Gene expression enhancement

Masuoka Y, Nagai A, Shin-ya K, Furihata K, Nagai K, Suzuki K, Hayakawa Y, Seto Y (2001) Spiruchostatins A and B, novel gene expression-enhancing snbstrances produced by Pseudomonas sp. 

Changes in chromatin structure play a major role in regulating gene expression. Enhancers can modulate gene expression from more than 1000 bp away from the start site of transcription by perturbing local chromatin structure. Enhancers are often specific for certain cell types, depending on which DNA-binding proteins are present. 

Regulatory regions are transcriptional control sequences, which consist of promoters, response elements, enhancers and possibly silencers, located upstream of the start site of transcription. The overall effect on gene transcription is a sum of the contributions of these elements and the activities of proteins recruited to these sites. Promoters are located immediately upstream of the start site and initiate transcription. They often contain tissue- or cell-specific elements if the gene is not ubiquitously expressed. Enhancers are positive regulatory elements which function independently of orientation and distance from the genes they regulate. 

Phosphorylation of HSF substantially enhances the transcriptional activity of HS gene expression which may be up to 100-fold of basal levels after HSFl binds to the promoter element. Heat shock will increase the C-terminal-domain-kinase activity in cell extracts, and this action may enhance the activity of RNA polymerase II that is bound to HS genes (Legagneux et al., 1990). Whether this kinase activity also affects HSFl phosphorylation is not known, but increased HS gene expression appears to occur as long as HSFl is bound to the promoter region. The CTD kinase complex contains multiple proteins, and it is quite possible that one or more of these proteins is also regulated by stress. 

HBV-based vectors efficiently target quiescent hepatocytes and HBV-specific promoter and enhancer elements allow hepatocyte specific gene expression (Protzer et al. 1999). In addition, a very favorable ratio of infectious to defective particles renders HBV-based vectors good candidates for liver-directed gene transfer. Improved HBV vectors, in which HBV gene expression was abolished (Untergasser and Protzer 2004), were used in chimpanzees to treat chronic HCV infection and did not show any toxicity (Shin et al. 2005). 

Hormone response elements (for steroids, T3, retinoic acid, peptides, etc) act as—or in conjunction with— enhancers or silencers (Chapter 43). Other processes that enhance or silence gene expression—such as the response to heat shock, heavy metals (Cd and Zn +), and some toxic chemicals (eg, dioxin)—are mediated through specific regulatory elements. Tissue-specific expression of genes (eg, the albumin gene in liver, the hemoglobin gene in reticulocytes) is also mediated by specific DNA sequences. 

Cell-free translation system, used for the identification of cloned genes and gene expression, has been investigated extensively as a preparative production system of commercially interesting proteins after the development of continuous-flow cell-free translation system. Many efforts have been devoted to improve the productivity of cell-free system [1], but the relatively low productivity of cell-free translation system still limits its potential as an alternative to the protein production using recombinant cells. One approach to enhance the translational efficiency is to use a condensed cell-free translation extract. However, simple addition of a condensed extract to a continuous-flow cell-free system equipped with an ultrafiltration membrane can cause fouling. Therefore, it needs to be developed a selective condensation of cell-free extract for the improvement of translational efficiency without fouling problem. 

The precise etiology of bipolar disorder is unknown. Thought to be genetically based, bipolar disorder is influenced by a variety of factors that may enhance gene expression. These include trauma, environmental factors, anatomic abnormalities, exposure to chemicals or drugs, and others.3-5 Neurochemical abnormalities in bipolar disorder may be caused by these factors, as discussed further in the pathophysiology section. 

Interferon-y (IFN-y) mRNA levels were measured in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and purified cell populations, using a bDNA assay, to characterize the cell types that contribute to the in vivo increase in IFN-y gene expression seen in HIV infection (Breen et al 1997). IFN-y is a cytokine that can be produced by multiple cell types and is considered to enhance cellular responses by activation of monocytes and macrophages. It is one of the type 1 cy-... 

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