Modes of inhibition of activities of trypsin and chymotrypsin by potassium thiocyanate

Potassium thiocyanate inhibited the activities of trypsin and chymotrypsin. The inhibition was mixed type on both enzymes with casein as substrate and on trypsin with tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester as substrate, but was uncompetitive on chymotrypsin with benzoyl-L-tyrosine p-nitroanilide as substrate.     

The Effect of Ethanol on the Growth of Dipodascus aggregatus

Ethanol (68.2 mM) did not appreciably affect the growth of Dipodascus aggregatus with glucose (55.5 mM] as carbon source. Growth with fructose was inhibited whereas growth with galactose was stimulated by ethanol in this concentration. The fungus could grow with ethanol as the sole carbon source. D. aggregatus did not grown with maltose as the sole carbon source. Growth with maltose + ethanol started much earlier than growth with ethanol alone. The maltose concentration of the medium did not measurably decrease during growth with maltose-n ethanol. D. aggregatus did not grow with sucrose as the sole carbon source     

The biological identification of native and of cooked proteins

Summary In rabbits specific precipitating sera of high titre (up to 1 : 30.000) can be induced with native as well as with cooked proteins by means of single subcutaneous injections with the protein concerned emulgated in vaseline-lanoline. In the experiments muscle protein of cattle and dog serum and hen albumen have been used. The proteins, either cooked or native, are dried, pulverized and emulgated as such in vaseline-lanoline on a water-bath of 40–50° C., adding if needed some saline or distilled water. The injection follows immediately. The precitating sera prepared against cooked proteins give a precipitation reaction with the homologous native protein as well as with the cooked protein which is dissolved in NaOH.     

Circular dichroism of polynucleotides: dimers as a function of conformation

Working within the restrictions of a model, we have calculated the circular dichroism of the dinucleoside phosphates ApA, CpC, and CpA for various conformations. Comparing the calculated curves with those measured in aqueous solution we find agreement for (1) ApA as a right-handed helix with both bases either as in B-form DNA, or else rotated 180° around the glycosidic bond, (2) CpC as the right-handed conformation with both bases as in DNA, (3) ApC as either the right-handed conformation with both bases as in DNA, or else as a left-handed helix with both bases rotated 180°, and (4) CpA as either a left-handed helix with both bases in a left-handed DNA, or else in the right-handed conformation with both bases rotated 180°. In addition, we have investigated circular dichroism as a measure of unstacking. We find that opening the bases to a 90° total angle (base planes perpendicular) reduces the intensity of the calculated bands to 20% of their original value. Further, we find that allowing the sliding of one base past the other does not lead to a temperature dependence consistent with experiment.     

Remote control of alpha- or beta-stereoselectivity in (1-->3)-glucosylations in the presence of a C-2 ester capable of neighboring-group participation

In (1-->3)-glucosylation the glycosyl bond originally present in either donor or acceptor is shown to control the stereoselectivity of the forthcoming bond, i.e., the newly formed glycosidic linkage has the opposite anomeric configuration of that of either the donor or acceptor. Therefore, with alpha-(1-->3)-linked disaccharides with nonreducing ends that have the 3-OH free as the acceptor and an acetylated glucosyl trichloroacetimidate as the donor, or with an alpha-(1-->3)-linked acetylated disaccharide trichloroacetimidate as the donor and a glucoside with 3-OH free as the acceptor, beta-linked trisaccharides were obtained. Meanwhile, with beta-(1-->3)-linked disaccharides that have nonreducing ends with the 3-OH free as the acceptor and an acetylated glucosyl trichloroacetimidate as the donor, or with a beta-(1-->3)-linked acetylated disaccharide trichloroacetimidate as the donor and a glucoside with the 3-OH free as the acceptor, alpha-linked trisaccharides were obtained in spite of the C-2 neighboring group participation.     

Role of non-haem iron in protecting effect of ecdysterone on development of streptozocin-induced hyperglycaemia in rats

Chronic hyperglycaemia (60 days) which developed after streptozotocine (STZ) administration (5 mg/100 g) in rats was accompanied with development of severe endothelial dysfunction as well as with disturbed non-haem iron metabolism. It was established by EPR spectroscopy method that STZ administration reduced transferrin levels in the blood as well as pools of iron associated with blood transferrin and with ferritin in the heart and aorta of rats with hyperglycaemia. Chronic ecdysterone administration (100 ng/100 g, 60 days) protects hyperglycaemia development by preventing of non-haem iron metabolism disturbance. These data suppose participation of non-haem iron in mechanisms of ecdysterone protection of streptozotocine-induced hyperglycaemia and ischemia.     

