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RegA protein of T4 and related bacteriophages is a highly conserved RNA-binding protein that represses the translation of many phage mRNAs that encode enzymes involved in DNA metabolism. RB69, a T4-related bacteriophage, has a unique regA gene, which a study has cloned, sequenced and expressed.

RegA protein of T4 and related bacteriophages is a highly conserved RNA-binding protein that represses the translation of many phage mRNAs that encode enzymes involved in DNA metabolism. RB69, a T4-related bacteriophage, has a unique regA gene, which we have cloned, sequenced, and expressed. The predicted amino acid sequence of RB69 RegA is 78% identical to that of T4 RegA. Plasmidencoded RB69 RegA expressed in vivo represses the translation of T4 early mRNAs, including those of rIIA, rIIB, 44, 45, rpbA, and regA. Nucleotide sequences were determined for several T4 and RB69 regA mutations, and their corresponding repressor properties were characterized. All of the 10 missense mutations affect residues conserved between RB69 and T4 RegA. Two regions of RegA are especially sensitive to mutation: one between Val-15 and Ala-25 and another between Arg-70 and Ser-73. Sequence alignments and mutational data suggest that the region from Val-15 to Ala-25 is similar to helix-turn-helix domains of DNA-binding proteins and confers RNA-binding specificity upon RegA. The RegA691 protein (IIe-24 → Thr) has an in vivo phenotype that appears to distinguish site-specific and cooperative binding modes of hierarchical RegA-mediated translational repression.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal, autosomal, recessive genetic disease that is characterized by profound lung inflammation. The inflammatory process is believed to be caused by massive overproduction of the proinflammatory protein IL-8, and the high levels of IL-8 in the CF lung are therefore believed to be the central mechanism behind CF lung pathophysiology. We show here that digitoxin, at sub nM concentrations, can suppress hypersecretion of IL-8 from cultured CF lung epithelial cells. Certain other cardiac glycosides are also active but with much less potency. The specific mechanism of digitoxin action is to block phosphorylation of the inhibitor of NF-κB (IκBα). IκBα phosphorylation is a required step in the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and the subsequent expression of IL-8. Digitoxin also has effects on global gene expression in CF cells. Of the informative genes expressed by the CF epithelial cell line IB-3, 58 are significantly (P < 0.05) affected by gene therapy with wild-type (CFTR CF transmembrane conductance regulator). Of these 58 genes, 36 (62%) are similarly affected by digitoxin and related active analogues. We interpret this result to suggest that digitoxin can also partially mimic the genomic consequences of gene therapy with CF transmembrane conductance regulator. We therefore suggest that digitoxin, with its lengthy history of human use, deserves consideration as a candidate drug for suppressing IL-8-dependent lung inflammation in CF.