低氧对大鼠体液免疫的抑制作用

本实验以模拟高原低氧的方法,探讨了低氧对大鼠体液免疫的作用,并与高原鼠兔比较,体液免疫以溶血素和ＩｇＧ产生为指标。实验结果：与对照组相比,大鼠低氧１０ｄ,５ｋｍ海拔抑制溶血素形成１０．３％,７ｋｍ海拔抑制溶血素形成２１．９％;经再次免疫后又低氧１０ｄ,５ｋｍ海拔抑制溶血素形成４．２％,７ｋｍ海拔抑制溶血素形成４．６％,高原土著动物高原鼠兔则不表现上述的抑制现象;大鼠经ＳＲＢＣ腹腔致敏形成２ｄ后低氧     

盒子草氨基酸和糖类成分分析

本文通过对盒子草氨基酸和糖类成分分析,结果表明：总氨基酸含量为１１．３３％,其中人体必需氨基酸为４．９１％,碱性氨基酸为１．８３％,中性氨基酸为６．８２％,酸性氨基酸为２．６８％。总糖含量为１３．１３％,其中多糖为５．２９％,低聚糖为４．６８％,还原糖为３．１６％。     

海马内NA能神经损毁对抗急性低氧诱发皮质酮分泌

本工作观察了６羟多巴胺（６ｈｙｄｒｏｘｙｄｏｐａｍｉｎｅ,６ＯＨＤＡ）损毁大鼠腹侧海马去甲肾上腺素能神经对急性低氧诱发皮质酮分泌的影响。结果显示,吸入１０４％Ｏ２３０ｍｉｎ后血浆皮质酮水平显著升高,６ＯＨＤＡ注入腹侧海马致使海马内去甲肾上腺素（ＮＡ）含量降低（－３８５％）;血浆皮质酮水平也较未损毁组为低（－３３２％）。吸入１０４％Ｏ２后,皮质酮对低氧刺激的反应性升高现象消失。结果提示：海马内ＮＡ可能参与急性低氧应激引发血浆皮质酮分泌的调节活动。     

高效液相荧光法测定大鼠脑内氨基酸类神经递质方法的改良

目的 改良测定大鼠脑组织氨基酸类神经递质的反相高效液相色谱荧光法.方法 改良使用磷酸盐-甲醇-乙腈作为流动相,反相高效液相色谱洗脱,高丝氨酸作为内标,邻苯二甲醛柱前衍生和荧光检测器,检测大鼠大脑皮质、海马、纹状体、中脑、小脑和下丘脑6个脑区中天冬氨酸(Asp)、谷氨酸(Glu)、谷氨酰胺(G1n)、甘氨酸(Gly)、γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)和牛磺酸(Tau)6种氨基酸类神经递质含量.结果 6种氨基酸在20 min内洗脱完全,分离效果良好;在6.25～ 400 μmol/L浓度范围有较好的线性关系,其相关系数不低于0.99;6种氨基酸日内试验精密度范围为1.38％ ～7.59％;日间试验精密度为2.7％～8.68％;6种氨基酸回收率不低于80％.结论 改良后的反相高效液相色谱荧光法灵敏度较高、重复性好,能有效分离检测大鼠脑组织分区中氨基酸类神经递质含量.     

NaCl对大麦幼苗根系蛋白质和游离氨基酸含量的影响

大麦幼苗在２００ｍｍｏｌ／ＬＮａＣｌ处理６ｄ过程中,根中蛋白水麦活性下降,可溶性蛋白含量在处理１、２、４ｄ下降,６ｄ时有所提高。多数游离氨基酸相对含量及其总量呈上升势,胁迫１、２、６ｄ时,总量较对照分别上升６４．２０％、５６．６９％和１．６９％,其中Ｐｒｏ、Ｇｌｕ、Ａｌａ和Ｔｈｒ较为突出,盐胁迫下根系质膜和液泡膜结合慢白含量上升。可溶性蛋经ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ电泳和扫描分析,在盐胁迫１、２、６ｄ中２５     

