A comparison of fragile X expression in lymphocyte and lymphoblastoid cultures

This study compares fragile X expression in peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures with expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines established from 23 individuals from families in which the fragile X is segregating. Most patients expressed the fragile X in lymphoblastoid cell lines treated with FUdR under optimal conditions at approximately the same frequency as in peripheral blood cultures from the same individual. No fragile X cells were seen in the lymphoblastoid cell lines from three phenotypically normal males who had transmitted the fragile X gene to offspring or in the lines from three phenotypically normal obligate-carrier females, all of whom were also negative in peripheral blood cultures. Two individuals, however, who expressed at high levels in peripheral blood lymphocytes expressed in lymphoblastoid cells only at low levels or not at all. We describe the considerations needed for the consistent demonstration of the fragile X in lymphoblastoid cell lines.     

Preribosomal ribonucleoprotein particles are a major component of a nucleolar matrix fraction

Biochemical and morphological studies were performed on Novikoff hepatoma ascites cell nucleolar matrix fractions prepared by deoxyribonuclease I digestion and high-molarity salt extractions essentially according to a published method [Berezney, R., & Buchholz, L. A. (1981) Exp. Cell Res. 20, 4995-5002]. The nucleolar matrix fraction was enriched in polypeptides of molecular mass of 28, 37.5, 40, 70, 72, 110 (protein C23), and 160 kDa, compared to the nuclear fraction in which polypeptides of molecular mass of 31, 33.5, 43.5, 46, 50, 56, and 59 kDa were predominant. About one-fourth of the protein, half of the RNA, and less than 4% of the DNA originally present in the nucleoli remained in the matrix fraction. Addition of single agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ribonuclease A, or mercaptoethanol during preparation had no significant effect on the polypeptide composition of the nucleolar matrix fraction. However, the combination of mercaptoethanol and ribonuclease A caused most of the RNA and protein to be removed, including protein C23 and the 160-kDa polypeptide, with polypeptides in the range of Mr 30 000-50 000 remaining. Electron microscopy of nucleolar matrix fractions revealed the presence of particles similar in size to the granular elements of nucleoli. However, when ribonuclease A and mercaptoethanol were included in the procedure, only amorphous material remained. Many proteins of nucleolar preribosomal RNP particles were also associated with the nucleolar matrix fraction. RNA from the nucleolar matrix fraction was enriched in sequences from 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA. These results indicate that preribosomal RNP particles are major constituents of a nucleolar matrix fraction prepared by the deoxyribonuclease I-high-molarity salt method.     

alpha-Carboxyl-linked glutamates in the folylpolyglutamates of Escherichia coli

Folate cofactors in most cells contain polyglutamate side chains, which since the late 1940s have been assumed to be linked via their gamma-COOH groups. We report here an investigation of the structure of the polyglutamate chain attached to the folates of Escherichia coli. Folates were extracted from E. coli grown with [7-14C] p-aminobenzoate and cleaved to p-aminobenzoyl polyglutamates of varying chain lengths (pAB(Glu)n) by the method of Foo et al. (Foo, S. K., Cichowicz, D. J., and Shane, B. (1980) Anal. Biochem. 107, 109-115). The pAB(Glu)n derived from E. coli did not co-chromatograph with chemically synthesized pAB(gamma-Glu)n-Glu on several high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems, except for the triglutamate which did elute with pAB(gamma-Glu)2-Glu. E. coli-derived pAB(Glu)3-8 were purified by HPLC on C18 columns eluted with acetonitrile/trifluoroacetic acid, and the structures were determined through mass spectrometry, chiral amino acid analysis, and peptidase digestion experiments. Molecular weight determinations on the methyl ester derivatives of E. coli-derived pAB(Glu)n by liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry and sequence analysis using collision-activated dissociation on a tandem mass spectrometer confirmed the structures as pAB(Glu)3-8. Chiral HPLC of hydrolyzed and dansylated E. coli-derived materials, on a beta-cyclodextrin column, identified the glutamate as the L-enantiomer. pAB(Glu)n were digested with carboxypeptidase Y, which specifically cleaved glutamates linked at their alpha-carboxyls; E. coli-derived pAB(Glu)4-8 (but not synthetic pAB(gamma-Glu1-6-Glu) were sequentially digested to pAB(gamma-Glu)2-Glu. Thus, in E. coli folylpolyglutamates, glutamate residues 4-8 were each linked to the polyglutamate chain at the alpha-carboxyl of the preceding glutamate.     

