Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.6 (RNA polymerase)
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Sophisticated biochemical networks allow organisms such as bacteria and insects to switch from very rapid growth and development in ideal environments to dormancy during severely unfavorable conditions. These switches may be accompanied by abrupt changes in oxidation/reduction involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS have the potential of damaging nucleic acids, proteins, and membranes. In Escherichia coli, certain genetically regulated circuits (regulons) turn on synthesis of anti-oxidant enzymes to protect against distinct ROS excesses (superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, organic or lipid peroxides, etc.). As examples, the soxRS regulon controls synthesis of Mn-superoxide dismutase, oxyR controls catalase HPI, rpoS positively regulates HPII, and fur regulates several oxidative reactions that involve iron uptake. Our studies have focused on the regulatory role of rpoS, known to be a sigma factor (sigma 38) that combines with RNA polymerase and is a regulator of those gene products needed to protect cells during dormancy. Since insect cells, during both active growth and dormancy, endure severe environments, analogous protective gene products may be induced. Examples are presented of insect anti-oxidant metabolism, including those involved in the aging process. In addition, we searched several DNA and protein sequence data banks to compare resemblances between anti-oxidant gene products of bacteria and insects.
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PMID:Genetic mechanisms involved in cellular recovery from oxidative stress. 760 42

The gene structure and expression of the Dfur2 gene of Drosophila melanogaster, which encodes the subtilisin-like serine endoprotease Dfurin2, was studied. The Dfur2 gene is very compact in contrast to the related Dfur1 gene, which has an estimated size of over 100 kbp. The 6-kb Dfur2 mRNA is encoded by 16 exons dispersed over a genomic region of about 9 kbp. The exon/intron organization shows conservation of intron positions not only in comparison with Dfur1, but also with the related mammalian genes FUR, PC1/PC3, PC2, and PC4. This conservation supports the hypothesis that all genes belonging to the family of subtilisin-like pro-protein processing enzymes are evolutionary related by descent from a common ancestral gene. In primer extension experiments, Dfur2 transcription initiation sites were identified in the presumed Dfur2 promoter region. This region was found to contain general RNA polymerase II promoter elements like a potential TATA box, a potential CAP signal, and several potential CCAAT boxes. Also, several sequence motifs putatively corresponding to binding sites for Drosophila transcription factors like zeste, bicoid, and engrailed were found to be present. RNA in situ hybridization experiments on Drosophila embryos revealed presumably maternal Dfur2 expression until the syncytial blastoderm (stage 5 of embryogenesis), no expression during gastrulation (stage 9), transient expression in a subset of neurons in the central nervous system of stage 12-13 embryos, and, from stage 13 onwards, expression in the developing tracheal tree. In a vaccinia expression system, the endoprotease Dfurin2 not only cleaved wild-type precursor of von Willebrand factor (pro-vWF) with pro-region cleavage site R-S-K-R decreases, but also, although to a lesser extent, pro-vWF mutants in which the P2 (vWFK-2A) or P4 (vWFR-4A) basic residue with respect to the pro-region cleavage site had been mutated. This cleavage specificity resembles that of human furin. The cleavage of pro-vWF by Dfurin2 shows that the previously reported lack of cleavage of the precursor of the beta A-chain of activin-A by Dfurin2 in this vaccinia expression system is substrate determined.
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PMID:The Dfur2 gene of Drosophila melanogaster: genetic organization, expression during embryogenesis, and pro-protein processing activity of its translational product Dfurin2. 788 Apr 43

