Thermodynamic parameters of the helix-coil transition in polypeptide chains. III. Random copolymers of L-leucine and L-glutamic acid.

Conformational transitions induced by pH changes in random copolymers of leucine and glutamic acid have been studied. Significant differences were observed in the potentiometric titration curves of copolymers with small (up to 4%) and large leucine contents. The helical stability of copolymers with small leucine content, determined from titration curves by the Zimm and Rice method, decreases slightly with an increase in the leucine content, whereas the helical stability of copolymers with large leucine content increases sharply with an increase of the leucine content. It is shown that copolymers with large leucine content aggregate in the region of transition into the helical state, but the increase of their helical state stability is not connected with intermolecular aggregation, as it was also observed for a nonaggregating fraction isolated from one of the copolymers by gel chromatography. A conclusion is made that the helix–coil equilibrium constant s for leucine does not itself exceed the s constant for uncharged polyglutamic acid. The stabilization of the helical state in copolymers with large leucine content is due to intramolecular aggregation of helices in these copolymers. The analysis of the leucine residue distribution between helical and nonhelical regions in globular proteins also gives no real arguments to ascribe special helix-forming properties to leucine.     

Amplification of portions of the genome in the somatic cells of mammals resistant to colchicine. IV. Genetic transformation using amplified genes from Djungarian hamster cells highly resistant to colchicine

DNA-mediated transfer of colchicine-resistance from Djungarian hamster DM5/7 cell line, 750-fold resistant to the drug, was studied. The resistance to colchicine of DM5/7 cells is due to amplification of the genes, possibly coding for the polypeptide p22. Both high-molecular weight DNA (presumably, chromosomal DNA) and low-molecular weight DNA (presumably, extrachromosomal DNA) effectively transferred the colchicine-resistance to Djungarian hamster and mouse cells. DNA of sensitive to colchicine but resistant to ouabain mouse cells CAK-143OuaR was not capable to transfer colchicine-resistance, but effectively transferred ouabain-resistance connected with a mutation in Na+/K+-dependent ATP-ase locus. The differences in genetic transformation with amplified p22 genes and mutant Na+/K+-dependent ATP-ase genes were revealed. All cells of 3 colchicine-resistant transformants of DM-15 cells and all 10 spontaneously derived resistant clones contain the additional chromosome 4. The role of trisomy 4 in the development of colchicine-resistance in DM-15 cells is discussed.     

Amplification of regions of the genome in the somatic cells of mammals resistant to colchicine. VII. Localization of the initial and amplified copies of gene mdr in one and the same segment of chromosome 4 of the Djungarian hamster

By in situ hybridization technique, the mdr gene which is amplified during the development of multiple drug resistance was mapped in the 4q15--21 segment of normal Djungarian hamster chromosome 4. As was shown earlier, this chromosomal region is specific for the location of amplified mdr gene copies. These results, as well as some data obtained by other authors, suggest that recombinations of amplified DNAs occur preferentially in or near the sites bearing homologous sequences.     

Status of collective immunity to hepatitis A virus in urban residents in Byelorussia]

The large immune stratum and intense collective immunity to virus hepatitis A among the urban population of Byelorussia are characteristic of hyperendemic territory. The geometric mean of the antibody titer has been noted to increase with age, which is probably due to repeated infections of persons who have already had the disease. The use of this value for the characterization of collective immunity and epidemiological situation has been proposed.     

The L7/L12 proteins change their conformation upon interaction of EF-G with ribosomes

The different functional complexes of ribosomes with elongation factor F (EF-G) were studied by digestion experiments with trypsin. It was found that upon interaction of EF-G with ribosomes the L7/L12 proteins are sensitive to trypsin and are trypsin resistant after dissociation of EF-G from ribosomes. The significance of conformational alterations in the L7/L12 and also in the other proteins in the translation process is discussed.