Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.6 (RNA polymerase)
34,946 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cloned cDNA encoding the Sendai virus (SV) hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) envelope glycoprotein was expressed in cultured cells in two ways: (I) infection with HN-expressing recombinant vaccinia virus, or (II) transfection with a plasmid with T7 promoter and termination sequences flanking the HN gene, with intracellular T7 RNA polymerase supplied by coinfection with recombinant vaccinia virus that expresses the enzyme. The HN expressed was indistinguishable from the authentic SV protein in antigenicity, cell surface location, and formation of oligomeric structures. In addition, HN expressed from cDNA functioned normally in both hemadsorption and neuraminidase activities. The usefulness of cDNA expression for analyzing HN structure and function was evaluated by mutating the HN cDNA and observing the consequences for HN protein activity. Since previous work indicated that the lysine residue at position 461 is important for the neuraminidase activity of HN, we used site-directed mutation to produce HN protein with this lysine residue changed to glutamic acid. The mutated HN had neuraminidase activity with significantly increased thermal stability, indicating that residue 461 may be essential to the protein's conformation.
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PMID:Expression of cDNA encoding the Sendai virus hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene: characterization of wild-type and mutant gene products. 131 81

Immediately after infection, human immunodeficiency virus directs the synthesis of three regulatory proteins tat, rev and nef that together allow the synthesis of the structural proteins of the virus after a delay of several hours. Viral mRNA production is controlled by the tat gene, which appears to stimulate elongation by RNA polymerase II, and the rev gene, which allows the accumulation of unspliced or partially spliced mRNAs in the cytoplasm. The nef gene is dispensible for virus growth but may limit virus spread by downregulating the levels of cellular surface proteins such as the CD4 receptor. Virus maturation also depends critically on the protease gene which allows the orderly rearrangement of the viral core structures in newly budded virions as well as the vpu and vif genes which allow efficient production of mature envelope glycoprotein.
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PMID:Control of human immunodeficiency virus replication by the tat, rev, nef and protease genes. 175 79

Feline leukemia virus, subgroup C/Sarma (FeLV-C/Sarma) induces pure red blood cell aplasia in cats. Although erythroid (BFU-E and CFU-E) and granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM) progenitors are infected with this virus, only erythropoiesis is impaired. Two to 3 weeks before the onset of anemia, CFU-E become undetectable in marrow cultures while earlier erythroid progenitors (BFU-E) persist, suggesting that FeLV-C/Sarma (presumably via its envelope glycoprotein gp70) inhibits the differentiation of BFU-E to CFU-E in vivo. To correlate in vitro observations with the progression of disease, prospective studies were performed in six cats. These studies showed that at the time that the frequencies of CFU-E decreased in marrow cultures, BFU-E no longer responded to hematopoietic growth factor(s), although the responses of CFU-GM were unchanged. In further studies, anemic cats received suramin, a reverse-transcriptase inhibitor with other diverse effects. Within 4 to 14 days, erythropoiesis improved and up to 1,616 CFU-E were detected per 10(5) marrow mononuclear cells. However, progenitor cells remained infected, suggesting that suramin modulated erythroid differentiation without inhibiting progenitor infection. These observations led to the hypothesis that the gp70 of FeLV-C/Sarma impairs BFU-E differentiation by interference with ligand/receptor interactions or signal transduction pathways unique to erythroid cells. Understanding this mechanism should provide insights into the interactions controlling early erythropoiesis.
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PMID:Retrovirus-induced feline pure red blood cell aplasia: pathogenesis and response to suramin. 184 31

The replicative cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is reviewed, and currently used and investigational agents directed against the virus are discussed. The first step in the replication of HIV is selective binding of the envelope glycoprotein to CD4 receptors located on T lymphocytes. The virion is then uncoated within the cytoplasm, yielding viral genomic RNA. Reverse transcriptase uses the viral RNA as a template to form single-stranded DNA, which is duplicated to form proviral DNA through the activity of ribonuclease H. Host RNA polymerases transcribe the integrated proviral DNA into messenger RNA, and there is subsequent translation to viral proteins. After translation, further modification of precursor polyproteins is necessary to produce functional peptides. The assembled virus then buds from the cell surface and invades other cells. Targets of drug intervention in the replicative cycle include (1) binding and entry, (2) reverse transcriptase, (3) transcription and translation, and (4) viral maturation and budding. Inhibitors of binding and entry include recombinant soluble CD4, immunoadhesins, peptide T, and hypericin. Nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors include zidovudine, didanosine, zalcitabine, and stavudine. Foscarnet, tetrahydroimidazobenzo-diazepinthione compounds, and nevirapine are some nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors. Inhibitors of transcription and translation include antagonists of the tat gene and GLQ223. Castanospermine, N-butyldeoxynojirimycin, and protease inhibitors interfere with viral maturation and budding. Drug combinations that have been or are being investigated include zidovudine plus interferon alfa, zidovudine plus zalcitabine, and zidovudine plus didanosine. Four agents currently have approved labeling for use against HIV infection: zidovudine, didanosine, zalcitabine, and stavudine. Monotherapy with zidovudine remains the treatment of first choice. Although progress has been made in developing drug therapies for HIV infection, more selective and more potent drugs are urgently needed. The best approach at present is to optimize the use of available agents, continue to investigate new therapies, and educate the public about prevention.
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PMID:Agents for treating human immunodeficiency virus infection. 775 75

