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Biomedical subjects

M A Whitney

Publications and source records attributed to M A Whitney.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Germ cell defects and hematopoietic hypersensitivity to gamma-interferon in mice with a targeted disruption of the Fanconi anemia C gene.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive chromosome instability syndrome characterized by progressive bone marrow (BM) failure, skeletal defects, and increased susceptibility to malignancy. FA cells are hypersensitive to DNA cross-linking agents, oxygen and have cell cycle abnormalities. To develop an animal model of the disease we generated mice homozygous for a targeted deletion of exon 9 of the murine FA complementation group C gene (fac). Mutant mice had normal neonatal viability and gross morphology, but their cells had the expected chromosome breakage and DNA cross-linker sensitivity. Surprisingly, male and female mutant mice had reduced numbers of germ cells and females had markedly impaired fertility. No anemia was detectable in the peripheral blood during the first year of life, but the colony forming capacity of marrow progenitor cells was abnormal in vitro in mutant mice. Progenitor cells from fac knock-out mice were hypersensitive to interferon gamma. This previously unrecognized phenotype may form the basis for BM failure in human FA.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Cloning and characterization of a human cDNA (INPPL1) sharing homology with inositol polyphosphate phosphatases.

We have cloned a novel human cDNA, INPPL1 (GenBank Accession No. L36818), which maps to 11q23. The corresponding mRNA is 4657 nt in length and is widely expressed in both fetal and adult tissues. An open reading frame of 3441 nt encodes a putative polypeptide that shares several domains with inositol triphosphate phosphatases. Several polymorphisms have been mapped to the 3'-untranslated region, yet the putative coding region showed no polymorphisms in nine independent cDNA samples.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The Ashkenazi Jewish Fanconi anemia mutation: incidence among patients and carrier frequency in the at-risk population.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disease for which at least four complementation groups exist. Recently the gene that corrects the defect in Fanconi anemia complementation group C cells (FACC) has been cloned. We have previously identified a common mutation in the FACC gene, which accounts for a majority of FA cases in Ashkenazi Jewish individuals. We here describe the use of allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) hybridization to determine the frequency of this mutation among additional Jewish FA patients and to determine the carrier frequency in the Jewish population. The common IVS4 + 4A-->T allele was found on 19/23 (83%) Jewish FA chromosomes, indicating that it is indeed responsible for most cases of FA among Ashkenazi Jews. The carrier frequency was 2/314 for Jewish individuals and the mutant allele was not detected in 130 non-Jewish controls.

Fanconi Anemia↗
PubMed1993

A common mutation in the FACC gene causes Fanconi anaemia in Ashkenazi Jews.

Fanconi anaemia is an autosomal recessive disease for which four known complementation groups exist. Recently, the gene defective in complementation group C (FACC) has been cloned. In order to determine the fraction of Fanconi anaemia caused by FACC mutations, we used reverse transcription PCR and chemical mismatch cleavage (CMC) to examine the FACC cDNA in 17 FA cell lines. 4/17 patients (23.5%) had mutations in this gene. Two Ashkenazi-Jewish individuals were homozygous for an identical splice mutation. Three additional Jewish patients bearing this allele were found upon screening 21 other families. We conclude that a common mutation in FACC accounts for the majority of Fanconi anaemia in Ashkenazi-Jewish families.

Alleles↗
PubMed1991

Large scale screen for transposon insertions into cloned genes.

We describe a method of screening for transposon insertions in or near Drosophila loci that correspond to cloned DNA sequences. We mobilize a modified P element transposon that carries a bacterial plasmid origin of replication and a drug-resistance marker. The genomic sequences flanking each transposon insertion site can then be rescued as a plasmid in Escherichia coli. Libraries of such plasmids, representing pools of transposon-mutagenized individuals, are used as hybridization probes against cloned sequences to determine whether a transposon has inserted next to a particular site in the genome. The number of loci that can be screened simultaneously by this procedure is quite large. We have screened an array of cDNA clones representing almost 700 distinct loci against libraries representing 760 mutagenized flies, and we obtained hybridization signals to 7 different cDNAs. Three of these events have been analyzed in detail and represent genuine insertions near genomic sequences that correspond to the cDNAs.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Videodisc technology and biomedical communications.

The union of microcomputer with laser videodisc technology has led to the birth of interactive videodisc (IVD). The IVD hybrid is more than merely the sum of its parts; IVD has become a powerful, flexible and unique instructional tool in its own right. This article describes the IVD medium, one approach to classifying its use, and two applications of this technology to biomedical communications.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMed1985

Resolution of the isoenzymes of soybean lipoxygenase using isoelectric focusing and chromatofocusing.

Isoelectric focusing in thin-layer polyacrylamide gels has been applied to the analysis of the enzymes involved in the formation and destruction of peroxides in soybeans [Glycine max (L.)], lipoxygenases and peroxidases, respectively. As a result of differences in pH optima for catalytic activity, lipoxygenases were selectively detected by adjusting the pH employed for activity-specific staining. Type-1 lipoxygenase was revealed not only by staining based on the conversion of linoleic acid to hydroperoxide but also by two stains based on the reduction of the hydroperoxide. These methods were found to be suitable for the analysis and characterization of isoenzyme patterns in different soybean cultivars. A substantial difference in the distribution of lipoxygenases maximally active near pH 7 was observed for cultivars Provar and Vickery. A similar degree of separation of the isoenzymes was achieved on a larger scale using chromato-focusing in the pH range 7.4-5.0.

Chemical Phenomena↗