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

The Cromer blood group system consists of eight high incidence and three low incidence antigens carried on decay-accelerating factor (DAF). This report describes the identification and characterization of a new Cromer high incidence antigen, named SERF. Sequence analyses of DNA from a Thai female whose serum contained the alloantibody to a high incidence antigen in the Cromer blood group system (anti-SERF) and from her two children were performed. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequence analysis on cDNA from the proband and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis on DNA from Thais were also performed. To map the epitope, DAF deletion mutants were tested by immunoblotting with anti-SERF. Sequence analysis revealed a substitution of 647C>T in exon 5 DAF in the proband. The proband's two children and two of 100 Thais were heterozygotes 647C/T. Analysis using DAF deletion mutants revealed the antigenic determinant to be within short consensus repeat 3 (SCR3), which is encoded by exon 5. This study describes a novel high incidence antigen (SERF) in the Cromer blood group system characterized by the amino acid proline at position 182 in SCR3 of DAF. The SERF-negative proband has a substitution mutation that predicts for leucine at this position. SERF has been provisionally assigned the International Society of Blood Transfusion number 021.012 (CROM 12).
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PMID:SERF: a new antigen in the Cromer blood group system. 1528 28

We reported earlier the isolation and characterization of a Sindbis virus mutant, SV(PZF), that can grow in mosquito cells treated with pyrazofurin (PZF), a compound that interferes with pyrimidine biosynthesis (Y. H. Lin, P. Yadav, R. Ravatn, and V. Stollar, Virology 272:61-71, 2000; Y. H. Lin, H. A. Simmonds, and V. Stollar, Virology 292:78-86, 2002). Three amino acid changes in nsP4, the viral RNA polymerase, were required to produce this phenotype. We now describe a mutant of Sindbis virus, SVCPC, that is resistant to cyclopentenylcytosine (CPC), a compound that interferes only with the synthesis of CTP. Thus, in contrast to SVPZF, which was selected for its ability to grow in mosquito cells with low levels of UTP and CTP, SVCPC was selected for its ability to grow in cells in which only the level of CTP was reduced. Although SV(PZF) was cross-resistant to CPC, SVCPC was not resistant to PZF. Only one amino acid change in nsP4, Leu 585 to Phe, was required for the CPC resistance phenotype. The viral replicase/transcriptase generated in SVCPC-infected mosquito cells had a lower Km for CTP (but not for UTP) than did the enzyme made in SVSTD-infected mosquito cells. SV(PZF) and SVCPC represent the first examples of viral mutants selected for the ability to grow in cells with low levels of ribonucleoside triphosphates (rNTPs). Further study of these mutants and determination of the structure of nsP4 should demonstrate how alterations in an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase permit it to function in cells with abnormally low levels of rNTPs.
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PMID:A mutant of Sindbis virus which is able to replicate in cells with reduced CTP makes a replicase/transcriptase with a decreased Km for CTP. 1533 97

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a key enzyme in the elimination of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex of the human brain. Genetic variation in the COMT gene (MIM 116790) has been associated with altered prefrontal cortex function and higher risk for schizophrenia, but the specific alleles and their functional implications have been controversial. We analyzed the effects of several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within COMT on mRNA expression levels (using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis), protein levels (using Western blot analysis), and enzyme activity (using catechol methylation) in a large sample (n = 108) of postmortem human prefrontal cortex tissue, which predominantly expresses the -membrane-bound isoform. A common coding SNP, Val158Met (rs4680), significantly affected protein abundance and enzyme activity but not mRNA expression levels, suggesting that differences in protein integrity account for the difference in enzyme activity between alleles. A SNP in intron 1 (rs737865) and a SNP in the 3' flanking region (rs165599)--both of which have been reported to contribute to allelic expression differences and to be associated with schizophrenia as part of a haplotype with Val--had no effect on mRNA expression levels, protein immunoreactivity, or enzyme activity. In lymphocytes from 47 subjects, we confirmed a similar effect on enzyme activity in samples with the Val/Met genotype but no effect in samples with the intron 1 or 3' SNPs. Separate analyses revealed that the subject's sex, as well as the presence of a SNP in the P2 promoter region (rs2097603), had small effects on COMT enzyme activity. Using site-directed mutagenesis of mouse COMT cDNA, followed by in vitro translation, we found that the conversion of Leu at the homologous position into Met or Val progressively and significantly diminished enzyme activity. Thus, although we cannot exclude a more complex genetic basis for functional effects of COMT, Val is a predominant factor that determines higher COMT activity in the prefrontal cortex, which presumably leads to lower synaptic dopamine levels and relatively deleterious prefrontal function.
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PMID:Functional analysis of genetic variation in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT): effects on mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity in postmortem human brain. 1545 4

