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Biomedical subjects

A Kaji

Publications and source records attributed to A Kaji.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Further characterization of ribosome releasing factor and evidence that it prevents ribosomes from reading through a termination codon.

Ribosome releasing factor, an Escherichia coli protein known to release ribosomes from mRNA at the termination codon, was purified from both the ribosomal wash and the soluble fractions to electrophoretical homogeneity. These preparations had a molecular weight of 23,500 determined by gel electrophoresis, and they were immunologically indistinguishable. Translation of various mRNA was stimulated up to 3-fold upon addition of ribosome releasing factor. On the other hand, amino acid incorporation into proteins programmed by a mutant R17 RNA (an amber mutation at the seventh triplet of coat cistron) was inhibited by this factor. In this system, the major polypeptide formed in the absence of this factor had a molecular weight very close to the authentic R17 coat protein, suggesting that ribosomes may read through the amber codon in the absence of ribosome releasing factor.

Codon↗
PubMed1981

In vitro phosphorylation of the 36K protein in extract from Rous sarcoma virus-transformed chicken fibroblasts.

When cell-free extracts of chickens embryo fibroblasts transformed by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) were incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP, a protein having a Mr of 36,000 was phosphorylated. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of a mixture of phosphorylated proteins formed in vitro and in vivo showed that they are indistinguishable. The in vitro phosphorylation of the Mr = 36,000 protein was completely inhibited by serum isolated from rabbit bearing tumor formed by RSV. In addition, phosphorylation of the 36K protein does not occur if the extract was made from fibroblasts transformed by RSV tsNY68 and cultured at 42 degrees C or from fibroblasts infected with transformation defective RSV. The cell free-phosphorylation of 36K protein was dependent on Mg2+ ions but not dependent on exogenously added cyclic AMP.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

In vitro differentiation of chicken embryo skin cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus.

The epidermal cells isolated from 14-day chicken embryo shank skin epidermis were infected in vitro with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). Within a few weeks, rapidly growing colonies of epithelial cells appeared among the sea of transformed fibroblastic cells. When isolated and subcultured, these cells were found to possess typical markers of skin epidermis. The presence of major keratin and typical epithelial cell type morphology strongly suggested that these cells were transformed epidermal cells retaining their differentiated characteristics but having the capacity to propagate in cell culture. If RSV tsNY68, an RSV mutant having a temperature lesion in the src gene, was used, similar transformed epidermal cells were obtained at 36 degrees C (permissive temperature). At the nonpermissive temperature (41 degrees C) the growth rate of these cells decreased and additional keratin species appeared. At 41 degrees C the cells were flattened and lost the refractivity in their peripheries. All the keratins which are synthesized at the nonpermissive temperature were present in normal differentiated shank skin of 19-day old chick embryo. These cells also had "cornified envelop," indicating extensive differentiation. Viral production was as efficient as transformed fibroblasts during the rapid growth phase, while it declined significantly after the cells reached confluency, exhibiting the differentiated characteristics. Since no normal epidermal cells could be cultured under our experimental conditions, these results represent examples in which the src gene is essential for propagation of differentiated cells in cell culture while it abolishes only a part of differentiated characteristics.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Reinitiation of translation from the triplet next to the amber termination codon in the absence of ribosome-releasing factor.

Ribosome releasing factor (RR factor) releases ribosomes from mRNA at the termination codon in Escherichia coli. In the absence of this factor, polypeptides with molecular weights very close to the molecular weight of bacteriophage R17 coat protein were synthesized in vitro under the direction of a mutant R17 phage RNA having an amber mutation at codon 7 of the coat cistron. The major coat-protein-like product shared all the R17 coat protein sequence except that the seven NH2-terminal amino acids were missing. The minor product had the complete coat protein sequence starting from formylmethionine except for a probable amino acid substitution at codon 7 (UAG). Addition of RR factor inhibited the synthesis of the major protein. These results indicate that, in the absence of RR factor, the ribosome that has released the NH2-terminal hexapeptide at the amber codon stays on the mRNA and subsequently reinitiates translation "in phase" immediately after the amber codon without formylmethionine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1981

The region controlling the thermosensitive effect of plasmid Rts1 on host growth is separate from the Rts1 replication region.

Rts1 is a high-molecular-weight (126 x 10(6)) plasmid encoding resistance to kanamycin. It expresses unusual temperature-sensitive phenotypes, which affect plasmid maintenance and replication, as well as host cell growth. We have cloned the essential replication region of Rts1 from pAK8, a smaller derivative which is phenotypically similar to Rts1. Restriction endonuclease digests of isolated pAK8 deoxyribonucleic acid were allowed to "self-ligate" (ligation without an additional cloning vector) and subsequently were used to transform Escherichia coli strain 20SO to kanamycin resistance. Screening of these strains for the phenotypes of thermosensitive host growth and temperature-dependent plasmid elimination demonstrated that these two properties were expressed independently. Furthermore, it was shown that the Rts1 replication locus per se is not necessarily responsible for altered host growth at the nonpermissive temperature. The kanamycin resistance fragment of pAK8 was also cloned into pBR322. Electrophoretic analysis of BamHI restriction enzyme digests of this plasmid and similar digests of an Rts1 miniplasmid has allowed the identification of an 18.6-megadalton fragment carrying the replication locus and a 14.1-megadalton fragment carrying the kanamycin resistance gene.

