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K J Soprano

Publications and source records attributed to K J Soprano.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Molecular biology of cell division.

Different domains of the SV40 A gene have different functions, such as viral DNA replication, cell DNA replication, and stimulation of cellular RNA synthesis. The sequences in the SV40 A gene that are critical for the induction of cell DNA synthesis lie on the map between nucleotide 4360 and nucleotide 4001, a stretch of 360 nucleotides coding for 120 of the 708 amino acids of the large T antigen. The sequences critical for stimulation of rRNA synthesis lie on the map further downstream, between nucleotides 3827 and 3506, thus indicating that the signals for growth in size and for cell DNA replication can be dissociated. Methylation of the SV40 A gene at multiple ECoRI* sites has no effect on its expression. However, methylation of the HSV-TK gene at one single ECoRI site 70 base pairs upstream from the cap site inhibits its expression. The results indicate that methylation of genes affects their expression, but only when methylation occurs at specific sites.

Amanitins↗
PubMed1982

Gene transfer: DNA microinjection compared with DNA transfection with a very high efficiency.

We have developed a procedure that gives a very high efficiency of transfection in mammalian cells with low-molecular-weight DNA (approximately 10(4) base pairs). The procedure uses cells in suspension that are shocked with polyethylene glycol 4 h after replating. We compared this transfection technique to the standard technique involving manual microinjection of DNA into the nuclei of mammalian cells, using recombinant plasmids containing the simian virus 40 A gene or the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene or both. The efficiency of transfection depends on a number of variables, the most important of which is the difference in transfectability of different cell lines. In our laboratory, the cell line that had the highest efficiency of transfection was tk-ts13, which is derived from baby hamster kidney cells that are deficient in thymidine kinase and temperature sensitive for growth. Under the appropriate conditions, as many as 70% of these cells can be transfected so that transient gene expression can be detected. With the manual microinjection technique, gene expression is independent of the cell line used and occurs faster than after transfection. The results suggest that the critical stage in transfection is the delivery of DNA molecules to the nucleus. Our experiments also indicate that an enzymatic function, in our case, thymidine kinase activity, gives a higher percentage of positive transfectants than when proteins are visualized only by indirect immunofluorescence. The transfection procedure described in this paper is simple and reproducible and, although less efficient than microinjection, ought to be useful in phenotypic and genotypic studies in which transfer of genes to a large number of cells is desirable.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Characterization and biological activity of cloned simian virus 40 DNA fragments.

The biological activity of fragments of the SV40 genome was determined by manual microinjection of the fragments into the nuclei of mammalian cells. Fragments of the SV40 A gene (that codes for the T antigens) were obtained either directly by digestion with restriction endonucleases or after cloning into plasmid pBR322. Three different biological activities were studied: expression of T antigen, induction of cell DNA synthesis, and, in a few cases, reactivation of repressed ribosomal RNA genes. By using a number of fragments with deletions in the various portions of the SV40 A gene, we have been able to conclude that: 1) the sequences from 0.65 to 0.51 map units are not needed for the induction of cell DNA synthesis; 2) the sequences from 0.42 to 0.17 map units are not needed for the induction of cell DNA synthesis; and 3) the critical sequences for the induction of cell DNA synthesis, 0.51 to 0.42 map units, are different from those necessary for the reactivation of repressed ribosomal RNA genes (0.39-0.33 map units). These results indicate that the information for these two fundamental processes of cell proliferation resides in two separate and distinct domains of the SV40 A gene.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Reactivation of ribosomal RNA genes in human-mouse hybrid cells by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate.

The effect of the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) on the expression of rRNA genes was studied in human greater than mouse hybrid cells (55-54 cells). These hybrids retain the rRNA genes of both parent species but express only human rRNA. 55-54 cells were treated with either TPA (1-100 nM), phorbol (0.01-1 micro M) or phorbol 13,20-diacetate (0.01-1 micro M). After 24 hr the cells were harvested and the extracted rRNA was analyzed by agarose/2.4% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results show that only the TPA-treated hybrid cells synthesized both human and mouse 28S rRNA. Untreated cells and cells treated with phorbol or phorbol 13,20-diacetate synthesized only human 28S rRNA. The reactivation of silent rRNA genes by TPA was not restricted to mouse rRNA genes. In mouse-human hybrids in which both human and mouse rRNA genes are present but only the mouse genes are expressed, TPA treatment led to reactivation of the silent human rRNA genes. Although tumor promoters are generally believed to alter gene expression, we have found a specific gene whose transcription is modified by treatment with TPA.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Increase in cellular RNA in cells infected with DNA oncogenic viruses.

The amount of RNA per cell has been measured by flow microfluorometry in cultured cells stimulated by serum or infected with DNA oncogenic viruses (SV40, polyoma virus, and adenovirus). While all four agents stimulate, although to a different extent, cellular DNA synthesis in quiescent cells, the accumulation of cellular RNA varies. Serum, SV40, and polyoma virus cause a marked increase in total cellular RNA that is already apparent in G1 cells before entry into S. On the other hand, adenovirus 2, while capable of stimulating cellular DNA synthesis, fails to detectably increase the amount of RNA per cell. These results suggest that adenovirus 2 may act on quiescent cells through mechanisms different from those of serum, SV40, or polyoma virus.

Acridines↗
PubMed1979

Reactivation of silent rRNA genes by simian virus 40 in human-mouse hybrid cells.

Mouse-human hybrid cells were used to study the ability of simian virus 40 to regulate the expression of rRNA genes in vivo. In these hybrid cells, only the rRNA genes of the dominant species are expressed; the genes for the rRNA of the recessive species are silent. Simian virus 40 infection of these hybrids led to the production of two distinct 28S rRNA species as analyzed by agarose/2.4% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These species were identified as human and mouse rRNAs. This result was confirmed by histochemical studies which indicated that the nucleolus organizer regions of both mouse and human chromosomes were actively synthesizing rRNA in the virus-infected hybrid cells. These results indicate that simian virus 40 infection can induce the expression of otherwise silent rRNA genes.

Animals↗