Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P51532 (transcriptional activator)
 6,546 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have constructed a new reporter transgene, Winkelried, equipped with a synthetic binding site for the yeast GAL4 transcriptional activator. The binding site is inserted between the white and lacZ reporter genes, and is flanked by FRT sequences. These elements allow excision of the GAL4 binding site by crossing the transgenic line with an FLP recombinase producing strain. We have generated by X-ray irradiation two independent chromosomal rearrangements, Heidi and Tell, relocating Winkelried next to pericentromeric heterochromatin. These rearrangements induce variegation of both white and lacZ. Variegation of Winkelried in the rearranged transgenic lines responds to the loss and excess of doses of the dominant suppressors of position-effect variegation (PEV) Su(var)3-7 and Su(var)2-5. Winkelried therefore constitutes a unique tool to test the effect on variegation in cis of any factor fused to the GAL4 DNA binding domain. Indeed, a chimeric protein, made of the DNA binding site of GAL4 and of HP1, the modifier of PEV encoded by Su(var)2-5, is shown to enhance variegation of Heidi and Tell. Excision of the binding sites for GAL4 in the variegating rearrangements Heidi and Tell abolishes the modifier effect of the GAL4-HP1 chimera. Therefore, in the Heidi and Tell rearrangements, enhancement of position-effect variegation depends strictly both on the concentration of GAL4-HP1 and on the presence of its binding site in the vicinity of the reporter genes.
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PMID:A GAL4-HP1 fusion protein targeted near heterochromatin promotes gene silencing. 1115 74

Recent studies have identified heat shock factor (HSF)-1, the predominant heat/stress-stimulated transcriptional activator of heat shock protein genes as a repressor of certain cytokine genes, including TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. We previously showed that exposing macrophages to febrile-range temperature (FRT; 39.5 degrees C) activates HSF-1 to a DNA binding form that does not activate heat shock protein gene transcription, but apparently represses TNF-alpha and IL-1beta transcription. Prewarming macrophages to 39.5 degrees C for 30 min prior to stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) does not change the induction of TNF-alpha transcription, but markedly reduces its duration. This raised the question of how TNF-alpha transcription could occur at all in the presence of activated HSF-1. We used RAW 264.7 cells to test the hypothesis that macrophage activation triggers a transient reversal of HSF-1-mediated repression, thereby allowing induction of TNF-alpha transcription. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that LPS triggers a transient inactivation of HSF-1 that temporally correlates with TNF-alpha transcription and was associated with a transient increase in HSF-1 molecular weight, a decrease in its pI, and appearance of HSF-1 phosphorylating activity. The serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, calyculin A, blocked the inhibitory affect of FRT on LPS-induced TNF-alpha generation and prevented the re-activation of HSF-1. We propose that LPS stimulation of FRT-exposed macrophages stimulates a sequential phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of HSF-1, causing a cycle of inactivation and reactivation of HSF-1 repressor activity that allows a temporally-limited period of gene transcription.
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PMID:Bacterial endotoxin modifies heat shock factor-1 activity in RAW 264.7 cells: implications for TNF-alpha regulation during exposure to febrile range temperatures. 1519 52

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy caused by abnormal placental function, partly because of chronic hypoxia at the utero-placental junction. The increase in levels of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, an antiangiogenic agent known to inhibit placental vascularization, is an important cellular factor implicated in the onset of preeclampsia. We investigated the ligand urotensin II (U-II), a potent endogenous vasoconstrictor and proangiogenic agent, for which levels have been reported to increase in patients with preeclampsia. We hypothesized that an increased sensitivity to U-II in preeclampsia might be achieved by upregulation of placental U-II receptors. We further investigated the role of U-II receptor stimulation on soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 release in placental explants from diseased and normal patients. Immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR, and Western blotting analysis revealed that U-II receptor expression was significantly upregulated in preeclampsia placentas compared with controls (P<0.01). Cellular models of syncytiotrophoblast and vascular endothelial cells subjected to hypoxic conditions revealed an increase in U-II receptor levels in the syncytiotrophoblast model. This induction is regulated by the transcriptional activator hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha. U-II treatment is associated with increased secretion of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 only in preeclamptic placental explants under hypoxia but not in control conditions. Interestingly, normal placental explants did not respond to U-II stimulation.
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PMID:Upregulation of urotensin II receptor in preeclampsia causes in vitro placental release of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 in hypoxia. 2047 31

