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Biomedical subjects

E S Maxwell

Publications and source records attributed to E S Maxwell.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

A simple and rapid method for the preparation of homologous DNA oligonucleotide hybridization probes from heterologous gene sequences and probes.

We describe a simple and rapid method for the preparation of homologous DNA oligonucleotide probes for hybridization analysis and/or cDNA/genomic library screening. With this method, a synthetic DNA oligonucleotide derived from a known heterologous DNA/RNA/protein sequence is annealed to an RNA preparation containing the gene transcript of interest. Any unpaired 3'-terminal oligonucleotides of the heterologous DNA primer are then removed using the 3' exonuclease activity of the DNA Polymerase I Klenow fragment before primer extension/dideoxynucleotide sequencing of the annealed RNA species with AMV reverse transcriptase. From the determined RNA sequence, a completely homologous DNA oligonucleotide probe is then prepared. This approach has been used to prepare a homologous DNA oligonucleotide probe for the successful library screening of the yeast hybRNA gene starting with a heterologous mouse hybRNA DNA oligonucleotide probe.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Homologous genes for mouse 4.5S hybRNA are found in all eukaryotes and their low molecular weight RNA transcripts intermolecularly hybridize with eukaryotic 18S ribosomal RNAs.

Previous work has reported the isolation and sequencing of a mouse low molecular weight RNA species designated 4.5S hybridizing RNA or hybRNA because of its ability to intermolecularly hybridize with mouse mRNA and 18S rRNA sequences. Using synthetic DNA oligonucleotide probes we have examined the conservation of this gene sequence and its expression as a lmwRNA transcript across evolution. Southern blot analysis has shown that homologous genes of single or low copy number are found in all eukaryotes examined as well as in E. coli. Northern blot analysis has demonstrated 4.5S hybRNA transcription in all mouse tissues as well as expression in yeast and Xenopus laevis as lmwRNAs of approximately 130 and 100 nucleotides, respectively, as compared with mouse/rat/hamster species of approximately 87 nucleotides. Yeast and X. laevis 4.5S hybRNA homologs, isolated by hybrid-selection, were shown by Northern blot analysis to intermolecularly hybridize with homologous as well as heterologous 18S rRNA sequences. The conservation of 4.5S hybRNA homologous genes and their expression as lmwRNA transcripts with common intermolecular RNA:RNA hybridization capabilities in fungi, amphibians, and mammals argues for a common, conserved and required biological function for this lmwRNA in all eukaryotes and potential utilization of its intermolecular RNA:RNA hybridization capabilities to carry out this function.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Complementarity of sequences in low molecular weight RNAs to regions of messenger and ribosomal RNAs.

Total low molecular weight nuclear RNAs of mouse ascites cells have been labeled in vitro and used as probes to search for complementary sequences contained in nuclear or cytoplasmic RNA. From a subset of hybridizing lmw RNAs, two major species of 58,000 and 35,000 mol. wt. have been identified as mouse 5 and 5.8S ribosomal RNA. Mouse 5 and 5.8S rRNA hybridize not only to 18 and 28S rRNA, respectively, but also to nuclear and cytoplasmic poly(A+) RNA. Northern blot analysis and oligo-dT cellulose chromatography have confirmed the intermolecular base-pairing of these two small rRNA sequences to total poly(A+) RNA as well as to purified rabbit globin mRNA. 5 and 5.8S rRNA also hybridize with positive (coding) but not negative (noncoding) strands of viral RNA. Temperature melting experiments have demonstrated that their hybrid stability with mRNA sequences is comparable to that observed for the 5S:18S and 5.8S:28S hybrids. The functional significance of 5 and 5.8S rRNA base-pairing with mRNAs and larger rRNAs is unknown, but these interactions could play important coordinating roles in ribosome structure, subunit interaction, and mRNA binding during translation.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Nucleotide sequences of Cyanophora paradoxa cellular and cyanelle-associated 5S ribosomal RNAs: the cyanelle as a potential intermediate in plastid evolution.

