Proffered papers 9.30–10.00 Monday 15 September 2003

Both the original Bethesda system and the current UK classifications of cervical cytology have proved robust but each has a major weakness in the area of abnormalities of uncertain significance. Cytologists recognize that sometimes it is simply impossible to differentiate between reactive and dyskaryotic material. For this reason, the Australian version of the Bethesda system introduced a new category of 'high grade inconclusive' with a recommendation for referral to colposcopy. Approximately 60% of such cases are found to have high grade lesions at colposcopy (Schoolland M, Sterrett G, Knowles S et al .). The present UK system even with the proposed changes requires of the pathologist, a decision as to whether such cases are probably high grade (=a report of moderate dyskaryosis) or not (= a report of borderline). This continues to ignore the fact that sometimes you just cannot tell, even on review. We have taken a consecutive series of 50 referral smears, reported as moderate dyskaryosis, where the histological outcome (by loop cone) is known. These cases were rescreened and then reviewed blind by a pathologist with extensive experience of the Australian NH & MRC modified Bethesda system. On review, the material was reclassified along NH & MRC lines. The results were compared with the biopsy findings in order to determine whether the category of 'inconclusive' might be of value in the context of the NHSCSP.     

A deletion mutation in GDF9 in sisters with spontaneous DZ twins.

A loss of function mutation in growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) in sheep causes increased ovulation rate and infertility in a dosage-sensitive manner. Spontaneous dizygotic (DZ) twinning in the human is under genetic control and women with a history of DZ twinning have an increased incidence of multiple follicle growth and multiple ovulation. We sequenced the GDF9 coding region in DNA samples from 20 women with DZ twins and identified a four-base pair deletion in GDF9 in two sisters with twins from one family. We screened a further 429 families and did not find the loss of function mutation in any other families. We genotyped eight single nucleotide polymorphisms across the GDF9 locus in 379 families with two sisters who have both given birth to spontaneous DZ twins (1527 individuals) and 226 triad families with mothers of twins and their parents (723 individuals). Using case control analysis and the transmission disequilibrium test we found no evidence for association between common variants in GDF9 and twinning in the families. We conclude that rare mutations in GDF9 may influence twinning, but twinning frequency is not associated with common variation in GDF9.     

An economic and robust TMT labeling approach for high throughput proteomic and metaproteomic analysis

Multiplexed quantitative proteomics using tandem mass tag (TMT) is increasingly used in –omic study of complex samples. While TMT-based proteomics has the advantages of the higher quantitative accuracy, fewer missing values, and reduced instrument analysis time, it is limited by the additional reagent cost. In addition, current TMT labeling workflows involve repeated small volume pipetting of reagents in volatile solvents, which may increase the sample-to-sample variations and is not readily suitable for high throughput applications. In this study, we demonstrated that the TMT labeling procedures could be streamlined by using pre-aliquoted dry TMT reagents in a 96 well plate or 12-tube strip. As little as 50 μg dry TMT per channel was used to label 6–12 μg peptides, yielding high TMT labeling efficiency (∼99%) in both microbiome and mammalian cell line samples. We applied this workflow to analyze 97 samples in a study to evaluate whether ice recrystallization inhibitors improve the cultivability and activity of frozen microbiota. The results demonstrated tight sample clustering corresponding to groups and consistent microbiome responses to prebiotic treatments. This study supports the use of TMT reagents that are pre-aliquoted, dried, and stored for robust quantitative proteomics and metaproteomics in high throughput applications.     

The structure of a small collagenous fragment isolated from chicken hyaline cartilage

In previous experiments, two collagenous fragments were isolated from pepsin digests of chicken hyaline cartilage and called the high molecular weight, (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) fractions [3]. In the present experiments, the chains of LMW were isolated after denaturation and subsequent reduction and alkylation of interchain disulfide bridges and were further fractionated by carboxymethyl-cellulose chromatography. Four peaks were resolved during chromatography and were designated LMW 1, 2A, 2B, and 3. Amino acid analyses and peptide mapping after cleavage with trypsin, V8 protease, and cyanogen bromide showed that three genetically distinct chains must be present in LMW. Fractions 2A and 2B were very similar, but not identical, in structure. LMW 1, 2A plus 2B, and 3 were consistently isolated in approximately equal proportions, suggesting that the probable chain organization of LMW is [1][2A + 2B][3]. This suggestion was supported further by experiments that attempted to fractionate LMW by carboxymethyl-cellulose chromatography after denaturation but without reduction and alkylation of interchain disulfide bridges. No fractionation of LMW was achieved, the single peak subsequently being shown to contain LMW 1, 2A plus 2B, and 3.     

The ultraviolet sensitivity of Cockayne syndrome cells is not a consequence of reduced cellular NAD content

Cells from individuals with Cockayne syndrome (CS) are hypersensitive to the lethal effects of ultraviolet light (uv) and show a number of abnormal biochemical responses following uv-irradiation. Fujiwara et al. recently reported that the NAD contents of CS fibroblasts were lower than those of normal fibroblasts, and that addition of NAD to the cellular growth medium rectified most of the abnormal responses of CS cells to uv-irradiation. In our experiments, however, the cellular NAD contents of normal and CS fibroblasts were similar, and addition of NAD to the growth medium had no effect on the hypersensitivity of CS cells to uv-irradiation, nor did it restore the inability of CS cells to recover normal rates of DNA or RNA synthesis following uv-irradiation.