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Biomedical subjects

M F Gillen

Publications and source records attributed to M F Gillen.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Differential calmodulin gene expression in fetal, adult, and neoplastic tissues of rodents.

Differential expression during rat development of three genes for calmodulin (CaM I-III) was examined in amnion, decidua, embryo, liver, placenta, parietal and visceral yolk sacs and uterus. CaMI expression was constant except for increasing activity in VYS during gestation. CaMII expression increased in all tissues except for a decrease in embryo. CaMIII did not change dramatically. Differential expression was also found in chemically or virally induced rat tumors, and in metastatic lung nodules of mouse mammary carcinoma. CaMII was the major gene expressed in all these neoplastic tissues.

Amnion↗
PubMed1988

Varying oncomodulin mRNA abundance in developing placenta and solid tumors.

An antisense RNA probe complementary to rat oncomodulin mRNA has been prepared by run-off transcription. Blots of RNA isolated from tumors arising from both a chemically-induced hepatoma or virally transformed sarcomas, when probed with this antisense RNA, identified a common single hybridizable RNA of approx. 750 nucleotides, corresponding in size to that found in blots of RNA from rat placenta. Quantitative densitometry of dot blot autoradiographs allowed for relative measurements of oncomodulin mRNA in the various tumors. The increased sensitivity of detection afforded by the antisense probe permitted the measurement of oncomodulin mRNA in the developing placenta, which was not possible using DNA probes. In both tumors and placenta, a plot of mRNA versus protein revealed a direct relationship suggesting transcriptional control of oncomodulin abundance.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

A complete complementary DNA for the oncodevelopmental calcium-binding protein, oncomodulin.

RNA from a rat liver tumor (Morris hepatoma 5123tc) was used to construct cDNAs together comprising the complete coding sequence of rat oncomodulin mRNA. Information obtained from these cDNAs as well as from primer extension analysis gave a deduced length for the complete oncomodulin mRNA of approximately 680 nucleotides (excluding the poly(A) tail) including a 5'-untranslated region of 97 +/- 2 nucleotides, a 324-nucleotide-coding sequence and a 259-nucleotide 3'-noncoding region. Comparison of the oncomodulin cDNA sequence with those coding for other members of the calcium-binding protein family shows little homology with the exception of a recently reported parvalbumin cDNA where the oncomodulin and parvalbumin nucleotide sequences are 59% identical in the protein-coding region. RNA blot analysis of poly(A+) RNA from normal adult rat liver gave no evidence of oncomodulin expression in this tissue. A single RNA species was detected, however, in RNA extracts from the hepatoma and from rat and human placentas. A probe prepared from one of the rat oncomodulin cDNAs hybridized with a single DNA species in restriction digests of hepatoma and normal DNA from rat and sequences in DNA of humans and other mammals. A 38-nucleotide sequence spanning the 5'-untranslated region and the first seven codons of the oncomodulin cDNA, was far less homologous than was the same region of a parvalbumin cDNA, to a chicken calmodulin cDNA sequence coding for the first calcium-binding domain. The oncomodulin gene appears to have diverged more from that of calmodulin than has the parvalbumin gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1981

Automated synthesis of gene fragments.

The DNA/RNA Synthesizer provides a complete and automated procedure for the synthesis of DNA sequences. Each base unit is added in a 30-minute cycle, permitting a tetradecamer to be constructed in 6 1/2 hours. The complete procedure is described, including a practical procedure for isolation and purification of the desired DNA sequence.

Automation↗
PubMed1979

Fluoride ion catalyzed alkylation of nucleic acid derivatives using trialkyl phosphates, dialkyl sulfates and alkyl methanesulfonates.

Trimethyl phosphate, dimethyl and diethyl sulfate and methyl and ethyl methanesulfonate all give high yields of alkylation on purines and pyrimidines in the presence of tetrabutylammonium fluoride. Trimethyl phosphate produces near quantitative yields of diesters of nucleic acids but gives virtually no triester formation. The alkyl sulfates produce very high yields of triesters of nucleic acids including cyclic phosphates while the alkyl methanesulfonates are intermediate in reactivity. It was observed that in the absence of fluoride ion the dialkylsulfates gave reasonable yields of thymidine monosulfates.

Alkylating Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Localization of mRNA for the oncotrophoblastic protein oncomodulin during implantation and early placentation in the rat.

The mRNA for the oncodevelopmental calcium-binding protein oncomodulin (MW 11,700) has been detected in tissues of the rat conceptus by in situ hybridization using biotinylated RNA probes. Oncomodulin mRNA was detected in the basal zone and labyrinth of rat placenta, following a similar distribution to that shown for oncomodulin by immunohistochemistry. Oncomodulin mRNA was also detected in rat ectoplacental cone at ten days and in amnion and PYS, but not VYS from 11 days onward. Previously oncomodulin was not detected embryonically from day 14 to birth, but in the present study of oncomodulin mRNA and protein, both were detected in implantation stages from blastula through egg cylinder. Staining was also present on decidual tissue. The suggestion is made that the oncomodulin gene is initially active in all cell types, but later its activity is confined to extraembryonic tissues.

Animals↗