Contrasting modes of photosynthetic enzyme regulation in oxygenic and anoxygenic prokaryotes

Enzymes that are regulated by the ferredoxin/thioredoxin system in chloroplasts — fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase purified from two different types of photosynthetic prokaryotes (cyanobacteria, purple sulfur bacteria) and tested for a response to thioredoxins. Each of the enzymes from the cyanobacterium Nostoc muscorum, an oxygenic organism known to contain the ferredoxin/thioredoxin system, was activated by thioredoxins that had been reduced either chemically by dithiothreitol or photochemically by reduced ferredoxin and ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase. Like their chloroplast counterparts, N. muscorum FBPase and SBPase were activated preferentially by reduced thioredoxin f. SBPase was also partially activated by thioredoxin m. PRK, which was present in two regulatory forms in N. muscorum, was activated similarly by thioredoxins f and m. Despite sharing the capacity for regulation by thioredoxins, the cyanobacterial FBPase and SBPase target enzymes differed antigenically from their chloroplast counterparts. The corresponding enzymes from Chromatium vinosum, an anoxygenic photosynthetic purple bacterium found recently to contain the NADP/thioredoxin sytem, differed from both those of cyanobacteria and chloroplasts in showing no response to reduced thioredoxin. Instead, C. vinosum FBPase, SBPase, and PRK activities were regulated by a metabolite effector, 5-AMP. The evidence is in accord with the conclusion that thioredoxins function in regulating the reductive pentose phosphate cycle in oxygenic prokaryotes (cyanobacteria) that contain the ferredoxin/thioredoxin system, but not in anoxygenic prokaryotes (photosynthetic purple bacteria) that contain the NADP/thioredoxin system. In organisms of the latter type, enzyme effectors seem to play a dominant role in regulating photosynthetic carbon dioxide assimilation.     

Effect of aldosterone on incorporation of amino acids into renal medullary proteins

Summary Studies on the effects of pretreatment with aldosterone on the incorporation of³H leucine or³H methionine into proteins in renal slices were carried out in Joklik-modified minimal essential medium. Administration of aldosterone (2 g/100 g body wt) to adrenalectomized rats increased³H leucine incorporation into trichloroacetic acid insoluble fractions of crude homogenates of cortical slices by 15.5±0.4% and of medullary slices by 53.5±1.3%. No increase in isotope incorporation was observed in slices of renal papilla or spleen prepared from the same rats. Aldosterone had no effect on the³H-leucine content of the trichloroacetic acid-soluble fractions of all three renal zones and the spleen. The dose of aldosterone that elicited a half-maximal increase in³H-methionine incorporation into proteins of renal medullary slices (0.45 g of aldosterone/100 g body wt) was indistinguishable from that needed to elicit a halfmaximal increase in the urinary K⁺/Na⁺ ratio (0.35 g of aldosterone/100 g body wt). Dexamethasone, a potent glucocorticoid, at a dose of 0.8 g/100 g body wt did not augment³H-leucine incorporation into renal medullary proteins but was effective at 8 g/100 g body wt. Spirolactone (SC-26304), a potent anti-mineralocorticoid, abolished the effect of aldosterone on amino acid incorporation into medullary proteins when administered at a 100-fold higher dosage [i.e., 80 gvs. 0.8 g (per 100 g body wt)]. These results imply that the action of aldosterone on amino acid incorporation is mediated by the mineralocorticoid rather than the glucocorticoid pathway, presumably the mineralocorticoid receptors. Moreover, pretreatment of the rats with actinomycin D (70–80 g/100 g body wt) erased the effect of aldosterone (0.8 g/100 g body wt) on amino acid incorporation into medullary proteins.In paired experiments with³H and³⁵S methionine, aldosterone (0.8 g/100 g body wt) increased methionine incorporation into trichloroacetic acid precipitable proteins of subcellular fractions of the renal medulla. The effect of aldosterone on incorporation of methionine into medullary cytosol proteins was analyzed further by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.3 in tris-glycine buffer. The gel profiles indicate that aldosterone significantly increased methionine incorporation into at least one protein (independent of the isotope) with a molecular weight of 31,000. This increase was inhibited by either pretreatment of the rat with actinomycin D (70–80 g/100 g body wt or SC-26304 (80 g/100 g body wt). Dexamethasone (0.8 g/100 g body wt) did not increase incorporation of methionine into the medullary cytosol proteins resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

Induction of citrate synthase by aldosterone in the rat kidney

Summary The possible induction of renal citrate synthase (E.C. 4.1.3.7), by aldosterone was evaluated in the adrenalectomized rat. Three hours after administration of aldosterone (0.8 g/100 g body wt), renal cortical and medullary citrate synthase activity was significantly increased as reported previously by Kinne and Kirsten (Kinne, R., Kirsten, R. 1968.Pfleugers Arch. 300:244). In contrast, no change in this activity was detected in the renal papilla or the liver, under the same conditions. Kinetic analysis revealed that injection of aldosterone had no effect on theK _m s for acetyl-CoA and oxalacetate but augmentedV _max of renal medullary citrate synthase activity by 40%. The aldosterone-dependent increase in medullary citrate synthase activity was proportionate to the associated increase in the quantity of antiserum (specific for citrate synthase) required for half-maximal immuno-precipitation.The possibility that aldosterone induced the synthesis of citrate synthase was evaluated in two sets of experiments. In the first set, adrenalectomized rats were injected intraperitoneally with either aldosterone (0.8 g/100 g body wt) or the diluent, and simultaneously with³H or³⁵S methionine (500 Ci/rat). The isotopes were reversed in about half of the experiments. Three hours after the injection, renal citrate synthase was isolated by ATP-sepharose column chromatography and immuno-precipitation with the specific antiserum. Aldosterone augmented methionine incorporation into renal citrate synthase by 55% but had no effect on incorporation into the hepatic enzyme. In the second set, adrenalectomized rats were injected with either aldosterone (0.8 g/100 g body wt) or the diluent, the kidneys were removed 1 hr later and medullary slices were incubated in either³H-or³⁵S-methionine at 20° for 2 hr. Mitochondrial citrate synthase was isolated either by ATP-sepharose column chromatography and immuno-precipitation, or by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Aldosterone increased methionine incorporation into the immuno-precipitates by 30% and into the enzyme peak resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by 43%. The latter increase was eliminated by prior administration of either actinomycin D (70–80 g/100 g body wt) or spirolactone (SC-26304) (80 g/100 g body wt). An equimolar dose of dexamethasone (0.8 g/100 g body wt) had no effect on the isotope ratio associated with citrate synthase activity in the polyacrylamide gels.     

Hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy: case report and review of the literature.

The apparent incidence of hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is low in pregnancy but will likely increase now that more asymptomatic HPT is being diagnosed. However, since the serum calcium levels are decreased in pregnant women, mild primary HPT may go unrecognized. In untreated cases of HPT, complications during pregnancy or during the neonatal period have included spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death, neonatal tetany and hypercalcemia. A review of the literature indicates a substantial improvement in fetal outcome when parathyroidectomy is done during pregnancy, as in the case reported here. Therefore, parathyroidectomy is the treatment of choice when the diagnosis is made during pregnancy, although oral phosphate therapy may be an alternative if surgery is contraindicated.     

Purification and structural characterization of progastrin-derived peptides from a human gastrinoma

Several peptides derived from the gastrin-predicted preprohormone sequence were isolated from a human gastrinoma by gel permeation, anion exchange, and reverse phase chromatography. The peptides were identified and characterized structurally by a combination of radioimmunoassays, mass spectral analysis, and microsequence analysis. The largest peptide, progastrin-(1-35) (cryptagastrin), extends from the putative processing site for the signal peptidase to the double basic residues adjacent to the amino terminus of gastrin 34. A shorter form of this peptide, progastrin-(6-35) (cryptagastrin-(6-35), was also isolated in smaller amounts. In addition, sulfated and nonsulfated gastrin 17 amides (progastrin-(55-71)) and the glycine-extended nonsulfated gastrin 17 (progastrin-(55-72)) were identified by radioimmunoassay, and their structures were confirmed by mass spectral analysis. Isolation of cryptagastrin indicates that the signal peptide of human preprogastrin contains 21 amino acid residues, and progastrin, therefore, contains 80 amino acids. There is minimal processing of the cryptic peptide preceding the sequence of gastrin 34. An amidated gastrin form larger than gastrin 34 could contain 71 amino acids. No evidence was obtained for processing that would produce gastrins containing more than 34 but less than 71 amino acid residues.     

Regulation of interleukin-6 expression in the lymphoma cell line OCI-LY3

Previously we described a cell line OCI-LY3 derived from a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The cell line produced interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA and protein and demonstrated an autocrine pattern of growth for IL-6. Southern blot analysis of the IL-6 gene did not reveal any rearrangement. To determine whether the production of IL-6 by OCI-LY3 was due to subtle changes in the promoter of IL-6 or due to the expression of trans-acting factors chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter constructs containing from -1,180 to +13 to -112 to +13 of a normal IL-6 gene were electroporated into the cell line. When these constructs are transferred into unstimulated fibroblasts, no CAT activity is seen; however, CAT activity is induced when the cells are stimulated with either IL-1 alpha, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) analogues. When the cell line OCI-LY3 was transfected with these constructs, CAT activity was observed; it was not necessary to stimulate the cells with exogenous factors to observe this activity. No CAT activity was observed in a second lymphoma cell line, OCI-LY13.1, that does not produce IL-6. These results suggest that the constitutive production of IL-6 by the cell line OCI-LY3 is due to the presence of trans-acting factors that stimulate the expression of IL-6 and not due to a cis-acting mutation of the IL-6 promoter.     

Plant thioredoxin h: an animal-like thioredoxin occurring in multiple cell compartments

Thioredoxin h has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from spinach roots using a procedure devised for leaves. The root thioredoxin (h2 form) differed from chloroplast and animal thioredoxins in showing an atypical active site (Cys-Ala-Pro-Cys) but otherwise resembled animal thioredoxin in structure. Sequence data for a total of 72 residues of spinach root thioredoxin h2 (about 69% of the primary structure) showed 43-44% identity with rabbit and rat thioredoxin. Analysis of cell fractions from the endosperm of germinating castor beans revealed that thioredoxin h occurs in the cytosol, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria. The present findings demonstrate a similarity between plant thioredoxin h and animal thioredoxins in structure and intracellular location and raise the question of whether these proteins have similar functions.     

Image processing software for enhanced visualization of faint or noisy autoradiographic images

A computer program for digital image processing is described which can be implemented using scanning densitometer hardware pre-existing in most biology departments plus computer video hardware which may either pre-exist in the biology department or would represent a moderate upgrade over an already planned computer purchase. The primary purpose of this computer program is to provide contrast enhancement of faint or low contrast autoradiograph images and to implement background subtraction and digital smoothing methods which permit visualization of blurry electrophoresis bands against noisy backgrounds. However, the program also has modest editing capabilities that allow its use in the routine preparation of images for publication. Finally, the program has facilities for deblurring, edge enhancement and multiple image averaging, which give it usefulness in other forms of photographic analysis.