PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

J Hauser

Publications and source records attributed to J Hauser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The enhanced mutagenic potential of the MucAB proteins correlates with the highly efficient processing of the MucA protein.

Inducible mutagenesis in Escherichia coli requires the direct action of the chromosomally encoded UmuDC proteins or functional homologs found on certain naturally occurring plasmids. Although structurally similar, the five umu-like operons that have been characterized at the molecular level vary in their ability to enhance cellular and phage mutagenesis; of these operons, the mucAB genes from the N-group plasmid pKM101 are the most efficient at promoting mutagenesis. During the mutagenic process, UmuD is posttranslationally processed to an active form, UmuD'. To explain the more potent mutagenic efficiency of mucAB compared with that of umuDC it has been suggested that unlike UmuD, intact MucA is functional for mutagenesis. To examine this possibility, we have overproduced and purified the MucA protein. Although functionally similar to UmuD, MucA was cleaved much more rapidly both in vitro and in vivo than UmuD. In vivo, restoration of mutagenesis functions to normally nonmutable recA430, recA433, recA435, or recA730 delta(umuDC)595::cat strains by either MucA+ or mutant MucA protein correlated with the appearance of the cleavage product, MucA'. These results suggest that most of the differences in mutagenic phenotype exhibited by MucAB and UmuDC correlate with the efficiency of posttranslational processing of MucA and UmuD rather than an inherent activity of the unprocessed proteins.

Bacterial Proteins

Simian virus 40 (SV40) small t antigen inhibits SV40 DNA replication in vitro.

We describe a biochemical function of simian virus 40 small t antigen, the inhibition of simian virus 40 large T antigen-mediated viral DNA replication in an in vitro replication system. Our results suggest that in this system, small t antigen prevents protein phosphatase 2A-mediated activation of large T antigen.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming

Extremely long protection by pyrazole derivatives against chemically induced gastric mucosal injury.

We tested the hypothesis that the gastrotoxicity of ethanol and other damaging agents is influenced through the modulation of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) by using either the ADH-inhibitor pyrazole or the noninhibitor derivatives of pyrazole. In time course experiments, the protection by both compounds was evident up to 48 hr before ethanol administration. Both drugs were also protected, from about 24 hr, from gastric mucosal damage induced by aspirin and hydrochloric acid. In order to examine the role of endogenous prostaglandins and sulfhydryls in this protection, indomethacin and N-ethylmaleimide were used, of which only the sulfhydryl alkylator antagonized (by about 50%) the protection by pyrazole and 3-methylpyrazole. Studies with monastral blue B revealed the protective role of both pyrazole and 3-methylpyrazole against early vascular injury in the gastric mucosa. We conclude that because both the ADH-inhibitor pyrazole and the noninhibitor derivatives of pyrazole exert gastro-protection, and because both compounds protect against aspirin and HCI, ADH inhibition is not involved in this protection. We also suggest that although prostaglandins appear to have minimal involvement in the mechanism of protection, endogenous sulfhydryls may be important mediators. Furthermore, the functional and structural mechanism of this protection seems to be the prevention of acute vascular injury.

Amides

PEANUT: computer graphics program to represent atomic displacement parameters.

PEANUT is an easy to use computer graphics program for the visualization and real-time manipulation of the atomic displacement parameters of small molecules. A flexible, dynamic data structure allows the user to compute complicated, nonspherical atomic surfaces and to handle the point group symmetry of the molecules automatically. Pictures with hidden-line removal may be plotted in publication quality on appropriate output devices.

Azepines

Molecular analysis of enhanced replication of UV-damaged simian virus 40 DNA in UV-treated mammalian cells.

Irradiation of simian virus 40 (SV40)-infected cells with low fluences of UV light (20 to 60 J/m2, inducing one to three pyrimidine dimers per SV40 genome) causes a dramatic inhibition of viral DNA replication. However, treatment of cells with UV radiation (20 J/m2) before infection with SV40 virus enhances the replication of UV-damaged viral DNA. To investigate the mechanism of this enhancement of replication, we analyzed the kinetics of synthesis and interconversion of viral replicative intermediates synthesized after UV irradiation of SV40-infected cells that had been pretreated with UV radiation. This enhancement did not appear to be due to an expansion of the size of the pool of replicative intermediates after irradiation of pretreated infected cells; the kinetics of incorporation of labeled thymidine into replicative intermediates were very similar after irradiation of infected control and pretreated cells. The major products of replication of SV40 DNA after UV irradiation at the low UV fluences used here were form II molecules with single-stranded gaps (relaxed circular intermediates). There did not appear to be a change in the proportion of these molecules synthesized when cells were pretreated with UV radiation. Thus, it is unlikely that a substantial amount of DNA synthesis occurs past pyrimidine dimers without leaving gaps. This conclusion is supported by the observation that the proportion of newly synthesized SV40 form I molecules that contain pyrimidine dimers was not increased in pretreated cells. Pulse-chase experiments suggested that there is a more efficient conversion of replicative intermediates into form I molecules in pretreated cells. This could be due to more efficient gap filling in relaxed circular intermediate molecules or to the release of blocked replication forks. Alternatively, the enhanced replication observed here may be due to an increase in the excision repair capacity of the pretreated cells.

