The subcellular distribution of iron in rabbit alveolar macrophages.

Rabbit alveolar macrophages were incubated with [⁵⁹Fe], washed, re-incubated with “cold” iron and homogenized. The distribution of radioactivity among the mitochondrial, lysosomal, microsomal and cytosol fractions was determined at short intervals after the onset of incubation. The findings indicate that the mitochondria form a significant iron-binding site during the early stage of iron uptake. A part of the mitochondrial-associated iron is later transferred to the cytosol where it is present in ferritin and in a low molecular weight form. Ferritin is the sole iron-binding protein of the cytosol.     

A comparison of ribosomal proteins from rabbit reticulocytes phosphorylated in situ and in vitro.

A comparison has been made between the ribosomal proteins phosphorylated in intact cells and proteins isolated from ribosomal subunits after modification in vitro by purified protein kinases and [gamma-32P]ATP. When intact reticulocytes were incubated for 2 h in a nutritional medium containing radioactive inorganic phosphate, one phosphorylated protein was identified as a 40S ribosomal component using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by electrophoresis in a third step containing sodium dodecyl sulfate. This protein, containing 99% of the total radioactivity associated with ribosomal proteins as observed by two-dimensional electrophoresis, is found in a nonphosphorylated form in addition to several phosphorylated states. These states differ by the number of phosphoryl group attached to the protein. The same 40S protein is modified in vitro by the three cAMP-regulated protein kinases from rabbit reticulocytes. Two additional proteins associated with the 40S subunit are phosphorylated in situ. These proteins migrate as a symmetrical doublet, and contain less than 1% of the radioactive phosphate in the 40S subunit. A number of phosphorylated proteins associated with 60S subunits are observed by disc gel electrophoresis after incubation of whole cells with labeled phosphate. These proteins do not migrate with previously identified ribosomal proteins and are not present in sufficient amounts to be identified as ribosomal structural proteins. Proteins in the large subunit are modified in vitro by cAMP-regulated protein kinases and ATP, and these modified proteins migrate with known ribosomal proteins. However, this phosphorylation has not been shown to occur in intact cells.     

Variations in some molecular events during the early phases of the Reuber H 35 cell cycle. II.-Chromatin protein phosphorylation and protein kinases

Reuber H 35 hepatoma cells were synchronized by transfer in a serum free medium. Growth was re-initiated by addition of serum. Under these conditions DNA synthesis exhibited a maximum after 24 hours. Chromatin non-histone proteins prepared from cells at various phases of the cell cycle were incubated with [gamma-32P] ATP and the radioactive pattern of protein bound 32P was analysed by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. No radioactive peak was observed in G0. Several peaks appeared 3 hours after the addition of serum. The radioactivity progressively increased until the cells reached the S phase. When most of the cells were in the S phase the radioactivity strongly decreased. Chromatin protein kinase activities were found to increase in late G1 and continued to increase in the S phase. The increase was 65% when phosvitin was the substrate, 100% with casein and histone H1. It is suggested that chromatin phosphorylated proteins could be involved in the mechanism which initiates DNA synthesis in G1 phase cells.     

Biosynthesis of ribosomal proteins by poly(A)-containing mRNAs from rat liver in a wheat germ cell-free system and sizes of mRNAs coding ribosomal proteins

(1) Poly(A)-containing mRNAs from total polysomal RNA of regenerating rat liver were incubated with [3H]leucine in a wheat germ cell-free system. Ribosomal proteins were purified as described previously [1], and with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The proteins on the gel except for less basic protein had appreciable radioactivity, whereas the surrounding areas had very low radioactivity. Acetic acid-soluble proteins labeled in this system were subjected to three-dimensional gel electrophoresis [2]. Except for L1 and L2 proteins, each of the ribosomal proteins, including less basic ones, showed a major radioactive peak coinciding with the protein band on SDS gel. Thus, the wheat germ cell-free system completely translates almost all mRNAs for individual ribosomal proteins. Equimolar amounts of almost all ribosomal proteins were synthesized in the presence of the saturating concentration of mRNAs. (2) Free polysomes from regenerating rat liver were fractionated into three sizes. Each class of polysomes was incubated with [3H]leucine. Ribosomal proteins with molecular weights of 40 000 to 21 000 were mainly synthesized by Fraction B (5-14 monomeric ribosomes), L1 and L2 [2] with 60 000 and 54 000, by Fraction C (greater than 15 monomeric ribosomes) and B, and ribosomal proteins smaller than 20 000 by Fractions A (less than pentamer) and B. (3) mRNAs from rat liver total polysomes were fractionated into seven classes by size and each was translated in the wheat germ extract. Ribosomal proteins with molecular weights of 54 000 to 30 000 were mainly synthesized by mRNAs of 12 to 14.5 S, ribosomal proteins of 35 000 to 22 000 by those of 9.5 to 12 S, ribosomal proteins of 22 000 to 13 000 by those of 7 to 9.5 S, and smaller ribosomal proteins by those smaller than 7 S. These results indicate that individual ribosomal proteins are synthesized by monocistronic mRNAs, the lengths of which are proportional to the molecular weights of the corresponding ribosomal proteins.     

