Expression of the paternal genes for lactate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase and acetylcholinesterase in the development of hybrid fish between species from the families of Cobitidae and Cyprinidae]

The time of expression of the paternal genes of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) was investigated in the development of fish hybrids. The species which differed by the thermostability of homologous enzymes were selected as parental pairs. The appearance of differences in the thermostability of homologous enzymes between the hybrids and the maternal species suggested the beginning of paternal enzyme synthesis in the hybrid embryos. Differences in the AChE thermostability appeared simultaneously with the enzyme activity at the stage of first muscle contractions (35 hrs of development), differences in the mitochondrial GDH thermostability appeared at the stage of hatching (50-60 hrs) and those in the LDH thermostability 12-17 days after hatching. The total activity of AChE and GDH sharply increased during the period of the paternal enzyme appearance whereas the activity of LDH suffered practically no changes. Differences in the AChE thermostability between the hybrids and the maternal species are the same for both the total AChE (in supernatant, 15,000 gX10 min.) and the solubilised AChE (in supernatant, 130,000 gX60 min.). AChE of the parental species and the hybrids have the same electrophoretic mobility. The differences in the thermostability of enzymes are preserved following the electrophoresis in polyacrilamide gel.     

Locomotor adaptations within the Cercopithecus Genus: a multivariate approach.

Multivariate analysis as a technique for investigating locomotor differentiation among primates has proven its power and usefulness in many studies on various skeletal dimensions. In these analyses primate genera were distributed and sometimes clustered in a manner that was interpretable based on current knowledge of gross locomotor differences. In an effort to advance our understanding of arboreality and terrestriality in primates, the present research involves a careful look for the most subtle morphological differences in locomotor behavior. It is believed that by looking at such subtle shape differences an understanding of what it means morphologically for a primate to be either more or less arboreal may be achieved. The species within the primate genus Cercopithecus were analyzed. This genus includes species which may be placed along a habitat (ground-living to tree-dwelling) or activity spectrum. The different habitats or activity patterns clearly require slight variations in patterns of movement, which in turn may require subtle structural adaptations. Multivariate analyses of 67 postcranial variables on seven species within the genus allowed detection of slight degrees of morphological variation. However, when morphological differences are small, size variance among specimens may take on an inflated importance. A substantial amount of work was devoted to finding the least biased method of removing size variance from the variables while incorporating a discrete size variable into the study. Using these transformed skeletal variables, interspecific groupings were discovered. Much of this infrastructure is then related to differing locomotor behavior and provides an insight into the fine structure of primate locomotor adaptation in an arboreal habitat.     

Comparative studies of galactokinase activity on mammal's red blood cells.

1. ATP: D-galactose-1-phosphotransferase activity was measured in human, pig, cow, rabbit, mouse and rat red blood cells. Mean values of galactokinase activity was markedly lower in the human and pig erythrocyte as compared to those of the other species. 2. The permeability to galactose of the red cells studied was always higher than galactose phosphorylation. 3. The affinity constants of galactokinase for galactose ranged from 119 to 291 microM and from 178 to 406 microM for ATPMg2-. 4. The thermostability values of the galactokinase of the species studied were similar. The pH-optimum is pH 7.5 for the human, mouse and rabbit enzyme and pH 8.0 for cow, pig and rat galactokinase.     

Esterase activity of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria

The activity of esterase was studied in bacteria oxidizing hydrocarbons and belonging to the genera Rhodococcus, Arthrobacter and Pseudomonas. Indophenyl acetate was used as a substrate of the reaction catalysed by the enzyme. Exocellular esterases were not found. Endocellular esterases differed in their activity and thermostability both among the genera and among species of one and the same genus.     

The influence of growth temperature on the heat stability of inorganic pyrophosphatase from crude extracts of Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Inorganic pyrophosphatase activity of crude extracts from Bacillus stearothermophilus adapts its thermostability to the growth temperature of the cells. Magnesium ions increase the stability of the enzyme in all cases. Depending on the growth temperature of the cells two pyrophosphatase species differing in their molecular weights and heat stabilities have been detected.     

