cDNA-directed expression of rat testosterone 7 alpha-hydroxylase using the modified vaccinia virus, T7-RNA-polymerase system and evidence for 6 alpha-hydroxylation and delta 6-testosterone formation

The modified vaccinia virus, T7-RNA-polymerase cDNA-expression system was used to express rat cytochrome P-450a. Various parameters such as host-cell type and density, and duration of infection were tested to optimize the level of expression of cytochrome P-450a enzyme activity. Cytochrome P-450a expressed from the cDNA sequence was exclusively incorporated into the membrane-containing portions of the cell lysates, as expected from its normal association in the liver endoplasmic reticulum. The enzyme displayed a carbon-monoxide-reduced-cytochrome-P-450a difference spectrum with a Soret maximum of 450 nm. Activity measurements revealed that cytochrome P-450a produced three metabolites of testosterone; 7 alpha-hydroxytestosterone and 6 alpha-hydroxytestosterone and delta 6-testosterone at a ratio of about 38:1:1. Under the appropriate conditions, the vaccinia-virus, T7-RNA-polymerase system produces high levels of a single form of cytochrome P-450 in cells that are virtually devoid of endogenous cytochrome P-450. Analysis of the cytochrome P-450 in its natural membrane-bound state, as opposed to artificial-lipid reconstitution studies of purified enzymes, allows accurate and confident measurements of substrate specificities.     

5,6,7,8-Tetrahydromethanopterin-dependent enzymes involved in methanogenesis

Abstract In the process of methanogenesis, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydromethanopterin (H₄MPT) is the carrier of the C₁ unit at the formyl through methyl state of reduction. By the transfer of a formyl group from formylmethanofuran, 5-formyl- and 10-formyl-H₄MPT are formed in hydrogenotrophic and methylotrophic organisms, respectively. Cyclohydrolysis of the 5- and 10-formyl derivatives then yields 5,10-methenyl-H₄MPT, which is reduced in two subsequent coenzyme F₄₂₀-dependent reactions to 5-methyl-H₄MPT. Following the transfer of the methyl group to coenzyme M, the substrate of the terminal step in methanogenesis, methylcoenzyme M, is produced. In this paper properties of the enzymes catalyzing the individual H₄MPT-dependent reactions are discussed.     

Methylation and expression of the Myo D1 determination gene

Mouse embryo cells induced to differentiate with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine represent an excellent model system to investigate the molecular control of development. Clonal derivatives of 10T1/2 cells that have become determined to the myogenic or adipogenic lineages can be isolated from the multipotential parental line after drug treatment. These determined derivatives can be cultured indefinitely and will differentiate into end-stage phenotypes on appropriate stimulation. A gene called Myo D1, recently isolated from such a myoblast line, will confer myogenesis when expressed in 10T1/2 or other cell types (Davis et al. 1987). The cDNA for Myo D1 contains a large number of CpG sequences and the gene is relatively methylated in 10T1/2 cells and an adipocyte derivative, but is demethylated in myogenic derivatives. Myo D1 may therefore be subject to methylation control in vitro. On the other hand, preliminary observations suggest that Myo D1 is not methylated at CCGG sites in vivo so that a de novo methylation event may have occurred in vitro. These observations may have significance in the establishment of immortal cell lines and tumours.     

Differential Regulation of Phosphoinositide Phosphodiesterase Activity in Brain Membranes by Guanine Nucleotides and Calcium

