The action of membranotropic compounds with various structures on the parameters of the phase transition of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine

The effect of substances of different nature on the thermodynamic characteristics of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) phase transition by the differential scanning microcalorimetry has been studied. The substances disposed in hydrophobic part of membrane--alpha-tocopherol, ubiquinone Q10, ionol and vitamin K3 cause the decrease of enthalpy and cooperativity of phase transition. The substances which have the side hydrocarbon chain (tocopherol and ubiquinone Q10) compared with ones without it (ionol and vitamin K3) and reduced quinones (Q10 and vitamin K3) compared with the oxidized ones have stronger influence on the enthalpy and cooperativity of transition. The inclusion of the local anesthetic dicaine disposed mainly in the zone of polar heads of phospholipids into DMPC membranes decreases the temperature of phase transition considerably and practically does not change the cooperativity. A possibility to use the method of differential scanning microcalorimetry to estimate the localization of membrane tropic substances within lipid bilayer is under discussion.     

Modeling of adaptations to physical training by using a recursive least squares algorithm

Busso, Thierry, Christian Denis, Régis Bonnefoy,André Geyssant, and Jean-René Lacour. Modeling ofadaptations to physical training by using a recursive least squaresalgorithm. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(5):1685-1693, 1997.The present study assesses the usefulnessof a systems model with time-varying parameters for describing theresponses of physical performance to training. Data for two subjectswho undertook a 14-wk training on a cycle ergometer were used to testthe proposed model, and the results were compared with a model withtime-invariant parameters. Two 4-wk periods of intensive training wereseparated by a 2-wk period of reduced training and followed by a 4-wkperiod of reduced training. The systems input ascribed to the trainingdoses was made up of interval exercises and computed in arbitraryunits. The systems output was evaluated one to five times per week byusing the endurance time at a constant workload. The time-invariantparameters were fitted from actual performances by using the leastsquares method. The time-varying parameters were fitted by using arecursive least squares algorithm. The coefficients of determinationr² were 0.875 and0.879 for the two subjects using the time-varying model, higher thanthe values of 0.682 and 0.666, respectively, obtained with thetime-invariant model. The variations over time in the model parametersresulting from the expected reduction in the residuals appearedgenerally to account for changes in responses to training. Such a modelwould be useful for investigating the underlying mechanisms ofadaptation and fatigue.

     

Purification and properties of leucyl-tRNA synthetase from the cow mammary gland

Three forms (E1, E2 and E3) of leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS) were separated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography of total aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from cow lactating mammary gland. The method of purification of all three components is described. E1 is a dimeric molecule (alpha 2) of molecular weight 182 000. Two other forms of molecular weight 67 000 and 64,000 consist of a single polypeptide chain as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Optimum conditions and kinetic parameters of leucyl-tRNA formation were studied for every enzyme form. The low values of Vmax and thermostability are characteristic of E3. All forms of LeuRS interact with 6 isoaccepting tRNA(Leu) from lactating mammary gland and can activate leucine in the absence of tRNA. E2 and E3 are supposed to derive from the native enzyme by endogenous proteolysis. The physico-chemical properties of native LeuRS from lactating mammary gland are compared with those of LeuRS's from other sources.     

Probability of neuronal spike initiation as a curve-crossing problem for Gaussian stochastic processes

Sinusoidally modulated current, I=A cos(2ft)+C, for A/C>1/3, was injected into the soma of an identified molluscan neurone, for frequencies that gave about one action potential/cycle. Phase locked responses were characterised by the 1:1 phase-locking-phase angle; some entrained response were not phase-locked, and some responses were not periodic. These oscillatory free runs and non-periodic responses are the result of the internal noise that is also responsible for the variability of the endogenous discharge of the neurone.     

Application of the ‘profiles of relationship’ method to distantly related proteins

Summary An analysis is made of the applicability of the recently published profiles of relationship method for establishing evolutionary relatedness among proteins by using the distantly related proinsulin and neurotoxin protein se-quences as a test object. The method is based on a simultaneous group analysis of both the frequency of acceptance of mutations and their genetic code inter-changeability. Regularities in the patterns of the profiles, which reflect decreased similarity with the passage of time, are established for typical cases of closely related, distantly related and unrelated proteins. This makes it possible to distinguish distantly related from unrelated proteins without extensive statistical randomization procedures. New evidence is stated in favour of a previously suggested definition of interchangeability which does not consider the third base in the codon. The applicability of the profiles of relationship method is examined on the distant relationship between proinsulin and the snake and scorpion neurotoxins which has been established previously by means of conventional approaches.     

