Muscarinic Receptors Modulate Dopamine-Activated Adenylate Cyclase of Rat Striatum

We investigated the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on the activation of adenylate cyclase by dopamine (DA) in a lysed synaptosomal preparation from rat striatum. ACh reduced both basal and the DA-activated adenylate cyclase with an apparent IC50 of approximately 1 microM. From a kinetic analysis it appeared that ACh reduced the Vmax for activation by DA but not the activation constant for DA. For most preparations the Vmax was reduced by 30-40%. The presence of atropine did not affect the activation of the enzyme by DA but it blocked the inhibition by ACh. Following 6-hydroxydopamine lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway, the enzyme became supersensitive to activation by DA and also more sensitive to inhibition by ACh. Inhibition of adenylate cyclase by ACh appeared to be rather specific for activation by DA, as ACh had no effect on activation of adenylate cyclase by the adenosine analogue N6-(L-2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine. These results indicate that some striatal muscarinic and dopaminergic receptors are probably coupled to the same adenylate cyclase domain. Moreover, they suggest a biochemical model for the dynamic balance of cholinergic and dopaminergic neurons that innervate the striatum.     

In vitro assessment of the toxicity of metal compounds

A review has been compiled illustrating the directions taken in examining the genotoxic effects of metals and their compounds centering only on those studies pertaining to effects of metals and their compounds on DNA structure and function, such as the induction of DNA strand breaks, production of DNA-protein crosslinks, induction of chromosomal aberrations, and sister chromatid exchanges. Although it is premature to declare a cause and effect relationship between the carcinogenic activity of metals and their ability to induce one or more lesions in DNA, strong evidence is emerging to suggest such a relationship. Low concentrations of metals induce the appearance of DNA lesions, such as strand breaks and crosslinks, or induce sister chromatid exchanges or DNA repair synthesis. Assays based upon these events constitute extremely sensitive probes for genotoxic effects of metals and their compounds. These effects of metals on DNA are consistent with the currently accepted mechanism of chemical carcinogenesis, allowing the acquisition and propagation of altered DNA function. The lack of complete information on the activity of metals in producing DNA lesions allow only preliminary conclusions to be drawn. Certain compounds containing potentially or actually carcinogenic elements, such as Ni, Be, As, Cr, Cd, and to a minor extent Pb, have yielded positive responses in one or more DNA lesion assays. At relatively nontoxic levels of Ni and Cr, considerable evidence suggests that multiple types of DNA lesions are induced.     

PROTEIN METABOLISM AND AMINO ACID ACCUMULATION IN THE RAT SUBMAXILLARY GLAND DURING REDUCED SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY

Abstract— Unilateral sympathetic decentralization of the superior cervical ganglion of rats was performed 3 days prior to the experiments. A two-compartment kinetic model was proposed to describe the effect of decentralization on (1) the uptake of a nonphysiological amino acid from plasma to the submaxillary gland and (2) the incorporation of a physiological amino acid from precursor pool into protein. The calculations based on the model showed that the fractional rate constant for efflux of the nonphysiological amino acid, α-[3-¹⁴C] aminoisobutyric acid, was greater in the decentralized than in the normal gland. However, efflux rate was equal in the two glands because the extrapolated zero time value of the initial concentration was greater in the normal gland.
The labelled physiological amino acid, [¹⁴C]leucine, was used in initial experiments to assess turnover rate of the gland proteins but it was rapidly metabolized to many other radioactive compounds. Therefore, arginine[¹⁴C]guanido was employed-arginine being the only labelled amino acid found after injection. Since the steady state content of submaxillary gland proteins was not changed but the fractional rate constant of conversion of free arginine into protein (k_p) was greater in the decentralized gland (k_p= 0-40 h^_l) than in the normal (k_p= 0-27 h⁻¹), we can conclude that decentralization increases protein turnover rate; thus, assuming that arginine[¹⁴C]guanido is homogeneously distributed in the tissue pools of free arginine, the rate of protein turnover is greater in the sympathetically decentralized gland than in the normal.     

Sphaerotilus Growing in a Continuous-Flow Apparatus: Calcium Nutrition of1

Sphaerotilus natans required calcium for the production of sheaths and probably requires calcium for growth as well, though at a lower concentration. Neither strontium nor barium substituted for calcium. S. natans grew attached to the culture vessels of the continuous-flow apparatus even when no sheaths were produced. Tentative evidence showed that the requirement for calcium is shared by the manganese-oxidizing species S. discophorus.     

Growth-promoting Activity of Spent Sulfite Liquor for Sphaerotilus natans Growing in a Continuous-Flow Apparatus

The calcium in ammonia-base spent sulfite liquor, unlike that in calcium-base spent liquor, is not available for growth of Sphaerotilus natans. It has not been possible to obtain a mixed slime with Sphaerotilus as the dominant organism in a continuous-flow apparatus fed spent sulfite liquor.     

On the Significance of Cytokinin Incorporation into RNA

The clarification of the following 2 questions was attempted: (a) are cytokinins precursors in the formation of sRNA, (b) is the observed incorporation of cytokinins into sRNA related to the action of the hormone? Although Escherichia coli contains cytokinins in its sRNA, no cytokinin auxotroph mutants of E. coli could be found and the statistical probability for the existence of such mutants is extremely low. This suggests that cytokinins are not precursors in the synthesis of sRNA. A radioactive cytokinin, 6-benzylamino-9-methyl-purine was synthesized and it was tested whether or not it is incorporated into sRNA of soybean callus tissue. Masking the 9-position of the purine inhibited the incorporation of this cytokinin into RNA while not affecting its biological activity. This is taken as an indication that the observed incorporation of cytokinins such as benzyladenine into sRNA is not related to the action of this hormone.