Animals

Fidelity of DNA synthesis in a mammalian in vitro replication system.

We have used the simian virus 40 (SV40)-based shuttle vector pZ189 in a forward-mutation assay to determine the fidelity of DNA replication in the in vitro DNA replication system developed by J.J. Li and T.J. Kelly (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:6973-6977, 1984). We find that very few base substitution errors (approximately 1/180,000 bases incorporated) are made during in vitro replication of the pZ189 vector in a system derived from CV-1 monkey cells. This replication is completely dependent on added SV40 T antigen and presumably reflects synthesis that is initiated at the SV40 replication origin. The observed level of fidelity is far greater than that reported for in vitro replication of DNA by conventionally purified eucaryotic DNA polymerases alpha and beta. Thus, there must be additional cellular factors in the crude in vitro system that serve to enhance the fidelity of DNA replication.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming

Unique pattern of point mutations arising after gene transfer into mammalian cells.

We have used a simian virus 40 (SV40)-based shuttle vector, pZ189, to analyze the sequence specificity of spontaneous point mutations that arise after transfection of this vector into monkey cells. The majority of the mutants which we studied had multiple base substitutions (mostly G-C----A-T transitions and G-C----T-A transversions) within the 160-bp region sequenced. Almost all of the mutations occurred in the right-hand G-C bp of one of the two following sequences, 5'-TC-3':3'-AG-5' or 5'-CC-3':3'-GG-5'. We postulate that these mutations result from DNA replication infidelity occurring during repair of the transfected DNA which has been damaged by cellular nucleases. The sequence specificity of the mutations suggests an effect of the following nucleotide on misincorporation wherein A (or less frequently T) is preferentially misincorporated opposite C when the next nucleotide inserted is A (or less frequently G). Our results support the utility of the shuttle vector as a model in studies on gene transfer and document the extreme plasticity of DNA transfected into mammalian cells.

Animals

Test of models for the sequence specificity of UV-induced mutations in mammalian cells.

We have used mathematical modeling and statistical analysis to examine the correlation between UV-induced DNA damage and resulting base-substitution mutations in mammalian cells. The frequency and site specificity of UV-induced photoproducts in the supF gene of the pZ189 shuttle vector plasmid were compared with the frequency and site specificity of base-substitution mutations induced upon passage of the UV-irradiated vector in monkey cells. The hypothesis that the observed mutational spectrum is due to a preferential insertion of adenosine opposite UV photoproducts in the DNA template was found to best explain the mutational data. Models in which it was postulated that only (6-4) photoproducts, and not cyclobutane dimers, are mutagenic, or that the relative frequency of photoproduct formation does not influence mutation frequencies, fit the data much less well. This analysis demonstrates that molecular mechanisms of mutagenesis in mammalian cells can be deduced from mutational data obtained with a shuttle vector system.

Animals

Sequence specificity of point mutations induced during passage of a UV-irradiated shuttle vector plasmid in monkey cells.

A simian virus 40-based shuttle vector was used to characterize UV-induced mutations generated in mammalian cells. The small size and placement of the mutagenesis marker (the supF suppressor tRNA gene from Escherichia coli) within the vector substantially reduced the frequency of spontaneous mutations normally observed after transfection of mammalian cells with plasmid DNA; hence, UV-induced mutations were easily identified above the spontaneous background. UV-induced mutations characterized by DNA sequencing were found primarily to be base substitutions; about 56% of these were single-base changes, and 17% were tandem double-base changes. About 24% of the UV-induced mutants carried multiple mutations clustered within the 160-base-pair region sequenced. The majority (61%) of base changes were the G . C----A . T transitions; the other transition (A . T----G . C) and all four transversions occurred at about equal frequencies. Hot spots for UV mutagenesis did not correspond to hot spots for UV-induced photoproduct formation (determined by a DNA synthesis arrest assay); in particular, sites of TT dimers were underrepresented among the UV-induced mutations. These observations suggest to us that the DNA polymerase(s) responsible for mutation induction exhibits a localized loss of fidelity in DNA synthesis on UV-damaged templates such that it synthesizes past UV photoproducts, preferentially inserting adenine, and sometimes misincorporates bases at undamaged sites nearby.

Animals

UV light-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers are mutagenic in mammalian cells.

We used a simian virus 40-based shuttle vector plasmid, pZ189, to determine the role of pyrimidine cyclobutane dimers in UV light-induced mutagenesis in monkey cells. The vector DNA was UV irradiated and then introduced into monkey cells by transfection. After replication, vector DNA was recovered from the cells and tested for mutations in its supF suppressor tRNA marker gene by transformation of Escherichia coli carrying a nonsense mutation in the beta-galactosidase gene. When the irradiated vector was treated with E. coli photolyase prior to transfection, pyrimidine cyclobutane dimers were removed selectively. Removal of approximately 90% of the pyrimidine cyclobutane dimers increased the biological activity of the vector by 75% and reduced its mutation frequency by 80%. Sequence analysis of 72 mutants recovered indicated that there were significantly fewer tandem double-base changes and G X C----A X T transitions (particularly at CC sites) after photoreactivation of the DNA. UV-induced photoproducts remained (although at greatly reduced levels) at all pyr-pyr sites after photoreactivation, but there was a relative increase in photoproducts at CC and TC sites and a relative decrease at TT and CT sites, presumably due to a persistence of (6-4) photoproducts at some CC and TC sites. These observations are consistent with the fact that mutations were found after photoreactivation at many sites at which only cyclobutane dimers would be expected to occur. From these results we conclude that UV-induced pyrimidine cyclobutane dimers are mutagenic in DNA replicated in monkey cells.

