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Biomedical subjects

M Cohen-Solal

Publications and source records attributed to M Cohen-Solal.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Expression of herpes simplex virus type I thymidine kinase gene in Escherichia coli.

A herpes simplex virus type I DNA fragment containing the sequence coding for thymidine kinase was fused to the very beginning of the Escherichia coli lac Z gene in the three possible reading frames. When the thymidine kinase sequence was in the orientation fit to be transcribed from the lac promoter, functional thymidine kinase was made under lac control in all three cases. Sequences data indicate that translation reinitiation occurs at the 5' end of the thymidine kinase gene after stop signals. Two T+A-rich sequences, which may be part of eukaryotic promoters, are found in the same region.

Animals↗

Hemoglobin Pitie-Salpetriere beta 34 (B16) Val replaced by Phe. A new high oxygen affinity variant associated with familial erythrocytosis.

Hemoglobin Pitie-Salpetriere was detected by routine isoelectric focusing. It moved up on isoelectric focusing between hemoglobin A and hemoglobin F, near Hb F. On cellulose acetate strips at pH 8.6, it moved as hemoglobin A. This new variant exhibits a high oxygen affinity associated with familial erythrocytosis. The valine residue in position beta 34 has been replaced by a phenylalanine residue. This residue is involved in the alpha 1 beta 1 contact.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The human alpha-globin gene. The protein products of the duplicated genes are identical.

In order to determine whether any heterogeneity exists in the human alpha-globin chain, i.e. whether the products of the duplicated genes are identical, we have determined the total sequence of 14 alpha-globin chains: seven of these were abnormal, while six were normal chains from the same individuals, with one additional sample which consisted of the alpha chains from a normal control. In the individuals heterozygous for an alpha-chain abnormality, the product of a single alpha-gene could be isolated from that of the three others using the differing physicochemical properties of the mutant haemoglobins. In the special situation of a double heterozygosity for an alpha-chain abnormality, the products of the two mutated genes were separated from each other and from the mixture of the products of the two normal genes. They were then investigated independently, this approach increased the precision of our work. During the course of the present investigation, sequence determinations were mainly performed on large fragments of the chains, which were purified exclusively by gel chromatography. In this way mixtures of products of several genes could be studied, thereby overcoming the risk of losing peptides differing slightly in sequence. Such loss may often occur when using ion-exchange procedures to purify small peptides. Our results show the absence of any heterogeneity at the level of the gene products of the duplicated alpha loci. Thus the human alpha-globin chain has to be considered as homogeneous.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Complete amino-acid sequences of DNA-binding proteins HU-1 and HU-2 from Escherichia coli.

The DNA-binding protein HU from Escherichia coli is a heterodimer constituted of two polypeptide chains termed HU-1 and HU-2, of 90 residues each. Their primary structures were established from structural data obtained from tryptic peptides of each monomer in addition to the structural data provided by the automated Edman degradation of the dimer and by peptides derived from cleavage of the dimer with trypsin, chymotrypsin, V8 staphylococcal protease and dilute acid. The results presented in this paper confirm the amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sequences of the dimer HU reported previously [Laine et al. (1978) FEBS Lett. 89, 116--120]. The amino acid sequences of proteins HU-1 and HU-2 are identical to those of proteins NS-1 and NS-2 respectively, determined independently by Mende et al. [FEBS Lett. (1978) 96, 395--398]. The amino acid sequences of proteins HU-1 and HU-2 are closely related but differ by 28 residues. These proteins are characterized by their high content of hydrophobic residues represented mostly by alanine. In both proteins, half of the basic residues are scattered along the polypeptide chain and the remainder is found within two short sequences located in the carboxy-terminal part of the molecule. No sequence homology could be established between the proteins HU-1 and HU-2 and any one of the five histones from different eukaryotes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Different primary structure of 2 variants of Friend virus p 30 polypeptide separated by isoelectric focusing].

Variants of p 30 (iso-p 30s), the 30,000 dalton major polypeptide of murine C-type retraviruses, have been characterized in all virus strains by isoelectric focusing. Several of these iso-p 30s have been found to coexist in a given virus strain. In the present study, two iso-p 30s, characteristic of the Friend-Rauscher subgroup, separated by preparative isoelectric focusing of p 30 in thin layers of polydextran gel, were subjected to tryptic peptide mapping and aminoacid analysis. The two iso-p 30s, with isoelectric points (pI) of 6.5 and 7.1, were found to possess a partially different primary structure, with about 50% homology. The results are discussed.

Amino Acids↗

Identification of gamma-glutamyl phosphate in the alpha 2 chains of chicken bone collagen.

