Chromosome 17 abnormalities and lack of TP53 mutations in paediatric central nervous system tumours

Central nervous system (CNS) tumours are the most common solid tumours in children. Cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies of these neoplasms have previously shown abnormalities of chromosome 17, implicating genes on this autosome in tumorigenesis. To identify mutations in the TP53 tumour suppressor gene (17p13.1), we have sequenced the five highly conserved regions of this gene in 29 mixed paediatric CNS tumors. No mutations were detected by this analysis. In order to identify other candidate disease loci on chromosome 17, we have carried out a detailed deletion mapping analysis using 16 polymorphic DNA markers on 19 of the above tumours and an additional four cases. Abnormalities of chromosome 17 occurred in nine cases (39%), six of which were primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET)-medulloblastomas. These findings suggest that it is unlikely that the TP53 gene is directly involved in the development of common paediatric brain tumours. This is in contrast to findings from adult brain and other tumour types. Moreover, the frequency of chromosome 17 aberrations, especially in PNET-medulloblastomas, suggests that other genes on this chromosome contribute to tumourigenesis.     

GABA concentrations in the striatum following repetitive cerebral ischemia

GABAergic neurons in the striatum are very sensitive to the effects of ischemia. The progressive decline in striatal GABA following transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils may be secondary to either a decreased production or an increase in reuptake mechanisms or both. The current experiment was designed to evaluate release of GABA by stimulation with K+ or inhibition of its uptake with nipecotic acid or their combination (K+ nipecotic) after repetitive forebrain ischemia in gerbils by in-vivo microdialysis on Days 1, 3, 5, and 14 following the insult. Infusion of nipecotic acid or potassium chloride, resulted in a significant increase in extracellular GABA. This response was significantly decreased in the post-ischemic animals. The synergistic effect of increased GABA concentrations by the infusion of nipecotic acid+potassium chloride seen in the controls was not evident in the post-ischemic animals. In conclusion, though there is a reduction in the extracellular GABA concentrations in the first week following an ischemic insult, restorative mechanisms are operative in the second week as seen by the increasing GABA concentrations.     

Interproton distance bounds from 2D NOE intensities: Effect of experimental noise and peak integration errors

Summary The effect of experimental and integration errors on the calculations in interproton distances from NOE intensities is examined. It is shown that NOE intensity errors can have a large impact on the distances determined. When multiple spin (spin diffusion) effects are significant, the calculated distances are often underestimated, even when using a complete relaxation matrix analysis. In this case, the bias of distances to smaller values is due to the random errors in the NOE intensities. We show here that accurate upper and lower bounds of the distances can be obtained if the intensity errors are properly accounted for in the complete relaxation matrix calculations, specifically the MARDIGRAS algorithm. The basic MARDIGRAS algorithm has been previously described [Borgias, B.A. and James, T.L. (1990) J. Magn. Reson., 87, 475–487]. It has been shown to provide reasonably good interproton distance bounds, but experimental errors can compromise the quality of the resulting restraints, especially for weak cross peaks. In a new approach introduced here, termed RANDMARDI (random error MARDIGRAS), errors due to random noise and integration errors are mimicked by the addition of random numbers from within a specified range to each input intensity. Interproton distances are then calculated for the modified intensity set using MARDIGRAS. The distribution of distances that define the upper and lower distance bounds is obtained by using N randomly modified intensity sets. RANDMARDI has been used in the solution structure determination of the interstrand cross-link (XL) formed between 4-hydroxymethyl-4,5,8-trimethylpsoralen (HMT) and the DNA oligomer d(5-GCGTACGC-3)₂ [Spielmann, H.P. et al. (1995) Biochemistry, 34, 12937–12953]. RANDMARDI generates accurate distance bounds from the experimental NOESY cross-peak intensities for the fixed (known) interproton distances in XL. This provides an independent internal check for the ability of RANDMARDI to accurately fit the experimental data. The XL structure determined using RANDMARDI-generated restrains is in good agreement with other biophysical data that indicate that there is no bend introduced into the DNA by the cross-link. In contrast, isolated spin-pair approximation calculations give distance restraints that, when applied in a restrained molecular dynamics protocol, produce a bent structure.Abbreviations NOE nuclear Overhauser effect - SD standard deviation - HMT 4-hydroxymethyl-4,5,8-trimethylpsoralen - XL psoralen-DNA interstrand cross-link     

The PiGMaP consortium linkage map of the pig (Sus scrofa)

