Theoretical Study of near Neutrality. II. Effect of Subdivided Population Structure with Local Extinction and Recolonization

There are several unsolved problems concerning the model of nearly neutral mutations. One is the interaction of subdivided population structure and weak selection that spatially fluctuates. The model of nearly neutral mutations whose selection coefficient spatially fluctuates has been studied by adopting the island model with periodic extinction-recolonization. Both the number of colonies and the migration rate play significant roles in determining mutants' behavior, and selection is ineffective when the extinction-recolonization is frequent with low migration rate. In summary, the number of mutant substitutions decreases and the polymorphism increases by increasing the total population size, and/or decreasing the extinction-recolonization rate. However, by increasing the total size of the population, the mutant substitution rate does not become as low when compared with that in panmictic populations, because of the extinction-recolonization, especially when the migration rate is limited. It is also found that the model satisfactorily explains the contrasting patterns of molecular polymorphisms observed in sibling species of Drosophila, including heterozygosity, proportion of polymorphism and fixation index.     

Binding of mutagenic pyrolyzates to fractions of intestinal bacterial cells.

The binding of mutagenic pyrolyzates to cell fractions from some gram-negative intestinal bacteria and to thermally treated bacterial cells was investigated. 3-Amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-1) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) were effectively bound by several of the bacterial cells. The cell wall skeletons of all bacteria effectively bound Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2. Their cytoplasmic fractions retained Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2, but to a lesser extent than the cell wall skeletons. 2-Amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) was not found in their cytoplasmic fractions. These cell wall skeletons also bound 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1), 2-amino-5-phenylpyridine (Phe-P-1), IQ, 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQX). The amount of each mutagen bound differed with the type of mutagen and the bacterial strain used. The outer membrane of Escherichia coli IFO 14249 showed binding of about 123.7 micrograms/mg of Trp-P-2, and its cytoplasmic membrane bound 57.14 micrograms/mg. Trp-P-2 bound to the bacterial cells was extracted with ammonia (5%), methanol, and ethanol but not with water.     

Gene organization deduced from the complete sequence of liverwort Marchantia polymorpha mitochondrial DNA. A primitive form of plant mitochondrial genome.

Analysis of the mitochondrial DNA of a liverwort Marchantia polymorpha by electron microscopy and restriction endonuclease mapping indicated that the liverwort mitochondrial genome was a single circular molecule of about 184,400 base-pairs. We have determined the complete sequence of the liverwort mitochondrial DNA and detected 94 possible genes in the sequence of 186,608 base-pairs. These included genes for three species of ribosomal RNA, 29 genes for 27 species of transfer RNA and 30 open reading frames (ORFs) for functionally known proteins (16 ribosomal proteins, 3 subunits of H(+)-ATPase, 3 subunits of cytochrome c oxidase, apocytochrome b protein and 7 subunits of NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase). Three ORFs showed similarity to ORFs of unknown function in the mitochondrial genomes of other organisms. Furthermore, 29 ORFs were predicted as possible genes by using the index of G + C content in first, second and third letters of codons (42.0 +/- 10.9%, 37.0 +/- 13.2% and 26.4 +/- 9.4%, respectively) obtained from the codon usages of identified liverwort genes. To date, 32 introns belonging to either group I or group II intron have been found in the coding regions of 17 genes including ribosomal RNA genes (rrn18 and rrn26), a transfer RNA gene (trnS) and a pseudogene (psi nad7). RNA editing was apparently lacking in liverwort mitochondria since the nucleotide sequences of the liverwort mitochondrial DNA were well-conserved at the DNA level.     

Appearance of new lipoxygenases in soybean cotyledons after germination and evidence for expression of a major new lipoxygenase gene

The appearance and subsequent disappearance of lipoxygenase activity at pH 6.8 in germinated cotyledons of soybean (Glycine max [L.]) was shown using a variant soybean cultivar (Kanto 101) that lacks the two lipoxygenase isozymes, L-2 and L-3, that are present in dry seeds of a normal soybean cultivar (Enrei). Three new lipoxygenases, designated lipoxygenase L-4, L-5, and L-6, were purified using anionic or cationic ion exchange chromatography. The major lipoxygenase in 5-day-old cotyledons of the variant soybean was lipoxygenase L-4. Lipoxygenases L-5 and L-6 preferentially produced 13(S)-hydroperoxy-9(Z), 11(E)-octadecadienoic acid (13S-HPOD) as a reaction product of linoleic acid, whereas lipoxygenase L-4 produced both 13S-HPOD and 9(S)-hydroperoxy-10(E), 12(Z)-octadecadienoic acid. All three isozymes have pH optima of 6.5, no activity at pH 9.0, and preferred linolenic acid to linoleic acid as a substrate. Partial amino acid sequencing of lipoxygenase L-4 showed that this isozyme shares amino acid sequence homology with lipoxygenases L-1, L-2, and L-3 but is not identical to any of them. This indicates that a new lipoxygenase, L-4, is expressed in cotyledons.     

