Complementary DNA

About: Complementary DNA is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 55301 publications have been published within this topic receiving 2752650 citations. The topic is also known as: cDNA & DNA, Complementary.

Glucocorticoids regulate expression of dihydrofolate reductase cDNA in mouse mammary tumour virus chimaeric plasmids

Abstract: Fusions between the mouse mammary tumour virus long terminal repeat and a mouse dihydrofolate reductase cDNA have been constructed in a SV40 vector. When these plasmids are transferred into recipient cells, the production of dihydrofolate reductase is regulated by glucocorticoid hormones. These results define a hormonally responsive region of the viral genome.

Identification of Novel Isoforms of the EML4-ALK Transforming Gene in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract: The genome of a subset of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC) harbors a small inversion within chromosome 2 that gives rise to a transforming fusion gene, EML4-ALK, which encodes an activated protein tyrosine kinase. Although breakpoints within EML4 have been identified in introns 13 and 20, giving rise to variants 1 and 2, respectively, of EML4-ALK, it has remained unclear whether other isoforms of the fusion gene are present in NSCLC cells. We have now screened NSCLC specimens for other in-frame fusion cDNAs that contain both EML4 and ALK sequences. Two slightly different fusion cDNAs in which exon 6 of EML4 was joined to exon 20 of ALK were each identified in two individuals of the cohort. Whereas one cDNA contained only exons 1 to 6 of EML4 (variant 3a), the other also contained an additional 33-bp sequence derived from intron 6 of EML4 (variant 3b). The protein encoded by the latter cDNA thus contained an insertion of 11 amino acids between the EML4 and ALK sequences of that encoded by the former. Both variants 3a and 3b of EML4-ALK exhibited marked transforming activity in vitro as well as oncogenic activity in vivo. A lung cancer cell line expressing endogenous variant 3 of EML4-ALK underwent cell death on exposure to a specific inhibitor of ALK catalytic activity. These data increase the frequency of EML4-ALK-positive NSCLC tumors and bolster the clinical relevance of this oncogenic kinase.

Synthesis in E. coli of a polypeptide with human leukocyte interferon activity

Abstract: Double-stranded cDNA prepared from the 12S fraction of poly(A) RNA from interferon (IF)-producing human leukocytes was cloned in Escherichia coli using the pBR322 vector. One of the resulting clones had a 910-base pair insert which could hybridise to IF mRNA and was responsible for the production of a polypeptide with biological IF activity. Up to 10,000 units IF activity per g of cells was obtained from some clones.

A third type of murine T-cell receptor gene

Abstract: By subtractive cDNA hybridizations, we have isolated a new species of T-cell receptor cDNA clone whose predicted amino acid sequence has homology to variable, constant, joining and diversity segments of immunoglobulins and T-cell receptors. The corresponding genomic sequence is also rearranged in several T-cell DNAs. The four potential N-linked glycosylation sites, frequency of expression and predicted molecular weight (27,800) of this molecule make it a likely candidate for the alpha-chain of the T-cell receptor. Expression data also indicate that this gene may be activated at a later stage of T-cell differentiation than the beta-chain.