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Biomedical subjects

S Adhya

Publications and source records attributed to S Adhya.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Significance of connective tissue proliferation in the breakdown of cartilage: a novel in vivo model.

The implantation of homologous femoral head cartilage in subcutaneous tissues of random bred Wistar rats results in both subchondral and articular surfaces becoming overlaid by an adherent granulation tissue comprising predominantly fibroblast-like cells. The response of the tissue to cartilage encapsulated with cotton fibres was also similar but erosions, mainly subchondral, were more evident and proteoglycan loss markedly greater. The connective tissue response to cotton was the progressive formation of a foreign body granuloma comprising mononuclear cells, multinucleated giant cells, and fibroblasts with very few polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

Animals

Adjuvant polyarthritis and the response of air pouch lining cells.

The influence of adjuvant polyarthritis on subcutaneous air pouches in rats was examined in the light of reports of the resemblance of their cavity lining to normal synovium. Marked macroscopic and microscopic changes were observed. These included thickening of air-pouch wall, hyperplasia of lining cells, infiltration of inflammatory cells, fibrosis, and the production of an effusion in the cavity; such changes are comparable to the proliferative synovitis reported in arthritic joints of diseased animals. However, whereas talus and patella cartilage were affected by the disease, these and femoral-head cartilage seemed to be relatively spared when implanted in air pouches of adjuvant-diseased rats even after a massive inflammatory response was elicited in the cavity following challenge with tuberculin. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the generalized nature of adjuvant disease and confirms the lack of association between inflammation and cartilage destruction.

Air

Sites of allosteric shift in the structure of the cyclic AMP receptor protein.

We have characterized crp mutations in E. coli that allow CRP to function without cAMP. crp* mutants carrying a deletion of the gene encoding adenylate cyclase (cya) show significant lac expression. Cyclic GMP, normally an ineffective activator of CRP+, can stimulate these mutant CRP*s to permit greater lac expression in vivo. Cyclic AMP binding to the amino-terminal domain of CRP+ induces an allosteric transition that changes the DNA-binding property of the carboxy domain. The CRP* phenotype is caused by substitution of amino acids with bulkier side chains in the D alpha-helix of the protein's carboxy domain, near the hinge connecting the two domains. These results are consistent with a model in which the mutant CRP*s assume, in part, a conformation normally evoked only by cAMP binding: one in which the relative orientation of the C, D, and F alpha-helices is altered. We define precisely the amino acids of these alpha-helices that interact to cause the allosteric shift.

Amino Acid Sequence

Site-specific DNA binding of nuclear factor I: analyses of cellular binding sites.

Nuclear factor I is a cellular site-specific DNA-binding protein required for the efficient in vitro replication of adenovirus DNA. We have characterized human DNA sequences to which nuclear factor I binds. Three nuclear factor I binding sites (FIB sites), isolated from HeLa cell DNA, each contain the sequence TGG(N)6-7GCCAA. Comparison with other known and putative FIB sites suggests that this sequence is important for the binding of nuclear factor I. Nuclear factor I protects a 25- to 30-base-pair region surrounding this sequence from digestion by DNase I. Methylation protection studies suggest that nuclear factor I interacts with guanine residues within the TGG(N)6-7GCCAA consensus sequence. One binding site (FIB-2) contained a restriction endonuclease HaeIII cleavage site (GGCC) at the 5' end of the GCCAA motif. Digestion of FIB-2 with HaeIII abolished the binding of nuclear factor I. Southern blot analyses indicate that the cellular FIB sites described here are present within single-copy DNA in the HeLa cell genome.

Base Sequence

Cloning and expression of the Escherichia coli rho gene in a plasmid vector.

In order to further elucidate the role of Rho protein on transcription termination and cells growth control, we have subcloned by two steps the rho+ structural gene of Escherichia coli from Lambda rho+524 into a plasmid vector. The resulting plasmid pEG25 contains a 2.9 kbp insert which is able to complement several different rho mutations and to express a functional Rho protein in U.V. irradiated maxicells.

Cloning, Molecular

Termination of transcription by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase: influence of secondary structure of RNA transcripts on rho-independent and rho-dependent termination.

