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Expression of a Cs(+)-resistant guard cell K+ channel confers Cs(+)-resistant, light-induced stomatal opening in transgenic arabidopsis.

Inward-rectifying K+ (K+in) channels in the guard cell plasma membrane have been suggested to function as a major pathway for K+ influx into guard cells during stomatal opening. When K+in channels were blocked with external Cs+ in wild-type Arabidopsis guard cells, light-induced stomatal opening was reduced. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants were generated that expressed a mutant of the guard cell K+in channel, KAT1, which shows enhanced resistance to the Cs+ block. Stomata in these transgenic lines opened in the presence of external Cs+. Patch-clamp experiments with transgenic guard cells showed that inward K+(in) currents were blocked less by Cs+ than were K+ currents in controls. These data provide direct evidence that KAT1 functions as a plasma membrane K+ channel in vivo and that K+in channels constitute an important mechanism for light-induced stomatal opening. In addition, biophysical properties of K+in channels in guard cells indicate that components in addition to KAT1 may contribute to the formation of K+in channels in vivo.

Arabidopsis↗

Development and prevention of advanced diabetic nephropathy in RAGE-overexpressing mice.

Vascular complications arising from multiple environmental and genetic factors are responsible for many of the disabilities and short life expectancy associated with diabetes mellitus. Here we provide the first direct in vivo evidence that interactions between advanced glycation end products (AGEs; nonenzymatically glycosylated protein derivatives formed during prolonged hyperglycemic exposure) and their receptor, RAGE, lead to diabetic vascular derangement. We created transgenic mice that overexpress human RAGE in vascular cells and crossbred them with another transgenic line that develops insulin-dependent diabetes shortly after birth. The resultant double transgenic mice exhibited increased hemoglobin A(1c) and serum AGE levels, as did the diabetic controls. The double transgenic mice demonstrated enlargement of the kidney, glomerular hypertrophy, increased albuminuria, mesangial expansion, advanced glomerulosclerosis, and increased serum creatinine compared with diabetic littermates lacking the RAGE transgene. To our knowledge, the development of this double transgenic mouse provides the first animal model that exhibits the renal changes seen in humans. Furthermore, the phenotypes of advanced diabetic nephropathy were prevented by administering an AGE inhibitor, (+/-)-2-isopropylidenehydrazono-4-oxo-thiazolidin-5-ylacetanilide (OPB-9195), thus establishing the AGE-RAGE system as a promising target for overcoming this aspect of diabetic pathogenesis.

Animals↗

Dominant-negative effect of a mutant cardiac troponin T on cardiac structure and function in transgenic mice.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease of sarcomeric proteins. The mechanism by which mutant sarcomeric proteins cause HCM is unknown. The leading hypothesis proposes that mutant sarcomeric proteins exert a dominant-negative effect on myocyte structure and function. To test this, we produced transgenic mice expressing low levels of normal or mutant human cardiac troponin T (cTnT). We constructed normal (cTnT-Arg92) and mutant (cTnT-Gln92) transgenes, driven by a murine cTnT promoter, and produced three normal and five mutant transgenic lines, which were identified by PCR and Southern blotting. Expression levels of the transgene proteins, detected using a specific antibody, ranged from 1 to 10% of the total cTnT pool. M-mode and Doppler echocardiography showed normal left ventricular dimensions and systolic function, but diastolic dysfunction in the mutant mice evidenced by a 50% reduction in the E/A ratio of mitral inflow velocities. Histological examination showed cardiac myocyte disarray in the mutant mice, which amounted to 1-15% of the total myocardium, and a twofold increase in the myocardial interstitial collagen content. Thus, the mutant cTnT-Gln92, responsible for human HCM, exerted a dominant-negative effect on cardiac structure and function leading to disarray, increased collagen synthesis, and diastolic dysfunction in transgenic mice.

Animals↗

Accumulation of extracellular matrix and developmental dysregulation in the pancreas by transgenic production of transforming growth factor-beta 1.

