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Biomedical subjects

T Holm

Publications and source records attributed to T Holm.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) markers for human gene mapping.

A large collection of good genetic markers is needed to map the genes that cause human genetic diseases. Although nearly 400 polymorphic DNA markers for human chromosomes have been described, the majority have only two alleles and are thus uninformative for analysis of genetic linkage in many families. A few known marker systems, however, detect loci that respond to restriction enzyme cleavage by producing a fragment that can have many different lengths. This polymorphism is due to variation in the number of tandem repeats of a short DNA sequence. Because most individuals will be heterozygous at such loci, these markers will provide linkage information in almost all families. Ten oligomeric sequences derived from the tandem repeat regions of the myoglobin gene, the zeta-globin pseudogene, the insulin gene, and the X-gene region of hepatitis B virus, were used to develop a series of single-copy probes. These probes revealed new, highly polymorphic genetic loci whose allele sizes reflected variation in the number of tandem repeats.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Characterization of a human 'midisatellite' sequence.

We have examined the structure and DNA sequence of a human genomic locus that consists of a large hypervariable region made up of repeats of a simple sequence. With several restriction enzymes, the locus shows many restriction fragments that vary quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Other restriction enzymes produce only a single, high-molecular-weight fragment at this locus. Almost all of the fragments are revealed with a simple sequence probe. Southern transfers of the high-molecular-weight restriction fragments produced by the restriction enzymes NotI and SfiI, resolved by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, gave at most two fragments, demonstrated to be allelic, showing that the majority of the restriction fragments seen in the complex patterns are at a single locus. The estimated size of the region homologous to the probe varied from 250 to 500 kilobases. DNA sequencing indicated that the region consists of tandem repeats of a 40-base-pair sequence. Some homology was detected to the tandem repeating units of the insulin gene and the zetaglobin pseudogene hypervariable regions, and to the "minisatellite" DNA at the myoglobin locus.

Base Sequence↗

The development of monospecific antibodies against human thromboplastin apoprotein (apoprotein III) and their application in the immunocytochemical detection of the antigen in blood cells.

Human thromboplastin apoprotein (apoprotein III) purified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was purified a further 2-4 fold by PAGE in the presence of digitonin. Subsequent line immunoelectrophoresis of the protein revealed several lines, only one of which contained inhibitory antibodies. New inhibitory antibodies which were raised by using this particular line to immunize rabbits produced only a single line in immunoelectrophoresis of apoprotein III, with precipitated inhibitory antibodies being present only in the line. When these antibodies were used in electroblot immunobinding studies of crude thromboplastin after SDS-PAGE staining was found mainly in a single band of MW about 50,000, but also to some extent in immunologically related higher MW material. Prior deglycosylation of the thromboplastin using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid resulted in a shift of the bulk of the main band representing an apparent MW reduction of 16%, and a corresponding shift in the position of protein with the capacity to bind inhibitory antibodies. Besides being a good criterion of specificity of the antibodies this also suggests that non-carbohydrate parts of apoprotein III may be involved in the interaction with Factor VII. Immunoperoxidase staining of unstimulated or endotoxin stimulated blood cells using the antibodies revealed the presence of significant amounts of apoprotein III only in stimulated monocytes, apparently available on the surface of the cells since it was detectable also by preembedding staining of fixed cells in suspension. The result is strong evidence that apoprotein III is synthesized de novo in monocytes upon endotoxin stimulation.

Antibodies↗

Molecular forms of myeloperoxidase in human plasma.

A radioimmunoassay for myeloperoxidase was established with the use of affinity-purified anti-(human myeloperoxidase) immunoglobulins. By the use of ion-exchange followed by immunoaffinity chromatography a preparation of immunoreactive, catalytically active myeloperoxidase was obtained from fresh human plasma. In non-denaturing gel electrophoresis, the plasma preparation showed about four catalytically active components of mobility very similar to that of the granulocyte enzyme. SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis combined with protein blotting showed that the two polypeptides of strongest antigenicity in the plasma preparation corresponded in Mr to the large and the small subunits of the granulocyte enzyme. In addition, the plasma preparation contained a higher-Mr immunoreactive polypeptide, possibly a precursor form of the enzyme, together with another of Mr similar to that of the large subunit of eosinophil peroxidase.

Chromatography, Affinity↗

A DNA probe for the LDL receptor gene is tightly linked to hypercholesterolemia in a pedigree with early coronary disease.

A large, multigenerational family with dominantly inherited hypercholesterolemia was analyzed for genetic linkage between blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the locus for the LDL receptor. A genetic marker was identified by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in a cloned segment of the LDL receptor gene. We found no exceptions to segregation of the high-LDL cholesterol phenotype with a unique allele at the LDL receptor locus in this pedigree; tight linkage was indicated by a maximum lod score of 7.52 at theta = 0. Knowledge of the LDL receptor genotype will enable investigators to study variability of phenotypic expression in response to environmental influences or to different genetic determinants.

Cholesterol, LDL↗

A primary genetic map of chromosome 13q.

We have constructed a primary genetic map spanning most of human chromosome 13. A total of 14 polymorphic DNA sequences and one protein polymorphism provided, after construction of haplotypes, seven markers for the long arm of this chromosome. A panel of cell lines from 30 three-generation families with large sibship size served as the sample set. Pairwise cross analysis of the inheritance patterns of the marker loci established that six of the seven loci constituted a single linkage group; the seventh was localized by physical means. Significantly higher recombination rates were found in female than in male meioses in several intervals. The six closely linked loci were arranged, based on the two-point data, in three clusters, and a number of alternate gene orders were excluded by three-point linkage tests. The order and spacing of the individual loci were refined by linkage analyses that considered five loci jointly.

Chromosome Banding↗

A locus on chromosome 11p with multiple restriction site polymorphisms.

We have discovered and characterized a new polymorphic locus on chromosome 11p, D11S12, defined by an arbitrary genomic DNA segment cloned in the plasmid pADJ762. Four different polymorphic restriction sites with minor allele frequencies greater than 5% are revealed by Southern hybridization of this probe and its derivatives to digests of human DNAs. These include two MspI sites, a TaqI site, and a BclI site. The frequencies of the common haplotypes at this locus have been determined in a Utah population. Significant linkage disequilibrium has been demonstrated to exist between some pairs of polymorphic sites. A molecular map of this region has been determined, and the polymorphic sites have been localized. Comparison of physical separation with degree of linkage disequilibrium reveals an interesting case where an MspI site and a TaqI site that are separated by 6.8 kilobases (kb) show a greater degree of disequilibrium with each other than they do with two polymorphic sites located between them. One of the two interior sites is a BclI site that is approximately 0.2 kb away from the TaqI site but shows the same degree of disequilibrium with the TaqI site as with the MspI site 6.7 kb away. Although there is significant linkage disequilibrium at this locus, there are four major haplotypes with frequencies of 5% or greater, and the polymorphic information content (PIC) of this locus is .64.

Alleles↗