Genetic and biological analyses of a herpes simplex virus intertypic recombinant reduced specifically for neurovirulence.

RS6 is a herpes simplex virus intertypic recombinant derived from type 1 strain 17 syn+ and type 2 strain HG52. With a 50% lethal dose of about 10(5) PFU after intracerebral inoculation of mice, RS6 was approximately 100,000 times less neurovirulent than either of its wild-type parental viruses were. When compared with strains 17 syn+ and HG52, RS6 replicated intermediately in primary mouse embryo fibroblasts in vitro at 38.5 degrees C (mouse temperature) and to wild-type peak titers in mouse feet in vivo. In contrast, following intracranial inoculation of mice, RS6 replicated significantly less well than did either of its parental viruses in brains. The genetic defect(s) responsible for the reduced neurovirulence of RS6 was stable after in vitro and in vivo serial passage, was not manifested as temperature-sensitive plaquing in vitro, and did not affect thymidine kinase expression. These data indicate that RS6 has a genetic defect(s) specifically affecting its ability to replicate in the mouse brain. Using marker rescue technologies, we increased the neurovirulence of RS6 and localized one genetic determinant(s) involved with the reduced neurovirulence of this agent to 0.72 to 0.87 map units (and, tentatively, to 0.79 to 0.83 map units) of the herpes simplex virus genome. When coupled with the work suggesting that thymidine kinase expression is essential for efficient replication in nerve tissues and earlier reports from this laboratory and others, the results presented in this study indicate that more than one herpes simplex virus gene is involved with neurovirulence.     

Calcium- and calmodulin-regulated breakdown of phospholipid by microsomal membranes from bean cotyledons

Evidence for the involvement of Ca²⁺ and calmodulin in the regulation of phospholipid breakdown by microsomal membranes from bean cotyledons has been obtained by following the formation of radiolabeled degradation products from [U-¹⁴C]phosphatidylcholine. Three membrane-associated enzymes were found to mediate the breakdown of [U-¹⁴C] phosphatidylcholine, viz. phospholipase D (EC 3.1.4.4), phosphatidic acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.4), and lipolytic acyl hydrolase. Phospholipase D and phosphatidic acid phosphatase were both stimulated by physiological levels of free Ca²⁺, whereas lipolytic acyl hydrolase proved to be insensitive to Ca²⁺. Phospholipase D was unaffected by calmodulin, but the activity of phosphatidic acid phosphatase was additionally stimulated by nanomolar levels of calmodulin in the presence of 15 micromolar free Ca²⁺. Calmidazolium, a calmodulin antagonist, inhibited phosphatidic acid phosphatase activity at IC₅₀ values ranging from 10 to 15 micromolar. Thus the Ca²⁺-induced stimulation of phosphatidic acid phosphatase appears to be mediated through calmodulin, whereas the effect of Ca²⁺ on phospholipase D is independent of calmodulin. The role of Ca²⁺ as a second messenger in the initiation of membrane lipid degradation is discussed.     

Biosynthesis and stereochemical configuration of N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine. An unusual amino acid produced by Streptococcus lactis

In a recent communication (Thompson, J., Curtis, M. A., and Miller, S.P.F. (1986) J. Bacteriol. 167, 522-529) we described the purification and characterization of N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine from cells of Streptococcus lactis 133. This unusual amino acid has not previously been found in nature. Radiotracer experiments presented here reveal that exogenous [14C]ornithine serves as the precursor for biosynthesis of [14C]arginine, [14C]N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine, and [14C]N5-acetylornithine by cells of S. lactis K1 during growth in a defined medium lacking arginine. In the absence of both arginine and ornithine, cells of S. lactis K1 can also generate intracellular [14C]N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine from exogenous [14C]glutamic acid. Previously we showed that the properties of N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine prepared from S. lactis were identical to one of the two diastereomers [2S, 7S) or (2S, 7R] present in a synthetic preparation of (2S, 7RS)-N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine. The two diastereomers have now been unambiguously synthesized by an Abderhalden-Haase condensation between (2S)-N2-t-butoxycarbonyl-ornithine and the chiral (2S)-, and (2R)-bromopropionates. By 13C-NMR spectroscopy it has been established that the preparation from S. lactis is exclusively (2S, 7S)-N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine. has been demonstrated in a cell-free extract of S. lactis 133. The requirements for ornithine, pyruvic acid, and NAD(P)H suggest that biosynthesis of N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine occurs via a reductive condensation mechanism. A general survey revealed that N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine was produced only by certain strains of Group N streptococci. These findings may indicate a plasmid locus for the gene(s) encoding the enzyme(s) for N5-(1-carboxyethyl)ornithine biosynthesis.     

