Tungstate, a molybdate analog inactivating nitrate reductase, deregulates the expression of the nitrate reductase structural gene

Nitrate reductase (NR, EC 1.6.6.1) from higher plants is a homodimeric enzyme carrying a molybdenum cofactor at the catalytic site. Tungsten can be substituted for molybdenum in the cofactor structure, resulting in an inactive enzyme. When nitratefed Nicotiana tabacum plants were grown on a nutrient solution in which tungstate was substituted for molybdate, NR activity in the leaves decreased to a very low level within 24 hours while NR protein accumulated progressively to a level severalfold higher than the control after 6 days. NR mRNA level in molybdate-grown plants exhibited a considerable day-night fluctuation. However, when plants were treated with tungstate, NR mRNA level remained very high. NR activity and protein increased over a 24-hour period when nitrate was added back to N-starved molybdate-grown plants. NR mRNA level increased markedly during the first 2 hours and then decreased. In the presence of tungstate, however, the induction of NR activity by nitrate was totally abolished while high levels of NR protein and mRNA were both induced, and the high level of NR mRNA was maintained over a 10-hour period. These results suggest that the substitution of tungsten for molybdenum in NR complex leads to an overexpression of the NR structural gene. Possible mechanisms involved in this deregulation are discussed.     

Classical Raman spectroscopic studies of NADH and NAD+ bound to lactate dehydrogenase by difference techniques

The binding of the coenzymes NAD+ and NADH to lactate dehydrogenase causes significant changes in the Raman spectra of both of these molecules relative to spectra obtained in the absence of enzyme. The molecular motions of the bound adenine moiety of both NAD+ and NADH as well as adenine containing analogues of these coenzymes produce Raman bands that are essentially identical, suggesting that the binding of adenine to the enzyme is the same regardless of the nicotinamide head-group nature. We also have observed that the molecular motions of the bound adenine moiety are different from both those obtained when it is in either water, various hydrophobic solvents, or various other solvent compositions. Protonation of the bound adenine ring at the 3-position is offered as a possible explanation. Significant shifts are observed in both the stretching frequency of the carboxamide carbonyl of NAD+ and the rocking motion of the carboxamide NH2 group of NADH. These shifts are probably caused by hydrogen bonding with the enzyme. The interaction energies of these hydrogen-bonding patterns are discussed. The aromatic nature of the nicotinamide moiety of NAD+ appears to be unchanged upon binding. Pronounced changes in the Raman spectrum of the nicotinamide moiety of NADH are observed upon binding; some of these changes are understood and discussed. Finally, these results are compared to analogous results that were recently reported for liver alcohol dehydrogenase [Chen et al. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 4776-4784]. In general, the coenzyme binding properties are found to be quite similar, but not identical, for the two enzymes.     

桂西壮族手皮纹的分析

本文对广西西部500例健康壮族大、中学生的手皮纹进行了观察分析,计算出各型指纹频率、指纹脊线总数、指纹频度指数、atd角度、a-b脊线数、τ距比、主线横向指数、皮纹花样出现率、掌褶纹出现率共九项基本参数,并将这些数值与汉族作了比较,桂西壮族的手纹与汉族既有相似之处,又有本民族的特点。     

重楼属植物的化学数量分类学研究

重楼属植物是重要的药用植物。从1938年起,国内外科学家对它们的化学成分和药用价值已经进行了40多年的研究。我所从重楼属植物中分离鉴定了16个不同的甾体皂甙。本文利用高压液相色谱对重楼属植物甾体皂甙的定性和定量分析结果,根据L. B. Thien, W. H. Heimermann, R. T. Holman植物化学成分间的数量关系计算公式,对14种重楼的三组甾体皂甙含量进行计算,得出这14种重楼化学成分之间的数量关系,并画出数量关系图。     

High-fidelity gene targeting in embryonic stem cells by using sequence replacement vectors.

Mutations were targeted to the Hprt locus in murine embryonic stem cells by using sequence replacement vectors. When the vector was designed such that the mutated sequences were flanked on both sides by several kilobases of DNA homologous to the target locus, replacement of chromosomal sequences with the exogenous DNA occurred with precision. If, on the other hand, the target-homologous DNA on one arm of the vector was reduced to below 1 kb in length, the fidelity of recombination was diminished.     

