Is Alu-mediated recombination an important cause of hemophilia?
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The identification and characterization of genes either induced or repressed in human brain tumors are important in understanding the mechanism of tumor initiation and progression, stages of malignancy, in developing new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. In this paper, differential hybridization of arrayed human fetal brain and postnatal brain and postnatal brain cDNA libraries revealed differences in the rate of hybridization signals with total cDNA probes of the human brain and glioblastoma multiforme for more than 150 cDNA clones. Sixteen nucleotide sequences with changed contents in tumors were identified by repeated differential hybridization of the cDNA clones selected by primary screening with the same total cDNA probes of the human brain and glioblastoma multiforme and by Northern-hybridization of RNA samples from the human and glial tumors. The results of an analysis of the increased expression of the gene encoding apolipoprotein E. DNA-binding protein B, mitochondrial (16S and 12S) and cytoplasmic 28S rRNAs, Alu-containing transcripts, inactivation of cullin 1 gene and potential tumor suppressor gene TSC-22 are described.
Determining the amount of human DNA extracted from a crime scene sample is an important step in DNA profiling. The forensic community relies almost entirely upon a technique (slot blot) to quantitate human DNA that is imprecise, time consuming, and labor intensive. This paper describes the development of a new technique based on PCR amplification of a repetitive Alu sequence. Specific primers were used to amplify a 124-bp fragment of Alu sequence; amplification was detected by SYBR Green I staining in a fluorescent plate reader. To reduce background in the plate reader assay, QSY-7 labeled primers were utilized. The assay was tested on animal DNAs, human blood spots, mock crime samples, and degraded DNA in comparison with the slot blot technique. The QSY Alu assay has a dynamic range of 10 ng to 10 pg, and is sensitive, specific, fast, quantitative, and comparable in cost to the slot blot assay.
The autosomal gene pool of Yakuts was analyzed with a panel of polymorphic Alu insertions. The observed allele frequencies were typical for other Asian ethnic groups. Genetic differentiation of three Yakut populations was relatively high, 2%. East Siberian ethnic groups were shown to have a common gene pool and to experience no intense gene flow from other populations. Development of the Yakut gene pool was assumed to involve no substantial genetic effect of neighboring populations. The results fit both autochthonous and southern origin hypotheses.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of thalidomide on bone marrow cells gene expression in multiple myeloma (MM) patients with suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and explore the molecular mechanism of thalidomide therapy for MM. METHODS: In a MM patient receiving thalidomide therapy and bone marrow cell from himself, total RNA extraction, mRNA isolation and cDNA synthesis were carried out respectively with routine procedures. SSH were performed in A and B group respectively. The subtracted cDNA was selectively amplified by suppression PCR. The product was inserted into T vector, and then transfected into the competent host JM109. So two subtractive libraries were constructed. After blue-white screening, colonies were selected and plasmids extracted. Homologous comparation was conducted in GenBank. RESULTS: In group A, seven clones were isolated, including ribosomal protein L19 (HUMAN), IgG lambda chain v-v region (HUMAN), contains Alu repetitive element, NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 2, elongation factor 1-gamma, human beta globin region, and 40S ribosomal protein S4 (HUMAN). In group B, six clones were isolated, including cytochrome B, up-regulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (VDUP1), NADH- ubiquinone oxidoreductase 20 Kd subunit, mu-calpain large subunit, tumor protein, translationally-controlled 1 (TPT1) and COATOMER alpha subunit. CONCLUSION: Thalidomide induces apoptosis and antiangiogenesis by down-regulating some genes and up-regulating some others genes.
In 75 male and 46 female subjects of an urban population (93% Russians) and in 38 males and 40 females of a rural population (87% Russians), the antioxidant activity (AOA) of blood plasma was determined from the plasma ability to reduce the yield of products interacting with thiobarbituric acid in the model lecithin-Fe2+ ion system. In the urban population, the loci TF (AvaI in exon5) and ACE (I/D polymorphism of the Alu repeat in intron16) were studied in 130 and 141 subjects, respectively. Of them, 102 and 111 subjects, respectively, were examined for AOA. In the rural population, the corresponding sample sizes were 75 and 76 (73 and 74 subjects were examined for AOA). The polymorphic loci of the urban and rural populations did not differ in the allele frequencies. In both populations Hardy--Weinberg and gametic equilibria were observed. The contributions of the TF and ACE genes to AOA variation in the combined sample from the urban and rural populations were 0.6 and 0.5%, respectively.
