Subcellular distribution and phosphorylation state of insulin receptors from insulin- and isoproterenol-treated rat adipose cells

Rat adipose cells treated with insulin followed by isoproterenol exhibit a change in glucose transporter intrinsic activity (lowered maximal activity) and a decrease in insulin sensitivity (rightward shift of the concentration-response curve) when assayed for 3-O-methylglucose transport. To investigate the latter phenomenon, the distribution and phosphorylation state of insulin receptors was examined. Isoproterenol augmented the effect of insulin to reduce cell surface receptors by 20-30%. These receptors were recovered in microsomal fractions. Isoproterenol also markedly reduced insulin-stimulated [32P]phosphate incorporation into the plasma membrane receptor beta-subunit. These effects may account for the effect of isoproterenol to decrease the sensitivity of the glucose transport response to insulin.     

The synthesis of α-amylase by rough and in vitro reconstituted rough endoplasmic reticulum derived from rat parotid gland

Summary The isolation of rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum from rat parotid salivary gland is described. The rough membrane was stripped of its bound ribosomes using the KCl-puromycin method. Rough endoplasmic reticulum was reconstituted from stripped-rough membrane and polyribosomes. The reconstituted rough membrane resembled the native rough membrane in the following aspects: RNA/protein ratio, buoyant density in a continuous sucrose gradient and amino acid incorporation capacity. The in vitro synthesis of -amylase by both rough and in vitro reconstituted rough membrane was demonstrated using SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The reconstituted rough membrane could be restripped by KCl-puromycin. The in vitro synthesized -amylase remained associated with the rough or the in vitro reconstituted rough membrane, even after these membranes were stripped of their bound ribosomes.Abbreviations Fp Free polyribosomes - Bp Membrane-bound polyribosomes released by DOC - RM Rough membrane - SM Smooth membrane - RMst Rough membrane stripped - RMrec In vitro reconstituted rough membrane - DOC Sodium deoxycholate     

The in vitro reconstitution of a functional rough membrane active in protein synthesis

Rough endoplasmic reticulum was reconstituted from free polyribosomes and rough membrane stripped from its ribosomes by KCl and puromycin. The reconstituted rough membrane resembled the native rough membrane in the following aspects: RNA/protein ratio, buoyant density in a continuous sucrose gradient, amino acid incorporation capacity and sensitivity towards protein synthesis inhibitors. When the reconstitution was done with double labelled polyribosomes ([³²P] polyribosomes, [³H] leucine labelling of nascent peptide chain before or after the attachment of the polyribosomes to the membrane) both labels banded together with the reconstituted rough membrane band. Hybrid rough membrane could be formed from rat liver stripped rough membrane and wheat germ ribosomes. This hybrid membrane could translate globin mRNA.     

A modified procedure for the large scale preparation of tRNA from E. coli

A procedure for the preparation of about 50 g batches of tRNA from 25 kg E. coli W is described. The method involves phenolic extraction of the cells, batch absorption of the tRNA on DEAE-cellulose, washing the DEAE-cellulose and packing it into a column, elution of the tRNA from the column and precipitation of the tRNA with ethanol. The method is less time and labor consuming than the methods described in the literature and can be carried out with relatively simple equipment.     

Paternal transmission of a B/D translocation,t(4p-; 14p+ or 15p+), resulting in a partial 4p trisomy

Summary In a mentally retarded boy without gross malformations, karyotype analysis showed a partial 4p trisomy. His phenotypical normal father is a carrier of the balanced translocation t(4p-; 14p+ or 15p+).

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Zusammenfassung Bei einem Jungen, der in seiner geistigen Entwicklung zurückgeblieben war, jedoch keine schweren Mißbildungen aufwies, wurde eine partielle 4p-Trisomie gefunden. Der phänotypisch normale Vater ist Träger einer balancierten Translokation t(4p-; 14p+ oder 15p+).

