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Detection of candida antigenemia by counterimmunoelectrophoresis in patients with invasive candidiasis.

Because of the difficulty in diagnosis of invasive candidiasis, an assay that makes use of counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) was developed to detect candida antigen. A cell-wall polysaccharide of Candida was extracted with hot formamide, ethanol precipitation, and gel filtration. Rabbit antiserum was tested by CIE against sera from 20 healthy individuals, 15 patients with mucosal candidiasis, and 48 compromised patients with cultures positive for Candida. Antigen was detected in sera from 13 patients by CIE; eight of these patients were eventually proven to have invasive disease. None of the antigen-negative patients for whom autopsy was performed had evidence of invasive candidiasis. Healthy individuals and patients with superficial mucosal candidiasis were also antigen-negative. The detection of candida antigenemia by CIE is specific for invasive disease and serves as a guide in initiation and follow through of antifungal therapy.

Animals↗

Chromosomal characteristics and malignancy of urothelial cells from carcinogen-treated rats.

Epithelial cells of bladders from male Fischer 344 rats that had been treated with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) or N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT) were cultured and examined for chromosomal changes, anchorage independence in vitro, and transplantability in vivo. Numerical but not structural changes of chromosomes were significantly greater in the FANFT group than in the BBN group. Urothelial cell lines that demonstrated prolonged life span and loss of anchorage dependency were established from 14 of these rats, but only nine of them demonstrated tumorigenicity in the nude mouse model. Two of these transplantable cell lines and R4909, a transplantable bladder cell line derived from a 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rat, have normal chromosomes. The present study demonstrates a carcinogen-related chromosome change in the urothelial cells, but the relationship between malignancy and specific chromosomal changes is not clear.

Animals↗

Determination of 6-thioguanine resistant lymphocytes in human blood by immunohistochemical antibromodeoxyuridine staining.

An immunohistochemical method for the determination of 6-thioguanine resistant (TGr) lymphocytes in human blood samples has been developed. The new technique is a modification of the autoradiographic assay and uses labelling of DNA synthesizing cells by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) instead of tritiated thymidine. The label is detected immunohistochemically by using a monoclonal antibody against BrdU in single-stranded DNA. Thawed cryopreserved isolated mononuclear cells are cultured with (TG cultures) and without (control cultures) TG for 40 h, the last 16 h with BrdU. The cells are harvested, fixed and put on microscopic slides; for the TG cultures, all material is used, while slides from the control culture are prepared at a dilution of 1:300. The immunohistochemical staining of the slides involves denaturation of DNA in formamide, incubation with anti-BrdU-DNA antibody, followed by a secondary antibody conjugated with peroxidase and staining with diaminobenzidine. Nuclei that have incorporated BrdU appear brown while all other material remains unstained. The number of all labelled nuclei is scored similarly in control and TG slides and the frequency of TGr lymphocytes is obtained by dividing the number of labelled nuclei in TG slides with that (multiplied by the dilution factor) in control slides. The anti-BrdU method will much simplify and speed up the microscopical evaluation of the TG variants and is very suitable for automation.

Bromodeoxyuridine↗

Nucleotide sequence of the 5'- and 3'- domains for rabbit 18S ribosomal RNA.

By direct RNA sequence analysis we have determined the primary structures of both the 5' and 3' domains for rabbit 18S ribosomal RNA. Purified 18S rRNA was labeled in vitro at either its 5' or 3' terminus with 32P, base-specifically fragmented enzymatically and chemically, and the resulting fragments electrophoretically fractionated by size in adjacent lanes of 140 cm long polyacrylamide sequencing gels run in 90% formamide. A phylogenetic comparison of both the mammalian 5' proximal 400 residues and the 3' distal 301 nucleotides with the previously determined yeast and Xenopus laevis 18S rRNA sequence shows extensive conservation interspersed with tracts having little homology. Clusters of G + C rich sequences are present within the mammalian 5' domain which are entirely absent in both the Xenopus laevis and yeast 18S rRNAs. Most base differences and insertions within the mammalian 18S rRNA when compared with yeast or Xenopus rRNA result in an increase in the G + C content of these regions. We have found nucleotide sequence analysis of the ribosomal RNA directly permits detection of both cistron heterogeneities and mapping of many of the modified bases.

