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L Kremer

Publications and source records attributed to L Kremer.

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Identification of centromere proteins in different mammalian cells.

The characterization of centromeric proteins is facilitated using anti-centromere antibodies present in the sera of patients with the CREST variant of scleroderma. We have employed these sera to determine whether or not those proteins are present in different mammalian species, as well as to study their tissue distribution. Here, we describe the immunofluorescent pattern and the proteins recognized by CREST sera in dividing and resting cells from mouse, rat, swine, hamster, rabbit, and man. In nuclear preparations from cultured cells, thymocytes and spermatozoa from these species, the antigens recognized by CREST sera are proteins of 18 to 20 kDa in all species tested, except in rat. Additionally, two peptides of 80 and 140 kDa were observed in human preparations. In contrast, a 50 kDa peptide is the primary protein detected by the sera in rat nuclei.

Animals↗

Centromeric proteins recognized by CREST sera and meiotic chromosome segregation.

Analysis of the peptides recognized by CREST sera was carried out in different mouse tissues and cells, including spermatozoa. In all cases, a polypeptide of Mr = 18,000 was recognized by the sera and occasionally two other proteins of Mr = 80,000 and Mr = 140,000 were observed after immunoblotting of nuclear proteins. In both early and late spermatids, centromeric staining was observed after incubation and immunofluorescence with CREST sera. After detergent treatment, it was even possible to detect centromeric staining in mature spermatozoa. In spermatid cells, the immunofluorescent pattern presented a binomial distribution of the number of fluorescent spots, with a mean value around half of the haploid number of chromosomes. Since this pattern is the result of chromosome segregation after meiosis II, our data suggest that this centromeric peptide is not directly implicated in the chromosome segregation process. On the other hand, the distribution of spots after immunofluorescence suggests a different organization of centromeric components in meiosis I and meiosis II.

Animals↗

Centromere pattern in different mouse seminiferous tubule cells.

Centromere arrangement in different mouse seminiferous tubule cells was analyzed using an anticentromere antiserum from a patient with the CREST syndrome of scleroderma. A peptide of 18 kd was recognized by this serum on immunoblotting of mouse nuclear proteins from seminiferous tubule cells. In the cells studied by immunofluorescence, different patterns of centromere arrangement were observed. A speckled arrangement of centromeres was found in spermatogonia, double spots corresponding to meiotic bivalents were found in pachytene cells, and clusters of a haploid numer of centromeres were found in early and acrosome phase spermatids. In Sertoli cells, only three centromeric spots were detected, corresponding to the nucleolar organizer chromosome pairs. A relationship between the functional stage of the cell and the arrangement of and conformational changes in the centromeres is considered.

Animals↗

Design of peptides with improved affinities for anti-human chorionic gonadotropin monoclonal antibodies.

Three monoclonal antibodies, LF-hCG-6, -26 and -28, raised against holo-human chorionic gonadotropin and directed against its beta-subunit, have been used to design synthetic peptides with improved affinity. By PEPSCAN analyses with pinbound, overlapping nonapeptides, it was shown that the peptide consisting of amino acids (125-133) of the beta-subunit (i.e., PPSLPSPSR) reacted with monoclonal antibody (LF-hCG-6; the sequence (135-143) (i.e., PGPSDTPIL), with LF-hCG-28; and the C-terminal nonapeptide (137-145) (i.e., PSDTPILPQ), with LF-hCG-26. To determine amino acids essential for binding and those comprising the necessary amino acid core, and to establish the optimal length for binding reactivity, sets of replacement nonapeptides and overlapping octa- to dodecapeptides derived from the beta-subunit sequences (122-134) (i.e., KAPPPSLPSPSRL) and (132-145) (i.e., SRLPGPSDTPILPQ) were synthesized. Amino acid cores were as follows: beta-hCG (125-131) (i.e., PPSLPSP) for monoclonal antibody LF-hCG-6, beta-hCG (135-142) for LF-hCG-28 and beta-hCG (139-145) for LF-hCG-26. Based on the optimal length, parent peptide sequences [beta-hCG (125-133), (137-145) and (135-145)] were synthesized by conventional solid-phase procedures. In addition, based on the results with the replacement peptides, peptide derivatives were produced in which specific single improvements had been combined. The affinities of the monoclonal antibodies for the peptide derivatives, compared to the parent peptide sequences, were at least 700 times better for LF-hCG-6 reactive peptides (6.9 x 10(6) M-1 and < 10(4) M-1, respectively) and 130 times better for LF-hCG-26 reactive peptides (1.3 x 10(6) M-1 and < 10(4) M-1, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