Genetic and physiological aspects of photosynthetic gene function

The regulation of photosynthetic gene function was investigated in soybean and in the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans. Restriction endonuclease fragment analysis was used to elucidate the mode of transmission of chloroplast DNA in Glycine max and G. soja. Maternal inheritance was demonstrated for progeny of reciprocal crosses of three G. max and one G. soja genotypes. Two related projects were undertaken to examine genetic and physiological effects of several loci conditioning chlorophyll retention or degradation. The mode of inheritance of 153 green-cotyledon genotypes was characterized. Chloroplast DNA from 15 cytoplasmically inherited genotypes was analyzed by using restriction endonucleases, to assess heterogeneity among the genotypes. With the enzymes employed, no differences were detected in the fragment patterns of the 15 genotypes. In the third project, the genetic interaction of five loci was investigated in relation to chlorophyll retention in leaves, mature cotyledons, and seed coats. To this end, several isolines containing various combinations of recessive and dominant alleles were constructed. Chlorophyll content was measured at five developmental stages. The results suggested that either both proteins containing chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were stabilized in green seeds, or only proteins containing chlorophyll b;Cells of A. nidulans were grown in the presence of sublethal doses of herbicides to assess changes occurring in the thylakoid membrane during adaptation. Total polar lipids and phycocyanin content increased in herbicide-adapted cells relative to control cells. Chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that the additional phycocyanin was incorporated into existing phycobilisomes

Research Notes : United States : Allelism tests of T218H and T225H

Genetic type T218M was found in \u27Illini\u27 in 1952 at Urbana, IL. T218H was derived from T218M by crossing a yellow branch as male parent with Illini. The F1 plants were green. Segregation in the F2 gave 3 green: 1 yellow lethal plants. F2 green plants gave ratios of 1 nonsegregating: 2 segregating prog-enies in the F3 generation, confirming monogenic inheritance (Palmer, 1978, unpublished). The recessive allele is carried as the heterozygote in T218H

The Somatic Genomic Landscape of Glioblastoma

We describe the landscape of somatic genomic alterations based on multi-dimensional and comprehensive characterization of more than 500 glioblastoma tumors (GBMs). We identify several novel mutated genes as well as complex rearrangements of signature receptors including EGFR and PDGFRA. TERT promoter mutations are shown to correlate with elevated mRNA expression, supporting a role in telomerase reactivation. Correlative analyses confirm that the survival advantage of the proneural subtype is conferred by the G-CIMP phenotype, and MGMT DNA methylation may be a predictive biomarker for treatment response only in classical subtype GBM. Integrative analysis of genomic and proteomic profiles challenges the notion of therapeutic inhibition of a pathway as an alternative to inhibition of the target itself. These data will facilitate the discovery of therapeutic and diagnostic target candidates, the validation of research and clinical observations and the generation of unanticipated hypotheses that can advance our molecular understanding of this lethal cancer

Genetic and physiological aspects of photosynthetic gene function

The regulation of photosynthetic gene function was investigated in soybean and in the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans. Restriction endonuclease fragment analysis was used to elucidate the mode of transmission of chloroplast DNA in Glycine max and G. soja. Maternal inheritance was demonstrated for progeny of reciprocal crosses of three G. max and one G. soja genotypes. Two related projects were undertaken to examine genetic and physiological effects of several loci conditioning chlorophyll retention or degradation. The mode of inheritance of 153 green-cotyledon genotypes was characterized. Chloroplast DNA from 15 cytoplasmically inherited genotypes was analyzed by using restriction endonucleases, to assess heterogeneity among the genotypes. With the enzymes employed, no differences were detected in the fragment patterns of the 15 genotypes. In the third project, the genetic interaction of five loci was investigated in relation to chlorophyll retention in leaves, mature cotyledons, and seed coats. To this end, several isolines containing various combinations of recessive and dominant alleles were constructed. Chlorophyll content was measured at five developmental stages. The results suggested that either both proteins containing chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were stabilized in green seeds, or only proteins containing chlorophyll b;Cells of A. nidulans were grown in the presence of sublethal doses of herbicides to assess changes occurring in the thylakoid membrane during adaptation. Total polar lipids and phycocyanin content increased in herbicide-adapted cells relative to control cells. Chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that the additional phycocyanin was incorporated into existing phycobilisomes.</p

Research Notes : United States : Allelism tests of T218H and T225H

Genetic type T218M was found in 'Illini' in 1952 at Urbana, IL. T218H was derived from T218M by crossing a yellow branch as male parent with Illini. The F1 plants were green. Segregation in the F2 gave 3 green: 1 yellow lethal plants. F2 green plants gave ratios of 1 nonsegregating: 2 segregating prog-enies in the F3 generation, confirming monogenic inheritance (Palmer, 1978, unpublished). The recessive allele is carried as the heterozygote in T218H.</p

Possible factors illuminating increased disparities in neonatal mortality in Wisconsin from 1991-2005.

Wisconsin infant mortality rates are largely driven by neonatal deaths. This shows an urgent need to develop effective public health interventions to prevent early neonatal deaths. To reduce racial/ethnic disparities in NMRs, the design of the interventions should also take into account the variation of the effects of birth weight and gestation age on neonatal mortality among racial/ethnic groups. It is hoped the result of this study will provide a critical understanding: when it comes to racial/ethnic disparities, there is far more to low birth weight or short gestational age than simply not having enough weight or days