Associated with Past Or Ongoing Infection with a Hepadnavirus (Hepatoceflular Carcinoma/N-Myc/Retroposon) CATHERINE TRANSY*, GENEVIEVE FOUREL*, WILLIAM S

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Associated with Past Or Ongoing Infection with a Hepadnavirus (Hepatoceflular Carcinoma/N-Myc/Retroposon) CATHERINE TRANSY*, GENEVIEVE FOUREL*, WILLIAM S Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 89, pp. 3874-3878, May 1992 Biochemistry Frequent amplification of c-mnc in ground squirrel liver tumors associated with past or ongoing infection with a hepadnavirus (hepatoceflular carcinoma/N-myc/retroposon) CATHERINE TRANSY*, GENEVIEVE FOUREL*, WILLIAM S. ROBINSONt, PIERRE TIOLLAIS*, PATRICIA L. MARIONt, AND MARIE-ANNICK BUENDIA*t *Unit6 de Recombinaison et Expression Gdndtique, Institut National de la Santd et de la Recherche Mddicale U163, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75724 Paris, Cedex 15, France; and tDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305 Communicated by Andre Lwoff, January 23, 1992 (received for review November 5, 1991) ABSTRACT Persistent infection with hepatitis B virus HCC through distinct and perhaps cooperative mechanisms. (HBV) is a major cause of hepatoceliular carcinoma (HCC) in However, the cellular factors involved in virally induced humans. HCC has also been observed in animals chronically oncogenesis remain largely unknown. infected with two other hepadnaviruses: ground squirrel hep- In this regard, hepadnaviruses infecting lower animals, atitis virus (GSHV) and woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV). A such as the woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) and the ground distinctive feature of WHV is the early onset of woodchuck squirrel hepatitis virus (GSHV), represent interesting mod- tumors, which may be correlated with a direct role of the virus els. Chronic infection with WHV has been found to be as an insertional mutagen of myc genes: c-myc, N-myc, and associated with a high incidence and a rapid onset of HCCs predominantly the woodchuck N-myc2 retroposon. In the in naturally infected woodchucks (11), and the oncogenic present study, we searched for integrated GSHV DNA and capacity of the virus has been further demonstrated in genetic alterations ofmyc genes in ground squirrel HCCs. Viral experimentally infected hosts (12). Furthermore, molecular integration into host DNA was detected in only 3/14 squirrel studies of WHV-associated HCCs have shown a frequent tumors and did not result in insertional activation ofmyc genes, activation of myc genes: c-myc, N-mycl, the homolog of the despite the presence of a squirrel locus homologous to the known N-myc genes, and N-myc2, a functional N-myc ret- woodchuck N-myc2 gene. This suggests that GSHV may differ roposon identified in the woodchuck genome. Direct cisac- from WHV in its reduced ability to induce mutagenic integra- tivation of these genes by integrated WHV sequences has tion events. However, the high frequency of c-myc amplifica- been observed in about 50% oftumors (refs. 13 and 14 and our tion (6/14) observed in ground squirrel HCCs indicates that unpublished results), showing that WHV acts mainly as an myc genes might be preferential effectors in the tumorigenic insertional mutagen as described for several murine retrovi- processes associated with rodent hepadnaviruses, a feature not ruses (15, 16). reported so far in HBV-induced carcinogenesis. Together with In contrast, evidence for an association between persistent previous observations, our results suggest that hepadnaviruses, GSHV infection and HCC development in ground squirrels despite dose genetic and biological properties, may use differ- has been obtained only after a long-term study of captive ent pathways in the genesis of liver cancer. animals (17, 18), showing that HCCs occur at a lower rate and after a longer latency period in this model. Direct comparison Epidemiological studies have established that chronic infec- of WHV and GSHV for oncogenic potential in a common tion with human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is causally related host, the experimentally infected newborn woodchuck, has to the development ofhepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (1, 2), shown that the two viruses differ significantly in their effi- placing HBV among the rare viruses involved in human ciency in inducing HCC (19). However, the host chromoso- cancer. Clues to the contribution of viral proteins in tumor- mal sites ofGSHV integrations in ground squirrel tumors and igenesis have been recently obtained using transgenic mice; effects on myc genes have not been investigated. thus, long-term overexpression of the HBV large surface In an attempt to address these questions, we have searched glycoprotein causes repeated liver necrosis/regeneration for potential alterations of myc genes in a panel of 14 ground processes that eventually lead to hepatocarcinogenesis (3). squirrel HCCs, including tumors from persistently infected, Constitutive expression of the viral X transcriptional activa- convalescent, and serologically negative animals. We report tor in the liver induces in here that, in contrast with the WHV/woodchuck system, hepatomas transgenic recipients, integrated GSHV DNA was detected in only a few tumors possibly