Novobiocin inhibits interactions required for yeast TFIIIB sequestration during stable transcription complex formation in vitro

Novobiocin concentrations normally used to inhibit a putative eukaryotic DNA gyrase have been found to inhibit transcription of a yeast 5S rRNA gene using an in vitro yeast transcription system. Purified RNA polymerase III and three yeast transcription factors (chromatographically separated, partially purified and free of any detectable gyrase activity) were used. Novobiocin prevents specific transcription if added to the in vitro system immediately prior to the addition of transcription factors and RNA polymerase. If a stable transcription factor complex is allowed to form prior to the addition of novobiocin, concentrations of novobiocin as high as 1000 micrograms/ml have no effect on in vitro transcription. Transcription factors TFIIIA and TFIIIC are able to be stably sequestered onto 5SrDNA-cellulose, but factor TFIIIB is not able to associate with the 5SrDNA-TFIIIA-TFIIIC complex in the presence of novobiocin. Although novobiocin is able to precipitate other basic proteins, it does not appear to precipitate any of these class III gene transcription factors, but instead appears to act by disrupting specific factor-factor interactions.

Partial purification and characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription factor TFIIIB

Methods are described for the partial purification of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae class III gene transcription factor TFIIIB from yeast whole cell extracts. A major component (30% of the total protein) of our most highly purified TFIIIB preparation was a polypeptide with an apparent Mr = 60,000 when analyzed by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This protein was purified by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and polyclonal antibodies were raised against it. Using immunological methods it was shown that TFIIIB transcription factor activity was associated with this purified polypeptide. Furthermore, the polyclonal sera raised against the yeast TFIIIB polypeptide was also shown to specifically neutralize the activity of the human TFIIIB equivalent when it was added to a human KB cell S-100 in vitro transcription system.

Who advances to Fellowship? Results of the College's 1985 membership advancement survey

This study shows that persons not interested in pursuing Fellowship in the College are older, have less formal education, and value ambition less; yet they are more often in CEO positions when they become Members of the organization. Few tangible benefits are realized by recently advanced Fellows compared with a matched group of Members. Comparison criteria include salary, size of the organization, the proportion who are CEOs, and the subjective evaluation of career progression. Members not interested in advancement have recently taken on positions with less responsibility, and they are less satisfied and more alienated in their jobs than Fellows. Moreover, fewer work for or with other College Fellows, and they are not as likely to have their seminar expenses paid for by their organization. These findings confirm other research suggesting that commitment to professional associations is based more on appeals to values and interpersonal reasons rather than utilitarian reasons.

What AMHA does and what AMHA should do: results from the 1985 affiliate poll

We obtained opinions about the services and programs of the Association of Mental Health Administrators from a sample of 242 affiliates. The study showed that the most important reasons for joining the association were professional development, education, and to support the profession. Also important was the desire for interaction with other executives. Apart from individual benefits, affiliates endorsed the standard setting functions of the association: setting educational standards, creating a certification credential, disseminating new ideas and, to a lesser extent, conducting research. Finally, AMHA affiliates believe the association should act as a spokesperson to the government. In the future, AMHA's greatest area of growth will be to create a favorable public opinion.

CEO evaluation in the 1980s. Part 2

This is the second of two articles on how to evaluate CEO performance. (The first article, which discussed the evolving role of the CEO, appeared in the July issue of Trustee.) Using a recent study by the American College of Hospital Administrators, the authors discuss the evolution of CEO evaluation and present some steps that boards and CEOs can take to make the process more deliberate, measured, and fair.

The shifting roles of CEOs and trustees

Recently, the American College of Hospital Administrators (ACHA) competed studies on both the evolving role of the hospital CEO and how CEO performance is evaluated. This is the first of a two-part series of articles based on those studies. In this first article, the authors review the historical roles of both CEOs and trustees, how those responsibilities differ today according to the type of institution, what CEOs see as their ideal role, and the guidelines for action that the ACHA recommends for CEOs as a result of its study. The second article, which will appear in the August issue of Trustee, will focus on the ACHA's study of how CEO performance currently is being evaluated, what factors are included in such evaluations, who is responsible for them, how they are being conducted, and how to make the CEO evaluation process more deliberate, measured, and fair.

