In the Miltenberger class V (M1.V) condition, red cells lack glycophorin A (GPA) and glycophorin B (GPB) but carry instead an unusual glycoprotein thought to be a hybrid molecule produced by the unequal crossingover between the closely linked genes encoding for GPA and GPB. By Western blot analysis with rabbit anti-CPA antibodies specific for discrete domains of GPA, it was found that the Mi.V glycoprotein (donor F. M.) contains approximately 60 amino acid residues of GPA at its N-terminus.As a preliminary approach to the molecular analysis of this variant the restriction maps of the GPA and GPB genes were established by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA and from genomic clones isolated from a human leukocyte library constructed in AEMBL4. The GPA and GPB genes cover about 30 kb of DNA and are organized into seven exons (A-l -A-7) and five cxons (B-1 -B-5), respectively. In addition to the normal genes, a third gene (named inv), closely resembling the GPA and GPB genes, was also identified. In the homozygous Mi.V individual the normal GPA and GPB genes were absent, but an unusual form of gene structure was detected by Southern blot analysis. The Mi.V glycoprotein gene was composed of exon B-I of the GPB gene followed by exons A-2 and A-3 of the GPA gene and the exons B-3, B-4 and B-5 of the GPB gene. Exon B-1 can be distinguished from exon A-1 of GPA since it is located within a different restriction fragment, but both encode the same amino acid sequence (N-terminal region of the signal peptides). Using the polymerase chain reaction, the junction between exon A-3 and exon B-3 was confirmed by amplification of the DNA region where the putative crossingover has occurred and it was deduced that the Mi.V glycoprotein is a hybrid molecule composed of amino acid residues 1 -58 from GPA fused to amino acid residues 27 -72 of GPB. In addition, the finding that part of the signal peptide and the 5'-untranslated region are derived from CPB suggests that the genetic background of the M1.V variant is rather complex and may involve a cascade of recombination or gene conversion events.Glycophorin A (GPA) and glycophorin B (GPB) are the major glycoproteins of the human erythrocyte membrane which carry the MN and the Ss blood group antigens, respectively (for reviews see [l, 21). These glycoproteins are highly homologous at both the amino acid and nucleotide levels [3 -61. They are encoded by two closely linked genes in position q28-q31 on the long arm of chromosome 4 [7] and are probably derived from a common ancestral gene by duplication PI. ~-homozygotes by the lack of GPA and GPB expression on red cells and the presence of an unusual glycoprotein exhibiting properties common to GPA and GPB [15]. Accordingly, it has been proposed that the Mi.V glycoprotein is a hybrid molecule composed of the N-terminal domain of GPA and of the C-terminal domain of GPB.In order to understand the genetic basis for the origin and expression of this glycophorin variant we have performed a detailed study of the Mi.V condition based on immu...

The characterized 10 Streptomyces isolates were previously selected by their abilities to solubilize phosphates. To investigate whether these isolates represent multifaceted plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), their potassium-solubilizing, auxin-producing and inhibitory activities were determined. The 10 Streptomyces spp. yielded a variable biomass in the presence of insoluble orthoclase as the sole potassium (K) source, indicating that they were able to extract different amounts of K from this source for their own growth. Three strains (AZ, AYD and DE2) released soluble K from insoluble orthoclase in large amounts into the culture broth. The production levels ranged from 125.4 mg/L to 216.6 mg/L after 5 days of culture. Only two strains, Streptomyces enissocaesilis (BYC) and S. tunisiensis (AI), released a larger amount of soluble K from orthoclase and yielded much more biomass. This indicated that the rate of K released from this insoluble orthoclase exceeded its consumption rate for bacterial growth and that some strains solubilized K more efficiently than others. The results also suggest that the K solubilization process of AZ, AYD and DE2 strains, the most efficient K-solubilizing strains, involves a slight acidification of the medium. Furthermore, these 10 Streptomyces spp. were able to secrete indole acetic acid (IAA) in broth medium and ranged from 7.9 ± 0.1 µg/mL to 122.3 ± 0.1 µg/mL. The results of the antibiosis test proved the potential of the 10 tested strains to limit the growth of fungi and bacteria. In dual culture, S. bellus (AYD) had highest inhibitory effect against the three identified fungal causal agents of root rot of sugar beet: Fusarium equiseti and two F. fujikuroi at 55, 43 and 36%, respectively. Streptomyces enissocaesilis (BYC), S. bellus (AYD) and S. saprophyticus (DE2) exhibited higher multifaceted PGPR with their potassium-solubilizing, auxin-producing and inhibitory activities, which could be expected to lead to effectiveness in field trials of sugar beet.

