scholarly journals Plant sterol biosynthesis: identification of two distinct families of sterol 4alpha-methyl oxidases

2004 ◽  
Vol 378 (3) ◽  
pp. 889-898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvain DARNET ◽  
Alain RAHIER
Keyword(s):  
Viral Vector ◽  
Gene Families ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Virus Induced Gene Silencing ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Sequence Identity ◽  
Photosynthetic Eukaryotes ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Haem Iron ◽  
Cdna Fragments

In plants, the conversion of cycloartenol into functional phytosterols requires the removal of the two methyl groups at C-4 by an enzymic complex including a sterol 4α-methyl oxidase (SMO). We report the cloning of candidate genes for SMOs in Arabidopsis thaliana, belonging to two distinct families termed SMO1 and SMO2 and containing three and two isoforms respectively. SMO1 and SMO2 shared low sequence identity with each other and were orthologous to the ERG25 gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae which encodes the SMO. The plant SMO amino acid sequences possess all the three histidine-rich motifs (HX3H, HX2HH and HX2HH), characteristic of the small family of membrane-bound non-haem iron oxygenases that are involved in lipid oxidation. To elucidate the precise functions of SMO1 and SMO2 gene families, we have reduced their expression by using a VIGS (virus-induced gene silencing) approach in Nicotiana benthamiana. SMO1 and SMO2 cDNA fragments were inserted into a viral vector and N. benthamiana inoculated with the viral transcripts. After silencing with SMO1, a substantial accumulation of 4,4-dimethyl-9β,19-cyclopropylsterols (i.e. 24-methylenecycloartanol) was obtained, whereas qualitative and quantitative levels of 4α-methylsterols were not affected. In the case of silencing with SMO2, a large accumulation of 4α-methyl-Δ7-sterols (i.e. 24-ethylidenelophenol and 24-ethyllophenol) was found, with no change in the levels of 4,4-dimethylsterols. These clear and distinct biochemical phenotypes demonstrate that, in contrast with animals and fungi, in photosynthetic eukaryotes, these two novel families of cDNAs are coding two distinct types of C-4-methylsterol oxidases controlling the level of 4,4-dimethylsterol and 4α-methylsterol precursors respectively.

scholarly journals Amino acid sequence, haem-iron co-ordination geometry and functional properties of mitochondrial and bacterial c-type cytochromes

1985 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Senn ◽  
Kurt Wüthrich
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Purple Bacteria ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Blue Green Algae ◽  
Cytochromes C ◽  
Sulphur Bacteria ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Nitrate And Nitrite ◽  
Haem Iron ◽  
Soluble C

Cytochromes are found in all biological oxidation Systems which involve transport of reducing equivalents through organized chains of membrane bound intermediates, regardless of the ultimate oxidant (Keilin, 1966; Bartsch, 1978; Meyer & Kamen, 1982). Thus, cytochromes are present not only in the aerobic mitochondrial and bac-terial respiratory chain, but are also found in much more diversified procariotic Systems, including all varieties of facultative anaerobes (nitrate and nitrite reducers), obligate anaerobes (sulphate reducers and phototrophic sulphur bacteria), facultative photoheterotrophes (phototrophic non-sulphur purple bacteria), and the photoautotrophic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Among the different types of cytochromes occurring in the cell, the soluble c-type cytochromes (‘class I’, Meyer & Kamen, 1982) are the most abundant and best characterized group of proteins (Bartsch, 1978; Meyer & Kamen, 1982; Dickerson & Timkovitch, 1975; Lemberg & Barrett, 1973; Salemme, 1977; Ferguson-Miller, Brautigan & Margoliash, 1979). The amino acid sequences of more than 80 mitochrondrial and close to 40 bacterial cytochromes c are known (Meyer & Kamen, 1982; Dickerson & Timkovitch, 1975; Schwartz & Dayhoff, 1976; Dayhoff & Barker, 1978).

scholarly journals A cassava common mosaic virus vector for virus-induced gene silencing in cassava

