BIOSYNTHESIS OF RIBONUCLEIC ACID IN RAT BRAIN SLICES

The incorporation of uridine into RNA in brain slices was studied. Optimal conditions for uridine incorporation were determined. The characteristics of the product suggest that de novo DNA-directcd synthesis of fairly high molecular weight material takes place. Incorporation into RNA of several areas of brain was studied. The incorporation was also studied as a function of the age of the animal. Finally, an apparent correlation was observed between the decrease in uridine incorporation with age and the increase of the enzyme uridine nucleosidase which hydrolyses uridine to uracil, a material which cannot be incorporated into RNA.     

The Photosynthetic Electron Transport Chain of Chlamydomonas reinhardi. VII. Photosynthetic Phosphorylation by a Mutant Strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardi Deficient in Active P700

Electron transport activity and absorbance changes associated with P700 were investigated in a mutant strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardi with impaired photosynthesis. This mutant strain, ac-8oa, cannot reduce NADP with electrons from either water or dye and ascorbate, but it has considerable Hill activity. The mutant strain shows none of the absorbance changes characteristic of P700. Although unable to carry out cyclic photosynthetic phosphorylation, ac-8oa is able to synthesize ATP when ferricyanide is provided as an electron acceptor.

These observations lead to the conclusion that a site for the coupling of photosynthetic phosphorylation with electron transport must exist between the 2 photochemical systems.

     

Spectral studies of the Ca2+-dependent interaction of trifluoperazine with S100b

S100b is a calcium-binding protein that will bind to many calmodulin target molecules in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. In order to study the Ca²⁺-dependent binding properties of S100b, its interaction with a calmodulin antagonist, trifluoperazine (TFP), was investigated using [¹⁹F]- and [¹H]-NMR and UV-difference spectroscopy. It was estimated from [¹⁹F]-NMR that in the absence of Ca²⁺, thek _1/2 value of TFP was 130 µM, while itsk _1/2 value decreased to 28 µM in the presence of Ca²⁺. The addition of KCl was not antagonistic to the Ca²⁺-dependent interaction of TFP to S100b. The chemical exchange rate of TFP with Ca²⁺-bound S100b was estimated to be 9×10² sec^?1. By comparison with TFP-calmodulin exchange rates, it is suggested that the TFP-binding site on S100b is structurally different from its binding sites on calmodulin. Proton NMR resonance broadening in the range 6.8–7.2 ppm, corresponding to phenylalanine nuclei of S100b, indicates that these residues may be involved in TFP binding. Addition of Ca²⁺ to a 1:1 mixture of S100b and TFP resulted in a red-shifted UV-difference spectrum, while no significant difference spectrum was detected when Mg²⁺ was added to a S100b-TFP solution. Thus, we suggest that Ca²⁺ induces the exposure of a hydrophobic domain on S100b containing one or more phenylalanine residues that will bind TFP but that this domain is different from the hydrophobic domain on calmodulin.     

硬头鳟巨噬细胞的体外长期培养(简报)

鱼类的巨噬细胞和高等脊椎动物的一样,在吞灭入侵的病原体方面起着极其重要的作用。探索在体外长期培养巨噬细胞的方法,有助于研究巨噬细胞的机能。Braun-Nesje等虽已从硬头鳟(Salmo gairdneri)等鲑科鱼类的头肾中分离出大量的巨噬细胞,并在体外培养了3个月之久,但因细胞不分裂,无法传代。本研究改用组织块培养法和饲养层技术探索长期培养巨噬细胞的方法,并获得成功。迄今巨噬细胞已在体外培养22个月,传代48次。细胞的原代培养分为三组。前两组是单独的脾或头肾的组织培养;第三组是脾与头肾的混合组织培养。培养液是Leibovitz’s L-15,外加20%胎牛血清,100 IU/ml青霉素和100μg/ml链霉素。巨噬细胞的吞噬活力用酵母菌Candida