Efficient in situ electroporation of mammalian cells grown on microporous membranes.

Electroporation is a common technique for the introduction of DNA molecules into living cells. The method is currently limited by the necessity of applying the electrical discharge to cells in suspension. Adherent cells must therefore be removed from their substratum, which can induce unwanted physiological effects. We report here a new procedure for in situ electroporation of cells grown on microporous membranes of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyester (PE). We demonstrate that this method of in situ electroporation employs only readily available materials and standard electroporation devices without any modifications, is as efficient as conventional electroporation of cells in suspension, and is applicable to a wide range of cell types. Efficient electroporation can be achieved under conditions of minimal cell killing, and can be performed with quiescent cells as well as with confluent epithelial sheets. The method is a useful extension of electroporation technology, and will allow the application of electroporation to a wider spectrum of biological systems.     

Alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes and drinking behavior of Chinese living in Shanghai

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), the principal enzymes responsible for oxidative metabolism of ethanol, exist in multiple, genetically determined molecular forms. Widely different kinetic properties in some of these isozymes account for the individual differences in alcohol sensitivity. In this study we used the polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism method to determine the genotypes of the ADH2 and ALDH2 loci of alcoholic and nonalcoholic Chinese living in Shanghai. We also investigated the subjects' drinking patterns by means of semistructured interviews. The alcoholics had significantly lower frequencies of the ADH2² and ALDH2² alleles than did the nonalcoholics, suggesting the inhibitory effects of these alleles for the development of alcoholism. In the nonalcoholic subjects, ADH2² had little, if any, effect, despite the significant effect of the ALDH2² allele in decreasing the alcohol consumption of the individual. Taken together, these results fit the proposed hypothesis for the development of alcoholism, i.e., drinking behavior is greatly influenced by the individual's gentoypes of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, and the risk of becoming alcoholic is proportionate with the ethanol consumption of the individual.     

Crystal structure of thioltransferase at 2.2 A resolution.

We report here the first three-dimensional structure of a mammalian thioltransferase as determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography at 2.2 A resolution. The protein is known for its thiol-redox properties and dehydroascorbate reductase activity. Recombinant pig liver thioltransferase expressed in Escherichia coli was crystallized in its oxidized form by vapor diffusion technique. The structure was determined by multiple isomorphous replacement method using four heavy-atom derivatives. The protein folds into an alpha/beta structure with a four-stranded mixed beta-sheet in the core, flanked on either side by helices. The fold is similar to that found in other thiol-redox proteins, viz. E. coli thioredoxin and bacteriophage T4 glutaredoxin, and thus seems to be conserved in these functionally related proteins. The active site disulfide (Cys 22-Cys 25) is located on a protrusion on the molecular surface. Cys 22, which is known to have an abnormally low pKa of 3.8, is accessible from the exterior of the molecule. Pro 70, which is in close proximity to the disulfide bridge, assumes a conserved cis-peptide configuration. Mutational data available on the protein are in agreement with the three-dimensional structure.     

Protein recognition of ammonium cations using side-chain aromatics: a structural variation for secondary ammonium ligands.

A model for the structure of dimethylamine dehydrogenase was generated using the crystal coordinates of trimethylamine dehydrogenase. Substrate is bound in trimethylamine dehydrogenase by cation-pi bonding, but modeling of dimethylamine dehydrogenase suggests that secondary amines are bound by a mixture of cation-pi and conventional hydrogen bonding. In dimethylamine dehydrogenase, binding is orientationally more specific and distinct from those proteins that bind tertiary and quaternary amine groups.     

罗汉果胚、胚乳及胚乳吸器的发育

本文采用石蜡切片与酶解分离法对罗汉果Ｓｉｒａｉｔｉａｇｒｏｓｖｅｎｏｒｉ胚、胚乳及胚乳吸器的发育过程进行观察．ａ）罗汉果胚的发育是按Ｇｅｕｍｕｒｂａｎｕｍ的分裂程序进行的．属紫菀型．但在合子分裂成球胚过程中,胚芽原细胞分化明显．故属紫菀型的变异型。ｂ）胚乳发育属核型．在球形胚阶段,在合点端和珠孔端有发育的胚乳吸器形成并进行旺盛生长,最大长度达１４２０μｍ,心形胚期．吸器活动开始减退,合点端核型胚乳吸器转变成细胞型．由胚乳本体基部膨大细胞．充当补助吸器．ｃ）酶解分离法研究胚乳吸器的发生发育有较好的应用前景。     

宝铎草和长穗开口箭的核型

本文对湖南产的宝锋草（ＤｉｓｐｏｒｕｍｓｅｓｓｉｌｅＤ．Ｄｏｎ）和广西产的长穗开口箭（ＴｕｐｉｓｔｒａｌｏｎｇｉｓｐｉｃｇＹ．ＷａｎｅｔＸ．Ｈ．Ｌｕ）的核型作了分析。前者的核型公式为２ｎ＝１４＝４ｇ＋１０ｓｍ（２ｓａｔ）,核型类型属于３Ａ;后者的核型公式为２ｎ＝３８＝２４ｍ＋６ｓｉｎ＋８ｓｔ．核型具有明显的二型性,属于２Ｃ型。此外还讨论了宝锋草的核型变异以及开口箭属和蜘蛛抱蛋属（Ａｓｐｉｄｉｓｔｒａ）的关系。     

蓟属两种植物的染色体研究

本文对蓟属（Ｃｉｒｓｉｕｍ）的两个形态相似的近缘种大刺儿菜和小刺儿菜进行了染色体研究,其中后者为首次报道。观察结果表明：两个种的染色体数目均为２ｎ＝２ｘ＝３４：它们的核型是：大刺儿菜．２ｎ＝２ｘ＝３４＝２０ｍ＋１２ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ：小刺儿菜．２ｎ＝２ｘ＝３４＝２２ｍ＋１０ｋｍ（２ＳＡＴ）＋２ｓｔ。通过核型比较,认为它们是两个独立的种．而且后者比前者进化。     

穿鞘花（鸭跖草科）的核形态

本文对鸭跖草科的穿鞘花Ａｍｉｓｃｈｏｔｏｌｙｐｅｈｉｓｐｉｄａ（ＬｅｓｓｅｔＡ．Ｒｉｃｈ．）Ｈｏｎｇ进行了核形态研究。其静止核和有丝分裂前期染色体分别属于复杂中央染色微粒型和中间型;染色体数目为２ｎ＝３６,核型公式为２ｎ＝４ｍ＋２８ｓｍ＋４ｓｔ。本种的核型为首次报道。     

裂褶菌多糖的构象研究

从裂褶菌中提取一水溶性多糖Sci.气相色谱,高碘酸盐氧比,甲基化分析等确定它为葡聚糖.1-3糖苷键构成其主链,平均三分之一的主链残基在6位带有分枝,红外光谱和三氧化铬氧化表明Scl全部残基为β构型,在不同的温度和不同的酸碱浓度状态下,检查糖链与刚果红形成络合物的能力以及Scl水溶液的粘度和旋光值.推测低温近中性Scl主要呈单股螺旋构象.升温或提高酸碱浓度导致有规则的螺旋构象转变成无规则的线团.高碘酸盐氧化去掉分枝则多股螺旋比例在构象中增加.