Age specificity of inbreeding depression during a life cycle ofCallosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Age-specific effects of inbreeding on fecundity were assayed for adzuki bean weevil Callosobruchus chinensis by comparing inbred lines and their cross. Four consecutive full-sib matings reduced only 10.3 percent in total fecundity, and did not decrease early fecundity at all until third day from the onset of reproduction. It is suggested that recessive detrimental genes have been eliminated from the early period of adult life span when reproductive value is high. There was a slight tendency that inbreeding depression increased as age proceeded though not statistically significant.     

Autoantibodies recognizing proteins copurified with PCNA in patients with connective tissue diseases

Objective. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), one of the target antigen recognized by lupus sera, has been reported to be present as a subnuclear multi-peptide complex. But autoantibodies reacting with components of PCNA complex are poorly understood. To study the specificity of those autoantibodies, immunoreactivities of autoimmune sera against purified PCNA antigen were studied. Methods. PCNA antigens were purified from rabbit thymus extract by affinity column using murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to PCNA, TOB7, TO17 and TO30. Immunoreactivities of autoimmune sera against purified PCNA were analyzed by WB. Results. PCNA antigen purified by serum AK predominantly showed a 34 kD band specific for PCNA in SDS-PAGE. When antigens were purified by anti-PCNA mAb TOB7 and TO30 which are known to be targeting different epitopes on PCNA antigen, SDS-PAGE analysis showed various mol. wt of proteins in addition to the 34 kD PCNA while both AK and mAbs reacted only with 34 kD PCNA in WB. In WB using PCNA purified by TOB7, various immunoreactivities were observed at 150, 66, 58, 48, 45, 37, 32 and 16 kDa in sera from patients with connective tissue diseases. Conclusions. These results suggested that many of the proteins copurified with PCNA were also targets of autoimmune responses and these autoantibody experssion may be induced through antigen-driven mechanisms.Abbreviations mAb monoclonal antibody - PCNA proliferating cell nuclear antigen - PCNA/AK PCNA affinity purified by antibodies from patient serum AK - PCNA/TO30 PCNA purfied by mAb TO30 - PCNA/TOB7 PCNA purified by mAb TOB7 - SLE systemic lupus erythematosus