Mapping a putative pyruvoyl decarboxylase active site to human cytomegalovirus open reading frame UL77.

Human cytomegalovirus is present as an apparently innocuous infection among a large proportion of the adult population that causes serious disease when congenitally transferred (1). Human cytomegalovirus disease may become life threatening when found as an infection of immunocompromised transplant and AIDS patients (1,2). We now map a putative pyruvoyl decarboxylase enzyme prosthetic group, known to be essential to the active site of this class of enzymes, to Human cytomegalovirus open reading frame UL77.

Direct modulation of HBV surface antigen in a human, HBsAg-producing hepatocellular carcinoma cell line by alpha, beta, or gamma interferons.

A transient depression of HBV serologic markers has been reported for some chronically infected patients treated with human interferons. To determine a molecular basis for these observations, a human, HBV-carrying, hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (PLC/PRF/5) was treated with human alpha, beta, or gamma interferons. Administration of these interferons resulted in a marked depression of HBV surface antigen (HG-sAg) levels in the culture medium.

Preneoplastic and neoplastic growth of xenotransplanted lung-derived human cell lines using deepithelialized rat tracheas.

The human lung tumor-derived cell lines A549, Calu-1, Calu-3, HuT292, and SW900 and the transformed human bronchial epithelial cell line TBE-1, that was transfected with the v-Harvey-ras oncogene, were inoculated into deepithelialized Fisher 344 rat tracheas (5 X 10(5) cells/trachea). After the ends of the tracheas were sealed, the tracheas were transplanted into s.c.

The purification of the Escherichia coli UvrABC incision system.

The UvrA, UvrB and UvrC proteins of Escherichia coli have been purified in good yields to homogeneity with rapid three- or four-step purification procedures. The cloned uvrA and uvrB genes were placed under control of the E. coli bacteriophage lambda PL promoter for amplification of expression.