人脑胶质细胞瘤核染色质非组蛋白的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析

用不连续SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳分析了人脑胶质细胞瘤与正常脑细胞核NHCP电泳图谱。从二者的NHCP电泳结果表明,脑胶质细胞瘤增加了一条表观分子量为3万的蛋白区带;表观分子量为1.75万～6.5万的蛋白区带染色明显加深。染色质紫外吸收光谱也有明显差异。总之,脑胶质细胞瘤核NHCP发生质与量的变化。     

正常小鼠肝和腹水型肝癌细胞核内酸溶性蛋白质磷酸化的比较研究

染色质的组成成分,组蛋白和非组蛋白在特异的蛋白激酶作用下可以发生磷酸化修饰,组蛋白和非组蛋白的磷酸化和脱磷酸化可能在染色质的结构,基因表达以及DNA复制中起着重要的作用。本文比较是小鼠腹水型肝癌细胞核和正常小鼠肝细胞核内酸溶性蛋白质及其磷酸化的差异。正常小鼠肝细胞核酸溶性蛋白质的电泳染色图谱有一条明显可见的组蛋白H_1~0蛋白带,而对小鼠腹水型肝癌来说,此带极浅,但在腹水型肝癌细胞核酸溶性蛋白质的电泳染色图谱上可见到表观分子量约为68K的一条蛋白带,而正常小鼠肝未见此带。此外,从电泳胶片~(32)P放射自显影图谱可见腹水型肝癌组蛋白H_1,H_2A和非组蛋白带Ⅱ(MW43K),带Ⅲ(MW.67K)带Ⅳ(M.w.97K)磷酸化程度明显高于正常小鼠肝。     

与大鼠Morris肝癌7777相关的染色质蛋白的免疫亲和层析分离与鉴定

 用5mol/L尿素,将大鼠Morris肝癌7777染色质解离为染色质非组蛋白 (UP组分)及染色质沉淀(UC组分)。UP(含90—95％非组蛋白)用免疫亲和层析(与大鼠Morris肝癌7777去组蛋白染色质抗体交联)分级,经2mol/L NaSCN及8mol/L尿素分部洗脱。将UP及UC,来自UP亲和层析的2mol/L NaSCN及8mol/L尿素洗脱组分同时进行SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)。以大鼠Morris肝癌7777去组蛋白染色质抗体作探针,进行免疫显迹(Immunoblot)测定。在UP部分出现二条阳性带,分子量为:200K及116K。UC部分有三条染色不很深的阳性带,分子量为200K,118K及91K。来自UP亲和层析的2mol/L NaSCN及8mol/L尿素洗脱部分分别有一条浓而清晰的阳性带,分子量分别为74K及83K。用酶联免疫吸附法(E1isa)测试从UP凝胶上切割下的阳性区带,其免疫特异性显著。     

HMG非组蛋白在基因表达调节中的作用——Ⅱ.正常大鼠肝和大鼠移植性BERH-2肝癌HMG非组蛋白比较研究

本实验通过5%过氯酸抽提、丙酮分级分离以及CM-Sephadex离子交换层析等步骤分别从正常大鼠肝和大鼠移植性肝癌(BERH-2)细胞核中获得了HMG蛋白,并且比较了它们的电泳和层析行为以及生物学作用,发现正常鼠肝和肝癌HMG没有明显的质的差别。比较了正常大鼠肝细胞核和BERH-2肝癌细胞核体外转录活性,并比较了DNA酶Ⅰ消化这两种细胞核的动力学和有限消化时释放出来的HMG和组蛋白H_1相对量的变化。发现肝癌细胞核转录活性明显高于正常大鼠肝细胞核;肝癌细胞核对DNA酶Ⅰ消化的敏感性大于正常肝细胞核;肝癌细胞核在DNA酶Ⅰ有限消化时HMG的释放较正常大鼠肝细胞核多。实验结果说明,在肝癌的细胞中HMG与正常肝细胞的HMG可能没有明显的质的差别,但与活性核小体结合的HMG量有所增加。这可能是肝癌染色质结构的改变,基因转录失常原因之一。     

