Rescue of influenza A virus from recombinant DNA.

We have rescued influenza A virus by transfection of 12 plasmids into Vero cells. The eight individual negative-sense genomic viral RNAs were transcribed from plasmids containing human RNA polymerase I promoter and hepatitis delta virus ribozyme sequences. The three influenza virus polymerase proteins and the nucleoprotein were expressed from protein expression plasmids. This plasmid-based reverse genetics technique facilitates the generation of recombinant influenza viruses containing specific mutations in their genes.

A hairpin loop at the 5' end of influenza A virus virion RNA is required for synthesis of poly(A)+ mRNA in vitro.

We present evidence, based on extensive mutagenesis, that a hairpin loop at the 5' end of influenza A virus virion RNA (vRNA) is required for the synthesis of polyadenylated mRNA from model vRNA templates in vitro. The hairpin loop, which we term the vRNA 5' hook, contains a stem of 2 bp formed by the second and third residues pairing with the ninth and eighth residues, respectively, and a 4-nucleotide loop composed of the intervening residues 4 to 7. Disruption of the base pairs of the vRNA 5' hook by introducing point mutations prevented polyadenylation, except in two mutants where a G-U base pair reformed. The polyadenylation activity of point mutants could be rescued by constructing double mutants with reformed base pairs in the stem of the vRNA 5' hook. These results suggest that base pairing rather than a particular nucleotide sequence was critical. We also show that mutation of the analogous region in the 3' arm of vRNA did not interfere with the synthesis of polyadenylated mRNA, suggesting that a hook structure in the 3' arm is not required for transcription of polyadenylated mRNA in vitro.

Localization of Jacobsen syndrome breakpoints on a 40-Mb physical map of distal chromosome 11q.

Jacobsen syndrome is a haploinsufficiency disorder caused, most frequently by terminal deletion of part of the long arm of chromosome 11, with breakpoints in 11q23.3-11q24.2. Inheritance of an expanded p(CCG)n trinucleotide repeat at the folate-sensitive fragile site FRA11B has been implicated in the generation of the chromosome breakpoint in several Jacobsen syndrome patients. The majority of such breakpoints, however, map distal to this fragile site and are not linked with its expression. To characterize these distal breakpoints and ultimately to further investigate the mechanisms of chromosome breakage, a 40-Mb YAC contig covering the distal long arm of chromosome 11 was assembled. The utility of the YAC contig was demonstrated in three ways: (1) by rapidly mapping the breakpoints from two new Jacobsen syndrome patients using FISH; (2) by demonstrating conversion to high resolution PAC contigs after direct screening of PAC library filters with a YAC clone containing a Jacobsen syndrome breakpoint; and (3) by placing 23 Jacobsen syndrome breakpoints on the physical map. This analysis has suggested the existence of at least two new Jacobsen syndrome breakpoint cluster regions in distal chromosome 11.

The HAP2,3,4 transcriptional activator is required for derepression of the yeast citrate synthase gene, CIT1.

The yeast nuclear gene CIT1 encodes mitochondrial citrate synthase, which catalyses the first and rate-limiting step of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Transcription of CIT1 is subject to glucose repression. Mutations in HAP2, HAP3 or HAP4 block derepression of a CIT1-lacZ gene fusion. The HAP2,3,4 transcriptional activator also activates nuclear genes encoding components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, and thus it co-ordinates derepression of two major mitochondrial functions. Two DNA sequences resembling the consensus HAP2,3,4-binding site (ACCAATNA) are located at approximately -310 and -290, upstream of the CIT1 coding sequence. Deletion and mutation analysis indicates that the -290 element is critical for activation by HAP2,3,4. Glucose-repressed expression of CIT1 is largely independent of HAP2,3,4, is repressed by glutamate, and requires a DNA sequence between -367 and -348. Evidence is presented for a second HAP2,3,4-independent activation element located just upstream and overlapping the -290 HAP2,3,4 element.

Distinct upstream activation regions for glucose-repressed and derepressed expression of the yeast citrate synthase gene CIT1.

The yeast CIT1 (mitochondrial citrate synthase) gene is subject to glucose repression and is further repressed by glucose plus glutamate. Based on deletion analysis of a CIT1-lacZ gene fusion, DNA sequences between -548 and -273 are required for full expression of CIT1. The region of transcription initiation and the putative TATA element are located at -150 to -100 and -195 respectively. A restriction fragment containing DNA sequences between -457 and -211 conferred activation and glucose-glutamate regulation when placed in either orientation upstream of a UAS-less heterologous yeast gene. Deletion of DNA sequences between -291 and -273 specifically eliminated derepression of CIT1, and destroyed one of two closely-spaced, potential binding sites for the HAP2,3,4 transcriptional activator protein. Ten-base-pair block substitutions in the region -367 to -348 reduced glucose-repressed expression. Thus, it appears that distinct DNA sequences upstream of CIT1 activate expression in glucose-repressed and derepressed cells. Possible mechanisms of regulation by glutamate plus glucose, are discussed.