Highly purified particulate guanylate cyclase from rat lung: characterization and comparison with soluble guanylate cyclase

Guanylate cyclase was purified 1000-fold from washed rat lung particulate fractions to a final specific activity of 500 nmoles cyclic GMP produced/min/mg protein by a combination of detergent extraction and chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose, GTP-agarose, and blue agarose. Particulate guanylate cyclase has a molecular weight of 200 000 daltons, a Stokes radius of 48 A and a sedimentation coefficient of 9.4 while the soluble form has a molecular weight of 150 000 daltons, a Stokes radius of 44 A, and a sedimentation coefficient of 7.0. Whereas the particulate enzyme is a glycoprotein with a specific affinity for concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin, the soluble form of guanylate cyclase did not bind to these lectins. Purified particulate guanylate cyclase did not cross-react with a number of monoclonal antibodies generated to the soluble enzyme. While both forms of the enzyme could be regulated by the formation of mixed disulfides, the particulate enzyme was relatively insensitive to inhibition by cystine. With GTP as substrate both forms of the enzyme demonstrated typical kinetics, and with GTP analogues negative cooperativity was observed with both enzyme forms. These data support the suggestion that the two forms of guanylate cyclase possess similar catalytic sites, although their remaining structure is divergent, resulting in differences in subcellular distribution, physical characteristics, and antigenicity.     

Adaptive Functions of Vertebrate Molting Cycles

SYNOPSIS Cyclic epidermal cellular prohfeiation,with or withoutkeratinization is a vertebrate characteristic Such activityprobably obeys an autonomous rhythm which is legulated throughneuro humoral S)stcms in response to envnonmental (piox imate)stimuliand related to adaptive (ultimate) factors In seeking causeand effect lelationships, however, it becomes apparent thatthe same environmental parameter may be both an ultimate anda pioximate factor, the latter also regulating the rate of lesponseWith regard to molting in homoio'heims, tempeiatuie acts insuch a capacity in many species Peiiodic shedding of the outer epidermis in fish amphibiansand reptiles does not appear to be coirelated with seasonalfactors to the extent that avian and mammalian molts are The evolution of vertebrate molting cycles has amounted to theentraining of inherent epidermal C)cles with seasonal demandsby the organism itself and the environment,these demands actas regulating mechanisms Pieadapted structures such as feathersand hairs function collectively as plumage and pelage in theirvarious roles but separately in their growth and leplacementcycles which, however, are coordinated for maximum functionalefficiency Molting is also synchionized with the seasonal cycleaccording to the availability of energy resources and time tocomplete the essential functions (in addition to molting) Theevolved molting systems as manifested in the gieat variety ofpatterns and types in the vertebrates, may thus be legardedas almost individual responses to selective piessures actingon a umveisil vertebrate chaiacter The basic regulatoiy system involves the neuro hvpophyseal complexwhich contiols target endocrines affecting various functionswhich themselves influence epidermal mitosis and, ultimately,molting 1 he mechanism in its simplest form controls the animalsmetabolism through the thyroid acting independently in a permissivecapacity or synergistically with the adrenal and gonadal hormoneswhich are regulated directly and/or indirectly through negativefeedback     

Quantum theory of nerve excitation

Based on quantum transitions of membrane dipoles, the four fundamental properties of nerve impulse are derived in this paper: the all-or-none response, the strength-duration relation, refractoriness and refractory period and frequency modulation. Furthermore, the theory offers a physical mechanism for nerve excitation similar to a two-level ammonia maser. It also implies non-threshold excitation at elevated temperatures. The role of trimethylamine ions near the surface of a phospholipid membrane is briefly discussed to indicate a possible connection between theory and reality.     

玉山笔石(Yushanograptus)——江西玉山宁国页岩组中的一个新笔石属

本文所讨论的材料是笔者之一(韩乃仁)于1961年夏在江西玉山李家棚附近的下奥陶统宁国页岩组中采得的(野外号码:F61001),代表一个新属新种,兹取名为“分离玉山笔石”(Yushanograptus separatus gen.et sp.nov.)。玉山笔石的特点是两个原始枝(横索)很长,分枝方式属于稜笔石式(穆恩之,1953,1956)。其尚未分枝的幼年时期,和一些纤细的对笔石,如Didymograptus gracilis T(?)rn-quist,D.congnatus Harris et Thomas 等,非常相似,每一原始枝在生长了11—12个胞管之后才开始正分枝,连续到六级以上。这种原始枝特长的特征,与联笔石(Zygograptus)相似,但分枝的形式不同。联笔石的分枝为枝笔石式,而我们的新属的分枝则为左右相间     

我国黄虻亚属(Subgenus Ochrops Szil.)的种类和分布(Tabanus,Tabanidae, Diptera)

一、序言 黄虻亚属(Subgenus Ochrops Szil.)隶属双翅目的虻科虻属(Tabanus,Tabanidae),主要分布于旧北区,已知约30余种,本亚属虻类具有以下几个特征;1.体色黄绿、灰黑或近金黄色;2.复眼中部有一条显著而细窄的黑带;3.额板(Callus)一般不大,中额板(middle callus)与之远离,额板和中额板的轮廓常不固定;4.触角各节都呈黄色;5.盾片无纹饰;6.r_4脉皆有坿枝。本亚属的虻类中有几种     

吉林省粘虫猖獗世代发生虫源的研究——Ⅰ.发生虫源的探讨和越冬问题研究

粘虫是吉林省粮食作物的大害虫。本文为作者于1953—1962年研究粘虫的一部分工作,目的在于分析吉林省粘虫发生猖獗世代的虫源问题。我们怀疑春季出现的大量成虫有两种可能来源:(1)本地越冬的成虫、蛹或幼虫;(2)由外地迁入。通过研究分析,所得结果如下: 1.粘虫在吉林省一年完成两个世代。春季发生的第一代是猖獗世代,幼虫为害盛期在6月下旬至7月上旬,其繁殖虫源主要来自5月下旬到6月上半月出现的成虫。 2.粘虫在当地的入冬虫态,有幼虫、蛹及成虫。经过发生地的越冬调查及野外试验,证明粘虫在东北和内蒙地区的自然条件下不论何种虫态,均不能越冬。 3.据粘虫抗寒力测定,在-8℃恒温下,幼虫、蛹、成虫均迅速死亡,在-5℃下最长只能存活3—7小时,在1±1℃下全部死亡的理论时间为成虫19.95天、幼虫44.67天、蛹25.70天。查当地1、2两月旬平均气温最高-9.4℃,最低-16.5℃,田间5厘米深的土温为-12.4—-9.4℃,均超过虫体的死亡低温。 因此,粘虫不可能在吉林省越冬,从而可以推断猖獗世代的虫源,是由外地迁入的。     

异色瓢虫重名变种在新疆的出现

具有六个红点的典型 axyridis 变种,根据 Dobzhansky(1953)等人的分析,以西伯利亚中部偏西地区为分布中心,向东伸展,但在数量上大量减少,而在西伯利亚以外,则仅仅出现在四川和日本。作者自从在青岛崂山标本中发现重名变种后,又查得在辽宁、河北、