Hormonal regulation of myosin heavy chain and alpha-actin gene expression in cultured fetal rat heart myocytes

Thyroid hormone regulates the expression of ventricular myosin isoenzymes by causing an accumulation of alpha-myosin heavy chain (MHC) mRNA and inhibiting expression of beta-MHC mRNA. However, the mechanism of thyroid hormone action has been difficult to examine in vivo because of its diverse actions. Accordingly, hormonal control of expression of six MHC isoform mRNAs and cardiac and skeletal alpha-actin mRNAs was studied in primary cultures of fetal rat heart myocytes grown in defined medium. The results indicate that in the absence of thyroid hormone, cultured heart cells express predominantly beta-MHC and cardiac alpha-actin mRNAs. Addition of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) caused a rapid induction of alpha-MHC mRNA and decreased beta-MHC mRNA levels without affecting the skeletal muscle MHC mRNAs. There was an almost parallel change in the myosin isoenzymes. Cardiac alpha-actin mRNA levels were transiently increased by T3 treatment, but skeletal alpha-actin was unaffected. Elimination of insulin and epithelial growth factor from the medium did not alter the effects of T3 on cardiac MHC mRNA expression. Addition of various adrenergic agents to the medium had no appreciable effect on cardiac MHC mRNA expression despite the presence of functionally coupled alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors. Addition of steroid hormones, muscarinic agents, and glucagon to the medium also had no effect. Thus, under defined conditions, T3 is able to regulate MHC gene expression at a pretranslational level without the need for other exogenous factors.     

A novel, rapid method for the isolation of terminal sequences from yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones.

The recent development of yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) vectors has provided a system for cloning fragments that are over ten times larger than those that can be cloned in more established systems. We have developed a method for the rapid isolation of terminal sequences from YAC clones. The YAC clone is digested with a range of restriction enzymes, a common linker is ligated to the DNA fragments and terminal sequences are amplified using a vector specific primer and a linker specific primer. Sequence data derived from these terminal specific products can be used to design primers for a further round of screening to isolate overlapping clones. The method also provides a convenient method of generating Sequence Tagged Sites for the mapping of complex genomes.     

A 3.5 genome equivalent multi access YAC library: construction, characterisation, screening and storage.

The construction of a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) primary gridded library of 35,000 clones from human lymphoblastoid (48,XXXX) cell line DNA is described. The average YAC size is approximately 350kb representing a greater than 3.5 times coverage of the genome. The library is stored at -70 degrees C as gridded clones on nylon filters impregnated with 20% glycerol and as glycerol suspensions of individual clones in microtitre plates providing a prolonged multi-user potential. To date we have used 14 single copy probes to screen this library by colony hybridisation as well as PCR and have isolated between 1 and 5 YAC clones for every probe.     

Diagnosis of alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency by enzymatic amplification of human genomic DNA and direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products.

We have compared sequencing of cloned "polymerase chain reaction" (PCR) products and the direct sequencing of PCR products in the examination of individuals from six families affected with alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency. In families where paternity was in question we confirmed consanguinity by DNA fingerprinting using a panel of locus-specific minisatellite probes. We demonstrate that direct sequencing of PCR amplification products is the method of choice for the absolutely specific diagnosis of AAT deficiency and can distinguish normals, heterozygotes and homozygotes in a single, rapid and facile assay. Furthermore, we demonstrate the reproducibility of the PCR and a rapid DNA isolation procedure. We have also shown that two loci can be simultaneously amplified and that the PCR product from each locus can be independently examined by direct DNA sequencing.     

13C NMR studies of methylene and methine carbons of substrate bound to a 280,000-dalton protein, porphobilinogen synthase

13C NMR has been used to observe the equilibrium complex of [5,5-2H,5-13C]-5-aminolevulinate [( 5,5-2H,5-13C]ALA) bound to porphobilinogen (PBG) synthase (5-aminolevulinate dehydratase), a 280,000-dalton protein. [5,5-2H,5-13C]ALA (chemical shift 46.9 ppm in D2O) was prepared from [5-13C]ALA through enolization in deuteriated neutral potassium phosphate buffer. In the PBG synthase reaction [5,5-2H,5-13C]ALA forms [2,11,11-2H,2,11-13C]PBG (chemical shifts 116.2 ppm for C2 and 34.2 ppm for C11 in D2O). For the complex formed between [5,5-2H,5-13C]ALA and methyl methanethiosulfonate (MMTS) modified PBG synthase, which does not catalyze PBG formation but can form a Schiff base adduct, the chemical shift of 44.2 ppm (line width 92 Hz) identifies an imine structure as the predominant tautomeric form of the Schiff base. By comparison to model compounds, the stereochemistry of the imine has been deduced; however, the protonation state of the imine nitrogen remains unresolved. Reconstitution of the MMTS-modified enzyme-Schiff base complex with Zn(II) and 2-mercaptoethanol results in the holoenzyme-bound equilibrium complex; this complex contains predominantly enzyme-bound PBG, and spectra reveal two peaks from bound PBG and two from free PBG. For bound PBG, C2 is -2.8 ppm from the free signal and C11 is +2.6 ppm from the free signal; the line widths of the bound signals are 55 and 75 Hz, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