through illegitimate transactivation ofcellular genes and did not result in insertional activation of myc genes. (4). Integration of viral sequences into the host genome, Interestingly, a high frequency of c-myc amplification in detected in almost all HBV-associated HCCs, might also these tumors was trigger hepatocyte transformation by cis or trans mecha- (6/14) observed. nisms. Insertional mutagenesis of cellular genes by HBV has been reported in two independent tumors, the target gene MATERIAL AND METHODS coding either for retinoic acid receptor (5) or for cyclin A (6), Animals and Tissue Samples. Beechey ground squirrels proteins involved in cell differentiation and in the cell cycle, (Spermophilus beecheyi) were trapped live at various loca- respectively. More frequently, rearrangement of HBV se- in quences upon integration may alter expression of the viral X tions northern California from 1980 and tested for markers protein (7) or generate a truncated preS2/S protein with of GSHV as described (20). Animals with ground squirrel transcriptional transactivator function (8-10). All together, hepatitis surface antigen (GSHsAg) and virion-associated these observations raise the possibility that HBV may induce Abbreviations: HBV, hepatitis B virus; WHV, woodchuck hepatitis virus; GSHV, ground squirrel hepatitis virus; HCC, hepatocellular The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge carcinoma; GSHsAg, ground squirrel hepatitis surface antigen; anti- payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" GSHs, antibody to GSHsAg. in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. tTo whom reprint requests should be addressed. 3874 Biochemistry: Transy et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89 (1992) 3875 DNA polymerase activity in their sera were housed sepa- RESULTS rately from those with antibody to GSHsAg (anti-GSHs) or with no serological signs of past infection. The ages were Tumorous and nontumorous liver tissues were recovered a estimated as described (20). All animals listed as GSHV- from panel of 14 Beechey ground squirrels. The sex, age at positive in Table 1 were positive when trapped. Animals necropsy, and GSHV serology of the animals are listed in GL50, GL52, and CU03 seroconverted after a brief acute Table 1. Animals could be classified into three groups ac- infection resulting from experimental inoculation. Animals cording to the status of GSHV infection at the time of RV39 and RV50 were antibody-positive when trapped. Three necropsy: five animals with detectable GSHsAg in the serum were squirrels, PC65, PC72, and B30, each received a total of 4.64 persistently infected, five others with humoral antibod- mg of aflatoxin B1 per kg of body weight over a period of 16 ies to GSHsAg had recovered from acute infection, and the weeks as part of an experiment to study possible synergy of four remaining showed no serological signs of infection. the mycotoxin with the virus to cause an earlier appearance Replicative and Integrated Forms of GSHV DNA in Ground of HCC. Hepatoma tissues and adjacent nontumor liver Squirrel Tumors. Genomic DNA was extracted from coded tissues were resected from animals at necropsy and kept samples of HCCs and adjacent normal livers and digested frozen at -70°C until used. All animals had histologically with HindIII, a restriction enzyme with no recognition site in confirmed HCC. GL22 had both HCC and biliary carcinoma the GSHV genome (23). As shown in Fig. 1, Southern throughout most of the liver, and GL50 had extensive biliary analysis performed with a genomic viral probe revealed hyperplasia, biliary carcinoma, and HCC. abundant viral DNA replicative intermediates in the nontu- Southern Blot Analysis. Genomic DNA was extracted from morous liver and to a lesser extent in the tumors of all five coded tissue samples as described (14). After digestion with persistently infected animals. In addition, the tumorous liver the indicated restriction enzyme and electrophoresis, DNA from one animal (RV53) showed a discrete 10-kb band, was transferred onto reusable nylon membranes according to indicating the insertion of viral sequences into the host the manufacturer's recommendations (Zetaprobe; Bio-Rad). genome. Abundant viral transcripts were detected in these Membranes were hybridized with 32P-labeled probes as de- tissues (data not shown). scribed in ref. 13. Consistent with the serological data, no viral DNA repli- Northern Blot Analysis. Total RNA was extracted as de- cation was detected in the five anti-GSHs-positive animals scribed in ref. 13 and subjected to denaturing electrophoresis (Fig. 1). Viral DNA was, however, present as single inte- grated sequences in the tumors of two in agarose gels containing formaldehyde (21). Nylon mem- animals (RV39 and branes RV50), giving rise to 4.3- and 10.5-kb HindIII fragments, used for RNA transfer and hybridization procedures respectively. were as described above. No viral DNA was detected in the GSHV marker-free Probes. Detection of viral sequences was per- initially animals except in VP4, in which traces of viral DNA could be formed with a cloned WHV genome (22) and subsequently detected in the nontumorous liver. This result raised the with a cloned GSHV genome (23), kindly provided by C. possibility that GSHV could be present at a level below the Seeger.
