DNA methylation, H2A.Z, and the regulation of constitutive expression.

The most well-studied function of DNA methylation in eukaryotic cells is the transcriptional silencing of genes and transposons. More recent results showed that many eukaryotes methylate the bodies of genes as well and that this methylation correlates with transcriptional activity rather than repression. The purpose of gene body methylation remains mysterious, but is potentially related to the histone variant H2A.Z. Studies in plants and animals have shown that the genome-wide distributions of H2A.Z and DNA methylation are strikingly anticorrelated. Furthermore, we and other investigators have shown that this relationship is likely to be the result of an ancient but unknown mechanism by which DNA methylation prevents the incorporation of H2A.Z. Recently, we discovered strong correlations between the presence of H2A.Z within gene bodies, the degree to which a gene's expression varies across tissue types or environmental conditions, and transcriptional misregulation in an h2a.z mutant. We propose that one basal function of gene body methylation is the establishment of constitutive expression patterns within housekeeping genes by excluding H2A.Z from their bodies.

Genome comparisons reveal a dominant mechanism of chromosome number reduction in grasses and accelerated genome evolution in Triticeae.

Single-nucleotide polymorphism was used in the construction of an expressed sequence tag map of Aegilops tauschii, the diploid source of the wheat D genome. Comparisons of the map with the rice and sorghum genome sequences revealed 50 inversions and translocations; 2, 8, and 40 were assigned respectively to the rice, sorghum, and Ae. tauschii lineages, showing greatly accelerated genome evolution in the large Triticeae genomes. The reduction of the basic chromosome number from 12 to 7 in the Triticeae has taken place by a process during which an entire chromosome is inserted by its telomeres into a break in the centromeric region of another chromosome. The original centromere-telomere polarity of the chromosome arms is maintained in the new chromosome. An intrachromosomal telomere-telomere fusion resulting in a pericentric translocation of a chromosome segment or an entire arm accompanied or preceded the chromosome insertion in some instances. Insertional dysploidy has been recorded in three grass subfamilies and appears to be the dominant mechanism of basic chromosome number reduction in grasses. A total of 64% and 66% of Ae. tauschii genes were syntenic with sorghum and rice genes, respectively. Synteny was reduced in the vicinity of the termini of modern Ae. tauschii chromosomes but not in the vicinity of the ancient termini embedded in the Ae. tauschii chromosomes, suggesting that the dependence of synteny erosion on gene location along the centromere-telomere axis either evolved recently in the Triticeae phylogenetic lineage or its evolution was recently accelerated.

Implementation of gel column technology, including comparative testing of Ortho ID-MTS with standard polyethylene glycol tube tests.

With the intent to increase laboratory efficiency and according to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 (CLIA '88), a parallel testing program comparing traditional tube technology with the gel system technology was undertaken. Test tube indirect antiglobulin tests were performed using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the antibody enhancement medium. Gel (GEL) column technology used the ID-Micro Typing System, using predispensed anti-IgG and low-ionic- strength saline for antibody enhancement. Tests were performed as described in the manufacturer's guidelines and the current edition of the Technical Manual of the American Association of Blood Banks. Testing included antibody detection, antibody identification, direct antiglobulin tests (DATs), antigen phenotyping (K, Fya, Fyb, S, and s), and elution studies. These procedures were evaluated for sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency. Sixty-six samples that had been tested for antibody activity by PEG tube techniques were evaluated by GEL. These samples included 49 that were nonreactive and 17 with a positive antibody detection test. Within the latter were 19 antibodies, 17 with specificities considered to be clinically significant and 2 usually considered clinically insignificant for red cell transfusion. GEL was nonreactive with the 49 PEG negative samples as well as with the 2 samples containing insignificant antibody. All 17 antibodies of probable clinical significance were detected. Antibody identification studies were performed on these latter samples, with GEL results consistent with PEG tube results in all cases. Concordant results were obtained with 10 of 10 DATs (7 negative, 3 positive), all 77 antigen phenotyping tests (37 negative, 40 positive), and the 6 parallel elution studies (4 negative, 2 positive). GEL testing was found to be comparable or better when compared with PEG tube testing in all procedures evaluated.

Dreams in group therapy: a review of models.

Dream work in therapeutic environments is reviewed, exploring the benefits and limitations of dreams. The application of dreams to groups and the impact of the work on group process and interaction is discussed. The integration of dream-work models within various group psychotherapeutic approaches is examined. A meta-classification of dream-work concludes the review.

A monoclonal antibody against a novel 20-kDa protein induces cell adhesion and cytoskeleton-dependent morphologic changes.

