Microcalorimetric investigations of the interactions of small ions with arterial elastin

The enthalpies of interactions of porcine arterial elastin with alkali metal and alkali earth halides and sulphates were investigated by means of flow microcalorimetry and the stoichiometry measured using radiotracer techniques. In aqueous solutions, all alkali earth halides interacted exothermically at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 2.5M. All the alkali metal halides, particularly NaCl, exhibited complex concentration-dependent interactions, exothermic at low concentrations and endothermic at high concentrations. Both the anion and cation contributed to the response, although the anion seemed to dominate. SO interacted most strongly of the anions tested. All interactions were reversible in the sense that repeat experiments gave identical results, but the enthalpy of “adsorption” was generally different from that of “desorption.” The enthalpy of interaction depended on the conformation of the elastin in a salt-specific manner. For example, CaCl₂ and MgCl₂ interacted similarly in water but very differently in 1 : 1 water : methanol. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Nitrogen Reserve Mobilization during Regrowth of Medicago sativa L. (Relationships between Availability and Regrowth Yield)

An experiment was designed to study the role of N and C reserves on regrowth of the shoots following defoliation of forage species. Starch and N accumulation in root and crown tissue of nonnodulated Medicago sativa L. were modified during regrowth by applying different levels of N and different cutting heights. Plants were obtained with similar crown and root dry weights, but having either low starch and high tissue N or high starch and low tissue N. The plants were then submitted to a second defoliation and supplied with optimal N nutrition, and N flow from reserve was quantified using pulse-chase 15N labeling. Maximum yields following the second regrowth were obtained from those plants having a high tissue N, despite their low level of nonstructural carbohydrate. When N in the roots and crown exceeded 5 mg N plant-1 at the beginning of regrowth, about 68% was translocated to regrowing shoots. Highly significant correlations were also found between the amounts of N available in roots and crown at the beginning of regrowth and (a) the amount of N that was mobilized to new tissues, (b) the amount of N taken up during the regrowth period, and (c) the final shoot yield after 24 d of regrowth. No similar correlations were found for plants that varied in their initial starch content of roots and crown. It is suggested that N reserves were used mainly during the first 10 d after defoliation, and that the resulting aerial growth during this period should be sufficient to restore N2 fixation and/or N uptake to levels equal to those prior to defoliation. These data emphasize (a) the importance of root N reserves in initiating and sustaining new shoot growth, and (b) the need for a re-evaluation of the contribution of C reserves to shoot regrowth.     

Enhancement of operational stability of immobilized whole cell D-hydantoinase

Summary A bacteriumPseudomonas sp. KBEL 101 isolated from soil was immobilized within polyacrylamide gel and used for the synthesis of D-p-hydroxyphenylglycine from DL-5-substituted hydantoin. The half-life of immobilized whole cell D-hydantoinase was found to be about 50 hrs. In order to increase the operational stability of immobilized whole cell D-hydantoinase, a carbon or nitrogen source was supplied with the reaction mixture in the continuous stirred tank reactor. As a sole source of carbon, glycerol was found to be most effective, and the activity of immobilized whole cell enzyme was maintained stably during 7 days when 0.1%(W/V) glycerol solution was provided. In the case of nitrogen source, supplying of 0.1%(W/V) yeast extract prolonged the half-life of immobilized whole cell D-hydantoinase to about 25 days.     

Expression of human factor X with normal biological activity in human embryonic kidney cells

Summary Human embryonic kidney cells (293) were transfected with a construct containing human factor X cDNA and selected for G418 resistance. The level of expression of recombinant factor X in serum-free medium was 4 to 5 g/ml. Purified recombinant factor X had a molecular size identical to that of normal plasma factor X. Amino-terminal sequencing revealed normal processing cleavages. The -carboxy Glu and -OH Asp content of the recombinant factor X was close to 90% of the expected levels of these post-translational residues. The specific activity of recombinant factor X was about 95% of that of plasma factor X in three plasma-based clotting assays. This report demonstrates that 293 cells can produce a high level of biologically active factor X and describes a visual criterion for verifying the transfection process.Abbreviations FX factor X - rFX recombinant factor X - DMEM Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium - RVV-X Russell's viper venom - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - Gla -carboxy glutamic acid     

