Alu and L1 sequence distributions in Xq24-q28 and their comparative utility in YAC contig assembly and verification

The contents of Alu- and L1-containing TaqI restriction fragments were assessed by Southern blot analyses across YAC contigs already assembled by other means and localized within Xq24-q28. Fingerprinting patterns of YACs in contigs were concordant, and using software based on that of M. V. Olson et al. (1986, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83: 7826) to analyze digitized data on fragment sizes, fingerprinting itself could establish matches among about 40% of a test group of 435 YACs. At 100-kb resolution, both repetitive elements were found throughout the region, with no apparent enrichment of Alu or L1 in DNA of G compared to that found in R bands. However, consistent with a random overall distribution, delimited regions of up to 100 kb contained clusters of repetitive elements. The local concentrations may help to account for the reported differential hybridization of Alu and L1 probes to segments of metaphase chromosomes.     

Identification of six novel autophosphorylation sites on fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 and elucidation of their importance in receptor activation and signal transduction

Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) activation leads to receptor autophosphorylation and increased tyrosine phosphorylation of several intra cellular proteins. We have previously shown that autophosphorylated tyrosine 766 in FGFR1 serves as a binding site for one of the SH2 domains of phospholipase Cy and couples FGFR1 to phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in several cell types. In this report, we describe the identification of six additional autophosphorylation sites (Y-463, Y-583, Y-585, Y-653, Y-654 and Y-730) on FGFR1. We demonstrate that autophosphorylation on tyrosines 653 and 654 is important for activation of tyrosine kinase activity of FGFR1 and is therefore essential for FGFR1-mediated biological responses. In contrast, autophosphorylation of the remaining four tyrosines is dispensable for FGFR1-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and mitogenic signaling in L-6 cells as well as neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells. Interestingly, both the wild-type and a mutant FGFR1 (FGFR1-4F) are able to phosphorylate Shc and an unidentified Grb2-associated phosphoprotein of 90 kDa (pp90). Binding of the Grb2/Sos complex to phosphorylated Shc and pp90 may therefore be the key link between FGFR1 and the Ras signaling pathway, mito-genesis, and neuronal differentiation.     

Clinical documentation of end-stage renal disease due to hypertension

Hypertensive end-stage renal disease (ESRD) purportedly accounts for 25% of new ESRD patients each year in the United States, but remains poorly understood. Clinical features include normal renal function at diagnosis of hypertension, family history of hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, and minimal proteinuria. We evaluated clinical and historic data documenting the diagnosis of hypertensive ESRD in 43 patients with ESRD attributed to hypertension who were referred to our center for renal transplantation. Hypertensive ESRD patients were more likely to be black patients with left ventricular hypertrophy compared with our overall population. Few of the hypertensive ESRD patients had undergone kidney biopsy, none of whom had classic features of benign nephrosclerosis. Less than 5% of patients had hypertension documented at any time with normal renal function. Based on our review, it is clearly possible that the number of patients reaching dialysis and transplantation with renal failure attributed to hypertensive ESRD may be overestimated.     

Activation of phospholipase C gamma by PI 3-kinase-induced PH domain-mediated membrane targeting

Signaling via growth factor receptors frequently results in the concomitant activation of phospholipase C gamma (PLC gamma) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase. While it is well established that tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC gamma is necessary for its activation, we show here that PLC gamma is regulated additionally by the lipid products of PI 3-kinase. We demonstrate that the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of PLC gamma binds to phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PdtIns(3,4,5)P3], and is targeted to the membrane in response to growth factor stimulation, while a mutated version of this PH domain that does not bind PdtIns(3,4,5)P3 is not membrane targeted. Consistent with these observations, activation of PI 3-kinase causes PLC gamma PH domain-mediated membrane targeting and PLC gamma activation. By contrast, either the inhibition of PI 3-kinase by overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant or the prevention of PLC gamma membrane targeting by overexpression of the PLC gamma PH domain prevents growth factor-induced PLC gamma activation. These experiments reveal a novel mechanism for cross-talk and mutual regulation of activity between two enzymes that participate in the control of phosphoinositide metabolism.     

The open plasmaguide in extremes of magnetic field

Waveguiding properties of a homogeneous circular column of plasma imbedded in free space are examined in the two limits of zero and large axial magnetic field. The plasma is assumed to be cold and collisionless with ion motion neglected. The modes with azimuthal variation are included in the investigation, and dispersion curves are presented. For the zero field case the higher-order modes are found under certain conditions to exhibit backward-wave characteristics. For the case of large magnetic field, the occurrence of unique waveguiding features is discussed. The assumptions made are approximated by certain laboratory plasmas and hence the results may be of practical importance.     

