Early events: the in vitro conversion of BMP transduced fibroblasts to chondroblasts.

Strategies for localized skeletal regeneration using either cell or ex vivo gene transfer typically utilize preosteoblasts from bone or bone marrow biopsies. Our studies have demonstrated than ex vivo bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) transduced fibroblasts convert to osteoblasts and form bone in vivo. In addition when suspended in a variety of thermoset hydrogels, these cells are capable of ectopic or orthotopic bone formation.

Bone formation by BMP-7-transduced human gingival keratinocytes.

BMPs are a family of pleiotropic signaling molecules involved at various stages in the formation of bones and teeth. In addition, recombinant BMP can induce bone and dentin regeneration when applied directly to adult tissues. We have shown that fibroblasts transduced ex vivo by BMP cDNA delivered by recombinant adenoviruses induce bone formation and convert to osteoblasts upon implantation in vivo.

Regulation of phosphatidic acid biosynthetic enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Phosphatidic acid is the biosynthetic precursor of all glycerolipids. To understand how phosphatidic acid biosynthesis is controlled in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we studied the regulation of three enzyme activities involved in the synthesis of this glycerolipid precursor, i.e.

The acyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate pathway enzymes for glycerolipid biosynthesis are present in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The presence of the acyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate (acyl DHAP) pathway in yeasts was investigated by examining three key enzyme activities of this pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the total membrane fraction of S. cerevisiae, we confirmed the presence of both DHAP acyltransferase (DHAPAT; Km = 1.