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed1981

Molecular organization of heat-labile enterotoxin genes originating in Escherichia coli of human origin and construction of heat-labile toxoid-producing strains.

Recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid technology was employed to construct heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) toxoids. A recombinant plasmid carrying both an LT promoter region and LT subunit A (LTA) gene, lacking as much as 0.25 kilobases of the region up to the C terminus, produced a peptide possessing immunological properties of LTA but lacking the ability to construct LT activity (designated as LTA*). A cloned LT subunit B (LTB) gene produced LTB when a promoter on a vector was available for the gene. Escherichia coli producing LTA* and LTB (LT toxoids) could be useful as a vaccine.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1980

Stimulation of growth rate of chondrocytes by Rous sarcoma virus is not coordinated with other expressions of the src gene phenotype.

Infection and transformation of chondrocytes by Rous sarcoma viruses (RSVs) (Schmidt-Ruppin, Prague) stimulated the rate of cell growth. In contrast, several transformation-defective (td) mutants (tdPRA, tdNY105, tdNY106, tdNY107, and tdNY108) retaining various sizes of the src gene did not stimulate cell growth, indicating that the stimulation of growth of chondrocytes is due to the function of the src gene. With the use of various T (transformation)-class temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of RSV, growth stimulation of chondrocytes by the src gene was examined. It was found that there are two types of T-class ts mutants with regard to the stimulatory effect on the growth of chondrocytes. One type (tsNY68) stimulates cell growth at both permissive (36 degrees C) and nonpermissive (41.5 degrees C) temperature, as does the wild type of RSV. Another type (ts GI201 [clone 9]) stimulates cell growth only at the permissive temperature. Chondrocytes infected with either of these two types of T-class ts mutants showed ts properties in other transformation markers, such as uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose, change of cell morphology, and focus formation. These data indicate that the effect of the src gene on cell growth does not occur coordinately with other transformation markers.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Bacteriophage T4-related macromolecular synthesis under restriction of plasmid Rts1.

Rts1 is a plasmid which confers upon the host bacteria the capacity to restrict T4 bacteriophage growth at 32 degrees C but not at 42 degrees C. Pulse-labeling of phage-infected cells showed that Rts1 restricts the synthesis of T1 DNA. Despite efficient restriction of T4 phage growth and DNA synthesis, infected Escherichia coli 20SO harboring Rts1 synthesized both early and late T4 phage RNA. Synthesis of early T4 phage RNA under restrictive conditions (32 degrees C) was almost equal to that found under nonrestrictive conditions, and a lesser, but significant, amount of late T4 phage RNA was made in almost complete absence of T4 DNA synthesis. Moreover, very little, if any, T4 phage-coded lysozyme was detected in the infected E. coli 20SO/Rts1 at 32 degrees C, whereas normal amounts of lysozyme were present at 42 degrees C.

DNA Restriction Enzymes↗
PubMed1980

Aggregation properties of chondrocytes infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of Rous sarcoma virus.

Aggregation capacity of chicken embryo chondrocytes decreases when transformed by Rous sarcoma viruses. Cell-to-cell aggregation capacity of chondrocytes infected with a T class temperature-sensitive mutant (tsNY68) (with the temperature-sensitive lesion at the src gene) of Rous sarcoma virus is dependent upon the temperature at which these cells are grown. When grown at the permissive temperature (36 degrees C), where the transforming gene is expressed, aggregation capacity was lower than normal while infected cells grown at the non-permissive temperature (41.5 degrees C) had similar capacity to aggregate to that of normal chondrocytes. However, after a prolonged period of culture (10 days), chondrocytes transformed by wild type SR-RSV regained the normal level of aggregation capacity. Cells transformed by tsNY68 and incubated at the permissive temperature for 10 days also regained the normal level of aggregation capacity. It appears therefore that RSV-transformed chondrocytes first become less adhesive but during long-term cultivation they regain their property to aggregate. The decrease of aggregation capacity due to T class mutants of RSV at 36 degrees C is dependent on constant maintenance of protein synthesis because addition of cycloheximide restored the aggregation capacity even at the permissive temperature.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Change of isozyme pattern during activation of a transforming gene product: its relation to other biochemical markers of cellular transformation and differentiation.

