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Structure and function of dnaQ and mutD mutators of Escherichia coli.

The nucleotide sequences of the recessive dnaQ49 and the dominant mutD5 mutator were determined. The dnaQ49 mutator has a single base substitution in the dnaQ gene, thus causing one amino acid change, 96Val (GTG)----Gly (GGG), in the DnaQ protein (epsilon subunit of DNA polymerase III holoenzyme). The mutD5 mutator possesses two base substitutions in the same gene, resulting in two amino acid changes, 73Leu (TTG)----Trp (TGG) and 164Ala (GCA)----Val (GTA), which were designated the mutD52 and mutD51 mutations, respectively. Construction of chimaeric genes carrying one or two of these mutations revealed: either mutD51 or mutD52 alone causes the dominant mutator phenotype when present in a multi-copy plasmid; mutator phenotype when present in a low-copy plasmid; the dominant mutD51 mutator activity is suppressed by the dnaQ49 mutation when both mutations are present in the same gene. Based on these findings, we devised a model for the action of these mutators.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The effect of dose and time on the induction of genetic alterations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by aminoacridines in the presence and absence of visible light irradiation in comparison with the dose-effect-curves of mutagens with other type of action.

Aminoacridines induce frameshift mutations and are photodynamically active, depending on whether visible light is absent or present. Therefore, a test system which allows to compare quantitatively the genetic effects of aminoacridines irradiated or unirradiated by visible light ought to be susceptible to the different DNA alterations which can be induced by these substances. For this reason in most experiments mitotic gene conversion and only in some selected experiments reverse mutation was chosen as the indicator of genetic activity. In contrast to mutation systems mitotic gene conversion has never shown a response specific to only some types of mutagens. The three aminoacridine derivatives used-acridine orange (AO), proflavine (PF), and acridine yellow (AY)-were successful in the induction of convertants at two different loci. No locus-specificity could be observed. The time-dependent induction of convertants proceeds quickly but soon reaches-especially after treatment without light-a saturation point. The dose/effect-curve after treatment in the dark has a slope increasing with increasing concentration. Irradiation with visible light results in a dose/effect-curve consisting of three parts. Af first the increase of convertants is nearly linear extending one (AY) to three (AO) orders of magnitude. After a saturation effect begins at the point at which an effectiveness of the acridines in the dark is apparent. At high concentrations an induction of convertants can again be observed which is nearly the same as that after treatment in the dark. To determine whether the dose/effect-curves obtained for gene conversion refer to similar curves for gene mutations after treatment with AO at the same locus not only gene conversions but also reverse mutations were scored for. AO-treatment in the dark is ineffective in inducing reverse mutations. Irradiation with visible light results in a dose/effect-curve beeing parallel only in its first part to the dose/effect-curve obtained for gene conversion, while in its second part a mutation frequency decline can be observed. Comparing the dose/effect-curves of AO resulting from the induction of gene conversion and gene mutation, and taking into account that no mutants can be induced by AO-treatment in the dark, the increase in convertants at high acridine-concentrations can be explained as an addition of light-dependent and light-independent effects. That means, in mutation systems at low concentrations of aminoacridines irradiation with visible light should cause transitions, transversions and microlesions, at intermediate concentrations frameshift lesions should begin to appear, and at very high concentrations nearly exclusively frameshift lesions should occur. The dose/effect-curves of aminoacridines compared with those of other mutagens are very complex. The dose/effect-curves of the mutagens of other type of action tested are linear in a double logarithmic scale, and parallel for induced gene conversion and induced gene mutation...