Recommended publications
  • Gene Amplification
    Europaisches Patentamt J) European Patent Office © Publication number: 0 319 206 Office europeen des brevets A2 EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION © C12N Application number: 88311183.3 © int. ci."; 15/00 , C12N 5/00 © Date of filing: 25.11.88 © Priority: 30.11.87 US 126436 © Applicant: CODON CORPORATION 213 East Grand Avenue © Date of publication of application: South San Francisco California 94025(CA) 07.06.89 Bulletin 89/23 © Inventor: Colby, Wendy W. © Designated Contracting States: 2018 Lyon Avenue AT BE CH DE FR GB IT LI LU NL SE Belmont California 94002(US) Inventor: Morser, Michael J. 3964 - 20th Street San Francisco California 94114(US) Inventor: Cashion, Linda M. 219 Kelton Avenue San Carlos California 94070(US) © Representative: Thomson, Paul Anthony et al Potts, Kerr & Co. 15, Hamilton Square Birkenhead Merseyside L41 6BR(GB) © Gene amplification. © Improved means are provided for obtaining enhanced production of proteins encoded by structural genes of interest in a host based on transfecting the host with an expression vector comprising a wild-type amplifiable gene and the predetermined structural gene. The host is typically not complemented by the amplifiable gene product. If desired, another selection marker may be utilized to select a desired population of cells prior to the amplification. CM < CO o CM G) i— CO o CL LLI <erox Copy Centre EP 0 319 206 A2 GENE AMPLIFICATION Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to improved recombinant DNA techniques and the increased expression 5 of mammalian polypeptides in genetically engineered eukaryotic cells. More specifically, the invention relates to improved methods of selecting transfected cells and further, to methods of gene amplification resulting in the expression of predetermined gene products at very high levels.
    [Show full text]
  • Prediction-Based Highly Sensitive CRISPR Off
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.31.889626; this version posted December 31, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. Prediction-based highly sensitive CRISPR off- target validation using target-specific DNA enrichment Seung-Hun Kang1,6, Wi-jae Lee1,8, Ju-Hyun An1, Jong-Hee Lee2, Young-Hyun Kim2,3, Hanseop Kim1,7, Yeounsun Oh1,9, Young-Ho Park1, Yeung Bae Jin2, Bong-Hyun Jun8, Junho K Hur4,5,#, Sun-Uk Kim1,3,# and Seung Hwan Lee2,# 1Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Korea 2National Primate Research Center (NPRC), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Korea 3Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Korea 4Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea 5Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea 6Department of Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea 7School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea 8Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Korea 9Division of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea #Correspondence: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.31.889626; this version posted December 31, 2019.
