A Simple and Reliable Technique to Combine Oligonucleotide Probe in Situ Hybridization with Neuronal Tract Tracing in Vertebrate Embryos

We describe a simple and reliable combination of in situ hybridization with neuronal tracing. The technique uses recent advances in the field of neuronal tract tracing including fast diffusing, low molecular weight dextran amines and fade resistant fluorescent dyes, and combines them with in situ hybridization using a sensitive Oligonucleotide probe. Using this technique we have investigated the mRNA encoding the trkB receptor for brain-derived neurotrophic factor in identified facial and vestibular afferent and efferent neurons. We found very low levels of trkB mRNA in facial efferent neurons, whereas in the vestibular afferent neurons, clear labeling for the trkB mRNA could be seen. This technique can be applied to the developing embryo to study topology of a variety of cellular markers with reference to neuronal population or fibers identified by their origin or target.     

Ouabain-dependent potassium-potassium exchange in the toad bladder

Summary Recent results from this laboratory have indicated the existence of two potassium compartments in the isolated toad bladder. Only one of these, containing less than 10% of total intracellular potassium, appears to be related to the sodium transport system, since potassium influx at the serosal border of this compartment is coupled to the sodium efflux which occurs there. Ouabain, which specifically inhibits serosal sodium exit, has no effect on potassium fluxes and compartment sizes in bladders mounted in normal (2.5mm K) Ringer's solution. However, in the presence of this inhibitor, removal of serosal potassium results in a significant decrease in the rate coefficient for potassium efflux into the serosal medium, while an increase in serosal potassium results in a significant rise in this parameter, which appears to saturate at approximately 5mm K. This sensitivity to serosal potassium is seen neither in the absence of ouabain nor when the sodium pump is inactivated by removal of sodium from the mucosal medium. Furosemide, which also inhibits the sodium transport system, both inhibits potassium transport parameters in normal Ringer's and abolishes the potassium-sensitive potassium efflux seen in the presence of ouabain. Thus, the Na–K pump appears to operate as a K–K exchanger when the sodium system is inhibited by ouabain; this K–K exchange mechanism is inhibited by furosemide. One explanation for these results is that ouabain effects an alteration in the affinities of the transport system for sodium and potassium.     

Genetics and biochemistry of cycloheximide resistance in Physarum polycephalum

Summary Cycloheximide-resistant mutants of Physarum polycephalum were induced in the haploid myxamoebae by the combined action of UV¹ and caffeine (Haugli and Dove, 1972) or by treatment with NMG². Eight independent mutants segregated in a Mendelian fashion (Table 1). Crosses between 6 of the mutants revealed 2 loci, actA and actB, for cycloheximide resistance (Table 2).All mutants are expressed in the plasmodium and are recessive in heterozygotes (Fig. 1 and 2). One mutation, conferring resistance to high levels of cycloheximide, was studied in heterokaryons and found to be incompletely recessive.An in vitro peptide synthesizing system was constructed from ribosomes from Physarum and supernatant factors from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cycloheximide strongly inhibited the activity of ribosomes derived from either wild type or mutants at the actB locus. In contrast, ribosomes from mutants at the actA locus were resistant to cycloheximide. Thus, the actA locus operates through the ribosomes.     

Equations of substrate-limited growth: the case for blackman kinetics

A simplified model of cell metabolism, consisting of a series of linked reversible enzymatic reactions dependent on the concentration of a single external substrate has been developed. The general mathematical solution for this system of reactions is presented. This general solution confirms the concept of a rate-limiting step, or “master reaction”, in biological systems as first proposed by Blackman. The maximum rate of such a process is determined by, and equal to, the maximum rate of the slowest forward reaction in the series. Of practical interest in modeling the growth rate of cells are three cases developed from the general model. The simplest special case results in the Monod equation when the maximum forward rate of one enzymatic reaction in the cell is much less than the maximum forward rate of any other enzymatic reactions. More realistic is the case where the maximum forward rates of more than one enzymatic reaction are slow. When two slow enzymatic reactions are separated from each other by any number of fast reactions that overall can be described by a large equilibrium constant, the Blackman form results: and A third case is that in which two slow enzymatic steps are separated by an equilibrium constant that is not large. Unlike the Monod and Blackman forms, which contain only two arbitrary constants, this model contains three arbitrary constants: The Monod and Blackman forms are special cases of this three constant form. In comparing equations with two arbitrary constants the Monod equation gave poorer fit of the data in most cases than the Blackman form. It is concluded that workers modeling the growth of microorganisms should give a t least as much consideration to the Blackman form as is given to the Monod equation.     