The effect of RNA secondary structure on rho-independent and rho-dependent termination of transcription of T3 DNA by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase has been studied by incorporating, into nascent transcripts, base analogs that lead to altered base-pairing properties. A guanine --> hypoxanthine substitution, with attendant weakening of secondary structure, abolished the rho-independent termination at 20% of the genome; in contrast, replacement of cytosine with 5-bromocytosine, which forms stronger pairs with guanine, enhanced termination at this site. rho-Independent termination was not altered by replacing uracil with 5-bromouracil. There are two major rho-dependent termination sites on the T3 DNA-at 8 and 15%. The termination activity of rho in this system also depended on RNA secondary structure. The incorporation of 5-bromouracil instead of uracil into RNA did not alter the site specificity of rho action but rho was rendered inactive when cytosine was replaced by 5-bromocytosine. In contrast, replacement of GTP with ITP in the reaction increased rho-dependent inhibition of RNA synthesis, caused production of heterogeneous-sized transcripts, and stimulated rho-mediated ATP hydrolysis. The rho-associated ATPase activity, in the presence of isolated T3 RNA, was also stimulated by inosine substitution. Furthermore, the temperature-sensitive rho isolated from rho 15 mutant of E. coli, which does not terminate transcription in the presence of the common rNTPs, was active when GTP was replaced with ITP. These results suggest that strongly paired G.C-rich regions in RNA stem-loop structures or RNA.DNA hybrids are essential for rho-independent termination, whereas rho-dependent termination requires weakly paired cytosine residues for its action.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Interaction of RNA polymerase and rho in transcription termination: coupled ATPase.

We have previously described temperature sensitive rho mutants of Escherichia coli (e.g., rho15) that are defective in transcription termination at various signals, including an IS2 DNA insertion in the gal operon [Das, A., Court, D. & Adhya, S. (1976) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 73, 1959-1963]. In this paper, we report the isolation of mutants altered in the beta subunit of RNA polymerase (a class of Rifampicin-resistant mutants), which restore gal IS2 polarity in the rho 15 strain. It has been shown that one of these suppressor RNA polymerases (rpoB101) requires rho to terminate transcription of phage lambda mRNA. In contrast to the wild type RNA polymerase, the suppressor RNA polymerase also terminates lambda mRNA transcription in the presence of rho15 protein. We have isolated new rho mutants (e.g., rho112) that are defective in transcription termination in the rpoB101 strain. These results strongly support the notion that rho and RNA polymerase interact functionally during transcription termination. We have shown that rho15 catalyzes ATP hydrolysis during transcription with rpoB101 RNA polymerase, but not with wild-type RNA polymerase. Because rho 15 protein hydrolyzes ATP in the presence of free RNA, we suggest that rho may recognize the 3'-OH end of RNA. During transcription, this recognition involves an interaction with RNA polymerase, resulting in the displacement of the polymerase and the release of the nascent mRNA.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Effect of undecanoic acid on germination of microconidia of wild and undecanoic acid resistance mutant of Trichophyton rubrum.

Effects of undecanoic acid (UDA) on germination of microconidia and elongation of germ tubes in UDA sensitive (udas) wild type Trichophyton rubrum and UDA resistant (udar) mutant derived from it, were studied. UDA inhibited conidial germination of udas and udar strains at 30 microgram/ml and 120 microgram/ml respectively which were minimum inhibitory concentrations of UDA for these two strains. When spores from both udas and udar were germinated in presence of subinhibitory concentration of UDA, germ tube growth was short. The elongation of germ tubes of spores pregerminated in absence of UDA was also inhibited by dose of UDA not sufficient to inhitib germination.

Drug Resistance, Microbial

Isolation and characterization of conditional lethal mutants of Escherichia coli defective in transcription termination factor rho.

Polarity suppressor mutants that are conditional lethal for growth have been isolated in E. coli K12. The mutations map between the ilv and cya loci of the E. coli chromosome. Rho factor isolated from one of these ts mutants does not show transcription termination activity at any temperature tested; however, it is found to be temperature sensitive for its poly(C)-dependent ATPase activity. Unlike the previously known polarity suppressor mutants (suA and psu), the rho mutation suppresses all types of polarity. Other interesting properties of these mutants include ultraviolet sensitivity, recombination deficiency, and decreased ability to lysogenize temperate phages lambda and P1. Our results suggest that rho has an essential function in the growth and normal physiology of cells. The rho(ts) mutant allows the growth of phage lambda defective in the N gene. This result supports the model that N gene product prevents transcription termination by antagonizing rho activity.

Adenosine Triphosphatases