The 5S ribosomal RNAs from the cell cytoplasm and cyanelle (photosynthetic organelle) of Cyanophora paradoxa have been isolated and sequenced. The cellular and cyanelle 5S rRNAs were 119 and 118 nucleotides in length, respectively. Both RNAs exhibited typical 5S secondary structure, but the primary sequence of the cellular species was clearly eukaryotic in nature, while that of the organellar species was prokaryotelike. The primary sequence of the cyanellar 5S rRNA was most homologous to cyanobacterial 5S sequences, yet possessed secondary-structural features characteristic of higher-plant chloroplast 5S rRNAs. Both sequence comparison and structural analysis indicated an evolutionary position for cyanelle 5S rRNA intermediate between blue-green alga and chloroplast 5S rRNAs.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

A low-molecular-weight RNA from mouse ascites cells that hybridizes to both 18S rRNA and mRNA sequences.

A low-molecular-weight RNA species from mouse ascites cells has been selected and purified by its intermolecular RNA X RNA hybridization capabilities. This 4.5S RNA is able to base pair with poly(A)+ mRNA sequences and with 18S rRNA. Melting experiments have shown that the intermolecular hybrids formed with this complementary low-molecular-weight RNA are of comparable stability to other RNA X RNA interactions. Analysis has shown that this hybridizing RNA is 87 nucleotides long and has an unusual sequence structure. Located near the 3' terminus is an alternating pyrimidine dinucleotide region of UUCCUUCCUU. This region along with the 3'-adjacent nucleotides form a 14-nucleotide sequence that exhibits perfect complementarity with 18S rRNA. An additional region of 10 nucleotides at the 3' terminus is perfectly homologous to a similarly located sequence in 5.8S rRNA. An obvious RNA polymerase III binding site is not found internally in this low-molecular-weight RNA sequence. The complementary and homologous character of hybridizing RNA with respect to rRNA and mRNA sequences suggests a potential regulatory role for this RNA in the coupling of ribosome and mRNA functions.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Hormonal control of alpha-amylase gene expression in barley. Studies using a cloned CDNA probe.

Starting with an enriched alpha-amylase mRNA preparation, cDNA was synthesized by reverse transcription and was cloned at the Pst I site of plasmid vector pBR322 by the "G-C tailing" procedure. Clones containing alpha-amylase cDNA sequences were identified among the recombinant clones by in vitro translation of hybrid-selected mRNA followed by immunoprecipitation of translation products with antiserum to alpha-amylase. The longest alpha-amylase cDNA clone isolated was 630 base pairs long and was characterized by digestion with restriction enzymes. Using this clone as a labeled nucleic acid hybridization probe, we observed that multiple bands of DNA with alpha-amylase sequences were present in restriction digests of barley embryo DNA. This indicates the presence of a family of barley alpha-amylase or alpha-amylase-like genes. Analysis of RNA blots with the cloned alpha-amylase hybridization probe indicated that alpha-amylase mRNA is synthesized de novo in barley aleurones after addition of gibberellic acid. The gibberellic acid-induced accumulation of alpha-amylase mRNA is blocked by cycloheximide which suggests the requirement of a newly synthesized protein factor for efficient expression of alpha-amylase gene.

Amylases↗
PubMed1983

Messenger RNA for the 73,000-dalton poly(A)-binding protein occurs as translationally repressed mRNP in duck reticulocytes.

Poly(A)-containing mRNA has been prepared from the polyribosomes and post-polyribosomal mRNP fraction of duck reticulocytes. The coding capacity of the respective mRNA populations has been examined by translation in vitro followed by two-dimensional electrophoresis of the 35S-labeled polypeptides. A detailed analysis of these results is given elsewhere (Imaizumi-Scherrer, M.-T., Maundrell, K., Civelli, O., and Scherrer, K. (1982) Dev. Biol. 93, 126-138). Here, we focus on one of these translation products which migrates as a slightly basic protein of 73,000 molecular weight. By two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis and partial peptide mapping, we show that this protein is indistinguishable from the poly(A)-binding protein. We conclude that the majority of the coding sequences for this protein are translationally repressed in the reticulocyte cytoplasm.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes of amphibian liver. I. Characterization of the complex and its small molecular weight RNA moiety.

