Autosomal recessive inheritance of congenital goiter in Afrikander cattle

Congenital goiter was reported in a number of herds of Afrikander cattle in the 1950's. Some affected animals were assembled and maintained as a closed herd. Although considerable biochemical research into the nature of the disease has been conducted, no definitive report has described the mode of inheritance of the defect. This paper presents the results of breeding studies that indicate the defect is inherited as an autosomal recessive. Southern blot analysis of the thyroglobulin gene confirms this finding. In addition, serum levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone, thyrotropin), T3 (3,4,3'-tri-iodothyronine), T4 (thyroxine), rT3 (3,3',5'-tri-iodothyronine), and DIT (diiodotyrosine) of goitrous animals are compared with normal animals.     

Afrikander cattle congenital goiter: size heterogeneity in thyroglobulin mRNA

The mRNA coding for thyroglobulin in cattle homozygous for an autosomal recessive defect of thyroglobulin synthesis was investigated using a recombinant plasmid containing bovine mRNA coding sequence. Total RNA preparations from goiter contained one third of the thyroglobulin mRNA sequences found in normal thyroid tissue. This mRNA was not translated into thyroglobulin by Xenopus oocytes. Northern transfer analysis revealed both a normal sized and a smaller thyroglobulin mRNA in the goiter.     

Effect of sodium butyrate on gene expression in a rat myogenic cell line

Sodium butyrate, when added in millimolar concentration to a culture of myoblasts of the L6 cell line, inhibits reversibly cell proliferation and differentiation. In the present work, we have studied the effect of Na butyrate on the translational efficiency of the overall poly (A)+ RNA. The mRNA from treated cells was translated in vitro as efficiently as proliferating myoblasts mRNA, while a decrease of translation efficiency was observed with myotubes mRNA. In addition this RNA directs the synthesis of several new polypeptides. on the switch on of alpha actin and myosin heavy chains (MHC), muscle specific genes by the dot blot and Northern blot techniques using cloned probes. Na butyrate prevented the expression of MHC and allowed the switch on of alpha actin gene but at a lesser extent than in normal myotubes. In addition the drug prevented the translocation of alpha actin mRNA into the cytoplasm.     

Defective splicing of thyroglobulin gene transcripts in the congenital goitre of the Afrikander cattle

The structure of thyroglobulin mRNA was analyzed in an inbred herd of Afrikander cattle with hereditary goitre. Northern transfer of RNA from affected animals revealed both a shorter (approximately 7100 bases) and a normal-sized (approximately 8200 bases) thyroglobulin mRNA when hybridized to bovine thyroglobulin cDNA clones. S1 nuclease mapping experiments established that 1100 bases are deleted in the 5' region of the smaller mRNA. Electron microscopy of RNA from animals with goitre hybridized to a bovine genomic DNA clone showed that the region deleted corresponds to exon 9 of the thyroglobulin gene. Southern blot analysis of the exon 9 region revealed differences between affected and control animals with the enzymes PstI and TaqI. Although they could reflect a linkage disequilibrium between the mutation and restriction fragment length polymorphism, it is noteworthy that these differences map in the region of the exon 9/intron 9 junction. Our results show that a genetic lesion in the thyroglobulin gene causes aberrant splicing of the pre-mRNA, and suggest that the responsible mutation is at the exon 9/intron 9 junction.     

Characterization of developing oat seed mRNA: evidence for many globulin mRNAs

Polyadenylated mRNA from developing oat (Avena sativa L.) seeds was isolated and analyzed. Prominent mRNA species of 18S, 15S and 12S were observed; the 18S mRNA was judged to be esentially free of ribosomal RNA by hybridization analysis. Size fractionation andin vitro translation of this mRNA was performed. SDS, IEF-SDS gel electrophoresis and immunoprecipitation were used to analyze the translation products. It is shown that globulin mRNA (18S) accounts for roughly 30% of the total mRNA in developing seeds, the 12S and 15S mRNAs accounting for the remainder. The 18S mRNA directs the synthesis of a series of distinct but related polypeptides, suggesting that some of the heterogeneity seen in the oat globulins is at the amino acid sequence level.     

