Recovery of DNA for forensic analysis from lip cosmetics.

To obtain a reference DNA profile from a missing person, we analyzed a variety of personal effects, including two lip cosmetics, both of which gave full DNA profiles. Further investigations were undertaken to explore this previously unreported source of DNA. We have tested a range of brands and types of lip cosmetics. Our studies have revealed that lip cosmetics are an excellent source of DNA, with almost 80% of samples giving a result. However, artifacts are frequently observed in the DNA profiles when Chelex is used for the DNA extraction and additional DNA purification procedures are required to ensure that an accurate DNA profile is obtained.

Subversion of the T/B lineage decision in the thymus by lunatic fringe-mediated inhibition of Notch-1.

Notch-1 signaling is essential for lymphoid progenitors to undergo T cell commitment, but the mechanism has not been defined. Here we show that thymocytes ectopically expressing Lunatic Fringe, a modifier of Notch-1 signaling, induce lymphoid progenitors to develop into B cells in the thymus. This cell fate switch resulted from Lunatic Fringe-mediated inhibition of Notch-1 function, as revealed by experiments utilizing lymphoid progenitors in which Notch-1 activity was genetically manipulated. These data identify Lunatic Fringe as a potent regulator of Notch-1 during the T/B lineage decision and show that an important function of Notch-1 in T cell commitment is to suppress B cell development in the thymus.

Expression of notch receptors, notch ligands, and fringe genes in hematopoiesis.

OBJECTIVE: Hematopoiesis is the process by which mature blood cell types are generated from a small population of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells. How these cells undergo fate selection, however, is not fully understood. The Notch signaling system is known to mediate cell fate decisions of multipotent precursors in a wide range of complex animals throughout development. As Notch signaling involves cell-cell interactions, we sought to determine the expression of Notch receptors, ligands, and regulators in individual cell populations along the hematopoietic differentiation pathway. MATERIALS: Described here is a single cell RT-PCR analysis of Notch1, Notch3, Notch4, Notch ligands (Dll1 and Jagged1), and Fringe gene expression in cells of the blood system. As previously described, single cell globally amplified cDNA was generated by RT-PCR from various hematopoietic precursor cells whose potential was known from sibling analysis. A precursor hierarchy slot blot was created containing these cDNAs as well as samples from maturing blood cell populations and two fibroblast cell lines. The precursor slot blot was screened with probes for each of the candidate genes. RESULTS: Macrophage precursors expressed high levels of Notch1 transcript, while maturing macrophages expressed high levels of both Notch1 and Notch4. The Jagged 1 ligand transcript was highly expressed in terminally maturing cells including mast cells and megakaryocytes. In contrast, the Manic Fringe gene was highly expressed in uncommitted bi- and tri-potential precursors as well as in committed neutrophil and macrophage precursors. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct expression patterns of Jagged1 and Manic Fringe suggest that their corresponding proteins could regulate cell fate choices during hematopoiesis and may be responsible for regulating communication between lineage compartments during hematopoietic development.

The EH and SH3 domain Ese proteins regulate endocytosis by linking to dynamin and Eps15.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is a multistep process which requires interaction between a number of conserved proteins. We have cloned two mammalian genes which code for a number of endocytic adaptor proteins. Two of these proteins, termed Ese1 and Ese2, contain two N-terminal EH domains, a central coiled-coil domain and five C-terminal SH3 domains. Ese1 is constitutively associated with Eps15 proteins to form a complex with at least 14 protein-protein interaction surfaces. Yeast two-hybrid assays have revealed that Ese1 EH and SH3 domains bind epsin family proteins and dynamin, respectively. Overexpression of Ese1 is sufficient to block clathrin-mediated endocytosis in cultured cells, presumably through disruption of higher order protein complexes, which are assembled on the endogenous Ese1-Eps15 scaffold. The Ese1-Eps15 scaffold therefore links dynamin, epsin and other endocytic pathway components.

Fringe boundaries coincide with Notch-dependent patterning centres in mammals and alter Notch-dependent development in Drosophila.

In both vertebrate and invertebrate development, cells are often programmed to adopt fates distinct from their neighbors. Genetic analyses in Drosophila melanogaster have highlighted the importance of cell surface and secreted proteins in these cell fate decisions. Homologues of these proteins have been identified and shown to play similar roles in vertebrate development. Fringe, a novel signalling protein, has been shown to induce wing margin formation in Drosophila. Fringe shares significant sequence homology and predicted secondary structure similarity with bacterial glycosyltransferases. Thus fringe may control wing development by altering glycosylation of cell surface and/or secreted molecules. Recently, two fringe genes were isolated from Xenopus laevis. We report here the cloning and characterization of three murine fringe genes (lunatic fringe, manic fringe and radical fringe). We find in several tissues that fringe expression boundaries coincide with Notch-dependent patterning centres and with Notch-ligand expression boundaries. Ectopic expression of murine manic fringe or radical fringe in Drosophila results in phenotypes that resemble those seen in Notch mutants.

