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U14 snoRNAs are encoded in introns of human ribosomal protein S13 gene.

During the mapping and sequencing of human ribosomal protein genes, we have found that U14 small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are encoded in introns of the ribosomal protein S13 gene. PCR cloning and sequencing have been employed to obtain the intron-containing (functional) human S13 gene and to eliminate a number of the processed pseudogenes. The S13 gene consists of six exons and five introns and spans a genomic region of 3.3 kb. U14 snoRNA genes are positioned in introns 3 and 5 of the S13 gene. A sequence comparison of the U14 genes in human and Xenopus laevis revealed that the regions involved in binding to 18S rRNA and the consensus (boxes C and D) of sequences for snoRNAs are highly conserved among the genes in the two species.

Base Sequence↗

The 5' region of intron 11 of the dystrophin gene contains target sequences for mobile elements and three overlapping ORFs.

We have characterised the 2371 bp 5' end of intron 11 of the dystrophin gene. Comparative analysis of this intronic region revealed homologies with the following sequences: regions containing mobile elements; target sites for numerous transcription factors, two resolvases, and a histone-like DNA binding protein; three eukaryotic promoters. In addition, we identified three partially overlapping ORFs, and transcription analysis confirmed that one of these is expressed, representing the first gene reported to overlap the human dystrophin gene. We have also characterised a 136 bp sequence rearranged in intron 11 in a patient affected by X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy due to a dystrophinopathy. This is a multiple copy sequence with features of a repetitive element. Its comparative analysis showed a very high homology with human genomic and EST regions, adjacent and clustered with Alu, LINE1, and THE elements. The pattern of homology suggests that it may represent a novel Alu-like, transcriptionally active sequence with a possible retrotransposable capacity. We hypothesise that the 5' region of the dystrophin intron 11, containing common target areas for the insertion of mobile elements, may have a role in the rearrangement of this novel Alu-like sequence.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗

Identification of three alternative first exons and an intronic promoter of human PDE5A gene.

In the accompanying paper we present evidence for the existence of three PDE5A isoforms that differed only in the 5' end of the mRNAs. In this paper we present evidence that the three isoform-specific 5' ends were encoded by three alternative first exons that were arranged in the order of A1-A3-A2. Because the isoform-specific mRNAs could be transcribed from individual promoters, DNA fragments of the two intronic regions (A1-A3 and A3-A2) were tested for possible promoter activities. The intron between A1- and A3-specific exons did not exhibit any promoter activities even in smooth muscle cells that expressed the A3 isoform (see accompanying paper). In contrast, the intron between A3- and A2-specific exons had promoter activities in PDE5A2-expressing COS-7 and smooth muscle cells. This intronic promoter was bound by transcription factors AP-2 and Sp1, but not by AP-1, as shown by DNase I footprint analysis. However, the sequence bound by AP-2 (5'-GGGAAACGCTCGCGGGAGAGTTGG) is unusual in that it bears little resemblance to the consensus AP-2-binding sequence.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

A small structural element, Pc-J5/5a, plays dual roles in a group IC1 intron RNA.

The P4-P6 domain of group IC1 intron ribozymes such as that of the Tetrahymena autonomously folds into a hairpin-shaped structure in which the J5/5a region serves as a hinge. Phylogenetic comparisons of these IC1 introns suggested that the J5/5a region (termed Pc-J5/5a motif) in a subclass of IC1 introns such as the one from Pneumocystis carinii functions not only as a hinge but also as a receptor for a GAAA-tetraloop. We investigated the role of this motif by transplanting the structural unit, Pc-J5/5a motif, of Pneumocystis carinii into the P4-P6 domain of the Tetrahymena intron. The results showed that the Pc-J5/5a motif binds to a GAAA loop with high affinity and also facilitates the bending of the Tetrahymena P4-P6 domain more positively than the original J5/5a region.

Animals↗

Regulation of human PDE5A2 intronic promoter by cAMP and cGMP: identification of a critical Sp1-binding site.