Destabilization of the genome seems to be an important step in the generation of drug resistance. Since malignant melanoma is extremely resistant to chemotherapy, we used human melanoma cell lines as a model to investigate the putative role of genomic instability in the appearance of drug resistance. Drug-resistant variants were obtained with MNNG, BiCNU, doxorubicin and 6-thioguanine selection of melanoma cell lines. Genomic alterations in variant cells were detected by arbitrarily primed PCR of Alu-I digested DNA (Alu-I-AP-PCR). Two differential DNA bands from 6-TG-resistant cell variants were sequenced. One is homologous to intron 25 of the neural cell adhesion molecule L1 and the second to endogenous retroviral LTR sequences. We have shown that drug-resistant melanoma cell lines accumulate genomic alterations that are efficiently detected by Alu I-AP-PCR and that drug-resistant variants show genomic instability, including variations in LTR sequences, which may be associated with the appearance of the drug resistance phenotype.
Phototransduction in retinal rods involves a G-protein-mediated signaling cascade that leads to cGMP hydrolysis and the closure of a cGMP-gated channel. This channel has recently been purified from bovine retina and molecularly cloned (Kaupp et al., 1989). We report here the cloning of cDNA and genomic DNA encoding the human rod cGMP-gated channel, based upon its homology to the bovine counterpart. The human mRNA structure differs from the bovine in containing an Alu repetitive element spliced into the 5' untranslated region. The human cGMP-gated channel gene (CNCG) is located on chromosome 4 and contains at least 10 exons. One large exon encodes the carboxy-terminal two-thirds of the protein, whereas seven small exons encode the amino-terminal one-third of the protein. Alternative splicing removes one of the small exons in a subset of transcripts in the human retina, producing an internal in-frame deletion of 36 codons. When expressed in a human embryonic kidney cell line (293S), the full-length cDNA clone, but not the differentially spliced variant, produced functional ion channels broadly similar to the native channels in vertebrate rods.
To identify molecular features of neoplasms associated with EB virus, human peripheral blood lymphocytes (huPBL) were isolated from healthy volunteer donors and were transplanted intraperitoneally into SCID mice, and then huPBL/SCID mice were infected with EB virus. Serum levels of human IgG were measured by unidirectional immunodiffusion assay. Human Alu sequence and EBER-1 in tumor tissues were detected with PCR and in situ hybridization. Immunohistochemical staining was used to examine leukocyte differentiation antigens (LCA, L26, UCHL1, PS1), viral gene products (LMP1, EBNA2, BZLF1) and cellular oncoproteins (p53, C-myc, Bcl-2 and Bax). The experiments showed that tumors developed in 24 of 34 surviving huPBL/SCID mice by EBV infection. Histopathological and immunohistochemical observations demonstrated that all of the induced tumors in SCID mice were malignant lymphomas derived from human B-lymphocytes. In situ hybridization showed that tumor cells had EBV-encoded small RNA-1 (i.e. EBER-1). Alu sequence could be amplified by PCR from human genome of tumor tissues. Immunohistochemistry detected positive staining of BZLF1-encoded protein in a small population of tumor cells of almost all cases, and positive staining of LMP1 and EBNA2 only in small number of tumor cells. Human IgG could be found in the serum of 12 SCID mice on the 15th day after huPBL engraftment, and then increased with time and with the development of induced tumors in 6 mice. Positive rates of p53, C-myc, Bcl-2 and Bax expression were 83.33%, 100%, 95.83%, 91.67%, respectively, in 24 cases of the EBV-induced lymphomas. The results indicate that molecular lesions associated with the induced B-cell lymphoma involved EBV infection, expression of oncogenic viral genes, and abnormal expression of cellular oncogenes in human xenografts. Human IgG level in the serum of huPBL/SCID mice can be considered as a useful index for tumor development.