Comparative functional analysis of the cow and mouse myostatin genes reveals novel regulatory elements in their upstream promoter regions

Myostatin is a paracrine/autocrine factor that inhibits muscle growth, and mutations that affect myostatin activity or expression produce dramatic increases in muscle mass in several species. However, at present it is less clear whether differences in myostatin expression or activity exist between species with differing body sizes. Here we demonstrate that mouse muscle expresses far greater levels of myostatin mRNA than cow. In addition, activity of a 1200 bp mouse myostatin promoter construct was significantly greater than that of a 1200 bp cow myostatin promoter construct in C₂C₁₂ myotubes. In contrast, activity of reporter constructs flanked by one or both untranslated regions (UTRs) was not significantly different between the two species. Sequence analysis identified a number of promoter regions which differed between larger species (cow, pig, goat, sheep, human) and smaller (mouse, rat), including a TATA-box sequence, a CACCC box, two AT-rich regions (AT1 and AT2), and a palindromic sequence (PAL). We therefore used mutagenesis to alter the mouse sequence for each of these elements to that of the cow. Mutagenesis of the TATA, CACC, and AT1 sequences of the mouse to those of the cow significantly decreased activity of the mouse myostatin promoter compared to the wild type mouse promoter, while mutation of the AT2 and PAL sequences tended to increase promoter activity. Finally, the cow myostatin promoter was less responsive to FoxO signaling than the mouse myostatin promoter. Together these data support the hypothesis that differences in promoter activity between mouse and cow may contribute to differences in expression of the myostatin gene between these species.     

Isozyme analysis of Taenia solium isolates from Mexico and Colombia

Mexican and Colombian Taenia solium cysticerci and some species of Taenia adults were assayed using cellulose acetate electrophoresis to distinguish between isolates. Isozyme patterns for ARK, GOT, G3PD, GPI, and MPI were identical in all cysticerci suggesting homozygotic profiles. G6PD and MDH showed different patterns between Mexican and Colombian cysticerci, suggesting regional differences. ME activity was mainly detected in the adult stage suggesting that this enzyme is active in anaerobic environment, while MDH, detected in cysticerci, could be related to an environment that contains oxygen. Finally, the species of taeniid adults analyzed showed different patterns among them.     

Isozymes as bioprobes for genetic analysis of nonhuman primates

The identification and the utilization of genetically determined electrophoretic differences of enzymes between the individuals of species as well as between cell lines have played an important role in the advancement of mammalian genetics during the past quarter of a century. In an explicit search we found a number of red cell enzyme polymorphisms in each of the following four species: chimpanzees, orang utans, rhesus monkeys and brown capuchins. Allelic distribution patterns among populations have indicated trends of subspeciation among chimpanzees and orang utans due to geographic barriers leading to reproductive isolation. Investigations of quantitative levels of red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase have suggested that relative activity profiles of certain enzymes among species may be helpful in studies of the evolution of physiological traits and their biological significance during speciation. A large number of biochemical genetic markers in primate-rodent (i.e., chimpanzee-, gorilla-, orang utan-, rhesus monkey- and African green monkey-Chinese hamster) somatic cell hybrids have been identified and are useful for primate genetic analysis. Some of the biologically relevant observations on the enzyme markers in the above mentioned primate species are discussed.     

Plasma amine oxidase activity in 136 normal rhesus monkeys: relationships between enzyme activity and age, sex and genetic factors.

Normative data on plasma amine oxidase activity were obtained for four primate species, M. mulatta, M. arctoides, C. aethiops and H. sapiens. Significant between-species differences in activity were observed. In a large sample of M. mulatta, no significant relationship between age and plasma amine oxidase activity was observed, but adult males had significantly higher enzyme activities than adult females.     

