Expression regulation and functional characterization of a novel interferon inducible gene Gig2 and its promoter

Grass carp hemorrhagic virus (GCHV)-induced gene 2 (Gig2) is a novel gene previously identified from UV-inactivated GCHV-treated Carassius auratus blastulae embryonic (CAB) cells, suggesting that it should play a pivotal role in the interferon (IFN) antiviral response. In this study, a polyclonal anti-Gig2 antiserum was generated and used to study the inductive expression pattern by Western blot analysis, showing no basal expression in normal CAB cells but a significant up-regulation upon UV-inactivated GCHV, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) and recombinant IFN (rIFN). However, constitutive expression of Gig2 is observed in all tested tissues from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), and Poly I:C injection increases the relative amount of Gig2 protein in skin, spleen, trunk kidney, gill, hindgut and thymus. Moreover, the genomic sequence covering the whole Gig2 ORF and the upstream promoter region were amplified by genomic walking. Significantly, the Gig2 promoter contains three IFN-stimulated response elements (ISREs), nine GAAA/TTTC motifs and five γ-IFN activating sites (GAS), which are the characteristics of genes responsive to both type I IFN and type II IFN. Subsequently, the complete Gig2 promoter sequence was cloned into pGL3-Basic vector, and its activity was measured by luciferase assays in the transfected CAB cells. The Gig2 promoter-driven construct is highly induced in CAB cells after treatment with Poly I:C or rIFN, and the functional capability is dependent on IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), because its activity can be stimulated by IRF7. Collectively, the data provide strong evidence that Gig2 is indeed a novel IFN inducible gene and its expression is likely dependent on IRF7 upon Poly I:C or IFN.     

小鼠白蛋白基因启动子的克隆及其在不同细胞系中转录活性的检测

目的：对比小鼠白蛋白（mouse albumin promoter, ALB）启动子调控下的增强型绿色荧光蛋白（enhanced green fluorescent protein, EGFP）在不同细胞系中的转录活性。方法：以小鼠全血基因组DNA为模板,聚合酶链反应（polymerase chain reaction, PCR）扩增ALB启动子序列,克隆至pEGFP-1中,构建重组体pALB-EGFP;在Lipofectamine介导下将pALB-EGFP、pEGFP-N1转染人胎肝细胞L02、人宫颈癌细胞HeLa、人结肠癌细胞SW480、人胰腺癌细胞Bxpc-3;荧光显微镜和流式细胞仪对各转染细胞中EGFP的表达进行检测。结果：pALB-EGFP构建成功;L02转染pALB-EGFP 72 h后,ALB启动子可起始EGFP的表达,转录活性为人巨细胞病毒（cytomegalovirus,CMV）启动子的1/4,其它转染细胞的ALB不能起始EGFP的转录;稳定筛选后,ALB的转录活性达到与CMV相当的水平。结论：构建的重组载体在肝脏来源细胞中具有较高的转录活性, 为建立肝脏特异性表达目的基因的转基因小鼠模型奠定了基础。     

Association Between the G1001C Polymorphism in the GRIN1 Gene Promoter and Schizophrenia in the Iranian Population

Schizophrenia is a complex genetic disorder to which genetic variation in the glutamatergic signaling pathways is believed to play a substantial role in the etiology of the disease. Association studies have implicated the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit gene, GRIN1, as a candidate gene for schizophrenia. In this report, we used a case control study to establish the possible association between the G1001C polymorphism in the GRIN1 gene promoter region and schizophrenia in an Iranian cohort of 200 unrelated patients and 200 controls. The allelic and genotypic frequencies of the polymorphism were determined using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism. Data analysis using logistic regression and the Mantel–Haenszel chi-square test revealed a strong association between the G1001C polymorphism and schizophrenia (CG genotype: odds ratio (OR) = 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34–3.48, P = 0.001 and CC genotype: OR = 29.10, 95% CI 3.40–565.78, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the C allele is significantly associated with an increasing risk of schizophrenia. An erratum to this article can be found at     

DNA甲基化与脑肿瘤

随着人类对肿瘤研究的日益深入,许多学者已经清楚地认识到,肿瘤的发生、发展不仅与细胞内基因突变、缺失等因核苷酸序列改变所导致的遗传调控紊乱有关,还与表观遗传调控异常有着密切的联系[1].所谓表观遗传,是指通过DNA甲基化、组蛋白乙酰化和甲基化、染色质构型变化等所导致的在基因表达水平的改变.它只影响基因的转录活性而不影响核苷酸序列的改变[2].其中,DNA甲基化作为常见的表观遗传学修饰模式,在哺乳动物基因表达调控中起着重要的作用.异常甲基化可导致癌基冈的活化、非必需重复序列的转录、抑癌基因及DNA修复基因的沉默等,并能以半保留的方式高保真地传递到子代细胞的基岗组中,最终引发肿瘤[1].