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B Nussbaumer

Publications and source records attributed to B Nussbaumer.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Increased platelet surface expression of P-selectin and thrombospondin as markers of platelet activation in essential thrombocythaemia.

Essential thrombocythaemia (ET) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder associated with an increased risk of both thromboembolic and bleeding complications. Platelet activation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of prethrombotic conditions. The platelet surface expression of p-selectin (CD62p) and thrombospondin (TSP) has been shown to correlate with platelet activation. In the present study, we used a flow cytometric assay to study whether the fraction of platelets expressing CD62p and TSP is increased in newly diagnosed ET. Thirty-four patients with newly diagnosed ET and 25 healthy control subjects were investigated. The proportion of platelets expressing the activation-dependent antigens CD62p and TSP was higher in patients with ET (CD62p: 14.7+/-15.0%; TSP: 12.4+/-9.9%) as compared with healthy control subjects (CD62p: 3.0+/-4.0%; TSP: 3.2+/-3.2%; p< 0.001). In ET, there was a linear correlation between platelet surface expression of CD62p and TSP (p<0.0001, r=0.83). At diagnosis of ET, 20 patients were symptomatic and 14 asymptomatic. Compared with asymptomatic ET patients there was no difference in the expression of CD62p (18.3+/-16.2% vs. 14.5+/-13.4%) and TSP (14.4+/-9.8% vs. 12.8+/-9.5%) in symptomatic ET patients. In conclusion, increased expression of platelet neoantigens is present at the diagnosis of ET. Both activation-dependent epitopes CD62p and TSP are increasingly expressed on the platelet surface in newly diagnosed ET patients.

Aspirin↗

The peptide synthetase gene phsA from Streptomyces viridochromogenes is not juxtaposed with other genes involved in nonribosomal biosynthesis of peptides.

By complementation of a previously described non-phosphinothricin tripeptide (PTT)-producing mutant, NTG1, which is blocked in nonribosomal synthesis of the peptide, a DNA fragment including the putative peptide synthetase gene phsA was isolated (W. Wohlleben, R. Alijah, J. Dorendorf, D. Hillemann, B. Nussbaumer, and S. Pelzer, Gene 115:127-132, 1992). Sequence analysis of phsA revealed that it encodes a protein of 622 amino acids with regions which are highly similar to core motifs characteristic for peptide synthetases. PhsA represents one functional domain of a peptide synthetase which is necessary for activation and condensation of one amino acid, probably N-acetyl-demethyl-phosphinothricin. With regard to the arrangement of the flanking genes, phsA is the first peptide synthetase gene which is not in the direct neighborhood of additional peptide synthetase genes involved in the formation of peptide antibiotics. Gene disruption mutants with internal fragments of phsA subcloned in temperature-sensitive pGM vectors were generated. Integration occurred either into the chromosomal copy of phsA or into a gene outside the known phsA locus, resulting in two classes of non-PTT-producing mutants. In cofeeding experiments the former phsA mutants showed the same phenotype as did NTG1, which confirmed participation of phsA in nonribosomal synthesis of PTT. A truncated phsA gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the resulting protein of 593 amino acids was purified for raising antibodies. By performing immunoblotting experiments, the expression of phsA could be detected in Streptomyces viridochromogenes Tü494 in the stationary-growth phase after 4 days of incubation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification, isolation and sequencing of the recA gene of Streptomyces lividans TK24.

An internal fragment of the recA gene of Streptomyces cattleya was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) employing degenerate oligonucleotide primers. Using this fragment as a hybridization probe, a recA homologous gene could be shown in each tested Streptomyces strain. A 4.4 kb BamHI fragment which carried the complete recA gene was isolated from Streptomyces lividans TK24. Sequence analysis suggested that the coding region of the recA gene consists of 1122 bp. The highest similarity (approximately 78%) could be detected to the recA genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae. After fusion with an E. coli promoter the S. lividans recA gene could partially complement an Escherichia coli recA mutant.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Transfer and establishment of DNA in Streptomyces (a brief review).

Based on endogenous Streptomyces plasmids we have constructed various multiple purpose vectors for cloning in streptomycetes. Since replication of the S. ghanaensis plasmid pSG5 is inherently temperature-sensitive, pGM-vectors derived from pSG5 can be used for gene disruption/replacement and mutational cloning. The 1.6-kb minimal replication region of pSG5 encodes only one polypeptide, an initiation protein (Rep) for single stranded DNA-replication. Different internal fragments of sequenced genes of the Ptt-biosynthetic pathway were cloned into pGM-vectors to study both, the function of the biosynthetic genes and recombination in Streptomyces. The observed recombination frequencies were very high, up to 80% of the cells carried single or multiple copies of the plasmid integrated into the chromosome. Replacement experiments revealed that the frequency of marker exchange and plasmid integration, respectively, lies in the same order of magnitude. The region of homology which is required for homologous recombination could at least be reduced to 200 bp.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Identification and characterization of phosphinothricin-tripeptide biosynthetic genes in Streptomyces viridochromogenes.

A 4-kb BamHI fragment of Streptomyces viridochromogenes Tü494 carrying phosphinothricin-tripeptide (PTT) biosynthetic genes has been identified by complementation of a nonproducing mutant which is defective in the tripeptide formation step. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed one incomplete and three complete genes on the cloned fragment. The incomplete gene ('pms) codes for the C terminus of the phosphinomethylmalic acid synthase as determined by comparison with a region from the bialaphos biosynthetic cluster [Shimotohno et al., Agric. Biol. Chem. 54 (1990) 463-470] and with databases. Subcloning experiments showed that the juxtaposing phsA gene is sufficient to restore productivity of the blocked mutant. Analysis of gene disruption and gene replacement mutants confirmed that phsA specifies an enzyme involved in tripeptide formation. Similarities to peptide synthetases indicate that the condensation step follows a thio-template mechanism. A conserved region located in the C terminus of the PhsA protein showed identity to 4'-phosphopantetheine-binding sites of fatty acid and polyketide synthases. In the N terminus, a typical acyl transfer motif has been identified and this may be involved in transthiolation. A similar motif also appears in the deduced product of the third gene (dea), which probably catalyses the deacetylation of N-acetyl-PTT to PTT. The previously described PTT resistance-encoding gene (pat) was located between the phsA and the dea genes.

Acetylation↗

[Ambulatory therapy with amphotericin B].

Therapy of systemic fungal infection with amphotericin B (AmB) must be continued for several months and is usually performed on an inpatient basis because of the risk of drug toxicity. Between 1983 and 1987 we treated 14 outpatients with a total of 164 AmB infusions. Side effects were generally mild and easy to control. Progressive impairment of renal function led to dose reduction and interruption of therapy in only one patient. Ambulatory therapy with AmB is feasible in an outpatient unit with adequate experience, and a significant reduction of treatment costs can result. Outpatient therapy is an acceptable alternative to inpatient treatment. Patients with malignant diseases under palliative therapy will profit most from the reduced duration of hospital stay.

Adolescent↗