Formation of fibrin gel in fibrinogen-thrombin system: static and dynamic light scattering study

The dynamics of thrombin-induced fibrin gel formation was investigated by means of static and dynamic light scattering. The decay time distribution function, obtained by the dynamic light scattering, clearly revealed a stepwise gelation process: the formation of fibrin and protofibril from fibrinogen followed by the lateral aggregation of protofibrils to form fibrin fibers and the formation of a three-dimensional network consisting of fibers. This conversion process was correlated with the angular dependence of the scattered light intensity (static light scattering). The correlation function of dynamic light scattering was analyzed in terms of sol-gel transition and gel structure. The correlation function showed a stretched exponential type behavior before the sol to gel transition point, and it showed a power law behavior at the gelation point.     

Production of mitochondrial DNA transgenic mice using zygotes

Several animal models of human disease, which have been developed by random or targeted modifications of genomic DNA sequences, have furthered our understanding of pathogenesis and the development of therapeutics. However, these models have not facilitated studies on mitochondrial diseases, since modifications to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences are not possible using current recombination techniques. Consequently, information on human mitochondrial diseases is relatively sparse, and issues related to mitochondrial pathogenesis and inheritance remain unresolved. Recently, we reported the development of a new technique to generate mice carrying mutant mtDNA from a mouse cell line. In this report, we describe our techniques in detail, with emphasis on the preparation of donor cytoplasts and the micromanipulative procedures for electrofusion of cytoplasts and recipient zygotes. These steps are critically important for the successful introduction of exogenous mtDNA into embryos, and thereby into animals, so that the mutant mtDNA is efficiently propagated in subsequent generations.     

Effect of catalase-specific inhibitor 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole on yeast peroxisomal catalase in vivo

3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole (3-AT) is known as an inhibitor of catalase to whose active center it specifically and covalently binds. Subcellular fractionation and immunoelectronmicroscopic observation of the yeast Candida tropicalis revealed that, in 3-AT-treated cells in which the 3-AT was added to the n-alkane medium from the beginning of cultivation, catalase transported into peroxisomes was inactivated and was present as insoluble aggregated forms in the organelle. The aggregation of catalase in peroxisomes occurred only in these 3-AT-treated cells and not in cells in which 3-AT was added at the late exponential growth phase. Furthermore, 3-AT did not affect the transportation of catalase into peroxisomes. The appearance of aggregation only in cells to which 3-AT was added from the beginning of cultivation suggests that, in the process of catalase transportation into yeast peroxisomes, some conformational change may take place and that correct folding may be inhibited by the binding of 3-AT to the active center of catalase. Accordingly, 3-AT will be an interesting compound for investigation of the transport machinery of the peroxisomal tetrameric catalase.     

Putative functions of nucleoside diphosphate kinase in plants and fungi

The putative functions of NDP (nucleoside diaphosphate) kinases from various organisms focusing to fungi and plants are described. The biochemical reactions catalyzed by NDP kinase are as follows. (i) Phosphotransferring activity from mainly ATP to cognate NDPs generating nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs). (ii) Autophosphorylation activity from ATP and GTP. (iii) Protein kinase (phosphotransferring) activity phosphorylating such as myelin basic protein. NDP kinase could function to provide NTPs as a housekeeping enzyme. However, recent works proved possible functions of the NDP kinases in the processes of signal transduction in various organisms, as described below. By use of the extracts of the mycelia of a filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa blue-light irradiation could increase the phosphorylation of a 15-kDa protein, which was purified and identified to be NDP kinase (NDK-1). By use of the etiolated seedlings of Pisum sativum cv Alaska and Oryza sativa red-light irradiation of intact plants increased the phosphorylation of NDP kinase. However, successive irradiation by red–far-red reversed the reaction, indicating that phytochrome-mediated light signals are transduced to the phosphorylation of NDP kinase. NDP kinase localizing in mitochondria is encoded by nuclear genome and different from those localized in cytoplasm. NDP kinase in mitochondria formed a complex with succinyl CoA synthetase. In Spinicia oleraceae two different NDP kinases were detected in the chloroplast, and in Pisum sativum two forms of NDP kinase originated from single species of mRNA could be detected in the choloroplast. However, the function of NDP kinases in the choloroplast is not yet known. In Neurospora crassa a Pro72His mutation in NDP kinase (ndk-1 ^Pro72His ) deficient in the autophosphorylation and protein kinase activity resulted in lacking the light-induced polarity of perithecia. In wild-type directional light irradiation parallel to the solid medium resulted in the formation of the perithecial beak at the top of perithecia, which was designated as light-induced polarity of perithecia. In wild-type in darkness the beak was formed at random places on perithecia, and in ndk ^Pro72His mutant the perithecial beak was formed at random places even under directional light illumination. The introduction of genomic DNA and cDNA for ndk-1 demonstrated that the wild-type DNAs suppressed the mutant phenotype. With all these results except for the demonstration in Neurospora, most of the phenomena are elusive and should be solved in the molecular levels concerning with NDP kinases.     