Animals↗

Primary structure of rabbit 18S ribosomal RNA determined by direct RNA sequence analysis.

The primary structure of rabbit 18S ribosomal RNA was determined by nucleotide sequence analysis of the RNA directly. The rabbit rRNA was specifically cleaved with T1 ribonuclease, as well as with E. coli RNase H using a Pst 1 DNA linker to generate a specific set of overlapping fragments spanning the entire length of the molecule. Both intact and fragmented 18S rRNA were end-labeled with [32P], base-specifically cleaved enzymatically and chemically and nucleotide sequences determined from long polyacrylamide sequencing gels run in formamide. This approach permitted the detection of both cistron heterogeneities and modified bases. Specific nucleotide sequences within E. coli 16S rRNA previously implicated in polyribosome function, tRNA binding, and subunit association are also conserved within the rabbit 18S rRNA. This conservation suggests the likelihood that these regions have similar functions within the eukaryotic 40S subunit.

Animals↗

Specific cleavage of kinetoplast minicircle DNA from Leishmania tarentolae by mung bean nuclease and identification of several additional minicircle sequence classes.

Multiple sequence classes of kinetoplast minicircle DNA from Leishmania tarentolae were cleaved by mung bean nuclease in the presence of formamide, yielding unit length linear molecules which retained the anomalous electrophoretic mobility in acrylamide characteristic of minicircle DNA. No specific cleavage site sequence common to all minicircle sequence classes was apparent, although the main region of nuclease cleavage was localized approximately 350 bp from the unique SmaI restriction site of the conserved region found in all minicircle sequence classes. Covalent closure of the minicircle substrate was not a requirement for cleavage, as linearized network-derived or cloned minicircles were also cleaved by mung bean nuclease at similar locations. The partial sequences of several new minicircle sequence classes released from the network by mung bean nuclease are also reported.

Animals↗

Anti-sense regions in satellite RNA of cucumber mosaic virus form stable complexes with the viral coat protein gene.

The interaction in vitro of the RNA of the Q-strain of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) with its satellite RNA (sat-RNA) has been studied. In hybridisation reactions containing 30% formamide at 45 degrees, sat-RNA binds to CMV RNA 3 and 4 but not to CMV RNA 1 and 2 or RNA from tobacco mosaic virus and alfalfa mosaic virus. The viral coat protein gene present in RNA 3 and 4 contains the site of binding but this region does not contain complementary sequences of any significant length to the sat-RNA sequence. However, the optimum alignment of short complementary sequences present in these regions revealed a stable structure in which it is proposed that sat-RNA twists around the coat protein gene so that two separate blocks of nucleotides in sat-RNA base pair in opposite directions with two adjacent blocks in the coat protein gene to form a knot-like structure. The binding site is a region of 33 nucleotides within the coding region of the coat protein gene which base pairs with residues 98-113 and 134-152 of sat-RNA. The possibility of the binding region of sat-RNA functioning as an "anti-sense" sequence in regulation of the viral coat protein synthesis is discussed.

Base Sequence↗

Variation in the gene encoding a major merozoite surface antigen of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Plasmodium falciparum merozoites have a variable surface protein of about 195,000 molecular weight which may be involved in strain-specific immunity. We have cloned and sequenced a major portion of the gene encoding this antigen from the CAMP strain and have located sites of preferred mung bean nuclease cleavage around the gene. These sites depend on reaction conditions, but at 40% formamide and 2 units of mung bean nuclease per microgram DNA, the intact gene was excised from the chromosome. Comparison of the CAMP strain gene with the same gene from other strains of P. falciparum by matching available DNA sequences and by DNA hybridization revealed five regions of homology separated by divergent segments. Two of the variable regions encoded three amino acid repeats, predominantly Ser-Gly-Thr and Thr-Glu-Glu. Implications of these findings on the function of the antigen, and possible mechanisms for generation of variants are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human glutamate tRNA forms stable hybrids in vitro with 28S ribosomal RNA.

