Erv41p and Erv46p: new components of COPII vesicles involved in transport between the ER and Golgi complex.

Proteins contained on purified COPII vesicles were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry combined with database searching. We identified four known vesicle proteins (Erv14p, Bet1p, Emp24p, and Erv25p) and an additional nine species (Yip3p, Rer1p, Erp1p, Erp2p, Erv29p, Yif1p, Erv41p, Erv46p, and Emp47p) that had not been localized to ER vesicles. Using antibodies, we demonstrate that these proteins are selectively and efficiently packaged into COPII vesicles. Three of the newly identified vesicle proteins (Erv29p, Erv41p, and Erv46p) represent uncharacterized integral membrane proteins that are conserved across species. Erv41p and Erv46p were further characterized. These proteins colocalized to ER and Golgi membranes and exist in a detergent-soluble complex that was isolated by immunoprecipitation. Yeast strains lacking Erv41p and/or Erv46p are viable but display cold sensitivity. The expression levels of Erv41p and Erv46p are interdependent such that Erv46p was reduced in an erv41Delta strain, and Erv41p was not detected in an erv46Delta strain. When the erv41Delta or ev46Delta alleles were combined with other mutations in the early secretory pathway, altered growth phenotypes were observed in some of the double mutant strains. A cell-free assay that reproduces transport between the ER and Golgi indicates that deletion of the Erv41p-Erv46p complex influences the membrane fusion stage of transport.

Large-scale analysis of the yeast genome by transposon tagging and gene disruption.

Economical methods by which gene function may be analysed on a genomic scale are relatively scarce. To fill this need, we have developed a transposon-tagging strategy for the genome-wide analysis of disruption phenotypes, gene expression and protein localization, and have applied this method to the large-scale analysis of gene function in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we present the largest collection of defined yeast mutants ever generated within a single genetic background--a collection of over 11,000 strains, each carrying a transposon inserted within a region of the genome expressed during vegetative growth and/or sporulation. These insertions affect nearly 2,000 annotated genes, representing about one-third of the 6,200 predicted genes in the yeast genome. We have used this collection to determine disruption phenotypes for nearly 8,000 strains using 20 different growth conditions; the resulting data sets were clustered to identify groups of functionally related genes. We have also identified over 300 previously non-annotated open reading frames and analysed by indirect immunofluorescence over 1,300 transposon-tagged proteins. In total, our study encompasses over 260,000 data points, constituting the largest functional analysis of the yeast genome ever undertaken.

Human peripheral blood eosinophils express a functional c-kit receptor for stem cell factor that stimulates very late antigen 4 (VLA-4)-mediated cell adhesion to fibronectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1).

We evaluated mature peripheral blood eosinophils for their expression of the surface tyrosine kinase, c-kit, the receptor for the stromal cell-derived cytokine, stem cell factor (SCF). Cytofluorographic analysis revealed that c-kit was expressed on the purified peripheral blood eosinophils from 8 of 8 donors (4 nonatopic and 4 atopic) (mean channel fluorescence intensity 2.0- 3. 6-fold, average 2.8 +/- 0.6-fold, greater than the negative control). The uniform and selective expression of c-kit by eosinophils was confirmed by immunohistochemical analysis of peripheral blood buffy coats. The functional integrity of c-kit was demonstrated by the capacity of 100 ng/ml (5 nM) of recombinant human (rh) SCF to increase eosinophil adhesion to 3, 10, and 30 microg/ml of immobilized FN40, a 40-kD chymotryptic fragment of plasma fibronectin, in 15 min by 7.7 +/- 1.4-, 5.3 +/- 3.3-, and 5.4 +/- 0. 2-fold, respectively, and their adhesion to 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 microg/ml vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), by 12.7 +/- 9. 2-, 3.8 +/- 2.5-, and 1.7 +/- 0.6-fold, respectively. The SCF-stimulated adhesion occurred without concomitant changes in surface integrin expression, thereby indicating an avidity-based mechanism. rhSCF (100 ng/ml, 5 nM) was comparable to rh eotaxin (200 ng/ml, 24 nM) in stimulating adhesion. Cell adhesion to FN40 was completely inhibited with antibodies against the alpha4 and beta1 integrin subunits, revealing that the SCF/c-kit adhesion effect was mediated by a single integrin heterodimer, very late antigen 4 (VLA-4). Thus, SCF represents a newly recognized stromal ligand for the activation of eosinophils for VLA-4-mediated adhesion, which could contribute to the exit of these cells from the blood, their tissue localization, and their prominence in inflammatory lesions.

Dressing for success: measuring productivity can ensure continuing success.

Both managerial and financial benefits can be gained by implementing and monitoring productivity standards in the health-care organization. However, these standards must be reasonable and acceptable to both management and staff if they are to be effective. By implementing a logging system to determine actual daily activity, Elizabethtown Hospital was able to develop reasonable productivity standards that allowed department managers to manage their operations more efficiently.

Using case-mix information to evaluate the feasibility of a PPO.

Considering whether or not to organize a preferred provider organization is a complex task. Managers will need to address many financial, legal, marketing, and organizational issues. In this case study, case-mix management information is used to address issues such as, types of patients to attract, businesses and insurance companies to include, physicians to recruit, and prices to charge, to enable the manager to make more informed decisions.