Abstract: Diagnostic and therapeutic applications for Noonan Syndrome are described. The diagnostic and therapeutic applications are based on certain mutations in the protein tyrosine phosphatase gene PTPN11 and its expression product, PTPN11, as well as mutations in other components in a PTPN11 signal transduction pathway promoting an increased signaling flux. Also described are nucleotide sequences, amino acid sequences, probes, and primers related to PTPN11 and PTPN11 variants, and cells expressing such variants.

Abstract: The present invention relates methods of generating infectious negative-strand virus in host cells by an entirely vector-based system without the aid of a helper virus. In particular, the present invention relates methods of generating infectious recombinant negative-strand RNA viruses intracellularly in the absence of helper virus from expression vectors comprising cDNAs encoding the viral proteins necessary to form ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) and expression vectors comprising cDNA for genomic viral RNA(s) (vRNAs) or the corresponding cRNA(s). The present invention also relates to methods of generating infectious recombinant negative-strand RNA viruses which have mutations in viral genes and/or which express, package and/or present peptides or polypeptides encoded by heterologous nucleic acid sequences.

Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding Prolactin Regulatory Element Binding protein (PREB) and recombinant proteins encoded thereby. The nucleic acid sequences are useful in the production of recombinant PREB, as probes, and in the control of gene expression, and in particular, in the control of prolactin gene expression. In particular embodiments of the invention, PREB nucleic acid sequences are used to detect transcripts of the gene in astrocytomas, to detect trisomy and to detect a propensity of a subject to develop osteoporosis. In other embodiments of the invention, the PREB nucleic acid sequences, or the products thereof, are used for preventing or controlling osteoporosis in a subject.