Complete cDNA sequences of mouse rod photoreceptor cGMP phosphodiesterase alpha- and beta-subunits, and identification of beta'-, a putative beta-subunit isozyme produced by alternative splicing of the beta-subunit gene.

We have characterized overlapping cDNA clones encoding cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) alpha- and beta-subunits of mouse retinal rod photoreceptors. The open reading frames predict an alpha-subunit of 100 kDa (856 residues), and a beta-subunit of 99 kDa (853 residues). Sequence analysis of two of twelve beta-subunit clones predicts the presence in the retina of an additional PDE, termed beta', which is generated by alternative splicing of the beta-subunit gene. beta' differs from beta only at the C-terminus being 55 residues shorter and lacking the Caax motif found at the C-termini of both the alpha- and beta-subunits. A 300 residue segment thought to contain the active site is present in the C-terminal half of alpha, beta and beta'.     

Immunohistochemical distribution of MAM-3 and MAM-6 antigens in developing salivary glands of the human fetus

Summary The immunohistochemical expression of MAM-3 and MAM-6 antigens was studied in developing human fetal salivary gland removed at autopsy of 22 normal fetuses of varying maturity (10–40 weeks of gestation). The onset of functional maturation in the fetal gland was seen at 21 weeks of gestational maturity. The acini and ducts then underwent distinct alterations in antigen expression with growth and maturation until the late developmental stage (33–40 weeks of gestation) when they resemble the adult salivary gland. The role of maturing duct cells in histogenesis of salivary gland tumours is discussed.     

Induction of the second exopolysaccharide (EPSb) in Rhizobium meliloti SU47 by low phosphate concentrations.

In previous work, Rhizobium meliloti SU47 produced its alternative exopolysaccharide (EPSb [also called EPS II]) only in strains that were genetically altered to activate EPSb synthesis. Here we report that EPSb synthesis is not entirely cryptic but occurred under conditions of limiting phosphate. This was shown in several different exo mutants that are blocked in the synthesis of the normal exopolysaccharide, succinoglycan. In addition, EPSb biosynthetic gene expression was markedly increased by limiting phosphate. An apparent regulatory mutant that does not express alkaline phosphatase activity was unable to produce EPSb under these conditions. A mucR mutant that was previously shown to produce EPSb instead of the normal exopolysaccharide, succinoglycan, was not sensitive to phosphate inhibition of EPSb synthesis. No evidence was found to indicate that exoX, which affects succinoglycan synthesis, had any influence on EPSb synthesis. In contrast to limiting phosphate, limiting nitrogen or sulfur did not stimulate EPSb synthesis as it does succinoglycan.     

Mutagenic DNA repair in enterobacteria.

Sixteen species of enterobacteria have been screened for mutagenic DNA repair activity. In Escherichia coli, mutagenic DNA repair is encoded by the umuDC operon. Synthesis of UmuD and UmuC proteins is induced as part of the SOS response to DNA damage, and after induction, the UmuD protein undergoes an autocatalytic cleavage to produce the carboxy-terminal UmuD' fragment needed for induced mutagenesis. The presence of a similar system in other species was examined by using a combined approach of inducible-mutagenesis assays, cross-reactivity to E. coli UmuD and UmuD' antibodies to test for induction and cleavage of UmuD-like proteins, and hybridization with E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium umu DNA probes to map umu-like genes. The results indicate a more widespread distribution of mutagenic DNA repair in other species than was previously thought. They also show that umu loci can be more complex in other species than in E. coli. Differences in UV-induced mutability of more than 200-fold were seen between different species of enteric bacteria and even between multiple natural isolates of E. coli, and yet some of the species which display a poorly mutable phenotype still have umu-like genes and proteins. It is suggested that umDC genes can be curtailed in their mutagenic activities but that they may still participate in some other, unknown process which provides the continued stimulus for their retention.     

Anomalous carbonylation of [Pd(dppm)(O2CCF3)]2 to give an asymmetric μ-CO complex

The reactive palladium dimer, [Pd(dppm)(O₂CCF₃)]₂, is carbonylated to [Pd(dppm)(O₂CCF₃)]₂(μ-CO) in a reversible reaction with K = c. 7.2(2)x10⁴ atm⁻¹ (P_1/2 = c. 2.4 Torr). This is significantly larger than is expected based on the λ_max = 280 nm in the electronic spectrum. The product can be isolated in analytically pure form by crystallization under a CO atmosphere. It forms crystals in the monoclinic space group Cc with a = 18.584(5), b = 28.65(1), c = 11.164(3) Å and β = 95.16(2)°. The structure is significantly distorted. The bonding about the two palladium atoms is quite asymmetric. While one is close to a square planar geometry with a Pd---C(O) distance of 1.90(2) Å, the other is significantly pyramidalized and has a longer (2.00(2) Å) bond to the bridging CO. The Pd---Pd distance is only 2.896(2) Å, much shorter than that usually observed for formally non-bonded Pd atoms.     

Phylogeny of Helicobacter felis sp. nov., Helicobacter mustelae, and related bacteria.

