Localization of the di gene in the fourth linkage group in Rattus norvegicus rats

Based on the backcross progeny analysis of rats Rattus norvegicus matings (August X Brattleboro)F1 X Brattleboro, the gene di has been localized in the fourth linkage group at a distance of 26.8 +/- 1.7 cM from the non-agouti loci and 11.4 +/- 4.7 cM from the Svp-1 loci. The gene order proposed is a--Svp-1--di.     

Localization in the fourth linkage group of a genedi affecting diabetes insipidus in rats

The diabetes insipidus gene has been localized in the fourth linkage group at a distance of 23.1±1.9 cM from the nonagouti loci and 29.5±2.1 cM from theSvp-1 loci based on the backcross progeny analysis of ratsRattus norvegicus mating (August×Brattleboro)F₁×Brattleboro. The proposed gene order isSvp-1—a—di.     

A histidine-rich protein gene marks a linkage group favored strongly in a genetic cross of Plasmodium falciparum

Two histidine-rich protein genes in Plasmodium falciparum are related by an ancestral duplication and interchromosomal transposition. We have followed the inheritance of these genes in a cross between two clones of P. falciparum. Examination of progeny shows that one gene, encoding the protein HRP-II, behaves as expected and may be inherited from either parent. The other gene, encoding HRP-III, has been found to derive from one parent in all progeny examined. We conclude the linkage group marked by HRP-III is favored strongly in the cross. This linkage group spans a region at one end of chromosome 13. Growth studies suggest the favored inheritance is explained by rapid expansion of progeny possessing the HRP-III marker relative to slower growth of progeny without it.     

Phosphoglucomutase electrophoretic variants in the mouse

The phosphoglucomutase (PGM) electrophoretic phenotype of the mouse (Mus musculus) consists of several distinct components which can be grouped into two major zones designated PGM-1 and PGM-2. Evidence presented here indicates that each zone is controlled by a single genetic locus denoted Pgm-1 and Pgm-2, respectively. Two variant forms segregated at the Pgm-1 locus. They were codominantly expressed and inherited as alleles at an autosomal locus. The alleles were termed Pgm-1 ^a (fast) and Pgm-1 ^b (slow). These alleles were separately fixed in a number of inbred strains of mice. Preliminary evidence based on wild mouse phenotypes indicates that variant forms also exist for PGM-2 which are inherited as alleles at an autosomal locus. Genetic linkage relationships have not been determined for these loci. PGM-1 variants and PGM-2 were expressed in mouse fibroblasts in vitro.Supported by U.S. Public Health Service grants GM-09966 and GM-07249 from General Medical Sciences and 5 F2 HD-35,531 from Child Health and Human Development; and Atomic Energy Commission contract AT(30-1)-3671.Postdoctoral Fellow of the U.S. Public Health Service.     

Rabbit linkage group VIII: The alleles of the prt gene

The prt gene which is linked to the rabbit immunoglobulin kappa-light chain gene, ab, has two phenotypes, PRT+ and PRT-. These phenotypes can be distinguished only when serum proteins from different rabbits are separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The serum protein profiles for PRT+ rabbits show a band that is located on the anodal side of transferrin. This band is missing in the serum profiles of PRT- rabbits. However, the PRT protein is present in these rabbits. An antiserum which reacts with PRT from PRT+ rabbits detects two electrophoretic variants of PRT which are located in areas of the polyacrylamide gel obscured by other serum proteins. These results and other suggest that the prt gene has three alleles, the prta allele encoding the protein found in PRT+ rabbits and the prtb and prtc alleles encoding the two electrophoretic variants found in PRT- rabbits.     

Rapid selection of complement-inhibiting protein variants in group A Streptococcus epidemic waves.

