The roles of WRN and BLM RecQ helicases in the Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres

Approximately 10% of all cancers, but a higher proportion of sarcomas, use the recombination-based alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) to maintain telomeres. Two RecQ helicase genes, BLM and WRN, play important roles in homologous recombination repair and they have been implicated in telomeric recombination activity, but their precise roles in ALT are unclear. Using analysis of sequence variation present in human telomeres, we found that a WRN– ALT+ cell line lacks the class of complex telomere mutations attributed to inter-telomeric recombination in other ALT+ cell lines. This suggests that WRN facilitates inter-telomeric recombination when there are sequence differences between the donor and recipient molecules or that sister-telomere interactions are suppressed in the presence of WRN and this promotes inter-telomeric recombination. Depleting BLM in the WRN– ALT+ cell line increased the mutation frequency at telomeres and at the MS32 minisatellite, which is a marker of ALT. The absence of complex telomere mutations persisted in BLM-depleted clones, and there was a clear increase in sequence homogenization across the telomere and MS32 repeat arrays. These data indicate that BLM suppresses unequal sister chromatid interactions that result in excessive homogenization at MS32 and at telomeres in ALT+ cells.     

Alkylphenol hydroxylases in the oxidation of p-cresol, 4-ethylphenol and 4-n-propylphenol by Pseudomonas putida JD1

Abstract Growth of Pseudomonas putida JD1 on 4-ethylphenol results in the production of the flavocytochrome c, 4-ethylphenol methylenehydroxylase. Both p -cresol and 4- n -propylphenol are substrates for this enzyme. 4-Ethylphenol methylenehydroxylase is also produced by the organism when grown with 4- n -propylphenol. However, when grown with p -cresol, a different hydroxylase is produced which shows greater activity towards p -cresol than towards 4-ethylphenol, and is not active towards 4- n -propylphenol.     

Hierarchical down-modulation of hemopoietic growth factor receptors

Granulocytes and macrophages can be produced in vitro when progenitor cells from mouse bone marrow are stimulated by any of four distinct colony stimulating factors, Multi-CSF (IL-3), GM-CSF, G-CSF, and M-CSF (CSF-1). At 0 degrees C the four CSFs do not cross-compete for binding to bone marrow cells, indicating that each has a specific cell surface receptor. However, at 21 degrees C or 37 degrees C, Multi-CSF inhibits binding of the other three CSFs and GM-CSF inhibits binding of G-CSF and M-CSF. Rather than competing directly for receptor binding, the binding of Multi-CSF, GM-CSF, or G-CSF to their own receptor induces the down-modulation (and thus activation) of other CSF receptors at 37 degrees C. The pattern and potency of down-modulation activity exhibited by each type of CSF parallels the pattern and potency of its biological activity. We propose a model in which the biological interactions of the four CSFs are explained by their ability to down-modulate and activate lineage-specific receptors.     

Diethyl phthalate, a chemotactic factor secreted by Helicobacter pylori.

The structure of a small-molecule, non-peptide chemotactic factor has been determined from activity purified to apparent homogeneity from Helicobacter pylori supernatants. H. pylori was grown in brucella broth media until one liter of solution had 0.9 absorbance units. The culture was centrifuged, and the bacteria re-suspended in physiological saline and incubated at 37 degrees C for 4 h. A monocyte migration bioassay revealed the presence of a single active chemotactic factor in the supernatant from this incubation. The chemotactic factor was concentrated by solid phase chromatography and purified by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. The factor was shown to be indistinguishable from diethyl phthalate (DEP) on the basis of multiple criteria including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electron impact mass spectroscopy, UV visible absorption spectrometry, GC and high pressure liquid chromatography retention times, and chemotactic activity toward monocytes. Control experiments with incubated culture media without detectable bacteria did not yield detectable DEP, suggesting it is bacterially derived. It is not known if the bacteria produce diethyl phthalate de novo or if it is a metabolic product of a precursor molecule present in culture media. DEP produced by H. pylori in addition to DEP present in man-made products may contribute to the high levels of DEP metabolites observed in human urine. DEP represents a new class of chemotactic factor.