Purification and characterization of an iron-binding protein from the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus)

The presence of an iron-binding protein in the hemolymph of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) was detected by gel filtration of 59Fe-labeled hemolymph. The iron-binding protein was purified to homogeneity by ion exchange chromatography. 2. This protein has a mol. wt of 155,000 and consists of a single polypeptide chain with an isoelectric point of 5.0. 3. Analysis of the iron-loaded protein indicates that it has a high affinity for iron and the capacity to bind approximately 10 atoms iron/molecule protein. 4. The isolation of a specific iron-binding protein from the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) provides additional support for the proposal that such proteins are an ancient evolutionary development not necessarily linked to the appearance of iron proteins (hemoglobin and hemerythrin) as a means for oxygen transport.     

The release of radioactive arachidonate from lipids of red blood cells during prolonged incubations in vitro

Red blood cells were isolated from rat blood and incubated in the presence of [3H]arachidonate. A sizeable quantity (18%) of the radioactivity was incorporated into red cell lipids, of which phosphatidylcholine was the most highly labelled. Radioactive arachidonate was found at position 2 of this phospholipid. Free fatty acids were removed by washing the cells in solutions containing fatty-acid-free bovine serum albumin. The labelled red cells were then incubated for up to 16 h at 37 degrees C. After 16 h of incubation in saline-buffer-glucose or rat serum, 20 and 26%, respectively, of the total radioactivity was found in free fatty acids, and there were corresponding declines in the percentage radioactivities found in phosphatidylcholine. In the presence of serum, there was a more rapid release of radioactive fatty acid over the 2- to 16-h time course. There was not a significant drop in the phosphate levels of the total red cell phospholipids or phosphatidylcholine after 16 h of incubation and, as a result, there were large declines in the specific radioactivities of phosphatidylcholine. Diacylglycerols were not highly labelled and the action of phospholipase A2 on labelled phosphatidylcholine was indicated. When white blood cells were added to labelled red cells, there was little evidence of white cell involvement in the release of radioactive fatty acid, suggesting that the red cells themselves may be involved in arachidonate release. Red cells may serve as sources of arachidonate, released following hemorrhage in brain and metabolized to form various biologically active eicosanoids.     

Comparative studies on phosphorylation of synthetic peptide analogue of ribosomal protein S6 and 40-S ribosomal subunits between Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase and its protease-activated form

Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) and trypsin-activated protein kinase C (protein kinase M) phosphorylated the synthetic peptide R1-A13 (Arg-Arg-Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Arg-Ala-Ser-Thr-Ser-Lys-Ala) which contains both cAMP- and insulin-regulated phosphorylation sites in rat liver ribosomal protein S6 [Wettenhall, R. E. H. & Morgan, F. J. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 2084-2091]. Both enzymes showed essentially the same kinetic properties; V and apparent Km were determined to be 0.16 mumol min-1 mg-1 and 30 microM, respectively. At first, tryptic phosphopeptides were prepared at the early stage of phosphorylation and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Through these analyses, four radioactive peptides were isolated. When protein kinase C was employed, phosphorylation was observed on all four peptides in a Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent manner. Irrespective of the protein kinase employed, phosphate incorporation into these peptides increased linearly with time; the peptide concentration did not affect the ratio of phosphate distribution into these four peptides. Analysis of amino acid composition and phosphoamino acid of radioactive peptides obtained after extensive phosphorylation showed that phosphates were incorporated into Ser-4, Ser-5, Ser-9 and Ser-11. The latter three serine residues were major phosphorylated sites. When rat liver 40-S ribosomal subunits were employed as substrate for protein kinases C and M, a radioactive protein with Mr,app = 31,000, which corresponded to S6 protein, was detected on an autoradiogram of a sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide slab gel. The rate of phosphorylation with protein kinase M was twice as fast as that with protein kinase C. The elution profile of radioactive tryptic peptides in HPLC suggest that phosphorylation occurred on the sites in S6 protein corresponding to Ser-5, Ser-9 and Ser-11 as major sites and Ser-4 as the minor one. These results indicate that protein kinase C has an ability to recognize at least four sites derived from hormone-dependent phosphorylation sites in ribosomal protein S6 irrespective of the mode of activation of this enzyme.     