SARS-CoV-2 has caused a huge pandemic affecting millions of people and resulting innumerous deaths. A better understanding of the correlation between binding antibodies and neutralizing antibodies is necessary to address protective immunity post-infection or vaccination. Here, we investigate the humoral immune response and the seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies following vaccination with adenovirus-based vector in 177 serum samples. A Microneutralization (MN) assay was used as a reference method to assess whether neutralizing antibody titers correlated with a positive signal in two commercially available serological tests:a rapid lateral flow immune-chromatographic assay (LFIA) and an enzyme-linked Fluorescence Assay (ELFA). Neutralizing antibodies were detected in most serum samples (84%). COVID-19 convalescent individuals showed high antibody titers and significant neutralizing activity. Spearman correlation coefficients between the serological and neutralization results ranged from 0.8 to 0.9, suggesting a moderate to strong correlation between commercial immunoassays test results (LFIA and ELFA) and virus neutralization.

IntroductionGiven the rapid spread, significant morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19, there has been scientific interest in obtaining data detailing the factors influencing the risk of COVID-19 infection. The aim of this study was to reveal a possible association between the ABO-RH system and the risk of COVID-19 in the Moroccan population.Materials and methodsThis is an analytical cross-sectional study. It was carried out on 1094 patients for the diagnosis of Covid-19 by Rt-PCR at the Moulay Ismaïl military hospital in the province of Meknes. All Rt-PCR negative individuals were used as a comparison group.ResultsAmong the 1094 individuals who were diagnosed, RT-PCR for detection of SARS-CoV-2 was positive for 242 individuals. Comparison of the proportions of blood groups of the two groups showed that the proportion of blood group A in patients with COVID-19 was significantly higher than in people in the comparison group (P = 0.007), while the proportion of blood group O in patients with COVID-19 was significantly lower than in people in the control group (P = 0.017). Comparison of the Rh blood groups of the two groups did not find a significant association (P = 0.608).ConclusionAs demonstrated by several previous studies, we concluded that blood group A was associated with a higher risk of acquiring COVID-19. Equally, the O blood group was associated with a lower risk of infection.

Introduction: Gougerot Sjögren's syndrome (GSS) is a connective tissue disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands, and systemic manifestations of an immuno-inflammatory nature. This infiltration is predominant in the salivary and lacrimal glands, responsible for dry mouth and eyes. Clinically, the dry syndrome characteristic of SS may be mild or even absent, and extra glandular systemic manifestations may be the main circumstance in which this connective tissue is discovered. The diagnosis is based on a bundle of arguments, clinical, histological and immunological. SS is characterized by the fairly frequent presence of autoantibodies whose diagnostic value is indisputable, and some of which testify to the activity of the disease. In addition, these autoantibodies may have a correlation with certain organ damage as well as certain progressive forms. The objective of this work is to determine, through a retrospective and comparative study, the epidemiological, clinical and immunological characteristics of patients with primary Gougerot Sjögren's syndrome (SGSp) followed in the internal medicine department of the Military Hospital. Moulay Ismail from Meknes (HMIM), Morocco. Patients and Methods: We report a retrospective study of patients with primary Gougerot-Sjörgen syndrome followed in the internal medicine department of the Moulay Ismail military hospital (Meknes), over a period of 08 years (January 2010 - December 2018). All patients meeting AECG diagnostic criteria were included. Results: 13 cases of S.G.Sp are collected. There was a clear predominance of the female sex, with 12 women (92.3%) and 01 man (7.69%), sex ratio (F/M=12/1). The average age at diagnosis was 48 years with extremes ranging from 20 to 60 years? The clinical picture was dominated by dry syndrome in 100% of cases associated with inflammatory polyarthralgia found in 76.9% of cases. The immunological profile was variable with positive ANA in 61.5% of cases, .......