Fertility status and distribution of mating type alleles of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea in northern Iran

This study was carried out using 155 monoconidial isolates collected from different areas of two major rice growing provinces in northern Iran, including 94 isolates from Guilan and 59 isolates from Mazandaran. Among 94 isolates from Guilan, 92 and two isolates recovered from rice and crabgrass (Digitaria sp.), respectively. All 61 rested isolates from Mazandaran were recovered from rice. All isolates were evaluated for in vitro sexual fertility and mating type status by pairing with Mat 1-1 and Mat 1-2 fertile standard hermaphrodite isolates including Br48 and Th12 (Mat 1-1) and KA9 and TH16 (Mat 1-2). Of 155 isolates, 98 (63.2%) were fertile and 57 (36.8%) were infertile and produced no perithecium when mated with standard isolates. Among 98 fertile isolates, 96 isolates were identified as Mat 1-1 and two isolates as Mat 1-2. All Mat 1-1 isolates were obtained from rice and two Mat 1-2 isolates obtained from crab grass. No Mat 1-2 isolate was identified from rice in this study. Both mating types were found in Guilan but all isolates recovered from Mazandaran were identified as Mat 1-1. Male fertility predominated in fertile Mat 1-1 and Mat 1-2 isolates from all sampling sites in northern Iran, and no female fertility was detected. This is the first report of existence of Mat 1-2 allele in Magnaporthe grisea population in Iran.     

Differences between HMG1 proteins isolated from normal and tumour cells

The properties of the non-histone chromosomal high-mobility-group 1 (HMG1) proteins from rat liver and Guerin ascites tumour cells (GAT cells) were compared and showed the following differences: (1) five spots were missing in the peptide map of HMG1 from GAT cells in comparison with that of HMG1 from rat liver; (2) HMG1 from GAT cells was about 5-times more poly(ADP)-ribosylated; (3) HMG1 from GAT cells which was found acetylated in vivo and incorporated [14C]acetate in vitro, whereas no incorporation of the label was detected in HMG1 from rat liver; (4) HMG1 from GAT cells exhibited pronounced ability to form oligomers at physiological ionic strength, while HMG1 from rat liver was predominantly in monomeric form. This property of HMG1 from GAT cells was lost upon deacetylation.     

Characteristics of asparagine-linked sugar chains of sphingolipid activator protein 1 purified from normal human liver and GM1 gangliosidosis (type 1) liver

Asparagine-linked sugar chains of sphingolipid activator protein 1 (SAP-1) purified from normal human liver and GM1 gangliosidosis (type 1) liver were comparatively investigated. Oligosaccharides released from the two SAP-1 samples by hydrazinolysis were fractionated by paper electrophoresis and by Aleuria aurantia lectin-Sepharose and Bio-Gel P-4 (under 400 mesh) column chromatography. Structures of oligosaccharides in each fraction were estimated from data on their effective molecular sizes, behavior on immobilized lectin columns with different carbohydrate-binding specificities, results of sequential digestion by exoglycosidases with different aglycon specificities, and methylation analysis. Sugar chains of SAP-1 purified from normal human liver and from GM1 gangliosidosis (type 1) liver were different from each other, although both of them were derived from complex-type sugar chains. The sugar chains of the former were the following eight degradation products from complex-type sugar chains by exoglycosidases in lysosomes: Man alpha 1----6(Man alpha 1----3)Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4GlcNAcOT, Man alpha 1----6(Man alpha 1----3)Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----6)GlcNAcOT, Man alpha 1----6Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4GlcNAcOT, Man alpha 1----6Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----6)GlcNAcOT, Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4GlcNAcOT, Man beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----4(Fuc alpha 1----6)GlcNAcOT, GlcNAc beta 1----4GlcNAcOT, and GlcNAcOT. In contrast to these, the sugar chains of the latter were sialylated and nonsialylated mono- to tetraantennary complex-type sugar chains that were not fully degraded due to a metabolic defect in acid beta-galactosidase activity.     