大鼠老化过程大脑皮层细胞核、染色质转录研究

 本实验对不同鼠龄(4—,16—17—,33—34—和99—103周)大鼠老化动物模型进行脑细胞核、染色质体外转录研究,结果表明:(1)大脑皮层细胞核、染色质转录活性在老化过程中呈下降趋势,其中RNA聚合酶Ⅰ、Ⅱ活性与染色质模板效率变化一致,说明染色质模板活性降低是导致细胞核转录功能减退的原因之一。(2)幼年鼠染色质RNA和NHCP含量高于老年鼠,提示染色质结合蛋白及RNA可能参与不同生理时期脑神经元染色质结构和功能的调节。(3)老年鼠脑染色质DNA抗DN-aseⅠ酶解能力增强,提示衰老导致转录活性染色质区域减少。     

丁酸钠对大鼠离体灌流心脏细胞核组蛋白乙酰化的影响

本文用离体心脏灌流技术研究了丁酸钠对~3H-乙酰基参入大鼠心脏细胞核纽蛋白的影响。用蔗糖梯度离心将大鼠离体灌流心脏的细胞核分为心肌的和非心肌的,分别提取组蛋白。尿素-丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳将组蛋白分为五个组分。其比放射性测定的结果表明,~3H-乙酰基只参入核心组蛋白,程度为H_3>H_(2b)>H_4>H_(2a)。Triton-尿素-丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳图放射自显影结果显示,无论心肌细胞核还是非心肌细胞核,在丁酸钠为1m mol/L情况下,组蛋白H_3又可见三个亚组分(H_(3_1)、H_(3_2)及H_(3_3)),H_4可分出四个亚组分(H_(4_1)、H_(4_2)、H_(4_3)及H_(4_4));其总组蛋白乙酰化程度减低至对照组数值的60％。“冷追击”实验的结果提示,丁酸钠引起高乙酰化组蛋白的积蓄,确是通过其对组蛋白脱乙酰基过程的抑制作用而实现的。     

北京鸭卵清蛋白基因调控的研究——Ⅰ.停产与产蛋的北京鸭肝脏和输卵管染色质蛋白质的比较

从停产和产蛋的北京鸭的肝和输卵管制备纯染色质。用0.4NH_2SO_4抽提组蛋白和酸溶性非组蛋白,剩余的非酸溶性非组蛋白用牛胰DNaseI消化DNA法制备。对染色质大分子含量的测定表明,非组蛋白和RNA的含量在产蛋鸭染色质中明显地增加了。用乙酸脲电泳分析,核心组蛋白成份在所有实验样品中都是恒定的,但在产蛋鸭肝和输卵管染色质组蛋白H_1呈两条区带,并且出现较多条酸溶性非组蛋白区带。用SDS电泳分析,产蛋鸭肝和输卵管染色质中出现分子量约20,000的非酸溶性非组蛋白。非组蛋白的这些变化,启示它们可能是控制基因活性的调节因素。     

组蛋白甲基化研究进展

组蛋白甲基化是表观遗传修饰方式中的一种,参与异染色质形成、基因印记、X染色体失活和基因转录调控.组蛋白甲基化过程的异常参与多种肿瘤的发生.既往认为组蛋白甲基化是稳定的表观遗传标记,而组蛋白去甲基化酶的发现对这一观点提出了挑战,也为进一步深入研究组蛋白修饰提供新的途径.     

组蛋白修饰在染色质复制过程中的作用

真核生物中的DNA复制,不但要保证DNA编码的基因组信息高保真复制,也要保证染色质结构所蕴含的表观遗传组稳定传递,这个过程对于维持基因组的完整性和稳定性至关重要。时至今日,人们对DNA复制的机制已经有了深入的认识,但是对染色质复制以及表观遗传信息传递的了解才刚刚开始。组蛋白是染色质结构中最主要的蛋白组成部分,其上面丰富的转录后修饰是表观遗传调控的核心方式之一。从最近几年组蛋白的修饰研究进展入手,主要综述在DNA复制过程中组蛋白修饰如何参与染色质复制的调控。     

