Detection of a non-structural protein of M r 11 000 encoded by the virion DNA of maize streak virus

A polypeptide of approximately 11 000 daltons (11 kDa protein) encoded by an open reading frame (10.9 ORF) from the virion sense of maize streak virus (MSV) DNA has been detected among the products of in vitro translation reactions programmed with RNA from infected maize plants and also in total protein extracts from infected leaves. The 11 kDa protein has not been detected in virions and is therefore proposed to have a nonstructural role.Viral DNA with an additional in-frame translation stop codon in the 10.9 ORF was not infectious when transmitted to maize plants via Agrobacterium tumefaciens agroinfection, suggesting that the 10.9 ORF may be essential for virus function. Computer comparison data show that equivalent ORFs in wheat dwarf virus (WDV) and digitaria streak virus (DSV) have some sequences in common with the 10.9 ORF of MSV. Further-more, the absence of similar sequences in geminiviruses which infect dicotyledonous plants suggests that the 11 kDa protein and its putative homologs in WDV and DSV have a function necessary only for those geminiviruses which infect the Gramineae.The significance of the 11 kDa protein in relation to expression of the virion sense DNA of MSV is discussed.     

Seroreactivity to HPV-16 proteins in women with early cervical neoplasia

Summary Although serological reactivity to human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) proteins has been demonstrated in patients with invasive cervical carcinoma, the degree of seroreactivity to these proteins in women with preinvasive disease and its relationship to the HPV type associated with the disease are unclear. We obtained sera from 27 women undergoing cone biopsy for cervical precursor lesions and 22 controls and analyzed seroreactivity by Western blot to fusion proteins containing portions of the HPV-16 E4, L1 and L2 open-reading frames (ORFs). Positives were analyzed by scanning densitometry and intensity values for each case plotted relative to controls. Cervical biopsy specimens from patients were analyzed for HPV-16 nucleic acids by DNA · DNA in situ hybridization. Mean intensity values for seroreactivity to the pATH-E4 protein approached significance (P = 0.058) and a significantly higher proportion of cases vs controls registered values over 4.0 for pATH-E4 (26% vs 4.5%;P = 0.04) and pATH-L2 (48% vs 18%;P = 0.03) proteins. A significantly higher mean intensity value for E4 was observed for cases containing HPV-16 DNA vs HPV-16 negative cases or controls. Thus, seroreactivity to HPV-16-derived proteins may be more common in women with preinvasive cervical disease, and for some protein targets (E4) may indicate a relatively type-specific response.Supported in part by grants from the National Cancer Institute [CA 47676 (C.P.C.)], American Cancer Society [MV-395 (C.P.C.)] and an institutional support grant (J.K.R.). Dr. Crum is a recipient of a Physician Scientist Award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (AI00628)     

Construction of a fusion gene comprising the Taka-amylase A promoter and the Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase gene and analysis of its expression in Aspergillus oryzae

Summary Northern blot analysis of glucose-grown and starch-grown mycelia of Aspergillus oryzae R11340 was conducted using the cloned Taka-amylase A (TAA) gene as a probe. The amount of mRNA homologous to the TAA gene was increased when this fungus was grown with starch as a sole carbon source. In order to analyze the induction mechanism, we inserted the Escherichia coli uidA gene encoding -glucuronidase (GUS) downstream of the TAA promoter and introduced the resultant fusion gene into the A. oryzae genome. Production of a functional GUS protein was induced by starch, but not by glucose. When the effects of various sugars on expression of the fusion gene were examined, the results suggested that the expression of the fusion gene was under control of the TAA gene promoter.     

Etude de la symbiose Rhizobium-legumineuse: Préparation de cellules isolées pour l'étudein vitro

Résumé En vue d'une étude, au laboratoire, de la nodulation et de la symbiose plante-bactérie des préparations de protoplastes de mésophylle et de nodule racinaire ont été effectuées chez le haricot (Phaseolus vulgaris variété Constant). Pour chaque préparation, les conditions opératoires et les concentrations optimales de cellulase et de pectinase en solution, dans du mannitol 0,6M ont été définies.Áprès 15 jours, 10 à 15% des protoplastes de mésophylle mis en culture dans le milieu B5 de Gamborg se divisent 2 à 3 fois. Des essais de fusion réalisés avec des faibles densités cellulaires entre protoplastes de mésophylle et protoplastes de nodule ont, donné des taux de fusion de l'ordre de 2,43%.