Specific transcription of homologous class III genes in yeast-soluble cell-free extracts

Cell-free extracts prepared from whole yeast cells carry out selective and accurate transcription, in vitro, of purified yeast class III genes. Both 5 S rRNA and tRNA genes are specifically transcribed by DNA-dependent RNA polymerase III present in these whole cell extracts. These extracts also appear to carry out nucleolytic processing of the in vitro synthesized transcripts. Optimal conditions for specific class III gene transcription in vitro are defined. Initial fractionation of the yeast extract has indicated that multiple chromatographically separable factors (fractions) are required, in addition to RNA polymerase III, for specific in vitro transcription of class III genes.

National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower: VII. Residency and fellowship training 1976-1977 through 1980-1981

A complete census of the number of residents training in internal medicine and fellows in subspecialty training for 1979-1980 and 1980-1981 has been compiled by the National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower. Complete information is now available for the 5-year period from 1976-1977 through 1980-1981. The number of first year residents in internal medicine continues to rise. A constant percentage (35% to 38%) of the graduating class of United States medical schools has entered these programs each year for over a decade. The number of first year fellows in subspecialty training, which in the first half of the 1970s rose 10% to 11% annually, has declined slightly in the second half of the 1970s and has been stable in the past 2 years. The net result of the increasing number of residents and the decreasing number of fellows is a rising proportion of internists entering general internal medicine and a proportionate decline in those choosing subspecialty careers.

National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower: V. Comparison of residents in internal medicine--future generalists and subspecialists

Questionnaire III of the National Study of internal Medicine Manpower was directed to a random sample of residents (and subspecialty fellows) in the spring of 1977. Residents were classified according to whether they sought careers as predominantly general internists (49%) or subspecialty internists (51%), and the two groups were compared. Future generalists, more often, tended to be non-Jewish, to have incurred higher debts, and to have trained in medical schools in the states where they had spent their childhoods. Training experiences also were different. Future generalists, more than subspecialists, were attracted to the field because of the ability to retain independence in their work. Subspecialists, more often, intended to have academic careers and locate in the largest cities. Although subspecialists expected greater financial rewards, neither group selected their fields on this basis. By controlling for the main criterion used to select the medical school attended, we were able to explain several factors that differentiated the two groups.

National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower: VI. Factors predicting preferences of residents for careers in primary care or subspecialty care and clinical practice of academic medicine

With data collected from a national sample of residents in internal medicine (Questionnaire III of the National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower), two models are empirically tested: the first predicting interest in primary care medicine in contrast to subspecialty medicine and the second predicting interest in academic medicine in contrast to clinical practice. Correlation and multiple regression (path analysis) show that background and personal variables specific to each person such as religion, personality type, and desire for control over working conditions have greater predictive power than variables describing the environment such as the type of medical school or residency program the trainee attends. The single most important predictor in terms of unique variance explained in both models is the desire for control over working conditions. The variables positively related to interest in primary care are negatively related to interest in academic careers.

Multiple factors required for accurate initiation of transcription by purified RNA polymerase II

A soluble extract prepared from human cells (KB S-100) has been recently shown to direct accurate transcription initiation by purified RNA polymerase II at the major late promoter of adenovirus 2. We have fractionated this extract by chromatography on phosphocellulose, DEAE-cellulose, and DNA-cellulose, and have identified four components that are required for the active and selective initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II at this promoter. One of these components seems to act by suppressing random, but not selective, transcription by RNA polymerase II. All but one of these components have been shown to be chromatographically distinct from the factors involved in directing selective transcription by RNA polymerase III.

Selective and accurate initiation of transcription at the Ad2 major late promotor in a soluble system dependent on purified RNA polymerase II and DNA

Transcription of Ad2 DNA templates in the presence of crude cellular extracts supplemented with exogenous (purified) RNA polymerase II is selectively and accurately initiated at the major late viral promoter at map position 16.45. Specific initiation has been demonstrated by a combination of hybridization, nuclease S1 mapping, size and partial sequence (fingerprint) analyses of the transcripts generated with various templates. With intact Ad2 DNA, transcription is terminated ell before the end of the 28 kb transcription unit is reached. With truncated templates (which contain intact promoter regions and several hundred base pair segments of the transcribed region) the expected run-off products are observed, along with a low level of prematurely terminated transcripts. The 560 nucleotide run-off product of the Sma l-f template (coordinates 11.6-18.2) was shown to contain all the large RNAase T1 oligonuc eotides that are characteristic of the corresponding in vivo transcript from this region; in addition, the 5 terminal undecanucleotide appears to be both capped and methylated. We have investigated various parameters (salt, metal ion and template concentrations) that affect the level of specific transcription in the crude system and have found that, under optimal conditions, specific transcription of Ad2 DNA continues for several hours. In addition, specific transcription initiation at the late promoter is observed with extracts derived from either virus-infected or uninfected KB cells and with class II RNA polymerases isolated from either human calf, murine or amphibian cells. RNA polymerase II from wheat germ does not function in this system.

