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Lev Kisselev

Publications and source records attributed to Lev Kisselev.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Conversion of omnipotent translation termination factor eRF1 into ciliate-like UGA-only unipotent eRF1.

In eukaryotic ribosomes, termination of translation is triggered by class 1 polypeptide release factor, eRF1. In organisms with a universal code, eRF1 responds to three stop codons, whereas, in ciliates with variant codes, only one or two codon(s) remain(s) as stop signals. By mutagenesis of the Y-C-F minidomain of the N domain, we converted an omnipotent human eRF1 recognizing all three stop codons into a unipotent 'ciliate-like' UGA-only eRF1. The conserved Cys127 located in the Y-C-F minidomain plays a critical role in stop codon recognition. The UGA-only response has also been achieved by concomitant substitutions of four other amino acids located at the Y-C-F and NIKS minidomains of eRF1. We suggest that for eRF1 the stop codon decoding is of a non-linear (non-protein-anticodon) type and explores a combination of positive and negative determinants. We assume that stop codon recognition is profoundly different by eukaryotic and prokaryotic class 1 RFs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Critical tumor-suppressor gene regions on chromosome 3P in major human epithelial malignancies: allelotyping and quantitative real-time PCR.

To ascertain the involvement of human chromosome 3p and its established critical TSG regions in various epithelial malignancies, 21 polymorphic and 2 nonpolymorphic 3p markers were allelotyped in nonpapillary RCC, NSCLC, CC and BC from a total of 184 patients. LOH was observed with high frequency in all types of cancer studied: RCC (52/57, 91%), BC (41/51, 80%), NSCLC (30/40, 75%) and CC (27/36, 75%). Interstitial deletions, believed to signal TSG inactivation, were verified using the "L-allele rule" and real-time quantitative PCR. Significant correlation was observed between DNA copy numbers for 2 nonpolymorphic STS markers and LOH data for adjacent polymorphic loci. Interstitial deletions in 3p were demonstrated for all cancer types studied. However, the distribution of different types of deletion was characteristic for tumors from various locations. Large terminal deletions were predominantly seen in RCC and NSCLC (51% and 40%, respectively), correlating with clear cell RCC and squamous cell carcinomas of the lung. In addition to the LUCA region at 3p21.3 (centromeric), we found that the AP20 region (3p21.3, telomeric) was frequently affected in all 4 cancers, suggesting that this newly defined critical region contains multiple TSGs. Moreover, at least 3 candidate cancer-specific loci were identified. The telomeric 3p26.1-p25.3 region was predominantly deleted in RCC and NSCLC. The D3S1286 and D3S3047 markers (3p25.2-p24.3) were deleted nonrandomly in NSCLC. High-frequency LOH was detected in a segment mapped closely distal to the LUCA site (3p21.3), around the D3S2409 and D3S2456 markers.

Breast Neoplasms↗

NotI subtraction and NotI-specific microarrays to detect copy number and methylation changes in whole genomes.

Methylation, deletions, and amplifications of cancer genes constitute important mechanisms in carcinogenesis. For genome-wide analysis of these changes, we propose the use of NotI clone microarrays and genomic subtraction, because NotI recognition sites are closely associated with CpG islands and genes. We show here that the CODE (Cloning Of DEleted sequences) genomic subtraction procedure can be adapted to NotI flanking sequences and to CpG islands. Because the sequence complexity of this procedure is greatly reduced, only two cycles of subtraction are required. A NotI-CODE procedure can be used to prepare NotI representations (NRs) containing 0.1-0.5% of the total DNA. The NRs contain, on average, 10-fold less repetitive sequences than the whole human genome and can be used as probes for hybridization to NotI microarrays. These microarrays, when probed with NRs, can simultaneously detect copy number changes and methylation. NotI microarrays offer a powerful tool with which to study carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

Omnipotent decoding potential resides in eukaryotic translation termination factor eRF1 of variant-code organisms and is modulated by the interactions of amino acid sequences within domain 1.

In eukaryotes, a single translational release factor, eRF1, deciphers three stop codons, although its decoding mechanism remains puzzling. In the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, UAA and UAG codons are reassigned to Gln codons. A yeast eRF1-domain swap containing Tetrahymena domain 1 responded only to UGA in vitro and failed to complement a defect in yeast eRF1 in vivo at 37 degrees C. This finding demonstrates that decoding specificity of eRF1 from variant code organisms resides at domain 1. However, the wild-type eRF1 hybrid fully restored the growth of eRF1-deficient yeast at 30 degrees C. Tetrahymena eRF1 contains a variant sequence, KATNIKD, at the tip of domain 1. The TASNIKD variant of hybrid eRF1 rendered the eRF1-nullified yeast viable, although in an in vitro assay, the same hybrid eRF1 responded only to UGA. Nevertheless, the yeast eRF1 bearing the KATNIKD motif instead of the TASNIKS heptapeptide present in higher eukaryotes remains omnipotent in vivo. Collectively, these data suggest that variant genetic code organisms like Tetrahymena have an intrinsic potential to decode three stop codons in vivo, and that interaction within domain 1 between the KAT tripeptide and other sequences modulates the decoding specificity of Tetrahymena eRF1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Highly conserved NIKS tetrapeptide is functionally essential in eukaryotic translation termination factor eRF1.

Class-1 polypeptide chain release factors (RFs) play a key role in translation termination. Eukaryotic (eRF1) and archaeal class-1 RFs possess a highly conserved Asn-Ile-Lys-Ser (NIKS) tetrapeptide located at the N-terminal domain of human eRF1. In the three-dimensional structure, NIKS forms a loop between helices. The universal occurrence and exposed nature of this motif provoke the appearance of hypotheses postulating an essential role of this tetrapeptide in stop codon recognition and ribosome binding. To approach this problem experimentally, site-directed mutagenesis of the NIKS (positions 61-64) in human eRF1 and adjacent amino acids has been applied followed by determination of release activity and ribosome-binding capacity of mutants. Substitutions of Asn61 and Ile62 residues of the NIKS cause a decrease in the ability of eRF1 mutants to promote termination reaction in vitro, but to a different extent depending on the stop codon specificity, position, and nature of the substituting residues. This observation points to a possibility that Asn-Ile dipeptide modulates the specific recognition of the stop codons by eRF1. Some replacements at positions 60, 63, and 64 cause a negligible (if any) effect in contrast to what has been deduced from some current hypotheses predicting the structure of the termination codon recognition site in eRF1. Reduction in ribosome binding revealed for Ile62, Ser64, Arg65, and Arg68 mutants argues in favor of the essential role played by the right part of the NIKS loop in interaction with the ribosome, most probably with ribosomal RNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