The ATP binding cassette transporter A1 contributes to the secretion of interleukin 1beta from macrophages but not from monocytes

Deficiency of ABCA1 causes high density lipoprotein deficiency and macrophage foam cell formation in Tangier disease. ABCA1 was also postulated to mediate the secretion of IL-1beta from monocytes and macrophages. We investigated the contribution of ABCA1 to IL-1beta secretion from human monocytes and macrophages of normal donors and Tangier disease patients. Neither an anti-ABCA1 antisense oligonucleotide nor ABCA1 deficiency interfered with LPS-induced secretion of IL-1beta from full blood or freshly isolated monocytes. By contrast, anti-ABCA1 antisense oligonucleotides decreased the LPS-induced secretion of IL-beta from macrophages by 30-50%. The secretion of the precursor pro-IL-1beta and TNFalpha was not inhibited. Compared to normal macrophages, LPS-stimulated Tangier disease macrophages secreted less IL-1beta relative to TNFalpha. Also the spontaneous secretion of IL-1beta by Tangier macrophages was lower than by control cells. We conclude that IL-1beta is secreted from monocytes by an ABCA1-independent pathway and from macrophages by ABCA1-dependent and -independent pathways.     

The new vertebrate CYP1C family: cloning of new subfamily members and phylogenetic analysis

Two novel CYP1 genes from teleost fish constituting a new subfamily have been cloned. These paralogous sequences are designated CYP1C1 and CYP1C2. Both genes were initially obtained from untreated scup Stenotomus chrysops tissues by RT-PCR and RACE. Scup CYP1C1 and CYP1C2 code for 524 and 525 amino acids, respectively, and share 80-81% identity at the nucleotide and amino acid levels. Orthologues of CYP1C1 and CYP1C2 were identified in genome databases for other fish species, and both CYP1B1 and CYP1C1 were cloned from zebrafish (Danio rerio). Phylogenetic analysis shows that CYP1Cs and CYP1Bs constitute a sister clade to the CYP1As. Analysis of sequence domains likely to have functional significance suggests that the two CYP1Cs in scup may have catalytic functions and/or substrate specificity that differ from each other and from those of mammalian CYP1Bs or CYP1As. RT-PCR results indicate that CYP1C1 and CYP1C2 are variously expressed in several scup organs.     

Reconstitution of ATPase from the isolated subunits of coupling factor F1's of Escherichia coli and thermophilic bacterium PS3

ATPase was reconstituted from mixtures of isolated subunits of coupling factor, F₁ ATPase of E. coli (EF₁) and thermophilic bacterium PS3 (TF₁); ability to hydrolyze ATP was attained from the combination of α and β subunits from EF₁ and γ subunit from TF₁, α and β from TF₁ and γ from EF₁, and α and γ from EF₁ and β from TF₁. The β subunit of TF₁ also could complement the EF₁ from an E. coli mutant defective in this subunit. This is the first demonstration of interspecies in vitro recombination of ATPase activity from isolated subunits.     

Inactivation of the F1-ATPase from the thermophilic bacterium PS3 by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoylinosine at 65 degrees C is accompanied by modification of beta-tyrosine-364

A major radioactive peptide, T1, was resolved by high-performance liquid chromatography from a tryptic digest prepared from the F1-ATPase from the thermophilic bacterium PS3 which had been inactivated with p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl[3H]inosine. Two radioactive peptides, T1P1 and T1P2, were isolated from a peptic digest of T1 by high-performance liquid chromatography. The sequences of T1P1 and T1P2 were shown to be E-E-H-X-Q-V-A-R and E-E-H-X-Q, respectively, where X corresponds to derivatized Tyr-364 of the beta subunit.     

