The Hordeum bulbosum 25S-18S rDNA region: comparison with Hordeum vulgare and other Triticeae.

Hordeum vulgare and Hordeum bulbosum are two closely related barley species, which share a common H genome. H. vulgare has two nucleolar organizer regions (NORs), while the NOR of H. bulbosum is only one. We sequenced the 2.5 kb 25S-18S region in the rDNA of H. bulbosum and compared it to the same region in H. vulgare as well as to the other Triticeae. The region includes an intergenic spacer (IGS) with a number of subrepeats, a promoter, and an external transcribed spacer (5'ETS). The IGS of H. bulbosum downstream of 25S rRNA contains two 143-bp repeats and six 128-bp repeats. In contrast, the IGS in H. vulgare contains an array of seven 79-bp repeats and a varying number of 135-bp repeats. The 135-bp repeats in H. vulgare and the 128-bp repeats in H. bulbosum show similarity. Compared to H. vulgare, the 5'ETS of H. bulbosum is shorter. Additionally, the 5'ETS regions in H. bulbosum and H. vulgare diverged faster than in other Triticeae genera. Alignment of the Triticeae promoter sequences suggests that in Hordeum, as in diploid Triticum, transcription starts with guanine and not with adenine as it is in many other plants.

Rhinovirus 3C protease suppresses apoptosis and triggers caspase-independent cell death.

Apoptosis and programmed necrosis (necroptosis) determine cell fate, and antagonize infection. Execution of these complementary death pathways involves the formation of receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) containing complexes. RIPK1 binds to adaptor proteins, such as TRIF (Toll-IL-1 receptor-domain-containing-adaptor-inducing interferon-beta factor), FADD (Fas-associated-protein with death domain), NEMO (NF-κB regulatory subunit IKKγ), SQSTM1 (sequestosome 1/p62), or RIPK3 (receptor-interacting protein kinase 3), which are involved in RNA sensing, NF-κB signaling, autophagosome formation, apoptosis, and necroptosis. We report that a range of rhinoviruses impair apoptosis and necroptosis in epithelial cells late in infection. Unlike the double-strand (ds) RNA mimetic poly I:C (polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid), the exposure of dsRNA to toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) in rhinovirus-infected cells did not lead to apoptosis execution. Accordingly, necroptosis and the production of ROS (reactive oxygen species) were not observed late in infection, when RIPK3 was absent. Instead, a virus-induced alternative necrotic cell death pathway proceeded, which led to membrane rupture, indicated by propidium iodide staining. The impairment of dsRNA-induced apoptosis late in infection was controlled by the viral 3C-protease (3Cpro), which disrupted RIPK1-TRIF/FADD /SQSTM1 immune-complexes. 3Cpro and 3C precursors were found to coimmuno-precipitate with RIPK1, cleaving the RIPK1 death-domain, and generating N-terminal RIPK1 fragments. The depletion of RIPK1 or chemical inhibition of its kinase at the N-terminus did not interfere with virus progeny formation or cell fate. The data show that rhinoviruses suppress apoptosis and necroptosis, and release progeny by an alternative cell death pathway, which is controlled by viral proteases modifying innate immune complexes.

Dysbindin links presynaptic proteasome function to homeostatic recruitment of low release probability vesicles.

Here we explore the relationship between presynaptic homeostatic plasticity and proteasome function at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. First, we demonstrate that the induction of homeostatic plasticity is blocked after presynaptic proteasome perturbation. Proteasome inhibition potentiates release under baseline conditions but not during homeostatic plasticity, suggesting that proteasomal degradation and homeostatic plasticity modulate a common pool of vesicles. The vesicles that are regulated by proteasome function and recruited during homeostatic plasticity are highly EGTA sensitive, implying looser Ca2+ influx-release coupling. Similar to homeostatic plasticity, proteasome perturbation enhances presynaptic Ca2+ influx, readily-releasable vesicle pool size, and does not potentiate release after loss of specific homeostatic plasticity genes, including the schizophrenia-susceptibility gene dysbindin. Finally, we provide genetic evidence that Dysbindin levels regulate the access to EGTA-sensitive vesicles. Together, our data suggest that presynaptic protein degradation opposes the release of low-release probability vesicles that are potentiated during homeostatic plasticity and whose access is controlled by dysbindin.

Oocyte shuttle, a recombinant protein transporting donor DNA into the Xenopus oocyte in situ.