In vitro T cell-mediated killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I. Evidence that a lymphokine mediates killing

Previous studies have demonstrated in vivo that T cells can provide protective immunity, in the absence of antibody, against infection with the extracellular Gram-negative bacterium Immunotype 1 (IT-1) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We established an in vitro system in which immune T cells, after reexposure to bacterial antigens and to macrophages, secrete a product that kills the bacteria. Although macrophages are required for in vitro killing, they function neither as antigen-presenting nor as phagocytic cells in this system. T cells from animals immunized against a different P. aeruginosa immunotype will not kill IT-1 organisms; but the supernatants produced by IT-1 immune T cells after exposure to macrophages and IT-1 P. aeruginosa organisms are nonspecifically effective in killing unrelated bacteria. Because the supernatants from immune T cells lose their bactericidal properties upon minimal dilution, we conclude that if this mechanism is active in vivo, it must play a role in local immunity.     

Mutations around the NG59 lesion indicate an active association of polyoma virus middle-T antigen with pp60c-src is required for cell transformation.

The transforming activity of polyoma virus middle-T antigen is believed to be dependent on its ability to form a complex with the cellular tyrosine protein kinase, pp60c-src. This hypothesis is based on observations of mutants of middle-T which demonstrated a correlation between these two activities. To investigate further the significance of pp60c-src association in transformation by middle-T, a series of deletion and point mutants were constructed around the NG59 lesion since this region has been implicated in pp60c-src binding. Analysis of the middle-T variants revealed a complete correlation between the presence of associated activated pp60c-src and the ability to transform. Further, this ability of pp60c-src to associate with middle-T may depend on the presence of a beta-turn between amino acids 177 and 180. The results indicate the NG59 phenotype results from the introduction of an isoleucine residue between amino acids 177 and 178 rather than the transition mutation at 179. The mutant MG1 is a single point mutation (at residue 180) and represents the smallest change in the middle-T which abolishes both the transformating and kinase activity of middle-T. Taken together, the data suggest the region surrounding the NG59 lesion is involved in the formation of an active complex between middle-T and pp60c-src and strongly suggest that this association is an absolute requirement for polyoma virus-induced transformation.     

The nucleotide sequence of an infectious clone of the geminivirus beet curly top virus

A number of infectious clones of a Californian isolate of the leafhopper-transmitted geminivirus beet curly top virus (BCTV) have been constructed from virus-specific double-stranded DNA isolated from infected Beta vulgaris and used to demonstrate a single component genome. The nucleotide sequence of one infectious clone has been determined (2993 nucleotides). Comparison with other geminiviruses has shown that the organisation of the genome closely resembles DNA 1 of the whitefly-transmitted members. The four conserved coding regions of DNA 1 have highly homologous counterparts in BCTV with the exception of the putative coat protein which is more closely related to those of the leafhopper-transmitted geminiviruses suggesting a strong interrelationship between coat protein and insect vector. A BCTV component equivalent to DNA 2 is not required for virus infection or transmission and has not been isolated from infected plants.     

5'-deoxy-5'-thioanalogs of adenosine and inosine 5'-monophosphate: studies with 5'-nucleotidase and alkaline phosphatase

The interaction of 5'-deoxy-5'-thioadenosine 5'-monophosphate (A(S)MP) and 5'-deoxy-5'-thioinosine 5'-monophosphate (I(S)MP) with snake venom, 5'nucleotidase, and calf intestinal mucosa alkaline phosphatase has been characterized. The substrates, A(S)MP and I(S)MP, are analogs of adenosine 5'-monophosphate and inosine 5'-monophosphate in which sulfur replaces oxygen as the bridge between the 5'-carbon of the ribose and the phosphorous. The P-S bond of both A(S)MP and I(S)MP was hydrolyzed by alkaline phosphatase producing the corresponding thionucleoside as a reaction product. The Km for A(S)MP was 270 microM and the V for alkaline phosphatase was 110 nmol/min/mg (8% of the V for AMP), whereas the corresponding values for I(S)MP were 300 microM and 530 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. In contrast, 5'-nucleotidase did not catalyze hydrolysis of either A(S)MP or I(S)MP. A(S)MP and I(S)MP were competitive inhibitors of the 5'-nucleotidase hydrolysis of AMP and IMP, respectively, with Ki values of 975 and 13 microM. Decreasing the pH of the reaction from 8.1 to 7.1 lowered the Ki for I(S)MP by 100-fold, to a value of 0.15 microM.