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Recent studies revealed that about 80% of the eukaryotic genome is biochemically active; it produces not solely mRNA but also a large number of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Thus, a large fraction of “ribonome” (the total cellular complement of RNAs and their regulatory factors) of the cell consists of a variety of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), while mRNAs occupy only a small part of it. It is well known that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the regulation of protein-coding gene expression by altering the chromatin structure, transcription regulation, and pre-mRNA splicing. MicroRNAs and small interfering RNAs trigger the RNA interference mechanism involved in the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. However, our knowledge of the role of noncoding part of the genome in proteome diversification and plasticity is scarce. In this mini-review, we discuss new data obtained over the past few years, which change our view of the role of noncoding part of the genome in the cell proteome formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first report on the presence of Ty3/gypsy-like retrotransposons in the centromeric region of Allium cepa and Allium fistulosum. We identified the putative Ty3/gypsy centromeric retrotransposons (CR) among the DNA sequences of A. cepa present in the NCBI database and evaluated their copy number in the genomes of A. cepa and A. fistulosum. The putative copy number of Ty3/gypsy CR constituted about 26000 for A. cepa and about 7000 for A. fistulosum. The chromosomal organization of Ty3/gypsy CR was analyzed with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Primers were designed using the sequence ET645811 of A. cepa (Genome Survey Sequence database), and a 300 bp product was obtained from genomic DNA of A. cepa and A. fistulosum. The PCR product displayed similarity to the reverse transcriptase of the CR Ty3/gypsy family and was used as a probe for FISH. Hybridization signals were mainly localized in the centromeric regions of A. cepa chromosomes. On the chromosomes of A. fistulosum, however, the hybridization patterns were less specific. The evolution of the CR Ty3/gypsy in these two closely related Allium species is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Rare cases of PTLD after autologous BMT have been reported only in adults. This case report is the first to describe PTLD in a pediatric patient after autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation (PSCT). This 2-year-old male with stage IV neuroblastoma underwent autologous PSCT. The post-PSCT course was complicated by fever with hematochezia and a lung mass. On day 94 post PSCT, colonoscopy revealed an ulcer due to a PTLD, monomorphic type, B cell phenotype, associated with Epstein–Barr virus. Fine needle aspiration identified the lung mass as neuroblastoma. PTLD can occur in pediatric autologous PSCT recipients, and may occur more frequently in autologous grafts manipulated by T cell depletion or CD34+ cell selection. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 26, 1021–1024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a rare myeloproliferative disease characterized by monocytosis, hepatosplenornegaly, elevated HbF levels, and is often associated with abnormalities in the NF-1 gene. JMML is fatal unless treated with allogeneic BMT. Donor leukocyte infusions (DLI) or withdrawal of immunosuppression have been reported to be an effective therapy for recurrent JMML, which suggests that JMML may benefit from a graft-versus-leukemia effect. Authors report a patient who relapsed following an unrelated donor BMT, who had a transient improvement in his JMML following DLI and ultimately required intensive chemotherapy and DLI to control his disease.