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An oligonucleotide microarray bait for isolation of target gene fragments.

A new molecular-baiting method was studied by retrieving targeted gene fragments from an oligonucleotide microarray bait after hybridization. To make the microarray bait, 70-mer oligonucleotides that were designed to specifically represent the SSA1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were printed on the slide. Samples of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mRNA were extracted and labeled by the RD-PCR (Restriction Display PCR) method using the Cy5-labelled universal primer, then applied for hybridization. The sample fragments that hybridized to the microarray were stripped, and the eluted cDNAs were retrieved and cloned into the pMD 18-T vector for transformation, plasmid preparation, and sequencing. BLAST searching of the GenBank database identified the retrieved fragments as being identical to the SSA1 gene (from 2057-2541bp). A new method is being established that can retrieve the sample fragments using an oligo-microarray-bait.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Tumor induction by the c-Myc target genes rcl and lactate dehydrogenase A.

The characterization of c-Myc target genes, such as rcl and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A), is critical for understanding the mechanisms of c-Myc-induced cell transformation and tumorigenesis. We have previously demonstrated that Rcl induces anchorage-independent growth in Ratla fibroblasts and that LDH-A is required for cell transformation by c-Myc. In this study, we report that Rcl and LDH-A act synergistically to induce anchorage-independent growth. Cells expressing both Rcl and LDH-A form tumors after s.c. injection into nude mice, although neither Rcl or LDH-A overexpression alone induces tumorigenesis. The inability of Rcl and LDH-A to fully recapitulate c-Myc activity, however, indicates that other c-Myc target genes participate in tumorigenesis. In addition, cells that coexpress Rcl and vascular endothelial growth factor are more comparable with c-Myc overexpressing cells in their ability to form tumors in nude mice. These findings confirm Rcl and LDH-A as critical components of the cell transformation program induced by c-Myc and suggest that Rcl is tumorigenic in cells that are provided with a permissive metabolic milieu.

Animals↗

Analysis of gene targeting and intrachromosomal homologous recombination stimulated by genomic double-strand breaks in mouse embryonic stem cells.

To investigate the effects of in vivo genomic DNA double-strand breaks on the efficiency and mechanisms of gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells, we have used a series of insertion and replacement vectors carrying two, one, or no genomic sites for the rare-cutting endonuclease I-SceI. These vectors were introduced into the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) gene to produce substrates for gene-targeting (plasmid-to-chromosome) or intrachromosomal (direct repeat) homologous recombination. Recombination at the hprt locus is markedly increased following transfection with an I-SceI expression plasmid and a homologous donor plasmid (if needed). The frequency of gene targeting in clones with an I-SceI site attains a value of 1%, 5,000-fold higher than that in clones with no I-SceI site. The use of silent restriction site polymorphisms indicates that the frequencies with which donor plasmid sequences replace the target chromosomal sequences decrease with distance from the genomic break site. The frequency of intrachromosomal recombination reaches a value of 3.1%, 120-fold higher than background spontaneous recombination. Because palindromic insertions were used as polymorphic markers, a significant number of recombinants exhibit distinct genotypic sectoring among daughter cells from a single clone, suggesting the existence of heteroduplex DNA in the original recombination product.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of target genes of a yeast transcriptional repressor.

Xbp1 is a transcriptional repressor with homology to the DNA binding domains of two cell-cycle regulatory transcription factors, Swi4 and Mbp1. Target genes bound and regulated by Xbp1, have been identified using differential display (DD). Because little was known about the regulation or function of Xbp1, we identified genes that were underrepresented in RNAs purified from cells in which Xbp1 was ectopically expressed. Four target genes, including three cyclin genes, were identified by DD and then confirmed by binding studies and Northern analysis. The binding site for Xbp1, previously identified by site selection, was present in these target genes and is conserved phylogenetically.

Base Sequence↗

Gene targeting in normal and amplified cell lines.