Effects of cyclic AMP and fluoride on phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 and on protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocytes

The effects of N6,O2-dibutyryl-adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (Bt2cAMP) and sodium fluoride on the phosphorylation of ribosomal proteins S6 and on protein synthesis were examined. Rabbit reticulocytes were incubated in a nutritional medium containing 32Pi in the presence and absence of Bt2cAMP (1mM) and 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine (1mM). In the control cells, four phosphorylated derivatives of S6 were observed, with most of the radioactivity in the monophosphorylated form. Upon addition of cyclic nucleotide, a twofold increase in the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 was observed. This was accompanied by an increase of radioactive phosphate in the diphosphorylated derivative. No alteration in protein synthesis was observed upon addition of cAMP and analogues of cAMP in conjunction with 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine or theophylline. The effects of sodium fluoride on phosphorylation of S6 and on protein synthesis were examined also. At 5 mM sodium fluoride, protein synthesis was inhibited by 85%. A 2.5-fold increase in the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 was observed with an accumulation of 32Pi in the diphosphorylated, triphosphorylated and tetraphosphorylated derivatives. Inhibition of protein synthesis coincided with an increase in the more highly phosphorylated derivatives, whereas an increase of radioactive phosphate in the diphosphorylated derivative could not be correlated with an alteration in globin synthesis.     

An 18000-dalton protein metabolically labeled by polyamines in various mammalian cell lines

The possible role of polyamines in the covalent modification of cellular protein(s) was investigated by studying the metabolic labeling of NB-15 mouse neuroblastoma cells by [14C]putrescine in fresh Dulbecco's medium followed by separation of cellular proteins through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Under such incubation conditions, a single protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 18000 was radioactively labeled. [14C]Spermidine also specifically labeled this protein. The majority of the radioactivity covalently linked to the 18-kDa protein was recovered as hypusine. The radioactive labeling of this protein was stimulated 1.3-fold by 1 mM dibutyryl cAMP and 2.8-fold by 4% fetal calf serum. Fetal calf serum also stimulated the labeling of many other cellular proteins. This may be due to the conversion of putrescine to amino acids via the formation of gamma-aminobutyric acid. Aminoguanidine, a potent inhibitor of diamine oxidase, completely inhibited the fetal calf serum-stimulated labeling of these cellular proteins but had no effect on the labeling of the 18-kDa protein. The specific labeling of the 18-kDa protein by [14C]putrescine occurred in various mammalian cells examined including the N-18 mouse neuroblastoma cells, 3T3-L1 murine preadipocytes, and H-35 rat hepatoma cells. The specificity of labeling of the apparently ubiquitous 18-kDa protein and the stimulation of this labeling by fetal calf serum suggest that this protein may be important in mediating some of the actions of polyamines in cell growth regulation.     

Removal of iron from diferric rabbit serum transferrin by rabbit reticulocytes.

When radioiron-labelled transferrin with 55Fe located predominantly in the N-terminal iron-binding site and 59Fe predominantly in the C-terminal iron-binding site was incubated with rabbit reticulocytes, both radioisotopes of iron were removed at similar rates. Electrophoresis of transferrin samples taken during the course of an incubation, in polyacrylamide gels containing 6 M-urea, showed that iron was removed in a pairwise fashion, giving rise to iron-free transferrin.     

Isolation, purification and characterization of an iron-binding protein from the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).

