Communication in the courtship of a madagascan hissing cockroach. II. Effects of deantennation

The role of the antennae in courtship was studied by removing the antennae bilaterally from both male and female cockroaches, which were then paired with intact animals. These experimental pairings were compared with each other and with pairings of normal animals. Significant deviation from normal behaviour occurs in both the deantennated and the intact members of experimental pairs. When males are deantennated and paired with intact females the timing of courtship is prolonged and male cockroaches misdirect many of their copulation attempts. Under these conditions the intact female cockroaches perform some behaviours more frequently, in particular mounting and palpation. When deantennated females are paired with intact males, very little courtship ensues. The results suggest that information important to the progress of courtship is provided by both antennal inputs and antennal movements, and that the cockroaches are capable of some behavioural flexibility when deprived of this information.     

The structure of vesicular stomatitis virus membrane. A phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance approach.

The proton decoupled 40.48 M Hz 31P NMR spectrum of intact and unperturbed membrane-enclosed vesicular stomatitis virus (sterotype Indiana) exhibited two distinct maxima. These can be resolved into a narrow, symmetric line and a broad asymmetric line. The 31P NMR spectrum of a multilamellar (unsonicated) preparation of the extracted viral lipids exhibited a line shape similar to that of the intact virus. A sonicated vesicle preparation of the extracted viral lipids exhibited a narrow symmetric line. The narrow component in the intact virus spectrum may be attributed to small membrane fragments. Phospholipase C digestion of the intact virus resulted in substantial reduction in intensity of both components which suggests that much of the contribution to both peaks is due to phosphate in the phospholipid polar head groups. The phospholipid phosphates in both sonicated and unsonicated preparations of the extracted viral lipids exhibited substantially longer relaxation times than did those in the intact virus. The short relaxation time emanating from the intact virus preparation is caused by immobilization of the phospholipid head groups which could be due to lipid-protein interactions. Trypsin treatment of vesicular stomatitis virions, which results in complete removal of the exterior hydrophilic segment of the membrane glycoprotein, increased the 31P relaxation time to a value similar to that observed in the protein-free total lipid extracts; this finding provides supporting evidence for the role of virus glycoprotein in shortened relaxation times. A reversible temperature-dependent change in apparent line width and absence of an effect of cholesterol on the 31P phospholipid spectrum were also demonstrated.     

Fate of surface proteins of rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes during phagocytosis. I. Identification of surface proteins

To study the fate of external membrane proteins during phagocytosis, rabbit peritoneal neutrophils were labeled by enzymatic iodination. Iodine was incorporated into at least 13 proteins ranging in size from approximately 250,000 to 18,000 daltons as judged from autoradiography of gels after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of labeled cells. The major contractile proteins of neutrophils, actin and myosin, were not labeled when intact cells were iodinated but were labeled when homogenates of these cells were iodinated. Nine of the iodinated proteins were released by mild protease treatment of intact cells. A plasma membrane-rich fraction was isolated by density centrifugation. This fraction was enriched at least 10-fold for lactoperoxidase-labeled acid-insoluble proteins. It was enriched to the same extent for the presence of iodinated wheat germ agglutinin that had been bound to intact cells at 4 degrees C before homogenization. Analysis of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the proteins of this fraction were predominantly of high molecular weight. However, only 8 of the 13 proteins iodinated on intact cells were found in this fraction. The remaining five were enriched in a dense fraction containing nuclei, intact cells, and membranous vesicles, and may represent a specialized segment of the neutrophil cell surface.     

PHYSIOLOGICAL ONTOGENY : A. CHICKEN EMBRYOS. XIII. THE TEMPERATURE CHARACTERISTIC FOR THE CONTRACTION RATE OF THE WHOLE HEART.

The relation of heart rate frequencies to temperature in intact chicken embryos has been studied and the temperature characteristics calculated for each of a number of ages. These have been found to vary from 14,000 or better 12,000 µ for embryos 3 days old, to about 6,000 µ for others of 15 days. There appears to be a systematic change with time. If this inference is correct, important correlation with other properties of the pace-making function in the intact heart should become possible.     

Membrane structure in isolated and intact myelins.