PDE5A gene encodes type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5), the principal cGMP-catalyzing enzyme in the penis and the primary target of sildenafil (Viagra). We have previously reported the isolation of three alternatively spliced PDE5A isoforms in humans. We also reported the identification of three corresponding alternative first exons and an intronic promoter in the human PDE5A gene. The intronic promoter is situated upstream from the PDE5A2-specific first exon but downstream from the PDE5A1- and A3-specific first exons. In the current study we showed that the intronic promoter could be upregulated by either cAMP or cGMP. In order to identify possible regulatory elements in the promoter, we created deletion and base-substitution mutants targeting one AP2- and four Sp1-binding sequences. Loss of function of these mutants to bind to the respective transcription factors was verified by DNase I footprint analysis, and changes in promoter function were analyzed with a luciferase reporter system. Mutation of the AP2-binding sequence and deletion of the 3'-most Sp1-binding site (within the exon) had little effects on the basal or the cyclic nucleotide-inducible promoter functions. Mutation of the 5'-most Sp1-binding site had much more severe effects on the basal and the cyclic nucleotide-inducible promoter functions. Mutation of a neighboring site that contains two overlapping Sp1-binding sequences completely nullified the basal and cyclic nucleotide-inducible promoter activities. Thus, the PDE5A2 intronic promoter depends on the overlapping Sp1-binding site for basal and cyclic nucleotide-inducible functions.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Developmental regulation of the Drosophila tropomyosin II gene in different muscles is controlled by muscle-type-specific intron enhancer elements and distal and proximal promoter control elements.

Transcriptional control of the Drosophila tropomyosin II gene muscle promoter has been investigated by expressing TmII promoter lacZ reporter gene constructs in P-element-mediated transformed flies. A TmII/lacZ reporter gene containing 243 bp of upstream sequence, the first exon, the first intron, and 72 bp of the second exon was expressed in all muscles of embryos, larvae, and adults. Deletion of upstream sequences between -243 and -22 bp only reduced the levels of transgene expression in muscle while deletion of the intron eliminated expression. Analysis of deletions within the first intron indicated that a 454-bp muscle enhancer region, from +167 to +621, was required for high levels of transgene expression in all larval and adult muscles. When this region was deleted low levels of expression still occurred in larval and adult somatic and visceral muscles; however, there was no detectable expression in adult indirect flight and jump muscles. The 454-bp muscle enhancer region was also able to drive muscle-specific expression when placed upstream of a heterologous hsp70 promoter; however, three subfragments of the 454-bp region were unable to drive expression of the hsp70 promoter, suggesting that this region may contain multiple interacting cis-acting elements. Interestingly, the 454-bp region was inactive when placed upstream of a TmII promoter construct containing upstream DNA and most of the first exon but was active when additional exon and intron DNA was included, indicating that additional promoter elements are located in this region. Thus TmII transcription is controlled by multiple muscle type-specific cis-acting control elements and upstream and downstream promoter control elements.

Animals↗

A conserved cluster of homeodomain binding sites in the mouse Hoxa-4 intron functions in Drosophila embryos as an enhancer that is directly regulated by Ultrabithorax.

The evolutionary conservation of the homeodomains suggests that their in vivo DNA binding sites may also be conserved between vertebrates and invertebrates. The regulatory function of the mouse Hoxa-4 and Hoxb-4 introns were analyzed in Drosophila since they both contain a cluster of three homeodomain binding sites, the HB1 element, which was also found in the introns of other Hox genes ranging from fish to humans as well as in the Ultrabithorax (Ubx) and decapentaplegic (dpp) genes of Drosophila. The enhancer of the Hoxa-4 intron was found to respond to several homeobox genes activating a lacZ reporter gene in particular cells of the epidermis in Drosophila embryos. The enhancer activity was found to be similar to previously described autoregulatory elements of Deformed (Dfd), the Drosophila homolog of Hoxa-4, but additional expression was observed in more posterior segments activated by Ubx and repressed by abdominal-A (abd-A). Point mutations in the homeodomain binding sites in HB1 abolished the enhancer activity. A second site suppression experiment showed that UBX interacts directly with the HB1 element. When the HB1 element in the Hoxa-4 intron was replaced by that of the mesodermal enhancer of dpp, which was previously shown to be directly controlled by Ubx, Ubx-dependent activation was retained, but repression by abd-A was lost. The same result was obtained when the third binding site of HB1 was altered, suggesting that this site is responsible for abd-A-dependent repression. Finally, deletion of potential cofactor binding sites flanking the HB1 element that are also conserved in the medaka, chicken, and mouse genes revealed that they are important for enhancer function in Drosophila and that the Dfd-dependent and the Ubx-dependent expression requires different sites. The evolutionary and functional conservation of the HB1 elements indicates that not only the homeodomains but also some of their in vivo binding sites are conserved between vertebrates and invertebrates.