The presence of an iron-binding protein in the haemolymph of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, was detected by gel filtration of 59Fe-labelled haemolymph. Lysis of amoebocytes did not change the amount of iron-binding protein in haemolymph samples. The protein was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified protein was estimated to be 282,000 +/- 10,000 Da by gel filtration and analytical ultracentrifugation. SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the protein is composed of ten subunits having a molecular mass of 28,000 +/- 2,000 Da. The purified, unlabelled protein efficiently sequestered 59Fe in the absence of haemolymph indicating that no other haemolymph factors are required for the incorporation of iron into the protein. No 59Fe was removed from the purified protein with EDTA or 2,2'-bipyridyl. Partial removal of 59Fe was achieved by dialysis with nitrilotriacetic acid or desferal. Analysis of the iron-loaded protein indicated that each subunit has the capacity to bind two iron atoms with high affinity. The isolation of an iron-binding protein from L. polyphemus supports the proposal that such proteins are an ancient evolutionary development not necessarily linked to the appearance of iron proteins which serve as oxygen carriers.     

Specific protein synthesis in isolated rat testis leydig cells. Influence of luteinizing hormone and cycloheximide.

The effect of luteinizing hormone (luteotropin) and cycloheximide on specific protein synthesis in rat testis Leydig cells has been investigated. Proteins were labelled with either I114C]leucine, [3H]leucine or [35S]methionine during incubation with Leydig-cell suspensions in vitro. Total protein was extracted from the cells and separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. No detectable increase in the synthesis of specific proteins could be observed after incubation of Leydig cells with luteinizing hormone for up to 1 h. However, after a 2h incubation period, an increase in [35S]methionine incorporation was observed in a protein with an apparent mol.wt. of 21000 (referred to as 'protein 21"). When, after labelling of this protein with [35S]-methionine, Leydig cells were incubated for another 30min with cycloheximide, no decrease in radioactivity of this protein band was observed, indicating that it does not have a short half-life. However, another protein band was detected, which after incubation with cycloheximide disappeared rapidly, the reaction following first-order kinetics, with a half-life of about 11 min. This protein, with an apparent mol.wt. of 33000 (referred to as "protein 33"), was found to be located in the particulate fraction of the Leydig cell, and could not be demonstrated in other rat testis-cell types or blood cells. No effect of luteinizing hormone on molecular weight, subcellular localization or half-life of protein 33 was observed. A possible role for protein 33 and protein 21 in the mechanism of action of luteinizing hormone on testosterone production of Leydig cells is discussed.     

Secretion of intact proteins and peptide fragments by lysosomal pathways of protein degradation

We report that degradation of proteins microinjected into human fibroblasts is accompanied by release into the culture medium of peptide fragments and intact proteins as well as single amino acids. For the nine proteins and polypeptides microinjected, acid-precipitable radioactivity, i.e. peptide fragments and/or intact proteins, ranged from 10 to 67% of the total released radioactivity. Peptide fragments and/or intact protein accounted for 60% of the radioactivity released into the medium by cells microinjected with ribonuclease A. Two major radiolabeled peptide fragments were found, and one was of an appropriate size to function as an antigen in antigen-presenting cells. The peptides released from microinjected ribonuclease A were derived from lysosomal pathways of proteolysis based on several lines of evidence. Previous studies have shown that microinjected ribonuclease A is degraded to single amino acids entirely within lysosomes (McElligott, M. A., Miao, P., and Dice, J. F. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 11986-11993). We show that release of free amino acids and peptide fragments and/or intact protein was equivalently stimulated by serum deprivation and equivalently inhibited by NH4Cl. We also show that lysosomal degradation of endocytosed [3H]ribonuclease A was accompanied by the release of two peptide fragments similar in size and charge to those from microinjected [3H]ribonuclease A. These findings demonstrate that degradation within lysosomes occurs in a manner that spares specific peptides; they also suggest a previously unsuspected pathway by which cells can secrete cytosol-derived polypeptides.     

