Kidney grafting between rats which carry recombinant major histocompatibility haplotypes

Kidney transplantation was performed between three congenic rat strains which carried the major histocompatibility haplotypesRT1 ^a ,RT1 ^u orRT1 ^ar1 , the latter being a recombinant betweenRT1 ^a andRT1 ^u . This combination made it possible to test separately the effects of incompatibility for RT1. A-region products (classical transplantation antigens, histocompatibility antigens) and for RT1.B-region products (Ia-antigens, strong mixed lymphocyte stimulating antigens, histocompatibility antigens) as well as RT1.C-region products (lymphocyte differentiation antigens, histocompatibility antigens). It is shown that A plus B plus C, as well as A or B plus C-region incompatibility led to kidney-graft rejection and that matching for either classical transplantation antigens or Ia and strong mixed lymphocyte stimulating antigens had no clear differential prognostic effect on kidney-graft survival.     

Genetic definition of a further gene region and identification of at least three different histocompatibility genes in the rat major histocompatibility system

Two new recombinant haplotypes of the rat major histocompatibility system,RT1, have been detected in [LEW.1A (RT1 ^a ) ×LEW.1W (RT1 ^u )] × LEW 1N(RT1 ⁿ ) segregating hybrids. Recombinantr3 carries theRTL1. A region (determining classical transplantation antigens) and theRT1.B region (determining strong mixed lymphocyte reactivity and genetic control of antipolypeptide immune responsiveness) of the RT1^a parent, bur rejects RT1^a skin grafts. Recombinantr4 carries theA andB regions of the RT1^u parent, but rejects RT1^u skin grafts. The two histocompatibility genes detected are allelic to each other. The relevant locus, designated asH-C, maps to theB-region side of theRT1 system and appears to mark a thirdRT1 gene region,RT1.C. Availability of haplotypes r3 andr4 allowed the definition of a histocompatibility locus in theB region,H-B. The products ofH-C, H-B and of the previously describedH-A gene vary in antigenic strength.     

Radioiodinated antibodies,a tool in studies on the presence and role of inactive enzyme forms: Regulation of chalcone synthase in parsley cell suspension cultures

A new technique, the quantitative determination of total enzyme concentrations by specific immunoprecipitation with purified, radioiodinated antibodies, was used to investigate the presence and possible roles of inactive enzyme in the regulation of chalcone synthase. Dark-grown cell suspension cultures from parsley (Petroselinum hortense) contained neither catalytically active nor detectable amounts of immunoprecipitable chalcone synthase. Irradiation induced large increases and subsequent decreases of both. Significant differences in the peak positions and in the half-lives of active and total chalcone synthase indicated that induced cells contained inactive as well as active enzyme forms. The presence of inactive enzyme could be explained by two different modes of regulation, (i) simultaneous de novo synthesis of active and inactive enzyme (“Simultaneous Model”), or (ii) de novo synthesis of active enzyme only, with sequential steps of inactivation and degradation (“Sequential Model”). Both models were compatible with experimental results, as analyzed mathematically by investigating the relations between curves for rate of enzyme synthesis, enzyme activity, total enzyme, and half-lives of active and total enzyme. However, the “Simultaneous Model” postulated that de novo synthesis of inactive enzyme represented always the vast majority of total enzyme synthesis, while the Sequential Model integrated inactive enzyme with facility in a sequence of irreversible inactivation and degradation of active enzyme. Experiments with repeated induction indicated that cells containing large amounts of inactive enzyme increased enzyme activity by de novo synthesis rather than by activation of preexisting inactive enzyme.     

