PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Georges

Publications and source records attributed to M Georges.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Resistance to HIV-1 infection in caucasian individuals bearing mutant alleles of the CCR-5 chemokine receptor gene.

HIV-1 and related viruses require co-receptors, in addition to CD4, to infect target cells. The chemokine receptor CCR-5 (ref.1) was recently demonstrated to be a co-receptor for macrophage-tropic (M-tropic) HIV-1 strains, and the orphan receptor LESTR (also called fusin) allows infection by strains adapted for growth in transformed T-cell lines (T-tropic strains). Here we show that a mutant allele of CCR-5 is present at a high frequency in caucasian populations (allele frequency, 0.092), but is absent in black populations from Western and Central Africa and Japanese populations. A 32-base-pair deletion within the coding region results in a frame shift, and generates a non-functional receptor that does not support membrane fusion or infection by macrophage- and dual-tropic HIV-1 strains. In a cohort of HIV-1 infected caucasian subjects, no individual homozygous for the mutation was found, and the frequency of heterozygotes was 35% lower than in the general population. White blood cells from an individual homozygous for the null allele were found to be highly resistant to infection by M-tropic HIV-1 viruses, confirming that CCR-5 is the major co-receptor for primary HIV-1 strains. The lower frequency of heterozygotes in seropositive patients may indicate partial resistance.

Alleles↗

Polar overdominance at the ovine callipyge locus.

An inheritable muscular hypertrophy was recently described in sheep and shown to be determined by the callipyge gene mapped to ovine chromosome 18. Here, the callipyge phenotype was found to be characterized by a nonmendelian inheritance pattern, referred to as polar overdominance, where only heterozygous individuals having inherited the callipyge mutation from their sire express the phenotype. The possible role of parental imprinting in the determinism of polar overdominance is envisaged.

Animals↗

Microsatellite mapping of the bovine roan locus: a major determinant of White Heifer disease.

In the Belgian Blue Cattle breed, coat color variation is mainly under the influence of a single autosomal locus, the roan locus, characterized by a pair of codominant alleles: r+ (black) and R (white). Heterozygous r+R animals have intermingled black and white hairs, yielding the "blue" phenotype typical of the breed. Major interest for the roan locus stems from its pleiotropic effect on fertility, owing to the critical role of the R allele in the determinism of White Heifer Disease. We describe the linkage mapping of the roan locus to bovine Chromosome (Chr) 5, in the interval between microsatellite markers BPI and AGLA293, with an associated lodscore of 11.2. Moreover, we map a candidate gene, the Steel locus coding for the mast cell growth factor, to bovine Chr 5.

Animals↗

Effects of character weighting and species sampling on phylogeny reconstruction: a case study based on DNA sequence data in cetaceans.

Different phylogenetic analyses of the same genetic data set can yield conflicting results, depending on the choice of parameter settings and included taxa. This is particularly true in studies involving data sets where levels of homoplasy are high and likely to obscure the phylogenetic signal. Filtering of this phylogenetic noise can be attempted, with varying degrees of success, by using different weighting schemes and ingroup/outgroup choices, but it can be difficult to decide objectively which approach is best. Using a cytochrome b data set from cetaceans and artiodactyls, we examined the effects of a suite of parameter settings on the outcome of phylogenetic analyses. We tested 2968 combinations among the seven parameters that most often vary among phylogenetic studies. It is our contention that this sensitivity analysis identifies portions of the multidimensional parameter space where phylogenetic signal is most reliably recovered, and simple rules are given to guide the choice of settings. Portions of this data set have been used in previous studies with conflicting results, namely the monophyly vs. paraphyly of one of the two major recognized cetacean suborders, the toothed whales. This analysis strongly supports the sister relationship between sperm whales and baleen whales.

Animals↗

Identity-by-descent mapping of recessive traits in livestock: application to map the bovine syndactyly locus to chromosome 15.

Twelve animals affected with syndactyly or mulefoot were sampled in the Dutch black-and-white cattle population. Analysis of the pedigree data reveal that all of these individuals traced back to a single acknowledged carrier founder individual. Between seven and nine generations separated the founder from its 12 affected descendents. The 12 affected offspring were genotyped for a battery of 213 microsatellites spanning the 29 bovine autosomes. The resulting genotypes were analyzed using a maximum likelihood approach searching for shared homozygous haplotypes among affected individuals. Three candidate regions for the syndactyly locus emerged from this initial screening. syndactyly was shown to map to one of these candidate regions on chromosome 15 by genotyping 29 additional individuals linking founder and affected offspring and performing a conventional linkage analysis with the LINKAGE programs. This study illustrates the potential of identity-by-descent mapping in livestock populations.

Animals↗

The ovine callipyge locus: a paradigm illustrating the importance of non-Mendelian genetics in livestock.

An inheritable muscular hypertrophy was recently described in sheep and shown to be determined by the callipyge (CLPG) gene mapped to ovine chromosome 18. We demonstrate in this work that the callipyge phenotype is characterized by a non-Mendelian inheritance pattern, referred to as polar overdominance, in which only heterozygous individuals having inherited the CLPG mutation from their sire express the phenotype. The possible role of parental imprinting in the determinism of polar overdominance is envisaged.