The iron-binding protein Dps confers hydrogen peroxide stress resistance to Campylobacter jejuni

We identified and characterized the iron-binding protein Dps from Campylobacter jejuni. Electron microscopic analysis of this protein revealed a spherical structure of 8.5 nm in diameter, with an electron-dense core similar to those of other proteins of the Dps (DNA-binding protein from starved cells) family. Cloning and sequencing of the Dps-encoding gene (dps) revealed that a 450-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoded a protein of 150 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 17,332 Da. Amino acid sequence comparison indicated a high similarity between C. jejuni Dps and other Dps family proteins. In C. jejuni Dps, there are iron-binding motifs, as reported in other Dps family proteins. C. jejuni Dps bound up to 40 atoms of iron per monomer, whereas it did not appear to bind DNA. An isogenic dps-deficient mutant was more vulnerable to hydrogen peroxide than its parental strain, as judged by growth inhibition tests. The iron chelator Desferal restored the resistance of the Dps-deficient mutant to hydrogen peroxide, suggesting that this iron-binding protein prevented generation of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton reaction. Dps was constitutively expressed during both exponential and stationary phase, and no induction was observed when the cells were exposed to H(2)O(2) or grown under iron-supplemented or iron-restricted conditions. On the basis of these data, we propose that this iron-binding protein in C. jejuni plays an important role in protection against hydrogen peroxide stress by sequestering intracellular free iron and is expressed constitutively to cope with the harmful effect of hydrogen peroxide stress on this microaerophilic organism without delay.     

An 18 000-dalton protein metabolically labeled by polyamines in various mammalian cell lines

The possible role of polyamines in the covalent modification of cellular protein(s) was investigated by studying the metabolic labeling of NB-15 mouse neuroblastoma cells by [¹⁴C]putrescine in fresh Dulbecco's medium followed by separation of cellular proteins through sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoreses. Under such incubation conditions, a single protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 18 000 was radioactively labeled. [¹⁴C]Spermidine also specifically labeled this protein. The majority of the radioactivity covalently linked to the 18-kDa protein was recovered as hypusine. The radioactive labeling of this protein was stimulated 1.3-fold by 1 mM dibutyryl cAMP and 2.8-fold by 4% fetal calf serum. Fetal calf serum also stimulated the labeling of many other cellular proteins. This may be due to the conversion of putrescine to amino acids via the formation of γ-aminobutyric acid. Aminoguanidine, a potent inhibitor of diamine oxidase, completely inhibited the fetal calf serum-stimulated labeling of these cellular proteins but had no effect on the labeling of the 18-kDa protein. The specific labeling of the 18-kDa protein by [¹⁴C]putrescine occurred in various mammalian cells examined including the N-18 mouse neuroblastoma cells, 3T3-L1 murine preadipocytes, and H-35 rat hepatoma cells. The specificity of labeling of the apparently ubiquitous 18-kDa protein and the stimulation of this labeling by fetal calf serum suggest that this protein may be important in mediating some of the actions of polyamines in cell growth regulation.     

The identification of an eukaryotic initiation factor 4D precursor in spermidine-depleted Chinese hamster ovary cells

When Chinese hamster ovary cells are incubated with [terminal methylenes-3H]spermidine, radioactivity is incorporated into a single cellular protein, eukaryotic initiation factor 4D (eIF-4D), through posttranslational synthesis of the amino acid hypusine (N epsilon-(4-amino-2-hydroxybuyly)lysine). The effect of spermidine depletion on this protein modification reaction was studied by high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Factor eIF-4D containing both [3H]lysine and [3H]hypusine was detected as one of the major labeled cellular proteins on the fluorographic map of the proteins from Chinese hamster ovary cells that had been incubated with [3H]lysine. When these cells were depleted of spermidine by the use of DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine before addition of [3H]lysine, no radiolabeling of this mature eIF-4D (hypusine form, Mr approximately 18,000; pI approximately 5.3) occurred. Instead, a new radiolabeled protein (Mr 18,000; pI 5.1) that contained [3H]lysine but no [3H]hypusine or [3H]deoxyhypusine was seen. This protein was identified as an eIF-4D precursor by comparison of the two-dimensional map of its tryptic peptides with that of the tryptic peptides from [3H]lysine-labeled eIF-4D. Further comparisons also suggest that additional post-translational modification processes are involved in the biogenesis of eIF-4D.     

