CSM News Electronic Edition Volume 2, number 6 February 5, 1994 Please submit abstracts of your papers as soon as they have been accepted for publication by sending them to CSM-News@worms.cmsbio.nwu.edu. Back issues of CSM-News, the CSM Reference database and other useful information is available by anonymous ftp from worms.cmsbio.nwu.edu [129.105.233.50], via Gopher at the same address, or by World Wide Web through WWW.acns.nwu.edu. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement ============ A new update for the Franke Reference Database is now available from the anonymous ftp site or via Gopher or WWW from worms.cmsbio.nwu.edu in the "reference_database" directory. The file is "update5" and is available in the usual formats. The file "read.me" provides additional information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regarding the Franke database Richard Sucgang writes: Jakob and I are planning on moving to the new version of Ref-11 (v4) which is incompatible in file format to the version currently in the archives. In retrospect, we are uncertain if the Ref11 format has proven to be of any use to anyone. Most correspondence and requests for assistance revolve around the EndNote version, which is unarguably the most popular of the literature management programs. The BibTeX format is of use to some people, and _all_ requests for copies on disk have been for EndNote format, usually for the Macintosh. If no one is using the Ref11 format, we would like to discontinue updates for it. If you use the Ref11 files, please let us know as soon as possible, and which version you use. By the way, I am trying to use the public domain lharc compression as the standard way of saving disk space. The *.lzh files can be compressed and decompressed on four platforms : Unix, Mac, DOS, and Amiga. Recently, people who have requested for the database on Macintosh disks I have included the program MacLHA. Please distribute it around; sending files on compressed format is faster. ========== Abstracts ========== Isolation of transcription factor IIIC from Dictyostelium discoideum Monika Bukenberger, Theodor Dingermann, Wolfgang Meissner, Klaus Seifart and Thomas Winckler Institut fuer Pharmazeutische Biologie, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitaet, Biozentrum, Marie-Curie-Stra'9, D-60439 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Eur. J. Biochem., in press Summary Transcription factor IIIC (TFIIIC) binds in a sequence-specific manner to RNA polymerase III-transcribed genes (e.g. transfer RNA genes). It sequesters other transcription factors into the preformed complex, thereby activating transcription by RNA polymerase III. The D.discoideum homologue of TFIIIC was highly purified by affinity chromatography based on its tDNA-binding activity. It is a multicomponent factor (Mr 380 kDa), which binds to the B-box element of the internal tRNA gene promoter without significant A-box interaction. Partially purified D.discoideum TFIIIC is able to functionally complement a human RNA polymerase III in vitro transcription system depleted of human TFIIIC. We provide evidence that partially purified D.discoideum TFIIIC interacts in vitro with gene-external B-box elements present downstream of many D.discoideum tRNA genes. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Internally located and oppositely oriented Pol II promoters direct convergent transcription of the LINE-like retroelement DRE from Dictyostelium discoideum Gerald Schumann, Ilse Zuendorf, Joerg Hofmann, Rolf Marschalek and Theodor Dingermann Institut fuer Pharmazeutische Biologie, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitaet, Biozentrum, Marie-Curie-Strasse 9, D-60439 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Mol. Cell. Biol., in press. Summary The Dictyostelium discoideum genome (strain NC4) harbors approximately 150 individual copies of the DRE retrotransposable element. This element contains non-identical terminal repeats (TRs) consisting of conserved building blocks A and B in the left TR and B and C in the right TR. Seven different size classes of RNA transcripts from these elements were resolved by Northern blot analysis, but their combined abundance was very low. When D. discoideum cells were grown in the presence of the respiratory chain blocker Antimycin A, steady state concentrations of these RNA species increased 10 to 20 fold. The D. discoideum genome contains two DRE subtypes, a full length 5.7 kb DREa and an internally