Isolation of Novel Animal Cell Lines Defective in Glycerolipid Biosynthesis Reveals Mutations in Glucose-6-phosphate Isomerase

Glycerolipids are structural components for membranes and serve in energy storage. We describe here the use of a photodynamic selection technique to generate a population of Chinese hamster ovary cells that display a global deficiency in glycerolipid biosynthesis. One isolate from this population, GroD1, displayed a profound reduction in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and triglycerides but presented high levels of phosphatidic acid and normal levels of phosphatidylinositol synthesis. This was accompanied by a reduction in phosphatidate phosphatase 1 (PAP1) activity. Expression cloning and sequencing of the cDNA obtained from GroD1 revealed a point mutation, Gly-189 → Glu, in glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI), a glycolytic enzyme involved in an inherited disorder that results in anemia and neuromuscular symptoms in humans. GPI activity was reduced by 87% in GroD1. No significant differences were found in DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and ATP levels, whereas glycerol 3-phosphate levels were increased in the mutant. Expression of wild-type hamster GPI restored GPI activity, glycerolipid biosynthesis, and PAP1 activity in GroD1. Two additional, independently isolated GPI-deficient mutants displayed similar phenotypes with respect to PAP1 activity and glycerolipid biosynthesis. These findings uncover a novel relationship between GPI, involved in carbohydrate metabolism, and PAP1, a lipogenic enzyme. These results may also help to explain neuromuscular symptoms associated with inherited GPI deficiency.     

Aminopeptidase from a thermophilic strain of Bacillus licheniformis

Aminopeptidase is isolated and purified from the culture liquid of the thermophilic strain of Bacillus licheniformis. The aminopeptidase predominantly splits off N-terminal leucin in short peptides and hydrolyzes leucinamide as well. The molecular weight of the enzyme is about 60 kDa. The enzyme is able to form aggregates. Optimum of aminopeptidase activity was demonstrated at pH 8.0-8.3 and temperature of 85 degrees C. The enzyme is inactivated by metal-binding reagents and reducing substances, and is activated by cobalt and PCMB ions. The EDTA-inactivated enzyme activity is reduced by cobalt and zinc ions, however the latter has no activating action. The enzyme under study is characterized by high thermostability: in the presence of the substrate at the temperature of 90 degrees C the reaction linearity is retained for not less than 2 h and without the substrate the half-life of the aminopeptidase at 90 degrees C is 145 min. Extracellular aminopeptidase of the thermophilic strain of B. licheniformis is a new enzyme differing from the aminopeptidases described by the present in high thermostability, induced, evidently, by the presence of one or several disulphide bonds in the enzyme molecule.     

Multiple forms of transketolase

The multiplicity of transketolase forms, differing in thermostability and separated by phosphocellulose chromatography, has been shown. Using SDS-PAGE, it was found that the mobility of yeast enzyme forms in all cases was identical. Certain forms of transketolase from yeast, rat or pig liver and from some organs of the rabbit were similar with regard to their chromatographic behaviour and thermostability. The form ratio seems to be determined by the physiological state of the organism.     

Clinical symptoms and biochemical properties of three new glucosephosphate isomerase variants

Glucosephosphate isomerase deficiency as the cause of macrocytic congenital nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia is described in three unrelated families. The biochemical properties of the variant glucosephosphate isomerases indicate that the patients have new variants, designated as GPI Kiel, GPI Hamburg, and GPI Homburg. The severity of the clinical symptoms depended on the amount of residual GPI activity and the biochemical properties of the variant enzyme. Thus the patient with GPI Kiel (34% residual activity) whose variant GPI was slightly unstable showed a mild chronic hemolytic anemia. The patient with GPI Homburg (7% residual activity) whose variant enzyme was stable and had a reduced specific activity, suffered from severe congenital hemolytic anemia and neuromuscular symptoms. Due to the special properties of GPI Homburg, we assume that both the hematological and neuromuscular symptoms of the patient with GPI Homburg are caused by his GPI deficiency. The twins with GPI Hamburg (27% residual activity) had a distinctly unstable variant enzyme and had suffered from hemolytic crises since birth. Only GPI Homburg showed an altered electrophoretic mobility and an increased affinity for fructose-6-phosphate. The other two variants had normal values.     

