The pericentriolar material in Chinese hamster ovary cells nucleates microtubule formation

The structure and function of the centrosomes from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were investigated by electron microscopy of negatively stained wholemount preparations of cell lysates. Cells were trypsinized from culture dishes, lysed with Triton X-100, sedimented onto ionized, carbon-coated grids, and negatively stained with phosphotungstate. The centrosomes from both interphase and dividing cells consisted of pairs of centrioles, a fibrous pericentriolar material, and a group of virus-like particles which were characteristic of the CHO cells and which served as markers for the pericentriolar material. Interphase centrosomes anchored up to two dozen microtubules when cells were lysed under conditions which preserved native microtubules. When Colcemid-blocked mitotic cells, initially devoid of microtubules, were allowed to recover for 10 min, microtubules formed at the pericentriolar material, but not at the centrioles. When lysates of Colcemid-blocked cells were incubated in vitro with micotubule protein purified from porcine brain tissue, up to 250 microtubules assembled at the centrosomes, similar to the number of microtubules that would normally form at the centrosome during cell division. A few microtubules could also be assembled in vitro onto the ends of isolated centrioles from which the pericentriolar material had been removed, forming characteristic axoneme- like bundles. In addition, microtubules; were assembled onto fragments of densely staining, fibrous material which was tentatively identified as periocentriolar material by its association of CHO can initiate and anchor microtubules both in vivo and in vitro.     

Molecular portrait of human kidney carcinomas: the gene expression profiling of protein-tyrosine kinases and tyrosine phosphatases which controlled regulatory signals in the cells

Hybridization with cDNA arrays was used to obtain expression profiles of 214 protein-tyrosine kinase, protein-tyrosine phosphatase, dual-specific phosphatase, and other genes for kidney carcinomas (KC) and normal kidney tissues of 34 patients and for seven carcinoma cell lines. Computer analysis revealed three clusters of genes coexpressed in KC. A proliferating-cell gene cluster included MET, VIM, MYC, TOP2A, PCNA, etc. A neoangiogenesis and blood-cell gene cluster included LCK, HCK, FGR, MMP9, CSFR1, VEGF, FLT1, and KDR. A cluster corresponding to normal, differentiated kidney cells included ERBB2 (HER2) for receptor protein-tyrosine kinase, several phosphatase genes (PTPRE, PTPRB, DUSP9), and EGF. The results suggested that MET, DUSP9, PCNA, TOP2A, and VIM may serve as diagnostic and prognostic markers in KC. Tubulin and topoisomerase II were assumed to be promising targets for cell proliferation inhibitors in KC.     

Dynamics and genetic determination of transformation of alpha macroglobulins allogroups in different populations of domestic pigs

The results of genetic studies of transformation of alpha-macroglobullin (AM) allogroups (i.e., fixed allotype combinations) in pigs are presented. Population and hybridization studies showed that the phenomenon discovered was based on activation/inactivation of the AMI allotype expression, which depended on the genetic environment and interlocus relationships. Genetic and selection bases, as well as the significance of the transformation phenomenon described, are discussed.     

Discordance and cosegregation of swine halothane susceptibility and 1843 C-T mutation of their RYR1 locus responsible for the ryanodine receptor

In two Siberian swine populations, the halothane test and PCR were used to determine the halothane susceptibility of the animals and to reveal a point mutation in their RYR1 gene, respectively. No correlations were found between the halothane susceptibility of an animal and the presence or absence of a point mutation at its RYR1 locus. However, the population changes in halothane susceptibility and the frequency of the mutation proved to be unidirectional. In the studied swine populations, the halothane-susceptible animals had no hyperthermia and the frequencies of their Hal and RYR1 genes changed similarly. These phenomena along with the phylogenesis of malignant hyperthermia and the porcine stress syndromes (PSS) in different breeds are discussed. In the populations studied, PSS is suggested to be under the polygenic control.     

啤酒酵母菌的细胞融合

啤酒多倍体酵母菌原生质体已成功地与单倍体原生质体进行融合。经细胞壁再生后,稳定的融合重组体被分离出来。这些融合体的基因分析表明,融合体中含有双亲的基因型。孢子形成良好,且每个子囊中含有四个孢子,每个孢子确实是二倍体。这样原生质体融合就提供了一个对啤酒酿造酵母进行遗传分析的方法。但是如果没有一个方便的杂交技术,这个方法将是很困难的。     

Decreased gene expression from T7 promoters may be due to impaired production of active T7 RNA polymerase

Background  

Protein expression vectors that utilize the bacteriophage T7 polymerase/promoter system are capable of very high levels of protein production. Frequently, however, expression from these vectors does not reliably achieve optimal levels of protein production. Strategies have been proposed previously that successfully maintain high expression levels, however we sought to determine the cause of induction failure.     

Inheritance of hypodontia in Kerry Blue Terrier dogs

Integral segregation analysis, which earlier proved efficient in studying complex hereditary diseases in humans and have been introduced in animal genetics for several years, was used to analyze the inheritance of hypodontia by premolars in Kerry Blue Terrier dogs. Dental formulas have been determined in 598 out of 911 animals united into a single large, complex pedigree. The results of integrated segregation analysis indicated heterogeneous genetic control of different forms of hypodontia. The geneses of different premolars in dogs have been demonstrated to be described by different models of inheritance: the absence of the second premolars can be described by the recessive major-gene model, whereas the agenesis of the fourth premolars have a more complex genetic mechanism and cannot be described by the model of a simple major-gene control.     

Sex differences in the rate of fatigue development and recovery

Background

Many musculoskeltal injuries in the workplace have been attributed to the repetitive loading of muscle and soft tissues. It is not disputed that muscular fatigue is a risk factor for musculoskeltal injury, however the disparity between gender with respect to muscular fatigability and rate of recovery is not well understood. Current health and safety guidelines do not account for sex differences in fatiguability and may be predisposing one gender to greater risk. The purpose of this study was to quantify the sex differences in fatigue development and recovery rate of lower and upper body musculature after repeated bouts of sustained isometric contractions.

Methods

Twenty-seven healthy males (n = 12) and females (n = 15) underwent bilateral localized fatigue of either the knee extensors (male: n = 8; female: n = 8), elbow flexors (male: n = 8; female: n = 10), or both muscle groups. The fatigue protocol consisted of ten 30-second sub-maximal isometric contractions. The changes in maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), electrically evoked twitches, and motor unit activation (MUA) were assessed along with the ability to control the sustained contractions (SLP) during the fatigue protocol using a mixed four-factor repeated measures ANOVA (gender × side × muscle × time) design with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results

There was a significant loss of MVC, MUA, and evoked twitch amplitude from pre- to post-fatigue in both the arms and legs. Males had greater relative loss of isometric force, a higher rate of fatigue development, and were less capable of maintaining the fatiguing contractions in the legs when compared to the females.

Conclusion

The nature of the induced fatigue was a combination of central and peripheral fatigue that did not fully recover over a 45-minute period. The results appear to reflect sex differences that are peripheral, and partially support the muscle mass hypothesis for explaining differences in muscular fatigue.