Xrs2, a DNA Repair Gene of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Is Needed for Meiotic Recombination

The XRS2 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been previously identified as a DNA repair gene. In this communication, we show that XRS2 also encodes an essential meiotic function. Spore inviability of xrs2 strains is rescued by a spo13 mutation, but meiotic recombination (both gene conversion and crossing over) is highly depressed in spo13 xrs2 diploids. The xrs2 mutation suppresses spore inviability of a spo13 rad52 strain suggesting that XRS2 acts prior to RAD52 in the meiotic recombination pathway. In agreement with the genetic data, meiosis-specific double-strand breaks at the ARG4 meiotic recombination hotspot are not detected in xrs2 strains. Despite its effects on meiotic recombination, the xrs2 mutation does not prevent mitotic recombination events, including homologous integration of linear DNA, mating-type switching and radiation-induced gene conversion. Moreover, xrs2 strains display a mitotic hyper-rec phenotype. Haploid xrs2 cells fail to carry out G2-repair of gamma-induced lesions, whereas xrs2 diploids are able to perform some diploid-specific repair of these lesions. Meiotic and mitotic phenotypes of xrs2 cells are very similar to those of rad50 cells suggesting that XRS2 is involved in homologous recombination in a way analogous to that of RAD50.     

Phenotype and "critical segments" of chromosomes during partial aneuploidy for chromosome 4 in man

Computerized analysis of sparse matrix, based on the list of involved organs, body parts, extremities, function etc. (total item number about 600) was performed for different cytogenetically identified anomalies of human chromosome 4 (35 cases of 4p-, 32 cases of 4p+, 39 cases of 4q-, 39 cases of 4q+; both published and original data were used). For each of the four types of partial aneusomy, 4 specific enough groups of traits were revealed which had been found in 50% of respective patients, at least. Such "nuclei" of traits were highly similar to those given in comprehensive modern manuals. However, 4p- and 4q- could only be classified as strictly enough delineated chromosomal syndromes. The 4(p14-pter) region was found to be the most likely crucial segment for the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome.     

Properties of the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential in mammalian sympathetic ganglion cells

Two types of slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) with different properties were found in neurons of the rabbit superior cervical sympathetic ganglion. In our group of neurons slow EPSPs increased during artificial hyperpolarization and decreased during depolarization of the membrane. The input resistance of the cells fell or remained unchanged during the development of slow EPSPs. In the second group of cells slow EPSPs increased during depolarization and decreased during hyperpolarization. The reversal potential of these responses, determined by extrapolation, was –78.9±3.6 mV. Depolarization responses to activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors by acetylcholine or carbachol developed in 53% of neurons with an increase in input resistance and had a reversal potential of –83.2±6.7 mV. It is suggested that in cells of the first group the ionic mechanism of the slow EPSPs is similar to that of the fast EPSPs, whereas in cells of the second group its main component is a decrease in the potassium conductance of the membrane.A. A. Bogomolets Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Kiev. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 371–379, July–August, 1981.     

Different families of double-stranded conformations of DNA as revealed by computer calculations

An algorithm has been developed that permits one to find all possible conformations of the sugar-phosphate backbone for any given disposition of DNA base pairs. For each of the conformations thus obtained, the energy of the helix was calculated by the method of atom-atom potentials. Several isolated regions in the space of the bases′ parameters (Arnott's parameters) have been found for energetically favorable helical structures. Two parameters, the distance of a base pair from the helix axis, D, and the windling angle, τ, allow one to subdivide possible conformations into the families of closely related forms. Two regions (ravines) on the (D, τ) map correspond to the know A and B families. In the B family a continuous transition has been obtained in which the double helix undergoes increasing winding, while the base pairs are moving toward the major (nonglycosidic) groove. Interrelationships between the variables, characterizing the spatial structure of the double helix, D, τ, TL and χ, when going along the bottom of the B ravine, were also obtained. Besides the Known A and B families, several new ones were found to be energetically possible. Among these the strongly underwound helices with the negative D values, as well as the forms with the C4-C5 angle in a trans position, should be mentioned. Biological roles of the different double-stranded conformations, in particular, in protein-nuclei acid interaction are discussed.