Adenylate effects on protein phosphorylation in the interenvelope lumen of pea chloroplasts

A 64-kilodalton (kDa) protein, situated in the lumen between the inner and outer envelopes of pea (Pisum sativum L.) chloroplasts (Soll and Bennett 1988, Eur. J. Biochem., 175, 301–307) is shown to undergo reversible phosphorylation in isolated mixed envelope vesicles. It is the most conspicuously labelled protein after incubation of envelopes with 33 nmol·1-1 [-32P]ATP whereas incubation with 50 mol·1-1 [-32P]ATP labels most prominently two outer envelope proteins (86 and 23 kDa). Half-maximum velocity for phosphorylation of the 64-kDa protein occurs with 200 nmol·1-1 ATP, and around 40 mol·1-1 ATP for phosphorylation of the 86- and 23-kDa proteins, indicating the operation of two distinct kinases. GGuanosine-, uridine-, cytidine 5-triphosphate and AMP are poor inhibitors of the labelling of the 64-kDa protein with [-32P]ATP. On the other hand, ADP has a potent influence on the extent of labelling (half-maximal inhibition at 1–5 mol·1-1). The ADP-dependent appearance of 32P in ATP indicates that ADP acts by reversal of kinase activity and not as a competitive inhibitor. However, the most rapid loss of 32P from pre-labelled 64-kDa protein occurs when envelope vesicles are incubated with ATP t1/2=15 s at 20 molsd1-1 ATP). This induced turnover of phosphate appears to be responsible for the rapid phosphoryl turnover seen in situ

Prevalence of Esophageal Atresia among 18 International Birth Defects Surveillance Programs

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of esophageal atresia (EA) has been shown to vary across different geographical settings. Investigation of geographical differences may provide an insight into the underlying etiology of EA. METHODS: The study population comprised infants diagnosed with EA during 1998 to 2007 from 18 of the 46 birth defects surveillance programs, members of the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research. Total prevalence per 10,000 births for EA was defined as the total number of cases in live births, stillbirths, and elective termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly (ETOPFA) divided by the total number of all births in the population. RESULTS: Among the participating programs, a total of 2943 cases of EA were diagnosed with an average prevalence of 2.44 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.352.53) per 10,000 births, ranging between 1.77 and 3.68 per 10,000 births. Of all infants diagnosed with EA, 2761 (93.8%) were live births, 82 (2.8%) stillbirths, 89 (3.0%) ETOPFA, and 11 (0.4%) had unknown outcomes. The majority of cases (2020, 68.6%), had a reported EA with fistula, 749 (25.5%) were without fistula, and 174 (5.9%) were registered with an unspecified code. CONCLUSIONS: On average, EA affected 1 in 4099 births (95% CI, 1 in 39544251 births) with prevalence varying across different geographical settings, but relatively consistent over time and comparable between surveillance programs. Findings suggest that differences in the prevalence observed among programs are likely to be attributable to variability in population ethnic compositions or issues in reporting or registration procedures of EA, rather than a real risk occurrence difference. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2012. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Hearing loss in a mouse model of Muenke syndrome

The heterozygous Pro250Arg substitution mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), which increases ligand-dependent signalling, is the most common genetic cause of craniosynostosis in humans and defines Muenke syndrome. Since FGF signalling plays dosage-sensitive roles in the differentiation of the auditory sensory epithelium, we evaluated hearing in a large group of Muenke syndrome subjects, as well as in the corresponding mouse model (Fgfr3P244R). The Muenke syndrome cohort showed significant, but incompletely penetrant, predominantly low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, and the Fgfr3P244R mice showed dominant, fully penetrant hearing loss that was more severe than that in Muenke syndrome individuals, but had the same pattern of relative high-frequency sparing. The mouse hearing loss correlated with an alteration in the fate of supporting cells (Deiters'-to-pillar cells) along the entire length of the cochlear duct, with the most extreme abnormalities found at the apical or low-frequency end. In addition, there was excess outer hair cell development in the apical region. We conclude that low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss is a characteristic feature of Muenke syndrome and that the genetically equivalent mouse provides an excellent model that could be useful in testing hearing loss therapies aimed at manipulating the levels of FGF signalling in the inner ear

Belfast intonation Testing the ToBI framework of intonational analysis

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