The newly developed oocyte shuttle protein contains a streptavidin moiety that tightly binds biotinylated DNA. Injected intravenously into adult Xenopus females, the protein-DNA complex is rapidly transported through the bloodstream and, within the ovary, the vitellogenin ligand present in the protein binds to the receptors at the surface of the oocytes. The bound complex is internalized and translocates into the oocyte nucleus thanks to an SV40 nuclear localization signal, enhanced by an adjacent casein kinase phosphorylation site. Functioning of the shuttle protein is documented by transporting DNA molecules that, upon intramolecular homologous recombination within the oocyte nucleus, express easily traceable markers such as green fluorescence or tetracycline resistance.

Mapping of unmethylated sites in rDNA repeats in barley NOR deletion line.

Extensive cytosine methylation is characteristic of plant rDNA. Evidence exists, however, that the active rRNA genes are less methylated. In this work we report on the mapping of unmethylated CCGG sites in Hordeum vulgare rDNA repeats by digestion with methylation sensitive restriction enzyme HpaII and indirect end-labeling of the generated fragments. For mapping we used genomic DNA from barley deletion line with a single NOR on chromosome 5H. This NOR is more active in order to compensate for the missing NOR 6H. The enhanced NOR 5H activity in the deletion mutant is not due to higher multiplicity of the rRNA genes or, as sequencing showed, to changes in the subunit structure of the intergenic spacer. The HpaII sites in barley rDNA are heavily methylated. Nevertheless, a fraction of the rDNA repeats is hypomethylated with unmethylated CCGG sites at various positions. One unmethylated CCGG sequence is close to the transcription start site, downstream of the 135bp subrepeats. Unmethylated sites are also present in the external transcribed spacer and in the genes coding mature rRNAs. The patterns of unmethylated sites in the barley deletion line and in lines with two NORs were compared. It is hypothesized that the occurrence of unmethylated sites on a fixed subset of rDNA repeats correlates with their transcriptional activity.

Short-lived mammals (shrew, mouse) have a less robust metal-responsive transcription factor than humans and bats.

Non-essential "heavy" metals such as cadmium tend to accumulate in an organism and thus are a particular threat for long-lived animals. Here we show that two unrelated, short-lived groups of mammals (rodents and shrews, separated by 100 Mio years of evolution) each have independently acquired mutations in their metal-responsive transcription factor (MTF-1) in a domain relevant for robust transcriptional induction by zinc and cadmium. While key amino acids are mutated in rodents, in shrews an entire exon is skipped. Rodents and especially shrews are unique regarding the alterations of this region. To investigate the biological relevance of these alterations, MTF-1s from the common shrew (Sorex araneus), the mouse, humans and a bat (Myotis blythii), were tested by cotransfection with a reporter gene into cells lacking MTF-1. Whereas shrews only live for 1.5-2.5 years, bats, although living on a very similar insect diet, have a lifespan of several decades. We find that bat MTF-1 is similarly metal-responsive as its human counterpart, while shrew MTF-1 is less responsive, similar to mouse MTF-1. We propose that in comparison to most other mammals, the short-lived shrews and rodents can afford a "lower-quality" system for heavy metal homeostasis and detoxification.

Transcription enhancers as major determinants of SV40 polyomavirus growth efficiency and host cell tropism.

The non-coding control region (NCCR) of polyomaviruses includes the promoters for early and late genes, a transcription enhancer and the origin of DNA replication. Particularly virulent variants of the human pathogens BKPyV and JCPyV, as well as of simian virus 40 (SV40), occur in vitro and in vivo. These strains often harbour rearrangements in their NCCR, typically deletions of some DNA segment(s) and/or duplications of others. Using an SV40-based model system we provide evidence that duplications of enhancer elements, whether from SV40 itself or from the related BKPyV and JCPyV, increase early gene transcription and replicative capacity. SV40 harbouring subsegments of the strong cytomegalovirus (HCMV) enhancer replicated better than the common 'wild-type' SV40 in the human cell lines HEK293 and U2OS. In conclusion, replacing the SV40 enhancer with heterologous enhancers can profoundly influence SV40's infective capacity, underscoring the potential of small DNA viruses to overcome cell type and species barriers.

Adeno-Associated Virus Type 2 Rep68 Can Bind to Consensus Rep-Binding Sites on the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Genome.

Adeno-associated virus type 2 is known to inhibit replication of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). This activity has been linked to the helicase- and DNA-binding domains of the Rep68/Rep78 proteins. Here, we show that Rep68 can bind to consensus Rep-binding sites on the HSV-1 genome and that the Rep helicase activity can inhibit replication of any DNA if binding is facilitated. Therefore, we hypothesize that inhibition of HSV-1 replication involves direct binding of Rep68/Rep78 to the HSV-1 genome.

