Dictyostelium discoideum lipids modulate cell-cell cohesion and cyclic AMP signaling.

During Dictyostelium discoideum development, cell-cell communication is mediated through cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced cAMP synthesis and secretion (cAMP signaling) and cell-cell contact. Cell-cell contact elicits cAMP secretion and modulates the magnitude of a subsequent cAMP signaling response (D. R. Fontana and P. L. Price, Differentiation 41:184-192, 1989), demonstrating that cell-cell contact and cAMP signaling are not independent events. To identify components involved in the contact-mediated modulation of cAMP signaling, amoebal membranes were added to aggregation-competent amoebae in suspension. The membranes from aggregation-competent amoebae inhibited cAMP signaling at all concentrations tested, while the membranes from vegetative amoebae exhibited a concentration-dependent enhancement or inhibition of cAMP signaling. Membrane lipids inhibited cAMP signaling at all concentrations tested. The lipids abolished cAMP signaling by blocking cAMP-induced adenylyl cyclase activation. The membrane lipids also inhibited amoeba-amoeba cohesion at concentrations comparable to those which inhibited cAMP signaling. The phospholipids and neutral lipids decreased cohesion and inhibited the cAMP signaling response. The glycolipid/sulfolipid fraction enhanced cohesion and cAMP signaling. Caffeine, a known inhibitor of cAMP-induced adenylyl cyclase activation, inhibited amoeba-amoeba cohesion. These studies demonstrate that endogenous lipids are capable of modulating amoeba-amoeba cohesion and cAMP-induced activation of the adenylyl cyclase. These results suggest that cohesion may modulate cAMP-induced adenylyl cyclase activation. Because the complete elimination of cohesion is accompanied by the complete elimination of cAMP signaling, these results further suggest that cohesion may be necessary for cAMP-induced adenylyl cyclase activation in D. discoideum.     

氟中毒抑制大鼠泌鼠的实验研究

The effect of fluorosis on lactation, lactotroph function and ultrastructure were studied in lactating rats. The results were as follows: 1) Inhibition of lactation in lactating rats with chronic fluorosis was assessed by stunting growth of pups and decrease in the amount of milk suckled by pups in 30 min. Metoclopramide, a blocker of dopamine receptor, could improve lactation in these rats. 2) During chronic fluorosis serum PRL level was decreased, however, PRL content in pituitary was increased. Electronmicroscopic examination showed accumulation of large mature secretory granules and appearance of extremely large abnormal secretory granules in lactotroph cytoplasma. These findings indicate that hormone release of pituitary lactotrophs is obstructed in lactating rats with fluorosis, and the toxic effect of fluoride is mediated by an enhanced function of dopaminergic system in hypothalamus.     

Ligand-triggered conformational perturbations elicit changes at the single cysteinyl residue of spinach calmodulin

Following application of stoichiometric amounts of Ca2+ or specific partner peptides to spinach calmodulin, dynamic changes in the nanosecond range could be monitored at a strategically anchored fluorescence or spin probe. For these studies the single cysteinyl residue 26 of spinach calmodulin was labelled with a thiol-specific proxyl (i.e. 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyl-oxyl) spin probe or with a bimane fluorescence probe. With Ca2+ and a specific ligand (mastoparan) present, fluorescence studies (anisotropy, lifetime) indicated that the rotational motion of the protein complex becomes slower relative to the motion of calmodulin in the absence of the specific ligand. The probe's attachment site 26 appears to reside in a fairly polar microenvironment as reported by a series of proxyl spin probes varying in label length. The rotational correlation time of the shortest spin probe markedly changed upon binding of a specific peptide to a calmodulin region distant from that of the monitoring spin probe. We interpret these observations as indicating that ligand-triggered conformational perturbations are eliciting specific responses at the cysteinyl residue 26 of spinach calmodulin.     

