[The first hyperimmune immunoglobulin against cytomegaloviruses made in the Czech Republic].

The Czech immunoglobulin CMV was administered to 16 subjects with active CMV infection--mostly women with repeated miscarriages, CMV primoinfection during pregnancy, to children with congenital CMV infection and to patients with other clinical forms. The immunoglobulin was administered in a single dose or repeatedly by the intramuscular route. The decline of activity of the CMV infection was demonstrated by a decline of specific IgM CMV antibodies, disappearance of previously assessed viriuria and isolation of CMV in smears from the uterine cervix.

Symmetry, flexibility and permeability in the structure of yeast retrotransposon virus-like particles.

The virus-like particles (VLPs) of the yeast retrotransposon Ty are genetically, structurally and functionally analogous to retroviral nucleocapsids or cores. Like retroviral cores Ty-VLPs package and possibly promote the enzyme activities for reverse transcription and integration, as well as encapsulating the RNA that is the intermediate in retrotransposition. Here we show that Ty-VLPs assemble into symmetrical structures across a broad distribution of particle sizes.

A potent new dipeptide inhibitor of cell sickling and haemoglobin S gelation.

A dipeptide L-lysine-L-phenylalanine is shown to inhibit both cell sickling and the gelation of solutions of sickle-cell haemoglobin. The effect on deoxyhaemoglobin solutions and gels was followed by centrifugation; a progressive inhibition of gelation was observed up to 30 mM Lys-Phe. The haemoglobin concentration at the plateau (26 g/dl) suggests that an effect might be seen in vivo if suitable concentrations of Lys-Phe (about 20 mM) can be maintained in the blood stream.

Chemical synthesis and cloning of a gene for human beta-urogastrone.

A DNA duplex coding for the 53 amino acids of human beta-urogastrone has been synthesised. Computer assisted design of the gene included restriction endonuclease sites for plasmid insertion, a termination codon and two triplets coding for lysine at the 5'-end of the structural gene. The synthesis involved preparation of 23 oligodeoxyribonucleotides by phosphotriester procedures coupled to rapid HPLC techniques.

Light scattering measurements supporting helical structures for chromatin in solution.

Laser light scattering measurements have been made on a series of polynucleosomes containing from 50 to 150 nucleosomes. Radii of gyration have been determined as a function of polynucleosome length for different ionic strength solutions. The results suggest that at low ionic strength the chromatin adopts a loosely helical structure rather than a random coil.

The structure of the chromatin core particle in solution.

The shape and size of the nucleosomal core particle from chromatin has been examined by analysis of neutron and X-ray scattering data from dilute solutions. Calculations of scattering for many different models have been made and only one model was able to account for both the X-ray and neutron profiles. This model is an oblate structure with height about 50A and diameter 110A.

Structural investigations of chromatin core protein by nuclear magnetic resonance.

A complex derived from chromatin containing one molecule of each of histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4, termed core protein, was studied by 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. 13C line widths, when analyzed and compared with those of native and thermally unfolded representative globular proteins, showed that regions of the core protein possess considerable mobility. Studies of Calpha and Cbeta line widths, and Calpha spin-spin relaxation times, show that this mobility arises from sections of random-coil polypeptide.

The sub-structure of nucleosomes.

A model for the sub-structure of the core particle of the nucleosome in chromatin, based on results from neutron and x-ray scattering and other physico-chemical observations, is presented. Two disc-shaped heterotypic tetramers of histones, opposed face-to-face, form the core protein. Each tetramer is enclasped by an annulus of DNA and the two annuli are joined by a linker piece.

Low-angle neutron scattering from chromatin subunit particles.

Monomer chromatin particles containing 140 base pairs of DNA and eight histone molecules have been studied by neutron scattering. From measurements in various H2O/D2O mixtures, radii of gyration and the average scattering density of the particle were determined. The radius of gyration under conditions when scattering from the DNA dominates is 50A, and when scattering from the protein dominates, 30A.

An investigation of the conformational and self-aggregational processes of histones using 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance.

Histone self-aggregation processes have been studied by 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as a function of ionic strength and protein concentration. Thus has led to a model involving apolar aggregation between structured regions of these molecules. This analysis supports the validity of the acquistion of conformational data on histones by the simulation of 13C NMR spectra at high concentration.

The structure and properties of histone F2a comprising the heterologous group F2a1 and F2a2 studied by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance.

(13)C n.m.r.