赖氨酸特异性组蛋白去甲基化酶1与白血病的研究进展

表观遗传学是后基因组时代兴起的一门新学科,它使人们认识到包括DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、染色质重塑及非编码RNA调控在内的修饰也可以记载遗传信息;并且许多表观遗传改变是可逆的,对表观遗传修饰和调控的研究已成为生命科学的热点和发展前沿。2004年发现的赖氨酸特异性组蛋白去甲基化酶1(LSD1)是第一个真正意义上的组蛋白赖氨酸去甲基化酶,使人们认识到组蛋白甲基化是一个动态的过程,通过组蛋白甲基转移酶和去甲基化酶的相互作用,动态地调控基因转录的激活和抑制等生物学过程。这重新定义了组蛋白甲基化,同时也为进一步深入研究组蛋白修饰提供了新的途径。我们在此简要介绍LSD1的结构与功能、LSD1与白血病的关系,LSD1在白血病的发生和发展中发挥重要作用,是一个潜在的治疗白血病的靶基因。     

LIPOPROTEIN INHIBITOR OF BQNE MARROW CELLS IN TUMOR-BEARING RATS

The role of a plasma inhibitor of erythropoiesis is evaluated in rats with Walker-256 carcinoma (W-256). Plasma from tumor-bearing rats was treated by gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-150) and fractions were combined into four pools on the basis of mol. wt. Inhibitory activity was assayed by adding an aliquot of the plasma fractions to normal rat marrow cells which were cultured for 24 hr with and without erythropoietin. ⁵⁹Fe-heme synthesis, [³H]thymidine DNA synthesis, and ¹⁴C-leucine protein synthesis were studied. The results indicated that cultures containing the high mol. wt. pool (>400,000 daltons) had significantly decreased heme, DNA and protein synthesis. This inhibitor also diminished the response to erythropoietin in polycythemic mice. The lower mol. wt. pool stimulated heme synthesis in vitro. To identify the inhibitor further, plasma lipo-protein classes were isolated by density gradient ultracentrifugation. The very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and chylomicron fractions markedly inhibited DNA, protein and heme synthesis. Low density and high density lipoprotein fractions were inactive. A lipoprotein inhibitor of erythropoiesis was also identified in cancerous ascitic fluid, and to a lesser degree, in normal rat plasma. We suggest that this VLDL inhibitor of marrow erythropoiesis is a contributing factor in the anaemia of cancer.     

Chromatin proteins associated with micrococcal nuclease-sensitive and nuclease-resistant chromatin fractions of Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma and hamster liver

Micrococcal nuclease-sensitive (SP) and nuclease-resistant (PP) chromatin fractions from Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma and hamster liver were obtained. The molecular distribution of three non-histone proteins (NHCP1, NHCP2 and NHCP3), histones, and chromatin-bound protease activity between SP and PP fractions of both tissues was compared. Differences, mainly of quantitative nature, among non-histone proteins of neoplastic and normal tissue were observed. Moreover, it was found that polypeptides with mol. wt 81 000 (NHCP1), 39 000 (NHCP2) and 21 000, 35 000, 37 000 (NHCP1), 70 000, 112 000, 141 000, 157 000 (NHCP2), 30 000–33 000 (NHCP3) were associated only with the nuclease-sensitive part of chromatin of hepatoma and normal tissue, respectively. A major difference in histone compostion of hamster hepatoma and liver concerns histones H2A and H1. Furthermore, an enrichment of high mobility group proteins as well as other soluble non-histone proteins in an acid extract of the SP fraction was observed. Apparently chromatin-bound protease activity can be found in both fractions of chromatin.     

Cellular distribution of the hamster liver specific nucleolar antigens

The immunochemical localization of hamster liver nucleolar antigens in subcellular fractions (nuclei, 10,000 x g pellet, 100,000 x g pellet and supernatant), nuclear substructures (chromatin, nuclear matrix, nuclear envelope, nucleoli, RNP particles and nucleosomes), and three classes of nonhistone chromosomal proteins with different affinities to DNA (NHCP1, NHCP2 and NHCP3) from nuclease-sensitive and nuclease-resistant chromatin fractions of hamster liver were studied. Six main nucleolar antigens with mol. wts 27,000; 29,000; 30,000; 36,000; 45,000; and 46,000 were found in subcellular fractions, nuclear substructures and classes of non-histone proteins of hamster liver. The antigens with mol.wts of approx. 27,000; 29,000; and 36,000 which were absent in hamster pancreas, spleen and Kirkman--Robbins hepatoma nuclei, seem specific for liver tissue.     

