Identification of a novel member of the T1R family of putative taste receptors

In the gustatory system, the recognition of sugars, amino acids and bitter-tasting compounds is the function of specialized G protein-coupled receptors. Recently, two members of novel subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors were proposed to function as taste receptors based on their specific expression in taste receptor cells. Here, we report the identification of a third member, T1R3, of this family of receptors. T1R3 maps near the telomere of mouse chromosome 4 rendering it a candidate for the Sac locus, a primary determinant of sweet preference in mice. Consistent with its candidacy for the Sac locus, T1R3 displays taste receptor cell-specific expression. In addition, taster and non-taster strains of mouse harbor different alleles of T1R3.     

A locus for circadian period of locomotor activity on mouse proximal chromosome 3

Lengthened circadian period of locomotor activity is a characteristic of a congenic strain of mice carrying a nonsense mutation in exon 5 of the carbonic anhydrase II gene, car2. The null mutation in car2 is located on a DBA/2J inbred strain insert on proximal chromosome 3, on an otherwise C57BL/6J genomic background. Since reducing the size of the congenic region would narrow the possible candidate genes for period, two recombinant congenic strains (R1 and R2) were developed from the original congenic strain. These new congenic strains were assessed for period, genetic composition, and the presence of immunoreactive carbonic anhydrase II. R1 mice were homozygous DBA/2J for the distal portion of the original DBA/2J insert, while R2 mice were homozygous DBA/2J for the proximal portion. R1 mice had a significantly lengthened period compared to R2 mice and wild-type C57BL/6J mice, indicating that the gene(s) affecting period is likely found within the reduced DBA/2J insert (~1 cM) in the R1 mice. The R1 mice also possessed the null mutation in car2. This study confirmed the presence of a gene(s) affecting period on proximal chromosome 3 and significantly reduced the size of the congenic region and the number of candidate genes. Future studies will focus on identifying the gene influencing period.     

The Influence of Spike Rate and Stimulus Duration on Noradrenergic Neurons

We model spiking neurons in locus coeruleus (LC), a brain nucleus involved in modulating cognitive performance, and compare with recent experimental data. Extracellular recordings from LC of monkeys performing target detection and selective attention tasks show varying responses dependent on stimuli and performance accuracy. From membrane voltage and ion channel equations, we derive a phase oscillator model for LC neurons. Average spiking probabilities of a pool of cells over many trials are then computed via a probability density formulation. These show that: (1) Post-stimulus response is elevated in populations with lower spike rates; (2) Responses decay exponentially due to noise and variable pre-stimulus spike rates; and (3) Shorter stimuli preferentially cause depressed post-activation spiking. These results allow us to propose mechanisms for the different LC responses observed across behavioral and task conditions, and to make explicit the role of baseline firing rates and the duration of task-related inputs in determining LC response.     

蓝斑核调制电刺激包钦格复合体引起的吸气抑制效应

实验选用成年健康家兔,用乌拉坦麻醉,以膈神经放电为指标,观察了电刺激和化学刺激脑桥蓝斑核对延髓包钦格复合体吸气抑制效应的影响。结果观察到:(1)长串电刺激蓝斑核后,在一定时间之内电刺激包钦格复合体所导致的膈神经放电抑制效应明显减弱,与对照组(仅刺激包钦格复合体)相比,抑制程度减弱(28.78 ±19.49)%。(2)蓝斑核内微量注射谷氨酸钠后,电刺激包钦格复合体导致的膈神经放电抑制效应明显减弱,与对照组相比,抑制程度减弱(19.18 ±8.06)%,与长串电刺激蓝斑核的效应一致。这些结果提示,蓝斑核对包钦格复合体吸气抑制效应具有调制作用。     

Novel procedures for high-throughput analysis of a frequent insertion-deletion polymorphism in the human T-cell receptor beta locus

The human T-cell receptor beta locus (TRB) contains two frequent insertion-deletion polymorphisms. In one, the insertion comprises two functional variable beta genes, TRBV6-2/TRBV6-3 and TRBV4-3, and the pseudogene TRBV3-2. Deletion of these TRBV genes may confer resistance and/or susceptibility to autoimmunity, analogously to findings in rodent models. Curiously, the TRBV domains in the insertion react with the HERV-K18 superantigen associated with type 1 diabetes. While this region has been extensively characterized before, typing methods compatible with high-throughput analysis are not yet available. Here, two novel procedures are reported that are suitable for large-scale association analysis of this polymorphism. One features a duplex TaqMan 5-exonuclease assay that quantifies the gene dosage of TRBV3-2 present at 0, 1 or 2 copies, with its closely related diploid relative TRBV3-1 as an internal reference, using the 2^-C_T method. The other technique consists of two complementary long PCRs with primers specific for unique regions in the locus. The first discriminates individuals heterozygous or homozygous for the deletion, and the second, individuals heterozygous or homozygous for the insertion from other genotypes. These simple, solid, and cross-validated procedures can now be used in conjunction with flanking single-nucleotide polymorphisms for large-scale linkage studies.     

