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Selection of genetic variants of simian immunodeficiency virus in persistently infected rhesus monkeys.

Genetic and antigenic variation may be one means by which lentiviruses that cause AIDS avoid elimination by host immune responses. Genetic variation in the envelope gene (env) was studied by comparing the nucleotide sequences of 27 clones obtained from two rhesus monkeys infected with molecularly cloned simian immunodeficiency virus. All 27 clones differed from each other and differed from the input clone in the gp120 (SU) portion of the envelope gene. Nucleotide substitutions were shown to accumulate with time at an average rate of 8.5 per 1,000 per year in SU. Surprisingly, the majority of nucleotide substitutions (81%) resulted in amino acid changes. Variation in SU was not random but occurred predominantly in five discrete regions. Within these variable regions, a remarkable 98% of the nucleotide substitutions changed the amino acid. These results demonstrate that extensive sequence variability accumulates in vivo after infection with molecularly cloned virus and that selection occurs in vivo for changes in distinct variable regions in env.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Risk of limb deficiency defects associated with NAT1, NAT2, GSTT1, GSTM1, and NOS3 genetic variants, maternal smoking, and vitamin supplement intake.

Increasing epidemiologic evidence suggests that genetic susceptibilities contribute to birth defects risks, especially in combination with other environmental exposures. This analysis examines the association of risk of limb deficiency defects with infant genotypes for N-acetyltranferases (NAT1, NAT2), glutathione-S-tranferases (GSTT1, GSTM1), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3). The combined effects of infant genotype with maternal smoking and supplement intake were also examined. The authors genotyped 92 cases and 201 non-malformed controls from a California population-based case-control study (1987-1988 birth cohort). Several of the infant genotypes were associated with an at least 1.5-fold increased risk for limb deficiency defects: homozygosity for the NAT1 1088 and 1095 polymorphisms, heterozygosity and homozygosity for the NOS3 A(-922)G polymorphism, and heterozygosity (but not homozygosity) for the NOS3 G894T polymorphism. The authors hypothesized that the effects of selected variant genotypes in the presence of maternal smoking, or in the absence of supplement intake, may exceed effects of any of these factors alone. A few observations suggested that risks were greatest among infants with variant genotypes, whose mothers also smoked or did not take supplements, but most did not, and risk estimates were imprecise. Further studies exploring genetic susceptibility and combined gene-environment effects with respect to limb development will be important to continued improvement of our understanding of the etiology of limb anomalies.

Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase↗

Frequency distribution and discrimination probability of twelve protein genetic variants in human blood as functions of race, sex, and age.

Fresh blood samples were obtained from 6004 whites, 1025 blacks, 1596 Chicano/Amerindians, and 3053 Asians of California and Hawaii. The samples were typed for ABO and Rh groups and were analyzed electrophoretically for ten genetically determined protein variant systems. The effects of race, age, and sex on phenotypic frequencies within each of the twelve genetic systems were investigated. Large frequency differences were found between races but not between different age and sex subgroups within races. It was also demonstrated that the twelve genetic systems behaved statistically independently. Discrimination probabilities were computed for each of the four ethnic groups. These serve as a measure of the effectiveness of the twelve genetic systems examined in individualizing blood samples. The method is discussed for computing the probability that a randomly chosen individual of a given ethnic group possesses the same blood phenotypes as found in a predetermined sample of blood. The results presented here should prove useful in the investigation of civil and criminal cases involving blood samples.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Specific ligand binding on genetic variants of human alpha1-acid glycoprotein studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy.

Human alpha1-acid glycoprotein displays genetic polymorphism. Different drug binding properties of the two main genetic products (F1-S and A variants) have been demonstrated. In search for specific circular dichroism (CD) probes, dicumarol and acridine orange were found to specifically bind to the F1-S and A variants, respectively. Dicumarol binding to the F1-S variant produced induced Cotton effects originating from the favored chiral conformation of the bound label. Acridine orange gave induced biphasic Cotton effects due to chiral intermolecular exciton interaction between label molecules bound to the A variant. Displacement of the CD probes by specific marker ligands was demonstrated. The induced CD spectrum of dicumarol was found to change sign in the presence of imipramine, as a manifestation of high-affinity ternary complex formation on the F1-S variant.

