Identification of the MT3 molecule using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and alloantisera

The MT3 antigen is defined serologically as a DR supertypic specificity and is strongly associated with DR4, DR7, and DRw9. To determine whether the MT3 molecule is distinct from the DR molecule, DR4 and MT3 antigens were immunoprecipitated from 125I-labeled plasma membrane glycoproteins of a DR4-homozygous, MT3-homozygous B lymphoid cell line, Wa, and compared by two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis. The precipitates with two different anti-DR4 alloantisera and with three different mouse antibodies against human Ia monomorphic determinants gave the same 2-D gel pattern consisting of one heavy chain with a molecular weight of 34 000 and a set of light chains with a molecular weight of 30 000, indicating that these polypeptides are the components of the DR4 molecule. On the other hand, all three anti-MT3 alloantisera used precipitated an identical set of anti-MT3 alloantisera specific light chains with a molecular weight of 30 000, and one heavy chain with a molecular weight of 34 000. The pI of the MT3 light chain was more acidic than that of the DR4 light chain. The amount of MT3 light chains was much smaller than that of DR4 light chains in unlabeled plasma membrane glycoproteins. Thus, we have demonstrated directly using 2-D gel electrophoresis and anti-MT3 alloantisera that the MT3 antigen is a new human Ia molecule distinct from DR4.

Genetic analysis of human lymphocyte proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis: 3. Frequent occurrence of genetic variants in some abundant polypeptides of PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes

The 100 or so most intensely Coomassie blue-stained polypeptides from PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis in combination with family and population studies. Besides polymorphic lymphocyte cytosol 64k polypeptide reported previously, genetic variants were frequently observed in three polypeptides with molecular weights of 100,000, 49,000, and 40,000. All of them occur in the cytosol. These variant polypeptides are charge variants, because they are separated in the isoelectric focusing dimension. It is indicated by family and population studies and cell distribution analysis that the polypeptide with a molecular weight of 100,000 shows a genetic polymorphism determined by two alleles at a new autosomal locus, as described in the following paper. Family and population studies also suggest that a genetic polymorphism defined by alleles at an autosomal locus is present in each of the polypeptides with molecular weights of 49,000 and 40,000. In contrast to the previous reports of the extremely restricted genetic variability of the 100 or so most abundant fibroblast polypeptides, the present data indicate that common genetic variants are present at least in four of the 100 or so most intensely Coomassie blue-stained lymphocyte polypeptides. The result also shows that careful side-by-side comparison of two-dimensional electrophoresis patterns among both parents and their children is an effective method to detect genetic variant polypeptides.

Genetic analysis of human lymphocyte proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis: 2. Genetic polymorphism of lymphocyte cytosol 64K polypeptide

We describe a genetic polymorphism of human lymphocyte cytosol major polypeptide with mol. wt. 64,000, detected in peripheral blood lymphocytes by high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis. Three different electrophoretic types (1-1, 2-1, 2-2) of the polypeptide have been identified. Family and population studies indicate that the three phenotypes of the polypeptide are determined by two common alleles at a single autosomal locus. The polypeptide occurs in the cytosol and is predominant in peripheral blood lymphocytes, B-lymphoblastoid cells, T-lymphoblastoid cells, lymph node, and spleen. The polypeptide has not been detected HeLa cells, fibroblasts, erythrocytes, serum, and cerebrum. Traces of the polypeptide exist in liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle. It is proposed that the polypeptide and its locus be temporarily designated lymphocyte cytosol 64K polypeptide (LC64K polypeptide) and LC64P, respectively. In a Japanese population, the gene frequencies of LC64P1 and LC64P2 were 0.936 and 0.064, respectively. The data suggest that LC64P is a new locus, product of which shows genetic polymorphism and is associated with the function and/or the structure of lymphocytes.

