PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Hashmi

Publications and source records attributed to S Hashmi.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Evidence for positive and negative regulatory elements in the 5'-flanking sequence of the mouse sparc (osteonectin) gene.

We have investigated the role of 5'-flanking DNA sequences in regulating the expression of the murine Sparc (osteonectin) gene in parietal endoderm cells and in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells induced to differentiate into parietal endoderm with retinoic acid and cyclic AMP. Varying lengths of flanking sequences extending up to 3.0 kilobase pairs 5' of the transcription initiation site were linked to the bacterial chloramphenicol transacetylase gene in the Bluescript M13- vector. The constructs were tested in transient assays, using a beta-galactosidase plasmid as a transfection control. Sequences between 78 and 169 base pairs upstream of the cap site are the minimum required for cell-type specific promoter activity; this region is dominated by two oligopurine/oligopyrimidine stretches or "GAGA" boxes and is highly conserved between the mouse and bovine genes. Addition of the sequence between -169 and -449, which includes part or all of a third GAGA box, results in increased parietal endoderm specific transcription, up to a maximum of 6.3-fold higher than in undifferentiated F9 cells. Further addition of sequences between -449 and -638 markedly reduces promoter activity in both cell types but parietal endoderm-specific activity is restored in constructs containing 2.2 and 3.0 kilobase pairs of flanking DNA. In addition, we have identified sequences related to the consensus sequence for steroid response elements, one of which is able to confer progesterone-enhanced transcription when tested with a heterologous promoter in steroid responsive cells. These results suggest that negative and positive elements normally interact to regulate the temporal and tissue-specific patterns of Sparc gene transcription seen in vivo.

Animals↗

Vgr-1, a mammalian gene related to Xenopus Vg-1, is a member of the transforming growth factor beta gene superfamily.

The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta)-related products of the Xenopus Vg-1 and Drosophila decapentaplegic (DPP) genes have been implicated in the control of growth and differentiation during embryogenesis. We have isolated a mouse cDNA, Vgr-1, that encodes a polypeptide structurally related to Xenopus Vg-1. Sequence comparisons indicate that the Vgr-1 protein belongs to a family of DPP-like gene products within the TGF-beta superfamily. The levels of Vgr-1 RNA were determined in embryos and tissues isolated at various stages of development. A 3.5-kilobase mRNA increases throughout development and into adulthood in many tissues and in F9 teratocarcinoma cells differentiating into endoderm in response to retinoic acid and cAMP. The amino acid homologies and patterns of expression suggest that, like the DPP gene product, Vgr-1 plays a role at various stages of development.

Aging↗

Hepatic actinomycosis.

Primary hepatic actinomycosis is seldom seen, and almost all cases have been diagnosed by laparotomy. Treatment with high-dose parental penicillin for prolonged periods is recommended. In the past concomitant surgical drainage also has been recommended, but the nonoperative success reported here and by others suggests that surgical drainage is not essential to the treatment.

Actinomycosis↗

Increased intracellular phosphoribosylpyrophosphate and accelerated orotic acid decarboxylation in a mouse cell line resistant to purine and pyrimidine ribonucleosides.

A line of mouse fibroblasts (A9AU-1), originally selected for growth in the presence of 6-azauridine, has been found to be resistant to cytotoxic concentrations of adenosine, guanosine, and thymidine. A9AU-1 cells convert orotic acid to uridine 5'-monophosphate at twice the rate of the A9P line from which the A9AU-1 clone was selected. The resistant cells also excrete purines, synthesized de novo, into the medium at an increased velocity. The average intracellular 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) concentration of the resistant line is 45% higher than that of the parental line. The elevated PRPP concentration is likely to be responsible for both the apparent acceleration of pyrimidine synthesis and the increased excretion of purines into the growth medium; it might also account, by one of the several possible mechanisms, for the resistance of the cells to cytotoxic concentrations of the various nucleosides.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

Concurrent development of resistance to 6-azauridine and adenosine in a mouse cell line.

A variant of the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase deficient, and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficient mouse resistant to 6-azauridine. These cells are not only resistant to 6-azauridine (5 X 10(-4) M), but also to adenosine (10(-3) M). Resistance persists indefinitely even in the absence of both compounds. The resistant cells are killed by 5-fluorouridine (10(-6) M), indicating that the part of the salvage pathway for pyrimidine ribonucleotide biosynthesis which is relevant to the action of 6-azauridine is intact. The heritable change producing concurrent resistance to 6-azauridine and adenosine probably involves the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway.

Adenosine↗