Evidence for Glutamatergic Projections from the Cochlear Nucleus to the Superior Olive and the Ventral Nucleus of the Lateral Lemniscus

Abstract: This study attempts to determine if projections ascending from the guinea pig cochlear nucleus (CN) could be glutamatergic and/or aspartatergic. Multiple radio frequency lesions were made to ablate the right CN. The ablation was verified histologically. To identify the principal targets of CN efferents, silver impregnation methods were used to localize the preterminal degeneration of fibers in transverse sections of the brainstem 5 and 7 days after CN ablation. CN efferents projected heavily to the lateral superior olive (LSO) ipsilaterally, the medial superior olive (MSO) bilaterally, and contralaterally to the medial (MNTB) and ventral (VNTB) nuclei of the trapezoid body, the ventral (VNLL) and intermediate nuclei of the lateral lemniscus and the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICc). There were smaller projections to the lateral nucleus of the trapezoid body ipsilaterally, the dorsal and dorsomedial periolivary nuclei bilaterally, and the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus contralaterally. There were sparse projections to the VNLL and ICc ipsilaterally and the CN contralaterally, and a very sparse projection to the contralateral LSO. To determine if CN efferents were glutamatergic and/or aspartatergic, the fresh brainstem was sectioned transversely and samples of the LSO, MSO, MNTB, VNLL, and ICc were taken to measure the electrically evoked release and the uptake of d -[³H]Asp and [¹⁴C]Gly or [¹⁴C]GABA 3–5 days after the CN ablation. The release studies suggest that only certain of the histologically identified projections ascending from the CN may be glutamatergic and/or aspartatergic. CN ablation depressed d -[³H]Asp release in the MSO bilaterally and in the contralateral MNTB and VNLL, suggesting that the CN efferents to these nuclei may use glutamate or aspartate as a transmitter. It was unclear whether a marginal depression of d -[³H]Asp release in the ipsilateral LSO reflected the presence of glutamatergic CN projections to this nucleus. d -[³H]Asp release in the ICc was unaffected, suggesting that CN efferents to this nucleus may not be glutamatergic. There were no deficits in d -[³H]Asp uptake. [¹⁴C]Gly release from the LSO and MSO was unchanged. [¹⁴C]Gly uptake was unchanged in the MSO and depressed only in the contralateral LSO, possibly reflecting subnormal uptake activity in endings contributed by contralateral MNTB cells that had lost their CN efferents. [¹⁴C]GABA uptake in the MNTB, VNLL, and ICc was unchanged. [¹⁴C]GABA release was unchanged in the VNLL and ICc. [¹⁴C]GABA release was depressed only in the contralateral MNTB, possibly reflecting the loss of a small complement of GABAergic CN efferents and the reaction of GABAergic projections from the contralateral VNTB to their loss of CN efferents.     

Optimized Effective Potential for Atoms and Molecules

We describe the optimized effective potential method of density functional theory and the semi-analytical approximation due to Krieger, Li and Iafrate. Results for atomic and molecular systems including correlation contributions are presented and compared with conventional Kohn–Sham methods. The combination of the exact exchange energy functional with the correlation energy functional of Colle and Salvetti works extremely well for atomic systems, while further improvement is required for molecular systems.     

The Uba2 and Ufd1 proteins of Saccharomyces cerevisiae interact with poly(A) polymerase and affect the polyadenylation activity of cell extracts

Poly(A) polymerase is responsible for the addition of the adenylate tail to the 3′ ends of mRNA. Using the two-hybrid system, we have identified two proteins which interact specifically with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae poly(A) polymerase, Pap1. Uba2 is a homolog of ubiquitin-activating (E1) enzymes and Ufd1 is a protein whose function is probably also linked to the ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation pathway. These two proteins interact with Pap1 and with each other, but not with eight other target proteins which were tested in the two-hybrid system. The last 115 amino acids of Uba2, which contains an 82-amino acid region not present in previously characterized E1 enzymes, is sufficient for the interaction with Pap1. Both Uba2 and Ufd1 can be co-immunoprecipitated from extracts with Pap1, confirming in vitro the interaction identified by two-hybrid analysis. Depletion of Uba2 from cells produces extracts which polyadenylate precursor RNA with increased efficiency compared to extracts from nondepleted cells, while depletion of Ufd1 yields extracts which are defective in processing. These two proteins are not components of polyadenylation factors, and instead may have a role in regulating poly(A) polymerase activity. Received: 6 January 1997 / Accepted: 27 February 1997     

Influence of different chemical treatments on transport of Alcaligenes paradoxus in porous media.

