Z/AP, a double reporter for cre-mediated recombination

The Cre/loxP site-specific recombination system combined with embryonic stem cell-mediated technologies has greatly expanded our capability to address normal and disease development in mammals using genetic approaches. The success of this emerging technology hinges on the production of Cre-expressing transgenic lines that provide cell type-, tissue-, or developmental stage-specific recombination between loxP sites placed in the genome. Here we describe and characterize the production of a double-reporter mouse line that provides a convenient and reliable readout of Cre recombinase activity. Throughout all embryonic and adult stages, the transgenic animal expresses the lacZ reporter gene before Cre-mediated excision occurs. Cre excision, however, removes the lacZ gene, allowing expression of the second reporter, the human alkaline phosphatase gene. This double-reporter transgenic line is able to indicate the occurrence of Cre excision in an extremely widespread manner from early embryonic to adult lineages. It will be a valuable reagent for the increasing number of investigators taking advantage of the powerful tools provided by the Cre/loxP site-specific recombinase system.

Localisation of inositol trisphosphate and ryanodine receptors during mouse spermatogenesis: possible functional implications

During spermatogenesis the activity of intracellular Ca(2+)-release channels is likely to play an important role in different specific cellular functions. Accordingly, messenger RNAs for the three inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) subtypes were found to be present throughout spermatogenesis. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed distinct distribution patterns of the mature IP3Rs during sperm differentiation. At early stages, IP3Rs are distributed throughout the cytoplasm, and as differentiation proceeds they become selectively localised to the Golgi complex. Consistently, spermatogonia underwent large intracellular Ca2+ release in response to thapsigargin (TG), while smaller responses were detected in late spermatocytes and spermatids. The distribution of IP3Rs and the larger Ca(2+)-release responses found in spermatogonia, suggest that IP3Rs may be involved in cell proliferation at this stage. This notion is supported by our observations in a spermatogenic cell line that depletion of intracellular Ca2+ pools using TG inhibits cell division, and that incubation with an IP3R-I antisense oligonucleotide completely inhibited proliferation. Furthermore, the three genes encoding ryanodine receptor proteins (RyRs) are expressed at all stages of spermatogenesis. However, immunocytochemical studies with specific antibodies against each of the RyR subtypes detected types 1 and 3 in spermatogenic cells and only type 3 in mature sperm. In contrast to IP3Rs, RyRs remain scattered in the cytoplasm throughout differentiation. Functional responses to caffeine and ryanodine were absent in spermatogenic cells and in mature sperm. These findings suggest that IP3Rs have significantly more important roles in spermatogenesis than RyRs, and that one of these roles is crucial for cell proliferation.

Control of kinetic properties of AMPA receptor channels by nuclear RNA editing

AMPA (alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) receptor channels mediate the fast component of excitatory postsynaptic currents in the central nervous system. Site-selective nuclear RNA editing controls the calcium permeability of these channels, and RNA editing at a second site is shown here to affect the kinetic aspects of these channels in rat brain. In three of the four AMPA receptor subunits (GluR-B, -C, and -D), intronic elements determine a codon switch (AGA, arginine, to GGA, glycine) in the primary transcripts in a position termed the R/G site, which immediately precedes the alternatively spliced modules "flip" and "flop." The extent of editing at this site progresses with brain development in a manner specific for subunit and splice form, and edited channels possess faster recovery rates from desensitization.

Molecular biology of glutamate receptors

The ligand-gated receptors for L-glutamate play a central role in acute neuronal degeneration. Recently cDNAs have been isolated for subunits of several glutamate receptor subtypes. By sequence homology all these subunits clearly belong to one large gene family. Several subfamilies exist and match roughly previously pharmacologically and electrophysiologically defined subtypes of glutamate receptors. Currently four genes (GluR A, B, C and D) are known that code for the AMPA subtypes of glutamate receptors. Recombinant expression of wild type and mutated sequences identified a critical residue in the putative TM2 channel-lining segment that controls Ca2+ ion permeability. The arginine (R) found in GluR B subunits at that position renders AMPA channels impermeable for Ca2+ ions, whereas glutamine (Q) containing GluR A, C and D subunits give rise to Ca2+ permeable channels. RNA editing converts the genomically encoded glutamine codon into the arginine codon found in GluR B cDNAs for the Q/R site. NMDA subtypes of glutamate receptors are formed after coexpression of the NR1 cDNA with a cDNA of the NR2 family. Depending on the member of the NR2 family used, NMDA receptors with different kinetical and pharmacological properties are generated. Common to all channels of these NMDA receptors is a high permeability for Ca2+ ions and a voltage dependent block by Mg2+ ions. All currently known NMDA receptor subunits have an asparagine at the Q/R homologous position. We found that this residue is critical for Mg2+ block and Ca2+ permeability of NMDA receptor channels.

