye. A regulatory element upstream of the Pax6 P0 promoter is required for expression in a subpopulation of retinal progenitors and in the developing pancreas, while a second regulatory element upstream of the Pax6 P1 promoter is sufficient to direct expression in a subset of post-mitotic, non-terminally differentiated photoreceptors. A third element in Pax6 intron 4, when combined with either the P0 or P1 promoter, accurately directs expression in amacrine cells, ciliary body and iris. These results indicate that the complex expression pattern of Pax6 is differentially regulated by two promoters acting in combination with multiple cis-acting elements. We have also tested whether the regulatory mechanisms that direct Pax6 ocular expression are conserved between mice and flies. Remarkably, when inserted upstream of either the mouse Pax6 P1 or P0 promoter, an eye-enhancer region of the Drosophila eyeless gene, a Pax6 homolog, directs eye- and CNS-specific expression in transgenic mice that accurately reproduces features of endogenous Pax6 expression. These results suggest that in addition to conservation of Pax6 function, the upstream regulation of Pax6 has also been conserved during evolution.

Convergent evolution of perenniality in rice and sorghum

Annual and perennial habit are two major strategies by which grasses adapt to seasonal environmental change, and these distinguish cultivated cereals from their wild relatives. Rhizomatousness, a key trait contributing to perenniality, was investigated by using an F(2) population from a cross between cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) and its wild relative, Oryza longistaminata. Molecular mapping based on a complete simple sequence-repeat map revealed two dominant-complementary genes controlling rhizomatousness. Rhz3 was mapped to the interval between markers OSR16 [1.3 centimorgans (cM)] and OSR13 (8.1 cM) on rice chromosome 4 and Rhz2 located between RM119 (2.2 cM) and RM273 (7.4 cM) on chromosome 3. Comparative mapping indicated that each gene closely corresponds to major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling rhizomatousness in Sorghum propinquum, a wild relative of cultivated sorghum. Correspondence of these genes in rice and sorghum, which diverged from a common ancestor approximately 50 million years ago, suggests that the two genes may be key regulators of rhizome development in many Poaceae. Many additional QTLs affecting abundance of rhizomes in O. longistaminata were identified, most of which also corresponded to the locations of S. propinquum QTLs. Convergent evolution of independent mutations at, in some cases, corresponding genes may have been responsible for the evolution of annual cereals from perennial wild grasses. DNA markers closely linked to Rhz2 and Rhz3 will facilitate cloning of the genes, which may contribute significantly to our understanding of grass evolution, advance opportunities to develop perennial cereals, and offer insights into environmentally benign weed-control strategies.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2, -9, and -14, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1, and matrix proteins in human placenta during the first trimester

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are implicated in the degradation of extracellular matrix; they play important roles in the invasion of the trophoblast cell into the maternal endometrium during placentation. Previous studies have concentrated on comparison of MMP expression in trophoblast cells between the first and third trimester. But the dynamic expression of MMPs during the first trimester has not been reported. In the present study, the expression of MMP-2, -9, and -14 (membrane-type MMP-1) and the production of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) by cultured human cytotrophoblast cells from 6 to 11 wk of gestation were investigated. The cells were cultured under serum-free conditions. There was no MMP-9 secretion by the cells at Week 6, but from Week 7 to 11 the MMP-9 secretion increased gradually. Week 11 cells secreted more than 10-fold as much MMP-9 (167.7 +/- 18.8 ng/ml) as Week 7 (14.7 +/- 3.9 ng/ml) cultures. However, MMP-2 production declined from Week 6 to Week 11, and the production at Week 11 (32.3 +/- 8.1 ng/ml) was about one sixth that at Week 6 (205.7 +/- 27.2 ng/ml). The expression of mRNA transcripts for MMP-2 and MMP-9 correlated with enzyme secretion; we did not detect any MMP-9 mRNA signal in 20 microg total RNA extracted from cultured cells at Weeks 6, 7, and 8 of pregnancy, but a signal was apparent in Weeks 9 and 11. MMP-2 mRNA was expressed throughout the 6- to 11-wk period and exhibited a remarkable decline during this period. MMP-14 mRNA transcripts remained relatively stable from 6 to 11 wk. Significantly more TIMP-1 (P < 0.01) was detected in Week 9 (87.5 +/- 15.0 ng/ml) and Week 11 (169.1 +/- 30.2 ng/ml) media compared to Week 6 media (23.5 +/- 4.8 ng/ml), but we did not detect any TIMP-2 in the media of the tested cells. This study demonstrated that first-trimester human cytotrophoblast cells were able to produce abundant laminin, fibronectin, and vitronectin. However, we did not observe detectable secretion of collagen I and collagen IV. These data indicated that human trophoblast-derived MMPs and their inhibitors are intrinsically and developmentally regulated. The same cytotrophoblast cells that produced MMPs could also secrete various substrates for these enzymes.