Genome or gene editing includes several new techniques to help scientists precisely modify genome sequences. The techniques also enables us to alter the regulation of gene expression patterns in a pre-determined region and facilitates novel insights into the functional genomics of an organism. Emergence of genome editing has brought considerable excitement especially among agricultural scientists because of its simplicity, precision and power as it offers new opportunities to develop improved crop varieties with clear-cut addition of valuable traits or removal of undesirable traits. Research is underway to improve crop varieties with higher yields, strengthen stress tolerance, disease and pest resistance, decrease input costs, and increase nutritional value. Genome editing encompasses a wide variety of tools using either a site-specific recombinase (SSR) or a site-specific nuclease (SSN) system. Both systems require recognition of a known sequence. The SSN system generates single or double strand DNA breaks and activates endogenous DNA repair pathways. SSR technology, such as Cre/loxP and Flp/FRT mediated systems, are able to knockdown or knock-in genes in the genome of eukaryotes, depending on the orientation of the specific sites (loxP, FLP, etc.) flanking the target site. There are 4 main classes of SSN developed to cleave genomic sequences, mega-nucleases (homing endonuclease), zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and the CRISPR/Cas nuclease system (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated protein). The recombinase mediated genome engineering depends on recombinase (sub-) family and target-site and induces high frequencies of homologous recombination. Improving crops with gene editing provides a range of options: by altering only a few nucleotides from billions found in the genomes of living cells, altering the full allele or by inserting a new gene in a targeted region of the genome. Due to its precision, gene editing is more precise than either conventional crop breeding methods or standard genetic engineering methods. Thus this technology is a very powerful tool that can be used toward securing the world's food supply. In addition to improving the nutritional value of crops, it is the most effective way to produce crops that can resist pests and thrive in tough climates. There are 3 types of modifications produced by genome editing; Type I includes altering a few nucleotides, Type II involves replacing an allele with a pre-existing one and Type III allows for the insertion of new gene(s) in predetermined regions in the genome. Because most genome-editing techniques can leave behind traces of DNA alterations evident in a small number of nucleotides, crops created through gene editing could avoid the stringent regulation procedures commonly associated with GM crop development. For this reason many scientists believe plants improved with the more precise gene editing techniques will be more acceptable to the public than transgenic plants. With genome editing comes the promise of new crops being developed more rapidly with a very low risk of off-target effects. It can be performed in any laboratory with any crop, even those that have complex genomes and are not easily bred using conventional methods.
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PMID:Genome editing for crop improvement: Challenges and opportunities. 2693 Jan 14

The generation of mutants and transgenes are indispensible for biomedical research. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a series of methods have been developed to introduce genome modifications, including random mutagenesis by chemical reagents, ionizing radiation and transposon insertion. In addition, foreign DNA can be integrated into the genome through microparticle bombardment approach or by irradiation of animals carrying microinjected extrachromosomal arrays. Recent research has revolutionized the genome engineering technologies by using customized DNA nucleases to manipulate particular genes and genomic sequences. Many streamlined editing strategies are developed to simplify the experimental procedure and minimize the cost. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress of the site-specific genome editing methods in C. elegans, including the Cre/LoxP, FLP/FRT, MosTIC system, zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcriptional activator-like nucleases (TALENs), and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 nuclease. Particularly, the recent studies of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing method in C. elegans will be emphatically discussed.
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PMID:Targeted genome engineering in Caenorhabditis elegans. 2798 Jul 16