Magnesium modulates vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function. However, molecular mechanisms regulating VSMC Mg2+ remain unknown. Using biochemical, pharmacological, and genetic tools, the role of transient receptor potential membrane melastatin 7 (TRPM7) cation channel in VSMC Mg2+ homeostasis was evaluated. Rat, mouse, and human VSMCs were studied. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting demonstrated TRPM7 presence in VSMCs (membrane and cytosol). Angiotensin II (Ang II) and aldosterone increased TRPM7 expression. Gene silencing using small interfering RNA (siRNA) against TRPM7, downregulated TRPM7 (mRNA and protein). Basal [Mg2+]i, measured by mag fura-2AM, was reduced in siRNA-transfected cells (0.39+/-0.01 mmol/L) versus controls (0.54+/-0.01 mmol/L; P<0.01). Extracellular Mg2+ dose-dependently increased [Mg2+]i in control cells (Emax 0.70+/-0.02 mmol/L) and nonsilencing siRNA-transfected cells (Emax 0.71+/-0.04 mmol/L), but not in siRNA-transfected cells (Emax 0.5+/-0.01 mmol/L). The functional significance of TRPM7 was evaluated by assessing [Mg2+]i and growth responses to Ang II in TRPM7 knockdown cells. Acute Ang II stimulation decreased [Mg2+]i in control and TRPM7-deficient cells in a Na+-dependent manner. Chronic stimulation increased [Mg2+]i in control, but not in siRNA-transfected VSMCs. Ang II-induced DNA and protein synthesis, measured by 3[H]-thymidine and 3[H]-leucine incorporation, respectively, were increased in control and nonsilencing cells, but not in TRPM7 knockdown VSMCs. Our data indicate that VSMCs possess membrane-associated, Ang II-, and aldosterone-regulated TRPM7 channels, which play a role in regulating basal [Mg2+]i, transmembrane Mg2+ transport and DNA and protein synthesis. These novel findings identify TRPM7 as a functionally important regulator of Mg2+ homeostasis and growth in VSMCs.
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PMID:Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 ion channels regulate magnesium homeostasis in vascular smooth muscle cells: role of angiotensin II. 1559 Dec 30

The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of influenza virus consists of three subunits, PB1, PB2, and PA, and synthesizes three kinds of viral RNAs, vRNA, cRNA, and mRNA. PB1 is a catalytic subunit; PB2 recognizes the cap structure for generation of the primer for transcription; and PA is thought to be involved in viral RNA replication. However, the process of polymerase complex assembly and the exact nature of polymerase complexes involved in synthesis of the three different RNA species are not yet clear. ts53 virus is a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant derived from A/WSN/33 (A. Sugiura, M. Ueda, K. Tobita, and C. Enomoto, Virology 65:363-373, 1975). We confirmed that the mRNA synthesis level of ts53 remains unaffected at the nonpermissive temperature, whereas vRNA synthesis is largely reduced. Sequencing of the gene encoding ts53 PA and recombinant virus rescue experiments revealed that an amino acid change from Leu to Pro at amino acid position 226 is causative of temperature sensitivity. By glycerol density gradient analyses of nuclear extracts prepared from wild-type virus-infected cells, we found that polymerase proteins sediment in three fractions: one (H fraction) consists of RNP complexes, another (M fraction) contains active polymerases but not viral RNA, and the other (L fraction) contains inactive forms of polymerases. Pulse-chase experiments showed that polymerases in the L fraction are converted to those in the M fraction. In ts53-infected cells, polymerases accumulated in the L fraction. These results strongly suggest that PA is involved in the assembly of functional viral RNA polymerase complexes from their inactive intermediates.
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PMID:Involvement of influenza virus PA subunit in assembly of functional RNA polymerase complexes. 1561 1