    [Show full text]
  • Quantitation of C-Myc Gene Amplification by a Competitive PCR Assay System
    Downloaded from genome.cshlp.org on October 3, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Quantitation of c-myc Gene Amplification by a Competitive PCR Assay System Seth P. Harlow and Carleton C. Stewart Departments of Surgical Oncology and Flow Cytometry, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York 14263 Gene amplification is a common Gene amplification, particularly am- being possible. A number of variables, event in the progression of human plification of the growth-promoting however, must be accounted for to de- cancers. The detection and quantita- proto-oncogenes, is a common event in termine the true gene amplification level tion of certain amplified oncogenes the progression of many human can- in a population of cells. These include has been shown to have prognostic cers. (~ Detection and quantitation of cell number, cell cycle phase (cells in G 2 importance in certain human malig- certain specific amplified genes may or mitosis will have twice the gene cop- nancies. A method is described that have the potential for predicting patient ies as cells in G O or G1), and chromo- utilizes the principles of competitive outcome or response to therapy for a some ploidy (genes on aneuploid chro- PCR for quantitation of the c-mu number of different human tumor mosomes generally are not considered gene copy number in relation to the types. (2'3) Recently, a number of meth- amplified). To account for all of these copy number of a reference gene (tis- ods have been described to accomplish variables, quantitation of an internal sue plasminogen activator It-PAl this goal by a variety of techniques (4-6~ control or reference gene has been used gene) located on the same chromo- differing from the standard Southern routinely in Southern techniques.
    [Show full text]
  • Retrotransposon-Mediated Host Gene Capture, Complementation
    1 Cascade evolution in poxviruses: retrotransposon-mediated host gene capture, 2 complementation and recombination 3 4 M. Julhasur Rahman1, Sherry L. Haller2, Jie Li3, Greg Brennan1 and Stefan Rothenburg1* 5 6 1 School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Department of Medial Microbiology and 7 Immunology, Davis, CA 95616, USA 8 2 University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Department of Microbiology and 9 Immunology, Galveston, TX 77555, USA 10 3 Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA 11 *correspondence: [email protected]. ORCID iD:0000-0002-2525-8230 12 13 14 Keywords: horizontal gene transfer; LINE-1; retrotransposons; poxvirus; evolution, PKR; E3L 15 1 16 Abstract 17 18 There is ample phylogenetic evidence that many critical virus functions, like immune evasion, 19 evolved by the acquisition of genes from their hosts by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). However, 20 the lack of an experimental system has prevented a mechanistic understanding of this process. We 21 developed a model to elucidate the mechanisms of HGT into poxviruses. All identified gene 22 capture events showed signatures of LINE-1-mediated retrotransposition. Integrations occurred 23 across the genome, in some cases knocking out essential viral genes. These essential gene 24 knockouts were rescued through a process of complementation by the parent virus followed by 25 non-homologous recombination to generate a single competent virus. This work links multiple 26 evolutionary mechanisms into one adaptive cascade and identifies host retrotransposons as major 27 drivers for virus evolution. 28 29 30 2 31 Introduction 32 33 Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the transmission of genetic material between different 34 organisms.
    [Show full text]
  • Modification of Topoisomerase Genes Copy Number in Newly Diagnosed
    Leukemia (2003) 17, 532–540 & 2003 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0887-6924/03 $25.00 www.nature.com/leu Modification of topoisomerase genes copy number in newly diagnosed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia E Gue´rin1,2, N Entz-Werle´3, D Eyer3, E Pencreac’h1, A Schneider1, A Falkenrodt4, F Uettwiller3, A Babin3, A-C Voegeli1,5, M Lessard4, M-P Gaub1,2, P Lutz3 and P Oudet1,5 1Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Biologie Mole´culaire Hoˆpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France; 2INSERM U381, Strasbourg, France; 3Service d’Onco-He´matologie Pe´diatrique Hoˆpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France; 4Laboratoire Hospitalier d’He´matologie Biologique Hoˆpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France; and 5INSERM U184, Illkirch, France Topoisomerase