Identification and characterization of human FCHSD1 and FCHSD2 genes in silico

FNBP1 and FNBP2 are SH3-type Formin-binding proteins. FNBP1 consists of FCH, FBH, HR1 and SH3 domains, while FNBP2 consists of FCH, FBH, RhoGAP and SH3 domains. Here, we identified novel genes FCHSD1 and FCHSD2, which were distantly related to FNBP1 and FNBP2. FCHSD1 and FCHSD2 genes with conserved exon-intron structure were located at human chromosome 5q31.3 and 11q13.4, respectively. Complete coding sequence of human FCHSD1 was derived from FLJ00007 (NM_033449.1) cDNA. KIAA0769 (NM_014824.1), encoding N-terminally truncated 684-aa protein, was an aberrant human FCHSD2 cDNA with a frame shift due to skipping of 98-bp exon 2. Complete coding sequence of human FCHSD2 cDNA was determined by assembling CF995054 EST and KIAA0769 cDNA. A030002D08Rik (NM_175684.3) was the representative mouse Fchsd1 cDNA, while BC034086 (NM_199012.1) was a variant mouse Fchsd2 cDNA with an insertion of 72-bp additional exon. CG4684 was the Drosophila homolog of mammalian FCHSD family genes. Human FCHSD1 (690 aa) showed 41.7% total-amino-acid identity with human FCHSD2 (740 aa), and 91.0% total-amino-acid identity with mouse Fchsd1. Human FCHSD2 showed 96.5% total-amino-acid identity with mouse Fchsd2. Mammalian FCHSD family proteins shared the common domain structure consisting of FCH, FBH, two SH3 and C-terminal Proline-rich domains. FCHSD family proteins (FCHSD1 and FCHSD2), FNBP1 family proteins (FNBP1, FNBP1L and TRIP10/CIP4) and FNBP2 family proteins (FNBP2, ARHGAP13/SRGAP1, ARHGAP14/SRGAP2 and ARHGAP4) were found constituting the FCFBS superfamily characterized by FCH, FBH and SH3 domains. This is the first report on identification and characterization of the FCHSD family genes.     

Identification and characterization of rat Dact1 and Dact2 genes in silico

DACT1 (DAPPER1), Frizzled receptors, MUSK receptor, VANGL1, VANGL2, PRICKLE1, PRICKLE2, DAAM1, Casein kinases, MARK3 (PAR1), PP2C, AXIN1, AXIN2, NKD1, NKD2, FRAT1, FRAT2 and CXXC4 are WNT signaling molecules associating with Dishevelled family proteins. Human DACT1 is the ortholog of Xenopus Dapper and Frodo, and human DACT2 (DAPPER2) is the paralog of human DACT1. Here, we identified and characterized rat Dact1 (Dapper1) and Dact2 (Dapper2) genes by using bioinformatics. Rat Dact1 gene, consisting of four exons, was located within AC136677.3 genome sequence. Rat Dact2 gene, consisting of four exons, was located within AC139434.3 genome sequence. Dact1 was mapped to rat chromosome 6q24, and Dact2 gene to rat chromosome 1q12. Rat Dact1 (778 aa) showed 93.7, 82.9, 60.3, 58.7 and 48.6% total-amino-acid identity with mouse Dact1, human DACT1, Xenopus Dapper, Xenopus Frodo and zebrafish dact1, respectively. Rat Dact2 (768 aa) showed 86.6, 59.6 and 38.3% total-amino-acid identity with mouse Dact2, human DACT2 and zebrafish dact2, respectively. Dact1 orthologs were more evolutionarily conserved than Dact2 orthologs. Seven DAPH domains (DAPH1-DAPH7), originally identified as the regions conserved between human DACT1 and DACT2, were conserved among mammalian Dact1 orthologs and Dact2 orthologs. DAPH2 domain, corresponding to the Leucine zipper motif, was located within the coiled-coil region. DAPH3 domain was the Serine rich region. DAPH7 domain was the C-terminal PDZ binding region. This is the first report on the rat Dact1 and Dact2 genes.     

