Skewed inactivation of an X chromosome deleted at the dystrophin gene in an asymptomatic mother and her affected daughter

A girl with severe Becker muscular dystrophy and apparently normal chromosomes had a heterozygous deletion for exons 51, 52, and 53 of the dystrophin gene. This deletion was transmitted by her mother, who was unaffected. To differentiate the normal and the deleted X chromosomes, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was applied to metaphase chromosomes, using probes for both exons 51 and 52, which are only 388 and 113 base pairs long, respectively. FISH signals were observed in one or both chromatids of one chromosome, but never on both chromosomes, suggesting the lack of hybridization on the deleted X chromosome. Using 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation to differentiate the late (inactive) and the early replicating (active) X chromosomes, 77% of the signals were observed on the active X chromosomes in the mother. This percentage was only 18% in the daughter, suggesting that skewed inactivation of the X chromosomes was responsible for the phenotypic differences.     

Heterogeneous Na+ Sensitivity of Na+,K+-ATPase Isoenzymes in Whole Brain Membranes

Abstract: The Na⁺ sensitivity of whole brain membrane Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase isoenzymes was studied using the differential inhibitory effect of ouabain (α1, low affinity for ouabain; α2, high affinity; and α3, very high affinity). At 100 m M Na⁺, we found that the proportion of isoforms with low, high, and very high ouabain affinity was 21, 38, and 41%, respectively. Using two ouabain concentrations (10⁻⁵ and 10⁻⁷ M ), we were able to discriminate Na⁺ sensitivity of Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase isoenzymes using nonlinear regression. The ouabain low-affinity isoform, α1, exhibited high Na⁺ sensitivity [ K _a of 3.88 ± 0.25 m M Na⁺ and a Hill coefficient ( n ) of 1.98 ± 0.13]; the ouabain high-affinity isoform, α2, had two Na⁺ sensitivities, a high ( K _a of 4.98 ± 0.2 m M Na⁺ and n of 1.34 ± 0.10) and a low ( K _a of 28 ± 0.5 m M Na⁺ and an n of 1.92 ± 0.18) Na⁺ sensitivity activated above a thresh old (22 ± 0.3 m M Na⁺); and the ouabain very-high-affinity isoform, α3, was resolved by two processes and appears to have two Na⁺ sensitivities (apparent K _a values of 3.5 and 20 m M Na⁺). We show that Na⁺ dependence in the absence of ouabain is the result of at least of five Na⁺ reactivities. This molecular functional characteristic of isoenzymes in membranes could explain the diversity of physiological roles attributed to isoenzymes.     

Differential distribution of calpain in human lymphoid cells

Calpain, a calcium-activated neutral proteinase, is ubiquitously present in human tissues. To determine if lymphoid cells implicated in pathogenesis of demyelination may harbor calpain in a functionally active form, we determined both Calpain and mCalpain activities in human lymphoid cell lines. DEAE-cellulose and phenylsepharose column chromatography were used to isolate the enzyme from the natural inhibitor, calpastatin. Lymphocytic lines (CCRF-CEM, MOLT-3, MOLT-4, M.R.) showed predominance of Calpain (55–80%) whereas the monocytic line (U-937) showed prodominance of mCalpain (77%). Proportion and subcellular distribution of both isoforms varied among cell lines. Calpains isolated from U-937 cells degraded myelin basic protein. These results indicate that human lymphoid cells harbor functionally active calpain that can degrade myelin components in vitro. The study suggests a degradative role for calpain in demyelinating diseases.     

Characterization of sheep hemopexin glycovariants

The hemopexin phenotype HpxB1 isolated from sheep serum, yields three major bands when subjected to starch gel and/or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis which are here designated as subcomponents HpxB1-I, HpxB1-II and HpxB1-III. Electrospray mass spectrometric analysis of samples of the isolated subcomponents prepared by ion exchange chromatography showed that each was composed of three glycoproteins and that the major difference between the subcomponents was due to their constituent glycoproteins possessing different numbers of sialic acid residues. Combined analysis of the ESI-MS data and of the overall carbohydrate compositional data obtained by colorimetric procedures, leads to the composition of the glycan of each glycoprotein, and a combined methylation and 400 MHz H-NMR analysis of the alkaline cleaved glycans identified them as being of only the biantennaryN-acetyllactosamine type. Taking into account the molecular mass, the carbohydrate content and structure it may be concluded that each of the constituent glycoproteins contain fiveN-glycosidically linked glycans.Abbreviations HpxB1 hemopexin phenotype B1 - Man mannose - Gal galactose - GlcNAc N-acetylglucosamine - NeuAc N-acetylneuraminic acid - GlcNAc-ol N-acetylglucosaminitol     

Structural modifications of oxidized insulin B-chain induced by glycerol addition

H-NMR studies of the bovine insulin S-sulfonatedB-chain are reported in H₂O/D₂O (9/1) and inglycerol-d₅ (5 M) using two-dimensional NMRspectroscopy. The first results show that the oxidizedinsulin B-chain secondary structure differs from thatof native insulin by a loss of the -helixbetween the two disulfide bridges and that theglycerol favours the structuring of the peptide.     

First evidence of human meconium glycoasparagines

During a systematic study of carbohydrate material present inhuman meconium, in addition to the previously described mucins,glycolipids and free oligosaccharides, we have now characterizeda significant quantity of free glycoasparagines. These glycoasparagineshave been isolated from human meconium by a combination of ion-exchange,concanavalin A (ConA)-affinity and high-performance liquid (HPLC)chromatographies. Their structures have been established by400 MHz ¹H-NMR spectroscopy. These compounds are related toN-acetyllactosaminic type structures and are based on the commoncore These glycoasparagines are probably derived from both proteaseand partial exoglycosidase hydrolysis of fetal gastrointestinalN-glycosyl proteins. Their structures are discussed in the contextof the known catabolic pathways of N-glycans glycoasparagine N-glycosyl protein catabolism meconium NMR     

Viability and dissemination of spermatia of Gracilaria verrucosa (Gracilariales,Rhodophyta)

The dissemination and viability of Gracilaria verrucosa spermatia were tested. Crosses were performed among three males and three females from Cape Gris Nez, northern France. Laboratory experiments show that spermatia have a mean fertile life of about five hours. Field studies show that spermatia are dispersed by stream and tidal currents and that fertilization can occur at least 80 m from a population.