scholarly journals James Watson’s genius (dedicated to the 90th birth anniversary)

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 363-367
Author(s):  
H. B. Humeniuk ◽  
M. Z. Mosula ◽  
I. B. Chen ◽  
N. M. Drobyk

The scientific and organizational activities of the worldwide known scientist in the field of molecular biology James Dewey Watson were described in this article. 55 years ago James Watson and Francis Crick made one of the key discoveries of the twentieth century. They have found that DNA has a double helix structure. This discovery was based on the X-rays patterns obtained by Maurice Wilkson and Rosalind Franklin. Subsequently, this DNA model had been proved, and J. Watson and F. Crick were awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962. Since, our knowledge of the main molecule of life has been greatly expanded. A significant flowering of molecular genetics has began: synthesis of RNA and DNA in vitro, decoding of genetic code, recombinant DNA technology, genetic engineering, sequencing of genomes and post genomic technologies. James Watson is one of the authors of the cell biology classic textbook “Molecular Biology of the Cell”. In addition, he has developed the current areas of molecular biology such as  molecular oncology and molecular neurobiology. Today genomes of different animals and humans have been decoded and the functions of many genes have been determined. But at present still unknown how the DNA starts and how it affects the work of the organs and the organism as a system. Keywords: James Watson, DNA structure, Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine, Molecular Biology of the Cell.

1991 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-25
Author(s):  
D. I. Ferreira

Conventional plant breeding has made a significant impact on the increase in crop production during the last half century. Several shortcomings however, opened up the opportunities for the application of biotechnology in plant breeding. The vari­ous approaches in the field of cell biology (tissue culture) and molecular biology (recombinant DNA technology) are dis­cussed and the application thereof is advocated in a global approach to plant breeding.


2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (9) ◽  
pp. 3090-3097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dakshnamurthy Selvakumar ◽  
Masahiko Miyamoto ◽  
Yasuhiro Furuichi ◽  
Tadazumi Komiyama

ABSTRACT Single-chain variable-fragment (scFv) anti-idiotypic antibodies of an HM-1 killer toxin (HM-1) from the yeast Williopsis saturnus var. mrakii IFO 0895 have been produced by recombinant DNA technology from the splenic lymphocytes of mice immunized by idiotypic vaccination with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody (nMAb-KT). The fungicidal activity of scFv anti-idiotypic antibodies against the isolates of four Candida species was assessed by MIC analysis. scFv antibodies were fungicidal at concentrations of 1.56 to 12.5 μg/ml in vitro against four Candida species. The scFv antibodies exerted a strong candidacidal activity in vitro, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging from 7.3 × 10−8 to 16.0 × 10−8 M, and were neutralized by adsorption with nMAb-KT. Furthermore, all scFv antibodies effectively inhibited fungal β-1,3-glucan synthase activity in vitro, with IC50 values ranging from 2.0 × 10−8 to 22.7 × 10−8 M, values which almost coincide with the values that are inhibitory to the growth of fungal cells. Binding assays showed that the scFv antibodies specifically bind to nMAb-KT, and this binding pattern was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance analysis. The binding ability was further demonstrated by the competition observed between scFv antibodies and HM-1 to bind nMAb-KT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show that an antifungal anti-idiotypic antibody, in the form of recombinant scFv, potentially inhibits β-1,3-glucan synthase activity.


1984 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 336-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Kirkwood ◽  
M S Ernstoff

The interferons are the best known of biologic antineoplastic agents. Progress with the clinical application of interferons to cancer has been slow and complicated by the need for attention to a new spectrum of therapeutic and toxic effects manifest by the interferons. This summary of current phase I and II trial results with the interferons establishes their clinical potential. The maximally tolerated dosages of the most common species of interferon alpha produced in eukaryotic cells as well as by recombinant DNA technology in bacteria are now described in a variety of different disease states. "Naturally" produced eukaryotic as well as bacterially synthesized interferons have a similar, wide range of biologic effects in vitro and in vivo. Antiviral, antiproliferative, immunologic, and enzymologic functions of the interferons relevant to antineoplastic functions are under study. Knowledge of these mechanisms should improve the clinical results obtained in human cancer. Species and subspecies differences in the activity of interferons may lead to selective use of the pure interferon subspecies, alone or in combination. The use of the interferons and other antineoplastic biologics, such as antibody or chemotherapy, are subsequent goals that are now on the horizon.


2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (114) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Mesa Restrepo ◽  
Juan Fernando Alzate ◽  
Edwin Bairon Patiño Gonzalez

Currently, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) is one of the two osteoinductive growth factors used in medical devices to promote bone formation. Typically, this protein is bought from commercial houses at high rates and in small quantities that are not enough to cover clinical needs. Because of this, it has been proposed that research centers use their own heterologous expression systems to have a constant supply of BMP-2. The aim of this study was to standardize the heterologous expression of BMP-2 and evaluate its osteoinductive activity in vitro. Our procedure for expression and purification was based on recombinant DNA technology using the plasmid pET-28 and IPTG as inductor. After extracting the protein from inclusion bodies, folding it and modifying it via a redox system, we observed via electrophoresis a 26 kDa dimer. We evaluated its osteoinductive activity in myoblastic C2C12 by quantifying enzymatically the activity of alkaline phosphate (ALP) and staining mineralization nodules. ALP activity is proportional to BMP-2 concentration, increasing 90% at 3 µg/mL. These cells form calcium nodules, mineralizing 50% of the area.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (19) ◽  
pp. 10740
Author(s):  
Magdalena Klimek-Chodacka ◽  
Miron Gieniec ◽  
Rafal Baranski

The aim of this work was to show an efficient, recombinant DNA-free, multiplex gene-editing method using gRNA:Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes delivered directly to plant protoplasts. For this purpose, three RNPs were formed in the tube, their activity was confirmed by DNA cleavage in vitro, and then they were delivered to carrot protoplasts incubated with polyethylene glycol (PEG). After 48 h of incubation, single nucleotide deletions and insertions and small deletions at target DNA sites were identified by using fluorescent-PCR capillary electrophoresis and sequencing. When two or three RNPs were delivered simultaneously, long deletions of 33–152 nt between the gRNA target sites were generated. Such mutations occurred with an efficiency of up to 12%, while the overall editing effectiveness was very high, reaching 71%. This highly efficient multiplex gene-editing method, without the need for recombinant DNA technology, can be adapted to other plants for which protoplast culture methods have been established.


1989 ◽  
Vol 61 (02) ◽  
pp. 238-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berry A M Soute ◽  
Alain Balland ◽  
Thérèse Faure ◽  
Henri de la Salle ◽  
Cees Vermeer

SummaryBlood coagulation factor IX (Christmas factor) is a plasma protein which is required for normal haemostasis. A functional deficiency of factor IX results in haemophilia B, a bleeding disorder which is generally treated by infusions of factor IX concentrates prepared from pooled human plasma. The use of human blood products is connected with the risk of transmitting viral agents responsible for diseases such as hepatitis B and AIDS. Recombinant DNA techniques may provide the means to produce the required proteins without exposing the patients to these risks and at lower costs. One of the problems which has to be overcome before recombinant factor IX can be used for therapeutical purposes is related to the vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of its 12 NH2-terminal glutamate residues. In cell cultures this carboxylation, which is required to render the protein its procoagulant activity, is far from complete, especially at high expression levels. In this paper we describe the in vitro carboxylation of non and/or partly carboxylated recombinant factor IX produced by transformed Chinese hamster ovary cells. The identity of the newly formed Gla residues was verified and it could be demonstrated that all carboxyl groups had been incorporated into the recombinant factor IX.


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