Emergence of infectious simian virus 40 whose AT tract in the replication origin/early promoter region is substituted by cellular or viral DNAs.

In simian virus 40 (SV40) and several other polyomaviruses, the TATA box of the early promoter is embedded in an AT tract that is also an essential part of the replication origin. We generated an 'AT trap', an SV40 genome lacking the AT tract and unable to grow in CV-1 monkey cells. Co-transfection of the AT trap with oligonucleotides containing AT tracts of human polyomaviruses, a poly(A : T) tract or variants of the SV40 WT sequence all restored infectious virus. In a transfection of the AT trap without a suitable oligonucleotide, an AT-rich segment was incorporated, stemming either from bovine (calf serum) or monkey (host cell) DNA. Similarly, when cells were grown with human serum, a human DNA segment was captured by SV40 to substitute for the missing AT stretch. We conclude that the virus is quite opportunistic in accepting heterologous substitutes, and that even low-abundance DNA from serum can be incorporated into the viral genome.

The legless lizard Anguis fragilis (slow worm) has a potent metal-responsive transcription factor 1 (MTF-1).

The metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) is a key regulator of heavy metal homeostasis and detoxification. Here we characterize the first MTF-1 from a reptile, the slow worm Anguis fragilis. The slow worm, or blind worm, is a legless lizard also known for its long lifespan of up to several decades. Anguis MTF-1 performs well and matches the strong zinc and cadmium response of its human ortholog, clearly surpassing the activity of rodent MTF-1s. Some amino acid positions critical for metal response are the same in humans and slow worm but not in rodent MTF-1. This points to a divergent evolution of rodent MTF-1, and we speculate that rodents can afford a less sophisticated metal handling than humans and (some) reptiles.

A recent evolutionary change affects a regulatory element in the human FOXP2 gene.

The FOXP2 gene is required for normal development of speech and language. By isolating and sequencing FOXP2 genomic DNA fragments from a 49,000-year-old Iberian Neandertal and 50 present-day humans, we have identified substitutions in the gene shared by all or nearly all present-day humans but absent or polymorphic in Neandertals. One such substitution is localized in intron 8 and affects a binding site for the transcription factor POU3F2, which is highly conserved among vertebrates. We find that the derived allele of this site is less efficient than the ancestral allele in activating transcription from a reporter construct. The derived allele also binds less POU3F2 dimers than POU3F2 monomers compared with the ancestral allele. Because the substitution in the POU3F2 binding site is likely to alter the regulation of FOXP2 expression, and because it is localized in a region of the gene associated with a previously described signal of positive selection, it is a plausible candidate for having caused a recent selective sweep in the FOXP2 gene.

Polyglutamine tracts as modulators of transcriptional activation from yeast to mammals.

Microsatellite repeats are genetically unstable and subject to expansion and shrinkage. A subset of them, triplet repeats, can occur within the coding region and specify homomeric tracts of amino acids. Polyglutamine (polyQ) tracts are enriched in eukaryotic regulatory proteins, notably transcription factors, and we had shown before that they can contribute to transcriptional activation in mammalian cells. Here we generalize this finding by also including evolutionarily divergent organisms, namely, Drosophila and baker's yeast. In all three systems, Gal4-based model transcription factors were more active if they harbored a polyQ tract, and the activity depended on the length of the tract. By contrast, a polyserine tract was inactive. PolyQs acted from either an internal or a C-terminal position, thus ruling out a merely structural 'linker' effect. Finally, a two-hybrid assay in mammalian cells showed that polyQ tracts can interact with each other, supporting the concept that a polyQ-containing transcription factor can recruit other factors with polyQ tracts or glutamine-rich activation domains. The widespread occurrence of polyQ repeats in regulatory proteins suggests a beneficial role; in addition to the contribution to transcriptional activity, their genetic instability might help a species to adapt to changing environmental conditions in a potentially reversible manner.

Simian virus 40 strains with novel properties generated by replacing the viral enhancer with synthetic oligonucleotides.