Isolation, tissue distribution, and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from chickens in Grenada, West Indies

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-range chickens is a good indicator of the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the soil because chickens feed from the ground. The prevalence of T. gondii in 102 free-range chickens (Gallus domesticus) from Grenada was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies were found in 53 (52%) chickens with titers of 1:5 in 6, 1:10 in 4, 1:20 in 4, 1:40 in 4, 1:80 in 15, 1:160 in 9, 1: 320 in 5, 1:640 in 4, and 1:1,280 or greater in 2. Hearts, pectoral muscles, and brains of 43 seropositive chickens with MAT titers of 1:20 or greater were bioassayed individually in mice. Tissues of each of 10 chickens with titers of 1:5 and 1:10 were pooled and bioassayed in mice. Tissues from the remaining 49 seronegative chickens were pooled and fed to 4 T. gondii-free cats. Feces of cats were examined for oocysts; they did not shed oocysts. T. gondii was isolated from 35 of 43 chickens with MAT titers of 1:20 or greater; from the hearts, brains, and pectoral muscles of 2, hearts and brains of 20, from the hearts alone of 11, and brains alone of 2. T. gondii was isolated from 1 of 10 chickens with titers of 1:5 or 1:10. All 36 T. gondii isolates were avirulent for mice. Genotyping of these 36 isolates using polymorphisms at the SAG2 locus indicated that 29 were Type III, 5 were Type I, 1 was Type II, and 1 had both Type I and Type III. Genetically, the isolates from Grenada were different from those from the United States; Type II was the predominant type from the United States. Phenotypically, all isolates from Grenada were avirulent for mice, whereas those from Brazil were mouse-virulent. This is the first report of isolation of T. gondii from chickens from Grenada, West Indies.     

Metabolism of larger high density lipoproteins accumulating in some families of baboons fed a high cholesterol and high saturated fat diet

Progeny of certain baboon sires accumulate lipoproteins in high density lipoprotein-1 (HDL1) when challenged with a high cholesterol, high saturated fat diet. These studies were conducted to determine the apoprotein composition and metabolic fate of HDL1 in the plasma. HDL1 particles containing apoA-I with and without apoE were detected. The majority of particles, however, contained apoA-I without any detectable apoE. To determine the metabolic fate of HDL1 in plasma, HDL1 labeled with iodinated apoA-I from animals with high levels of HDL1 and iodinated apoA-I-labeled autologous HDL were coinjected into both high and low HDL1 animals. The data for the decay of radioactivity in HDL1 and HDL were analyzed by multicompartment modelling. The radioactivity from HDL1 was cleared from the plasma either via direct removal (9.1 +/- 4.7% in low and 21.7 +/- 8.3% in high HDL1 animals) or via its conversion to HDL. A large proportion of radioactivity from HDL1 was rapidly transferred to HDL directly or metabolized via an intermediate compartment. Most of the radioactivity from apoE-poor HDL1, however, was transferred to HDL. Both high and low HDL1 animals catabolized HDL1 and HDL similarly. Low HDL1 animals transferred HDL1 radioactivity to HDL much faster. No detectable radioactivity from HDL was transferred to HDL1. Thus, HDL1 that accumulates in high HDL1 animals is mainly a precursor for HDL. Our hypothesis is that this accumulation of HDL1 is due to the slower cholesteryl ester transfer from HDL to lower density lipoproteins, thus affecting reverse cholesterol transport in high HDL1 baboons.     

Identification of thetrans-stilbene oxide-active glutathione transferase in human mononuclear leukocytes and in liver as GST1

A glutathione transferase from human mononuclear leukocytes with a high activity towardtrans-stilbene oxide (GT-tSBO) has been studied in liver and blood from fetus and adults and in blood from neonates. Using starch gel electrophoresis, different phenotypes of GST1 have been determined, GST1 0, GST1 1, and GST1 2. As judged from activity measurements and the fact that only those individuals who express the null allele of GST1, the GST1 0, which has a low activity towardtrans-stilbene oxide, it is concluded that the hepatic transferase GST1 is identical to GT-tSBO, as well as to hepatic transferase μ. In addition, it has been shown that the different genotypes of GST1 1 (GST1 1-1, GST1 1-0) and GST1 2 (GST1 2-2, GST1 2-0) can be separated by measuring the GT-tSBO activity in whole blood from the same individual. It is also demonstrated that GT-tSBO activity is much lower in fetal liver, approximately 10 times, compared with adult liver, while this activity seems to be unchanged in the blood from fetus and adults, as well as in neonates.     