Identification and characterization of rat Ror1 and Ror2 genes in silico

Frizzled-1 (FZD1), FZD2, FZD3, FZD4, FZD5, FZD6, FZD7, FZD8, FZD9 and FZD10 are seven-transmembrane-type WNT receptors with extracellular Frizzled (Fz) domain. ROR1, ROR2 and MUSK are receptor-type tyrosine kinases with extracellular Fz domain, while MFRP is type II transmembrane protein with extracellular Fz domain. ROR1, ROR2, MUSK and MFRP are predicted to transduce or regulate WNT signaling. Here, we identified and characterized rat Ror1 and Ror2 genes by using bioinformatics. Rat Ror1 gene was located within AC108320.4, AC098031.5 and AC129856.4 genome sequences, while rat Ror2 gene was located within AC139870.3 and AC123431.4 genome sequences. Exon-intron structure was conserved between rat Ror1 and Ror2 genes, consisting of nine exons. Rat Ror1 mRNA was expressed in fetal ventricle, while rat Ror2 mRNA was expressed in cerebral cortex, hypothalamus, dorsolateral prostate, and chondrosarcoma. Rat Ror1 (937 aa) and Ror2 (943 aa) showed 56.5% total-amino-acid identity. Rat Ror1 and Ror2 were type I transmembrane proteins with extracellular Immunoglobulin-like (Ig), Fz, Kringle (KR) domains, and cytoplasmic Juxta-membrane (JM), Tyrosine kinase (TK), and Ror homology C-terminal (RORHC) domains. Casein kinase Iepsilon-binding RORHC domain was conserved among vertebrate Ror1 and Ror2 homologs, but not in Drosophila Ror. Thr 582 within TK domain was conserved among mammalian Ror family members, and was predicted as Casein kinase I phosphorylation site. This is the first report on rat Ror1 and Ror2 genes as well as on molecular evolution of Ror1 and Ror2 homologs.     

Identification of additional genes that influence baculovirus late gene expression

We were unable to confirm transient late gene expression using constructs of 18 genes that had been reported to support Autographa californica multinucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) late gene expression when transfected into Spodoptera frugiperda cells [Lu, A., and Miller, L. K. (1995). J. Virol. 69, 975-982]. Three genes (orf66, orf68, and orf41) were included, all or in part, in the constructs used in that study, but they had not been independently tested. Therefore we investigated these and neighboring orfs for their influence on late gene expression. We found that orf41 was required for late gene expression and that sequences within orf45 appeared to be required for the expression of orf41. Although orf66 and orf68 did not appear to affect late gene expression, orf69 stimulated expression. orf69 was found to have high homology to recent entries in GenBank from a variety of organisms. In addition, it was found that orf121, which was shown to be involved in early gene expression, and the viral homolog of pcna did not influence late gene expression.     

Identification and characterization of human FHDC1, mouse Fhdc1 and zebrafish fhdc1 genes in silico

Formin homology proteins, implicated in organogenesis and carcinogenesis, are actin regulators with scaffold function. FMNL1, FMNL2, FMNL3, DIAPH1, DIAPH2, DIAPH3, DAAM1 and DAAM2 are FDD-type Formin homology proteins, while FHOD1, FHOD3, GRID2IP, Fmn1 and Fmn2 are non-FDD-type Formin homology proteins. Here, we identified human FHDC1 gene and vertebrate FHDC1 orthologs by using bioinformatics. The complete coding sequence of human FHDC1 cDNA was determined by assembling 3'-recombinated FLJ35083 chimeric cDNA and 5'-truncated KIAA1727 (AB051514.1) partial cDNA. The complete coding sequence of mouse Fhdc1 cDNA was determined by assembling 3'-truncated CD555494 EST and 5'-truncated 6330505N24 (AK031946.1) partial cDNA. The complete coding sequence of zebrafish fhdc1 cDNA was determined by assembling fhdc1 exons within zebrafish genome clone DKEY-4A14 (BX571710.4). FHDC1 gene was located at human chromosome 4q31.3, and Fhdc1 gene at mouse chromosome 3F1. Human FHDC1 (1143 aa) showed 73.3% total amino-acid identity with mouse Fhdc1 (1148 aa), and 43.4% total amino-acid identity with zebrafish Fhdc1 (1165 aa). FDCH1-FDCH5 domains were identified as novel conserved regions among vertebrate FHDC1 orthologs. Human FHDC1, mouse Fhdc1, and zebrafish Fhdc1 were non-FDD-type Formin homology proteins with FH1 and FH2 domains in the N-terminal part as well as with FDCH1, FDCH2, FDCH3, FDCH4, and FDCH5 domains in the C-terminal part. This is the first report on the identification and characterization of the human FHDC1, mouse Fhdc1 and zebrafish fhdc1 genes.     

