Comparison of the three-dimensional structure of two human rhinoviruses (HRV2 and HRV14)

An attempt has been made to build a model of human rhinovirus 2 (HRV2) based on the known human rhinovirus 14 (HRV14) structure. HRV2 was selected because its amino acid sequence is known and because it belongs to the minor rhinovirus receptor class as compared to HRV14, which belongs to the major class. Initial alignment of HRV2 with HRV14 based on the primary sequence and the knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of HRV14 showed that the most probable position of the majority of insertions and deletions occurred in the vicinity of the neutralizing immunogenic sites (NIm). Out of a total of 855 amino acids present in one copy of each of the capsid proteins VP1 through VP4 of HRV14, 411 are different between the two viruses. There are also 6 amino acid residues inserted and 14 residues deleted in HRV2 relative to HRV14. Examination of amino acid interactions showed several cases of conservation of function, e.g., salt bridges or the filling of restricted space. The largest variation amongst the residues lining the canyon, the putative receptor binding site, was in the carboxy-terminal residues of VP1.     

Mono- through hexanucleotide composition of the Escherichia coli genome: a Markov chain analysis.

Several statistical methods were tested for accuracy in predicting observed frequencies of di- through hexanucleotides in 74,444 bp of E. coli DNA. A Markov chain was most accurate overall, whereas other methods, including a random model based on mononucleotide frequencies, were very inaccurate. When ranked highest to lowest abundance, the observed frequencies of oligonucleotides up to six bases in length in E. coli DNA were highly asymmetric. All ordered abundance plots had a wide linear range containing the majority of the oligomers which deviated sharply at the high and low ends of the curves. In general, values predicted by a Markov chain closely followed the overall shape of the ordered abundance curves. A simple equation was derived by which the frequency of any nucleotide longer than four bases in the E. coli genome (or any genome) can be relatively accurately estimated from the nested set of component tri- and tetranucleotides by serial application of a 3rd order Markov chain. The equation yielded a mean ratio of 1.03 +/- 0.94 for the observed-to-expected frequencies of the 4,096 hexanucleotides. Hence, the method is a relatively accurate but not perfect predictor of the length in nucleotides between hexanucleotide sites. Higher accuracy can be achieved using a 4th order Markov chain and larger data sets. The high asymmetry in oligonucleotide abundance means that in the E. coli genome of 4.2 X 10(6) bp many relatively short sequences of 7-9 bp are very rare or absent.     

Vascular plants first described in Rydberg’s flora of colorado

Types are indicated for 28 new names inadvertently published in Rydberg’sFlora of Colorado. Included are a discussion as to the validity of these new names and an explanation of the causes of this oversight. A lectotype ofLupinus decumbens var.argentatus is herein designated by Rupert C. Barneby.     

Bactericidal effect of lactoferrin on Legionella pneumophila: effect of the physiological state of the organism

Lactoferrin has been previously shown to be bactericidal for Legionella pneumophila. The current study showed that CaCl2, Mg(NO3)2, and MgCl2, but not NaCl, blocked killing. Activity was pH dependent with the greatest activity at 5.0. Sensitivity of the organism was dramatically affected by the growth conditions. Log phase 12 h, broth-grown cells were most sensitive, with older cultures becoming more resistant. Plate-grown cells were completely resistant. Lactoferrin binding, as detected by immunofluorescence microscopy, was temperature dependent (no binding at 4 degrees C), but was independent of killing.     

Secondary transport of amino acids by membrane vesicles derived from lactic acid bacteria

Lactococci are fastidious bacteria which require an external source of amino acids and many other nutrients. These compounds have to pass the membrane. However, detailed analysis of transport processes in membrane vesicles has been hampered by the lack of a suitable protonmotive force (pmf)-generating system in these model systems. A membrane-fusion procedure has been developed by which pmf-generating systems can be functionally incorporated into the bacterial membrane. This improved model system has been used to analyze the properties of amino acid transport systems in lactococci. Detailed studies have been made of the specificity and kinetics of amino acid transport and also of the interaction of the transport systems with their lipid environment. The properties of a pmf-independent, arginine-catabolism specific transport system in lactococci will be discussed.Abbreviations pmf protonmotive force - transmembrane electrical potential - pH transmembrane pH gradient - PE phosphatidylethanolamine - PC phosphatidylcholine Paper adapted from a treatise Secondary Transport of Amino Acids by Membrane Vesicles Derived from Lactic Acid Bacteria and awarded the Kluyver Prize 1988 by the Netherlands Society of Microbiology.     

Stabilization of a plasmid-encoded LacZ phenotype inBacillus subtilis

Recombinant plasmid pCED3 was structurally unstable inBacillus subtilis cultures grown in the presence of kanamycin to eliminate the effects of segregational instability. Analysis of 96 modified plasmids indicated that deletions in the plasmid occur at many different sites. The presence of plasmid pCED3 slowed the growth rate of theB. subtilis host. Cells that contained modified plasmids grew faster than the parental cells and took over the population. Two different methodologies were developed to reduce the cultural instability of the plasmid-directed LacZ⁺ phenotype. By growing the cells in a medium that supports a low growth rate, the growth rate ratio between modified and parental cells was reduced, resulting in a partial stabilization (40 generations) of the LacZ⁺ phenotype in the population [35]. Removal of a 4.77 kbEcoRI fragment (which consists primarily of the pBR322 replicon) from plasmid pCED3 produced a more stable plasmid derivative, designated pYS1. Cells harboring plasmid pYS1 grew faster than pCED3-bearing cells, although the level of activity of -galactosidase was similar in both strains. By combining the two approaches (i.e., growth of pYS1-bearing cells in a medium that supports low growth rate), the LacZ⁺ phenotype was stably maintained in the cell population for over 170 generations. Under these conditions, there was no detectable difference between the growth rates of cells bearing the pYS1 plasmid and further modified plasmids.     