Plant Methods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Decai Tuo ◽  
Peng Zhou ◽  
Pu Yan ◽  
Hongguang Cui ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Silencing ◽  
Mosaic Virus ◽  
Gene Function ◽  
Viral Vector ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Systemic Infection ◽  
Cdna Clones ◽  
Virus Induced Gene Silencing ◽  
Efficient Gene ◽  
Gene Function Analysis

Abstract Background Cassava is an important crop for food security and industry in the least-developed and developing countries. The completion of the cassava genome sequence and identification of large numbers of candidate genes by next-generation sequencing provide extensive resources for cassava molecular breeding and increase the need for rapid and efficient gene function analysis systems in cassava. Several plant virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) systems have been developed as reverse genetic tools for rapid gene function analysis in cassava. However, these VIGS vectors could cause severe viral symptoms or inefficient gene silencing. Results In this study, we constructed agroinfection-compatible infectious cDNA clones of cassava common mosaic virus isolate CM (CsCMV-CM, genus Potexvirus, family Alphaflexiviridae) that causes systemic infection with mild symptoms in cassava. CsCMV-CM was then modified to a viral vector carrying the Nimble cloning frame, which facilitates the rapid and high-throughput cloning of silencing fragments into the viral genome. The CsCMV-based vector successfully silenced phytoene desaturase (PDS) and magnesium chelatase subunit I (ChlI) in different cassava varieties and Nicotiana benthamiana. The silencing of the ChlI gene could persist for more than two months. Conclusions This CsCMV-based VIGS system provides a new tool for rapid and efficient gene function studies in cassava.

scholarly journals Sequence identity in an early chorion multigene family is the result of localized gene conversion.

Genetics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-606
Author(s):  
B L Hibner ◽  
W D Burke ◽  
T H Eickbush
Keyword(s):  
Nucleotide Sequence ◽  
Gene Conversion ◽  
Nucleotide Sequence Identity ◽  
Early Period ◽  
Gene Families ◽  
Multigene Families ◽  
Coding Regions ◽  
Sequence Identity ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Sequence Exchange

Abstract The multigene families that encode the chorion (eggshell) of the silk moth, Bombyx mori, are closely linked on one chromosome. We report here the isolation and characterization of two segments, totaling 102 kb of genomic DNA, containing the genes expressed during the early period of choriogenesis. Most of these early genes can be divided into two multigene families, ErA and ErB, organized into five divergently transcribed ErA/ErB gene pairs. Nucleotide sequence identity in the major coding regions of the ErA genes was 96%, while nucleotide sequence identity for the ErB major coding regions was only 63%. Selection pressure on the encoded proteins cannot explain this difference in the level of sequence conservation between the ErA and ErB gene families, since when only fourfold redundant codon positions are considered, the divergence within the ErA genes is 8%, while the divergence within the ErB genes (corrected for multiple substitutions at the same site) is 110%. The high sequence identity of the ErA major exons can be explained by sequence exchange events similar to gene conversion localized to the major exon of the ErA genes. These gene conversions are correlated with the presence of clustered copies of the nucleotide sequence GGXGGX, encoding paired glycine residues. This sequence has previously been correlated with gradients of gene conversion that extend throughout the coding and noncoding regions of the High-cysteine (Hc) chorion genes of B. mori. We suggest that the difference in the extent of the conversion tracts in these gene families reflects a tendency for these recombination events to become localized over time to the protein encoding regions of the major exons.

scholarly journals Molecular cloning, sequencing and expression of the cDNA of the mitochondrial form of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase from human liver

1996 ◽  
Vol 315 (3) ◽  
pp. 807-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Said MODARESSI ◽  
Bruno CHRIST ◽  
Jutta BRATKE ◽  
Stefan ZAHN ◽  
Tilman HEISE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Human Liver ◽  
Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase ◽  
Amino Acid Level ◽  
Cdna Probe ◽  
Rat Hepatocytes ◽  
Eukaryotic Expression ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Sequence Identity