Transgenic mice expressing transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in the pancreatic beta-islet cells directed by human insulin promoter were produced to study in vivo effects of TGF-beta 1. Fibroblast proliferation and abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix were observed from birth onward, finally replacing almost all the exocrine pancreas. Cellular infiltrates comprising macrophages and neutrophils were also observed. Plasminogen activator inhibitor was induced in the transgenic pancreas as well as fibronectin and laminin, partly explaining accumulation of extracellular matrix. TGF-beta 1 inhibited proliferation of acinar cells in vivo as evidenced by decreased bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Development of pancreatic islets was dysregulated, resulting in small islet cell clusters without formation of normal adult islets; however, the overall islet cell mass was not significantly diminished. Additional transgenic lines with less pronounced phenotypes had less expression of TGF-beta 1 transgene. These findings suggest that TGF-beta 1 might be a mediator of diseases associated with extracellular matrix deposition such as chronic pancreatitis, and this mouse model will be useful for further analysis of the in vivo effects of TGF-beta 1, including its potential for immunosuppression.

Animals↗

[Demonstration by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry of human insulin gene expression cells in medial habenula of transgenic mice].

In transgenic mice carrying a human insulin transgene, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry detected a cerebral site of expression of the human insulin gene. The gene construct that was introduced into the mouse genome included 168 base pairs (bp) upstream from the transcription unit of the human insulin gene. The human gene transcript and the corresponding proteins were detected in a cell subset of the medial habenula. This was found in 20 mice from three independent transgenic lines, indicating that expression was not dependent upon the insertion site of the transgene. When the DNA fragment upstream from the transcription unit was either larger (258 bp) or smaller (58 bp), this extrapancreatic expression of the human insulin transgene was not found. This result suggests that a sequence between nucleotides -58 and -168 might be responsible for an ectopic expression of the human insulin gene, specifically in habenular cells.

Animals↗

Visualization of microglia in living tissues using Iba1-EGFP transgenic mice.

Microglia are thought to play important roles not only in repairing injured tissue but in regulating neuronal activity, and visualizing the cells is very useful as a means of further investigating the function of microglia in vivo. We previously cloned the ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) gene, which is expressed selectively in microglia/microphages. To generate new transgenic mice to visualize microglia with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), we here constructed a plasmid carrying EGFP cDNA under control of the Iba1 promoter. This construct was injected into C57B/6 mouse zygotes, and the Iba1-EGFP transgenic line was developed. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization analysis revealed that the Iba1-EGFP transgene was located on chromosome 11D. No obvious defects were observed during development or in adulthood, and the EGFP fluorescence remained invariant over the course of at least four generations. Judging from the immunoreactivity with anti-Iba1 antibody, all EGFP-positive cells in the adult brain were ramified microglia. In the developing transgenic embryos, EGFP signals were detected as early as embryonic Day 10.5. The most prominent EGFP signals were found in forebrain, spinal cord, eye, foreleg, yolk sac, liver, and vessel walls. At postnatal Day 6, clear EGFP signals were observed in the supraventricular corpus callosum, known as "fountain of microglia", where ameboid microglia migrate into the brain parenchyma and mature into ramified microglia. Iba1-EGFP transgenic mice thus permit observation of living microglia under a fluorescence microscope and provide a useful tool for studying the function of microglia in vivo.

Animals↗

Position-independent expression of transgenes in zebrafish.

