Search PubMedSearch

Biomedical subjects

V L Magnuson

Publications and source records attributed to V L Magnuson.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Methods for precise sizing, automated binning of alleles, and reduction of error rates in large-scale genotyping using fluorescently labeled dinucleotide markers. FUSION (Finland-U.S. Investigation of NIDDM Genetics) Study Group.

Large-scale genotyping is required to generate dense identity-by-descent maps to map genes for human complex disease. In some studies the number of genotypes needed can approach or even exceed 1 million. Generally, linkage and linkage disequilibrium analyses depend on clear allele identification and subsequent allele frequency estimation. Accurate grouping or categorization of each allele in the sample (allele calling or binning) is therefore an absolute requirement. Hence, a genotyping system that can reliably achieve this is necessary. In the case of affected sib-pair analysis without parents, the need for accurate allele calling is even more critical. We describe methods that permit precise sizing of alleles across multiple gels using the fluorescence-based, Applied Biosystems (ABI) genotyping technology and discuss ways to reduce genotyping error rates. Using database utilities, we show how to minimize intergel allele size variation, to combine data effectively from different models of ABI sequencing machines, and automatically bin alleles. The final data can then be converted into a format ready for analysis by statistical genetic packages such as MENDEL.

Alleles

Substrate nucleotide-determined non-templated addition of adenine by Taq DNA polymerase: implications for PCR-based genotyping and cloning.

The Applied Biosystems PRISM fluorescence-based genotyping system as well as the Invitrogen TA Cloning vector system are influenced by the tendency of Taq DNA polymerase to add an adenine nucleotide to the 3' end of PCR products after extension. Incomplete addition of adenine to a majority of PCR product strands creates problems in allele-calling during genotyping and potentially diminishes the cloning efficiency of such products. Experiments reported here show that certain terminal nucleotides can either inhibit or enhance adenine addition by Taq and that PCR primer design can be used to modulate this activity. The methods we propose can substantially improve allele-calling for problematic microsatellite markers when using GENOTYPER software.

Adenine

Approach to genotyping errors caused by nontemplated nucleotide addition by Taq DNA polymerase.

Thermostable DNA polymerases can catalyze nontemplated addition of a nucleotide to the 3' end of amplification products. This presents a potential source of error in genotyping studies employing Taq DNA polymerase to amplify microsatellite loci. Although the activity is marker specific, experimental variation is often seen in the degree of modification. Consequently, for a given microsatellite marker, an allele may be inconsistently identified as either the unmodified or modified amplification product. Full automation of high-throughput genotyping has been hampered by the need for manual editing of data because of this source of allele misidentification. In this study we estimate a 1% to 3% error rate attributable to nontemplated nucleotide addition in the ABI PRISM genotyping system. We present a PCR-based strategy to minimize this source of error.

Alleles

A linkage between DNA markers on the X chromosome and male sexual orientation.

The role of genetics in male sexual orientation was investigated by pedigree and linkage analyses on 114 families of homosexual men. Increased rates of same-sex orientation were found in the maternal uncles and male cousins of these subjects, but not in their fathers or paternal relatives, suggesting the possibility of sex-linked transmission in a portion of the population. DNA linkage analysis of a selected group of 40 families in which there were two gay brothers and no indication of nonmaternal transmission revealed a correlation between homosexual orientation and the inheritance of polymorphic markers on the X chromosome in approximately 64 percent of the sib-pairs tested. The linkage to markers on Xq28, the subtelomeric region of the long arm of the sex chromosome, had a multipoint lod score of 4.0 (P = 10(-5), indicating a statistical confidence level of more than 99 percent that at least one subtype of male sexual orientation is genetically influenced.

Female

Alpha 5 integrin subunit expression changes during myogenesis.