RATES OF CEREBRAL GLUCOSE UTILIZATION IN RATS ANAESTHETIZED WITH PHENOBARBITONE

Abstract—

• 1 Intraperitoneal injection of phenobarbitone (250 mg/kg body wt.) into rats caused increased brain concentrations of glucose (100 per cent), glucose 6-phosphate (16 per cent) and ATP (12 per cent) and decreased concentrations of lactate (33 per cent) and ADP (15 per cent). A 31 per cent decrease in glutamate content was not statistically significant. No significant change occurred in the cerebral contents of glycogen or creatine phosphate.
• 1 The rates of increase in the brain of specific activities, in the first few minutes after systemic injection of [U-¹⁴C]glucose, of glucose, lactate, glutamate and glycogen were all halved by phenobarbitone. Calculated flux rates of ¹⁴C from glucose into metabolic intermediates and from lactate to glutamate were also decreased by 27–47 per cent; the effects on rate constants showed inconsistencies. The rate constants for conversion of glucose to lactate and to glutamate were decreased by 60–70 per cent, but that from lactate to glutamate was virtually unchanged. The rate constant for the flux from glucose to glycogen was reduced by 39 per cent, but the accumulation of glucose meant that the actual flux into glycogen increased by 20 per cent.
• 1 The results are interpreted in terms of an effect of the barbiturate not only on glucose transport, but also at an enzymic stage in glycolysis, possibly hexokinase or phosphofructokinase.

     

THE ACTIVITIES OF BUTYRYLCHOLINESTERASE AND CARBONIC ANHYDRASE, THE RATE OF ANAEROBIC GLYCOLYSTS, AND THE QUESTION OF A CONSTANT DENSITY OF GLIAL CELLS IN CEREBRAL CORTICES OF VARIOUS MAMMALIAN SPECIES FROM MOUSE TO WHALE

Abstract— The question of a constant density of glial cells in mammalian cerebral cortex regardless of species was examined by surveying the cortical activities of two enzymes primarily localized to dial cells. The cortical activity of butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) was essentially constant at a rate of approx. 0.1 μmol of butyrylthiocholine hydrolysed min^-1 g^-1 over the range of species from rat (brain wt., 1.6 g) to fin whale and sperm whale (brain wt., 6800 and 7800 g, respectively). Over the same range the activity of cortical acetylcholinesterase, a neuronal enzyme, decreases by a factor of 7. Thus, butyrylcholinesterase ranged from < 2 per cent (in small rodent brains) to approximately 10 per cent (in whale brain) of the cortical acetylcholinesterase activity. The cortical activity of carbonic anhydrase (EC 4.2.1.1) was constant at a rate of 6.2 (± 0.25) μmol of CO₂ evolved min^-1 g^-1 over the range of species from guinea-pig (brain wt., 4.75 g) to fin whale (brain wt., 6800 g). These data obtained by assaying the dehydration reaction were confirmed by limited assays of the esterase activity of the enzyme (with p-nitrophenylacetate as substrate) and agreed with limited, previously reported data for the hydration reaction. Thus, the circumstantial evidence strongly favoured a relative constancy of cortical glial cell density regardless of species. The rates of anaerobic glycolysis in the cerebral cortex of various species were also investigated. For six species from mouse (brain wt., 0.4 g) to beef (brain wt., 380 g) cortical anaerobic glycolysis varied only slightly in the range of 50–62 μmol of CO₂ evolved h^-1 g^-l, whereas cortical oxygen consumption for the same range of species decreased by a factor of 3. Previously frozen samples of beef cortex glycolysed at 35 per Cent of the rate of fresh (unfrozen) samples. Since identical rates were obtained for previously frozen samples of fin whale cerebral cortex, we concluded that the relative constancy of cortical anaerobic glycolysis could be extended to the range from mouse to whale and that this aspect of cortical metabolism is probably primarily glial in localization. Some implications of the latter conclusion for the proposed role of astrocytes as modulators of neuronal activity have been discussed.     