genes were analyzed at both DNA and RNA segregation.4 These enzymes act by promoting transient DNA levels in 25 cases of newly diagnosed childhood acute breakage in order to allow strand-passage events and DNA lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The results of molecular analy- 5 sis were compared to risk group classification of children in relaxation to occur before rejoining the broken DNA ends. order to identify molecular characteristics associated with Two types of DNA topoisomerases have been described. Type response to therapy. At diagnosis, allelic imbalance at topo- I enzymes, encoded in humans by the TOP1, TOP3A and isomerase IIa (TOP2A) gene locus was found in 75% of TOP3B genes,6–8 cleave only one strand of the DNA helix informative cases whereas topoisomerase I and IIb gene loci whereas type II enzymes, encoded by the human TOP2A and are altered in none or only one case, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • L1 Retrotransposition Is a Common Feature of Mammalian Hepatocarcinogenesis
    Downloaded from genome.cshlp.org on October 6, 2021 - Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press Research L1 retrotransposition is a common feature of mammalian hepatocarcinogenesis Stephanie N. Schauer,1,12 Patricia E. Carreira,1,12 Ruchi Shukla,2,12 Daniel J. Gerhardt,1,3 Patricia Gerdes,1 Francisco J. Sanchez-Luque,1,4 Paola Nicoli,5 Michaela Kindlova,1 Serena Ghisletti,6 Alexandre Dos Santos,7,8 Delphine Rapoud,7,8 Didier Samuel,7,8 Jamila Faivre,7,8,9 Adam D. Ewing,1 Sandra R. Richardson,1 and Geoffrey J. Faulkner1,10,11 1Mater Research Institute–University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; 2Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; 3Invenra, Incorporated, Madison, Wisconsin 53719, USA; 4Department of Genomic Medicine, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer-University of Granada- Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; 5Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, 20146 Milan, Italy; 6Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Milan, Italy; 7INSERM, U1193, Paul- Brousse University Hospital, Hepatobiliary Centre, Villejuif 94800, France; 8Université Paris-Sud, Faculté de Médecine, Villejuif 94800, France; 9Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Pôle de Biologie Médicale, Paul-Brousse University Hospital, Villejuif 94800, France; 10School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; 11Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia The retrotransposon Long Interspersed Element 1 (LINE-1 or L1) is a continuing source of germline and somatic mutagenesis in mammals. Deregulated L1 activity is a hallmark of cancer, and L1 mutagenesis has been described in numerous human malignancies.
    [Show full text]
  • A Mechanism of Gene Amplification Driven by Small DNA Fragments
    A Mechanism of Gene Amplification Driven by Small DNA Fragments Kuntal Mukherjee, Francesca Storici* School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America Abstract DNA amplification is a molecular process that increases the copy number of a chromosomal tract and often causes elevated expression of the amplified gene(s). Although gene amplification is frequently observed in cancer and other degenerative disorders, the molecular mechanisms involved in the process of DNA copy number increase remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that small DNA fragments could be the trigger of DNA amplification events. Following our findings that small fragments of DNA in the form of DNA oligonucleotides can be highly recombinogenic, we have developed a system in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to capture events of chromosomal DNA amplification initiated by small DNA fragments. Here we demonstrate that small DNAs can amplify a chromosomal region, generating either tandem duplications or acentric extrachromosomal DNA circles. Small fragment-driven DNA amplification (SFDA) occurs with a frequency that increases with the length of homology between the small DNAs and the target chromosomal regions. SFDA events are triggered even by small single-stranded molecules with as little as 20-nt homology with the genomic target. A double-strand break (DSB) external to the chromosomal amplicon region stimulates the amplification event up to a factor of 20 and favors formation of extrachromosomal circles. SFDA is dependent on Rad52 and Rad59, partially dependent on Rad1, Rad10, and Pol32, and independent of Rad51, suggesting a single-strand annealing mechanism. Our results reveal a novel molecular model for gene amplification, in which small DNA fragments drive DNA amplification and define the boundaries of the amplicon region.
