Effect of N-alkyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium ions on phosphatidylcholine model membrane structure as studied by 31P-NMR

The interaction of |C_nH_2n+1N⁺(CH₃)₃| · I^? (n = 3, 6, 9, 12, 14, 16 or 18) with egg-yolk phosphatidylcholine-water dispersions has been studied by ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy. It is shown that the effective anisotropy of ³¹P chemical shift (?Δσ_eff) of the lamellar phospholipid liquid-crystalline phase L_α increases with increasing concentration and alkyl chain length of the drug. Addition of $\text{|}\text{C}{}_6\text{H}{}_{13}\text{N}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{(CH}{}_3\text{)}{}_3\text{| ·I}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$ or |C₉H₁₉N⁺(CH₃)₃|·I^? to the phospholipid-water dispersion at a molar ratio ammonium salt:phospholipid > 0.8 induces in the dispersion a structure with an effective isotropic phospholipid motion. This structure is unstable and slowly transforms into the hexagonal phase. These effects have not been observed in phospholipid-water dispersions mixed with the ammonium derivatives with the longer alkyl chains n  12, 14, 16 or 18. It is proposed that these results might explain the effects of the investigated drugs on the nerve, muscle and bacterial cells.     

Orientational order in the choline headgroup of sphingomyelin: A 14N-NMR study

An aqueous dispersion of fully hydrated bovine sphingomyelin was studied using ¹⁴N-NMR spectroscopy. Spectra were obtained as a function of temperature over the range 15–80°C, in both the liquid crystal and gel phases. In the liquid crystal phase, powder pattern lineshapes were obtained, whose quadrupolar splitting slowly decreases with increasing temperature. The spectra are increasingly broadened as the temperature is lowered through the phase transition into the gel phase. The linewidths and the second moments of these spectra indicate that the onset of a broad phase transition occurs at approx. 35°C, in agreement with previous calorimetric and ³¹P-NMR measurements. There is no evidence from the lineshapes for an hexagonal phase in this system, and this conclusion is supported by X-ray diffraction measurements carried out on aqueous dispersions of sphingomyelin in both phases. Assuming that the static nitrogen quadrupole coupling constant is the same for both sphingomyelin and dipalmitoyl-l-α-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), the decrease observed in the quadrupolar splitting of sphingomyelin compared to that of DPPC indicates that the orientational order of the choline headgroup in liquid crystalline sphingomyelin is not the same as that of its counterpart in DPPC. Preliminary relaxation time measurements of $\text{T}{}_1$ and $\text{T}{}_2$ are presented which suggest that there are also dynamic differences between sphingomyelin and DPPC in the choline headgroup.     

Asymmetric antagonistic effects of an inhalation anesthetic and high pressure on the phase transition temperature of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid bilayers

The phase transition temperature ($\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>t</mtext>}}$) of dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid multilamellar liposomes is depressed 10°C by the inhalation anesthetic methoxyflurane at a concentration of 100 mmol/mol lipid. Application of 100 atm of helium pressure to pure phosphatidic acid liposomes increased $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>t</mtext>}}$ only 1.5°C. However, application of 100 atm helium pressure to dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid lipsomes containing 100 mmol methoxyflurane/mol lipid almost completely antagonized the effect of the anesthetic. A nonlinear pressure effect is observed. In a previous study, a concentration of 60 mmol methoxyflurane/mol dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine depressed $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>t</mtext>}}$ only 1.5°C, exhibiting a linear pressure effect. The completely different behavior in the charged membrane is best explained by extrusion of the anesthetic from the lipid phase.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance study of the rate of electron transfer between cytochrome c and iron hexacyanides

The rates of electron exchange between ferricytochrome c (C^III)3 and ferrocytochrome c (C^II) were observed as a function of the concentrations of ferrihexacyanide (Fe^III) and ferrohexacyanide (Fe^II) by monitoring the line widths of several proton resonances of the protein. Addition of Fe^II to C^III homogeneously increased the line widths of the two downfield paramagnetically shifted heme methyl proton resonances to a maximal value. This was interpreted as indicating the formation of a stoichiometric complex, C^III·Fe^II, in the over-all reaction:

$\text{C}{}^{\mathrm{III}}\text{+}\text{Fe}{}^{\mathrm{II}}\text{?}\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{?1}}\text{k}{}_1\text{C}{}^{\mathrm{III}}\text{·}\text{Fe}{}^{\mathrm{II}}\text{?}\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{?2}}\text{k}{}_2\text{C}{}^{\mathrm{II}}\text{·}\text{Fe}{}^{\mathrm{III}}\text{?}\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{?3}}\text{k}{}_3\text{C}{}^{\mathrm{III}}\text{+}\text{Fe}{}^{\mathrm{II}}$