The variability in expression patterns of transgenes, caused by the influence of neighboring chromatin, is called 'position effect'. Border elements are DNA sequences, which have the ability to alleviate position effects. The abilities of two types of border elements, scs/scs' from the D. melanogaster 87A7 heat shock locus and the A-element from the chicken lysozyme gene, to protect transgenes from position effects were quantified in developing zebrafish embryos. The transgenic construct used was FV3CAT, which consists of the carp beta-actin transcriptional regulatory region, the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene and the 3'-untranslated region from the Chinook salmon growth hormone gene. FV3CAT constructs flanked by either scs/scs'-elements or A-elements were introduced into zebrafish chromosomes and the spatial and temporal expression patterns of the transgenes were quantified in multiple generations of transgenic zebrafish. Levels of transgene expression were uniform in the pre-differentiated and fully differentiated populations of cells present during embryonic development. Levels of transgene expression were proportional to the numbers of integrated transgenes. Expression of transgenes per cell varied less than two-fold in different transgenic lines. Both types of border elements were able to prevent the influences of neighboring chromatin on transgene expression through three generations of fish. The results are consistent with the ability of border elements to function with equal efficiencies in the many cell types found in vertebrates. Thus, inclusion of border elements in genetic constructs can provide reliable and reproducible levels of gene expression in multiple lines of fish.

Animals↗

A sensitized genetic screen to identify novel regulators and components of the Drosophila janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway.

The JAK/STAT pathway exerts pleiotropic effects on a wide range of developmental processes in Drosophila. Four key components have been identified: Unpaired, a secreted ligand; Domeless, a cytokine-like receptor; Hopscotch, a JAK kinase; and Stat92E, a STAT transcription factor. The identification of additional components and regulators of this pathway remains an important issue. To this end, we have generated a transgenic line where we misexpress the upd ligand in the developing Drosophila eye. GMR-upd transgenic animals have dramatically enlarged eye-imaginal discs and compound eyes that are normally patterned. We demonstrate that the enlarged-eye phenotype is a result of an increase in cell number, and not cell volume, and arises from additional mitoses in larval eye discs. Thus, the GMR-upd line represents a system in which the proliferation and differentiation of eye precursor cells are separable. Removal of one copy of stat92E substantially reduces the enlarged-eye phenotype. We performed an F1 deficiency screen to identify dominant modifiers of the GMR-upd phenotype. We have identified 9 regions that enhance this eye phenotype and two specific enhancers: C-terminal binding protein and Daughters against dpp. We also identified 20 regions that suppress GMR-upd and 13 specific suppressors: zeste-white 13, pineapple eye, Dichaete, histone 2A variant, headcase, plexus, kohtalo, crumbs, hedgehog, decapentaplegic, thickveins, saxophone, and Mothers against dpp.

Animals↗

Pituitary estrogen receptor alpha and dopamine subtype 2 receptor gene expression in transgenic mice with overproduction of heterologous growth hormones.

Pituitary somatotrophs are suppressed in mice transgenic for human (h) or bovine (b) growth hormone (GH) genes fused with metallothionein (MT) or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) promoters. Previous morphologic studies revealed that lactotrophs are inhibited in hGH transgenic lines probably due to prolactin-like effects of hGH whereas in female bGH transgenics, the lactotrophs are stimulated. In the present study, estrogen receptor (ERalpha) mRNA was studied by autoradiographic in situ hybridization (ISH), ERalpha protein by immunocytochemistry, and dopamine subtype 2 receptor (D2R) mRNA by ISH. In MT/ and PEPCK/hGH transgenic mice, silver grains signaling ERalpha mRNA were significantly decreased compared to controls; the reduction was stronger in males (8.6 and 37%) than in females (4.6 and 11%). The decrease in the number of ERalpha-immunoreactive nuclei followed the same pattern (13.3 and 6% in males vs 3.2 and 5.2% in females). In MT/hGH mice the D2R mRNA signal was significantly increased in males (6 and 15.4%) and females (16%). In MT/bGH transgenics, ERalpha mRNA and ERalpha-immunoreactive nuclei were significantly increased (25 and 6%) only in males; D2R mRNA was more decreased in females (23%) than in males (15%). In conclusion, the opposite changes in ERalpha and D2R gene expressions are correlated with lactotroph inhibition in hGH transgenic mice and their stimulation in bGH transgenic mice. The changes in ERalpha expression were stronger in males, whereas those of D2R were more pronounced in females.

