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F Brown

Publications and source records attributed to F Brown.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Surface structure and RNA-protein interactions of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

The surface structure of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and the interaction of the individual capsid proteins with the virus RNA have been examined using modification reagents. By measuring the extent of modification of the lysine residues of intact and disrupted virus particles and the 12S protein subunit with Bolton & Hunter reagent it was found that 54% of the residues of VP1, 15% of the residues of VP2 and 37% of the residues of VP3, equivalent to five, two and four lysine residues respectively, are on the surface of the intact virus particle. Polypeptide VP4 was not modified in intact virus particles, indicating that it has no lysine residues on the surface of the virus. Modification with sodium metabisulphite, which causes a specific transamination reaction between cytidylic acid residues in ssRNA and closely associated basic amino acids, cross-linked all four structural proteins to the virus RNA. Both fragments of VP1, produced by treatment of the virus particle with trypsin, are also cross-linked to the RNA. These observations have been combined with the evidence that the immunogenic activity of VP1 may be contained in two discontinuous sites, at amino acids 141 to 160 and 200 to 213, in proposing a model for the arrangement of this polypeptide in the virus particle.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1987

Immune response to uncoupled peptides of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Uncoupled synthetic peptide representing the sequence of amino acids 141-160 of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) protein VP1 induced a virus-neutralizing antibody response in guinea-pigs. This response required incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) for the primary inoculation and was dependent on the presence of an added cysteine residue with an unblocked sulphydryl group at the carboxy-terminus. Secondary immunization could be carried out in the absence of adjuvant. A study of the relative activities of nested sets of uncoupled peptides from 150-160 to 135-160 and 141-160 to 141-155 indicated that amino acids 146-156 were critical for the induction of virus-neutralizing antibodies and that extension to 137-160 further improved this response. Results of in vitro proliferation studies demonstrated that the carboxy-terminal residues on this peptide may form a T-cell epitope. The significance of these observations in the broader context of synthetic peptide vaccines is discussed.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1987

From Jenner to genes--the next generation of virus vaccines.

Vaccination has played a major role in the control of many virus diseases affecting man and animals. Two kinds of vaccines are in use: (i) attenuated vaccines, which infect the host without causing disease and (ii) killed vaccines, which consist of large amounts of virus particles that have been inactivated by either physical or chemical agents under conditions that ensure retention of their antigenic properties. Despite the success of vaccination there is still a need for products that are safer and more effective. Even more important, there are diseases for which 'conventional' vaccines are not available. New approaches that will ultimately solve these problems have been provided by the detailed analysis of viruses at the molecular level. Thus we are now beginning to understand virulence in molecular terms and particularly rapid advances have been made with poliovirus, holding out the promise of a completely avirulent attenuated vaccine. With killed vaccines, the major advance has come from the recognition that the immune response to most viruses is determined by a single protein. By identifying the genes coding for these proteins it has become possible to express them in large quantities not only in a variety of cells, but also in virus vectors that can be grown in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, in some instances, fragments of immunogenic proteins, small enough to be synthesized chemically, have been shown to be protective. The rapid pace of these conceptual and technological advances leads the author to the expectation that viruses and antigens that are defined in precise chemical terms will form the basis of the vaccines of the future.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Bacterially expressed antigenic peptide from foot-and-mouth disease virus capsid elicits variable immunologic responses in animals.

A fusion protein consisting of beta-galactosidase (GZ) to which was attached at its N-terminus the amino acid sequence corresponding to residues 142-160 of the immunogenic protein VP1 of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) has been expressed in E. coli. A chemically synthesized section of DNA corresponding to the amino acid sequence 142-160 was inserted into a vector (pXY410) designed to express fusion proteins with the carboxy terminal 1015 amino acids of GZ. The hybrid protein immunopurified by a GZ-specific monoclonal antibody was soluble, retained full GZ activity, and induced virus-neutralizing antibody in guinea pigs and mice. There were significant differences between the responses of individual mice to the FMDV peptide sequence, although the titers against GZ were uniformly high. This variable pattern did not change after hyperimmunization and was demonstrable in a range of mouse strains of different haplotype. The same results were obtained whether the response was measured by virus neutralization or by RIA against the FMDV peptide sequence. The possible reasons for the variable recognition of the FMDV epitopes by individual mice are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The newer vaccines.

Vaccination is a powerful weapon in the control of animal diseases and many highly successful vaccines have been developed, particularly for virus diseases such as rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease and Newcastle disease. Despite their extraordinary success, however, there are sufficient problems associated with their production and quality control to warrant a re-examination of the methods in current use. Dissection of virus particles into biologically active fragments has shown that their immunizing activity is usually carried on a single protein. With the identification of the genes coding for these individual proteins it is now possible to express these immunogens in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Moreover, the immunogenic sites of some of these proteins have been identified, synthesized in E. coli cells or by chemical methods and shown to possess immunizing activity. It is too early to put a time-scale on the commercial availability of the new vaccines. However, the potential advantages of such products over conventional vaccines has led to considerable effort in this field of research and progress has been so rapid that new vaccines could be available within the next few years.

Animal Diseases↗
PubMed1985

Variation in foot-and-mouth disease virus isolates in Kenya: an examination of field isolates by T1 oligonucleotide fingerprinting.