    [Show full text]
  • RNA-Dependent Control of Gene Amplification
    RNA-dependent control of gene amplification Gero Heysea, Franziska Jönssona, Wei-Jen Changb, and Hans J. Lippsa,1 aCenter for Biomedical Education and Research, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Witten/Herdecke, 58453 Witten, Germany; and bDepartment of Biology, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323 Edited* by Mark T. Groudine, The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, and approved October 1, 2010 (received for review June 30, 2010) We exploit the unusual genome organization of the ciliate cell to reproduction (conjugation) (11). After conjugation, a new mac- analyze the control of specific gene amplification during a nuclear ronucleus arises from a micronuclear derivative, and the old differentiation process. Ciliates contain two types of nuclei within macronucleus degenerates (12). During this differentiation pro- one cell, the macronucleus and the micronucleus; and after sexual cess, extensive DNA reorganization, DNA fragmentation, and reproduction a new macronucleus is formed from a micronuclear DNA elimination events occur in the developing macronucleus derivative. During macronuclear differentiation, most extensive (macronuclear anlage), which are most extreme in spirotrichous DNA reorganization, elimination, and fragmentation processes ciliates, such as Oxytricha, Stylonychia, or Euplotes. In these or- occur, resulting in a macronucleus containing short DNA molecules ganisms, up to 90% of micronucleus-specific DNA sequences are (nanochromosomes) representing individual genetic units and each eliminated, resulting in a macronucleus with greatly reduced ki- being present in high copy number. It is believed that these pro- netic complexity (13) and fragmented DNA molecules (nano- cesses are controlled by small nuclear RNAs but also by a template chromosomes). More precisely: the micronuclear genome is rich derived from the old macronucleus.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparison of the Myotonic Dystrophy Associated CTG Repeat in European and Japanese Populations
    76676 Med Genet 1992; 29: 766-769 ORIGINAL ARTICLES Comparison of the myotonic dystrophy associated CTG repeat in European and Japanese populations June Davies, Hidehisa Yamagata, Peggy Shelbourne, Jessica Buxton, Toshio Ogihara, Pekka Nokelainen, Masanori Nakagawa, Robert Williamson, Keith Johnson, Tetsuro Miki Abstract repeat at the 3' end of a gene encoding a Gene amplification using polymerase member of the protein kinase family." chain reaction (PCR) was carried out on The repeat copy number has been found to DNA samples from a total of 92 normal be highly variable in the normal population, subjects and 52 subjects with myotonic with a reported size range between 5 and 30 dystrophy (DM) from European and copies."8 DM patients are found to have one Japanese populations, to determine the allele in the normal size range and a larger DM copy number of the CTG repeat associ- specific allele; mildly affected or presympto- Department of ated with DM for each group. In the two matic subjects have at least 50 copies of the Anatomy, Charing populations, the number of repeats on repeat and severely affected patients have Cross and normal chromosomes only were com- alleles containing up to several thousand Westminster Medical School, St Dunstan's pared, as CTG copy number on DM chro- copies of CTG. The extent of the expansion of Road, London W6 mosomes was difficult to determine by the CTG repeat correlates well with age of 8RP. PCR alone. In this study, normal chro- onset and increased severity of symptoms J Davies P Shelbourne mosomes were found which had as many within families: the larger the number of J Buxton* as 35 copies of the repeat, which is larger CTGs, the more severe the effects of the K Johnson than the normal range reported pre- disease, but at least 50 copies are necessary to Department of viously but still does not overlap with the produce detectable clinical symptoms.68 The Geriatric Medicine, repeat number associated with DM path- number of repeated sequences can change in Osaka University ology, which is at least 50 copies.
    [Show full text]
  • CRISPR-Based Engineering of Gene Knockout Cells by Homology-Directed Insertion in Polyploid Drosophila S2R+ Cells
    PROTOCOL https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-020-0383-8 CRISPR-based engineering of gene knockout cells by homology-directed insertion in polyploid Drosophila S2R+ cells 1 1,2 1 1,2 Baolong Xia , Gabriel Amador , Raghuvir Viswanatha✉ , Jonathan Zirin , Stephanie E. Mohr 1,2 and Norbert Perrimon 1,2,3 Precise and efficient genome modifications provide powerful tools for biological studies. Previous CRISPR gene knockout methods in cell lines have relied on frameshifts caused by stochastic insertion/deletion in all alleles. However, this method is inefficient for genes with high copy number due to polyploidy or gene amplification because frameshifts in all alleles can be difficult to generate and detect. Here we describe a homology-directed insertion method to knockout genes in the polyploid Drosophila S2R+ cell line. This protocol allows generation of homozygous mutant cell lines using an insertion cassette which autocatalytically generates insertion mutations in all alleles. Knockout cells generated using this method can be directly identified by PCR without a need for DNA sequencing. This protocol takes 2–3 months and can be applied to other polyploid cell lines or high-copy-number genes. 1234567890():,; 1234567890():,; Introduction The CRISPR/Cas system can introduce DNA double-strand breaks at specific genomic sites targeted – by guide RNAs (sgRNAs)1 3. Following the generation of double-strand breaks, the DNA repair machinery mediates repair by either the error-prone non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway or the high-fidelity homology-directed repair (HDR) pathway4. Previous gene knockout methods harnessed NHEJ to stochastically introduce insertions/deletions (indels) at the cleavage site in the coding region, a subset of which cause frameshifts, followed by identification of modified cells in – which all alleles contain frameshift mutations in the target site5 7.
