Evidence for quantitative responses during co-culture of Pyrus communis protoplasts and Erwinia amylovora

Summary Mesophyll protoplasts were isolated from axenic shoot cultures of pear cultivars, exhibiting different degrees of susceptibility to fire blight infection at the whole plant level and they were co-cultured with the wild-type strain CFBP 1430 of Erwinia amylovora, and with an avirulent transposon mutant of the former (PMV 6046). Results, as assessed in terms of the effects of bacteria on protoplast viability, the time to the onset of divisions, the percentage of the originally cultivated protoplasts that divided once and of those proliferating to give 10-cell colonies, correlated with field resistance to fire blight of the respective pear genotypes. These results might provide a model for a better understanding of the interaction between pear and E. amylovora.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - FDA fluorescein diacetate - fwt fresh weight - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - IPE initial plating efficiency - MPE intermediate plating efficiency - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - PVP-10 polyvinylpirrolidone (av.molecular weight 10000) - uv ultra-violet     

Demonstration of delta sleep inducing peptide in a strain of human small cell lung cancer by immunocytology]

The "delta sleep inducing peptide" (DSIP) is a regulatory peptide localized in the brain, the hypophysis and some endocrine cells of the gut. The present immunological study, performed with a monoclonal antibody to DSIP, provides evidence for the presence of DSIP-like immunoreactivity (DSIP-LI) in a strain of small cell carcinoma. The specificity of the immunoreaction was assessed by the tests using heterologous antigen known to be secreted by these cells. The DSIP could play a role in the course of this disease.     

Mammalian cell lines can be efficiently established in vitro upon expression of the SV40 large T antigen driven by a promoter sequence derived from the human vimentin gene.

The aim of this study was to investigate a new method to enhance the efficiency to create mammalian cell lines. Cell immortalization was achieved by intranuclear microinjection of a recombinant DNA construct composed of a constitutive promoter controlling the genes encoding immortalizing proteins; the sequences coding for the large T and small t antigens were fused downstream of regulatory elements from the vimentin gene, the activation of which characterizes the vast majority of cells growing in vitro. Data show that the efficiency of the immortalizing procedures using the SV40 early genes could be enhanced by the control elements derived from the human vimentin (HuVim) 5' sequences that contained nucleotides -878 to +93 from the CAP site. This HuVim 830-T/t recombinant was used to create cell lines from numerous primary cultures of different origins: rabbit, porcine and human endothelial cells, rabbit and bovine epithelial cells. A set of large T-expressing cells was derived, and these cells retained characteristics of differential cells: binding of Ulex europaeus lectin and synthesis of Factor VIII for human endothelial cells; network of cytokeratin for bovine oviductal cells and rabbit mammary cells.     

Enhancive and suppressive effects of cytomegalovirus on human lymphocyte responses in vitro.

Virus-specific lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) without and with monocytes was studied in healthy persons. Three categories of lymphocyte response could be distinguished: seropositive low responders, naturally high responders, and lymphocyte populations responding well to CMV antigen in the presence of added CMV-incubated autologous monocytes. This latter category could be identified by preincubating autologous monocytes with CMV. CMV-seronegative persons were nonresponders. Early CMV antigens were produced in monocytes but not in lymphocytes by all CMV isolates. Infection of monocytes as detected by antibody to early viral protein did not appear to abort the antigen-presenting ability. The virus-specific responding lymphocytes were mainly of the T4+ phenotype. In contrast, addition of CMV to polyclonal mitogens significantly suppressed total lymphocyte DNA synthesis. CMV thus may have an enhanced virus-specific stimulatory effect on lymphocytes together with monocytes but a suppressive effect on the total lymphocyte population.     

