Cloning and sequencing of the rabbit gene encoding T-cell costimulatory molecules

The nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper have been submitted to the GSDB, DDBJ, EMBL, and NCBI nucleotide sequence databases and have been assigned the accession numbers D49841 (RCD28), D49844 (RCTLA-4), D49842 (RCD80), and D49843 (RCD86)     

Application of bacterial magnetic particles as novel DNA carriers for ballistic transformation of a marine cyanobacterium

Summary Bacterial magnetite particles (BMPs) of 50 to 100nm diam were used as DNA carriers for the ballistic transformation of the marine cyanobacteriumSynechococcus. BMPs were bombarded into the cyanobacterial cells at several bombardment velocities using a particle gun. Successful transformation and gene expression were confirmed by Southern hybridization and CAT assay, respectively. The BMPs were also observed in the cyanobacterial cells by transmission electron microscopy. These results suggested that BMPs can be used as carriers for introducing DNA into bacterial cells.     

Oscillations of membrane potential in L cells

Summary Effects of divalent cations on oscillations of membrane potentials (i.e., spontaneous repetitive hyperpolarizing responses) and on hyperpolarizing responses induced by electrical stimuli as well as on resting potentials were studied in large nondividing L cells. Deprivation of Ca²⁺ from the external medium inhibited these hyperpolarizing responses accompanying slight depolarization of the resting potential. Sr²⁺ or Mn²⁺ applied to the external medium in place of Ca²⁺ was able to substitute for Ca²⁺ in the generation of hyperpolarizing responses, while Mg²⁺, Ba²⁺ or La³⁺ suppressed hyperpolarizing responses. The addition of A23187 to the bathing medium or intracellular injection of Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Mn²⁺ or La³⁺ induced membrane hyperpolarization. When the external Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ or Mn²⁺ concentration was increased, the resting potential also hyperpolarized, in a saturating manner. The amplitude of maximum hyperpolarization produced by high external Ca²⁺ was of the same order of magnitude as those of hyperpolarizing responses and was dependent on the external K⁺ concentration. In the light of these experimental observations, it was deduced that the K⁺ conductance increase associated with the hyperpolarizing excitation is the result of an increase in the intracellular concentration of free Ca²⁺ mainly derived from the external solution.     

Amino acids in a carbonaceous chondrite from Antarctica

Summary A carbonaceous chondrite from the Antarctic, referred to as the Allan Hills meteorite 77306, appears to be free from terrestrial organic contamination. The presence of both protein and non-protein amino acids and an equal abundance of D- and L-enantiomers of amino acids, is testimony to the extraterrestrial nature of these compounds.     

Poliovirus surveillance: isolation of polioviruses in Japan, 1980-1991. A report of the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Agents in Japan.

This report presents an overall distribution of poliovirus isolations in Japan, where poliomyelitis has been under control over two decades as a result of legal administration of two doses of the trivalent live oral poliovirus vaccine of the Sabin strains (OPV) to children under 48 months of age. During the past 12 years from 1980 through 1991, a total of 1,126 poliovirus isolations from humans and 268 isolations from sewage/river water were reported by respectively 49 and nine of the participating laboratories. Type 2 was most frequently isolated from children after administration of one dose of OPV, followed by type 1 and type 3. On the contrary, after the second dose of OPV, the rate of isolation of type 3 exceeded those of type 2 and type 1. Seasonal and age distribution of poliovirus isolations from both humans and sewage/river water paralleled the OPV vaccination schedule in Japan. One percent of the isolations were, however, from infants younger than the vaccination-scheduled ages and 5% were from children older than those ages, including one each from 15 and 16 years olds. The data indicate that the poliovirus has silently been disseminated from vaccinated children to others and the community, thus suggesting repeated transmission of the viruses. The fact that some elder children had poliovirus colonization in their alimentary tracts indicates a potential risk of infection of such a population when exposed to a wild virus and of becoming a source of transmission to others.     

Roles of Inorganic Nitrogen in Gametophytic Growth and in Initiation and Development of Sporophytic Shoots of Equisetum arvense

The formation of sporophytic shoots, which is induced by treatmentwith benzylaminopurine of gametophyte tissue of Equisetum arvense,can be divided into initiation and developmental phases. Thenitrogen in MS medium was suitable for two phases as well as gametophytic growth, buta reduction in the concentration of available nitrogen was neededfor the development of shoots. ions alone were effective for gametophytic growth and the initiationof sporophytic shoots, but both and ions was required for the developmental phase. (Received February 18, 1992; Accepted April 14, 1992)     

Production of S-lactoylglutathione by organic-solvent-extracted glyoxalase I from Hansenula mrakii

Summary Glyoxalase I was extracted from Hansenula mrakii IFO 0895 by incubating the cells with buffer solution containing 50% acetone (enzyme activity 35 units/g cells) or 50% ethyl acetate (enzyme activity 28 units/g cells) at 30°C for 10 h. Glyoxalase II was also extracted from the cells, although the activity of the enzyme was lost during incubation with organic solvents, especially at higher temperature (30°C). By using the organic-solvent-extracted fraction of H. mrakii, enzymatic production of S-lactoylglutathione was studied, and approximately 82 mmol/l (30 g/l) of S-lactoylglutathione was produced from 120 mmol/l glutathione. Offprint requests to: A. Kimura     

“Active” conformation of an inactive semi-synthetic ribonuclease-S

We have studied the integrity of folded structure of a fully active semi-synthetic ribonuclease-S which lacks amino acid residues 16 through 20, and an inactive one with the same residues deleted and 4-fluoro-l-histidine substituted for active site histidine 12. Using “Y” form crystals, we obtained X-ray structural data to a resolution of 2·6 Å and, incorporating phase information calculated from refined ribonuclease-S coordinates, prepared several types of electron density maps. These showed that the overall backbone structure and active site configuration of both analogues do not differ noticeably from those of the native protein. Structural homology extends to the catalytically relevant side-chain at position 12; 4-F-His² assumes the same position as does His in active ribonuclease-S. This supports the view that the 4-F-Hisl2 analogue is inactive due to a change in histidine 12 imidazole basicity, rather than to any significant conformational distortion within the active site.     

Effects of Dietary Amino Acids on Brain Amino Acids and Transmitter Amines in Rats with a Portacaval Shunt

The etiologic relationship between disturbances in metabolism of amino acids and amines and hepatic coma was investigated by examining the effects of diets containing various mixtures of amino acids on brain amine metabolism in rats with a portacaval shunt, using a method for simultaneous analysis of amino acids and amines. Rats with a portacaval shunt were fed on four different amino acid compositions with increased amounts of various amino acids suspected to be etiologically related to hepatic coma, such as methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. The animals were killed 4 weeks after operation. During the experimental period, these animals did not become comatose, but exhibited various behavioral abnormalities. Marked increase in the plasma and brain levels of the augmented amino acids, especially methionine and tyrosine, were observed in rats with a portacaval shunt. Brain noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin levels were significantly decreased when the brain tyrosine level was increased. These results indicate that in rats with a portacaval shunt the dietary levels of amino acids greatly influence the brain levels of both amino acids and transmitter amines.