Dynamic visualization of nervous system in live Drosophila

We have constructed transgenic Drosophila melanogaster lines that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) exclusively in the nervous system. Expression is controlled with transcriptional regulatory elements present in the 5' flanking DNA of the Drosophila Na(+), K(+)-ATPase beta-subunit gene Nervana2 (Nrv2). This regulatory DNA is fused to the yeast transcriptional activator GAL4, which binds specifically to a sequence motif termed the UAS (upstream activating sequence). Drosophila lines carrying Nrv2-GAL4 transgenes have been genetically recombined with UAS-GFP (S65T) transgenes (Nrv2-GAL4+UAS-GFP) inserted on the same chromosomes. We observe strong nervous system-specific fluorescence in embryos, larvae, pupae, and adults. The GFP fluorescence is sufficiently bright to allow dynamic imaging of the nervous system at all of these developmental stages directly through the cuticle of live Drosophila. These lines provide an unprecedented view of the nervous system in living animals and will be valuable tools for investigating a number of developmental, physiological, and genetic neurobiological problems.

On-chip generation and manipulation of entangled photons based on reconfigurable lithium-niobate waveguide circuits

A consequent tendency toward high-performance quantum information processing is to develop the fully integrated photonic chip. Here, we report the on-chip generation and manipulation of entangled photons based on reconfigurable lithium-niobate waveguide circuits. By introducing a periodically poled structure into the waveguide circuits, two individual photon-pair sources with a controllable electro-optic phase shift are produced within a Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer, resulting in a deterministically separated identical photon pair. The state is characterized by 92.9±0.9% visibility Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. The photon flux reaches ∼1.4×10(7)  pairs nm-1 mW-1. The whole chip is designed to contain nine similar units to produce identical photon pairs spanning the telecom C and L band by the flexible engineering of nonlinearity. Our work presents a scenario for on-chip engineering of different photon sources and paves the way to fully integrated quantum technologies.

Animal propagation and genomic survey of a genotype 1 isolate of Cryptosporidium parvum

Human cryptosporidiosis is attributed to two major Cryptosporidium parvum genotypes of which type 1 appears to be the predominant. Most laboratory investigations however are performed using genotype 2 isolates, the only type which readily infects laboratory animals. So far type 1 has only been identified in humans and primates. A type 1 isolate, obtained from an individual with HIV and cryptosporidiosis, was successfully adapted to propagate in gnotobiotic piglets. Genotypic characterization of oocyst DNA from this isolate using multiple restriction fragment length polymorphisms, a genotype-specific PCR marker, and direct sequence analysis of two polymorphic loci confirmed that this isolate, designated NEMC1, is indeed type 1. No changes in the genetic profile were identified during multiple passages in piglets. In contrast, the time period between infection and onset of fecal oocyst shedding, an indicator of adaptation, decreased with increasing number of passages. Consistent with other type 1 isolates, NEMC1 failed to infect mice. A preliminary survey of the NEMC1 genome covering approximately 2% of the genome and encompassing 200 kb of unique sequence showed an average similarity of approximately 95% between type 1 and 2 sequences. Twenty-four percent of the NEMC1 sequences were homologous to previously determined genotype 2 C. parvum sequences. To our knowledge, this is the first successful serial propagation of genotype 1 in animals, which should facilitate characterization of the unique features of this human pathogen.

