Transgenic rescue demonstrates involvement of the Ian5 gene in T cell development in the rat

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mieczyslaw Michalkiewicz ◽  
Teresa Michalkiewicz ◽  
Ruth A. Ettinger ◽  
Elizabeth A. Rutledge ◽  
Jessica M. Fuller ◽  
...  

A single point mutation in a novel immune-associated nucleotide gene 5 ( Ian5) coincides with severe T cell lymphopenia in BB rats. We used a transgenic rescue approach in lymphopenic BB-derived congenic F344. lyp/ lyp rats to determine whether this mutation is responsible for lymphopenia and to establish the functional importance of this novel gene. A 150-kb P1 artificial chromosome (PAC) transgene harboring a wild-type allele of the rat Ian5 gene restored Ian5 transcript and protein levels, completely rescuing the T cell lymphopenia in the F344. lyp/ lyp rats. This successful complementation provides direct functional evidence that the Ian5 gene product is essential for maintaining normal T cell levels. It also demonstrates that transgenic rescue in the rat is a practical and definitive method for revealing the function of a novel gene.

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 184-184
Author(s):  
Takeshi Isoda ◽  
Masatoshi Takagi ◽  
Jinhua Piao ◽  
Shun Nakagama ◽  
Masaki Sato ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 184FN2 Ataxia Telangiectagia (AT) is an autosomal recessive immunodeficiency, caused by mutation of ataxia telangiectagia mutated gene (ATM). ATM plays a crucial role for responding to DNA damages by extrinsic and intrinsic factors, and is a master regulator for maintaining DNA integrity. VDJ recombination and class switch recombination during lymphocyte maturation are the steps of intrinsic DNA damage response where ATM stabilizes DNA ends during recombination. ATM deficiency (ATM−/−) is known to predispose to T-cell lymphopenia and T-lineage lymphoma development. ATM−/− mouse has been shown to have a failure of T-cell development at the stage from double positive (DP) to single positive (SP) differentiation, which is due to a failure of T-cell receptor a (TCRa) recombination. Thymic lymphomas in ATM−/− mice have recently been shown to have a chromosome 14 translocation involving TCRd locus, suggesting that the first event for translocation arises during TCRd locus recombination at double negative (DN) stage. However, phenotypic features of T-cell development at DN phase and the timing of chromosome 14 translocation formation in ATM−/− are not fully elucidated. Here we demonstrate that T cells of ATM−/− mice show a failure at the transition from DN3a to DN3b at b and gd-selection checkpoints due to multiple TCR recombination failure in-vivo. Consistent with in-vivo developmental profiles of ATM−/− mice thymocytes, long term hematopoietic stem cells (LTR-HSCs) of ATM−/− mice cultured with OP9-DLL1 show a delay at b-selection checkpoint in chronological order. In this culture system, failures in gd-T-cell development are also observed in ATM−/− LTR-HSCs. Involvement of thymic stromas in the failure of this transition was ruled out by bone-marrow transplantation (BMT) of ATM−/− donor to WT recipient mice, where thymocytes reconstitution showed the same transition failure at b-selection checkpoint. Thymocytes in RAG2−/− mice are arrested at DN3 stage by a failure of cleavage of TCR genes, but the arrested thymocytes are known to progress to DP phase by anti-CD3e antibody stimulation. This experiment enables to analyze pre-TCR dependent differentiation signal machinery. Then anti-CD3e antibody was injected into RAG2−/−ATM−/− mouse and DN3 cells were shown to be led to DP phase, indicating that ATM itself is not involved in the differentiation program during DN to DP phase. These results suggested loss of ATM attenuates T cell differentiation at DN3a to DN3b transition due to inefficient TCRg, d and b locus recombination. Thus differentiation failure from DN3a to DN3b in ATM deficiency is presumably the primary cause of T cell lymphopenia at the stage prior to positive-selection. We next investigated when of the differentiation stages chromosome 14 translocation involving TCRa/d locus monitored. When the LTR-HSCs is cultured on the OP9-DLL1 cells with high-dose cytokine including 10 ng/ml of Flt3-L, IL-7 and SCF, differentiation of LTR-HSCs to T cells halt at DN2-3a phase before b-selection. Then, by reducing the Flt3-L and IL7 to 5 ng/ml and 1 ng/ml, respectively, the differentiation arrest is released and Tcell differentiation progresses from DN3a to DN3b. No detectable chromosome break at TCRad locus was observed at DN2-3a in wild type, while 5% of ATM−/− cells carried TCRad break, associated with chromosome 14 translocation in approximately 0.8 % of DN2-3a cells. After progression to DN3b-4 phase, TCRad locus break was still observed in AT cells at the frequency of 1%, and chromosome 14 translocations involving TCRad locus was observed in 12% of ATM−/− cells, which was in contrast to none in wild type cell. Mono- or bi-allelic TCRa/d breaks, chromosome 14 dicentric, and t (12:14) were also observed in minor population of ATM−/− cells. These results suggest that critical point for generation of chromosome 14 translocations involving TCRa/d locus lies at DN2-3a to 3b stages corresponding during b and gd selection checkpoint in ATM deficient thymocytes. Our findings revealed that developmental failure of T-cells in AT arises during b and gd–selection checkpoint, which leads to the breaks of TCRa/d locus and subsequent chromosome 14 translocation formation. Thus we propose T-lymphopenia and predisposition to T cell leukemia/lymphoma are tightly connected in ATM deficient condition. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 401
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Hoover ◽  
Kendahl L. Ott ◽  
Heather R. Manring ◽  
Trevor Dew ◽  
Maegen A. Borzok ◽  
...  