Typical enhancers of viral or cellular genes are approximately 100 to 400 bp long and contain several transcription factor binding sites. Previously, we have shown that simian virus 40 (SV40) genomic DNA that lacks its own enhancer can be used as an "enhancer trap" since it reacquires infectivity upon incorporation of heterologous enhancers. Here, we show that SV40 infectivity can be restored with synthetic enhancers that are assembled by the host cell. We found that several oligonucleotides, cotransfected with enhancerless SV40 DNA into host cells, were incorporated into the viral genome via cellular DNA end joining. The oligonucleotides tested included metal response elements (MREs), the binding sites for the transcription factor MTF-1, which induces gene activity in response to heavy metals. These recombinant SV40 strains showed preferential growth on cells overloaded with zinc or cadmium. We also cotransfected enhancerless SV40 DNA with oligonucleotides corresponding to enhancer motifs of human and mouse cytomegalovirus (HCMV and MCMV, respectively). In contrast to SV40 wild type, the viruses with cytomegalovirus-derived patchwork enhancers strongly expressed T-antigen in human HEK293 cells, accompanied by viral DNA replication. Occasionally, we also observed the assembly of functional viral genomes by incorporation of fragments of bovine DNA, an ingredient of the fetal calf serum in the medium. These fragments contained, among other sites, binding sites for AP-1 and CREB transcription factors. Taken together, our studies show that viruses with novel properties can be generated by intracellular incorporation of synthetic enhancer DNA motifs.

A conserved cysteine cluster, essential for transcriptional activity, mediates homodimerization of human metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1).

Metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) is a zinc finger protein that activates transcription in response to heavy metals such as Zn(II), Cd(II) and Cu(I) and is also involved in the response to hypoxia and oxidative stress. MTF-1 recognizes a specific DNA sequence motif termed the metal response element (MRE), located in the promoter/enhancer region of its target genes. The functional domains of MTF-1 include, besides the DNA-binding and activation domains and signals for subcellular localization (NLS and NES), a cysteine cluster 632CQCQCAC638 located near the C-terminus. Here we show that this cysteine cluster mediates homodimerization of human MTF-1, and that dimer formation in vivo is important for basal and especially metal-induced transcriptional activity. Neither nuclear translocation nor DNA binding is impaired in a mutant protein in which these cysteines are replaced by alanines. Although zinc supplementation induces MTF-1 dependent transcription it does not per se enhance dimerization, implying that actual zinc sensing is mediated by another domain. By contrast copper, which on its own activates MTF-1 only weakly in the cell lines tested, stabilizes the dimer by inducing intermolecular disulfide bond formation and synergizes with zinc to boost MTF-1 dependent transcription.

Dissection of Drosophila MTF-1 reveals a domain for differential target gene activation upon copper overload vs. copper starvation.

Metal-responsive transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) is a zinc finger protein conserved from mammals to insects. It mediates protection against heavy metal load by activating the expression of metallothionein and other genes. In Drosophila, MTF-1 serves a dual function in that it not only helps to protect against heavy metal load but also induces the expression of Ctr1B, the gene for an intestinal copper importer, upon copper starvation. By dissecting Drosophila MTF-1 function, we have identified determinants for nuclear import and export, and characterized a phosphorylation site mutant (T127A) that differentially affects MTF-1 target genes. Further, by generating a series of fusion proteins with the heterologous DNA binding domain of Gal4 we identified a strong, constitutive activation domain in the central region of MTF-1 (aa 352-540). By contrast, an extended fusion protein that includes MTF-1's C-terminus (aa 352-791) is not active in standard conditions but induced by copper load. The paramount regulatory importance of the C-terminal part, that harbors a cysteine-rich "metallothionein-like" domain, was corroborated by different experiments. Transgenic flies expressing C-terminally truncated MTF-1 variants displayed high constitutive transcription of both, the genes for metallothioneins and the copper importer Ctr1B. The indiscriminate activation of these genes that are normally induced under opposite conditions of copper load and copper starvation manifested itself in a shortened lifespan, crippled wings, and female sterility.

Characterization of MtnE, the fifth metallothionein member in Drosophila.

Metallothioneins (MTs) constitute a family of cysteine-rich, low molecular weight metal-binding proteins which occur in almost all forms of life. They bind physiological metals, such as zinc and copper, as well as nonessential, toxic heavy metals, such as cadmium, mercury, and silver. MT expression is regulated at the transcriptional level by metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF-1), which binds to the metal-response elements (MREs) in the enhancer/promoter regions of MT genes. Drosophila was thought to have four MT genes, namely, MtnA, MtnB, MtnC, and MtnD. Here we characterize a new fifth member of Drosophila MT gene family, coding for metallothionein E (MtnE). The MtnE transcription unit is located head-to-head with the one of MtnD. The intervening sequence contains four MREs which bind, with different affinities, to MTF-1. Both of the divergently transcribed MT genes are completely dependent on MTF-1, whereby MtnE is consistently more strongly transcribed. MtnE expression is induced in response to heavy metals, notably copper, mercury, and silver, and is upregulated in a genetic background where the other four MTs are missing.

