Factors affecting male-production in Hydatina

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Factors affecting male-production in Hydatina

     

Legionella pneumophila in Cooling Towers: Fluctuations in Counts, Determination of Genetic Variability by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), and Persistence of PFGE Patterns

The concentrations of Legionella pneumophila in cooling towers may vary considerably over short periods of time, producing significant fluctuations throughout the year. Despite genetic variability, in small geographical areas the same indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns may be shared among different cooling towers and persist over time.     

Chloride cell responses to long-term exposure to distilled and hard water in the gill of the armored catfish, Hypostomus tietensis (Loricariidae)

The morphological changes in the gill chloride cells of the armored catfish, Hypostomus tietensis , were investigated after 15 days' exposure to either distilled or hard water. The thickness of the water–blood barrier in the lamellae increased significantly in fish kept in distilled water due to the high proliferation of chloride cells. The apical surface of about 68% of chloride cells was sharply reduced by the development of an apical crypt with a sponge-like surface, although no change in the chloride cell fractional area was found. In contrast, H. tietensis kept in Na⁺, Cl⁻ and Ca²⁺ rich water displayed no significant changes in the number of chloride cells or in their apical surface morphology compared with the control fish. Chloride cell response to ion challenge in H. tietensis suggested the involvement of different strategies to maintain homeostasis in ion-poor water, which may be related to the life history of species.     

Antibodies to Xenopus egg S6 kinase II recognize S6 kinase from progesterone- and insulin-stimulated Xenopus oocytes and from proliferating chicken embryo fibroblasts.

Ribosomal protein S6 becomes highly phosphorylated during progesterone- or insulin-induced maturation of Xenopus laevis oocytes. We have previously purified an Mr 92,000 protein as one of the major S6 kinases from Xenopus unfertilized eggs. In this paper we confirm by renaturation of activity from a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel that this protein is an S6 kinase. This enzyme, termed S6 kinase II (S6 K II), was used for the preparation of polyclonal antiserum. Immunocomplexes formed with the antiserum and purified S6 K II were able to express kinase activity with the same substrate specificity as that of the purified enzyme, including autophosphorylation of S6 K II itself. The antiserum did not react with S6 kinase I, another major S6 kinase present in Xenopus eggs, which is chromatographically distinct from S6 K II. The administration of progesterone to oocytes resulted in a 20- to 25-fold increase in S6 kinase activity in extracts of these cells. Immunocomplex kinase assays done on extracts revealed that anti-S6 K II serum reacted with S6 kinase from progesterone-treated oocytes. This antiserum also reacted with the activated S6 kinase from insulin-stimulated oocytes. In addition, anti-S6 K II serum reacted with activated S6 kinase from chicken embryo fibroblasts stimulated with serum or transformed by Rous sarcoma virus. These results indicate that S6 K II or an antigenically related S6 kinase(s) is subject to regulation by mitogenic stimuli in various cell types.     

SV40 immortalizes myogenic cells: DNA synthesis and mitosis in differentiating myotubes

Primary skeletal muscle myoblasts have a limited proliferative capacity in cell culture and cease to proliferate after several passages. We examined the effects of several oncogenes on the immortalization and differentiation of primary cultures of rat skeletal muscle myoblasts. Retroviruses containing a SV40 large T antigen (LT) gene very efficiently immortalize myogenic cells. The immortalized cell lines retain a very high differentiation capacity and form, in the appropriate culture conditions, a very dense network of muscle fibers. As in primary culture, cell fusion is associated with the synthesis of large amounts of muscle-specific proteins. However, unlike normal myoblasts (and previously established myogenic cell lines), nuclei in the multinucleated fibers of SV40-immortalized cells synthesize DNA and enter mitosis. Thus, withdrawal from DNA synthesis is not obligatory for cell fusion and biochemical differentiation. Using a retrovirus coding for a temperature-sensitive SV40 LT, myogenic cell lines were produced in which the SV40 LT could be inactivated by a shift from 33 degrees C to 39 degrees C. The inactivation of LT induced massive cell fusion and synthesis of muscle proteins. The nuclei in those fibers did not synthesize DNA, nor did they undergo mitosis. This approach enabled the reproducible establishment of myogenic cell lines from very small populations of myoblasts or single primary myogenic clones. Activated p53 also readily immortalized cells in primary muscle cultures, however the cells of eight out of the nine cell lines isolated had a fibroblastic morphology and could not be induced to form multinucleated fibers.     

