Rockefeller University

About: Rockefeller University is a education organization based out in New York, New York, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Gene. The organization has 15867 authors who have published 32938 publications receiving 2940261 citations. The organization is also known as: Rockefeller University & Rockefeller Institute.

Activation of transcription by IFN-gamma: tyrosine phosphorylation of a 91-kD DNA binding protein

Abstract: Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) induces the transcription of the gene encoding a guanylate binding protein by activating a latent cytoplasmic factor, GAF (gamma-activated factor). GAF is translocated to the nucleus and binds a DNA element, the gamma-activated site. Through cross-linking and the use of specific antibodies GAF was found to be a 91-kilodalton DNA binding protein that was previously identified as one of four proteins in interferon-stimulated gene factor-3 (ISGF-3), a transcription complex activated by IFN-alpha. The IFN-gamma-dependent activation of the 91-kilodalton DNA binding protein required cytoplasmic phosphorylation of the protein on tyrosine. The 113-kilodalton ISGF-3 protein that is phosphorylated in response to IFN-alpha was not phosphorylated nor translocated to the nucleus in response to IFN-gamma. Thus the two different ligands result in tyrosine phosphorylation of different combinations of latent cytoplasmic transcription factors that then act at different DNA binding sites.

A novel viral oncogene with structural similarity to phospholipase C.

Abstract: Numerous oncogenes have been isolated from acutely transforming retroviruses. To date, the products of these viral oncogenes have been protein kinases, nuclear proteins, growth factors, or GTP-binding proteins1,2. We have cloned the previously uncharacterized avian sarcoma virus CT10 and sequenced its genome. This virus encodes a protein, p47gag-crk, that has blocks of sequence similarity to the amino-terminal, non-catalytic region of the non-receptor class of tyrosine kinases. In addition, the structure of p47gag-crk has striking similarity to a 180-amino acid region of bovine brain phospholipase C. Biochemical data suggest that p47gag-crk activates one or several endogenous tyrosine kinases.

Taste pathways to hypothalamus and amygdala

Abstract: The projections of a third order gustatory relay in the dorsal pons of rats have been traced using tritiated proline autoradiography and antidromic activation of pontine neurons from electrodes in the thalamus and amygdala. Labelled axons collect in the central tegmental tract and ascend to the thalamic taste area in the medial extension of the ventrobasal complex. The majority of the fibers remain ipsilateral, but a few cross in the rostral pons and midbrain. The largest crossing occurs at the level of the thalamic termination. Many fascicles of fibers continue rostrally by passing beneath the thalamic taste area, piercing the medial lemniscus, and spreading out along the dorsomedial corner of the internal capsule (IC). The terminal field at this level caps IC from the subthalamic nucleus down into the far-lateral hypothalamus. Labelled axons grandually penetrate through the internal capsule, and ramify throughout the underlying substantia innominata. This terminal zone extends laterally into the rostral end of the central nucleus of the amygdala, which is densely labelled to its caudal exremity. At the caudal end of the amygdala labelled fibers are visible in one component of the stria terminalis. These fibers can be followed over the dorsal thalamus into a smaller, but equally dense terminal area in the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The electrophysiological data demonstrate that pontine gustatory units can be antidromically activated by electrodes located in or near the central nucleus of the amygdala. Since many of the same units can also be driven from the thalamic taste area, at least some of the axons traced autoradiographically probably convey gustatory information to the hypothalamus and amygdala.

Chronic stress impairs rat spatial memory on the Y maze, and this effect is blocked by tianeptine pretreatment.

Abstract: Chronic restraint stress causes significant dendritic atrophy of CA3 pyramidal neurons that reverts to baseline within a week. Therefore, the authors assessed the functional consequences of this atrophy quickly (within hours) using the Y maze. Experiments 1-3 demonstrated that rats relied on extrinsic, spatial cues located outside of the Y maze to determine arm location and that rats with hippocampal damage (through kainic acid, colchicine, or trimethyltin) had spatial memory impairments. After the Y maze was validated as a hippocampally relevant spatial task, Experiment 4 showed that chronic restraint stress impaired spatial memory performance on the Y maze when rats were tested the day after the last stress session and that tianeptine prevented the stress-induced spatial memory impairment. These data are consistent with the previously demonstrated ability of tianeptine to prevent chronic stress-induced atrophy of the CA3 dendrites.