海马内移植颈上神经节组织改善穹窿－海马伞横切大鼠的记忆功能

３８只Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠双侧穹窿－海马伞损伤后．以被动回避反应为指标观察到记忆明显受损,与损伤前相比,有记忆动物自６５．３％降至１３．６％,两者差别非常显著。于穹窿－海马伞损伤后记忆丧失动物（ｎ＝１５）自体一侧分离出颈上神经节（ＳＣＧ）,切为２－３块并在室温下孵育于２０—５０μｇ／ｍｌ２．５ｓＮＧＦ中１—２ｈ,而后移植于自体双侧海马背侧,移植４周后观察到动物记忆明显恢复,恢复记忆的动物数占７３．３％。在行为实验基础上应用荧光组化方法检查了移植细胞成活情况并测量了海马内去甲肾上腺素（ＮＡ）的含量。移植后２周海马内ＮＡ含量比损伤组有明显上升。移植后一个月,可见部分移植细胞成活并有神经纤维生长。实验表明．穹窿－海马伞损伤大鼠海马内自体移植ＳＣＧ,通过神经递质的局部补充对动物丧失的记忆能力具有一定改善作用。     

马桑内酯对培养的大鼠大脑皮层神经元γ─氨基丁酸、生长抑素分泌的影响

本文利用培养的大鼠大脑皮层神经元,在不同浓度马桑内酯（５μｍｏｌ／Ｌ～２５０μｍｏｌ／Ｌ）作用后１２、２４、４８小时,应用双抗夹心法检测各时间点培养上清中γ－氨基丁酸和生长抑素含量。结果表明,各浓度中以２５μｍｏｌ／Ｌ马桑内酯作用最明显,在此浓度作用后１２小时,γ－氨基丁酸分泌受抑（抑制率为８．３％）,生长抑素分泌则增加（增加率为２０．４％）。作用后２４、４８小时,γ－氨基丁酸分泌进一步受抑（抑制率为１０．６％、１４．５％）,而生长抑素分泌则呈现增加幅度降低趋势（增加率为１１．７％、８．２％）。与未加药组相比,γ－氨基丁酸在三个时间点均有统计学意义（Ｐ＜０．０５）,而生长抑素只在加药后１２小时有统计学意义（Ｐ＜０．０５）、本文对马桑内酯作用后两种神经递质变化的意义进行了讨论。     

淡水鱼内脏蛋白质的营养评价

淡水鱼内脏蛋白质占干物质的２３％以上。其赖氨酸含量高（７．６％）,含硫氨基酸为第一限制氨基酸,氨基酸组成模式较平衡。鱼内脏蛋白的蛋白质功效比（ＰＥＲ）为２．０,净蛋白质比（ＮＰＲ）为２．２７．鱼内脏蛋白与羽毛粉蛋白、血粉蛋白以５：３：２混合,对大鼠生长有较好的增重作用,混合蛋白的ＰＥＲ和ＮＰＲ分别为２．２７和２．６５,较鱼内脏蛋白有所提高。     

反复摄取烟碱对脑肌醇含量的影响

急性实验中,间隔５ｍｉｎ反复注射烟碱０．５,１．０,１．０,２．０,２．０ｍｇ／ｋｇｉｐ,３０ｍｉｎ后大鼠大脑皮层及海马中肌醇含量升高,但纹状体中肌醇含量无显著变化;相同条件下,氯化锂１０ｍｍｏｌ／ｋｇｉｐ３０ｍｉｎ后大脑皮层和海马中肌醇含量显著降低;慢性实验中,烟碱２．０－１０．０ｍｇ／ｋｇｓｃｂｉｄ１４ｄ后,大鼠大脑皮层中肌醇含量显著增高;烟碱２．６９－１１．５３ｍｇ／ｋｇ／ｄｐｏ６４ｄ后,大鼠大脑皮层中肌醇含量也显著增高。表明烟碱的作用不同于氯化锂,反复给予烟碱可使大鼠大脑皮层中肌醇含量增加。     

慢性低氧下普通大鼠与低氧敏感大鼠的血液气体变化

普通大鼠（ＳＤ）与低氧敏感大鼠（ＨＳ）经减压舱内模拟海拔５０００ｍ高度下３周低氧,观察到ＳＤ与ＨＳ的Ｈｂ有显著差异,前者高于后者（分别为２７．３±０．６;２４．５±０．８ｇ％Ｐ＜０．０１）。此时ＳＤ血液中的ＰＣＯ２已恢复正常,而ＨＳ血液中的ＰＣＯ２却比ＳＤ血液中的ＰＣＯ２低（分别为４．３±０．１;５．６±０．３ｋＰａＰ＜０．０１）。在慢性低氧初期,ＨＳ的ｐＨ值比ＳＤ明显降低（分别为７．１８±０．０３;７．２９±０．０２,Ｐ＜０．０５）。但随着低氧时间延长ＨＳ的ｐＨ值很快上升并超过ＳＤ（分别为７．２５±０．０２;７．１７±０．０３Ｐ＜０．０５）。两者的血液氧没有明显差异。实验结果提示普通大鼠与低氧敏感大鼠对慢性低氧反应有不同的生理机制。     

