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Biomedical subjects

H Delius

Publications and source records attributed to H Delius.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

The structure of unstable constitutive revertants of mutant galOP-308::IS2-I.

The isolation and characterization of three unstable and constitutive revertants of mutant galOP-308 of E. coli is described. In this mutant an IS2 element is integrated between the promoter and the first structural gene of the galactose operon, and exerts a strong polar effect on the expression of the three galactose genes. In the three revertants under investigation it was observed that relief of polarity and constitutive expression of the gal-operon were accompanied by the deletion of 90% of the IS2 sequence and of various lengths of the adjacent sequences including the gal-promoter. We conclude from this result that the transcription termination signals causing strong polarity were located on the deleted part of IS2, and that in our revertants the galactose genes are now under the control of a new promoter which is apparently unstable.

Chromosome Deletion↗

The capsid protein of Semliki Forest virus has clusters of basic amino acids and prolines in its amino-terminal region.

The amino acid sequence of the capsid (C) protein was deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the C gene. This part of the viral 42S RNA genome was transcribed into double-stranded cDNA. The cDNA was cloned in the Escherichia coli chi 1776-pBR322 host-vector system and then the base sequence was determined with the technique described by Maxam and Gilbert. The amino acid sequence of the C protein shows a clustering of basic amino acids and prolines within the first 110 amino acids.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Physical map of tupaia adenovirus DNA by cleavage with restriction endonucleases and partial denaturation.

The double-stranded DNA of an adenovirus of tupaia (TAV) which has a mol. wt. of 21.5 X 10(6) was analysed as follows: the cleavage sites of restriction endonucleases BamHI, EcoRI, KpnI, SmaI, BstEII, ClaI and HpaI were determined by complete, partial and double digestion followed by gel electrophoretic separation of the resulting fragments. Terminal HpaI fragments were determined by hydrolysing the intact DNA with exonuclease III before restriction enzyme cleavage. Partial denaturation mapping of uncleaved DNA and EcoRI fragments revealed the cleavage sites of EcoRI as well as A + T-rich regions at both termini of the genome.

Adenoviridae↗

Comparison of Epstein-Barr virus strains of different origin by analysis of the viral DNAs.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) originating from Burkitt's lymphoma (P3HR-1 and CC34-5), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (M-ABA), transfusion mononucleosis (B95-8), and a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia (QIMR-WIL) was isolated from virus-carrying lymphoid cell lines after induction with the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Viral DNA was analyzed by partial denaturation mapping and by use of the restriction endonucleases EcoRI, HindIII, and SalI and separation of fragments in 0.4% agarose. By using the restriction enzyme data of B95-8 (EBV) and W91 (EBV) obtained by Given and Kieff (D. Given and E. Kieff, J. Virol. 28:524-542, 1978), maps were established for the other virus strains. Comigrating fragments were assumed to be identical or closely related among the different strains. Fragments of different strains migrating differently were isolated, purified, radioactively labeled, and mapped by hybridization against blots of separated viral fragments. The results were as follows. (i) All strains studied were closely related. (ii) The number of internal repeats was variable among and within viral strains. (iii) B95-8 (EBV) was the only strain with a large deletion of about 12,000 base pairs at the right-hand side of the molecule. At the same site, small deletions of about 400 to 500 base pairs were observed in P3HR-1 (EBV) and M-ABA (EBV) DNA. (iv) P3HR-1 (EBV), the only nontransforming EBV strain, had a deletion of about 3,000 to 4,000 base pairs in the long unique region adjacent to the internal repeats carrying a HindIII site. (v) Small inserted sequences of 150 to 400 base pairs were observed in M-ABA (EBV) and B95-8 (EBV) at identical sites in the middle of the long unique region. (vi) Near this site, an insertion of about 1,000 base pairs was found in P3HR-1 (EBV) DNA. (vii) The cleavage patterns of P3HR-1 virus DNA and the results of blot hybridizations with P3HR-1 virus fragments are not conclusive and point to the possibility that in addition to the normal cleavage pattern some viral sequences may be arranged differently. Even though it is possible that small differences in the genome organization may have significant biological effects, the great similarity among different EBV strains does not favor the hypothesis that disease-specific subtypes exist.

Base Sequence↗

Electron microscopic analysis of in vitro transcriptional complexes: mapping of promoters of the coliphage T5 genome.

