AUTOPHAGIC VACUOLES PRODUCED IN VITRO : I. Studies on Cultured Macrophages Exposed to Chloroquine

Mouse macrophages exposed to 30 µg/ml of chloroquine in vitro develop autophagic vacuoles containing various cytoplasmic components and acid phosphatase. The early toxic vacuoles appear in the perinuclear region within 15 min; on electron microscopy, they show irregular shape, amorphous moderately dense content, apparent double membranes, and in some instances curved thin tubular extensions with a central, dark linear element. Cytoplasmic structures are probably transported into the vacuoles by invagination of the vacuolar membrane. After exposure to chloroquine for 1–4 hr, macrophages display large vacuoles containing degraded cytoplasmic structures, membranous whorls, and amorphous material. When chloroquine is removed by changing the culture medium after 4 hr, the cells survive and 24 hr later they exhibit no abnormality except for large cytoplasmic dense bodies packed with membrane lamellae. During recovery chloroquine disappears from the cells. 24 hr after exposure to chloroquine the macrophages have accumulated less hydrolases than control cells.     

Studies on Isolated Protoplasts and Vacuoles: II. THE ACTION OF GROWTH SUBSTANCES

The response of isolated protoplasts to indol-3-yl acetic acidwas investigated, and they were found to undergo a rapid water-uptakewith ultimate rupture of the plasmalemma and release of thelarge central vacuole. The use of a photomicrographic methodshowed that this response was optimal at 10^-5 M indol-3-yl aceticacid. No such response could be detected for isolated vacuoles.¹⁴C-labelled indol-3-yl acetic acid was used to obtain furtherinsight into the site of action of this growth substance. Evidenceis presented which suggests that the site of action of indol-3-ylacetic acid, for this response, is the plasmalemma, where itfacilitates an increased uptake of solutes which is followedby an osmotic water uptake.     

Studies on the Fragmented Shoot Apex of Grapevine: II. FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION IN VITRO

The hormonal and nutritional requirements for the culture offragmented shoot apices of grapevine were examined. Benzyladenineat 10 µM added to the full strength Murashige and Skoogbasal medium was found to be optimal for both the initial growthof apical fragments to individual leaves, and the subsequentcapacity of these leaves to produce adventitious shoots. Serialsectioning of the site of shoot proliferation on the leavesrevealed meristematic areas at the surface of the basal swellingswith vascular connections to the underlying tissue. Using thesame culture conditions, adventitious shoots could be inducedfrom a range of grapevine cultivars incorporating several majorVitis species. Variations in the responses of the cultivarsCabernet Sauvignon and Sultana to the culture conditions aredescribed. The growth habits of plantlets derived from fragmentedshoot apices during culture and on subsequent transfer to theglasshouse are compared and discussed.     

Poly-l-lysine Produced by Streptomyces. Part II. Taxonomy and Fermentation Studies

As a result of screening for a Dragendorff-positive substance of microbial origin, l-lysine homopolymer (25 ~ 30 residues) with alpha and epsilon linkages was obtained from the culture filtrate of an actinomycete identified as Streptomyces albulus. Various cultural conditions for the favorable production of the lysine polymer were studied. The decline of pH during the fermentation process was an essential condition for the accumulation of lysine polymer. The addition of proline had a considerable effect.     

Studies on Isolated Protoplasts and Vacuoles: I. GENERAL PROPERTIES

Protoplasts and vacuoles have been isolated in large quantitiesfrom the parenchymatous placental tissue of immature tomatofruit. Their mechanical stability and osmotic stability havebeen investigated. A small proportion of initially discretebut adjacent vacuoles were seen to coalesce; the possible significanceof this phenomenon in the growth of plant cells is discussed.The overall chemical composition of isolated protoplasts hasbeen determined, and their lipids have been analysed by thin-layerchromatography.     

Palmelloid Formation of Chlamydomonas II. Mechanism of Palmelloid Formation by Organic Acids

To clarify the mechanism of palmelloid formation by organic acids, the dissociation of the suspension of palmelloids in different media was studied. It was found that the palmelloids can be dissociated by the calcium ion at the low concentration of 6.8 × 10^-5M, but not by the magnesium ion. The dissociation is suppressed by the phosphate ion. Furthermore, Chlamydomonas cells grown in media containing EDTA or GEDTA or in media deficient in calcium, are induced to form palmelloids. These results indicate that the effect of organic acids on the formation of palmelloids are due to their ability to chelate with calcium.     