Values for $\text{k}{}_1\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{?1}}\text{= 0.4 × 10}{}^3\text{m}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{and}\text{k}{}_2\text{= 208}\text{s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$, respectively, were calculated from the maximal change in line width observed at pH 7.0 and 25 °C. Changes in the line width of C^III in the presence of Fe^II and either KCl or Fe^III suggest that complexation is principally ionic, that Fe^III and Fe^II compete for a common site. Addition of saturating concentrations of Fe^III to C^III produced only minor changes in the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of C^III suggesting that complexation occurs on the protein surface.Addition of Fe^III to C^II in the presence of excess Fe^II (to retain most of the protein as C^II) increased the line width of the methyl protons of ligated methionine 80. A value for k_?2 ≈ 2.08 × 10⁴ s^?1 was calculated from the dependence of linewidth on the concentration of Fe^II at 24 °C. These rates are shown to be consistent with the over-all rates of reduction and oxidation previously determined by stopped flow measurements, indicating that k₂ and k_?2 were rate limiting. From the temperature dependence the enthalpies of activation are 7.9 and 15.2 kcal/mol for k₂ and k_?2, respectively.     

Analysis of the hexagonal II phase and its relations to lipidic particles and the lamellar phase A freeze-fracture study

Model systems of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and cardiolipin (DPG), as pure components and in binary mixtures with phosphatidylcholine (PC) have been morphologically analysed. The relation between the hexagonal_II (H_II) phase and lipidic particles as well as between the H_II phase and the lamellar phase has been studied. Moreover, the periodicity of the various H_II tubes was determined. (1) The periodicity of the H_II phase of cardiolipin is dependent on the cation involved. DPG-Ca exhibits the smallest tube to tube distance when compared to Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺. Moreover, the DPG-Ca tubes are quite straight, in contrast to the Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ tubes, which appear to be frequently curved. (2) H_II tubes with two distinct diameters have been observed in H_II phase containing lipid mixtures. The thickness of the H_II tube is related to the composition of the tube. In the cardiolipin-lecithin system, structural separation of the pure cardiolipin H_II phase has been suggested with Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺, but not with Ca²⁺. (3) Models for the H_II to lamellar phase transition and for the H_II phase to the lipidic particles are presented. (4) Lipidic particles are exclusively found in lipid model systems, which contain H_II phase favouring lipids. Morphological evidence is presented which suggests these lipidic particles represent inverted micelles. These observations include: (${}_{\mathrm{<mtext>i</mtext>}}$) there is a strong topological and quantitative relation between H_II tubes and lipidic particles, (${}_{\mathrm{<mtext>ii</mtext>}}$) lipidic particles occur densely packed in conglomerates without the presence of a smooth layer.     

Isolation and characterization of isocitrate lyase of castor endosperm

Isocitrate lyase (threo-D_S-isocitrate glyoxylate-lyase, EC 4.1.3.1) has been purified to homogeneity from castor endosperm. The enzyme is a tetrameric protein (molecular weight about 140,000; gel filtration) made up of apparently identical monomers (subunit molecular weight about 35,000; gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate). Thermal inactivation of purified enzyme at 40 and 45 °C shows a fast and a slow phase, each accounting for half of the intitial activity, consistent with the equation: , where A₀ and A_t are activities at time zero at t, and k₁ and k₂ are first-order rate constants for the fast and slow phases, respectively. The enzyme shows optimum activity at pH 7.2–7.3. Effect of [S]on enzyme activity at different pH values (6.0–7.5) suggests that the proton behaves formally as an “uncompetitive inhibitor.” A basic group of the enzyme (site) is protonated in this pH range in the presence of substrate only, with a pK_a equal to 6.9. Successive dialysis against EDTA and phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, at 0 °C gives an enzymatically inactive protein. This protein shows kinetics of thermal inactivation identical to the untreated (native) enzyme. Full activity is restored on adding Mg²⁺ (5.0 mm) to a solution of this protein. Addition of Ba²⁺ or Mn²⁺ brings about partial recovery. Other metal ions are not effective.     

