The Pentamer glycoprotein complex inhibits viral Immediate Early transcription during Human Cytomegalovirus infections.

The Pentamer complex of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) consists of the viral glycoproteins gH, gL, UL128, UL130, and UL131 and is incorporated into infectious virions. HCMV strains propagated extensively in vitro in fibroblasts carry UL128, UL130, or UL131 alleles that do not make a functional complex and thus lack Pentamer function. Adding functional Pentamer to such strains decreases virus growth in fibroblasts.

Polymorphisms in the canine monoamine oxidase a () gene: identification and variation among five broad dog breed groups.

Background: In humans, reduced activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase type A (MAOA) due to genetic polymorphisms within the gene leads to increased brain neurotransmitter levels associated with aggression. In order to study MAOA genetic diversity in dogs, we designed a preliminary study whose objectives were to identify novel alleles in functionally important regions of the canine gene, and to investigate whether the frequencies of these polymorphisms varied between five broad breed groups (ancient, herding, mastiff, modern European, and mountain). Fifty dogs representing these five breed groups were sequenced.