The structure ofHLA-B35 suggests that it is derived fromHLA-Bw58 by two genetic mechanisms

The primary structure ofHLA-B51 andHLA-Bw52 suggested thatHLA-B51 was derived fromHLA-Bw52 by the combination of a genetic exchange withHLA-B8 and a point mutation. To investigate the evolution of theHLA-B5 cross reactive group, theHLA-B35 gene was cloned and the primary structure was determined.HLA-B35 is identical toHLA-Bw58 except in the α₁ domain. The α₁ domain ofHLA-B35 except Bw4/Bw6-associated amino acids is identical to that ofHLA-B51 ^*, which was suspected to be an intermediate gene betweenHLA-B51 andHLA-Bw52. These data suggest thatHLA-B35 has evolved fromHLA-Bw58 in two steps; an in vivo replacement of the α₁ domain withHLA-B51 and genetic exchange with one of theHLA-Bw6 genes. These three genes andHLA-Bw58 are postulated to share a common ancestor.     

VP-16-induced nucleotide pool changes and poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis: the role of VP-16 in interphase death

Exposure of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line (HL-60) to VP-16 resulted in accumulation of DNA strand breaks. Concomitantly, intracellular NAD levels fell at 1 h, followed by declines in ATP at 2 h and in GTP, CTP, and UTP at 3 h. Furthermore, marked morphological changes, such as loss of microvilli or bleb formation, appeared at 4 h and cell death by 8-10 h. The addition of an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, 3-aminobenzamide (5 mM), theophylline (2 mM), or thymidine (1 mM), prevented these sequential reductions of nucleotide pools and cell death. In fact, the activation of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis was detectable within a few hours after treatment with VP-16, although it was smaller than that induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. These results may suggest the possible role of activation of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in VP-16-induced nucleotide pool changes and subsequent interphase death.     

A newly established human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line with characteristics of the earliest B-cell maturation

A new human acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell line, designated HBL-3, was established from the bone marrow of a patient with non-T-ALL. The HBL-3 cell line expressed B4 (CD 19), BA-1 (CD 24) and HLA-DR antigens, but not surface immunoglobulin (SIg) or cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (CIg). The cell line lacked the common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (CALLA) and antigenic markers characteristic of T-cell and myeloid cell lineages. The HBL-3 cells had structural rearrangements of both the homologous chromosome 9s, including a translocation with chromosome 1 which has been reported in a patient with common ALL. The cell line had rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain genes but retained germ-line κ light chain genes and germ-line T-cell receptorβ- and γ-chain genes. The HBL-3 cell line was strongly positive for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). These findings indicate that the HBL-3 cell line is derived from the earliest B-cell committed to B-cell lineage.     

Flowering and Endogenous Levels of Plant Hormones in Lemna Species

The occurrence and endogenous level of various plant hormoneswere measured for the short-day plants Lemna paucicostata 151and 381 and the long-day plant Lemna gibba G3 to determine whetherany of them are involved in the photoperiodic control of flowering.ABA, IAA, GA₁, GA₂₉, GA₃₄, GA₅₃, trans- and cis-zeatin, trans-and cis-ribosyl zeatin, N⁶-(²-isopentenyl) adenine and N⁶-(²-isopentenyl)adenosine were definitely detected in each species, while GA₄was only detected in L. gibba G3 and GA₂₀ was only detectedin L. paucicostata 151. The endogenous levels of ABA and IAAwere in the range of 1–7 ng/g fr wt and were not significantlydifferent in vegetative and flowering plants. The endogenousgibberellin levels were generally higher in Lemna grown underlong-day rather than short-day conditions. The endogenous cytokininlevels were almost the same in both flowering and vegetativeplants of L. paucicostata 151 and 381. In L. gibba G3, however,the level of cis-ribosyl zeatin, N⁶-(²-isopentenyl) adenineand N⁶-(²-sopentenyl) adenosine were higher in vegetative thanin flowering plants. These results indicate that there is not necessarily a directrelation between endogenous plant hormone levels and flowering,and that the chemical basis for the photoperiodic control offlowering cannot be explained solely by changes in hormone levels.The possibility remains, however, that one or more of the planthormones has some influence of secondary importance on the floweringprocess in Lemna. (Received January 29, 1986; Accepted July 12, 1986)     

Synergistic effects of the myc and ras oncogenes on ganglioside synthesis by BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts

The effects of oncogene activation on glycosphingolipid (GSL) synthesis by a mouse fibroblast clonal cell line were studied. A transfectant that expressed the activated ras gene showed a definite change in the composition of acidic GSLs, probably an increase in polysialoganglioside, while one that expressed the myc gene showed only a slight change. Neither transfectant grew in soft agar. However, another transfectant, which expressed both the myc and ras genes, and grew in soft agar, showed a more dramatic increase in the acidic GSL component. Thus, activations of the myc and ras oncogenes have a synergistic effect on GSL synthesis during transformation.     

Effects of Some Growth Regulators and Benzoic Acid Derivatives on Flower Initiation and Root Elongation of Pharbitis nil, Strain Kidachi

Seedlings of Pharbitis nil, strain Kidachi, were grown undercontinuous light at 20°C in vessels containing 5,000-mlnutrient solution, 24 plants per vessel. NAA (0.005–0.5µM), GA₃ (0.1–0.5 µM), kinetin (0.5–5µM), benzyladenine (0.05–5 µM) or abscisicacid (4 µM) added to the nutrient solution induced long-dayflowering, and the flowering was always accompanied by suppressionof root elongation. 3,4-Dichlorobenzoic acid (0.05–10µM) and some other benzoic acid derivatives which arehighly effective for the induction of flowering in Lemna paucicostataalso showed similar effects. Neither NAA, kinetin nor 3,4-dichlorobenzoicacid applied via the apical part of the hypocotyl could causeflowering or suppression of root elongation. Thus, the flower-inducingeffect of the above substances was presumed to be secondaryto the suppression of root elongation. Ethrel (1–50 µM)added to the nutrient solution suppressed root elongation, butdid not induce flowering probably because it has flower-inhibitingactivity. ¹ This paper is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Joji Ashida,the first president of the Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. (Received December 15, 1982; Accepted February 25, 1983)     

Flowering behavior of the hybrids between strains 6746 and 371 of Lemna paucicostata hegelm

Lemna paucicostata Hegelm. 6746, a short-day plant, flowers even under continuous light when CuSo₄, AgNO₃, K₃[Fe(CN)₆], or benzoic acid are added to the medium, or when blue light is given exclusively. All other strains tested, including strain 371, did not flower under any of these conditions. Crossing between strains 371 (♀) and 6746 (♂) produced some seeds, although the reciprocal crossing did not. None of the hybrids flowered in response to AgNO₃, or blue light, and only a few flowered in response to CuSO₄. Most of the hybrids, on the other hand, flowered in response to K₃[Fe(CN)₆] or benzoic acid, although the responses were lower than the mean of the parental. Further analysis could not be made because self-pollination or crossing between the hybrids did not produce any seeds. However, since sensitivities to the above 5 factors were passed on to the F₁ hybrids in varying degrees, the extraordinary high sensitivities to these factors of strain 6746 are considered to be governed by different genes. Otherwise, a single (or a few) gene(s) governing the sensitivities to these factors would be differently expressed in the hybrids.