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is an indolent, late-metastasizing malignant soft-tissue tumor that is often mistaken for either more benign or more malignant tumor types. Cytogenetic analyses have identified a recurrent balanced translocation t(7;16) (q32-34;p11), later shown by molecular genetic approaches to result in a FUS/CREB3L2 fusion gene. Whereas preliminary studies suggest that this gene rearrangement is specific for LGFMS, its incidence in this tumor type and the possible existence of variant fusion genes have not yet been addressed. For this purpose, a series of potential LGFMS were obtained from nine different soft-tissue tumor centres and subjected to molecular analysis as well as careful histopathologic review. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis disclosed a FUS/CREB3L2 fusion transcript in 22 of the 23 (96%) cases that remained classified as LGFMS after the histologic re-evaluation and from which RNA of sufficient quality could be extracted, whereas none of the cases that were classified as other tumor types was fusion-positive. In one of the tumors with typical LGFMS appearance, we found that FUS was fused to the CREB3L1 gene instead of CREB3L2. The proteins encoded by these genes both belong to the same basic leucine-zipper family of transcription factors, and display extensive sequence homology in their DNA-binding domains. Thus, it is expected that the novel FUS/CREB3L1 chimera will have a similar impact at the cellular level as the much more common FUS/CREB3L2 fusion protein. Taken together, the results indicate that virtually all LGFMS are characterized by a chimeric FUS/CREB3L2 gene, and that rare cases may display a variant FUS/CREB3L1 fusion.
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PMID:Clinicopathologic and molecular genetic characterization of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, and cloning of a novel FUS/CREB3L1 fusion gene. 1564 Aug 31

Hepatitis E is an acute hepatitis casused by hepatitis E virus (HEV) in developing countries, where it occurs as cases sporadic and in epidemics form. The causative agent, hepatitis E virus, is transmitted primarily by the fecal-oral route. HEV is icosahedron non-enveloped virus, and its genome is a single-stranded, positive-sense, 3'-polyadenylated RNA about 7.5 kb in length. It contains three open reading frames (ORFs). Of which ORF1 codes for a polyprotein of 1693 amino acids and contain domains homologous to a viral methyltransferase, a papainlike cysteine protease, an RNA helicasre, and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, besides the most hypervariable region of the HEV genome. And ORF3 codes for a 123-amino-acide-long polypeptide with unknown function. While the major viral capsid protein (pORF2, ORF2 codes) of 660 amino acid was showed to contain the protective epitope. The bacterially expressed polypeptide disignated as NE2 has been proved to be a protective antige. And the anti-NE2 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) was screend, two of these mAbs 8C11 and 8H3 were showed to be against separate conformational neutralization epitope of hepatitis E virus (HEV). And these two mAb were used to screen for binding peptides from a 7-peptides phage display library. After four rounds of panning, tweenty-one positive monoclonal phages (11 for 8C11, and 10 for 8H3) were selected and the inserted fragments were sequenced. The DNA sequence coding for the obtained dominant peptide 8C11 (N'-His-Pro-Thr-Leu-Leu-Arg-Ile-C', named 8C11A) and 8H3 (N'-Ser-Ile-Leu-Pro-Tyr-Pro-Tyr-C', named 8H3A) were then synthesized and cloned to insert between amino acid 78 to 83 of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg), then expressed in E. coli. The recombinant proteins aggregate into homodimer or polymer on SDS-PAGE, and could bind with mAb 8C11 and 8H3 in Western blotting. Respectively, the recombinant protein C8C11A showed to be dimer mainly, which can bind with mAb 8C11. The monomer and dimer of C8H3A are in the same amount on SDS-PAGE, but only the dimer could bind with mAb 8H3 on Western blotting. The renatured recombinant proteins were all showed to aggregate into virus like particles which were similar as HBcAg on transmission electron micrograph. The dominant peptide 8H3A (N'-Ser-Ile-Leu-Pro-Tyr-ProTyr-C') that selected out by mAb 8H3 was further chemo-synthesized, and its binding activity was confirmed by BIAcore biosensor. The result showed that this 7-peptide can bind with mAb 8H3 in a big Ka and Kd form, which means the binding is not stable. These results implicated that conformational dependent neutralization epitope could be partially modeled by short peptide, which provided a feasible route for subunit vaccine development.
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PMID:[Selection of a peptide mimic the neutralization epitope of hepatitis E virus with phage peptide display technology]. 1597 79