Cutaneous tumour of northern pike Esox lucius L.: evidence for a monocytic neoplasm

An epidemic of cutaneous tumours occurs in northern pike from the Åland Islands of Finland. Lymphocytes of pike could be triggered to synthesize DNA in vitro by mitogens. Tumour cells had a high basic metabolic rate and mitogens did not enhance their incorporation of ³H-thymidine. High percentages of peripheral blood, spleen, and head kidney mononuclear cells were surface (SIg) and cytoplasmic (CIg) immunoglobulin-positive by indirect immunofluorescence, using rabbit anti-pike IgM antibodies. Lower but still substantially high percentages of SIg and CIg immunofluorescence were observed with mouse anti-carp IgM antibodies. Tumour cells, however, were SIg- and Clg-negative, suggesting that the neoplasm is not a B cell lymphoma or plasmacytoma. A majority of tumour cells exhibited an intense diffuse staining pattern for alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase which was inhibited by sodium fluoride and was reminiscent of that in human monocytes. By electron microscopy (EM), the tumour cells were seen to be closely apposed with a lack of cell-cell junctions, and characteristically contained groups of lysosomes and large numbers of cytoplasmic lipid droplets, which are features of histiomonocytic cells. Although the marker studies do not completely rule out a T-lymphocytic origin, we suggest that the EM findings lend support for the view that the Åland pike neoplasm may be derived from the monocytic lineage.     

Rat corticotropin-releasing hormone gene: sequence and tissue-specific expression

The rat corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) gene has been isolated and characterized by DNA sequence analysis. The gene exhibits a structural organization similar to that of the human CRH gene. The nucleotide sequence encoding the entire rat CRH precursor is located on the second exon, while exon I encodes the 5'-untranslated region of the mRNA. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence homology between the human and rat CRH genes reveals several highly conserved regions including the CRH peptide-encoding sequence and the 5'-flanking sequence. RNA blot analysis demonstrates that CRH mRNA can be observed in numerous regions of the rat brain as well as the spinal cord, adrenal gland, pituitary, and testis.     

Identification of Lotus Rhizobia by Direct DNA Hybridization of Crushed Root Nodules

Hybridization of crushed Lotus pedunculatus root nodules with ³²P-labeled total genomic DNA probes was used to identify Rhizobium loti and Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lotus rhizobia). Probes always hybridized with homologous target DNA and frequently with DNAs of other strains from the same genus. Intergeneric hybridization did not occur. Results were comparable to those from colony hybridization.     

Multistage carcinogenesis induced by ras and myc oncogenes in a reconstituted organ

ras and myc oncogenes were able to induce distinct phenotypic alterations, resembling different types of premalignant lesions, when introduced into approximately 0.1% of the cells used to reconstitute the mouse prostate gland. While ras induced dysplasia in combination with angiogenesis, myc induced a hyperplasia of the otherwise normally developed organ. ras and myc together induced primarily carcinomas. However, tumor progression was also associated with additional genetic alterations involving gene amplification. Our data indicate that specific types of benign premalignant lesions may reflect the activation of different single oncogenes, and that the consecutive activation of multiple oncogenes could be a causal event in the step-like progression of tumorigenesis.     

Aglycosylation of human IgG1 and IgG3 monoclonal antibodies can eliminate recognition by human cells expressing Fc gamma RI and/or Fc gamma RII receptors.

Aglycosylated human IgG1 and IgG3 monoclonal anti-D (Rh) and human IgG1 and IgG3 chimaeric anti-5-iodo-4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenacetyl (anti-NIP) monoclonal antibodies produced in the presence of tunicamycin have been compared with the native glycosylated proteins with respect to recognition by human Fc gamma RI and/or Fc gamma RII receptors on U937, Daudi or K562 cells. Human red cells sensitized with glycosylated IgG3 form rosettes via Fc gamma RI with 60% of U937 cells. Inhibition of rosette formation required greater than 35-fold concentrated more aglycosylated than glycosylated human monoclonal anti-D (Rh) antibody. Unlabelled polyclonal human IgG and glycosylated monoclonal IgG1 and anti-D (Rh) antibody inhibited the binding of 125I-labelled monomeric human IgG binding by U937 Fc gamma RI at concentrations greater than 50-fold lower than the aglycosylated monoclonal IgG1 anti-D (Rh) (K50 approximately 3 x 10(-9) M and approximately 6 x 10(-7) M respectively). Similar results were obtained using glycosylated and aglycosylated monoclonal human IgG1 or IgG3 chimaeric anti-NIP antibody-sensitized red cells rosetting with Fc gamma RI-/Fc gamma RII+ Daudi and K562 cells. Rosette formation could be inhibited by the glycosylated form (at greater than 10(-6) M) but not by the aglycosylated form. Haemagglutination analysis using a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies specific for epitopes located on C gamma 2, C gamma 3 or C gamma 2/C gamma 3 interface regions did not demonstrate differences in Fc conformation between the glycosylated or aglycosylated human monoclonal antibodies. These data suggest that the Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RII sites on human IgG are highly conformation-dependent and that the carbohydrate moiety serves to stabilize the Fc structure rather than interacting directly with Fc receptors.