Mechanisms of Mutagenesis by a Bulky DNA Lesion at the Guanine N7 Position

The RpII215 locus encodes the large subunit of RNA polymerase II (polII). Three of 22 RpII215 alleles cause a synergistic enhancement of the mutant phenotype elicited by mutations in the Ultrabithorax (Ubx) locus. We have recovered and analyzed three new mutations that suppress this enhancement. All three mutations map to the RpII215 locus. In addition to suppressing the Ubx enhancement of other RpII215 alleles, two of the new mutations, JH1 and WJK2, themselves enhance Ubx. RpII215 alleles can be placed into three classes based on their ability to enhance Ubx. Class I alleles, including Ubl, C4, C11, JH1, and WJK2, enhance Ubx when heterozygous with class II alleles, which include wild-type RpII215. Class III alleles, which include amorphic alleles, do not enhance Ubx. The third new mutation, WJK1, is a conditional amorphic allele, which behaves like a class III allele at 29 degrees but like a class II allele at 19 degrees. Another mutant phenotype is caused by certain RpII215 alleles, including all class I alleles. This phenotype is a synergistic enhancement of a mutant phenotype elicited by mutations at the Delta (Dl) locus. Unlike the enhancement of Ubx, the enhancement of Dl is not dependent upon antagonistic interactions between different classes of RpII215 alleles.     

Characterization of the membrane-bound protein kinase C and its substrate proteins in canine cardiac sarcolemma

Cardiac sarcolemma was purified from canine ventricles. Enrichment of the sarcolemmal membranes was demonstrated by the high (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity of 28.0 +/- 1.5 mumol Pi/mg protein per h and the high concentration of muscarinic receptors with the Bmax of 8.2 +/- 2.5 pmol/mg protein as determined by [3H]QNB binding. The purified sarcolemma also contains significant levels of a membrane-bound Ca2+ and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C). To elucidate the protein kinase C activity in sarcolemma, a prior incubation of the membranes with EGTA and Triton X-100 was necessary. The specific activity of protein kinase C was found to be 131.4 pmol Pi/mg per min, in the presence of 6.25 micrograms phosphatidylserine and 0.5 mM CaCl2. Treatment of sarcolemma with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PBu2) resulted in a concentration-dependent activation of protein kinase C activity. The effect of TPA and PBu2 on protein kinase C in sarcolemma was independent of exogenous Ca2+ and phosphatidylserine. Polymyxin B inhibited phorbol-ester-induced activation of protein kinase C activity. The distribution of protein kinase C in the cytosolic fraction was also examined. The specific activity of the kinase in the cytosolic fraction was 59.7 pmol Pi/mg per min. However, the total protein kinase C activity in the cytosol was 213500 pmol Pi/min, compared to that of 1025 pmol Pi/min in the sarcolemma isolated from approx. 100 g of canine ventricular muscle. Several endogenous proteins in cardiac sarcolemma were phosphorylated in the presence of Ca2+ and phosphatidylserine. The major substrates for protein kinase C were proteins of Mr 94 000, 87 000, 78 000, 51 000, 46 000, 11 500 and 10 000. Most of these substrate proteins have not been identified before. Other proteins of Mr 38 000, 31 000 and 15 000 were markedly phosphorylated in the presence of Ca2+ only. Phosphorylation of phospholamban (Mr 27 000 and 11 000) was also stimulated in the presence of Ca2+ and phosphatidylserine, but the low Mr form of phospholamban was distinct from two other low Mr substrate proteins for protein kinase C. Polymyxin B was more selective in inhibiting the protein kinase C dependent phosphorylation. On the other hand, trifluoperazine selectively inhibited the phosphorylation of phospholamban and Mr 15 000 protein. Although the exact function of this kinase is unknown, based on these observations, we believe that protein kinase C in the cardiac sarcolemma may play an important role in the cell-surface-signal regulated cardiac function.     

