Effect of point substitutions in the MnSOD, GPX1, and GSTP1 genes on the risk of familial and sporadic breast cancers in residents of the Altaĭ region of the Russian Federation

The frequencies of the polymorphic gene variants MnSOD Ala9Val, GPX1 Pro198Leu, and GSTP1 Ile105 Val were estimated in female residents of Altai krai with breast cancer. The frequency distributions of the genotypes for all genes studied in both patients and control subjects fit the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The estimated frequencies of the genotypes for the studied genes in the control group did not differ from those earlier reported for Caucasoid women living in Europe. The T(rs1050450) allele of the GPX1 gene was demonstrated to protect against sporadic breast cancer (OR = 0.74 (95% CI = 0.58-0.94), p = 0.012). Carriers of the genotype combination MnSOD CC + GPX1 CC were found to have a 1.6 times higher risk of sporadic breast cancer compared to the control group (OR = 1.59 (1.05-2.41), p = 0.0258). The polymorphic loci GSTP1 (rs1695) and MnSOD (rs4880) were not found to be significantly associated with the risk of familial or sporadic breast cancer.     

α-crystallin-type heat-shock protein from mycoplasma Acholeplasma laidlawii (Mollicutes)

An increased amount of major heat-shock proteins (HSPs) after heat treatment has been revealed in Acholeplasma laidlawii cells grown in liquid culture, with the quantity of small HSPs, known as P17, being enhanced by hundreds times. The P17 protein was isolated and identified as an α-crystallin-type HSP (α-HSP) by sequencing the N-terminal 15 amino acids of the P17 polypeptide chain followed by finding the corresponding open reading frame (ORF) in the completely sequenced genome of A. laidlawii PG 8A. A computer-based search for homologous ORFs in the genomes of all 14 species of the Mycoplasmataceae family (mycoplasmas themselves) that have been completely sequenced to date yields a negative result. However, among the representatives of the Mollicutes (mycoplasma) class, genes encoding α-HSPs were found in two phytoplasma species (Phytoplasmataceae family) and the acholeplasma examined (Acholeplasmataceae family). It is supposed that the presence or absence of α-HSPs in microorganisms might be related to their inhabitancy; representatives of Acholeplasmataceae and Phytoplasmataceae families mostly reside in plant tissues, which is in contrast to the majority of the Mycoplasmataceae family, which lives in animal and human tissues, i.e., use ecological niches with relatively constant temperature.     

Analysis of point mutations in the ygeD, gyrA and parC genes in fluoroquinolones resistant clinical isolates of Chlamydia trachomatis

Resistance of 14 clinical isolates of C. trachomatis to fluoroquinolones, i.e. of ciprofloxacin, pefloxaxin and ofloxacin, was assayed. Three isolates with a high resistance degree to all 3 drugs (MIC equal or above 64 microg/ml) were detected. MIC was found to be equal to or below 4 microg/ml for 3 isolates. The remaining isolates had an intermediate resistance level. The nucleotide sequence was established for the Quinolone-Resistance Determining Region (QRDR) genes coding the DNA-gyrase subunit A (gyrA) and DNA-topoisomerase IV subunit C (parC) as well as for the 3'-region of ygeD coding, presumably, the efflux protein. In none of the isolates, the gyrA and gyrC QRDR differed from the corresponding regions in the published C. trachomatis genome sequence. Several silent mutations and mutations resulting in amino acid substitutions were observed in the ygeD 3' region of 2 isolates resistant to high FQ concentrations and in 1 isolate with the intermediate resistance level.     

What does the "screening hypochromism of chromophores" actually imply?

Comments to the article of N.L. Vekshin "Screening hypochromism of chromophores in macromolecular biostructures (Biophysics, 1999. V. 44. P. 45.) are given. The incorrectness of the main propositions and results of the study is shown.     

A common speed limit for RNA-cleaving ribozymes and deoxyribozymes

It is widely believed that the reason proteins dominate biological catalysis is because polypeptides have greater chemical complexity compared with nucleic acids, and thus should have greater enzymatic power. Consistent with this hypothesis is the fact that protein enzymes typically exhibit chemical rate enhancements that are far more substantial than those achieved by natural and engineered ribozymes. To investigate the true catalytic power of nucleic acids, we determined the kinetic characteristics of 14 classes of engineered ribozymes and deoxyribozymes that accelerate RNA cleavage by internal phosphoester transfer. Half approach a maximum rate constant of approximately 1 min(-1), whereas ribonuclease A catalyzes the same reaction approximately 80,000-fold faster. Additional biochemical analyses indicate that this commonly encountered ribozyme "speed limit" coincides with the theoretical maximum rate enhancement for an enzyme that uses only two specific catalytic strategies. These results indicate that ribozymes using additional catalytic strategies could be made that promote RNA cleavage with rate enhancements that equal those of proteins.     

Combined prime-boost vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) using a recombinant vaccinia virus and a bacterial plasmid both expressing TBE virus non-structural NS1 protein

Background  

Heterologous prime-boost immunization protocols using different gene expression systems have proven to be successful tools in protecting against various diseases in experimental animal models. The main reason for using this approach is to exploit the ability of expression cassettes to prime or boost the immune system in different ways during vaccination procedures. The purpose of the project was to study the ability of recombinant vaccinia virus (VV) and bacterial plasmid, both carrying the NS1 gene from tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus under the control of different promoters, to protect mice against lethal challenge using a heterologous prime-boost vaccination protocol.     

Biological properties of some nitrogen-fixing associative enterobacteria

Enterobacteria isolates from potato tubers were able to fix nitrogen, to protect plants against phytopathogens and to produce phytohormones thus increasing the plant yield. These isolates were previously phenotypically identified as Erwinia carotovora; however, they differed from typical E. carotovora in a number of biological characteristics and were found to be nonphytopathogenic (avirulent) due to the lack of pectate lyase activity. A data matrix, containing 31 strains and 105 biological characteristics was used for computer cluster analysis. The avirulent strains formed a separate cluster more closely related to Klebsiella spp. strains (with a 0.67 level of similarity) than to typical phytopathogenic bacteria of the E. carotovora group (with a 0.48 level of similarity). A phylogenetic analysis based on restriction polymorphisms of an amplified ribosomal DNA spacer region revealed that the avirulent strains studied here were different from all Erwinia, Klebsiella and other enterobacteria species strains. The AP PCR/hybridization technique showed cross homology of amplified DNA of these avirulent strains and a lack of such homology with the DNA from strains of other species. Numerical taxonomy data, rDNA analysis and AP PCR/hybridization assays confirmed that these avirulent bacteria may be regarded as an independent group of enterobacteria.     

Activation of morphogenesis and proliferation by low specificity chemical effectors

Activation of highly specific biochemical processes by simple chemical agents is demonstrated for morphogenesis (anlage and development of female gametophyte in cereal) and mitosis (in cell cultures and animal and plant tissues). The effects of these agents are tissue-specific. Structure--activity relationship is analyzed in this group of compounds. Thus, the phenomenon reveals the exact pathways of the influence of allelopathic and anthropogenic chemical agents on evolution of plant biocenoses.