Ribonuclease T1 oligonucleotide maps of strains of 4 of the endemic serotypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus isolated in Kenya between 1964 and 1982 have been compared with data obtained in complement-fixation and neutralization tests. There was a continual change in the oligonucleotide maps obtained for all the serotypes examined. This genetic heterogeneity was generally associated with antigenic variation. Viruses isolated during the 12-month course of an epidemic of the SAT 1 serotype showed few changes in their oligonucleotide fingerprints, and were serologically related. These maps form a data base that will be useful in future epidemiological studies on the maintenance and spread of foot-and-mouth disease virus in this region.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Immunological priming with synthetic peptides of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

A sub-immunizing dose of a synthetic peptide corresponding to the amino acids 141 to 160 region of protein VP1 from foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), serotype O1, coupled to keyhole limpet haemocyanin (141-160KLH) has been shown to prime the immune system of guinea-pigs for an FMDV serotype-specific neutralizing antibody response to a second sub-immunizing dose of the same peptide. Optimal priming required an interval of 42 days between the priming dose and the booster dose. No priming was observed in the absence of adjuvant. The secondary response was not restricted by the carrier since animals primed with 141-160KLH could be boosted with uncoupled 141-160 or 141-160 coupled to tetanus toxoid. It has also been shown that uncoupled peptide 141-160 will prime for a neutralizing antibody response when it is incorporated into a relatively non-immunogenic carrier such as small unilamellar liposomes. These results indicate that the 141-160 peptide of FMDV, as well as containing an important neutralizing antibody site, can initiate its own T-helper cell response.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1985

Analysis of the secondary structure of the poly(C) tract in foot-and-mouth disease virus RNAs.

Sodium bisulphite modification of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) RNA in solution indicates that the majority of the poly(C) tract in the RNA is single-stranded in concordance with previous results with encephalomyocarditis virus RNA. The reaction kinetics are biphasic; 60% of the cytidylic acid in the poly(C) tract reacts like synthetic poly(C), and the remainder with the kinetics of the cytidylic acid in the rest of the RNA. The reactivity of the poly(C) tract with poly(I) indicates that it is looped out and exposed in the RNA. The deamination reaction has also been used to investigate the structure of the replicative form (RF) and replicative intermediate (RI) isolated from infected cells. Analysis by gel electrophoresis of the long RNase A- and T1-resistant oligonucleotides of RI suggests that it has five single-stranded poly(C) tracts to every one which is base-paired. Bisulphite reactivity of the poly(C) tract and gel electrophoresis of the ribonuclease-resistant oligonucleotides of RF indicate that the poly(C) is base-paired to a poly(G) tract in this molecule. The presence of a poly(G) tract in RF and RI provides unequivocal evidence that the poly(C) is replicated via poly(G) in the negative strand.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Dopamine autoreceptors and the effects of drugs on locomotion and dopamine synthesis.

Criteria for distinguishing dopamine autoreceptor agonism from other mechanisms of inhibiting locomotion were examined, together with the relationship between inhibition of locomotion and dopamine synthesis. ED50 potencies to inhibit locomotion of mice were established for drugs from a number of categories. Spiperone 0.02 mg kg-1 significantly (P less than 0.05) reversed inhibition of locomotion by known dopamine agonists but not that by the other types of drug. Idazoxan antagonized inhibition of locomotion due to alpha 2-agonists but not dopamine agonists. RU 24926 (N-propyl-N,N-di[2-(3-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]amine) was antagonized by both spiperone and idazoxan. Only for dopamine agonists was there good correlation (r = 0.97) between potencies to inhibit locomotion in mice and L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) accumulation in the nucleus accumbens of rats treated with gamma-butyrolactone and 3-hydroxybenzylhydrazine. The specific dopamine D1-agonist, SK&F 38393 (2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine), was inactive in both tests at doses up to 10 mg kg-1. The mixed dopamine agonist/antagonist, (-)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-propylpiperidine, commonly known as (-)-3-PPP, acted as a dopamine agonist in both tests but inhibited locomotion more potently than L-DOPA accumulation. The inhibitory effects of dopamine agonists on locomotion were not prevented by alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine pretreatment. The data suggest that spiperone-reversible inhibition of locomotion in mice is a good criterion for dopamine autoreceptor agonists. The receptors involved are affected by low doses of both dopamine agonists and antagonists and seem similar to those involved in the autoreceptor mediated inhibition of dopamine synthesis. However, inhibition of locomotion is not due simply to suppression of dopamine release brought about as a secondary consequence of effects on synthesis; a separate mechanism for inhibiting dopamine release is probably involved.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Assignment of the genome segments of bluetongue virus type 1 to the proteins which they encode.

The purified genomic dsRNA of bluetongue virus type 1 (BTV 1) was separated into 10 size classes by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These genome segments were recovered individually from the gel, denatured with methylmercuric hydroxide and translated in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. The virus-specific proteins synthesised in vitro were compared by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with proteins from purified virus particles and cores and with virus-specified proteins synthesized in BHK 21 cells (in vivo). The identify of those BTV 1 proteins synthesized in vivo and in vitro which showed similar electrophoretic mobilities, was confirmed by electrophoretic analysis of their partial protease digests. The results of these experiments have allowed the assignment of each of the genome segments of BTV 1 to the protein(s) which it encodes and consequently to the structural and nonstructural proteins found in the infected cell.

Animals↗