Desmoplakin (DSP) is a large (~260 kDa) protein found in the desmosome, a subcellular complex that links the cytoskeleton of one cell to its neighbor. A mutation ‘hot-spot’ within the NH2-terminal third of the DSP protein (specifically, residues 299–515) is associated with both cardiomyopathies and skin defects. In select DSP variants, disease is linked specifically to the uncovering of a previously-occluded calpain target site (residues 447–451). Here, we partially stabilize these calpain-sensitive DSP clinical variants through the addition of a secondary single point mutation—tyrosine for leucine at amino acid position 518 (L518Y). Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and enzymatic assays reveal that this stabilizing mutation partially blocks access to the calpain target site, resulting in restored DSP protein levels. This ‘molecular band-aid’ provides a novel way to maintain DSP protein levels, which may lead to new strategies for treating this subset of DSP-related disorders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Suk King Lai ◽  
Hisako Nakayama ◽  
Taisuke Miyazaki ◽  
Takanobu Nakazawa ◽  
Katsuhiko Tabuchi ◽  
...  

Neuroligin is a postsynaptic cell-adhesion molecule that is involved in synapse formation and maturation by interacting with presynaptic neurexin. Mutations in neuroligin genes, including the arginine to cystein substitution at the 451st amino acid residue (R451C) of neuroligin-3 (NLGN3), have been identified in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Functional magnetic resonance imaging and examination of post-mortem brain in ASD patients implicate alteration of cerebellar morphology and Purkinje cell (PC) loss. In the present study, we examined possible association between the R451C mutation in NLGN3 and synaptic development and function in the mouse cerebellum. In NLGN3-R451C mutant mice, the expression of NLGN3 protein in the cerebellum was reduced to about 10% of the level of wild-type mice. Elimination of redundant climbing fiber (CF) to PC synapses was impaired from postnatal day 10–15 (P10–15) in NLGN3-R451C mutant mice, but majority of PCs became mono-innervated as in wild-type mice after P16. In NLGN3-R451C mutant mice, selective strengthening of a single CF relative to the other CFs in each PC was impaired from P16, which persisted into juvenile stage. Furthermore, the inhibition to excitation (I/E) balance of synaptic inputs to PCs was elevated, and calcium transients in the soma induced by strong and weak CF inputs were reduced in NLGN3-R451C mutant mice. These results suggest that a single point mutation in NLGN3 significantly influences the synapse development and refinement in cerebellar circuitry, which might be related to the pathogenesis of ASD.


