The WT1 Gene is a complex Gene originally known to suppress cancer in kidneys. Studies of WT1 knockout mice have confirmed the important role of WT1 in the pathoGenesis of Wilms? tumour, a tumour which counts for 95% of all childhood renal tumours. In that case the WT1 Gene acts as a tumour suppressor Gene. Subsequent research has shown that the WT1 Gene in many other cases acts as an oncoGene, e g in leukemia or lung cancer (even though these cancer forms can emerge as a result of many other aetiological factors).

The RECK Gene is a relatively new discovered Gene with important implications for cancer research. The research has been primarily concentrated on the human Gene with the ultimate aim to identify the invasive characteristics. Up regulated RECK is linked to significantly prolonged survival rates in patients with severe forms of malignancies. RECK is normally expressed in all cells of the body and has an important role in the balance between destructive and constructive features of the extracellular matrix. The RECK protein is a membrane-bound glycoprotein that inhibit matrix metalloproteinases which has the function of breaking down the ECM. There is a significant correlation between RECK Gene expression and the formation of new vessels, presumably via the mediation of VEGF which is an important and powerful inducer of angioGenesis.

Various Fusarium species causes some of the most common cereal diseases worldwide. Besides the yield losses that can be a result of these diseases, strains from several Fusarium species can produce mycotoxins, some very toxic. The aim of this study was to investigate which Fusarium species and how many that occurred in winter wheat grains from Mälardalen and Kalmar län, if there was any difference in the distribution of Fusarium fungi between the regions and the potential within species to produce mycotoxins belonging to the group trichothecenes. Winter wheat grains collected in 2009 from ten fields (unsprayed plots) in the two regions were analysed for Fusarium species. PCR was used to amplify the TEF region where after the samples were sequenced.

Staphylococcus aureus belongs to the normal flora. Many healthy people are colonized by the bacterium mainly in the nose but also on the skin and on other mucous membranes without showing symptoms. After damage to the skin, the bacterium can enter the wound and cause infections. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is resistant to b-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin and methicillin.

This review article presents the splicing process during messenger RNA maturation and how it is regulated by different Cis-regulatory RNA-sequence elements and splicing factors. A more detailed description of the process alternative splicing and its importance to the function of Genes from the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana is also given. A single eukaryotic Gene can by the process alternative splicing (AS) give rise to a number of functionally mature mRNA-molecules, which in turn encodes for structurally and/or functionally different proteins. During the course of evolution, the process alternative splicing has thus shown to be effective in increasing transcriptome and proteome diversity of most eukaryotic organisms. This suggests therefore that the dominant theory in molecular biology, a Gene encodes for a protein, needs to be corrected.

Mast cells have for a long time been known to accumulate around tumors (Maltby et al., 2009). Studies show that they may be important and sometimes essential in tumor angioGenesis, tumor growth and metastasis of tumors (Soucek, et al., 2007; Xiang et al., 2010). In an expression array study (Wensman et al, submitted manuscript) performed on mouse mast cells exposed to tumor conditioned medium, the Gene 4-1BB was among the most up-regulated Genes compared to control medium. 4-1BB codes for a membrane receptor protein of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily and has been shown to be important in T cell regulation in tumor diseases. This study was performed to investigate if human mast cells up-regulate 4-1BB when they get exposed to tumor conditioned medium.

To identify and evaluate apple cultivars is not an easy task, since the taste and appearances of the fruit are affected by where the apple tree grows. At the Balsgård new apple Gene bank there is a unique and interesting collection of over 260 different cultivars from all over the world. To find out if these cultivars are consistent with previously published descriptions, the fruit was evaluated for some of the cultivars. Among the evaluated cultivars some were selected that could be suitable for cultivation and/or fruit breeding. A few cultivars were in addition analyzed at a consumer evaluation at the Kivik apple market where visitors could vote for the most beautiful apple and the best taste.

Vectors based on lentivirus backbones have revolutionized our ability to transfer Genesinto many cell types. Lentiviral vectors integrate into the chromatin of target cells and do not transfer any viral Genes causing vector replication. Both of these features arecommonly used in Gene therapy and have been used clinically in individuals sufferingfrom cancer, infections and Genetic diseases. It has been discovered that T-cells can be Genetically modified to be used as effective weapons against cancer: therefore virus mustbe produced to deliver the Gene of interest into the T-cells. In this project, lentiviralvectors have been produced to transfer the Gene coding for a chimeric antigen receptor(CAR) which is directed to CD19 on B-cells.

