Incidence of chromosomal mosaicism in human embryos at different developmental stages analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization

Chromosomal mosaicism has been reported in in vitro-cultured embryos at early cleavage stages, as well as in morulae and blastocysts. We have assessed the incidence and pattern of mosaicism during in vitro development of human embryos from early-cleavage stages to morula and blastocyst. Fifty spare embryos were fixed for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis for chromosomes X, Y, 13, 18, and 21 on days 2 or 3 (4- to 10-cell stage) (n = 16), on day 4 (morula stage) (n = 14), on day 5 (pre-expanded blastocyst) (n = 5), and the expanded blastocyst stages (n = 15). Blocked embryos (no cleavage observed within the last 24 hr) were not included. A total of 2367 cells were analyzed. Four early-cleavage stage embryos were found uniformly diploid; all of the others were mosaic for the chromosomes analyzed (mean diploid nuclei 48.3% +/- 28.7). All of the embryos at more advanced developmental stages, except one fully normal morula, had mosaic chromosome constitutions, with an increase in the percentage of diploid cells in morulae, pre-expanded, and expanded blastocysts, respectively (mean diploid nuclei 78.6% +/- 11.7, 66.0% +/- 20.8, 79.6% +/- 12.8), in comparison with earlier stages. Hypotheses about the origin of mosaicism and embryo regulation mechanisms will be discussed.     

Degradation of phosphorylated chromosomal nonhistone proteins

In experiments with in vivo 32P-labelled nonhistone proteins of rat liver nuclei it was shown that these components are more sensitive against degradation than the mass of the nonhistone proteins. In the presence of 0.1 mM phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride and 1 mM sodium molybdate, however, they are protected against degradation.     

Lipid composition and metabolism in megakaryocytes at different stages of maturation

The lipid composition and metabolism of isolated guinea pig megakaryocyte subgroups at various stages of maturation were investigated. Three groups were studied: 1) 67% of megakaryocytes in Group A were immature; 2) Group B was heterogeneous and contained both immature and mature subgroups of megakaryocytes; 3) 92% of megakaryocytes in Group C were mature. Lipid composition was determined by thin-layer chromatography, lipid-phosphorus, and gas-liquid chromatography. Cholesterol, ceramide, and de novo fatty acid synthesis were evaluated with [14C]acetate. [14C]Glycerol was used to assess de novo phospholipid synthesis. 14C-Labeled fatty acids were used to evaluate fatty acid uptake. The phospholipid and cholesterol content was found to be four times greater in mature megakaryocytes than that in immature megakaryocytes, which paralleled the protein content and volume of mature and immature cells. The cholesterol-phospholipid ratio was similar and there were no differences in the phospholipid species in the three groups. Phospholipid and cholesterol synthesis were established in immature megakaryocytes and persisted at about the same level in mature megakaryocytes. The uptake of arachidonic and palmitic acids also occurred primarily in immature cells, while the de novo synthesis of palmitic acid occurs predominantly in mature megakaryocytes. There was an inverse relationship between the uptake of exogenous palmitic acid and fatty acid synthesis, but the uptake of palmitic acid primarily inhibited fatty acid synthesis in mature megakaryocytes. There were differences in the acylation of phospholipid species with arachidonic acid in megakaryocytes at different stages of maturation since the acylation of phosphatidylcholine occurred primarily in immature megakaryocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Changes in nonhistone chromosomal proteins in phytohemagglutininstimulated lymphocytes

Stimulation of bovine lymphocytes with phytohemagglutinin results in quantitative as well as qualitative changes in the nonhistone chromosomal proteins. Analysis of these proteins by hydroxyapatite chromatography and sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows not only a selective increase in the amount of some nonhistone proteins but also a decrease of other nonhistone protein bands. This observation is compatible with the view that nonhistone proteins have an inhibitory as well as an activating function at the genome level.     

巨菌草不同生长时期的内生固氮菌群组成分析

【背景】禾本科植物中存在着丰富的内生固氮菌资源,可为植物的生长、营养利用、增强抗逆性等起到重要的促进作用。【目的】揭示巨菌草不同生长时期根、茎、叶内生固氮细菌的组成及其变化。【方法】采用高通量测序技术对不同生长时期的巨菌草根、茎、叶内生固氮菌群进行群落分析。【结果】不同生长时期巨菌草根、茎、叶的15个样本分别得到4-6万条有效序列,主要分布在360 bp左右。根部巨菌草内生固氮菌群在成熟期最高,茎部和叶部均为拔节期最高,同一生长时期则为根叶茎,变化趋势与巨菌草植物样本的固氮酶活性变化趋势一致,其主要的菌群门类为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和蓝藻菌门(Cyanobacteria),主要核心属为克雷伯氏菌属(Klebsiella)、草螺菌属(Herbaspirillum)和慢生根瘤菌(Bradyrhizobium)。整体上看,根、叶部来源的各自微生物菌群组成较为接近,茎部来源的菌群与根部、叶部有交叉,成熟期根部的联合固氮菌群种类和丰度最高。典范对应分析表明各来源样本固氮菌群的组成主要受环境温度影响,其次为湿度和pH。【结论】不同生长时期巨菌草根、茎、叶固氮菌群的组成及丰度存在着较大的差异,本研究可为巨菌草内生固氮菌群资源的开发和利用以及种质资源库的建立提供基础依据。     

Cell wall composition in the ascomycete sphaerostilbe repens at different developmental stages

Changes in the biochemical composition of isolated cell walls were analysed during the differentiation of coremia and rhizomorphs in Sphaerostilbe repens.Differentiation was accompanied by exclusively quantitative variations of the wall components: the content in carbohydrates, chitin and free amino sugars increased; on the contrary, amino acids, uronic acids, lipids and mineral substances decreased.Carbohydrates were composed of glucose, galactose and mannose; glucosamine was the main component of amino sugars. The predominant amino acid in the walls was cysteine the amount of which increased during hyphal aggregation, while quantities of the sixteen other determined amino acids decreased.Mineral matter was present in large quantities in the walls of the fungus, especially in vegetative mycelium. Iron, phosphorus and calcium were the most abundant elements.Possible relations between the variations in chemical composition of the wall and the capability of hyphae to aggregate are discussed.     

