Search results for "Transcription"
showing 10 items of 2278 documents
The nuclear autoantigen La/SS-associated antigen B: One gene, three functional mRNAs
1997
Transcription of the gene encoding for the nuclear autoantigen La resulted in three mRNA forms. A promoter switching combined with an alternative splicing pathway replaced exon 1 with either exon 1´ or exon 1´´. The exon 1´´ donor splice site was located 4 nts downstream of the exon 1´ donor splice site. All three La mRNA forms were expressed in all the tissues analysed including peripheral blood lymphocytes, liver, fetal spleen, cultured primary endothelial cells, and mouse LTA cell lines permanently transfected with the human La gene. Both the exons 1´ and 1´´ had unusual structures. They contained GC-rich regions and an oligo(U)-tail of 23 uridine residues. Moreover, they encoded for thr…
Interspecies comparison of neuroglobin, cytoglobin and myoglobin: Sequence evolution and candidate regulatory elements
2003
Neuroglobin and cytoglobin are two novel members of the vertebrate globin family. Their physiological role is poorly understood, although both proteins bind oxygen reversibly and may be involved in cellular oxygen homeostasis. Here we investigate the selective constraints on coding and non-coding sequences of the neuroglobin and cytoglobin genes in human, mouse, rat and fish. Neuroglobin and cytoglobin are highly conserved, displaying very low levels of non-synonymous nucleotide substitutions. An oxygen supply function predicts distinct modes of gene regulation, involving hypoxia-responsive transcription factors. To detect conserved candidate regulatory elements, we compared the neuroglobin…
Molecular characterization of the zerknüllt region of the Antennapedia complex of D. subobscura.
1995
We have characterized at the molecular level the zerknullt (zen) region of the Drosophila subobscura Antennapedia complex. The sequence comparison between D. subobscura and D. melanogaster shows an irregular distribution of the conserved and diverged regions, with the homeobox and a putative activating domain completely conserved. Comparisons of the promoter sequence and pattern of expression of the gene during development suggest that the regulation of zen has been conserved during evolution. The conservation of zen expression in a subpopulation of the polar cells indicates the existence of an important role in such cells. We describe a transitory segmented pattern of expression of zen in …
Conserved Structure and Promoter Sequence Similarity in the Mouse and Human Genes Encoding the Zinc Finger Factor BERF-1/BFCOL1/ZBP-89
2001
Abstract We have characterized the genomic structure of the mouse Zfp148 gene encoding Beta-Enolase Repressor Factor-1 (BERF-1), a Kruppel-like zinc finger protein involved in the transcriptional regulation of several genes, which is also termed ZBP-89, BFCOL1. The cloned Zfp148 gene spans 110 kb of genomic DNA encompassing the 5′-end region, 9 exons, 8 introns, and the 3′-untranslated region. The promoter region displays the typical features of a housekeeping gene: a high G+C content and the absence of canonical TATA and CAAT boxes consistent with the multiple transcription initiation sites determined by primary extension analysis. Computer-assisted search in the human genome database allo…
Hypertrophic agonists induce the binding of c-Fos to an AP-1 site in cardiac myocytes: implications for the expression of GLUT1
2003
Objectives: Serum is among the agents known to induce hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes, which occurs concomitant with an increase in AP-1-mediated transcription. We have examined if this effect correlates with changes in the relative abundance of particular AP-1 heterodimers, as their exact composition under these conditions is unknown. Furthermore, we obtained insight on the specific role of c-Fos from studying the induction of the glucose transporter GLUT1 by serum in fibroblasts. Methods: We characterised the AP-1 heterodimers expressed in neonatal cardiac myocytes by supershift electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) analysis. Quantitative changes in transcription were measured using…
FISH mapping of the sex-reversal region on human chromosome 9p in two XY females and in primates
2000
Accumulating evidence suggests that haploinsufficiency of a dosage-sensitive gene(s) in human chromosome 9p24.3 is responsible for the failure of testicular development and feminisation in XY patients with monosomy for 9p. We have used molecular cytogenetic methods to characterise the sex-reversing 9p deletions in two XY females. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with YACs from the critical 9p region containing an evolutionarily conserved sex-determining gene, DMRT1, is a very fast and reliable assay for patient screening. Comparative YAC mapping on great ape and Old and New World monkey chromosomes demonstrated that the critical region was moved from an interstitial position on the…
Regulatory T Cells and IL-10 Independently Counterregulate Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Responses Induced by Transcutaneous Immunization
2011
Background: The imidazoquinoline derivate imiquimod induces inflammatory responses and protection against transplanted tumors when applied to the skin in combination with a cognate peptide epitope (transcutaneous immunization, TCI). Here we investigated the role of regulatory T cells (Treg) and the suppressive cytokine IL-10 in restricting TCI-induced cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses. Methodology/Principal Findings: TCI was performed with an ointment containing the TLR7 agonist imiquimod and a CTL epitope was applied to the depilated back skin of C57BL/6 mice. Using specific antibodies and FoxP3-diphteria toxin receptor transgenic (DEREG) mice, we interrogated inhibiting factors after…
Small genomes and the difficulty to define minimal translation and metabolic machineries
2015
The notion of minimal life has sparked the interest of scientists in different fields, ranging from the origin-of-life research to biotechnology-oriented synthetic biology. Whether the interest is focused on the emergence of protocells out of prebiotic systems or the design of a cell chassis ready to incorporate new devices and functions, proposing minimal combinations of genes for life is not a trivial task. Using comparative genomics and biochemistry of endosymbionts (i.e., intracellular mutualistic symbionts) and intracellular parasites, a decade ago we proposed the core of a minimal gene set for a simple heterotrophic cell adapted to a chemically complex environment. In this work, we di…
A feedback mechanism controls rDNA copy number evolution in yeast independently of natural selection.
2022
Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is the genetic loci that encodes rRNA in eukaryotes. It is typically arranged as tandem repeats that vary in copy number within the same species. We have recently shown that rDNA repeats copy number in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controlled by cell volume via a feedback circuit that senses cell volume by means of the concentration of the free upstream activator factor (UAF). The UAF strongly binds the rDNA gene promoter, but is also able to repress SIR2 deacetylase gene transcription that, in turn, represses rDNA amplification. In this way, the cells with a smaller DNA copy number than what is optimal evolve to increase that copy number until they reach a numb…
RNA-controlled nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of mRNA decay factors regulates mRNA synthesis and a novel mRNA decay pathway.
2021
AbstractmRNA level is controlled by factors that mediate both mRNA synthesis and decay, including the 5’ to 3’ exonuclease Xrn1. Here we show that nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of several yeast mRNA decay factors plays a key role in determining both mRNA synthesis and decay. Shuttling is regulated by RNA-controlled binding of the karyopherin Kap120 to two nuclear localization sequences (NLSs) in Xrn1, location of one of which is conserved from yeast to human. The decaying RNA binds and masks NLS1, establishing a link between mRNA decay and Xrn1 shuttling. Preventing Xrn1 import, either by deleting KAP120 or mutating the two Xrn1 NLSs, compromises transcription and, unexpectedly, also cytoplas…