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Purpose To determine the genetic basis of early onset autosomal recessive Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (arBVMD) in a family with three affected children. Design Clinical and family-based genetic study. Methods Seven subjects making up a family with three children affected by Best vitelliform macular dystrophy were studied. Standard ophthalmic exam with dilated ophthalmoscopy and imaging were performed in each individual. The eleven exons of BEST1 were directly sequenced. Results All three affected children have the clinical characteristic features of Best vitelliform macular dystrophy: large macular vitelliform lesions, scattered vitelliform lesions along the arcades and in the peripheral retina, and an accumulation of serous retinal fluid. A novel compound heterozygous mutation in the BEST1 gene was found in the three affected individuals (L41P and I201T). The unaffected parents and children only harbor one heterozygous mutation. Conclusion arBVMD can be caused by the compound heterozygous mutation L41P and I201T in the BEST1 gene.

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Transformation of resistance to antibiotics was observed in Diplococcus pneumoniae by Hotchkiss (1951, 1952a, 1952b) and in Haemophilus influenzae by Alexander and Leidy (1953) and Alexander et al. (1954). In all these species only certain strains were capable of being transformed. The ability to be transformed has been termed competence; refractory strains are not competent. Austrian (1952) has suggested that the structure of the cell surface determines the competence of pneumococci. This could be considered as strain competence. In Haemophilus influenzae, only a portion of a given population of R cells proved to be competent for transformation. Alexander and Leidy (1951) suggested that such cellular competence may arise by mutations which introduce a specific somatic antigen that functions as a receptor. Alexander et al. (1954) found that the proportion of competent cells varied with the phase of the growth cycle of the recipient population. The fraction of

The presence of oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria was investigated with commercially frozen chicken thighs and drumsticks. Bacterial flora were surveyed by means of total and coliform counts with Tryptone Glucose Extract Agar and Desoxycholate Agar, respectively. After counting, the Desoxycholate Agar plates were replicated on the same medium containing 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm of oxytetracycline. Resistant colonies were found on all samples that were replicated. Of 2613 colonies isolated on Desoxycholate Agar, 47.8% grew in the presence of 25 ppm of oxytetracycline. From 50 to 100 ppm, the number of resistant isolates remained essentially the same, near 34%. Of 812 colonies of antibiotic-resistant bacteria identified with dulcitol-lactose-iron-agar, 82.5% were paracolons, 13.7% were pseudomonads, and 3.8% were Escherichia or Aerobacter . Bacteria resistant to oxytetracycline were shown to be present on commercially processed chicken. The origin of the resistance to oxytetracycline was not established; however, since the antibiotic was not used during processing, it appeared that these antibiotic-resistant bacteria arose in the intestines of the chickens as a result of feed which contained antibiotic. This is supported by a comparison with the antibiotic resistance of coliforms from chickens raised on feed both with and without oxytetracycline, for the percentages of resistant colonies are similar in both commercial chicken and chicken raised on feed containing the antibiotic.