RNA genes

Konstantinova P, de Vries W, Haasnoot J, Ter Brake O, de Haan P, Berkhout B (2006) Inhibition of human immunodeficiency vims type 1 by RNA interference using long-hairpin RNA. Gene Ther 13 1403-1413... 

B. Henrion, F. Le Tacon, and F. Maj tin, Rapid identification of genetic variation of ectomycoiThizal fungi by amplification of ribosomal RNA genes. New Phytol. /22 289 (1992). 

Sato, T. Hu, J. P Ohki, K. Yamaura, M. Washio, J. Matsuyama, J. Takahashi, N. Identification of mutans streptococci by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified 16S ribosomal RNA genes. Oral Microbiol. Immunol. 2003,18, 323-326. 

Zarlenga, D.S., Lichtenfels, J.R. and Stringfellow, F. (1994a) Cloning and sequence analysis of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene from Nematodirus battus. Journal of Parasitology 80, 342-344. 

Zarlenga, D.S., Stringfellow, F., Nobary, M. and Lichtenfels,J.R. (1994) Cloning and characterization of ribosomal RNA genes from three species of Haemonchus (Nematoda Trichostrongyloidea) and identification of PCR primers for rapid differentiation. Experimental Parasitology 78, 28-36. 

Eddy SR. Noncoding RNA genes. Curr Opin Genet Dev 1999 9[6] 695—699. 

Hunt, S. L., Hsuan, J. J., Totty, N., and Jackson, R. J. (1999). Unr, a cellular cytoplasmic RNA-binding protein with five cold-shock domains, is required for internal initiation of translation of human rhinovirus RNA. Genes Dev. 13, 437—448. 

SN. Newman, TE. Boyton, NW. Gillham, BL. Randolph-Anderson, AM. Johnson, EH. Harris (1990) Transformation of chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes in Chlamydomonas molecular and genetic characterization of integration events. Genetics, 126 875-898... 

In one of the earlier reports hydroxyl radical footprinting was employed to analyze the interaction of distamycin and actinomycin with the 5s ribosomal RNA genes of Xenopus (Churchill et al, 1990). The two drugs showed different hydroxyl radical footprints. Distamycin gives a conventional (albeit high-resolution) footprint, while actinomycin does not protect DNA from hydroxyl radical attack, but instead induces... 

The specific regulatory role of HI documented for the Xenopus 5S RNA gene points to the importance of AT-rich tracts in the genome as potential sites of strong and preferential HI binding. Indeed, it has been shown that histone HI is probably involved in the repression of the murine /1-interferon promoter by binding to its upstream AT-rich region [143]. 

In Xenopus, in addition to the role in 5S RNA gene regulation, somatic HI has been shown to be involved in further stages of differentiation. The restriction of myoD expression, a marker for the loss of the ability by ectodermal cells to differentiate into mesoderm, requires the presence of somatic histone HI [144]. Again, the globular domain alone and not the whole HI molecule is required to confer this effect [142]. 

Frescas, D., Guardavaccaro, D., Bassermann, F., Koyama-Nasu, R. and Pagano, M. (2007) JHDMIB/FBXLIO is a nucleolar protein that represses transcription of ribosomal RNA genes. Nature, 450, 309-313. 

In many ways, mitochondria resemble bacteria for example, the mitochondrial ribosomal RNA genes of all eukaryotes have been traced back to the eubacteria [10]. This can explain why some antibacterial compounds with the target of inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis also inhibit mitochondrial protein synthesis [6, 11, 12], resulting in hematotoxicity. Tetracycline, chloramphemcol and some oxazolidinone antibiotics have been shown to induce hematotoxicity by inhibiting mitochondrial protein synthesis [13]. 

The requirement for zinc in the regulation of gene expression is exemplified by transcription factor IIIA, which has been shown to contain from two (Hanas et al., 1983) to seven to eleven (Miller et al., 1985) zinc ions bound to a 40K protein molecule. Transcription factor IIIA is obtained from immature Xenopus oocytes in a complex with 5 S RNA, and the protein is required for transcription initiation the apoprotein does not bind to the 5 S RNA gene (Hanas et al, 1983). Uncertainties regarding the stoichiometric requirement for zinc persist, given the report by Shang et al. (1989) that transcription factor IIIA, as either the isolated protein or the 5 S RNA complex, contains two firmly bound zinc ions which are required for transcription activation. 

Figure 6.1 An RNA viral gene therapy vector, engineered to carry the genetic information for a protein product, is incubated with blood or bone marrow cells removed from a patient. The foreign DNA sequence integrates into the cell s genetic material and when the cells are returned to the patient, they direct the production of the protein product. RNA gene therapy vectors are engineered to be unable to direct the production of new virus particles.

The construct of Figure 11.3 is still an ideal, hypothetical system, nevertheless very interesting in one respect it shows that at least in principle, cellular life can be implemented by a very limited number of RNA genes. Those who believe in the RNA world may add that this basic simplicity indicates the predominant importance of RNA in the early stages of life. 

Figure 11.3 The simplest RNA cell, consisting of two ribozymes (two RNA-genes provided with enzymatic activity). Rib-1 (ribosome 1) and Rib-2 (ribosome 2), whose concerted action permits shell and core replication. Rib-1 is an RNA repli-case, capable of making copies of itself and of Rib-2. Rib-2 makes the lipid membrane, converting precursor A to surfactant S. Being based on RNA replication, it is also able to evolve. (Adapted from Szostak et al., 2001 see also Luisi et al, 2002.)...

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