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Biomedical subjects

P Beard

Publications and source records attributed to P Beard.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Transcription of Simian Virus 40 chromosomes in an extract of HeLa cells.

Simian Virus 40 (SV40) chromosomes were incubated with a concentrated extract of HeLa cells containing RNA polymerase II and other factors involved in transcription. SV40-specific RNA was synthesized. In the absence of HeLa cell extract the synthesis of labeled RNA by endogenous RNA polymerase in the chromosome preparations amounted to less than one tenth of that when the HeLa cell extract was present. Incubation with the HeLa extract increased the amount of Sarkosyl-resistant (i.e., transcribing) RNA polymerase on the SV40 chromosomes. When restriction endonucleases able to cut SV40 DNA were added to transcription reactions containing SV40 chromosomes and the HeLa cell extract, RNAs of discrete length were produced. The RNAs were identified as correctly initiated run-off transcripts of the early and late genes. Most of the RNA synthesized by the HeLa extract from SV40 chromosomes was from the region of the late genes, whereas transcription of purified SV40 DNA was from both the early and the late regions, with the early transcripts predominating.

Cell Fractionation↗
PubMed1981

N-Acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene reacts preferentially with a control region of intracellular SV40 chromosome.

Many chemical carcinogens or their metabolites react with DNA; thus it is of interest to determine what effect chromosomal structure has on these reactions. The chromosome of simian virus 40 (SV40) is well suited for such studies; like chromatin of eukaryotic cells, it is organized into nucleosomes. The nucleotide sequence of SV40 is known, together with much about the pattern of viral gene expression and DNA replication, and the structure of the viral chromosome. We have investigated the binding of the ultimate carcinogen, N-acetoxy-acetylaminofluorene (AAAF), to specific regions of the SV40 chromosome in situ in the intact infected cell. The results, reported here, indicate that a region containing regulatory functions on the intracellular SV40 chromosome has unique structural properties which render it more susceptible to attack by AAAF than the rest of the SV40 genome. The preferential binding of AAAF to regulatory regions of chromatin may have implications for the mechanism of action of this and similar carcinogens.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗
PubMed1981

Characterization of an immunosuppressive parvovirus related to the minute virus of mice.

We have characterized an immunosuppressive parvovirus related to the minute virus of mice (MVM). The parvovirus, MVM(i), grew efficiently on the murine lymphoma cell line EL-4 and not on the A-9 strain of L-cells which is a host for the prototype MVM. MVM(i) was immunosuppressive for allogeneic mixed leukocyte cultures, inhibiting the generation of cytolytic T lymphocytes. MVM had no effect on mixed leukocyte cultures. MVM and MVM(i) particles were similar in buoyant density, sedimentation rate, appearance in the electron microscope, and polypeptide composition. We present restriction enzyme maps of the DNAs of MVM and MVM(i) which show that they are closely related. Out of 109 restriction endonuclease cleavage sites (representing together about 10% of the nucleotide sequence), 86 sites were shared by MVM and MVM(i), whereas 22 sites were absent from one of the two viruses. MVM(i) DNA had an apparent deletion of about 60 nucleotides relative to MVM, located near the 5' terminus of viral DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Analysis of DNA double- and single-strand breaks by two dimensional electrophoresis: action of micrococcal nuclease on chromatin and DNA, and degradation in vivo of lens fiber chromatin.

We describe a novel system for two dimensional electrophoresis at neutral and alkaline pH for determining the double-stranded and single-stranded lengths of DNA. With this system we analysed the mode of micrococcal nuclease digestion of DNA in cellular and SV40 viral chromatin and of supercoiled SV40 DNA. The enzyme reaction occurred in two steps : the enzyme first introduced single-strand breaks, then converted these to double-strand breaks by an adjacent cleavage on the opposite strand. Digestion of cellular chromatin DNA occurred by a similar mechanism. Chromatin fragments produced by limited micrococcal nuclease action contained many single-strand breaks, which may be important when this method is used to prepare chromatin fragments for biochemical and biophysical studies. Nucleosome monomer to tetramer produced at later stages of digestion contained few if any single-strand breaks.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Mobility of histones on the chromosome of simian virus 40.

