scholarly journals DILUTION KINETIC STUDIES OF YEAST POPULATIONS: IN VIVO AGGREGATION OF GALACTOSE UTILIZING ENZYMES AND POSITIVE REGULATOR MOLECULES

Genetics ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-505
Author(s):  
Shinji Tsuyumu ◽  
Bruce G Adams

ABSTRACT By use of a selective medium containing ethidium bromide, population analyses of yeast galactose long-term adaptation mutants (gal3) in the process of deadaptation in the absence of galactose have been performed. The analysis of diploid strains homozygous for the gal3 locus but heterozygous for different combinations of the other mutant galactose loci, which thus have reduced amounts of the gene products of those loci, have demonstrated that, in addition to the two permease units determined in a previous study, a cell requires one complex of the Leloir pathway enzymes and two complexes specified by the Gal4 locus to be readily induced. From the consideration of these complexes as being aggregated molecules which are diluted out as units (i.e., if such a molecule were a dimer, it would not dissociate into monomers) during cell growth, the in vivo aggregation of these enzymes and the Gal4 gene product could be studied. The data indicate that the function of the Gal4 gene product is to activate a Leloir enzyme complex. It is postulated that the gal3 phenotype is the result of such strains' inability to actively synthesize an endogenous co-inducer which allows wild-type cells to be readily induced upon exposure to galactose

2008 ◽  
Vol 82 (17) ◽  
pp. 8500-8508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyan Li ◽  
Kazufumi Ikuta ◽  
John W. Sixbey ◽  
Scott A. Tibbetts

ABSTRACT Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (γHV68 or MHV68) is genetically related to the human gammaherpesviruses Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), providing a useful system for in vivo studies of the virus-host relationship. To begin to address fundamental questions about the mechanisms of the establishment of gammaherpesvirus latency, we previously generated a replication-defective γHV68 lacking the expression of the single-stranded DNA binding protein encoded by orf6. In work presented here, we demonstrate that this mutant virus established a long-term infection in vivo that was molecularly identical to wild-type virus latency. Thus, despite the absence of an acute phase of lytic replication, the mutant virus established a chronic infection in which the viral genome (i) was maintained as an episome and (ii) expressed latency-associated, but not lytic replication-associated, genes. Macrophages purified from mice infected with the replication-defective virus harbored viral genome at a frequency that was nearly identical to that of wild-type γHV68; however, the frequency of B cells harboring viral genome was greatly reduced in the absence of lytic replication. Thus, this replication-defective gammaherpesvirus efficiently established in vivo infection in macrophages that was molecularly indistinguishable from wild-type virus latency. These data point to a critical role for lytic replication or reactivation in the establishment or maintenance of latent infection in B cells.


2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (11) ◽  
pp. 6589-6596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricky L. Ulrich ◽  
David DeShazer ◽  
Harry B. Hines ◽  
Jeffrey A. Jeddeloh

ABSTRACT Numerous gram-negative bacterial pathogens regulate virulence factor expression by using a cell density mechanism termed quorum sensing (QS). An in silico analysis of the Burkholderia mallei ATCC 23344 genome revealed that it encodes at least two luxI and four luxR homologues. Using mass spectrometry, we showed that wild-type B. mallei produces the signaling molecules N-octanoyl-homoserine lactone and N-decanoyl-homoserine lactone. To determine if QS is involved in the virulence of B. mallei, we generated mutations in each putative luxIR homologue and tested the pathogenicities of the derivative strains in aerosol BALB/c mouse and intraperitoneal hamster models. Disruption of the B. mallei QS alleles, especially in RJ16 (bmaII) and RJ17 (bmaI3), which are luxI mutants, significantly reduced virulence, as indicated by the survival of mice who were aerosolized with 104 CFU (10 50% lethal doses [LD50s]). For the B. mallei transcriptional regulator mutants (luxR homologues), mutation of the bmaR5 allele resulted in the most pronounced decrease in virulence, with 100% of the challenged animals surviving a dose of 10 LD50s. Using a Syrian hamster intraperitoneal model of infection, we determined the LD50s for wild-type B. mallei and each QS mutant. An increase in the relative LD50 was found for RJ16 (bmaI1) (>967 CFU), RJ17 (bmaI3) (115 CFU), and RJ20 (bmaR5) (151 CFU) compared to wild-type B. mallei (<13 CFU). These findings demonstrate that B. mallei carries multiple luxIR homologues that either directly or indirectly regulate the biosynthesis of an essential virulence factor(s) that contributes to the pathogenicity of B. mallei in vivo.


