A cellular 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine binding protein from a human carcinoma cell line. Purification and characterization

A cellular binding protein for 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) was solubilized with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) from A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells. The binding activity is T3 specific. Analysis of the equilibrium binding data indicated that the binding protein has one class of binding sites for T3 with a Kd of (17 +/- 3) nM and Bmax of (1.8 +/- 0.6) pmol/50 micrograms of protein. The pH optimum for binding is 6.8. The T3 binding protein elutes from Sephadex G-200 in an included peak which has a Stokes radius of 40 A and sediments on glycerol gradients at 3.7 S. By affinity labeling with [3,5-125I]thyroxine a protein with a molecular weight of 58,000 was specifically labeled. Its isoelectric point was determined to be 7.1, which is different from the reported pIs of other thyroid hormone binding proteins. p58 was successively purified to apparent homogeneity by chromatography on Sephadex G-200, QAE-Sephadex, SP-Sephadex, and hydroxylapatite. Approximately 50 micrograms of purified protein was obtained from 2.5 X 10(9) cells with a yield of 1.1%. The purified protein retains its binding activity. The specific binding activity is enriched by approximately 1000-fold. With the availability of a purified protein with T3 binding activity, it becomes possible to study its cellular function.     

Block duplications of a zeta-zeta-alpha-theta gene set in the rabbit alpha-like globin gene cluster

In order to understand the coordinate regulation between the alpha-like and beta-like globins during the developmental switches in hemoglobin synthesis, we have studied the rabbit alpha-like globin gene family. A cluster of six linked genes arranged 5'-zeta 1-alpha 1-theta 1-zeta 2-zeta 3-theta 2-3' has been isolated as a set of overlapping clones from a library of rabbit genomic DNA. Blot-hybridization analysis of genomic DNA not only confirms this linkage arrangement but also reveals the presence of additional zeta and theta genes. We propose that this gene cluster was generated by a block duplication of a set of alpha-like genes; the proposed duplication unit is zeta-zeta-alpha-theta. Further duplications of a zeta-zeta-theta set are also proposed to have occurred. As expected for a duplicated locus, the rabbit alpha-like gene cluster contains long blocks of internal homology. The Z homology block is about 7.2 kilobase pairs long and contains the zeta genes; the T homology block is about 4.7 kilobase pairs long and contains a theta gene. Surprisingly, both Z and T homology blocks are flanked by a common junction sequence (J) which contains a region very similar to the 3'-untranslated sequence of an alpha-globin gene. Analysis of the J sequences suggests a recombination mechanism by which the alpha gene could have been deleted from the second set of genes in the cluster (zeta 2-zeta 3-theta 2). The relationships among the genes in characterized alpha-like gene clusters in mammals are summarized. The rabbit gene cluster differs from those of other mammals principally in the loss of a gene orthologous to the human psi alpha 1 and in the block duplication of the zeta-zeta-alpha-theta gene set.     

Demographic Trends of Aging — Application to Gerodontology1

Aging of the global world population both in developed and developing countries, an unbalanced male-female ratio within this elderly population, increasing populations – including elderly – within urban areas, all will have a marked effect on the practice of dentistry. Furthermore, major epidemiological changes occurring in the dental field, including an increasing dentition life expectancy, increasing root caries prevalence, decreasing coronal caries rates in children, and the relative increase in the prevalence of periodontal problems will have further impact on the dental care system. Major changes need to be anticipated both at the level of the care provider, including the dentist, the hygienist and the dental assistant, and at the level of the potential patient, especially among the geriatric population, if the profession is to be prepared to adequately address these issues.     

The cell biology of Drosophila wing metamorphosis in vitro

Summary We have examined the metamorphosis of the wing imaginal disc of Drosophila during culture in vitro in the continuous presence of 20-hydroxy ecdysone (0.1 g/ ml). We find that the sequence of cellular changes in the wing blade during culture closely match those occurring in situ, involving two periods at which the dorsal and ventral surfaces are joined only by cell processes containing trans-alar microtubule arrays. Good pupal and imaginal cuticle secretion is found in this system.     

Electron donation in Photosystem II

The electron transfer resulting from illumination and dark storage of PS II has been studied using EPR signals from several electron carriers. The recombination of D⁺ (Signal II) and Q⁻_A formed by illumination occurred during dark storage at 77 K and was used to deplete reaction centres of D⁺. The donor D was then shown to be oxidized in the dark by the S₂ state of the oxygen-evolving complex. A slow change which occurred during dark storage of PS II samples was detected using the power saturation characteristics of D. We interpret this effect on D to be an indirect result of a rearrangement of the manganese complex during long-term dark adaptation. A role for D in the stability, protection and perhaps initial manganese binding of the oxygen-evolving complex is suggested.     

柚花头香化学成分的研究(一)

本文首次报道柚花的香气成分。作者利用憎水性树脂XAD-4吸附柚鲜花的头香,并以毛细管气相色谱和毛细管气相色谱-质谱-计算机联用方法研究头香的化学组分,分离鉴定了17个已知化学成分。它们是芳樟醇、β-蒎烯、β-水芹烯、橙花叔醇等。     

Some physicochemical properties of rice mitochondrial DNA

Summary Certain physicochemical properties of rice mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were determined. Certain low-molecular-weight mtDNA bands were found in addition to the major mtDNA band. Rice mtDNA appeared in the electron microscope as a collection of linear molecules with heterogeneous length in the range of 1–156 kb. The major distribution area was 60–105 kb. A small fraction (less than 5%) of rice mtDNA was found in the form of a circular molecule. Some molecules had the appearance of being supercoiled. Replication fork structures were found in both circular and linear mtDNA molecules. In one rice species, Jin Nante, 15 different circular molecules were found. Rice mtDNA was digested with different restriction enzymes. The total molecular weight of rice mtDNA was calculated to be about 300 kb according to the data of restriction enzyme digestion and electron microscopy.