Promoting effect of amino acids added to a chemically defined medium on blastocyst formation and blastomere proliferation of bovine embryos cultured in vitro

This study was conducted to elucidate the role of amino acids added singly or in groups to a chemically defined culture medium in blastocyst formation and blastomere proliferation of bovine embryos. Embryos were generated by in vitro fertilization, and blastocyst formation and hatching, and blastomere number of blastocysts were subsequently monitored after the culture of embryos in synthetic oviduct fluid medium (SOFM). First, one of four non-essential amino acids (asparagine, aspartate, glutamate or serine) was added to SOFM and, compared with no addition, a significant (P <0.05) increase in blastocyst formation was found after the addition of asparagine, aspartate, or glutamate (35-42% versus 22%). Second, one of four essential amino acids (arginine, cystine, isoleucine or leucine) was added and arginine or isoleucine greatly improved blastocyst formation (30-36% versus 16%). Third, the addition of five stimulatory amino acids (aspartate, asparagine, glutamate, arginine and isoleucine) to SOFM significantly improved blastocyst formation compared with no addition (12% versus 21%) and such value was similar to that obtained after the addition of 19 amino acids consisting of MEM amino acid solutions (21-27%). However, five amino acids yielded fewer hatched blastocysts than 19 amino acids. Finally, although five amino acids yielded more cell number of blastocysts than no addition (93 versus 74 cells per blastocyst), it was lower than that from 19 amino acids (131 cells per blastocyst). In conclusion, either single or combined addition of asparagine, aspartate, glutamate, arginine and isoleucine stimulated blastocyst formation, while other amino acids might be necessary for further stimulating blastomere proliferation and blastocyst hatching.     

EFFECTS OF TETRODOTOXIN, CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM ON THE RELEASE OF AMINO ACIDS FROM SLICES OF GUINEA-PIG CEREBRAL CORTEX

Abstract— Tetrodotoxin, Ca²⁺-deprivation and high-Mg²⁺ were used in an effort to identify the portion of the evoked release of endogenous amino acids, labelled via metabolism of [¹⁴C]-glucose, and several exogenous labelled amino acids, that came from nerve terminals when slices of guinea pig cerebral cortex were superfused with glucose-free solutions and stimulated electrically. With some exceptions, spontaneous release of labelled amino acids was decreased by 2 μm -tetrodotoxin but increased in Ca²⁺-free medium and in solutions containing an extra 24 mm -MgCl₂. Tetrodotoxin suppressed 85–90% of the stimulated release of almost all labelled amino acids, but had a smaller effect on the release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled threonine-serine-glutamine (unseparated). In Ca²⁺-free solution, the stimulated release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA was suppressed by 80–90%, but that of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled threonine-serine-glutamine was unaffected as was most of the release of the other labelled amino acids. In medium containing an extra 24mM-MgCl₂, the stimulated release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA was suppressed by 75-85%, that of exogenous labelled aspartate and GABA by 50–65%, but the release of the other labelled amino acids was unaffected. The control stimulated releases of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA were much larger than those of other labelled amino acids but were reduced by tetrodotoxin, Ca²⁺-deprivation and high-Mg²⁺ to a level similar to that of the control stimulated releases of the other labelled amino acids. These results suggest that almost all of the stimulated release of endogenous ¹⁴C-labelled glutamate, aspartate and GABA came from nerve terminals while those of the other labelled amino acids came from other tissue elements. In addition, they are in accord with a transmitter role for glutamate, aspartate and GABA in cerebral cortex.     