Targeted recombination in mammalian cells is rare compared with non-homologous integration. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae the reverse is true. Differences in targeting efficiency could arise because a target of unique DNA is 200 times more dilute in mammalian genomes than it is in yeast. We tested this possibility by measuring gene targeting in normal CHO cells with two copies of the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene and in amplified CHOC 400 cells, which carry 800 copies. If the concentration of the target gene is critical, amplified cells should show an enhanced frequency of targeted recombination relative to non-homologous integration. Using a positive/negative selection protocol, we demonstrated that the efficiency of targeting into DHFR genes is indistinguishable in normal and amplified CHO cells. As targeting does not depend on the number of targets, the search for homology is not a rate-limiting step in the mammalian pathway of gene targeting. Thus, the difference in genome size is not the basis for the different outcomes of targeting experiments in S. cerevisiae and mammals.

Animals↗

Efficient removal of loxP-flanked DNA sequences in a gene-targeted locus by transient expression of Cre recombinase in fertilized eggs.

The bacteriophage P1 Cre/loxP site-specific recombination system is a useful tool for engineering chromosomal changes in animal cells. Transient expression of the Cre recombinase gene directly introduced into fertilized eggs by pronuclear injection has been reported to provide an efficient method of transgene modulation in fertilized eggs. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of this method to remove loxP-flanked DNA sequences in a gene-targeted locus in fertilized eggs. We replaced a part of the T-cell receptor gamma (TCR V gamma) locus with homologous sequences containing a loxP-flanked neogene in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells by gene-targeting technique. The resulting ES cell clones containing the mutant allele (V gamma LNL) were used to generate chimeric mice by blastocyst injection. Eight male chimeras were bred with superovulated wild-type female mice. One hundred and seventy-six fertilized eggs were collected, and subjected to pronuclear injection of the Cre expression plasmid, pCAGGS-Cre, of a covalently closed circular form. Three out of 11 pups inherited the targeted V gamma locus. The inherited targeted allele of these 3 mice was shown to have undergone Cre-mediated recombination, resulting in a deletion of the loxP-flanked sequences (V gamma delta) as shown by Southern blot analysis of DNA from tail biopsies. All 3 founder mutant mice were capable of transmitting the V gamma delta locus to their offspring. The other 8 pups carried only wild-type alleles. There were no pups carrying the unrecombined V gamma LNL locus. Thus, the frequency of Cre-mediated recombination was 100% (3/3) with this method. In contrast, when closed circular pCAGGS-Cre plasmid was introduced into ES cells by electroporation, the recombination frequency of the V gamma LNL locus was 9.6%. These results indicated that our system based on transient expression of the Cre recombinase gene directly introduced into fertilized eggs by pronuclear injection provides a fast and efficient method for generating mutant mice with desired deletions or translocations in target genes.

Animals↗

Indomethacin induces differential expression of beta-catenin, gamma-catenin and T-cell factor target genes in human colorectal cancer cells.

Indomethacin-induced G(1) arrest and apoptosis of human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells is associated with a dose-dependent decrease in beta-catenin protein levels. Beta-catenin plays a pivotal role in the WNT signalling pathway and its expression is frequently dysregulated at early stages of colorectal carcinogenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of indomethacin on catenin expression and downstream WNT signalling events in human CRC cells. Beta-catenin, gamma-catenin and T-cell factor (TCF) target gene (cyclin D1, c-MYC and PPARdelta) expression was studied following indomethacin treatment of SW480 and HCT116 cells. Cyclin D1 was used as a model TCF target gene for analysis of beta-catenin-TCF-4 DNA binding and trans-activation. Indomethacin treatment was associated with a specific decrease in beta-catenin (but not gamma-catenin) expression. Resulting TCF target gene expression was gene specific (cyclin D1, decreased; c-MYC, increased; PPARdelta, no significant change). Cyclin D1 promoter analysis revealed that indomethacin disrupted formation of a beta-catenin-TCF-4-DNA complex. Indomethacin-induced G(1) arrest and apoptosis is associated with specific beta-catenin down-regulation in human CRC cells in vitro. Differential expression of TCF target genes following indomethacin treatment implies complex effects on multiple genes which play an important role in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Acetylcysteine↗

Targeted gene delivery by intravenous injection of retroviral vectors.