Animals

Adenovirus 2 early gene expression promotes susceptibility to effector cell lysis of hybrids formed between hamster cells transformed by adenovirus 2 and simian virus 40.

Weakly oncogenic adenovirus 2 (Ad2)-transformed LSH hamster cells are sensitive to lysis by spontaneously cytolytic lymphoid cells and activated macrophages, whereas highly oncogenic simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed LSH cells are relatively resistant to these nonspecific effector cells. Somatic cell hybrids formed between Ad2- and SV40-transformed hamster cells, which expressed Ad2 tumor (T) antigens, exhibited an increased cytolytic susceptibility compared to Ad2 T antigen-negative cell hybrids or nonhybrid SV40-transformed cells. No correlation was found between the expression of SV40 T antigen in hybrid cells and cytolytic susceptibility. The results suggest the existence of a novel function for early Ad2 genome-encoded polypeptides (T antigens) expressed in transformed hamster cells--the induction of susceptibility to destruction mediated by immunologically nonspecific effector cells.

Adenoviruses, Human

Suppression of the simian virus 40 tumorigenic phenotype in hybrid cells formed from simian virus 40- and adenovirus 2-transformed hamster embryo cells.

Hamster cells transformed by adenovirus 2 (Ad2) or simian virus 40 (SV40) have different tumorigenic phenotypes. In the present study, somatic cell hybrids formed from Ad2- and SV40-transformed hamster cells were used to determine whether possible interactions between the integrated viral genomes would influence the tumorigenic phenotype of hybrid transformed cells. These somatic cell hybrids were of two types, one expressing both Ad2 and SV40 T-antigens and the other expressing only SV40 T-antigens. Tumor induction by hybrid cells that expressed both Ad2 and SV40 T-antigens was reduced in adult syngeneic hamsters and abrogated in adult allogeneic hamsters. These results indicate that the tumorigenic phenotype of transformed somatic cell hybrids that contain both the Ad2 and SV40 genome is governed by the genetic expression of Ad2. This expression may alter the ability of SV40-transformed hamster cells to resist the immunologically nonspecific defenses of the host.

Adenoviridae

Kinetics of inhibition of papovavirus DNA synthesis by superinfection with adenovirus 2 and non-defective adenovirus 2-simian virus 40 hybrid viruses.

Simian Virus 40 (SV40) DNA synthesis is inhibited in monkey cells by superinfection with adenovirus 2 (Ad2) and various non-defective Ad2-SV40 hybrid viruses. Similarly, BKV (a human papovavirus) DNA synthesis is inhibited in human cells by superinfection with Ad2. Kinetic studies indicate that inhibition begins during the early phase of the Ad2 lytic cycle. Superinfection with Ad2 does not significantly alter the formation of SV40 T antigen. Superinfection with Ad2 late in SV40 lytic cycle is less efficient in the inhibition of SV40 DNA synthesis, and the onset of Ad2 DNA synthesis is delayed, compared to superinfection early in the SV40 lytic cycle. These findings suggest that the Ad2 and SV40 genomes may compete to bind an early AD2 protein which is essential for Ad2 replication, but which blocks SV40 replication.

Adenoviruses, Human

Regulation of viral transcription in cells infected with iododeoxyuridine-substituted simian virus 40 as a model for the activation by iododeoxyuridine of latent viral genomes.

5-Iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) induces the expression of viruses in a variety of cell lines that harbor latent viral genomes. Moreover, IdUrd stimulates cellular as well as viral RNA synthesis in certain cells. In order to understand better the action of IdUrd on RNA metabolism, we have examined viral RNA synthesis in monkeys cell infected with IdUrd-substituted simian virus 40 (SV40). Extensively substituted SV40, in which 18 to 35% of the thymidine residues were substituted by IdUrd, was 100-fold less viable (by plaque analysis) than was unsubstituted SV40, although the substituted virus induced 30 to 50% as much viral-specific RNA as did the unsubstituted virus. In contrast, SV40, containing only 10 to 15% IdUrd, substitution was almost as viable as unsubstituted virus, and the substituted SV40 induced 5-fold more viral-specific RNA, as well as longer viral messenger RNA transcripts, than did the unsubstituted virus. These results suggest that the lightly substituted, mutagenized SV40 genome may produce defective proteins which fall to regulate their own transcription. Cellular DNA into which halogenated pyrimidines have been incorporated may also induce the synthesis of defective regulatory proteins, including cellular repressors of transcription which normally maintain the latent state of integrated viral genomes.

Animals