Cell-free translation of simian virus 40 16S and 19S L-strand-specific mRNA classes to simian virus 40 major VP-1 and minor VP-2 and VP-3 capsid proteins.

Simian virus 40 capsid proteins VP-1, VP-2, and VP-3 have been synthesized in wheat germ and reticulocyte cell-free systems in response to either poly(A)-containing mRNA from the cytoplasm of infected cells or viral RNA purified by hybridization to simian virus 40 DNA linked to Sepharose. All three viral polypeptides synthesized in vitro are specifically immunoprecipitated with anti-simian virus 40 capsid serum. VP-2 and VP-3 are related by tryptic peptide mapping to each other but not to VP-1. The most abundant class of L-strand-specific viral mRNA, the 16S species, codes for the major capsid protein. The relatively minor 19S class directs the cell-free synthesis of VP-1, VP-2, and VP-3. Whether the 19S RNA represents more than one distinct species of mRNA is not yet clear. VP-1 mRNA can be isolated from the cytoplasm, detergent-washed nuclei, and the nuclear wash fraction. The mRNA from the nuclear wash fraction is enriched for VP-2 mRNA when compared to other viral or cellular polypeptides.     

Storage Protein Synthesis during Oat (Avena sativa L.) Seed Development

Oat (Avena sativa L.) seeds harvested at 2-day intervals from anthesis to maturity were tested for their ability to incorporate [³⁵S]sulfate into protein. Incorporation of [³⁵S]sulfate into TCA-insoluble material began 2 to 4 days postanthesis (DPA), reached a peak 14 to 16 DPA, and was barely detectable by 24 DPA. Incorporation of label into globulin was parallel to total protein accumulation, and averaged about 85% of the total protein synthesis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of total protein extracted from developing seeds indicated that some polypeptides coinciding with the α and β globulin subunits were present 2 to 4 DPA, but the full complement of globulin polypeptides was not present until 10 DPA. Immunoprecipitation of in vivo labeled seed extracts showed that globulin polypeptides and the 59 kilodalton precursor were present at early stages of development (4 DPA). Quantitation of dot blot analysis, using an oat globulin cDNA clone as a probe, indicated that one species of oat globulin mRNA was most abundant 15 DPA, which is during the peak time of storage protein synthesis.     

In Vitro Synthesis of Polypeptides of Moderately Large Size by Poly(A)-Containing Messenger RNA from Postmortem Human Brain and Mouse Brain

Studies were undertaken to optimize the conditions for isolation and in vitro translation of poly(A)-containing mRNA from human postmortem brain. The comparison of several methods for preparation of mRNA from frozen mouse brain indicated that although the yield of mRNA was increased using polysomes prepared in the presence of ribonucleoside vanadyl complexes and subsequently extracted with guanidinium thiocyanate, the translation products were indistinguishable from those synthesized by total cellular RNA directly extracted from tissue with guanidinium thiocyanate. The oligo d(T)-cellulose-purified poly(A)-containing mRNA preparations were translated in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate in the presence of L-[35S]methionine. Messenger RNA from frozen mouse brain stimulated protein synthesis from 9- to 20-fold over endogenous mRNA. Over 450 polypeptides were reproducibly synthesized and separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE); size classes up to 130,000 daltons were present. Direct extraction of RNA from frozen human cerebral cortex and cerebellum with guanidinium thiocyanate followed by oligo d(T)-cellulose chromatography yielded 1.8 micrograms/g and 2.0 micrograms/g, respectively, of poly(A)-containing mRNA; this represents a two- to fourfold increase over our earlier results. In the rabbit reticulocyte translation system human brain mRNA stimulated protein synthesis nearly threefold over endogenous mRNA. Compared with earlier studies, the number of newly synthesized polypeptides was increased by 30%. Over 300 species were separated by two-dimensional PAGE, and size classes up to 130,000 daltons were present, as compared to 70,000 in an earlier report. The polypeptides synthesized by human cerebral cortex and cerebellum were indistinguishable. However, several appeared to be uniquely human when compared with the products synthesized by mouse brain mRNA. The method described for the preparation of postmortem human brain mRNA eliminates the need to prepare polysomes, which are recovered in variable and low yield from the postmortem human brain. The procedure appears applicable to studies on the synthesis of moderately large human brain polypeptides and for investigations of brain protein polymorphism when relatively large numbers of products are required for analysis.     

