The human heat-shock genes HSPA6 and HSPA7 are both expressed and localize to chromosome 1.

HSPA6 is a member of the human heat-shock protein gene family, encoding a basic 70-kDa protein, with unique induction characteristics (Leung et al., 1990, Biochem. J. 267: 125-132). Hybridization analyses with a somatic cell hybrid DNA panel localized the gene to chromosome 1q. The highly related HSPA7 DNA sequence (Voellmy et al., 1985, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82: 4949-4953) colocalized. Both HSPA6 and HSPA7 represent functional genes, as determined by analyses of mRNA from heat-shocked human cells using specific oligonucleotides, although their pattern of expression differed. Neither mRNA was detected in the absence of heat stress. A BamHI polymorphism in the HSPA7 gene was present in a predominantly Asian population.     

Catalytic properties of X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris nTR.

An X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (X-PDAP; EC 3.4.14.5) was identified to be loosely bound on the inner cell membrane fraction of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris nTR. The biosynthesis of X-PDAP was continuously increased before the late-log growth phase of the bacteria. Both Gly-Pro-pNA and Ala-Ala-pNA were hydrolyzed by X-PDAP; the kcat/Km value of the former was about 10-fold that of the latter. The Ki of X-Pro and Pro-X were more specific to X-PDAP than those of X-Ala. The enzyme splitting a dipeptide sequentially from beta-casomorphin as a model catalytic pattern was identified and some properties of the enzyme were further characterized.     

Platelet activating factor induces expression of early response genes c-fos and TIS-1 in human epidermoid carcinoma A-431 cells

The effect of platelet activating factor (PAF) on the induction of early response genes was investigated in A-431 cells (human epidermal carcinoma cells). PAF induced a transient expression of c-fos and TIS-1 mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner. As low as 10(-10) M PAF caused detectable expression of these genes with a maximum observed at 10(-7) M. In the presence of cycloheximide, increases in the gene expression were noticeable at 20 min and peaked between 30-60 min. A lack of induction with lyso-PAF, an inactive PAF metabolite, confirmed the specificity of PAF towards this expression. The cells pretreated with CV-6209, a PAF receptor antagonist, did not show any induction of these genes by PAF. It is concluded that PAF causes induction of the early response genes c-fos and TIS-1 in a structurally specific and receptor dependent manner. This finding offers a new role for PAF at the nuclear level and may have important implications in the long term effects of PAF in pathophysiological conditions.     

Primer protein of bacteriophage M2 exposes the RGD receptor site upon linking the first deoxynucleotide

Summary Using electroporation with the phage PRD1 genome, we set up a high-frequency DNA transfer system for a linear dsDNA molecule with 5-covalently linked terminal proteins. The transfer was saturated when more than 100 ng of PRD1 genome was used. Electroporation efficiency was about four orders of magnitude higher than that obtained with transfection. Removal of the terminal protein abolished plaque formation, which could not be rescued by supplying the terminal protein or phage DNA polymerase or both in trans.     

The reconciliation behavior of golden monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellanae roxellanae) in small breeding groups

Observations were made following 130 spontaneous aggressive incidents in two small breeding groups of captive golden monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellanae roxellanae). Participants were observed both during the first 10 min following these incidents and during matched control observations. An increased contact rate was observed between opponents following the aggressive incident. Post-conflict contacts were characterized by a number of behavior patterns: open mouth, rapid grooming, embrace, and crouching. Adult males played an important role as mediator in agonistic disputes among females: males intervened in 93.6% of female fights. It is speculated that this intervention behavior is related to the species' organization into one-male units.     

Some factors that influence the plasma lipoprotein 1H NMR spectra of normal and cancer patients: an oncolipid test?

