Evaluation of the maternal role in survival of suckling mice

Zusammenfassung Das Überleben der von der eigenen Mutter und von stammesfremden «Ammen» gesäugten Jungen wurde untersucht an Mäusen der Stämme AKR/Sp, PL/Sp und C57BL/Sp. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die genetische Herkunft der Säuglinge wie auch andere, nicht genetisch bedingte Einflüsse der Mutter auf die Jungen in utero für das Überleben der Jungen ausschlaggebend ist.

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This investigation was supported in part by Public Health Service Research Grants Nos. CA 02151, CA 02903 and CA 02624 from the National Cancer Institute, and in part by an institutional grant to the Detroit Institute of Cancer Research from the United Foundation of Greater Detroit allocated through the Michigan Cancer Foundation.     

A simple method for the preparation of antibodies to the mitochondrial biotin-dependent carboxylases

Summary Heterologous antiserum to the 3 biotin-dependent carboxylases was prepared by selective removal of these enzymes from human liver on an avidin-sepharose column. A carboxylase-avidin-sepharose matrix was used as an antigen to produce anti-carboxylase antibodies. The resultant antisera can be used to purifiy the specific carboxylases, to prepare monoclonal antibodies to these enzymes or to study inherited carboxylase deficiencies and biotin-dependent intermediary metabolism.The authors thank Dr Emmanuel Shapira for his helpful suggestions and Patricia Tuck for her technical assistance. This work was supported by NIH research grants AM25675 and AM26127. Barry Wolf is a recipient of an NIH Research Career Development Award (AM00677) and is aided by a Basil O'Connor Starter Research Grant from the National Foundation—March of Dimes (5–263). This is paper No. 137 from the Department of Human Genetics — Medical College of Virginia.     

Studies of spin-labeled spectrin]

Spectrin isolated from human erythrocytes has been spin-labeled with five maleimide nitroxides. The mobility of the labels is strongly dependent on their size, and on the temperature. A thermal transition of spectrin is shown to occur above 30 degrees C. Calcium and magnesium provoke a strong immobilization of the labels. This effect is yet more pronounced when spectrin is allowed to reassociate with the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane.     

GABAergic inhibition of neurons in the ventral tegmental area

Summary Stimulation of the nucleus accumbens evokes a potent inhibition in neurons of the ventral tegmental area. GABA is likely to act as a transmitter in this descending inhibitory system.     

Human p53 gene localized to short arm of chromosome 17

The p53 gene codes for a nuclear protein that has an important role in normal cellular replication. The concentration of p53 protein is frequently elevated in transformed cells. Transfection studies show that the p53 gene, in collaboration with the activated ras oncogene, can transform cells. Chromosomal localization may provide a better understanding of the relationship of p53 to other human cellular genes and of its possible role in malignancies associated with specific chromosomal rearrangements. A recent study mapped the human p53 gene to the long arm of chromosome 17 (17q21-q22) using in situ chromosomal hybridization. Here, by Southern filter hybridization of DNAs from human-rodent hybrids, we have localized the p53 gene to the short arm of human chromosome 17.     

Mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in cloned cattle produced by fetal and adult cell cloning

Mammals have been cloned from adult donor cells. Here we report the first cases of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy in adult mammalian clones generated from fetal and adult donor cells. The heteroplasmic clones included a healthy cattle equivalent of the sheep Dolly, for which a lack of heteroplasmy was reported.