Chirospecific synthesis of D and Lp-chlorohomophenylalanine N-t-BOC DCHA salts

Summary The chirospecific conversions of D-glucosamine hydrochloride and D-mannosamine hydrochloride to the configurationally stable L and D isomers of N-t-butyloxycarbonylserinal were carried out byt-butylcarbonylation followed by sodium borohydride reduction and sodium meta-periodate oxidation. Reaction of the L and D aldehydes with the Wittig reagent prepared from 4-chlorobenzyltriphenylphosphonium chloride and butyl lithium followed by catalytic hydrogenation, Jones oxidation and salt formation with dicyclohexylamine gave the DCHA salts of the D and L isomers ofp-chlorohomophenylalanine N-t-Boc in high enatiomeric excess. The optical purity of the title compounds was established by hydrolysis to the respective free amino acids, followed by chiral derivatization and HPLC analysis.This was presented at the Fifth International Kyoto Conference on new Aspects of Organic Chemistry, Kyoto, Japan, November 11–15, 1991. Abstract #GO-13.     

MHC antigen expression by melanomas recovered from mice treated with allogeneic mouse fibroblasts genetically modified for interleukin-2 secretion and the expression of melanoma-associated antigens

Recent approaches toward the immunotherapy of neoplastic disease involve the introduction of expression-competent genes for interleukin-2 (IL-2) into autologous malignant cells. Treatment of tumor-bearing experimental animals with the IL-2-secreting cells successfully induces partial and at times complete remissions. In most instances, however, although delayed, progressive tumor growth continues. Here, certain of the characteristic of B16 melanomas (H-2^b) persisting in C57BL/6 mice (H-2^b) treated with an IL-2-secreting, melanoma-antigen-positive cellular immunogen (RLBA-IL-2 cells) are described. Unlike the melanoma cells first injected, B16 cells recovered from mice treated with RLBA-IL-2 cells were deficient in the experssion of MHC class I, but not class II determinants. Deficient MHC class I expression correlated with the cells' resistance to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) from the spleens of mice immunized with RLBA-IL-2 cells. Melanomas persisting in mice treated with non-IL-2-secreting, melanoma-antigen-positive cell constructs (RLBA-ZipNeo cells) were also deficient in the expression of MHC class I determinants, and the melanoma cells were resistant to CTL from mice immunized with RLBA-ZipNeo cells. Thus, the expression of melanoma-associated antigens rather than IL-2-secretion correlated with deficient MHC class I expression by the persistent melanomas. This point was substantiated by the expression of MHC class I antigens by melanomas persisting in mice treated with IL-2-secreting, melanoma-antigen-negative LM cells (LM-IL-2); it was equivalent to that of melanomas in untreated mice. The involvement of MHC class I antigens in the immune resistance of persistent melanoma cells from mice treated with the melanoma-autigen-positive immunogens was indicated by the effect of interferon (IFN) orN-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) on the susceptibility of the cells to anti-melanoma CTL. Treatment of the resistant melanomas with IFN or MNNG stimulated MHC class I antigen expression and restored the cells' sensitivity to CTL from mice immunized with IL-2-secreting or nonsecreting, melanoma-antigen-positive cellular immunogens. Prior treatment of the treated cells with antibodies to MHC class I determinants inhibited the cells' susceptibility to CTL from mice immunized with RLBA-IL-2 cells.     

Production and initial characterisation of the xylan-degrading system of Phanerochaete chrysosporium

We report the optimum conditions for the degradation of oat spelt arabinoxylan and a preliminary characterisation of the inducible xylan-degrading system of the lignin-degrading white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Xylanase activity was optimal at pH 5.0 and 50°C; see attached sheet the maximum reaction velocity (V_max) of the system was 3.86 units (U) mg^–1 protein with arabinoxylan as substrate and the substrate concentration giving half V_max (S_0.5) was 0.52 mg ml^–1. At concentrations of arabinoxylan greater than 15 mg ml^–1 excess substrate inhibition was observed. Xylose at 0.9 mm inhibited activity to the extent of 50%. Xylanase activity increased as a function of the dilution of the enzyme preparation prior to assay. It was resolved into four peaks by using a DEAE-Biogel column; the material in these peaks differed with respect to xylan solubilisation and the formation of reducing sugars. Electrofocusing gels allowed visualisation of several bands of activity corresponding to each peak. The arabinoxylan degradation system of P. chrysosporium is therefore composed of multiple components. Correspondence to: P. Broda     