Serotype M1 group A Streptococcus strains cause epidemic waves of human infections long thought to be mono- or pauciclonal. The gene encoding an extracellular group A Streptococcus protein (streptococcal inhibitor of complement) that inhibits human complement was sequenced in 1,132 M1 strains recovered from population-based surveillance of infections in Canada, Finland and the United States. Epidemic waves are composed of strains expressing a remarkably heterogeneous array of variants of streptococcal inhibitor of complement that arise very rapidly by natural selection on mucosal surfaces. Thus, our results enhance the understanding of pathogen population dynamics in epidemic waves and infectious disease reemergence.     

On the carbohydrate—protein linkage group in vitreous humor hyaluronate

Fractional molar ratios of serine, threonine and aspartic acid to neutral sugars in the purified bovine vitreous humor hyaluronate, and a 4–5-fold increase in the percentage of these amino acids and the absence of sugar alditols in hyaluronate reduced with NaBH₄---PdCl₂ after alkali treatment indicated the absence of a carbohydrate—protein linkage. Gel filtration behavior, a decrease in intrinsic viscosity of reduced hyaluronate to about one-half and a significant decrease in its specific rotation suggested that the two antiparallel chains of the hyaluronate double helix may come apart upo reduction. The vitreous humor hyaluronate contained 109.2 ppm of “bound” silicon. It is suggested that the bound silicon may bridge the two antiparallel chains through the neutral sugars and/or through the hydroxyl group of the uronic acid moiety.     

Frequency of rare electrophoretic protein variants in normal human beings and in congenital pathology

17 blood proteins of infants with rough and multiple congenital malformations (CM), prematurely born infants and sick newborns without developmental anomalies were studied electrophoretically in polyacrylamide and starch gels (62422 locus tests). The control included blood samples of healthy newborns from ordinary maternity hospitals (60234 locus tests). The frequency of rare protein variants in all the cases was higher in sick children than in healthy ones. The frequency of rare genes (corrected for electrophoretically "silent" alleles) was 2.16 X 10(-3) in infants with CM and 0.99 X 10(-4) in the control. Examination of parents of 11 congenitally malformed infants with rare protein variants showed that at least in 5 cases such variants were absent in the parents and might be attributed to "fresh" mutations. However, only 3 variants (1 for serum albumin and 2 for red cell esterase) represented rare heterozygotes with codominant expression. This corresponds to the frequency of 0.59 X 10(-3). In the total population of newborns the proportion of infants with CM was 0.02, which means that the population mutation rate is 1.18 X 10(-5) per gene per generation. The data obtained support the conclusion about strong pressure of stabilizing selection against de novo mutations which change electrophoretic mobility of the protein molecule. The reasons for discrepancy between our data and the recent results of Neel and Mohrenweiser (1984) are discussed.     

Mapping of the hooded,Gc protein,and albumin gene loci in linkage group VI of the laboratory rat

Crosses to determine the position of the three gene loci, h, Gc, and Alb, in the sixth linkage group of the rat used three strains, the TM strain, the ACI-alb analbuminemic congenic strain, and the abh-alb tester strain established by crossing the abh coat color tester strain and analbuminemic rats. Their genotypes were [C/C, h/h, GcB/GcB, Alb/Alb], [C/C, hi/hi, GcA/GcA, alb/alb] and [C/C, h/h, GcA/GcA, alb/alb], respectively. Determination of genotypes was performed by coat color and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE of serum protein for the Gc and albumin genes. The positions of the three gene loci in the VI linkage group were calculated from the recombination values from the phenotypes of progenies. According to this data, the three gene loci were in h-Gc-Alb tandem and the distances were 15.5 +/- 1.0% in h-Gc, 15.8 +/- 1.0% in h-Alb, and 0.32 +/- 0.16% in Gc-Alb. These data confirmed the relationship among the Gc, Alb, and Afp genes in the rat as well as in humans.     

