Functional analysis of nucleosome assembly protein, NAP-1. The negatively charged COOH-terminal region is not necessary for the intrinsic assembly activity.

A nucleosome assembly protein (NAP-1) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae facilitates the association of histones with DNA to form nucleosomes in vitro at physiological ionic conditions. The cloned gene was expressed in Escherichia coli using a T7 expression system, and the protein (417 amino acid residues) was purified by Mono Q column chromatography. Various deletion fragments of NAP-1 protein were also produced, and their nucleosome assembly activity was examined by supercoiling assay. The internal fragment containing the residues 43-365 was necessary and sufficient for the activity, and a long stretch of negatively charged region near the carboxyl terminus was dispensable. This minimal size fragment could form the 12 S NAP-1-histone complex as the whole protein could, whereas deleted fragments on either side could bind with core histones only to form aggregates.     

Water current velocity as an environmental factor regulating the distribution of amphipod species in Gamo lagoon, Japan

The role of current velocity as an environmental factor affecting the distribution of amphipod species was investigated in the brackish Gamo lagoon, Japan. Two gammaridean amphipod species, Eogammarus possjeticus and Melita setiflagella, were found inhabiting stations of different water current with same substrates. E. possjeticus and M. setiflagella selected substrates at low and high water current, respectively. The lifestyles and anatomical features of these two free-living amphipods contributed to their adaptation to habitats with different water currents. The results of field and experimental observations suggest the existence of some type of interspecific competition between the two species. The presence of E. possjeticus caused a displacement of the fundamental niche of M. setiflagella. Received: October 10, 2000 / Accepted: August 17, 2001     

Inhibition of sweet potato glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase by NADPH2 and ATP

NADPH₂ and ATP competitively inhibit sweet potato glucose 6-phosphatedehydrogenase with NADP and glucose 6-phosphate (G6P), respectively.At pH 8.0, a Lineweaver-Burk plot of the reciprocal rate againstreciprocal G6P concentration was concave downwards in the presenceand absence of ATP, whereas a double reciprocal plot followedthe Michaelis-Menten relationship at pH 7.0, irrespective ofthe presence of ATP. Many of the other metabolic intermediatestested had no effects on the enzyme reaction. ¹ This paper constitutes Part 96 of the Phytopathological Chemistryof Sweet Potato with Black Rot and Injury. ² Present address: Institute of Applied Microbiology, Universityof Tokyo Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113. (Received October 20, 1971; )     

Beh?et's disease

Beh?et's disease is characterized by recurrent aphthous stomatitis, uveitis, genital ulcers, and skin lesions. The role of the HLA-B*51 gene has been confirmed in recent years, although its contribution to the overall genetic susceptibility to Beh?et's disease was estimated to be only 19%. The production of a variety of cytokines by T cells activated with multiple antigens has been shown to play a pivotal role in the activation of neutrophils. As regards the treatment, anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy has been shown to be effective for mucocutaneous symptoms as well as for sight-threatening panuveitis, although a randomized, controlled trial is required.     

Chemical taxonomy of the hinge-ligament proteins of bivalves according to their amino acid compositions.

The proteins in the hinge ligaments of molluscan bivalves were subjected to chemotaxonomic studies according to their amino acid compositions. The hinge-ligament protein is a new class of structure proteins, and this is the first attempt to introduce chemical taxonomy into the systematics of bivalves. The hinge-ligament proteins from morphologically close species, namely mactra (superfamily Mactracea) or scallop (family Pectinidae) species, showed high intraspecific homology in their compositions. On the other hand, inconsistent results were obtained with two types of ligament proteins in pearl oyster species (genus Pinctada). The results of our chemotaxonomic analyses were sometimes in good agreement with the morphological classifications and sometimes inconsistent, implying a complicated phylogenetic relationship among the species.     

Proton magnetic resonance identification and discrimination of stereoisomers of C27 steroids using lanthanide shift reagents.

A simple proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic method is described for the identification and and confirmation of several stereoisomeric paris of C27 stanols as well as their keto and acetate derivatives related to cholesterol. The method, which involves the use of lanthanide shift reagents, is useful in distinguishing clearly between the isomeric pairs differing only in the geometry of a functional group and/or of the A/B-ring junction in the steroid skeleton.