Studies on the Compounds Produced by Molds

Three isocoumarin compounds (BV 1, 2 and 3) were isolated from the cultural broth of Aspergillus oniki 1784. BV 1 was mellein (3-methyl-8-hydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin). BV 2 and 3 were assigned to be 3-methyl-4,8-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin, 3-methyl-3,8-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin, respectively. These two compounds (BV 2, 3) were newly isolated. Also another component named BV 4 was proved to be 6-methylsalicylic acid.     

Studies on the Nucleases Produced by Microorganisms

The properties of crude phosphodiesterase forming 5′-mononucleotide of Pellicularia H-II were investigated on its metal requirement, pH response for activity and so on. The dialyzate of crude PDase against distilled water became partly inactive, but was recovered with Zn⁺⁺, Mn⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺, whereas completely inactivated dialyzate against EDTA was restored specifically with only Zn⁺⁺

The optimum pH of PDase activity was 5.0 and that of ribonuclease 4.0. The crude PDase was partially purified by acetone fractionation and Amberlite IRC-50 (XE-64) or CM-cellulose column chromatography. Two PDase and a RNase activities were recognized.

Pellicularia PDase was found to be of new type according to its Zn⁺⁺ dependency and non-activity towards bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate.     

Studies on Amylolytic Enzymes Produced by Endomyces Sp.

Amylase-producing ability of twenty seven strains of genera Endomycopsis (except Endomycopsis fibuliger), Endomyces, Candida, Geotrichum and Oospora was examined. Among them a sole strain of Endomyces was found to produce extracellular amylase.

As a result of growth experiments using synthetic media, it was found that the selected Endomyces sp. required vitamins and organic sulfur sources for growth.

Various media were examined for the production of amylase by shake culture method. Media containing yeast extract or wheat bran gave good yields of amylase.     

Studies on the Fragmented Shoot Apex of Grapevine: IV. SEPARATION OF PHENOTYPES IN A PERICLINAL CHIMERA IN VITRO

Adventitious shoots were induced on apical fragments of thegrapevine, cv. Meunier, a presumptive periclinal chimera. Thiscultivar resembles Pinot noir in essential characteristics,but is phenotypically distinguishable by the dense white matof hairs on the apex and expanding leaves (tomentose phenotype).Plants derived from apical culture were of three types: (i)phenotypically resembling Meunier, (ii) bearing tomentose leaveswith comparatively hairless sectors, and (iii) with completelynon-tomentose shoots phenotypically similar to Pinot noir. These results establish that adventitious buds of grapevineproduced by this method are multicellular in origin and arenot derived from single cells. Furthermore, it is concludedthat fragmented shoot apex culture of grapevine periclinal chimerasdisturbs the integrity of apical tissue allowing separationof component genotypes. Fragmented apex culture of such chimerasis not recommended where trueness-to-type is of prime importance.However, circumstances under which this technique may be usefullyapplied to separate chimeral genotypes are discussed. Key words: Vitis vinifera, Grapevine, In vitro, Chimera separation     

Studies on Amylolytic Enzymes Produced by Endomyces sp.

Purification of amylase produced by Endomyces sp. IFO 0111 was carried out. A highly purified amyloglucosidase preparation was obtained from culture broth by means of precipitation with ammonium sulfate, decolorization with rivanol, precipitation with acetone and zone electrophoresis. The homogeneity of the preparation was proved by ultracentrifugation and electrophoresis. General properties of the preparation were investigated.     