In human liver, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK; EC 4.1.1.32) is about equally distributed between cytosol and mitochondria in contrast with rat liver in which it is essentially a cytosolic enzyme. Recently, the isolation of the gene and cDNA of the human cytosolic enzyme has been reported [Ting, Burgess, Chamberlain, Keith, Falls and Meisler (1993) Genomics 16, 698–706; Stoffel, Xiang, Espinosa, Cox, Le Beau and Bell (1993) Hum. Mol. Genet. 2, 1–4]. It was the goal of this investigation to isolate the cDNA of the human mitochondrial form of hepatic PCK. A human liver cDNA library was screened with a rat cytosolic PCK cDNA probe comprising sequences from exons 2 to 9. A cDNA clone was isolated which had overall a 68% DNA sequence and a 70% deduced amino acid sequence identity with the human cytosolic PCK cDNA. Without the flanking 270 bases (=90 amino acids) each at the 5´ and 3´ end, the sequence identity was 73% on the DNA and 78% on the amino acid level. The isolated cDNA had an open reading frame of 1920 bp; it was 54 bp (equivalent to 18 amino acids) longer than that of human or rat cytosolic PCK cDNA. The isolated cDNA was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNAI and transfected into human embryonal kidney cells HEK293; PCK activity was increased by 3-fold in the mitochondria, which normally contain 70% of total PCK activity, but not in the cytosol. The isolated cDNA was also transfected into cultured rat hepatocytes; again, PCK activity was enhanced by about 40-fold in the mitochondria, which normally possess only 10% of total PCK activity, but not in the cytosol. In the rat hepatocytes only the endogenous cytosolic PCK and not the transfected mitochondrial PCK was induced 3-fold with glucagon. Comparison of the amino acid sequences deduced from the isolated cDNA with human and rat cytosolic PCK showed that the additional 18 amino acids were located at the N-terminus of the protein and probably constitute a mitochondrial targeting signal. Northern-blot analyses revealed the human mitochondrial PCK mRNA to be 2.25 kb long, about 0.6 kb shorter than the mRNA of the cytosolic PCK. Primer extension experiments showed that the 5´-untranslated region of mitochondrial PCK mRNA was 134 nucleotides in length.

scholarly journals The Membrane-Bound H+-ATPase Complex Is Essential for Growth of Lactococcus lactis

2000 ◽  
Vol 182 (17) ◽  
pp. 4738-4743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Koebmann ◽  
Dan Nilsson ◽  
Oscar P. Kuipers ◽  
Peter R. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Lactococcus Lactis ◽  
Transcription Initiation ◽  
Northern Blot Analysis ◽  
Promoter Sequence ◽  
Initiation Site ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Significant Homology ◽  
Atpase Subunits ◽  
Membrane Bound

ABSTRACT The eight genes which encode the (F1Fo) H+-ATPase in Lactococcus lactis subsp.cremoris MG1363 were cloned and sequenced. The genes were organized in an operon with the gene order atpEBFHAGDC; i.e., the order of atpE and atpB is reversed with respect to the more typical bacterial organization. The deduced amino acid sequences of the corresponding H+-ATPase subunits showed significant homology with the subunits from other organisms. Results of Northern blot analysis showed a transcript at approximately 7 kb, which corresponds to the size of theatp operon. The transcription initiation site was mapped by primer extension and coincided with a standard promoter sequence. In order to analyze the importance of the H+-ATPase forL. lactis physiology, a mutant strain was constructed in which the original atp promoter on the chromosome was replaced with an inducible nisin promoter. When grown on GM17 plates the resulting strain was completely dependent on the presence of nisin for growth. These data demonstrate that the H+-ATPase is essential for growth of L. lactis under these conditions.

scholarly journals A nucleotide sequence comparison of coxsackievirus B4 isolates from aquatic samples and clinical specimens

