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Biomedical subjects

B G Forget

Publications and source records attributed to B G Forget.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Quantitative deficiency of chain-specific globin messenger ribonucleic acids in the thalassemia syndromes.

A hybridization assay procedure was devised that makes possible quantitation of the ratio of mRNA of alpha to mRNA of beta globin chains in an RNA sample. The assay uses the radioactive synthetic DNA copies obtained by incubation of RNA-dependent DNA polymerase of avian myeloblastosis virus with rabbit globin mRNA that is 80-90% enriched in mRNA specific for synthesis of alpha or beta globin chains. The rabbit alpha-chain mRNA is obtained from the postribosomal supernatant of rabbit reticulocyte lysates; the rabbit beta-chain mRNA is obtained from the largest polysomes of rabbit reticulocytes treated with L-O-methylthreonine. Sufficient homology exists between rabbit and human globin chains and globin mRNAs that the synthetic DNA copies of chain-specific rabbit globin mRNA hybridize with human globin mRNA. Applied to the study of globin mRNA isolated from reticulocytes of humans with alpha and beta thalassemia, the technique revealed marked quantitative deficiency of alpha-chain mRNA relative to beta-chain mRNA in alpha thalassemia and similar deficiency of beta-chain mRNA relative to alpha-chain mRNA in beta thalassemia. The thalassemia syndromes are therefore characterized by true quantitative deficiency of the mRNA specific for the affected globin chain.

Animals↗

Defect in messenger RNA for human hemoglobin synthesis in beta thalassemia.

Functional messenger RNA for human hemoglobin synthesis was prepared from reticulocyte lysates of patients with homozygous beta thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. The messenger RNA stimulated the synthesis of human globin chains by a cell-free system derived from Krebs mouse ascites cells. In the presence of beta thalassemia messenger RNA, the system synthesized much less beta chain than alpha chain whereas in the presence of sickle cell anemia messenger RNA, nearly equal amounts of alpha and beta chains were synthesized. The beta/alpha synthetic ratios obtained in the cell-free system were similar to those obtained by incubating intact beta thalassemia and sickle cell anemia reticulocytes in the presence of radioactive leucine. The experiments provide direct evidence of a defect in messenger RNA for beta chains as a cause for the decreased synthesis of beta chains observed in beta thalassemia.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

5S RNA synthesized by Escherichia coli in presence of chloramphenicol: different 5'-terminal sequences.

Escherichia coli cells, grown in the presence of chloramphenicol, synthesize a low molecular weight RNA (CM-5S RNA) not bound to ribosomes which is similar to ribosomal 5S RNA. Oligonucleotide patterns derived from ribonuclease digests of 5S RNA and of CM-5S RNA are indistinguishable except that the 5'-terminal oligonucleotides differ. Whereas the nucleotide sequence of the 5'-terminus of normal 5S RNA is (p)U(p)G-, there are three alternate sequences of the 5'-terminus of CM-5S RNA: (p)U(p)U(p)G-, (p)U(p)U(p)U(p)G-, and (p)A(p)U(p)U(p)U(p)G-.

Autoradiography↗

Nucleotide sequence of KB cell 5S RNA.

The nucleotide sequence of 5S RNA derived from KB carcinoma cell ribosomes has been determined. The molecule has a length of either 120 or 121 nucleotides with uridine at its 3'-terminus and guanylic acid at its 5'-terminus. If, in addition to Watson-Crick base-pairing, one accepts occasional base-pairing of guanylic acid to uridylic acid, long sequences of complementary nucleotides can be identified within the molecule. Two regions of the molecule contain sequences complementary to four or five bases in the pentanucleotide sequence guanylic acid, ribothymidylic acid, pseudouridylic acid, cytidylic acid, guanylic acid, which is common to most transfer RNA molecules. This is the first time the sequence of an animal-cell RNA has been determined.

Autoradiography↗

A point mutation in the A gamma-globin gene promoter in Greek hereditary persistence of fetal haemoglobin.

Hereditary persistance of fetal haemoglobin (HPFH) is a benign condition characterized by the production in adulthood of more than 1% fetal haemoglobin (HbF, alpha 2 gamma 2) in the absence of erythropoietic stress. Several genetic types have been discerned based on the level of HbF produced, the relative contributions of the duplicated fetal (G gamma and A gamma) globin genes, and the presence or absence of deletions involving the beta and delta genes in cis to the mutation. Greek HPFH is a non-deletion variety in which heterozygotes produce 10-20% HbF, predominantly due to overproduction of the A gamma chain. We have cloned a 40-kilobase (kb) region of the beta-globin cluster from a Greek HPFH allele and report here that a point mutation (G----A) occurs 117 base pairs (bp) 5' to the cap site of the A gamma-globin gene, just upstream of the distal CCAAT sequence. The corresponding region of the G gamma-globin gene is normal. We discuss the implications of this finding for the developmental regulation of globin gene expression.

Base Sequence↗