This review describes a range of pH responses. Some are only induced if relevant DNA is brought to an appropriately supercoiled configuration by DNA gyrase and bent by the action of, for example, integration host factor (IHF). Bending may allow transcription by bringing activators into juxtaposition with RNA polymerase, which is CysB-associated in several of the responses. Control of arginine decarboxylase (AdiA) synthesis at acid pH is of the above type, with dependence on the presence of gyrase, H-NS, IHF and CysB; acid induction of LysU has similar requirements but also needs Lrp; lysine decarboxylase (CadA) formation at acid pH is controlled quite differently, needing the CadC activator and interaction of lysine/lysine permease; H-NS probably reverses induction by CadC. The Hyd components of formic hydrogenlyase are induced by acid under anaerobiosis; a transcriptional activator is involved and Fur may also function in regulation. Acid tolerance induced at low pH in log-phase cells needs CysB and PhoE but not DNA gyrase; tolerance is reduced by NaCl but not affected by Fe3+, Fe2+, glucose/cAMP or by lrp, him, fur, hns or nhaA/B lesions. Alkali tolerance (habituation), induced at pH0 8.5-9.0, probably involves DNA supercoiling and bending; the induction process needs IHF, CysB, PhoE, NhaA, TonB and Fur and is glucose-repressed; tolerance may result from Na+ efflux catalysed by the NhaA antiporter, which is induced at pH0 9.0. Alkali sensitivity induced at pH0 5.5 also requires gyrase, IHF and CysB, but H-NS, Lrp, NhaA and OmpC are also needed and induction is abolished by NaCl. Salt-induced acid sensitivity results from PhoE formation and is blocked by glucose (reversed by cAMP), FeCl3 and hns and relA lesions, the effect of relA being envZ-suppressed. Acid sensitivity induction (ASI) at pH0 9.0 needs H-NS, is inhibited by FeCl3 and amiloride, and is associated with alkyl hydroperoxide reductase synthesis. Leucine-induced acid sensitivity needs gyrase, CysB, H-NS, Fur, OmpA and RelA, is inhibited by Fe3+, Fe2+, tetracycline, glucose and nalidixic acid, but not by chloramphenicol; increased outer membrane proton passage may result from OmpA modification.
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PMID:Regulatory components, including integration host factor, CysB and H-NS, that influence pH responses in Escherichia coli. 917 36

A new member of the membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase (MT-MMP) subfamily tentatively named MT5-MMP was isolated from mouse brain cDNA library. It is predicted to contain (i) a candidate signal sequence, (ii) a propeptide region with the highly conserved PRCGVPD sequence, (iii) a potential furin recognition motif RRRRNKR, (iv) a zinc-binding catalytic domain, (v) a hemopexin-like domain, (vi) a 24-residue hydrophobic domain as a potential transmembrane domain, and (vii) a short cytosolic domain. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis of its transcripts indicates that MT5-MMP is expressed in a brain-specific manner consistent with the origin of its EST clone from cerebellum. It is also highly expressed during embryonic development at stages day 11 and 15. Like other MT-MMPs, MT5-MMP specifically activates progelatinase A when co-expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Its ability to activate progelatinase A is dependent on its proteolytic activity since a mutation converting Glu to Ala in the zinc binding motif HE255LGH renders MT5-MMP inactive against progelatinase A. In contrast to other MT-MMPs, MT5-MMP tends to shed from cell surface as soluble proteinases, thus offering flexibility as both a cell bound and soluble proteinase for extracellular matrix remodeling processes. Taken together, these properties serve to distinguish MT5-MMP as a versatile MT-MMP playing an important role in extracellular matrix remodeling events in the brain and during embryonic development.
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PMID:Identification and characterization of the fifth membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase MT5-MMP. 1008 37

Bacillus subtilis contains three metalloregulatory proteins belonging to the ferric uptake repressor (Fur) family: Fur, Zur, and PerR. We have overproduced and purified Fur protein and analyzed its interaction with the operator region controlling the expression of the dihydroxybenzoate siderophore biosynthesis (dhb) operon. The purified protein binds with high affinity and selectivity to the dhb regulatory region. DNA binding does not require added iron, nor is binding reduced by dialysis of Fur against EDTA or treatment with Chelex. Fur selectively inhibits transcription from the dhb promoter by sigmaA RNA polymerase, even if Fur is added after RNA polymerase holoenzyme. Since neither DNA binding nor inhibition of transcription requires the addition of ferrous ion in vitro, the mechanism by which iron regulates Fur function in vivo is not obvious. Mutagenesis of the fur gene reveals that in vivo repression of the dhb operon by iron requires His97, a residue thought to be involved in iron sensing in other Fur homologs. Moreover, we identify His96 as a second likely iron ligand, since a His96Ala mutant mediates repression at 50 microM but not at 5 microM iron. Our data lead us to suggest that Fur is able to bind DNA independently of bound iron and that the in vivo role of iron is to counteract the effect of an inhibitory factor, perhaps another metal ion, that antagonizes this DNA-binding activity.
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PMID:Interaction of Bacillus subtilis Fur (ferric uptake repressor) with the dhb operator in vitro and in vivo. 1040 May 88