Non-methylated Genomic Sites Coincidence Cloning (NGSCC): an approach to large scale analysis of hypomethylated CpG patterns at predetermined genomic loci

We have developed a new approach to the analysis of hypomethylated CpG patterns within predetermined, megabase long, genome regions. The approach, which we term Non-methylated Genomic Sites Coincidence Cloning (NGSCC), includes three main steps. First, total genomic DNA is digested with a methylation sensitive restriction endonuclease, such as Hpa II or Hha I. Then the fragments corresponding to the genomic area of interest are selected. To this end the fragmented genome DNA is hybridized with a mixture of clones (BACs, cosmids etc.) representing a given region and digested with the same restriction enzyme(s). A special version of the coincidence cloning procedure was developed to make this hybridization selection highly efficient and specific. Finally, fragments of the locus under study are mapped and sequenced. The technique proved to be efficient and specific. As a test, it was applied to the analysis of hypomethylated CpG patterns along the 1-Mb D19S208-COX7A1 (Chr 19q13.12) locus, on human chromosome 19, in normal testis and in seminoma tissues. Some differences in the distribution of hypomethylated CpGs between the two tissues were demonstrated. The methylation profiles in both tissues revealed a clear trend to clustering of non-methylated sites. We also analyzed the expression of genes located within hypomethylated clusters in both tissues. It was shown that, whereas the expression of some of the genes investigated was correlated with hypomethylation of the region, other genes were expressed regardless of their methylation status. NGSCC thus promises to be a useful approach for the analysis of the role of dynamic epigenetic factors in genome function.Communicated by G. P. Georgiev     

Genetics of drought adaptation in Arabidopsis thaliana: I. Pleiotropy contributes to genetic correlations among ecological traits

We examined patterns of genetic variance and covariance in two traits (i) carbon stable isotope ratio delta13C (dehydration avoidance) and (ii) time to flowering (drought escape), both of which are putative adaptations to local water availability. Greenhouse screening of 39 genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana native to habitats spanning a wide range of climatic conditions, revealed a highly significant positive genetic correlation between delta13C and flowering time. Studies in a range of C3 annuals have also reported large positive correlations, suggesting the presence of a genetically based trade-off between mechanisms of dehydration avoidance (delta13C) and drought escape (early flowering). We examined the contribution of pleiotropy by using a combination of mutant and near-isogenic lines to test for positive mutational covariance between delta13C and flowering time. Ecophysiological mutants generally showed variation in delta13C but not flowering time. However, flowering time mutants generally demonstrated pleiotropic effects consistent with natural variation. Mutations that caused later flowering also typically resulted in less negative delta13C and thus probably higher water use efficiency. We found strong evidence for pleiotropy using near-isogenic lines of Frigida and Flowering locus C, cloned loci known to be responsible for natural variation in flowering time. These data suggest the correlated evolution of delta13C and flowering time is explained in part by the fixation of pleiotropic alleles that alter both delta13C and time to flowering.     

Noradrenergic depletion increases inflammatory responses in brain: effects on IkappaB and HSP70 expression

The inflammatory responses in many cell types are reduced by noradrenaline (NA) binding to beta-adrenergic receptors. We previously demonstrated that cortical inflammatory responses to aggregated amyloid beta (Abeta) are increased if NA levels were first depleted by lesioning locus ceruleus (LC) noradrenergic neurons, which replicates the loss of LC occurring in Alzheimer's disease. To examine the molecular basis for increased responses, we used the selective neurotoxin DSP4 to lesion the LC, and then examined levels of putative anti-inflammatory molecules. Inflammatory responses were achieved by injection of aggregated Abeta1-42 peptide and IL-1beta into frontal cortex, which induced neuronal inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and microglial IL-1beta expression. DSP4-treatment reduced basal levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) inhibitory IkappaB proteins, and of heat shock protein (HSP)70. Inflammatory responses were prevented by co-injection (ibuprofen or ciglitzaone) or oral administration (pioglitazone) of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonists. Treatment with PPARgamma agonists restored IkappaBalpha, IkappaBbeta, and HSP70 levels to values equal or above those observed in control animals, and reduced activation of cortical NF-kappaB. These results suggest that noradrenergic depletion reduces levels of anti-inflammatory molecules which normally limit cortical responses to Abeta, and that PPARgamma agonists can reverse that effect. These findings suggest one mechanism by which PPARgamma agonists could provide benefit in neurological diseases having an inflammatory component.