Endocrinology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 153 (9) ◽  
pp. 4181-4191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. DeBosch ◽  
Maggie Chi ◽  
Kelle H. Moley

Enterocyte fructose absorption is a tightly regulated process that precedes the deleterious effects of excess dietary fructose in mammals. Glucose transporter (GLUT)8 is a glucose/fructose transporter previously shown to be expressed in murine intestine. The in vivo function of GLUT8, however, remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate enhanced fructose-induced fructose transport in both in vitro and in vivo models of enterocyte GLUT8 deficiency. Fructose exposure stimulated [14C]-fructose uptake and decreased GLUT8 protein abundance in Caco2 colonocytes, whereas direct short hairpin RNA-mediated GLUT8 knockdown also stimulated fructose uptake. To assess GLUT8 function in vivo, we generated GLUT8-deficient (GLUT8KO) mice. GLUT8KO mice exhibited significantly greater jejunal fructose uptake at baseline and after high-fructose diet (HFrD) feeding vs. wild-type mice. Strikingly, long-term HFrD feeding in GLUT8KO mice exacerbated fructose-induced increases in blood pressure, serum insulin, low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol vs. wild-type controls. Enhanced fructose uptake paralleled with increased abundance of the fructose and glucose transporter, GLUT12, in HFrD-fed GLUT8KO mouse enterocytes and in Caco2 cultures exposed to high-fructose medium. We conclude that GLUT8 regulates enterocyte fructose transport by regulating GLUT12, and that disrupted GLUT8 function has deleterious long-term metabolic sequelae. GLUT8 may thus represent a modifiable target in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition or the metabolic syndrome.


Genetics ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 881-896
Author(s):  
John M Belote

ABSTRACT The male-specific lethal mutations (msl's) identify loci whose wild-type gene products are essential for male, but not female, viability. Earlier studies in which X-linked gene activities were monitored in msl/msl male larvae demonstrated that these genes are responsible for setting and/or maintaining the level of X chromosome transcription in males (i.e., they are necessary for proper dosage compensation). The present study examines several important questions concerning their mode of action during development—The results of an examination of the effects of an msl-1 deficiency on male-lethal phase and female viability suggest that this mutation is an amorph, or a severe hypomorph. The effects of rendering a fly mutant for more than one male-lethal mutation were also examined. Multiply mutant flies were no more severely affected than singly mutant ones. A gynandromorph analysis revealed that the male-limited lethality associated with msl-2 has no single lethal focus. Somatic clones of homozygous msl-2 cells were initiated at various times during development by X-ray-induced mitotic recombination. An examination of the viability, growth patterns and morphology of marked clones demonstrated that: (1) msl-2  + acts in a cell autonomous manner, (2) msl-2  + function is required not only in larval (polytene) cells as was shown in previous work but is also needed in the diploid cells that give rise to adult structures, (3) the msl-2  + gene is needed fairly late in development and perhaps continuously, (4) the msl-2 mutation does not affect sexual differentiation.


Blood ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1460-1462 ◽  
Author(s):  
ME Pietrzyk ◽  
GV Priestley ◽  
NS Wolf

It was found in a long-term bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) infusion study that two or more different subpopulations of bone marrow stem cells exist in mice. One of these subpopulations appears to be noncycling and forms approximately 10% of eight-day CFU-S. Another one, a subpopulation of slowly cycling bone marrow cells, is represented as 14- day CFU-S. The 14-day CFU-S have a regular increment in the percentage of the subpopulation entering the cycle over time, with a cell generation half-time of 21 days. The cycling status in these experiments was ascertained by in vivo continuous long-term BrdU infusion. An improved method is presented for long-term BrdU infusion with UV killing of cycled cells.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (13) ◽  
pp. 4283-4287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Si ◽  
Samantha Ciccone ◽  
Feng-Chun Yang ◽  
Jin Yuan ◽  
Daisy Zeng ◽  
...  

Abstract Fanconi anemia (FA) is a heterogeneous genetic disorder characterized by bone marrow (BM) failure and cancer susceptibility. Identification of the cDNAs of FA complementation types allows the potential of using gene transfer technology to introduce functional cDNAs as transgenes into autologous stem cells and provide a cure for the BM failure in FA patients. However, strategies to enhance the mobilization, transduction, and engraftment of exogenous stem cells are required to optimize efficacy prior to widespread clinical use. Hypersensitivity of Fancc–/– cells to interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a nongenotoxic immune-regulatory cytokine, enhances engraftment of syngeneic wild-type (WT) cells in Fancc–/– mice. However, whether this phenotype is of broad relevance in other FA complementation groups is unresolved. Here we show that primitive and mature myeloid progenitors in Fanca–/– and Fancg–/– mice are hypersensitive to IFN-γ and that in vivo infusion of IFN-γ at clinically relevant concentrations was sufficient to allow consistent long-term engraftment of isogenic WT repopulating stem cells. Given that FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG complementation groups account for more than 90% of all FA patients, these data provide evidence that IFN-γ conditioning may be a useful nongenotoxic strategy for myelopreparation in FA patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matti Jalasvuori