We investigated the gene expression and intracellular activity of processing protease furin and its involvement in the process of membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) activation in rabbit dermal fibroblasts. When the rabbit fibroblasts were treated with concanavalin A (ConA), pro-MMP-2 was converted to an active 62-kDa MMP-2 through the appearance of a 64-kDa intermediate MMP-2. The ConA-induced pro-MMP-2 activation resulted from increasing the gene expression and production of MT1-MMP in the rabbit fibroblasts. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that in rabbit dermal fibroblasts furin mRNA was detected and, unlike MT1-MMP, was not increased by ConA. These findings are further supported by the fact that the intracellular furin activity also was constitutively detected and was unchanged by the ConA treatment. Very similar phenomena were also observed in human uterine cervical fibroblasts, which are known to produce MT1-MMP by ConA stimulation. These results suggest that the expression of the furin gene and the intracellular activity are not regulated by ConA. On the other hand, neither a synthetic furin inhibitor, decanoyl-RVKR-CH(2)Cl (25-100 microM) nor a furin antisense oligonucleotide (40 microM) inhibited the MT1-MMP-mediated pro-MMP-2 activation in ConA-treated rabbit dermal fibroblasts, whereas these compounds interfered with pro-MMP-2 activation in ConA-treated human uterine cervical fibroblasts. Nonetheless, the furin antisense oligonucleotide completely suppressed furin gene expression in both rabbit and human fibroblasts. These results suggest that furin does not participate in the process of MT1-MMP activation induced by ConA in rabbit dermal fibroblasts.
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PMID:Furin-independent pathway of membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase activation in rabbit dermal fibroblasts. 1060 Dec 93

LR7/8B and ApoER2 are recently discovered members of the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor family. Although structurally different, these two proteins are derived from homologous genes in chicken and man by alternative splicing and contain 7 or 8 LDL receptor ligand-binding repeats. Here we present the cDNA for ApoER2 cloned from mouse brain and describe splice variants in the ligand binding domain of this protein, which are distinct from those present in man and chicken. The cloned cDNA is coding for a receptor with only five LDL receptor ligand-binding repeats, i.e. comprising repeats 1-3, 7, and 8. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis of mRNA from murine brain revealed the existence of two additional transcripts. One is lacking repeat 8, and in the other repeat 8 is substituted for by a 13-amino acid insertion with a consensus site for furin cleavage arising from an additional small exon present in the murine gene. None of the transcripts in the mouse, however, contain repeats 4-6. In murine placenta only the form containing repeats 1-3 and 7 and the furin cleavage site is detectable. Analysis of the corresponding region of the murine gene showed the existence of 6 exons coding for a total of 8 ligand binding repeats, with one exon encoding repeats 4-6. Exon trapping experiments demonstrated that this exon is constitutively spliced out in all murine transcripts. Thus, the murine ApoER2 gene codes for receptor variants harboring either 4 or 5 binding repeats only. Recombinant expression of the 5-repeat and 4-repeat variants showed that repeats 1-3, 7, and 8 are sufficient for binding of beta-very low density lipoprotein and reelin, but not for recognition of alpha(2)-macroglobulin, which binds to the avian homologue of ApoER2 harboring 8 ligand binding repeats.
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PMID:Alternative splicing in the ligand binding domain of mouse ApoE receptor-2 produces receptor variants binding reelin but not alpha 2-macroglobulin. 1129 45