Ultrastructural and Immunocytochemical Characterization of Autophagic Vacuoles in Isolated Hepatocytes: Effects of Vinblastine and Asparagine on Vacuole Distributions

The interactions between the autophagic and the endocytic degradation pathways were investigated by means of immunogold labeling of autophagic vacuoles (AVs) in ultrathin frozen sections from isolated rat hepatocytes. AVs were identified by their autophagocytosed contents of the degradation-resistant cytosolic enzyme CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD). Another cytosolic enzyme, carbonic anhydrase (CAIII), was rapidly degraded in the lysosomes, making the vacuolar CAIII/SOD ratio useful as a rough indicator of the progress of autophagic-lysosomal degradation. Lysosomes could be recognized by the presence of the lysosomal membrane glycoprotein lgp120, which was absent from hepatocytic endosomes. Endocytic inputs into the AVs were detected by the presence of gold-conjugated bovine serum albumin (BSA-gold), taken up by fluid-phase endocytosis. All vacuoles recognized morphologically as AVs were SOD-positive, as were essentially all of the lysosomes (96%). The majority (72%) of the lysosomes also labeled positively for BSA within 2 h of endocytosis. The data are thus compatible with the notion that all lysosomes can engage in both autophagic and endocytic degradation. Lgp120 appeared to distinguish well between lysosomes and nonlysosomal AVs: the lgp120-negative AVs (nonlysosomes) had a CAIII/SOD ratio identical to that of the cytosol, indicating that no degradation had occurred, In the lgp120-positive AVs (lysosomes), the ratio was only 43% of the cytosolic value, consistent with substantial CAIII degradation. Among the nonlysosomal AVs (about one-third of all AVs), one-half were BSA-positive, suggesting that early AVs (autophagasomes) and intermediary AVs (amphisomes) that had fused with endosomes were equally abundant. These morphological data thus support previous biochemical evidence for a prelysosomal meeting of the autophagic and endocytic pathways. The microtubule inhibitor vinblastine inhibited the autophagic influx to the lysosomes, causing an accumulation of autophagosomes and a reduction in average lysosomal size. Vinblastine also inhibited the endocytic flux, thereby precluding the formation of amphisomes and of BSA-positive lysosomes. High concentrations (20 mM) of asparagine induced swelling of amphisomes and of BSA-positive lysosomes, probably reflecting an acidotropic effect of ammonia generated by asparagine deamination. Asparagine also caused an accumulation of autophagosomes, amphisomes, and BSA-negative lysosomes, presumably as a result of impaired fusion with the swollen BSA-positive lysosomes. The two agents thus appear to perturb the autophagic-endocytic-lysosomal vacuole dynamics by different mechanisms, making them useful in the further study of these complex organelle interactions.     

基于自噬溶酶体形成机制调控缺血性脑卒中后神经元自噬流

脑卒中是由脑血管阻塞或出血引发的急性脑血管病，约84%的临床脑卒中患者由脑缺血引起。研究表明，自噬广泛参与并显著影响脑卒中病理生理进程。自噬是一个将陈旧蛋白质、损伤细胞器及多余胞质组分等呈递给溶酶体进行降解的代谢过程，其包括自噬的激活、自噬体的形成和成熟、自噬体与溶酶体融合、自噬产物在自噬溶酶体内消化和降解等过程。自噬流通常被定义为自噬/溶酶体信号机制。最近发现，自噬流障碍是导致缺血性脑卒中后神经元损伤的重要原因，而在自噬过程中任一步骤发生障碍均可导致自噬流损伤。本文重点对自噬体-溶酶体融合的机制，以及该机制在缺血性脑卒中后发生障碍的致病机理进行详细阐述，以期基于自噬体-溶酶体融合机制对神经元自噬流进行调节，进而诱导缺血性脑卒中后的神经保护。本文可为脑卒中病理机制研究指明方向，为脑卒中治疗探寻新的线索。     

Studies of Membrane Formation in Tetrahymena pyriformis. VIII. On the Origin of Membranes Surrounding Food Vacuoles*†

SYNOPSIS. A procedure was devised for the isolation of purified food vacuoles from Tetrahymena pyriformis fed particles of ferric oxide. Phospholipids extracted from vacuolar membranes were more similar in composition to the lipids of microsomes than to lipids of whole cells, cilia or post-microsomal supernatant. Fractionation of cells grown in the presence of [¹⁴C]palmitic acid or [³²P]inorganic phosphate also revealed similarities in the specific radioactivities of microsomes and vacuolar membranes. The data suggested that vacuolar membranes arise from a pool of cytoplasmic membranes.