Chromatin structure in the nuclei of the ciliate stylonychia mytilus.

33S mRNA was isolated from bovine thyroid glands and translated in a heterologous cell-free amino acid incorporating system into a 12–19S protein judged to be thyroglobulin-like by immunoprecipitation, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and ion exchange chromatography.     

Intracellular synthesis of measles virus-specified polypeptides.

The intracellular synthesis of measles-specified polypeptides was examined by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell extracts. Since measles virus does not efficiently shut off host-cell protein synthesis, high multiplicities of infection were used to enable viral polypeptides to be detected against the high background of cellular protein synthesis. The cytoplasm of infected cells contained viral structural polypeptides with estimated molecular weights of 200,000, 80,000, 70,000, 60,000, 41,000, and 37,000. All of these structural polypeptides, with the exception of P1, the only virion glycoprotein (molecular weight congruent to 80,000), were also found in the nuclei. In addition, two nonstructural polypeptides with estimated molecular weights of 74,000 and 72,000 were also present in the cytoplasm of infected cells. The initial synthesis of the smaller, nonstructural polypeptide began later in infection than the structural polypeptides. Pulse-chase experiments failed to detect any precursor-product relationships. The intracellular glycosylation and phosphorylation of the viral polypeptides were found to be similar to those found in purified virions.     

Genome analysis of MG virus, a human papovavirus.

The single late 26S mRNA of Semliki Forest virus (SFV) directs the synthesis of the four viral structural proteins, C, E3, E2, and E1, and the recently described nonstructural protein, 6K. We report here partial NH2-terminal amino acid sequences of the SFV polypeptides E3 and 6K and of p62, the precursor to E3 and E2. In addition, were have determined a partial NH2-terminal sequence of the Sindbis virus homolog of 6K, the 4.2K protein. p62 and E3 of SFV have identical NH2-terminal amino acid sequences. Comparison of the partial NH2-terminal sequences of 6K of SFV and 4.2K of Sindbis virus with the deduced amino acid sequence encoded by the 26S mRNA of each virus reveals that the genes for these peptides are located in each case between those for E2 and E1. The order of the genes on the 26S mRNA of the alphaviruses is therefore 5'-C-E3-E2-6K-E1-3'. We discuss two mechanisms by which the nascent viral glycoproteins may be inserted into the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum.     

Cell-free translation of purified virion-associated high-molecular-weight RNA synthesized in vitro by vaccinia virus.

Virion-associated high-molecular-weight (HMW) RNA synthesized in vitro by purified vaccinia virus particles has been translated in a wheat germ cell-free protein synthesizing system. Purified HMW RNA directs the synthesis of translation products which are identical to the translation products made in response to in vitro-synthesized, virion-released 8 to 12S mRNA. The translation of HMW RNA proceeds exclusively through a 5'-terminal cap-mediated initiation step. Furthermore, only one coding sequence is translated per HMW RNA molecule, and that sequence is probably located near the 5' end of the molecule. These conclusions are based on the following results. (i) Sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns of translation products synthesized in response to HMW RNA and in response to 8 to 12S mRNA were qualitatively identical. (ii) On an equal weight basis, HMW RNA was 25 to 30% as active as 8 to 12S mRNA in stimulating in vitro protein synthesis. (iii) Unmethylated HMW RNA was translated at 10% the efficiency of the methylated form of this RNA. (iv) m7pG inhibited the translation of fully methylated HMW RNA by 90%. (v) After the initiation step of translation was blocked by aurintricarboxylic acid, the rate with which amino acids were incorporated into individual polypeptides decreased in a similar manner for the translation of both HMW RNA and 8 to 12S mRNA. Virion-released 8 to 12S mRNA derived from virion-associated HMW RNA during a chase in the presence of ATP, GTP, and S-adenosylmethionine was also translated. At low RNA concentrations, the derived RNA appeared to stimulate amino acid incorporation more efficiently than the HMW RNA precursor. However, at higher concentrations of this RNA, protein synthesis was severely inhibited.     

