To correlate cloned nuclear DNA sequences with previously characterized mutations in Chlamydomonas and, to gain insight into the organization of its nuclear genome, we have begun to map molecular markers using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). A Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain (CC-29) containing phenotypic markers on nine of the 19 linkage groups was crossed to the interfertil...

Vinca alkaloids are used extensively in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and despite their usefulness, drug resistance remains a serious clinical problem. Vinca alkaloids bind to the beta-tubulin subunit of the alpha/beta-tubulin heterodimer and inhibit polymerization of microtubules. Recent studies have implicated altered beta-tubulin isotype expression and mutatio...

2-Methoxyestradiol (2ME2), an estradiol metabolite with antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities, is in phase I/ II clinical trials for breast cancer. 2ME2 inhibits microtubule polymerization and causes cells to arrest in G2-M. The purpose of this study was to further elucidate the molecular mechanism of 2ME2. MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells were treated with 2ME2 (2 Mmol/L) or vehicle al...

Prior to fertilization, the spindle of vertebrate eggs must remain stable and well organized during the second meiotic meta-phase arrest (MII). In a previous study we have determined that the completion of meiosis is a Src family kinase (SFK)-dependent event. In the current study we have used the SFK inhibitors, SU6656 and PP2, and demonstrated that inhibition of SFKs caused the formation of a ...

The free sulfhydryls of brain tubulin prepared by cyclic polymerization procedures both with and without glycerol have been examined. The average free sulfhydryl titer of tubulin prepared with glycerol (7.0 sulfhydryls/55,000 mol wt) is greater than that of tubulin prepared without glycerol (4.0 sulfhydryls/55,000 mol wt). Diamide, a sulfhydryl-oxidizing agent, inhibits the polymerization of tu...

objective(s): crocin, as the main carotenoid of saffron, has shown anti-tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. crocin might interact with cellular proteins and modulate their functions, but the exact target of this carotenoid and the other compounds of the saffron have not been discovered yet. microtubular proteins, as one of the most important proteins inside the cells, have several functio...

background: nematodes are among the most common and important parasites of man and animal. dna of a single worm can be used for several purposes, such as identification to the species, subspecies, strain and antihelmenthic resistance. dna extraction from a single small worm using traditional methods such as phenol extraction technique faces serious prob lems. methods: dna from 20 single haemonc...