Seasonal Changes in Nitrogen Fractions of Coptis japonica, a Temperate Forest Evergreen Chamaephyte, and their Ecological Implications

Seasonal changes in several forms of nitrogen were investigatedin Coptis japonica, an evergreen rosette hemicryptophyte intemperate deciduous forest. The concentration of total nitrogenin rhizomes and roots decreased during the period of new shootgrowth from winter to spring. In the rhizomes, total solubleprotein stored by early summer decreased gradually until winter,coupled with an increase in free amino acids. Nitrogen was largelystored in free amino acids in the roots, especially during summer.The total soluble protein in current-year leaves decreased fromspring to summer and then increased during winter. The seasonalchanges in nitrogen components were coincident with the changein light-saturated photosynthetic rates recorded in a previousstudy. The ratio of total soluble protein to total nitrogendecreased from spring to summer and then increased from latesummer to winter in the current-year leaves. In contrast, chlorophyllcontent and the ratio of chlorophyll to total nitrogen werehigher in summer than in other seasons. The results indicatethat nitrogen was used in a manner that better utilizes thevery weak light in summer and the higher light intensities inother seasons. The major component of the free amino acid poolwas asparagine, in every organ throughout the season, exceptfor the senescent leaves. Since asparagine has a high N:C ratio,we suppose that the asparagine-dominated amino acid pool isadvantageous in the carbon-limited environment of the forestfloor.Copyright 1994, 1999 Academic Press Free amino acid composition, total nitrogen, total soluble protein, photosynthesis, evergreen hemicryptophyte     

Suppression of plasma aldosterone by chronic ACTH administration is offset by converting enzyme inhibitor

In order to elucidate the mechanism of suppression of plasma aldosterone by chronic ACTH administration, especially the role of the renin-angiotensin system and dopamine, we administered ACTH with or without MK422, a converting enzyme inhibitor, to reduce the endogenous angiotensin II in rats, and measured the plasma renin activity, plasma corticoid concentrations and urinary dopamine excretion. The plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) was decreased after chronic ACTH administration. However, in the ACTH + MK422 administered group, aldosterone suppression was not observed. It appeared therefore that the aldosterone suppressing mechanism was independent of the weakened renin-angiotensin system following chronic ACTH administration, since PAC was not decreased in the ACTH + MK422 administered group when angiotensin II might be completely eliminated. The urinary excretion of dopamine was significantly increased in the chronic ACTH + MK422 administered group as well as in the chronic ACTH administered group. This suggested that the inhibitory effect of dopamine on aldosterone did not contribute significantly to the suppression of plasma aldosterone. The present results suggest therefore that the mechanism of suppression of plasma aldosterone following chronic ACTH administration was not dependent on the renin-angiotensin system and dopamine.     

Evolutionarily Conserved Interaction between the Phosphoproteins and X Proteins of Bornaviruses from Different Vertebrate Species

Bornavirus, a non-segmented, negative-strand RNA viruses, is currently classified into several genetically distinct genotypes, such as Borna disease virus (BDV) and avian bornaviruses (ABVs). Recent studies revealed that bornavirus genotypes show unique sequence variability in the putative 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) of X/P mRNA, a bicistronic mRNA for the X protein and phosphoprotein (P). In this study, to understand the evolutionary relationship among the bornavirus genotypes, we investigated the functional interaction between the X and P proteins of four bornavirus genotypes, BDV, ABV genotype 4 and 5 and reptile bornavirus (RBV), the putative 5′ UTRs of which exhibit variation in the length. Immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation analyses using mammalian and avian cell lines revealed that the X proteins of bornaviruses conserve the ability to facilitate the export of P from the nucleus to the cytoplasm via interaction with P. Furthermore, we showed that inter-genotypic interactions may occur between X and P among the genotypes, except for X of RBV. In addition, a BDV minireplicon assay demonstrated that the X and P proteins of ABVs, but not RBV, can affect the polymerase activity of BDV. This study demonstrates that bornaviruses may have conserved the fundamental function of a regulatory protein during their evolution, whereas RBV has evolved distinctly from the other bornavirus genotypes.     