Animals↗

Mapping quantitative trait loci controlling milk production in dairy cattle by exploiting progeny testing.

We have exploited "progeny testing" to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying the genetic variation of milk production in a selected dairy cattle population. A total of 1,518 sires, with progeny tests based on the milking performances of > 150,000 daughters jointly, was genotyped for 159 autosomal microsatellites bracketing 1645 centimorgan or approximately two thirds of the bovine genome. Using a maximum likelihood multilocus linkage analysis accounting for variance heterogeneity of the phenotypes, we identified five chromosomes giving very strong evidence (LOD score > or = 3) for the presence of a QTL controlling milk production: chromosomes 1, 6, 9, 10 and 20. These findings demonstrate that loci with considerable effects on milk production are still segregating in highly selected populations and pave the way toward marker-assisted selection in dairy cattle breeding.

Animals↗

Chromosomal localization of the callipyge gene in sheep (Ovis aries) using bovine DNA markers.

A mutation causing muscular hypertrophy, with associated leanness and improved feed efficiency, has been recently identified in domestic sheep (Ovis aries). Preliminary results indicate that an autosomal dominant gene may be responsible for this economically advantageous trait. We have exploited the conservation in sequence and chromosomal location of DNA markers across Bovidae to map the corresponding callipyge locus to ovine chromosome 18 using a battery of bovine chromosome 21 markers. Chromosomal localization of the ovine callipyge locus is the first step toward positional cloning of the corresponding gene.

Animals↗

Microsatellite mapping of the gene causing weaver disease in cattle will allow the study of an associated quantitative trait locus.

A genetic disease in cattle, progressive degenerative myeloencephalopathy (weaver disease), is associated with increased milk production. This association could result from population stratification, from a pleiotropic effect of a single gene, or from linkage disequilibrium between the gene causing weaver disease and a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for milk production. To test these hypotheses, we performed an extensive linkage study in a bovine pedigree segregating for the weaver condition and identified a microsatellite locus (TGLA116) closely linked to the weaver gene (zmax, 8.15; theta, 0.03). TGLA116 and, by extension, the weaver locus were assigned to bovine synteny group 13. This microsatellite can be used to identify weaver carriers, to select against this genetic defect, and to study the effect of the corresponding chromosomal region on milk production in Brown Swiss and other breeds of cattle.

Animals↗

Quantitative estimation of chimerism in mice using microsatellite markers.

An embryonic stem cell line was established from SV129 mouse blastocysts and used to generate chimeric mice by injection into OF1 blastocysts; 18 out of the 30 resulting offspring appeared chimeric as judged from their coat color patterns, and 3 of the 13 males proved to be germ-line chimeras as they transmitted the SV129 agouti phenotype to all or part of their offspring. The degree of chimerism of these males was evaluated for different tissues using polymorphic microsatellite markers amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. It was shown that these new markers can be effectively used to quantitatively estimate levels of chimerism. The CKMM (creatine kinase, muscle) microsatellite system was used to distinguish the SV129 from the OF1 genotype. In all performed tests, the correlation between DNA ratio and signal ratio, expressed as a base 10 logarithm, was shown to exceed or equal 0.98 for known DNA ratios (SV129/OF1) ranging from 1/99 to 99/1. Linear calibration methods were used to predict the % SV129 DNA of a test sample based on the obtained signal ratio. The accuracy of the prediction was evaluated by performing repeated measurements. Differences among three repeated estimates ranged from 2 to 17% for a given sample. Microsatellite systems should be very useful to monitor chimerism involving strains that can not be discerned with coat color or biochemical markers. This will be particularly important when ES methodology becomes available in species other than mice.

Animals↗

Construction of a bovine genomic library of large yeast artificial chromosome clones.

We have constructed a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) library derived from bull fibroblasts in primary culture. The library consists of 21,500 clones arranged on 224 gridded plates (96 or 8 x 12 positions) and in 2 x 224 96-well microplates maintained as permanent frozen stocks. An average insert size of 750 kb was estimated from the analysis of 200 randomly selected YACs, giving a sixfold coverage of the bovine genome for the total library. A screening strategy based on the polymerase chain reaction that allows the identification of individual clones has been devised. Screening of the library with six locus-specific markers of interest led to the isolation of 34 positive clones. The proportion of chimeric YACs was estimated from the analysis of a subset of the positive clones: 3 of 9 YACs were found to contain noncontiguous DNA.

Animals↗

Physical mapping of inhibin beta-A in domestic cattle.

The gene for the beta-A subunit of inhibin (INHBA) was assigned to bovine syntenic group U13 by bovine x rodent hybrid somatic cells and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A 482-bp PCR fragment was used to clone a 37-kb cosmid. This cosmid was assigned to bovine Chromosome (Chr) 4 (BTA 4) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). This is the first assignment of a U13 marker to a bovine chromosome. A restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was detected with PstI within the INHBA cosmid.