National study of internal medicine manpower: III. Subspecialty fellowship training 1976-1977

Questionnaire II of the National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower was directed to all of the 1502 subspecialty training programs in the United States and Puerto Rico. The overall response rate was 86%. For the years 1972-1973 through 1976-1977 the number of fellows in subspecialty training grew at an average rate of 10.6% per year, or one and one-half times greater than the growth rate of 7.2% in the number of first-year residents in training for the same time period. In 1976-1977 there were 5826 fellows in subspecialty fellowship training, of whom 26% were foreign medical graduates. Stipends for subspecialty fellows in 1976-1977 amounted to $90 million, 40% of which was derived from direct federal funds and 33% from hospital revenues. Most of the subspecialty fellowship programs were in large teaching hospitals, which are closely affiliated with the nation's medical schools. The 1976-1977 professional activities of former subspecialty trainees who had finished their training between 1972 and 1976 were distributed roughly in thirds between research-teaching, teaching-practice, and practice. We discuss public policy implications of the data.

National study of internal medicine manpower: IV. Residency and fellowship training 1977-1978 and 1978-1979

The National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower gathered data on the number of residents in training in internal medicine and the number of fellows in subspecialty training, for 1977-1978 and for 1978-1979. In the latter period, there were 16720 residents in all years of training. The 7.2% average annual increase in the number of first-year residents during the earlier half of the 1970s slowed in 1977-1978 and 1978-1979 to 4.6% and 4.2%, respectively, reflecting a similar decline in the number of medical school graduates. The most important finding of the study is that the steep rise (10.6% per year) in the number of subspecialty fellowship trainees characteristic of the years 1972-1973 through 1976-1977 has abated. The number of fellows in subspecialty training has remained essentially constant in the past 2 years. Thus, although the number of residents continued to increase and the number of fellows remained constant, the number (and percentage) of internists in training who intend to practice general internal medicine rose.

Faithful transcription of eukaryotic genes by RNA polymerase III in systems reconstituted with purified DNA templates

The virus-associated (VA) RNAI gene in human adenovirus 2 DNA has been shown by Wu (Wu, G. J. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 75, 2175--2179) to be transcribed by RNA polymerase III in a human KB cell-free extract. In the present report we have examined the fidelity of transcription of adenovirus 2 DNA and Xenopus oocyte 5 S DNA templates by RNA polymerase III in extracts derived from cultured human, murine, and amphibian kidney cells, Size and sequences analysis of the discrete transcripts synthesized in these homologous and heterologous systems indicate that they result from accurate transcription of the corresponding genes. The specific transcripts identified include both the adenovirus VA RNAI and VA RNAII, Xenopus 5 S RNA, and VA RNAI and 5 S RNA species with elongated 3' termini. The extracts derived from the various cell types differ in the ability to discriminate between the two VA RNA genes or between the heterogeneous 5 S RNA genes in the cloned DNA fragment. Wherease the human cell extracts transcribe the VA RNAI and VA RNAII genes of adenovirus at a relative frequency close to that observed in isolated nuclei, the amphibian cell extract appears to transcribe only the VA RNAI gene. The amphibian cell extract transcribes primarily that 5 S RNA gene (within 5 S DNA) which encodes the dominant oocyte 5 S RNA, whereas the human cell extract transcribes at least two distinct 5 S RNA genes. Additionally, it is shown that the VA RNAI and VA RNAII genes have separate promotor sites. The kinetics of the transcription reactions have been examined and conditions optimal for specific transcription have been established by examining the effects of salt, metal ion, and template concentrations on both total and specific RNA synthesis. It is also shown that components in the cell-free extract (from human cells) are active in directing the accurate transcription of adenovirus DNA by purified RNA polymerase III.

National study of internal medicine manpower: II. A typology of residency training programs in internal medicine

This second paper of the National Study of Internal Medicine Manpower describes the differing environments of residency training programs. Using previous studies as prototypes, the authors apply factor analysis to data from questionnaires returned by residency training directors and residents to illustrate the myriad interrelations within training programs. The most important result of this study is the demonstration that the largest residency programs have the most subspecialty programs, and their residents are more likely to pursue subspecialty fellowships after completing their third residency year. However, preliminary findings show no associations between the typology (typologic categories of residencies and their trainees) used and desired practice locations in states having few physicians relative to the population or in states with fewer urban inhabitants. The typology also does not predict the future practice aspirations of residents who are more likely to care for the poor or minority populations. A separate set of factors, possibly unrelated to training environments, will help to predict such career outcomes. Further specification of these factors will be the subject of a later paper in this series.