Evidence for the functional equivalence of the iron-binding sites of rat transferrin

The role of the two iron-binding sites of rat transferrin in the exchange of iron with cells has been assessed using urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to separate and quantitate the four possible molecular species of transferrin generated during the incubation of ¹²⁵I-labelled transferrin with rat reticulocytes and hepatocytes. Addition of diferric transferrin to reticulocytes led directly to the appearance of apotransferrin together with small and comparable amounts of the two monoferric transferrins. After 2 h 44.8% of the iron had been removed by the cells, and of the iron-depleted transferrin 71.8% was apotransferrin, the remainder being monoferric transferrin, 16.1% with N-terminal iron and 12.1% with C-terminal iron. A similar pattern emerged with hepatocytes, but the rate of iron removal was slower and the proportion of apotransferrin generated was lower. After 4 h 10.9% of the iron had been removed from the transferrin and the distribution of the iron-depleted protein was: apotransferrin 26.9% and monoferric (N-terminal) 39.2%, (C-terminal) 33.9%. The appearance of apotransferrin during each incubation and the generation of both monoferric transferrins suggest that both cell types are able to remove iron from differic transferrin in pairwise fashion and that they do not appreciably distinguish between the two iron-binding sites of the protein. Release of iron from hepatocytes to apotransferrin lead to the appearance of both monferric species and then to increasing amounts of diferric transferrin. The process of iron release did not seem to distinguish between the vacant iron-binding sites of transferrin.     

Inhibitor-“resistant” labelling of rat ventral prostate nuclear proteins : Further evidence consistent with protein synthesis associated with cell nuclei

When minced rat ventral prostate was incubated with labelled amino acids and cycloheximide or puromycin, the specific radioactivity of proteins associated with Triton X 100-washed nuclei exceeded that of the 105 000 g cytosol. The distribution of radioactive proteins from incubated mince, examined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was also consistent with labelling of some nuclear proteins that was resistant to inhibitors. Highly purified prostate nuclei, washed with detergent, labelled proteins of from 1–6 × 10⁴ D with radioactive amino acids. When these proteins were fractionated according to solubility, NaOH-soluble ‘acidic’ proteins, examined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, were highly labelled, with a distribution of radioactivity that differed from the patterns of 0.4 N H₂SO₄-soluble basic proteins (including histones), and proteins soluble in Krebs-Ringer-phosphate buffer. Although these results cannot be interpreted unambiguously, they are consistent with the synthesis of certain nuclear proteins at a site(s) sequestered from cycloheximide and puromycin. Nuclei may represent one such site.     

Measurement of glial fibrillary acidic protein by a two-site immunoradiometric assay

The two-site immunoradiometric assay (two-site IRMA) for the brain-specific glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA protein) is carried out by reaction of the GFA protein solution with a solid-phase anti(GFA) followed by a second reaction in which the insoluble product is incubated with purified, radioactive anti-(GFA). Unreacted labeled antibodies remain in solution and are washed away. As the amount of GFA increases, the radioactivity in the solid-phase increases. The most significant assay variables include (a) stability and reactivity of the solid-phase antibody, (b) washing the solid-phase, (c) nonspecific interference by serum proteins, and (d) a paradoxical fall in tube radioactivity which occurs at high dose (the “high-dose hook effect”). The assay becomes more sensitive and precise and the serum effect is minimized when the solid-phase antibody is separated from the matrix by an immunoglobulin “spacer-arm”. For a triplicate determination, the minimal detectable dose averaged $\text{73}\text{pg}\text{200 μ}\text{l}$ incubation. The assay precision enables a 500-fold assay range. GFA activity found in aged crude tissue or tissue-culture extracts, CSF, and used tissueculture media, often did not appear to be immunologically identical to the purified standard GFA protein. This may be explained by the known tendency of GFA protein to aggregate. The assay does not cross-react significantly with other common CNS proteins. Assay of various rat tissues confirms the localization of GFA protein only to the CNS.     

Functional heterogeneity and pH-dependent dissociation properties of human transferrin.

Human diferric transferrin was partially labeled with 59Fe at low or neutral pH (chemically labeled) and by replacement of diferric iron previously donated to rabbit reticulocytes (biologically labeled). Reticulocyte 59Fe uptake experiments with chemically labeled preparations indicated that iron bound at near neutral pH was more readily incorporated by reticulocytes than iron bound at low pH. The pH-dependent iron dissociation studies of biologically labeled transferrin solutions indicated that Fe3+, bound at the site from which the metal was initially utilized by the cells, dissociated between pH 5.8 and 7.4. In contrast, lower pH (5.2--5.8) was required to effect dissociation of iron that has remained bound to the protein after incubation with reticulocytes. These findings suggest that each human transferrin iron-binding site has different acid-base iron-binding properties which could be related to the observed heterogenic rabbit reticulocyte iron-donating properties of human transferrin and identifies that the near neutral iron-binding site initially surrenders its iron to these cells.