    [Show full text]
  • Nuclear Pseudogenes of Mitochondrial DNA As a Variable Part of the Human Genome
    Cell Research (1999), 9, 281-290 Nuclear pseudogenes of mitochondrial DNA as a variable part of the human genome Y UAN JIN DUO1,2 , JIN XIU SHI1 , GUANG XUN MENG1,2, LI GUO AN2, GENG XI HU1 1. Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology and the Shanghai Life Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China 2. Department of Biology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China ABSTRACT Novel pseudogenes homologous to the mitochondrial (mt) 16S rRNA gene were detected via different approaches. Eight pseudogenes were sequenced. Copy number polymorphism of the mtDNA pseudogenes was observed among randomly cho- sen individuals, and even among siblings. A mtDNA pseudogene in the Y-chromosome was observed in a YAC clone carrying only repetitive sequence tag site (STS). PCR screening of hu- man yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) libraries showed that there were at least 5.7 105 bp of the mtDNA pseudo-genes in each haploid nuclear genome. Possible involvement of the mtDNA pseudogenes in the variable part of the human nuclear genome is discussed. Key words: Gene amplification, genome instability, mitochon- drial, pseudogene. INTRODUCTION Nuclear pseudogenes of mitochondrial (mt) DNA were initially discovered in the early 80 s[1-6]. However, mechanisms for the generation of mtDNA pseudogenes are still not clear and may vary in different cases. Both RNA-[7-8] and DNA mediated[9-11] processes * Corresponding author: Shanghai Institute of Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China Tel: 86-21-64378218 Fax: 86-21-64718563 E-mail: [email protected] Polymorphism of hum-mtDNA pseudogenes have been suggested.
    [Show full text]
  • Gene Duplication and Gene Fusion Are Important Drivers of Tumourigenesis During Cancer Evolution
    G C A T T A C G G C A T genes Review Gene Duplication and Gene Fusion Are Important Drivers of Tumourigenesis during Cancer Evolution Cian Glenfield and Hideki Innan * Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawar 240-0193, Japan; glenfi[email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Chromosomal rearrangement and genome instability are common features of cancer cells in human. Consequently, gene duplication and gene fusion events are frequently observed in human malignancies and many of the products of these events are pathogenic, representing significant drivers of tumourigenesis and cancer evolution. In certain subsets of cancers duplicated and fused genes appear to be essential for initiation of tumour formation, and some even have the capability of transforming normal cells, highlighting the importance of understanding the events that result in their formation. The mechanisms that drive gene duplication and fusion are unregulated in cancer and they facilitate rapid evolution by selective forces akin to Darwinian survival of the fittest on a cellular level. In this review, we examine current knowledge of the landscape and prevalence of gene duplication and gene fusion in human cancers. Keywords: tumour evolution; gene duplication; gene amplification; gene fusion; cancer genome; genome rearrangement Citation: Glenfield, C.; Innan, H. Gene Duplication and Gene Fusion Are Important Drivers of 1. Introduction Tumourigenesis during Cancer Gene duplication is thought to be one of the predominant processes by which new Evolution. Genes 2021, 12, 1376. genes and genetic novelty arise throughout evolution [1–5], and much of the same hallmark https://doi.org/10.3390/ structural variation that facilitates genomic evolution over long periods of time, including genes12091376 gene duplication and gene fusion, can also be observed occurring rapidly in cancer during tumour formation.
    [Show full text]