The structure, expression, function and evolution of the crystallin genes of vertebrates and invertebrates are being studied. The autophosphorylation of alphaA- but not alphaB-crystallin was shown to be enhanced by tetramerization, and alphaB was shown to be a better substrate than alphaA for cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. Further studies were directed to testing the idea that Pax- 6 is a universal activator of crystallin genes. Pax-6 was shown to activate the alphaB--crystallin was shown to be enhanced by tetramerization, and alphaB was shown to be a better substrate than alpha for cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. Further studies were directed to testing the idea that Pax-6 is a universal activator of crystallin genes. Pax-6 was shown to activate the alphaB- and bind the betaB2-crystallin mouse promoters; earlier studies have linked Pax-6 to expression of the mouse and chicken alphaA- , chicken delta1-, and guinea pig zeta-crystallin promoters. A Pax-6 cDNA was cloned from squid, and a partial Pax gene and cDNA were cloned from jellyfish. Another lens transcription factor, Prox-1, was cloned from chicken and mouse and shown to be expressed early in the developing lens placode of chickens. Both Pax-6 and Prox-1 mRNAs are alternatively spliced in tissue-preferred fashions. Evidence was obtained that the transcription factors HSF1 and/or HSF2 may activate expression of the nonstress inducible alphaA- and gammaF-crystallin genes. A complex developmental pattern was shown for mouse alphaB- crystallin promoter activity in transgenic mice, and cis- control elements were identified or studied further for the mouse alphaA-(PE1 and PE2) and alphaB- (alphaBE-4, LSR, LSE) and chicken betaB1- (PL1, PL2, -126/53 region) and betaA3/A1-(-96/-60 region) genes. Transgenic mice established that the chicken delta1- and delta2-crystallin enhancers work equally well in the lenses of transgenic mice; thus, the low endogenous expression of delta2 gene in the chicken lens remains unexplained. New lens cell lines synthesizing alpha-crystallins were obtained, and a number of crystallin cDNAs and genes (chicken betaA2, betaA4, and betaB3; jellyfish J3: squid S) were cloned and in some cases chromosomally mapped and cellularly localized. Squid glutathione S-transferase (GST) has been placed in a new group (s) after solving its x-ray structure. Only one S- crystallin (SL11/Lops4, lacking a central insert) was shown to have GST activity, leading to a model for S-crystallin evolution from GST. Glutamate decarboxylase was shown to be transiently expressed in the embryonic rat lens central fiber cells during nuclear breakdown. Finally, evidence was obtained that expression of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein and beta-amyloid peptide is stimulated in lens by oxidative stress and may contribute to cataract.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01EY000126-14
Application #
5202308
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
14
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
U.S. National Eye Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code
Kozmik, Zbynek; Ruzickova, Jana; Jonasova, Kristyna et al. (2008) Assembly of the cnidarian camera-type eye from vertebrate-like components. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105:8989-93
Kozmik, Zbynek; Swamynathan, Shivalingappa K; Ruzickova, Jana et al. (2008) Cubozoan crystallins: evidence for convergent evolution of pax regulatory sequences. Evol Dev 10:52-61
Lassen, Natalie; Bateman, J Bronwyn; Estey, Tia et al. (2007) Multiple and additive functions of ALDH3A1 and ALDH1A1: cataract phenotype and ocular oxidative damage in Aldh3a1(-/-)/Aldh1a1(-/-) knock-out mice. J Biol Chem 282:25668-76
Kreslova, Jana; Machon, Ondrej; Ruzickova, Jana et al. (2007) Abnormal lens morphogenesis and ectopic lens formation in the absence of beta-catenin function. Genesis 45:157-68
Li, Yan; Hough, R Barry; Piatigorsky, Joram (2007) Tissue-specific activity of the blind mole rat and the two nucleotide-mutated mouse alphaB-crystallin promoter in transgenic mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:2608-13
Swamynathan, Shivalingappa K; Piatigorsky, Joram (2007) Regulation of the mouse alphaB-crystallin and MKBP/HspB2 promoter activities by shared and gene specific intergenic elements: the importance of context dependency. Int J Dev Biol 51:689-700
Piatigorsky, J (2006) Evolutionary genetics: seeing the light: the role of inherited developmental cascades in the origins of vertebrate lenses and their crystallins. Heredity 96:275-7
Horwitz, Joseph; Ding, Linlin; Vasiliou, Vasilis et al. (2006) Scallop lens Omega-crystallin (ALDH1A9): a novel tetrameric aldehyde dehydrogenase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 348:1302-9
Fritzsch, Bernd; Piatigorsky, Joram (2005) Ancestry of photic and mechanic sensation? Science 308:1113-4; author reply 1113-4
Cohen, Jonathan H; Piatigorsky, Joram; Ding, Linlin et al. (2005) Vertebrate-like betagamma-crystallins in the ocular lenses of a copepod. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 191:291-8

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