Coronavirus multiplication: locations of genes for virion proteins on the avian infectious bronchitis virus genome.

Six overlapping viral RNAs are synthesized in cells infected with the avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). These RNAs contain a 3'-coterminal nested sequence set and were assumed to be viral mRNAs. The seven major IBV virion proteins are all produced by processing of three polypeptides of ca. 23, 51, and 115 kilodaltons. These are the core polypeptides of the small membrane proteins, the nucleocapsid protein, and the 155-kilodalton precursor to the large membrane proteins GP90 and GP84, respectively. To determine which mRNAs specify these polypeptides, we isolated RNA from infected cells and translated it in a messenger-dependent rabbit reticulocyte lysate. Proteins of 23, 51, and 110 kilodaltons were produced. Two-dimensional tryptic peptide mapping demonstrated that these proteins were closely related to the major virion proteins. Fractionation of the RNA before cell-free translation permitted the correlation of messenger activities for synthesis of the proteins with the presence of specific mRNAs. We found that the smallest RNA, RNA A, directs the synthesis of P51, the nucleocapsid protein. RNA C, which contains the sequences of RNA A, directs the synthesis of the small membrane protein P23. RNA E directs the synthesis of the large virion glycoproteins. These results supported a model in which only the unique 5'-terminal domain of each IBV mRNA is active in translation and enabled us to localize genes for virion proteins on the IBV genome.     

The Preparation of Biologically Active Messenger RNA from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue

Abstract: Messenger RNA (mRNA) was extracted from human postmortem brain tissue by alkaline phenol extraction of polysomes followed by oligo (dT)-cellulose chromatography. The mRNA preparations stimulated protein synthesis in a cell-free system containing wheat germ homogenate. The products of protein synthesis were analyzed by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. These analyses indicated that numerous polypeptides, including tubulin subunits and actin isomers, were synthesized by the human mRNA. The molecular weight range of polypeptides synthesized by human mRNA fractions from two brain specimens were identical, and analysis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated qualitatively similar products. The yield of mRNA extracted per gram of human tissue was less than the yield obtained with rat forebrains from animals sacrificed immediately before brain removal and mRNA purification. A decrease in the amount of polysomes isolated from human tissue relative to rat brain tissue was a major factor contributing to the low yield. The molecular weight distribution of polypeptides synthesized by human and rat brain mRNA fractions in wheat germ homogenate was similar; thus, there was no indication for selective breakdown or inactivation of high molecular weight mRNA species in the human tissue. Our studies indicate that it is possible to utilize postmortem tissue for molecular biological investigations of human brain mRNA.     

Cellular and cell-free synthesis of simian virus 40 T-antigens in permissive and transformed cells.

mRNA extracted from a variety of simian virus 40 (SV40)-infected monkey cell lines directs the cell-free synthesis of viral T-antigen polypeptides with molecular weights estimated as 90,000 and 17,000. However, the size, abundance, and distribution of these T-antigens synthesized in vivo vary greatly over a range of permissive and transformed cell lines. To establish whether differences in the size of T-antigen polypeptides can be correlated with the transformed or lytic state, recently developed lines of SV40-transformed monkey cells that are permissive to lytic superinfection were analyzed for T-antigen. In these cells, regardless of the state of viral infection, the size and pattern of T-antigen are the same. However, species differences in the largest size of T-antigen are the same. However, species differences in the largest size of T-antigen do exist. In addition to the 90,000 T-antigen, mouse SV3T3 cells contain a 94,000 T-antigen polypeptide as well. Unlike the size variations in monkey cells, which are due to modification of T-antigen polypeptides, the 94,000 SV3T3 T-antigen results from an altered mRNA, since the cell-free products of SV3T3 mRNA also contains the 94,000 T-antigen polypeptide.     