The fusogenic activities of enveloped-virus glycoproteins were analyzed by using a quantitative, sensitive, rapid, and highly versatile recombinant vaccinia virus-based assay measuring activation of a reporter gene upon fusion of two distinct cell populations. One population uniformly expressed vaccinia virus-encoded viral glycoproteins mediating specific binding and fusion activities; the other expressed the corresponding cellular receptor(s). The cytoplasm of one population also contained vaccinia virus-encoded bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase; the cytoplasm of the other contained a transfected plasmid with the Escherichia coli lacZ gene linked to the T7 promoter. When the two populations were mixed, cell fusion resulted in activation of the LacZ gene in the cytoplasm of the fused cells; beta-galactosidase activity was assessed by colorimetric assay of detergent cell lysates or by in situ staining. We applied this approach to study the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoprotein (Env)-CD4 interaction. Beta-Galactosidase was detected within 1 h after cell mixing and accumulated over the next several hours. Cell fusion dependence was demonstrated by the strict requirement for both CD4 and functional Env expression and by the inhibitory effects of known fusion-blocking monoclonal antibodies and pharmacological agents. Quantitative measurements indicated much higher sensitivity compared with analysis of syncytium formation. The assay was used to probe mechanisms of the cell type specificity for Env-CD4-mediated fusion. In agreement with known restrictions, cell fusion occurred only when CD4 was expressed on a human cell type. Membrane vesicle transfer experiments indicated that CD4 initially produced in either human or nonhuman cells was functional when delivered to human cells, suggesting that the fusion deficiency with nonhuman cells was not associated with irreversible defects in CD4. We also demonstrated that the infectivity specificities of different human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolates for peripheral blood lymphocytes versus continuous CD4+ cell lines were associated with corresponding fusion selectivities of the respective recombinant Env proteins. The assay enabled analysis of the fusogenic activity of the fusion glycoprotein/hemagglutinin-neuraminidase of the paramyxovirus simian virus 5. This system provides a powerful tool to study fusion mechanisms mediated by enveloped-virus glycoproteins, as well as to screen fusion-blocking antibodies and pharmacological agents.
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PMID:Fusogenic mechanisms of enveloped-virus glycoproteins analyzed by a novel recombinant vaccinia virus-based assay quantitating cell fusion-dependent reporter gene activation. 805 23

Recombinant vaccinia viruses (re-VVs) provide an extremely versatile method for the expression of foreign genes in a wide range of cultured cell types of different lineages and species. In the present report, we examine the utility of re-VV vectors for re-protein production in cultured human primary macrophages obtained through in vitro differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes. Primary macrophages supported early stages of the VV infection cycle, including morphologic cytopathic effect, shut-off of host protein synthesis and activation of early viral protein synthesis; however, late stages of infection were blocked, including synthesis of late viral proteins, replication of viral DNA, and production of infectious progeny virions. Abortive infection was observed with several independent VV strains. Using re-VVs containing Escherichia coli lacZ as a reporter gene, we assayed the activities of different classes of VV promoters. Consistent with the results noted above, human primary macrophages supported reporter gene expression driven by an early or intermediate VV promoter, but not by a late promoter; expression was obtained with synthetic bifunctional promoters containing early and/or intermediate components. Primary macrophages also supported the VV/bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase hybrid gene expression system. The utility of re-VV vectors for production of proteins of biological interest in human primary macrophages was demonstrated using re-VVs encoding human CD4 and the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 envelope glycoprotein.
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PMID:Expression of foreign genes in cultured human primary macrophages using recombinant vaccinia virus vectors. 819 48