Overexpression, Purification, and Characterization of Human and Bovine Mitochondrial ATPase Inhibitors: Comparison of the Properties of Mammalian and Yeast ATPase Inhibitors

Mitochondrial ATP synthase (F₁F₀-ATPase) is regulated by an intrinsic ATPase inhibitor protein. In this study, we overexpressed and purified human and bovine ATPase inhibitors and their properties were compared with those of a yeast inhibitor. The human and bovine inhibitors inhibited bovine ATPase in a similar way. The yeast inhibitor also inhibited bovine F₁F₀-ATPase, although the activity was about three times lower than the mammalian inhibitors. All three inhibitors inhibited yeast F₁F₀-ATPase in a similar way. The activities of all inhibitors decreased at higher pH, but the magnitude of the decrease was different for each combination of inhibitor and ATPase. The results obtained in this study show that the inhibitory mechanism of the inhibitors was basically shared in yeast and mammals, but that mammalian inhibitors require unique residues, which are lacking in the yeast inhibitor, for their maximum inhibitory activity. Common inhibitory sites of mammalian and yeast inhibitors are suggested.     

Purification and properties of a carbonyl reductase involved in stereoselective reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate from Cylindrocarpon sclerotigenum IFO 31855

A NADPH-dependent carbonyl reductase (CSCR1) was purified to homogeneity from Cylindrocarpon sclerotigenum IFO 31855. The enzyme catalyzed the stereoselective reduction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate to the corresponding (S)-alcohol with a >99% enantiomer excess. The relative molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 68,000 by gel filtration chromatography and 24,800 on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme had an extremely narrow substrate specificity and it highly reduced conjugated diketone, 2,3-butanedion, in addition to ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate. The enzyme activity was inhibited by HgCl(2) (100%), 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (56%), dicoumarol (42%), and CuSO(4) (46%). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme (P-Q-G-I-P-T-A-S-R-L) showed no apparent similarity with those of other oxidoreductases.     

Impaired learning with enhanced hippocampal long-term potentiation in PTPdelta-deficient mice

Protein tyrosine phosphatase delta (PTPdelta) is a receptor-type PTP expressed in the specialized regions of the brain including the hippocampal CA2 and CA3, B lymphocytes and thymic medulla. To elucidate the physiological roles of PTPdelta, PTPdelta-deficient mice were produced by gene targeting. It was found that PTPdelta-deficient mice were semi-lethal due to insufficient food intake. They also exhibited learning impairment in the Morris water maze, reinforced T-maze and radial arm maze tasks. Interestingly, although the histology of the hippocampus appeared normal, the magnitudes of long-term potentiation (LTP) induced at hippocampal CA1 and CA3 synapses were significantly enhanced in PTPdelta-deficient mice, with augmented paired-pulse facilitation in the CA1 region. Thus, it was shown that PTPdelta plays important roles in regulating hippocampal LTP and learning processes, and that hippocampal LTP does not necessarily positively correlate with spatial learning ability. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a specific PTP involved in the regulation of synaptic plasticity or in the processes regulating learning and memory.     

Group I intron located in PR protein homologue gene in Youngia japonica

A Youngia japonica strain had a group I intron that was suggested to have been transferred from Protomyces inouyei, a pathogenic fungus of Y. japonica. It was located in the miraculin homologue coding gene by reverse complementation. The deduced amino acid sequence of this miraculin homologue of Y. japonica was similar to the amino acid sequences of tobacco and tomato pathogenesis-related proteins.     

Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in diabetic retina after transient retinal ischemia

Diabetes is associated with increased neural damage after transient cerebral ischemia. Recently, leukocytes, which are thought to play a central role in ischemia-reperfusion injury, have been suggested to be involved in exacerbated damage after transient ischemia in diabetic animals. The present study was designed to clarify whether the anticipated worse outcome after transient cerebral ischemia in diabetic animals was due to augmented leukocyte-mediated neural injury. Using rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes of 4-wk duration, we investigated leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions during reperfusion after a transient 60-min period of retinal ischemia. Unexpectedly, postischemic diabetic retina showed no active leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions during reperfusion. The maximal numbers of rolling and accumulating leukocytes in diabetic retina were reduced by 73.6 and 41.2%, respectively, compared with those in nondiabetic rats. In addition, neither preischemic insulin treatment of diabetic rats nor preischemic glucose infusion of nondiabetic rats significantly influenced leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions during reperfusion. The present study demonstrated that high blood glucose concentration before induction of ischemia did not exacerbate leukocyte involvement in the postischemic retinal injury. Furthermore, diabetic retina showed suppressed leukocyte-endothelial cells interactions after transient ischemia, perhaps due to an adaptive mechanism that developed during the period of induced diabetes.