Expression of human cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor cDNA in receptor-negative mouse P388D1 cells following gene transfer

We recently reported the cDNA cloning, sequence, and expression of the human cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (hCI-MPR) (Oshima, A., Nolan, C. M., Kyle, J. W., Grubb, J. H., and Sly, W. S. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 2553-2562). The sequence of the hCI-MPR was virtually identical to that of the human insulin-like growth factor II receptor cDNA (Morgan, D. O., Edman, J. C., Standring, D. N., Fried, V. A., Smith, M. C., Roth, R. A., and Rutter, W. J. (1987) Nature 329, 301-307). To test the role of the putative bifunctional receptor in intracellular sorting of acid hydrolases, we studied its effect on lysosomal enzyme transport following gene transfer to receptor-negative cells. Receptor-negative mouse P388D1 cells were transfected with a cDNA construct containing the entire coding sequence of hCI-MPR under the control of the mouse metallothionine I promoter. Stable transformants were isolated and characterized. The expressed hCI-MPR was localized in membranes including the plasma membrane, bound mannose 6-phosphate containing ligands, and mediated endocytosis which could be specifically blocked by mannose 6-phosphate. We next measured the effect of the expressed hCI-MPR on intracellular and secreted acid hydrolases. The intracellular activity of the lysosomal marker enzymes beta-glucuronidase and beta-hexosaminidase increased up to 2-fold following transformation. In addition, expression of the receptor greatly reduced the fraction of acid hydrolases secreted. These phenotypic changes in the transformed cell lines support the proposed role of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor in intracellular sorting and targeting of lysosomal enzymes.     

Evidence for Structural Dissimilarity in the Neurotransmitter Binding Region of Purified Acetylcholine Receptors from Human Muscle and Torpedo Electric Organ

Acetylcholine receptor (AChR) purified from human skeletal muscle affinity-alkylated with bromoacetyl[methyl-3H]choline bromide ([3H]BAC) in mildly reducing conditions to yield a specifically radiolabeled polypeptide, Mr 44,000, the alpha-subunit. The binding of [125I]alpha-bungarotoxin to AChR was completely inhibited by affinity-alkylation, indicating that the human AChR's binding site for alpha-bungarotoxin is closely associated with the alpha-subunit's acetylcholine binding site. Structures in the vicinity of the alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites of AChRs from human muscle and Torpedo electric organ were compared by varying the conditions of alkylation. Under optimal conditions of reduction and alkylation, both human and Torpedo AChR incorporated BAC in equivalence to the number of alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites. However, with limited conditions of reduction but sufficient BAC to alkylate 100% of the alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites of human AChR, only 71% of the Torpedo AChR's binding sites were alkylated. In optimal conditions of reduction but with the minimal concentration of BAC that permitted 100% alkylation of the human AChR's alpha-bungarotoxin sites, only 74% of the Torpedo AChR's binding sites were alkylated. These data suggest that the neurotransmitter binding region of human muscle AChR is structurally dissimilar from that of Torpedo electric organ, having a higher binding affinity for BAC and an adjacent disulfide bond that is more readily accessible to reducing agents.     

Resistance of Trypanosoma cruzi to blood clearance induced by acute-phase immune mouse serum.

To investigate functional changes in Trypanosoma cruzi parasites induced during their interaction with the vertebrate host, we compared the blood clearance profiles of blood forms isolated from infected normal mice (Reg-Tc) or from infected mice immunodepressed after treatment with cyclophosphamide (Cy-Tc). Parasite blood numbers were measured at various time intervals in animals injected intravenously (i.v.) with 1-2 x 10(6) T. cruzi of either isolate. In the absence of added immune sera (spontaneous clearance), Reg-Tc and Cy-Tc were cleared from blood at similar rates. However, when acute immune mouse serum (Ac-IMS) was injected i.v. 2 min after inoculation of parasites, a significant proportion of Cy-Tc only was cleared from the blood an hour later, whereas Reg-Tc were not, their clearance profile being identical to that observed in mice injected with normal mouse serum. Cy-Tc susceptibility to Ac-IMS was not the result of a toxic effect of cyclophosphamide over T. cruzi as parasites recovered from animals immunodepressed by irradiation before infection were cleared similarly by acute serum. Contrary to Ac-IMS, chronic immune mouse serum induced similar rates of disappearance of Reg-Tc and Cy-Tc from blood. Our results suggest the occurrence of T. cruzi selection or modification during the acute phase, which leads to an increased parasite resistance to the clearance properties of acute-phase antibodies.     

