BRCA1 maps proximal to D17S579 on chromosome 17q21 by genetic analysis

Previous studies have demonstrated linkage between early-onset breast cancer and ovarian cancer and genetic markers on chromosome 17q21. These markers define the location of a gene (BRCA1) which appears to be inherited as an autosomal dominant susceptibility allele. We analyzed five families with multiple affected individuals for evidence of linkage to the BRCA1 region. Two of the five families appear to be linked to BRCA1. One apparently linked family contains critical recombinants, suggesting that the gene is proximal to the marker D17S579 (Mfd188). These findings are consistent with the maximum-likelihood position estimated by the Breast Cancer Linkage Consortium and with recombination events detected in other linked families. Linkage analysis was greatly aided by PCR-based analysis of paraffin-embedded normal breast tissue from deceased family members, demonstrating the feasibility and importance of this approach. One of the two families with evidence of linkage between breast cancer and genetic markers flanking BRCA1 represents the first such family of African-American descent to be reported in detail.     

Production of Extracellular Proteins by the Biocontrol Fungus Gliocladium virens

Gliocladium virens is a common saprophytic fungus that is mycoparasitic on a large number of fungi. Responses of G. virens toward its environment were examined by monitoring the presence of extracellular proteins in culture fluid during time course experiments. Culture fluid of G. virens grown on glucose, washed cell walls of Rhizoctonia solani (one of its hosts), olive oil, or chitin contained β-glucanase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, lipase, and proteinase activities. There were relatively minor amounts of other enzymatic activities tested. Levels of extracellular enzyme activity varied with the age of the culture and the substrate used as the carbon source. Substrate-associated differences in enzyme activities were detected as early as 8 h after transfer of mycelia from stationary-phase cultures to fresh media. When G. virens was grown on host cell wall material, β-glucanase had the greatest specific activity of any enzyme tested at 8 h. This result suggests that β-glucanase may be the first enzyme important in the G. virens-R. solani interaction. Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that some of the polypeptides were present in the culture fluid at relatively constant amounts and others accumulated early, at intermediate times, or late in the 8-day incubation test period. Several of the polypeptides present in the culture fluid during the first 24 h disappeared completely by 48 h. Consequently, it appears that extracellular proteins in cultures of G. virens are regulated by a combination of gene regulation and protein degradation.     

Raman spectroscopy of DNA-metal complexes. I. Interactions and conformational effects of the divalent cations: Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Pd, and Cd.

Interactions of divalent metal cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Pd2+, and Cd2+) with DNA have been investigated by laser Raman spectroscopy. Both genomic calf-thymus DNA (> 23 kilobase pairs) and mononucleosomal fragments (160 base pairs) were employed as targets of metal interaction in solutions containing 5 weight-% DNA and metal:phosphate molar ratios of 0.6:1. Raman difference spectra reveal that transition metal cations (Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Pd2+, and Cd2+) induce the greatest structural changes in B-DNA. The Raman (vibrational) band differences are extensive and indicate partial disordering of the B-form backbone, reduction in base stacking, reduction in base pairing, and specific metal interaction with acceptor sites on the purine (N7) and pyrimidine (N3) rings. Many of the observed spectral changes parallel those accompanying thermal denaturation of B-DNA and suggest that the metals link the bases of denatured DNA. While exocyclic carbonyls of dT, dG, and dC may stabilize metal ligation, correlation plots show that perturbations of the carbonyls are mainly a consequence of metal-induced denaturation of the double helix. Transition metal interactions with the DNA phosphates are weak in comparison to interactions with the bases, except in the case of Cu2+, which strongly perturbs both base and phosphate group vibrations. On the other hand, the Raman signature of B-DNA is largely unperturbed by Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+, suggesting much weaker interactions of the alkaline earth metals with both base and phosphate sites. A notable exception is a moderate perturbation by alkaline earths of purine N7 sites in 160-base pair DNA, with Ca2+ causing the greatest effect. Correlation plots demonstrate a strong interrelationship between perturbations of Raman bands assigned to ring vibrations of the bases and those of bands assigned to exocyclic carbonyls and backbone phosphodiester groups. However, strong correlations do not occur between the Raman phosphodioxy band (centered near 1092 cm-1) and other Raman bands, suggesting that the former is not highly sensitive to the structural changes induced by divalent metal cations. The structural perturbations induced by divalent cations are much greater for > 23-kilobase pair DNA than for 160-base pair DNA, as evidenced by both the Raman difference spectra and the tendency toward the formation of insoluble aggregates. In the presence of transition metals, aggregation of high-molecular-weight DNA is evident at temperatures as low as 11 degrees C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Gluco-oligosaccharide synthesis by free and immobilized beta-glucosidase

