Collagen receptors mediate early events in the attachment of epithelial (MDCK) cells

Summary Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells kept in suspension culture for 12–15 hr displayed high-affinity binding sites for¹²⁵I-lathyritic (soluble) collagen (120,000/cell,K _D =30nm) and preferred collagens types I and IV over laminin or fibronectin as substrates during the first hour of attachment. On the other hand, after 4 hr, attachment to all four substrates was equally efficient. Upon challenge with a collagen substrate, the high-affinity sites were rapidly recruited on it (T1/2=6 min). Their occupancy by soluble collagen triggered the exocytosis of a second large population of low-affinity collagen binding sites that included laminin and seems to be involved in a second cell-attachment mechanism. These results are compatible with a twostep model of MDCK cell attachment to the substrate: first, via high-affinity collagen binding sites, and second, via laminin of cellular origin.     

Ionotropic Receptors as a Driving Force behind Human Synapse Establishment

The origin of nervous systems is a main theme in biology and its mechanisms are largely underlied by synaptic neurotransmission. One problem to explain synapse establishment is that synaptic orthologs are present in multiple aneural organisms. We questioned how the interactions among these elements evolved and to what extent it relates to our understanding of the nervous systems complexity. We identified the human neurotransmission gene network based on genes present in GABAergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic systems. The network comprises 321 human genes, 83 of which act exclusively in the nervous system. We reconstructed the evolutionary scenario of synapse emergence by looking for synaptic orthologs in 476 eukaryotes. The Human–Cnidaria common ancestor displayed a massive emergence of neuroexclusive genes, mainly ionotropic receptors, which might have been crucial to the evolution of synapses. Very few synaptic genes had their origin after the Human–Cnidaria common ancestor. We also identified a higher abundance of synaptic proteins in vertebrates, which suggests an increase in the synaptic network complexity of those organisms.     

Application of the Red List Index as an indicator of habitat change

For the first time ever, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Index for habitat types was calculated for an entire country, Finland. The RLIs were based on species threat assessments from 2000 and 2010 and included habitat definitions for all 10,131 species of 12 organism groups. The RLIs were bootstrapped to track statistically significant changes. The RLI changes of species grouped by habitats were negative for all habitat types except for forests and rural biotopes which showed a stable trend. Trends of beetles and true bugs were positive in rural and forest habitats. Other 16 observed trends of species group and habitat combinations were negative. Several trends observed were in accordance with studies focusing on particular taxa and habitats, and drivers for their change. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the RLI as a tool for observing habitat change based on species threat assessment data.     

Activation of pigeon erythrocyte adenylate cyclase by cholera toxin partial purification of an essential macromolecular factor from horse erythrocyte cytosol

A cytosolic, macromolecular factor required for the cholera toxin-dependent activation of pigeon erythrocyte adenylate cyclase and cholera toxin-dependent ADP-ribosylation of a membrane-bound 43 000 dalton polypeptide has been purified 1100-fold from horse erythrocyte cytosol using organic solvent precipitation and heat treatment. This factor, 13 000 daltons, does not absorb to anionic or cationic exchange resins, is sensitive to trypsin or 10% trichloroacetic acid and is not extractable by diethyl ether. Activation of adenylate cyclase by cholera toxin requires the simultaneous presence of ATP (including possible trace GTP), NAD⁺, dithiothreitol, cholera toxin, membranes and the cytosolic macromolecular factor. Reversal of cholera toxin activation of adenylate cyclase, and of the toxin-dependent ADP-ribosylation, requires the presence of the cytosolic factor. The ability of the purified cytosolic factor to influence the hormonal sensitivity of liver membrane adenylate cyclase may provide clues to its physiological functions.     

E‐Clic – easy climate data converter

There are an increasing number of studies that are now focussing on the influence of climate change on species’ distributions. However, access to predictive climatic datasets for future scenarios is difficult due to their specific formats and/or the need to be geographically downscaled. The TYN dataset is freely available to users and provides a synthetic format with several climatic models and IPCC future climate scenarios. Moreover, the CRU historical dataset (1901–2000) is also available which allows users to create baseline models for current climatic variables. E‐clic is a free, user‐friendly software package that offers three different ways to convert these two datasets into a spatially explicit raster format which is compatible with the most common geographic information systems and usable on different platforms.     

Demonstration of choleragen-dependent ADP-ribosylation in whole cells and correlation with the activation of adenylate cyclase

3T3C₂ mouse fibroblasts rendered permeable to (α^?32P)NAD⁺ show cholera toxin-dependent labeling of a 45,000 m.w. protein and of a doublet of polypeptides around 52,000 m.w. These same bands are ADP-ribosylated in broken cells. Membranes prepared from pigeon erythrocytes pretreated with choleragen show a decrease in subsequent cholera toxin-specific ADP-ribosylation of a 43,000 m.w. polypeptide. Both whole cell and broken cell adenylate cyclase activation and toxin-specific ADP-ribosylation are reversed specifically by low pH and high concentrations of toxin and nicotinamide in all systems. Thus ADP-ribosylation appears to be relevant to the molecular action of choleragen in whole cells as well as in broken cells.