A genomewide association study of skin pigmentation in a South Asian population.

We have conducted a multistage genomewide association study, using 1,620,742 single-nucleotide polymorphisms to systematically investigate the genetic factors influencing intrinsic skin pigmentation in a population of South Asian descent. Polymorphisms in three genes--SLC24A5, TYR, and SLC45A2--yielded highly significant replicated associations with skin-reflectance measurements, an indirect measure of melanin content in the skin. The associations detected in these three genes, in an additive manner, collectively account for a large fraction of the natural variation of skin pigmentation in a South Asian population. Our study is the first to interrogate polymorphisms across the genome, to find genetic determinants of the natural variation of skin pigmentation within a human population.

Immunomodulation of enzyme function in plants by single-domain antibody fragments.

Immunomodulation involves the use of antibodies to alter the function of molecules and is an emerging tool for manipulating both plant and animal systems. To realize the full potential of this technology, two major obstacles must be overcome. First, most antibodies do not function well intracellularly because critical disulfide bonds cannot form in the reducing environment of the cytoplasm or because of difficulties in targeting to subcellular organelles. Second, few antibodies bind to the active sites of enzymes and thus they generally do not neutralize enzyme function. Here we show that the unique properties of single-domain antibodies from camelids (camels and llamas) can circumvent both these obstacles. We demonstrate that these antibodies can be correctly targeted to subcellular organelles and inhibit enzyme function in plants more efficiently than antisense approaches. The use of these single-domain antibody fragments may greatly facilitate the successful immunomodulation of metabolic pathways in many organisms.

Molecular characterisation of a xyloglucan oligosaccharide-acting alpha-D-xylosidase from nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) cotyledons that resembles plant 'apoplastic' alpha-D-glucosidases.

We report the isolation, sequencing and analysis of the cDNA corresponding to an alpha-D-xylosidase involved in the mobilisation of xyloglucan from the cotyledons of germinated nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) seeds. The translated open reading frame (2,808 bp including the stop codon), gave a polypeptide of 935 amino acids. It included the sequences of eleven peptides obtained by endo-proteinase digestion of the protein, and a putative hydrophobic signal sequence characteristic of a protein that is directed through the plasma membrane. The deduced molecular weight of the translated protein was appreciably higher than the molecular weight determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting post-translational modification. The protein sequence showed high homology (76.0% identity over 896 amino acids) with a putative alpha-xylosidase sequence from Arabidopsis thaliana and there was homology with several alpha-glucosidases, notably those associated with the plant cell apoplast. The enzyme is a member of Family 31 of the glycosyl hydrolases and it fits into Clade 1 of the phylogenic analysis of alpha-glucosidases. Although in vivo the nasturtium enzyme catalyses mobilisation of cell wall xyloglucan, the homology of its primary sequence with alpha-glucosidases prompted study of its action on a range of alpha-glucosides. It was active against several alpha-(1-->4)-and alpha-(1-->6)-linked substrates, the former being hydrolysed faster. The functional and evolutionary relationships between this alpha-D-xylosidase and plant "apoplastic" alpha-D-glucosidases are discussed.