Ecto-5'-nucleotidase of cultured rat mesangial cells

Because adenosine plays a role in the regulation of glomerular filtration rate and of the release of renin, we examined the possibility of a local source for this mediator. We found that rat cultured glomerular mesangial cells converted 5'-AMP into adenosine. The properties of the enzyme involved in the reaction were those of an ecto-5' nucleotidase: (1) the products of the reaction were generated in the extracellular fluid although no 5'-nucleotidase was released by the cells into the medium; (2) identical activities were found for cultured cells in situ and sonicated cells; (3) the diazonium salt of sulfanilic acid which is a nonpenetrating reagent inhibited up to 75% of the enzyme activity. Ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity of intact cells obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Apparent Km for 5'-AMP was 0.32 mM. 5'-UMP was a strictly competitive inhibitor. ADP exerted a very powerful inhibitory effect and behaved also as a competitive inhibitor. ATP was inhibitory both by increasing Km and by decreasing Vmax. Ecto-5'-nucleotidase was active in the absence of divalent cations. However, Mg2+, Ca2+, Co2+ and Mn2+ were stimulatory. Zn2+ and Cu2+ suppressed the activity. Concanavalin A, a plant lectin, was markedly inhibitory, suggesting that a glycoprotein moiety was necessary to express enzyme activity. Ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity was not modified during phagocytosis of serum-treated zymosan by mesangial cells. Rat cultured glomerular epithelial cells exhibited a 5'-nucleotidase activity which was 4 times lower than that of the mesangial cells in primary culture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Post-transcriptional regulation by insulin of Xenopus ribosomal protein S6 kinase

The activation of Xenopus oocyte ribosomal protein S6 kinase during oocyte maturation was investigated. Insulin treatment caused a rapid three-fold activation of S6 kinase that returned to near basal levels by 2 h postinsulin. This was followed by a later fivefold increase from 2 to 5 h with insulin, culminating with germinal vesicle breakdown. Pretreatment of oocytes with multiple protein synthesis inhibitors increased the level of basal activity, but did not greatly alter the time course of early activation of S6 kinase by insulin. In contrast, the later increase in S6 kinase activity was completely inhibited by pretreatment with cycloheximide. However, near maximal increases in S6 kinase activity occurred following injection of maturation-promoting factor, even in the presence of multiple protein synthesis inhibitors. Brief exposure to cycloheximide after 30 min or more of insulin stimulation increased the magnitude of insulin-stimulated activity without changing the overall pattern of activity increase. These results suggest that a rapidly turning-over inhibitor of S6 kinase exists, and the activation of S6 kinase by insulin occurs by protein synthesis-dependent and -independent mechanisms.     

Sucrose-Modulated Morphogenesis in Anagallis arvensis L.

Sucrose was found to have a modulating effect on the morphogenesisof Anagallis arvensis L. leaves cultured in a Murashige-Skoogmedium. Root formation and growth seem to be more independentthan other morphogenetic expressions. Roots formed without exogenoussugars at 25°C but sucrose seemed to be necessary at 32and 35°C. Sucrose at 3% improved shoot formation at 25°Cand had an inhibitory effect at 6%concentration and 35°C.Shoot growth (internode length) is inhibited by sucrose concentrationshigher than 3%. Sucrose could also replace light irradiancein regulating shoot and leaf growth. A higher sucrose concentration,than that required for roots and shoots formation, is necessaryfor flower and fruit formation, but sucrose could not replacethe photoperiod requirement for flowering in culture medium. (Received June 17, 1985; Accepted December 24, 1985)