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Biomedical subjects

G L Moore

Publications and source records attributed to G L Moore.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Creating multiple-crossover DNA libraries independent of sequence identity.

We have developed, experimentally implemented, and modeled in silico a methodology named SCRATCHY that enables the combinatorial engineering of target proteins, independent of sequence identity. The approach combines two methods for recombining genes: incremental truncation for the creation of hybrid enzymes and DNA shuffling. First, incremental truncation for the creation of hybrid enzymes is used to create a comprehensive set of fusions between fragments of genes in a DNA homology-independent fashion. This artificial family is then subjected to a DNA-shuffling step to augment the number of crossovers. SCRATCHY libraries were created from the glycinamide-ribonucleotide formyltransferase (GART) genes from Escherichia coli (purN) and human (hGART). The developed modeling framework eSCRATCHY provides insight into the effect of sequence identity and fragmentation length on crossover statistics and draws contrast with DNA shuffling. Sequence analysis of the naive shuffled library identified members with up to three crossovers, and modeling predictions are in good agreement with the experimental findings. Subsequent in vivo selection in an auxotrophic E. coli host yielded functional hybrid enzymes containing multiple crossovers.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2001

Increased production of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins in the absence of hyperlipidemia in transgenic mice expressing cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase.

The finding that expression of a cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) transgene in cultured rat hepatoma cells caused a coordinate increase in lipogenesis and secretion of apoB-containing lipoproteins led to the hypothesis that hepatic production of apoB-containing lipoproteins may be linked to the expression of CYP7A1 (Wang, S.-L., Du, E., Martin, T. D., and Davis, R. A. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 19351-19358). To examine this hypothesis in vivo, a transgene encoding CYP7A1 driven by the constitutive liver-specific enhancer of the human apoE gene was expressed in C56BL/6 mice. The expression of CYP7A1 mRNA (20-fold), protein ( approximately 10-fold), and enzyme activity (5-fold) was markedly increased in transgenic mice compared with non-transgenic littermates. The bile acid pool of CYP7A1 transgenic mice was doubled mainly due to increased hydrophobic dihydroxy bile acids. In CYP7A1 transgenic mice, livers contained approximately 3-fold more sterol response element-binding protein-2 mRNA. Hepatic expression of mRNAs encoding lipogenic enzymes (i.e. fatty-acid synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, stearoyl-CoA desaturase, squalene synthase, farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, and low density lipoprotein receptor) as well as microsomal triglyceride transfer protein were elevated approximately 3-5-fold in transgenic mice. CYP7A1 transgenic mice also displayed a >2-fold increase in hepatic production and secretion of triglyceride-rich apoB-containing lipoproteins. Despite the increased hepatic secretion of apoB-containing lipoproteins in CYP7A1 mice, plasma levels of triglycerides and cholesterol were not significantly increased. These data suggest that the 5-fold increased expression of the low density lipoprotein receptor displayed by the livers of CYP7A1 transgenic mice was sufficient to compensate for the 2-fold increase production of apoB-containing lipoproteins. These findings emphasize the important homeostatic role that CYP7A1 plays in balancing the anabolic lipoprotein assembly/secretion pathway with the cholesterol catabolic bile acid synthetic pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Predicting crossover generation in DNA shuffling.

We introduce a quantitative framework for assessing the generation of crossovers in DNA shuffling experiments. The approach uses free energy calculations and complete sequence information to model the annealing process. Statistics obtained for the annealing events then are combined with a reassembly algorithm to infer crossover allocation in the reassembled sequences. The fraction of reassembled sequences containing zero, one, two, or more crossovers and the probability that a given nucleotide position in a reassembled sequence is the site of a crossover event are estimated. Comparisons of the predictions against experimental data for five example systems demonstrate good agreement despite the fact that no adjustable parameters are used. An in silico case study of a set of 12 subtilases examines the effect of fragmentation length, annealing temperature, sequence identity and number of shuffled sequences on the number, type, and distribution of crossovers. A computational verification of crossover aggregation in regions of near-perfect sequence identity and the presence of synergistic reassembly in family DNA shuffling is obtained.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2000

Modeling DNA mutation and recombination for directed evolution experiments.