Seven chemicals, three buffers, and a salt solution known to affect bacterial attachment were tested to quantify their abilities to enhance the penetration of Alcaligenes paradoxus in porous media. Chemical treatments included Tween 20 (a nonionic surfactant that affects hydrophobic interactions), sodium dodecyl sulfate (an anionic surfactant), EDTA (a cell membrane permeabilizer that removes outer membrane lipopolysaccharides), sodium PPi (a surface charge modifier), sodium periodate (an oxidizer that cleaves surface polysaccharides), lysozyme (an enzyme that cleaves cell wall components), and proteinase K (a nonspecific protease that cleaves peptide bonds). Buffers included MOPS [3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid], Tris, phosphate, and an unbuffered solution containing only NaCl. Transport characteristics in the porous media were compared by using a sticking coefficient, alpha, defined as the rate at which particles stick to a grain of medium divided by the rate at which they strike the grain. Tween 20 reduced alpha by 2.5 orders of magnitude, to alpha = 0.0016, and was the most effective chemical treatment for decreasing bacterial attachment to glass beads in buffered solutions. Similar reductions in alpha were achieved in unbuffered solutions by reducing the solution ionic strength to 0.01 mM. EDTA, protease, and other treatments designed to alter cell structures did not reduce alpha by more than an order of magnitude. The number of bacteria retained by the porous media was decreased by treatments that made A. paradoxus more hydrophobic and less electrostatically charged, although alpha was poorly correlated with electrophoretic mobility and hydrophobicity index measurements at lower alpha values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The preservation of Mycoplasma capricolum cell intactness after phospholipase A2 treatment

(1) By treating Mycoplasma capricolum cells with phospholipase A₂ about 80% of membrane phospholipids were rapidly hydrolyzed. The rate and extent of hydrolysis (at 37°C) were the same in intact cells and in isolated unsealed membranes. (2) Due to the low endogenous lysophospholipase activity detected in M. capricolum, phospholipase A₂ treatment resulted in the accumulation of lysophospholipids and free fatty acids. The free fatty acids were efficiently extracted from the cells by 1% bovine serum albumin whereas the lysophospholipids were almost fully retained within the cell membrane. (3) Following phospholipase A₂ treatment in the presence of 1% bovine serum albumin, cell intactness was preserved as indicated by the constant absorbance of the cell suspension and the retention of nucleic acids and NADH dehydrogenase activity within the cells. The treated cells showed, however, a slight decrease in K⁺ content and a decrease in cell viability. Viability was fully preserved after phospholipase A₂ treatment of cells grown with exogenous sphingomyelin. (4) Adapting M. capricolum to a cholesterol-poor medium resulted in a marked decrease in the cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio (from about 1.1 to 0.3). Phospholipase A₂ treatment of the cholesterol-poor cells resuted in cell lysis. Cell lysis was induced in the cholesterol-rich cells by hydrolysing the lysophospholipids accumulated following phospholipase A₂ treatment. (5) It is suggested that after phospholipase A₂ treatment of M. capricolum cells, a relatively stable cell membrane is maintained and cell intactness is preseved due to the interaction of cholesterol, present in high amount in this membrane, with the lysophospholipids formed.     

Ribosyl-diphthamide: Confirmation of structure by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Diphtheria toxin inactivates protein synthesis elongation factor 2 by attaching ADP-ribose to an unusual post-translational amino acid derivative, diphthamide, in the factor. Previously, we prepared ribosyl-diphthamide from the ADP-ribosyl-factor and proposed on the basis of NMR spectral analysis that it is 1-α-d-ribofuranosyl-2-[3-carboxyamido-3-(trimethylammonio)propyl]histidine [N. J. Oppenheimer, and J. W. Bodley, (1981) J. Biol. Chem.256, 8579–8581 and op. cit.]. Now, using fast atom bomardment mass spectrometry, the intact cation of ribosyl-diphthamide has been observed in the gas phase. The theoretical mass of the structure proposed for ribosyl-diphthamide uniquely agrees with the observed mass of the inact cation of the compound to within 2 ppm. Collisional activation decomposition mass spectral analysis provided additional structural confirmation. Thus, although the compound has not been synthesized, all available evidence appears uniquely consistent with the structure of ribosyl-diphthamide previously proposed.     