The biochemical composition of myelin and the topology of its constituent lipids and proteins are typically studied using membranes that have been isolated from whole, intact tissue using procedures involving hypotonic shock and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. To what extent, however, are the structure and intermembrane interactions of isolated myelin similar to those of intact myelin? We have previously reported that intact and isolated myelins do not always show identical myelin periods, indicating a difference in membrane-membrane interactions. The present study addresses the possibility that this is due to altered membrane structure. Because x-ray scattering from isolated myelin sometimes consists of overlapping Bragg reflections or is continuous, we developed nonlinear least squares procedures for analyzing the total intensity distribution after film scaling, background subtraction, and Lorentz correction. We calculated electron density profiles of isolated myelin for comparison with membrane profiles from intact myelin. The change in the width of the extracellular space and the relative invariance of the cytoplasmic space as a function of pH and ionic strength that we previously found for intact nerve was largely paralleled by isolated myelin. There were two exceptions: isolated CNS myelin was resistant to swelling under all conditions, and isolated PNS myelin in hypotonic saline showed indefinite swelling at the extracellular apposition. However, electron density profiles of isolated myelins, calculated to 30 A resolution, did not show any major change in structure compared with intact myelin that could account for the differences in interactions.     

Diurnal variations of serum testosterone levels in intact and gonadectomized male and female rhesus monkeys.

A radioimmunoassay for serum testosterone which does not require chromatographic separation was used to measure the diurnal variations in intact and orchidecomized males and intact and ovariectomized females. The intact male rhesus monkey shows a distinctive diurnal variation in serum levels of testosterone characterized by lower values during the day and a marked increase in the early evening (1900-2200 hr). The testosterone levels remain high throughout most of the lights-off period in the intact male. In contrast to the intact male, the markedly lowered serum levels of testosterone in the orchidectomized male were higher during the day and consistently showed a nadir during the early evening (2000-2200 hr). The evening nadir of testosterone levels was 51.0% lower than the 24-hr mean whereas the maximum serum level was 46.4% higher. A similar circadian pattern of testosterone was seen in both the intact and ovariectomized females. The testosterone values were higher during the day and consistently showed a nadir during the early evening. These results suggest that the adrenal secretion of testosterone varies in a diurnal pattern characterized by an early evening nadir. This adrenal pattern is overshadowed by a much larger gonadal rhythm in the intact male.     

Sex differences in adrenal function in the lizard Cnemidophorus sexlineatus: II. Responses to acute stress in the laboratory.

Circulating concentrations of plasma corticosterone and gonadal steroids were measured in intact and gonadectomized male and female lizards (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) following acute stress (handling) in the laboratory. There was a significant increase in plasma corticosterone after stress. Whereas intact females exhibited greater concentrations of corticosterone relative to intact males, ovariectomized females exhibited lower concentrations of corticosterone relative to castrated males. In addition to sex differences in corticosterone responses to gonadectomy, progesterone was elevated by stress in both intact and ovariectomized females but not in males. Corticosterone adjusted for castration and handling in males was negatively correlated with the plasma androgen level. The adrenal responsiveness of males to acute stress may be attenuated by androgens presumably secreted by the testis. Not only does adrenal function influence reproduction, but adrenal responses differ between males and females, and appear to be influenced by the gonadal axis. The sex differences in adrenal responses to stress likely reflect different reproductive strategies and nutritional requirements of males and females during the breeding season.     

Antibody-nucleic acid interactions. Antibodies to psoralen-modified RNA as probes of RNA structure.

Antisera elicited by immunization of rabbits with 4'-aminomethyl-trioxsalen (AMT)-modified poly(A,U) complexed with methylated bovine serum albumin was characterized in competition radioimmunoassays (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). AMT-poly(A,U) was over 10,000-fold more reactive than unmodified poly(A,U) or AMT alone. The antiserum cross-reacted to varying extents with AMT-modified-RNA's and -DNA's. The presence of AMT-uridine usually assured strong reactivity. The amino group of AMT contributed to antibody binding to a small degree. Binding was not significantly affected by high ionic strength, suggesting that binding does not involve ion pair formation. Murine encephalomyocarditis virus replicative intermediates, as well as cellular RNA and DNA were modified by psoralen in intact cells, suggesting that EMCV RNA and cellular RNA's in intact cells possess detectable stretches of base pairs. The antibodies described here will be useful in studying the secondary and tertiary structure of RNA's in vitro and in intact cells.     