Cleavage of the PO glycoprotein of the rat peripheral nerve myelin: Tentative identification of cleavage site and evidence for the precursor-product relationship

The incubation of sciatic nerve slices in Krebs Ringer bicarbonate (KRB) buffer (pH 7.4) at 37°C, or the incubation of freshly isolated myelin in ammonium bicarbonate buffer (pH 8), resulted in the generation of a 24kDa protein with a concomitant decrease of PO protein. The conversion of PO into 24kDa protein was blocked by heating isolated myelin at 100°C for 5 min suggesting that the reaction is enzyme mediated. Inclusion of the protease inhibitors and chelating agent to isolated myelin did not prevent the formation of 24kDa protein. Similarly, addition of CaCl₂ to isolated myelin did not accentuate the formation of 24kDa protein suggesting that the conversion of PO into 24kDa protein may not be due to Ca²⁺ activated protease. It is postulated that the formation of 24kDa protein may be due to neutral protease and/or metalloproteinase associated with the PNS myelin. 24kDa protein was purified and characterized. The N-terminal sequence of 1–17 amino acid residues of 24kDa protein was identical to PO. 24kDa protein was immunostained and immunoprecipitated with anti-PO antiserum indicating the immunological similarities between PO and 24kDa protein. Labeling of 24kDa protein with [³⁵S]methionine provided evidence that PO may be in all probability cleaved between Met-168 and Met-193. Further studies were carried out to demonstrate that 24kDa protein was phosphorylated, glycosylated and acylated like PO. Phosphorylation of 24kDa protein in the nerve slices was increased five-fold by phorbol esters and phosphoserine was the only phosphoamino acid identified after partial acid hydrolysis of 24kDa protein. These results suggested that serine residue phosphorylated by protein kinase C may be located in amino acid residues 1-168. 24kDa protein was stained with periodic Schiff reagent. In addition, 24kDa protein was fucosylated and the fucosylation of 24kDa protein was inhibited (70%) by tunicamycin, providing evidence that it is N-glycosylated. Recently, it was demonstrated that both PO and 24kDa protein were fatty acylated with [³H]palmitic acid in the nerve slices and fatty acids are covalently linked to these proteins (Agrawal, H.C. and Agrawal, D. 1989, Biochem. J. 263:173–177). The time course of inhibition of acylation by cycloheximide of 24kDa protein was identical to PO. Cycloheximide inhibited acylation of PO and 24kDa protein by 61% and 58% respectively, whereas, monensin had little affect on the fatty acylation of these proteins. Less [³H]palmitic acid and¹⁴C-amino acids were incorporated into 24kDa protein when compared to PO between 5–30 min after incubation of the nerve slices. However, more radioactivity was incorporated into 24kDa protein after 60 min when compared to PO under identical conditions. These results provided evidence of a precursor-product relationship between PO and 24kDa protein. Therefore, PO may be cleaved into 24kDa protein in the myelin membrane following its acylation and glycosylation in the Schwann cells.     

Medical problems of adults who were sexually abused in childhood.

The aim of the study was to see whether adults who had been sexually abused in childhood were vulnerable to physical symptoms and therefore investigation and intervention. The case histories of seven patients who were aged 22-39, were under the care of three consultant psychiatrists, had experienced childhood sexual abuse, and had a history of medical or surgical intervention were surveyed. The patients had had a mean of 18 contacts with non-psychiatric consultant teams and a mean of eight operations, with a high rate (66-70%) of normal findings. They had experienced many somatic symptoms, which led to investigations and interventions in the specialties of gynaecology, obstetrics, gastroenterology, urology, rheumatology, haematology, orthopaedics, neurology, and neuropsychiatry. The history of childhood sexual abuse was recognised only in the later stages of this medical and surgical intervention. The possibility of childhood sexual abuse should be considered earlier in such cases to prevent further unnecessary intervention.     

A water-soluble fraction from adult bone stimulates the differentiation of cartilage in explants of embryonic muscle

A water-soluble fraction of a 4 M guanidine HCl extract of demineralized adult bovine bone stimulated the differentiation of cartilage in explants of minced skeletal muscle from embryonic chick legs; cartilage was also induced by a semipurified protein preparation. Cartilage could be identified in treated cultures at 1 week with muscle from day-9 embryos, not before 2 weeks with muscle from day-12 embryos, and not before 3 weeks with muscle from day-19 embryos. The ability to respond to this water-soluble fraction by exhibiting cartilage differentiation was dose-dependent, but not confined to any particular muscle region of the day-12 embryonic leg. These observations indicate that bone-derived soluble chondroinductive agents act on cells in minced embryonic muscle preparations. The induction of cartilage is dependent upon the accessibility of the responding cells to the agents, on the concentration of inductive agents, and on the developmental age of the responsive tissue.