Defects in whirlin,a PDZ domain molecule involved in stereocilia elongation,cause deafness in the whirler mouse and families with DFNB31

The whirler mouse mutant (wi) does not respond to sound stimuli, and detailed ultrastructural analysis of sensory hair cells in the organ of Corti of the inner ear indicates that the whirler gene encodes a protein involved in the elongation and maintenance of stereocilia in both inner hair cells (IHCs) and outer hair cells (OHCs). BAC-mediated transgene correction of the mouse phenotype and mutation analysis identified the causative gene as encoding a novel PDZ protein called whirlin. The gene encoding whirlin also underlies the human autosomal recessive deafness locus DFNB31. In the mouse cochlea, whirlin is expressed in the sensory IHC and OHC stereocilia. Our findings suggest that this novel PDZ domain-containing molecule acts as an organizer of submembranous molecular complexes that control the coordinated actin polymerization and membrane growth of stereocilia.     

The ‘mauve factor’ of schizophrenia and porphyria, 5-hydroxyhaemopyrrole lactam,has low pharmacological potency on guinea-pig ileum

Summary 5-Hydroxyhaemopyrrole lactam, the mauve factor reported in the urine of schizophrenics and porphyrics was found to inhibit electrically-stimulated contractions of guinea-pig ileum only at high concentrations (ID₅₀=8.5 mM). This low potency makes it unlikely that the compound can account for neurotoxic effects in human porphyria.We thank the Wellcome Trust for a grant.     

An SNP map of human chromosome 22

The human genome sequence will provide a reference for measuring DNA sequence variation in human populations. Sequence variants are responsible for the genetic component of individuality, including complex characteristics such as disease susceptibility and drug response. Most sequence variants are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), where two alternate bases occur at one position. Comparison of any two genomes reveals around 1 SNP per kilobase. A sufficiently dense map of SNPs would allow the detection of sequence variants responsible for particular characteristics on the basis that they are associated with a specific SNP allele. Here we have evaluated large-scale sequencing approaches to obtaining SNPs, and have constructed a map of 2,730 SNPs on human chromosome 22. Most of the SNPs are within 25 kilobases of a transcribed exon, and are valuable for association studies. We have scaled up the process, detecting over 65,000 SNPs in the genome as part of The SNP Consortium programme, which is on target to build a map of 1 SNP every 5 kilobases that is integrated with the human genome sequence and that is freely available in the public domain.     

Mouse Cmu heavy chain immunoglobulin gene segment contains three intervening sequences separating domains

The IgM molecule is composed of subunits made up of two light chain and two heavy chain (mu) polypeptides. The mu chain is encoded by several gene segments--variable (V), joining (J) and constant (Cmu). The Cmu gene segment is of particular interest for several reasons. First, the mu chain must exist in two very different environments--as an integral membrane protein in receptor IgM molecules (micrometer) and as soluble serum protein in IgM molecules into the blood (mus). Second, the Cmu region in mus is composed of four homology units or domains (Cmu1, Cmu2, Cmu3 and Cmu4) of approximately 110 amino acid residues plus a C-terminal tail of 19 residues. We asked two questions concerning the organisation of the Cmu gene segment. (1) Are the homology units separated by intervening DNA sequences as has been reported for alpha (ref. 5), gamma 1 (ref. 6) and gamma 2b (ref. 7) heavy chain genes? (2) Is the C-terminal tail separated from the Cmu4 domain by an intervening DNA sequence? If so, DNA rearrangements or RNA splicing could generate hydrophilic and hydrophobic C-terminal tails for the mus and micrometer polypeptides, respectively. We demonstrate here that intervening DNA sequences separate each of the four coding regions for Cmu domains, and that the coding regions for the Cmu4 domains and the C-terminal tail are directly contiguous.     

Anticoccidial riboflavine antagonists

Summary 4 types of riboflavine antagonists have broad-spectrum activity in poultry coccidiosis. 5-Deazariboflavine is most effective. 10-Benzyl analogs of riboflavine control intestinal species of coccidia.     

Depression by ethionine of phosphorylating oxidation in hepatic mitochondria

Induction of hepatic steatosis and suppression of hepatic ATP levels, protein synthesis and gluconeogenesis subsequent to administration of ethionine may be consequences of interference by this compound with mitochondrial phosphorylation of ADP. The mitochondrial dysfunction is not a direct action of ethionine on the organelle.