Mutation of a Major Keratin Phosphorylation Site Predisposes to Hepatotoxic Injury in Transgenic Mice

Simple epithelia express keratins 8 (K8) and 18 (K18) as their major intermediate filament (IF) proteins. One important physiologic function of K8/18 is to protect hepatocytes from drug-induced liver injury. Although the mechanism of this protection is unknown, marked K8/18 hyperphosphorylation occurs in association with a variety of cell stresses and during mitosis. This increase in keratin phosphorylation involves multiple sites including human K18 serine-(ser)52, which is a major K18 phosphorylation site. We studied the significance of keratin hyperphosphorylation and focused on K18 ser52 by generating transgenic mice that overexpress a human genomic K18 ser52→ ala mutant (S52A) and compared them with mice that overexpress, at similar levels, wild-type (WT) human K18. Abrogation of K18 ser52 phosphorylation did not affect filament organization after partial hepatectomy nor the ability of mouse livers to regenerate. However, exposure of S52A-expressing mice to the hepatotoxins, griseofulvin or microcystin, which are associated with K18 ser52 and other keratin phosphorylation changes, resulted in more dramatic hepatotoxicity as compared with WT K18-expressing mice. Our results demonstrate that K18 ser52 phosphorylation plays a physiologic role in protecting hepatocytes from stress-induced liver injury. Since hepatotoxins are associated with increased keratin phosphorylation at multiple sites, it is likely that unique sites aside from K18 ser52, and phosphorylation sites on other IF proteins, also participate in protection from cell stress.     

A Phosphothreonine Residue at the C-Terminal End of the Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Is Protected by Fusicoccin-Induced 14–3–3 Binding

We have isolated the plasma membrane H⁺−ATPase in a phosphorylated form from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaf tissue incubated with fusicoccin, a fungal toxin that induces irreversible binding of 14–3–3 protein to the C terminus of the H⁺-ATPase, thus activating H⁺ pumping. We have identified threonine-948, the second residue from the C-terminal end of the H⁺-ATPase, as the phosphorylated amino acid. Turnover of the phosphate group of phosphothreonine-948 was inhibited by 14–3–3 binding, suggesting that this residue may form part of a binding motif for 14–3–3. This is the first identification to our knowledge of an in vivo phosphorylation site in the plant plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase.     

褪黑素对睡眠的调节

褪黑素独特的昼夜分泌节律有固定的相位关系。多年来的研究表明,在日行性运行,生理性的褪黑素浓度升高是睡眠的促发因子。外源性慢性给予褪黑素以调节睡眠节律为主;而急性给药,又 可观察到直接的催眠效果。褪黑素影响睡眠的机制是多方面的,它可通过对各种神经内分泌系统、神经递质及其受体、视交叉上核、体温以及神经免疫免疫的作用来参与睡眠的调节。     

Genomic screen for QTLs underlying alcohol consumption in the P and NP rat lines

Selective breeding for voluntary alcohol consumption was utilized to establish the alcohol-preferring (P) and alcohol-nonpreferring (NP) rat lines. Inbreeding was initiated after 30 generations of selection and, after 19 generations of inbreeding, 384 F₂ intercross progeny were created to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) influencing alcohol consumption. We had reported previously a QTL on Chromosome (Chr) 4; additional markers genotyped on Chr 4 have increased the maximum lod score from 8.6 to 9.2. This QTL acts in an additive fashion and continues to account for approximately 11% of the phenotypic variability. The 95% confidence interval is 12.5 cM and includes the candidate gene, neuropeptide Y. Subsequent to the identification of the QTL on Chr 4, a genome scan was completed to identify additional QTLs influencing alcohol consumption. A lod score of 2.5 was obtained on Chr 3, syntenic to a region previously reported for alcohol preference in mice. Analysis of Chr 8 produced a lod score of 2.2 near the dopamine D2 and serotonin 1b receptors, which have been previously reported as candidate genes for alcohol preference. Evidence for linkage to alcohol consumption was not found on any other chromosome. It therefore appears likely that, in addition to the QTL on Chr 4, multiple loci of small to moderate effect, such as those on Chrs 3 and 8, underlie the difference in alcohol consumption in the P/NP lines. Received: 15 September 1998 / Accepted: 8 October 1998     

Multi-user test of the data quality matrix for product life cycle inventory data

The data quality matrix for product life cycle inventory data proposed inWhdkma &Wlsnaus (J. Cleaner Prod. (1996), 4: 167-174) was subjected to a multi-user test, in which 7 persons scored the same 10 datasets representing 10 different processes. Deviations among scores were listed, and the causes for deviations were determined and grouped into a limited number of well-defined classes. For the majority of the scores, the different test persons arrived at the same score. Deviations occur most often among neighbouring scores. Only a smaller number of the deviations (less than 10% of all scores) affect the overall assessment of the data quality and/or uncertainty of the corresponding dataset. Based on the analysis of the causes of the deviations, improvements to the matrix and its accompanying explanations were suggested and implemented (reported in the appendix to this paper). The average time consumption for the scoring by the different test persons was less than 10 minutes per data set. It is concluded that the time consumption and the number of deviating scores can be kept at an acceptable level for the pedigree matrix to be recommended for internal data quality management and for comprehensive communication of quality assessments of large amounts of data.     

