Project description:<p>The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO.</p> <p>The Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study (ISGS) is a study of newly onset cases (~600) with ischemic stroke (a stroke due to sudden interruption of blood flow to a part of the brain) compared with sex- and age-matched non-stroke participants. The study was conducted to determine the genes and their variants that contribute to an individual's risk of developing an ischemic stroke. The coordination of the recruitment and flow of the samples occurred at the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, under the direction of James F. Meschia, MD. The University of Virginia (Stephen S. Rich, PhD) served as the analytic site for the genetic data. All GWAS data on ISGS participants have been deposited into dbGaP. As part of the NHLBI Exome Sequencing Project, DNA from a subset of ISGS participants will undergo exome sequencing.</p> <p>For the NHLBI ESP, a subset of 92 individuals with lacunar (small vessel) or atherosclerotic (large vessel) TOAST subtypes were selected from among all ISGS participants, excluding those individuals with TOAST subtypes of stroke of other etiology or of stroke with undetermined etiology. All 92 samples pass initial quality control metrics and 89 samples completed exome sequencing. A total of 75 participants with appropriate consent and variant calls had their genetic and phenotypic data deposited into dbGaP.</p>
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.
Project description:<p>The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Human Genetics Resource Center: DNA and Cell Line Repository
(<a href="http://ccr.coriell.org/Sections/Collections/NINDS/?SsId=10">the NINDS Repository)</a>, banks phenotypic data and biological
samples, including from individuals with cerebrovascular disease, in order to facilitate gene discovery in neurological disorders.
Those samples are used in a number of studies, and genotyping data from studies using this resource are encouraged to be shared
via dbGaP. Many studies have already shared data in this fashion, which in turn, can be linked back to the biologicals banked at the
NINDS Repository.
</p>
<p>Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and is an acute neurological event leading to death of neural
tissues. Although the majority of strokes are ischemic strokes, meaning there is oxygen deprivation to the brain, almost 20% of strokes
are hemorrhagic, resulting from bleeding into the brain. Samples available in
<a href="http://ccr.coriell.org/Sections/Collections/NINDS/Cerebrovascular.aspx?PgId=190&coll=ND">cerebrovascular disease</a>
in the NINDS Repository, include but are not limited to those from individuals affected with the following: ischemic stroke,
hemorrhagic stroke, intracranial aneurysm (both ruptured and unruptured), transient ischemic attack, arteriovenous malformations,
and others. Many studies contribute to the NINDS Repository collection in an ongoing manner and others are being added regularly.
These studies include samples from the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention (VISP) study, the Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study
(ISGS), the Familial Intracranial Aneurysm study, and many others.
</p>
<p>There is also an associated Control collection (see <a href="./study.cgi?id=phs000004">dbGaP</a>
and <a href="http://ccr.coriell.org/Sections/Collections/NINDS/Population.aspx?PgId=194&coll=ND">
Coriell</a>). Others studies may use cases from the NINDS
repository, controls from the NINDS repository, as well as cases, and controls, from other sources. A subset of subjects from
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Human Genetics Resource Center: DNA and Cell Line Repository
(the NINDS Repository): Cerebrovascular Disease/Stroke Study was utilized in the <a href="./study.cgi?id=phs000102">Ischemic Stroke
Genetics Study (ISGS)</a> study.
</p>