Toxicity of Alzheimer's disease-associated Aß peptide is ameliorated in a Drosophila model by tight control of zinc and copper availability.

Amyloid plaques consisting of aggregated Aß peptide are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Among the different forms of Aß, the one of 42aa length (Aß42) is most aggregation-prone and also the most neurotoxic. We find that eye-specific expression of human Aß42 in Drosophila results in a degeneration of eye structures that progresses with age. Dietary supplements of zinc or copper ions exacerbate eye damage. Positive effects are seen with zinc/copper chelators, or with elevated expression of MTF-1, a transcription factor with a key role in metal homeostasis and detoxification, or with human or fly transgenes encoding metallothioneins, metal scavenger proteins. These results show that a tight control of zinc and copper availability can minimize cellular damage associated with Aß42 expression.

Distorted copper homeostasis with decreased sensitivity to cisplatin upon chaperone Atox1 deletion in Drosophila.

Copper is an integral part of a number of proteins and thus an essential trace metal. However, free copper ions can be highly toxic and every organism has to carefully control its bioavailability. Eukaryotes contain three copper chaperones; Atx1p/Atox1 which delivers copper to ATP7 transporters located in the trans-Golgi network, Cox17 which provides copper to the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, and CCS which is a copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase 1. Here we describe the knockout phenotype of the Drosophila homolog of mammalian Atox1 (ATX1 in yeast). Atox1-/- flies develop normally, though at reduced numbers, and the eclosing flies are fertile. However, the mutants are unable to develop on low-copper food. Furthermore, the intestinal copper importer Ctr1B, which is regulated by copper demand, fails to be induced upon copper starvation in Atox1-/- larvae. At the same time, intestinal metallothionein is upregulated. This phenotype, which resembles the one of the ATP7 mutant, is best explained by intestinal copper accumulation, combined with insufficient delivery to the rest of the body. In addition, compared to controls, Drosophila Atox1 mutants are relatively insensitive to the anticancer drug cisplatin, a compound which is also imported via Ctr1 copper transporters and was recently found to bind mammalian Atox1.

The parkin mutant phenotype in the fly is largely rescued by metal-responsive transcription factor (MTF-1).

The gene for Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is mutated in some familial forms of Parkinson's disease, a severe neurodegenerative disorder. A homozygous mutant of the Drosophila ortholog of human parkin is viable but results in severe motoric impairment including an inability to fly, female and male sterility, and a decreased life span. We show here that a double mutant of the genes for Parkin and the metal-responsive transcription factor 1 (MTF-1) is not viable. MTF-1, which is conserved from insects to mammals, is a key regulator of heavy metal homeostasis and detoxification and plays additional roles in other stress conditions, notably oxidative stress. In contrast to the synthetic lethality of the double mutant, elevated expression of MTF-1 dramatically ameliorates the parkin mutant phenotype, as evidenced by a prolonged life span, motoric improvement including short flight episodes, and female fertility. At the cellular level, muscle and mitochondrial structures are substantially improved. A beneficial effect is also seen with a transgene encoding human MTF-1. We propose that Parkin and MTF-1 provide complementary functions in metal homeostasis, oxidative stress and other cellular stress responses. Our findings also raise the possibility that MTF-1 gene polymorphisms in humans could affect the severity of Parkinson's disease.

Extended lifespan of Drosophila parkin mutants through sequestration of redox-active metals and enhancement of anti-oxidative pathways.

The mechanisms underlying neuron death in Parkinson's disease are unknown, but both genetic defects and environmental factors are implicated in its pathogenesis. Mutations in the parkin gene lead to autosomal recessive juvenile Parkinsonism (AR-JP). Here we report that compared to control flies, Drosophila lacking parkin show significantly reduced lifespan but no difference in dopamine neuron numbers when raised on food supplemented with environmental pesticides or mitochondrial toxins. Moreover, chelation of redox-active metals, anti-oxidants and overexpression of superoxide dismutase 1 all significantly reversed the reduced longevity of parkin-deficient flies. Finally, parkin deficiency exacerbated the rough eye phenotype of Drosophila caused by overexpression of the copper importer B (Ctr1B). Taken together, our results demonstrate an important function of parkin in the protection against redox-active metals and pesticides implicated in the etiology of Parkinson's disease. They also corroborate that oxidative stress, perhaps as a consequence of mitochondrial dysfunction, is a major determinant of morbidity in parkin mutant flies.