Multiple ribosome binding to the 5'-terminal leader sequence of tobacco mosaic virus RNA. Assembly of an 80S ribosome X mRNA complex at the AUU codon

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) RNA with a long 5'-terminal leader sequence, as well as its isolated leader fragment (called omega), can form disome initiation complexes with wheat germ ribosomes. The second ribosome of the disome complex is bound to the leader sequence, upstream of an 80S particle occupying the AUG-containing initiation site [ Filipowicz and Haenni (1979) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 76, 3111-3115; Konarska et al. (1981) Eur. J. Biochem. 114, 221-227]. In order to identify the parts of omega important for interaction with ribosomes, the 5'-terminally-labelled omega was treated with alkali and the resultant fragments of different lengths were used in binding experiments. A 16-nucleotide-long fragment bearing the AUU sequence at the 3' end is the shortest oligonucleotide capable of forming 80S complexes with wheat germ ribosomes. Full-length (73 nucleotides) omega with AUG at the 3' terminus is the only RNA fragment supporting disome complex formation. Synthetic oligoribonucleotides were prepared for a study of 80S complex assembly at codons other than AUG. Hexadecanucleotide (A) 13A -U-U and, to lesser extent, also (A) 13A -U-C, (A) 13A -U-A and (A) 13A -C-G bind 80S ribosomes. Formation of the (A) 13A -U-U X 80S complex is dependent on the presence of initiator Met- tRNAMerf . Assembly of the 80S particle at the AUU sequence is not an artifact resulting from the terminal position of this triplet. (A) 13A -U-U elongated with over 100 A residues still efficiently binds an 80S ribosome positioned, as established by ribosome protection experiments, at the AUU triplet. The present results support the notion that 80S initiation-like complexes can be formed at sequences containing AUU codons. The possible function of these complexes as intermediates in initiation of translation of some viral RNAs is discussed.     

Human genes for glutathione S-transferases

The tissue distribution of different glutathione S-transferases (GST) is analysed by electrophoresis. The existence of GST"e" (erythrocyte), GST3, GST1, and GST2 is confirmed. GST"e" the fastest and most thermolabile of different GST analysed is observed only in erythrocyte cells. GST3 which migrates more slowly than GST"e" is present in all tissues and cells analysed, excepted for erythrocyte cells in which only GST"e" is observed. GST1 presents a polymorphism with four phenotypes, 1, 1/2, 2, and 0 controlled by three alleles 1, 2, and 0 (null). With the sample of 56 livers analysed the different frequencies obtained are 9%, 5%, 43%, 43% for the phenotypes 1, 1/2, 2, and 0 respectively and 0.074 (p), 0.279 (q), 0.647 (r) for the alleles, 1, 2, and 0 (null). GST2 presents variant patterns due probably, in the majority of cases, to post-synthetic modifications rather than allelic variation. Two new GST are described, GST4 and GST5. GST4 abundant in muscle tissue is a dimeric protein. GST4 forms with GST1 a heterodimeric band. GST5 is observed in brain homogenates. For the chromosome localization the results obtained by man (leucocytes)-mouse somatic cell hybrid analysis indicate that the gene for leucocytes GST is on chromosome 11. This gene is the structural GST3 gene.     

A technique for sustained synchronization of hamster estrous cycles by hormonal means

Rapid synchronization of hamster estrous cycles was achieved by administration of two subcutaneous injections of 7.5 μg of estradiol, given 24 hr apart, followed by one injection of 1 mg of progesterone/135 g body weight, given 20 hr after the last estradiol injection. Behavioral estrus occurred 4 hr after the injection of progesterone. Synchronized animals were mated during the second natural estrus following hormone treatment. Abnormal vaginal discharges were noted in most animals during the first few days after treatment, and, occasionally, a dissociation between behavioral and vaginal estrus was observed. However, by the second natural estrus after treatment, 69% of the colony demonstrated synchronized estrous cycles, both vaginally and behaviorally, and all abnormal discharges disappeared. The fertility rate was comparable to that in the colony from which the treated animals were taken, and the gestation period was normal, with an 8-hr range in onset of parturition. Offspring were normal in litter size, body weight, time of eye and vagina opening, sex ratio, and regularity of estrus. It was concluded that the technique is suitable for use by investigators interested in litter size and neonate development, in addition to those requiring time-mated or behaviorally synchronized animals. With the information gained from the experiment, a treatment schedule was devised which would produce 94% synchronization in a colony.