Nuclear RNA-protein complexes containing small molecular weight RNAs were isolated from hepatic nuclei of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles and frogs according to a procedure normally used for the isolation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes from other eukaryotic tissues. Preliminary characterization of the tadpole nuclear RNP indicated a particle size of 50--70 S in sucrose density gradients and a buoyant density of 1.40 gm/ml in CsCl gradients. When analyzed on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, this complex was observed to contain at least 40 polypeptides ranging in molecular weight from 15,000 to 200,000. Nuclear RNA-protein complexes were also isolated from adult frog hepatic nuclei by the same protocol and the RNA moiety which had been purified from the frog complex was compared with the nuclear RNA isolated from the tadpole particles. Electrophoretic analysis of the nuclear RNA-protein-associated RNA revealed minor qualitative and quantitive differences in the more than 25 discrete bands (4--9 S) associated with each particle. Base analysis of tadpole and frog nuclear RNA revealed a nucleotide composition of approximately 50% adenosine plus uridine nucleotides, with an unusually high content of cytosine residues (approximately 30%). Comparison of the two RNA samples demonstrated a large increase in the adenosine content of frog unclear RNA, and the presence of a minor base in frog nuclear RNA which was absent in the tadpole sample. These results indicated that changes in the RNA content of the amphibian nuclear RNP complex had occurred during bullfrog development.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes of amphibian liver. II. Changes in the protein moiety during development.

Ribonucleoprotein complexes composed of small molecular weight nuclear RNA (4--9 S) and proteins were isolated from hepatic nuclei of Rana catesbeiana (bullfrog) and the protein moiety of this nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex compared during different stages of development. SDS-polyacrylamide gel analysis of premetamorphic tadpoles and adult frog nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes revealed that while the protein profiles of these two particles were very similar polypeptides of 47,000, 70,000, and 11,000 molecular weight were present in significantly higher concentrations in the frog ribonucleoprotein complexes. Comparison of the chromatin proteins isolated from these two developmental stages demonstrated that these three polypeptides of frog ribonucleoprotein were not contaminants from chromatin. Since these three polypeptides could not be preferentially extracted from the frog ribonucleoprotein complex by 0.5 M KCl or 1 M urea, it was unlikely that these polypeptides were bound nonspecifically to the ribonucleoprotein particle. Polypeptide analysis of the nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes isolated from tadpoles immersed in the thyroid hormone L-thyroxine revealed an increase in two polypeptides of 37,000 and 45,000 molecular weight during metamorphosis. The absence of reduced amount of these two polypeptides in either the premetamorphic tadpole or adult frog demonstrated that their presence in Rana catesbeiana nuclear ribonucleoprotein was transient during development and specifically associated with tadpole metamorphosis. We conclude from these experiments that the nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex is a dynamic structure during Rana catesbeiana development and that specific changes in its protein composition are associated with discrete stages of amphibian development.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Hormone-induced increase in levels of functional mRNA and alpha-amylase mRNA in barley aleurones.

Incubation of barley aleurone cells with gibberellic acid produces a progressive increase in the RNA content of the cells. The activity of poly(A)-containing RNA, measured in an in vitro wheat germ protein-synthesizing system, reaches a maximum approximately 12 hr after hormone addition and declines thereafter. The structurally intact functional mRNA content in these cells, measured as poly(A)-RNA with 5' "caps," also shows a maximum at 12 hr and correlates with the translational capacity of poly(A)-RNA. Activation of mRNA by guanylylation or methylation after addition of gibberellic acid is ruled out. Available evidence indicates that gibberellic acid stimulates protein synthesis by increasing the synthesis of mRNA. Studies with cycloheximide suggest that the induction of synthesis of alpha-amylase mRNA by gibberellic acid requires protein synthesis after hormone addition.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1978

Influence of 5'-terminal cap structure on the initiation of translation of vaccinia virus mRNA.