Cadaverine covalently linked to a peptidoglycan is an essential constituent of the peptidoglycan necessary for the normal growth in Selenomonas ruminantium

Cadaverine links covalently to the D-glutamic acid residue of the peptidoglycan in Selenomonas ruminantium, a strictly anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium (Kamio, Y., Itoh, Y., and Terawaki, Y. (1981) J. Bacteriol. 146, 49-53). This report clarifies a physiological function of cadaverine in this organism by using DL-alpha-difluoromethyllysine, which had previously been shown to be a selective irreversible inhibitor of lysine decarboxylase of Mycoplasma dispar (P?s?, H., MaCann, P.P., Tanskanen, R., Bey, P., and Sjoerdsma, A. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 125, 205-210). DL-alpha-Difluoromethyllysine is now shown to be a potent and irreversible inhibitor of lysine decarboxylase of S. ruminantium in vitro; however, it did not inhibit the transfer of cadaverine to the alpha-carboxyl group of the D-glutamic acid residue of the peptidoglycan. DL-alpha-Difluoromethyllysine at 5 mM markedly inhibited the growth of the bacterium and caused rapid cell lysis. Immediately before the cell lysis, almost all cells became swollen, and such cells showed a loosened envelope structure when studied by electron microscopy. The peptidoglycan prepared from the DL-alpha-difluoromethyllysine-treated cells did not have covalently linked cadaverine. The growth inhibition by DL-alpha-difluoromethyllysine was completely reversed by adding cadaverine (1 mM) to the medium. Furthermore, the exogenous cadaverine was exclusively incorporated into the peptidoglycan in the presence of DL-alpha-difluoromethyllysine (5 mM), and a normal peptidoglycan was synthesized. The cell lysis and the formation of an abnormal cell structure were completely prevented by cadaverine added to the medium. We conclude that cadaverine covalently linked to the peptidoglycan in S. ruminantium is an essential constituent of the peptidoglycan and is required for cell surface integrity and the normal growth of S. ruminantium.     

Neural induction and in vitro initial expression of neurofilament and tetanus toxin binding site molecules in amphibians

Tetanus toxin (Tt) binding site and neurofilament (NIF), the intermediate-sized filaments, are neuronal markers essentially described in mammals and birds; are these molecular markers present in urodela neuronal cells and are they expressed immediately after neural induction? Our findings are based on immunofluorescent localization of NIF and Tt proteins using three previously characterized antisera against 200 kDa and 70 kDa neurofilament components and against fragment IIc derived from purified tetanus toxin. Embryonic undifferentiated neuronal cells from Pleurodeles waltlii neural plate and/or neural fold (early neurula stage) are cultured isolated in vitro without further chordamesodermal influence. At the beginning of the culture none of the undifferentiated neuronal precursors bind antibodies against NIF or Tt components. The binding is detected when phenotypical differentiation takes place (2/3-day cultures). Both the cell bodies and the cell processes are stained. After 2-3 weeks, immunostaining of the neurones is very distinctive and bright; the non-neuronal cultured cells do not exhibit any labelling. These observations indicate the early acquisition of NIF and Tt binding site expression by neuronal precursor cells (late gastrula stage).     

Preparation and P content of non-pregnant and pregnant human uterine myosin

Myosin content and phosphorus (P) concentration of myosin preparations were measured in non-pregnant and pregnant human myometrial tissue specimens. It was found that the amount of myosin gained from 1 g of minced myometrial tissue is 0.5 mg in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, 0.6-0.7 mg in the late luteal phase, and 6-7 mg during pregnancy. Considering the different functional stages of the myosin sources and the performance characteristics of the methods, the estimated myosin content of non-pregnant myometrium is 1.0-1.5 mg, while 10-15 mg in pregnant myometrial tissue. A considerable amount of P is bound to the preparations. It is the smallest in the post-menstrual period and increases towards the end of the cycle. The largest amount of P is gained from fresh pregnant uterine samples. Analysis of the alkaline hydrolysate showed that the phosphate group was bound to amino acids, in the largest amount to arginine, less to histidine and the smallest amount to lysine and serine. As a function of the duration of storage, especially the P-Arg concentration was decreasing. The prolonged hydrolysis time decreases again the concentration of P-Arg with a consecutive increase of No. 1 and 2 P-containing peaks in the chromatographic profile of alkaline hydrolysate.     

Vimentin gene: expression in human lymphocytes and in Burkitt''s lymphoma cells.