Acridines↗

Analysis of the mechanisms of action of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae dominant lethal cdc42G12V and dominant negative cdc42D118A mutations.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc42p GTPase is localized to the plasma membrane and involved in signal transduction mechanisms controlling cell polarity. The mechanisms of action of the dominant negative cdc42(D118A) mutant and the lethal, gain of function cdc42(G12V) mutant were examined. Cdc42(D118A,C188S)p and its guanine-nucleotide exchange factor Cdc24p displayed a temperature-dependent interaction in the two-hybrid system, which correlated with the temperature dependence of the cdc42(D118A) phenotype and supported a Cdc24p sequestration model for the mechanism of cdc42(D118A) action. Five cdc42 mutations were isolated that led to decreased interactions with Cdc24p. The isolation of one mutation (V44A) correlated with the observations that the T35A effector domain mutation could interfere with Cdc42(D118A, C188S)p-Cdc24p interactions and could suppress the cdc42(D118A) mutation, suggesting that Cdc24p may interact with Cdc42p through its effector domain. The cdc42(G12V) mutant phenotypes were suppressed by the intragenic T35A and K183-187Q mutations and in skm1Delta and cla4Delta cells but not ste20Delta cells, suggesting that the mechanism of cdc42(G12V) action is through the Skm1p and Cla4p protein kinases at the plasma membrane. Two intragenic suppressors of cdc42(G12V) were also identified that displayed a dominant negative phenotype at 16 degrees C, which was not suppressed by overexpression of Cdc24p, suggesting an alternate mechanism of action for these dominant negative mutations.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The Lurcher cerebellar mutant phenotype is not expressed on a staggerer mutant background.

The hierarchy of the various processes responsible for the development of the complex, elaborated Purkinje cell can be examined by taking advantage of a series of spontaneous mutations that affect cerebellar development in the mouse. This study uses double mutants containing genes for two separate hereditary cerebellar mutations that have been shown to act intrinsically in Purkinje cells in order to investigate the time course and modes of action of these mutations. Lurcher mice show 100% degeneration of Purkinje cells, starting during the second postnatal week, while staggerer mice show reduced numbers of Purkinje cells in a distinctive mediolateral distribution from the time of birth, with the remainder grossly stunted. When these mutations are combined genetically, mice shown by progeny tests to harbor both staggerer and Lurcher genotypes exhibit staggerer-like behavior and overall cerebellar morphology; they also do not lose 100% of their Purkinje cells, as Lurcher mutants would otherwise do. Instead, they show a characteristic staggerer cerebellar pathology. We conclude that the intrinsic action of the staggerer gene in Purkinje cells occurs earlier in development than do effects of the Lurcher gene, and that the action of the staggerer gene prevents Purkinje cells from acquiring the characteristics required for the cytotoxic action of the Lurcher gene.

Animals↗

Induction of base-pair substitution and frameshift mutations in wild-type and repair-deficient strains of Salmonella typhimurium by the photodynamic action of methylene blue.

Induction of back mutations to prototrophy by methylene blue (MB)-sensitized photodynamic (PD) treatment has been studied in wild-type and repair-deficient strains of Salmonella typhimurium carrying either the base-pair substitution mutation hisG46 or the frameshift mutation hisD30529 We found that reversion of the hisG46 mutation was increased in a strain carrying a uvrB deletion and decreased in a strain carrying a recA-type mutation. Reversion of the hisD3052 (frameshift) mutation, on the other hand, was decreased in both uvrB deletion and recA-type strains. The former results are consistent with the hypothesis that the majority of MB-sensitized PD-INDUCED BASE-PAIR SUBSTITUTION MUTATIONS ARIse by a mechanism similar to that currently believed to be involved in UV mutagenesis. The latter results suggest that PD-induced frameshift mutations may arise in some other way, and two possible mechanisms involving sequential action of the excision repair and recombinational repair pathways are considered.

Base Sequence↗

Trypsinogen mutations in pancreatic disorders.

There are multiple PRSS1 mutations described in hereditary pancreatitis but only a minority of these are clinically relevant. The two most frequent point mutations are in exon 2 (N29I) and exon3 (R122H), found in diverse racial populations. Both mutations result in early onset pancreatitis but the mechanism underlying this phenotype is unclear. The frequency of these mutations in such diverse populations suggests they have spontaneously occurred many times. The origin of the major mutations may be explained by gene conversions, accounting for multiple founders. The implications are discussed in terms of mechanism of action of the mutations and clinical presentation.

Gene Conversion↗

Molecular and neuronal substrate for the selective attenuation of anxiety.

Benzodiazepine tranquilizers are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders. To identify the molecular and neuronal target mediating the anxiolytic action of benzodiazepines, we generated and analyzed two mouse lines in which the alpha2 or alpha3 GABAA (gamma-aminobutyric acid type A) receptors, respectively, were rendered insensitive to diazepam by a knock-in point mutation. The anxiolytic action of diazepam was absent in mice with the alpha2(H101R) point mutation but present in mice with the alpha3(H126R) point mutation. These findings indicate that the anxiolytic effect of benzodiazepine drugs is mediated by alpha2 GABAA receptors, which are largely expressed in the limbic system, but not by alpha3 GABAA receptors, which predominate in the reticular activating system.

