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J E Rowe

Publications and source records attributed to J E Rowe.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Phosphoprotein and nucleocapsid protein evolution of vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey.

The entire phosphoprotein (P) and nucleocapsid (N) protein gene sequences and deduced amino acid sequences for 18 selected vesicular stomatitis virus isolates representative of the natural genetic diversity within the New Jersey serotype are reported. Phylogenetic analysis of the data using maximum parsimony allowed construction of evolutionary trees for the individual genes and the combined N, P, and glycoprotein (G) genes of these viruses. Virtually identical rates of nucleotide substitutions were found for each gene, indicating that evolution of these genes occurs at essentially the same rate. Although up to 19 and 17% sequence differences were evident in the P and N genes, respectively, no variation in gene length or evidence of recombinational rearrangements was found. However, striking evolutionary differences were observed among the amino acid sequences of vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey N, P, and G proteins. The N protein amino acid sequence was the most highly conserved among the different isolates, indicating strong functional and structural constraints. Conversely, the P protein amino acid sequences were highly variable, indicating considerably fewer constraints or greater evolutionary pressure on the P protein. Much of the remarkable amino acid variability of the P protein resided in a hypervariable domain located between amino acids 153 and 205. The variability within this region would be consistent with it playing a structural role as a spacer to maintain correct conformational presentation of the separate active domains of this multifunctional protein. In marked contrast, the adjacent domain I of the P protein (previously thought to be under little evolutionary constraint) contained a highly conserved region. The colocalization of a short, potentially functional overlapping open reading frame to this region may explain this apparent anomaly.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Three-dose vaccination of infants under 8 months of age with a conjugate Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine.

The first licensed Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccines were of a purified capsular oligosaccharide. Unfortunately, oligosaccharides are poorly immunogenic in younger children and resulted in these vaccines not routinely being used until past the period of peak incidence of Hib disease. Subsequent Hib vaccine research revealed that conjugating the oligosaccharide with various carrier proteins could produce vaccines with varying degree of improved immunogenicity. We investigated the antibody response and side effects of HibTITTER, one such vaccine, in 96 young infants in our multi-ethnic, border population. A three-dose course was given concomitantly with DPT and OPV vaccines at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. Seventy-nine percent of the infants had obtained antibody levels reportedly associated with clinical immunity after the second vaccination and 96% after the third vaccination. There was no significant difference in response due to sex, race, or vaccine lot. Currently HibTITER is recommended for use at 18 months of age. Our data strongly suggest that it may be effectively used much earlier, thereby immunizing infants against Hib disease before they reach their age of greatest vulnerability.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1989

Glycoprotein evolution of vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey.

A T1 ribonuclease fingerprinting study of a large number of virus isolates had previously demonstrated that considerable genetic variability existed among natural isolates of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) New Jersey (NJ) serotype [S.T. Nichol (1988) J. Virol. 62, 572-579]. Based on these results, 34 virus isolates were chosen as representing the extent of genetic diversity within the VSV NJ serotype. We report the entire glycoprotein (G) gene nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence for each of these viruses. Up to 19.8% G gene sequence differences could be seen among NJ serotype isolates. Analysis of the distribution of nucleotide substitutions relative to nucleotide codon position revealed that third position changes were distributed randomly throughout the gene. Third base changes constituted 84% of the observed nucleotide substitutions and affected 89% of the third base positions located in the G gene. Only three short oligonucleotide stretches of complete sequence conservation were observed. The remaining nucleotide changes located in the first and second positions were not distributed randomly, indicating that most of the amino acids coded by the G gene cannot be altered without reducing the fitness of the VSV NJ serotype viruses. Despite these constraints, up to 8.5% amino acid differences were observed between virus isolates. These differences were located throughout the G protein including regions adjacent to defined major antibody neutralization epitopes. Apparent clusters of amino acid substitutions were present in the hydrophobic signal sequence, transmembrane domain, and within the cytoplasmic domain of the G protein. A maximum parsimony analysis of the G gene nucleotide sequences allowed construction of a phylogram indicating the evolutionary relationship of these viruses. The VSV NJ serotype appears to contain at least three distinct lineages or subtypes. All recent virus isolates from the United States and Mexico are within subtype I and appear to have evolved from an ancestor more closely related to the Hazelhurst historic strain than other older strains. The implications of these findings for the evolution, epizootiology, and classification of these viruses are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Radiography of patients who don't speak English.

Radiographic examinations of non-English speaking patients need not be difficult. This article describes a communication style of pantomime, translation and touching that radiology department staff can employ to effectively communicate with non-English speaking patients.

Communication↗