人骨形成蛋白2在昆虫杆状病毒表达系统中的表达及初步鉴定

目的:研究hBMP2在昆虫杆状病毒系统中的表达规律。方法:将编码hBMP2的全长cDNA克隆入转移载体PK8中,重组后的载体与线性化的病毒DNA经脂质体包裹转染昆虫细胞。重组病毒经蓝白筛选后,提取病毒DNA进行PCR扩增,鉴定目的基因。收集重组病毒感染4d的细胞,进行免疫荧光及电子显微镜观察。结果:含有目的基因的重组载体经酶切可切下相应大小的目的基因片段。PCR产物的电泳结果表明,有目的基因片段的扩增。免疫荧光染色呈阳性的颗粒分布在昆虫细胞的胞浆及胞膜。结论:初步证实,hBMP2在此套表达系统中获得了表达。     

2p15-p16.1 microdeletion syndrome: molecular characterization and association of the OTX1 and XPO1 genes with autism spectrum disorders

Reports of unrelated individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and similar clinical features having overlapping de novo interstitial deletions at 2p15-p16.1 suggest that this region harbors a gene(s) important to the development of autism. We molecularly characterized two such deletions, selecting two genes in this region, exportin 1 (XPO1) and orthodenticle homolog 1 (OTX1) for association studies in three North American cohorts (Autism Spectrum Disorder - Canadian American Research Consortium (ASD-CARC), New York, and Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE)) and one Italian cohort (Società Italiana per la Ricerca e la Formazione sull'Autismo (SIRFA)) of families with ASD. In XPO1, rs6735330 was associated with autism in all four cohorts (P<0.05), being significant in ASD-CARC cohorts (P-value following false discovery rate correction for multiple testing (P(FDR))=1.29 × 10(-5)), the AGRE cohort (P(FDR)=0.0011) and the combined families (P(FDR)=2.34 × 10(-9)). Similarly, in OTX1, rs2018650 and rs13000344 were associated with autism in ASD-CARC cohorts (P(FDR)=8.65 × 10(-7) and 6.07 × 10(5), respectively), AGRE cohort (P(FDR)=0.0034 and 0.015, respectively) and the combined families (P(FDR)=2.34 × 10(-9) and 0.00017, respectively); associations were marginal or insignificant in the New York and SIRFA cohorts. A significant association (P(FDR)=2.63 × 10(-11)) was found for the rs2018650G-rs13000344C haplotype. The above three SNPs were associated with severity of social interaction and verbal communication deficits and repetitive behaviors (P-values <0.01). No additional deletions were identified following screening of 798 ASD individuals. Our results indicate that deletion 2p15-p16.1 is not commonly associated with idiopathic ASD, but represents a novel contiguous gene syndrome associated with a constellation of phenotypic features (autism, intellectual disability, craniofacial/CNS dysmorphology), and that XPO1 and OXT1 may contribute to ASD in 2p15-p16.1 deletion cases and non-deletion cases of ASD mapping to this chromosome region.     

