Assignment of orthologous relationships among mammalian alpha-globin genes by examining flanking regions reveals a rapid rate of evolution

In order to study the relationships among mammalian alpha-globin genes, we have determined the sequence of the 3' flanking region of the human alpha 1 globin gene and have made pairwise comparisons between sequenced alpha-globin genes. The flanking regions were examined in detail because sequence matches in these regions could be interpreted with the least complication from the gene duplications and conversions that have occurred frequently in mammalian alpha-like globin gene clusters. We found good matches between the flanking regions of human alpha 1 and rabbit alpha 1, human psi alpha 1 and goat I alpha, human alpha 2 and goat II alpha, and horse alpha 1 and goat II alpha. These matches were used to align the alpha-globin genes in gene clusters from different mammals. This alignment shows that genes at equivalent positions in the gene clusters of different mammals can be functional or nonfunctional, depending on whether they corrected against a functional alpha-globin gene in recent evolutionary history. The number of alpha-globin genes (including pseudogenes) appears to differ among species, although highly divergent pseudogenes may not have been detected in all species examined. Although matching sequences could be found in interspecies comparisons of the flanking regions of alpha- globin genes, these matches are not as extensive as those found in the flanking regions of mammalian beta-like globin genes. This observation suggests that the noncoding sequences in the mammalian alpha-globin gene clusters are evolving at a faster rate than those in the beta-like globin gene clusters. The proposed faster rate of evolution fits with the poor conservation of the genetic linkage map around alpha-globin gene clusters when compared to that of the beta-like globin gene clusters. Analysis of the 3' flanking regions of alpha-globin genes has revealed a conserved sequence approximately 100-150 bp 3' to the polyadenylation site; this sequence may be involved in the expression or regulation of alpha-globin genes.      

Somaclonal variation in soybean plants regenerated from tissue culture

Callus cultures of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) genotypes PI 88788, PI 438489B, and cultivar Bedford were initiated in vitro from seedling explants consisting of the cotyledonary node plus epicotyl from germinated mature seed. Plants were regenerated from these callus cultures and subsequently evaluated for qualitative variation in three to four subsequent generations. Variant phenotypes observed that have not been previously reported from tissue culture include lanceolate leaves, leaf variegation (chimeral variegated plants), pod variegation on otherwise normal plants, and change in growth habit from indeterminate to determinate. The lanceolate leaf, chimeral variegated plant, and change from indeterminate to determinate growth habit characters were inherited through at least three generations (R₀-R₂), and segregation occurred in each generation. Pod variegation was inherited through the two generations tested thus far and segregation occurred in each generation. No variation was observed in control plants derived from normal seed. Variants appeared more frequently in regenerants from PI 88788 and PI 438489B than from Bedford. These results confirm and extend the finding that certain tissue culture techniques may be used to induce novel plant formation from somatic tissue of soybean.Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USAMention of tradenames does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by University of Missouri or USDA-ARS and does not imply their approval to the exclusion of other products.     

A new chondrodystrophy mutation in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

A second form of hereditary chondrodystrophy (ch-2) has been discovered in a selected line of Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica. This form of chondrodystrophy is autosomal and recessive, characterized by an overall shortening and bending of the long bones of the wings and legs, slight dwarfing of the trunk, bulging of the eyes, flattening of the head, and a parrot beak. The shortened long bones vary in regard to the amount of bending from nearly straight to bends of up to 90 degrees in the midshaft region. In severe cases, the bend is evident as a protuberance of the skin. Affected embryos usually survive the 18-day incubation period. Several have hatched, but most survived no longer than 4 days after hatching. Only one female has survived long enough to lay eggs. Testcrosses indicated that this mutation is not allelic to micromelia.     

Small scale variation in decay rate within logs one year after felling: Effect of fungal community structure and moisture content

Abstract Fungal species composition, moisture content, percentage weight loss, and instantaneous decay rate (expressed by rate of CO₂ evolution) was assessed for a total of 186 8 cm³ cubes from 10 beech logs which had been decomposing on the forest floor for 14 months. There was considerable within and between branch variation in decay rate and water content. Water content at the time of sampling was not directly correlated with percentage weight loss or instantaneous decay rate, nor was it correlated with position in the log. However, wood occupied by Ascomycotina (other than Nectria ) tended to be drier than that occupied by Basidiomycotina. In particular wood occupied by Xylaria hypoxylon was drier than that occupied by all other species, although wood in which X. hypoxylon was replacing other fungi was wetter than when X. hypoxylon was alone. Variation in percentage weight loss could not be explained in terms of water content and fungal species composition at the time of sampling, but variation in instantaneous decay rate could. Thus, decay rate by Ascomycotina was significantly less ( P < 0.05) than by Basidiomycotina, and rate of CO₂ evolution from wood occupied by X. hypoxylon alone was significantly slower than from wood in which X. hypoxylon was replacing H. fragiforme or Nectria . The latter was partially correlated with water content but whether this is a cause and effect relationship is uncertain.     

Location of seven post-translational modifications in rabbit elongation factor 1 alpha including dimethyllysine, trimethyllysine, and glycerylphosphorylethanolamine

Amino acid sequencing of a large number of chemical and enzymatic cleavage products of elongation factor 1 alpha purified from rabbit reticulocyte has identified seven post-translationally modified residues. Five of the modifications are methylations of lysine residues yielding dimethyllysine at residues 55 and 165 and trimethyllysine at residues 36, 79, and 318. The two remaining post-translational modifications involve the addition of ethanolamine to glutamic acid residues 301 and 374, as reported previously (Rosenberry, T. L., Krall, J. A., Dever, T. E., Haas, R., Louvard, D., and Merrick, W. C. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 7096-7099). Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry have been used to analyze peptides containing these modified residues. The analyses have determined that glycerylphosphorylethanolamine has been attached to the glutamic acid residues. An analysis of the amino acid sequence surrounding each of the three types of modification has indicated no similarities. Therefore, it seems likely that the modifying enzymes do not recognize a specific amino acid sequence but rather the three-dimensional presentation of either amino or carboxyl residues in the elongation factor 1 alpha structure.     

Biologically active Rep proteins of adeno-associated virus type 2 produced as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli.

Four Rep proteins are encoded by the human parvovirus adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV). The two largest proteins, Rep68 and Rep78, have been shown in vitro to perform several activities related to AAV DNA replication. The Rep78 and Rep68 proteins are likely to be involved in the targeted integration of the AAV DNA into human chromosome 19, and the full characterization of these proteins is important for exploiting this phenomenon for the use of AAV as a vector for gene therapy. To obtain sufficient quantities for facilitating the characterization of the biochemical properties of the Rep proteins, the AAV rep open reading frame was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with maltose-binding protein (MBP). Recombinant MBP-Rep68 and MBP-Rep78 proteins displayed the following activities reported for wild-type Rep proteins when assayed in vitro: (i) binding to the AAV inverted terminal repeat (ITR), (ii) helicase activity, (iii) site-specific (terminal resolution site) endonuclease activity, (iv) binding to a sequence within the integration locus for AAV DNA on human chromosome 19, and (v) stimulation of radiolabeling of DNA containing the AAV ITR in a cell extract. These five activities have been described for wild-type Rep produced from mammalian cell extracts. Furthermore, we recharacterized the sequence requirements for Rep binding to the ITR and found that only the A and A' regions are necessary, not the hairpin form of the ITR.