Comparison of two β-glucosidases for the enzymatic synthesis of β-(1-6)-β-(1-3)-gluco-oligosaccharides

A domain of epiglucan was synthesized by beta-glucosidases. Two beta-glucosidases, an extracellular beta-glucosidase derived from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum grown on xylose, and a commercial lyophilized preparation of beta-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger, were used to synthesize gluco-oligosaccharides from cellobiose and, specially, beta-(1-6) branched beta-(1-3) gluco-oligosaccharides, corresponding to the structure of epiglucan. Gentiobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, beta-Glc-(1-3)-beta-Glc-(1-4)-Glc, beta-Glc-(1-6)-beta-Glc-(1-4)-Glc and beta-Glc-(1-6)-beta-Glc-(1-3)-Glc were synthesized from cellobiose by both enzymes. The latter compound was preferentially synthesized by the beta-glycosidase from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Under the best conditions, only 7 g l(-1) of beta-Glc-(1-6)-beta-Glc-(1-3)-Glc was synthesized by the beta-glycosidase from Aspergillus niger compared to 20 g l(-1) synthesized with beta-glycosidase from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.     

Isolation, tissue distribution, and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from free-range chickens from Guatemala

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging chickens is a good indicator of the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the soil because chickens feed from the ground. The prevalence of T. gondii in 50 free-range chickens (Gallus domesticus) from Guatemala was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies were found in 37 (74%) chickens with titers of 1:5 (11), 1:10 (7), 1:20 (11), 1:40 (1), 1:80 (1), 1:160 (3), 1:1,280 (2), and 1:2,560 (1). Hearts, pectoral muscles, and brains of 19 chickens with MAT titers of 1:20 or more were bioassayed individually in mice. Tissues from the remaining 31 chickens with titers of 1:10 or lower were pooled and fed to 4 T. gondii-free cats (13 chickens with titers of less than 1:5 to 1 cat, 11 chickens with titers of 1:5 to 2 cats, and 7 chickens with titers of 1:10 to 1 cat). Feces of cats were examined for oocysts; they did not shed oocysts. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from 8 chickens with MAT titers of 1:20 or more (from 1 of 11 chickens with a titer of 1:20 and all 7 chickens with a titer of 1:80 or more) from the heart, brain, and pectoral muscle (3); heart and pectoral muscle (1); and heart alone (4). Genotyping of these 8 isolates with the SAG2 locus indicated that 5 were type III and 3 were type 1. This is the first report of isolation of T. gondii from chickens from Guatemala.     

Hybrid pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes reconstituted from components of the complexes from Escherichia coli and Azotobacter vinelandii

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli was isolated in a simple three-step procedure. Its chain stoichiometry, determined by trinitrobenzoate modification was found to be 1.4 E1:1 E2:0.6 E3. It was reproducible within 10% from preparation to preparation. The E. coli complex was resolved by chromatography on activated thiol Sepharose. Reconstitution of activity yielded a stoichiometry of 1.0 E1:1 E2:0.5 E3. The optimum binding stoichiometry of E1E2 and E2E3 subcomplexes was determined by sedimentation experiments and found to be 2.0 E1:1 E2 and 2.5 E3:1 E2, respectively. Competition between E1 and E3 was observed in the binding experiments, but not in the kinetic experiments. Hybrid active complexes could be reconstituted from either an E1E2 subcomplex from Azotobacter vinelandii and the E3 component from E. coli or from E2E3 subcomplex from E. coli and the E1 component from A. vinelandii. Low activity and weak binding was observed when E1 from E. coli was recombined with an E2E3 subcomplex from A. vinelandii or when E3 from A. vinelandii was recombined with an E1E2 subcomplex from E. coli. The association behaviour and stoichiometry of the reconstituted complexes is determined by the nature of the E2 component. The formation of hybrid complexes indicates a considerable structural similarity between the complexes from both sources, despite the differences in size and stoichiometry.     

