Application of immobilized pH gradient isoelectric focusing to forensic hemogenetics: a survey on a three year experience with the transferrin (TF) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (PI) systems

The subtypes of transferrin (TF) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (PI), first discovered using isoelectric focusing, are now mostly determined in immobilized pH gradient gels. We report on our experience in the parentage expertise with both polymorphisms over a period of three years. The complexity of the technology was compensated by the fact that most subtypes of TF and PI could be more reliably recognized. The PI alleles PI*M1, M2, M3, S, F, T, and Z and TF alleles TF*C1, C2 and C3, and in addition four further rare TF alleles were observed. The allele frequencies from non-related individuals did not deviate from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibria and corresponded well to known frequencies from West Germany and other Caucasoid populations. With the TF system 36 accused men, and with the PI system 54 were excluded from paternity from a total of 344 (TF) respectively 347 (PI) cases. From the data presented here isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradient gels appears to be a major improvement over carrier ampholyte generated pH gradients in the distinction of TF and PI phenotypes.     

Identification of group specific component/vitamin D-binding protein (GC/DBP) mutants by isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradients

The six common genetic types of the group specific component/vitamin D-binding protein (GC/DBP) system are usually classified by isoelectric focusing in carrier ampholytes, followed by visualization of the GC proteins by immunoprinting with monospecific antiserum. In addition, more than 120 mutant GC types have been discovered. For their identification additional methods were necessary, including polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing in the presence of 3 M urea as well as isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradients. The application of the last method is described in detail and several examples of GC/DBP mutants identified thereby are presented.     

Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor polymorphism in African blacks.

The inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (ITI) polymorphism was analyzed in an African Negroid population using polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing and subsequent immunoblotting. Gene frequencies of ITI*1, ITI*2, ITI*3 and ITI*4 were calculated to be 0.564, 0.083, 0.337 and 0.004, respectively. One unknown rare allele, ITI*6, determines further phenotypes in combination with the alleles ITI*1 and ITI*3. Gene frequency of ITI*6 was calculated to be 0.012. The common alleles are represented by ITI*1 and ITI*3. The allele distribution is therefore different from European and Asian populations.     

Hereditary subtypic patterns detected in the Ba fragment of complement factor B: occurrence of four common alleles in Japanese

A procedure which can detect subtype-specific minor bands of factor B (BF) by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing is presented. After zymosan-mediated fragmentation of BF in serum via alternative pathway for complement activation, serum samples are subjected to isoelectric focusing in a narrow pH range (4.2-4.9). The Ba fragments are detected by using immunoblotting. In addition to the previously reported minor bands with subtypic specificities, heterogeneities are observed in other minor band group, where a single minor band corresponds exclusively to a subtype in a regular combination with the previously announced subtypic patterns. A one-to-one correspondence of a single band to each subtype provides an unambiguous determination for three subtypic phenotypes deduced from the two divided BF*F alleles, BF*FA and BF*FB. An autosomal codominant heredity is confirmed through segregation analysis. A population survey reveals that four common alleles, BF*S, BF*FA, BF*FB, BF*Fb1, occur in a Japanese population and the former three alleles, except BF*Fb1, occur in a Cambodian population. The presence or absence of a single anodal minor band was found to be the only difference after neuraminidase treatment of FA and FB, implying that an amino acid substitution responsible for the FA-FB subtypic difference is involved in an additional acquisition in FA of an oligosaccharide unit with a charged sialic acid.     

Five new alleles of plasma Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein variants phenotyped by isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting in twelve populations.

Human Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein (ZAG) in plasma samples from twelve populations was tested by immunoblotting after polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing. Eleven ZAG phenotypes produced by one common and nine rare alleles, including five new ones (ZAG*6-ZAG*10), were detected. Additionally, an application of separator IEF with N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) was found to be useful for discriminating the rare ZAG 7 band.     