Crk protein binds to PDGF receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 with different modulating effects on PDGF- and insulin-dependent signaling pathways

We have studied the involvement of murine c-Crk, an SH2/SH3 containing adaptor protein, in signaling pathways stimulated by different receptor tyrosine kinases. We show here that c-Crk is associated with components of insulin- and PDGF-dependent signaling pathways. Insulin treatment of murine myoblast cells induces the formation of stable complex of endogenous c-Crk with insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) mediated via the SH2 domain of Crk. The ligand dependent physical association of c-Crk with IRS-1 is direct. However IRS-1 is also co-precipitated with c-Crk from quiescent L6 cells. The association of IRS-1 with c-Crk in quiescent cells is probably not direct since Far Western blot analysis did not reveal the binding of neither SH2 domain nor amino-terminal SH3 domain of c-Crk to IRS-1 from unstimulated cells. We also show that PDGF treatment of murine myoblast cells induces association of c-Crk with the PDGF receptor and tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Crk. Overexpression of c-Crk enhanced insulin- but not PDGF-induced activation of MAP kinases when compared to parental cell lines. Thus, the formation of the direct IRS-1/Crk complex appears to be crucial for Crk-mediated insulin-induced activation of MAP kinase, whereas Crk is probably involved in other PDGF-induced responses. These data provide support to the hypothesis that insulin and PDGF employ different mechanisms for activation of MAP kinase cascade.     

Mutational analysis of PHEX gene in X-linked hypophosphatemia

Hypophosphatemic rickets is commonly an X-linked dominant disorder (XLH or HYP) associated with a renal tubular defect in phosphate transport and bone deformities. The XLH gene, referred to as PHEX, or formerly as PEX (phosphate regulating gene with homologies to endopeptidases on the X-chromosome), encodes a 749-amino acid protein that putatively consists of an intracellular, transmembrane, and extracellular domain. PHEX mutations have been observed in XLH patients, and we have undertaken studies to characterize such mutations in 46 unrelated XLH kindreds and 22 unrelated patients with nonfamilial XLH by single stranded conformational polymorphism and DNA sequence analysis. We identified 31 mutations (7 nonsense, 6 deletions, 2 deletional insertions, 1 duplication, 2 insertions, 4 splice site, 8 missense, and 1 within the 5' untranslated region), of which 30 were scattered throughout the putative extracellular domain, together with 6 polymorphisms that had heterozygosity frequencies ranging from less than 1% to 43%. Single stranded conformational polymorphism was found to detect more than 60% of these mutations. Over 20% of the mutations were observed in nonfamilial XLH patients, who represented de novo occurrences of PHEX mutations. The unique point mutation (a-->g) of the 5'untranslated region together with the other mutations indicates that the dominant XLH phenotype is unlikely to be explained by haplo-insufficiency or a dominant negative effect.     

Localisation of X linked recessive idiopathic hypoparathyroidism to a 1.5 Mb region on Xq26-q27

Natural bovine seminal RNase possesses a potent antitumor action. We have mutagenized monomeric bovine pancreatic RNase A, devoid of any cytotoxic action, to insert residues present at corresponding positions in the subunit of dimeric, antitumor, seminal RNase. Like naturally dimeric seminal RNase, the mutant dimeric RNases display selective toxicity for malignant cells, which is absent in the monomeric mutants.     

Ordered shotgun sequencing of a 135 kb Xq25 YAC containing ANT2 and four possible genes, including three confirmed by EST matches

Ordered shotgun sequencing (OSS) has been successfully carried out with an Xq25 YAC substrate. yWXD703 DNA was subcloned into lambda phage and sequences of insert ends of the lambda subclones were used to generate a map to select a minimum tiling path of clones to be completely sequenced. The sequence of 135 038 nt contains the entire ANT2 cDNA as well as four other candidates suggested by computer-assisted analyses. One of the putative genes is homologous to a gene implicated in Graves' disease and it, ANT2 and two others are confirmed by EST matches. The results suggest that OSS can be applied to YACs in accord with earlier simulations and further indicate that the sequence of the YAC accurately reflects the sequence of uncloned human DNA.