Molecular characterization of β-thalassemia in Czechoslovakia

Summary We have identified different -thalassemia mutations in 93 members of 34 families of Czech or Slovakian descent using gene amplification, hybridization with specific ³²P-labeled oligonucleotide probes, sequencing of amplified DNA, and gene mapping. The GA mutation at IVS-I-1 was found in 18 families; other Mediterranean mutations were IVS-II-1 (GA), IVS-II-745 (CG), IVS-I-110 (GA), and codon 39 (CT); these were present in 9 additional families. The GT mutation at codon 121, known to cause Heinzbody -thalassemia, was present in 3 families, and the frameshift at codons 82/83 (-G), first described in the Azerbaijanian population, in 2 families. A newly discovered allele was a frameshift at codons 38/39 (-C). One -thalassemia allele was incompletely characterized. We observed in 2 families a TC mutation at position +96 UTR (untranslated region) relative to the termination codon; this mutation likely is a rare polymorphism, -Thalassemia was rare; only one person carried the -^3.7 heterozygosity, and one other had a yet to be identified -thalassemia-1, while seven had the ^{anti 3.7} triplication.     

血管内皮舒张因子在氧自由基所致慢性缺氧大鼠肺内动...

The role of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) on the effect of oxygen-derived free radicals (generated by xanthine-xanthine oxidase system) on intrapulmonary arterial in chronic hypoxic rats was studied by a microbioassay method. Intrapulmonary artery rings with intact or denuded endothelium of hypoxic (5,000 m, 10 days) and normoxic rats were prepared for observation of oxygen-derived free radicals induced contraction. It was shown that oxygen-derived free radicals induced contractions of intrapulmonary arterial rings with intact endothelium were obviously augmented in hypoxic rats than in normoxic controls. The augmented responses could be further potentiated by the addition of EDRF inactivator reduced hemoglobin (RHb), but diminished or even abolished by applying superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn SOD). However, no effect on denuded rings was observed when RHb or SOD was added. It is concluded that chronic hypoxia may attenuate the action of EDRF in the enhancement of the reactivity of intrapulmonary artery to oxygen-derived free radicals.     

In vitro vegetative propagation of Chinese cabbage

Explants from cotyledons, axillary buds, inflorescence stems and flower buds of Brassica campestris ssp. pekinensis (Lour.) Olsson (Chinese cabbage, cv. Wongbok) were cultured on MS medium with growth regulators. Multiple shoots were obtained from cotyledons, axillary buds and flower buds but not from inflorescence stems. Propagation of shoots from cotyledons was more successful than from axillary buds and flower buds. The vegetative propagation rates varied amongst clones derived from cotyledons of the same cultivar and seed lot. The propagation rates of the cotyledon-derived material followed a normal distribution with an average propagation rate of 2.6 shoots per two weeks subculture when cultured on MS media plus 44.4 m benzyladenine (BA) and 14.8 m -indolebutyric acid (IBA). Shoots from three clones were cultured on MS medium with nine different concentrations of BA. The concentration of BA which promoted the highest rate of shoot propagation varied for the three clones and was in the range 44.4 to 177.6 m.     

休眠与萌发过程中苹果种子的呼吸代谢

“秦冠”苹果种子的总呼吸强度和EMP途径的呼吸强度在2℃条件下层积之后逐渐增加,解除休眠临界期大体在层积后第30天发生,此后增长速度较快。HMP途径和TCAC在临界期之前变化极慢,而后急剧增加。种子萌发后子叶和胚轴的总呼吸强度、EMP和TCAC初期呈急剧上升趋势,大约当胚轴长度达2cm时迅速下降,HMP在萌发过程中始终呈上升趋势。细胞透性层积之后逐渐降低,解除休眠至萌发阶段呈上升趋势。用不同浓度呼吸抑制剂处理解除休眠种子的试验结果表明,除1mM碘乙酸能明显刺激萌发和生长外,NaCN、SHAM和丙酮酸都表现为抑制作用。