Restriction enzyme analysis of tomato chloroplast and chromoplast DNA

Plastid DNA was isolated from the chloroplasts of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var Traveler 76) leaves and the chromoplasts of ripe tomato fruit. Comparisons of the two DNAs were made by restriction endonuclease analysis using PvuII, HpaI, and Bg1I. No differences in the electrophoretic banding patterns of the restricted plastid DNAs were detected, indicating that no major rearrangements, losses, or gains of plastid DNA accompany the transition from chloroplast to chromoplast.     

The role of dendritic cells in the initiation of immune responses to contact sensitizers. II. Studies in nude mice

Twenty-four hours after skin painting nude mice with picryl chloride, there was an increase in the number of dendritic cells (DC) isolated from the draining lymph nodes. This increased inflow or retention of DC in lymph nodes following skin painting is therefore unlikely to depend on interaction of DC with T cells. The DC obtained initiated primary proliferative responses in vitro in lymph node cells from congenic euthymic mice. Contact sensitivity developed in congenic mice when they received footpad injections of 60,000 DC from the lymph nodes of nude mice skin sensitized 1 day previously with picryl chloride or oxazolone. The initiation of delayed hypersensitivity was therefore independent of T-cell contamination within the donor DC.     

Biomass: Is it a useful tool in paleocommunity reconstruction?

In general, more of the biomass of the community is preserved than is its numerical abundance. Thus, the paleontologist, on the average, works with more of the community when biomass is used. Community characteristics such as taxon dominance and habitat proportions are at least as accurately derived from biomass as numerical abundance. The use of biomass is clearly more appropriate in describing energy flow and trophic proportions. Whenever possible, biomass should be used as a complement to numerical abundance in future paleoecologic reconstructions.     

Root turnover and production by14C dilution: implications of carbon partitioning in plants

Summary Estimates of belowground net primary production (BNP) obtained by using traditional soil core harvest data are subject to a variety of potentially serious errors. In a controlled growth chamber experiment, we examined the aboveground-belowground, labile to structural tissue, and plant to soil dynamics of carbon to formulate a¹⁴C dilution technique for potential successful application in the field and to quantify sources of error in production estimates.Despite the fact that the majority of net¹⁴C movement between above- and belowground plant parts occurred between the initial labeling and day 5, significant quantities of¹⁴C were incorporated into cell-wall tissue throughout the growing period. The rate of this increase at late sampling dates was greater for roots than for shoots. Total loss of assimilated¹⁴C was 47% in wheat and 28% in blue grama. Exudation and sloughing in wheat and blue grama, respectively, was 15 and 6% of total uptake and 22 and 8% of total plant production.When root production estimates by¹⁴C dilution were corrected for the quantities of labile¹⁴C incorporated into structural carbon between two sampling dates, good agreement with actual production was found. The error associated with these estimates was ±2% compared with a range of –119 to –57% for the uncorrected estimates. Our results suggest that this technique has potential field application if sampling is performed the year after labelling.Sources of errors in harvest versus¹⁴C dilution estimates of BNP are discussed.     

Effects of Nitrate Application on Amaranthus powellii Wats. : I. Changes in Photosynthesis, Growth Rates, and Leaf Area

Physiological effects of different nitrate applications were studied using the C₄ plant, Amaranthus powellii Wats. Plants were grown in a controlled environment chamber and watered daily with nutrient solutions containing 45, 10, 5, or 1 millimolar nitrate. Chloride and sulfate were used to keep the cation and phosphate concentrations constant. Total leaf nitrogen concentration, chlorophyll concentration, specific leaf mass, leaf area, relative growth rate, relative leaf growth rate, unit leaf rate (increase of dry mass per unit leaf area per day), net photosynthetic rate, and incident quantum yield decreased with decreasing nitrate concentration. The per cent decrease of unit leaf rate was similar to the decrease of light-saturated net photosynthetic rate; however, the decrease in relative growth rate was less than that of unit leaf rate because leaf area ratio (leaf area per unit dry mass) increased with decreasing nitrate concentration. Essential mineral concentrations per unit leaf area were about equal among all treatments. Leaf expansion, determined by stomatal density, decreased except for the 1 millimolar treatment which showed relatively more cell expansion but less cell division. Decreased nitrate application was correlated with higher osmotic potentials and lower pressure potentials (determined by pressure-volume curves), whereas leaf water potentials were equal among treatments. Even though total leaf area and shoot mass decreased with decreasing applied nitrate, the increase of the leaf area ratio may be related to selection for the highest possible growth rate.