     

Distribution of apolipoprotein A-IV among lipoprotein subclasses in rat serum

The distribution of apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, A-IV, and E in sera of fed and fasted rats was studied using various methods for the isolation of lipoproteins. Serum concentrations of apoA-I and apoA-IV decreased significantly during fasting (16 and 31%, respectively), while apoE concentrations remained essentially the same. Chromatography of sera on 6% agarose columns showed that apoA-IV is present on HDL and as so-called "free" apoA-IV. The concentration of "free" apoA-IV decreased six- to seven-fold during fasting, explaining the decrease in total serum apoA-IV. Serum apoA-I and apoE are almost exclusively associated with HDL-sized particles. When sera are centrifuged at a density of 1.21 g/ml, marked quantities of apoA-I (8-9%) and apoE (11-22%) are recovered in the "lipoprotein-deficient" infranatant, suggesting that ultracentrifugation affects the integrity of serum HDL. The nature of the chromatographically separated carriers of serum apoA-IV was investigated by quantitative immunoprecipitation. From these studies, it is concluded that apoA-IV in rat serum is present in at least three fractions: 1) particles with the size and composition of HDL, containing both apoA-I and apoA-IV and possibly minor quantities of apoE; 2) HDL-sized particles containing apoA-IV, but no apoA-I or apoE; 3) "free" apoA-IV probably containing small amounts of bound cholesterol and phospholipid.     

Regeneration in surgically produced cleft palate in rabbits. A microscopical study

In order to study the effects of surgical procedures on the regeneration process in cleft palate, an artificial cleft was made in 4-weeks old female New Zealand rabbits. The 47 animals were divided into 5 groups: group 1: controls, group 2: cleft made in the bony palate, using a dental burr (phi 3 mm), group 3: cleft as in group 2, oral mucosa stitched, group 4: cleft made without perforating the nasal mucosa; oral mucosa stitched ("Veau"), group 5: cleft made as in group 4; before stitching the oral mucosa pieces of autologous rib bone were introduced into the cleft ("Schuchardt"). At the ages of 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 18 and 24 weeks, one or two animals per group were sacrificed. The palatal region was microscopically studied using 10 mu paraffin sections stained according to Herovici. It was found that it is difficult to make a reproducible cleft on the histological level. A large interindividual variation in local damage due to the surgical procedure was observed; this might contribute to the variation in growth results of the facial skeleton reported in literature. Signs of excessive bone resorption were found. The presence of bone in places where sutural tissue should be present, observed in some growing animals, will contribute to reduction of palatal width, medial collapse of the palate and asymmetry of the facial skeleton. There appeared to be no striking differences between the three methods of repair, used in group 3, 4 and 5 respectively.     

Oxygen dependence and subcellular partitioning of hepatic menadione-mediated oxygen uptake. Studies with isolated hepatocytes, mitochondria, and microsomes from rat liver in an oxystat system

Using an oxystat system, menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone)-mediated oxygen uptake was investigated in isolated rat hepatocytes, in malate/glutamate-supplemented mitochondria, and in NADPH-reduced microsomes at steady-state oxygen partial pressures (pO2) between 0.1 to 100 mm Hg (0.2-150 microM O2). Menadione-mediated stimulation of oxygen uptake was half-maximal at pO2 of 0.5, 0.2, and 0.9 mm Hg, respectively. In hepatocytes and mitochondria half-maximal concentrations of menadione were 15 and 4 microM. However, in microsomes saturation with menadione was not reached at concentrations up to 300 microM. Antimycin A inhibited menadione-mediated oxygen uptake in hepatocytes and mitochondria by about three-fourths, while rotenone was without inhibitory effect; KCN inhibited practically completely. In mitochondria menadione-stimulated oxygen uptake was significantly inhibited by dicoumarol but further enhanced by the addition of ADP, even in the presence of rotenone. The results suggest that menadione-mediated hepatocellular oxygen uptake proceeds almost independently of pO2 in most regions of the liver lobule but that in areas of low pO2 such as the centrolobular regions limitation by oxygen may occur. They also demonstrate that in the intact hepatocyte menadione-mediated oxygen uptake predominantly (greater than 90%) results from electron transfer in the mitochondrial respiratory chain by menadione.