THE BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE OF 5S RIBOSOMAL RNA FROM THE HUMAN WORM PARASITE FASCIOLOPSIS BUSKI

With the method of rapid gel sequencing, the complete nueleotide sequence of Fasciolopsis buski 5S rRNA has been determined: AAC GGG AUG AAG CUA GAC AUG UGG CGG CCU AGU UGG AGG UCG GAA CUC GGA AGU UAA GGA AUG UUG GGC CUG GUU AGU ACU GGU AUG GGU GAC CUU GGG AAU ACC GGG UGU UGC GUC CA_(OH) This have been compared with 553 species of other organisms 5S rRNA sequences previously published and fitted to a secondary structural model.     

5株SARS-CoV部分基因序列比较分析

目的　分析SARS CoV部分结构区的基因序列 ,了解其变异程度。方法　采用套式PCR法扩增各结构区基因 ,对阳性PCR产物进行克隆和测序 ,并对序列进行分析。结果　完成了LC1株病毒的M、N、E和S基因的扩增和克隆 ,对LC2、LC3、LC4和LC5株病毒的M区基因进行了扩增和克隆。序列分析显示各结构基因的核苷酸序列与已报道的 18株序列的同源性在 99%以上。结论SARS CoV的基因序列较保守 ,有利于PCR诊断试剂和预防用疫苗的研制。     

Complex Genetic Disease: Can Genetic Strategies in Alzheimer's Disease and New Genetic Mechanisms Be Applied to Epilepsy?

Summary: Strategies used in molecular genetics have changed modern neurology. The gene or genes responsible for several major neurologic diseases have now been identified using "reverse" or positional genetics. Unexpected new genetic mechanisms have been discovered in human neurologic diseases, including (a) identical mutations of the prion protein gene in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and fatal familial insomnia with the phenotypic expression directed by an accompanying polymorphism; (b) stable duplications of chromosome 17 in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (type 1 A) that involve many genes, only one of which appears to cause neuropathy; and (c) highly variable, dynamic mutations in myotonic dystrophy, fragile X syndrome, and Kennedy's syndrome that modulate variable expressivity in multiple tissues. There is growing recognition that neurologic diseases are often complex genetic diseases with multifactorial rather than simple modes of inheritance. For example, genetic association/linkage strategies have interacted with biochemistry and immunopathology studies to produce new insights into the disease mechanism of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The role of apolipoprotein E in late-onset Alzheimer's disease is an example of how new analytical techniques of genetic disease can be applied to dissect multiple genes. Similar research strategies are suggested for the study of epilepsy as a complex disease.     

广东省SARS流行株M基因序列分析

目的：测定广东省不同流行时期13份SARS病毒(SARS CoV)标本的M基因序列，通过分析该基因序列的变异情况，初步了解广东省SARS病毒在流行过程中是否发生了变异。方法：提取病毒RNA，用M基因特异引物进行RT-PCR，将产物纯化后直接测定核苷酸序列。结果：13份标本M基因核苷酸序列同源性很高，为99．7％～100％，M基因核苷酸序列只在2个位点(80和203位)发生变异，1株80位点的变化引起编码的氨基酸从苯丙氨酸(F)变为半胱氨酸(C)，3株203位变化为无义突变。结论：M基因核苷酸序列变异不大，初期和后期M基因核苷酸序列与流行高峰期的毒株相差1个碱基，但氨基酸序列相同；从香港感染病人分离的1株病毒M基因与广东本地感染分离株存在1个氨基酸的差异。     

Infantile autism—fragile X: Molecular findings support genetic heterogeneity

Twenty-two members of 18 families with autism have been examined for the presence of mutations and abnormal methylation in the FMR-1 region at Xq27.3. All patients fulfilled diagnostic criteria of infantile autism. A characteristic pattern of insertion and methylation were detected after Southern blot analysis in 7 autistic individuals expressing the fragile site at Xq27.3. Normal DNA patterns were observed in 15 autistic boys cytogenetically negative for the fragile site. The results indicate a lack of involvement of the FMR-1 region in infantile autists negative for fragile X expression. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Somatic RET proto-oncogene mutations in sporadic C-cell carcinoma of the thyroid

Summary. Germline mutations of the RET proto-oncogene localized on chromosome 10q11.2 are the underlying cause of hereditary medullary thyroid carcinoma. In MEN 2A and FMTC, mutations can be found in exons 10, 11, 13 or 14. MEN 2B is characterized by a specific mutation in exon 16. In a significant number of sporadic MTC somatic mutations in codon 918 (exon 16) are detectable. Some rare sporadic MTC present somatic mutations in codons 611, 634, 768 and 883. Recently, deletion-insertion of the RET proto-oncogene in exon 11 and a deletion in exon 10 has been found. RET proto-oncogene mutations are not only responsible for the development of the familial MTC, but may also play an important role in the pathogenesis of sporadic MTC. However, the prognostic relevance of these somatic events is still unclear.