The myosin filament. XIII. The sensitivity of LMM assembly to Mg.ATP

An LMM fragment (Mr 62,000) of myosin has been prepared which has aggregation properties that are sensitive to the presence of Mg.ATP. Aggregation of the LMM by reducing the ionic strength in the presence of 1 mM Mg.ATP produces non-periodic aggregates which gradually rearrange to paracrystals with a 43 nm axial repeat pattern. This fragment includes the C-terminal end of the myosin rod starting at residue 1376. Therefore, at least one of the Mg.ATP binding sites responsible for this effect is located somewhere along this region of the myosin rod. Although assembly of the rod fragment of myosin into paracrystals does not show sensitivity to Mg.ATP, assembly of intact myosin molecules to form filaments does show sensitivity to Mg.ATP. For myosin filaments, assembly initially gives a broad distribution around a mean length of 1.5 microns, which sharpens around the mean length with time. The rearrangement of the LMM rods and intact myosin molecules both induced by the presence of Mg.ATP are probably related. These findings highlight the complexity of the cooperative interactions between different portions of the myosin molecule that are involved in determining the assembly properties of the intact molecule.     

Insulin degradation by adipose tissue. Studies at several levels of cellular organization.

A systematic study of the degradation of physiological concentrations of 125I-labelled insulin was performed in intact fat-pads, isolated adipocytes and subcellular fractions of isolated adipocytes. The findings indicate that insulin is rapidly degraded to low-molecular-weight peptides and/or amino acids by the intact tissue and isolated cells. Of the total insulin-degradation products present after incubation with an intact fat-pad, 94% is recovered in the medium, indicating that these products are not retained by the cells or tissue. The plasma membranes do not degrade insulin significantly in the absence of reduced glutathione, and over 99% of the cellular degradative capacity is found in the postmicrosomal supernatant (cytosol). The cytosol degrades insulin to several labelled fragments that are intermediate in size between insulin and insulin A chain, as well as to the low-molecular-weight tissue degradation products. Inclusion of plasma membranes with cytosol accelerates the cleavage of the intermediate fragments to the size of the small products seen with the intact tissue. However, plasma membranes do not increase the initial step in the degradation of insulin when incubated with cytosol, suggesting that the insulin receptor is not involved with the direct cleavage of insulin. This study supports the hypothesis that the bulk of insulin degradation occurs in the adipocyte cytosol, where intermediate-sized fragments are generated and rapidly cleaved to smaller products by the plasma membrane and quickly released into the surrounding medium.     

Intracellular metabolism of a 2'-O-methyl-stabilized ribozyme after uptake by DOTAP transfection or asfree ribozyme. A study by capillary electrophoresis.

The uptake and cellular metabolism of a fluorescein-labelled synthetic ribozyme stabilized by 2'- O -methyl modification and a 3' inverted thymidine have been studied, employing capillary gel electrophoresis as a novel and efficient analytical method. After internalization by DOTAP transfection, electrophoretic peaks of intact ribozyme and different degradation products were easily resolved and the amount of intracellular intact ribozyme was quantified to >10(7) molecules/cell at the peak value after 4 h transfection. On further incubation the amount of intracellular intact ribozyme decreased due to both degradation and efflux from the cell. However, even after 48 h incubation there were still >10(6) intact ribozyme molecules/cell. Clear differences both in uptake and in metabolism were seen when comparing DOTAP transfection with the uptake of free ribozyme. Fluorescence microscopy studies indicated that the ribozyme was mainly localized in intracellular granules, probably not accessible to target mRNA. This implies that agents able to release the intact ribozyme from intracellular vesicles into the cytosol should have a considerable potential for increasing the biological effects of synthetic ribozymes.     

DNA polymerase-primase from embryos of Drosophila melanogaster. DNA primase subunits

The primase associated with the DNA polymerase-primase of Drosophila melanogaster fails to show enzymatic turnover. However, it does show turnover when dissociated from the intact polymerase-primase. Both forms of the enzyme can catalyze the synthesis of primers that are not complementary to the DNA template. Like the intact enzyme, the isolated primase synthesizes primers of a unique chain length; however, they are twice as long as those synthesized by the polymerase-primase. The activity of the primase separated from the polymerase-primase is similar in all other respects to the intact polymerase-primase.     

Studies of lactate dehydrogenase in the purified state and in intact erythrocytes.

Lactate dehydrogenase in intact erythrocytes was studied by observing isotope exchange between lactate and pyruvate by p.m.r. The inhibition of the enzyme in intact cells by both oxalate and pyruvate was found to be similar to that of the purified enzyme. The activity of the enzyme in intact cells indicates that the free solution NAD+ + NADH concentration in erythrocytes is about 10 microM whereas the total extractable NAD+ + NADH is about 80 nmol/ml of cell water.     