Propionyl-CoA synthetase in mammary gland and liver of cows

Propionyl-CoA synthetase of liver and mammary gland from calf and midlactation cow was investigated. No activity of this enzyme was detected in calf mammary gland, but it was detected in calf liver. Propionyl-CoA synthetase was found in both, liver and mammary gland of the cow, although mammary gland activity was about 25% of that found in liver. The effects of pH and temperature on enzyme activity and stability were also investigated in crude extracts of liver and mammary gland tissues. The results suggest a different behaviour of the enzyme from both origins. Kinetic studies of the enzyme were also carried out, showing differences, depending on the organ, in the apparent substrate KM values.     

Differences in activity of hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein among species

Five sows, five cows, five hens, six guinea pigs, six rabbits, and six rats were used in a study to determine if hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity differed among species that varied in site of fatty acid synthesis and rate of hepatic triglyceride export. No differences in plasma nonesterified fatty acids were seen among species. Plasma concentrations of glucose were highest in the hen, intermediate in the rat, guinea pig, and rabbit and lowest in the sow and cow. Liver triglyceride was low in all species with the only significant difference being between the hen and the guinea pig (4.7 and 1.1%, DM basis, respectively). No microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity was found in muscle. The cow, rat, and guinea pig had the lowest levels and the hen and rabbit the highest levels of duodenal microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity. Hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity was significantly higher in the sow than the other species. Hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity was 1.51, 1.63, 2.36, 2.72, 2.95, and 6.70 nmole triolein transferred/h/mg microsomal protein for the guinea pig, rabbit, cow, rat, hen, and sow, respectively. Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity in duodenal tissue was 18.0, 18.6, 19.2, 33.4, 113, and 161% of hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity for the sow, cow, rat, guinea pig, hen, and rabbit, respectively. Hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity scaled to liver weight and metabolic body size was 2.69, 3.36, 4.58, 5.83, 7.49, and 22.3 nmole triolein transferred in the liver/min/kg body weight0.75 for the rabbit, guinea pig, rat, hen, cow, and sow, respectively. There was little relationship between previously published rates for triglyceride export and hepatic microsomal triglyceride transfer protein activity measured in this experiment.     

Increased thermostability of microbial transglutaminase by combination of several hot spots evolved by random and saturation mutagenesis

The thermostability of microbial transglutaminase (MTG) of Streptomyces mobaraensis was further improved by saturation mutagenesis and DNA-shuffling. High-throughput screening was used to identify clones with increased thermostability at 55°C. Saturation mutagenesis was performed at seven "hot spots", previously evolved by random mutagenesis. Mutations at four positions (2, 23, 269, and 294) led to higher thermostability. The variants with single amino acid exchanges comprising the highest thermostabilities were combined by DNA-shuffling. A library of 1,500 clones was screened and variants showing the highest ratio of activities after incubation for 30 min at 55°C relative to a control at 37°C were selected. 116 mutants of this library showed an increased thermostability and 2 clones per deep well plate were sequenced (35 clones). 13 clones showed only the desired sites without additional point mutations and eight variants were purified and characterized. The most thermostable mutant (triple mutant S23V-Y24N-K294L) exhibited a 12-fold higher half-life at 60°C and a 10-fold higher half-life at 50°C compared to the unmodified recombinant wild-type enzyme. From the characterization of different triple mutants differing only in one amino acid residue, it can be concluded that position 294 is especially important for thermostabilization. The simultaneous exchange of amino acids at sites 23, 24, 269 and 289 resulted in a MTG-variant with nearly twofold higher specific activity and a temperature optimum of 55°C. A triple mutant with amino acid substitutions at sites 2, 289 and 294 exhibits a temperature optimum of 60°C, which is 10°C higher than that of the wild-type enzyme.     