Animals↗

The interferon regulatory factors 1 and 2 bind to a segment of the human c-myb first intron: possible role in the regulation of c-myb expression.

The preferential expression of the protooncogene c-myb in hematopoietic cells is in part regulated by a mechanism of transcriptional block in the first intron. By electrophoresis mobility shift assays using probes corresponding to different segments of the putative human c-myb intron 1 transcription pause region and nuclear extracts from myeloid leukemia HL 60 and fibroblast WI 38 cells, we detected a HL-60-specific DNA-protein complex with a 123-bp fragment containing binding sites for the interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) nuclear proteins. Formation of the DNA-protein complex was abrogated by competition with an oligomer containing the wild-type, but not the mutated, IRF binding site and the complex was specifically supershifted by the anti-IRF-1 or the anti-IRF-2 antibody. Moreover, in vitro translated IRF-1 or IRF-2 protein did interact with the 123-bp c-myb intron 1 fragment. Upon TPA-induced differentiation, c-myb expression was readily down-modulated in parental HL 60 cells, but not in cells transfected with an antisense IRF-1 plasmid. Moreover, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity driven by a c-myb promoter containing the entire intron 1 was suppressed upon IRF-1, but not IRF-2 expression. Together, these results are consistent with the existence of a functional relationship between IRF-1 and c-myb in which IRF-1 negatively regulates c-myb expression at the transcriptional level by a mechanism that may depend on the interaction of IRF-1 with a segment of the c-myb gene implicated in transcription pausing.

Animals↗

The complete exon-intron structure of the 156-kb human gene NFKB1, which encodes the p105 and p50 proteins of transcription factors NF-kappa B and I kappa B-gamma: implications for NF-kappa B-mediated signal transduction.

The NFKB1 gene encodes three proteins of the NF-kappa B/Rel and I kappa B families: p105, p50, and (in mouse) I kappa B-gamma. We determined the complete genomic structure of human NFKB1. NFKB1 spans 156 kb and has 24 exons with introns varying between 40,000 and 323 bp in length. Although NFKB2, which encodes p100 and p52, also has 24 exons and has a comparable exon-intron structure, it is 20 times shorter (8 kb; Fracchiola et al. (1993) Oncogene 8, 2839-2845) than NFKB1. We propose that the long size of NFKB1 is important for transient activation of NF-kappa B complexes containing p50. I kappa B-gamma corresponds to the carboxyl-terminal half of p105. DNA sequence analysis showed that the 3'-end of human intron 11 and the 5'-end of exon 12 of NFKB1 are colinear with the 5'-untranslated region of mouse I kappa B-gamma cDNA. I kappa B-gamma is thus likely to be generated by transcription starting within intron 11 and not by alternative splicing of the mouse mRNA encoding p105 and p50.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A novel transcript encoded within the 10-kb first intron of the human p53 tumor suppressor gene (D17S2179E) is induced during differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells.