Differences between Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei 2206 and Citrate-Positive Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 3022 in the Characteristics of Diacetyl Production

Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei 2206 exhibited much lower levels of diacetyl reductase activity than Citr⁺Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 3022 but two-, three-, and more than eightfold-higher levels of diacetyl synthase, lactate dehydrogenase, and NADH oxidase activities, respectively. A requirement for metal ions by the diacetyl synthases in both species was observed. The extracts of strain 2206 but not strain 3022 produced more diacetyl from pyruvate when the reaction for diacetyl synthase was aerated than when it was conducted statically.     

Endothelin-3 stimulates production of endothelium-derived nitric oxide via phosphoinositide breakdown.

Cultured bovine endothelial cells (EC) have specific receptors for endothelin (ET)-3 functionally coupled to phosphoinositide breakdown. We studied whether ET-3 stimulates synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), an endothelium-derived relaxing factor that activates soluble guanylate cyclase in EC, and whether the ET-3-induced NO formation involves G-proteins. ET-3 dose-dependently stimulated production of intracellular cGMP in EC, of which effects were abolished by pretreatment with NG-monomethyl L-arginine, an inhibitor of NO synthesis, and methylene blue, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase. The stimulatory effects of ET-3 on cGMP production, inositol trisphosphate formation and increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration were similarly blocked by pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX). These data suggest that ET-3 induces synthesis of NO mediated by phosphoinositide breakdown via PTX-sensitive G-protein in EC.     

Monoclonal antibody against platelet thrombospondin decreases erythrocyte aggregation rate.

The effect of thrombospondin, a major glycoprotein in the platelet alpha-granule, on the erythrocyte aggregation rate was investigated. Venous blood was sampled from 8 healthy male volunteers and anticogulated with 1.1 mg/ml EDTA(K2). The erythrocyte aggregation rate of each blood sample was measured with a whole-blood erythrocyte aggregometer before and after incubation with murine monoclonal antibody against human platelet thrombospondin. After 15 min incubation, the erythrocyte aggregation rate exhibited a significant decrease to 0.055 +/- 0.022/s, representing 71.9 +/- 8.7% of the control value (0.075 +/- 0.028/s) (p less than 0.0005). The results obtained suggest that thrombospondin may participate in the control of erythrocyte aggregability in the circulating blood.     

Expression of the pS2 gene in human gastric cancer cells derived from poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma

NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the pS2 protein produced and secreted by human gastric cancer cells, MKN-45, was determined to be identical to that of MCF-7 cells. A clone encoding pS2 protein was isolated from the cDNA library constructed from MKN-45 cells. The nucleotide sequence was identical to that of pS2 cDNA previously isolated from human breast cancer cells, MCF-7, except for one nucleotide in the 3' untranslated region. Thus, in this cell line, the pS2 gene product is translated and secreted as in MCF-7 cells. RNA blot hybridization analysis revealed that pS2 gene was expressed well in two (MKN-45 and KATO-III; derived from poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) but not in three cell lines (MKN-1, MKN-28 and MKN-74; from well differentiated adenocarcinoma), suggesting that expression of the pS2 gene depends on the state of cell differentiation. These results suggest that pS2 is expressed in human gastric cancer cells in an estrogen-independent manner and is possibly associated with the malignant state of cells.     

Oxygen and temperature dependence of stimulated insulin secretion in isolated rat islets of Langerhans

The effects of lowered O2 tension on insulin secretion and changes in cellular energy parameters were investigated in isolated rat pancreatic islets perifused with buffers equilibrated with 21, 9, 5, and 1% oxygen and containing 5 mM glucose. Decreasing the external [O2] reduced the amount of insulin released in response to 16 mM glucose, 20 mM alpha-ketoisocaproic acid, and 40 mM KCl. Secretion elicited by high glucose or KCl had declined significantly at 9% oxygen, whereas that caused by alpha-ketoisocaproic acid became inhibited below 5% O2. Lowering the oxygen tension also decreased the ability of islets to respond with a rise in [ATP]/[ADP] upon stimulation with metabolic secretagogues. This reduction in the evoked increase in the nucleotide ratios paralleled the inhibition of stimulated insulin secretion. Addition of 2 mM amytal markedly decreased the islet energy level and eliminated the secretory response to 16 mM glucose. The results suggest that enhancement of B-cell energy production and a consequent rise in [ATP] (or [ATP]/[ADP]) are a necessary event for the hormone release elicited by high glucose and alpha-ketoisocaproic acid. A decrease in temperature inhibited insulin secretion with all three secretagogues tested. The energies of activation were similar for high glucose and KCl-induced secretion, about 20 kcal/mol, but were higher for alpha-ketoisocaproic acid, about 35 kcal/mol. At 28 degrees C, the [ATP]/[ADP] was larger than that at 38 degrees C (8 versus 5) and was not increased further upon addition of 16 mM glucose. It is suggested that a decrease in the rate of energy production at lowered temperatures may contribute to the inhibition of insulin release caused by metabolic secretagogues.