Cell therapy may have the potential for the treatment of Type I diabetes. To date, cells suitable for this purpose have not been developed. This study investigates the feasibility of modifying Vero, a cell line that may be considered safe to implant into humans, for this purpose. Stable Vero transfectants containing full-length human preproinsulin complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) were generated using a liposomal transfection reagent. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, Western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to assess the resulting cells. Proinsulin was expressed but was not processed to insulin by these cells. Proinsulin cDNA was genetically modified, resulting in a form that is furin sensitive. The resulting stably transfected Vero clones constitutively release approximately 34%/h (32.68 +/- 2.21 to 35.62 +/- 3.14%) of the product formed, approximately 62% (59.99 +/- 6.45 to 64.64 +/- 4.57%) of which is mature insulin. These Vero transfectants did not exhibit glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. As GLUT2 and glucokinase (GCK) are not constitutively expressed by these cells, human GLUT2 cDNA and GCK cDNA were cotransfected with furin-sensitive preproinsulin cDNA into Vero cells. Insulin and GCK proteins were detected in the cytoplasmic region of the resulting cells, whereas GLUT2 was predominantly expressed in the nucleus. Coexpression of GLUT2 and GCK did not result in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The results from this study demonstrate the feasibility of engineering a relatively "safe" nonbeta cell line to produce human insulin. Coexpression of GLUT2 and GCK, at the levels achieved here, is not adequate enough to induce glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in such cells; the subcellular location of transfected components may be relevant.
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PMID:Engineering Vero cells to secrete human insulin. 1202 63

A novel common integration site for the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) was identified (designated Int7) in five independently arising mouse mammary tumors. The insertion sites all cluster within a 1-kb region that is 2 to 3 kb 5' of the transcription initiation site of a gene, 2610028F08RIK, whose gene product contains furin-like and thrombospondin-like sequences. Expression of Int7 is normally very low or silent during various stages of mammary gland development, but MMTV integration at this site results in the activation of high steady-state levels of expression of the gene. These five tumors were also found to have two or three additional viral insertions, which in each case occurred flanking a member of either the Wnt and/or FGF gene family. Reverse transcriptase PCR results demonstrated that each of the viral insertions led to elevated expression of the presumed target flanking genes.
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PMID:A new common integration site, Int7, for the mouse mammary tumor virus in mouse mammary tumors identifies a gene whose product has furin-like and thrombospondin-like sequences. 1601 73

Human mast cells have been shown to release histamine in response to the neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), but it is unknown whether these cells express proopiomelanocortin (POMC) or POMC-derived peptides. We therefore examined highly purified human skin mast cells and a leukemic mast cell line-1 (HMC-1) for their ability to express POMC and members of the prohormone convertase (PC) family known to process POMC. Furthermore, we investigated whether these cells store and secrete alpha-MSH. Reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that both skin mast cells and HMC-1 cells express POMC mRNA and protein. Expression of the POMC gene at the RNA level in HMC-1 cells could be confirmed by Northern blotting. Transcripts for both PC1 and furin convertase were detectable in skin-derived mast cells and HMC-1 cells, as shown by RT-PCR. In contrast, PC2 transcripts were detected only in skin mast cells, whereas transcripts for paired basic amino acid converting enzyme 4 (PACE4) were present only in HMC-1 cells. Radioimmunoassays performed on cell lysates and cell culture supernatants from human skin-derived mast cells disclosed immunoreactive amounts of alpha-MSH in both fractions. Stimulation with an anti-IgE antibody significantly reduced intracellular alpha-MSH and increased extracellular levels, indicating IgE-mediated secretion of this neuropeptide. Our findings show that human mast cells are active players in the cutaneous POMC system. Mast cell-derived alpha-MSH may contribute to cutaneous hyperpigmentation as seen in patients with urticaria pigmentosa. Moreover, IgE-dependent release of alpha-MSH suggests an immunomodulatory role of this neurohormone during inflammatory and allergic reactions of the skin.
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PMID:Human mast cells in the neurohormonal network: expression of POMC, detection of precursor proteases, and evidence for IgE-dependent secretion of alpha-MSH. 1691 90


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