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpu protein is a transmembrane phosphoprotein which induces rapid degradation of CD4 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To identify sequences in CD4 for Vpu-induced degradation, we generated four chimeric envelope glycoproteins having the ectodomain of HIV-1 gp160, the anchor domain of CD4, and 38, 25, 24, and 18 amino acids (aa) of the CD4 cytoplasmic domain. Using the vaccinia virus-T7 RNA polymerase expression system, we analyzed the expression of chimeric proteins in the presence and absence of Vpu. In singly transfected cells, the chimeric envelope glycoproteins having 38, 24, and 18 aa of the CD4 cytoplasmic domain were endoproteolytically cleaved and biologically active in the fusion of HeLa CD4+ cells. However, one of the chimeras having 25 aa of the CD4 cytoplasmic tail was retained in the ER using the transmembrane ER retention signal and was defective in membrane fusion. Furthermore, biochemical analyses of the coexpressing cells revealed that the Vpu protein induced degradation of the envelope glycoproteins having 38, 25, and 24 aa of the CD4 cytoplasmic tail and degradation occurred in the ER. Consequently, the fusion-competent glycoproteins did not induce the formation of syncytia in HeLa CD4+ cells expressing Vpu. However, the HIV-1 gp160 and chimeric envelope glycoprotein having the membrane-proximal 18 aa of the CD4 cytoplasmic tail were stable and fusion competent in cells expressing Vpu. In addition, we examined the stability of CD4 molecules in the presence of Vpu. Coexpression analyses revealed that the Vpu protein induced degradation of CD4 whereas mutant CD4 having the membrane-proximal 18 aa of the cytoplasmic domain was relatively stable in the presence of Vpu. Taken together, these studies have elucidated that the Vpu protein requires sequences or sequence determinants in the cytoplasmic domain of CD4 to induce degradation of the glycoproteins in the cell.
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PMID:Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Vpu protein induces degradation of chimeric envelope glycoproteins bearing the cytoplasmic and anchor domains of CD4: role of the cytoplasmic domain in Vpu-induced degradation in the endoplasmic reticulum. 835 Apr 11

The Friend spleen focus forming virus produces a 55 kDa envelope glycoprotein which associates with the erythropoietin receptor. We compared the erythropoietin receptor in Friend virus transformed murine erythroleukemic F4N and 707 cell lines with the J2E erythroid line generated by the J2 retrovirus. Reverse transcriptase PCR was used to determine transcript size. Erythropoietin receptor cDNAs were then sequenced and protein products analysed by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation. We show here that the F4N murine erythroleukemic cell line had an enlarged erythropoietin receptor mRNA. In contrast, the 707 and J2E cell line had normal sized transcripts for the receptor. Sequence analysis of the receptor in F4N cells revealed that introns which separate the exons coding for the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor were retained in these transcripts. As a consequence, a premature stop codon had been introduced, leaving only four amino acids in the intracellular portion of the receptor molecule. The normal erythropoietin receptor is approx. 66-70 kDa, but immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine/cysteine labelled cell lysates with an antibody to the amino-terminus of the erythropoietin receptor identified a truncated 37 kDa protein in F4N cells. Despite the severe carboxy-terminal truncation of the erythropoietin receptor, F4N cells continued to proliferate like the other murine erythroleukemia cell lines. This study shows that failure to remove introns from the erythropoietin receptor mRNA in F4N cells has resulted in the production of a smaller protein with virtually no cytoplasmic domain.
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PMID:Truncated erythropoietin receptor in a murine erythroleukemia cell line. 872 4

HIV-1 cell tropism is determined initially at the level of fusion mediated by the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env). Cell-cell fusion assays are employed widely to study Env-mediated fusion, and generally require transfection of target cells with a reporter plasmid that is activated upon fusion with Env-expressing effector cells. Macrophages are an important target for HIV-1, but fusion studies using primary macrophages are limited by their resistance to transfection. An assay described previously used recombinant vaccinia virus to express T7 polymerase in macrophages, and effector cells transfected with a T7-driven reporter plasmid and infected with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing Env. However, this requires a recombinant vaccinia virus for each Env. We developed a method to study fusion using primary macrophages and HIV-1 env plasmid clones under control of the T7 promoter. Macrophages were infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the SP6 RNA polymerase. Effector 293T cells were infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing T7 polymerase, and co-transfected with T7-driven env plasmids and an SP6-driven reporter gene plasmid. Cell-cell fusion mediated by T7-driven Env results in SP6-driven reporter gene transactivation. This approach is suitable for rapid analysis of multiple primary isolate, chimeric, or mutant env genes cloned into plasmid vectors.
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PMID:A macrophage fusion assay for rapid screening of cloned HIV-1 Env using dual recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing distinct RNA polymerases. 1048 61

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope glycoprotein-2 inhibits the interferon (IFN)-induced, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) via the PKR eukaryotic initiation factor-2alpha phosphorylation homology domain (PePHD). The present study examined the genetic variability of the PePHD in patients receiving IFN therapy. The PePHD from 12 HCV genotype 1 (HCV-1)-infected patients receiving daily IFN therapy was amplified by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by direct and clonal sequencing. The PePHD was highly conserved in 38 HCV GenBank isolates. There was no difference in pretreatment PePHD sequences isolated from IFN responders versus nonresponders. The major PePHD quasi-species variant did not change after 6 weeks of daily IFN therapy, and in 1 patient the major quasi-species variant did not change during 9 months of observation. Sequencing of 25 pretreatment PePHD clones from 3 patients confirmed that there was extremely low sequence variability surrounding the PePHD. The PePHD is highly conserved in HCV-1-infected IFN responders and nonresponders and does not appear to evolve in response to IFN therapy.
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PMID:The protein kinase-interacting domain in the hepatitis C virus envelope glycoprotein-2 gene is highly conserved in genotype 1-infected patients treated with interferon. 1091 68


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