A human SHC-related sequence maps to chromosome 17, the SHC gene maps to chromosome 1.

The SHC gene encodes a protein that is thought to act as an adapter in many signal transduction pathways; the SHC protein probably facilitates the activation of RAS proteins in response to a variety of factors. We have mapped the human SHC gene and have identified a new SHC-related sequence. We have sequenced the region corresponding to the SHC 3' UTR from both loci and have mapped cosmids by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The human SHC gene maps to the proximal long arm of chromosome 1 and the SHC-related sequence maps to the proximal long arm of chromosome 17. A number of cancers have been positioned in the proximal long arm of chromosome 1; this is of interest given the oncogenic potential of the SHC protein.

The Grb2 binding domain of mSos1 is not required for downstream signal transduction.

Cellular Ras proteins are activated primarily by specific guanine-nucleotide releasing factors such as the Son of Sevenless (Sos) proteins. This activation event is thought to occur in response to plasma membrane localization of a complex containing Sos and a small adapter protein Grb2. We have isolated a dominant mutant allele of mSos1 which transforms Rat1 cells, yet is no longer able to bind Grb2. Biochemical experiments reveal that the subcellular distribution of this truncated Sos protein is not altered with respect to the wild type Sos protein. These data argue against a role for Grb2 in the direct recruitment of Sos proteins to the plasma membrane and suggest that Grb2 may function to overcome negative regulation of Sos by its C terminus.

Mapping the gene that encodes phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma 2 in the human and the mouse.

We have mapped the PLCG2 gene, which encodes the enzyme phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma 2. This is one of the phospholipases responsible for catalyzing the hydrolysis of phosphatidyl inositol in response to a great many mitogenic stimuli. PL C-gamma 2 is an essential component of the signal transduction pathway between tyrosine kinases and downstream events such as protein kinase C activation and intracellular calcium release. We assigned PLCG2 to human chromosome 16 by amplification within a somatic cell hybrid mapping panel. To position the locus at a much finer resolution, PLCG2 sequences were amplified from a chromosome 16-specific somatic cell hybrid panel, which placed the gene on the long arm of the chromosome in band 16q24.1, a region that has few known genes. We have hybridized a mouse Plcg2 open reading frame probe to mouse DNAs from the European Interspecific Backcross. The segregation pattern reveals the mouse Plcg2 locus maps to distal chromosome 8.

Mapping GRB2, a signal transduction gene in the human and the mouse.

We have mapped GRB2, a signal transduction gene whose protein product is an essential component of the pathway between tyrosine kinases (such as the epidermal growth factor receptor) and downstream proteins (such as Ras and Sos). We assigned GRB2 to human chromosome 17 by hybridization to a somatic cell hybrid mapping panel. To position the locus at a much finer resolution, we have isolated the human GRB2 gene in three different cosmids, which we have mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization to the long arm of human chromosome 17 (17q24-q25). We have hybridized a human GRB2 open reading frame probe to mouse DNAs from the European Interspecific Backcross. The segregation patterns reveal that the mouse Grb2 locus maps distally on chromosome 11, and an additional Grb2-related locus is present on chromosome 4 of one of the parental strains, Mus spretus/CRC.

A complex of Grb2 adaptor protein, Sos exchange factor, and a 36-kDa membrane-bound tyrosine phosphoprotein is implicated in ras activation in T cells.

T lymphocytes contain both Grb2, an SH2 and SH3 domain containing adaptor protein, and Sos, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Ras. Immunoprecipitates of Sos from the lysates of T cells contain a 36-kDa protein which is phosphorylated on tyrosine residues in response to T cell receptor/CD3 cross-linking. In vitro studies using different bacterially synthesized GST-Sos fusion proteins confirm the formation of complexes containing p36 and the proline-rich COOH-terminal domain of Sos. The use of mutant GST-Grb2 proteins in which both SH3 domains have been mutationally inactivated shows that Grb2 binds to tyrosine phosphorylated p36 via its SH2 domain. In Jurkat cells phosphorylated p36 is localized exclusively in the particulate fraction. In addition, another SH2 domain-containing protein, p52Shc is tyrosine phosphorylated upon TCR.CD3 cross-linking and associates with a 150-kDa phosphotyrosine containing protein. Taken together these data suggest that activation of Ras in T cells via the TCR.CD3 complex might be controlled, at least in part, by mechanisms similar to those found in fibroblasts, involving in this case formation of a complex of Grb2, Sos, and a membrane-bound tyrosine phosphoprotein of molecular mass 36-kDa.

RAS is required for epidermal growth factor-stimulated arachidonic acid release in rat-1 fibroblasts.