A human glutamate tRNA has been shown to form stable hybrids with 28S ribosomal RNA. This tRNA was purified from HeLa cell cytoplasmic RNA by RNA-RNA solution hybridization followed by the isolation of tRNA-28S rRNA complexes by hybridization-selection with ribosomal DNA or by recovery of the 28S peak from formamide-sucrose gradients. The single hybridizing tRNA species was identified as tRNAGluCUC by sequencing: pU-C-C-C-U-G-G-U-G-m2G-U-C-phi-A-G-U-G-G-D-phi-A-G-G-A-U-U- C-G-G-C-G-C-U-C-U-C-A-C-C-G-C-G-G-C-m5C-m5C-G-G-G-Tm-phi-C-G-A- U-U-C-C-C-G-G-U-C-A-G-G-G-A-A-C-C-AOH. Computer analysis located a nucleotide sequence near the middle of human 28S rRNA which is complementary to 15-26 nucleotides between residues 20 and 50 of this tRNA. An interaction between this tRNA and 28S rRNA suggests that tRNAGluCUC may have functions in the cell in addition to translation.

Base Sequence↗

Early melting of supercoiled DNA.

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (formamide with urea) has been used to study the melting of supercoiled DNA. A linear gradient of denaturant concentration proportional to a 25 degrees C linear increase of temperature (Teff) from the left to the right edge of the gel was created perpendicular to DNA migration. The mobility of supercoiled DNA molecules was shown to drop to the level of relaxed molecules a long way (5-30 degrees C) before linear DNA began to melt. The further increase of Teff, including the melting range for linear molecules, caused no appreciable changes in the mobility of relaxed molecules. The transition curves are S-shaped for all the topoisomers, and an increase of superhelicity shifts the transition towards lower Teff values. The analysis of the results indicates that the observed relaxation of superhelical molecules is due to denatured region forming in them, their size increasing with the topoisomer number.

DNA, Superhelical↗

A theoretical investigation of the base sequence preferences of monointercalating polymethylene carboxamide derivatives 9-aminoacridine.

Theoretical computations are performed of the comparative binding affinities of five polymethylene carboxamide derivatives of 9-aminoacridine to a series of double-stranded hexanucleotides. The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain whether minor groove recognition of a guanine base adjacent to the intercalation site can occur, and be preferentially stabilized, for a given length of the polymethylene side chain, encompassing from n = 2 up to n = 6 methylene groups. For that purpose, several representative sequences were investigated, in which intercalation of the 9-aminoacridine chromophore occurred at a central d(CpG) or d(TpA) step. Investigated were the self-complementary sequences d(CGCGCG)2, d(GCCGGC)2, d(TATATA)2 and d(ATTAAT)2, as well as the 'mixed' sequences d(ACTAAT) .d(ATTAGT) and d(TGTATA). d(TATACA). For n = 3 up to n = 6, such a recognition was enabled only when the guanine base was located downstream of the intercalation site, i.e. with steps d(CGG) and d(TAG). It occurred by means of a bidentate interaction involving, on the one hand, H(N2) and N3 of the base, and, on the other hand, the carbonyl oxygen and the cis amino hydrogen of the terminal formamide moiety of the ligand. Because of the flexibility of the side chain, however, alternative binding modes were also found to occur competitively, involving backbone-only interactions of the side chain. On the basis of the present computations, upon binding to the sequence d(GCCGGC)2, an optimal value of n = 5 could be derived, with the corresponding acridine derivative eliciting both a significant prevalence of the bidentate over backbone only binding mode, and the most favourable energy balance within the investigated series. This privileged value of n = 5 is fully consistent with the experimental results of Markovits et al. and Gaugain et al. The very flexibility of the side chain, however, hampered any preferential recognition of a triplet sequence with a downstream guanine, such as d(CGG) or d(TAG), to be elicited over sequences such as d(TAA), d(TAT) or d(TAC).