Genetic analysis of human lymphocyte proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis: 1. Detection of genetic variant polypeptides in PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes

Approximately 250 phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte polypeptides from three unrelated healthy males were compared by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and double-label autoradiography. Comparisons by all possible pairwise combinations of [14C]leucine-labeled proteins from an individual and [3H]leucine-labeled proteins from another revealed that only three polypeptides differed qualitatively among the three individuals. The degree of variation in lymphocyte polypeptides between different individuals was similar to that in fibroblast polypeptides reported previously. Among the three variant polypeptides, two polypeptides with mol. wt. 64,000 and mol. wt. 37,000 coexisted with a polypeptide with the same molecular weight, and they showed the behavior expected of two allelic gene products separated in the isoelectric focusing dimension by charge differences. Analysis of [14C]leucine labeled peripheral blood lymphocyte proteins, from the parents of each individual, by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated that the variant polypeptides with mol. wt. 64,000 and mol. wt. 37,000 in the propositus were inherited from one of his parents. The data indicate that genetic analysis of PHA-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte proteins is feasible by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in combination with double-label autoradiography and pedigree analysis.U

Role of DNA gyrase subunits in synthesis of bacteriophage phi X174 viral DNA

The role of Escherichia coli DNA gyrase subunit A and subunit B during phi X174 viral DNA synthesis was investigated. Addition of nalidixic acid (an inhibitor of gyrase subunit A) and novobiocin (an inhibitor of gyrase subunit B) to an in vitro system capable of synthesizing phi X174 viral DNA inhibited DNA synthesis. The inhibition caused by novobiocin, however, was not due specifically to an inhibition of gyrase subunit B because DNA synthesis in an in vitro system composed of an extract containing novobiocin-resistant gyrase subunit B was also inhibited by novobiocin. The requirement for gyrase subunit A and the dispensability of gyrase subunit B during viral strand synthesis was confirmed in vivo by examining phi X174 viral DNA synthesis in host bacteria containing temperature-sensitive gyrase subunits.

Serum beta 2--microglobulin and carcinoembryonic antigen in patients with gastric disorders

A comparative study of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and beta 2-microglobulin in serum was made by radioimmunoassay in 121 patients with gastric disease. There was no statistical difference in serum CEA and beta 2-microglobulin in patients with benign gastric disease, early gastric carcinoma, and advanced gastric carcinoma. However, CEA levels in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma were higher than those in benign gastric disease and in early gastric carcinoma but beta 2-microglobulin did not show and differences. Furthermore, after total removal of the tumor, the elevated CEA levels decreased but beta 2-microglobulin remained unchanged. We concluded that CEA appeared to predict tumor behavior more accurately in patients with gastric carcinoma than beta 2-microglobulin.

Isolation and identification of bacteriophage phi X174 prohead

The morphogenesis of bacteriophage phi X174 has been investigated by using an in vitro DNA synthesizing system. An extract of a B-mutant-infected cell is capable of synthesizing infectious phage in vitro when the B gene function is provided by the addition of an ammonium sulfate fraction of a C-mutant-infected-cell extract. This fraction contains the omega complex, a complex of phage-coded proteins with S = 108; the B-mutant extract does not. The purified omega complex, isolated from the C-mutant extract, caused the synthesis and encapsidation of viral DNA when added to B-mutant extract. The omega complex contains the B protein but it is the intact omega complex that functioned in the in vitro complementation of the B-mutant extract because other fractions containing B protein but no omega complex had little or no complementing activity. The results indicate that the omega complex is the phi X174 prohead. The B protein is not found in either the 132S or 114S phage particles but is an essential component of the prohead. This suggests that it may have a scaffolding function.

In vitro system that synthesizes circular viral DNA of bacteriophage phi X 174

An extract prepared from Escherichia coli cells infected with phi chi 174 bacteriophage was capable of incorporating dTTP into phage-specific DNAs in vitro. The synthesized DNAs were associated with proteins and sedimented with S values of 20, 50, and 90 in a sucrose gradient sedimentation. DNA isolated from 20S material was open circular replicative form (RF), DNA in 50S material was replicative-form DNA with an extended single-stranded viral DNA that ranged up to one genome in length, and DNA in 90S material consisted of circular and linear single-stranded viral DNA of full genome length and single-stranded viral DNA shorter than full genome length. Pulse and pulse-chase experiments indicated that 90S material derived from 50S material.