A comparison of the structures of apo dogfish M4 lactate dehydrogenase and its ternary complexes

Details are recorded of the X-ray diffraction data collection, heavy atom refinement and preliminary structure refinement for two different dogfish M₄ lactate dehydrogenase structures. One of these is the 2.0 Å resolution apoenzyme structure; the other is a 3.0 Å resolution abortive ternary complex. Two other ternary substrate inhibitory complexes (LDHase²: NAD: oxalate and LDHase: NADH: oxamate), isomorphous with the abortive ternary complex (LDHase: NAD-pyruvate), have also been examined. The apo-LDHase and LDHase: NAD-pyruvate structures are systematically compared to determine significant differences in their conformation. These are related to differences in structure amongst the three studied ternary complexes. These differences all occur in regions of the protein around the active site, particularly the flexible loop covering the active center pocket and the C-terminal helix αH. The changes are suggestive of a domino effect whereby the closing of the loop on binding coenzyme and substrate triggers the critical reactive residues into assuming their catalytically active positions.     

KINETIC-MICROARCHITECTURAL CORRELATIONS IN THE BONE MARROW OF THE MOUSE

Transverse histologic sections of bone marrow obtained from mice that were sacrificed by perfusion fixation at intervals following tritiated thymidine injection were studied by means of radioautography. A kinetic gradient was demonstrated across the marrow section, with the highest proliferative rate in the subendosteal region. Megakaryocytes were shown to originate from the rapidly proliferating subendosteal cells. The immediate proliferating precursors of mature granulocytes were slowly proliferating cells found predominantly in the central region of the marrow. It was concluded that in the steady state there must be a migration of cells from the subendosteal region to the central region with concomitant growth retardation of the migrating cells.     

Differential role of Na+/H+ exchange isoforms NHE-1 and NHE-2 in a rat cortical collecting duct cell line

The Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) constitutes a gene family containing several isoforms that display different membrane localization and are involved in specialized functions. Although basolateral NHE-1 activity was described in the cortical collecting duct (CCD), the localization and function of other NHE isoforms is not yet clear, This study examines the expression, localization, and regulation of NHE isoforms in a rat cortical collecting duct cell line (RCCD1) that has previously been shown to be a good model of CCD cells. Present studies demonstrate the presence of NHE-1 and NHE-2 isoforms, but not NHE-3 and NHE-4, in RCCD1 cells. Cell monolayers, grown on permeable filters, were placed on special holders allowing independent access to apical and basolateral compartments. Intracellular pH (pHi) regulation was spectrofluorometrically studied in basal conditions and after stimulation by NH4Cl acid load or by a hyperosmotic shock. In order to differentiate the roles of NHE-1 and NHE-2, we have used HOE-694, an inhibitor more selective for NHE-1 than for NHE-2. The results obtained strongly suggest that NHE-1 and NHE-2 are expressed in the basolateral membrane but that they have different roles: NHE-1 is responsible for pHi recovery after an acid load and NHE-2 is mainly involved in steady-state pHi and cell volume regulation.     

Serotonergic component of SCH 23390: in vitro and in vivo binding analyses

A series of benzazepines related to SCH 23390 were tested for binding to the 5HT-2 receptor. The compounds tested inhibited the binding of 3H-ketanserin with KI values generally greater than those observed for the D-1 receptor, but less than those for the D-2 receptor. When this serotonergic activity was correlated to the D-1 activity, the resulting coefficient was 0.84, indicating a strong correlation between the two activities. Conversely, the 5HT-2 activity did not show a good correlation with the D-2 activity. To further test the significance of the 5HT-2 binding of the SCH 23390, in vivo binding studies were performed using 125I-SCH 38840 in the frontal cortex, an area containing both D-1 and 5HT-2 receptors. The in vivo binding of 125I-SCH 38840 to frontal cortex exhibited peak levels one hour following subcutaneous administration, similar to the time course previously observed in striatum. The binding was both D-1 and tissue specific. Competition studies with selected standards demonstrated that inhibition of the binding to frontal cortex, in contrast to the inhibition observed in the striatum, exhibited a Hill coefficient less than unity, implying interaction at more than one receptor subtype. When SCH 23390 and ketanserin were administered simultaneously, the inhibition of the in vivo binding of 125I-SCH 38840 to striatum was not different than that observed with SCH 23390, alone. However, the inhibition of binding to frontal cortex was significantly greater than that demonstrated with either SCH 23390 or ketanserin, alone, suggesting that 125I-SCH 38840 was binding to both D-1 and 5HT-2 receptors, in vivo.     

Developmentally regulated rearrangement and expression of genes encoding the T cell receptor-T3 complex

Human leukemic cells corresponding to the earliest identifiable stages of intrathymic T cell differentiation lack cell surface expression of the T cell receptor(TCR alpha/beta)-T3 complex but transcribe TCR beta mRNA from either germ-line configuration (1/13) or partially (DJ) or fully (VDJ) rearranged (12/13) genes. These cells do not produce TCR alpha mRNA, but do contain T3 delta and T3 epsilon mRNA and accumulate T3 polypeptides, primarily in the perinuclear envelope. Equivalent normal T cells isolated from thymus have a predominantly germ-line configuration of TCR beta but contain intracellular T3 proteins. T3 gene expression is therefore a very early event in T cell differentiation. TCR alpha chain production appears to be the limiting maturation-linked event in the transport, assembly, and cell surface membrane insertion of the TCR alpha/beta-T3 complex.     

Large inverted duplications are associated with gene amplification

Amplified DNA can be found in arrays of large repeated units, with each repeat unit containing a marker gene and surrounding DNA sequences. Amplified DNA sequences from established cell lines were assessed for the presence of repeat units in the form of inverted duplications. Inverted duplicated DNA was detected by virtue of its concentration-independent resistance to S1 hydrolysis after denaturation and rapid renaturation. Using this assay, inverted duplications were detected in amplified DNA (both DM and HSR configurations) containing the myc gene (16-50 copies/cell) in four human tumor cell lines and in amplified DNA containing the CAD gene (30-200 copies/cell) in three PALA-resistant BHK cell lines. The widespread association of inverted duplications with amplified DNA must bear on the amplification mechanism.