Mother-young relationships in captive ungulates: Spatial and temporal patterns

Ungulates are often divided into two groups—the followers and the hiders—characterized by differing spatial and temporal patterns of mother-young behavior. We assessed the relative roles of mother and young in maintaining these patterns by recording standardized quantitative measures on 37 mother-young pairs representing eight species. We found no differences between followers and hiders on any of our measures. The mother was largely responsible for maintaining the species characteristic spacing distances between mother and young, although young sometimes contributed. The mother usually initiated activity bouts of the young. Activity bouts of young were longer and more frequent when the mother was active than when she was lying down. Young often stood when their mother was lying, but these activity bouts were brief. Young usually terminated their own activity bouts. Hinde's measure, a measure designed to quantify the relative roles of primate mother and young in maintaining proximity, proved less satisfactory for ungulates, due to the multiple interpretations possible for low values of the measure and the difficulty of adequately defining approaches and departures.     

Adrenal 11-hydroxylase activity in a hypercortisolemic New World primate: adaptive intra-adrenal changes

The squirrel monkey, a representative New World primate, has high plasma cortisol and aldosterone concentrations when compared to Old World primates. We measured adrenal mitochondrial 11-hydroxylase (11-OHase) activity in squirrel monkeys and in two representative Old World species (cynomolgus and rhesus macaques) in an effort to explain these elevated plasma glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid levels. The activity of 11-OHase was 5-fold higher in the squirrel monkey than in the Old World species tested. Calculated 11-OHase Vmax was different in the squirrel monkey and the cynomolgus. However, the Km values were similar in the New World primate when compared to cynomolgus. The ability of metyrapone to block 11-OHase was less in the former than in the latter. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the squirrel monkey adrenal cortex possesses an increased number of 11-hydroxylase enzyme units compared to that of Old World primate species, and is therefore more efficient in producing cortisol. This difference in 11-OHase activity in the squirrel monkey, in addition to other previously reported adrenal steroidogenic enzyme alterations, may be adaptive in nature, favoring increased cortisol and aldosterone production in this and possibly other New World primate species.     

Technical note: Dental microwear textures of "Phase I" and "Phase II" facets

The power stroke of mastication has been traditionally divided into two parts, one which precedes centric occlusion, and the other which follows it-"Phase I" and "Phase II," respectively. Recent studies of primate mastication have called into question the role of Phase II in food processing, as they have found little muscle activity or accompanying bone strain following centric occlusion. That said, many researchers today look to Phase II facets to relate diet to patterns of dental microwear. This suggests the need to reevaluate microwear patterns on Phase I facets. Here we use texture analysis to compare and contrast microwear on facets representing both phases in three primate species with differing diets (Alouatta palliata, Cebus apella, and Lophocebus albigena). Results reaffirm that microwear patterns on Phase II facets better distinguish taxa with differing diets than do those on Phase I facets. Further, differences in microwear textures between facet types for a given taxon may themselves reflect diet. Some possible explanations for differences in microwear textures between facet types are proposed.     

Developmental expression of murine HPRT. I. Activities,heat stabilities,and electrophoretic mobilities in adult tissues

Total and specific activity of the enzyme hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) varied widely among six tissues from C3H/f mice; the highest levels of activity were in brain. More striking were thermostability differences in tissue enzymes. Although brain, spleen, and kidney HPRT retained 65% basal activity after 15 min at 85 C, heart, liver, and erythrocyte HPRT retained only 20–30% initial activity. Kidney HPRT behaved as monospecific heat-stable enzyme (K _denaturation=0.022/min, and liver enzyme behaved as monospecific heat-labile enzyme (K _denaturation=0.061/min), while other tissues appeared to contain both forms of the enzyme. Multiple electrophoretic activity bands were present in all tissues; no activity band was restricted to a single tissue. The data presented here are consistent with the hypothesis that the distinct tissue properties of HPRT result from posttranslational modification of the product of a single genetic locus which is expressed in all tissues.This study was supported in part by NIH Grant AM 16722 and by an Institutional Biomedical Grant.