Medullary electrosensory processing in the little skate

1. Ampullary electroreceptors in elasmobranchs are innervated by fibers of the ALLN, which projects to the dorsal octavolateralis nucleus (DON). The purpose of this study is to examine the response characteristics of ALLN fibers and DON neurons to weak D.C. and sinusoidal electric field stimuli presented as local dipole fields. 2. ALLN fibers respond to presentation of D.C. fields with a phasic burst, followed by a more slowly adapting period of firing. Ascending efferent neurons (AENs) in the DON respond to stimuli with a similar initial burst, which adapts more quickly. 3. Type 1, 2, and 3 neurons are possible local interneurons or commissural DON neurons. Type 1 neurons demonstrate response properties similar to those of AENs. Type 2 cells demonstrated slowly adapting responses to excitatory stimuli, the duration of the response increased with the amplitude of the stimulus. Type 3 neurons demonstrated an increased rate of firing, but the response lacked any specific temporal characteristics. 4. ALLN fibers typically have receptive fields consisting of a single ampulla. The receptive field sizes of DON neurons exhibited varying degrees of convergence for different cell types. 5. Responses of ALLN fibers and DON neurons to weak sinusoidal stimuli demonstrated very similar frequency response characteristics for all cell types. The peak sensitivity of electrosensory neurons was between 5-10 Hz.     

Variants of the anti-Müllerian hormone gene in a compound heterozygote with the persistent Müllerian duct syndrome and his family

Summary The human genome contains a large number of interspersed simple repeat sequences that are variable in length and can therefore serve as highly informative, polymorphic markers. Typing procedures include conventional multilocus and single locus probing, and polymerase chain reaction aided analysis. We have identified simple sequences in a cosmid clone stemming from the human Y chromosome and consisting of (gata)_n repeats. We have compared these with two equivalent simple repeat loci from chromosome 12. After amplifying the tandemly repeated motifs, we detected between four and eight different alleles at each of the three loci. Codominant inheritance of the alleles was established in family studies and the informativity of the simple repeat loci was determined by typing unrelated individuals. The polymorphisms are suitable for application in linkage studies, practical forensic case work, deficiency cases in paternity determination, and for studying ethnological questions. The mutational mechanisms that bring about changes in simple repeats located both on the autosomes and on the sex chromosomes, are discussed.Professor Dr. Otto Prokop (Humboldt-Universität Berlin) on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

A segregation and linkage study of classical and nonclassical 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

The segregation of classical and nonclassical 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) and its linkage to HLA-B was investigated in 220 families. First, the surprisingly high frequency of the nonclassical 21-OHD gene estimated elsewhere was confirmed using a different methodology which avoided particular assumptions concerning the classification of an individual''s genotype. In the present study the gene frequency was found to be .103 +/- .020 in an ethnically pooled sample and was as high as .223 +/- .062 among Ashkenazi Jews. Second, the segregation analysis of families ascertained through a nonclassical 21-OHD proband and those ascertained through a classical 21-OHD proband showed essentially identical results. A partial recessive model with no recombination between 21-OHD and HLA-B fitted the data better than did a complete recessive model with approximately 0.5% recombination between 21-OHD and HLA-B. The support for the partial over the complete recessive model depended on the assumed ascertainment probability, an unknown parameter in these data. Four families provided most of the evidence against the complete recessive model. All these included an unaffected sib who shared both HLA-B specificities in common with the affected proband. Possible explanations for the condition in these families include recombination, gene conversion, mutation in one of the parental gametes, or technical errors.     

Gene engineering by selectable intraplasmid recombination: construction of novel dihydrofolate reductase minigenes

An intraplasmid recombination system in Escherichia coli has been designed to make possible the engineering of various genes using methods that greatly reduce dependence on appropriately placed restriction enzyme sites. This system has been used to manipulate intervening sequences in dihydrofolate reductase minigenes and to vary the number of 48-bp repeats in the promoter region. In this method, the two fragments to be recombined are cloned into a plasmid separated by a fragment of DNA containing an expressible galactokinase-encoding gene (galK). Selection for loss of the galK gene, but for retention of the plasmid in E. coli, results in a plasmid in which the two fragments have undergone homologous recombination. Several new plasmids are reported here which contain an expressible galK gene flanked by multiple restriction sites. These plasmids should be useful in recombination and as convenient sources of a gene for which both positive and negative selections are available in E. coli.     

The Lethal(1)tw-6(cs) Mutation of Drosophila Melanogaster Is a Dominant Antimorphic Allele of Nod and Is Associated with a Single Base Change in the Putative Atp-Binding Domain

The l(1)TW-6cs mutation is a cold-sensitive recessive lethal mutation in Drosophila melanogaster, that affects both meiotic and mitotic chromosome segregation. We report the isolation of three revertants of this mutation. All three revert both the meiotic and mitotic effects as well as the cold sensitivity, demonstrating that all three phenotypes are due to a single lesion. We further show that these revertants fail to complement an amorphic allele of the nod (no distributive disjunction) locus, which encodes a kinesin-like protein. These experiments demonstrate that l(1)TW-6cs is an antimorphic allele of nod, and we rename it nodDTW. Sequencing of the nod locus on a nodDTW-bearing chromosome reveals a single base change in the putative ATP-binding region of the motor domain of nod. Recessive, loss-of-function mutations at the nod locus specifically disrupt the segregation of nonexchange chromosomes in female meiosis. We demonstrate that, at 23.5 degrees, the meiotic defects in nodDTW/+ females are similar to those observed in nod/nod females; that is, the segregation of nonexchange chromosomes is abnormal. However, in nodDTW/nodDTW females, or in nodDTW/+ females at 18 degrees, we observe a more severe meiotic defect that apparently affects the segregation of both exchange and nonexchange chromosomes. In addition, nodDTW homozygotes and hemizygous males have previously been shown to exhibit mitotic defects including somatic chromosome breakage and loss. We propose that the defective protein encoded by the nodDTW allele interferes with proper chromosome movement during both meiosis and mitosis, perhaps by binding irreversibly to microtubules.     