Real-time RT-PCR using fluorescence dyes (e.g. SYBR Green I) is currently the most sensitive and precise method for investigation of RNA level and has long been widely used for absolute and relative quantification of mRNA in the cell. This highly sensitive method allows measurement of different type RNA level in the cell based on the kinetics of the corresponding double-stranded cDNA amplification. Upon its binding to the minor groove of double-stranded DNA, SYBR Green I dye increases its fluorescence about 100-fold, and this increase can be recorded even at early cycles of amplification. During the real-time RT-PCR procedure the level of amplified DNA is measured after every cycle of amplification, which permits to perform quantification at the cycles when amplification curve has not yet reached the "plateau" range and corresponds to the range of exponential increase in DNA amount. This approach makes it possible to avoid misinterpretation of data typical of conventional PCR methods "in the end point" and caused by a deficiency of one or more reaction components at the late PCR cycles. We applied for the first time real-time RT-PCR using SYBR Green I for the measurement of the class III genes RNA-product level, that is, small stable non-translated RNAs--ribosomal 5S rRNA, initiator transfer RNAiMet1, and Alu-RNA, synthesized by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase III. We investigated the level of 5S rRNA-, tRNA- and Alu-gene expression in the cell being in different states: with prolonged generation period, activated to proliferation, and apoptotic. The expression level was judged from the content of corresponding RNA-products in the total cellular RNA. The used approach enabled us to find out the specific RNA share in the total cell RNA. Human epidermoid carcinoma cells A431 were used as a model for investigating class III gene expression level in vivo. These cells expose on their surface an abnormally large amount of receptors to epidermoid growth factor (EGF), and the result of EGF action on A431 cells depends on the growth factor concentration. Low concentrations of EGF (0.1 ng/ml) cause active proliferation of A431 cells, but its high concentrations (10-100 ng/ml) cause apoptosis in these cells. Besides, upon growing in serum-free media, A431 cells continue to proliferate, but by this extending the generation period to 48 h, against 30 h on growing in serum-containing media. Hence, A431 cells can serve as a useful model for investigation of specific gene expression level in cells being in different physiological states, in both slowly and actively proliferating cells, and in apoptotic cells. For successful use of real-time RT-PCR in 5S rRNA, tRNAi(Met)1 and Alu-RNA level quantification, we optimized the amplification reaction conditions. We took into account that the share of each particular RNA in the cell may vary--the share of ribosomal RNA is high, tRNAi(Met)1--low, and Alu-RNA--very low. Moreover, the level of some small RNAs (e.g. Alu-RNA) can vary significantly in cells of different lines. This explains why the amount of cDNA, gained by reverse transcription of total cellular RNA, and the concentration of specific primers used for PCR were different in each case. We showed that the expression of different class III genes--5S rRNA-, tRNA- and Alu-genes, was not similarly regulated in response to external stimuli, causing prolongation of generation period, activation of proliferation and apoptosis. 5S rRNA level was practically the same in A431 cells both having prolonged generation period and being activated by EGF in low concentration, but in apoptotic cells this level dramatically fell about 8-fold. Alu-RNA level was equal in cells with prolonged generation period and in apoptotic cells, and increased about 2-fold in cells activated by EGF in low concentration. The initiator tRNAi(Met)1 level in cells activated by EGF in low concentration and in apoptotic cells was by almost two times higher than in cells with prolonged generation period. The data obtained testify that the real-time RT-PCR method using SYBR Green I yields highly reliable and reproducible quantification for the level of class III gene RNA-products--small stable RNAs (5S rRNA, tRNA and Alu-RNA). Examination of each specific RNA level requires individual selection for the amplification reaction conditions: the amount of cDNA and primer concentration in the sample. This is primarily caused by different expression levels in some particular class III genes within the frames of the cells, and by different levels of some small stable RNAs (e. g. Alu-RNA) in different cell lines. Special attention must be paid to the internal control for discriminating between specific RNA levels in proliferating and apoptotic cells, as in the late apoptosis RNAs of most types are degraded (for example, mRNA of "house-keeping" gene for RPLP0 protein, used as a possible internal control in our experiments). As far as the applied approach allows estimation of a specific RNA share in the total cellular RNA, we propose to chose as internal control mRNA, whose share doesn't change during the total RNA degradation in apoptosis and thus, mRNA degradation is not selective (in relation to other type RNAs). In that way, the real-time RT-PCR method, which is currently the most sensitive and precise method for quantification of RNA in the cell, holds much promise for the investigation of not only different mRNAs, but also small stable RNAs, synthesized by RNA polymerase III.