Measurement of insulin sensitivity indices using 13C-glucose and gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry

Important aspects of glucose metabolism can be quantified by using the minimal model of glucose kinetics to interpret the results of intravenous glucose tolerance tests. The power of this methodology can be greatly increased by the addition of stable isotopically labelled tracer to the glucose bolus dose. This allows the separation of glucose disposal from endogenous glucose production and also increases the precision of the estimates of the physiological parameters measured. Until now the tracer of choice has been deuteriated glucose and the analytical technique has been gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The consequence of this choice is that nearly 2 g of labelled material are needed and this makes the test expensive. We have investigated the use of (13)C-labelled glucose as the tracer in combination with gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) as the analytical technique. This methodology offers superior analytical precision when compared with the conventional method and so the amount of tracer used, and hence the cost, can be reduced considerably. Healthy non-obese male volunteers were recruited for a standard intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) protocol but 6,6-(2)H-glucose and 1-(13)C-glucose were administered simultaneously. Tracer/tracee ratios were derived from isotope ratio measurements of plasma glucose using both GC/MS and GC/C/IRMS. The results of these determinations indicated that the two tracers behaved identically under the test protocol. The combination of these results with plasma glucose and insulin concentration data allowed determination of the minimal model parameters S*g and S*i. The parameter relating to insulin-assisted glucose disposal, S*i, was found to be the same in the two techniques, but this was not the case for the non-insulin-dependent parameter S*g.     

Genetic study of orosomucoid by isoelectric focusing and immunoprinting in patients with carcinoma.

The carbohydrate moiety of the orosomucoid (ORM) molecule shows microheterogeneity [1] and the pteridine-containing variant seems to be tumor-specific [2-4]. However, there also exists a genetic (protein-related) polymorphism coded by the ORM1 and ORM2 loci on chromosome 9 [5, 6]. To investigate the relationship between ORM1 gene products and the development of carcinoma, we analyzed the ORM1 phenotypes of desialated sera from 125 patients with carcinoma. The allele frequencies were estimated for ORM1*F1 0.556, ORM1*F2 0.012 and ORM1*S 0.432. In comparison to healthy individuals from the same geographical area [6] the ORM1 S phenotypes are significantly more frequent in carcinoma patients. The patients' sera frequently showed additional ORM-positive proteins which focused slightly cathodically to the ORM 2 A band. These proteins may represent posttranslational modifications of the ORM1*S allele product. Whether these modifications are tumor-specific and related to the carbohydrate moiety of the molecule must be confirmed in further studies.     

Haptoglobin subtyping with anti-haptoglobin alpha chain antibodies

Specific antibodies against the human haptoglobin (HP) alpha chain were raised and used for immunoblotting after isoelectric focusing to determine Hp alpha subtypes in a reproducible and simplified manner. By eliminating the staining of the HP beta chain, HP alpha subtypes were visualized more precisely and simply than by previously reported methods. Subtypes of a total of 1211 sera, obtained from two different populations in Japan, were examined by the new method. Four HP alpha subtypes (HP 1S-1S,2FS-1S, 2FS-2FS and 2FS-2SS) and five subtypes combined with a new variant (HP 2FS-1V1, 2V1-1S, 2FS-2V1, 2FS-2V2 and 2FS-2V3) were observed. HP 1V1 belonged to HP alpha 1, and HP 2V1, 2V2 and 2V3 belonged to HP alpha 2, and their alleles were designated HP A*1V1, HP A*2V1, HP A*2V2 and HP A*2V3, respectively. The allele frequencies were calculated to be as follows: HP A*1S, 0.2597; HP A*1V1, 0.0004; HP A*2FS, 0.7333; HP A*2SS, 0.0008; HP A*2V1, 0.0045; HP A*2V2, 0.0008; and HP A*2V3, 0.0004. The allele frequency of HP A*2SS, which is common in the European population, is less frequent than HP A*2V1 in the Japanese population.     

Genetic polymorphisms of the A and B subunits of human coagulation factor XIII in mainland Italy and Sardinia: description of a new FXIIIA variant allele.