We have shown previously that calcium and guanine nucleotides stimulate the activity of a phosphoinositide (PI) phosphodiesterase in membranes from rat cerebral cortex and that their effects are additive. To understand further guanine nucleotide- and calcium-stimulated PI phosphodiesterase activity, we have investigated the pH sensitivity and effects of inhibitors on the two modes of stimulation. NaF stimulates PI hydrolysis in brain membranes with an EC50 of 2 mM and a maximal effect at 10 mM, suggesting that a guanine nucleotide binding protein can regulate PI phosphodiesterase. Neomycin inhibited guanylylimidodiphosphate (GppNHp)-stimulated PI phosphodiesterase activity in a concentration-dependent manner, with 90% inhibition at 0.3 mM. Neomycin was not as effective at inhibiting calcium-dependent PI hydrolysis (32% inhibition at 0.3 mM). Chloroquine also had a greater inhibitory effect against GppNHp-stimulated PI phosphodiesterase activity compared to calcium-dependent activity. Guanine nucleotide- and NaF-dependent activations of PI phosphodiesterase were strongly pH-dependent, with greatest stimulation observed at pH 5-6 and inhibition at more alkaline pH. Calcium-stimulated PI hydrolysis was not as sensitive to changes in pH and had a peak of activity at pH 9. Our findings of different pH optima and differential sensitivity to inhibitors suggest that calcium and guanine nucleotides may regulate PI phosphodiesterase in rat cortical membranes through independent mechanisms.     

Transformation with a mutant Arabidopsis acetolactate synthase gene renders tobacco resistant to sulfonylurea herbicides

Summary A gene encoding acetolactate synthase was cloned from a chlorsulfuron-resistant mutant of Arabidopsis. The DNA sequence of the mutant gene differed from that of the wild type by a single base pair substitution. When introduced into tobacco by Ti plasmid-mediated transformation the gene conferred a high level of herbicide resistance. These results suggest that the cloned gene may confer agronomically useful levels of herbicide resistnace in other crop species, and that it may be useful as a selectable marker for plant transformation experiments.     

Correction of chlorophyll-defective male-sterile winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) through organelle exchange: Characterization of the chlorophyll deficiency

Jarl, C. I., Ljungberg, U. K. and Bornman, C. H. 1988. Correction of chlorophyll-defective male-sterile winter oilseed rape ( Brassica napus ) through organelle exchange: Characterization of the chlorophyll deficiency. - Physiol. Plant. 72: 505–510.
As is known, the introduction of male-sterile Raphanus sativus L. cytoplasm into Brassica napus L. results in male-sterile oilseed rape plants, which display a temperature-related chlorophyll defect. The influences of temperature and irradiance on this defect were investigated. Compared to a line of normal (green phenotype) male-fertile oilseed rape, the male-sterile line had reduced chlorophyll content, fewer chloroplasts per cell, an altered ultrastructure of the chloroplasts and reduced activities of both photosystems, although the relative amounts of the photosystems and the chlorophyll a/b ratio were similar. The lower activity of the photosystems is explained by a decreased functional antennae size and a reduced efficiency in the interactions between the nuclear-encoded light-harvesting proteins and the reaction centres coded for by the plastome. Some thylakoid polypeptides differed in proportion between the male-fertile line with green phenotype and the male-sterile line with chlorotic phenotype. Characters, in which the two lines exhibited differences, are ascribed to difficulties in molecular communication between the oilseed rape nucleus and the radish cytoplasm, which are combined in the deficient male-sterile line.     

Constitutive and transport-related endocytotic pathways in turtle bladder epithelium

Summary Proton secretion in the urinary bladder of the fresh-water turtle is mediated by a proton pump located in the apical membrane of a population of cells characteristically rich in carbonic anhydrase. Earlier studies have demonstrated that these cells exhibit apical-membrane endocytotic and exocytotic processes which are thought to be involved in the regulation of the rate of proton transport via alterations in the number of pumps within the apical membrane. In this study, we sought to characterize these processes using two different methods. Analysis of transepithelial impedance yielded estimates of membrane capacitance which could be related to membrane area, thereby allowing one to monitor net changes in apical-membrane area resulting from changes in the net rates of endo-and exocytosis. Uptake of the fluid-phase marker FITC-dextran provided a measure of net extracellular volume uptake which was related to net rates of endocytosis. Our major conclusions are summarized as follows. The bladder cells exhibit a high baseline rate of endocytosis which appears to be a constitutive process similar to pinocytosis. This process is completely inhibited when ambient temperature is reduced to 15°C. In addition, serosal application of 0.5mm acetazolamide causes a transient increase in the rate of endocytosis, concomitant with a decrease in the rate of transport. Reduction of ambient temperature to 15°C reduces the rate of acetazolamide-induced endocytosis, but does not abolish it. Addition of 1mm serosal azide not only prevents the acetazolamide-induced increase in endocytosis, but also prevents the decrease in transport caused by acetazolamide. Azide has no effect on the baseline rate of endocytosis, nor does it prevent inhibition of carbonic anhydrase by acetazolamide. The specificity of azide, coupled with the different temperature sensitivities, demonstrate that the constitutive and transport-dependent endocytotic pathways are distinct processes. The observation that azide prevents both the acetazolamide-induced increase in endocytosis and the decrease in transport strongly supports the notion that endocytosis of proton-pump-containing membrane is requisite for the inhibition of transport by acetazolamide. Finally, the results also demonstrate that acetazolamide does not inhibit proton secretion simply by inhibiting carbonic anhydrase.     