Specifically and effectively directing a therapeutic gene to its intended site of action is a critical issue for translation of basic genomics to clinical gene therapy. Delivering gene therapy vectors to specific cells or tissues through intravenous injection is the most desirable method for this purpose. In 2001, we reported successful targeted gene transduction in vitro utilizing both oncoretroviral and lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with a chimeric Sindbis virus envelope (ZZ SINDBIS). However, these pseudotypes mediated nonspecific gene transduction to liver and spleen in vivo. To address this problem we generated the modified ZZ SINDBIS (termed m168) with significantly less nonspecific infectivity. To investigate the ability of m168 pseudotyped lentiviral vector to mediate targeted gene transduction in vivo, we utilized a metastatic tumor model by using mouse melanoma cells engineered to express human P-glycoprotein. We administered the m 168 pseudotyped vector conjugated with anti-P-glycoprotein antibody into the mice intravenously to target metastatic melanoma. The m168 pseudotyped vector selectively infected metastatic melanoma cells demonstrating successful targeted gene transduction in vivo. Targeting technology based upon m168 can be further modified for application not only to cancer but also potentially to genetic, neurologic, infectious and immune diseases, thereby expanding the future application of gene therapy.

Animals↗

Inserting the Ftz homeodomain into engrailed creates a dominant transcriptional repressor that specifically turns off Ftz target genes in vivo.

The Engrailed homeodomain protein is an 'active' or dominant transcriptional repressor in cultured cells. In contrast, the Fushi Tarazu homeodomain protein is an activator, both in cultured cells and in Drosophila embryos, where it activates several known target genes, including its own gene. This auto-activation has been shown to depend on targeting to a fushi tarazu enhancer by the Fushi Tarazu homeodomain. We combined Fushi Tarazu targeting and Engrailed active repression in a chimeric regulator, EFE. When EFE is ubiquitously expressed, it overrides endogenous Fushi Tarazu and causes a fushi tarazu mutant phenotype. Normal Fushi Tarazu target genes are affected as they are in fushi tarazu mutants. One such target gene is repressed by EFE even where Fushi Tarazu is not expressed, suggesting that the repression is active. This is confirmed by showing that the in vivo activity of EFE depends on a domain that is required for active repression in culture. A derivative that lacks this domain, while it cannot repress the endogenous fushi tarazu gene, can still reduce the activity of the fushi tarazu autoregulatory enhancer, suggesting that it competes with endogenous Fushi Tarazu for binding sites in vivo. However, this passive repression is much less effective than active repression.

Animals↗

Microarray analysis of zebrafish cloche mutant using amplified cDNA and identification of potential downstream target genes.

Zebrafish is an excellent model organism for studying vertebrate development and human disease. With the availability of increased numbers of zebrafish mutants and microarray chips, gene expression profiling has become a powerful tool for identification of downstream target genes perturbed by a specific mutation. One of the obstacles often encountered, however, is to isolate large numbers of zebrafish mutant embryos that are indistinguishable in morphology from the wild-type siblings for microarray analysis. Here, we report a method using amplified cDNA derived from five embryos for gene expression profiling of the 18-somite zebrafish cloche (clo) mutant, in which development of hematopoietic and endothelial lineages is severely impaired. In total, 31 differentially expressed target genes are identified, of which 13 have not been reported previously. We further determine that of these 13 new targets, 8 genes, including coproporphyrinogen oxidase (cpo), carbonic anhydrase (cahz), claudin g (cldn g), zinc-finger-like gene 2 (znfl2), neutrophil cytosol factor 1 (ncf1), matrix metalloproteinase 13 (mmp13), dual specificity phosphatase 5 (dusp5), and a novel gene referred as zebrafish vessel-specific gene 1 (zvsg1) are predominantly expressed in hematopoietic and endothelial cells. Comparative analysis demonstrates that this method is comparable and complementary to that of the conventional approach using unamplified sample. Our study provides valuable information for studying hematopoiesis and vessel formation. The method described here offers a powerful tool for gene expression profiling of zebrafish mutants in general.