Testis-specific histone H1t is antigenically distinct among H1 subtypes

Histone H1t has been purified from rat testes and antibodies were elicited in rabbits. Immunoblotting studies with anti-histone H1t-IgG have shown that it reacted specifically with histone H1t but not with other histone H1 subtypes, namely H1a, -b, -c, -d, -e and H10. The anti-histone H1t-IgG also did not react with chicken erythrocyte histone H5. Immunoblotting studies have also revealed that the polyclonal anti-histone H1t-IgG reacted with (a) two polypeptide fragments, NBS-N and NBS-C, derived from N-bromosuccinimide cleavage of histone H1t, (b) two polypeptide fragments, CT-N and CT-C, derived from alpha-chymotrypsin cleavage of histone H1t, and (c) GH1t, globular domain of histone H1t obtained after trypsin cleavage. The indirect immunofluorescence studies on nuclei isolated from adult rat testes with anti-histone H1t-IgG showed that the fluorescence, particularly, of the pachytene nucleus was the brightest. On the other hand, anti-histone H1t-IgG did not stain nuclei from either liver or nuclei isolated from the testes of 10-day-old rats.     

Interaction between functional domains of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crystal proteins.

Interactions among the three structural domains of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1 toxins were investigated by functional analysis of chimeric proteins. Hybrid genes were prepared by exchanging the regions coding for either domain I or domain III among Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1C, and Cry1E. The activity of the purified trypsin-activated chimeric toxins was evaluated by testing their effects on the viability and plasma membrane permeability of Sf9 cells. Among the parental toxins, only Cry1C was active against these cells and only chimeras possessing domain II from Cry1C were functional. Combination of domain I from Cry1E with domains II and III from Cry1C, however, resulted in an inactive toxin, indicating that domain II from an active toxin is necessary, but not sufficient, for activity. Pores formed by chimeric toxins in which domain I was from Cry1Ab or Cry1Ac were slightly smaller than those formed by toxins in which domain I was from Cry1C. The properties of the pores formed by the chimeras are therefore likely to result from an interaction between domain I and domain II or III. Domain III appears to modulate the activity of the chimeric toxins: combination of domain III from Cry1Ab with domains I and II of Cry1C gave a protein which was more strongly active than Cry1C.     

Development of single mouse blastomeres enlarged to zygote size in conditions of nucleo-cytoplasmic synchrony

The following blastomeres were enlarged to the size of the zygote by one, two or three rounds of blastomere enucleation and electrofusion: (1) from the 2-cell stage (referred to as 2/1 embryos), (2) from the 4-cell stage (referred to as 4/1 embryos), (3) from the 8-cell stage (referred to as 8/1 embryos). Such single enlarged blastomeres developed into blastocysts in vivo in 55.5% (2/1), 28% (4/1) and 6.6% (8/1) of cases. Their mean cell numbers were 45.3, 24.5 and 13.0 in 2/1, 4/1 and 8/1 embryos, respectively. When a blastomere nucleus from another mouse strain (heterologous nucleus) was substituted for a blastomere's own (homologous) one, then fewer blastocysts were formed from 2/1 embryos (34.6%), but not from 4/1 and 8/1 embryos. Five young (10.4%) were born from 2/1 embryos with a homologous nucleus, and nine (8.3%) from 2/1 embryos with heterologous nuclei. Four young (7.1%) were born from 4/1 embryos with heterologous nuclei. No young were obtained from 8/1 embryos. Incorrect cavitation resulting in trophoblastic vesicles and false blastocyst formation was common in 4/1 embryos (18.7% of those with homologous nuclei and 41.3% with heterologous nuclei) and in 8/1 embryos (53.3% and 43.7%, respectively). The results show that neither enlargement to zygote size nor nucleo-cytoplasmic synchrony improve postimplantation development of 4- and 8-cell stage blastomeres when compared with less enlarged non-synchronous ones; therefore, it appears that an insufficient number of inner cell mass cells in blastocysts and not too small a size of isolated blastomeres precludes their postimplantation development.