Tumor cell growth and differentiation involve several molecular mechanisms that control gene expression and define specific genomic molecular profiles in cancer cells. Among these mechanisms, it has been shown that Alu-repetitive sequences are capable of regulating gene expression at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels, and also of modulating cellular growth, differentiation and tumor suppression. Furthermore, repetitive sequences have also been implicated in alternative RNA splicing, although the specific mechanisms involved remain unknown. Nonetheless, exactly what the involvement of Alu-containing sequences in tumor cell growth and differentiation is or to what extent they might be related to tumorigenesis or to alternative splicing is not yet clear. In order to address some of these issues, we analyzed the level of expression of Alu-containing sequences in renal tumors and cell lines and their association with immunoprecipitated ribonucleoprotein splicing complexes in nuclear RNA fractions. Over-expression of Alu-containing sequences was detected in the poly(A)-RNA fractions of all analyzed tumors and cell lines. Furthermore, Alu-sequences were associated with tumor cell growth and differentiation and found overexpressed in purified small nuclear ribonucleoprotein fractions. Overall, our results suggest the involvement of Alu-sequences in the overexpression of Alu-containing-mRNAs in human tumors, and also higher processing rates of Alu-containing sequences at the spliceosome associated with tumor cell growth and differentiation.
Determining the amount of human DNA extracted from a crime scene sample is an important step in DNA profiling. The forensic community relies almost entirely upon a technique (slot blot) to quantitate human DNA that is imprecise, time consuming, and labor intensive. We have previously described a method for quantitation of human DNA based on PCR amplification of a repetitive Alu sequence that uses a fluorescence plate reader. This manuscript describes and validates a variation of this assay using real-time PCR and SYBR Green I for quantitation. The advantages of the real-time assay over the plate reader assay are: reduced hands-on time, lower assay cost, and a greater dynamic range. The main disadvantage is the cost of the real-time instrument. However, for those forensic laboratories with access to a real-time instrument, this Alu-based assay has a dynamic range of 16 ng to 1 pg, is sensitive, specific, fast, quantitative, and uses only 2 microL of sample.
Nine Alu loci (Ya5NBC5, Ya5NBC27, Ya5NBC148, Ya5NBC182, YA5NBC361, ACE, ApoA1, PV92, TPA25) were analyzed in six ethnic populations (Trans-Ural Bashkirs, Tatars-Mishars, Mordovians-Moksha, Mountain Maris, Udmurts, and Komi-Permyaks) of the Volga-Ural region and in three Central Asian populations (Uzbeks, Kazakhs, and Uigurs). All Alu insertions analyzed appeared to be polymorphic in all populations examined. The frequency of insertion varied from 0.110 in Mountain Maris at the Ya5NBC5 locus to 0.914 in Tatars at the ApoA1 locus. The data on the allele frequency distribution at nine loci point to the existence of substantial genetic diversity in the populations examined. The value of the observed heterozygosity averaged over nine Alu insertions varied from 0.326 in Mountain Maris to 0.445 in Kazakhs and Uigurs. The level of the interpopulation genetic differences for the Volga-Ural population (Fst = 0.061) was higher than for the populations of Central Asia (Fst = 0.024), Europe (Fst = 0.02), and Southeastern Asia (Fst = 0.018). The populations examined were highly differentiated both in respect of linguistic characteristics and the geographical position. The data obtained confirmed the effectiveness of the marker system used for the assessment of genetic differentiation and the relationships between the ethnic groups.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Using DNA samples obtained from buccal cells for genetic polymorphism analysis in molecular epidemiological studies has been repeatedly reported, but whether DNA from food remnants in mouth influences the result is still concerned. This study was to compare genetic polymorphisms of buccal cell DNA with those of buffy coat DNA, and with plant and animal DNA from foods to rule out the possibility of interference from food remnants, to improve technique of buccal cell collection and elevate DNA yield. METHODS: Buccal cells were collected from mouthwash (40 ml/case) of 62 subjects, and fixed with isopropyl alcohol; buffy coats of peripheral blood were collected from 30 of these subjects. Common foods (rice, greengrocery, soybean, apple, pork, beef, chicken, and duck) were also collected. DNA of all samples was extracted by chloroform-phenol method. NAT2, GSTM1, GSTT1, CYP1A1, and CYP2E1 genetic polymorphisms were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Alu (human mutual DNA sequence) was also tested. RESULTS: DNA yield of 62 individual mouthwash samples was (135.15+/-64.30) microg (22.36-330.70 microg); 30 individual mouthwash samples contained 75%-95% oral epithelial cells with DNA yield of (143.44+/-61.64) microg (51.01-283.58 microg). DNA yield of 30 buffy coat samples was (91.19+/-38.01) microg (30.83-178.63 microg). Electrophoresis showed that all 62 buccal cell samples and 30 buffy coat samples contained DNA fragments in high molecular weight; beta-globin, Alu, NAT2, GSTM1, GSTT1, CYP1A1, and CYP2E1 gene fragments were successfully amplified from 61 buccal cells samples and 30 buffy coat samples, which showed no difference between the 2 kinds of samples from individual collections; these gene fragments were not amplified from all food DNA samples. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of DNA from mouthwash is human-origin. A little amount of food remnants would not influence the measurements of genetic polymorphisms. The genetic polymorphisms show no difference between buccal cell samples and buffy coat samples.
