Broadening the phenotypic spectrum of POP1-skeletal dysplasias: identification of POP1 mutations in a mild and severe skeletal dysplasia.

Processing of Precursor 1 (POP1) is a large protein common to the ribonuclease-mitochondrial RNA processing (RNase-MRP) and RNase-P (RMRP) endoribonucleoprotein complexes. Although its precise function is unknown, it appears to participate in the assembly or stability of both complexes. Numerous RMRP mutations have been reported in individuals with cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH) but, to date, only three POP1 mutations have been described in two families with features similar to anauxetic dysplasia (AD). We present two further individuals, one with severe short stature and a relatively mild skeletal dysplasia and another in whom AD was suspected. Biallelic POP1 mutations were identified in both. A missense mutation and a novel single base deletion were detected in proband 1, p.[Pro582Ser]:[Glu870fs*5]. Markedly reduced abundance of RMRP and elevated levels of pre5.8s rRNA was observed. In proband 2, a homozygous novel POP1 mutation was identified, p.[(Asp511Tyr)];[(Asp511Tyr)]. These two individuals show the phenotypic extremes in the clinical presentation of POP1-dysplasias. Although CHH and other skeletal dysplasias caused by mutations in RMRP or POP1 are commonly cited as ribosomal biogenesis disorders, recent studies question this assumption. We discuss the past and present knowledge about the function of the RMRP complex in skeletal development.

COL1A1 C-propeptide cleavage site mutation causes high bone mass, bone fragility and jaw lesions: a new cause of gnathodiaphyseal dysplasia?

Gnathodiaphyseal dysplasia (GDD) is a rare autosomal dominant condition characterized by bone fragility, irregular bone mineral density (BMD) and fibro-osseous lesions in the skull and jaw. Mutations in Anoctamin-5 (ANO5) have been identified in some cases. We aimed to identify the causative mutation in a family with features of GDD but no mutation in ANO5, using whole exome capture and massive parallel sequencing (WES). WES of two affected individuals (a mother and son) and the mother's unaffected parents identified a mutation in the C-propeptide cleavage site of COL1A1. Similar mutations have been reported in individuals with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) and paradoxically increased BMD. C-propeptide cleavage site mutations in COL1A1 may not only cause 'high bone mass OI', but also the clinical features of GDD, specifically irregular sclerotic BMD and fibro-osseous lesions in the skull and jaw. GDD patients negative for ANO5 mutations should be assessed for mutations in type I collagen C-propeptide cleavage sites.

Mollusk shell: daily growth lines.

Ridges forming the concentric sculpture on the shells of laboratory-grown specimens of Pecten diegensis Dall show daily periodicity. Missing growth lines account for all scatter in the data, so that the maximum, not the average, line count is most representative. The variation in spacing between growth lines can be correlated among specimens.

Calcification on an Unstable Substrate: Marginal Growth in the Moilusk Pecten diegensis.

Observations of the growing margin of Pecten diegensis show that calcification can occur on an unstable substrate, although this initial shell material is quite disordered. Later growth on the inner surface of the disordered material soon becomes ordered, which suggests that the calcification process benefits from the stability of a mineralized substrate, but does not utilize the substrate as a physical or stereochemical template.

Incidence of gross chromosomal errors among tall criminal American males.

Chromosome studies on 129 tall men surveyed in four different institutions for the care of criminal males in Pennsylvaniia showed that 1 in 11 subjects displayed aneuploidy of the sex chromosomes; specifically, five cases of 47,XYY and seven cases of Klinefelter syndrome were identified. All the aneuploid subjects were mentally ill; none had been cytogenetically diagnosed.

A concise approach to the core structures of pinnaic acid and halichlorine.

An efficient and flexible synthetic approach to the core structures of pinnaic acid and halichlorine is described using spirocyclic nitrone 4 as a key intermediate. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of 4 with dipolarophile 8 provides access to the azaspirocyclic core of pinnaic acid 5 while the spiroquinolizidine core of halichlorine 6 has been synthesised via cycloaddition of 4 with dipolarophile 29. Nitrone 4 is accessed by oxidative ring opening of isoxazolidine 9. The utility of this synthetic strategy in the synthesis of C5 substituted analogues of pinnaic acid is also demonstrated.