Transferrin recycling in reticulocytes: pH and iron are important determinants of ligand binding and processing

Iron uptake by rat reticulocytes is blocked by 20 mM NH₄Cl, while ¹²⁵I-diferric transferrin (Tf) uptake is relatively unaffected. At pH 5.0 both apo- and diferric Tf bind with high affinity; at pH 7.4 diferric Tf binds avidly, but apoTf binds very poorly. The dissociation rate (4°C) of diferric Tf is extraordinarily slow at pH 5.0 (extrapolated $\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 32 hrs}$) and faster at pH 7.4 ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 101 min}$). At pH 5.0 apoTf also dissociates slowly ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 205 min}$), but at pH 7.4 apoTf exhibits a much faster dissociation rate ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 62 min}$). 20 mM NH₄Cl slows the release of Tf from cells at 37°C, but the rate of externalization of ligand is unaffected. Ligand dissociation at 37° involves both externalization of receptor-ligand complexes and receptor-ligand separation; the NH₄Cl effect may result from an increased fraction of externalized Tf in the differric form which may dissociate more slowly. Receptor-mediated movement of Tf through acid intracellular compartments provides a mechanism to remove iron from Tf and for apoTf to remain receptor-bound for externalization to the cell surface and subsequent dissociation.     

Characteristics of leucine transport by isolated hepatocytes of antarctic fish at low temperatures

Hepatocytes prepared by collagenase perfusion from Antarctic nototheniid fish of genus Trematomus are active in uptake of [¹⁴C]leucine at 0, 5, and 10°C. The system is saturable with apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ about 1.0 mM. Isoleucine and phenylalanine were major competitors, valine was about one-half as effective, while alanine, glycine and histidine had no effect. Temperature dependency of rates in the 0–10°C range yielded $\text{E}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>a</mtext>}}\text{= 65}\text{kJ/mol}$ ($\text{Q}{}_{10}\text{= 2.7}$). The average first-order rate constant at 0°C was 0.1 min^?1, one-third the value of 0.3 min^?1 estimated for clearance of [¹⁴C]leucine by liver of these species in vivo. Affinity and specificity agreed well with in vivo data on liver clearance of leucine, both in Antarctic fish at 0°C and in temperate fish acclimated to 10°C and 20°C. The results indicate similar modifications of leucine transport associated with evolutionary cold adaptation and seasonal acclimation in fish.     

Light-induced absorption changes in intact cells of Rhodopseudomonas Sphaeroides. Evidence for interaction between photosynthetic and respiratory electron transfer chains

Absorption changes, following a series of actinic flashes, linked to oxidoreduction states of ubiquinone, cytochrome c_t together with the carotenoid bandshift, have been measured for intact cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides under aerobic conditions. Binary oscillations are observed for these different contributions: (1) about one molecule of ubisemiquinone and fully reduced quinone are formed on odd and even flashes, respectively; (2) cytochrome c_t re-reduction is faster ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{≈ 50}\text{ms}$) after an even number of flashes than after an odd number; ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{≈ 100}\text{ms}$); (3) a slow-rising phase ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{≈ 5}\text{ms}$, antimycin A-insensitive) of the carotenoid bandshift is observed after each even flash. These results are compared to the respiratory activity of the cells under flash excitation and discussed in relation to a model, in which respiratory and photosynthetic electron chains interact at the level of cytochrome c₂ and where the terminal oxidase is supposed to have electrogenic properties.     

Infinite cis influx of cyclic AMP into human erythrocyte ghosts

Infinite cis uptake of cyclic AMP into red blood cell ghosts has been measured. The $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>i</mtext><mtext>c</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>oi</mtext>}}$ is calculated from two different integrated rate equations that are applicable when the substrate concentration is unsufficient to cause volume changes. Values of 0.69 mM and 0.66 mM are obtained for the infinite cis$\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ at 30°C using these procedures. These values are only slightly higher than that predicted from zero trans net flux experiments.Lowering the temperature reduces $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>i</mtext><mtext>c</mtext>}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>oi</mtext>}}$ from 0.69 mM at 30°C to 0.478 mM at 20°C, 0.108 mM at 10°C and 0.072 mM at 4°C ($\text{Q}{}_{10}\text{= 2.4}$). The $\text{Q}{}_{10}$ for activation of influx permeability of 10^?5 M cyclic AMP is 1.55.     