Horseradish peroxidase in plasma studied by gel filtration

Summary The problem whether the molecular size of horseradish peroxidase is significantly altered when the enzyme is injected into the blood stream in tracer studies, has been studied by molecular sieve chromatography (gel filtration). The results obtained rule out the possibility that the horseradish peroxidase molecule (containing about 20% carbohydrates) is significantly degraded by carbohydrate-splitting enzymes or by proteases in the circulation into a smaller active unit. Furthermore, significant binding of peroxidase to plasma proteins or polymerization of the enzyme, has not been detected. It is concluded, therefore, that conclusions about the size of functional pores based on the known molecular weight (40000 daltons) are permitted, when the enzyme is used in permeability studies.     

Extrachromosomal Control of Methicillin Resistance and Toxin Production in Staphylococcus aureus

All of 41 naturally occurring coagulase-positive methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated in various laboratories were resistant to several antibiotics and were lipase-negative. Most strains produced hemolysins, and 38 strains produced enterotoxin B. Acriflavine treatment of four strains resulted in elimination of resistance to methicillin and mercury; in one strain, resistance to cadmium was also lost. Production of enterotoxin B and beta-hemolysin was eliminated in all four strains and penicillinase production was eliminated in one strain. In transduction experiments, methicillin resistance and enterotoxin B production were transferred together at a frequency of 0.2 x 10(-8) to 1.1 x 10(-8) by use of ultraviolet-induced phage lysates from naturally lysogenic methicillin-resistant strains. Cotransductions of resistance to mercury and cadmium, as well as production of penicillinase and beta-hemolysin, were obtained to some extent. The extrachromosomal character of these determinants and their possible genetic association are discussed.     

Differential response to adrenocorticotropic hormone analogs of bovine adrenal plasma membranes and cells.

The ability of three analogs of ACTH1-24 ([Gln5, Phe9] ACTH1-24, [Gln5, Ala9[Acth1-24, and [Gln5, Lys8, Phe9[ ACTH1-24) embodying tryptophan substitutions to activate the adenylate cyclase system of a bovine adrenal plasma membrane preparation was compared to the effect of the analogs on adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) accumulation and steroidogenesis in viable bovine adrenocortical cells. The results were not comparable. Whereas the analogs antagonized the ACTH1-24-activated membrane cyclase they stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation as well as steroid production of the cells. None of the analogs inhibited steroidogenesis of ACTH1-24-stimulated cells, but two of them, at very high dose levels, inhibited cyclic AMP production. The ability of the analogs to stimulate steroidogenesis of the adrenal cells half-maximally decreased in the order tryptophan greater than phenylalanine greater than alanine, indicating that the aromaticity of the indole ring of tryptophan is necessary for maximal interaction between hormone and receptor. Both the absolute and relative steroidogenic potencies were the same for several analogs when assayed with rat adrenal cells. Although only a small fraction of the cell's potential to produce cyclic AMP was necessary to induce maximum steroid production, the relative activities of a series of analogs were the same for steroidogenesis as for cyclic AMP accumulation. Furthermore, the concentration of cyclic AMP necessary for full steroidogenesis was practically identical for a series of peptides that differed widely in potency. These findings support the postulate that cyclic AMP accumulation and steroidogenesis in adrenocortical cells are coupled processes. The differential behavior of bovine adrenal plasma membranes and bovine adrenocortical cells toward ACTH analogs indicates that structure-function studies using cyclase assays may not reflect events that take place in the intact adrenal or in cell preparations derived therefrom.