用逆转录—聚合酶链反应法对类胰岛素生长因子cDNA的扩增

逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)法是将PCR方法与逆转录法结合应用,可快速高效地扩增某一基因的全cDNA。类胰岛素生长因子-I(IGF-I)在人染色体中只有一个基因,全长超过45kb,并有内含子,其cDNA却只有几百个bp,为了表达得到IGF-I,本文利用RT-PCR方法,从胎肝提出的混合mRNA中,筛选并扩增了IGF-I的cDNA。经过分子克隆与测序,证明不需制备胎肝cDNA库,即可快速获得IGF-I的cDNA。     

A highly variable STR at the D12S391 locus

A total of 103 fragments in the STR D12S391 locus were sequenced. 24 different alleles were found which can be grouped into 12 allelic classes based on the total number of repeats. The structure of this compund STR consists of blocks of (AGAT) and (AGAC) repeats with a consensus structure (AGAT)_8–l7 (AGAC)_6–10 (AGAT)_0–1. Whereas shorter alleles only have (AGAT) repeats, > 225 bp alleles are more complex, having two motifs (AGAT) and (AGAC). Population data showed that this to be a highly polymorphic STR with a heterozygosity of 0.9. This fact together with its simple structure make this STR very suitable for forensic and genetic purposes.     

DNA polymorphism and mutations in CPN1, including the genomic basis of carboxypeptidase N deficiency

 Carboxypeptidase N (EC 3.4.17.3) regulates the activity of peptides such as kinins and anaphylatoxins. Although deficiency of carboxypeptidase N (MIM 212070) produces a severe allergic syndrome, no human mutations have ever been described. Therefore, using archival genomic DNA from a subject with documented carboxypeptidase N deficiency, we sequenced CPN1 (MIM 603103), which encodes the catalytic subunit of carboxypeptidase N. In the genomic DNA of the proband, we discovered three CPN1 variants: (1) 385fsInsG, a frameshift mutation in exon 1 due to a single G insertion at nucleotide 385; (2) 746G>A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), a missense mutation in exon 3 that predicted substitution of aspartic acid for the wild-type conserved glycine at amino acid 178 (G178D); and (3) IVS1 +6C>T, an SNP in intron 1. Among 128 normal Caucasians, the 385fsInsG mutation was absent and the G178D mutation had a frequency of 0.0078, suggesting that these were rare molecular events that likely contributed to the carboxypeptidase N deficiency phenotype. The frequency of the IVS1 +6C>T polymorphism was 0.051. The reagents described here provide tools for further study of association with clinical and biochemical phenotypes related to allergy and immunity. Received: November 5, 2002 / Accepted: November 7, 2002 Acknowledgments Dr. Hegele holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier I) in Human Genetics and a Career Investigator award from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. This work was supported by grants from Canadian Institutes for Health Research (MT13430), the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network, and the Blackburn Group. Correspondence to:R.A. Hegele     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of the very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) gene

The very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) has a potentially important role in lipoprotein metabolism and Alzheimer's disease. We developed amplification primers for most of the coding region and 3′-untranslated region of VLDLR and used sequencing of genomic DNA to examine these regions of VLDLR in subjects with familial combined hyperlipidemia and in normal controls. We identified ten novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for VLDLR. We also found one rare coding sequence variant, S>R153, in a subject with familial combined hyperlipidemia, which was absent from 2360 normal alleles. The identification of intron–exon boundaries, amplification primers, and SNPs provides tools to investigate VLDLR for genetic association and linkage studies. Received: April 30, 2001 / Accepted: May 1, 2001     

Allele-specific PCR and Next-generation sequencing based genetic screening for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in India

