In vitro corm production in the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus L.)

Means to increase the reproductive capacity of Crocus sativus L., in vitro, are described. Cytokinins and auxin were found to be essential for development of bud explants. Ethylene and ethaphon pretreatments inhibited leaf development but induced corm production. Microsurgery of the apical bud combined with ethylene pretreatment increased both sprouting and corm production.     

Targeting Homologous Recombination in Notch-Driven C. elegans Stem Cell and Human Tumors

Mammalian NOTCH1-4 receptors are all associated with human malignancy, although exact roles remain enigmatic. Here we employ glp-1(ar202), a temperature-sensitive gain-of-function C. elegans NOTCH mutant, to delineate NOTCH-driven tumor responses to radiotherapy. At ≤20°C, glp-1(ar202) is wild-type, whereas at 25°C it forms a germline stem cell⁄progenitor cell tumor reminiscent of human cancer. We identify a NOTCH tumor phenotype in which all tumor cells traffic rapidly to G2⁄M post-irradiation, attempt to repair DNA strand breaks exclusively via homology-driven repair, and when this fails die by mitotic death. Homology-driven repair inactivation is dramatically radiosensitizing. We show that these concepts translate directly to human cancer models.     

Prospective study of bacterial meningitis in North East Thames region, 1991-3, during introduction of Haemophilus influenzae vaccine.

OBJECTIVE--To describe the epidemiology of primary bacterial meningitis in the North East Thames region over a three year period before and during the introduction of the vaccine for Haemophilus influenzae type b. DESIGN--Analysis of information on cases of primary bacterial meningitis identified by microbiology laboratories in the region, with collection of case data by questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Annual incidence rates for types of meningitis according to age and ethnic group. RESULTS--The annual incidence rates for the three major causes of bacterial meningitis in the general population were 1.9/100,000 for Neisseria meningitidis, 1.6/100,000 for Haemophilus influenzae before vaccination, and 1.0/100,000 for Streptococcus pneumoniae. Higher rates of H influenzae meningitis were found in Asians compared with white people (3.6/100,000 v 1.5/100,000, P = 0.01). As a result of the vaccine programme introduced in October 1992 the number of cases of H influenzae meningitis in children under 5 years has fallen by 87%. CONCLUSIONS--Bacterial meningitis is a serious problem especially in preschool children. There are differences in the incidence of some causes of bacterial meningitis in different ethnic groups; with H influenzae type b being significantly more common among black and Asian people than among white people. The immunisation programme for H influenzae type b in the North East Thames region has been successful in reducing the incidence of this type of meningitis in Asian and white populations. The numbers were too small to evaluate in the black population.     

Quantum-classical model of retinal photoisomerization reaction in visual pigment rhodopsin

A quantum-classical model of photoisomerization of the visual pigment rhodopsin chromophore is proposed. At certain (and more realistic) parameter value combinations, the model is shown to accurately reproduce a number of independent experimental data on the photoreaction dynamics: the quantum yield, the time to reach the point of conical intersection of potential energy surfaces, the termination time of the evolution of quantum subsystem, as well as the characteristic low frequencies of retinal molecular lattice fluctuations during photoisomerization. In addition, the model behavior is in good accordance with experimental data about coherence and local character of quantum transition.     

Structure of the fibrinogen binding sequence: arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD)

The crystal structure of a tetrahydrated form of L-arginyl-glycyl-L-aspartic acid (RGD), the consensus sequence for binding of fibrinogen to cell surface receptors, has been determined from diffractometer data. The tripeptide was crystallized in double zwitterionic form via hanging drop vapor diffusion experiments at a pH near 6.5. The orthorhombic unit cell contains four formula units in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with lattice parameters a = 4.852(4), b = 11.376(3), c = 34.083(8)A at RT. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined to a final R = 0.067 based upon 1345 observations with I greater than or equal to 2 sigma(I). Peptide bonds both are trans, omega 2 = 174.2(6) degrees and omega 3 = -169.3(6) degrees. The backbone bends at glycine with phi 2 = -85.5(8) degrees. One of the water molecules sits between the arginyl side chain and the C-terminal carboxylate, forming an intramolecular hydrogen bond to the glycyl carboxyl and linking adjacent molecules through two other H-bond interactions. Comparison of the structure to RGD sequences extracted from 3-D protein structures reveals a diversity of conformations for this tripeptide sequence.     

Effect of estradiol-17 beta on glucose and proline uptake in plasma membrane vesicles from the R3230AC rat mammary carcinoma

Purified plasma membrane vesicles isolated from R3230AC rat mammary tumors displayed carrier-mediated and stereospecific uptake. Uptake was shown to be proportional to protein concentration, sensitive to increasing osmolarity, and inhibited only by substrates entering by the same carrier. Carrier-mediated glucose uptake was inhibited rapidly by estradiol-17 beta and phloretin in a dose-dependent manner, whereas proline uptake was not affected by estradiol-17 beta. The data suggest that the inhibition of glucose by estradiol and phloretin, originally observed in whole cells, occurs by an interaction of the steroid with a component on the plasma membrane. In contrast, the lack of effects of estradiol on proline transport into vesicles implies that intracellular components may have mediated the estrogen-induced effects observed in whole cells.     

Macrophage-hybridomas: generation, structure, and function

We report the generation of macrophage-hybridomas, obtained by somatic cell fusion between macrophage-enriched C3H.eB spleen cell population, and a drug-resistant MPC-11 myeloma cell line, designated as 4T00.1L1 clone. Screening for hybridomas possessing macrophage properties was carried out by assaying the presence of two macrophage-specific enzymes: lysozyme and nonspecific esterase. Two hybridomas, E2-7 and E2-10, were selected for further studies. We found that clones of E2-7 (E2-7.7) did not express Fc receptors but possessed cell-surface Ia molecules. In contrast, clones of E2-10 (E2-10.20) possessed Fc receptors but were devoid of Ia molecules. E2-7.7 did, however, express Fc receptors after mitomycin treatment, whereas E2-10.20 eliminated the expression of Fc receptors after treatment with mitomycin C. Opsonized erythrocytes were phagocytized by E2-10.20 cells, but not by E2-7.7. Phagocytosis was thus correlated with the possession of Fc receptors. Testing the response of KLH-primed lymph node cells to KLH-pulsed hybridoma cells, we found that E2-7.7 cells caused antigen-specific lymphoproliferative response, whereas E2-10.20 did not. Thus, antigens could be presented by E2-7.7 but not by E2-10.20 cells. The response was shown to be mediated by T but not by B lymphocytes. The difference in antigen-presenting capacity could not be attributed to differences in antigen uptake by the different hybridomas, because the two hybridomas manifested the same level of pinocytosis. Both hybridomas produced IL1. The differences in the properties of the two hybridomas may indicate that the normal partners represent two distinct subpopulations of macrophages. The segregation of functional properties among the hybridoma clones may lead to a clarification of the dependence of distinct functions on defined molecular structures.