Hormonal control of transcription in the rat uterus. Stimulation of deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent RNA polymerase III by estradiol

DNA-dependent RNA polymerases were extracted from rat uterine tissue, partially purified and resolved by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. RNA polymerases I, II, IIIA, and IIIB eluted at the characteristic ammonium sulfate concentrations of 0.15, 0.28, 0.34, and 0.42 M, respectively. The sensitivity of each peak of polymerase to alpha-amanitin was examined and was shown to be essentially identical to the three classes of RNA polymerases in other mammalian systems. RNA polymerase I was insensitive to high levels of alpha-amanitin, RNA polymerase II was sensitive to low concentrations of alpha-amanitin (50% inhibition at 0.006 mug/ml) and RNA polymerases IIIA and IIIB were sensitive to high concentrations of alpha-amanitin (50% inhibition at 18 mug/ml). The alpha-amanitin sensitivity curve of total RNA synthesis measured in isolated nucleo demonstrated that the activity of each class of RNA polymerase could be quantitated in uterine nuclei. Thus the initial decrease in activity at low concentrations of alpha-amanitin (50% inhibition at 0.005 mug/ml) was attributed to the inhibition of RNA polymerase II activity, the second decrease in activity at higher concentrations of alpha-amanitin (50% inhibition at 15 mug/ml) was attributed to the inhibition of RNA polymerase III activity, and the activity which was resistant to the highest alpha-amanitin concentration tested was attributed to RNA polymerase I activity. When estradiol was given to immature rats 6 h before killing both RNA polymerases I and III levels in nuclei were increased significantly over the control values. The time course of these changes demonstrated that the increases in RNA polymerases I and III were first evident between 1.5 and 3 h following hormone treatment. Significantly, these increases in polymerase I and III in nuclei parallel the published increases for rRNA and tRNA synthesis following hormone treatment. However, the amount of RNA polymerase I and III was not altered upon extraction, suggesting that these changes are due to the alteration in chromatin template activity. Both estradiol and estriol produced identical increases in uterine RNA polymerase I and III 6 h after treatment.

HeLa cell deoxyribonucleic acid dependent RNA polymerases: function and properties of the class III enzymes

The class III DNA dependent RNA polymerases (nucleoside triphosphate:RNA nucleotidyltransferase EC 2.7.7.6 from HeLa cells have been solubilized and characterized as to function and properties. Two chromatographically distinct forms of enzyme III, designated polymerases IIIA and IIIB, can be resolved when cell extracts are chromatographed on DEAE-Sephadex columns. Enzymes IIIA and IIIB exhibit nearly identical catalytic properties such as divalent cation stimulation, broad biphasic ammonium sulfate optima, and characteristic alpha-amanitin sensitivities which clearly distinguish them from the homologous enzymes, forms I and II. Polymerases IIIA and IIIB are both primarily localized in the nucleus (greater than 60%). The most notable characteristic of the class III enzymes is a unique sensitivity to inhibition by alpha-amanitin (50% inhibition at 15 mug/ml). HeLa cell enzyme I is not inhibited by the mushroom toxin even at very high concentrations (greater than 400 mug/ml), while HeLa cell polymerase II is inhibited by very low concentrations of amanitin (50% inhibition at 0.003 mug/ml). The three major classes of enzyme (I, II, III) exhibit characteristic sensitivities to alpha-amanitin whether assayed in nuclei, crude homogenates, or in a chromatographically purified state. Using a nuclear in vitro RNA synthesizing system to investigate the alpha-amanitin sensitivities of the synthesis of tRNA precursor (4.5S pre-tRNA) and 5S ribosomal RNA, it was found that the synthesis of these RNA species was inhibited 50% at 15 mug/ml of alpha-amanitin. The alpha-amanitin inhibition curves for the synthesis of pre-tRNA-5S ribosomal RNA in nuclei and the alpha-amanitin titration curves for the partially purified class III enzymes (IIIA and IIIB) are identical. These data, therefore, show that the in vivo functional role of the class III RNA polymerases (IIIA-IIIB) is the transcription of the genes coding for transfer RNA and 5S ribosomal RNA.