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T J Dietz

Publications and source records attributed to T J Dietz.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Prostaglandin E2-induced up-regulation of c-fos messenger ribonucleic acid is primarily mediated by 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts.

The mechanism by which the proto-oncogene, c-fos, is up-regulated in response to PGE2 in the mouse osteoblastic (MC3T3-E1) cell line was investigated using RT-PCR. c-fos messenger RNA up-regulation by dmPGE2 is rapid, starting 10 min post stimulation, and transient. The specific protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H89, inhibited c-fos induction. Moreover, down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) activity by chronic TPA treatment had no effect on the induction of c-fos by dmPGE2. We conclude that up-regulation of c-fos by dmPGE2 is primarily dependent on PKA in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. In S49 lymphoma wild-type but not S49 cyc- cells, which are deficient in cAMP signaling, dmPGE2 up-regulates c-fos and increases cell growth compared with unstimulated cells. Thus in S49 lymphoma cells, c-fos induction by PGE2 is also dependent on cAMP signaling. The minimal c-fos promoter region required for dmPGE2-induced expression was identified by transfecting c-fos promoter deletion constructs coupled to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene into Vero cells. Transfection of a plasmid containing 99 bp c-fos proximal promoter was sufficient to direct c-fos/CAT expression following stimulation with dmPGE2. Because induction of c-fos is mediated by cAMP, these data are consistent with activation of c-fos via the CRE/ATF cis element.

Animals↗

Comparison of the MUREX C. albicans, Albicans-Sure, and BactiCard Candida test kits with the germ tube test for presumptive identification of Candida albicans.

The MUREX C. albicans (MC)(Murex Diagnostics), Albicans-Sure (AS) (Clinical Standards Laboratories), and BactiCard Candida (BC) (Remel) test kits were compared with the germ tube (GT) test for the rapid, presumptive identification of Candida albicans. All three test kits detect the enzymes L-proline aminopeptidase and beta-galactosaminidase in yeast cells grown on culture media and are based on the principle that C. albicans produces both enzymes whereas other yeasts produce only one or neither of the enzymes. The organisms evaluated were fresh clinical isolates identified by methods routinely used in our laboratory (API 20C system and conventional methods) and included 303 C. albicans isolates, 153 Candida glabrata isolates, 70 Candida tropicalis isolates, 36 Candida parapsilosis isolates, 13 isolates of other Candida spp., 5 Cryptococcus neoformans isolates, and 3 Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates. The MC, AS, BC, and GT tests detected 299 (98.7%), 300 (99.0%), 301 (99.3%), and 287 (94.7%) C. albicans isolates, respectively. There was one false-positive result with both the MC and BC kits and two false-positive results with the GT test. The enzymatic methods evaluated in this study provide rapid and accurate alternatives to the GT test for the presumptive identification of C. albicans.

Candida albicans↗

The threshold induction temperature of the 90-kDa heat shock protein is subject to acclimatization in eurythermal goby fishes (genus Gillichthys).

Two extremely eurythermal goby fishes, Gillichthys mirabilis and Gillichthys seta, which encounter habitat temperature variations of approximately 30 degrees C, showed seasonal acclimatization of endogenous levels and of onset temperatures for enhanced synthesis of a 90-kDa-class heat shock protein (HSP90). Summer-acclimatized fishes had higher levels of HSP90 in brain tissue than winter-acclimatized specimens, as shown by Western blot analysis. For winter-acclimatized fishes, increased synthesis of HSP90 was observed when the temperature was raised from a control temperature (18 degrees C) to 28 degrees C. For summer-acclimatized fish, no significantly increased synthesis of HSP90 occurred until the experimental temperature was raised to 32 degrees C. These data suggest that the threshold temperature at which enhanced expression of HSP-encoding genes occurs is not hard-wired genetically but may be subject to acclimatization. A causal relationship between seasonal changes in steady-state levels of HSP90 and the threshold temperature for enhanced HSP90 synthesis is discussed in terms of existing models for the regulation of HSP gene expression.

Acclimatization↗

UV cross-linking identifies four polypeptides that require the TATA box to bind to the Drosophila hsp70 promoter.

A protein fraction that requires the TATA sequence to bind to the hsp70 promoter has been partially purified from nuclear extracts of Drosophila embryos. This TATA factor produces a large DNase I footprint that extends from -44 to +35 on the promoter. A mutation that changes TATA to TATG interferes both with the binding of this complex and with the transcription of the hsp70 promoter in vitro, indicating that this interaction is important for transcriptional activity. Using a highly specific protein-DNA cross-linking assay, we have identified four polypeptides that require the TATA sequence to bind to the hsp70 promoter. Polypeptides of 26 and 42 kilodaltons are in intimate contact with the TATA sequence. Polypeptides of 150 and 60 kilodaltons interact within the region from +24 to +47 in a TATA-dependent manner. Both the extended footprint and the polypeptides identified by UV cross-linking indicate that the Drosophila TATA factor is a multicomponent complex.

Animals↗

TATA box-dependent protein-DNA interactions are detected on heat shock and histone gene promoters in nuclear extracts derived from Drosophila melanogaster embryos.

We monitored protein-DNA interactions that occur on the hsp26, hsp70, histone H3, and histone H4 promoters in nuclear extracts derived from frozen Drosophila melanogaster embryos. All four of these promoters were found to be transcribed in vitro at comparable levels by extracts from both heat-shocked and non-heat-shocked embryos. Factors were detected in both types of extracts that block exonuclease digestion from a downstream site at ca. +35 and -20 base pairs from the start of transcription of all four of these promoters. In addition, factors in extracts from heat-shocked embryos blocked exonuclease digestion at sites flanking the heat shock consensus sequences of hsp26 and hsp70. Competition experiments indicated that common factors cause the +35 and -20 barriers on all four promoters in both extracts. The formation of the barriers at +35 and -20 required a TATA box but did not appear to require specific sequences downstream of +7. We suggest that the factors responsible for the +35 and -20 barriers are components whose association with the promoter precedes transcriptional activation.

Animals↗