Import of rat liver mitochondrial transhydrogenase.

The biosynthesis of pyridine dinucleotide transhydrogenase has been studied in isolated rat hepatocytes and in a rabbit reticulocyte-lysate translation system supplemented with either intact isolated rat liver mitochondria or the soluble matrix fraction from isolated mitochondria. In intact hepatocytes, the transhydrogenase precursor was short-lived in the cytosol and was efficiently imported into the membranous fraction. When the cell-free translation mixture was incubated with intact mitochondria, the transhydrogenase precursor was processed to the mature form, to an extent that depended on the amount of added mitochondria. Incubation of the translation mixture with the soluble mitochondria matrix fraction converted the precursor to a mature-sized protein with 75% efficiency, this being blocked by various proteinase inhibitors such as EDTA, 1,10-phenanthroline and leupeptin.     

Membrane proteins specified by herpes simplex viruses. V. Identification of an Fc-binding glycoprotein.

A glycoprotein with affinity for the Fc region of immunoglobulin was isolated from extracts of cultured cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 1, and experiments were done to characterize its properties and to investigate whether it could account for the Fc-binding activity previously demonstrated on the surfaces of intact herpes simplex virus-infected cells. The technique of affinity chromatography was used to identify and isolate the Fc-binding glycoprotein and to demonstrate the specificity of its interaction with immunoglobulin G-Fc. Although three electrophoretically distinguishable Fc-binding polypeptides were identified by affinity chromatography, these three species appear to be different forms of the same translation product, based on comparisons of proteolytic digestion products and on the kinetics of appearance of each form after a brief pulse with radioactive amino acids. The results suggest that one polypeptide, designated pE, is processed to yield gE1, which is in turn processed to yield gE2. Both gE1 and gE2 are glycosylated membrane proteins and both can be labeled by the lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodination of intact infected cells, indicating the presence of these proteins in surface membranes of the cells. Increases in the amounts of gE1 and gE2 at the cell surface were found to parallel the increase in Fc-binding activity of intact infected cells.     

Characterization of the soluble human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor complex.

The human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor (GM-R) is expressed on both hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic tissues. Although the receptor has been identified by cross-linking studies as an 84,000-dalton protein, very little is known about its biochemistry. In this report, we describe a soluble binding assay for the human GM-R which allowed us to characterize the receptor complex from various sources, including plasma membranes of placenta, neutrophils, and human myeloid leukemia cell lines. Preparation of membranes as well as solubilization by Triton X-100 and N-octylglucoside resulted in a 5-10-fold lower affinity of the receptor for GM-CSF. The Kd decreased from 20 to 80 pM in intact cells to 200-500 pM in both intact and solubilized membranes. Binding in solution was rapid, specific for GM-CSF, and best fit a "one-site" model with an approximate Kd of 500 pM. The dissociation rate constant for the soluble GM-R was very similar to that of intact cells (k2 = 0.013 min-1 versus 0.017 min-1, respectively). As expected, solubilized membranes obtained from those cells expressing the highest number of GM-R (neutrophils and dimethyl sulfoxide-induced HL-60 cells; approximately 500-800 sites/cell) possessed the highest concentration of soluble GM-R (approximately 2-3 x 10(8) GM-R/micrograms). Cross-linking of 125I-GM-CSF to soluble GM-R resulted in the appearance of two specifically labeled complexes. A major 110-kDa receptor-ligand complex is found when cross-linking is performed with intact cells; both 110- and 200-kDa species are seen when cross-linking is performed with either intact membranes or soluble GM-R. These studies define methods by which intact GM-R can be solubilized and measured in solution, permitting a more complete biochemical characterization of the intact GM-R complex.     

The structure of kinetoplast DNA. I. Properties of the intact multi-circular complex from Crithidia luciliae.