Eight nuclear DNA loci, including six Alu insertions (ACE, APOA1, PV92, TPA25, Ya5NBC27, and Ya5NBC148), 32-bp deletion in the CCR5 gene, and VNTR locus at the eNOS gene, were examined in three ethnogeographic groups of Kazakhs (342 individuals). The individuals examined lived in southeastern, central, and southwestern regions of Kazakhstan, and according to their tribal attribution, belonged to the Senior, Middle, and Junior Zhuzes. The Alu insertions appeared to be polymorphic in all populations examined: the insertion frequency varied from 0.264 in the populations of the Senior and Middle Zhuzes at the Ya5NBC27 and Ya5NBC148 loci, to 0.827 in Kazakhs of the Middle Zhuz at the APOA1 locus. In Kazakh groups examined only two alleles of the eNOS VNTR locus were detected with the number of repeats constituting four (A) and five (B) copies. The highest frequency of A allele was found in Kazakhs from the Junior Zhuz (0.113), while the highest frequency of B allele was detected in population of the Senior Zhuz (0.893). The frequency of the 32-bp deletion in the chemokine receptor CCR5 gene varied from 0.027 in the Junior Zhuz to 0.045 in the Senior Zhuz. Kazakhs showed high genetic diversity (Hex = 0.376). In general, in three ethnogeographic groups of Kazakhs, the coefficient of gene differentiation (G(ST)) over eight diallelic markers of nuclear genome constituted 1.1%. The differences in the Alu insertions made the highest contribution to the among-population diversity (G(ST) = 1.2%).
The forensic community needs quick, reliable methods to quantitate human DNA in crime scene samples to replace the laborious and imprecise slot blot method. A real-time PCR based method has the possibility of allowing development of a faster and more quantitative assay. Alu sequences are primate-specific and are found in many copies in the human genome, making these sequences an excellent target or marker for human DNA. This paper describes the development of a real-time Alu sequence-based assay using MGB Eclipse primers and probes. The advantages of this assay are simplicity, speed, less hands-on-time and automated quantitation, as well as a large dynamic range (128 ng/microL to 0.5 pg/microL).
Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) is a member of the sirtuin deacetylases (sirtuins), which are derivatives of the yeast Silent information regulator 2 (Sir2) protein. SIR2 and its mammalian derivatives play a central role in epigenetic gene silencing, recombination, metabolism, cell differentiation and in the regulation of aging. In contrast to most sirtuins, SIRT6 lacks NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase activity. We have isolated and characterized the human Sirt6 genomic sequence, which spans a region of 8,427 bp and which has one single genomic locus. Determination of the exon-intron splice junctions found the full-length SIRT6 protein to consist of 8 exons ranging in size from 60 bp (exon 4) to 838 bp (exon 8). The human Sirt6 open reading frame encodes a 355-aa protein with a predictive molecular weight of 39.1 kDa and an isoelectric point of 9.12. Characterization of the 5' flanking genomic region, which precedes the Sirt6 open reading frame, revealed a TATA- and CCAAT-box less promoter with an approximately 300-bp long CpG island. A number of AML-1 and GATA-x transcription factor binding sites were found which remain to be further evaluated experimentally. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis localized the human Sirt6 gene to chromosome 19p13.3; a region which is frequently affected by chromosomal alterations in acute leukemia. Human SIRT6 appears to be most predominantly expressed in bone cells and in the ovaries while, in the bone marrow, it is practically absent. The functional characteristics of SIRT6 are essentially unknown at present and remain to be elucidated.