Two promoters were previously shown to map to the 5'-end of the human p53 gene. p53p1 was located upstream of the first exon and is responsible for transcription of the major p53 mRNA species. p53p2 is a stronger promoter than p53p1 and was located within the 10, 738-bp first intron, approximately 1000 bp downstream of exon 1. mRNA transcripts that initiated from p53p2 were previously identified in HL-60 cells by primer extension analysis and were observed to increase in abundance during differentiation of HL-60 cells to granulocytes. By screening a cDNA library with a probe derived from sequences downstream of the p53p2 start site, we have cloned and characterized a cDNA that represents a mRNA that appears to have been initiated from the p53p2 promoter. We have designated the gene encoding this transcript Hp53int1 (the GDB designation is D17S2179E). The cDNA is 1125 bp and is polyadenylated downstream from a consensus poly(A) addition site. The entire 1125 bp is derived from intron 1 of the p53 gene, with no introns having been removed. The cDNA contains no major open reading frame although reading frame +1 contains a relatively low abundance of stop codons compared to the other two reading frames and could possibly encode a protein of 119 amino acids. Analysis of the +1 reading frame shows a region of high homology to a portion of the DNA-binding domain of NF-kappaB. These results indicate that a novel polyadenylated transcript is encoded by the first intron of the human p53 gene. Hp53int1 may be a pseudogene for a gene that may have encoded a DNA-binding protein. Alternatively, the transcript may have a function, since RNA transcripts of this gene are present in a number of human cells and their levels are induced during terminal differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells such as HL-60 and U937.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

CFTR intron 1 increases luciferase expression driven by CFTR 5'-flanking DNA in a yeast artificial chromosome.

The DNA elements that account for the highly regulated expression of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) are poorly understood. The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility of using a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC)-based reporter gene construct to define these elements further. An approximately 350-kb YAC (y5'luc) was constructed by replacing CFTR with a luciferase reporter gene (luc). A second YAC (y5'lucI) was similarly constructed but included a putative positive regulatory element from CFTR intron 1. Stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cell clones were derived using each YAC to assess the role that luc copy number and the presence of intron 1 played in luc expression. The CHO-K1 clonal cell lines demonstrated a wide range of luciferase activity. On average, this activity was significantly higher in clones derived from y5'lucI. After correcting for luc copy number, the presence of intron 1 was still associated with an increase in luciferase activity (P < 0.05), despite the fact that luciferase activity did not correlate with luc copy number in y5'luc-derived clones (r = -0.12). In contrast, the luciferase activity correlated well with luc copy number in the clones derived from y5'luc (r = 0. 75). These data are consistent with a positive role for intron 1 in regulating CFTR expression, but suggest that copy number is not the only factor that determines expression levels, particularly when this element is present. This YAC-based reporter system will provide a unique strategy for further assessment of the cis-acting elements that control CFTR expression.

Animals↗

GAAA tetraloop and conserved bulge stabilize tertiary structure of a group I intron domain.

The 413 nucleotide self-splicing group I intron from Tetrahymena thermophila pre-rRNA contains a 160 nucleotide independently folding domain of RNA tertiary structure, the P4-P6 domain. This domain consists of sequence elements highly conserved among group I introns (P4 and P6) and peripheral extensions conserved in certain subgroups of these introns (P5abc and P6ab). The effect of mutation of selected bases on the formation of domain structure was analyzed using two probes: solvent-based Fe(II)-EDTA, which monitors backbone accessibility, and dimethyl sulfate, which monitors availability of N(1) of adenine and N(3) of cytosine. A GAAA tetraloop and an adenosine-rich bulge were found to stabilize domain tertiary structure in a sequence-specific manner. A single base change in the GAAA tetraloop disrupted Fe(II)-EDTA protection both locally and in P6a, and a specific base-pair substitution in P6a similarly disrupted protection locally and in the tetraloop; thus remote elements of the secondary structure are linked in tertiary structure. Our model of the domain's tertiary structure is refined to include this long-range tertiary interaction. The interaction requires severe bending of the domain RNA such that sequences separated by approximately 50 bases of largely double-stranded RNA are in proximity in the tertiary structure. The bending causes or allows for contact between sequences of the conserved core and sequences of the P5 extension. Thus the P5 extension may serve to stabilize the structure of the intron core in vivo.

Animals↗

Structure of the P1 helix from group I self-splicing introns.