ABSTRACT Air carries a vast number of bacteria and viruses over great distances all the time. This leads to continuous introduction of foreign genetic material to local, established microbial communities. In this perspective, I ask whether this silent rain may have a slowing effect on the overall evolutionary rates in the microbial biosphere. Arguably, the greater the genetic divergence between gene ‘donors’ and ‘recipients’, the greater the chance that the gene product has a deleterious epistatic interaction with other gene products in its genetic environment. This is due to the long-term absence of check for mutual compatibility. As such, if an organism is extensively different from other bacteria, genetic innovations are less probable to fit to the genome. Here, genetic innovation would be anything that elevates the fitness of the gene vehicle (e.g. bacterium) over its contemporaries. Adopted innovations increase the fitness of the compatible genome over incompatible ones, thus possibly tempering the pace at which mutations accumulate in existing genomes over generations. I further discuss the transfer of bacteriophages through atmosphere and potential effects that this may have on local dynamics and perhaps phage survival.


2002 ◽  
Vol 227 (6) ◽  
pp. 398-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianping Qiu ◽  
Lonny R. Levin ◽  
Jochen Buck ◽  
Marcus M. Reidenberg

Gossypol, a polyphenolic, aldehyde-containing constituent of cottonseed, produced partial responses (>50% reduction in tumor size) in some patients with advanced cancer and suppressed sperm as an antifertility agent for men. This action in vivo and its novel side effect profile suggest a specific mechanism of the action of gossypol. Using the random homozygous knockout approach of Li and Cohen (1), we developed a cell line resistant to killing by gossypol, but sensitive to methotrexate and doxorubicin. It showed stereospecific resistance to killing by (–) gossypol (ED50 4.9 μM) compared with wild type (ED50 2.0 μM). The resistant and wild-type cells were equally sensitive to (+) gossypol (ED50 8.8 and 8.4 μM, respectively), methotrexate, and doxyrubicin. We conclude that gossypol affects cells by a stereospecific pathway for (–) gossypol, possibly related to its selective effects, and a nonstereospecific pathway for (+) gossypol and higher concentrations of (-) gossypol. Further knowledge about the stereospecific pathway may lead to new therapeutic drugs.


1998 ◽  
Vol 188 (8) ◽  
pp. 1485-1492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damo Xu ◽  
Woon Ling Chan ◽  
Bernard P. Leung ◽  
David Hunter ◽  
Kerstin Schulz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Helper ◽  
Th2 Cell ◽  
A Cell ◽  

Interleukin (IL)-18 induces interferon (IFN)-γ synthesis and synergizes with IL-12 in T helper type 1 (Th1) but not Th2 cell development. We report here that IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) is selectively expressed on murine Th1 but not Th2 cells. IL-18R mRNA was expressed constitutively and consistently in long-term cultured clones, as well as on newly polarized Th1 but not Th2 cells. IL-18 sustained the expression of IL-12Rβ2 mRNA, indicating that IL-18R transmits signals that maintain Th1 development through the IL-12R complex. In turn, IL-12 upregulated IL-18R mRNA. Antibody against an IL-18R–derived peptide bound Th1 but not Th2 clones. It also labeled polarized Th1 but not Th2 cells derived from naive ovalbumin–T cell antigen receptor-αβ transgenic mice (D011.10). Anti–IL-18R antibody inhibited IL-18– induced IFN-γ production by Th1 clones in vitro. In vivo, anti–IL-18R antibody reduced local inflammation and lipopolysaccharide-induced mortality in mice. This was accompanied by shifting the balance from Th1 to Th2 responses, manifest as decreased IFN-γ and proinflammatory cytokine production and increased IL-4 and IL-5 synthesis. Therefore, these data provide a direct mechanism for the selective effect of IL-18 on Th1 but not Th2 cells. They also show that the synergistic effect of IL-12 and IL-18 on Th1 development may be due to the reciprocal upregulation of their receptors. Furthermore, IL-18R is a cell surface marker distinguishing Th1 from Th2 cells and may be a therapeutic target.


2009 ◽  
Vol 77 (10) ◽  
pp. 4371-4382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier A. Carrero ◽  
Boris Calderon ◽  
Hector Vivanco-Cid ◽  
Emil R. Unanue

ABSTRACT Listeriolysin O (LLO) is an essential virulence factor for the gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Our goal was to determine if altering the topology of LLO would alter the virulence and toxicity of L. monocytogenes in vivo. A recombinant strain was generated that expressed a surface-associated LLO (sLLO) variant secreted at 40-fold-lower levels than the wild type. In culture, the sLLO strain grew in macrophages, translocated to the cytosol, and induced cell death. However, the sLLO strain showed decreased infectivity, reduced lymphocyte apoptosis, and decreased virulence despite a normal in vitro phenotype. Thus, the topology of LLO in L. monocytogenes was a factor in the pathogenesis of the infection and points to a role of LLO secretion during in vivo infection. The sLLO strain was cleared by severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Despite the attenuation of virulence, the sLLO strain was immunogenic and capable of eliciting protective T-cell responses.


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