Directed evolution experiments rely on the cyclical application of mutagenesis, screening and amplification in a test tube. They have led to the creation of novel proteins for a wide range of applications. However, directed evolution currently requires an uncertain, typically large, number of labor intensive and expensive experimental cycles before proteins with improved function are identified. This paper introduces predictive models for quantifying the outcome of the experiments aiding in the setup of directed evolution for maximizing the chances of obtaining DNA sequences encoding enzymes with improved activities. Two methods of DNA manipulation are analysed: error-prone PCR and DNA recombination. Error-prone PCR is a DNA replication process that intentionally introduces copying errors by imposing mutagenic reaction conditions. The proposed model calculates the probability of producing a specific nucleotide sequence after a number of PCR cycles. DNA recombination methods rely on the mixing and concatenation of genetic material from a number of parent sequences. This paper focuses on modeling a specific DNA recombination protocol, DNA shuffling. Three aspects of the DNA shuffling procedure are modeled: the fragment size distribution after random fragmentation by DNase I, the assembly of DNA fragments, and the probability of assembling specific sequences or combinations of mutations. Results obtained with the proposed models compare favorably with experimental data.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Expression of human cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase in atherosclerosis-susceptible mice via adenovirus infection.

Adenovirus is a vector for the delivery of genes mainly to the liver. Short-term (approximately 3 days) studies using adenovirus transfection have provided valuable insights into how genes can complement normal and pathological phenotypes. When atherosclerosis-susceptible C57BL/6 mice were infected with an adenovirus vector containing the human 7alpha-hydroxylate cDNA (AV17h1) and fed on a chow diet, human 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA and enzyme activity doubled compared with that in mice infected with an adenovirus vector (AV1Null) alone. In AV17h1-infected mice fed on a high fat cholic acid (HFCA) diet, mRNA expression and activity of both the endogenous and adenovirus (human) 7alpha-hydroxylase were repressed. AV17h1-infected mice fed on a HFCA diet and killed at mid-light had increased 7alpha-hydroxylase activity and mRNA compared with mice killed at mid-dark. Since expression of AV17h1 is driven by a constitutive Rous sarcoma virus promoter, the repression of human 7alpha-hydroxylase by the HFCA diet was unexpected. In spite of this post-transcriptional repression by the HFCA diet, AV17h1-infected mice expressed the human 7alpha-hydroxylase mRNA, causing its enzyme activity to be 3-fold greater than in AV1Null-infected mice. In AV17h1-infected mice, the 7alpha-hydroxylase enzyme activity varied as a linear function of human mRNA abundance. In conclusion, the accumulation of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins in plasma of C57BL/6 mice fed on the HFCA diet was not reduced by longer-term (2 weeks) 7alpha-hydroxylase expression, probably because of its diminished expression caused by the diet and hepatic inflammation from the adenovirus infection. These results may suggest that adenovirus is effective in promoting longer-term (2 weeks) expression of 7alpha-hydroxylase.

Adenoviridae Infections↗
PubMed1996

Rat hepatoma L35 cells, a liver-differentiated cell line, display resistance to bile acid repression of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase.

