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Transposon mutagenesis of baculoviruses: analysis of TFP3 lepidopteran transposon insertions at the FP locus of nuclear polyhedrosis viruses.

We report the complete sequences of two representatives of the TFP3 transposable element family of the lepidopteran, Trichoplusia ni. These elements were isolated as insertions mobilized from the Lepidopteran host genome into two closely related nuclear polyhedrosis viruses (NPV) during infection. Both elements inserted within the 500-bp FP locus of the respective viral genomes (map units 36.0 to 37.0), causing a distinctive plaque morphology phenotype and the loss of a 25-kDa viral-specific protein. Both insertions occurred at the identical TTAA target site in the respective genomes, in the same relative orientation, and are flanked by 15-bp imperfect inverted repeats. The inserted elements interrupt the 25K open reading frame (ORF). One of these FP mutants undergoes spontaneous reversion. Sequence analysis at the excision site of a spontaneous revertant demonstrates that the TFP3 elements are capable of precise excision, restoring the expression of the 25-kDa protein. We also compare the sequences of the 25K genes of the Autographa californica and Galleria mellonella viruses (AcMNPV and GmMNPV, respectively). The 25K gene sequences diverge in five areas, resulting in an additional EcoRV and TaqI site within the GmMNPV 25K gene, and extension of the ORF for an additional 2 amino acids at the C-terminus of the predicted GmMNPV 25 kDa protein. The phenomenon of transposon mutagenesis of Baculovirus genomes provides a unique opportunity for analysis of transposon mobility.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The peripheral myelin gene PMP-22/GAS-3 is duplicated in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) is associated with a DNA duplication at chromosome 17p11.2. In view of the point mutation in the gene for peripheral myelin protein pmp-22/gas-3 in Trembler mice, a murine model for CMT1A, we have analysed whether this gene is altered in CMT1A. Here we show that the human homologue of the murine pmp-22 gene is located within the CMT1A DNA duplication, which is a direct repeat and does not interrupt the coding region of PMP-22. Expression of PMP-22 in CMT1A fibroblasts is similar to expression in control fibroblasts. Increased gene dosage or altered PMP-22 expression in the peripheral nervous system are therefore possible mechanisms by which PMP-22 is involved in CMT1A.

Base Sequence↗

Surgical management of equine recurrent uveitis with single port pars plana vitrectomy.

Current information suggests that equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is an immune-mediated reaction to infectious agents or to autologous ophthalmic tissue. Recurrences are associated with progression of irreversible ocular damage. This report describes the intraoperative technique, complications, and long-term results of 38 eyes in 35 horses with ERU that underwent pars plana vitrectomy. The majority of the horses were warm-blooded. Recurrence of ERU was prevented in 35 of the 38 eyes. Some horses, especially in patients with incipient cataracts, developed vision loss in postoperative, quiescent eyes which was usually associated with cataract formation. Vision was stable in 85% of all eyes that underwent vitrectomy. Pars plana vitrectomy in horses appears successful in interrupting the cycle of repeated episodes of ERU, and the subsequent globe destruction in the majority of eyes. Removal of uveitis-induced 'immunologic memory' in the vitreous by vitrectomy may reduce adverse interaction between the vitreous and the uveal tract, and therefore reduce the recurrence of ERU.

Journal Article↗

Removal of a 67-base-pair sequence in the noncoding region of protooncogene fos converts it to a transforming gene.

Transformation of fibroblasts by protooncogene fos (c-fos) requires the linkage of viral long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences and interruption of 3'-noncoding sequences. We have identified an A + T-rich stretch of 67 nucleotides, located 627-693 base pairs downstream from the coding domain and 123-189 base pairs upstream from the putative poly(A) addition site, removal of which confers transforming activity to the c-fos gene. A novel regulation of the expression of the c-fos gene is proposed, which may be functional in vivo to prevent the gene from becoming an oncogene.

Animals↗

Dominant and recessive compound heterozygous mutations in epidermolysis bullosa simplex demonstrate the role of the stutter region in keratin intermediate filament assembly.