Linear simian virus 40 (SV40) chromosomes were prepared by Eco R1 nuclease cleavage of the circular SV40 chromosomes released from virions with dithiothreitol at pH 9,8. Chromatin-DNA hybrids were constructed with segments of 3H-labeled, naked SV40 DNA covalently joined via the Eco R1-generated cohesive ends to segments of linear SV40 chromosome. Upon incubation of chromatin-DNA hybrids at 37 degrees C and moderate ionic strength, histones migrated onto the labeled DNA while retaining the nucleosome structure. This was shown first, by the pattern of micrococcal nuclease digestion of labeled DNA; second by nitrocellulose filter binding of labeled DNA after redigestion of the chromatin-DNA hybrids with Eco R1; and third, by examination of chromatin-DNA hybrids in the electron microscope. Migration was slow, being apparent after several hours. Parallel experiments in which naked DNA and chromosomes were mixed without joining showed no transfer of nucleosomal histones between DNA molecules. The kinetics of Eco R1 cleavage of the DNA in virion-derived SV40 chromosomes are also consistent with the notion that nucleosomal histones, in the absence of other proteins, can move on DNA.

Chromatin↗
PubMed1975

Synthesis of Superhelical Simian Virus 40 Deoxyribonucleic Acid in Cell Lysates*.

In vivo-labeled SV40 replicating DNA molecules can be converted into covalently closed superhelical SV40 DNA (SV40(I) using a lysate of sv40-infected monkey cells containing intact nuclei. Replication in vitro occurred at one-third the in vivo rate for 30 min at 30 degrees. After 1 hour of incubation, about 54% of the replicating molecules had been converted to SV40(I), 5% to nicked, circular molecules (SV40(II), 5% to covalently closed dimers; the remainder failed to complete replication although 75% of the prelabeled daughter strands had been elongated to one-genome length. Density labeling in vitro showed that all replicating molecules had participated during DNA synthesis in vitro. Velocity and equilibrium sedimentation analysis of pulse-chased and labeled DNA using radioactive and density labels suggested that SV40 DNA synthesis in vitro was a continuation of normal ongoing DNA synthesis. Initiation of new rounds of SV40 DNA replication was not detectable.

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1975

Strand-specific transcription of polyoma virus DNA-early in productive infection and in transformed cells.

The DNA strand origin of nuclear and cytoplasmic polyoma-specific RNA in productively infected mouse cells and in a line of polyoma-transformed hamster cells was determined by hybridization of unlabeled RNA with radioactively labeled separated strands of polyoma DNA. Early in the productive cycle (10 h postinfection) nuclear viral RNA is complementary to only about 40% of the E strand of viral CNA. No RNA complementary to the L strand was detected even when the RNA was first self-annealed to enrich for possible minor species. Early cytoplasmic RNA is complementary to the same 40% of the E strand. Thus, only that part of the poloma genome which codes for early virual messenger RNA appears to be transcribed. Late in infection, nuclear viral RNA is complementary to most or all of the L strand and to at least 60% of the E strand. Late cytoplasmic viral RNA hybridizes to 40 to 45% of the E strand and 50 to 55% of the L strand. The transformed cell nuclear viral RNA is complementary to 60% of the E strand, whereas cytoplasmic RNA is complementary to 40% of the E strand and comprises the same polyoma-specific sequences as are found in RNA early in productive infection. No L strand transcripts could be detected. Thus, in the transformed cells and late in productive infection, viral RNA sequences in the cytoplasm are a specific subset of those in the nucleus.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1973

Cleavage of circular, superhelical simian virus 40 DNA to a linear duplex by S1 nuclease.

S(1) nuclease, the single-strand specific nuclease from Aspergillus oryzae can cleave both strands of circular covalently closed, superhelical simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA to generate unit length linear duplex molecules with intact single strands. But circular, covalently closed, nonsuperhelical DNA, as well as linear duplex molecules, are relatively resistant to attack by the enzyme. These findings indicate that unpaired or weakly hydrogen-bonded regions, sensitive to the single strand-specific nuclease, occur or can be induced in superhelical DNA. Nicked, circular SV40 DNA can be cleaved on the opposite strand at or near the nick to yield linear molecules. S(1) nuclease may be a useful reagent for cleaving DNAs at regions containing single-strand nicks. Unlike the restriction endonucleases, S(1) nuclease probably does not cleave SV40 DNA at a specific nucleotide sequence. Rather, the sites of cleavage occur within regions that are readily denaturable in a topologically constrained superhelical molecule. At moderate salt concentrations (75 mM) SV40 DNA is cleaved once, most often within either one of the two following regions: the segments defined as 0.15 to 0.25 and 0.45 to 0.55 SV40 fractional length, clockwise, from the EcoR(I) restriction endonuclease cleavage site (defined as the zero position on the SV40 DNA map). In higher salt (250 mM) cleavage occurs preferentially within the 0.45 to 0.55 segment of the map.

Aspergillus↗