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By associating with specific partner molecules and with each other, the tetraspanins are thought to assemble multimolecular complexes that may be especially relevant with respect to metastasis. We have previously identified a 135-kDa molecule (CD9P-1) as a major molecular partner of CD9 in cancer cell lines. This molecule was identified, after immunoaffinity purification and mass spectrometry analysis, as the protein encoded by the KIAA1436 gene and the human ortholog of a rat protein known as FPRP. Cross-linking experiments detected a complex of the size of CD9 plus CD9P-1, showing that these glycoproteins directly associate with each other, probably in the absence of any other molecule. The use of chimeric CD9/CD82 molecules revealed the role of the second half of CD9, comprising the large extracellular loop and the fourth transmembrane domain. CD9P-1 was also shown to form separate complexes with CD81 and with an unidentified 175-kDa molecule. It also associated with other tetraspanins under conditions maintaining tetraspanin/tetraspanin interactions. The identification of a protein strongly linked to the tetraspanin web and the production of a specific monoclonal antibody will help to further characterize the role of this "web" under physiological and pathological conditions.

Probes the 1985 suicide of Raymond Belknap, 18, and the attempted suicide of Belknap's friend Jay Vance, then 20. Both from Sparks, Nev.; Lawsuits filed four years ago by Aunetta Roberson, Belknap's mother and Vance, now dead; Allegations that the music and lyrics of Judas Priest, a British heavy-metal band caused Ray Belknap to shoot himself. Judas Priest's 1978 album `Stained Class'; Details of the case; CBS Records; Young men's backgrounds.

Debates whether or not women have different management style than their male counterparts. Also discusses whether or not the consensus-building, participatory methods that are largely attributed to women work better than the hierarchical, quasi-militaristic models. How managers deal with the realities of increased competition and downsizing; Whether or not labeling a style as distinctly female promotes sexism and encourages stereotyping; More.

Presents a retrospective on NBC's `Saturday Night Live' television show. Includes comments by cast members. INSET: Elvis Costello and the SNL weenies (Costello's Dec. 17, 1977....

In recent years, canines have been successfully used in fire investigations to detect accelerant residues. We set out to determine the lower limits at which canines could reliably detect potential accelerants. Measured amounts ranging from 10 to as little as 0.01 μL of gasoline, kerosene, and isopars were applied to preselected spots along a continuous sample path (25 to 40 feet long) made out of burned and unburned wood or nylon carpeting strips at the testing site. Two canines were led past this sample path at least three times and positive alerts and negative responses were recorded. Both dogs were generally able to alert on spots containing 0.01 μL or more of all three accelerants, at or beyond the purge and trap recovery and gas chromatographic detection method employed. The canines did alert occasionally on background, especially that containing traces of styrene residues, either purposely added in specific amounts or formed upon partial pyrolysis of carpeting material. The dogs alerted on sites containing 0.1 to 1.0 μL of freshly applied gasoline or kerosene placed at actual heavily damaged fire scenes, but were less successful on samples containing smaller amounts.

The CD19-CD21-CD81 complex regulates signal transduction events critical for B lymphocyte development and humoral immunity. CD81, a molecule with 4 transmembrane domains, member of the tetraspan superfamily, is engaged, together with other tetraspans such as CD9, CD53, CD63, and CD82, in multimolecular complexes containing beta1 integrins and major histocompatibility complex antigens. Here we demonstrate that two other tetraspans, CD82 and the early B cell marker CD9, are coimmunoprecipitated with CD19 from Brij97 lysates of B cell lines. Moreover, CD9 was coprecipitated from lysates of purified CD10(+) early B cells. These associations were confirmed by the cocapping of CD19 with CD9 or CD82. The CD9/CD19 association was disrupted in the presence of digitonin, contrary to the CD81/CD19 association, indicating that CD9 and CD81 interact with CD19 in different ways. The CD9/CD81 association is also disrupted in the presence of digitonin, suggesting that CD9 associates with CD19 only through CD81. To characterize the regions involved in the CD81/CD19 association, two reciprocal CD9/CD81 chimeric molecules were tested for the association with CD19, but none of them could be coprecipitated with CD19 in digitonin, indicating that the domain of CD81 responsible for its association with CD19 is complex. Finally, engagement of CD9 could induce the tyrosine phosphorylation of different proteins, including CD19 itself, suggesting that the CD9/CD19 association is functionally relevant. Thus, a physical and functional link is formed between the CD19-CD21-CD81 complex and the integrin-tetraspan complexes, which is dynamically modulated in the process of B cell differentiation.