Animals↗

Mutations in mice that influence natural killer (NK) cell activity.

A series of mutations in mice was tested for splenic NK-cell activity against YAC-1 target cells. Mutations at six loci that reduce NK-cell activity in the homozygous state were identified, including beige (bg), hairless (hr), motheaten (me), obese (ob), steel (Sl) and, to lesser extent, dominant spotting (W). Motheaten mice displayed the most profound NK-cell deficiency, with NK-cell activity virtually absent. Two mutations, nude (nu) and lymphoproliferation (lpr), produced elevated NK-cell-mediated lysis. The double homozygous recessive nu/nu bg/bg nude-beige mouse was viable and NK-cell-deficient, with activity slightly higher than that of +/? bg/bg beige littermate controls. Pigmentation mutants related to beige, including pale ears (ep), pearl (pe) and ruby eyes (ru2J) did not dramatically influence NK-cell levels. Unlike the obese gene, other mutations leading to obesity, diabetes (db) and yellow (Ay), did not impair NK-cell function. The possible site of gene action of these mutations in the NK-cell pathway is discussed.

Anemia↗

Mutations eliminating the protein export function of a membrane-spanning sequence.

Individual membrane protein spanning sequences can promote protein export. To help define the sequence features necessary for this action, we identified mutations disrupting export mediated by the first spanning sequence (TM1) of the Escherichia coli serine chemoreceptor. Mutant spanning sequences were generated and characterized using beta-galactosidase and alkaline phosphatase gene fusions. The protein export function of TM1 was remarkably tolerant of single charged residues, and the introduction of pairs of charged amino acids was necessary to eliminate export. The results are accommodated by a model in which export requires a stretch of uncharged residues whose summed hydrophobicity exceeds a particular threshold value. This threshold approximates the minimum hydrophobicity required for cleavable signal sequence function. In addition, the threshold was near the minimum hydrophobicity observed for wild-type spanning sequences in a collection of topologically characterized membrane proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Base-pairing requirement for RNA silencing by a bacterial small RNA and acceleration of duplex formation by Hfq.

SgrS is an Hfq-binding small antisense RNA that is induced upon phosphosugar stress. It forms a ribonucleoprotein complex with RNase E through Hfq to mediate silencing of the target ptsG mRNA encoding the membrane component of the glucose-specific phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system. Although SgrS is believed to act on ptsG mRNA through base pairing between complementary regions, this was not previously tested experimentally. We addressed the question of whether SgrS indeed forms an RNA-RNA duplex with ptsG mRNA to exert its regulatory function. Specific single nucleotide substitutions around the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence of ptsG completely eliminated SgrS action while compensatory mutations in SgrS restored it. A systematic mutational analysis of both ptsG and SgrS RNAs revealed that six base pairs around SD sequence of ptsG are particularly important for SgrS action. We also showed in vitro that SgrS forms a stable duplex with the ptsG mRNA, and that Hfq markedly facilitates the rate of duplex formation.

Base Pairing↗

Wide mutational spectrum of a gene involved in hormone action and insecticide resistance in Drosophila melanogaster.

The Methoprene-tolerant (Met) bHLH-PAS gene in Drosophila melanogaster is involved in the molecular action of juvenile hormone (JH), and mutants result in resistance to the toxic and morphogenetic effects of JH and JH agonist insecticides such as methoprene. A detailed study of Met mutants can shed light on the poorly understood action of JH as well as the molecular basis of Met resistance to JH insecticides. Nine mutant alleles bearing point mutations in Met were examined for penetrance and expressivity of three phenotypic characters: resistance, defective oogenesis, and a novel eye defect. The collection ranged from two weak alleles having less severe phenotypes to strong alleles with severe phenotypes similar to that of a null allele. The point mutations were located in both conserved and nonconserved domains. Both the eye defect, seen as severely malformed ommatidial facets in the posterior margin of the compound eye, and the oogenesis phenotype are nonconditional, whereas expression of the resistance phenotype requires treatment with JH or JH analogs (JHAs) during early metamorphosis. A proposed basis for all the phenotypic characters centers on MET action as a transcriptional regulator of ecdysone secondary-response target genes during metamorphosis. Disruption of MET function either by mutation or by JHA presence during early metamorphosis results in transcriptional misregulation of different target genes, resulting in the pathology seen in either instance. The variety of amino acid changes in MET that resulted in resistance may portend a rapid rise in resistance in response to increased use of JH insecticides in field insect populations.

