Effect of neurectomy on nuclease activity in skeletal muscles of rats

Author followed up the activity of the three enzymes involved in the catabolism of nucleic acids--acid deoxyribonulease (DNase II), alkaline ribonuclease (RNase I), and acid ribonuclease (RNase II)--in the denervated gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of rats for 28 postoperative days. The activity of both acid nucleases increased in both types of denervated muscles, compared with the respective controls. Up to the 14th postoperative day, the activity excess of both acid nucleases was more significant in the m. gastrocnemius than in the m. soleus. The RNase I ran below the control activity during the whole period in the m. soleus and up to the 14th day in the m. gastrocnemius. The role of nucleases and nuclease inhibitors in the changes of nucleic acid catabolism in neurogenic muscular atrophies is discussed.     

DnaB proteolysis in vivo regulates oligomerization and its localization at oriC in Bacillus subtilis

Initiation of bacterial DNA replication at oriC is mediated by primosomal proteins that act cooperatively to melt an AT-rich region where the replicative helicase is loaded prior to the assembly of the replication fork. In Bacillus subtilis, the dnaD, dnaB and dnaI genes are essential for initiation of DNA replication. We established that their mRNAs are maintained in fast growing asynchronous cultures. DnaB is truncated at its C-terminus in a growth phase-dependent manner. Proteolysis is confined to cytosolic, not to membrane-associated DnaB, and affects oligomerization. Truncated DnaB is depleted at the oriC relative to the native protein. We propose that DNA-induced oligomerization is essential for its action at oriC and proteolysis regulates its localization at oriC. We show that DnaB has two separate ssDNA-binding sites one located within residues 1–300 and another between residues 365–428, and a dsDNA-binding site within residues 365–428. Tetramerization of DnaB is mediated within residues 1–300, and DNA-dependent oligomerization within residues 365–428. Finally, we show that association of DnaB with the oriC is asymmetric and extensive. It encompasses an area from the middle of dnaA to the end of yaaA that includes the AT-rich region melted during the initiation stage of DNA replication.     

On the anatomical definition of arterial networks in blood flow simulations: comparison of detailed and simplified models

Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology - The goal of this work is to assess the impact of vascular anatomy definition degree in the predictions of blood flow models of the arterial network. To...     

Action potentials of the rabbit, guinea pig, dog and albino rat working ventricular myocardium under interpolated extrasystole conditions during postnatal ontogenesis

Experiments were carried out on the working myocardium of the right heart ventricle of newborn and adult rabbits, guinea-pigs, dogs and albino rats. In the dog, the guinea-pig and the rabbit, after ten action potentials (AP) elicited with 1 Hz frequency we always interpolated an extrasystole at an interval (TE) of 100-900 ms. In albino rats we used a basic frequency of 2 Hz and a TE of 30-370 ms from the last regular AP. Using glass microelectrodes, we recorded the extrasystolic AP (EAP) and the next subsequent AP (2AP). The results were evaluated by constructing graphs of the correlations of the duration of the plateau phase (D0) to TE and of the duration of repolarization to -60 mV level (D60) to the TE. In the myocardium of newborn rabbits, guinea-pigs and dogs, with short TE both D0 and D60 of the EAP are shorter than in the steady state (SS), while for the 2AP the same parameters are influenced only a little. As the TE lengthens, the EAP gradually acquire a length corresponding more to the SS. With TE longer than half the duration of the cycle in the steady state the EAP return to normal, while the 2AP become shorter. The effect of extrasystole on the rat EAP and 2AP diminished with advancing age. In the myocardium of adult rabbits and adult guinea-pigs, and slightly in the myocardium of adult dogs and newborn rats, we observed that the duration of the EAP, with certain TE, was greater than in the steady state.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A microcomputer-based analyser for evaluation of contractile properties of a cardiac muscle

A computer controlled equipment is described for computer analysis of isometric contractions of cardiac muscle by different modes of excitation. Both the method and the programme are presented. The following parameters are analysed: half and full contraction time, half relaxation time, maximum force developed during contraction, maximum rate of force development. The same computer is simultaneously used for controlling the stimulation.     

The localization of calcium by X-ray microanalysis in myopathic muscle fibers

An electron histochemical study was undertaken to localize calcium with ammonium oxalate precipitation technique in soleus muscle of rat in normal cases and in myopathy induced experimentally by a prolonged treatment of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D). The calcium content of precipitates was detected by energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. In normal cases, the electron dense precipitates containing calcium were mainly found in the vesicles of sarcoplasmic reticulum, whereas in 2,4-D induced myopathy the deposits were shifted near the Z line into the myofibrils. Calcium, because the uptake into sarcoplasmic vesicles was inhibited by 2,4-D, could attach to other binding sites, such as to the troponin-C.A long-lasting binding of calcium might lead to a prolonged activation of the actin-myosin system.