A noncomputerized scanning method for determining relative protein quantities and synthesis rates on two-dimensional electrophoretic gels

A densitometric method that permits the determination of relative amounts and synthesis rates of proteins separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is presented. The method is applicable to proteins that have been stained by Coomassie blue or proteins that have been radiolabeled. The analysis is achieved by scanning selected spots with an ordinary densitometer in the horizontal and vertical direction and relating the response to the volume of an ellipsoid. A linear dependence is observed between the amount of protein or incorporated radioactivity and the measured optical density. The advantage of this method is that specialized scanning instruments and computer analysis are not required. The method is most useful for the analysis of a few specific proteins which change in their relative amount or specific activity due to experimental manipulations. Difficulties in the analysis of protein spots derived from the twodimensional gel electrophoresis technique are discussed and compared to an analysis of bands from the one-dimensional electrophoresis technique.     

Genetically determined electrophoretic variants of the major urinary protein (Mup) complex in mouse urine

The major urinary protein (Mup-complex) excreted in mouse urine, has been studied electrophoretically both on starch gel and on cellogel.
On stargel six anodally migrating protein bands were observed. These bands are designated component 3, 2', 2, 1, and 4 (i.e. two bands) in the order of decreasing mobility toward the anode. The slower protein band of component 4 on starch gel was not observed on cellogel.
By testing mouse inbred strains, we were able to dinstinguish five male and four female Mup phenotypes. Test crosses suggested a four-allelic ( a, b, c, d, ) variation with regard to components 2', 2 and 1: 'group A' strains showed component 1, 'group B' strains components 1 and 2, 'group C' and 'group F strains none, and 'group D' strains showed components 1 and 2'. Component 3 may be encoded by another Mup locus, although no crossing-over has been observed: presence (A, B, D, and F strains), absence (C strains). Insufficiently reproducible demonstration of the variation with regard to component 4, forced us to exclude this component for strain distinction.
The Mup phenotypes described, can be useful for the detection of certain strain contaminations, especially if F₁ hybrid Mup phenotypes are distinguishable     

Genetically determined electrophoretic variants of the major urinary protein (Mup) complex in mouse urine

The major urinary protein (Mup-complex) excreted in mouse urine, has been studied electrophoretically both on starch gel and on cellogel. On stargel six anodally migrating protein bands were observed. These bands are designated component 3, 2', 1, and 4 (i.e. two bands) in the order of decreasing mobility toward the anode. The slower protein band of component 4 on starch gel was not observed on cellogel. By testing mouse inbred strains, we were able to dinstinguish five male and four female Mup phenotypes. Test crosses suggested a four-allelic (a, b, c, d,) variation with regard to components 2', 2 and 1: 'group A' strains showed component 1, 'group B' strains components 1 and 2, 'group C' and 'group F' strains none, and 'group D' strains showed components 1 and 2'. Component 3 may be encoded by another Mup locus, although no crossing-over has been observed: presence (A, B, D, and F strains), absence (C strains). Insufficiently reproducible demonstration of the variation with regard to component 4, forced us to exclude this component for strain distinction. The Mup phenotypes described, can be useful for the detection of certain strain contaminations, especially if F1 hybrid Mup phenotypes are distinguishable.     

Differentiation of species in the Bacillus brevis group and the Bacillus aneurinolyticus group based on the electrophoretic whole-cell protein pattern

Ninety strains of eleven Bacillus species in the Bacillus brevis group and the Bacillus aneurinolyticus group were compared with the electrophoretic whole-cell protein pattern. The strains were separated into two clusters at the similarity of 55%. One cluster (cluster 1) was consisted of strains from the B. brevis group, and another cluster (cluster 2) was composed of strains from the B. aneurinolyticus group. The cluster 1 was separated into eight subclusters. Out of eight subclusters, seven subclusters contain strains from B. brevis, B. laterosporus, B. agri, B. reuszeri, B. choshinensis, B. formosus, and B. borstelensis. Another subcluster was further separated into two related clusters, which corresponded to B. centrosporus and B. parabrevis, and they were fused at the similarity of 76%. Cluster 2 was separated into two subclusters, which corresponded to B. aneurinolyticus and B. migulanus. The above eleven species showed characteristic patterns distinct from one another, and this correlated well with the published DNA relatedness data. The comparison of the electrophoretic whole-cell protein pattern proved to be useful for evaluation of taxonomic relationships among these taxa.