Fibronectin and its cellular receptor, the alpha 5 beta 1 integrin, are involved in the transmembrane signalling events that control muscle cell differentiation. In this study, the expression of the alpha 5 integrin subunit was followed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine alterations during myogenesis. In studies of murine muscle, we found a 90% reduction in the level of the alpha 5 integrin subunit mRNA during early postnatal development. Concurrently, the fibronectin alternative splicing pattern changed markedly in the EIIIB and V exons. In-vitro analyses of these molecules during myoblast differentiation revealed changes that followed trends similar to those observed in vivo, although of lesser magnitude. These observations imply an important role of fibronectin and the alpha 5 integrin subunit in muscle development.

Alternative Splicing

Immunohistological localization of cell adhesion proteins and integrins in the periodontium.

The distribution of the cell adhesion proteins vitronectin, fibronectin, tenascin, and laminin as well as several integrin subunits, alpha 2, alpha 5, and alpha v, was studied in primate periodontal tissues. Full baboon mandibular sections were analyzed by immunohistochemical methods in order to localize the molecules studied in both soft and hard tissues. Vitronectin was associated with the connective tissue of the marginal gingiva, the periodontal ligament, as well as the endosteum and periosteum. A notable finding was the particularly high staining intensity of vitronectin in the periodontal ligament. Fibronectin was widely distributed in the periodontal connective tissue and was also localized to the pericellular matrix of osteocytes and blood vascular elements. Epithelial basement membranes stained positively for both fibronectin and tenascin. These proteins were also expressed in the periosteal and endosteal connective tissues and the periodontal ligament. The staining intensity for tenascin was higher in zones along the cementum and bone surfaces. Laminin was, characteristically, limited to basement membranes of epithelium and endothelium. The distribution of fibronectin, tenascin, and laminin is related to previous findings in other species. The localization of the several integrin alpha-subunits is also described in full baboon mandibular sections. The vitronectin receptor (alpha v) had a uniquely strong expression in osteoclasts of the alveolar bone and was found, at lesser intensity, on periodontal ligament fibroblasts. The fibronectin receptor alpha subunit, alpha 5, was also observed on osteoclasts, and, in addition, was widely distributed on fibroblasts, cementoblasts, and osteoblasts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alveolar Process

Quantitative assay for morphogenesis indicates the role of extracellular matrix components and G proteins.

A quantitative assay for morphogenesis is described that involves counting the organizing centers (swirling patterns) formed by many cultured fibroblasts. Organizing centers, which are found in vivo, represent one of the smallest units of morphogenesis. We show that macroscopically visible organizing centers form by the merger of smaller organizing centers. Parallel orientation of cells on plastic substrata requires cell-cell contact, but organizing centers can develop without cell-cell contact on collagen gels. On collagen gels, the orientation of collagen fibers determines the orientation of cells with respect to one another. Although organizing centers resemble fingerprints, we have shown that a stochastic process determines the spatial orientation of organizing centers. Treatment of transformed cell lines with agents that increase cAMP levels or alter the activity of guanine nucleotide binding proteins resulted in the generation of organizing centers. Cholesterol precursors involved in protein isoprenylation were found to be potent reverse-transformation agents that could alter the two-dimensional morphogenesis of cells. The simple assay described should permit the analysis of morphogenesis at the molecular and cellular levels.

Animals

The alternative splicing of fibronectin pre-mRNA is altered during aging and in response to growth factors.

The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine alternative splicing at each of the three fibronectin exons known to undergo alternative splicing, i.e. extra domain A (ED-A), extra domain B (ED-B), and type III connecting sequence (IIICS). Ratios of fibronectin mRNAs with or without a given exon were determined in several rat tissues and human cell lines during aging in vivo and cellular senescence in vitro. We demonstrate that statistically significant shifts in the alternative splicing of fibronectin occur during aging in vivo and in vitro. Since all three alternatively spliced exons are spliced out at a higher frequency in aging tissues and cells, the fibronectin protein produced by old cells should be slightly smaller than that obtained from young cells. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction demonstrates tissue-specific patterns of alternative splicing in several tissues. Whereas fibronectin mRNAs from adult rat tissues were found to range from 0 to 25% ED-A+ and from 0 to 10% ED-B+, fibronectin mRNAs from cultured cell lines were found to be approximately 50-60% ED-A+ and 15-25% ED-B+. We observed similarity in splicing of fibronectin RNA by the different cultured cell lines obtained from many tissues and attribute this observation to the effect of growth factors. We demonstrate that serum deprivation; placement of cells into primary culture; and growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta 1, retinoic acid, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 can all change the alternative splicing of fibronectin pre-mRNA in the ED-A, ED-B, and type III connecting sequence exons. Possible mechanisms for the regulation of the alternative splicing of fibronectin RNA by growth factors are discussed.