A stable hepatoma cell line (L35 cells) showing an activation of the cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene (CYP7) that had been silent in the parental hepatoma cell line (H35 cells) was used to examine the influence of bile acids on its gene expression and activity. L35 cells were found to concentrate taurocholate from the culture medium, without any significant effect on the expression of 7 alpha-hydroxylase. At physiologic levels (up to 100 microM), CYP7 mRNA expression was not repressed by any bile acid. At supra-physiologic levels (1 mM), the more hydrophobic dihydroxy bile acids, taurodeoxycholate and taurochenodeoxycholate, decreased CYP7 mRNA without decreasing the relative abundance of beta-actin mRNA. Similar results were obtained by culturing cells with sodium dodecylsulfate (50 microM). The medium of L35 cells treated with either taurochenodeoxycholate (1 mM), taurodeoxycholate (1 mM), or sodium dodecylsulfate (50 microM) contained significantly greater activities of two cytosolic enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase and phosphoglucose isomerase, indicating a cytotoxic response. Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters decreased the expression of 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA without evidence of cytotoxicity; therefore, the inability of L35 cells to show bile acid repression cannot be ascribed to a lack of an effect by this secondary messenger system. In addition, insulin decreased and dexamethasone increased 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA without increasing the release of the cytoplasmic enzyme markers. The combined data suggest that L35 cells are resistant to repression of CYP7 gene expression by bile acids, but display physiologic expression to hormones and protein kinase C activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

In vivo viability studies of two additive solutions in the postthaw preservation of red cells held for 3 weeks at 4 degrees C.

An optimized additive solution was developed for the postthaw preservation of red cells that contained adenine, glucose, disodium phosphate, and citrate buffer. This solution, called AS-17, was compared to AS-3 solution in a clinical trial using 40 subjects (20 in each arm). Fresh-frozen red cells were thawed and deglycerolized after 1 to 18 months and subjected to a second period of storage in either solution for up to 3 weeks at refrigerator temperatures. Both solutions yielded red cells with 24-hour survivals in excess of 75 percent. Cells stored in AS-3 for 21 days had a mean survival of 77 +/- 8 percent and cells stored in AS-17 a mean survival of 79 +/- 11 percent. The AS-17 solution resulted in improved maintenance of pH, p50, and 2,3 DPG compared to that with AS-3, but both solutions appear adequate for 3 weeks of postthaw storage.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation of methemoglobin formation during the storage of various hemoglobin solutions.

Many researchers are trying to develop a blood substitute based on chemically modified human hemoglobin. In the process of making such solutions, we were faced with the problem of determining the best storage conditions to minimize oxidation of the solutions between the time of manufacture and use. Samples of stroma-free hemoglobin, purified A0 hemoglobin, and various cross-linked hemoglobins were stored for 8-12 months at +4 degrees C -20 degrees C, and -80 degrees C and were analyzed periodically for formation of methemoglobin (MetHb). Various suspending solutions were evaluated for their effects on the rate of MetHb formation, and the approximate rates of MetHb production per month were calculated. Short-term storage of hemoglobin solutions (< 14 days) can be done at +4 degrees C, but extended storage should be done at -80 degrees C with quick thawing. Salts minimize the hemoglobin oxidation during the stress of freeze-thaw operations. Storage at -20 degrees C. presents further problems and should be avoided.

Blood Preservation↗
PubMed1990

High-performance liquid chromatographic evaluation of pyridoxyl 5'-phosphate hemoglobin derivatives produced by different reduction procedures.

Pyridoxylated hemoglobin derivatives have been studied by many investigators. In this study hemoglobin A0 rather than stroma-free hemoglobin was used as a starting material in order to reduce the number of proteins to A0 and A1c. Derivatives were characterized using a Synchropak Q300 strong anion-exchange column, a PolyCAT A weak cation-exchange column and a VYDAC reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic column. Resulting peak profiles of these two ion-exchange separations demonstrated enhanced resolution and showed the presence of pyridoxylated hemoglobin products not previously described. We compared products from the reduction of these Schiff base derivatives using either sodium borohydride or sodium cyanoborohydride reduction procedures. The sodium cyanoborohydride reduction method produced a lower percentage of products with multiple-site pyridoxylation modifications than the sodium borohydride reduction process.

Blood Substitutes↗
PubMed1990

Effects of hypertonic saline (7.5%)/dextran 70 on human red cell typing, lysis, and metabolism in vitro.