Decreases in Amino Acid and Acetylcholine Metabolism During Hypoxia

Abstract: Hypoxia impairs brain function by incompletely defined mechanisms. Mild hypoxia, which impairs memory and judgment, decreases acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis, but not the levels of ATP or the adenylate energy charge. However, the effects of mild hypoxia on the synthesis of the glucosederived amino acids [alanine, aspartate, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), glutamate, glutamine, and serine] have not been characterized. Thus, we examined the incorporation of [U-¹⁴C]glucose into these amino acids and ACh during anemic hypoxia (injection of NaNO₂), hypoxic hypoxia (15 or 10% O₂), and hypoxic hypoxia plus hypercarbia (15 or 10% O₂ with 5% CO₂). In general, the synthesis of the amino acids and of ACh declined in parallel with each type of hypoxia we studied. For example, anemic hypoxia (75 mg/kg of NaNO₂) decreased the incorporation of [U-¹⁴C]glucose into the amino acids and into ACh similarly. [Percent inhibition: ACh (57.4), alanine (34.4), aspartate (49.2), GABA (61.9). glutamine (59.2), glutamate (51.0), and serine (36.7)]. A comparison of several levels (37.5, 75, 150, 225 mg/kg of NaNO₂) of anemic hypoxia showed a parallel decrease in the flux of glucose into ACh and into the amino acids whose synthesis depends on mitochondrial oxidation: GABA (r= 0.98), glutamate (r= 0.99), aspartate (r= 0.96), and glutamine (r= 0.97). The synthesis of the amino acids not dependent on mitochondrial oxidation did not correlate as well with changes in ACh metabolism: serine (r= 0.68) and alanine (r= 0.76). The decreases in glucose incorporation into ACh and into the amino acids with hypoxic hypoxia (15% or 10% O₂) or hypoxic hypoxia with 5% CO₂ were very similar to those with the two lowest levels of anemic hypoxia. Thus, any explanation of the brain's sensitivity to a decrease in oxygen availability must include the alterations in the metabolism of the amino acid neurotransmitters as well as ACh.     

siRNA knock down of glutamate dehydrogenase in astrocytes affects glutamate metabolism leading to extensive accumulation of the neuroactive amino acids glutamate and aspartate

Glutamate is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and astrocytes are key players in sustaining glutamate homeostasis. Astrocytes take up the predominant part of glutamate after neurotransmission and metabolism of glutamate is necessary for a continuous efficient removal of glutamate from the synaptic area. Glutamate may either be amidated by glutamine synthetase or oxidatively metabolized in the mitochondria, the latter being at least to some extent initiated by oxidative deamination by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). To explore the particular importance of GDH for astrocyte metabolism we have knocked down GDH in cultured cortical astrocytes employing small interfering RNA (siRNA) achieving a reduction of the enzyme activity by approximately 44%. The astrocytes were incubated for 2h in medium containing either 1.0mM [(15)NH(4)(+)] or 100μM [(15)N]glutamate. For those exposed to [(15)N]glutamate an additional 100μM was added after 1h. Metabolic mapping was performed from isotope incorporation measured by mass spectrometry into relevant amino acids of cell extracts and media. The contents of the amino acids were measured by HPLC. The (15)N incorporation from [(15)NH(4)(+)] into glutamate, aspartate and alanine was decreased in astrocytes exhibiting reduced GDH activity. However, the reduced GDH activity had no effect on the cellular contents of these amino acids. This supports existing in vivo and in vitro studies that GDH is predominantly working in the direction of oxidative deamination and not reductive amination. In contrast, when exposing the astrocytes to [(15)N]glutamate, the reduced GDH activity led to an increased (15)N incorporation into glutamate, aspartate and alanine and a large increase in the content of glutamate and aspartate. Surprisingly, this accumulation of glutamate and net-synthesis of aspartate were not reflected in any alterations in either the glutamine content or labeling, but a slight increase in mono labeling of glutamine in the medium. We suggest that this extensive net-synthesis of aspartate due to lack of GDH activity is occurring via the concerted action of AAT and the part of TCA cycle operating from α-ketoglutarate to oxaloacetate, i.e. the truncated TCA cycle.     