Horizontal Transfer of Archaeal Genes into the Deinococcaceae: Detection by Molecular and Computer-Based Approaches

Members of the Deinococcaceae (e.g., Thermus, Meiothermus, Deinococcus) contain A/V-ATPases typically found in Archaea or Eukaryotes which were probably acquired by horizontal gene transfer. Two methods were used to quantify the extent to which archaeal or eukaryotic genes have been acquired by this lineage. Screening of a Meiothermus ruber library with probes made against Thermoplasma acidophilum DNA yielded a number of clones which hybridized more strongly than background. One of these contained the prolyl tRNA synthetase (RS) gene. Phylogenetic analysis shows the M. ruber and D. radiodurans prolyl RS to be more closely related to archaeal and eukaryal forms of this gene than to the typical bacterial type. Using a bioinformatics approach, putative open reading frames (ORFs) from the prerelease version of the D. radiodurans genome were screened for genes more closely related to archaeal or eukaryotic genes. Putative ORFs were searched against representative genomes from each of the three domains using automated BLAST. ORFs showing the highest matches against archaeal and eukaryotic genes were collected and ranked. Among the top-ranked hits were the A/V-ATPase catalytic and noncatalytic subunits and the prolyl RS genes. Using phylogenetic methods, ORFs were analyzed and trees assessed for evidence of horizontal gene transfer. Of the 45 genes examined, 20 showed topologies in which D. radiodurans homologues clearly group with eukaryotic or archaeal homologues, and 17 additional trees were found to show probable evidence of horizontal gene transfer. Compared to the total number of ORFs in the genome, those that can be identified as having been acquired from Archaea or Eukaryotes are relatively few (approximately 1%), suggesting that interdomain transfer is rare.     

香港嘉道理农场次生林区碰撞诱捕网和黑光灯捕虫器采集所得鞘翅目甲虫多样性比较

本文根据1990-1995年在香港嘉道理农场次生林区采集的昆虫标本,首次分析了鞘翅目及其优势科的种类、数量和季节性变化,以及由碰撞诱捕网和黑光灯捕虫器采集所得甲虫在种类、数量和季节性上的差异。在13260号标本中,已鉴定到科的有13253号,分属45科,231种。其中,朽木甲科(Alleculidae)、毛蕈甲科(Biphyllidae)、丸甲科(Byrrhidae)、坚甲科(Colydiidae)、拟球甲科(Corylophidae)、隐食甲科(Cryptophagidae)、水缨甲科(Hydroscaphidae)、伪叶甲科(Lagliidae)、薪甲科(Lathridiidae)、泽甲科(Limnichidae)、黑蕈甲科(Zopheridae)等11个科为香港地区的首次报道,约占本次调查科总数的25％。分析表明：(1)该次生林区的鞘翅目甲虫以蛀木性为主。天牛科(Cerambycidae)、瓢虫科(Coccinellidae)、象甲科(Curculionidae)、花蚤科(Mordellidae)、金龟甲科(Scarabaeidae)、小蠹科(Scolytidae)等6科均为多样性较高(种类≥15或者个体数量≥200)的优势科。(2)鞘翅目个体数量季节性明显,每年自2月开始数量逐渐增加,6—7月为甲虫发生的高峰期,8月显著减少。各优势科甲虫的季节性也存在一定的差异,庞大的小蠹标本数量(85％)说明在此调查期间该科正处于大发生时期。(3)黑光灯捕虫器所捕的甲虫科类和种类较之碰撞诱捕网所捕不尽相同,黑光灯捕虫器所捕的甲虫数量发生高峰期比碰撞诱捕网所捕的甲虫提前一个月。(4)各项多样性指数对不同捕虫器采集所得鞘翅目的测度差异明显,黑光灯捕虫器所捕甲虫的多样度和均匀度指数高于碰撞诱捕网。     

Direct Regulation of Nephrin Tyrosine Phosphorylation by Nck Adaptor Proteins

The transmembrane protein nephrin is a key component of the kidney slit diaphragm that contributes to the morphology of podocyte foot processes through signaling to the underlying actin cytoskeleton. We have recently reported that tyrosine phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic tail of nephrin facilitates recruitment of Nck SH2/SH3 adaptor proteins and subsequent actin remodeling and that phosphorylation of the Nck binding sites on nephrin is decreased during podocyte injury. We now demonstrate that Nck directly modulates nephrin phosphorylation through formation of a signaling complex with the Src family kinase Fyn. The ability of Nck to enhance nephrin phosphorylation is compromised in the presence of a Src family kinase inhibitor and when the SH3 domains of Nck are mutated. Furthermore, induced loss of Nck expression in podocytes in vivo is associated with a rapid reduction in nephrin tyrosine phosphorylation. Our results suggest that Nck may facilitate dynamic signaling events at the slit diaphragm by promoting Fyn-dependent phosphorylation of nephrin, which may be important in the regulation of foot process morphology and response to podocyte injury.