Aging

IL-1 beta and prostaglandins regulate integrin mRNA expression.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of IL-1 beta on integrin expression in MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells. Human recombinant IL-1 beta (rIL-1 beta) produced significant increases in both alpha 2- and alpha 5-subunit mRNA levels, as well as a smaller increase in alpha v-subunit mRNA. In contrast, IL-1 beta decreased alpha 4-subunit mRNA levels by approximately 30% relative to untreated controls. These findings suggest that human IL-1 beta differentially regulates expression of integrins. When cultures were treated with both IL-1 beta and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, the expression of alpha 2-, alpha 5-, and alpha v-subunit mRNA levels were dramatically increased relative to untreated controls; co-treatment with 0.5 mM prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) partially reversed this effect. Indomethacin alone did not affect integrin mRNA levels. Treatment with IL-1 beta or IL-1 beta + indomethacin also induced significant changes in MG-63 morphology (i.e., increased cell elongation) and increased the ability of cells to contract collagen gels. PGE2 reversed the above effects on cell morphology and gel contraction. These findings indicate that (a) IL-1 beta differentially regulates the expression of integrins and (b) that PGE2, which is induced by IL-1 beta, may provide a negative feedback loop which counteracts the stimulatory effect of IL-1 beta on integrin gene expression. It is suggested that products of inflammation may affect cell behavior by differentially regulating the expression of various integrins.

Actins

Cultivation of mammalian cells in heat-sealable pouches that are permeable to carbon dioxide.

Petri plates, 96-well plates, and other unsealed culture vessels are the chief cause of air-borne contamination of cell cultures. In this study, heat-sealable plastic pouches that are permeable to CO2 and other gases are used as a means to avoid contamination. Several applications of heat-sealable pouches are described. First, petri plates can simply be sealed in a wide variety of plastic films that are permeable to CO2. Second, a few CO2-permeable plastic films can be used directly as substrata for mammalian cell growth and can also be cut with a simple hole punch for the isolation of clones. Third, one can grow cells in chemically sterilized carbonic acid solutions and thereby avoid the use of a CO2 incubator entirely.

Animals

Chromosomal localization of human lactotransferrin gene (LTF) by in situ hybridization.

Lactotransferrin (LTF) is an important member of the transferrin family of proteins. These proteins play an essential role in the transport of iron in extracellular fluid (Aisen and Listowsky, 1980). Southern blot analysis of mouse-human somatic cell hybrids have localized the LTF gene to region q21----qter of human chromosome 3 (Teng et al., unpublished data). Using the same full-length mouse cDNA probe (2.2 kb), the LTF gene was mapped to human chromosomal bands 3q21----q23 by in situ hybridization. The sublocalization of the LTF gene to 3q21----q23 is in the region of human chromosome 3 where the gene loci of transferrin and transferrin receptor have been localized (Yang et al., 1984; van de Rijn et al., 1983).

Animals

Human alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein localized to 3q27----q29 by in situ hybridization.

Human plasma protein alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) is composed of two polypeptide chains, A and B, encoded by a single mRNA. Southern blot analysis of mouse x human somatic cell hybrids has mapped the AHSG gene to human chromosome 3 in the region 3q21----qter (Lee et al., 1987). Using a recombinant plasmid containing a 1,538 bp insert spanning the entire AHSG coding region, AHSG was localized to chromosomal bands 3q27----q29 by in situ hybridization.

Blood Proteins