Ang Ⅱ 对培养新生大鼠心肌成纤维细胞增殖及丝裂素活化蛋白激酶的影响

本研究目的在于探讨丝裂素活化蛋白激酶（ＭＡＰＫ）是否在ＡｎｇⅡ（１０－８ｍｏｌ／Ｌ）诱导的培养新生大鼠心肌成纤维细胞（ＦＢ）的增殖反应中起重要作用。实验以ＦＢ数目和ＤＮＡ合成速率（３Ｈ－胸腺嘧啶掺入率）为增殖指标,［γ－３２Ｐ］ＡＴＰ掺入法和免疫印迹法分别测定ＦＢＭＡＰＫ的活性和含量,结果发现（１）ＡｎｇⅡ处理ＦＢ２４ｈ后,ＤＮＡ合成速率和细胞数比对照组分别增加６０％和３９％;（２）ＡｎｇⅡ处理ＦＢ５ｍｉｎ后,ＭＡＰＫ活性比对照组增高２０３％;（３）培养新生大鼠ＦＢ含有两个ＭＡＰＫ同型体－ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ和ｐ４２ｍａｐｋ,其中ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ含量高于ｐ４２ｍａｐｋ,分别为总量的５８％和４２％。ＡｎｇⅡ处理５ｍｉｎ后,ＭＡＰＫ蛋白含量（ｐ４４＋ｐ４２〕增高４２９％,其中ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ的增加明显大于ｐ４２ｍａｐｋ的增加,分别比相应对照增高４８６％和３４９％。以上结果表明,ＡｎｇⅡ诱导的ＭＡＰＫ活性和含量的增加,参与了ＦＢ的增殖反应,其中ｐ４４ｍａｐｋ的作用较为显著     

七个气象因子对海南山蛭种群数量动态影响八年观测研究

在海南岛五指山腹地橡胶林中系统观测海南山蛭种群数量变动8年．对海南山蛭种群数量Y与气候因素X_(1-n)的关系建立逐步最优回归方程Y=b_0 b_1X_1 b_2X_2 …… b_nX_n计算分析采用国际标准化最新版本SAS(6.11)软件进行分析．逐步回归分析表明：1）每年海南山蛭种群数量变动不同,影响其数量变动主要因素是X_1,X_2和X_3.2）雨季（5～10月）种群数量明显大,其主要影响因素是X_1,X_2和X_5,旱季（11月～次年4月）种群数量小,其主要影响因素是X_1.3）8年19条回归方程,7个气象因素中影响种群数量变动的主要气象因素是X_1,X_2和X_5,X_7,与山蛭生物学特性一致,本研究结果为山蛭防治提供科依据．     

乙肝病毒表面抗原preS1与人肿瘤坏死因子α融合基因的表达

用ＰＣＲ法获得了ＨＢｓＡｇｐｒｅＳ１（１－６５）肽段基因,将该基因融合在肿瘤坏死因子（ｈＴＮＦα）之后,插入表达载体ＰＳＢ－９２中,使融合基因的５′端直接置于大肠肝菌ＰＬ启动子下游,采用３０℃培养,４２℃诱导,获得了ＴＮＦ与ｐｒｅＳ１（１－６５）融合蛋白的表达产物。ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ电泳显示表达产物为２５ｋＤ,约占细菌总蛋白的３５％。表达产物经Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ验证,能分别特异地与ｈＴＮＦα抗体与ｐｒｅＳ１抗体结合,稀释复性后,该融合蛋白还具有ＴＮＦ的生理功能（对Ｌ９２９细胞的细胞毒活性）。经ＤＮＡ序列测定,ｐｒｅＳ１（１－６５）肽基因正确地融合在ｈＴＮＦα基因之后。该结果提供了一种制备ｐｒｅＳ１的新方法,为进一步开展治疗肝癌和乙肝的导向药物打下基础。     

Chinese tomato yelIow Ieaf curl virus— a new species of geminivirus

Chine tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV-CHI) and other geminiviruses were analysed with 20 monoclonaI antibodies. It was shown that TYLCV-CHI is serclogicaIly close to Chinese tabacco Ieaf curl virus (TbLCV-CHI). The fragment of TYLCV-CHI DNA including the common region (CR), N-terminal of coat protein gene and AV1 gene was amplified by PCR and cloned, and its DNA sequence was determined. These raults showed that TYLCV-CHI is different from other known geminiviruses in the world, and is a new whitefly-transmitted gerninivirus.     

Nuclear reassemblyin vitro is independent of nucleosome/chromatin assembly

It was show11 that nuclear reassembly was induced by small pieces of DNA fragments in cell-free extracts ofXenopus. In an attempt to learn the relationship between the nuclear reassembly and nucleosome/chromatin assembly, limited amounts of CM-Cellulose are used to eliminate the capacity of the egg extract S-150 to assemble chromatin. while the forming of nucleosomes is checked with DNA supercoiling by plasmid DNA pBR322 incubated in the extract, and further analysed by micrococcal nuclease digestion. This depleted extract is then used to induce nuclear reassembly around demembraned sperms with membrane vesicles. It is found that CM-Cellulose depletes histones H2A and H2B efficiently and blocks the assembly of nucleosomes, the demembraned sperms are yet reconstituted into nuclei in the treated S-150, although the chromatin in reassembled nuclei does not produce protected DNA fragments when digested with micrococcal nuclease. It suggests that in the cell-free system ofXenopus, DNA can be formed into nuclei without assembly of nucleosomes or chromatin.