Keratin intermediate filaments are important cytoskeletal structural proteins involved in maintaining cell shape and function. Mutations in the epidermal keratin genes, keratin 5 or keratin 14 lead to the disruption of keratin filament assembly, resulting in an autosomal dominant inherited blistering skin disease, epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS). We investigated a large EBS kindred who exhibited a markedly heterogeneous clinical presentation and detected two distinct keratin 5 mutations in the proband, the most severely affected. One missense mutation (E170K) in the highly conserved helix initiation peptide sequence of the 1A rod domain was found in all the affected family members. In contrast, the other missense mutation (E418K) was found only in the proband. The E418K mutation was located in the stutter region, an interruption in the heptad repeat regularity, whose function as yet remains unclear. We hypothesized that this mutated stutter allele was clinically silent when combined with the wild type allele but aggravates the clinical severity of EBS caused by the E170K mutation on the other allele. To confirm this in vitro, we transfected mutant keratin 5 cDNA into cultured cells. Although only 12.7% of the cells transfected with the E170K mutation alone showed disrupted keratin filament aggregations, significantly more cells (30.0%) cotransfected with both E170K and E418K mutations demonstrated keratin aggregation (p < 0.05). These transfection assay results corresponded to the heterogeneous clinical findings of the EBS patient in this kindred. We have identified the first case of both compound heterozygous dominant (E170K) and recessive (E418K) mutations in any keratin gene and confirmed the significant involvement of the stutter region in the assembly and organization of the keratin intermediate filament network in vitro.

Adult↗

Collagen XXVIII, a novel von Willebrand factor A domain-containing protein with many imperfections in the collagenous domain.

Here we describe a novel collagen belonging to the class of von Willebrand factor A (VWA) domain-containing proteins. This novel protein was identified by screening the EST data base and was subsequently recombinantly expressed and characterized as an authentic tissue component. The COL28A1 gene on human chromosome 7p21.3 and on mouse chromosome 6A1 encodes a novel protein that structurally resembles the beaded filament-forming collagens. The collagenous domain contains several very short interruptions arranged in a repeat pattern. As shown for other novel minor collagens, the expression of collagen XXVIII protein in mouse is very restricted. In addition to small amounts in skin and calvaria, the major signals were in dorsal root ganglia and peripheral nerves. By immunoelectron microscopy, collagen XXVIII was detected in the sciatic nerve, at the basement membrane of certain Schwann cells surrounding the nerve fibers. Even though the protein is present in the adult sciatic nerve, collagen XXVIII mRNA was only detected in sciatic nerve of newborn mice, indicating that the protein persists for an extended period after synthesis.

Alternative Splicing↗

Polymorphic CAC/T repetitive sequences in the pig genome 1.

Three genomic clones were isolated from a size-selected pig DNA library by hybridization with a DNA-fingerprint probe. Analysis at the sequence level revealed that all three clones contain interrupted stretches of triplet repeats mainly composed of CAC and CAT triplets. Evaluation of the corresponding loci for polymorphism by Southern blot hybridization showed considerable length variation. For two loci the polymorphism was also demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The PiGMaP reference pedigree was typed for all three loci.

Animals↗

Mutations of oncoprotein 18/stathmin identify tubulin-directed regulatory activities distinct from tubulin association.

Oncoprotein 18/stathmin (Op18) is a recently identified phosphorylation-responsive regulator of the microtubule (MT) system. It was originally proposed that Op18 specifically regulates dynamic properties of MTs by associating with tubulin, but it has subsequently been proposed that Op18 acts simply by sequestering of tubulin heterodimers. We have dissected the mechanistic action of Op18 by generation of two distinct classes of mutants. One class has interruptions of the heptad repeats of a potential coiled-coil region of Op18, and the other involves substitution at all four phosphorylation sites with negatively charged Glu residues. Both types of mutation result in Op18 proteins with a limited decrease in tubulin complex formation. However, the MT-destabilizing activities of the coiled-coil mutants are more severely reduced in transfected leukemia cells than those of the Glu-substituted Op18 derivative, providing evidence for tubulin-directed regulatory activities distinct from tubulin complex formation. Analysis of Op18-mediated regulation of tubulin GTPase activity and taxol-promoted tubulin polymerization showed that while wild-type and Glu-substituted Op18 derivatives are active, the coiled-coil mutants are essentially inactive. This suggests that Op18-tubulin contact involves structural motifs that deliver a signal of regulatory importance to the MT system.