The ability of methylated vaccinia virus mRNA to bind to ribosomes derived from wheat germ of rabbit reticulocyte lysates has been studied after beta elimination, to remove the 5'-terminal m7G, and after "recapping" of beta-eliminated mRNA molecules using guanylyltransferase.guanine-7-methyltransferase complex from vaccinia virions. Removal of m7G from the mRNA results in significant loss of ability to bind to ribosomes and to simulate protein synthesis in vitro. Readdition of m7G, but not of unmethylated guanosine to the 5' end results in recovery of both of these functions. To evaluate the role of 2'-O-methylation of the penultimate ribonucleoside, mRNAs containing m7G-(5')pppA- and m7G(5')pppG- as well as m7G(5')pppAm- and m7G(5')pppGm- ends were synthesized in vitro at limiting S-adenosylmethionine concentrations by vaccinia virus cores. By comparing the cap sequences of ribosome-bound and unbound mRNAs, we concluded that 2'-O-methylation has at most a minor effect compared to that of m7G upon ribosome binding under in vitro conditions. Only at high input mRNA concentrations, at which competition might occur, was there some ribodomal enrichment of mRNAs containing a specific terminal structure, namely m7G(5')pppAm-.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoenzyme S: an adenosine diphosphate ribosyltransferase distinct from toxin A.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoenzyme S is an adenosine diphosphate ribosyltransferase distinct from Pseudomonas toxin A. Exoenzyme S catalyzes the transfer of radioactivity from all portions of radiolabeled NAD+ except nicotinamide. Digestion of the radiolabeled product(s) formed in the presence of [adenine-14C]NAD+ and exoenzyme S with snake venom phosphodiesterase yields only AMP, suggesting that ADP-ribose is present as monomers and not as poly(ADP-ribose). Exoenzyme S does not catalyze the transfer of ADP-ribose from NAD+ to elongation factor 2, as do toxin A and diphtheria toxin, but to one or more other proteins present in crude extracts of wheat germ or rabbit reticulocytes and in partially purified preparations of elongation factor I. The ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of exoenzyme S is distinct from toxin A by several tests: it is not neutralized by toxin A antibody, it is destroyed rather than potentiated by pretreatment with urea, and it is more heat stable. These latter observations and the substrate specificity suggest that exoenzyme S is different from any previously described prokaryotic ADP-ribosyltransferase.

Adenosine Diphosphate Sugars↗
PubMed1976

Properties of biologically active messenger RNA from human placenta. Cell-free synthesis of two immunoreactive forms of placental lactogen.

In order to understand better the regulation of human placental proteins the activity of placental lactogen messenger RNA has been examined. Total RNA was extracted from normal term placentas and purified by chromatography on oligo(dT)-cellulose. The poly(A)-containing fraction stimulated amino acid incorporation 5- to 10-fold in wheat germ cell-free extracts, and immunoprecipitation of the translation products with antiserum directed against human placental lactogen (hPL) suggests that about 2% of the peptides contain hPL determinants. Analysis of the material precipitated with hPL antiserum by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels revealed two major species, one co-migrating with hPL and the other migrating slightly slower than hPL. On DEAE-cellulose chromatography the former material eluted close to authentic hPL while the latter material eluted at higher ionic strength than hPL, indicating a difference in net charge of these two species. Tryptic peptide analysis of the large material and authentic hPL shows marked similarities in the primary structure of these two proteins. The slower migrating peptide has an apparent molecular weight about 3000 larger than hPL and thus may represent a precursor molecule. Both cell-free products could be competed out of immunoprecipitates by a large excess of authentic hPL, confirming their immunologic similarities. Centrifugation of the placental poly(A)-containing RNA through aqueous glycerol gradients indicates that the hPL mRNA sediments at about 14 S.

Aminoacylation↗