Animals↗

Gene-targeted mice in leukocyte adhesion research.

Physiologic and inflammatory leukocyte trafficking are controlled by adhesion molecules on leukocytes and endothelial cells. These adhesion molecules can be grouped into four major families: integrins, immunoglobulinlike molecules, selectins, and glycoproteins serving as selectin ligands. The recent advent of gene-targeting technology in embryonal stem cells has prompted the production of mutant mice that lack individual adhesion molecules or combinations thereof. Such gene-targeted mice permit studies into the roles of adhesion molecules in acute and chronic inflammation and of the regulation and interplay between different sets of adhesion receptors in vivo. Microcirculatory studies have been indispensable to our understanding of the importance of certain adhesion molecules for different steps of leukocyte recruitment in vivo. Targeting new genes and investigating mice with combined adhesion-molecule deficiencies will help to further clarify the molecular mechanisms of leukocyte trafficking in health and disease. This article reviews the insight gained through using adhesion molecule-deficient mice, emphasizing the role of microcirculatory studies in this research.

Animals↗

The potential tumor suppressor p73 differentially regulates cellular p53 target genes.

p73, a potential tumor suppressor, is a p53 homologue. Transient over expression of p73 in cells can induce apoptosis and p21, a cellular p53 target gene primarily responsible for p53-dependent cell cycle arrest. To further characterize the role of p73 in tumor suppression, we established several groups of cell lines that inducibly express p73 under a tetracycline-regulated promoter. By using these cell lines, we found that p73 can induce both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. We also found that p73 can activate some but not all of the previously identified p53 cellular target genes. Furthermore, we found that the transcriptional activities of p53, p73 alpha, and p73 beta to induce their common cellular target genes differ among one another. These results suggest that p73 is both similar to and different from p53 in their signaling pathways leading to tumor suppression.

Apoptosis↗

Chromatin immunoselection defines a TAL-1 target gene.

Despite the major functions of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor TAL-1 in hematopoiesis and T-cell leukemogenesis, no TAL-1 target gene has been identified. Using immunoprecipitation of genomic fragments bound to TAL-1 in the chromatin of murine erythro-leukemia (MEL) cells, we found that 10% of the immunoselected fragments contained a CAGATG or a CAGGTG E-box, followed by a GATA site. We studied one of these fragments containing two E-boxes, CAGATG and CAGGTC, followed by a GATA motif, and showed that TAL-1 binds to the CAGGTG E-box with an affinity modulated by the CAGATG or the GATA site, and that the CAGGTG-GATA motif exhibits positive transcriptional activity in MEL but not in HeLa cells. This immunoselected sequence is located within an intron of a new gene co-expressed with TAL-1 in endothelial and erythroid cells, but not expressed in fibroblasts or adult liver where no TAL-1 mRNA was detected. Finally, in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells towards the erythro/megakaryocytic pathways showed that the TAL-1 target gene expression followed TAL-1 and GATA-1 expression. These results establish that TAL-1 is likely to activate its target genes through a complex that binds an E-box-GATA motif and define the first gene regulated by TAL-1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rb-mediated heterochromatin formation and silencing of E2F target genes during cellular senescence.

Cellular senescence is an extremely stable form of cell cycle arrest that limits the proliferation of damaged cells and may act as a natural barrier to cancer progression. In this study, we describe a distinct heterochromatic structure that accumulates in senescent human fibroblasts, which we designated senescence-associated heterochromatic foci (SAHF). SAHF formation coincides with the recruitment of heterochromatin proteins and the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor to E2F-responsive promoters and is associated with the stable repression of E2F target genes. Notably, both SAHF formation and the silencing of E2F target genes depend on the integrity of the Rb pathway and do not occur in reversibly arrested cells. These results provide a molecular explanation for the stability of the senescent state, as well as new insights into the action of Rb as a tumor suppressor.