Animals↗

A genetic map of index DNA loci on bovine chromosome 21.

Genetic maps of highly polymorphic index DNA loci exist essentially only in humans and some experimental organisms. Here we report the first genetic map of highly polymorphic index DNA loci in livestock for bovine chromosome 21. This map consists of six loci with an average heterozygosity of 82%, each with a minimum of five alleles, spaced at an average genetic distance of 9.7 cM, and covers most of the expected length of the acrocentric bovine chromosome 21. The order of markers along the chromosome is cen-ETH 131-UWCA 4-TGLA 337-TGLA 122-CSSM 18-GMBT 16-tel. There is heterogeneity among the recombination fractions between the sexes.

Animals↗

A genetic map of DNA loci on bovine chromosome 1.

We constructed a genetic map of most of the length of bovine chromosome 1 using the CSIRO and the Texas A&M University cattle reference families. Twelve loci are in a single linkage group, 9 of which are highly polymorphic loci. Four loci are of known biochemical function, alpha-1 crystallin (CRYA1), gamma-s crystallin (CRYG8), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and uridine monophosphate synthase (UMPS), and these have also been previously mapped in humans. The loci CRYA 1, CSRD 1613, GMBT 7, RM 95, SOD1, and UMPS had been previously assigned to bovine syntenic group U10, while CSRD 1613 and UMPS had also been assigned to chromosome 1 by in situ hybridization. All of the loci show statistically significant linkage to at least one other locus. The conserved loci indicate that there have been major rearrangements during the evolution of bovine chromosome 1 compared to other mammalian chromosomes. The estimate of the total length of the linkage group is 168 cM, which accords well with the predicted length based on chiasmata frequencies for the bovine genome and the relative size of chromosome 1 in the bovine genome.

Animals↗

Microsatellite mapping of a gene affecting horn development in Bos taurus.

The presence or absence of horns in Bos taurus is thought to be under the genetic control of the autosomal polled locus, characterized by two alleles: P dominant over p, and causing the polled or hornless phenotype. We have demonstrated genetic linkage between the polled locus and two microsatellite markers, GMPOLL-1 and GMPOLL-2, and have assigned the corresponding linkage group to bovine chromosome 1. This confirms the existence of the postulated polled locus and the hypothesized inheritance pattern. It will allow marker assisted selection for the polledness trait in breeding programs and is a first step towards positional cloning and molecular study of a gene that has been subjected to both natural and artificial selection.

Alleles↗

Somatic cell mapping, polymorphism, and linkage analysis of bovine prolactin-related proteins and placental lactogen.

The bovine prolactin gene family includes novel members expressed in the fetal placenta that are distinct from placental lactogen. In this study, we investigated the genetic organization of four members of this gene family (PRP1, PRP3, PRP6, and PRP10) as well as placental lactogen (PL). Using a bovine-rodent hybrid somatic cell panel, all five genes were assigned to bovine chromosome 23, which contains prolactin and the major histocompatibility group (BOLA). Restriction fragment length polymorphisms were detected by all probes in breeding populations with the restriction enzyme MspI, whereas no polymorphisms were detected with BamHI. EcoRI, HindIII, TaqI, and PstI produced polymorphic fragments with some but not all of the probes tested. A PRP10 polymorphism, which is apparently the result of a insertion/deletion event, detected polymorphism frequency differences between Bos indicus and Bos taurus. No recombinational events were observed with these probes and prolactin using linkage analysis involving 91 American Holsteins. The bovine prolactin gene family was incorporated into a linkage group containing CYP21. Our studies demonstrate that members of the bovine prolactin gene family have a close physical association with each other, and all members demonstrate genetic variability in the breeding population.

Animals↗

[Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a new 80 mg oral delayed-action isosorbide dinitrate preparation].

A new galenic form of isosorbide dinitrate (consisting of a hydrophilic matrix which allows very slow release of the active drug) was studied from the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic view points in 11 patients with stable angina pectoris under betablocker therapy. After testing their sensitivity to nitrates with a sublingual trinitrin test causing a fall greater than or equal to 20 mmHg in systolic and greater than or equal to 10 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure, the patients were given a single tablet of Risordan LP 80 daily for 7 days. The equilibrium plasma concentrations of isosorbide dinitrate and its mononitrate metabolites (2-isosorbide mononitrate and 5-isosorbide mononitrate) over 24 hours were measured on the 6th treatment day. A method of measuring these nitrate derivatives has been developed and validated. The concentrations measured enabled the study of the pharmacokinetics of this new form, showing an average minimal concentration of 5-isosorbide mononitrate (principal metabolite) of 85 +/- 41 micrograms/l and an amplitude of fluctuation over the 24 hours period of 296 +/- 102 micrograms/l. From the pharmacodynamic point of view, the evaluation of the sensitivity to a single dose of 0.75 mg of trinitrin 24 hours after the first dose of Risordan LP 80, just before the second dose and 24 hours after the seventh dose, showed a significant difference (average decrease of 40 +/- 19 mmHg in systolic blood pressure) with respect to the values observed during the selection phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