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G D Borasio

Publications and source records attributed to G D Borasio.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Differential effects of the protein kinase inhibitor K-252a on the in vitro survival of chick embryonic neurons.

The effects of the protein kinase inhibitor K-252a on the in vitro survival of different populations of chick embryonic neurons were tested. Following dissociation from the corresponding ganglia by trituration, the neurons were cultured on laminin-coated dishes in both the presence and absence of their respective neurotrophic factor. K-252a alone promoted long-term neuronal survival of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and ciliary ganglion (CG) neurons in a dose-dependent fashion. No such effect was seen with sympathetic ganglion (SG) neurons. In addition, K-252a did not interfere with nerve growth factor (NGF)- or ciliary neuronotrophic factor (CNTF)-mediated survival of DRG or CG neurons, respectively, but completely blocked the NGF- and CNTF-induced survival of SG neurons. High potassium-induced survival of SG neurons was not affected by K-252a. These results point to differences between various neuronal populations in the signal transduction mechanism for neurotrophic factors.

Animals↗

ras p21 protein promotes survival and fiber outgrowth of cultured embryonic neurons.

Although evidence obtained with the PC12 cell line has suggested a role for the ras oncogene proteins in the signal transduction of nerve growth factor-mediated fiber outgrowth, little is known about the signal transduction mechanisms involved in the neuronal response to neurotrophic factors in nontransformed cells. We report here that the oncogene protein T24-ras, when introduced into the cytoplasm of freshly dissociated chick embryonic neurons, promotes the in vitro survival and neurite outgrowth of nerve growth factor-responsive dorsal root ganglion neurons, brain-derived neurotrophic factor-responsive nodose ganglion neurons, and ciliary neuronotrophic factor-responsive ciliary ganglion neurons. The proto-oncogene product c-Ha-ras also promotes neuronal survival, albeit less strongly. No effect could be observed with truncated counterparts of T24-ras and c-Ha-ras lacking the 23 C-terminal amino acids including the membrane-anchoring, palmityl-accepting cysteine. These results suggest a generalized involvement of ras or ras-like proteins in the intracellular signal transduction pathway for neurotrophic factors.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Phage and host genetic determinants of the specific anticodon loop cleavages in bacteriophage T4-infected Escherichia coli CTr5X.

Anticodon loop cleavages of two host tRNA species occur in bacteriophage T4-infected Escherichia coli CTr5X, a host strain restricting phage mutants deficient in polynucleotide kinase (pnk) or RNA ligase (rli). The cleavage products accumulate with the mutants but are further processed in wt infection through polynucleotide kinase and RNA ligase reactions. Inactivating mutations in stp suppress pnk- or rli- mutations in E. coli CTr5X and, as shown here, also abolish the anticodon nuclease, implicating the stp product with this activity. We show also that there exist other suppressing mutations of a pnk- (pseT2) mutation that appear not to affect the anticodon nuclease and are not in stp. It has been shown that a single locus in E. coli CTr5X, termed prr, determines the restriction of pnk- or rli- mutants. A transductant carrying prr featured upon infection the anticodon nuclease reaction products, suggesting that prr determines the specific manifestation of this activity. However, prr does not encode the tRNA species that are vulnerable to the anticodon nuclease.

Anticodon↗

Bacteriophage T4-induced anticodon-loop nuclease detected in a host strain restrictive to RNA ligase mutants.

The fate of host tRNAs during T4 bacteriophage infection was investigated with Escherichia coli CTr5x, the only known host strain that is restrictive to RNA ligase and polynucleotide kinase mutants. Three CTr5x tRNA species were cleaved during infection. One was leucine tRNA1, which was cleaved in the extra arm, as reported elsewhere for E. coli B infected with bacteriophage T2 or T4. The other two were specific to E. coli CTr5x and were not cleaved in various other hosts. One of the cleaved CTr5x-specific tRNAs had an anticodon sequence of the E. coli B "major" isoleucine tRNA but otherwise little sequence homology. Both CTr5x-specific tRNAs were cleaved by a distinct T4-induced endonuclease, other than that of leucine tRNA1, because the CTr5x-specific cleavages (i) were induced later in infection, (ii) persisted with a T4 mutant deficient in leucine tRNA1 endonuclease, and (iii) occurred in the anticodon loop. The specific manifestation of the anticodon-directed endonuclease activity in T4-infected E. coli CTr5x suggests roles for RNA ligase and polynucleotide kinase in processing of host tRNA species.

Anticodon↗