Binding Sites↗

[Expression of target gene in eukaryotic cells driven by prokaryotic T7 promoter and its RNA polymerase].

To enhance the efficiency of the expression of target gene in eukaryotic cells, one of the strongest prokaryotic expression systems, the T7 RNA polymerase and T7 promoter, was introduced into eukaryotic cells. A duel-plasmid gene expression system of T7 bacteriophage components was developed; one containing the T7 phage RNA polymerase gene under the control of eukaryotic promoter CMV (pCMV-T7pol) and the other (pT7IRES) containing the T7 promoter and T7 terminator as well as EMCV IRES. To test the feasibility of this plasmid system for eukaryotic expression, hepatitis B virus envelop HBV preS2/S was used to construct pT7IRES-HBs. The target genes were expressed efficiently by the eukaryonized prokaryotic expression system in a variety of the cells indicating C2C12, SP2/0, NIH3T3 and BALB/c 3T3, suggesting the potential applications of the expression system in gene therapy and gene immunization.

Animals↗

Identification of target genes of the lymphoid-specific transcription factor Oct2.

The Oct2 transcription factor is expressed predominantly in B lymphocytes and plays an essential role during the terminal phase of B cell differentiation. The regulatory regions of several genes specifically expressed in B cells contain functional binding sites for Oct2. Nevertheless, none of the genes originally thought to be regulated by Oct2 were affected in their expression in Oct2-deficient B cells. In an attempt to find such elusive Oct2 target genes and to understand the molecular function of Oct2 in B cell development, we isolated cDNAs for Oct2 target genes. So far, we have identified five potential targets for Oct2: the membrane glycoprotein CD36, the cysteine-rich secreted protein 3 (CRISP-3), a mouse homolog of the human monocyte/neutrophil elastase inhibitor (mEI) and two unknown cDNA sequences Nov1 and Nov2. These target genes show quite distinct expression patterns demonstrating that transcription factors in addition to Oct2 are involved in their regulation. Whereas CD36 and mEI were expressed in all hematopoetic cell lines containing Oct2,. CRISP-3 is pre-B cell-specific, Nov1 is plasma B cell-specific and Nov2 is B cell-specifically expressed.

Animals↗

Gene targeting at the chromosomal immunoglobulin locus: a model system for the study of mammalian homologous recombination mechanisms.

Plasmid DNA transfected into mammalian cells can integrate into mammalian chromosomes by homologous recombination. This phenomenon, known as gene targeting, can be used as a tool to investigate mammalian homologous recombination mechanisms. The chromosomal immunoglobulin (Ig) genes as they are presented in mouse hybridoma cells have several advantages that render them particularly amenable to gene targeting. Here, we present the basic methods currently in use in our laboratory that exploit this system to investigate mammalian gene targeting mechanisms.

Animals↗

Chromosomal localization of phospholipase A2 activating protein, an Ets2 target gene, to 9p21.

A murine Ets2 target gene isolated by differential display cloning was identified as the phospholipase A2 activating protein (PLAA) gene. A 2.7-kb human cDNA demonstrating high homology to mouse and rat Plaa genes was then isolated and characterized. Human PLAA contains six WD-40 repeat motifs and three different protein kinase consensus domains. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping placed PLAA on chromosome 9p21, a region frequently deleted in various cancers. A comprehensive mapping strategy was employed to define further the chromosomal localization of PLAA relative to CDKN2A within the 9p21 locus. Radiation hybrid mapping placed the gene 7.69 cR from WI-5735 (LOD >3.0), a marker in close proximity to CDKN2A and CDKN2B. Yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) mapping localized PLAA proximal to the CDKN2A/CDKN2B genes and to a region flanked by D9S171 and INFA commonly deleted in many neoplasms. Two YACs contained both PLAA and D9S259, a marker present in a second more proximal minimal deleted region observed in cutaneous melanoma and squamous cell lung carcinoma. Double-color fiber FISH mapping confirmed the location of PLAA centromeric to D9S171 and CDKN2A/CDKN2B. The mapping data suggest a possible tumor suppressor role for this gene.

Animals↗