We have isolated a human genomic clone for the intermediate filament subunit vimentin with a DNA probe encoding chicken vimentin. We show that the gene for this protein exists as a single copy in the haploid human genome and is transcribed into one mature RNA species of 2 kb. In vitro translation of poly(A)+ mRNA in a rabbit reticulocyte cell-free system showed that vimentin is a major product of RNA from normal lymphocytes but not of RNA extracted from Burkitt cells. 2-kb vimentin mRNA can be detected with a DNA probe in normal lymphocytes and in fibroblasts, but not in cell lines derived from Burkitt's lymphoma (JI, JBL2, BJAB, DAUDI). The abundance of vimentin mRNA is correlated with the quantity of vimentin present in the cells, suggesting that the level of expression is regulated by the abundance of mRNA. The half-lives of vimentin mRNA were found identical in both fibroblasts and lymphocytes and belong to the class of stable mRNA.     

Ontogeny of vasoactive intestinal peptide in the human fetal digestive tract

Immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay were used to assess the appearance time and tissue distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the digestive tract of the human fetus. By radioimmunoassay, VIP was measurable from 10 weeks of gestation. The peptide was abundantly distributed in the jejuno-ileum and colon, where the tissue peptide concentration rose from 9-14 weeks of gestation (18.4 +/- 4.4 and 22.0 +/- 5.0 pmol/g wet weight, respectively) to 15-21 weeks (83.0 +/- 21.1 and 98.6 +/- 36.4 pmol/g, respectively). Lower concentrations were recorded in pancreas from 9-14 weeks of gestation (4.3 +/- 0.8 pmol/g) to 15-21 weeks (13.9 +/- 3.7 pmol/g). The peptide concentration was 15.6 +/- 1.9 pmol/g in fundus and 25.5 +/- 3.2 pmol/g in antrum from 15 to 21 weeks of gestation. The highest concentration was recorded in duodenum from 15 to 21 weeks of gestation (118.4 +/- 40.8 pmol/g wet weight). Tissue VIP concentration and age were positively correlated in the jejuno-ileum. By immunofluorescence, immunoreactive VIP was localized in nervous fibers in the muscularis externa, in the submucosa and in the lamina propria. Scarce cell bodies were also found in the myenteric plexus. No immunofluorescent endocrine cells were observed. These results suggest: (1) the early appearance of immunoreactive VIP in gut, as early as 10 weeks of gestation; (2) the peptide, localized in nervous structures only, follows the same distribution pattern as that in adults; (3) the development of VIPergic structures is a continuous process, initiated during the 3rd month of pregnancy.     

Effect of human T-cell leukemia virus type I tax protein on activation of the human vimentin gene.

We report that the expression of the vimentin gene, a cytoskeletal growth-regulated gene, is activated in trans by the Tax (p40x) transactivator protein encoded by the human T-cell leukemia virus type I. Expression of the Tax protein activates a number of cellular genes, such as those coding for the alpha chain of the high-affinity interleukin-2 receptor and interleukin-2. These findings indicate that the Tax protein is involved in the unregulated T-cell growth associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type I infection. Higher levels of vimentin mRNA were expressed in two human T-cell leukemia virus type I-transformed T cell lines, C91/PL and C81-66/45, when compared with that in Jurkat T cells. We demonstrate that this activation is conferred by the vimentin upstream flanking sequences. Indeed, enhanced activity was detected when constructs with the vimentin promoter linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene were transfected in HeLa cells and in two cell lines of hematopoietic origin (Jurkat T lymphoblastoid cells and U937 promonocytic cells) together with a Tax expression plasmid. By introducing a series of deletions in the vimentin promoter, we further restrict these sequences to 30 base pairs, located between 241 and 210 base pairs upstream of the mRNA cap site. A 40-base-pair oligonucleotide containing this regulatory region proved sufficient to confer Tax inducibility upon a heterologous promoter linked to chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. Importantly, this segment includes an 11-base-pair promoter segment that has homology with the binding site for the NF-kappa B transactivating factor. Our findings indicate that constitutive expression of the vimentin gene under the control of the Tax protein may be relevant in understanding the progression of the lymphoproliferative process associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type I infection.