Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.23 (beta-galactosidase)
 14,648 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A circadian rhythm in acid phosphatase and hexosaminidase was found in adult male hamsters exposed to a long photoperiod (14:10 h light/dark [LD]; lights on 06.00 h) and killed at 08.00, 14.00, 20.00, 02.00, 04.00, 05.50 and 0.615 h. Hexosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase activity at 02.00, 04.00 and 05.50 h (values pooled for these times before lights on) were significantly elevated compared to enzyme activity at 06.15 and 08.00 h (pooled values after lights on), suggesting a fall in activity associated with lights on. Hypogonadism was induced in female Syrian hamsters by exposure to a short photoperiod (10:14 h LD) until a majority of them were vaginally acyclic. Pineal lysosomal enzyme activities (acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, hexosaminidase, alpha-arabinosidase and beta-galactosidase) were significantly elevated in short photoperiod-exposed animals compared to animals in 14:10 LD, when measured near the middle of the light phase. In the third experiment, castrated animals were used to determine if lowered androgen levels might also affect pineal lysosomal enzyme activity. The results indicated that light phase beta-glucuronidase, hexosaminidase and beta-glucosidase activities were lower in castrated males compared to their intact controls. In summary, these results demonstrate that (1) lysosomal enzyme activity is present in the Syrian hamster pineal, (2) changes can be observed which suggest involvement of this activity in pineal function and, (3) a circadian rhythm in enzyme activity is present with peak activity occurring during the night. In the short photoperiod and castration experiments, the changes in lysosomal enzyme activity could reflect either a hormonal manipulation or a change in circadian regulation of enzyme activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Pineal lysosomal enzymes in the Syrian hamster: circadian rhythm and effects of castration or short photoperiod treatment. 252 45

Fanconi Anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by cellular hypersensitivity to DNA cross-linking agents. Recent studies suggest that FA proteins share a common pathway with BRCA proteins. To study the in vivo role of the FA group A gene (Fanca), gene-targeting techniques were used to generate Fanca(tm1Hsc) mice in which Fanca exons 1-6 were replaced by a beta-galactosidase reporter construct. Fanca(tm1.1Hsc) mice were generated by Cre-mediated removal of the neomycin cassette in Fanca(tm1Hsc) mice. Fanca(tm1.1Hsc) homozygotes display FA-like phenotypes including growth retardation, microphthalmia and craniofacial malformations that are not found in other Fanca mouse models, and the genetic background affects manifestation of certain phenotypes. Both male and female mice homozygous for Fanca mutation exhibit hypogonadism, and homozygous females demonstrate premature reproductive senescence and an increased incidence of ovarian cysts. We showed that fertility defects in Fanca(tm1.1Hsc) homozygotes might be related to a diminished population of primordial germ cells (PGCs) during migration into the gonadal ridges. We also found a high level of Fanca expression in pachytene spermatocytes. Fanca(tm1Hsc) homozygous males exhibited an elevated frequency of mispaired meiotic chromosomes and increased apoptosis in germ cells, implicating a role for Fanca in meiotic recombination. However, the localization of Rad51, Brca1, Fancd2 and Mlh1 appeared normal on Fanca(tm1Hsc) homozygous meiotic chromosomes. Taken together, our results suggest that the FA pathway plays a role in the maintenance of reproductive germ cells and in meiotic recombination.
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PMID:Targeted disruption of exons 1 to 6 of the Fanconi Anemia group A gene leads to growth retardation, strain-specific microphthalmia, meiotic defects and primordial germ cell hypoplasia. 1291 77