Ectodysplasin receptor-mediated signaling is essential for embryonic submandibular salivary gland development.

Hypohidrotic (anhidrotic) ectodermal dysplasia (HED), the most common of the approximately 150 described ectodermal dysplasias, is a disorder characterized by abnormal hair, teeth, sweat glands, and salivary glands. Mutations in the EDA (ectodysplasin-A) and EDAR (ectodysplasin-A receptor) genes are responsible for X-linked and autosomal HED, respectively. Abnormal phenotypes similar to HED are seen in Tabby (Eda(Ta)) and downless (Edar(dl)) mutant mice.

Muscle palmitate uptake and binding are saturable and inhibited by antibodies to FABP(PM).

Studies show that uptake of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) across the plasma membranes (PM) may occur partly via a carrier-mediated process and that the plasma membrane fatty acid-binding protein (FABP(PM)) may be a component of this system. To test the hypothesis that FABP(PM) is involved in transsarcolemmal transport of LCFA in muscle, we measured palmitate uptake in giant sarcolemmal vesicles and palmitate binding to PM proteins in rat muscles, (1) in the presence of increasing amounts of unbound palmitate and (2) in the absence or presence of antibody to FABP(PM). Both palmitate uptake and binding were found to be saturable functions of the unbound palmitate concentration with calculated Vmax values of 10.

cDNA cloning and characterization of Npap60: a novel rat nuclear pore-associated protein with an unusual subcellular localization during male germ cell differentiation.

We have cloned and characterized a cDNA, Npap60, encoding a rat nuclear pore-associated protein. The 3-kb cDNA was obtained by antibody screening of a rat testis expression library. The predicted NPAP60 contains 381 amino acids with a composition of 25.

Involvement of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase II in response to oxidative damage and adaptive mutation.

DNA polymerase II (Pol II) is regulated as part of the SOS response to DNA damage in Escherichia coli. We examined the participation of Pol II in the response to oxidative damage, adaptive mutation, and recombination. Cells lacking Pol II activity (polB delta 1 mutants) exhibited 5- to 10-fold-greater sensitivity to mode 1 killing by H2O2 compared with isogenic polB+ cells.

Preparation of mouse type I and type II insulins for immunologic studies.

Mouse pancreata contain comparatively meager amounts of two insulin species, types I and II. When these insulins are to be prepared for immunogenetic studies, it is desirable to obtain equivalent amounts of both in concentrations suitable for immunization. Standard methods, based on isolating single species, favor recovery of one type.