1993 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Hughes ◽  
E. M. Hoey ◽  
P. V. Coyle
Keyword(s):  
Nucleotide Sequence ◽  
Clinical Specimen ◽  
Prototype Strain ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Genomic Region ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Nucleotide Level ◽  
Clinical Specimens ◽  
Coxsackievirus B4 ◽  
Sequence Identity

SUMMARYTen coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4) strains isolated from clinical and environmental sources in Northern Ireland in 1985–7, were compared at the nucleotide sequence level. Dideoxynucleotide sequencing of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified fragment, spanning the VP1/P2A genomic region, classified the isolates into two distinct groups or genotypes as defined by Rico-Hesse and colleagues for poliovirus type 1. Isolates within each group shared approximately 99% sequence identity at the nucleotide level whereas ≤86% sequence identity was shared between groups. One isolate derived from a clinical specimen in 1987 was grouped with six CVB4 isolates recovered from the aquatic environment in 1986–7. The second group comprised CVB4 isolates from clinical specimens in 1985–6. Both groups were different at the nucleotide level from the prototype strain isolated in 1950. It was concluded that the method could be used to sub-type CVB4 isolates and would be of value in epidemiological studies of CVB4. Predicted amino acid sequences revealed non-conservation of the tyrosine residue at the VP1/P2A cleavage site but were of little value in distinguishing CVB4 variants.

Biochemistry and site-directed mutational analysis of Δ7-sterol-C5(6)-desaturase

2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 799-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rahier ◽  
P. Benveniste ◽  
T. Husselstein ◽  
M. Taton
Keyword(s):  
Biochemical Characterization ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Enzyme System ◽  
Conserved Residues ◽  
Catalytic Role ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Haem Iron ◽  
Oxygen Site

This report describes recent work on the process of desaturation at C5(6) of sterol precursors in plants. Biochemical characterization of the plant Δ7-sterol C5(6)-desaturase (5-DES) indicates that the enzyme system involved shows important similarities to the soluble and membrane-bound non-haem iron desaturases found in eukaryotes, including cyanide and hydrophobic chelators sensitivity, CO resistance and a requirement for exogenous reductant and molecular oxygen. Site-directed mutational analysis of highly conserved residues in 5-DES indicated that eight histidine residues from three histidine-rich motifs were essential for the catalysis, possibly by providing the ligands for a putative Fe centre. This mutational analysis also revealed the catalytic role of the functionally conserved Thr-114.

scholarly journals Concerted evolution at a multicopy locus in the protozoan parasite Theileria parva: extreme divergence of potential protein-coding sequences.

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 1666-1673 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Bishop ◽  
A Musoke ◽  
S Morzaria ◽  
B Sohanpal ◽  
E Gobright
Keyword(s):  
Concerted Evolution ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Gene Families ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Theileria Parva ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Coding Sequences

Concerted evolution of multicopy gene families in vertebrates is recognized as an important force in the generation of biological novelty but has not been documented for the multicopy genes of protozoa. A multicopy locus, Tpr, which consists of tandemly arrayed open reading frames (ORFs) containing several repeated elements has been described for Theileria parva. Herein we show that probes derived from the 5'/N-terminal ends of ORFs in the genomic DNAs of T. parva Uganda (1,108 codons) and Boleni (699 codons) hybridized with multicopy sequences in homologous DNA but did not detect similar sequences in the DNA of 14 heterologous T. parva stocks and clones. The probe sequences were, however, protein coding according to predictive algorithms and codon usage. The 3'/C-terminal ends of the Uganda and Boleni ORFs exhibited 75% similarity and identity, respectively, to the previously identified Tpr1 and Tpr2 repetitive elements of T. parva Muguga. Tpr1-homologous sequences were detected in two additional species of Theileria. Eight different Tpr1-homologous transcripts were present in piroplasm mRNA from a single T. parva Muguga-infected animal. The Tpr1 and Tpr2 amino acid sequences contained six predicted membrane-associated segments. The ratio of synonymous to nonsynonymous substitutions indicates that Tpr1 evolves like protein-encoding DNA. The previously determined nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the p67 antigen is completely identical in T. parva Muguga, Boleni, and Uganda, including the third base in codons. The data suggest that concerted evolution can lead to the radical divergence of coding sequences and that this can be a mechanism for the generation of novel genes.