Previous studies have provided suggestive evidence for an interaction between ras activation and signalling pathways involved in agonist-stimulated arachidonic acid release in a variety of cell systems. In order to clarify this interaction, we have measured epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated arachidonic acid release in rat-1 fibroblasts transfected with the N-17 dominant negative mutation of ras. Cells transfected with the N-17 ras mutant, display a markedly attenuated arachidonic acid-release response to EGF, compared to sham-transfected and non-transfected cells. In contrast, the response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was not attenuated in the N-17-mutant expressing cells. No differences were detected between sham-transfected and N-17 mutant expressing cells in levels of immunodetectable EGF receptor, cytosolic phospholipase A2 or mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. Attenuation of EGF-stimulated arachidonic acid release in the N-17 mutant expressing cells, was accompanied by a marked diminution in EGF-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP kinase. We conclude that the signalling pathway involved in epidermal growth factor-stimulated arachidonic acid release is similar to the signalling pathway for mitogenic responses to epidermal growth factor and requires ras activation, likely followed by a downstream cascade of kinases eventuating in MAP kinase activation.

Association of Sos Ras exchange protein with Grb2 is implicated in tyrosine kinase signal transduction and transformation.

The proteins Grb2-Sem-5, Shc and Sos have been implicated in the signalling pathway from tyrosine kinase receptors to Ras. Grb2-Sem-5 binds directly to murine Sos1, a Ras exchange factor, through two SH3 domains. Sos is also associated with ligand-activated tyrosine kinase receptors which bind Grb2-Sem-5, and with the Grb2-Sem-5 binding protein, Shc. Ectopic expression of Drosophila Sos stimulates morphological transformation of rodent fibroblasts. These data define a pathway by which tyrosine kinases act through Ras to control cell growth and differentiation.

Molecular characterization of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway in Escherichia coli: sequence analysis and localization of promoters for the edd-eda operon.

The nucleotide sequence of the entire Escherichia coli edd-eda region that encodes the enzymes of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway was determined. The edd structural gene begins 236 bases downstream of zwf. The eda structural gene begins 34 bases downstream of edd. The edd reading frame is 1,809 bases long and encodes the 602-amino-acid, 64,446-Da protein 6-phosphogluconate dehydratase. The deduced primary amino acid sequences of the E. coli and Zymomonas mobilis dehydratase enzymes are highly conserved. The eda reading frame is 642 bases long and encodes the 213-amino-acid, 22,283-Da protein 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase. This enzyme had been previously purified and sequenced by others on the basis of its related enzyme activity, 2-keto-4-hydroxyglutarate aldolase. The data presented here provide proof that the two enzymes are identical. The primary amino acid sequences of the E. coli, Z. mobilis, and Pseudomonas putida aldolase enzymes are highly conserved. When E. coli is grown on gluconate, the edd and eda genes are cotranscribed. Four putative promoters within the edd-eda region were identified by transcript mapping and computer analysis. P1, located upstream of edd, appears to be the primary gluconate-responsive promoter of the edd-eda operon, responsible for induction of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, as mediated by the gntR product. High basal expression of eda is explained by constitutive transcription from P2, P3, and/or P4 but not P1.

Evidence for synergistic interactions between ras, myc and a mutant form of p53 in cellular transformation and tumor dissemination.

Mouse 10T1/2 cells were transfected with combinations of T24 H-ras, human c-myc and the proline 193 mutant form of p53. The three-gene ras/myc/p53 combination was significantly more efficient than single genes or double gene combinations in inducing transformed foci in vitro. An analysis of cell lines isolated after transfections with ras, ras/myc, ras/p53 and ras/myc/p53 indicated that the last combination contained significantly higher levels of ras protein than the other combinations, produced tumors in syngeneic mice with a shorter latency period, and exhibited an increased ability to form lung tumors in an in vivo experimental metastasis assay. Synergistic interactions between ras, myc and mutant p53 genes were observed in focus formation and metastasis assays, suggesting that the action of the three oncogenes in malignant transformation occurs along separate but interactive pathways. These results support a working model of oncogene cooperativity in which alterations in myc and p53 permit elevated expression of ras, which is important in a mechanism affecting both cellular transformation in vitro and tumor dissemination in vivo.

Cloning, characterization and expression of the Zymononas mobilis eda gene that encodes 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway.

The eda gene that encodes 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway was cloned from Zymomonas mobilis by genetic complementation of an Escherichia coli mutant. The gene is present in a single copy on the Z. mobilis genome and is not tightly linked to the edd gene. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the eda region revealed that the structural gene is 627 bp long and capable of encoding a protein of 208 amino acids with a deduced molecular weight of 21,505. The eda gene is monocistronic and is transcribed from a single promoter. The transcriptional initiation site was determined and an improved consensus promoter sequence for Z. mobilis was derived. High-level expression of the eda gene can be attributed to very efficient translational initiation caused by the high quality of the ribosome-binding site and stability of the mRNA, which has a decay rate of 7.6 min. A comparison of highly expressed Z. mobilis genes indicated that the relative quality of the ribosome-binding sites of these genes might play an important role in determining the level of enzyme synthesis. This possibility is discussed with regard to the role of gene expression in co-ordinating the enzyme levels of the Entner-Doudoroff glycolytic pathway.