To provide access to crystallin-specific DNA sequences, we have constructed plasmid clones bearing duplex DNA sequences complementary to crystallin mRNAs isolated from rat lens. Optimization of the cDNA reaction conditions enabled us to fractionate three double-stranded (ds) cDNA groups. Molecular cloning of dC-tailed ds cDNAs into the Pst I site of dG-tailed pBR322 yielded crystallin-specific ...

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that there are striking similarities between the yellow chromophores, fluorophores and modified amino acids released by proteolytic digestion from calf lens proteins ascorbylated in vitro and their counterparts isolated from aged and cataractous lens proteins. The studies reported in this communication were conducted to further investigate whethe...

PURPOSE Previously, using lens epithelial explants from neonatal rats, we showed that both insulin and IGF-1 synergistically enhance the effectiveness of FGF as an inducer of fiber differentiation. The authors aimed to determine whether IGF-1 enhances FGF-induced fiber differentiation in lens epithelial cells at various ages and, in particular, whether it can counter a marked age-related declin...

The mole (Talpa europaea; Insectivora) and the mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi; Rodentia) both have degenerated eyes as a convergent adaptation to subterranean life. The rudimentary eye lenses of these blind mammals no longer function in a visual process. The crystallin genes, which display a lens-specific expression pattern, were studied in these blind mammals and in related species with normal ey...

We present a study of binary mixtures of eye lens crystallin proteins. A coarse-grained model of aqueous alpha- and gamma-crystallin mixtures based on molecular dynamics simulations and SANS experiments is proposed. Thermodynamic perturbation theory is implemented to obtain the stability boundaries, or spinodal surface, of the binary mixture in the full parameter space. The stability of these h...

The water-soluble proteins of the bovine lens were separated on a column of Sephadex G-200 into five fractions designated as alpha-, beta1-, beta2-, and gamma-crystallin. Laser Raman scattering studies on these isolated proteins (both in the lyophilized state and in solution) and insoluble albuminoid reveal that they contain predominantly antiparallel pleated sheet structure in the main chains ...

Within the human gamma-crystallin gene cluster polymorphic Taq I sites are present. These give rise to three sets of allelic fragments from the gamma-crystallin genes. Together these restriction fragment length polymorphisms define eight possible haplotypes, three of which (Q, R, and S) were found in the Dutch and English population. A fourth haplotype (P) was detected within a family in which ...

PURPOSE Identification of causal mutation in the crystallin, connexin, and paired box gene 6 (PAX6) genes associated with childhood cataract in patients from India. METHODS In this study, forty eight members from seventeen families and 148 sporadic cases of childhood cataract were evaluated. Clinical and ophthalmologic examinations were performed on available affected and unaffected family me...

PURPOSE To identify mutations in 6 genes of 9 Chinese families with congenital cataract and microcornea. METHODS Nine unrelated families with congenital cataract and microcornea were collected. Cycle sequencing was used to detect variants in the coding and adjacent regions of the crystallin alpha A (CRYAA), crystallin beta B1 (CRYBB1), crystallin beta A4 (CRYBA4), crystallin gamma C (CRYGC), ...

Recombinant immunodominant mycobacterial antigens are needed for the development of new vaccines and immunodiagnostic tools for use against tuberculosis. Ubiquitous exposure to mycobacteria in tropical countries could influence vaccine-induced immunity and the specificity of tuberculosis immunodiagnosis. For this study conducted in The Gambia, cellular immune responses to recombinant mycobacter...