虎纹捕鸟蛛凝集素-I(SHL-I)的细胞凝集活性分析

采用人红细胞悬液在微量血凝板上测试了 1 1种单糖对虎纹捕鸟蛛凝集素 - I ( Selenocosmiahuwena lectin- I,SHL - I)的凝集活性的影响 .测试的糖类包括 D-半乳糖 ,甲基 -α- D甘露糖苷 ,D-甘露糖 ,D-甘露糖胺 ,D-葡萄糖 ,N-乙酰 - D-葡萄糖胺 ,D-葡萄糖胺 ,L -木糖 ,L-岩藻糖 ,N-乙酰神经氨酸 ,N-乙酰 - D-半乳糖胺 .测试结果表明 ,只有 D-甘露糖胺对 SHL- I的凝集活性表现出明显的抑制作用 .说明 D-甘露糖胺可能是与 SHL- I专一性结合的糖基 .温度适应性实验表明 SHL- I有较高的热稳定性 ,经 1 0 0℃处理 30 min,仍保持大部分凝集活性 .p H适应性实验表明 ,在碱性 p H环境下SHL- I的凝集活性明显下降 .     

DNA stretching and extreme kinking in the nucleosome core

DNA stretching in chromatin may facilitate its compaction and influence site recognition by nuclear factors. In vivo, stretching has been estimated to occur at the equivalent of one to two base-pairs (bp) per nucleosome. We have determined the crystal structure of a nucleosome core particle containing 145 bp of DNA (NCP145). Compared to the structure with 147 bp, the NCP145 displays two incidences of stretching one to two double-helical turns from the particle dyad axis. The stretching illustrates clearly a mechanism for shifting DNA position by displacement of a single base-pair while maintaining nearly identical histone-DNA interactions. Increased DNA twist localized to a short section between adjacent histone-DNA binding sites advances the rotational setting, while a translational component involves DNA kinking at a flanking region that initiates elongation by unstacking bases. Furthermore, one stretched region of the NCP145 displays an extraordinary 55° kink into the minor groove situated 1.5 double-helical turns from the particle dyad axis, a hot spot for gene insertion by HIV-integrase, which prefers highly distorted substrate. This suggests that nucleosome position and context within chromatin could promote extreme DNA kinking that may influence genomic processes.     

Hereditary hearing loss: a 96 gene targeted sequencing protocol reveals novel alleles in a series of Italian and Qatari patients

Deafness is a really common disorder in humans. It can begin at any age with any degree of severity. Hereditary hearing loss is characterized by a vast genetic heterogeneity with more than 140 loci described in humans but only 65 genes so far identified. Families affected by hearing impairment would have real advantages from an early molecular diagnosis that is of primary relevance in genetic counseling. In this perspective, here we report a family-based approach employing Ion Torrent DNA sequencing technology to analyze coding and UTR regions of 96 genes related to hearing function and loss in a first series of 12 families coming from Italy and Qatar. Using this approach we were able to find the causative gene in 4 out of these 12 families (33%). In particular 5 novel alleles were identified in the following genes LOXHD1, TMPRSS3, TECTA and MYO15A already associated with hearing impairment. Our study confirms the usefulness of a targeted sequencing approach despite larger numbers are required for further validation and for defining a molecular epidemiology picture of hearing loss in these two countries.