mBio ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana R. Pereira ◽  
Jen Hsin ◽  
Ewa Król ◽  
Andreia C. Tavares ◽  
Pierre Flores ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A mechanistic understanding of the determination and maintenance of the simplest bacterial cell shape, a sphere, remains elusive compared with that of more complex shapes. Cocci seem to lack a dedicated elongation machinery, and a spherical shape has been considered an evolutionary dead-end morphology, as a transition from a spherical to a rod-like shape has never been observed in bacteria. Here we show that a Staphylococcus aureus mutant (M5) expressing the ftsZ G193D allele exhibits elongated cells. Molecular dynamics simulations and in vitro studies indicate that FtsZ G193D filaments are more twisted and shorter than wild-type filaments. In vivo , M5 cell wall deposition is initiated asymmetrically, only on one side of the cell, and progresses into a helical pattern rather than into a constricting ring as in wild-type cells. This helical pattern of wall insertion leads to elongation, as in rod-shaped cells. Thus, structural flexibility of FtsZ filaments can result in an FtsZ-dependent mechanism for generating elongated cells from cocci. IMPORTANCE The mechanisms by which bacteria generate and maintain even the simplest cell shape remain an elusive but fundamental question in microbiology. In the absence of examples of coccus-to-rod transitions, the spherical shape has been suggested to be an evolutionary dead end in morphogenesis. We describe the first observation of the generation of elongated cells from truly spherical cocci, occurring in a Staphylococcus aureus mutant containing a single point mutation in its genome, in the gene encoding the bacterial tubulin homologue FtsZ. We demonstrate that FtsZ-dependent cell elongation is possible, even in the absence of dedicated elongation machinery.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 6263-6272 ◽  
Author(s):  
H L Grimes ◽  
T O Chan ◽  
P A Zweidler-McKay ◽  
B Tong ◽  
P N Tsichlis

The Gfi-1 proto-oncogene is activated by provirus insertion in T-cell lymphoma lines selected for interleukin-2 (IL-2) independence in culture and in primary retrovirus-induced thymomas and encodes a nuclear, sequence-specific DNA-binding protein. Here we show that Gfi-1 is a position- and orientation-independent active transcriptional repressor, whose activity depends on a 20-amino-acid N-terminal repressor domain, coincident with a nuclear localization motif. The sequence of the Gfi-1 repressor domain is related to the sequence of the repressor domain of Gfi-1B, a Gfi-1-related protein, and to sequences at the N termini of the insulinoma-associated protein, IA-1, the homeobox protein Gsh-1, and the vertebrate but not the Drosophila members of the Snail-Slug protein family (Snail/Gfi-1, SNAG domain). Although not functionally characterized, these SNAG-related sequences are also likely to mediate transcriptional repression. Therefore, the Gfi-1 SNAG domain may be the prototype of a novel family of evolutionarily conserved repressor domains that operate in multiple cell lineages. Gfi-1 overexpression in IL-2-dependent T-cell lines allows the cells to escape from the G1 arrest induced by IL-2 withdrawal. Since a single point mutation in the SNAG domain (P2A) inhibits both the Gfi-1-mediated transcriptional repression and the G1 arrest induced by IL-2 starvation, we conclude that the latter depends on the repressor activity of the SNAG domain. Induction of Gfi-1 may therefore contribute to T-cell activation and tumor progression by repressing the expression of genes that inhibit cellular proliferation.


Retrovirology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramona Moles ◽  
Sarkis Sarkis ◽  
Veronica Galli ◽  
Maria Omsland ◽  
Damian F. J. Purcell ◽  
...  

AbstractThe extraordinarily high prevalence of HTLV-1 subtype C (HTLV-1C) in some isolated indigenous communities in Oceania and the severity of the health conditions associated with the virus impress the great need for basic and translational research to prevent and treat HTLV-1 infection. The genome of the virus’s most common subtype, HTLV-1A, encodes structural, enzymatic, and regulatory proteins that contribute to viral persistence and pathogenesis. Among these is the p30 protein encoded by the doubly spliced Tax-orf II mRNA, a nuclear/nucleolar protein with both transcriptional and post-transcriptional activity. The p30 protein inhibits the productive replication cycle via nuclear retention of the mRNA that encodes for both the viral transcriptional trans-activator Tax, and the Rex proteins that regulate the transport of incompletely spliced viral mRNA to the cytoplasm. In myeloid cells, p30 inhibits the PU-1 transcription factor that regulates interferon expression and is a critical mediator of innate and adaptive immunity. Furthermore, p30 alters gene expression, cell cycle progression, and DNA damage responses in T-cells, raising the hypothesis that p30 may directly contribute to T cell transformation. By fine-tuning viral expression while also inhibiting host innate responses, p30 is likely essential for viral infection and persistence. This concept is supported by the finding that macaques, a natural host for the closely genetically related simian T-cell leukemia virus 1 (STLV-1), exposed to an HTLV-1 knockout for p30 expression by a single point mutation do not became infected unless reversion and selection of the wild type HTLV-1 genotype occurs. All together, these data suggest that inhibition of p30 may help to curb and eventually eradicate viral infection by exposing infected cells to an effective host immune response.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (48) ◽  
pp. 24206-24213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Jaschke ◽  
Gabrielle A. Dotson ◽  
Kay S. Hung ◽  
Diane Liu ◽  
Drew Endy