Gluco-oligosaccharides were synthesized through the enzymatic condensation of D-glucose at high concentration using a commercial almond beta-glucosidase. The synthesis reactions were carried out with both free and immobilized enzyme, with or without sorbitol, an efficient depressor of water activity (a(w)) in the presence of different glucose concentrations. The yield and the composition of the gluco-oligosaccharides produced changed with the reaction mixture and the form of the enzyme used (free or immobilized). The use of 5 M glucose solution permitted only disaccharides to be obtained, whereas with a glucose concentration of 7.5 M glucose, di-, tri-, and tetrasaccharides were produced. A 7.5 M glucose solution used with 4.4 M sorbitol gave three times more disaccharides than the same solution without sorbitol. Moreover, the immobilized enzyme was much more active in synthesis. The synthesis yield (oligomers mg/mL . mg of enzyme) after immobilization was 573% compared to that of the free enzyme, when a 7.5 M glucose solution was tested. The effects of substrate concentration, sorbitol addition and enzyme immobilization were investigated. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Estimation of disruption of animal cells by turbulent capillary flow

Disruption of animal cells in turbulent capillary flows has been predicted from a model of cell-hydrodynamic interactions using cell mechanical properties determined by micromanipulation. Eddies of sizes similar to or smaller than the cells are presumed to interact with those cells, causing local surface deformations. The proposed mechanism of cell damage is that such deformations result in an increase in membrane tension and surface energy and that a cell disrupts when its bursting membrane tension and bursting surface energy are exceeded. The surface energy of the cells is estimated from the kinetic energy of appropriately sized eddies. To test the model, cells were disrupted in turbulent flows in capillaries at mean energy dissipation rates up to 2 x 10(4) m(2)/s(3). In all cases the model underestimated the cell disruption by about 15%. Such good agreement implies that the approach of the model to the complicated phenomena of cell turbulence interactions is reasonable. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Satellite DNA sequences in the New World primateCebus apella (Platyrrhini,Primates)

Two satellite DNAs, designated CapA and CapB, were isolated from the neotropical primate,Cebus apella. The satellites exhibit nonoverlapping distributions onC. apella chromosomes. CapA is a major component of interstitial regions of constitutive heterochromatin, a very large block of heterochromatin comprising most of the long arm of chromosome 11, and some telomeres. The CapA monomer has a length of about 1500 bp and appears recently to have undergone an amplification episode in theC. apella genome. CapA-like sequences are probably present in members of the family Cebidae (to whichC. apella belongs), but not in members of the family Callitrichidae (marmosets). CapB sequences can be detected at the centromeres of manyC. apella chromosomes, and similar sequences are present in all neotropical primates. The 342 bp CapB monomer shares 60%–64% sequence identity with several alpha satellite sequences of human origin. Because of its structure, sequence, and location, it appears that CapB is the New World primate homolog of Old World primate alpha satellite DNA.     

Detection of a Novel Sepiapterin Reductase mRNA: Assay of mRNA in Various Cells and Tissues of Various Species

Fragments of cDNA coding for rat, murine, and human sepiapterin reductase (SR) were amplified by PCR via primer positioning close to the reported 3′-end of the coding region in the rat enzyme. They were sequenced and used as probes for mRNA detection. Northern blot analysis detected two mRNA species for SR. Their sizes were 1.3 and 2.1 kb for rat, 1.3 and 2.3 kb for mouse, and 1.6 and 2.1 kb for human cell lines. Comparison of rat cell lines and rat tissues indicated that in tissues only the 1.3-kb species is present. Washing of the Northern blots under different stringency conditions indicated a more stable interaction of the 1.3-kb mRNA species with the cDNA probe as compared to the 2.3-kb species. The 1.3-kb species corresponds to the reported 28.2-kDa molecular mass of rat SR monomer. SR mRNA expression is absent in the human NK-like cell line YT and in the murine erythroleukemia subclone B8/3, which both lack SR activity. Moreover, the relative mRNA expression correlates with the enzymatic activities of different cell lines within the same species. This indicates that SR activity is regulated by its steady state mRNA levels.