Cell Extracts↗

Y chromosomal fertility genes of Drosophila: a new type of eukaryotic genes.

The Y chromosomal fertility genes of Drosophila are required for sperm differentiation. They are active only in primary spermatocytes where they form giant lampbrush loops. The molecular structure of these genes was investigated and revealed an unusual composition of DNA. Short, tandemly repeated sequence clusters are interrupted by longer and more heterogeneous sequences, which probably all represent transposable elements. No indication of the presence of protein-coding regions has been found within the fertility genes. However, the lampbrush loops bind site-specific proteins recognized by immunofluorescence techniques. This, together with other experimental data, led to the hypothesis that the Y chromosomal genes have a function in binding chromosomal proteins. The data and arguments in support of this gene model are summarized in this paper.

Animals↗

Formal speech stylistics and type A behavior in 38 subjects during nonstress interviews.

Open-ended interviews of 90 min length of 38 patients were analyzed with respect to speech stylistics, shown by Schucker and Jacobs to differentiate individuals with type A personality features from those with type B. In our patients, Type A/B had been assessed by the Bortner Personality Inventory. The stylistics studied were: repeated words swallowed words, interruptions, simultaneous speech, silence latency (between question and answer) (SL), speed of speech, uneven speed of speech (USS), explosive words (PW), uneven speech volume (USV), and speech volume. Correlations between both raters for all speech categories were high. Positive correlations between extent of type A and SL (r = 0.33; p = 0.022), USS (r = 0.51; p = 0.002), PW (r = 0.46; p = 0.003) and USV (r = 0.39; p = 0.012) were found. Our results indicate that the speech in nonstress open-ended interviews of type A individuals tends to show a higher emotional tension (positive correlations for USS PW and USV) and is more controlled in conversation (positive correlation for SL).

Coronary Disease↗

Markers of bone turnover in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer with and following withdrawal of thyroxine suppressive therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether levothyroxine (LT4) suppressive therapy exposes patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (TC) to an increased risk of osteoporosis. DESIGN AND METHODS: Markers of bone formation (serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC), type I procollagen carboxyterminal (PICP) and aminoterminal (PINP) propeptide) and resorption (serum type I collagen carboxyterminal telopeptide (ICTP) and urine hydroxyproline (HOP)), as well as serum intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2-D) were measured in 29 patients (25 women, 4 men) with a median age of 45 years, and in 38 age- and sex-matched controls. In a subgroup of 14 patients the measurements were repeated after 5 weeks' interruption of LT4 therapy. Since the primary treatment of TC the patients had used TSH suppressive doses of LT4 (a mean daily dose of 215 microg) for 9 to 11 years. The bone mineral density (BMD) of patients and controls was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: When on T4 therapy, patients had significantly higher mean levels of ALP (+21%, P < 0.05), OC (+35%, P < 0.01), PICP (+10%, P < 0.05), PINP (+46%, P < 0.001), ICTP (+21%, P < 0.05), and HOP (+37%, P < 0.001) compared with controls. After stopping treatment, OC (-42%, P < 0.001), PINP (-7%, P < 0.05), and ICTP (-54%, P < 0.001) decreased, whereas PICP (+24%, P < 0.001) and 1,25(OH)2D (+29%, P < 0.01) increased. BMD of the lumbar spine and the upper femur was similar in patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with differentiated TC have high bone turnover when on LT4 suppressive therapy, After withdrawing treatment both bone formation and resorption decrease acutely. During development of hypothyroidism, serum PICP and PINP, which form from the same type I procollagen molecule and should change similarly, behaved differently. This may be due to different effects of hypothyroidism on their removal through separate receptors in the liver.