Acridine Orange↗

Ocular phenotypes of three genetic variants of Bardet-Biedl syndrome.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome is a genetically heterogeneous multisystem disorder that causes severe visual impairment. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), hypogonadism, digit and renal anomalies, obesity, and a variable degree of mental retardation characterize the disorder. Eight different loci have been identified on 2q31(BBS5), 3p13 (BBS3), 4q27 (BBS7), 11q13 (BBS1), 14q32 (BBS8), 15q22.3 (BBS4), 16q21 (BBS2), and 20p12 (BBS6). The ocular manifestations of Bardet-Biedl syndrome include an early and severe rod-cone dystrophy causing legal blindness in the second decade. Features of systemic phenotypic variability were proposed to distinguish patients mapped to either the BBS2, BBS3, or BBS4 loci but no phenotype-genotype correlation has been established for the ocular phenotype. We studied the three original families used for the identification of BBS2, BBS3, and BBS4 loci to define the ocular phenotypes of patients (n = 34) and obligate carriers (n = 32) using clinical examination and electroretinography (ERG). RP was severe and early in all cases. Myopia was associated with BBS3 and BBS4, but not BBS2. One patient with Bardet-Biedl syndrome also had iris and chorioretinal colobomata, features suggestive of Biemond syndrome.

Adolescent↗

Biochemical characterization of genetically variant aromatic amine N-acetyltransferases in A/J and C57BL/6J mice.

Biochemical genetic studies to determine the molecular basis for the differences in N-acetylation between the A/J and C57BL/6J mouse strains were carried out. Purification of liver N-acetyltransferase from both strains showed that aminofluorene and p-aminobenzoic acid activities are not separable by protein purification techniques which exploit differences in charge and size. In addition, both aminofluorene and p-aminobenzoic acid N-acetyltransferase activities from the C57BL/6J mouse liver enzymes migrated as a single symmetrical protein band after polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. For aminofluorene and p-aminobenzoic acid, the two mouse strains showed apparent Km differences which suggest a difference in a structural gene product, and at least may partially account for the observed differences in N-acetylation. N-Acetyltransferase activity of selected extrahepatic tissues showed that both small intestine and kidney reflect the animal's phenotype as determined by liver or blood N-acetyltransferase. Sex differences were apparent in this activity in C57BL/6J mouse kidney, with males exhibiting approximately 2.5-fold higher activity for aminofluorene and approximately 3-fold higher activity for p-aminobenzoic acid than did females.

4-Aminobenzoic Acid↗

Genetic variants affecting phenoloxidase activity in Drosophila melanogaster.

In Drosophila melanogaster, two new variants affecting the activity of phenoloxidase were found in natural populations at Gomel in Belorussia and at Krasnodar in Russia. Prophenoloxidases, A1 and A3, in these variants had the same mobilities on native electrophoresis as the wild type. However, enzymatic activities in their activated states were much lower than in the wild type, whereas the existence of prophenoloxidase proteins was demonstrated. Egg-to-adult and relative viabilities in the variants did not decrease at temperature between 18 and 29 degrees C. Genetic analyses indicated that the genes showing the phenotype of variants are new alleles of Mox and Dox-3 on the second chromosome.

Animals↗

Genetic variants of red cell enzymes as potential anthropological markers in the Western Pacific.

During the population genetic surveys of the aboriginal Negrito groups of the Philippines, "rare" variants of carbonic anhydrase-1 (CA1), adenylate kinase (AK) and esterase D (ESD) were discovered with remarkably high frequencies. The variant CAS1 isozyme discovered among the Mamanwa tribe of northeastern Mindanao was electrophoretically indistinguishable from the "Guam" variant. Subsequent study of peptide mapping and amino acid analysis showed that they are in fact identical. The frequency of the variant allele was estimated at 0.20-0.25. The AK variant had an estimated frequency of 0.07 among the Aeta of Luzon. The fact that these variants occur sporadically in wide areas in the western Pacific suggests that they have been spread by gene diffusion from the aboriginal populations of this area, from which the present Negrito probably are derived.

Adenylate Kinase↗

Genetic variants in the UGT1A6 enzyme, aspirin use, and the risk of colorectal adenoma.

Genetic variation in the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A6 (UGT1A6) enzyme is associated with impaired metabolism of aspirin. To determine whether polymorphisms in the UGT1A6 enzyme modulate the protective benefit of regular aspirin use on colorectal adenoma, we conducted a prospective, nested case-control study of 1062 women who provided blood specimens and detailed data on aspirin use before undergoing lower endoscopy. All statistical tests were two sided. Although UGT1A6 genotype was not associated with overall adenoma risk (multivariable odds ratio [OR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85 to 1.41), functional variant genotypes statistically significantly modified the effect of aspirin on adenoma (P(interaction) = .02). Among the 616 women with variant genotypes, regular use of aspirin (two or more standard tablets per week) was associated with a decreased risk of adenoma (multivariable OR for adenoma = 0.66 [95% CI = 0.45 to 0.95], OR = 0.63 [95% CI = 0.43 to 0.91] for 0.5-7 standard tablets per week and OR = 0.41 [95% CI = 0.24 to 0.71] for more than 7 tablets per week; P(trend) = .001). In contrast, among women with wild-type genotypes, regular aspirin use was not associated with a reduced risk nor did they obtain any additional benefit with higher doses (P(trend) = .50). These results were consistent among women with advanced adenomas (P(interaction) = .003). Thus, functional polymorphisms in the UGT1A6 enzyme statistically significantly modify the effect of aspirin on colorectal neoplasia, and certain subsets of the population, defined by genotype, may obtain differential benefit from aspirin chemoprevention.

