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Biomedical subjects

W Krek

Publications and source records attributed to W Krek.

39 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Structure and developmental expression of the chicken CDC2 kinase.

The cdc2 protein kinase plays a key role in controlling the eukaryotic cell cycle. We have isolated a cDNA clone for the chicken homolog of the cdc2 gene, raised antibodies against the corresponding protein, and studied the expression of cdc2 mRNA and protein during chicken embryonic development. The protein encoded by the chicken cdc2 cDNA shares extensive structural homology with cdc2 gene products from other species. Moreover, when expressed in fission yeast, the chicken cdc2 kinase is able to rescue a temperature-sensitive (ts) cdc2 mutant, demonstrating that it is functional as a cell cycle regulator. By Northern analysis and immunoblotting, we found that in total embryos both cdc2 mRNA and protein levels decreased substantially between day 3 and day 11 after egg laying, and no significant amounts of either cdc2 mRNA or protein were detected in adult liver, brain, heart or skeletal muscle. These data indicate the existence of a coarse correlation between the abundance of cdc2 mRNA and the proliferative state of a given tissue. Interestingly, however, when examining individual embryonic tissues, no correlation was observed between levels of cdc2 mRNA and protein, suggesting that cdc2 expression in developing chicken may be regulated at multiple levels.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Heterogeneous genomic amplification in Streptomyces glaucescens: structure, location and junction sequence analysis.

Certain chromosomal markers in Streptomyces glaucescens behave unstably, being lost at high frequency as a result of extensive genomic deletion. Additionally, mutant strains possessing such deletions frequently display intense DNA amplification. With the help of a wild-type cosmid library we investigated the structure of the amplified DNA sequences (ADS) and the corresponding wild-type amplifiable units of DNA (AUD). The reiterations were heterogeneous in location, copy number and sequences involved and originated predominantly from a single 100 kb region of the chromosome called the AUD locus. All strains bearing reiterations possessed associated deletions which terminated either close to or at the ADS. The termini of four AUDs were sequenced in order to gain more knowledge about these heterogeneous amplifications. In three of the four cases investigated small, interrupted homologies were found bordering the AUDs. With the help of orthogonal-field-alternation gel electrophoresis (OFAGE) we were able to visualize a tandem reiteration of more than 1,500 kb in length.

Base Sequence↗

Extremely large chromosomal deletions are intimately involved in genetic instability and genomic rearrangements in Streptomyces glaucescens.

Genetic instability in Streptomyces glaucescens characteristically involves the occurrence of gross genomic rearrangements including high-level sequence amplification and extensive deletion. We investigated the relationship of the unstable melC and strS loci and a 100 kb region of the chromosome which frequently gives rise to intense heterogeneous DNA amplification. Standard chromosome walking using a cosmid bank in conjunction with a "reverse-blot" procedure enabled us to construct a contiguous genomic BamHI map of the unstable region exceeding 900 kb. The unstable genes and the amplifiable region (AUD locus) are physically linked within a 600 kb segment of the chromosome. The previously characterized deletions which affect these loci are merely components of much larger deletions ranging from 270 to over 800 kb which are polar in nature, effecting the sequential loss of the strS and melC loci. The more extensive deletions terminate either adjacent to, or in the vicinity of DNA reiterations at the AUD locus. Additionally, a deletion junction fragment and the corresponding deletion ends were cloned and analysed at the sequence level.

Base Sequence↗