Adult↗

The effectiveness of housing policies in reducing children's lead exposure.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the relation of housing policies to risk of subsequent lead exposure in addresses where lead-poisoned children had lived. METHODS: Addresses where children with lead poisoning lived between May 1992 and April 1993 were selected from lead screening registries in 2 northeastern states differing in their enforcement of lead poisoning prevention statutes. Blood lead levels of subsequently resident children, exterior condition, tax value, age, and census tract characteristics were collected. The odds of elevated blood lead levels in subsequently resident children were calculated with logistic regression. RESULTS: The risk of identifying 1 or more children with blood lead levels of 10 micrograms/dL or greater was 4 times higher in addresses with limited enforcement. Controlling for major confounders had little effect on the estimate. CONCLUSIONS: Enforcement of housing policies interrupts the cycle of repeated lead exposure.

Child, Preschool↗

Relationship between free-running period and minimum tolerable light pulse interval of skeleton photoperiods in field mice Mus booduga.

The entrainment of the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity was studied in the field mouse Mus booduga in order to examine the relationship between the free-running period (tau) and minimum tolerable light pulse interval of the skeleton photoperiods. The animals were entrained under three different light/dark (LD) schedules, each out of phase with the other. They were then subjected to various skeleton photoperiods created by two repeated light pulses (LPs) interrupting darkness. Animals that selected the shorter interval between the LPs as their "subjective night" had significantly shorter tau (23.13 +/- 0.38 h) as compared to those that selected the longer dark interval as subjective night (tau = 23.87 +/- 0.18 h). When the longer dark interval was 12 h, animals selecting that interval as their subjective night included both long-tau and short-tau individuals. When both intervals of darkness were of equal duration, no difference in the selection of subjective night was seen between short and long-tau animals. When the "dusk" LP for the animals that selected the longer dark interval as subjective night was advanced by 2 h to create a new skeleton photoperiod, the number of transient cycles appearing before steady-state entrainment was found to depend on the duration of the photoperiods. When the night defined by the two LPs was reduced below 6h, a dramatic "phase jump" in the activity rhythm was observed, and the initial phase relationship was restored after a relaxation in the night duration. We observed considerable interindividual variation in the "minimum tolerable light pulse interval of skeleton photoperiods," which we suggest may be due to the observed variation in tau among individuals.

Animals↗

Transient ischaemia of the proximal femoral epiphysis in the child. Interpretation of bone scintimetry for diagnosis in hip pain.

99mTc-MDP-scintimetry was performed in 25 consecutive cases of radiographically silent transient synovitis of the hip in children. Fourteen cases had normal scintimetry; seven cases had an increased uptake in the epiphysis; four cases had markedly defective uptake in the epiphysis, indicating interrupted vascular supply. At repeat scintimetry 6 weeks later, the uptake was normal or increased in three of these four cases; the one case with a persistent defect was the only case in this series who later developed radiographic evidence of Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease. In some cases presenting with clinical symptoms of synovitis of the hip, there is a transient, spontaneously recovering ischaemia of the proximal femoral epiphysis, not followed by radiographic evidence of necrosis. This should be considered in attempts to make a pre-radiographic diagnosis of Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease by radionuclide methods.

Child↗

Use of the polymerase chain reaction to clone and sequence a cDNA encoding the bovine alpha 3 chain of type IV collagen.

A novel type IV collagen, alpha 3(IV), has previously been isolated from a collagenase digest of bovine and human glomerular and lens basement membranes. The cloning and sequencing of a cDNA encoding the alpha 3(IV) chain is described here. Using the polymerase chain reaction, with primers derived from the known 27-residue bovine alpha 3(IV) amino acid sequence, a 68-base pair bovine genomic fragment (KEM68) which encodes the known peptide sequence, was synthesized. KEM68 was then used to screen a bovine lens cDNA library and a 1.5-kilobase partial cDNA clone obtained, encoding 471 residues of the bovine alpha 3(IV) chain: 238 residues from the triple helical collagenous domain and all 233 residues of the noncollagenous domain. The collagenous repeat sequence has three interruptions, coinciding with those in the alpha 1(IV) chain. The noncollagenous domain has 12 cysteine residues in identical positions to those of other type IV collagens and 71, 61, and 70% overall similarity with the human alpha 1(IV), alpha 2(IV), and alpha 5(IV) chains. The noncollagenous domain of alpha 3(IV) is of particular interest as it appears to be the component of glomerular basement membrane that reacts maximally with the Goodpasture antibody. Furthermore, such antigenicity is absent from collagenase digests of the glomerular basement membrane of some patients with Alport syndrome. The alpha 3(IV) cDNA clone described here now permits study of the molecular pathology of COL4A3 in Alport syndrome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Complete nucleotide sequence of the rabbit beta-like globin gene cluster: insights into evolution and regulation.