We develop a method for completing the genetics of natural living systems by which the absence of expected future discoveries can be established. We demonstrate the method using bacteriophage øX174, the first DNA genome to be sequenced. Like many well-studied natural organisms, closely related genome sequences are available—23 Bullavirinae genomes related to øX174. Using bioinformatic tools, we first identified 315 potential open reading frames (ORFs) within the genome, including the 11 established essential genes and 82 highly conserved ORFs that have no known gene products or assigned functions. Using genome-scale design and synthesis, we made a mutant genome in which all 11 essential genes are simultaneously disrupted, leaving intact only the 82 conserved but cryptic ORFs. The resulting genome is not viable. Cell-free gene expression followed by mass spectrometry revealed only a single peptide expressed from both the cryptic ORF and wild-type genomes, suggesting a potential new gene. A second synthetic genome in which 71 conserved cryptic ORFs were simultaneously disrupted is viable but with ∼50% reduced fitness relative to the wild type. However, rather than finding any new genes, repeated evolutionary adaptation revealed a single point mutation that modulates expression of gene H, a known essential gene, and fully suppresses the fitness defect. Taken together, we conclude that the annotation of currently functional ORFs for the øX174 genome is formally complete. More broadly, we show that sequencing and bioinformatics followed by synthesis-enabled reverse genomics, proteomics, and evolutionary adaptation can definitely establish the sufficiency and completeness of natural genome annotations.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 4319-4319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Wohlbold ◽  
Heiko van der Kuip ◽  
Alexandra Moehring ◽  
Galit Granot ◽  
Moshe Oren ◽  
...  

Abstract Fusion transcripts such as bcr-abl encoding pathological oncogenic proteins represent ideal targets for a tumor-specific RNA interference (RNAi) approach. The aim of the present study was to optimize the efficacy of bcr-abl RNAi. We evaluated several synthetic siRNAs targeting the fusion sites of all common bcr-abl transcript variants (e14a2, e13a2, or e1a2). Significant knock-down of p210Bcr-abl and p190Bcr-abl fusion proteins was successfully achieved in bcr-abl expressing 32D cells and human leukemic K562 and MEG-01 cells. Repeated application of siRNA proved to be significantly more efficient compared to single treatment. The optimized protocol led to a total decrease of up to 75–90% in Bcr-abl protein levels, which was accompanied by a loss of viability of up to 90%. The target specificity of the siRNA was high, and even a single point mutation in the siRNA-sequence led to significant, albeit not complete, loss of siRNA efficacy. To expend the duration of the knock-down effect, we explored the use of plasmids driving the stable expression of short hairpin RNA (shRNA). Efficient downregulation of Bcr-abl protein was achieved in K562 cells transfected with a pSUPER-based plasmid encoding bcr-abl shRNA.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 1727-1727
Author(s):  
Vanja Karamatic Crew ◽  
Carole Green ◽  
Stephen Parsons ◽  
Belinda K. Singleton ◽  
Geoff Daniels ◽  
...  