Conservation of nonhistone chromosomal proteins through dipteran evolution

We have investigated the possibility that some high molecular weight nonhistone chromosomal (NHC) proteins may have been conserved through the evolution of two distantly related diptera-Drosophila melanogaster and Sciara coprophila. Antisera produced against three NHC protein subfractions were analyzed for cross-reactivity with Sciara polytene chromosomes. The indirect immunofluorescent staining technique used couples an assay for immunologic cross-reactivity with an assay for the in situ distribution of the proteins under study. The results indicate that the - and NHC protein antigens have been conserved since the divergence of Drosophila and Sciara, while the Drosophila NHC protein antigen is not present on Sciara chromosomes. In one case, with anti-- serum, we have identified a highly conserved, very high molecular weight NHC protein (or class of proteins) which appears to interact strongly with all chromatin in a manner which is not DNA sequence-specific. In the second case, with anti- serum, we have identified an NHC protein which may have evolved an additional function(s) in Sciara relative to its function(s) in Drosophila.     

Comparative study of chromosomal nonhistone proteins pp23 in cells from different types of tissue]

A specific immunoserum against nonhistone chromosomal protein pp23 from rat kidney was produced. A similar protein was obtained in cells of different tissue specificity (in the liver cells of rats submitted to a single effect of hepatocarcinogens, in rat hepatomas G-27, HTC, Zajdela, in cultivated non-tumor myogenic L6 cells and in kidney cells of newborn rats) by means of immunofluorescent method on using this immunoserum. In all cases a specific fluorescence of the nucleus and nuclear membrane was observed.     

Metabolic stability of nonhistone chromosomal proteins in two different classes of developing rat brain nuclei.

The metabolic behaviour of NHCP was studied in rat brain nuclei from fully differetiated cells and in nuclei from still differentiating cells. Eight-day-old rats were injected intracisternally with [14C]thymidine and [3H]tryptophan and the 3H/14C ratio of the chromatin was followed for a period of 33 days. It was found that in the fraction of differentiated cells this ratio remained unchanged, showing the presence of metabolically stable NHCP. At the same time in the fraction containing nondifferentiated cells a substantial part of the NHCP was turned over, which was indicated by a sharp decrease in their 3H/14C ratio with time.     

Selective release of HMG nonhistone proteins during DNase digestion of Tetrahymena chromatin at different stages of the cell cycle.

The possible role of LG-1, a Tetrahymena specific HMG protein found in the macronuclear chromatin (Hamana, K. and Iwai, K. (1979) J. Biochem. 86, 789-794), was examined in relation to the chromatin structure. The chromatin isolated from cells synchronized at different stages of the cell cycle contained about one molecule of LG-1 per nucleosome. Limited digestion of the chromatin with DNase I or micrococcal nuclease selectively released LG-1 with the nucleosomal core histones and H1 remained insoluble, bound to the resistant DNA. Depending on the cell stages several types of chromatin structure were distinguished by their nuclease sensitivity. However, the chromatin at different stages exhibited the similar behavior of the LG-1 release with the nucleases as a function of the degree of chromatin solubilization. The results suggest that LG-1 proteins play a role in the chromatin organization which is rather independent of the cell stages.     

The occurrence of extended acidic sequences in nonhistone chromosomal proteins

Nonhistone chromosomal proteins and soluble cytoplasmic proteins from rat liver were treated with a combination of proteases and chemical reagents which split a variety of peptide bonds but do not attack sequences consisting predominantly or exclusively of acidic amino acid residues. Analysis of the resulting digests by gel filtration chromatography and column electrophoresis demonstrated that, relative to cytoplasmic proteins, nonhistone chromosomal proteins are rich in highly charged, acidic peptides up to 12 residues in length, but rarely contain very long peptides consisting exclusively of acidic residues such as are found in the nonhistone chromosomal proteins HMG1 and HMG2.     

Solubilization of nonhistone chromosomal proteins by carboxymethyldextran for chromatography

Chromosomal proteins extracted from calf thymus by 0.35 M NaCl were insoluble at the low salt concentration needed initially for ion-exchange chromatography. However, the addition of high-affinity carboxymethyl-dextran rendered the precipitated proteins soluble, permitting them to be fractionated by elution from DEAE-Sephacel. In this way, the separation of HMG-1 from HMG-2 was achieved, as well as a partial fractionation of the low mobility group proteins, under conditions that did not disturb the native conformation of the proteins.     

Lipid composition and characteristics of dental pulp ultrastructure at different stages of development

The phospholipid composition and ultrastructure of pulp are found to be qualitatively different at different stages of ontogenetic development (in the first and permanent dentition). An intensified functional load (with higher dental abrasion) prevents completion of the differentiation of cellular and noncellular elements of pulp even in permanent teeth.     

DNA-binding properties of a nonhistone chromosomal protein from lymphocytes

Summary The DNA binding properties of the nonhistone chromosomal protein NH 30 000 from lymphocytes were investigated by equilibrium competition experiments employing nitrocellulose filters. The results show that protein NH 30 000 interacts preferentially with single-stranded DNA, with AT-rich sequences and with repetitive DNA. Binding to RNA, however, is poor, with different RNAs exhibiting different competitive abilities.