A linkage map of the porcine genome has been developed by segregation analysis of 239 genetic markers. Eighty-one of these markers correspond to known genes. Linkage groups have been assigned to all 18 autosomes plus the X Chromosome (Chr). As 69 of the markers on the linkage map have also been mapped physically (by others), there is significant integration of linkage and physical map data. Six informative markers failed to show linkage to these maps. As in other species, the genetic map of the heterogametic sex (male) was significantly shorter (16.5 Morgans) than the genetic map of the homogametic sex (female) (21.5 Morgans). The sex-averaged genetic map of the pig was estimated to be 18 Morgans in length. Mapping information for 61 Type I loci (genes) enhances the contribution of the pig gene map to comparative gene mapping. Because the linkage map incorporates both highly polymorphic Type II loci, predominantly microsatellites, and Type I loci, it will be useful both for large experiments to map quantitative trait loci and for the subsequent isolation of trait genes following a comparative and candidate gene approach.     

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions

Silver staining techniques developed to demonstrate argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs) have been widely applied in a variety of cell kinetic studies, using the mean number of AgNORs in tumour cells as a marker for malignancy of certain types of neoplasms. However, the AgNOR techniques currently available are not entirely satisfactory, as unspecific silver precipitates readily form in the sections. On the other hand, the contrast staining, may be so weak as to render identification of the AgNORs difficult. In the present study, some of the key factors influencing the outcome of AgNOR staining were evaluated in a more systematic way. A modified AgNOR staining procedure is now proposed, giving highly contrasting AgNORs with minimal unspecific silver precipitation, thus facilitating both manual and computerized counting. The new technique involves the use of microwave irradiation in order to shorten the processing time, the use of gelatin as a protective colloid, and a Farmer's solution to optimize the specificity of the technique.     

Olive oil addition in insect cell cultivation

Adding olive oil to an insect cell (Spodoptera frugiperda) cultivation with a TNM-FH medium enhanced cell growth. In the static cultivation, growth with 0.5% oil increased viable cell density by 32%, while cultivation in spinner flasks agitated at 260 rpm increased by 64%. With a gradual increase of agitation from 60 rpm to 500 rpm, the viable cell density was 81% higher than that without the olive oil supplement.     

高度耐盐双价转基因烟草的研究

随着全球性人口的增长和土地退化的加剧,开发利用广阔盐碱地和干旱土地的需要日益迫切。植物生物技术的日臻完善,为培育高效耐盐植物迎来了一丝曙光。在高渗条件下,耐盐的微生物或植物细胞通过增加胞内一些相溶性溶质的浓度来维持渗透压的平衡。这些可溶性溶质包括无机离子、糖类、多元醇、氨基酸和生物碱等。通过基因工程手段,使细胞内积累脯氮酸⑴、甜菜碱⑵、甘露醇⑶、海藻糖⑷,能够不同程度地提高转基因烟草的耐盐性。多元醇含有多个羟基,亲水性能强,能有效维持细胞内水活度。山梨醇、甘露醇等己糖分子结构、理化性质和生理功能相近。故此．我们认为：不同糖醇在转基因烟草中的积累．可能具有协同(或累加)效应,有希望更大地提高植物耐盐性。我们在获得大肠杆菌mtlD基因(编码l-磷酸甘露醇脱氢酶)和gutD基因(编码6-磷酸山梨醇脱氢酶)克隆⑸的基础上,获得了分别表达mtlD和gutD基因的单价转基因烟草,并首次证实了gucD基因的表达,能显著地提高转基因烟草的耐盐性⑹。本文工作进一步报道同时表达大肠杆菌mtlD和gutD基因双价转基因烟草的高效高度耐盐性。     

双碳源单细胞蛋白间歇培养及流加培养的动力学模型

应用非结构的逻辑增殖模型研究了两种酵母的单碳源和双碳源单细胞蛋白间歇培养的动力学,用改进的逻辑增殖模型研究了双碳源流加培养过程的动力学,从实验数据拟合了动力学模型参数,模型计算值与实验数据吻合良好。     

尿酸酶－鲁米诺化学发光传感器

研制了依赖于鲁米诺化学发光反应和固定化尿酸酶柱的测定血清尿酸的生物传感器。其测定血清样品响应时间47s。测定每份样品需时1．5min,样品体积17μl。工作曲线的线性范围1~20mg／dl。批内不精密度3．22％～4.36％,批间6.18%～7．8%。测定值回收率为93％～109％。与医院常规酶试剂盘方法比较相关系数r=0.9909。固定化尿酸酶柱室温使用,4℃冰箱保存,连续使用5个半月测定样品2000次以上,仍保持原酶柱活力的94%。     

湖南的新记录植物（一）

本文报道了湖南植物分布新记录属４个,新记录种２４个,新记录变种１个。