Identification and characterization of human PRICKLE1 and PRICKLE2 genes as well as mouse Prickle1 and Prickle2 genes homologous to Drosophila tissue polarity gene prickle

Drosophila prickle is implicated in tissue polarity or planar polarity. Here, human PRICKLE1 gene corresponding to FLJ31937 cDNA and human PRICKLE2 gene corresponding to DKFZp686D143 cDNA were identified to be homologous to Drosophila prickle gene by using bioinformatics. PRICKLE1 gene was mapped to human chromosome 12p11-q12, and PRICKLE2 gene was mapped to human chromosome 3p14. Mouse Prickle1 and Prickle2 genes were next identified in mouse genome draft sequences NW_000106.1 and NW_000262.1, respectively. Human PRICKLE1, PRICKLE2, Xenopus Prickle, and Drosophila prickle were homologous in the PET domain, three LIM domains, and the C-terminal Prickle homologous (PKH) domain. LMO6 and TESTIN, containing the PET domain and three LIM domains, were found to lack the PKH domain. Therefore, PRICKLE1 and PRICKLE2 rather than LMO6 and TESTIN were found to be human homologs of Drosophila prickle. PRICKLE1 and PRICKLE2 mRNAs were expressed together in brain, eye and testis. PRICKLE1 mRNA was expressed in fetal heart and hematological malignancies, while PRICKLE2 mRNA in fetal brain, adult cartilage, pancreatic islet, gastric cancer with signet-ring cell features, and uterus tumors. Because tissue polarity genes frizzled, dishevelled, flamingo, and Vang are evolutionary and functionary conserved from Drosophila to human, PRICKLE1 and PRICKLE2 might be implicated in the localization of Frizzled and Dishevelled proteins, just like Drosophila prickle. This is the first report on identification and characterization of human PRICKLE1, PRICKLE2, mouse Prickle1, and Prickle2 genes.     

Identification of novel polymorphisms in the AXIN1 and CDX-2 genes

Axin and Cdx-2 play important roles in the tumorigenesis of human liver and colon. We have identified seven novel single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the AXIN1 gene and three in the CDX-2 gene. The identification of SNPs in these cancer-associated genes establishes a basis for future investigations to detect losses of heterozygosity in tumors; these SNPs may also provide genetic background information associated with cancer risk. Received: April 10, 2000 / Accepted: April 27, 2000     

遗传性多发性外生骨疣基因突变研究

目的进一步阐明遗传性多发性外生骨疣（ｈｅｒｅｄｉｔａｒｙｍｕｌｔｉｐｌｅｅｘｏｓｔｏｓｅｓ,ＥＸＴ）的发病机理,并为最终防治本病提供依据。方法采用聚合酶链反应－单链构象多态性分析,在３０个ＥＸＴ家系中进行ＥＸＴ１基因和ＥＸＴ２基因全部外显子突变检测,并对发现的致病突变进行ＤＮＡ测序分析。结果在２个家系中发现了致病突变,并经ＤＮＡ序列分析证实,一个系ＥＸＴ１基因ｅｘｏｎ６区域单个碱基（Ｔ）丢失;另一个系ＥＸＴ２基因ｅｘｏｎ２区域４个碱基（ｔｇｔ）丢失,前者系国内首次报道,后者系尚未见报道的新突变,这两种突变均系移码突变。结论ＥＸＴ１基因或ＥＸＴ２基因突变,可导致ＥＸＴ,本研究结果可直接应用于ＥＸＴ的遗传咨询和产前基因诊断。     

Identification,characterization and sequence of Candida albicans repetitive DNAs Rel-1 and Rel-2

Two moderately repetitive DNA elements, Rel-1 and Rel-2, were identified in a screen for clones that hybridized to a Candida albicans minichromosome. Rel-1, a 223-bp sequence, is C. albicans-specific. The 2789-bp Rel-2 sequence hybridizes weakly to C. stellatoidia DNA but not to DNA from several other yeast species. Genomic Southern-blot analysis indicated that Rel-1 and Rel-2 are often closely associated in the genome, suggesting that they may be subsequences of a larger repetitive element. Small subrepeats are located in the nucleotide sequence of both clones. Hybridization demonstrated that Rel-2 contains both repetitive and unique DNA sequences. The repetitive DNA is present on most, and perhaps all, C. albicans chromosomes. The unique sequence maps to chromosome 7; however, in some strains, it is also present on additional chromosomes.