Aminacrine↗

Detecting base pair substitutions in DNA fragments by temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis.

A vertical gel electrophoresis apparatus is described which can distinguish DNA fragments differing by single base pair substitutions. The system employs a homogenous polyacrylamide gel containing urea-formamide and a temperature gradient which runs either perpendicular or parallel to the direction of electrophoresis. The temperature-gradient system simplifies several features of the denaturant-gradient system (1) and is relatively inexpensive to construct. Eight homologous 373 bp DNAs differing by one, two, or nine base pair substitutions were examined. DNA electrophoretic mobility changed abruptly with the temperature induced unwinding of DNA domains. GC to AT substitutions at different locations within the first melting domain, as well as an AT to TA transversion were separated with temperature gradients parallel to the electrophoretic direction. The relative stabilities of the DNAs observed in the gels were compared to predictions of DNA melting theory. General agreement was observed however complete correspondence was not obtained.

Base Composition↗

The synthesis of the internucleotide (phosphodiester) bond by a base-catalysed reaction.

Potassium tert-butoxide in hexamethyl phosphoramide and dimethyl formamide provides an excellent catalyst for the reaction of a 3'-hydroxyl or a 5'-hydroxyl group of a nucleoside with an appropriate nucleoside phosphorofluoridate to yield the dinucleoside phosphate. This paper describes the experiments leading to the development of this reaction together with the synthesis of thymidylyl-(5' leads to 3')-thymidine (dT-dT).

Methods↗

Thermal stability of DNA adducts induced by cyanomorpholinoadriamycin in vitro.

The Adriamycin derivative, cyanomorpholinoadriamycin (CMA) was reacted with DNA in vitro to form apparent interstrand crosslinks. The extent of interstrand crosslink formation was monitored by a gel electrophoresis assay and maximal crosslinking of DNA was observed within 1 hr with 5 microM of drug. The interstrand crosslinks were heat labile, with a midpoint melting temperature of 70 degrees C (10 min exposure to heat) in 45% formamide. When CMA-induced adducts were detected as blockages of lambda-exonuclease, 12 blockage sites were observed with 8 being prior to 5'-GG sequences, one prior to 5'-CC, one prior to 5'-GC and 2 at unresolved combinations of these sequences. These exonuclease-detected blockages reveal the same sites of CMA-induced crosslinking as detected by in vitro transcription footprinting and primer-extension blockages on single strand DNA, where the blockages at 5'-GG and 5'-CC were identified as sites of intrastrand crosslinking and the 5'-GC blockage as a probable site of interstrand crosslinking. The thermal stability of both types of crosslink (10 min exposure to heat) ranged from 63-70 degrees C at individual sites. High levels of adduct were detected with poly (dG-dC) but not with poly (dI-dC). These results suggest adduct formation involving an aminal linkage between the 3 position of the morpholino moiety and N2 of guanine.

Base Sequence↗

Rapid preparation of single stranded DNA from PCR products by streptavidin induced electrophoretic mobility shift.

Streptavidin induced electrophoretic mobility shift was used to prepare single stranded (ss) DNA amplified with the polymerase chain reaction in the presence of a biotinylated and a non-biotinylated primer. A variety of denaturing conditions, including incubation at 95 degrees C in 50% formamide can be used without disrupting the streptavidin-biotinylated-ssDNA complex. Following electrophoresis, pure non-biotinylated DNA can be efficiently recovered from 7 M urea gels because it is well separated from the severely retarded streptavidin-biotinylated-ssDNA complex. Quantitative complexing of biotinylated ssDNA can occur at a streptavidin to DNA molar ratio of 1 or more.

Bacterial Proteins↗

The thermal stability of DNA fragments with tandem mismatches at a d(CXYG).d(CY'X'G) site.

