Large-insert BAC/YAC libraries for selective re-isolation of genomic regions by homologous recombination in yeast.

We constructed representative large-insert bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries of two human pathogens (Trypanosoma brucei and Giardia lamblia) using a new hybrid vector, pTARBAC1, containing a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) cassette (a yeast selectable marker and a centromere). The cassette allows transferring of BACs into yeast for their further modification. Furthermore, the new hybrid vector provides the opportunity to re-isolate each DNA insert without construction of a new library of random clones. Digestion of a BAC DNA by an endonuclease that has no recognition site in the vector, but which deletes most of the internal insert sequence and leaves the unique flanking sequences, converts a BAC into a TAR vector, thus allowing direct gene isolation. Cotransformation of a TAR vector and genomic DNA into yeast spheroplasts, and subsequent recombination between the TAR vector's flanking ends and a specific genomic fragment, allows rescue of the fragment as a circular YAC/BAC molecule. Here we prove a new cloning strategy by re-isolation of randomly chosen genomic fragments of different size from T. brucei cloned in BACs. We conclude that genomic regions of unicellular eukaryotes can be easily re-isolated using this technique, which provides an opportunity to study evolution of these genomes and the role of genome instability in pathogenicity.     

A minimal CENP-A core is required for nucleation and maintenance of a functional human centromere

Chromatin clusters containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant, are found in centromeres of multicellular eukaryotes. This study examines the ability of alpha-satellite (alphoid) DNA arrays in different lengths to nucleate CENP-A chromatin and form functional kinetochores de novo. Kinetochore assembly was followed by measuring human artificial chromosome formation in cultured human cells and by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis. The results showed that both the length of alphoid DNA arrays and the density of CENP-B boxes had a strong impact on nucleation, spreading and/or maintenance of CENP-A chromatin, and formation of functional kinetochores. These effects are attributed to a change in the dynamic balance between assembly of chromatin containing trimethyl histone H3-K9 and chromatin containing CENP-A/C. The data presented here suggest that a functional minimum core stably maintained on 30-70 kb alphoid DNA arrays represents an epigenetic memory of centromeric chromatin.     

Effect of phenothiazines on Ca-ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscles

The phenothiazines trifluoroperazine , chlorpromazine and etmozine inhibit Ca-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscles. The inhibitory action decreases in the order of trifluoroperazine greater than chlorpromazine greater than etmozine . The data are provided, indicating that the inhibitory effects of the phenothiazines on Ca-ATPase of the reticulum of the skeletal muscles are not mediated via calmodulin.     

Stability of recombinant plasmids containing the ars sequence of yeast extrachromosomal rDNA in several strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The mitotic stabilities of hybrid plasmid Rcp21/11, which contains the replicator of yeast rDNA, have been compared for four yeast host strains of different origins. In two related strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae A62-1G-P188 and 1A-P3812 from the Peterhof genetic stocks, the plasmid was much more stable than in strains DC5 and GRF18 from the USA stocks.The enhanced mitotic stability of Rcp21/11 in these two yeast strains is obviously attributable to a higher rate of integration of the plasmid into the chromosomal rDNA repeats of the hosts.The centromeric locus CEN3 was inserted into Rcp21/11 because it provides high mitotic and meiotic stability of plasmids with yeast replicators, due to an ordered distribution of plasmids throughout cell division. Using the new centromeric plasmid RcpCEN3, transformation of the four above-described yeast strains was carried out. It was found that, similarly to centromeric plasmids with other chromosomal replicators, RcpCEN3 remains in the cell as a single copy. In strains DC5, GRF18 and A62-1G-P188 the mitotic stability of RcpCEN3 was 20–50%, i.e., less than half that of plasmids containing locus CEN3 and other yeast repliiators, ars1, ars2 and the 2μ DNA replicator. The mitotic stability of RcpCEN3 in strains 1A-P3812 (from the Peterhof genetic stocks) for individual clones reached 85%, i.e. close to that of the other plasmids. Genetic analysis showed that the capacity of strain 1A-P3812 to stably retain RcpCEN3 has a recessive polygenic character. We suggest that the observed differences in mitotic stability of centromeric plasmid RcpCEN3 between various yeast strains reflects the differences in activity of rDNA replicator in these strains. The nature of extrachromosomal rDNA circles, found in some strains of S. cerevisiae, is discussed from the point of view of the data.     

Role of calmodulin in the contractile function of the myocardium

The effect of phenothiazines-trifluoroperazine frenolone, majeptile and aminazine on contractility of papillar muscle of Wistar male rats associated with short-term Ca-concentration increase up to 4 mM has been studied. There has been found the parameter-relaxation index-the change of which under the effect of phenothiazines (10(-5) M in all the cases) made use of significantly correlates with the constants, which reflect the similarity of given agents with calmodulin.     

Protective effect of aminazine in ischemia and re-perfusion of an isolated heart

The effect of cholorpromazine on the degree of reduction of the myocardial contractility during reperfusion of the isolated heart after 5 minutes total ischaemia of rats or after 40 minutes ligation of the left coronary artery of the guinea pigs has been studied. It has been shown that in both cases the preparation shows protective effect. In experiments on vesicles of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rat's skeletal muscles has been established that chlorpromazine prevents from calcium pump of SR dissociation caused by lipid peroxidation activity or by adding phospholipase A2 to SR fragments. It has been concluded that chlorpromazine protective effect depends on its membranostabilized action.