产DHA菌株的诱变育种

以海水中分离得到产DHA的酒香酵母(编号为7-3)作为出发菌株,对其进行单一及复合诱变处理,初筛采用分光光度法确定菌体中油脂的相对含量,选择吸光度相对较高的菌株进行复筛,复筛采用有机溶剂萃取法测定油脂含量、气相色谱法测定DHA含量。单一诱变的菌株H-1的脂肪含量达到43.8%,为对照的4倍,经复合诱变后得到1株编号为H-Z-6-3的菌株其油脂含量达50.4%,诱变后油脂中DHA的含量提高较少。     

Fc receptors of endothelial cells of cardiac valves: comparison of IgG Fc binding activity of these receptors and of Fc receptors of group A streptococci

Normal human and rabbit sera, as well as IgG isolated from them, have proved to be capable of reacting with the cells of the valve endothelium of the human and bovine heart. As shown in this study, these reactions are linked with the presence of Fc receptors on the epithelial cells. This is confirmed by the positive reactions of the endothelial cells with the Fc fragments of IgG, as well as with pure antibodies to egg albumin and to group A streptococcal polysaccharide and their complexes. As revealed in this study, Fc receptors on endothelial cells and staphylococcal Fc receptors bind with the definite fraction of normal human serum IgG with, probably, more pronounced cytophil properties. This fraction is not linked with IgG subclasses. The suggestion may be made that the presence of IgG Fc binding activity in group A streptococci, coinciding with the binding activity of Fc receptors in some cells of the human body, is probably of importance for pathogenic streptococci, facilitating their successful invasion.     

Computational simulation of the statistical properties of unfolded proteins

A simple Monte Carlo method was used to generate ensembles of simulated polypeptide conformations that are restricted only by steric repulsion. The models used for these simulations were based on the sequences of four real proteins, ranging in size from 26 to 268 amino acid residues, and included all non-hydrogen atoms. Two sets of calculations were performed, one that included only intra-residue steric repulsion terms and those between adjacent residues, and one that included repulsion terms between all possible atom pairs, so as to explicitly account for the excluded volume effect. Excluded volume was found to increase the average radius of gyration of the chains by 20-40%, with the expansion factor increasing with chain length. Contrary to recent suggestions, however, the excluded volume effect did not greatly restrict the distribution of dihedral angles or favor native-like topologies. The average dimensions of the ensembles calculated with excluded volume were consistent with those measured experimentally for unfolded proteins of similar sizes under denaturing conditions, without introducing any adjustable scaling factor. The simulations also reproduced experimentally determined effective concentrations for the formation of disulfide bonds in reduced and unfolded proteins. The statistically generated ensembles included significant numbers of conformations that were nearly as compact as the corresponding native proteins, as well as many that were as accessible to solvent as a fully extended chain. On the other hand, conformations with as much buried surface area as the native proteins were very rare, as were highly extended conformations. These results suggest that the overall properties of unfolded proteins can be usefully described by a random coil model and that an unfolded polypeptide can undergo significant collapse while losing only a relatively small fraction of its conformational entropy.     

Comparative characteristics of lysozymes of different origin

Lysozymes with different molecular weights were isolated from homogenates of ticks or Ixodoidea with a procedure based on specific sorption of the enzyme by chitin. Lysozymes with a molecular weight of 13,800 were isolated from O. moubata, O. papillipes and A. lahorensis and lysozymes with a molecular weight of 15,000 were isolated from H. asiaticum and I. persulcatus. Micrococci and staphylococci proved to be the most sensitive to the lysozymes. E. coli and Salmonella spp. were less sensitive. The activity of the lysozymes from O. moubata, O. papillipes and A. lahorensis was 2 to 4 times as high as that of the yolk lysozyme and 4 to 8 times as high as that of the lysozymes from H. asiaticum and I. persulcatus. The activity of the yolk lysozyme was 2 or more times as high as that of the lysozymes from H. asiaticum and I. persulcatus. The lysozymes were resistant to heating in acid media. In alkaline media a marked loss of the activity was observed.     

Characterization of the interaction of human eosinophils and neutrophils with opsonized particles