Characterization and partial purification of a specific interleukin 2 inhibitor

To investigate the mechanisms that regulate the action of interleukin 2 (IL 2) and possibly limit its activity, we screened supernatants of mouse spleen cell cultures which had been stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) for their ability to inhibit IL 2-mediated proliferation of a cloned IL 2-dependent line. Inhibitory activities with m.w. of 10,000 to 12,000 and 60,000 to 80,000 daltons could be identified in supernatants of both L3T4+ and Ly-2+ T cells, but not in supernatants of Con A or lipopolysaccharide-stimulated B cells. Maximal inhibitory activity was observed after 3 to 4 days of stimulation, and this inhibitory activity could be overcome by increasing the stimulatory concentration of IL 2. When the factor was further purified by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography, it eluted as a single peak with an m.w. of 11,000 to 12,000 daltons which inhibited IL 2- but not IL 3-dependent proliferation. The mechanisms by which this new lymphokine might play in the control of the clonal expansion of T lymphocytes are discussed.     

Chemotactic macrophage subpopulations defined by macrophage chemotactic factors from delayed hypersensitivity reaction sites

The chemotactic specificity of ia-positive and -negative macrophages was studied by using three macrophage chemotactic factors (MCF), -a, -b, and -c, isolated from delayed hypersensitivity reaction (DHR) skin sites in guinea pigs. Listeria-elicited macrophages migrated toward MCF-a, -b, and -c. The chemotactic responses suggested responsive subpopulations to MCF. The electronic programmable individual cell sorter (EPICS) was used to separate macrophages with anti-la monoclonal antibodies. Ia-positive subpopulations responded to MCF-c, although they did not migrate toward MCF-a and -b. In contrast, Ia-negative subpopulations migrated toward MCF-a and -b, but not toward MCF-c. Furthermore, MCF-c attracted Ia-positive macrophages, whereas MCF-a and -b were Ia-negative in vitro; MCF did not induce Ia-negative macrophages to express surface Ia-antigens in vitro. MCF-c was able to produce massive Ia-positive macrophage accumulations when injected i.p., whereas MCF-a accumulated Ia-negative macrophages. The data suggest that MCF-a and -b, which mediate initial macrophage reactions, attract Ia-negative macrophages, and that MCF-c, which mediates predominant macrophage reactions, attract Ia-positive macrophages in the DHR.     

A murine model of zygomycosis by Cunninghamella bertholletiae

Infections by Cunninghamella bertholletiae have been on the increase in recent years. However, little is known about this fungus and its infection. To clarify the pathogenicity of C. bertholletiae, we made a murine model, and to our knowledge, the first infectious model of this fungus. ICR mice pretreated with cortisone acetate and cyclophosphamide were inoculated intratracheally with 5 × 10⁵ spores of C. bertholletiae. About half of the mice died by day 4 and 90% died by day 9. C. bertholletiae was cultured from the lungs, and the pathological analysis disclosed diffuse hyphal growth in the lungs, resulting in necrosis in the later stage. Angioinvasion with alveolar hemorrhage was extremely pronounced from the early stage, and this was the most characteristic feature of this infection. Treatment with amphotericin B showed only minimal improvement of survival, comparable to the poor result of this treatment in actual human cases. In fact, our model has many similarities to the actual human infection by C. bertholletiae, and will be useful for further investigations of this infection. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The relationship between ribosomal repeat length and genome size in Vicia

The organization of the ribosomal RNA genes was examined in several species of Vicia in an attempt to determine whether a relationship exists between genome size and ribosomal repeat length. Species within this genus exhibit a sevenfold variation in haploid DNA content. Our data suggest that species with an intermediate genome size maintain one predominant Eco RI class of ribosomal repeat of about 9 kilobases (kb). In contrast, the smallest and largest genomes of Vicia possess one major and several minor classes. The possible relationship between repeat classes among species is discussed. We examined the species with the smallest (V. villosa) and largest (V. faba) genomes in closer detail by R-loop analysis of a satellite DNA from Hoechst 33258 dye-CsCl gradients. Heterogeneity was found in the length of the ribosomal repeat for both species, but no appreciable difference was observed in the distribution of these lengths, which averaged 11–12 kb. This heterogeneity is associated with the nontranscribed spacer region. Intervening sequences were not found in either the 25S or 18S coding regions of the ribosomal repeat of either of these two plants. A putative ribosomal RNA precursor of 7 kb was identified for both species.