Temperature-Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (TGGE) was employed to determine the thermal stabilities of 28 DNA fragments, 373 bp long, with two adjacent mismatched base pairs, and eight DNAs with Watson-Crick base pairs at the same positions. Heteroduplex DNAs containing two adjacent mismatches were formed by melting and reannealing pairs of homologous 373 bp DNA fragments differing by two adjacent base pairs. Product DNAs were separated based on their thermal stability by parallel and perpendicular TGGE. The polyacrylamide gel contained 3.36 M urea and 19.2 % formamide to lower the DNA melting temperatures. The order of stability was determined in the sequence context d(CXYG).d(CY'X'G) where X.X' and Y.Y" represent the mismatched or Watson-Crick base pairs. The identity of the mismatched bases and their stacking interactions influence DNA stability. Mobility transition melting temperatures (T u) of the DNAs with adjacent mismatches were 1.0-3.6 degrees C (+/-0.2 degree C) lower than the homoduplex DNA with the d(CCAG).d(CTGG) sequence. Two adjacent G.A pairs, d(CGAG).d(CGAG), created a more stable DNA than DNAs with Watson-Crick A.T pairs at the same sites. The d(GA).d(GA) sequence is estimated to be 0.4 (+/-30%) kcal/mol more stable in free energy than d(AA).d(TT) base pairs. This result confirms the unusual stability of the d(GA).d(GA) sequence previously observed in DNA oligomers. All other DNAs with adjacent mismatched base pairs were less stable than Watson-Crick homoduplex DNAs. Their relative stabilities followed an order expected from previous results on single mismatches. Two homoduplex DNAs with identical nearest neighbor sequences but different next-nearest neighbor sequences had a small but reproducible difference in T u value. This result indicates that sequence dependent next neighbor stacking interactions influence DNA stability.

Base Composition↗

Direct interaction between Rsc6 and Rsc8/Swh3,two proteins that are conserved in SWI/SNF-related complexes.

The RSC complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is closely related to the SWI/SNF complex. Both complexes are involved in remodeling chromatin structure and they share conserved components. The RSC proteins Sth1, Rsc8/Swh3, Sfh1 and Rsc6 are homologs of the SWI/SNF proteins Swi2/Snf2, Swi3, Snf5 and Swp73 respectively. To investigate the RSC complex, we isolated a temperature-sensitive swh3 allele. A screen for multicopy suppressors yielded plasmids carrying the RSC6 and MAK31 loci. RSC6 also suppressed the formamide sensitivity of a strain with a C-terminal truncation of SWH3 . We show that Swh3 and Rsc6 fusion proteins interact in the two-hybrid system and that the swh3-ts mutation impairs this interaction. Finally, bacterially produced Swh3 and Rsc6 fusion proteins interact in vitro , supporting the genetic evidence for direct interaction between Swh3 and Rsc6 in vivo . We have previously shown that Swh3 also interacts with Sth1. These findings, together with the conservation of these proteins in the SWI/SNF complex and in mammalian SWI/SNF-related complexes, strongly suggest that these proteins form a structural core for the complex.

Alleles↗

Formation of DNA adducts by formaldehyde-activated mitoxantrone.

Recent studies with the anthracycline Adriamycin have demonstrated its activation by formaldehyde and subsequent binding to DNA in vitro. Since formaldehyde levels are known to be higher in cells of myeloid origin and the structurally related drug mitoxantrone is most effective against cancers of myeloid origin, this indicates a possible role of formaldehyde in the activation of mitoxantrone. In vitro studies revealed that the activation of mitoxantrone by formaldehyde leads to the formation of drug-DNA adducts. These adducts stabilised DNA such that they functioned as virtual interstrand crosslinks. The interstrand crosslinks were formed in the presence of mitoxantrone and formaldehyde in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In the absence of formaldehyde no crosslinks were formed, indicating a key role in drug activation and DNA binding. The adducts (virtual crosslinks) were relatively unstable with 50% crosslinks remaining after 10 min at 60 degrees C in 45% formamide. Like Adriamycin, the mitoxantrone-formaldehyde-DNA crosslinks are heat labile and do not display the stability associated with covalent interstrand crosslinks.

Cross-Linking Reagents↗