Alleles↗

Mutations along the pituitary-gonadal axis affecting sexual maturation: novel information from transgenic and knockout mice.

During the last 10 years, numerous activating and inactivating mutations have been detected in the genes encoding the two gonadotrophins, luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), as well as their cognate receptors (R), LHR and FSHR. Because activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is a crucial event in the onset and progression of puberty, mutations affecting gonadotrophin action have major influence on this developmental process. Many of the phenotypic effects observed have been expected on the basis of the existing information about gonadotrophin action (e.g. delayed puberty), but also many unexpected findings have been made, including the lack of phenotype in women with activating LHR mutations, and the discrepancy in phenotypes of men with inactivating mutations of FSHbeta (azoospermia and infertility) and FSHR (oligozoospermia and subfertility). Some of the possible mutations, such as inactivating LHbeta and activating FSHR mutations in women, have not yet been detected. Genetically modified mice provide relevant phenocopies for the human mutations and serve as good models for studies on molecular pathogenesis of these conditions. They may also predict phenotypes of the mutations that have not yet been detected in humans. We review here briefly the effects of gonadotrophin subunit and receptor mutations on puberty in humans and contrast the information with findings on genetically modified mice with similar mutations.

Animals↗

Growth suppression of normal mammary epithelial cells by wild-type p53.

p53 mutations are frequent in human breast cancer. In order to understand the role of p53 in the context of the accumulation of mutations in breast cancer, a model of non transformed mammary cells was sought. The HC11 cells are immortalized, non transformed rodent mammary epithelial cells which synthesize milk proteins following stimulation with lactogenic hormones. p53 protein was readily detected in HC11 protein extracts with the PAb421 antibody. Two mutations were identified in the p53 cDNA from HC11 cells: a missense mutation at codon 138, substituting Trp for Cys, and a microdeletion, codon 123 to 130, of exon 5. The latter results from an intronic mutation of the splice acceptor site at the intron 4/exon 5 junction. The mutations affect separate p53 alleles, and no wt allele was found. Wt p53 was introduced into HC11 cells by means of a retroviral vector, under the control of a Cd(++)-inducible promoter. In the presence of CdSO4 a dramatic growth inhibition was observed. A temperature-sensitive mutant p53 gene was also transfected into HC11 cells. This resulted in a marked inhibition of cells growth at 32 degrees C, when the p53 is in the wt conformation, while no effect was observed at 37 degrees C, when the mutant conformation is predominant. wt p53-mediated inhibition of monolayer growth does not involve induction of programmed cell death and does not activate de novo synthesis of differentiation-specific milk proteins. We conclude that mutations in the p53 gene likely played a role in their immortalization. The HC11 cells provide a model for assessing the cooperative action of other mutations in mammary tumorigenesis.

Alleles↗

Analysis of visual system development in Drosophila melanogaster: mutations at the Glued locus.

We have analyzed several aspects of the development of flies carrying mutations at the Glued locus. Optic lobe abnormalities in individuals heterozygous for the original Glued allele were previously shown to result from an action of this mutation in the retinula cells. We have estimated when the functioning of this gene or its product is required for normal visual system development by using genetic mosaicism induced by somatic recombination and temperature shifts of a temperature-sensitive mutation at this locus. Both methods point to a period in the mid-third instar, suggesting that early events in the formation of ommatidia and/or late events in the program of retinal cells are affected. Application of a new histological stain for developing axons indicates that individuals heterozygous for Glued exhibit abnormalities in the retinula fiber projection by the late third instar. Thus, the adult phenotype is not solely the result of later cellular degeneration or rearrangement. Beneath M+ Gl+ clones which encompass the entire eye were found optic lobe abnormalities with features not seen in either other mosaics or Gl heterozygotes. The possibility that these abnormalities result from temporal asynchrony in the development of eye and and optic lobe in these individuals is discussed and the results of attempts to test this hypothesis are presented.