N5-Formyltetrahydrofolate counteracts methotrexate toxicity in tobacco cell culture

N5-Formyltetrahydrofolate (leucovorin) counteracted methotrexate toxicity in suspension cultures of Nicotiana tabacum var. Xanthi. Methotrexate at 50 nM inhibited growth of the tobacco cell cultures by 87%. Leucovorin at 200 uM reduced growth inhibition in methotrexate-treated cultures to 37%, but only if exogenous adenine and thymidine were simultaneously provided. In the absence of leucovorin, neither adenine plus thymidine, nor adenine plus thymidine plus methionine gave appreciable relief from methotrexate toxicity. Uptake of radioactive methotrexate at 50 nM was linear for at least 7 h. Uptake of methotrexate appeared to be saturable, with a K_m of 50 uM and a V_max of 1 nmol h^–1 g^–1 fresh weight. Leucovorin showed competitive inhibition of methotrexate uptake, having a K_i of 400 uM.Abbreviations ade adenine - MS Murashige and Skoog - MTX methotrexate - thd thymidine     

Lymphokine production by human melanoma tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes

Summary Lymphokine production by human melanoma tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) was studied. Uncultured TIL produced interferon (IFN), but not interleukin-2 (IL-2) or IL-4, in response to anti-CD3 mAb or IL-2. In bulk cultures, IL-2-activated TIL displaying autologous tumor-specific cytotoxicity (CTL-TIL) produced IFN in culture with medium alone, whereas IL-2-activated noncytotoxic TIL did not. Addition of anti-CD3 mAb or autologous tumor cells up-regulated IFN production in IL-2-activated TIL from 10 of 12 or 6 of 12 cases respectively. Those from 4 of 12 cases (2 CTL-TIL and 2 noncytotoxic TIL) produced IL-2 in culture with medium alone. At the clonal level, 5 (4 CD4⁺ and 1 CD8⁺) of 7 autologous tumor-specific CTL clones derived from TIL and 3 (2 CD4⁺ and 1 CD8⁺) of 7 noncytotoxic TIL clones produced IFN in culture with medium alone, which was up-regulated by adding anti-CD3 mAb. Two IFN-producing CTL clones tested produced IL-2 in 4 ×-concentrated supernatants from a 3.5-h culture with medium alone. Furthermore, 2 IFN-producing CTL clones tested expressed mRNA for both IFN and IL-2. IL-2 production and its mRNA expression were up- or down-regulated, respectively, by adding anti-CD3 mAb or autologous tumor cells. IL-4 production was not observed in culture either with medium alone or with IL-2 in any of the cells described above. Anti-CD3 mAb was required for IL-4 production in 3 of 12 IL-2-activated TIL, 2 of 6 CTL clones, and none of 5 noncytotoxic TIL clones. In summary, IFN production was characteristic of melanoma TIL. Some autologous tumor-specific CTL in TIL are suggested to be productive of IL-2 and IFN under unstimulated conditions, both being required for self-activation in an autocrine loop.This work was supported in part by grant CA-47891 from the National Cancer Institute