Selected factors have been evaluated in order to determine their influences on the plasma lipoprotein proton NMR spectra of normal and cancer patients. The variables were donor''s diet (fasting/non-fasting), temperature and time of sample storage, processing procedure, centrifugation speed, and water pre-saturation time. Plasma samples from fasting individuals that were placed immediately on ice, spun at 1,000 and 3,000 g for 15 minutes, and the proton NMR spectrum acquired with the Carr-Purcell Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) pulse sequence, using a two-second water pre-saturation time, consistently gave reproducible results. Resonances attributed to lactate were minimized under these processing conditions. Centrifugation speed and pre-saturation time did not affect the average line width; however, donor fasting state, processing temperature, and storage time did alter the line width. Most important, blood chemistry analysis revealed an inverse correlation between triglyceride levels and average methyl and methylene line widths. Thus, these factors alone caution against the indiscriminate use of proton NMR spectra to differentiate plasma from normal and cancer patients.     

The biological and clinical significance of nicks in human chorionic gonadotropin and its free beta-subunit.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone composed of two dissimilar subunits, alpha and beta. Nicks or missing peptide linkages have been found in the beta 44-52 region of the beta-subunit of hCG, whether from pregnancy or trophoblast disease. This article reviews recent reports about the location of nicks in hCG, their origin and occurrence, their effects on the steroidogenic and receptor-binding activities of hCG, and on the immunological activities of hCG and its free beta-subunit. Taken together, the reports show: (1) nicks occur primarily between beta 47 and beta 48, and to a lesser extent between beta 44 and beta 45; (2) the extent of nicking in hCG samples varies widely, from undetectable to 100 percent of molecules; (3) nicks greatly reduce the steroidogenic activity of hCG in vitro (nicked molecules have less than 20 percent of the activity of the intact hormone); (4) nicks may occur at the trophoblast-myometrial interface or in the circulation by the action of human leucocyte elastase or similar leucocytic protease; (5) hCG testing kits using dimer-specific antibodies may not detect nicked molecules and may give different results from those using other antibodies; (6) hCG international reference preparations and the CR series of hCG standards are variably nicked (10 percent to 20 percent), complicating the problem of discordant hCG results in nick-sensitive assays; (7) results from commonly used immunoassays for measurement of the hCG free beta-subunit vary by as much as tenfold because some of the antibodies employed do not detect nick free beta-subunit.     

Changes in pulmonary Cu−Zn contents in superior mesenteric artery occlusion shock of rabbit

Contents of Cu and Zn of into-pulmonary blood (IPB), out-pulmonary blood (OPB), Lung tissue, and supernatant and macrophages of Lung Lavage were determined in superior mesenteric artery occlusion (SMAO) shock of rabbits. Zn of pulmonary tissue was 11.42 +/- 0.60 and 14.52 +/- 1.78 (micrograms/g wet wt) in SMAO shock and control groups, respectively. Content of Zn was found to be lower, Cu was not changed, and Cu/Zn ratio increased in lung tissue in SMAO shock. Contents of Cu and Zn in other samples were not changed. The results suggest that lower Zn in lung tissue related to acute lung injury.     

Three new species of Bychowskyella Achmerow, 1952 (Monogenea) from Peninsular Malaysia

Three new and one previously described species of Bychowskyella Achmerow, 1952 were collected from the gills of four species of freshwater catfish in Peninsular Malaysia. They are Bychowskyella teysmanni n. sp. from Clarias teysmanni (Bleeker, 1857) (Clariidae), Bychowskyella sisoris n. sp. from Glyptothorax major (Boulenger, 1894) (Sisoridae), Bychowskyella baueri n. sp. from Silurichthys hasselti (Bleeker, 1858) (Siluridae), and Bychowskyella tchangi Gussev, 1976 from Clarias macrocephalus Gunther, 1864 (Clariidae). B. teysmanni n. sp. differs from B. tchangi in having two pairs of large marginal hooks. B. sisoris n. sp. is unique in possessing two onchia, while B. baueri n. sp. differs from previously described Bychowskyella species in the structure of the dorsal onchium. C. macrocephalus is a new host record for B. tchangi in Peninsular Malaysia.