scholarly journals Human Herpesvirus 6B Genome Sequence: Coding Content and Comparison with Human Herpesvirus 6A

1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (10) ◽  
pp. 8040-8052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldina Dominguez ◽  
Timothy R. Dambaugh ◽  
Felicia R. Stamey ◽  
Stephen Dewhurst ◽  
Naoki Inoue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleotide Sequence ◽  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Nucleotide Sequence Identity ◽  
Genomic Sequence ◽  
Human Herpesvirus ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Sequence Identity ◽  
T Cell Lines ◽  
The Right

ABSTRACT Human herpesvirus 6 variants A and B (HHV-6A and HHV-6B) are closely related viruses that can be readily distinguished by comparison of restriction endonuclease profiles and nucleotide sequences. The viruses are similar with respect to genomic and genetic organization, and their genomes cross-hybridize extensively, but they differ in biological and epidemiologic features. Differences include infectivity of T-cell lines, patterns of reactivity with monoclonal antibodies, and disease associations. Here we report the complete genome sequence of HHV-6B strain Z29 [HHV-6B(Z29)], describe its genetic content, and present an analysis of the relationships between HHV-6A and HHV-6B. As sequenced, the HHV-6B(Z29) genome is 162,114 bp long and is composed of a 144,528-bp unique segment (U) bracketed by 8,793-bp direct repeats (DR). The genomic sequence allows prediction of a total of 119 unique open reading frames (ORFs), 9 of which are present only in HHV-6B. Splicing is predicted in 11 genes, resulting in the 119 ORFs composing 97 unique genes. The overall nucleotide sequence identity between HHV-6A and HHV-6B is 90%. The most divergent regions are DR and the right end of U, spanning ORFs U86 to U100. These regions have 85 and 72% nucleotide sequence identity, respectively. The amino acid sequences of 13 of the 17 ORFs at the right end of U differ by more than 10%, with the notable exception of U94, the adeno-associated virus type 2 rep homolog, which differs by only 2.4%. This region also includes putative cis-acting sequences that are likely to be involved in transcriptional regulation of the major immediate-early locus. The catalog of variant-specific genetic differences resulting from our comparison of the genome sequences adds support to previous data indicating that HHV-6A and HHV-6B are distinct herpesvirus species.

scholarly journals Identification of a Full-Length cDNA for an Endogenous Retrovirus of Miniature Swine

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 4503-4507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna E. Akiyoshi ◽  
Maria Denaro ◽  
Haihong Zhu ◽  
Julia L. Greenstein ◽  
Papia Banerjee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Leukemia Virus ◽  
Endogenous Retrovirus ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Endogenous Retroviruses ◽  
Miniature Swine ◽  
Sequence Identity ◽  
Multiple Organs ◽  
Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus

ABSTRACT Endogenous retroviruses of swine are a concern in the use of pig-derived tissues for xenotransplantation into humans. The nucleotide sequence of porcine endogenous retrovirus taken from lymphocytes of miniature swine (PERV-MSL) has been characterized. PERV-MSL is a type C retrovirus of 8,132 bp with the greatest nucleic acid sequence identity to gibbon ape leukemia virus and murine leukemia virus. Constitutive production of PERV-MSL RNA has been detected in normal leukocytes and in multiple organs of swine. The copy numbers of full-length PERV sequences per genome (approximately 8 to 15) vary among swine strains. The open reading frames for gag, pol, andenv in PERV-MSL have over 99% amino acid sequence identity to those of Tsukuba-1 retrovirus and are highly homologous to those of endogenous retrovirus of cell line PK15 (PK15-ERV). Most of the differences in the predicted amino acid sequences of PK15-ERV and PERV-MSL are in the SU (cell attach- ment) region ofenv. The existence of these PERV clones will enable studies of infection by endogenous retroviruses in xenotransplantation.

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