A case of first trimester prenatal diagnosis of 21-hydroxylase deficiency with human complement C4 cDNA probe

Early prenatal diagnosis of 21-hydroxylase (21-OHase) deficiency would enable treatment to be done to protect the fetus from masculinization and/or life-threatening adrenal crisis at birth. We report here the prenatal diagnosis of 21-OHase deficiency with human complement component C4 cDNA to probe DNA from chorionic villi at 10 weeks of gestation. Southern analysis with human C4 cDNA identified TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in the family. Family analysis with these RELPs showed that the fetus was not affected at greater than 99% probability, because the frequency of recombination between the 21-OHase B gene and the C4 gene would be extremely low.     

Translocation of colicin E1 through cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli

The product of the malE—lacZ gene fusion was reported to compete with some proteins including outer membrane lipoprotein in the protein translocation across the Echerichia coli membrane. The fusion product also inhibited colicin E1 export. Furthermore, globomycin, which accumulated prolipoprotein in the membrane, inhibited the translocation of colicin E1 in the wild-type cells, but not in lipoprotein-negative mutant cells. Since colicin E1 contains the internal signal-like sequence [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1982) 79, 2827–2831], these results suggest that colicin E1 is exported by the aid of this sequence at a common site for maltose-binding protein and lipoprotein translocation.     

Gas chromatographic method for the determination of urinary acetylpolyamines

A gas chromatographic method was developed for the determination of monoacetylputrescine, monoacetylcadaverine, N¹-acetylspermidine and N⁵-acetylspermidine in human urine. The amines were isolated from urine by silica gel column chromatography. 1, 10-Diaminodecane was used as internal standard. The amines were reacted with ethyl chloroformate in aqueous medium to four ethyloxycarbonyl derivatives prior to application to gas chromatography using a flame ionization detector. Separation and determination of the derivatives were carried out on a Uniport HP column (1.0 m) impregnated with 0.5% SP-1000 under temperature-programmed conditions. The monoacetylpolyamines could be measured accurately at the nanomole level. The method was used for the determination of the monoacetylpolyamines in urine of healthy volunteers. The values obtained were in the range of the published data.     

A fluorescence probe study of the phosphorylation reaction of the calcium ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

The fluorescent thiol reagent N-(1-anilinonaphthyl-4)maleimide (ANM) reacts covalently with the Ca2+ ATPase moiety of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum in two phases as determined by the increase of fluorescence intensity and optical density at 350 nm. In the rapid phase, 5.5 nmol of ANM reacts with 1 mg of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum protein. Assuming that 55% of the total membrane protein is the Ca2+ ATPase, this is equivalent to 1 mol of SH/10(5) g of ATPase, designated as SH1-ANM. ANM reacts with the second SH (SH2-ANM) at a much slower rate. Reaction of ANM with both SH1-ANM and SH2-ANM produces no inhibition of phosphoenzyme (EP) formation. Upon addition of Mg . ATP in the micromolar range, at [Ca2+] = 1 microM there is an increase in the fluorescence intensity of ANM attached to SH2-ANM, while the ANM attached to SH1-ANM does not respond to Mg . ATP. Under conditions in which there is no EP formation, there is no fluorescence change. Furthermore, the enhancement of ANM fluorescence produced by Mg . ATP is reversed by ADP as it reacts with EP to form ATP. Thus, it appears that the Mg . ATP-induced fluorescence increase reflects changes of enzyme conformation produced by EP formation.     

Lignans of Larix leptolepis

Five lignans have been isolated from wood of Larix leptolepis. They are identified as 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-4-[2-formyl-(E)-vinyl]-2-methoxyphenoxy-propane- 1,3-diol, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-2-methoxy-4-[1-(E)-propen-3-ol]-phenoxy- propane-1,3-diol, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-formyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-propane-1,3-diol, 1,2-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-propane-1,3-diol and a trilignol, leptolepisol C.     

The obligatory requirement of cytochrome b5 in the p-nitroanisole O-demethylation reaction catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 with a high affinity for cytochrome b5

The role of cytochrome $\text{b}$₅ in the $\text{p}$-nitroanisole O-demethylation was studied with a reconstituted system containing a unique cytochrome P-450, isolated from rabbit liver microsomes as a species with a high affinity for cytochrome $\text{b}$₅. The maximal activity was obtained in the complete system consisting of cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, NADH-cytochrome $\text{b}$₅ reductase, and Triton X-100 in addition to cytochrome $\text{b}$₅. The omission of cytochrome $\text{b}$₅ from the complete system entirely abolished the activity. These results clearly show that cytochrome $\text{b}$₅ is obligatory in the reconstitute p-nitroanisole O-demethylation system, and this cytochrome P-450 probably interacts with cytochrome $\text{b}$₅ in such a way that the second electron is transferred from cytochrome $\text{b}$₅ and thus exhibits the demethylase activity.     