Ubisemiquinone radicals from the cytochrome b-c1 complex of the mitochondrial electron transport chain--demonstration of QP-S radical formation

Stable ubisemiquinone radical(s) in the cytochrome $\text{b}\text{?}\text{c}{}_1$-II complex of bovine heart was observed following reduction by succinate in the presence of catalytic amounts of succinate dehydrogenase. The radical was abolished by addition of antimycin A, but a residual radical remained in the presence of excess exogenous Q₂. The radical showed an EPR signal of g = 2.0046 ± .003 at X band (～9.4 GHz) with no resolved hyperfine structure and had a line width of 8.1 ± .5 Gauss at 23°C. The Q band (35 GHz) spectra showed wellresolved $\text{g}$-anisotropy and had a field separation between derivative extrema of 26 ± 1 Gauss. This radical is evidently from QP-C. These observations substantiate that the radical is immobilized and bound to a protein. The QP-S radical was demonstrated in the cytochrome $\text{b}\text{-}\text{c}{}_1$-II complex only in the presence of more than a catalytic amount of succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome $\text{b}\text{-}\text{c}{}_1$. This signal was not antimycin a inhibitory. The signal amplitude paralleled the reconstitutive enzymic activity of succinate-cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase from succinate dehydrogenase and the cytochrome $\text{b}\text{-}\text{c}{}_1$-II complex.     

Synthesis and characterization of a DNA probe complementary to rat liver 28S ribosomal RNA.

Conditions for the production of a complementary DNA sequence for use in studies of ribosomal RNA are described. $\text{E}$. $\text{coli}$ DNA polymerase I is used to transcribe highly purified 28S ribosomal RNA from rat liver. The reaction is sensitive to the tertiary structure of the rRNA template-primer. The complementary DNA hybridizes to its rRNA template with a $\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{o}}\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ of 0.02. The hybrid formed between 28S ribosomal RNA and complementary DNA has a T_m of 73°C. The probe reacts with total rat nuclear RNA with a $\text{R}{}_{\mathrm{o}}\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ of 1.0.     

Effects of gaseous anaesthetics and inert gases on the phase transition in smectic mesophases of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine

The phase transition in smectic mesophases of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine was studied under high pressures of helium (340 atm), nitrogen (340 atm), nitrous oxide (43 atm), cyclopropane (4.4 atm) and $\text{n-}\text{propane}$ (8.2 atm), using a turbidimetric technique. Helium and nitrogen increased the transition temperature by 0.021 and 0.006°C/atm, respectively, compared with 0.024°C/atm for hydrostatic pressure. Nitrous oxide reduced the transition by 0.58°C/atm. The hydrocarbon gases spread the transition width and lowered the transition temperature with increasing effect at higher doses. Comparisons with other membrane probes are made and the concentration of gases in the bilayer which lower the transition temperature by 1°C are estimated, in mol%: He, 10.2; N₂, 13.2; N₂O, 9.04; $\text{n-}\text{C}{}_3\text{H}{}_8$, 6.3 and cyclopropane, 12.8.     

Effect of temperature on the embryonic development of the plaice, Pleuronectes Platessa L. (teleostei)

In normalyears, eggs and prolarvae of the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.) in the southern North Sea develop within the temperature range 6.0–8.5 °C, although the water may at times be some degrees colder or warmer than this. The effect of temperature, t °C, on the embryonic development time, D days, has been investigated within the tolerated range 2.8–10.5 °C. Various models to express the observed curvilinear relationship between t and D have been considered, that giving the closest fit to the data being (t−t₀)(D−D₀) = k or $\text{D =}\text{k}\text{(t−t}{}_0\text{)+D}{}_0$. A method is given for the calculation of constants k, D₀, and t₀. The relationship may also be expressed by the equation D = a(t−t₀)^b where a and b are constants, but t₀ must in this case be found by iteration. At investigated temperatures in the range 4.1–10.5 °C the smallest eggs in a batch from a single source hatched first. Within the tolerated range, hatching prolarvae were substantially smaller at 10.5 °C than at the other temperatures. During the period of prolarval yolk utilization, growth is slower at the high temperatures, so that median temperatures of 6.5–8.0 °C are most efficient in terms of the relationship between growth in length and yolk utilization. Toward the end of the yolk-sac phase, the rate of yolk utilization declines unless a suitable external food source (e.g., Artemia nauplii) is provided.     