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Study of the symbiosis Rhizobium-legume: Preparation of isolated cells forin vitro study

Summary With a view to studyin vitro the processes of nodulation and plant-bacteria symbiosis, preparation of mesophyll protoplasts and root nodule protoplasts have been realized fromPhaseolus vulgaris (Constant var.).For every preparation the process of experimentation and optimum concentrations of cellulase and pectinase diluted in mannitol 0,6M have been defined.After a 15 days' period, 10 to 15% of mesophyll protoplasts divided twice or even three times in B5 Gamborg's medium. Although we used low rate cell concentrations, root nodule protoplasts and mesophyll protoplasts have been able to fuse in the proportion of 2,43%.

     

外电场诱导叶肉原生质体融合

应用一交变电场(正弦波,500KHz,175—225V/cm),分别将裸大麦(正常或正常与黄化)、蚕豆、烟草的叶肉原生质体在一定间隔、平行的两电极间排列成串。再附加单个的方波脉冲(10—40μs,800V/cm,因不同的材料而异),以诱导相邻原生质体局部接触区发生质膜的可逆击穿而形成融合。上述正弦波和方波脉冲均由自制的细胞融合仪发生。在本实验条件下,融合率可达50%以上,并探讨了方波脉冲讯号以及其它有关的条件对于融合率的影响。     

High-cell-density fermentation studies of a recombinantE. coli that expresses atrial natriuretic factor

Summary Studies are presented on the fermentation of recombinantEscherichia coli that express rat atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) as a fusion protein. Our objective was to achieve high cell density while maintaining ANF expression at the same level as observed in shake flasks. Improved fermentation conditions included: maintaining glucose concentrations at 1 g/l, using an enriched medium, adding concentrates of medium throughout the fermentation, and blending oxygen for adequate aeration. Cell densities of 12 g/l (dry weight) were achieved, which represented a 10-fold increase over non-improved conditions, while maintaining ANF levels at 7 mg/g of dry cell mass. When galactose was used as an initial carbon source or as a feed supplement, there was a 2-3-fold increase in the expression of ANF from these high-cell-density fermentations. The recombinant ANF was biologically active.     

流行性出血热病毒的细胞融合作用

我们的实验结果揭示流行性出血热病毒(EHFV)在酸性条件下可导致感染细胞发生融合,细胞间隙消失,细胞界限不清,细胞和细胞连在一起,形成多核的巨细胞体,姬姆薩染色比未融合细胞浅。融合液(Eagle’s基础培养液,含0.2％BSA,20mmol/L HEPES),用1.0NNaOH调pH至5.0—6.0时,细胞融合最甚,几乎所有的感染细胞都     

The expression of a highly expressed Bacillus subtilis gene is not reduced by introduction of multiple codons normally not present in such genes

A recombinant DNA Proteus mirabilis L-form expression system, LVI (pJS127), was used to synthesize human fusion interferon alpha 1 (f-IFN-alpha 1). In the expression plasmid used, the complete coding sequence of IFN-alpha 1 was linked to the streptococcal speA promoter and the 5' end of the speA structural gene including its signal sequence coding region. LVI (pJS127) was capable of complete secretion into the culture medium of biologically active f-IFN-alpha 1 whose identity was confirmed by immunological and chemical evidence. In particular, bacterial L-forms were for the first time shown to be capable of correct signal peptide processing, as determined by N-terminal sequencing of the secreted f-IFN.     

Intergeneric transfer of cytoplasmic male sterility between Raphanus sativus (cms line) and Brassica napus through cytoplast-protoplast fusion

Summary Cytoplasts isolated from hypocotyl protoplasts of Raphanus sativus cv Kosena (cms line) by ultracentrifugation through Percoll/mannitol discontinuous gradient were fused with iodoacetamide(IOA)-treated protoplasts of Brassica napus cv Westar. Seventeen randomly selected regenerated plants were characterized for morphology and chromosome numbers. All of the regenerated plants had morphology identical to B. napus and 10 of them possessed the diploid chromosome number of B. napus. The remaining plants had chimeric or aneuploid chromosome numbers. The mitochondrial genomes in the 10 fusion products possessing the diploid chromosome numbers of B. napus were examined by Southern hybridization analysis. Four of the 10 plants contained mitochondrial DNA showing novel hybridization patterns. Of these 4 plants, 1 was male sterile, and 3 were male fertile. The remaining plants showed mitochondrial DNA patterns identical to B. napus and were male fertile.