The introduction of a 7.5% hypertonic saline/6% dextran 70 (HSD) solution into clinical trials for the treatment of hypovolemic states, and the past concerns regarding the possible interference of dextran with blood serology, prompted us to investigate the effects of HSD on human red-cell typing and stability. HSD was evaluated with fresh and 35-day stored CPDA-1 red cells from 12 healthy donors. A 1:5 mixture of HSD to blood in vitro had no effect on ABO, Rh, and MN typing in both fresh and stored blood. HSD produced no significant lysis with fresh cells and a minimal level with stored blood. No evidence of metabolic or morphologic changes was seen after HSD treatment. The results of this study suggest that the clinical use of HSD for the treatment of hemorrhagic shock will not affect blood group determinations or red-cell stability from stored blood which may be infused after the HSD-treated patient is transported to a hospital.

Blood Grouping and Crossmatching↗
PubMed1989

A critical examination of the reaction of pyridoxal 5-phosphate with human hemoglobin Ao.

Pyridoxylated normal adult human hemoglobin (HbAo) has been prepared using both oxygenated and deoxygenated HbAo at pH 6.8 and room temperature without the addition of Tris to produce a mixture with P50 of 30 +/- 2 torr and a Hill coefficient of 2.3 +/- 0.1 similar to that of the isolated adult human hemoglobin from the red blood cell. Reduction of the pyridoxylated HbAo in the oxygen-ligated form by sodium borohydride gives unacceptable levels of methemoglobin (i.e., greater than 10%). Excessive foaming and methemoglobin formation can be partially avoided using deoxyHbAo. Reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride is much gentler and gives solutions with less than 5% methemoglobin. Both reducing agents give products with multiple components as shown by analytical chromatography. Radioautography on the isoelectric focusing gels of HbAo treated with 14C pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) shows three major bands for the cyanoborohydride-reduced derivatives and a much more complex mixture of labeled molecules after the sodium borohydride reduction. When pyridoxylated hemoglobin is prepared without reduction, the preparation, after passage through a mixed-bed resin, contains 0.4 equivalents of PLP per heme, and has a P50 of 30 +/- 2 torr and an n value of 2.3 similar to the values found after reduction. Upon anion exchange resin chromatography, the PLP is removed, indicating that the reaction forms a reversible Schiff base. On standing at 4 degrees C for one month, this preparation produces a mixture of HbAo and pyridoxylated HbAo with the original P50. Methemoglobin increased to 3% during this incubation. After four months in the cold, the yield of a single chromatographic species is 70% with 20% methemoglobin. This fraction appears to be stable and can be passed through an anion exchange column without release of the PLP. Separation of the individual chains by reverse-phase chromatography indicates that the addition of PLP to HbAo is directed solely to the beta-chains. This is also the case for the cyanoborohydride reduced derivatives. When NaBH4 is used for the reduction, radioactively labeled PLP is found on both the alpha- and beta-chains.

Hemoglobin A↗
PubMed1989

Intussusception secondary to Meckel's diverticulum. A challenging diagnosis in adolescence.

A 14-year-old male was found to have an intussusception secondary to an invaginating Meckel's diverticulum. He was initially referred for crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease was suspected. The etiology of most intussusceptions is unknown; however, both in adolescence and adulthood they may be initiated by a lead point. This paper presents, analyzes, and discusses an intussusception caused by a Meckel's diverticulum as a lead point and the difficulty in making a preoperative diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of ascorbate-2-phosphate, adenine and hypoxanthine in stored human blood.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure was developed to assay for adenine, hypoxanthine, and ascorbate-2-phosphate in both red blood cells and plasma. The samples were diluted and filtered through Centriflo filter cones to remove most of the blood proteins before injection onto the column. The application of the technique to an experimental blood preservation study is illustrated.

Adenine↗