IMPRINTING EFFECTS OF THREE AMINO ACIDS (ALANINE,LYSINE AND GLYCINE) AND THEIR OLIGOPEPTIDES INTETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS. DATA FROM THE HORMONE AND HORMONE RECEPTOR EVOLUTION

Hormonal imprinting takes place at the first encounter of the hormone and receptor, and results in a changed binding capacity and reaction of the cell and its progeny generations. The imprinting effect of three amino acids and their oligopeptides is studied using fluorescent-labelled peptides. Glycine and lysine could provoke positive imprinting (increased binding in the progeny generations) for their own peptides, but alanine could not. Mostly positive imprinting was provoked by glycine and lysine peptides for their own peptides of different chain length. The optimal chain length provoking self-imprinting was four for glycine, two for lysine and three for alanine. Except in this case, alanine was neutral or provoked mostly negative imprinting. After reaching the optimal chain length, there is a decline in binding. Evolutionary conclusions are discussed.     

ALBUMIN CAN REVERSE THE RELEASE OF POTASSIUM FROM HUMAN ERYTHROCYTES TREATED WITH THE NON-IONIC DETERGENT,BRIJ 58

Exchange of erythrocyte intracellular (i/c) K⁺for extracellular (e/c) Na⁺in human erythrocytes treated with sub-CMC concentrations of the non-ionic detergent Brij 58 can be stopped by reincubation in serum or albumin containing solutions. The progressive equilibration of the K⁺contents of detergent-treated human erythrocytes with the incubation medium was reversed by an albumin-mediated withdrawal of detergent molecules from the cell. Re-establishment of near normal [K⁺] in terms of K⁺/kg water proceeds in two ways: (i) a metabolism-dependent net accumulation of K⁺ions; and (ii) a metabolism-independent shrinkage of erythrocytes, this being the more significant factor.     

TIME- AND CONCENTRATION-DEPENDENCE OF THE GROWTH-PROMOTING ACTIVITY OF INSULIN AND HISTAMINE IN TETRAHYMENA. APPLICATION OF THE MTT-METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF CELL PROLIFERATION IN A PROTOZOAN MODEL

The unicellular ciliateTetrahymena pyriformiswas treated with different concentrations of insulin or histamine and at different time points the cell density was measured, using a tetrazolium-based semiautomated colorimetric assay (MTT). The assay was suitable to determine the rate of cell proliferation of Tetrahymena. Insulin in each concentration significantly elevated the cell count up to 3h. After that, it was neutral or its effect was insignificant. Histamine at 10^?5m concentration diminished cell count at 3, 5, 7 and 24h. At 10^?6m concentration there was no difference and at 10^?7m concentration it enhanced cell division up to 5h, after that there being no difference. The two hormones have cell division promoting activity for cells of higher animals and the experiments demonstrate this effect already at a unicellular level.     

EFFECTS OF DIPEPTIDES CONTAINING THE AMINO ACID,PROLINE ON THE CHEMOTAXIS OF TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS. EVOLUTIONARY CONCLUSIONS ON THE FORMATION OF HORMONE RECEPTORS AND HORMONES

Our investigations demonstrate that proline-containing dipeptides can provoke a chemosensory response from the unicellular Tetrahymena pyriformis The chemotactic effects of the dipeptides have a close relationship with the side chain and the lipophilicity of the amino-terminal amino acid. Comparison of ‘mirror’ variants of proline-containing dipeptides points to the fact that dipeptides with small side chain and non-polar character amino acids (Gly-Pro, Ala-Pro) are preferred on the amino-terminal end. In the case of amino acids with very variable side chains, small (Pro-Gly) and the large side chain and non-polar character amino acids (Pro-Leu, Pro-Phe) on the carboxyl-terminal end can induce significant chemotactic responses. With valine on any terminus the proline-containing dipeptide induced a weak repellent effect.     

The Possibility of the Amplification of Hormone Receptors in Early Periods of Differentiation

Planaria were cut and the fragments allowed to regenerate for two weeks; the blastema was then cut off and again allowed to regenerate. In the regenerated planaria, a difference appeared between animals pretreated with epinephrine and untreated controls with respect to epinephrine-stimulated sugar uptake. No significant difference was found between epinephrine pretreatment for 3 days following cutting, and pretreatment for 28 days. This suggests that the early period of differentiation is decisive for receptor development. The experiments provide further evidence of the importance of the presence of hormone for the amplification of receptors or for the proliferation of cells possessing the corresponding receptors, not only with respect to phylogenesis, but also with respect to ontogenesis.