Carlo M. Croce

Bio: Carlo M. Croce is an academic researcher from Ohio State University. The author has contributed to research in topics: microRNA & Cancer. The author has an hindex of 198, co-authored 1135 publications receiving 189007 citations. Previous affiliations of Carlo M. Croce include University of Nebraska Medical Center & University of California, Los Angeles.

MicroRNA Analysis: Is It Ready for Prime Time?

Abstract: Since their discovery, microRNAs (miRNAs)20 have shown great promise in a wide array of clinical applications. In some cases, the use of miRNAs as new diagnostic markers might help answer diagnostic dilemmas that gene expression analyses or other types of analyses have not been able to satisfactorily address. In other instances, it is easy to perceive certain miRNAs as targets for novel therapies that downregulate an entire pathway via the targeting of a single miRNA. When and if this concept will come to fruition remain unclear. Scientists agree that this field of biology is exciting, offers much promise, and has numerous advantages, compared with experiences with other biomolecules. In this Q&A, 5 individuals with extensive miRNA experience share their vision for where the miRNA field is heading and whether we, in the clinical laboratory, will experience its implications soon. What are the most important characteristics of miRNAs that increase their potential as novel diagnostic or therapeutic targets? George Calin: One important characteristic of miRNAs that makes them an exciting potential biomarker for diagnosis and/or a target for therapy is the fact that specific miRNAs target multiple components from the same pathway. For example, the miR-15a/16–1 cluster targets genes from the apoptotic pathway: BCL2 21 (B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2) and MCL1 [myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 ( BCL2 -related)]. Any given miRNA can regulate numerous genes, and each gene can be regulated by different miRNAs. Pierre Cordelier: In cancer research, miRNAs can differentiate normal from cancerous tissues and, more importantly, can discriminate different subtypes of cancer. The high stability of miRNAs in tissues and fluids is another key advantage that increases their potential as diagnostic markers over messenger RNA (mRNA). In addition, they can be quantified in very low amounts of material and in highly degraded samples. This is of prime importance …

Chromosome Locations of the MYB Related Genes, AMYB and BMYB

Abstract: The MYB related loci, AMYB and BMYB, were localized to specific human chromosome regions by Southern blot analysis of their segregation patterns in a panel of rodent-human hybrid DNAs using radiolabeled AMYB and BMYB probes. The AMYB locus was present in hybrids retaining the chromosome region 8cen----8q22 and was absent in hybrids which had lost this chromosome region. The presence of the BMYB locus in rodent-human hybrids correlated with, and only with, chromosome region Xq13. Chromosomal in situ hybridization refined the localization of AMYB to region 8q22-23 and confirmed the localization of BMYB to region Xq13. Chromosome region 8q22 is involved in recurrent translocations in malignant lymphoma and in acute myeloid leukemia (AML-M2); therefore AMYB is a candidate for involvement in such translocations. A region on Xq13 is also involved in chromosomal abnormalities in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasias.

Gapped BLAST and PSI-BLAST: a new generation of protein database search programs.

Abstract: The BLAST programs are widely used tools for searching protein and DNA databases for sequence similarities. For protein comparisons, a variety of definitional, algorithmic and statistical refinements described here permits the execution time of the BLAST programs to be decreased substantially while enhancing their sensitivity to weak similarities. A new criterion for triggering the extension of word hits, combined with a new heuristic for generating gapped alignments, yields a gapped BLAST program that runs at approximately three times the speed of the original. In addition, a method is introduced for automatically combining statistically significant alignments produced by BLAST into a position-specific score matrix, and searching the database using this matrix. The resulting Position-Specific Iterated BLAST (PSIBLAST) program runs at approximately the same speed per iteration as gapped BLAST, but in many cases is much more sensitive to weak but biologically relevant sequence similarities. PSI-BLAST is used to uncover several new and interesting members of the BRCT superfamily.

Analyzing real-time PCR data by the comparative C(T) method.

Abstract: Two different methods of presenting quantitative gene expression exist: absolute and relative quantification. Absolute quantification calculates the copy number of the gene usually by relating the PCR signal to a standard curve. Relative gene expression presents the data of the gene of interest relative to some calibrator or internal control gene. A widely used method to present relative gene expression is the comparative C(T) method also referred to as the 2 (-DeltaDeltaC(T)) method. This protocol provides an overview of the comparative C(T) method for quantitative gene expression studies. Also presented here are various examples to present quantitative gene expression data using this method.

疟原虫var基因转换速率变化导致抗原变异[英]／Paul H, Robert P, Christodoulou Z, et al//Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Abstract: 抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1（PfPMP1）与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用，在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员，通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。