Animals↗

High-level constitutive expression of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and lack of protection against tumor necrosis factor-induced lethal shock in transgenic mice.

alpha 1-Acid glycoprotein (AGP) is an acute phase protein produced by hepatocytes. Although its exact biological function remains controversial, it was shown to protect galactosamine-sensitized or normal mice against hepatitis and lethal shock induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Rat-AGP-transgenic mice, constitutively producing several mg AGP per ml serum were tested for their response to a combined challenge with TNF and D-(+)-galactosamine. A previously characterized, single transgenic line (9.5-5) was used. In contrast to our expectations both heterozygous or homozygous transgenic mice were not protected by the endogenously overproduced AGP. However, both transgenic and non-transgenic mice were protected by pretreatment with interleukin-1, an effect which we believe is mediated by the induction of acute phase proteins like AGP. Furthermore, both types of mice were protected by exogenous bovine AGP, suggesting that the lack of protection by endogenous AGP is not because of a repressed response to AGP. Finally, we demonstrate that purified AGP from the serum of transgenic mice is as protective as the AGP from non-transgenic mice or rats. The results suggest that AGP is protective only when its concentration is rapidly induced, perhaps because the endogenous steady state synthesis of AGP, in non-transgenic as well as transgenic mice, is coupled to the production of an AGP-binding factor. This study provides an interesting example of differences in outcome to a lethal challenge between an acute administered and a chronically produced protective protein.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

Uniform GFP-expression in transgenic medaka (Oryzias latipes) at the F0 generation.

A green fluorescent protein (GFP) cDNA flanked by inverted terminal repeats (ITR) of adeno-associated virus was constructed. The construct sharply improved the efficiency and specificity of the transient expression of genes driven by two general promoters (cytomegalovirus and medaka beta-actin) and one muscle-specific promoter (zebrafish alpha-actin) in transgenic medaka. In addition, treatment with ITR sequence-containing constructs resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of embryos showing uniform GFP-expression at F0. Of the GFP-positive embryos, 34.6% (81/234), 10% (10/60), and 18% (38/212) showed homogenous GFP-expression for the derivative constructs of the cytomegalovirus, alpha-actin, and beta-actin promoters, respectively. As a result of uniform GFP-expression, green fluorescence in founders was (a) extended for an entire lifetime without degradation, and (b) transmitted as a genetic trait to F1 and F2 progeny of some transgenic lines via Mendelian inheritance. A Southern blot analysis revealed a random integration of the transgene into the genome of founders and progeny in both head-to-tail and tail-to-tail concatemerization patterns. Interestingly, some transgenic medaka with uniform and strong fluorescence could be visually noticeable to the unaided eye.

Actins↗

A novel role for a Drosophila homologue of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase in the active transport of cGMP.

cGMP was first discovered in urine, demonstrating that kidney cells extrude this cyclic nucleotide. Drosophila Malpighian tubules provide a model renal system in which a homologue of mammalian PDE (phosphodiesterase) 6 is expressed. In humans, this cG-PDE (cGMP-specific PDE) is specifically expressed in the retinal system, where it controls visual signal transduction. In order to gain insight into the functional role of DmPDE6 (Drosophila PDE6-like enzyme) in epithelial function, we generated transgenic animals with targeted expression of DmPDE6 to tubule Type I (principal) cells. This revealed localization of DmPDE6 primarily at the apical membranes. As expected, overexpression of DmPDE6 resulted in elevated cG-PDE activity and decreased tubule cGMP content. However, such targeted overexpression of DmPDE6 creates a novel phenotype that manifests itself in inhibition of the active transport and efflux of cGMP by tubules. This effect is specific to DmPDE6 action, as no effect on cGMP transport is observed in tubules from a bovine PDE5 transgenic line which display reduced rates of fluid secretion, an effect not seen in DmPDE6 transgenic animals. Specific ablation of DmPDE6 in tubule principal cells, via expression of a targeted DmPDE6 RNAi (RNA interference) transgene, conferred increased active transport of cGMP, confirming a direct role for DmPDE6 in regulating cGMP transport in tubule principal cells. Pharmacological inhibition of DmPDE6 in wild-type tubules using the cG-PDE inhibitor, zaprinast, similarly results in stimulated cGMP transport. We provide the first demonstration of a novel role for a cG-PDE in modulating cGMP transport and efflux.

