Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/732
Browse
3 results
Search Results
Item The effects of acute and chronic prenatal alcohol exposure on lymphoid organ development and immune function in C57BL/6 mice(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1990) Huang, ChingItem Pregnancy outcome of the elderly primipara(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 1985) Geiger, Linda JoItem Mid-and late-gestation lethality in mice lacking the N terminus of TATA-binding protein(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2004) Hobbs, Nicole Kay; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Edward E. Schmidt.TATA-binding protein (TBP) is a transcription factor comprised of a 180 amino acid core that is shared by all eukaryotes. TBP also has an N-terminal region that, in vertebrates, is highly conserved. We have generated mice bearing a mutant tbp allele, tbp deltaN, that lacks 111 of the 135 amino acids of the vertebrate-specific N terminus. Most homozygous mutants, tbp deltaN/deltaN, die at midgestation from an apparent defect in their placentas. tbp deltaN/deltaN fetuses were rescued at this midgestational crisis if supplied with a wild-type tetraploid placenta. tbp deltaN/deltaN fetuses also survived in immune-normal mothers when fetal/placental beta 2m expression was genetically disrupted. When reared in immunocompromised mothers, tbp deltaN/deltaN fetuses also survived midgestation. These results suggest the N terminus of TBP functions in beta 2M-dependent processes and within the placenta to favor immunotolerance during pregnancy at midgestion. Beyond midgestation, tbp deltaN/deltaN fetuses that survive in immunocompromised mothers were found to be runted at the perinatal period and died shortly after birth. These latter results suggest that the N terminus of TBP also functions in non-immune processes required for normal birth weight and successful pregnancy.