Abstract Tn is a cryptantigen located on O-linked oligosaccharides of cell membrane glycoproteins and is composed of N-acetylgalactosamine a -linked to serine or threonine of the protein backbone. Tn is expressed on hemopoietic cells of individuals with the rare idiopathic Tn syndrome, characterized by a variable pattern of Tn expression suggestive of its somatic and clonal origin. Tn is also associated with overexpression in several autoimmune diseases and malignancies. Tn is a bioprecursor of the T cryptantigen and subsequently the disialotetrasaccharide units typical of O-linked oligosaccharides of RBC sialoglycoproteins. Tn results from defective oligosaccharide biosynthesis caused by the malfunction of T-synthase, a b1,3-galactosyltransferase. Recent evidence suggested that the activity of T-synthase is dependent on a molecular chaperone, Cosmc (Ju and Cummings, PNAS2002;99:16613–18). In view of this evidence, we investigated whether Cosmc is required for T-synthase activity and ultimately for Tn phenotype by obtaining material from 4 apparently healthy, unrelated Caucasian individuals with Tn phenotype. Case 1 was 93.9% Tn+ on an EBV-transformed lymphoblastoma cell line. Analysis of the Cosmc gene, C1GALT1C1, showed a homozygous 428C>T, Ala143Val mutation and Case 1 showed a complete lack of expression of C1GALT1C1 cDNA. Case 2 revealed no C1GALT1C1 mutations in DNA extracted from plasma, but in DNA of lymphocyte origin an apparent heterozygous 454G>A, Glu152Lys change was observed, in agreement with Ju and Cummings (Nature2005, 437:1252). When Case 2 hemopoietic progenitor cells were expanded into the erythroid cell line, the mutation appeared homozygous. Tn expression varied from 76.1% in lymphocytes, 90.7% in RBCs to 96.9% in erythroblasts. Case 3 showed 19.4% Tn+ lymphocytes, compared to 97.0% Tn+ RBCs. In Case 3 we found a single point mutation 577T>C, Ser193Pro. Case 4 exhibited 46.5% Tn+ lymphocytes, 96.0% Tn+ RBCs and 90.2% Tn+ erythroblasts. DNA analysis revealed 3G>C, converting the translation-initiating methionine to isoleucine and predicting the loss of first 12 amino acids of the protein, potentially altering its morphology. The mutations found in Cases 2–4 reflected the clonal nature of Tn, appearing heterozygous in DNA of lymphocyte origin and homozygous in DNA of erythroid origin. To confirm that the observed mutations are indeed responsible for Tn phenotype, pBabe puro vector with Tn or wild type C1GALT1C1 inserts was transfected into Jurkat cells. Untransfected cells and cells transfected with bare vector expressed Tn. Jurkat cells transfected with wild-type C1GALT1C1 were Tn-negative while those transfected with C1GALT1C1 from Cases 2–4 expressed Tn. From this evidence we postulate that Cosmc is directly involved in the expression of Tn phenotype. To investigate the involvement of other genes, we performed expression profiling of 3 Tn and 4 control samples hybridized to HG-U133A arrays. A list of 100 up-regulated and 173 down-regulated genes, with 1.5× fold difference in expression, was obtained. Some genes, relating to erythrocyte development/heme biosynthesis were upregulated, while down-regulated genes were related to cholesterol/lipid metabolism. Real-time Q-PCR on six differentially expressed genes of interest, down-regulated FABP5, CYP1B1 and LRP8 and up-regulated AQP1, AQP3 and EPB42, confirmed the microarray results, and elevated expression of AQP3 on Tn + RBCs was detected serologically. The effects of C1GALT1C1 mutations are wider than Tn expression on hemopoietic cells.


2001 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pin Li ◽  
S.R. Wayne Chen

Activation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) by Ca2+ is an essential step in excitation-contraction coupling in heart muscle. However, little is known about the molecular basis of activation of RyR2 by Ca2+. In this study, we investigated the role in Ca2+ sensing of the conserved glutamate 3987 located in the predicted transmembrane segment M2 of the mouse RyR2. Single point mutation of this conserved glutamate to alanine (E3987A) reduced markedly the sensitivity of the channel to activation by Ca2+, as measured by using single-channel recordings in planar lipid bilayers and by [3H]ryanodine binding assay. However, this mutation did not alter the affinity of [3H]ryanodine binding and the single-channel conductance. In addition, the E3987A mutant channel was activated by caffeine and ATP, was inhibited by Mg2+, and was modified by ryanodine in a fashion similar to that of the wild-type channel. Coexpression of the wild-type and mutant E3987A RyR2 proteins in HEK293 cells produced individual single channels with intermediate sensitivities to activating Ca2+. These results are consistent with the view that glutamate 3987 is a major determinant of Ca2+ sensitivity to activation of the mouse RyR2 channel, and that Ca2+ sensing by RyR2 involves the cooperative action between ryanodine receptor monomers. The results of this study also provide initial insights into the structural and functional properties of the mouse RyR2, which should be useful for studying RyR2 function and regulation in genetically modified mouse models.


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