Orthogonal arrays are absent from the membranes of human glioblastomatous tissues

Human astrocytic gliomas were studied with the freeze fracture technique. Orthogonal arrays of particles were noted in the plasma membranes of low-grade astrocytoma tissues. However, no such arrays were found in the plasma membranes of anaplastic glioma or glioblastoma tissues. Gap junctions were rarely seen in the membranes of these higher-grade gliomas; when seen, they consisted of relatively few particles in poorly organized plaques. These plasma membranes were dominated by randomly distributed single particles. These findings constitute aspects of the loss of differentiation in these malignant tumors.     

High productivity ethanol fermentations with Zymomonas mobilis using continuous cell recycle

Summary Cell recycle studies have been carried out with a strain of Zymomonas mobilis selected for its improved ethanol tolerance and faster rates of glucose uptake and ethanol production. As part of the investigation a capilliary cross-flow microfiltration unit with polyamide membranes has been evaluated in view of its potential advantages (low cost and ability to withstand repeated cleaning with caustic soda). The results demonstrate that ethanol concentrations of 60–65g/l can be sustained at productivities ranging from 120–200g/l/h.     

Headgroup dynamics of an integral membrane glycoprotein.

Glycophorin, an integral membrane glycoprotein known to be a receptor for several lectins, has been spin labelled specifically on headgroup terminal sugars. The labelled derivative has been studied in solution and also in various model membranes in an attempt to determine the factors which control headgroup dynamics. Under conditions which mimic those in a living cell the oligosaccharide chains show a uniform, relatively high freedom of motion, with individual sugar correlation times on the order of 6 × 10^?10 sec to 8 × 10^?10 sec depending upon the extent of glycoprotein headgroup involvement with other glycocalyx components. They exhibit no detectable occupancy of lipid or protein hydrophobic domains. Oligosaccharide dynamics are insensitive to factors which act upon that portion of the polypeptide backbone which inserts into the membrane, however a specific recognition event markedly reduces terminal sugar mobility.     

Protein disulphide isomerase is required for signal peptide peptidase-mediated protein degradation

The human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein US2 induces dislocation of MHC class I heavy chains from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) into the cytosol and targets them for proteasomal degradation. Signal peptide peptidase (SPP) has been shown to be integral for US2-induced dislocation of MHC class I heavy chains although its mechanism of action remains poorly understood. Here, we show that knockdown of protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) by RNA-mediated interference inhibited the degradation of MHC class I molecules catalysed by US2 but not by its functional homolog US11. Overexpression of the substrate-binding mutant of PDI, but not the catalytically inactive mutant, dominant-negatively inhibited US2-mediated dislocation of MHC class I molecules by preventing their release from US2. Furthermore, PDI associated with SPP independently of US2 and knockdown of PDI inhibited SPP-mediated degradation of CD3δ but not Derlin-1-dependent degradation of CFTR DeltaF508. Together, our data suggest that PDI is a component of the SPP-mediated ER-associated degradation machinery.     

Exchange rates and numbers of annular lipids for the calcium and magnesium ion dependent adenosinetriphosphatase

A spin-labeled phospholipid is used to study lipid-protein interactions in the (Ca2+,Mg2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum from muscle. A novel null method is used to decompose composite electron spin resonance spectra into two components, characteristic of immobilized and mobile environments. Calculations based on a random mixing model suggest that protein-protein interactions will be relatively rare in these systems and that the immobilized lipid does not represent lipid trapped between proteins but rather represents annular phospholipid at the lipid-protein interface of the adenosinetriphosphatase. The apparent decrease in the amount of immobilized lipid with increasing temperature is shown to be consistent with lipid exchange between bulk and annulus, characterized by an exchange time of 10(-7) s at 37 degrees C. A minimum number of annular phospholipid sites of 32 and 22 are calculated at 0 and 37 degrees C, respectively.