Two new variants of the lipocalin allergen Bos d 2

Allergens from various sources have been shown to comprise several isoforms. In the present study, a series of chromatographic steps was carried out to separate the lipocalin allergen Bos d 2 isoforms present in cow dander. Subsequent HPLC-MS–MS analyses revealed two new Bos d 2 variants. In one of the proteins, tyrosine (Y83) was substituted by aspartic acid, and in the other protein valine (V102) was replaced by alanine. We propose the three Bos d 2 variants be named as Bos d 2.0101 (previously sequenced Bos d 2), Bos d 2.0102 and Bos d 2.0103. Our results suggest that molecular polymorphism is a common property among lipocalin allergens. Since allergen isoforms may show variation in their IgE binding and/or T-cell reactivity, all of the many allergen forms should be taken into account when planning preparations for immunotherapy.     

Predictors of Weight Change in Middle‐aged and Old Men

Objective: Studies on weight change and mortality have yielded inconclusive results. This 10‐year prospective study was undertaken to improve understanding of factors affecting weight change. Research Methods and Procedures: The subjects were 1143 men, aged 36 to 88 years (mean, 53.3 years) at entry. A questionnaire was filled in at entry and at the end of the follow‐up with queries on weight, height, weight at the age of 20, physician‐diagnosed diseases, smoking, alcohol use, dietary habits, leisure physical activity, occupation, present occupational activity, living conditions (living alone or cohabiting), and former athletic status. Further information on morbidity was obtained from selected national registers. Factors predicting weight change during the study were identified by stepwise linear multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean 10‐year weight change was 0.8 (range, ?29 to +24) kg. Age at entry (β‐coefficient, ?0.17, SE 0.02), weight at entry (β, ?0.03, SE 0.01), diabetes at entry (β, ?3.55, SE 1.02), diabetes diagnosed after entry (β, ?3.94, SE 0.96), malignant cancer (β, ?1.60, SE 0.70), being a smoker (β, ?1.59, SE 0.48), and increased physical activity (β, ?1.27, SE 0.54) were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with weight loss in the final model. The model explained 13% of the variance of weight change. Discussion: The results emphasize the complexity of weight change. Some factors associated with weight change are apparently negatively, and some positively, associated with health. This could explain the equivocal findings on weight change and mortality in the literature.     

Low doses of ultraviolet radiation and oxidative damage induce dramatic accumulation of mitochondrial DNA replication intermediates,fork regression,and replication initiation shift

Mitochondrial DNA is prone to damage by various intrinsic as well as environmental stressors. DNA damage can in turn cause problems for replication, resulting in replication stalling and double-strand breaks, which are suspected to be the leading cause of pathological mtDNA rearrangements. In this study, we exposed cells to subtle levels of oxidative stress or UV radiation and followed their effects on mtDNA maintenance. Although the damage did not influence mtDNA copy number, we detected a massive accumulation of RNA:DNA hybrid–containing replication intermediates, followed by an increase in cruciform DNA molecules, as well as in bidirectional replication initiation outside of the main replication origin, O_H. Our results suggest that mitochondria maintain two different types of replication as an adaptation to different cellular environments; the RNA:DNA hybrid–involving replication mode maintains mtDNA integrity in tissues with low oxidative stress, and the potentially more error tolerant conventional strand-coupled replication operates when stress is high.     

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.     

The environmental regulation of adult diapause in Drosophila littoralis

Drosophila littoralis overwinters in the adult stage in a reproductive diapause. During the warm season there are one or two generations in Finland. The diapause appears to be a prolongation of the post-eclosion immaturity of young females. The termination of diapause is controlled by a combination of adequate temperature and sufficiently long photophases. The diapausing status of females is ascertained by inspecting the developmental stage of their ovaries. In laboratory experiments the maturity of ovaries is not closely correlated with the receptivity of females.     

Hemoglobin binding to deglycosylated haptoglobin

The carbohydrate portion of polymeric haptoglobin was gradually removed by exoglycosidases in order to investigate its role in complex formation between haptoglobin and hemoglobin. Total removal of sialic acid diminished the haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex formation 15%. Removal of about 25% of the galactose residues from asialohaptoglobin, i.e., about 40% of the total weight of the carbohydrate moiety, totally inhibited the ability of haptoglobin to form complex with hemoglobin and react with haptoglobin-specific antibodies. Liberation of further galactose residues resulted in slow precipitation of the protein. Removal of a similar part of the carbohydrate moiety from haptoglobin-hemoglobin complex did not liberate hemoglobin from it, and the complex reacted with haptoglobin antibodies. The combined data indicate that the carbohydrate portion is essential for the functionally active form of polymeric haptoglobin to complex with hemoglobin, but it hardly has any direct role in the binding event, and other factors are responsible for the stability of the complex.     

Aspartylglycosaminuria in a non-Finnish patient caused by a donor splice mutation in the glycoasparaginase gene.

Aspartylglycosaminuria is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficient activity of glycoasparaginase (EC 3.5.1.26), and it occurs with a high frequency among Finns. We have recently shown that the molecular defect in all Finnish aspartylglycosaminuria patients examined to date consists of two single base changes in the heavy chain of glycoasparaginase (Mononen, I., Heisterkamp, N., Kaartinen, V., Williams, J. C., Yates, J. R., III, Griffin, P. R., Hood, L. E., and Groffen, J. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci U.S.A. 88, 2941-2945). This is the first report on the identification of the molecular defect causing aspartylglycosaminuria in a patient of non-Finnish origin. Total RNA from fibroblasts of a black American aspartylglycosaminuria patient was isolated, first-strand cDNA was synthesized, and the cDNA encoding glycoasparaginase was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. The patient's mRNA nucleotide sequence was different from the normal sequence by a deletion of 134 nucleotides at positions 807-940. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the normal glycoasparaginase gene demonstrated that the deletion corresponded precisely to a 134-base pair exon. Moreover, analysis of the splice sites demonstrated a single base change, G to T, that altered the donor splice site of the exon deleted in the patient's mRNA. This change led to an exon-skipping event resulting in a frame shift and generation of a stop codon.     

Regulation of weight loss in male farm mink

1. Regulation of weight loss was studied in wild mink (Mustela vision) under farm conditions. 2. Body weight of male minks was already adjusted to a low level before the mating season. 3. Weight loss was a result of changes in energy expenditure and energy intake. 4. This study emphasizes the dynamic nature of seasonal energy regulation.