petR, located upstream of the fbcFBC operon encoding the cytochrome bc1 complex, is homologous to bacterial response regulators and necessary for photosynthetic and respiratory growth of Rhodobacter capsulatus

Interposon mutagenesis of a region upstream of the petABC(fbcFBC) operon, encoding the ubiquinol: cytochrome c2 oxidoreductase (bc1 complex) of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus revealed the presence of two genes, petP and petR. DNA nucleotide sequence determination of this region indicated that petP and petR are transcribed in the same direction as the petABC(fbcFBC) operon, and are translationally coupled. A silent insertion located in the interoperonal region separating petPR and the petABC(fbcFBC) genes indicated that these clusters have separate promoters. The deduced amino acid sequence of the putative petR gene product is homologous to various bacterial response regulators, especially to those of the OmpR subgroup. Moreover, it was found that PetR mutants are unable to grow on rich or minimal media by either photosynthesis or respiration, demonstrating that these gene products are essential for growth of R. capsulatus.     

Linkage between energy status of perivascular cells and mineralization of the chick growth cartilage

The objective of this investigation was to investigate the relationship between the energy status of epiphyseal chondrocytes of the chick growth cartilage and the development of mineralization. A microfluorimetric scanning technique was used to measure the reduced pyridine nucleotide content of transverse sections of freeze-trapped cartilage; these measurements were related to tissue structure by scanning electron microscopy. The results of this study show that the energy status of cells in the hypertrophic region of the growth cartilage is more complex than was previously believed. In hypertrophic cartilage, most chondrocytes are in a reduced state. However, in the early hypertrophic region, the vascular channels that penetrate the cartilage from the metaphysis exert a profound local effect on the energy metabolism of perivascular chondrocytes. Thus, around each of the channels, there exists a zone of chondrocytes about 40-60 micron wide which exhibits a low fluorescence yield. The fluorescence level suggests that these perivascular cells have a higher level of oxidative metabolism than hypertrophic chondrocytes that are a distance (greater than 150 micron) from the vascular channels. This finding, in conjunction with our earlier observation that mineralization is first seen in the perivascular region, leads us to the conclusion that mineralization is associated with cellular oxidative activity. We now reject the long-held concept that in cartilage the development of mineralization is entirely due to tissue hypoxia.     

An apoptosis-inducing genotoxin differentiates heterozygotic carriers for Werner helicase mutations from wild-type and homozygous mutants

Immortalized B lymphocytes from Werner syndrome subjects are shown to be hypersensitive to 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), supporting earlier work on T lymphocytes. We also show that B cell lines from clinically normal heterozygous carriers exhibit sensitivities to this genotoxic agent, which are intermediate to those of wild-type and homozygous mutants. 4NQO is shown to induce an apoptotic response. These data encourage research on DNA repair with such cell lines and raise the question of an enhanced sensitivity of the relatively prevalent heterozygous carriers to certain environmental genotoxic agents. Received: 21 April 1997 / Accepted: 25 July 1997     

Lipid Peroxidation by the [Peroxidase/H2O2/Phenolic] System

Linoleic acid was oxygenated by horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7 [EC] )in the presence of phenolics. The phenolics effective for thissystem had substituents at the P-position. The peroxidase-dependentlipid peroxidation produced reaction products similar to thoseproduced by lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.1.13 [EC] ) under the same conditions.Positional isomers of the reaction products were identifiedas 13-hydroperoxy-9, lloctadecadienoic acid and 9-hydroperoxy-10,12-octadecadienoicacid. (Received November 15, 1986; Accepted March 19, 1987)