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Biomedical subjects

S J Kerr

Publications and source records attributed to S J Kerr.

53 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Alteration in tRNA methyltransferase activity in mengovirus infection: host range specificity.

The tRNA methyltransferase activity in mengovirus-infected L cells, HeLa cells, and Maden Derby bovine kidney cells has been examined during the course of infection. The first two cell lines yield a productive infection, but have different kinetics of inhibition of host RNA synthesis, whereas the bovine kidney cells are a restrictive host. In infected L cells the enzymes show altered capacity and base specificity throughout the infection. In infected HeLa cells and in infected bovine kidney cells less marked changes were seen. No inhibitors or activators of the enzymes were detected in any of the infected cell lines. Labeling experiments in infected cells indicated that in infected L cells synthesis of RNA was inhibited to a greater degree than was methylation of RNA. The consequence of this would be a hypermethylation of RNA. The methylated derivatives synthesized in infected L cells showed changes in relative proportions. Infection of HeLa cells and bovine kidney cells did not show such marked effects on methylation of RNA.

Animals↗

Mutant allele frequencies in the cat population of Omaha, Nebraska.

The phenotypes of 256 cats seen in Omaha, Nebraska, during the summer of 1983 were recorded and compared to those of other midcontinental USA cat populations. When cats that were "pure-bred," or derived from pure breeds, were excluded, random breeding at the O locus was confirmed and mutant allele frequencies were: O = 0.352, a = 0.813, tb = 0.354, d = 0.525, I = 0.369, S = 0.197, and W = 0.039. Siamese and Himalayan cats constituted 10.9 percent of the total sample (cs = 0.342), but analysis suggests that they are not randomly mating with the general population. Mutant allele frequencies of Omaha cats are more similar to those of cats in Champaign, Illinois, than to those of St. Louis, suggesting that an overland route was more important than a river route in founding the Omaha cat population.

Alleles↗