Biosynthesis, glycosylation, movement through the Golgi system, and transport to lysosomes by an N-linked carbohydrate-independent mechanism of three lysosomal integral membrane proteins

The biosynthesis, glycosylation, movement through the Golgi system, transport to lysosomes, and turnover of three lysosomal integral membrane proteins (LIMPSs) have been studied in normal rat kidney cells using specific anti-LIMP monoclonal antibodies. Immunoelectron microscopy studies revealed the presence of LIMPs in secondary lysosomes, Golgi cisterna, and coated and uncoated vesicles located in the trans-Golgi cisterna, area. Pulse-chase experiments recorded LIMP precursors of 27 (LIMP I), 72 (LIMP II), and 86 kDa (LIMP III) and mature LIMPs of 35-50 (LIMP I), 74 (LIMP II), and 90-100 kDa (LIMP III). Time course studies on the acquisition of endoglycosidase H resistance by LIMPs indicated that all three LIMPs moved from the site of their synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum to the medial Golgi within 30-60 min after their synthesis. All three LIMPs were fully glycosylated before leaving the Golgi system, the process during which LIMP I was retained in the trans side of the organelle. LIMP I reached the lysosomes with a halftime of 2 h and LIMPs II and III with half-times of 1 h after their synthesis by a mechanism that was independent of N-linked carbohydrates. LIMPs free of N-linked carbohydrates displayed much shorter half-lives than fully glycosylated LIMPs, suggesting an important role of the sugars in protecting LIMPs against proteolytic degradation. Double immunofluorescence microscopy experiments showed that LIMP I, LIMP II, and LIMP III are localized in the same lysosomes.     

Fluorescence studies of chicken liver fatty acid synthase. Segmental flexibility and distance measurements

The 4'-phosphopantetheine of chicken liver fatty acid synthase was specifically labeled with the fluorescent substrate analog coenzyme A 6-[7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl]aminohexanoate at low salt concentrations. A serine at the active site of the thioesterase was specifically labeled with the fluorescent compounds 6-[7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl]aminopentylmethylphosphono fluoridate and/or pyrenebutyl methylphosphonofluoridate. Dynamic anisotropy measurements indicate the thioesterase has considerable segmental flexibility, whereas the fluorescent labeled 4'-phosphopantetheine does not display detectable local or segmental flexibility. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements indicate that the distance between the fluorescent label at the end of the 4'-phosphopantetheine and NADPH bound to the beta-ketoacyl reductase or enoyl reductase site on the same polypeptide chain is essentially the same, approximately 38 A. The two types of reductases were distinguished by specifically blocking enoyl reductase with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. No significant energy transfer occurs between sites on different polypeptide chains so that the distances must be greater than 55 A. The distance between the serine on the thioesterase and the 4'-phosphopantetheine on the same polypeptide is 48 A; again no interpolypeptide chain energy transfer was observed. The distance between the serines of the two thioesterases within a fatty acid synthase molecule is greater than 56 A. The monomeric enzyme obtained at 1 degree C does not have beta-ketoacyl synthase and reductase activities. Also fluorescent titrations indicate NADPH is not bound to beta-ketoacyl reductase in monomeric enzyme. The addition of potassium phosphate to the monomers at 1 degree C rapidly dimerizes the enzyme and restores the beta-ketoacyl reductase activity. The beta-ketoacyl synthase activity is slowly restored when the dimer is raised to room temperature. The results obtained suggest that relatively large conformational changes may be part of the catalytic cycle.     

神农香菊干花净油成分的研究

神农香菊全草提取的香浸膏香气浓郁独特,可用于调配多种高档化妆用香精,也可直接用于饮料中,在香精香料工业中具有较大的实用价值。本文首次报告了我们用毛细管气相色谱仪和色谱/质谱/计算机联用分析仪,对神农香菊干花净油成分进行分析的初步结果。鉴定出的已知成分包括脂肪族类,含氧或非含氧的单萜及倍半萜类化合物32个。