Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.7.48 (transcriptase)
9,479 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cytokine-driven activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in tissue injury and inflammation is a key pathogenetic event in liver fibrogenesis leading to an expanded pool of matrix producing myofibroblasts (MFB) which represent the transformed counterpart of HSC. We hypothesize that expansion of the pool of MFB might also be accomplished by modulation of apoptosis, which plays an opposite and complementary role to mitosis in the cellular homeostasis. We characterized the susceptibility of HSC in primary culture and of MFB in secondary culture to apoptosis induced by the soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) and related the effects to the expression levels of Fas (APO-1/CD95) and some major proapoptotic and contra-apoptotic protooncogenes. MFB showed a dose-dependent apoptotic reaction upon exposure to sFasL as evidenced by a strong increase of nucleosomal DNA fragments, loss of cellular DNA, positive TUNEL reaction, and annexin staining. The effect was found only if protein synthesis (cycloheximide) or RNA synthesis (actinomycin D) were arrested. HSC maintained for various times in primary culture were completely resistant to sFasL in combination with cycloheximide, but in late primary cultures (day 7 onward) an increasing susceptibility to sFasL-mediated apoptosis was developed. By semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis and alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase staining Fas receptor was identified both in HSC and MFB at comparable expression levels. The expression of the contra-apoptotic protooncogenes bcl-2 and bcl-xl was found to be much stronger in early HSC than in late HSC and MFB as shown by ribonuclease protection assay. The expression of bcl-2 was additionally confirmed by semiquantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting. Proapoptotic bax was found in comparable quantities at the RNA level in HSC and MFB but at the protein level MFB showed increased bax expression. It is concluded that transformation of HSC to MFB is paralleled by an increasing sensitivity to sFasL-mediated apoptosis, which might be related to a strong decrease of bcl-2 and bcl-xl expression, leading to a preponderance of proapoptotic gene expression in MFB. Modulation of apoptotic susceptibility of transforming HSC could be an important complementary pathway in the pathogenesis of fibrosis.
...
PMID:Transformation-dependent susceptibility of rat hepatic stellate cells to apoptosis induced by soluble Fas ligand. 969 16

Some foreign genes introduced into plants are poorly expressed, even when transcription is controlled by a strong promoter. Perhaps the best examples of this problem are the cry genes of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.), which encode the insecticidal proteins commonly referred to as B.t. toxins. As a step toward overcoming such problems most effectively, we sought to elucidate the mechanisms limiting the expression of a typical B.t.-toxin gene, cryIA(c), which accumulates very little mRNA in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells. Most cell lines transformed with the cryIA(c) B.t.-toxin gene accumulate short, polyadenylated transcripts. The abundance of these transcripts can be increased by treating the cells with cycloheximide, a translation inhibitor that can stabilize many unstable transcripts. Using a series of hybridizations, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reactions, and RNase-H-digestion experiments, poly(A+) addition sites were identified in the B.t.-toxin-coding region corresponding to the short transcripts. A fourth polyadenylation site was identified using a chimeric gene. These results demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge that premature polyadenylation can limit the expression of a foreign gene in plants. Moreover, this work emphasizes that further study of the fundamental principles governing polyadenylation in plants will have basic as well as applied significance.
...
PMID:Premature polyadenylation at multiple sites within a Bacillus thuringiensis toxin gene-coding region. 970 99

The M1 protein of influenza virus inhibits the in vitro transcriptase activity of ribonucleoprotein cores from virions. This inhibitory activity is thought to be relevant in vivo because accumulation of M1 at the late stages of viral replication may be the cue to halt viral mRNA production. A model influenza reporter genome was used to explore the effect of M1 on the activity of the influenza virus transcriptase complex within cultured cells. Expression of M1 in cells bearing the model influenza virus reporter genome was accompanied by a reduction of CAT gene expression to 12% of control levels. Quantification of RNA by ribonuclease protection assay revealed that the influenza reporter genome mRNA levels in M1-expressing cells were reduced by approximately 74% compared with those of cells expressing a control protein. These findings are consistent with the proposed model in which M1 is responsible for limiting viral transcription during late stages of infection. By expressing truncated forms of M1, the inhibitory activity was found to reside within the amino-terminal half of the M1 protein. Two independent inhibitory domains were identified in this region: one between amino acid residues 1-90 and the other spanning residues 91-127.
...
PMID:The matrix 1 protein of influenza A virus inhibits the transcriptase activity of a model influenza reporter genome in vivo. 974 Jul 76