Genetic screening of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is known to be challenging due to the complexities in CYP21A2 genotyping and has not been the first-tier diagnostic tool in routine clinical practice. Also, with the advent of massive parallel sequencing technology, there is a need for investigating its utility in screening extended panel of genes implicated in CAH. In this study, we have established and utilized an Allele-Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (ASPCR) based approach for screening eight common mutations in CYP21A2 gene followed by targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) of CYP21A2, CYP11B1, CYP17A1, POR, and CYP19A1 genes in 72 clinically diagnosed CAH subjects from India. Through these investigations, 88.7% of the subjects with 21 hydroxylase deficiency were positive for eight CYP21A2 mutations with ASPCR. The targeted NGS assay was sensitive to pick up all the mutations identified by ASPCR. Utilizing NGS in subjects negative for ASPCR, five study subjects were homozygous positive for other CYP21A2 variants: one with a novel c.1274G>T, three with c.1451G>C and one with c.143A>G variant. One subject was compound heterozygous for c.955C>T and c.1042G>A variants identified using ASPCR and NGS. One subject suspected for a Simple Virilizing (SV) 21 hydroxylase deficiency was positive for a CYP19A1:c.1142A>T variant. CYP11B1 variants (c.1201-1G>A, c.1200+1del, c.412C>T, c.1024C>T, c.1012dup, c.623G>A) were identified in all six subjects suspected for 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency. The overall mutation positivity was 97.2%. Our results suggest that ASPCR followed by targeted NGS is a cost-effective and comprehensive strategy for screening common CYP21A2 mutations and the CAH panel of genes in a clinical setting.     

Molecular typing of echovirus serotype 4 isolates

We report on clinical samples Stuttgart/97, Berlin/99 and Jasi/99 associated with aseptic meningitis. All three samples contained echovirus 4 (E4) but Stuttgart/97 was simultaneous infected with echovirus 30 (E30). The genetic relationship of the E4 strains was assessed using RT-PCR and direct sequencing of amplicons derived from the genomic region encoding the capsid protein VP1. The sequences have been compared with each other and with sequences of further E4 strains obtained from GenBank. The analysis confirms that sequences of recent isolates have drifted away from elderly strains over a longer period of time. Several amino acid changes in assumed antigenic sites of the VP1 gene may be sufficient to cause changes in antigenic specificity and therefore they may be a reason for failure of serological typing of some new antigenic E4 variants.     

哮喘患儿IL-4近侧启动子区克隆和多态性分析

目的：对哮喘症患儿白细胞介素-4(IL-4)近侧启动子区进行克隆并分析其DNA序列的多态性。方法：对40名有明显家族及过敏史哮喘患儿和１０名正常儿童，以多聚酶链式反应（PCR）结合单链构象多态性（SSCP）扩增、筛选IL-4近侧启动子片段，进一步构建正常对照和异常条带PCR产物的重组质粒pIL-4-Jx2，并用双脱氧链终止法对重组质粒进行序列测定。结果：在对40名患儿SSCP分析中发现了7组异常条带。DNA测序结果显示有４外变异位点于已知的调控元件之内或毗邻位点，１名病人-229位C被A所替代，该变异恰好位于IL-4正性调节元件-I(PRE-I)之内；２名病人负性调节元件-Ⅱ（NRE-Ⅱ）毗邻C被T所替代，TATA框前增加1个G；1名病人STAT-6元件附近缺少了ATTTT五碱基核苷酸。结论：过敏性哮喘患儿IL-4近侧启动子区DNA序列存在多态性，这可能与IL-4基因异常表达及哮喘的发病有关。     

Identification of polymorphisms in the human SHP1 gene

 Because mutations in human SHP1 underlie obesity and diabetes, SHP1 is a candidate gene for human lipodystrophy syndromes. To identify possible disease mutations and/or common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we developed primer pairs to amplify the promoter and coding region of SHP1. We used these pairs to sequence SHP1 in lipodystrophy patients who had no mutations in known lipodystrophy genes, and also in normal control subjects. We found no rare SHP1 coding sequence variants that were exclusive to patients with lipodystrophy. However, we found four polymorphisms, namely, an SNP [−394]C>T in the promoter, a micro-deletion polymorphism [−195]delCTGA in the promoter, a missense SNP 541G>C in exon 1 (which changed the amino acid sequence G171A), and an SNP 903C>T in exon 2. The findings suggest that SHP1 mutations are not commonly seen in patients with lipodystrophy who had no mutations in known disease genes. However, the identification of amplification primers and polymorphisms provides tools to further investigate SHP1 for association with other phenotypes. Received: April 1, 2002 / Accepted: April 22, 2002     

人白细胞介素13cDNA的克隆及序列测定

用反转录－多聚酶链反应（ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ）技术从中国人外周血淋巴细胞中克隆了ＩＬ－１３ｃＤＮＡ，序列测定表明克隆的ＩＬ－１３ｃＤＮＡ含成熟的ＩＬ－１３蛋白全部编码，且存在编码第９８位Ｇｌｎ的密码子ＣＡＧ，这为进一步表达ＩＬ－１３并深入探究功能奠定了基础。