The distribution of the two alleles of FXIIIA and the three alleles of FXIIIB were studied in populations from mainland Italy and from Sardinia. The frequencies of the FXIIIA*2 allele were 0.266 and 0.265. The frequencies of FXIIIB*1 were 0.787 and 0.765; of B*2, 0.070 and 0.094; of B*3, 0.143 and 0.141. A new cathodal FXIIIA allele (A*7) was described in the Rome sample. No significant difference in the distribution of allele frequencies for either system was found between the two populations studied. For typing both markers, good results were also obtained by using whole blood instead of plasma.     

Application of plasminogen polymorphism to forensic hemogenetics

Plasminogen polymorphism (PLG) has attained considerable importance in forensic hemogenetics. PLG comprises two common, codominant autosomal alleles, PLG*A and PLG*B, more than 18 variants, and the silent allele PLG*Q0. Isoelectric focusing followed by functional or immunochemical detection seems to be the optimal method for the determination of phenotypes. PLG*A is the most common allele in all populations, having its highest frequency in Mongoloids, Amerindians and Eskimos, the lowest in Caucasoids. The functionally inactive plasminogen M5 so far has been seen exclusively in Japanese individuals. Silent PLG alleles were only observed in the heterozygous state. No clear differences in functional activity or plasma level could be ascertained for any of the other allotypes. PLG polymorphism is now widely used for many haemogenetic investigations. From the allele distribution in European Caucasoids a single exclusion chance of 17.2% for non-fathers in paternity testing may be calculated. The major prerequisites of a new genetic marker in the parentage expertise, established Mendelian inheritance, favorable distribution of common alleles, low frequency of silent alleles, and simple reproducible typing technology, are fulfilled.     

Genetic studies of low-abundance human plasma proteins. X. Coagulation factor XIIIB variants in blacks

Human coagulation factor XIIIV (F XIIIB) demonstrates genetically determined-structural variation with three common and several rare alleles. Population genetics studies reveal enormous intra and interracial group variation. In the present study, using isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting, we have determined for the first time the polymorphic occurrence of F XIIIB allelic forms in a native African population, namely Nigerian Blacks. In addition, F XIIIB data have been extended to various US Black populations. The characteristic feature of the black gene pool is the relative high frequency of the F XIIIB*2 allele, the highest being in Nigerians (0.723). The F XIIIB*6 allele is present at a polymorphic level in both the US and Nigerian Blacks and appears to be a unique black allele marker. The present technique has demonstrated several new alleles designated: F XIIIB*18, FXIIIB*22, F XIIIB*23 and F XIIIB*24. Among these new alleles the F XIIIB*23 exists at polymorphic level in both the US and Nigerian Blacks and is another unique Black allele marker of potential significance in population genetics studies.     

Direct transition from the SmA phase to the tilted hexatic phase in liquid crystals with several lactate units

Compounds with differing numbers of lactate units in the chiral part were synthesized. For all materials, at least two smectic phases were found. In addition to the SmA, the SmC* and/or the tilted hexatic SmI*(F*) phase appear according to the length of the non-chiral alkyl chain. For the shortest non-chiral chain, a direct transition from the SmA phase to the SmI*(F*) phase has been discovered and studied. For compounds with the 2-(S)-methylbutyl alkyl chain and two lactate units in the chiral part the antiferroelectric SmC*_A phase occurs. The ferroelectric character of the hexatic phase has been confirmed even just below the SmC*_A phase.     

Medium-high resolution electrochemical genotyping of HLA-DQ2/DQ8 for detection of predisposition to coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is a small intestinal disorder, induced by ingestion of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. Coeliac disease has been strongly linked to human leukocyte antigens (HLA) located on chromosome 6, with almost 100 % of coeliac disease sufferers carrying either a HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 heterodimer, with the majority carrying HLA-DQ2 encoded by the DQA1*05:01/05:05, DQB1*02:01/02:02 alleles, whereas the remaining carry the HLA-DQ8 encoded by the DQA1*03:01, DQB1*03:02 alleles. In this work, we present the development of a multiplex electrochemical genosensor array of 36 electrodes, housed within a dedicated microfluidic platform and using a total of 10 sequence-specific probes for rapid medium-high resolution HLA-DQ2/DQ8 genotyping. An evaluation of the selectivity of the designed probes was carried out with the target sequences and 44 potentially interfering alleles, including single base mismatch differentiations; good selectivity was demonstrated. The performance of the electrochemical genosensor array was validated, analyzing real human samples for the presence of HLA-DQ2/DQ8 alleles, and compared with those obtained using laboratory-based HLA typing, and an excellent correlation was obtained.