Age Factors↗

Inferring the fitness effects of DNA mutations from polymorphism and divergence data: statistical power to detect directional selection under stationarity and free recombination.

The fitness effects of classes of DNA mutations can be inferred from patterns of nucleotide variation. A number of studies have attributed differences in levels of polymorphism and divergence between silent and replacement mutations to the action of natural selection. Here, I investigate the statistical power to detect directional selection through contrasts of DNA variation among functional categories of mutations. A variety of statistical approaches are applied to DNA data simulated under Sawyer and Hartl's Poisson random field model. Under assumptions of free recombination and stationarity, comparisons that include both the frequency distributions of mutations segregating within populations and the numbers of mutations fixed between populations have substantial power to detect even very weak selection. Frequency distribution and divergence tests are applied to silent and replacement mutations among five alleles of each of eight Drosophila simulans genes. Putatively "preferred" silent mutations segregate at higher frequencies and are more often fixed between species than "unpreferred" silent changes, suggesting fitness differences among synonymous codons. Amino acid changes tend to be either rare polymorphisms or fixed differences, consistent with a combination of deleterious and adaptive protein evolution. In these data, a substantial fraction of both silent and replacement DNA mutations appear to affect fitness.

Adaptation, Biological↗

Male-specific lethal mutations of Drosophila melanogaster.

A total of 7,416 ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-treated second chromosomes and 6,212 EMS-treated third chromosomes were screened for sex-specific lethals. Four new recessive male-specific lethal mutations were recovered. When in homozygous condition, each of these mutations kills males during the late larval or early pupal stages, but has no detectable effect in females. One mutant, mlets, is a temperature sensitive allele of maleless, mle (Fukunaga, Tanaka and Oishi 1975), while the other three mutants identify two new loci: male-specific lethal-1 (msl-1) (two alleles) at map position 2-53.3 and male-specific lethal-2 (msl-2) at 2-9.0----The male-specific lethality associated with these mutants is not related to the sex per se of the mutant flies, since sex-transforming genes fail to interact with these mutations. Moreover, the presence or absence of a Y chromosome in males or females has no influence on the male-specific lethal action of these mutations. Finally, no single region of the X chromosome, when present as a duplication, is sufficient to rescue males from the lethal effects of msl-1 or msl-2. These results suggest that the number of complete X chromosomes determines whether a fly homozygous for a male-specific lethal mutation lives or dies.

Animals↗

A novel 1297-1304delGCCTGCCA mutation in the exon 10 of the thyroid hormone receptor beta gene causes resistance to thyroid hormone.

INTRODUCTION: Resistance to the thyroid hormone (RTH) is an inherited syndrome of reduced tissue responsiveness to hormonal action caused by mutations located in the ligand-binding domain and adjacent hinge region of the thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRbeta) gene. PATIENT: The patient in this study, a 42-year-old Caucasian male, came to medical attention because he experienced atrial fibrillation. Clinical evaluation showed a small and diffuse goiter and biochemical tests revealed markedly elevated concentrations of total T4, total T3, and free T4, normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) values and slightly increased I131 thyroid uptake at 24 hours. The thyroperoxidase, thyroglobulin, and TSH receptor antibodies were positive. He was treated with cabergoline plus methimazole. This treatment was stopped because of the inconsistent response, monotherapy with tri-iodothyroacetic acid (TRIAC) was then prescribed after molecular diagnosis confirmed RTH syndrome. METHODS: The exons 9 and 10 of the TRbeta gene, including splicing signals and the flanking intronic regions of each intron, were amplified with PCR. DNA sequences from each amplified fragment were performed with the Taq polymerase-based chain terminator method and using the specific TRbeta forward and reverse primers. RESULTS: Direct sequence analysis of the exons 9 and 10 of the TRbeta gene revealed an eight basepair deletion, 1297-1304delGCCTGCCA in exon 10. The mutation produces a frameshift at amino acid 433 and introduces a stop codon TGA at position 461, 85 nucleotides downstream from deletion. This alteration was not detected in either the father or mother of the patient, suggesting a de novo mutation that was confirmed by DNA fingerprint analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study we have identified a novel sporadic mutation corresponding to 1297-1304delGCCTGCCA deletion in the activating function 2 (AF-2) region of TRbeta. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the presence of a partial deletion of eight nucleotides in the TRbeta has been reported.

Adult↗