Cytogenetic Analysis of Chromosome 3 in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER: The Homoeotic Gene Complex in Polytene Chromosome Interval 84a-B

Cytogenetic evidence is presented demonstrating that the 84A-B interval in the proximal portion of the right arm of chromosome 3 is the residence of a homoeotic gene complex similar to the bithorax locus. This complex, originally defined by the Antennapedia (Antp) mutation, controls segmentation in the anterior portion of the organism. Different lesions within this complex homoeotically transform portions of the prothorax, proboscis, antenna and eye and present clear analogies to similar lesions within the bithorax locus.     

Purification and characterization of an NADP+-linked alcohol oxido-reductase which catalyzes the interconversion of gamma-hydroxybutyrate and succinic semialdehyde.

Abstract— An NADP⁺ -linked enzyme, capable of interconverting γ-hydroxybutyrate and succinic semialdehyde, has been isolated from hamster liver and brain. The enzyme which was isolated from liver has been purified 300-fold and exhibits a single band by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme is - 31,000 as estimated from gel filtration and 38,000 as estimated from sodium dodccyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. The enzyme is inhibited by amobarbital, diphenylhy-dantoin, 2-propylvalerate, and diethyldithiocarbamate, but not by pyrazole. The enzymes from brain and liver appear to be very similar with regard to their molecular weights and their kinetic constants for γ-hydroxybutyrate and succinic semialdehyde.     

DIHYDROPTERIDINE REDUCTASE MAY FUNCTION IN TETRAHYDROFOLATE METABOLISM

Abstract— The tetrahydrofolate-dependent serine hydroxymethyl transferase ( l -serine: tetrahydrofolate 10-hydroxymethyl transferase, EC 2.1.2.1) reaction in rat or human brain homogenates incubated aerobically is dependent on added reducing agents for full activity in order to protect the readily oxidized substrate, tetrahydrofolate. In this role, 0.1 m m -NADH is as affective as 10m m -2-mercaptoethanol and it can be shown that the NADH prevents destruction of tetrahydrofolate incubated with brain homogenates. If the dihydropteridine reductase (NADPH:6,7-dihydropteridine oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.7) activity of the brain homogenate is inhibited by a specific antiserum, NADH, but not 2-mercaptoeth-anol, is no longer effective. Furthermore, an homogenate of a brain biopsy from a human lacking dihydropteridine reductase requires added dihydropteridine reductase for maximal stimulation by NADH of the serine hydroxymethyl transferase reaction. We conclude that dihydropteridine reductase mediates the NADH stimulation and can play a role in preserving tetrahydrofolate from oxidation. The rinding of greatly reduced folate levels in the brain biopsy from the human lacking dihydropteridine reductase supports this postulated role of dihydropteridine reductase in folate metabolism.     

The effect of plasma von Willebrand factor on the binding of human factor VIII to thrombin-activated human platelets

The binding of 35S-labeled recombinant human Factor VIII to activated human platelets was studied in the presence and absence of exogenous plasma von Willebrand factor. In the absence of added von Willebrand Factor, platelets bound 210 molecules of Factor VIII/platelet when the unbound Factor VIII concentration was 2.0 nM (Kd = 2.9 nM). As the von Willebrand factor concentration was increased, the number of Factor VIII molecules bound/platelet decreased to 10 molecules of Factor VIII bound/platelet at 24 micrograms/ml of added vWF. Addition of an anti-vWF monoclonal antibody that inhibits the vWF-Factor VIII interaction attenuated the ability of vWF to inhibit binding of Factor VIII to platelets. In contrast, addition of a control anti-vWF antibody that does not block the vWF-Factor VIII interaction did not affect the ability of vWF to inhibit Factor VIII binding to platelets. From the vWF concentration dependence of inhibition of Factor VIII-platelet binding, a dissociation constant for the Factor VIII-vWF interaction was calculated (Kd = 0.44 nM). To further elucidate the role that vWF may play in preventing the interaction of Factor VIII with platelets, the platelet binding properties of a Factor VIII deletion mutant (90-73) which lacks the primary vWF-binding site was studied. The binding of this mutant was unaffected by added exogenous vWF. These observations demonstrate that Factor VIII can interact with platelets in a manner independent of vWF but that excess vWF in plasma can effectively compete with platelets for the binding of Factor VIII. In addition, since cleavage of Factor VIII by thrombin separates a vWF-binding domain from Factor VIIIa, we propose that activation of Factor VIII by thrombin may elicit release of activated Factor VIII from vWF and thereby make it fully available for platelet binding.     

Hydroxylation of 4-methylphenylalanine by rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase

Rat liver phenylalanine hydroxylase that has been activated with lysolecithin catalyzes the hydroxylation of 4-methylphenylalanine in the presence of a pterin cofactor. Two products, 4-hydroxymethylphenylalanine and 3-methyltyrosine, can be detected. The total amount of amino acids hydroxylated is equal to the amount of tetrahydropterin oxidized. Isotopic labeling studies with 18O2 and H2(18)O show that the hydroxyl groups of both products are derived from molecular oxygen and not from water. Results obtained with 2H-labeled substrates support the conclusion that these products are formed via different mechanistic pathways. Our previous investigations on substrate analogs, as well as the present results, indicate that a highly reactive oxygen-containing intermediate, such as an enzyme-bound iron-oxo compound, must be the hydroxylating species. Our present results could stimulate further discussion of the possibility that the reaction mechanism for the "NIH-shift" of the methyl group may not involve the spontaneous opening of an epoxide intermediate.