Degradation of gene silencer is essential for expression of foreign genes and bacterial colonization of the mammalian gut.

Horizontal gene transfer drives bacterial evolution. To confer new properties, horizontally acquired genes must overcome gene silencing by nucleoid-associated proteins, such as the heat-stable nucleoid structuring (H-NS) protein. Enteric bacteria possess proteins that displace H-NS from foreign genes, form nonfunctional oligomers with H-NS, and degrade H-NS, raising the question of whether any of these mechanisms play a role in overcoming foreign gene silencing in vivo.

The immunological characterization of several human ribonucleases by using primary binding tests.

RNAases (ribonucleases), purified from four human tissues, as well as bovine pancreatic RNAase (RNAase A), were studied by immunodiffusion methods and by two different primary binding tests. The enzymes fell into two groups immunologically, those purified from plasma and pancreas in one and those from spleen and liver in the other. No antigenic cross-reaction between the two groups was detected by any of the immunoassays used.

Abnormal profile of human nucleolytic activity as a test for cancer.

Serum samples from patients with various malignancies including acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL), brain tumor (BT), Hodgkin's disease (HD), and non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were evaluated for nucleolytic activity against six synthetic polynucleotides: polyadenylic acid, polyuridylic acid, polycytidylic acid, polyguanylic acid, polyadenylic-polyuridylic acid, and polyguanylic-polycytidylic acid; The enzyme activity was determined spectrophotometrically by following the degradation of substrate to acid-soluble nucleotides. Most patients had elevated serum RNase activity at the 95% confidence level when compared to 30 controls. Included in this group were 67% of patients with ANLL, 46% of patients with BT, 73% of patients with HD, and 67% of patients with NHL.