deleted 2.4 kb DREb element. Both subtypes are transcribed, as confirmed by analysis of cloned cDNA. Primary transcripts from the sense strand originate at nucleotide +1 and terminate at two dominant sites, located 21 or 28 nucleotides upstream from the 3'-end of the elements. The activity of a reasonably strong pol II promoter in the 5'-terminal A-module is slightly upregulated by the tRNA gene located 50 14 nucleotides upstream and drastically reduced by the adjacent B-module of the DRE. Transcripts from the opposite DNA strand (complementary-sense transcripts) were also detected, directed by an internally located pol II promoter residing within the C-module. This latter transcription was initiated at multiple sites within the oligo(dA12)-stretch which terminates DRE elements. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A gradient method for the quantitative analysis of cell movement and tissue flow and its application to the analysis of multicellular Dictyostelium development Florian Siegert+, Cornelis J. Weijer+, Atsushi Nomura*, Hidetoshi Miike* +Zoologisches Institut, Universitat Munchen, Luisenstr. 14, 80333 Munchen 2, FRG Tel. 0049-89-5902469, FAX 0049-89-5902450 *Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Yamaguchi University, Tokiwadai 2557, Ube, 755 Japan Tel. 0081-836-315100, FAX 0081-836-359403 J. Cell Science, in press. Summary We describe the application of a novel image processing method, which allows quantitative analysis of cell and tissue movement in a series of digitized video images. The result is a vector velocity field showing average direction and velocity of movement for every pixel in the frame. We apply this method to the analysis of cell movement during different stages of the Dictyostelium developmental cycle. We analyzed time lapse video recordings of cell movement in single cells, mounds and slugs. The program can correctly assess the speed and direction of movement of either unlabelled or labelled cells in a time series of video images depending on the illumination conditions. Our analysis of cell movement during multicellar development shows that the entire morphogenesis of Dictyostelium is characterized by rotational cell movement. The analysis of cell and tissue movement by the velocity field method should be applicable to the analysis of morphogenetic processes in other systems such as gastrulation and neurulation in vertebrate embryos. ================= Job Announcement ================= Jared Rifkin has asked that the following announcement be posted: Please send this to the dicty addressees and post in your and associated departments: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR: THE BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF QUEENS COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK IS SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR A FULL-TIME, TENURE TRACK POSITION TO BEGIN FALL 1994. APPLICANTS MUST HAVE A PH. D., APPROPRIATE POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING, AND A DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO ESTABLISH A STRONG INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROGRAM USING CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR APPROACHES TO MICROBIOLOGY OR PLANT PHYSIOLOGY. SALARY RANGE IS $29,931 TO $50,205 (COMMENSURATE WITH QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE) AND START-UP FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE DEPARTMENT HAS AN EXCELLENT LABORATORY SPACE IN A NEW BUILDING PROVIDED WITH HIGH QUALITY CORE EQUIPMENT AND ANIMAL FACILITIES. QUEENS COLLEGE OFFERS A STIMULATING SCIENTIFIC ENVIRONMENT AND IS COMMITTED TO HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH AND TEACHING. PARTICIPATION IN BOTH UNDERGRADUATE AND DOCTORAL LEVEL COURSES IS EXPECTED. CANDIDATES SHOULD SUBMIT A CURRICULUM VITAE AND ARRANGE FOR THREE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION TO BE SENT TO THE SEARCH COMMITTEE. A SUMMARY OF PRESENT AND FUTURE RESEARCH INTERESTS IS ALSO REQUIRED. REVIEW OF COMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 15, 1994 BUT APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL THE SEARCH IS CLOSED; ALL MATERIALS SHOULD BE SENT TO: DR. JARED L. RIFKIN, CHAIR, BIOLOGY DEPTARTMENT, QUEENS COLLEGE OF CUNY, FLUSHING, NY 11367-1597. QUEENS COLLEGE/CUNY IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. WOMEN, MINORITIES, AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [End CSM News, volume 2, number 6]