Possibility of depression as a side effect of methyldopa.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Tchen.
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Synthetic oligonucleotides were tailed at the 3' end using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Nucleotide triphosphates with free primary amines at the end of side chains were compared for their tailing efficiency and/or detection sensitivity, using biotin-11-dUTP as a reference. Free primary amines were tagged with activated biotin or fluorescein isothiocyanate. The probes were then detected with either streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase complex or anti-fluorescein antibodies and alkaline phosphatase-conjugated secondary antibodies. Tailing conditions were optimized and the probes were tested for detection of Escherichia coli ST1a enterotoxin DNA and rotavirus RNA.
Europium and other lanthanides can be excitated with UV-radiation, whereafter the energy is released as fluorescence, delayed in time up to 1 ms after the excitation. Eu can be used as a sensitive label in biological assays. Here we report on the application of time-resolved fluorometry to detect nucleic acid hybrids. The probe DNA was tagged with a hapten, either a fluorene or a sulfone group. After hybridization the probe DNA was detected by a two-step immunological assay with the second antibody labelled with Eu. The method is quantitative with a detection limit of 0.3 pg of actual target regions of immobilized adenovirus genomic DNA. The label was also used in sandwich hybridization, which allowed analyzing nasopharyngeal mucus for the presence of adenovirus.
An in situ hybridization procedure, based on the chemical modification of DNA by acetylaminofluorene (AAF), followed by a specific immunoreaction was used to localize a Z-DNA sequence isolated from the satellite DNA of Cebus appella. The AAF probe is localized on the R-band-positive heterochromatic segments of Cebus chromosomes, which strongly react with Z-DNA antibodies. The use of a nonradioactive single-stranded labeled probe confirms the reliability and the rapidity of immunochemical methods for the detection of DNA sequences on chromosomes.
Specific gene sequences can be detected by DNA hybridization to individual Drosophila squashed on cellulose or nylon filters. This "squash-blot" method permits the rapid survey of DNA polymorphism in large Drosophila population samples. It could also be useful for studying chromosome aberrations, departure from diploidy, and detection of pathogenic agents in vector insects.
A procedure for preparing a DNA probe to be used in the specific detection of Legionella pneumophila by dot or colony hybridization has been devised. When total DNA from L. pneumophila was used as a radioactive probe, cross-hybridization occurred with DNA from many other species belonging to various families (including Legionellaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Vibrionaceae). Cross-hybridizing restriction fragments in L. pneumophila ATCC 33152 DNA were identified on Southern blots. When unlabeled DNA from strain ATCC 33152 was cleaved by endonuclease BamHI, the DNA fragments cross-hybridizing with the labeled DNA from all of the other species and genera tested (or with Escherichia coli 16 + 23 S RNA) had a size of 21.4 and 16.2 kilobase pairs (major bands) and 28.0, 12.8, and 10.1 kilobase pairs (minor bands). BamHI restriction fragments of L. pneumophila DNA deprived of the cross-hybridizing fragments were pooled and used as a probe for the detection of L. pneumophila. This probe proved to be specific for L. pneumophila in colony and dot hybridization. It can potentially be used for the detection of L. pneumophila in clinical and water samples. The procedure described can be readily applied to the preparation of probes specific for phylogenetically isolated bacterial species other than L. pneumophila.
Phenotypes and gene frequencies are presented for 20 serum and erythrocyte proteins in two Amerindian populations of inner French Guiana. No genetic variability was detected in 12 of these systems. Heterozygosity was calculated for the others and the reasons for its variation are discussed.
Two Amerindian populations of French Guiana were investigated for plasma proteins and red-cell enzymes. In the Wayampi tribe, rare variants were identified in 4 systems. The corresponding alleles are designated AK1 3 Wayampi, PGM1 (4/10) Wayampi, PGM2 6 Wayampi, and TfD. In the Emerillon tribe, a variant allele of PGM2, designated PGM2 6 Emerillon, was identified. For three of the systems, PGM1, PGM2, Tf, similar isozymes have been described in other Amerindian populations. These findings suggest that the corresponding alleles may have the same origin.
The phenotype AK 3.3 in the isoenzyme system of human adenylate kinase has been found in two members of the Wayampi population of French Guiana.
Two small populations of inner French Guiana were investigated for red cell enzymes and serum proteins. Rare variants were found in four systems (AK1, PGM1, PGM2, Tf). Similarities between some of these variants and those found in other Amerindian populations indicate that these genetic markers may be valuable in studies of Amerindians. A mutation rate has been estimated from the results.
Two South American Indian populations were typed for HLA antigens. In each, the individuals typed were related and their genealogies were known. Determination of their genotypes was done; there seemed to be neither excess nor deficiency in homozygotes. The antigens observed, A2, A9, Aw19.2 (Aw30-Aw31), A28 for the first locus and B5, Bw15, Bw35, Bw40 for the second locus are in accordance with those previously described for other South American Indians. The two populations belong to the same primary linguistic family Tupi-Guarani and they live in the same geographic area, but there was no intertribal marriage until recently. Genetic drift can explain the differences observed.
The consanguinity of parents (born in France) of individuals who have a recessive disease has been studied. The frequency of first cousin marriages is less than 0.2% in the general French population. Among the parents of affected individuals the following frequencies of first cousin matings were observed: cystic fibrosis: 1.4% cystinosis: 7.1% nephronophtisis: 5.6% spinal muscular atrophy: 4.5% albinism: 5.0% achromatopsia: 12.5% (Albinism and spinal muscular atrophy are heterogeneous conditions). The increase in the frequency of first cousin marriage relative to that of the general population is much greater, as expected, in cystinosis, which is a rare disease, than in cystic fibrosis, which is the most frequent recessive disorder in France. Inbreeding in cystinosis and cystic fibrosis was also studied by computing the distance between parental birth places. This distance is smaller in cystinosis than in cystic fibrosis.
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The DNA product obtained from the endogenous RNA-directed DNA polymerase (deoxynucleosidetriphosphate:DNA deoxynucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.7) reaction of the Moloney sarcoma:leukemia viruses produced by the 78 A-1 cell line was analyzed and characterized. The extent of transcription of viral 70S RNA was measured by RNA.DNA hybridization ((32)P-viral RNA-(3)H product DNA). No double-stranded DNA was obtained. The product consisted of 95-99% single-stranded DNA with an average length of 200 nucleotides. In contrast to the results reported with avian and other RNA oncogenic viruses, it was found that the entire 70S viral RNA genome was transcribed into DNA pieces and that a small excess of the product DNA was sufficient to anneal the 70S RNA and render it totally resistant to single-stranded-specific enzyme digestion.
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Oligonucleotides (32 or 34 mer) corresponding to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli STIa (ST-P) toxin gene were tailed with Bio-11-dUTP using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Plasmids from clinical E. coli isolates were prepared by modified rapid alkaline lysis procedure and dot-spotted. Biotinylated oligonucleotide probes were hybridized to detect the STIa toxin gene. The results were in agreement with that obtained by radioactive oligonucleotide probes. Of 135 clinical isolates (sampled from 6 different regions of France), only 7 (5.2%) were found to be STIa+. These 7 isolates were the only ones to be found positive for the K99 adhesive pili antigen. Both the probes were specific to the STIa toxin gene and failed to detect the closely related STIb (ST-H) toxin gene. Possibilities of their wide usage in clinical labs are discussed.
Serum and red cell protein markers were investigated in Cuiva Indians. Our ethnologic studies indicate that the low degree of genetic variability in this population is probably due to genetic drift.