The upstream cleavage site of group I self-splicing introns is identified by an absolutely conserved U.G base-pair within a double helix. Mutant introns with a wobble C.A substitute are catalytically active, but all other combinations of nucleotides at these positions abolish splicing, suggesting that an unusual RNA structure generated by the wobble pair is recognized by the catalytic intron core. The solution structure of a 20-mer oligonucleotide containing a UUCG tetraloop hairpin and a U.G wobble pair within a double helix was determined by NMR spectroscopy without any assumptions on RNA conformation. Isotopically (15N/13C)-labelled RNA was used to collect an unusually large number of experimental constraints (703 in total, corresponding to approximately 35 constraints per nucleotide) leading to the determination of a structure with very high precision (overall root-mean-square-deviation (rmsd) between 20 converged structures 1.22 A, local rmsd 0.6 A for the tetraloop and 0.85 A for the stem). Analysis of the double helical structure at the conserved U.G wobble pair reveals local distortions from the regular A-form pattern, that may constitute the characteristic feature of U.G wobble pair recognized by the group I intron core and by amino acyl tRNA synthetases. Re-examination of the previously determined tetraloop structure reveals a novel U.G base-pair with a syn guanosine and hydrogen bonding contacts involving both base protons and a sugar 2'-OH. This explains the great stability of RNA UUCG loops when compared with DNA loops of identical sequence, and is one of the first NMR observations of RNA 2'-OH resonances.

Base Composition↗

The mitochondrial LSU rDNA of the brown alga Pylaiella littoralis reveals alpha-proteobacterial features and is split by four group IIB introns with an atypical phylogeny.

The mitochondrial DNA region coding for the large ribosomal RNA subunit from the brown alga Pylaiella littoralis (L.) Kjellm was sequenced. The LSU rRNA was folded into a secondary structure and aligned with homologous, mitochondrial and eubacterial sequences. Taking into account the primary and secondary structure levels, the mitochondrial LSU rRNA of P. littoralis shares more structural features with alpha-proteobacterial genes than do those of the green alga Prototheca wickerhamii and land plants. In phylogenetic trees, branches leading to brown algae, red algae, the protozoan Acanthamoeba castellanii and land plants, respectively, emerge approximately at the same time, as they do in nuclear-gene based phylogenies. This suggests that there is only one origin for the mitochondrial rRNA genes found in these lineages. The LSU rDNA is split by four group IIB introns. The first two introns each contain one open reading frame which encodes a reverse transcriptase-like protein. Comparison of their amino acid sequences with those of other reverse transcriptase-like genes contained in group II introns shows that these genes are more closely related to plastid and cyanobacterial homologous genes than to any known mitochondrial intronic reverse transcriptase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rapid induction of nuclear transcripts and inhibition of intron decay in response to the polymerase II inhibitor DRB.

The transcriptional inhibitor 5, 6-dichloro-1-beta-d-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole (DRB) is an adenosine analog that has been shown to cause premature transcriptional termination and thus has been a useful tool to identify factors important for transcriptional elongation. Here, we establish an efficient system for studying DRB-sensitive steps of transcriptional elongation. In addition, we establish two novel effects of DRB not previously reported: intron stabilization and the induction of long transcripts by a mechanism other than premature termination. We found that DRB had a biphasic effect on T-cell receptor-beta (TCRbeta) transcripts driven by a tetracycline (tet)-responsive promoter in transfected HeLa cells. In the first phase, DRB caused a rapid decrease (within five minutes) of pre-mRNA and its spliced intron (IVS1(Cbeta1)), consistent with the known ability of DRB to inhibit transcription. In the second phase (which began ten minutes to two hours after treatment, depending on the dose), DRB dramatically increased the levels of IVS1(Cbeta1)-containing transcripts by a mechanism requiring de novo RNA synthesis. DRB induced the appearance of short 0.4 to 0.8 kb TCRbeta transcripts in vivo, indicating DRB enhances premature transcriptional termination. A approximately 475 nt prematurely terminated transcript (PT) was characterized that terminated at an internal poly(A) tract in the intron IVS1(Cbeta1). We identified three other effects of DRB. First, we observed that DRB induced the appearance of heterodisperse TCRbeta transcripts that were too long ( approximately 1 kb to >8 kb) to result from the type of premature termination events previously described. Their production was not promoter-specific, as we found that long transcripts were induced by DRB from both the tet-responsive and beta-actin promoters. Second, DRB upregulated full-length normal-sized c-myc mRNA, which provided further evidence that DRB has effects besides regulation of premature termination. Third, DRB stabilized lariat forms of the intron IVS1(Cbeta1), indicating that DRB exerts post-transcriptional actions. We propose that our model system will be useful for elucidating the factors that regulate RNA decay and transcriptional elongation in vivo.