The rat delta-1 and delta-2 subunits extend the excitatory amino acid receptor family

We have characterized a second member (delta-2) of a new class of subunits for the ligand-gated excitatory amino acid receptor superfamily. The sequence of delta-2 exhibits an average identity of 25% and 18.5% to the non-NMDA and NMDA receptor subunits, respectively. The rat delta-2 gene is expressed predominantly in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum whereas only low levels of delta-1 transcripts are found in the adult brain. However, delta-1 gene expression undergoes a pronounced developmental peak, with particularly high mRNA levels in the caudate putamen of late embryonic/early postnatal stages.

High-affinity kainate and domoate receptors in rat brain

Mammalian brain expresses receptors which bind the potent neurotoxins, kainate and domoate, with high affinity, and which form a subclass of ionotropic glutamate receptors. A new member of these receptors, expressed in both adult and embryonic CNS is compared in its ligand binding properties to its closely sequence-related homologs.

Heteromeric NMDA Receptors: Molecular and Functional Distinction of Subtypes

The N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subtype of glutamate-gated ion channels possesses high calcium permeability and unique voltage-dependent sensitivity to magnesium and is modulated by glycine. Molecular cloning identified three complementary DNA species of rat brain, encoding NMDA receptor subunits NMDAR2A (NR2A), NR2B, and NR2C, which are 55 to 70% identical in sequence. These are structurally related, with less than 20% sequence identity, to other excitatory amino acid receptor subunits, including the NMDA receptor subunit NMDAR1 (NR1). Upon expression in cultured cells, the new subunits yielded prominent, typical glutamate- and NMDA-activated currents only when they were in heteromeric configurations with NR1. NR1-NR2A and NR1-NR2C channels differed in gating behavior and magnesium sensitivity. Such heteromeric NMDA receptor subtypes may exist in neurons, since NR1 messenger RNA is synthesized throughout the mature rat brain, while NR2 messenger RNA show a differential distribution.

Quantitative assays based on the use of replicatable hybridization probes

Amplifiable hybridization probes--molecules with a probe sequence embedded within the sequence of a replicatable RNA--will promote the development of sensitive clinical assays. To demonstrate their utility, we prepared a recombinant RNA that contained a 30-nucleotide-long probe complementary to a conserved region of the pol gene in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) mRNA. Test samples were prepared, each containing a different number of HIV-1 transcripts that served as simulated HIV-1 mRNA targets. Hybridizations were carried out in a solution containing the chaotropic salt, guanidine thiocyanate. Probe-target hybrids were isolated by reversible target capture on paramagnetic particles. The probes were then released from their targets and amplified by incubation with the RNA-directed RNA polymerase, Q beta replicase (EC 2.7.7.48). The replicase copied the probes in an exponential manner: after each round of copying, the number of RNA molecules doubled. The amount of RNA synthesized in each reaction (approximately 50 ng) was sufficient to measure without using radioisotopes. Kinetic analysis of the reactions demonstrated that the number of HIV-1 targets originally present in each sample could be determined by measuring the time it took to synthesize a particular amount of RNA (the longer the synthesis took, the fewer the number of targets originally present). The results suggest that clinical assays involving replicatable hybridization probes will be simple, accurate, sensitive, and automatable.

Quantitative assays based on the use of replicatable hybridization probes

Amplifiable hybridization probes--molecules with a probe sequence embedded within the sequence of a replicatable RNA--will promote the development of sensitive clinical assays. To demonstrate their utility, we prepared a recombinant RNA that contained a 30-nucleotide-long probe complementary to a conserved region of the pol gene in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) mRNA. Test samples were prepared, each containing a different number of HIV-1 transcripts that served as simulated HIV-1 mRNA targets. Hybridizations were carried out in a solution containing the chaotropic salt, guanidine thiocyanate. Probe-target hybrids were isolated by reversible target capture on paramagnetic particles. The probes were then released from their targets and amplified by incubation with the RNA-directed RNA polymerase, Q beta replicase (EC 2.7.7.48). The replicase copied the probes in an exponential manner: after each round of copying, the number of RNA molecules doubled. The amount of RNA synthesized in each reaction (approximately 50 ng) was sufficient to measure without using radioisotopes. Kinetic analysis of the reactions demonstrated that the number of HIV-1 targets originally present in each sample could be determined by measuring the time it took to synthesize a particular amount of RNA (the longer the synthesis took, the fewer the number of targets originally present). The results suggest that clinical assays involving replicatable hybridization probes will be simple, accurate, sensitive, and automatable.

Plasmid vector pBR322 and its special-purpose derivatives--a review

The plasmid pBR322 was one of the first EK2 multipurpose cloning vectors to be designed and constructed (ten years ago) for the efficient cloning and selection of recombinant DNA molecules in Escherichia coli. This 4363-bp DNA molecule has been extensively used as a cloning vehicle because of its simplicity and the availability of its nucleotide sequence. The widespread use of pBR322 has prompted numerous studies into its molecular structure and function. These studies revealed two features that detract from the plasmid's effectiveness as a cloning vector: plasmid instability in the absence of selection and, the lack of a direct selection scheme for recombinant DNA molecules. Several vectors based on pBR322 have been constructed to overcome these limitations and to extend the vector's versatility to accommodate special cloning purposes. The objective of this review is to provide a survey of these derivative vectors and to summarize information currently available on pBR322.