Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Extrahepatic bioartificial liver devices should provide an intact urea cycle to detoxify ammonia. The C3A cell line, a subclone of the hepatoma-derived HepG2 cell line, is currently used in this context as it produces urea, and this has been assumed to be reflective of ammonia detoxification via a functional urea cycle. However, based on our previous findings of perturbed urea-cycle function in the non-urea producing HepG2 cell line, we hypothesized that the urea produced by C3A cells was via a urea cycle-independent mechanism, namely, due to arginase II activity, and therefore would not detoxify ammonia. Urea was quantified using (15)N-ammonium chloride metabolic labelling with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Gene expression was determined by real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR, protein expression by western blotting, and functional activities with radiolabelling enzyme assays. Arginase inhibition studies used N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine. Urea was detected in C3A conditioned medium; however, (15)N-ammonium chloride-labelling indicated that (15)N-ammonia was not incorporated into (15)N-labelled urea. Further, gene expression of two urea cycle genes, ornithine transcarbamylase and arginase I, were completely absent. In contrast, arginase II mRNA and protein was expressed at high levels in C3A cells and was inhibited by N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine, which prevented urea production, thereby indicating a urea cycle-independent pathway. The urea cycle is non-functional in C3A cells, and their urea production is solely due to the presence of arginase II, which therefore cannot provide ammonia detoxification in a bioartificial liver system. This emphasizes the continued requirement for developing a component capable of a full repertoire of liver function.
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PMID:Cells for bioartificial liver devices: the human hepatoma-derived cell line C3A produces urea but does not detoxify ammonia. 1768 Jun 61

Understanding abiotic stress responses is one of the most important issues in plant research nowadays. Abiotic stress, including excess light, can promote the onset of oxidative stress through the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress also arises when in vitro propagated plants are exposed to high light upon transfer to ex vitro. To determine whether the underlying pathways activated at the transfer of in vitro grapevine to ex vitro conditions reflect the processes occurring upon light stress, we used Vitis vinifera Affymetrix GeneChip (VvGA) and a custom array of genes responsive to light stress (LSCA) detected by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). When gene-expression profiles were compared, 'protein metabolism and modification', 'signaling', and 'anti-oxidative' genes were more represented in LSCA, while, in VvGA, 'cell wall metabolism' and 'secondary metabolism' were the categories in which gene expression varied more significantly. The above functional categories confirm previous studies involving other types of abiotic stresses, enhancing the common attributes of abiotic stress defense pathways. The LSCA analysis of our experimental system detected strong response of heat shock genes, particularly the protein rescuing mechanism involving the cooperation of two ATP-dependent chaperone systems, Hsp100 and Hsp70, which showed an unusually late response during the recovery period, of extreme relevance to remove non-functional, potentially harmful polypeptides arising from misfolding, denaturation, or aggregation brought about by stress. The success of LSCA also proves the feasibility of a custom-made qRT-PCR approach, particularly for species for which no GeneChip is available and for researchers dealing with a specific and focused problem.
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PMID:Comparative transcriptomic profiling of Vitis vinifera under high light using a custom-made array and the Affymetrix GeneChip. 2149 22

Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 predispose carriers to early onset breast and ovarian cancer. A common problem in clinical genetic testing is interpretation of variants with unknown clinical significance. The Evidence-based Network for the Interpretation of Germline Mutant Alleles (ENIGMA) consortium was initiated to evaluate and implement strategies to characterize the clinical significance of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants. As an initial project of the ENIGMA Splicing Working Group, we report splicing and multifactorial likelihood analysis of 25 BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants from seven different laboratories. Splicing analysis was performed by reverse transcriptase PCR or mini gene assay, and sequencing to identify aberrant transcripts. The findings were compared to bioinformatic predictions using four programs. The posterior probability of pathogenicity was estimated using multifactorial likelihood analysis, including co-occurrence with a deleterious mutation, segregation and/or report of family history. Abnormal splicing patterns expected to lead to a non-functional protein were observed for 7 variants (BRCA1 c.441+2T>A, c.4184_4185+2del, c.4357+1G>A, c.4987-2A>G, c.5074G>C, BRCA2 c.316+5G>A, and c.8754+3G>C). Combined interpretation of splicing and multifactorial analysis classified an initiation codon variant (BRCA2 c.3G>A) as likely pathogenic, uncertain clinical significance for 7 variants, and indicated low clinical significance or unlikely pathogenicity for another 10 variants. Bioinformatic tools predicted disruption of consensus donor or acceptor sites with high sensitivity, but cryptic site usage was predicted with low specificity, supporting the value of RNA-based assays. The findings also provide further evidence that clinical RNA-based assays should be extended from analysis of invariant dinucleotides to routinely include all variants located within the donor and acceptor consensus splicing sites. Importantly, this study demonstrates the added value of collaboration between laboratories, and across disciplines, to collate and interpret information from clinical testing laboratories to consolidate patient management.
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PMID:Characterization of BRCA1 and BRCA2 splicing variants: a collaborative report by ENIGMA consortium members. 2176 58

A new isolate of Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) was collected from Chinsura, West Bengal, India. The full genome was sequenced and deposited to GenBank designating the new one as Chinsura isolate. The four open reading frames (ORFs) of the new isolate were compared with those of previously reported 'South-east Asian' (SEA) and 'South Asian' (SA) isolates emphasizing the ORF3, which is the largest and functionally most important gene of RTBV. In the ORFs, Chinsura isolate shared 90.0-100.0% identity at amino acid level with SA isolates, but only 58.76-88.63% identity with SEA isolates for the same. Similarly, the amino acid identity of ORFs between SEA and SA isolates ranged from 58.77 to 88.64, whereas within each group the corresponding value was >96.0%. The phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide and amino acid sequences of each ORF made two broad clusters of SEA- and SA-types including Chinsura isolate within SA cluster. Moreover, the relative positions and length of functional domains corresponding to movement protein (MP), coat protein (CP), aspartate protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase/ribonuclease H (RT/RNase H) of ORF3 of Chinsura isolate were completely identical with SA isolates. The clustering pattern indicated strong influence of geographical habitat on genomic evolution. Comparison of ORF3 among all the isolates revealed major variations at non-functional regions in between the functional domains and at the hypervariable 3'-terminal end of ORF3, while PR appeared to have evolved differentially in SA isolates expecting further characterization.
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PMID:Phylogenetic analysis of Rice tungro bacilliform virus ORFs revealed strong correlation between evolution and geographical distribution. 2179 36

Retroviruses have been shown to efficiently delete sequences between repeats as a consequence of the template switching ability of the viral reverse transcriptase. To evaluate this approach for deriving safety-modified lentiviral vectors, we created HIV-1 vectors engineered to delete the Rev-response element (RRE) during reverse-transcription by sandwiching the RRE between two non-functional hygromycin phosphotransferase sequences. Deletion of the RRE during reverse-transcription lead to the reconstitution of a functional hygromycin phosphotransferase gene in the target cell. The efficiency of functional reconstitution, depending on vector configuration, was between 12% and 23%. Real-time quantitative PCR of genomic DNA of cells transduced with the RRE-deleting vectors that were selected using an independent drug resistance marker, which measured both functional and nonfunctional recombination events, indicated that the overall efficiency of RRE deletion of hygromycin phosphotransferase gene, was between 73.6% and 83.5%.
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PMID:RRE-deleting self-inactivating and self-activating HIV-1 vectors for improved safety. 2376 57