Animals↗

A PII-like protein in Arabidopsis: putative role in nitrogen sensing.

PII is a protein allosteric effector in Escherichia coli and other bacteria that indirectly regulates glutamine synthetase at the transcriptional and post-translational levels in response to nitrogen availability. Data supporting the notion that plants have a nitrogen regulatory system(s) includes previous studies showing that the levels of mRNA for plant nitrogen assimilatory genes such as glutamine synthetase (GLN) and asparagine synthetase (ASN) are modulated by carbon and organic nitrogen metabolites. Here, we have characterized a PII homolog (GLB1) in two higher plants, Arabidopsis thaliana and Ricinus communis (Castor bean). Each plant PII-like protein has high overall identity to E. coli PII (50%). Western blot analyses reveal that the plant PII-like protein is a nuclear-encoded chloroplast protein. The PII-like protein of plants appears to be regulated at the transcriptional level in that levels of GLB1 mRNA are affected by light and metabolites. To initiate studies of the in vivo function of the Arabidopsis PII-like protein, we have constructed transgenic lines in which PII expression is uncoupled from its native regulation. Analyses of these transgenic plants support the notion that the plant PII-like protein may serve as part of a complex signal transduction network involved in perceiving the status of carbon and organic nitrogen. Thus, the PII protein found in archaea, bacteria, and now in higher eukaryotes (plants) is one of the most widespread regulatory proteins known, providing evidence for an ancestral metabolic regulatory mechanism that may have existed before the divergence of these three domains of life.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Ectopic expression of OsMADS3, a rice ortholog of AGAMOUS, caused a homeotic transformation of lodicules to stamens in transgenic rice plants.

In order to clarify the evolutionary relationship of floral organs between grasses and dicots, we expressed OsMADS3, a rice (Oryza sativa L.) AGAMOUS(AG) ortholog, in rice plants under the control of an Actin1 promoter. As a consequence of the ectopic expression of the OsMADS3, lodicules were homeotically transformed into stamens. In total, the transformation of lodicules to staminoid organs was observed in 18 out of 26 independent transgenic lines. In contrast to the almost complete transformation occurring in lodicules, none of the transgenic plants exhibited any morphological alterations in the palea or the lemma. Our results confirmed the prediction that the lodicule is an equivalent of a dicot petal and that the ABC model can be applied to rice at least for organ specification in lodicules and stamens.

AGAMOUS Protein, Arabidopsis↗

Spatial expression and characterization of a putative ethylene receptor protein NTHK1 in tobacco.

A putative ethylene receptor gene NTHK1 encodes a protein with a putative signal peptide, three transmembrane segments, a putative histidine kinase domain and a putative receiver domain. The receiver domain was expressed in an Escherichia coli expression system, purified and used to generate polyclonal antibodies for immunohistochemistry analysis. The spatial expression of the NTHK1 protein was then investigated. We found that NTHK1 was abundant during flower and ovule development. It was also expressed in glandular hairs, stem, and in leaves that had been wounded. The NTHK1 gene was further introduced into the tobacco plant and we found that, in different transgenic lines, the NTHK1 gene was transcribed to various degrees. Upon ACC treatment, the etiolated transgenic seedlings showed reduced ethylene sensitivity when compared with the control, indicating that NTHK1 is a functional ethylene receptor in plants.

Amino Acids, Cyclic↗

Wild-type p53 transgenic mice exhibit altered differentiation of the ureteric bud and possess small kidneys.