Orosomucoid 1 and orosomucoid 2 types in the Taiwanese and Japanese: evidence for five new orosomucoid variants

The genetic polymorphisms of orosomucoid, ORM1 and ORM2, were analyzed by isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gels and subsequent immunoprinting. Sera from 600 unrelated individuals in Taiwan and Japan were examined. Five new alleles, designated ORM1*7, ORM1*8, ORM1*4.2, ORM2*8 and ORM2*10, were observed together with common and rare alleles that have been found in the Japanese and the Filipinos. As compared with the Japanese, the Taiwanese have a higher frequency of ORM1*1, and a significantly lower frequency of ORM1*2.1.     

Direct transition from the SmA phase to the tilted hexatic phase in liquid crystals with several lactate units

Compounds with differing numbers of lactate units in the chiral part were synthesized. For all materials, at least two smectic phases were found. In addition to the SmA, the SmC* and/or the tilted hexatic SmI*(F*) phase appear according to the length of the non-chiral alkyl chain. For the shortest non-chiral chain, a direct transition from the SmA phase to the SmI*(F*) phase has been discovered and studied. For compounds with the 2-(S)-methylbutyl alkyl chain and two lactate units in the chiral part the antiferroelectric SmC*_A phase occurs. The ferroelectric character of the hexatic phase has been confirmed even just below the SmC*_A phase.     

Subtyping of orosomucoid 1 (ORM1) by isoelectric focusing in agarose and polyacrylamide gels

Genetic polymorphism of orosomucoid (ORM) has been demonstrated in several populations and comprises two structural gene loci, ORM1 and ORM2. In Caucasians three common ORM1 alleles have been shown, while the ORM2 locus is almost monomorphic. ORM1 phenotyping by isoelectric focusing in agarose or polyacrylamide gel combined with either print immunofixation or enzyme-linked immunoblotting is described, and population and family data from Denmark and Southern Germany are given. It is proposed to use a different alpha-numerical nomenclature for the phenotypes of the ORM1 and ORM2 systems.     

Formation and reactivity of a persistent radical in a dinuclear molybdenum complex

The reactivity of the S-H bond in Cp*Mo(mu-S) 2(mu-SMe)(mu-SH)MoCp* ( S 4 MeH) has been explored by determination of kinetics of hydrogen atom abstraction to form the radical Cp*Mo(mu-S) 3(mu-SMe)MoCp* ( S 4 Me*), as well as reaction of hydrogen with the radical-dimer equilibrium to reform the S-H complex. From the temperature dependent rate data for the abstraction of hydrogen atom by benzyl radical, Delta H (double dagger) and Delta S (double dagger) were determined to be 1.54 +/- 0.25 kcal/mol and -25.5 +/- 0.8 cal/mol K, respectively, giving k abs = 1.3 x 10 (6) M (-1) s (-1) at 25 degrees C. In steady state abstraction kinetic experiments, the exclusive radical termination product of the Mo 2S 4 core was found to be the benzyl cross-termination product, Cp*Mo(mu-S) 2(mu-SMe)(mu-SBz)MoCp* ( S 4 MeBz), consistent with the Fischer-Ingold persistent radical effect. S 4 Me* was found to reversibly dimerize by formation of a weak bridging disulfide bond to form the tetranuclear complex (Cp*Mo(mu-S) 2(mu-SMe)MoCp*) 2(mu-S 2) ( ( S 4 Me) 2 ). The radical-dimer equilibrium constant has been determined to be 5.7 x 10 (4) +/- 2.1 x 10 (4) M (-1) from EPR data. The rate constant for dissociation of the dimer was found to be 1.1 x 10 (3) s (-1) at 25 degrees C, based on variable temperature (1)H NMR data. The rate constant for dimerization of the radical has been estimated to be 6.5 x 10 (7) M (-1) s (-1) in toluene at room temperature, based on the dimer dissociation rate constant and the equilibrium constant for dimerization. Structures are presented for ( S 4 Me) 2 , S 4 MeBz, and the cationic Cp*Mo(mu-S 2)(mu-S)(mu-SMe)MoCp*(OTf) ( S 4 Me ( + )), a precursor of the radical and the alkylated derivatives. Evidence for a radical addition/elimination pathway at an Mo 2S 4 core is presented.     