The virally encoded NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase has emerged as a prime target in the search for specific HCV antivirals. A series of benzimidazole 5-carboxamide compounds inhibit the cellular RNA replication of a HCV subgenomic replicon and we have advanced our understanding of this class of inhibitors through a combination of complementary approaches that include biochemical cross-linking experiments with a photoreactive analogue followed by mass spectrometry analysis of the enzyme. A novel binding site has been localized for these inhibitors at the junction of the thumb domain and the N-terminal finger loop. Furthermore, the isolation and characterization of resistant replicon mutants that co-localize to this region distinguished this class of compounds from other non-nucleoside NS5B inhibitors that bind to distinct allosteric sites. Resistant mutations that emerged with the benzimidazole 5-carboxamide and related compounds were found at three amino acid positions in the thumb domain: Pro(495) with substitutions to Ser, Leu, Ala, or Thr; Pro(496) substitutions to Ser or Ala; and a V499A substitution. Mutations at each of these positions conferred different levels of resistance to this drug class: the Pro(495) changes provided the greatest shifts in compound potency, followed by moderate changes in potency with the Pro(496) substitutions, and finally only minor shifts in potency with V499A. Combinations that include the benzimidazole 5-carboxamide polymerase inhibitors and compounds that bind other sites or other HCV targets, including HCV protease inhibitors, are complementary in cell culture models of HCV RNA replication at suppressing the emergence of resistant variants. This novel class of compounds and unique binding site expand the diversity of HCV antivirals currently under development and offer the potential to improve the treatment of chronic HCV infection.
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PMID:Binding site characterization and resistance to a class of non-nucleoside inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase. 1618 90

Influenza virus RNA polymerase is a heterotrimeric complex consisting of PB1, PB2, and PA subunits. These polymerase subunits accumulate in the nucleus of infected cells. We report here that PB2, from both human and avian influenza viruses, could also localize to mitochondria in transfected cells. Importantly, cells infected with influenza A virus also displayed mitochondrial PB2. We show that an N-terminal motif composed of 120 amino acids is sufficient for localization of PB2 to mitochondria. In particular, leucine residues at positions 7 and 10 were essential for mitochondrial targeting. Recombinant influenza A/WSN/33 viruses expressing PB2 proteins with L7A and/or L10A mutations showed reduced viral titers, but unaffected levels of transcription, replication, and protein expression. The introduction of L7A and/or L10A mutations into recombinant viruses correlated with reduced mitochondrial membrane potential in infected cells, suggesting that mitochondrial localization of PB2 contributes to the preservation of mitochondrial function during influenza virus infection.
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PMID:Characterization of a mitochondrial-targeting signal in the PB2 protein of influenza viruses. 1624 67

The nucleocapsid protein VP35 of Marburgvirus, a filovirus, acts as the cofactor of the viral polymerase and plays an essential role in transcription and replication of the viral RNA. VP35 forms complexes with the genome encapsidating protein NP and with the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L. In addition, a trimeric complex had been detected in which VP35 bridges L and the nucleoprotein NP. It has been presumed that the trimeric complex represents the active polymerase bound to the nucleocapsid. Here we present evidence that a predicted coiled-coil domain between amino acids 70 and 120 of VP35 is essential and sufficient to mediate homo-oligomerization of the protein. Substitution of leucine residues 90 and 104 abolished (i) the probability to form coiled coils, (ii) homo-oligomerization, and (iii) the function of VP35 in viral RNA synthesis. Further, it was found that homo-oligomerization-negative mutants of VP35 could not bind to L. Thus, it is presumed that homo-oligomerization-negative mutants of VP35 are unable to recruit the polymerase to the NP/RNA template. In contrast, inability to homo-oligomerize did not abolish the recruitment of VP35 into inclusion bodies, which contain nucleocapsid-like structures formed by NP. Finally, transcriptionally inactive mutants of VP35 containing the functional homo-oligomerization domain displayed a dominant-negative phenotype. Inhibition of VP35 oligomerization might therefore represent a suitable target for antiviral intervention.
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PMID:Homo-oligomerization of Marburgvirus VP35 is essential for its function in replication and transcription. 1628 87


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