CHANGED ACTIVITIES OF BRAIN ENZYMES INVOLVED IN NEUROTRANSMITTER METABOLISM IN RATS EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT QUALITIES OF IONIZING RADIATION

—The effect of different qualities of ionizing radiation on the activity of brain enzymes involved in the metabolism of neurotransmitters in specific regions of the brain of rats was investigated. Groups of Sprague-Dawley adult male rats were exposed to approx. 18,000 rads of radiation either rich in neutrons or rich in gamma rays. It was found that, when the animals were exposed to radiation rich in neutrons, monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was markedly decreased in all brain areas studied. In contrast, a very marked increase in the activity of this enzyme was observed when the animals received the same dose of radiation rich in gamma rays. Relatively minor changes were observed in the activity of choline acetyl transferase (ChAc). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity did not change appreciably.     

NON-HISTONE CHROMOSOMAL PROTEINS IN MOUSE BRAIN AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AND IN A TRANSPLANTABLE MOUSE TERATOMA

Abstract— Non-histone chromosomal proteins (NHCP) from mouse brain at different stages of development and from adult liver and kidney of strain related mice were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were compared with the mouse teratoma, OTT-6050. The fetal, neonatal and adult brains were qualitatively similar in their NHCP profiles but had quantitative differences. The NHCP composition of the adult brain was clearly distinct from that of the liver and kidney and was dissimilar from that of the teratoma.     

The interrelations between high- and low-molecular-weight forms of normal and mutant (Krabbe-disease) galactocerebrosidase

Galactocerebrosidase (β-d-galactosyl-N-acylsphingosine galactohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.46) activity of brain and liver preparations from normal individuals and patients with Krabbe disease (globoid-cell leukodystrophy) have been separated by gel filtration into four different molecular-weight forms. The apparent mol.wts. were 760000±34000 and 121000±10000 for the high- and low-molecular-weight forms (peaks I and IV respectively) and 499000±22000 (mean±s.d.) and 256000±12000 for the intermediate forms (peaks II and III respectively). On examination by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, the high- and low-molecular-weight forms revealed a single protein band with a similar mobility corresponding to a mol.wt. of about 125000. Antigenic identity was demonstrated between the various molecular-weight forms of the normal and the mutant galactocerebrosidases by using antisera against either the high- or the low-molecular-weight enzymes. The high-molecular-weight form of galactocerebrosidase was found to possess higher specific activity toward natural substrates when compared with the low-molecular-weight form. It is suggested that the high-molecular-weight enzyme is the active form in vivo and an aggregation process that proceeds from a monomer (mol.wt. approx. 125000) to a dimer (mol.wt. approx. 250000) and from the dimer to either a tetramer (mol.wt. approx. 500000) or a hexamer (mol.wt. approx. 750000) takes place in normal as well as in Krabbe-disease tissues.     

ISOLATION OF TWO PANTOTHEINE-CONTAINING ACIDIC PROTEINS FROM MONKEY BRAIN

The isolation of two acid-soluble proteins from Macaca irus brain is reported. The proteins contained 34 and 35.6 per cent polar amino acids, respectively. One protein had a mol. wt. of approx. 37,100 and the other of 23,000 with subunits of 11,500. Each protein contained 4′-phosphopantetheine, which was hydrolytically determined as taurine and β-alanine and microbiologically as pantothenate. The smaller protein is found to be present in the supernatant following homogenization both in 0-32 M-sucrose and in 0-32 M-sucrose with 40 mm -NaCl. The larger protein is also mainly present in the supernatant fluid. The function of these proteins is unknown, but the mol. wt. 23,000 species could be acetylated from glucose and acetate in mouse brain tissue slices and the acetyl groups could be isolated as the hydroxamate.