The cytoskeleton-associated PDZ-LIM protein, ALP, acts on serum response factor activity to regulate muscle differentiation.

In this report, an antisense RNA strategy has allowed us to show that disruption of ALP expression affects the expression of the muscle transcription factors myogenin and MyoD, resulting in the inhibition of muscle differentiation. Introduction of a MyoD expression construct into ALP-antisense cells is sufficient to restore the capacity of the cells to differentiate, illustrating that ALP function occurs upstream of MyoD. It is known that MyoD is under the control of serum response factor (SRF), a transcriptional regulator whose activity is modulated by actin dynamics.

Role of arginine 285 in the active site of Rhodotorula gracilis D-amino acid oxidase. A site-directed mutagenesis study.

Arg(285), one of the very few conserved residues in the active site of d-amino acid oxidases, has been mutated to lysine, glutamine, aspartate, and alanine in the enzyme from the yeast Rhodotorula gracilis (RgDAAO). The mutated proteins are all catalytically competent. Mutations of Arg(285) result in an increase ( approximately 300-fold) of K(m) for the d-amino acid and in a large decrease ( approximately 500-fold) of turnover number.

Divided vertical banded gastroplasty either for correction or as a first-choice operation.

Background: Staple-line disruption may occur after vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG).

Methods: Since May 1996, the authors have performed the gastric restrictive procedure divided VBG, as described by MacLean, as a first-choice operation and not only as correction for staple-line breakdown. Divided VBG was done in 111 patients, 32 as correction after staple-line disruption and 79 as a first choice, 29 of them by hand-assisted laparoscopy with the dexterity pneumosleeve.

Overexpression in Escherichia coli of a recombinant chimeric Rhodotorula gracilis d-amino acid oxidase.

This paper reports a novel expression system constructed to maximize the production in Escherichia coli of d-amino acid oxidase from the yeast Rhodotorula gracilis (RgDAAO). We produced a recombinant plasmid by the insertion of the cDNA encoding for the RgDAAO into the multiple cloning site of the expression vector pT7.7 (pT7-DAAO), downstream of the T7 RNA polymerase binding site.

Biliopancreatic diversion with transitory gastroplasty preserving duodenal bulb: 3 years experience.

Background: The authors have performed 521 bariatric surgery operations (319 restrictive procedures and 202 malabsorptive procedures).

Methods: During the last few years we have introduced an evolution of biliopancreatic diversion (BPD): BPD with transitory gastroplasty, preserving the duodenal bulb (53 cases). From a technical point of view, the operation consists of a BPD, coupled with a gastroplasty which is transitory due to the use of a polydioxanone (PDS) band.