Transcriptional complexes formed in vitro with coliphage T5 DNA as template were analyzed by electron microscopy and the number and location of starting sites utilized by E. coli RNA polymerase were determined. Of the 40 promoters characterized in this way, 6 map in the two terminal "pre-early" regions, 29 in the "early" and 5 in the "late" region. The direction of transcription within the different regions determined in this study agrees with earlier findings derived from RNA synthesized in vivo.

Coliphages↗

Cloning of a restriction fragment of phage mu DNA coding for early functions.

The DNA of an E. coli K12 strain harboring ten wildtype Mu prophages was restricted with endonuclease EcoRI, and the fragments ligated into the plasmid vector pMB9. Upon transformation of a strain carrying a heat inducible (Mu cts62) prophage, one temperature-resistant transformant was isolated. This transformant strain harbors the hybrid plasmid pKN001, containing the EcoRI.C fragment of Mu DNA as shown by restriction and heteroduplex analysis. Stable transformants of pKN001 are immune to superinfection with phage Mu. Transformation of Mu sensitive bacteria with pKN001 results in killing of the recipients (10(-4) surviving bacteria). The killing function is not expressed upon transformation of Mu-immune (lysogenic) bacteria.

Cell Transformation, Viral↗

The isolation of DNA from agarose gels by electrophoretic elution onto malachite green-polyacrylamide columns.

Electrophoretic elution of DNA coupled with direct adsorption onto malachite green-polyacrylamide columns was used to isolate double- and single-stranded DNA from agarose gels. Subsequently, DNA was eluted with a high salt buffer and filtered through Sephadex which permitted recovery of the DNA in a low salt buffer at concentrations suitable for heteroduplex analysis by electron microscopy. This method was tested by examining heteroduplexes formed from the isolated complementary single strands of T7 wild type DNA and a T7 deletion mutant. More than 80% of the reannealed molecules were intact heteroduplexes showing the deletion loop. Irradiation of single-stranded DNA with 254 nm light resulted in distorted, convoluted heteroduplexes while 366 nm light did not show this effect.

Coliphages↗

Herpesvirus ateles DNA and its homology with Herpesvirus saimiri nucleic acid.

Analysis of the structural organization of Herpesvirus ateles DNA shows that two types of viral DNA molecules are encapsidated in virions: (i) M-genomes, which contain 74% light sequences (L-DNA, 38% guanine plus cytosine) and 26% highly repetitive heavy sequences (H-DNA, 75% guanine plus cytosine), and (ii) defective H-genomes, which consist exclusively of repetitive H-DNA. The structure of M-genomes from H. ateles consists of an L-DNA region of about 70 x 10(6) daltons inserted between H-DNA termini of variable length. M-genomes with a shorter H-DNA region at one end of the molecule have a long stretch of H-DNA at the other end, resulting in a total molecular weight of 89.8 +/- 8.5 x 10(6). Thus it resembles the structure of M-genomes of H. saimiri. H-DNA of the two independent H. ateles isolates, strains 810 and 73, reveals different patterns after cleavage with restriction endonuclease Sma I. H-DNA of H. ateles 810 appears to consist of identical tandem repeat units with a molecular weight of 1,035,000; the H-DNA repeat unit of strain 73 is shorter (930,000 molecular weight). Corresponding DNA sequences of the two H. ateles strains (810 and 73) are completely homologous in cross-hybridizations. However, a discrete nucleotide sequence divergence between these virus strains is detected by measuring melting temperatures (T(m)) of DNA hybrid molecules. Some homology exists between H. ateles and H. saimiri DNA. Hybridization of L-DNA from H. ateles with L-DNA from H. saimiri shows about a 35% homology between the respective L-DNA sequences; the resulting heteroduplex molecules show a decrease of T(m) by 13.5 degrees C, corresponding to about a 9% mismatching in cross-hybridizing parts of L-regions. Very little homology is found between H-DNA of H. ateles and H. saimiri.

Base Sequence↗

Heterogeneity of Epstein-Barr virus. III. Comparison of a transforming and a nontransforming virus by partial denaturation mapping of their DNAs.