In order to investigate the pancreatic lesions caused by the infection with either H7N1 or H7N3 low-pathogenicity avian influenza viruses, 28 experimentally infected turkeys were submitted for histopathology, immunohistochemistry, haematobiochemistry and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction after different days post-infection (DPI). The localization of viral antigen and the measurement of insulin and glucagon expression in the pancreas were assessed to verify the progression from pancreatitis to metabolic disorders, such as diabetes. At the early infection phase (4-7 DPI), a severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis was recognized. During the intermediate phase (8-17 DPI), a mixed acute/chronic change associated with regenerative ductular proliferation was observed. A loss of pancreatic islets was detected in most severe cases and viral antigen was found in the pancreas of 11/28 turkeys (4-10 DPI) with the most severe histological damage. In turkeys euthanized at 39 DPI (late phase), a chronic fibrosing pancreatitis was observed with the reestablishment of both the exocrine and the endocrine pancreas. Insulin and glucagon expression manifested a progressive decrease with subsequent ductular positivity. Haematobiochemistry revealed increased lipasemia in the first week post-infection and hyperglycaemia in the second, with a progressive normalization within 21 DPI. This study allowed the identification of progressive virus-associated exocrine and endocrine pancreatic damage, suggesting that influenza virus might be responsible for metabolic derangements. Moreover, it highlighted a remarkable post-damage hyperplastic and reparative process from a presumptive common exocrine/endocrine precursor. This potential regeneration deserves further investigation for its relevance in a therapeutic perspective to replace lost and non-functional cells in diabetes mellitus.
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PMID:Histopathological and immunohistochemical study of exocrine and endocrine pancreatic lesions in avian influenza A experimentally infected turkeys showing evidence of pancreatic regeneration. 2636 55

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT)-a critical enzyme of the viral life cycle-undergoes a complex maturation process, required so that a pair of p66 precursor proteins can develop conformationally along different pathways, one evolving to form active polymerase and ribonuclease H (RH) domains, while the second forms a non-functional polymerase and a proteolyzed RH domain. These parallel maturation pathways rely on the structural ambiguity of a metamorphic polymerase domain, for which the sequence-structure relationship is not unique. Recent nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies utilizing selective labeling techniques, and structural characterization of the p66 monomer precursor have provided important insights into the details of this maturation pathway, revealing many aspects of the three major steps involved: (1) domain rearrangement; (2) dimerization; and (3) subunit-selective RH domain proteolysis. This review summarizes the major structural changes that occur during the maturation process. We also highlight how mutations, often viewed within the context of the mature RT heterodimer, can exert a major influence on maturation and dimerization. It is further suggested that several steps in the RT maturation pathway may provide attractive targets for drug development.
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PMID:Structural Maturation of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase-A Metamorphic Solution to Genomic Instability. 2769 82

Sympathetic neurons express the neurotrophin receptors TrkA, p75NTR, and a non-functional truncated TrkB isoform (TrkB-Tc), but are not thought to express a functional full-length TrkB receptor (TrkB-Fl). We, and others, have demonstrated that nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) modulate synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity in neurons of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) of the rat. To clarify whether TrkB is expressed in sympathetic ganglia and contributes to the effects of BDNF upon sympathetic function, we characterized the presence and activity of the neurotrophin receptors expressed in the adult SCG compared with their presence in neonatal and cultured sympathetic neurons. Here, we expand our previous study regarding the immunodetection of neurotrophin receptors. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that 19% of adult ganglionic neurons expressed TrkB-Fl immunoreactivity (IR), 82% expressed TrkA-IR, and 51% expressed p75NTR-IR; TrkB-Tc would be expressed in 36% of neurons. In addition, using Western-blotting and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses, we confirmed the expression of TrkB-Fl and TrkB-Tc protein and mRNA transcripts in adult SCG. Neonatal neurons expressed significantly more TrkA-IR and TrkB-Fl-IR than p75NTR-IR. Finally, the application of neurotrophin, and high frequency stimulation, induced the activation of Trk receptors and the downstream PI3-kinase (phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase) signaling pathway, thus evoking the phosphorylation of Trk and Akt. These results demonstrate that SCG neurons express functional TrkA and TrkB-Fl receptors, which may contribute to the differential modulation of synaptic transmission and long-term synaptic plasticity.
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PMID:Presence of Functional Neurotrophin TrkB Receptors in the Rat Superior Cervical Ganglion. 2874 22


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