Cell Nucleus↗

Guiding ribozyme cleavage through motif recognition: the mechanism of cleavage site selection by a group ii intron ribozyme.

The mechanism by which group II introns cleave the correct phosphodiester linkage was investigated by studying the reaction of mutant substrates with a ribozyme derived from intron ai5gamma. While fidelity was found to be quite high in most cases, a single mutation on the substrate (+1C) resulted in a dramatic loss of fidelity. When this mutation was combined with a second mutation that induces a bulge in the exon binding site 1/intron binding site 1 (EBS1/IBS1) duplex, the base-pairing register of the EBS1/IBS1 duplex was shifted and the cleavage site moved to a downstream position on the substrate. Conversely, when mismatches were incorporated at the EBS1/IBS1 terminus, the duplex was effectively truncated and cleavage occurred at an upstream site. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the cleavage site of a group II intron ribozyme can be tuned at will by manipulating the thermodynamic stability and structure of the EBS1/IBS1 pairing. The results are consistent with a model in which the cleavage site is not designated through recognition of specific nucleotides (such as the 5'-terminal residue of EBS1). Instead, the ribozyme detects a structure at the junction between single and double-stranded residues on the bound substrate. This finding explains the puzzling lack of phylogenetic conservation in ribozyme and substrate sequences near group II intron target sites.

Base Pair Mismatch↗

Phylogenetic use of noncoding regions in the genus Gentiana L.: chloroplast trnL (UAA) intron versus nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences.

Sequence divergence was estimated within noncoding sequences of both chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) trnL (UAA) intron and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS1 and ITS2) for 10 species of the genus Gentiana L. (Gentianaceae). Comparisons of evolutionary rates among these sequences (cpDNA versus nrDNA, ITS1 versus ITS2) were performed. It appears that sequence divergence is on average two to three times higher in ITSs than in the trnL intron sequences and higher in ITS1 than in ITS2. Both the cpDNA intron and ITSs of nrDNA give concordant phylogenetic trees. However, the ITS-based phylogeny displays higher bootstrap values. At the intrageneric level, at least in Gentiana, ITSs (especially ITS2) sequences seem to be more appropriate in the assessment of plant phylogenies. Nevertheless, the cpDNA trnL intron seems to be preferable at the intergeneric level.

Base Sequence↗

Molecular evolution and phylogenetic utility of the chloroplast rpl16 intron in Chusquea and the Bambusoideae (Poaceae).

Phylogenetic relationships within Chusquea, a diverse genus of neotropical woody bamboos, and among selected members of the Bambusoideae were explored using rpl16 intron sequence data from the chloroplast genome. Mechanisms of mutation, including slipped-strand mispairing, secondary structure, minute inversions, and base substitutions, were examined within the rpl16 intron, and their effects on sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis were investigated. Thirty-five bamboo sequences were generated and two separate matrices were analyzed using maximum parsimony. In the first, 23 sequences from Chusquea, 1 of Neurolepis, and 3 outgroups were included. Neurolepis was supported as sister to Chusquea, Chusquea was strongly supported as a monophyletic lineage, and three species of Chusquea subg. Rettbergia were resolved as the most basal clade within the genus. In the second analysis, 15 sequences, 14 from across the subfamily and 1 outgroup, were included. A Bambusoideae clade was recovered with the Olyreae/Parianeae (herbaceous bamboos) and the Bambuseae (woody bamboos) each supported as monophyletic. Two clades corresponding to temperate and tropical woody bamboos were derived within the Bambuseae and the tropical taxa were further split into New World and Old World clades. The rpl16 intron in bamboos was found to be susceptible to frequent length mutations of multiple origins, nonindependent character evolution, and regions of high mutability, all of which created difficulties in alignment and phylogenetic analysis; nonetheless the rpl16 intron is phylogenetically informative at the inter- and intrageneric levels in bamboos.

Chloroplasts↗