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Organization, structure, chromosomal assignment, and expression of the gene encoding the human endothelin-A receptor.

We have isolated and characterized the gene for the human endothelin-A receptor. Southern blot analyses demonstrated a single copy gene for the receptor. The gene spans more than 40 kilobases and contains eight exons and seven introns. Intron 1 exists in the 5'-noncoding region, and introns 2-7 occur in the coding region. The locations of introns 2-7 exist before or after the regions encoding the membrane-spanning domains. The transcription start site, determined by primer extension experiments, is 502 base pairs upstream of the methionine initiation codon. The 5'-flanking region lacks a typical TATA box but contains a potential SP-1-binding site 27 base pairs upstream of the transcription start site. Using human-rodent somatic hybrid cell DNA, the gene was assigned to human chromosome 4. Northern blot analyses revealed a 4.3-kilobase mRNA in a wide variety of human tissues, at the highest level in the aorta and at a substantial level in the cultured human mesangial cells. This is the first report of cloning of a gene for a member of the endothelin receptor family. The present study should give a clue to the discovery of possible disorders of the endothelin-A receptor, as well as facilitate the elucidation of the mechanisms by which the gene expression is regulated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structure, chromosomal assignment, and expression of the gene for proteinase-3. The Wegener's granulomatosis autoantigen.

Proteinase-3 (PR-3) is a neutral serine proteinase present in the azurophil granules of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. It degrades a variety of extracellular matrix proteins including elastin in vitro and causes emphysema when administered by tracheal insufflation to hamsters. It is identical to the target autoantigen (c-ANCA) associated with Wegener's granulomatosis and to myeloblastin, a serine proteinase first identified in HL-60 leukemia cells. In this study, the gene encoding PR-3 was cloned and sequenced. The gene spans approximately 6.5 kilobase pairs and consists of five exons and four introns. The genomic organization of PR-3 is similar to that of the other serine proteinases expressed in hemopoietic cells. Each residue of the catalytic triad of PR-3 is located on a separate exon, and the positions of the residues within the exons are similar to those in human leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G. The phase and placement of the introns in the PR-3 gene are also similar to those in human leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G. The 400-base pair (bp) 5'-flanking sequence of the PR-3 gene contains a TATA box at position 379. There is no CAAT box promoter element. The 3'-untranslated region is 200 bp, extending from a TGA stop codon to the site of polyadenylation 10 bp after the canonical AATAAA signal. Amplification of PR-3 from a human/hamster hybrid cell line localizes the gene to human chromosome 19. Evidence from Northern analysis suggests that PR-3 expression is primarily confined to the promyelocytic/myelocytic stage of bone marrow development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structure, chromosomal assignment, and deduced amino acid sequence of a human gene for mast cell chymase.

A gene encoding human chymase was cloned and sequenced. The protein-coding exons reveal a preproenzyme with a 19-amino acid signal peptide, an acidic 2-amino acid propeptide, and a 226-amino acid catalytic domain. The mature enzyme is predicted to be cationic (net charge of +13) and to be modified by N-glycosylation at two sites. The amino acid sequence is identical to the 35 residues of NH2-terminal amino acid sequence reported for human skin chymase and is identical to 29 of 31 residues of NH2-terminal and internal amino acid sequence reported for human heart chymase. The full predicted sequence of the catalytic domain reveals a high level of sequence identity to dog mast cell chymase (83%) and a lower level of identity to the sequences of rodent chymases (58-62%). In the phase and placement of introns, the organization of this human chymase gene is similar to that of several other granule-associated leukocyte serine proteases, including rat chymase II, lymphocyte granzymes, and neutrophil cathespin G and elastase. However, the gene organization differs from that of mast cell tryptase, providing additional evidence that the major mast cell serine proteases are separated by substantial evolutionary distance. Amplification of chymase gene-specific fragments from hamster/human hybrid cell line DNA suggests localization of the chymase gene to human chromosome 14. High stringency hybridization of chymase DNA to a human genomic DNA blot suggests the possibility of more than one human chymase gene. Evidence that the chymase gene is expressed in human tissues was obtained by the amplification of chymase-specific DNA from skin and placental cDNA libraries.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular structure, chromosome assignment, and promoter organization of the human matrix Gla protein gene.

Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is an 84-residue vitamin K-dependent protein initially isolated from bovine bone. MGP is also expressed at high levels in heart, kidney, and lung and is up-regulated by vitamin D in bone cells. To characterize the genomic sequences responsible for the regulated expression of this gene, we screened a human genomic library using a MGP cDNA probe and obtained two clones containing the MGP locus. The human MGP gene spans 3.9 kilobases of chromosomal DNA and consists of four exons separated by three large intervening sequences which account for more than 80% of the gene. Southern analysis of total human genomic DNA indicated the presence of a single copy of the MGP gene. Hybridization of the hMGP cDNA to a series of Chinese Hamster x human hybrid clones assigned this gene to the short arm of the human chromosome 12 (12p). The N-terminal sequences of the known vitamin K-dependent vertebrate proteins reveal a transmembrane signal peptide, followed by a putative gamma-carboxylation recognition site and a Gla-containing domain. Each of these regions correspond to a separate exon in MGP. MGP also contains a fourth exon of unknown function which codes for 11 residues and lies between the transmembrane signal peptide and the putative recognition site for the gamma-carboxylase. This four-exon organization is essentially identical to that of bone Gla protein and is quite different from the two exon organization encoding this region in the other known vitamin K-dependent proteins. Analysis of the MGP gene promoter revealed, in addition to the typical TATA and CAT boxes, the presence of a number of putative regulatory sequences homologous to previously identified hormone and transcription factor responsive elements. In particular, two regions of the promoter were delineated containing possible binding sites for retinoic acid and vitamin D receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular analysis of structural chromosome changes affecting chromosome band 11q23.

Involvement of the ets-1 proto-oncogene located at chromosome band 11q23 was studied in six tumors and in a congenital chromosome abnormality affecting the 11q23 region, in order to determine whether the breakpoint of these rearrangements was identical at the molecular level. In multiple restriction digestions a 5.4 kb EcoRI genomic probe of the c-ets-1 gene did not detect rearrangements in any of these samples. Thus, in these tumors the break in DNA was not within the domain of c-ets-1 recognized by this probe. However, after digestion with XbaI enzyme the probe detected a 2.4 kb polymorphic allele in placental DNA. One tumor DNA sample showed homozygosity for this polymorphic allele. In order to determine the frequency of this polymorphic allele, DNA from 50 additional tumors and from the blood of nine healthy donors was analyzed. DNA from one tumor showed homozygosity for the polymorphic allele. In the 67 DNA samples studied, 17.9 per cent were heterozygous for the polymorphic site and 3 per cent were homozygous for the polymorphic site. Thus, the overall frequency of the polymorphic allele in these samples was 0.111.

Adolescent↗

[A theoretical model of structural chromosome rearrangement induction].

A theoretical model to explain the occurrence of chromosome rearrangements at the DNA molecular level is proposed. It involves: (10) breakage of one strand of each DNA molecule; (20) enzymatic digestion by an exonuclease of a short sequence of bases adjacent to the lesion, hence the presence of a short monocatenar segment on the complementary strand; (30) association of two monocatenar sequences if they are sufficiently complementary hence the formation of an X-shaped heteroduplex; (40) repair synthesis of DNA and, during this repair, an exhange of strands identical to that occuring in sister-chromatid exchanges, hence the rearrangement. This model has the advantage of necessitating one single breakpoint per DNA molecule, and explains the efficiency of radiations with low linear transfer of energy, such as X- and gamma-rays. It also explains how rearrangements such as translocations can be totally balanced since they would occur base to base within identical sequences.

Chromosome Aberrations↗