Progressive loss of lambda prophage recombinogenicity in UV-irradiated Escherichia coli: the role of RecBCD enzyme

RecBCD enzyme is involved in the radiation-induced process known as prophage inactivation. The process leads to the inability of lambda prophage to excise itself from the Escherichia coli chromosome via site-specific recombination. In this work we sought to further characterize the role of RecBCD enzyme in this process. In addition, we examined the ability of irradiated prophage to recombine with the infecting homologous phage. We used several E. coli mutants differentially altered in RecBCD's activities. The results showed that in the mutants carrying either recB2109 or recD1903, which do not exhibit significant nuclease activities, the prophage progressively loses its capacity for both site-specific and general recombination. In the recB268 null mutant, however, prophage recombinogenicity remained fully preserved. We also showed that the prophage unable to recombine retained its ability to complement the mutant infecting phage and that the recombination frequencies in phage x phage crosses were not affected by postirradiation incubation. Our results suggest that the helicase activity of RecBCD is responsible for the progressive loss of prophage recombinogenicity. This loss is most probably a consequence of the unsuccessful RecBCD-dependent recombinational repair of double-stranded breaks in the cell chromosome, during which some structures unsuitable for further recombination reactions may be produced.     

Gene and cancer therapy--pseudorabies virus: a novel research and therapeutic tool?

The past decade has been marked by significant advances in the application of gene transfer into living cells of animals and humans, with the resulting catapulting of preclinical and basic scientific concepts into therapeutic trials. A variety of virus-mediated gene delivery techniques have proved to be superior to other methodologies. This article concisely reviews the current status of gene and tumor therapy, focusing on virus-based technologies, describes the molecular biology of neurotropic herpesviruses and the application of herpes simplex virus, a relative of pseudorabies virus (PRV) in gene transfer and cancer therapy protocols. Finally, it addresses the issue of whether PRV, a nonhuman pathogen, could serve as a suitable research and therapeutic tool as concerns genetic and tumor therapy.     

Distinct pathways for constitutive endocytosis of fully conformed and non-conformed L(d) molecules

PROBLEM: To characterize the constitutive internalization of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules, we have studied the expression of completely conformed (full) and unconformed (empty) L(d) molecules on non-polarized murine P815 cells. METHODS OF STUDY: Spontaneous endocytosis of L(d) molecules was induced by cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, and their disappearance from the cell surface was determined by flow cytometry. In order to investigate the mechanism of internalization, a palette of inhibitors of endocytosis and vesicular transport was used. RESULTS: Inhibitors of clathrine endocytosis did not influence the internalization of L(d) molecules. Inhibitors of caveolar endocytosis and inhibitors of endolysosomal degradation prevented down-regulation of empty, but not of full L(d) molecules. CONCLUSIONS: Empty L(d) molecules are internalized mostly by caveolar endocytosis and full L(d) molecules use a different pathway, neither clathrine-mediated nor caveolar. After internalization, full L(d) molecules are probably degraded and empty L(d) molecules recycle between endosomal compartment and the cell surface before they enter into the degradation compartment.     

Ageing is associated with a decrease in the number of sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ channels in a gender-dependent manner

The opening of sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels is considered to be an important endogenous cardioprotective mechanism. On the other hand, age-dependent changes in the myocardial susceptibility to ischemia and hypoxia have been observed in different species, including humans. Here, we have hypothesized that aging might be associated with the changes in sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to establish whether aging changes expression of cardiac sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channels. RT-PCR using primers specific for K(ATP) channel subunits, Kir6.2, Kir6.1 and SUR2A subunits was performed using total RNA from guinea-pig ventricular tissue. Whole cell electrophysiology was done on isolated guinea-pig ventricular cardiomyocytes. Western blotting using anti-Kir6.2 and anti-SUR2A antibodies was performed on cardiac membrane fraction. Tissue and cells were harvested from young and old, male and female guinea-pigs. RT-PCR analysis did not reveal significant age-related changes in levels of Kir6.1 or Kir6.2 mRNAs. However, levels of SUR2A were significantly lower in old than in young females. Such age-differences were not observed with cardiac tissue from male animals. In both old and young males, pinacidil (100 microM) induced outward currents. The difference between current density of pinacidil-sensitive component in females, but not males, was statistically significant. Western blotting analysis revealed higher levels of Kir6.2 and SUR2A proteins in cardiac membrane fraction from young than old females. The present study demonstrates that in females, but not males, aging is associated with decrease in number of cardiac K(ATP) channels which is due to decrease in levels of the SUR2A subunit.     

Antibodies against rabbit red blood cells in murine serum and their effect on the activity of complement alternative pathway

Antibody content against rabbit red blood cells (anti-RaRBC) in murine sera of different strains (Swiss, CBA, C57BL/6, AKR, BALB/c) and activity of complement alternative pathway (AP) were investigated. In contrast to the CBA and C57BL/6, random-bred Swiss strain and inbred BALB/c and AKR strains are good producers of these natural antibodies. There is no correlation between AP activity and anti-RaRBC content. Isolated human anti-RaRBC antibodies, IgM and IgG classes, lead to the enhancement of APhu and APmo activity, contrary to the murine anti-RaRBC which belong solely to IgM class, and do not express this capability.     

Prenatal detection of a 17p11.2 duplication resulting from a rare recombination event and novel PCR-based strategy for molecular identification of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1A (CMT1A) is caused in most cases by a 1.5 Mb duplication on chromosome 17p11.2 arising after unequal crossing-over between repeated sequences called CMT1A-REPs, flanking the 1.5 Mb unit. A 3.2 kb recombination hot spot has been defined, resulting in a junction fragment between EcoRI (distal CMT1A-REP) and SacI (proximal CMT1A-REP). This was further reduced to a 1.7kb EcoRI-NsiI fragment, and recently to a 731 bp hot spot region within this fragment. We describe the CMT1A-REPs-based PCR method used to identify CMT1A duplications and report on a family case in which a 29-year-old pregnant woman requested prenatal diagnosis for two successive pregnancies because her husband was affected with CMT1A. Our method enabled us to characterise the duplication in both foetuses and demonstrate that it arose from a rare recombination event taking place outside the 1.7 kb region. Since our approach is simple and enables the entire set of duplications occurring after recombination in the enlarged 3.2kb region including the hot spot to be detected, we suggest it might be considered for use in primary screening for pre- and postnatal diagnosis of CMT1A.