Z → B transition in poly[d(G-m5C)2] induced by interaction with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole

The Z form of poly[d(G-m⁵C)₂], in presence of Mg²⁺ ion, is found to be transformed into B form upon interaction with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The Z → B transformation is complete at a mixing ratio of about 0.07 DAPI per DNA base pairs, i.e., each DAPI molecule may be related to the conversion of 6–7 base pairs. An interaction between DAPI and poly[d(G-m⁵C)₂] in its Z form at low drug: DNA ratios is suggested from optical dichroism and time-resolved luminescence anisotropy results. The spectroscopic behaviour of DAPI indicates that the Z conformation of DNA does not provide normal binding sites for DAPI, such as groove or intercalation sites, but that the initial association may be of external nature. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

ANNUAL DIFFERENCES IN FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS AFFECT SPATIAL AND COHORT-SPECIFIC GENOTYPIC HETEROGENEITY IN PAINTED TURTLES

Long-term ecological data were used to evaluate the relative importance of movements, breeding structure, and reproductive ecological factors to the degree of spatial and age-specific variation in genetic characteristics of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) on the E. S. George Reserve in southeastern Michigan. Estimates of the degree of spatial genetic structuring were based on the proportion of total genotypic variance partitioned within and between subpopulations (inferred from hierarchical F-statistics based on variation at 18 protein loci), and in terms of gene correlations (co-ancestry among individuals derived from reproductive data on full-sib families of females nesting at specific nesting areas). Little variation in allele frequency was observed among turtles from different marshes (F_mt = 0.003), though significant variation was observed among turtles from different nesting areas associated with each marsh (F_nm = 0.046). Gene correlations among individuals within nesting areas varied greatly over years (0.032-0.171; mean = 0.069) and were negatively correlated to the proportion of females that successfully nested during each year. General concordance between independent estimates of genotypic correlations (i.e., F_nm derived from protein electrophoretic variation vs. mean co-ancestry) suggests that allozyme data, when collected over spatial scales consistent with species behavioral characteristics and reproductive ecology, may accurately reflect the apportionment of gene diversity within and among subpopulations. The magnitude and patterning of allelic variation among nesting areas and individuals appears to be primarily a function of gametic correlations among members of full-sib families, irrespective of the degree of gene flow or female nesting-site fidelity. Comparisons of genetic characteristics among 11 cohorts (1974-1984) revealed that heterozygosity (H) and inbreeding coefficients (F) varied greatly. Cohort estimates of H and F were correlated to female nesting success and to estimates of co-ancestry for the same years. Results clearly reflect the concomitant importance of ecological factors (principally the proportion of the female population that successfully produce offspring during each year) in determining the magnitude and patterning of gene correlations within and among groups, and to the genotypic composition of offspring born during each year.     

Cytological and molecular characterization of a chromosome interchange and addition lines in Cadet involving chromosome 5B of wheat and 6Ag of Lophopyrum ponticum

Efforts to transfer wheat curl mite (Eriophyes tulipae Keifer) resistance from Lophopyrum ponticum 10X (Podb.) Love to bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have resulted in the production of a number of cytogenetic stocks, including an addition line of 6Ag, a ditelo addition line, and a wheat-Lophopyrum translocation line. Characterization of these lines with C-banding, in situ hybridization with a Lophopyrum species-specific repetitive DNA probe (pLeUCD2), and Southern blotting with pLeUCD2 and a 5S ribosomal DNA probe (pScT7) confirmed that the distal portion of the short arm of 6Ag was translocated onto the distal portion of 5BS (5BL. 5BS-6AgS). It was also determined that the ditelo addition was an acrocentric chromosome of 6AgS.