Low-medium resolution HLA-DQ2/DQ8 typing for coeliac disease predisposition analysis by colorimetric assay

Coeliac disease is an inflammation of the small intestine, occurring in genetically susceptible individuals triggered by the ingestion of gluten. Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) DQ2 and DQ8 gene have been identified as key genetic factors in coeliac disease as they are presented in almost 100 % of the patients. These genes are encoded by the combination of certain alleles in the DQA and DQB region of chromosome 6. Specifically, DQA1*05:01 and DQB1*02:01 alleles for serologically defined leukocyte antigen DQ2 cis, DQA1*05:05 and DQB1*02:02 for DQ2 trans and DQA1*03:01 and DQB1*03:02 alleles for the DQ8. Specific identification of these alleles is a challenge due to the high number of alleles that have been identified so far: 46 in the DQA region and 160 in the DQB region (as of IMGT/HLA Database 10/2011 release). In the reported work, the development of a multiplex colorimetric assay for the low to medium HLA typing of the DQ2 and DQ8 genes is presented. The optimisation of probe design and assay conditions, performed by both surface plasmon resonance and enzyme-linked oligonucleotide assay, are reported. Finally, the performances of the developed typing platform were validated by the analysis of real patient samples and HLA typing, compared with those obtained using hospital based typing technology and an excellent correlation obtained.     

Genetic analysis of human complement factor H polymorphisms

Human complement factor H (factor H) is polymorphic, with five previously reported FH alleles and three previously reported HF alleles (HF*A, HF*B, and HF*Q0). The relationship between the FH and HF alleles is not clear, and the genetic basis of factor H phenotypes has not yet been identified. In this study, nucleotide sequence analysis of complementary DNA (cDNA) from individuals with each HF phenotype identified seven mutated sites in the factor H gene. However, in four cases, the same cDNA sequence was observed in individuals with two different HF phenotypes. Western blotting and 2-DE also showed that a 160 kDa protein corresponding to factor H was expressed in individuals with HF phenotypes. In addition, factor H cross-reacting 45 and 42 kDa polypeptides were detected in individuals with HF A, HF B, or HF AB phenotypes, but not in individuals with the HF Q0 (a null allele) phenotype. Thus, HF phenotype did not correlate well with factor H gene or protein structural variation. Evidence is provided to support the hypothesis that the HF phenotypes do not correspond to polymorphism in factor H, but instead correspond to polymorphism in factor H-related protein 1. A novel PCR-RFLP method was developed and used to detect four polymorphisms (G257A, G1492A, A2089G, and G2881T) in the factor H gene in 54 unrelated Japanese individuals. This method could be useful for studies on genetic disease associated with these mutations.     

Electronic structure of N-sulfonylimines

The electronic structure of N-sulfonylimines has been studied in detail using ab initio MO and density functional methods. The S–N rotational barriers in HS(O)₂N=CH₂ at G2MP2 and CBS-Q levels have been found to be 3.25 and 3.43 kcal/mol respectively. Complete optimization at HF/6-31+G^*, MP2(full)/6-31+G^* and B3LYP/6-31+G^* levels have shown that synperiplanar arrangement of S–O with respect to C=N is more stable. NBO analysis has been carried out to quantitatively estimate these delocalisations and charge polarization in RS(O)₂N=CH₂ (R=H, Me, Cl, F). The Lewis basic character in N-sulfonylimines is less compared to N-alkylimines due to anomeric interactions that reduce the lone pair electron density on nitrogen in 1.