Insusceptibility of Cockayne syndrome-derived lymphocytes to plasminogen activator-like protease induction by ultraviolet rays and its abolition by interferon.

Protease induced by ultraviolet rays (UV) has been extensively investigated in human cells. Plasminogen activator-like protease (PA) activity was induced soon after UV irradiation in peripheral lymphocytes derived from healthy donors. In contrast, UV-irradiated lymphocytes derived from Cockayne syndrome (CS) cases did not show marked protease inducibility. Epstein-Barr (EB) virus-transformed CS lymphoblastoid cells were also characterized by insusceptibility to UV-induction of PA. However, when CS-derived cells were treated with a human interferon (HuIFN) preparation prior to irradiation, induction of PA activity was detected, irrespective of the kind of HuIFN (alpha or gamma). The results indicate the possibility of abnormal PA metabolism in CS-derived cells.     

Transient Changes in the Energy State of Adenylates and the Redox States of Pyridine Nucleotides in Chlorella Cells Induced by Environmental Changes

The unicellular green algae Chlorella ellipsoidea was used tostudy transient changes in the energy state of adenylates andthe redox states of pyridine nucleotides induced by environmentalchanges. The transition from anaerobic to aerobic conditionsin the dark induced a sharp rise in the ATP ratio [ATP/(ATP+ADP+AMP)],a sudden decrease in the NADH ratio [NADH/(NAD⁺+NADPH)] anda transient drop in the NADPH ratio [NADPH/(NADP⁺+NADPH)]. Illuminationafter a dark period under anaerobic, CO₂-free conditions inducedsharp increases in the ATP and NADPH ratios and a slower decreasein the NADH ratio. Illumination under aerobic conditions, ineither the presence or absence of CO₂, caused a sharp increasein the NADPH ratio, a small increase in the ATP ratio and aslower increase in the NADH ratio. In the presence of CO₂, asubsequent large drop in the NADPH ratio occurred. Darkeningunder anaerobic, CO₂-free conditions induced a sudden decreasein the ATP ratio, a temporary fall in the NADPH ratio and aslow increase in the NADH ratio. Darkening under aerobic conditionsinduced transient drops in the ATP and NADPH ratios and a suddendrop in the NADH ratio. The addition of CO₂ to the atmospherewith illumination produced a decrease in all three parameters. These results are discussed in relation to current theoriesof the interaction between photosynthesis and respiration. Ourobservations indicate that the energy and reducing potentialsgenerated by photochemical processes are used for and controlother processes besides CO₂ fixation in photosynthetic cells. (Received December 3, 1981; Accepted May 4, 1982)     

Neurologic Abnormalities in Two Dogs Suspected Lyme Disease

A 2-year-old mongrel dog developed neurological signs following tick bite. These included astasia, persistent tonic convulsions and hyper-reflexia. Both serum IgG and IgM antibody titers against Borrelia burgdorferi were positive in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The neurological signs subsided after high-dose penicillin and streptomycin treatment. A strain of spirochetes (P427a) was isolated from the midgut of Ixodes persulcatus feeding on the dog. Morphological characteristic, immunological property and protein profile revealed that the isolate was B. burgdorferi. Similarly, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever dog developed neurological signs after tick bite and showed a positive IgG antibody titer against B. burgdorferi. Antibiotic treatment was effective also in this case. These findings suggest that neurological symptoms shown in both dogs were caused by infection with B. burgdorferi.     

New Sesquiterpenes from Aspergillus terreus Thom

Four neutral sesquiterpenes were isolated from the culture filtrate of of Aspergillus terreus THOM NO. 14 which produces two sesquiterpene antibiotics, terrecyclic acid A and terrecyclol. On the basis of spectroscopic data the structures of four neutral sesquiterpenes were elucidated. One of these is quadrone, a known antitumor substance, but isoquadrone, 8-hydroxyquadrone and 6-hydroxyisoquadrone are new sesquiterpenes. Although terrecyclic acid A exhibits antimicrobial and antitumor activities, these four scarcely show these activities.     

Protein-Calcium-Phytic Acid Relationships in Soybean

This paper constitutes the first report in a research series undertaken in order to clarify the interactive relationships among soybean meal protein, calcium and phytic acid in solution and in precipitate.

Data presented are mainly concerned with solubility characteristics of soybean meal proteins as a function of pH. The results support the suggestion as follows; phosphorus and calcium give the remarkable effects on solubility characteristics of protein, the complex containing protein, calcium and phosphorus is formed above isoelectric point of protein and the combinations are labile above at pH 8, especially by heating.     

Reducing acetylated tau is neuroprotective in brain injury

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Identification and Characterization of a Novel Galactofuranose-Specific β-D-Galactofuranosidase from Streptomyces Species

β-D-galactofuranose (Galf) is a component of polysaccharides and glycoconjugates and its transferase has been well analyzed. However, no β-D-galactofuranosidase (Galf-ase) gene has been identified in any organism. To search for a Galf-ase gene we screened soil samples and discovered a strain, identified as a Streptomyces species by the 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis, that exhibits Galf-ase activity for 4-nitrophenyl β-D-galactofuranoside (pNP-β-D-Galf) in culture supernatants. By draft genome sequencing of the strain, named JHA19, we found four candidate genes encoding Galf-ases. Using recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli, we found that three out of four candidates displayed the activity of not only Galf-ase but also α-L-arabinofuranosidase (Araf-ase), whereas the other one showed only the Galf-ase activity. This novel Galf-specific hydrolase is encoded by ORF1110 and has an optimum pH of 5.5 and a Km of 4.4 mM for the substrate pNP-β-D-Galf. In addition, this enzyme was able to release galactose residue from galactomannan prepared from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, suggesting that natural polysaccharides could be also substrates. By the BLAST search using the amino acid sequence of ORF1110 Galf-ase, we found that there are homolog genes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, indicating that Galf-specific Galf-ases widely exist in microorganisms.