Structures of m-iodo Hoechst-DNA complexes in crystals with reduced solvent content: implications for minor groove binder drug design.

The DNA photosensitisers m-iodo Hoechst and m-iodo, p-methoxy Hoechst have been co-crystallised with the oligonucleotide d(CGCGAATTCGCG)(2)and their crystal structures determined. The crystals were then subjected to slow dehydration, which reduced their solvent contents from 40 (normal) to 30 (partially dehydrated) and then 20% (fully dehydrated) and caused a reduction in cell volume from 68,000 to 60,000 then 51,000 A(3). The dehydration resulted in a dramatic enhancement of diffraction resolution from approximately 2.6 to beyond 1.5 A. Crystal structures have also been determined for the partially and fully dehydrated states. The fully dehydrated crystals consist of an infinite polymeric network, in which neighbouring dodecamer duplexes are crosslinked through phosphate oxygens via direct bonding to bridging magnesium cations. This unique three-dimensional structure for DNA is described in detail in the following companion paper. The present paper details evidence from the sequence of crystal structures that the DNA is able to breathe locally, allowing the ligand to leave the minor groove, re-orient in the surrounding solvent medium and then re-enter the groove in a different orientation and location. The rearrangement of the minor groove binding ligands during the dehydration process mimics the binding behaviour of these ligands in solution and in vivo. We also present details of the DNA-ligand interactions that are consistent with a hydrogen atom ion mechanism for photocleavage of DNA.

Intermolecular interactions and water structure in a condensed phase B-DNA crystal.

By controlled dehydration, the unit cells of dodecamer DNA-drug crystals have been shrunk from 68,000 (normal state) to 60,000 (partially dehydrated intermediate state) to 51,000 A(3) (fully dehydrated state), beyond which no further solvent loss occurs. The total solvent content in the normal crystals is approximately 40% by volume, reducing to approximately 20% in the fully dehydrated phase. The 25% reduction in cell volume induced a dramatic enhancement in the resolution of the X-ray diffraction data (from 2. 6 to beyond 1.5 A). We have determined the structures of the normal, partially dehydrated and fully dehydrated crystals. Details of the ligand binding have been presented in the preceding article. The present paper describes the unique features of the structure of the fully dehydrated phase. This structure was refined with 9,015 unique observed reflections to R = 14.9%, making it one of the most reliable models of B -form DNA available. The crystals exist as infinite polymeric networks, in which neighbouring dodecamer duplexes are crosslinked through phosphate oxygens via direct bonding to magnesium cations. The DNA is packed so tightly that there is essentially only a single layer of solvent between adjacent molecules. The details of the crystal packing, magnesium bridging, DNA hydration and DNA conformation are described and compared with other experimental evidence related to DNA condensation.

The crystal and molecular structure of the polymeric copper (II) complex of inosine 5'-monophosphate. A comparison with the previously reported zinc analogue.

X-ray analysis of [Cu . (5'-IMP) . H2O] has shown a structure containing polymeric chains of composition [Cu.5'-IMP]n in which the copper atom is directly bound to N(7) of the base and to three oxygen atoms of different phosphate groups. Whereas the coordination geometry in the analogous zinc complex resembles a distorted tetrahedrom, that in the copper complex is a distorted square plane with weak axial interactions.

Targeting the minor groove of DNA: crystal structures of two complexes between furan derivatives of berenil and the DNA dodecamer d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2.

Crystal structures are reported of complexes of two novel furan derivatives of berenil with alkyl benzamidine groups bound to the DNA sequence d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2. They have both been determined to 2.2 A resolution and refined to R factors of 16.9% and 18.6%. In both structures the alkyl substituents, cyclopropyl and isopropyl, are found to be orientated away from the floor of the minor groove. The drugs are located in the minor groove by two strong amidinium hydrogen bonds, to the O2 of the thymines situated at the 5' and 3' ends of the AT-rich region. The isopropyl-substituted derivative has a tight hydrogen-bonded water network in the minor groove at one amidine site, which alters the orientation of the isopropyl substituent. This compound has superior DNA-binding properties and activity against Pneumocystis carinii and Cryptosporidium parvum infections in vivo compared to the cyclopropyl derivative, which in turn is superior to the parent furan compound. We suggest that the nature and extent of the interactions of these compounds in the DNA minor groove play an important role in these activities, possibly in conjunction with a DNA-binding protein. The overall effect of these alkyl benzamidine substitutions is to increase the binding of the drugs to the minor groove.

