Binding of Cellular Proteins to the Leader RNA of Equine Arteritis Virus

The genome of equine arteritis virus (EAV) produces a 3 coterminal-nested set of six subgenomic (sg) viral RNAs during virus replication cycle, and each set possesses a common leader sequence of 206 nucleotides (nt) in length derived from the 5 end of the viral genome. Given the presence of the leader region within both genomic and sg mRNAs, it is likely to contain cis-acting signals that may interact with cellular or viral proteins for RNA synthesis. Gel mobility shift assays indicated that proteins in Vero cell cytoplasmic extracts formed complexes with the positive (+) and negative (-) strands of the EAV leader RNA. Several cell proteins with molecular masses ranging from 74 to 31 kDa and 58 to 32 kDa were detected in UV-induced cross-linking assays with the EAV leader RNA (+) and (-) strands, respectively. In both cases, intense bands were observed at the 58–52 kDa molecular weight markers. Results from competition gel mobility shift assays using overlapping cold RNA probes spanning the leader RNA (+) strand indicated that nt 140–206 are not necessary for binding to cell proteins.     

Genetic load caused by variation in the amount of rDNA in a wasp

Extensive variation in the size of the short (heterochromatic) arm of chromosome 14 was found in the wasp Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) albitarse. Ten different variants were differentiated by size and C-banding pattern. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that ribosomal DNA in this species is clustered in the darkly C-banded parts of the heterochromatic short arm of chromosome 14. On this basis, we got an indirect estimate of the amount of rDNA from the area of these dark C-bands. The significant absence in males of the three chromosome variants with lower amounts of rDNA indicates that these three variants are lethal in this sex, and suggests the existence of a threshold marking the minimum amount of rDNA which is tolerable in haploidy. This implies about 4% genetic load in the population caused by variation in rDNA amount. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of antibodies to different parts of the gram-negative lipopolysaccharide core region

Bovine serum albumin was complexed with the core antigens of either Escherichia coli J5 LPS, Salmonella minnesota R595 LPS or E. coli lipid A. These core-BSA complexes were used for solid-phase coating in ELISAs for anti-core antibodies. Antibodies, binding to various parts of the core region were easily quantified in a single experimental set-up, which was hitherto not possible. The ELISA has only 3 incubation steps and is not costly as only moderate amounts of the core antigens (i.e., 1 microgram per test) were needed for coating. The sensitivity proved to be excellent and the complexes were biologically fully active (compared to native, smooth LPS), which make them suitable for the screening (after fusion) of monoclonal anti-core antibodies. Another possible application is the large-scale screening of blood-bank sera in order to find samples with a high anti-core antibody content.     

增殖细胞核抗原表达与AgNORs图像分析在判断肺癌预后上的应用

应用抗增殖细胞核抗原（抗ＰＣＮＡ）单克隆抗体，采用Ｓ－Ｐ免疫组化方法和ＡｇＮＯＲｓ染色图像分析，对有确切随访结果的８６例原发性肺癌和１０例肺炎性假瘤进行了研究。结果表明：经ＰＣ－ＮＡ阳性反应计算出的增殖指数（ＰＩ）与图像分析的ＡｇＮＯＲｓ计数及其颗粒总面积间存在着明显的相关性。二者均与肺癌分型有关，并随癌分化程度的增高而减小；与ＴＮＭ分期中的淋巴结（Ｎ）和远隔转移（Ｍ）有关；术后存活５年以上者明显小于３年以内者（Ｐ＜０．０１）。认为ＰＣＮＡ的表达和ＡｇＮＯＲｓ图像分析技术有助于肺癌的分型、分化及预后的判断。     

抗人C1—抑制物单链抗体的构建

由一株抗人Ｃ１－抑物单克隆抗体鼠杂交瘤细胞提取总ＲＮＡ，合成２对与免疫蛋白可变区ＦＲ１和ＦＲ４互补的通用引物，经ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ扩增出抗体的重链可变区和轻链可变区基因。     

In vivo and in vitro effects of imidacloprid on sheep keds (Melophagus ovinus): a light and electron microscopic study

The effects of imidacloprid (Advantage) on sheep keds (Melophagus ovinus Linné 1758) were studied in vivo and in vitro by means of direct observation (monitored on video tape) and by light and electron microscopy. It was found that: 1. Imidacloprid acted rapidly on all motile stages of the sheep keds. Within 3–4 min after exposure they became immobile and their legs and the abdomen started tetanic trembling movements for 15–30 min, leading to death. 2. The compound is apparently taken up by the body, since it also acted on those sheep keds that had been exclusively exposed to imidacloprid-contaminated filter papers. 3. The compound is available and active for more than 1 month in the wool of sheep; even rainfall does not reduce its efficacy. Body contact between treated mother sheep and their lambs protects them from infestation with these ectoparasites. 4. The compound initiates an ultimately lethal destruction of the ganglia, nerve chords and related muscle fibers, as can be seen in electron micrographs. Received: 7 October 2000 / Accepted: 18 October 2000     

Intraepithelial neoplasia, human papilloma virus infection and argyrophilic nucleoprotein in cervical epithelium

A silver colloid technique was applied to 50 colposcopic biopsies of cervix. These comprised nine cases of wart virus infection of the cervix, 11 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, nine cases of CIN II, eight cases of CIN III, seven normal biopsies and six cases showing only incomplete squamous metaplasia. The mean numbers of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORS) increased from CIN I to CIN III. Statistically significant differences for AgNORs were found in comparisons between CIN III, normal basal cells, human papilloma virus-infected basal cells and incomplete squamous metaplasia, and in comparisons between normal basal cells and human papilloma virus-infected basal cells. CIN III could be distinguished from incomplete squamous metaplasia and from basal cells and from human papilloma virus-infected basal cells. The latter could be distinguished from normal basal cells on the basis of their AgNORs. It is suggested that this simple technique is diagnostically useful and has considerable clinicopathological potential in cervical pathology and cytology.     

Functional mapping of the activity of the R region in the human T-cell leukemia virus type I long terminal repeat to increase gene expression

We previously demonstrated the activity of the R fragment in the long terminal repeat of human T-cell leukemia virus type I for elevation of the level of gene expression. In this study, the fragment was deleted with BAL31 nuclease to determine its functional domain. Series of the shortened R fragments were linked to the simian virus 40 promoter unit, which regulated expression of a reporter gene. Examination with the R fragments deleted from the 5 and 3 ends showed that borders of the functional domain were mapped within nucleotide positions 458 to 473 for the 5 end and nucleotide positions 559 to 594 for the 3 end, respectively. Thus we conclude that a 136-base-pair fragment corresponding to the second half of the R region was sufficient to allow elevation of the level of gene expression.