Energy metabolism of autotrophically and heterotrophically grown cells of Nitrobacter winogradskyi

The adenine nucleotide pools and the NADH pool were compared in intact Nitrobacter winogradskyi cells grown under different conditions. The NADH pool was highest in nitrite-grown cells (22.0 nmol/mg N), less high in acetategrown cells (15.1 nmol/mg N),and lowest in pyruvate-grown cells (11.9 nmol/mg N).The adenine nucleotide pools and the NADH pool were determined after the transition from anaerobic to aerobic conditions.In both autotrophically and heterotrophically grown cells the ATP pool decreased within the first second after the addition of oxygen and then increased.In cells grown with nitrite or acetate the NADH pool increased the first second after the addition of oxygen then decreased below the initial value. In pyruvate-grown cells the changes in the NADH pool were less obvious.In the presence of rotenone autotrophic cells were able to generate ATP, but the reverse energy-dependent electron transport was inhibited. Consequently, NADH was not synthesized. N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide an inhibitor of ATPase, prevented both ATP and NADH generation.Abbreviations DCCD N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide     

The influence of externally supplied sucrose on phloem transport in the maize leaf strip

Sucrose (2,5–1000 mmol l^–1), labeled with [¹⁴C]sucrose, was taken up by the xylem when supplied to one end of a 30-cm-long leaf strip of Zea mays L. cv. Prior. The sugar was loaded into the phloem and transported to the opposite end, which was immersed in diluted Hoagland's nutrient solution. When the Hoagland's solution at the opposite end was replaced by unlabeled sucrose solution of the same molarity as the labeled one, the two solutions met near the middle of the leaf strip, as indicated by radioautographs. In the dark, translocation of ¹⁴C-labeled assimilates was always directed away from the site of sucrose application, its distance depending on sugar concentration and translocation time. When sucrose was applied to both ends of the leaf strip, translocation of ¹⁴C-labeled assimilates was directed toward the lower sugar concentration. In the light, transport of ¹⁴-C-labeled assimilates can be directed (1) toward the morphological base of the leaf strip only (light effect), (2) toward the base and away from the site of sucrose application (light and sucrose effect), or (3) away from the site of sucrose application independent of the (basipetal or acropetal) direction (sucrose effect). The strength of a sink, represented by the darkened half of a leaf strip, can be reduced by applying sucrose (at least 25 mmol l^–1) to the darkened end of the leaf strip. However, equimolar sucrose solutions applied to both ends do not affect the strength of the dark sink. Only above 75 mmol l^–1 sucrose was the sink effect of the darnened part of the leaf strip reduced. Presumably, increasing the sucrose concentration replenishes the leaf tissue more rapidly, and photosynthates from the illuminated part of the leaf strip are imported to a lesser extent by the dark sink.Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Dirofilaria cancrivori sp. n. (Nematoda: Filarioidea from the crabdog, Procyon cancrivorus, in Guyana

Dirofilaria cancrivori sp. n. is described from subcutaneous tissues of the crabdog, Procyon cancrivorus, in Guyana, South America. The filarid is morphologically distinct from Dirofilaria tenuis, parasite of a related host, the raccoon, in the southern United States, and all other species of Dirofilaria. The parasite can be distinguished from other dirofilarias based on a combination of morphological features including its size, number, and arrangement of caudal papillae on the male tail, size and shape of the spicules, the presence of longitudinal ridges and transverse striations on the cuticle, and the microfilaria.     

Isolation and visualisation of alkali stable protein/DNA complexes

Distinct polypeptides, 54,000–68,000 daltons in size, are alkali-stably bound to eukaryotic DNA. DNA fragments several hundred base pairs in length associated with these polypeptides are preferentially retained on glass fibre filters from solutions containing 1 M sodium chloride. About 50 percent of the protein/DNA complexes present in total DNA are retained on filters together with about 2 percent of the DNA. This preferential binding is demonstrated (a) by the ratio of ³H and ³⁵S radioactivity retained on filters after filtration of DNA from [³H]thymidine and L-[³⁵S]methionine labelled cells, (b) radioiodination of the material retained on filters and passing filters respectively and (c) by electron microscopical visualisation of the polypeptide component in the complexes after chemical modification with dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) followed by incubation with dinitrophenyl (DNP) specific antibodies.     

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibits the polymerization of fibrin monomers

A highly purified dipeptidyl peptidase IV from human placenta cleaves glycylproline from the N-terminal end of the fibrin α chain and inhibits the clotting of fibrin monomers. This result underlines the importance of the amino terminus of the fibrin α chain as an aggregation site masked by fibrinopeptide A. We speculate that the peptidase may hinder blood coagulation in intact vessels in vivo, because it is located on the surface of the capillary endothelium.