A prosthetic aid for a developing blind child.

An experimental ultrasonic sonar for use as a sensory aid with blind children is described. Novel signal processing techniques make the aid relatively simple to construct, yet allow many of its parameters to be changed in the field. In particular, the aid has two features, a variable range code and an automatic level control, which make the device very versatile in a wide variety of environments. The ultrasonic tranducers used in the aid are described in some detail.

Minor groove binding of a bis-quaternary ammonium compound: the crystal structure of SN 7167 bound to d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2.

The X-ray crystal structure of the complex between the synthetic antitumour and antiviral DNA binding ligand SN 7167 and the DNA oligonucleotide d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2 has been determined to an R factor of 18.3% at 2.6 A resolution. The ligand is located within the minor groove and covers almost 6 bp with the 1-methylpyridinium ring extending as far as the C9-G16 base pair and the 1-methylquinolinium ring lying between the G4-C21 and A5-T20 base pairs. The ligand interacts only weakly with the DNA, as evidenced by long range contacts and shallow penetration into the groove. This structure is compared with that of the complex between the parent compound SN 6999 and the alkylated DNA sequence d(CGC[e6G]AATTCGCG)2. There are significant differences between the two structures in the extent of DNA bending, ligand conformation and groove binding.

Structures of quinone imine metabolites related to the anti-cancer drug amsacrine.

(5): N-(9-Acridinyl)-3-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinone monoimine, C20H14N2O2, M(r) = 314.3, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 13.451 (8), b = 7.007 (4), c = 17.864 (12) A, beta = 117.26 (4) degrees, V = 1497 (2) A3, Z = 4, Dm = 1.36 (1), Dx = 1.395 g cm-3, Mo K alpha, lambda = 0.71069 A, mu = 0.99 cm-1, F(000) = 656, T = 138 (5) K, R = 0.049 for 1556 reflections. (8): N-(9-Acridinyl)-2-methoxy-1,4- benzoquinone monoimine, C20H14N2O2, M(r) = 314.3, triclinic, P1, a = 9.365 (1), b = 13.318 (2), c = 6.918 (3) A, alpha = 96.45 (3), beta = 105.30 (2), gamma = 110.11 (1) degrees, V = 761.6 (4) A3, Z = 2, Dm = 1.35 (1), Dx = 1.371 g cm-3, Mo K alpha, lambda = 0.71069 A, mu = 0.98 cm-1, F(000) = 328, T = 292 (1) K, R = 0.075 for 1009 reflections. (13): N-(9-Acridinyl)-5-dimethylamino-2- methoxy-1,4-benzoquinone monoimine, C22H19N3O2, M(r) = 357.4, triclinic, P1, a = 8.091 (7), b = 10.078 (2), c = 11.716 (3) A, alpha = 108.39 (2), beta = 99.63 (4), gamma = 95.87 (3) degrees, V = 881.4 (9) A3, Z = 2, Dm = 1.33 (1), Dx = 1.347 g cm-3, Mo K alpha, lambda = 0.71069 A, mu = 0.95 cm-1, F(000) = 376, T = 173 (5) K, R = 0.034 for 1460 reflections. The molecular geometries are described and discussed.

Methyl 2-[4-(2-chloroethyl)-2,3-dihydro-7-nitroquinoxalin-1-yl]benzoate from intramolecular cyclization of a nitroaromatic mustard.

C18H18CIN3O4, Mr = 375.81, orthorhombic, P212121, a = 11.000 (3), b = 8.023 (2), c = 19.316 (5) A, V = 1704.68 A3, Z = 4, Dm = 1.46 (1), Dx = 1.417 g cm-3, Mo Kalpha, lambda = 0.71069 A, mu = 1.82 cm-1, F(000) = 760, T = 293 (1) K, R = 0.051 for 985 [I greater than 2.5 sigma(I)] reflections. X-ray analysis confirms that the nitroaromatic mustard methyl N-(2-[bis(2-chloroethyl)amino]- 5-nitrophenyl)anthranilate undergoes rapid intramolecular cyclization, but the product is the 7-nitro rather than the 6-nitro derivative previously reported [Chambers & Denny (1986).