Purified components of chicken bone collagen contain approximately 4 atoms of organic phosphorus per mol of collagen, located principally in the alpha 2 chains. Previous analyses have demonstrated the absence of O-phosphoserine, O-phosphothreonine, and other phosphorylated hydroxy amino acids, phosphoamidated amino acids, and phosphorylated sugars. In the present report we establish that chicken bone collagen contains gamma-glutamyl phosphate. This was accomplished by the isolation of tritiated alpha-amino-delta-hydroxyvaleric acid after reductive cleavage with NaB[3H]H4 of the gamma components, the alpha 2 chains, and peptides enriched in organic phosphorus that were derived from the alpha 2 chains. Tritiated alpha-amino-delta-hydroxyvaleric acid was not detected in any of the following unphosphorylated proteins after cleavage with NaB[3H]H4:albumin and lysozyme, the alpha 2 chains of several unmineralized tissues, and, most importantly, dephosphorylated alpha 2 chains of chicken bone collagen. The alpha 2 chain of chicken bone collagen is the first structural protein found to contain an acyl phosphate.

Animals↗

Variability in the amount of beta-globin mRNA in beta0 thalassemia.

Globin mRNA isolated from a number of beta0 thalassemia patients of different ethnic origins was analyzed by RNA-cDNA hybridization and, in two cases, by fingerprint analysis of 125I-labeled mRNA. Quantitation of the relative amounts of alpha- and beta-mRNA by hybridization to purified alpha-and beta-cDNA revealed that in approximately half the cases, there was less than 1% as much beta-mRNA as alpha-mRNA. In the rest of the cases, low levels of beta-like mRNA were detected in amounts 4-12% as abundant as alpha-mRNA. There was variability in the yield of beta-like mRNA in patients of the same racial group, in the same patient at different times and in similarly affected siblings: beta-mRNA was virtually absent in some samples, whereas low but significant levels were found in other samples. In one patient, beta-like mRNA was not detected in peripheral blood RNA, but was present in the RNA of bone marrow cells. In one case, the thermal stability of the beta0 thalassemia mRNA-beta-cDNA hybrid was measured and found to be slightly lower than that of the authentic beta-mRNA-beta-cDNA hybrid. In none of the cases tested was there synthesis of beta-globin chains directed by beta0 thalassemia mRNA in a cell-free protein-synthesizing system, even when beta-like mRNA was detected in the sample by hybridization assays. mRNA from two patients was labeled in vitro with 125I, digested with T1 RNAase and fractionated in two dimensions. Analysis of the resulting fingerprints revealed the presence of prominent alpha chain-specific oligonucleotides without detectable beta chain-specific oligonucleotides, and thereby confirmed the results of hybridization assays showing absent or very low levels of beta-mRNA in the same RNA samples. Our results support the concept that beta0 thalassemia is heterogeneous in its molecular basis even within the same racial group: in some patients, it is associated with absent beta globin mRNA, whereas in other patients, it is associated with low but significant levels of nonfunctional beta or beta-like globin mRNA. The variable amounts of beta-like mRNA detected in different samples from the same patient, and in patients with the same genotype, indicate that as yet undefined factors can influence the yield of beta-like mRNA observed in beta0 thalassemia.

Blood Cells↗

Functional and physicochemical studies of hemoglobin St. Louis beta 28 (B10) Leu replaced by Gln: a variant with ferric beta heme iron.

Studies have been performed on a 20-yr-old man exhibiting methemoglobinemia and a severe hemolytic anemia involving formation of Heinz bodies. This condition was due to an abnormal Hb present in the red cells of the proband: Hb St. Louis, beta 28 (B10) replaced by Gln, whose structural characteristics have been previously reported. This unstable Hb represented 30% of the total and was isolated by starch block electrophoresis at pH 8.6. Electrophoretic and spectral studies showed Hb St. Louis to be a valency hybird, alpha 2 beta 2+. The presence of hemichrome in this Hb was detected by electron paramagnetic resonance studies. During this study, an electrophoretic technique was developed that allows study of the mobility of hemichrome. Oxygen equilibria performed on purified Hb St. Louis revealed a high oxygen affinity and a markedly reduced cooperativity. The Bohr effect was normal, but the interaction of this hemoglobin with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate was decreased. The oxidation rate of Hb St. Louis was normal. Hb St. Louis was completely reduced by dithionite and ferrous citrate, and the functional properties of this reduced form were normal. In contrast, Hb St. Louis was only partially reduced by diaphorase. The mechanism of the oxidation of Hb St. Louis therefore appears to differ markedly from that postulated for other Hbs M.

Adult↗

Nucleotide sequences of the 3'-terminal untranslated region of messenger RNA for human beta globin chain.

In normal messenger RNA for the human beta-globin chain, nucleotide sequences have been identified which can be matched to the amino-acid sequence of the abnormally long segment of the beta-chain of hemoglobin Cranston. The finding of these sequences strengthens the hypothesis that the betaCranston chain arose by a frameshift mutation allowing the "readthrough" of the normal termination codon and translation of usually untranslated portions of the messenger RNA for the beta-globin chain. The oligonucleotides which match the amino-acid sequence of hemoglobin Cranston provide a sequence of 36 nucleotides which follows the normal beta-chain termination codon UAA.

Base Sequence↗