We have developed a modified isolation procedure that yields kinetoplast DNA networks containing more than 90% closed circular DNA, as judged by two criteria: (a) In 0.15 M NaCl/0.015 M sodium citrate (pH 7.0), less than 10% of the intact kinetoplast DNA melts in the temperature region of sonicated kinetoplast DNA. In 7.2 M NaCl04 the kinetoplast DNA melts with a Tm 26 degrees C higher than sonicated kinetoplast DNA. Even after complete melting in 7.2 M NaClO4 at 90 degrees C, the network remains intact, as judged by regain of hypochromicity on cooling and analysis in CsCl containing propidium dixodide. (b) In alkaline sucrose gradients more than 90% of the kinetoplast DNA sediments in a single peak. 2. In CsCl gradients containing ethidium bromide of propidium diiodide intact kinetoplast DNA gives a single uni-modal band showing an extremely restricted dye uptake. From the position of the bank relative to the bands of PM2 DNA, the superhelix density of these networks is calculated to be +3.9 twists per 1000 base pairs. The superhelix density of closed mini-circles, efficiently liberated from the networks by shear in a French press, is -0.5 twists per 1000 base pairs. We attribute the high superhelix density (the highest yet observed in any DNA) of intact networks to their compact, highly catenated structure, leading to an additional constraint on dye uptake, superimposed on the restriction due to closed circularity.     

Structural studies of a branchiopod crustacean (Lepidurus bilobatus) extracellular hemoglobin. Evidence for oxygen-binding domains.

The extracellular hemoglobin of the notostracan branchiopod Lepidurus bilobatus has an apparent molecular weight of 680,000 and may exist in a dissociation-association equilibrium dependent on pH and ligand state. The pigment contains one heme per 18,000 g protein. However, attempts to dissociate the hemoglobin by harsh denaturing conditions results in a 33-34,000 molecular weight polypeptide chain as well as traces of some 62-64,000 molecular weight material. Limited proteolysis of this hemoglobin with subtilisin produces 14,800 and 16,500 dalton heme-containing polypeptides (domains) which bind oxygen reversibly. These domains, isolated by column chromatography, have a heme content similar to the intact pigment. It is proposed that the intact 34,000 dalton subunit of Lepidurus hemoglobin consists of two linearly linked oxygen binding domains. Oxygen binding properties of the intact hemoglobin show a low oxygen affinity with a slight Bohr effect. In contrast, the isolated domains display a relatively high oxygen affinity and lack a Bohr effect between pH 7.0 and 8.0. It is apparent that the intact 34,000 dalton polypeptide is necessary for the expression of the heterotropic interactions of the native pigment.     

Factors affecting the separation of photosynthetically competent chloroplasts in gradients of silica sols.

Chloroplasts from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) can be resolved by isopycnic centrifugation in density gradients of the silica sol Ludox AM into two zones, one containing the intact and the other the stripped Chloroplasts. Factors affecting the separation and the photosynthetic activity of the intact chloroplasts recovered from the gradients were investigated and a standard set of conditions proposed. The anomalous influence of polyethylene glycols on the banding densities of both stripped and intact chloroplasts was studied and the observed “density shifts” discussed in terms of their possible cause and significance. The general method was scaled up by means of continuous-flow zonal centrifugation to prepare intact chloroplasts in amounts corresponding to tens of milligrams of chlorophyll.     

Comparative stability of the "Internal Fixator" and the "Universal Spine System" and the effect of crosslinking transfixating systems. A biomechanical in vitro study.

In this study, the three-dimensional stabilizing capabilities of the AO-Internal Fixator (IF) and the new Universal Spine System (USS) were investigated. Both devices were tested without and with the cross-link system (IF, IFC, USS, USSC). To determine biomechanical characteristics, a human thoracolumbar spine instability model with resection of the vertebral body Th12 was created. The vertebral body was replaced by a spacer and transpedicular posterior stabilization was performed from Th11 to L1. All devices reduced the range of motion (ROM) significantly compared to the values of the intact specimen. In flexion the IFC showed the highest reduction of ROM (85% of intact), followed by the USSC, USS and IF (79% of intact). In extension the ROM was restored again most by the IFC (52% of intact), followed by the USSC, IF and USS (44% of intact). In lateral bending stability was provided by the USSC (right 78% and left 81% of intact), followed in right lateral bending by the IF, IFC and USS and in left lateral bending by the USS, IF and IFC. In axial rotation the ROM was reduced primary by the IFC (right 51% and left 46% of intact), followed in right axial rotation by the USS, USSC and IF, in left axial rotation by the USSC, USS and IF. Additional stability by crosslinking has been provided in the IF and the USS in flexion and extension, in the USS in lateral bending and in the IF in axial rotation nonsignificantly. The neutral zone (NZ) was reduced by posterior instrumentation in flexion/extension and right/left lateral bending significantly. In axial rotation only the USSC decreased the NZ below intact levels. The study showed no statistical significant differences in the stabilizing capabilities of the USS compared to the IF. For both implants the cross-link system increased stability in the chosen instability model insignificantly only.