Adenoma↗

Genetic variant BDNF (Val66Met) polymorphism alters anxiety-related behavior.

A common single-nucleotide polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, a methionine (Met) substitution for valine (Val) at codon 66 (Val66Met), is associated with alterations in brain anatomy and memory, but its relevance to clinical disorders is unclear. We generated a variant BDNF mouse (BDNF(Met/Met)) that reproduces the phenotypic hallmarks in humans with the variant allele. BDNF(Met) was expressed in brain at normal levels, but its secretion from neurons was defective. When placed in stressful settings, BDNF(Met/Met) mice exhibited increased anxiety-related behaviors that were not normalized by the antidepressant, fluoxetine. A variant BDNF may thus play a key role in genetic predispositions to anxiety and depressive disorders.

Alleles↗

Structural characterization of two genetic variants of human serum albumin.

In the present paper we report the structural characterization of two genetic mutants of human serum albumin: albumin Vanves, a very rare, electrophoretically fast variant of French origin, and albumin Verona, a slow-migrating variant which is the most frequently observed in Italy and which possesses the same electrophoretic mobility as albumin B. Both variants were isolated from the sera of healthy heterozygous subjects. Analysis of CNBr fragments by isoelectric focusing allowed us to localize the mutation to the COOH-terminal region of the molecule (residues 549-585) in both cases. The modified fragments were then isolated on a preparative scale by HPLC and subjected to tryptic digestion. Sequential analysis of the abnormal tryptic peptide, purified by HPLC, established the mutation responsible for albumin Vanves as 574 Lys----Asn and the molecular defect of albumin Verona as 570 Glu----Lys, both probably due to point mutations in the structural genes. The amino-acid substitutions found in albumins Verona and Vanves are consistent with the electrophoretic mobilities observed for the native proteins at pH 8.6.

Amino Acids↗

Folding and stability of the Z and S(iiyama) genetic variants of human alpha1-antitrypsin.

Z (Glu342 --> Lys) and S(iiyama) (Ser53 --> Phe) genetic variations of human alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1-AT) cause a secretion blockage in the hepatocytes, leading to alpha1-AT deficiency in the plasma. Using in vitro folding analysis, we have shown previously that these mutations interfere with the proper folding of polypeptides. To understand the fundamental cause for the secretion defect of the Z and S(iiyama) variants of alpha1-AT, we investigated in vivo folding and stability of these variant alpha1-AT using the secretion system of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Various thermostable mutations suppressing the folding block of the Z variant in vitro corrected the secretion defect as well as the intracellular degradation in the yeast secretion system. Significantly, the extent of suppression in the secretion defect of Z protein was proportional to the extent of suppression in the folding defect, assuring that the in vivo defect associated with the Z variant is primarily derived from the folding block. In contrast, the folding and secretion efficiency of S(iiyama) was not much improved by the same mutations. In addition, none of the rarely secreted S(iiyama) alpha1-AT carrying the stabilizing mutations for the wild type and Z variant were active. It appears that the major defect in S(iiyama) variant is the loss of stability in contrast to the kinetic block of folding in the Z variant.

Hot Temperature↗

A genetic variant that disrupts MET transcription is associated with autism.

There is strong evidence for a genetic predisposition to autism and an intense interest in discovering heritable risk factors that disrupt gene function. Based on neurobiological findings and location within a chromosome 7q31 autism candidate gene region, we analyzed the gene encoding the pleiotropic MET receptor tyrosine kinase in a family based study of autism including 1,231 cases. MET signaling participates in neocortical and cerebellar growth and maturation, immune function, and gastrointestinal repair, consistent with reported medical complications in some children with autism. Here, we show genetic association (P = 0.0005) of a common C allele in the promoter region of the MET gene in 204 autism families. The allelic association at this MET variant was confirmed in a replication sample of 539 autism families (P = 0.001) and in the combined sample (P = 0.000005). Multiplex families, in which more than one child has autism, exhibited the strongest allelic association (P = 0.000007). In case-control analyses, the autism diagnosis relative risk was 2.27 (95% confidence interval: 1.41-3.65; P = 0.0006) for the CC genotype and 1.67 (95% confidence interval: 1.11-2.49; P = 0.012) for the CG genotype compared with the GG genotype. Functional assays showed that the C allele results in a 2-fold decrease in MET promoter activity and altered binding of specific transcription factor complexes. These data implicate reduced MET gene expression in autism susceptibility, providing evidence of a previously undescribed pathophysiological basis for this behaviorally and medically complex disorder.

Alleles↗