The interaction of human eosinophils with opsonized particles was compared with that of human neutrophils. When eosinophils are stimulated with serum-opsonized zymosan particles, the lag time in H2O2 production is twice as long as found with neutrophils. Moreover, the concentration of these IgG + C3-coated particles required for optimal stimulation is about four times as high for eosinophils as for neutrophils. Under these conditions, the two cell types generate similar amounts of H2O2. However, eosinophils produce twice as much H2O2 as do neutrophils when stimulated with the soluble agent phorbol myristate acetate. Thus, although the oxidase capacity of eosinophils is larger than that of neutrophils, opsonized zymosan is a weak trigger for this activity in eosinophils. This phenomenon may be due to differences between the two cell types in the plasma membrane receptors or in the receptor oxidase transducing signal. The following are indications for the first possibility. i) IgG interacts poorly with the Fc gamma receptors on the eosinophil surface compared with those on neutrophils. This was shown by the inability of IgG-coated zymosan or IgG-coated latex to trigger any substantial H2O2 production by eosinophils unless brought into close contact with these cells by centrifugation. In contrast, neutrophils are stimulated by these particles both in suspension and in a pellet. The dissimilarity of the Fc gamma receptors on eosinophils and neutrophils was also shown with respect to antigenicity, determined by the monoclonal antibodies 3G8 and CLB-FcR-1. ii) Eosinophils contain about half as many receptors for C3b and C3bi on their surface as do neutrophils, also detected with monoclonal antibodies. The interaction of IgG subclasses with functional Fc gamma receptors on eosinophils and neutrophils showed that eosinophils release twice as much H2O2 as do neutrophils upon interaction with IgG1-, IgG2-, or IgG3-coated Sepharose beads, but this difference becomes fivefold with IgG4-coated Sepharose. This might be of relevance to the situation of chronic antigenic stimulation, e.g., in chronic schistosomiasis, in which eosinophil numbers and IgG4 antibody levels are elevated.     

Recipient ability of bacteriophage-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli K-12.

The ability of a wide range of bacteriophage-resistant mutants to act as recipients in conjugation with F'lac pro and R100-1 donors has been studied. A number of mutant types defective in recipient ability with F'lac pro, as well as mutants which were hyperrecptive with R100-1, have been detected.     

Power spectrum entropy of acceleration time-series during movement as an indicator of smoothness of movement

We propose a novel indicator for smoothness of movement, i.e., the power spectrum entropy of the acceleration time-series, and compare it with conventional indices of smoothness. For this purpose, nineteen healthy adults (21.3+/-2.5 years old) performed the task of raising and lowering a beaker between the level of the umbilicus and eye level under the two following conditions: one with the beaker containing water and the other with the beaker containing a weight of the same mass as the water. Moving the beaker up and down when it contained water required extra control to prevent the water from being spilled. This means that movement was not as smooth as when the beaker contained a weight. Under these two conditions, entropy was measured along with a traditional indicator of smoothness of movement, the jerk index. The entropy could distinguish just as well as the jerk index (p<0.01) between when water was used and when the weight was used. The entropy correlated highly with the jerk index, with Spearman's rho at 0.88 (p<0.01). These results showed that the entropy derived from the spectrum of the acceleration time-series during movement is useful as an indicator of the smoothness of that movement.     

Use of electrocumulation of 5-fluorouracil in treating acute experimental pancreatitis

The effect of electrocumulation of 5-fluorouracil with the aid of electric field of constant current was studied in rats with experimental acute pancreatitis. 5-Fluorouracil was injected intraperitoneally in a dose of 4.5 mg per 100 g bw. Serum alpha-amylase, trypsin, trypsin inhibitor, lipase and total protease activity in the pancreatic tissue was studied as indicator of the treatment efficacy with 5-fluorouracil electro-cumulation. The levels of serum enzymes as well as the total proteolytic activity in the pancreatic tissue were far more decreased starting from the 3d-6th hour after induction of acute pancreatitis in rats treated by 5-fluorouracil with the aid of electric field of constant current as compared with other groups of rats.     

Overview of Smith-Magenis syndrome

Increased awareness of the phenotype associated with SMS permits early diagnosis and optimal management and intervention. From a management standpoint, the unique constellation of behavioral dysfunction and sleep disturbances has a significant impact on the parents, siblings and relatives of individuals with SMS as well as the professionals involved in their care. Support groups for families of persons with SMS like PRISMS in the US [http://www.prisms.org], provide families with up-to-date information, as well as emotional and peer support, enabling them to better care for their child.     

Preventive effects of a water-soluble derivative of chroman moiety of vitamin E on lipid hydroperoxide-induced cell injuries and DNA cleavages through repressions of oxidative stress in the cytoplasm of human keratinocytes