The general pattern of sequence matches between the beta-like globin gene clusters of rabbits and humans are summarized in Fig. 7. The regions of matching sequences are shaded, and it can be seen that the matches extend from one end of the gene cluster to the other. This provides very strong evidence that the ancestral species had a gene cluster containing the parents to all the contemporary beta-like globin genes in the same arrangement that we observe today. Much of the intergenic DNA has been diverging at a rate consistent with neutral drift, but smaller regions can be detected that are diverging more slowly and which are good candidates for functional sequences. The comparisons between this same gene cluster in mouse and humans show many fewer matches in the intergenic regions (Shehee et al., 1989), indicating either an earlier split between rodents and primates or a faster rate of divergence in rodents. However, this more divergent sequence may prove particularly valuable in a search for functional sequences, especially in a three-way alignment between the sequenced gene clusters. Every repetitive element in homologous segments of the rabbit and human beta-like globin gene clusters interrupts the homology; no repeat is in the same position in both species. Hence all the repeats have been inserted into the gene clusters after the divergence between lagomorphs and primates. This is true even for the L1 repeats, which are very similar between species in their ORF regions. This pattern of interspersion of repeats in long orthologous regions shows that many members of the LINE and SINE families are recent additions to the genome, and that these repeats are in fact transposable elements. It is easy to imagine negative and neutral effects of the expansion and transpositions of these repeat families, but some positive effect has not been ruled out. One of the intriguing inferences from the observations about repeats is that the ancestral gene cluster may not have contained repetitive elements. If it did, then those repeats have been completely replaced by different repeats independently in lagomorphs and primates.

Animals↗

Parathyroid carcinoma--problems in diagnosis and treatment.

Four patients with parathyroid carcinoma operated on at the Karolinska Hospital were reviewed. In three patients the parathyroid carcinoma was suspected at the primary operation and successfully treated with excision of the tumour and ipsilateral hemithyroidectomy. In one patient the diagnosis was made only after local recurrence of the tumour and the appearance of lung metastasis. Although removal of local recurrence and distant metastasis was not curative, the patient improved for a long period of time. When surgical resection did not successfully control the hypercalcemia, Mithramycin, 12.5 micrograms/kg intravenous daily was given for five days. With two days interruption the treatment was repeated. The hypercalcemia could in this manner be controlled for almost one and a half years. It is concluded that parathyroid carcinoma is a relatively rare endocrine tumour which may be cured by adequate initial operation. When surgery is not feasible to control hypercalcemia, Mithramycin seems to be the drug of choice even for long-term therapy.

Adult↗

Long CTG.CAG repeats from myotonic dystrophy are preferred sites for intermolecular recombination.

Homologous recombination was shown to enable the expansion of CTG.CAG repeat sequences. Other prior investigations revealed the involvement of replication and DNA repair in these genetic instabilities. Here we used a genetic assay to measure the frequency of homologous intermolecular recombination between two CTG.CAG tracts. When compared with non-repeating sequences of similar lengths, long (CTG.CAG)(n) repeats apparently recombine with an approximately 60-fold higher frequency. Sequence polymorphisms that interrupt the homogeneity of the CTG.CAG repeat tracts reduce the apparent recombination frequency as compared with the pure uninterrupted repeats. The orientation of the repeats relative to the origin of replication strongly influenced the apparent frequency of recombination. This suggests the involvement of DNA replication in the recombination process of triplet repeats. We propose that DNA polymerases stall within the CTG.CAG repeat tracts causing nicks or double-strand breaks that stimulate homologous recombination. The recombination process is RecA-dependent.

Crossing Over, Genetic↗