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D J Roufa

Publications and source records attributed to D J Roufa.

48 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

A temperature-sensitive mutation affecting the mammalian 60 S ribosome.

A temperature-sensitive Chinese hamster cell mutant, ts14, is unable to synthesize protein in tissue culture at 39 degrees. That mutant's protein biosynthetic machinery has been characterized in cell-free, biologically active extracts. Similar to the mutant's phenotype in tissue culture, ts14 extracts cease protein synthesis in vitro within 15 min at 40 degrees. In contrast, at 25 degrees both ts14 and wild type extracts synthesize protein for more than 2 hours. Fractionation of mutant extracts and complementation with comparable wild type preparations indicate that ts14 possesses a thermolabile component associated with its polyribosomes. In preparation of ts14 ribosomes that are free of mRNA and bound protein factors, the defective factor is complemented functionally only by 60 S ribosomal subunits prepared from the wild type parent. Sedimentation analyses in sucrose gradients demonstrate that ts14's mutation specifically affects stability of the mutant's 60 S ribosome. Treatment with high ionic strength buffers preferentially disrupts the mutant's 60 S ribosomal subunit and results in preparations of mutant ribosomes that contain biologically active 40 S subunits only. These studies demonstrate the applicability of a genetic approach to analyzing structure-function relationships in the eukaryotic ribosome.

Cell Line↗

Temperature-sensitive mutants of a Chinese hamster cell line. I. Selection of clones with defective macromolecular biosynthesis.

Temperature-sensitive clones have been selected from a mutagenized culture of Chinese hamster lung cells by a procedure involving bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and irradiation with black light. The selection procedure used in these studies was adapted from methods developed by others to yield mutants that cease DNA replication within a short time after they are transferred to nonpermissive temperature. After mutagenesis with ethyl methanosulfonate ten clones survived the selection procedure. Three of the clones (mutants) were temperature-sensitive as measured by growth properties. Two mutants ceased DNA synthesis within six hours of being shifted to 39degrees and the third mutant continued to synthesize DNA at nonpermissive temperature at a reduced rate for at least 24 hours. Thus, all three mutants survived the selection procedure for understandable reasons, since each was unable to incorporate sufficient BrdU at 39degrees to lethally protosensitize its DNA during the standard exposure period. The two mutants that cease DNA synthesis at high temperature (clones 115-47 and 115-53) also stop incorporating radioactive amino acids and uridine within six hours at 39degrees. Their complex phenotype, i.e. defective DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis, is reversible. When these mutants were returned to 33 degrees after 8 hours at 39 degrees, both resumed DNA synthesis immediately (less than 1 hour). Reversal of defective DNA synthesis in both mutants were sensitive to drugs that inhibit protein biosynthesis specifically. Those same drugs, as well as toxic amino acids analogs, also effected a striking mutant phenocopy in wild-type cells. The phenocopy produced by amino acid analogs that are incorporated into mammalian proteins suggested that one or more proteins must be synthesized continuously to support mammalian cells engaged in programmed DNA replication.

Bromodeoxyuridine↗

Mutations affecting the structure of hypoxanthine: guanine phosphoribosyltransferase in cultured Chinese hamster cells.

14 Clones resistant to 8-azaguanine, isolated from mutagenically treated cultured cells from Chinese hamsters, were tested for loss of enzymic and immunological activities of hypoxanthine: guanine phosphoribosyltransferase. Three of the clones had no enzymic activity but reacted strongly with antiserum prepared against the enzyme (CRM(+)), indicating the presence of a defective enzyme protein, probably caused by a mutation in its structural gene. The other 11 mutants had little or no enzymic or immunologic activity. Revertant clones with positive enzymic and crossreacting immunologic activities were derived from both classes of mutants. The antiserum has been used for rapid purification of the phosphoribosyltransferase from Chinese hamster cells by immunoadsorbant affinity chromatography.

Animals↗

Derivation of TK- clones from revertant TK+ mammalian cells.

In order to obtain a large collection of Chinese hamster cell clones defective in thymidine kinase (TK(-)), BrdU(r) selection experiments have been performed on wild-type and revertant TK(+) cell lines. No clones (< 10(-9)) were obtained from the wild-type TK(+) cell line by single-step selection. In contrast, revertant TK(+) clones readily gave rise to stable TK(-) derivatives (1 - 2 x 10(-4)). Both wild-type and revertant TK(+) clones spontaneously yielded 8-AG(r) colonies with the same frequency (1 - 5 x 10(-6)), suggesting that the differences between wild-type and revertant cell lines specifically affected selection of the TK(-) phenotype. The increased frequency of TK(-) clones reflects perhaps the number (ploidy) or character of the autosomal TK loci in TK(+) revertants, or perhaps the mechanisms which regulate expression of the TK genes. Several mutagens, EMS, MNNG and UV, stimulated the TK(+) revertants' frequency of TK(-) subclones only slightly (< 3-fold). Biochemical and genetic data indicated that the TK(-) clones derived from one revertant are phenotypically different. The phenotypes displayed by these cell lines are stable and do not depend upon the continued presence of the selective agent.

Bromodeoxyuridine↗

8-Azaguanine resistance in mammalian cells. I. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase.

Chinese hamster cells were treated with ethyl methanesulfonate or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, and mutants resistant to 8-azaguanine were selected and characterized. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity of sixteen mutants is extremely negative, making them suitable for reversion to HGPRTase(+). Ten of the extremely negative mutants revert at a frequency higher than 10(-7) suggesting their point mutational character. The remaining mutants have demonstrable HGPRTase activity and are not useful for reversion analysis. Five of these mutants have < 2% HGPRTase and are presumably also HGPRTase point mutants. The remaining 14 mutants utilize exogenous hypoxanthine for nucleic acid synthesis poorly, and possess 20-150% of wild-type HGPRTase activity in in vitro. Their mechanism of 8-azaguanine resistance is not yet defined.

Adenine↗

Translocation of mRNA codons. II. Properties of an anti-translocase antibody.

A purified preparation of translocase, one of several enzymes required for protein biosynthesis, has been used to prepare a specific anti-translocase antibody. This antibody provides an extremely useful tool not only for detecting the enzyme independent of its activity, but for inhibiting the translocase-mediated reaction and, thus, protein biosynthesis. Though the antibody very rapidly inhibits elongation of the peptide chain, it fails to effect initiation, binding, or peptide bond formation, which strongly suggests that translocase is not a direct participant in these reactions. It also arrests translation of the defined tricodon AUG(U(6)) at the second codon, permitting formation only of the dipeptide, fMet-Phe, rather than the tripeptide, fMetPhe-(Phe)(2), which is formed in the presence of control serum. We have shown previously that the third codon becomes available only in the presence of translocase, thereby defining the site of action of the antibody. The antibody also has been used to demonstrate that translocase is antigenically distinct from the other proteins required for initiation and protein synthesis in E. coli.

Animals↗