Perchlorate and chlorate are naturally occurring in the atmosphere, from here it sediments into groundwater and soil. The pollution is increased by discharges of perchlorate and chlorate from agriculture and paper mills. Bacteria capable of reducing perchlorate and chlorate to chloride and oxygen can be used to get rid of these contaminants. However an anaerobic environment needs to be sustained in order for this reaction to be used. For this reduction to work in an aerobic environment as well, a greater knowledge of the reducing enzymes, regulating factors and their corresponding Genes is needed.

Picropodophyllin (PPP) is an analogue of the anti tumour lignan podophyllotoxin with the unique ability to selectively inhibit the receptor of Insulin like growth factor 1(IGF-1). IGF-1 is believed to play an important part in development of the endometrium facing implantation. With PPP treated mice, studies can be made to measure Gene expression from tissue of both treated and untreated mice to compare the role of IGF-1 regarding ovulation, implantation and receptivity. The aim of this study was to analyze Gene expression of some steroid hormone receptors and cytokines in ovaries from mice treated with PPP. In this study, seven mice were treated with PPP at different times and tissue was collected.

The increased frequency of reported Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) is of great concern to small animal healthcare due to limited options of antimicrobial therapy. The aim of this literature study is to investigate 1) characteristics and classification of S. pseudintermedius, 2) resistance mechanisms and emergence of MRSP, 3) risk factors for selection of MRSP, and 4) clonal distribution around the world. S. pseudintermedius is a skin and mucosal commensal in healthy dogs and cats, but can cause infections, including pyoderma. Beta-lactam antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth by binding to the penicillin binding protein (PBP), a vital enzyme in the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall.

In Swedish sheep industry it is desired to have lambs slaughtered evenly distributed over the year. Swedish sheep are Generally seasonal breeders with lambs born in the spring and slaughtered in the autumn. Some of the breeds, e.g. Swedish Finewool and Roslag sheep breeds have shown ability to lamb out of season. For increased knowledge on the possibilities to breed for out-of-season lambing in Swedish sheep breeds, the aim of this master thesis is to study the variation in frequency of two alleles in the MTNR1A Gene in the three breeds; Gotland, Swedish Finewool, and Roslag sheep.

Oxochlorates are anions with a partially naturally occurrence in nature but are also spread by human activities, including the paper industry. These compounds are harmful to both nature and humans, which makes it necessary to find a good way for their degradation. There are two different kinds of bacteria that can use oxochlorates as electron acceptors in their metabolism, bacteria that break down perchlorate and bacteria that break down both perchlorate and chlorate. A bacterium that can break down chlorate under anaerobic conditions is Ideonella dechloratans which holds the Genes for chlorite dismutase and chlorate reductase which are enzymes for the degradation of chlorate. Gene expression and enzyme activity of chlorite dismutase are induced under anaerobic conditions, which makes it interesting to find out how this regulation functions in order to better exploit these bacteria in biological wastewater treatment.

Lymphoma is a group of malignant tumour diseases developing in the secondary lymphatic system. These diseases can develop in all organs as lymphocytes are ubiquitously in the body. In connection to mucus membranes we find mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, MALT, in which lymphoma can spontaneously but slowly develop, mostly at chronic inflammation or at autoimmune diseases. Today these diseases are incureable with the exception of some cases caused by Helicobacter pylori-infection. Antibiotic treatment of these cases can induce remissions.MALT-lymphomas have characteristic histological and molecular properties.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, where joints are attacked by the own immune system, leading to chronic inflammation and destruction of bone and cartilage. Inflammation is a complex process, controlled by many different substances. One of them is adenosine, which has anti-inflammatory properties. In this project, three polymorphisms in different Genes, involved in synthesis and signaling of adenosine, were genotyped for 188 patients with RA and 362 controls without RA. The results shows that for the polymorphism in A2a, a Gene coding for an adenosine receptor, there was no significant difference in genotype distribution between the groups.