Adenylate cyclase stimulating agents and mitogens raise fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels in human fibroblasts. Evidence for a dual control of the metabolite

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, the most potent activator of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase, has been demonstrated to mediate the increase of glycolytic flux induced by mitogens human fibroblasts. In the present work the molecular basis of transmembrane control of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate has been investigated. Prostacyclin and isoprenaline, known to activate adenylate cyclase, are able to increase fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels, indicating that in human fibroblasts cyclic AMP plays a positive role in the control of the metabolite concentration, opposite to that exerted in hepatocytes. Substances known to activate protein kinase C such as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, or to stimulate phosphoinositide turnover such as thrombin and bradykinin are also effective in raising fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Therefore, we conclude that cyclic AMP and protein kinase C are likely involved in the control of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels in human fibroblasts.     

An endpoint enzymatic assay for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate performed in 96-well plates

An endpoint enzymatic assay for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate based on the ability of the compound to stimulate pyrophosphate 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase and performed in a 96-well plate is reported here. The method presents a low detection limit and a high sensitivity that could be further improved; moreover, the use of 96-well plates greatly increases the number of samples that can be simultaneously assayed.     

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and insulin stimulation of glycolysis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

1. Insulin is able to stimulate lactate production and to enhance fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 2. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate is more efficacious than insulin in rising Fru-2,6-P2 content and less effective in the stimulation of glycolysis. 3. 3T3-L1 adipocyte 6-phosphofructo-l-kinase appears to be very sensitive to exogenous Fru-2,6-P2. 4. Insulin treatment does not affect the maximum activity of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase whereas it markedly increases the affinity of pyruvate kinase for phosphoenolpyruvate. 5. The role of Fru-2,6-P2 in the insulin induced enhancement of glycolytic flux is discussed.     

Segmental homology between T-cell receptors and immunoglobulin variable regions: evidence that antisera to synthetic JH1 peptide react with murine and human T-cell products

To determine precisely the nature of serological determinants shared between T-cell surface molecules and immunoglobulin variable regions, the capacity of antisera directed against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the entire JH 1 region of classical immunoglobulin plus five residues of the D region were tested for their capacity to bind to T-cell membranes and isolated T-cell products. The anti-JH 1 antisera reacted with normal and monoclonal in vitro grown T-cell lines as judged by microhemagglutination and binding in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Immunologically cross-reactive membrane components disclosed by immunoblot transfer analysis ("Western blots") consisted of major components in the molecular weight range 30-35,000 and minor components in the range 65-70,000. The major product of the human T-cell leukemia line MOLT-3 had an approximate mass of 34,000 Da, a value consistent with the predicted size of the molecule specified by the recently described putative T-cell receptor gene YT35. The 65 to 70,000-Da components are most probably tightly associated dimers of the 30 to 35,000-Da forms. It was possible to align the JH sequences of molecules reactive with the anti-JH 1 antisera and other characterized VH sequences of molecules known to be cross-reactive with T-cell products. This facilitated a comparison disclosing clear segmental homology between the protein sequence derived from the YT35 gene and immunoglobulin VH framework regions sharing approximately 50% of sequence identity. The identification of VH-related T-cell products (termed VT-bearing molecules) with products of putative T-cell receptor genes gained further support by N-terminal sequence of the 68,000-Da product of the 70-N2 T-cell line which showed homology to the predicted N-terminal region of the YT35 product. These serological and protein chemical data, coupled with the comparison to gene sequence, show that T-cell components that bear serological determinants cross-reactive with VH show segmental homology with products of putative T-cell receptor genes and immunoglobulin VH.     

Increase of the glycolytic rate in human resting fibroblasts following serum stimulation. The possible role of the fructose-2,6-bisphosphate

We report that glycolysis in human quiescent fibroblasts stimulated by serum addition is increased, and that the changes of the metabolic route reflect the activity of the phosphofructokinase. A possible role of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate as a positive modulator of the key enzyme is proposed.     

Vegetation Changes Following Large-scale Fence Removal Across a Protected Area Network Within the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve,South Africa

Ecosystems - In the early 1990’s, reserves adjacent to Kruger National Park (KNP) removed their fences to create a continuous landscape within the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve....     

Fine-scale mapping of physicochemical and microbial landscapes of the coral skeleton

The coral skeleton harbours a diverse community of bacteria and microeukaryotes exposed to light, O₂ and pH gradients, but how such physicochemical gradients affect the coral skeleton microbiome remains unclear. In this study, we employed chemical imaging of O₂ and pH, hyperspectral reflectance imaging and spatially resolved taxonomic and inferred functional microbiome characterization to explore links between the skeleton microenvironment and microbiome in the reef-building corals Porites lutea and Paragoniastrea benhami. The physicochemical environment was more stable in the deep skeleton, and the diversity and evenness of the bacterial community increased with skeletal depth, suggesting that the microbiome was stratified along the physicochemical gradients. The bulk of the coral skeleton was in a low O₂ habitat, whereas pH varied from pH 6–9 with depth. Physicochemical gradients of O₂ and pH of the coral skeleton explained the β-diversity of the bacterial communities, and skeletal layers that showed O₂ peaks had a higher relative abundance of endolithic algae, reflecting a link between the abiotic environment and the microbiome composition. Our study links the physicochemical, microbial and functional landscapes of the coral skeleton and provides new insights into the involvement of skeletal microbes in the coral holobiont metabolism.