Gene copy number effects in the mer operon of plasmid NR1.

The level of resistance to Hg2+ determined by the inducible mer operon of plasmid NR1 was essentially the same for three gene copy number variants in Escherichia coli, less in Proteus mirabilis, and intermediate in P. mirabilis "transitioned" to a high r-determinant gene copy number. Cell-free volatilization rates of radioactive mercury indicated increasing levels of intracellular mercuric reductase enzyme from low- to high-gene copy number forms in P. mirabilis and from low- to high-copy number forms in E. coli, but the additional enzyme in E. coli was effectively cryptic.     

Cloning and physical mapping of the dnaA region of the Escherichia coli chromosome.

The dnaA gene of Escherichia coli K-12, supposedly present in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of specialized transducing phase lambda i21 dnaA-2, was cloned onto plasmid pBR322. The new plasmid was named pMCR501. Physical analyses of DNAs of lambda i21 dnaA-2 and pMCR501 revealed the following. The lambda i21 dnaA-2 DNA retained the delta sr I lambda 1-2 and ninR5 deletions and imm21 substitution which were originally present in the parental phage. The size reduction was compensated for by the insertion-substitution segment (tna-dnaA region) in lambda i21 dnaA-2 DNA. The fractional size of this segment was approximately 7 megadaltons (Md), or 10 kilobases, which was found to be the sum of the tna insertion subsegment of ca. 3.5 Md and the dnaA substitution subsegment of ca. 3.5 Md. Phage P1-mediated transductional mapping between the dnaA46 and tna mutations gave a cotransduction frequency of 84%, corresponding to approximately 5 kilobases. Thus, it is strongly suggested that the dnaA gene resides in the lambda i21 dnaA-2 DNA. Cleavage mapping with the restriction endonuclease of pMCR501 DNA confirmed that it was constructed by excising a BamHI fragment of 4.29 Md, containing the 3.5-Md dnaA substitution segment, from the lambda i21 dnaA-2 DNA, inserting it into the sole BamHI cleavage site on pBR322.     

Electron transport chain from glycerol 3-phosphate to nitrate in Escherichia coli.

It is known that in Escherichia coli two dehydrogenases of the flavoprotein kind can participate in the transfer of hydrogens from sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P) to nitrate and that possession of either enzyme is sufficient to permit anaerobic growth on glycerol as carbon source and nitrate as hydrogen acceptor. Results from this study show that under such a growth condition a protein with light-absorption characteristics of cytochrome b1 is induced. If G3P, nitrate, and adenosine diphosphate are added anaerobically to a particulate fraction prepared from these cells, four reactions can be detected: (i) the reduction of the cytochrome b1-like protein, (ii) the formation of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), (iii) the formation of nitrite, and (iv) the generation of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP). The anaerobic G3P dehydrogenase system can yield an ATP-DHAP (or ATP-nitrite) molar ratio of about 0.2, whereas the aerobic G3P dehydrogenase system can yield a corresponding ratio of about 0.3. The hydrogen transfer activity is sensitive to respiratory inhibitors such as cyanide, Rotenone, and 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide.     

Electron-microscopic studies on developing intramural ganglia of the small intestine in human and rabbit fetuses.

Electron-microscopic studies were made on the appearance of synapses in the intramural ganglion (Auerbach) and findings were correlated with the onset and development of intestinal peristalsis in 6- to 30-week-old human and rabbit fetuses from the 12th day after conception until birth. At stage I, in which the small intestine shows no indication of a muscle layer or spontaneous peristalsis, primitive synapses containing several clear vesicles and a few cored vesicles are seen on neuroblasts and their processes (dendrites). At stage II, in which the circular muscle is developed and bidirectional peristalsis occurs, synaptic profiles can be classified into 3 types. Type 1 is the most numerous but seldom shows membrane specificity on the synaptic portion. Types 2 and 3 have small flattened vesicles and small round vesicles, respectively. They are further characterized by thickening of snyaptic membranes and aggregation of small clear vesicles associated with the presynaptic membrane. At stage III, the longitudinal muscle layer develops in the small intestine. At this stage, nerve terminals containing mainly cored vesicles have been observed and classified into types 4 and 5, according to their morphology. At stage IV, antiperistalsis no longer occurs and type 6 nerve terminals in the intramural ganglia can be recognized by their densely packed, large-cored vesicles. The possible physiological significance of the nerve terminals has been discussed.