Glutamate Dehydrogenase Reaction as a Source of Glutamic Acid in Synaptosomes

The role of the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction as a pathway of glutamate synthesis was studied by incubating synaptosomes with 5 mM 15NH4Cl and then utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure isotopic enrichment in glutamate and aspartate. The rate of formation of [15N]glutamate and [15N]aspartate from 5 mM 15NH4Cl was approximately 0.2 nmol/min/mg of protein, a value much less than flux through glutaminase (4.8 nmol/min/mg of protein) but greater than flux through glutamine synthetase (0.045 nmol/min/mg of protein). Addition of 1 mM 2-oxoglutarate to the medium did not affect the rate of [15N]glutamate formation. O2 consumption and lactate formation were increased in the presence of 5 mM NH3, whereas the intrasynaptosomal concentrations of glutamate and aspartate were unaffected. Treatment of synaptosomes with veratridine stimulated reductive amination of 2-oxoglutarate during the early time points. The production of ([15N]glutamate + [15N]aspartate) was enhanced about twofold in the presence of 5 mM beta-(+/-)-2-aminobicyclo [2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid, a known effector of glutamate dehydrogenase. Supplementation of the incubation medium with a mixture of unlabelled amino acids at concentrations similar to those present in the extracellular fluid of the brain had little effect on the intrasynaptosomal [glutamate] and [aspartate]. However, the enrichment in these amino acids was consistently greater in the presence of supplementary amino acids, which appeared to stimulate modestly the reductive amination of 2-oxoglutarate. It is concluded: (a) compared with the phosphate-dependent glutaminase reaction, reductive amination is a relatively minor pathway of synaptosomal glutamate synthesis in both the basal state and during depolarization; (b) NH3 toxicity, at least in synaptosomes, is not referable to energy failure caused by a depletion of 2-oxoglutarate in the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction; and (c) transamination is not a major mechanism of glutamate nitrogen production in nerve endings.     

Release of Endogenous Glutamate,Aspartate, GABA,and Taurine from Hippocampal Slices from Adult and Developing Mice under Cell-Damaging Conditions

The releases of endogenous glutamate, aspartate, GABA and taurine from hippocampal slices from 7-day-, 3-, 12-, and 18-month-old mice were investigated under cell-damaging conditions using a superfusion system. The slices were superfused under hypoxic conditions in the presence and absence of glucose and exposed to hydrogen peroxide. In the adult hippocampus under normal conditions the basal release of taurine was highest, with a response only about 2-fold to potassium stimulation (50 mM). The low basal releases of glutamate, aspartate, and GABA were markedly potentiated by K⁺ ions. In general, the release of the four amino acids was enhanced under all above cell-damaging conditions. In hypoxia and ischemia (i.e., hypoxia in the absence of glucose) the release of glutamate, aspartate and GABA increased relatively more than that of taurine, and membrane depolarization by K⁺ markedly potentiated the release processes. Taurine release was doubled in hypoxia and tripled in ischemia but K⁺ stimulation was abolished. In both the mature and immature hippocampus the release of glutamate and aspartate was greatly enhanced in the presence of H₂O₂, that of aspartate particularly in developing mice. In the immature hippocampus the increase in taurine release was 10-fold in hypoxia and 30-fold in ischemia, and potassium stimulation was partly preserved. The release processes of the four amino acids in ischemia were all partially Ca²⁺-dependent. High concentrations of excitatory amino acids released under cell-damaging conditions are neurotoxic and contribute to neuronal death during ischemia. The substantial amounts of the inhibitory amino acids GABA and taurine released simultaneously may constitute an important protective mechanism against excitatory amino acids in excess, counteracting their harmful effects. In the immature hippocampus in particular, the massive release of taurine under cell-damaging conditions may have a significant function in protecting neural cells and aiding in preserving their viability.     

METABOLISM OF GLUCOSE AND GLUTAMATE BY SYNAPTOSOMES FROM MAMMALIAN CEREBRAL CORTEX

—(1) Synaptosomes incubated in high sodium, low potassium media showed high linear respiration in the presence of glucose which was converted into lactate, aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, alanine and GABA during 1 hr incubation periods. (2) Total conversion of glucose into most of these substrates over the incubation period was similar in synaptosomes and cortex slices. Half the lactate and only a small fraction of the glutamine made by slices was formed by synaptosomes. (3) Pool sizes of amino acids in cortex slices after incubation with glucose were, in general, higher than in synaptosomes, glutamate and glutamine being four-fold higher in slices. (4) Most of the amino acids made from glucose by synaptosomes were contained within their structure and not lost to the medium. (5) Glutamate was actively metabolized by synaptosomes to aspartate, glutamine, alanine and GABA. The specific radioactivities of the amino acids (except glutamine) after 1 hr incubation, approached that of the glutamate. (6) Pyridoxal phosphate added to the incubation medium increased GABA production from glutamate but not from glucose.     