Isozyme patterns of leucine aminotransferase were studied in connection with glucose transport and DNA synthesis during the activation and deactivation of the transforming gene product in rat kidney cells transformed by one Rous sarcoma virus mutant (which has a temperature-sensitive lesion in its transforming gene. On temperature shift-down of confluent transformed cells grown at 40 degrees C in the presence of fresh serum, isozyme III of leucine aminotransferase appeared in 12--20 h, with increasing amounts from 24 to 48 h. Upon temperature shift-up, isozyme I became the predominant form in these cells within 4 days, the major change occurring within the first 24 h. The rate of protein turnover was similar to the rate of loss of isozymes I and III during temperature shift-down and shift-up, respectively. A stimulation of incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA was observed within 8--12 h after temperature shift-down of the transformed cells. For the maintenance of stimulated DNA synthesis for at least 16 h, continued exposure to the permissive temperature is not necessary. Stimulation of glucose transport occurred prior to the stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation. The isozymes of leucine aminotransferase also changed during the in vitro differentiation of Yaffee L6A cells in such a way that isozyme I represented the major part of this enzyme in the fused myotube, and isozyme III was more predominant in the less differentiated state (mononucleated cells).

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Analysis of integrated avian RNA tumor virus DNA in transformed chicken, duck and quail fibroblasts.

The state of integration of avian sarcoma virus DNA in the genomes of transformed chicken, duck, and quail fibroblasts was deduced by means of restriction enzyme digestion of total cell DNA, gel electrophoresis, and subsequent analysis by the procedure of Southern. The cells used in these studies were either mass-infected cultures or clones of infected cells selected by their ability to form colonies in agar. For both mass-infected cultures and clones of cells of all three species, we found that integration occurred at a specific site on the viral genome but appeared to occur at many sites on the cell genome. At least some of the integrated viral DNA existed as intact nonpermuted species flanked by direct terminal repeats of at least 0.134 megadalton (217 base pairs). For each of 12 transformed quail clones studied, it was possible to detect, after digestion with Kpn I, unique junctions between viral and cellular DNA. That is, at our level of analysis, the integration site on the cell genome for each clone was different. However, within each of the 17 chicken and 9 duck clones of transformed cells, a heterogeneity presumably occurred during the outgrowth of the cell clone population, in that we could not readily detect identifiable cell-virus junction fragments.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Avian sarcoma virus-transformed quail clones defective in the production of focus-forming virus.

Quail embryo fibroblasts were infected at low multiplicity with avian sarcoma virus, and transformed cells were selected by their ability to form colonies in agar. Five clones that failed to produce focus-forming virus were examined for (i) intactness of the integrated proviral DNA, (ii) intracellular viral RNA production, (iii) intracellular viral antigen production, (iv) production of virus particles, and (v) rescue of a functional src gene and of parental host range determinants by superinfection with Rous-associated virus-60, an avian leukosis virus of subgroup E. Deletions in the integrated viral DNA were apparent in three of the five nonproducer clones. In one clone producing focus-forming virus, analysis of the integrated viral DNA revealed an insertion in the region of the genome that codes for src.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Induction of DNA synthesis in terminally differentiated myotubes by the activation of the src gene of Rous sarcoma virus.

Mononucleated myogenic cells from 11-day-old chicken embryos were infected with tsLA24 or tsNY68, temperature-sensitive transformation mutants of Rous sarcoma virus. The infected mononucleated myogenic cells were incubated at the nonpermissive temperature (41 degrees C) and allowed to develop into multinucleated myotubes. These myotubes have withdrawn from the cell cycle, and no DNA synthesis was observed as long as the cultures were maintained at the nonpermissive temperature. However, when the incubation temperature of these cultures was lowered to the permissive temperature (36 degrees C) for expression of the src gene, DNA synthesis was induced in multinucleated myotubes. For this induction of DNA synthesis, cells infected with tsLA24 had to be incubated at the permissive temperature for at least 50 hr, while the induction of DNA synthesis in cells infected with tsNY68 required less than 20 hr. Induction of DNA synthesis was observed by autoradiography as well as by measuring incorporation of [3H]thymidine into the macromolecule fraction in these myotube cultures. For the maintenance of capacity to induce DNA synthesis, constant presence of the src gene product is necessary, because when the temperature of these cultures was returned to 41 decrees C, the myotubes lost the capacity to induce DNA synthesis. During the process of DNA induction one biochemical marker of muscle (creatine kinase) remained unchanged.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Alpha-l-arabinofuranosidase from Rhodotorula flava.

An alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.55) from the culture fluid of Rhodotorula flava IFO 0407 grown on beet arabinan as a carbon source has been highly purified. The purified enzyme has a pH optimum of 2.0. The enzyme is unusually acid stable, retaining 82% of its activity after being maintained for 24 h at pH 1.5 and at 30 degrees C. The apparent Km and Vmax values of the enzyme for phenyl alpha-L-arabinofuranoside were determined to be 9.1 mM and 72.5 mumol per min per mg of protein, respectively.

Arabinose↗