Alcohol dehydrogenase in Arabidopsis: analysis of the induction phenomenon in plantlets and tissue cultures

Summary Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity is expressed in Arabidopsis seeds and tissue cultures. During the germination process, ADH activity declines rapidly and is no longer detectable in 9- to 10-day-old seedlings. The synthesis of ADH could be demonstrated in seedlings submitted to anaerobiosis by ³⁵S-methionine incorporation studies.Callus, induced from seeds or leaves on a 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-containing medium, and cell suspension cultures are characterized by a high level of ADH activity. The incorporation of ³⁵S-methionine and two-dimensional electrophoresis indicated that ADH induction was due to de novo synthesis of the polypeptides. In vitro translation of total poly (A)⁺-RNA from seedlings and callus showed that only callus mRNA was able to direct the synthesis of ADH polypeptides. This demonstrates the de novo synthesis of ADH mRNA during callus induction.Northern blot hybridization, using in vitro labelled ADH1-F DNA from maize as a probe, revealed sequence homology at the mRNA level between Arabidopsis and maize.Dedicated to professor Georg Melchers to celebrate his 50-year association with the journal     

Fibroblast stimulation in schistosomiasis. VII. Egg granulomas secrete factors that stimulate collagen and fibronectin synthesis

Tissue fibrosis in schistosomiasis is largely responsible for the important morbidity that results from infection with the trematode worms, Schistosoma. Neither the migrating larval forms (cercariae) nor the intravascular adult worms appear to incite pathological responses that are important in chronic schistosomiasis. On the other hand, eggs deposited in tissue incite chronic granulomatous inflammatory responses that are the hallmark of infection and precede the onset of adjacent tissue fibrosis. We previously reported that products of the egg granulomas can stimulate a number of relevant responses in fibroblast cultures that in vivo would be expected to promote tissue fibrosis. We report here that the granulomas secrete factors that in vitro can stimulate collagen and fibronectin synthesis in fibroblasts. We determined that activity stimulating collagen synthesis is congruent to 10 Kd (gel filtration) with a pI of congruent to 5.5 (isoelectric focusing); additional activity is also detected in some other fractions (congruent to Kd; pI approximately 7.0). In contrast, the activity stimulating fibronectin synthesis was congruent to 22 Kd with a pI of 5.5. Activity was also present in fractions of 50 Kd with pI of approximately 7.5. Fibroblasts grown in granuloma supernatant-containing medium contained greater steady-state levels of specific mRNA coding for type I procollagen and fibronectin compared with cells cultured in unsupplemented medium. These observations support the hypothesis that biologically active molecules secreted by granuloma cells are instrumental in the initiation of tissue fibrosis in schistosomiasis.     

In vitro synthesis of the Bowman-Birk and related soybean protease inhibitors

Poly (A)⁺ RNAs from immature soybean seeds were size fractionated in denaturing sucrose gradients to identify mRNA that directs the cell-free synthesis of the Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor and the related inhibitors PI I–IV. Polypeptides synthesized in vitro were labeled with (³⁵S)-cysteine and (³H)-serine and detected by immunoprecipitation with anti Bowman-Birk and anti PI I–IV sera. Immunoprecipitates of the translation products comigrated on SDS-polyacrylamide gels with the dimeric or trimeric aggregates of the authentic inhibitor proteins, which self-associate under certain conditions. Further evidence that these immunoprecipitates contained authentic polypeptides corresponding to the Bowman-Birk or PI IV inhibitor was shown by sequential amino acid analyses of peptides generated by cleavage with cyanogen bromide.