Transgenic mice expressing wild-type murine p53 under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat (MMTV LTR) undergo progressive renal failure due to abnormal kidney development. Similar phenotypes are observed in two transgenic lines that express wild-type p53 within the ureteric bud but not in transgenic animals expressing a dominant-negative p53 mutant allele. Defective differentiation of the ureteric bud, as evidenced by altered marker expression during development, accompanies expression of the p53 transgene. At E17.5-18.5, metanephric mesenchymal cells undergo high rates of apoptosis, and fewer cells than normal are converted to tubular epithelium. As a result, p53 transgenic kidneys grow to only half of their expected size and contain about half of the normal number of nephrons, with compensatory hypertrophy of the glomeruli. In this setting, rather than arrest the cell cycle or induce apoptosis directly, abnormally high levels of wild-type p53 appear to alter cellular differentiation in embryonic ureteric buds and cause secondary effects (apoptosis and inefficient conversion to epithelium) in the adjacent undifferentiated mesenchyme.

Animals↗

Overexpression of the RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1 (RCD1) gene of Arabidopsis causes weak rcd1 phenotype with compromised oxidative-stress responses.

rcd1 is a mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana that is more resistant to methyl viologen, but more sensitive to ozone than the wild type. rcd1-2 is caused by a single nucleotide substitution that results in a premature stop codon at Trp-332. The rcd1-2 mRNA level does not change significantly with the mutation. Since overexpression of rcd1-1 cDNA has been shown to bring about an rcd1-like phenotype, we created and examined the overexpression lines of RCD1 by the use of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The transgenic lines exhibited a weak rcd1-like phenotype, although no resistance to methyl viologen was observed. Further, they fully complemented the aberrant rcd1-2 phenotype. Subcellular localization of RCD1 was examined by transiently expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused with RCD1 in onion epidermal cells. GFP signals are observed as aggregated foci in the inner nuclear matrix-like region.

Arabidopsis↗

Protection against hyperacute xenograft rejection of transgenic rat hearts expressing human decay accelerating factor (DAF) transplanted into primates.

BACKGROUND: Production of transgenic pigs for multiple transgenes is part of a potential strategy to prevent immunological events involved in xenograft rejection. Use of a genetically engineerable rodent as a donor in primates could allow testing in vivo of the effects of different transgenes on controlling xenograft rejection. As a first step in the development of a donor containing multiple transgenes, transgenic rats for human decay-accelerating factor (DAF) were used as heart donors to test their resistance against complement (C)-mediated rejection by non-human primates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Transgenic rats were generated by using a construct containing the human DAF cDNA under the transcriptional control of the endothelial cell (EC)-specific human ICAM-2 promoter. DAF expression was evaluated by immunohistology and by FACS analysis of purified ECs. Resistance of transgenic hearts against C-mediated damage was evaluated by ex vivo perfusion with human serum and by transplantation into cynomolgus monkeys. RESULTS: Immunohistological analysis of DAF expression in several organs from two transgenic lines showed uniform expression on the endothelium of all blood vessels. ECs purified from transgenic hearts showed 50% DAF expression compared to human ECs and >70% reduction of C-dependent cell lysis compared to control rat ECs. Hemizygous transgenic hearts perfused with human serum showed normal function for >60 min vs. 11. 2 +/- 1.7 min in controls. Hemi- or homozygous transgenic hearts transplanted into cynomolgus monkeys showed longer survival (15.2 +/- 7 min and >4.5 hr, respectively) than controls (5.5 +/- 1.4 min). In contrast to hyperacutely rejected control hearts, rejected homozygous DAF hearts showed signs of acute vascular rejection (AVR) characterized by edema, hemorrhage, and an intense PMN infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that endothelial-specific DAF expression increased heart transplant survival in a rat-to-primate model of xenotransplantation. This will aid in the analysis of AVR and of new genes that may inhibit this form of rejection, thus helping to define strategies for the production of transgenic pigs.

Animals↗