Molecular effects of Eya1 domain mutations causing organ defects in BOR syndrome

Eya1 is a critical gene for mammalian organogenesis. Mutations in human EYA1 cause branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome, an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by varying combinations of branchial, otic and renal anomalies, whereas deletion of mouse Eya1 results in the absence of multiple organ formation. Eya1 and other Eya gene products share a highly conserved 271 amino acid Eya domain that is required for protein-protein interaction. Recently, several point mutations that result in single amino acid substitutions in the conserved Eya domain region of EYA1 have been identified in BOR patients; however, the molecular and developmental basis of organ defects that occurred in BOR syndrome is unclear. To understand how these point mutations cause disease, we have analyzed the functional importance of these Eya domain missense mutations with respect to protein complex formation and cellular localization. We have demonstrated that these point mutations do not alter protein localization. However, four mutations are crucial for protein-protein interactions in both yeast and mammalian cells. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of organ defects detected in human syndromes.

Microbial fed-batch production of 1,3-propanediol by Klebsiella pneumoniae under micro-aerobic conditions

The microbial production of 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) by Klebsiella pneumoniae under micro-aerobic conditions was investigated in this study. The experimental results of batch fermentation showed that the final concentration and yield of 1,3-PD on glycerol under micro-aerobic conditions approached values achieved under anaerobic conditions. However, less ethanol was produced under microaerobic than anaerobic conditions at the end of fermentation. The batch micro-aerobic fermentation time was markedly shorter than that of anaerobic fermentation. This led to an increment of productivity of 1,3-PD. For instance, the concentration, molar yield, and productivity of 1,3-PD of batch micro-aerobic fermentation by K. pneumoniae DSM 2026 were 17.65 g/l, 56.13%, and 2.94 g l(-1) h(-1), respectively, with a fermentation time of 6 h and an initial glycerol concentration of 40 g/l. Compared with DSM 2026, the microbial growth of K. pneumoniae AS 1.1736 was slow and the concentration of 1,3-PD was low under the same conditions. Furthermore, the microbial growth in fed-batch fermentation by K. pneumoniae DSM 2026 was faster under micro-aerobic than anaerobic conditions. The concentration, molar yield, and productivity of 1,3-PD in fed-batch fermentation under micro-aerobic conditions were 59.50 g/l, 51.75%, and 1.57 g l(-1) h(-1), respectively. The volumetric productivity of 1,3-PD under microaerobic conditions was almost twice that of anaerobic fed-batch fermentation, at 1.57 and 0.80 g l(-1) h(-1), respectively.

Conformational backbone dynamics of the cyclic decapeptide antamanide. Application of a new multiconformational search algorithm based on NMR data

A general procedure for the analysis of biomolecular structures by NMR in the presence of rapid conformational dynamics has been applied to the study of the cyclic decapeptide antamanide. Two-dimensional experiments, relaxation measurements in the rotating frame, and homo- and heteronuclear coupling constant determinations have been used to characterize the dynamic properties of the molecule, in combination with a novel search algorithm for investigating multiconformational equilibria. Direct evidence for the presence of a conformational exchange process with an activation energy of approximately 20 kJ mol-1 and an exchange lifetime of approximately 25 microseconds at 320 K has been obtained from rotating frame relaxation measurements. This evidence is combined with the information derived from the multiconformational search algorithm MEDUSA to propose sets of structures that coexist in a dynamic exchange equilibrium.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the human xanthine dehydrogenase gene (XDH)

Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH, EC 1.1.1.204) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the oxidative metabolism of purines and is thought to play a key role in a variety of pathophysiologic processes including ischemiasolidusreperfusion injury, viral pneumonia, and renal failure. We herein report the isolation and characterization of the human XDH gene. The gene is composed of 36 exons and 35 introns and spans at least 60 kb. The exon sizes range from 53 to 279 bp, and the intron sizes range from 0.2 to over 8 kb. Using primer extension and RNase protection analyses, two transcriptional initiation sites were identified 59 and 82 nucleotides upstream of the ATG start codon. One Goldberg-Hogness box (ATTTAT)-like sequence was found 24 bp upstream from the second transcriptional initiation site, and two inverted CCAAT sequences were found 19 and 42 bp upstream from the second transcriptional initiation sites. A relative GC-enriched region was found between -55 and -121. Approximately 2 kb of the 5'-flanking region was sequenced, and a variety of putative regulatory elements were identified including CsolidusEBP binding sites, IL-6 and NF-kappaB sites, and potential TNF-RE, IFN-gamma-RE, and IL-1-RE sites.