Strain CS1T (T = type strain) is a gram-negative, microaerophilic, urease-positive, spiral-shaped bacterium that was isolated from the gastric mucosa of a cat. Additional strains which possessed biochemical and ultrastructural characteristics similar to those of strain CS1T were isolated from the gastric mucosa of cats and dogs. The guanine-plus-cytosine content of the DNA of strain CS1T was 42.5 mol%. The 16S rRNA sequences of strain CS1T, strain DS3 (a spiral-shaped isolate from a dog), and Helicobacter mustelae were determined by direct RNA sequencing, using a modified Sanger method. These sequences were compared with the 16S rRNA sequences of Helicobacter pylori, "Flexispira rappini," Wolinella succinogenes, and 11 species of campylobacters. A dendrogram was constructed based upon sequence similarities. Strains CS1T and DS3 were very closely related (level of similarity, 99.3%). Two major phylogenetic groups were formed; one group consisted of strains CS1T and DS3, H. mustelae, H. pylori, "F. rappini," and W. succinogenes, and the other group contained the true campylobacters. The average level of similarity between members of these two groups was 84.9%. Within the first group, strains CS1T and DS3, H. pylori, and H. mustelae formed a cluster of organisms with an interspecies similarity level of 94.5%. The phylogenetic positions of W. succinogenes and "F. rappini" were just outside this cluster. On the basis of the results of this study, we believe that strains CS1T (= ATCC 49179T) and DS3 represent a new species of the genus Helicobacter, for which we propose the name Helicobacter felis.     

Engineering a Bacillus subtilis expression-secretion system with a strain deficient in six extracellular proteases.

We describe the development of an expression-secretion system in Bacillus subtilis to improve the quality and quantity of the secreted foreign proteins. This system consists of a strain (WB600) deficient in six extracellular proteases and a set of sacB-based expression vectors. With the inactivation of all six chromosomal genes encoding neutral protease A, subtilisin, extracellular protease, metalloprotease, bacillopeptidase F, and neutral protease B, WB600 showed only 0.32% of the wild-type extracellular protease activity. No residual protease activity could be detected when WB600 was cultured in the presence of 2 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. By using TEM beta-lactamase as a model, we showed that WB600 can significantly improve the stability of the secreted enzyme. To further increase the production level we constructed an expression cassette carrying sacY, a sacB-specific regulatory gene. This gene was placed under the control of a strong, constitutively expressed promoter, P43. With this cassette in the expression vector, an 18-fold enhancement in beta-lactamase production was observed. An artificial operon, P43-sacY-degQ, was also constructed. However, only a partial additive enhancement effect (24-fold enhancement) was observed. Although degQ can stimulate the production of beta-lactamase in the system, its ability to increase the residual extracellular protease activity from WB600 limits its application. The use of the P43-sacY cassette and WB600 would be a better combination for producing intact foreign proteins in high yield.     

鳅鮀鱼类鳔囊结构及系统发育研究(鲤形目:鲤科)

本文应用分支系统学原理对鳅(鱼它)鱼类的鳔囊、鳔及相关结构进行了特征分圻,并以(鱼句)亚科作为外类群。解剖结果表明,鳅(鱼它)鱼类的鳔分四种类型;分析结果进一步证实鳅(鱼它)鱼类是一个单源群,作为一亚科可分为异鳔鳅(鱼它)属和鳅(鱼它)属,后者又分为原鳅(鱼它)和鳅(鱼它)二个亚属。     

ADP-ribosyl cyclase: an enzyme that cyclizes NAD+ into a calcium-mobilizing metabolite.

Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) is a metabolite of NAD+ that is as active as inositol trisphosphate (IP3) in mobilizing intracellular Ca2+ in sea urchin eggs. The activity of the enzyme responsible for synthesizing cADPR is found not only in sea urchin eggs but also in various mammalian tissue extracts, suggesting that cADPR may be a general messenger for Ca2+ mobilization in cells. An aqueous soluble enzyme, thought to be an NADase, has been purified recently from the ovotestis of Aplysia californica (Hellmich and Strumwasser, 1991). This paper shows that the Aplysia enzyme catalyzes the conversion of NAD+ to cADPR and nicotinamide. The Aplysia enzyme was purified by fractionating the soluble extract of Aplysia ovotestis on a Spectra/gel CM column. The purified enzyme appeared as a single band of approximately 29,000 Da on SDS-PAGE but could be further separated into multiple peaks by high-resolution, cation-exchange chromatography. All of the protein peaks had enzymatic activity, indicating that the enzyme had multiple forms differing by charge. Analysis of the reaction products of the enzyme by anion-exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated no ADP-ribose was produced; instead, each mole of NAD+ was converted to equimolar of cADPR and nicotinamide. The identification of the product as cADPR was further substantiated by proton NMR and also by its Ca(2+)-mobilizing activity. Addition of the product to sea urchin egg homogenates induced Ca2+ release and desensitized the homogenate to authentic cADPR but not to IP3. Microinjection of the product into sea urchin eggs elicited Ca2+ transients as well as the cortical exocytosis reaction. Therefore, by the criteria of HPLC, NMR, and calcium-mobilizing activity, the product was identical to cADPR. To distinguish the Aplysia enzyme from the conventional NADases that produce ADP-ribose, we propose to name it ADP-ribosyl cyclase.