Chloroplast membrane damage during freezing: the lipid phase

In order to study the effect of freeze damage to chloroplast membranes microviscosity of spinach thylakoids was probed by stearic acid spin labels. Changes in ESR parameters have been determined either as a function of temperature or during freezing at ?15 °C as a function of time. An empirical parameter $\text{h}{}_{\mathrm{+}}\text{h}{}_0$ (ratio of height of a low field line component h₊ over height of the central line h₀) proved to be very sensitive to minute changes in membrane structure.In cryoprotected chloroplast membranes Arrhenius plot breaks indicative of phase changes are observed at +15 and ?10 °C. Breaks in the Arrhenius plots were not observed in vesicles prepared from chloroplast lipids by sonication. Instead, a melting zone was indicated below ?30 °C.Freeze damage of thylakoids during storage at ?15 °C is reflected in an increase of $\text{h}{}_{\mathrm{+}}\text{h}{}_0$ and a decrease in central line width W₀. At +20 °C, differences between the ESR parameters of active as compared to freeze-damaged membranes could be detected, if the osmolarity of the suspending medium exceeded 200 mosm. The observed changes in line shapes are interpreted as an increase in mobility and/or orientation of the lipids following the swelling of thylakoids. They do not indicate a disorganization of the lipid phase. Sedimentation experiments indicated that the freeze-damaged swollen membranes still exhibited osmotic responses. It is suggested that freezing which is known to dissociate proteins from the membranes altered the charge distribution of the membranes leading first to membrane swelling and finally, by the opening of hydrophilic channels, to membrane collapse.     

Synthesis and polymorphic phase behaviour of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines

A series of phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines was synthesized containing two acyl chains of the following polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid (18:2), linolenic acid (18:3), arachidonic acid (20:4) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6). In addition two phospholipids with mixed acid composition were synthesized: 16:0/18:1_c phosphatidylcholine and 16:0/18:1_c phosphatidylethanolamine. The structural properties of these lipids in aqueous dispersions in the absence and in the presence of equimolar cholesterol were studied using ³¹P-NMR, freeze fracturing and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).The phosphatidylcholines adopt a bilayer configuration above 0°C. Incorporation of 50 mol% of cholesterol in polyunsaturated species induces a transition at elevated temperatures into structures with ³¹P-NMR characteristics typical of non-bilayer organizations. When the acyl chains contain three or more double bonds, this non-bilayer organization is most likely the hexagonal H_II phase, 16:0/15:1_c phosphatidylethanolamine shows a bilayer to hexagonal transition temperature of 75°C. The polyunsaturated phosphatidylethanolamines exhibit a bilayer to hexagonal transition temperature below 0°C which decreases with increasing unsaturation and which is lowered by approximately 10°C upon incorporation of 50 mol% of cholesterol. Finally, it was found that small amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acyl chains in a phosphatidylethanolamine disproportionally lower its bilayer to hexagonal transition temperature.     

Conditions for the measurement of nuclear estrogen receptor at low temperature

This study was undertaken to determine optium conditions for the extraction and measurement of uterine nuclear estrogen receptor at low temperature. We measured the influence of glycero, 0.5 M KCl, 10 mM pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, and 0.5 M NaSCN on the dissocation of estradiol from the receptor at 0°C. The half-time (${}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$) of estradiol dissociation from the receptor in 0.5 M KCl nuclear extracts containing 30% glycerol was very slow (greater than 250 h). Exclusion of glycerol from the extract (Tris buffer) increased the dissociation rate ($\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 35}\text{h}$). The inhibitory effect of glycerol on estradiol dissociation kinetics predominated over the mild stimulatory effect of KCl; and both effects were independent of the electrical conductivity of the buffer. When pyridoxal phosphate was added to a nuclear KCl extract (barbital fubber) lacking glycerol, dissociation of the estrogen-receptor complex increased such that the $\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$) decreased from 20 to 7.6 h; the receptor extracted from nuclei with 10 mM pyridoxal phosphate exhibited these same rapid dissociation kinetics. The $\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ of estradiol dissociation from the receptor at 0°C in the presence of 0.5 M NaSCN was 5.6 h. Following extraction of uterine receptro by KCl, pyridoxal phosphate, or NaSCN, we measured the number of estradiol binding sites at each of two incubation temperatures: 30°C for 1 hr and 0°C for 24 h. We verified that unoccupied receptors was measured reliability in KCl extract during incubation at 0°C in the presence of glycerol. Total receptor can be determined using either pyridoxal phosphate extract or NaSCN extract at low temperature. However, the number of sites recovered in either pyridoxal phosphate or NaSCN extract was twice the number obtained with the KCl procedure at elevated temperature. It is noteworthy that pyridoxal phosphate and NaSCN increased the number of sites when added directly to nuclear KCl extract, and the effect of pyridoxal phosphate and NaSCN was reversed by treatment with L-lysine and dialysis against KCl, respectively. Thus, the lower receptor recovery with the KCl procedure is not due to the inability of KCl to extract these sites from the nucleus but rather is ascribable to the assay procedure itself. Although total receptor can be measured at low temperature with either NaSCN or pyridoxal phosphate, the pyridoxal phosphate method can be used to assay nuclear progesterone receptor in tha same extract.