ChrCrx (6-hydroxy-2, 5, 7, 8-tetramethyl-chroman-2-carboxylic acid) is a water-soluble analog in which 4', 8', 12'-trimethyltridecyl chain is deleted from an alpha-tocopherol molecule known as a hydrophobic antioxidant. Cell viability of human skin epidermal keratinocytes HaCaT was lowered by treatment with tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BuOOH) of 50 microM for 48 h, designated as a subacute cytotoxicity, which was prevented by previous administration with ChrCrx in a dose-dependent manner as estimated by mitochondrial function-based WST-1 assay and cell morphological microscopy. In contrast an acute cytotoxicity due to treatment with t-BuOOH as dense as 200 microM for a period as short as 2 h could be also prevented with ChrCrx that was administered before and after, but was eliminated during, treatment with t-BuOOH. In contrast alpha-tocopherol was not cytoprotective against t-BuOOH. DNA strand cleavages were induced with t-BuOOH in the keratinocytes, and could be prevented by ChrCrx more effectively than alpha-tocopherol as assayed by TUNEL stain. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was accumulated in a manner dependent on periods of t-BuOOH treatment in the cytoplasm more abundantly rather than the nucleus of keratinocytes, and was markedly diminished by ChrCrx as shown by fluorography using the redox indicator dye. Thus t-BuOOH-induced cell injuries and DNA cleavages of the keratinocytes can be prevented at least in part through efficient diminishment of ROS generated in the cytoplasm, to which the preferred distribution of ChrCrx may be advantageous over to the nucleus or membrane owing to its molecular hydrophilicity relative to alpha-tocopherol.     

Reduction of oxidized inorganic nitrogen compounds by a new strain of Thiobacillus denitrificans

Denitrification by Thiobacillus denitrificans "RT" strain was investigated using manometry and gas chromatography. 1. From nitrate, resting cells produced only nitrogen anaerobically with thiosulfate as the electron donor. The data suggest that nitrate was assimilated and dissimilated by the same nitrate reductase, assayed with benzyl-viologen as the electron donor. 2. From nitrite, whole cells produced nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and nitrogen, using thiosulfate as the electron donor; nitrogen was the final product of the reduction. Crude extract reduced nitrite to nitrogen with p-phenylene-diamine and dimethyl-p-phenylene diamine as the electron donors, and produced nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and nitrogen with tetramethyl-p-phenylene-diamine as the electron donor. Nitrite was reduced to nitric oxide and nitrous oxide by crude extract using ascorbate-phenazine methosulfate as the electron donor. 3. From nitric oxide, whole cells produced nitrous oxide and nitrogen using thiosulfate as the electron donor, nitrogen was the final reduction product. Nitric oxide was reduced to nitrous oxide by crude extract with the ascorbate-phenazine methosulfate system. 4. Whole cells reduced nitrous oxide to nitrogen with thiosulfate as the electron donor. It was not possible to detect any nitrous oxide reductase activity in crude extract. 5. A scheme was of denitrification by Thiobacillus denitrificans "RT" strain.     

The binding site of chicken hepatic lectin

The binding site of the chicken hepatic lectin involved in the clearance of N-acetylglucosamine-terminated serum glycoproteins was explored by a competitive binding assay using 3H-labeled agalacto-orosomucoid and various glycoproteins, polysaccharides, monosaccharides, and glycosides as inhibitors. The binding site is relatively small, involving a terminal nonreducing DGlcNAc structure with an equatorial N-acetamido group on carbon 2 and an equatorial hydroxyl group on carbon 4. Among the mono- and oligosaccharides tested, benzyl alpha DGlcNAc was the best inhibitor, being three times as effective as DGlcNAc; and in general, all alpha-anomeric glycosides were better than beta-glycosides. All oligosaccharides with terminal nonreducing beta DGlcNAc have almost the same inhibitory power, whereas those with nonreducing DGlc or DGal were relatively inactive. Among the serum and blood group glycoproteins, a Smith degraded human H substance with several exposed terminal nonreducing beta DGlcNAc residues was the most active and twice as effective as agalacto-orosomucoid and an A substance, Hog 75 10% precipitate. Almost all hog preparations, some with A or with H activity, were equally effective. A glycopeptide with terminal DGlcNAc was twice as active as one with terminal nonreducing DMan and DGlcNAc residues and almost three times as potent as one with terminal nonreducing DGal; a glycopeptide with terminal sialic acid was inactive. The slopes of the inhibition lines differed, reflecting the heterogeneity of the various determinant groups on the glycoproteins.     

培养基组成对纤维堆壤菌产埃博霉素的影响

埃博霉素(Epothilone)是粘细菌纤维堆壤菌(Sorangium cellulosum)产生的具有抗肿瘤活性的次级代谢产物。为了提高埃博霉素A和B的产量,以及B/A的比率,以G52培养基为基础培养基,研究了黄豆粉、酵母粉、酪蛋白胨和丙酸钠对纤维堆壤菌产埃博霉素的影响。结果表明:低脂黄豆粉和酪蛋白胨作为氮源,同时加入6.25 mmol/L丙酸钠作为前体物质,埃博霉素A和B的产量分别比原始条件平均提高1.47倍和2.88倍,B/A的比率比原始条件平均提高了1.97倍。