Purine salvage as metabolite and energy saving mechanism in Camelus dromedarius: the recovery of guanine

The preservation of purine ring as purine bases appears to be a common feature of camel liver. Hepatic guanine appears to be actively converted into GMP in the camel rather than further degraded. The limiting step of guanine degradation appears to be the lack of hepatic guanase activity. Higher purine bases over uric acid ratios were found in camel urine with respect to those of zebu.     

DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES IN PORPHYRA (BANGIOPHYCEAE). II. CHARACTERIZATIO OF THE MAJOR LECTIN BINDING GLYCOPROTEINS IN DIFFERENTIATED REGIONS OF THE PORPHYRA PERFORATA THALLUS1

Detergent soluble extracts of differentiated regions of the Porphyra perforata J. Ag. thallus (holdfast, rhizoidal, vegetative and reproductive cells) were fractionated on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels. Glycoproteins were identified by their lectin affinity. Extracts from all areas of the thallus contained glycoproteins, but the staining patterns were different for each region with each of the lectins tested: concanavalin A, Ulex europeaus agglutinin, Ricinus communis agglutinin, soybean agglutinin and peanut agglutinin. These data indicate that the morphologically distinct regions of the thallus also differ biochemically. Analysis of the lectin blots revealed the presence of tissue-specific glycoproteins in the five thallus areas. Such unique glycoproteins could be used as markers of differentiation in this species.     

Eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase I reaction is topology dependent.

The effects of supercoiling on the topoisomerization reaction by eukaryotic DNA topoisomerases I have been analyzed. The systems used were: DNA topoisomerase I from wheat germ, chicken erythrocyte and calf thymus on a 2.3 kb DNA fragment which encompasses the immunoglobulin kappa-light chain (L kappa) promoter of the mouse plasmacytoma MPC11; S. cerevisiae DNA topoisomerase I on a 2.2 kb DNA fragment from the same organism which encompasses the regulatory and the coding region of the ADH II gene; wheat germ DNA topoisomerase I on the plasmid pUC18. It was found in every system that lack of torsional stress prevents topoisomerization of the substrate. A simple regulatory model of DNA topoisomerase I function, based on topological considerations, is presented.     

A DNA polymerase from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus shows sequence similarity to family B DNA polymerases.

The gene encoding the thermostable DNA polymerase from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus (strain MT 4) was isolated by means of two degenerate oligonucleotide probes. They were designed on the basis of partial enzyme amino acid sequences. The gene was found to encode a 882 residues polypeptide chain with a deduced molecular mass of about 100 kDa. By comparison with other archaeal genes, putative regulatory sites were identified in the gene-flanking regions. By computer-assisted homology search, several sequence similarities among S. solfataricus and family B DNA polymerases were found. In addition, conserved sequence motifs, implicated in the 3'-5' exonuclease activity of E. coli DNA polymerase I and shared by various family A and B DNA polymerases, were also identified. This result suggests that the proofreading domains of all these enzymes are evolutionarily related.     

F Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis of 5-Fluorouracil Metabolism in Four Differently Pigmented Strains of Nectria haematococca

F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to study the metabolism of 5-fluorouracil in four strains of Nectria haematococca which displayed similar sensitivities to growth inhibition by this compound but differed in their pigmentation. The major metabolites, 5-fluorouridine and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine, were excreted into the medium by all four strains. The classical ribofluoronucleotides (5-fluorouridine-5'-monophosphate, -diphosphate, and -triphosphate) and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine were identified in the acid-soluble fraction of perchloric acid extracts of mycelia. Two hydrolysis products of 5-fluorouracil incorporated into RNA were found in the acid-insoluble pool. They were unambiguously assigned to 5-fluorouridine-2'-monophosphate and 3'-monophosphate with specific hydrolysis reactions on isolated RNA. The lack of fluorodeoxyribonucleotides and the fact that the four strains incorporated similar amounts of fluororibonucleotides into their RNAs strongly suggest an RNA-directed mechanism of cytotoxicity for 5-fluorouracil. The heavily pigmented wild type differed from the three low-pigmented strains in its low uptake of 5-fluorouracil and, consequently, in its reduced biosynthesis of 5-fluorouridine and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine. At present, it is not clear whether this change in 5-fluorouracil metabolism is a side effect of pigment production or results from another event.     

Activation of the inositol trisphosphate second messenger system by cAMP in a mouse fibroblast cell line

Intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization events were assessed in mouse L cells, which contain native prostaglandin E₁ receptors and transfected human ₂ adrenergic receptors. Both Fura2 (single cell measurements) and Quin 2, (cuvette assays) were used to determine [Ca²⁺]_i levels. Our results demonstrate that in the transfected cells there is a dose-dependent increase in [Ca²⁺]_i in response to isoproterenol (0.1 nM–100 nM), which is inhibited by the -adrenergic antagonist, propranolol, and is a result of intracellular Ca²⁺ release. [Ca²⁺]₁ in these cells was also increased by prostaglandin E₁, 8 bromo cyclic AMP, and aluminum fluoride. Both 8 bromo cAMP and isoproterenol induced a rapid increase in the levels of IP₁, IP₂, and IP₃. The data presented demonstrate that the elevation of intracellular cyclic AMP induces an increase in IP₃ production which leads to an elevation in [Ca²⁺];. We propose that this cyclic AMP dependent activation of the IP₃ generating system occurs at a post-receptor site.Abbreviations cAMP Adenosine Cyclic 3-5-Monophosphate - [Ca²⁺]_i intracellular [Ca²⁺]_i - 8 Br cAMP 8 Bromo Adenosine Cyclic 3-5-Monophosphate - DAG Diacylglycerol - EGTA] [Ethylene Bis (oxyethylenenitrilo)] Tetracetic acid - BSA Bovine Serum Albumin - HBSS-H Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution buffered with HEPES to pH 7.4 - HEPES 4-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid - PIP₂ Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate - IP₂ Inositol 4 Phosphate - IP₂ Inositol 4,5 Bisphosphate - IP₃ Inositol Trisphosphate - PGE₁ Prostaglandin E₁ - PBS Phosphate Buffered Saline Solution