Reverse transcriptase (RT) is a modular enzyme carrying polymerase and ribonuclease H (RNase H) activities in separable domains. Retroviral replication requires both of these activities. The RNase H domain is responsible for hydrolysis of the RNA portion of RNA x DNA hybrids, and this activity requires the presence of divalent cations (Mg2+ or Mn2+) that bind its active site. This domain is a part of a large family of homologous RNase H enzymes of which the RNase HI protein from Escherichia coli is the best characterized. Although the isolated RNase H domain from human immunodeficiency virus RT is inactive, the Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) domain is active in the absence of the polymerase domain, making functional studies more accessible. Using circular dichroism spectroscopy, we characterized the stability and folding of two different fragments of MMLV RT that retain RNase H activity. The smaller fragment corresponding to the 157 C-terminal residues of RT is predominantly unfolded in the absence of divalent cations, but folding can be induced by the addition of metal. The larger fragment corresponding to the 175 C-terminal residues, however, is stably folded in the absence of metal. Thus, an 18 residue N-terminal extension outside the region homologous to E. coli RNase HI is important for the structural stability of the RNase H domain of MMLV RT. Therefore, this region should be considered part of the RNase H domain.
...
PMID:Folding the ribonuclease H domain of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase requires metal binding or a short N-terminal extension. 974 51

The murine anti-bombesin monoclonal antibody, 2A11, has been demonstrated to inhibit growth of some small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells in nude mice xenografts and in a clinical trial. To determine if the expression of bombesin-like peptides (BLP) and their receptors (GRP-R and NMB-R) correlate with an in vitro response to 2A11, we measured these parameters in seven SCLC cell lines. Gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) mRNA was detected in three of seven cell lines (NCI-H69, NCI-H345, NCI-H510) and neuromedin B (NMB) mRNA was detected in all seven lines using an RNase protection assay (RPA). Immunoreactive BLP was detected in the cell pellets of all lines (range 0.11-59.90 pmol/mg protein) by a solid phase GRP radioimmunoassay (RIA) using 125I-labeled 2A11. RPA detected GRP-receptor mRNA in two cell lines (NCI-H69 and NCI-H345) and NMB-receptor in three lines (NCI-H345, NCI-H510, and NCI-H660). Reverse transcriptase-PCR confirmed the presence of receptor mRNA in these lines and detected NMB-receptor in an additional three lines (NCI-H69, NCI-H82, and NCI-H187). Calcium mobilization in response to BLP stimulation was detected in the six cell lines expressing either GRP-R or NMB-R mRNA but not in NCI-N417, which had no detectable BLP-receptor. 2A11 (5 microg/ml) inhibited colony formation by 26-61% after 2 weeks in all cell lines except NCI-N417. Thus, growth inhibition by 2A11 requires the presence of at least one BLP-receptor. These findings may be useful in selecting patients with SCLC for treatment with 2A11.
...
PMID:Correlation of expression of bombesin-like peptides and receptors with growth inhibition by an anti-bombesin antibody in small-cell lung cancer cell lines. 985 94

The viral factor responsible for triggering the acute phase response, or 'flu' syndrome, associated with many acute viral infections is not defined. One candidate viral factor is double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) generated during viral replication. In this report we demonstrate by reverse-transcriptase polymerase-chain reaction that nuclease-stable viral RNA was released from influenza-infected MDCK epithelial cells at the time of cell lysis. Removal of virion-associated RNA by ultracentrifugation left equal amounts of positive- and negative-strand viral RNA in the medium that resisted degradation by endogenous RNase in the medium and by exogenous RNase added prior to phenol extraction. These data are the first demonstration that viral RNA with characteristics of dsRNA is spontaneously released from dying influenza virus-infected cells, and thus is available to amplify cytokine induction and contribute to systemic disease.
...
PMID:Spontaneous release of stable viral double-stranded RNA into the extracellular medium by influenza virus-infected MDCK epithelial cells: implications for the viral acute phase response. 993 Jan 93

RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) activity was identified in lysates of Eimeria maxima sporozoites and E. necatrix sporozoites and merozoites. Pretreatment of cell lysates with DNase I, RNase A, proteinase K and actinomycin D prior to RDRP assay was employed to characterize RDRP activity. DNase I and actinomycin D had little effect, while proteinase K abolished RDRP activity in both species. RNase A at a concentration of 1 mg/ml also reduced the polymerase activity in E. maxima and E. necatrix sporozoite lysates to 2% and 0%, respectively. Gel electrophoresis of RDRP products revealed that while most migrated at sizes less than 3 kb, a proportion of labelled products of E. necatrix and E. maxima also migrated to the sizes of their respective putative viral genomes. The RDRP products of E. necatrix were shown to be single-stranded by digestion with RNase in both low- and high-salt solutions and by methylmercuric hydroxide treatment. Moreover, the RDRP products of E. necatrix only hybridized to the 5.6-kb dsRNA of E. necatrix but not to the 4.5-kb dsRNAs of E. necatrix or E. maxima.
...
PMID:RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity associated with virus-like dsRNA in Eimeria maxima and E. necatrix of the domestic fowl. 995 Feb 24

Single-stranded (ss) RNA containing and double-stranded (ds) RNA containing virus particles of Eimeria necatrix were isolated by centrifugation through a CsCl gradient. RNA from the gradient fractions was identified as single-stranded or double-stranded by probing northern blots with digoxigenin-labeled riboprobes. These probes were generated with SP6 and T7 RNA polymerases from a partial cDNA clone derived from 5.6-kb viral dsRNA of E. necatrix. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) activity was identified in these CsCl-purified virus particles. The polymerase products of the ssRNA particles consisted of dsRNA indicating replicase activity, whereas the polymerase products of the dsRNA particles consisted of ssRNA indicating transcriptase. activity. RNase treatment in high salt solution (0.3 M NaCl) of the pooled RDRP products revealed that the products consisted of both RNase-resistant dsRNA and RNase-sensitive ssRNA. These results show that both replicase and transcriptase activities were present in the purified virus. The digoxigenin-labeled products hybridized to both SP6 and T7 transcripts confirming the presence of both activities.
...
PMID:RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity associated with Eimeria necatrix virus particles containing either double-stranded or single-stranded RNA. 1021 97

Bone marrow-culture-derived macrophages activated with interferon-gamma and lipopolysaccharide produced less nitric oxide (NO) when cultured with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-infected BALB/c3T3 (3T3-VSV) than macrophages activated in an identical manner and cultured alone, with uninfected BALB/c3T3 (3T3), or with P815. However, all four groups of macrophages produced nearly the same amount of interleukin-6 (IL-6). Addition of VSV to activated macrophages did not change the amount of NO produced. The amount of NO generated by two non-macrophage sources of NO was not affected by the presence of either P815 or 3T3-VSV. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed a decrease in the amount of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) but not IL-6 mRNA from macrophages cocultured with 3T3-VSV compared with macrophages cocultured with P815. The reduction in iNOS mRNA was confirmed by ribonuclease protection assay. When RAW 264.7 transfected with an iNOS regulatory construct were activated and incubated with 3T3-VSV there was a decrease in the expression of the reporter luciferase gene and NO production but not IL-6 production compared with cells incubated with either medium alone or with P815.
...
PMID:Interaction with vesicular stomatitis virus-infected BALB/c3T3 cells inhibits the synthesis of nitric oxide in activated murine bone marrow culture-derived macrophages. 1033 88

X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTX) is an inherited demyelinating neuropathy caused by mutations in the gene encoding the gap junction protein connexin32 (Cx32). Despite the identification of over 160 different mutations in the Cx32 coding sequence, it is not known whether the mutations cause the disease manifestations through a loss of Cx32 function or through toxic effects on peripheral nerve. We created transgenic mice with a frameshift mutation at codon 175 (175fs), identified in a large CMTX pedigree. Light microscopic examination of the peripheral nerves from adult transgenic animals showed no pathological features. Western blotting did not show transgenic Cx32 protein in any of the 26 lines, although expression of transgenic messenger RNA was detected by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and by ribonuclease protection assay. Our findings indicate that the 175fs mutation results in a loss of Cx32 function, without additional toxic effects.
...
PMID:Studies in transgenic mice indicate a loss of connexin32 function in X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. 1041 40


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>