A new murine IgA mAb (JKT.M1), developed against Jurkat T cells chronically infected with HIV IIIB induces in vitro homotypic aggregation in several hemopoietic cell lines. The JKT.M1 Ag is expressed on a wide variety of cell types including human lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, RBC, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, many T cell lines, myelomonocytic cell lines, and a primate kidney cell line. The JKT.M1 Ag shows differential expression on myelomonocytic cells; it is present on K562 and HL60 cell lines, which represent precursors of E and monocytes, respectively, but is not expressed on the surface of U937 and THP-1 cell lines, which appear to represent intermediate cell types of the monocytic cell lineage. However, the JKT.M1 Ag is expressed on mature peripheral blood monocytes and the MonoMac cell line. Immunoprecipitation from cell lysates (Jurkat, SupT1, PBMC, MonoMac) with the JKT.M1 mAb yields a 20-kDa Ag with few if any carbohydrate residues as determined by N-glycanase and neuraminidase treatments. The pI appears acidic by two-dimensional gel analysis, and the nonreduced form migrates more slowly than the reduced form when analyzed by SDS-PAGE suggesting the presence of intramolecular disulfide bridge(s). JKT.M1 mAb-induced cell adhesion is shown to be divalent cation- and temperature-dependent. The adhesion induced by JKT.M1 mAb is inhibited by 20 microM cytochalasin B and also by 2 mM 2-deoxyglucose plus 10 mM sodium azide suggesting that cytoskeletal changes and metabolic energy are required. Aggregation induced by JKT.M1 appears to be independent of CD43, CD44, and VLA4 (CD29/CD49d), mAb against which have also been shown to induce homotypic cell adhesion. Anti-CD18 mAb have been shown to inhibit homotypic aggregation in other studies but failed to do so in the present study. Thus JKT.M1-induced adhesion also appears to be independent of CD18, the beta-chain of leukocyte integrins. However, like mAb against LFA-1, immobilized JKT.M1 stimulates a T cell line to undergo dramatic morphologic changes which could be enhanced by the addition of phorbol ester. These data suggest that the novel 20-kDa molecule recognized by the JKT.M1 mAb may trigger cell adhesion through a previously undescribed mechanism.

Characterization of a novel self-associating Mr 40,000 platelet glycoprotein.

A novel platelet glycoprotein has been purified and characterized. This glycoprotein, designated Pltgp40, is an acidic sialylated 40,000-dalton protein that bears both O-linked and N-linked oligosaccharides. Treatment of Pltgp40 with neuraminidase resulted in a 5,000-dalton reduction in its Mr and a 1.5 Unit alkaline shift in the isoelectric point, indicating the presence of a large number of sialic acid residues. A similar size reduction and change in pl were observed after treatment of Pltgp40 with O-glycanase showing that sialic acids are present on O-linked oligosaccharides. Digestion of Pltgp40 with N-glycanase reduced the Mr to approximately 20,000 daltons but did not affect the isoelectric point, suggesting that Pltgp40 contains six to seven nonsialylated N-linked carbohydrate chains. High Mr proteins were observed in affinity purified Pltgp40 and were identified as detergent-stable protein oligomers consisting of multiple 40,000-dalton monomers. Immunodepletion and direct binding studies indicated that Pltgp40 was not equivalent to Ig Fc receptor type II, another 40,000-dalton glycoprotein expressed on platelets. However, Pltgp40 copurified with Fc receptor type II when platelet extracts were loaded onto human IgG affinity columns, raising the possibility that Pltgp40 may associate with Fc receptors or Fc receptor-lg complexes. Amino acid sequence analysis of the N-terminus of Pltgp40 was performed and confirmed that Pltgp40 is a novel platelet glycoprotein. Epitopes on Pltgp40 appear to be widely expressed because monoclonal antibodies against Pltgp40 also reacted with a variety of myeloid, lymphoid, and epithelial cells. Pltgp40 was detected on activated but not resting platelets, indicating that Pltgp40 is a platelet activation marker.

Purification and partial amino acid sequence analysis of human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase.

A single step immunoaffinity purification procedure for human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase is described which permitted the isolation of milligram quantities of enzyme from 10 U of erythrocytes, with 113,000-fold purification and a yield of about 22%. In SDS-PAGE analysis, the enzyme corresponds to a disulfide linked dimer of 140 kDa which is converted to a 70 kDa monomer upon disulfide reduction. The tryptic peptides generated from purified enzyme were separated by reverse-phase HPLC. Five of these peptides were analysed to determine the amino acid sequences. The obtained sequences showed no homology to the already known amino acid sequences for human serum and brain butyrylcholinesterase and Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the purification of mouse monoclonal antibodies.

High-performance liquid chromatography was applied to the purification of monoclonal antibodies from mouse ascites fluid. The method was based on anion-exchange chromatography using a TSK DEAE-5PW column and a gradient elution with 20 mM Tris, pH 8.5, and 20 mM Tris, pH 8.5, containing 2.0 M sodium acetate. The method can be applied to analytic or preparative scale separations. Purified immunoglobulins were isolated from samples of 20 to 100 microliter containing up to 19 mg total protein. The average recovery of total protein was 89 +/- 12%. Recovery of the immunoglobulins, based on recovery of immunological activity, was quantitative. In addition to separating the immunoglobulins from the other serum proteins, the various classes of IgG were resolved.