AMINO ACID METABOLISM IN GLIAL CELLS: HOMEOSTATIC REGULATION OF INTRA- and EXTRACELLULAR MILIEU BY C-6 GLIOMA CELLS

Abstract— The amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism of confluent cultures of C-6 glioma cells has been investigated. It was observed that the presence of glutamine in the incubation fluid was essential to maintain high glutamine levels in the cells during a 2 h incubation. When cells were incubated in a cerebrospinal fluid-like medium glutamate, glutamine, aspartate and γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) levels were comparable to those occurring in whole forebrain of adult rat in vivo. Glucose uptake was high, approx 1 μmol/mg protein/2 h, 50% of which was accounted for by lactate production. Of the remaining glucose uptake a substantial proportion was unaccounted for by known oxygen-coupled citric acid cycle flux, or glycogen or amino acid synthesis. Interestingly, the cells released into the medium significant amounts of the neuroinhibitory amino acids, GABA and glycine, and rapidly cleared the medium of the neuroexcitatory amino acids glutamate and aspartate. Metabolism of [2-¹⁴C]glucose and [³H]acetate by the cells indicated rapid labelling of the glutamate and aspartate pools of the cells by glucose in 1 h, but the relative specific activities of glutamine and GABA were much lower. The metabolism of tracer concentrations of [³H]acetate to glutamate by the cells indicated greater dilution of this isotope compared to that of labelled glucose. However, the ratio of ³H to ¹⁴C radioactivity in glutamate and other amino acids was similar to that in the mixture of glucose and acetate added to the medium. Therefore, some active route of acetate metabolism which communicates metabolically with the route of glucose metabolism to glutamate appears to exist in the cells. Significant acetate activation and fatty acid turnover would explain the present results. Some of the amino acid labelling patterns observed in these studies are not consistent with these glial-like cells behaving as models for the small compartment of amino acid metabolism in brain. Enzyme measurements corroborated the metabolic studies. Glutamate decarboxylase activity was 3–10% of the level found in whole brain. GABA transaminase was also low compared to brain as was glutamine synthetase. Glutamate dehydrogenase was present at levels equal to or higher than those of whole brain.     

Release of Endogenous and Accumulated Exogenous Amino Acids from Slices of Normal and Climbing Fibre-Deprived Rat Cerebellar Slices

Efflux of various amino acids from slices of rat cerebellar hemispheres was determined under resting or depolarizing conditions. It was increased under high K+(50 mM) as compared to low K+ (5 mM) conditions by 1258 pmol/mg protein for aspartate, 478 for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), 44,693 for glutamate, and 615 for glycine. These were significantly higher than the corresponding values obtained under low-Ca2+ (0.1 mM), high-Mg2+ (12 mM) conditions, whereas for 11 other amino acids the K+-induced efflux was similar under normal and low-Ca2+ concentrations. The K+-induced efflux of exogenously accumulated L-[3H]aspartate, D-[3H]aspartate, and L-[3H]glutamate was higher by factors of 2, 5.8, and 6.3, respectively, under normal Ca2+ conditions, as compared with low-Ca2+, high-Mg2+ conditions. After climbing fibre degeneration induced by destruction of the inferior olive with 3-acetylpyridine, release of endogenous aspartate and exogenous L-[3H]glutamate and D-[3H]aspartate was significantly reduced, by 26%, 38%, and 27%, respectively. These results support the hypothesis that climbing fibres may use aspartate or a related compound as a neurotransmitter. In rat cerebellar tissue, L-[3H]glutamate and L-[3H]aspartate differ in several aspects: (1) L-[3H]glutamate uptake was 4 times higher than that of L-[3H]aspartate; (2) fractional rate constant of K+- evoked release of L-[3H]aspartate was 7% X 2.5 min-1, and of L-[3H]glutamate 36% X 2.5 min-1; and (3) specific activity of L-[3H]glutamate in the eluate collected during K+ stimulation was 3.5 times the value in the tissue, whereas for L-[3H]aspartate, specific activities in the eluate and tissue were similar.     

Asparagine biosynthesis by Oryza sativa seedlings

l-Aspartate-[U-¹⁴C] was quickly metabolized in rice seedlings into amino acids, organic acids and sugars. On feeding simultaneously with ammonium for 2 hr, about 1% of the total soluble radioactivity was recovered as asparagine. Major amino acids labelled were aspartate, glutamate, glutamine and alanine in both shoots and roots. On the other hand, on feeding l-aspartate-[U-¹⁴C] to rice seedlings precultured in an ammonium medium, asparagine accounted for 35% of the total soluble radioactivity in the roots. Different labelling patterns in amino acids from those of non-precultured tissues were observed, and the main amino acids labelled in this case were asparagine and γ-aminobutyrate in the roots; glutamate, asparagine and glutamine in the shoots. It was observed in the roots that this increase of asparagine labelling was associated with a decrease of label in glutamate.