The DNAs of a transforming and a nontransforming Epstein-Barr virus strain, B95-8 AND P3HR-1, were compared by partial denturation mapping. B95-8 viral DNA showed a homogeneous denaturation pattern. In contrast, P3HR-1 viral DNA was heterogeneous, containing at least two classes of molecules, classified into groups A and B and present in a ratio of about 2:1 to 3:1. No evidence could be obtained that molecules from both groups A and B contain identical sequences present in different orientations as described for herpes simplex viral DNA. The majority of sequences present in B95-8 and in P3HR-1 viral DNA group A could be correlated by assuming that different sequences, about 12,000 base pairs long, were inserted or deleted, respectively, at different position of both viral genomes.

Adenine↗

Single-stranded DNA structure and DNA polymerase activity in the presence of nucleic acid helix-unwinding proteins from calf thymus.

In the preceding articles we have described the isolation and some of the properties of two calf thymus proteins which bind selectively to single-stranded DNA and which appear analogous to previously isolated prokaryotic DNA-unwinding proteins. In the present work we demonstrate two further points of analogy. First, both the calf UP1 and the high salt eluting proteins form protein-rich complexes with single-stranded DNA, and hold this DNA in a rigid, extended conformation. Second, these proteins stimulate the calf thymus DNA polymerase-alpha; phage T4 gene 32-protein does not. The stimulation of a homologous DNA polymerase is characteristic of several prokaryotic DNA-unwinding proteins and is assumed to reflect their in vivo role in DNA synthesis.

Animals↗

A partial denaturation map of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA: evidence for inversions of the unique DNA regions.

Partial denaturation maps of 30 HSV-I DNA molecules have been obtained using a procedure designed to avoid possible hydrolysis of the DNA at alkalilabile bonds. From the denaturation pattern of the long unique DNA region these molecules were divided into two groups comprised of 16 and 14 molecules. Histogram plots relating the precentage denaturation to position on the DNA for these two groups were aligned in a manner appropriate to the HSV-I genome model. It was apparent that these groups had the orientation of the long region inverted with respect to each other. Similarly, from the denaturation maps of the short unique region, the molecules were divided into two groups each comprising 15 molecules. Alignment of the histogram plots of these groups indicated that the orientation of the short region was inverted in one group relative to the other. These partial denaturation data confirm the presence of four HSV-I genome arrangements resulting from the possible combinations of inversions of the two unique DNA regions.

DNA, Viral↗

Multiple origins and circular structures in replicating T5 bacteriophage DNA.

Replicating T5 phage DNA was gently isolated using NaI density gradient centrifugation and examined by electron microscopy. At the beginning of phage DNA synthesis, linear unit-length T5 DNA molecules containing from one to four replicating "eye-loops" were consistently observed. Replication in these molecules was found to proceed bidirectionally from multiple, internal origins. A primary origin of replication is located near the center of the T5 genome, which does not coincide with the location of any of the nicks (single-strand breaks) found in mature T5 DNA. The initiation of replication at the various origins within an individual molecule does not appear to follow any definite temporal sequence. At later times in the infection, we have observed a significant number of circular T5 DNA molecules-both replicating and nonreplicating-whose average circumference is approximately the length of mature T5 DNA minus the terminal redundancy. The replicating circular molecules appear to be either in a theta configuration, a sigma configuration with the tails all being less than the length of the circle, or a combination of theta and sigma forms.

Coliphages↗

Structure of Herpesvirus saimiri genomes: arrangement of heavy and light sequences in the M genome.

Herpesvirus saimiri contains two species of DNA molecules. (i) The M genome is composed of 70% light (L) DNA (36% cytosine plus guanine; density in CsCl, 1.695 g/ml), which consists of unique sequences, and 30% heavy (H) DNA (71% cytosine plus guanine; density, 1.729 g/ml). (ii) The H genome contains heavy sequences exclusively. H sequences in M and H genomes cross-hybridize completely and are cleaved identically by restriction endonuclease R-Sma I into four classes of fragments with molecular weights of about 360,000, 300,000, 130,000 and 40,000, respectively. H sequences are chains of identical repeat units in tandem arrangement. The molecular weight of each repeat unit is about 830,000. L sequences have no cleavage site for endo R-Sma I H sequences are terminally arranged at both ends of the M genome, as seen by electron microscopy after partial denaturation. The length of the individual heavy ends varies between 21 mum and less than 1 mum, whereas the light region is uniform in size (35.3+/-0.35 mum). As a rule, molecules with a long heavy end at one side have a short heavy end at the other side, thus giving rise to a limited size heterogeneity. Orientation of M DNA molecules by the denaturation map of the light region shows that the longer heavy end may be located at the left or at the right side of the M genome.

Base Sequence↗