Neurotensin Binding to Dopamine

Rotating disk electrode voltammetry at glassy carbon electrodes and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy were used to demonstrate that dopamine binds to neurotensin with a dissociation constant of 7.5 × 10^-8. By measuring the binding constants of various neurotensin analogs, it was found that the -Arg⁸-Arg⁹-portion of the neurotensin sequence is critical for binding dopamine. Neurotensin also formed a complex with 4-ethylcatechol, 4-methylcatechol, 3-methoxytyramine, and norepinephrine. Although changes in the side chain did not alter the binding constant, methoxylation of the catechol moiety significantly increased the dissociation constant. These data along with additional studies of dopamine interactions with arginine derivatives suggest that the guanidino groups of arginine and the catechol hydroxyls of dopamine are responsible for mediating the observed binding. It is hypothesized that the capacity of neurotensin to bind directly to dopamine may be partly responsible for its previously observed antagonism of dopamine-induced locomotor activity.     

Regulation of nitrogen uptake on the whole plant level

The largest part of nitrogen requirements of crops is mostly covered by nitrate. The uptake of this ion is thermodynamically uphill and thus dependent on metabolism. This article considers regulation of N uptake in higher plants putting emphasis on NO₃ ^- and the whole plant level.In field conditions the transport rate depends on the concentration at the root surface in Michaelis-Menten-Kinetics. Maximum net influx of NO₃ ^- (I_max) was often reported at concentrations of 100 M NO₃ ^- and even lower. There are indications that for unrestricted growth the NO₃ ^- concentration at root surface has to be in the order of magnitude allowing I_max if plants are not able to compensate for lower NO₃ ^- concentrations by increasing root surface per unit of shoot.I_max is not a constant but depends for a given variety on N status of plants, the availability of NO₃ ^- and plant age. The decrease of I_max with increasing plant age is closely related to relative growth rate as long as the relationship between N demand and new growth is linear and the root:shoot ratio keeps constant. It seems that I_max is a meaningful physiological characteristic of NO₃ ^- uptake reflecting absolute N demand. There is evidence that shoot demand is linked to NO₃ ^- uptake of the root through an amino acid transport pool cycling in the plant via phloem and xylem.The N demand of a crop depends on increase of dry mass and might not be linear if the critical level of nitrogen in plant dry matter changes during crop development or if retranslocation of nitrogen from older leaves to meristematic tissue occurs. Radiation and temperature drive plant growth and thus N demand of crops. These relationships can be described by mathematical models.     

IL-2 gene expression and NF-kappa B activation through CD28 requires reactive oxygen production by 5-lipoxygenase.

Activation of the CD28 surface receptor provides a major costimulatory signal for T cell activation resulting in enhanced production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and cell proliferation. In primary T lymphocytes we show that CD28 ligation leads to the rapid intracellular formation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) which are required for CD28-mediated activation of the NF-kappa B/CD28-responsive complex and IL-2 expression. Delineation of the CD28 signaling cascade was found to involve protein tyrosine kinase activity, followed by the activation of phospholipase A2 and 5-lipoxygenase. Our data suggest that lipoxygenase metabolites activate ROI formation which then induce IL-2 expression via NF-kappa B activation. These findings should be useful for therapeutic strategies and the development of immunosuppressants targeting the CD28 costimulatory pathway.     

Dual role of cAMP and involvement of both G-proteins and ras in regulation of ERK2 in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Dictyostelium discoideum expresses two Extracellular signal Regulated Kinases, ERK1 and ERK2, which are involved in growth, multicellular development and regulation of adenylyl cyclase. Binding of extracellular cAMP to cAMP receptor 1, a G-protein coupled cell surface receptor, transiently stimulates phosphorylation, activation and nuclear translocation of ERK2. Activation of ERK2 by cAMP is dependent on heterotrimeric G-proteins, since activation of ERK2 is absent in cells lacking the Galpha4 subunit. The small G-protein rasD also activates ERK2. In cells overexpressing a mutated, constitutively active rasD, ERK2 activity is elevated prior to cAMP stimulation. Intracellular cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) are essential for adaptation of the ERK2 response. This report shows that multiple signalling pathways are involved in regulation of ERK2 activity in D.discoideum.     

Ecomorphological diversification following continental colonization in muroid rodents (Rodentia: Muroidea)

The emergence of exceptionally diverse clades is often attributed to ecological opportunity. For example, the exceptional diversity in the most diverse superfamily of mammals, muroid rodents, has been explained in terms of multiple independent adaptive radiations. If multiple ecological opportunity events are responsible for generating muroid diversity, we expect to find evidence of these lineages ecologically diversifying following dispersal into new biogeographical areas. In the present study, we tested the trait‐based predictions of ecological opportunity using data on body size, appendages, and elevation in combination with previously published data on biogeographical transitions and a time‐calibrated molecular phylogeny. We identified weak to no support of early ecological diversification following the initial colonizations of all continental regions, based on multiple tests, including node height tests, disparity through time plots, evolutionary model comparison, and Bayesian analysis of macroevolutionary mixtures. Clades identified with increased diversification rates, not associated with geographical transitions, also did not show patterns of phenotypic divergence predicted by ecological opportunity, which suggests that phylogenetic diversity and phenotypic disparity may be decoupled in muroids. These results indicate that shifts in diversification rates and biogeographically‐mediated ecological opportunity are poor predictors of phenotypic diversity patterns in muroids.     

Temporal relationship between neurotransmitter release and ion flux during spreading depression and anoxia

Brain ion homeostasis is severely perturbed during spreading depression of Leao and during anoxia. The ionic composition of the extracellular space changes abruptly and approaches the intracellular concentrations owing to an increase in cell permeability. In spreading depression, synchronous transmitter efflux caused by a depolarization of the presynaptic terminals has been implicated as a possible mechanism that would explain the concomitant movement of ions. Anoxia, having many features in common with spreading depression, may follow the same mechanism. We have measured the concentrations of extracellular potassium with ion-selective microelectrodes and dopamine by in vivo voltammetry with carbon fiber microelectrodes during spreading depression and anoxia to compare the temporal relationship between the release of dopamine and ion movements in the striatum. There is a pronounced release of dopamine during both spreading depression and anoxia. In spreading depression, the sharp increase of potassium concentration that follows an initial smaller and slower increase of potassium is accompanied by the release of dopamine. In anoxia, the dopamine release clearly precedes the fast rise of extracellular potassium concentration. We conclude that in striatum, there is a pronounced dopamine release during spreading depression and anoxia, but that the relationships between ionic changes and transmitter release for these two phenomena are different and probably reflect different mechanisms.     

Nutzung von In-vitro-Pflanzen der Kartoffel zur Prüfung der antiphytoviralen Wirkung von 2,4-Dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazin (DHT) in Kombination mit N-Cyanoguanidin

Suitability of in vitro potato plantlets for testing of antiphytoviral effect of a combination of 2,4-dioxo-hexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DHT) and N-cyano guanidine The suitability of a semiquantitative determination of virus content for the detection of antiphytoviral effects of chemicals was demonstrated by ELISA directly applying at in vitro potato cultures systemically infected and chemotherapeutically treated. The combination of 2, 4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DHT) and N-cyanoguanidine both applied at a concentration of 0.03% to the culture medium resulted in a high significant reduction of the relative concentration of the potato virus S in the, potato genotype ‘M-812820’ of 44–73 %. A phytotoxic influence of the substances was not observed. The combination of the two antiphytoviral substances had no effect against potato virus Y in explants of the variety ‘Ackersegen’. Differences in the susc, eptibility of various genotypes against biologically active substances were indicated.