Cooperative interactions between the contractile proteins of cardiac and skeletal muscle.

The calcium activation of the ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) activity of cardiac actomyosin reconstituted from bovine cardiac myosin and a complex of actin-tropomyosin-troponin extracted from bovine cardiac muscle at 37 degrees C was studied and compared with similar proteins from rabbit fast skeletal muscle. The proteins of the actin complex were identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Half-maximal activation of the cardiac actomyosin was seen at a calcium concentration of 1.2 +/- 0.002 (S.E. of mean) muM. A hybridized reconstituted actomyosin made with cardiac myosin and the actin-tropomyosin-troponin complex extracted from rabbit skeletal muscle was also activated by calcium but the half-maximal value was shifted to 0.65 +/- 0.02 (S.E. of mean) muM Ca2+. Homologous rabbit skeletal actomyosin showed half-maximal activation at 0.90 +/- 0.01 (S.E. of mean) muM Ca2+ and the value for a hybridized actomyosin made with rabbit skeletal myosin and the actin-complex from cardiac muscle was found at 1.4 +/- 0.03 (S.E. of mean) muM Ca2+ concentration. Kinetic analysis of the Ca2+ activated ATPase activity of reconstituted bovine cardiac actomyosin indicated some degree of cooperativity with respect to calcium. Double reciprocal plots of reconstituted actomyosins made with bovine cardiac actin complex were curvilinear and significantly different than those of reconstituted actomyosins made with the rabbit fast skeletal actin complex. The Ca2+-dependent cooperativity was of a mixed type as determined from Hill plots for homologous reconstituted bovine cardiac and rabbit fast skeletal actomyosin. The results show that cooperative interactions in reconstituted actomyosins were greater when the actin-tropomyosin-troponin complex was derived from cardiac than skeletal muscle.     

Functional analysis of human T cell subsets defined by monoclonal antibodies. V. Suppressor cells within the activated OKT4+ population belong to a distinct subset

In the present report, we characterize a monoclonal antibody directed at a surface differentiation antigen on human T cells. The monoclonal antibody, OKT17, recognizes a cell surface antigen present on the majority of resting normal peripheral T cells. In contrast, OKT17 is unreactive with normal B cells, B cell lines, T cell lines, or SIg+ CLL. Interestingly, after activation, the antigen recognized by OKT17 is lost from a subset of OKT4+ cells. We took advantage of this finding to explore further the functional heterogeneity within activated OKT4+ cells. Evidence was obtained that the PWM-activated OKT4+ subset remaining after depletion of OKT17-reactive T cells (OKT4+ 17-) contains radiosensitive helperr cells but is devoid of suppressor cells. In contrast, the activated OKT4+ 17+ population contains potent radiosensitive suppressor cells as well as radioresistant helpe cells. Taken together, these studies suggest that the OKT17 monoclonal antibody can differentiate two functionally mature, activated OKT4+ human T cells: OKT4+ OKT17+ radiosensitive suppressor cells and OKT4+ 17- radiosensitive helper cells.     

Isolation and characterization of acetylornithine delta-transaminase of wild-type Escherichia coli W. Comparison with arginine-inducible acetylornithine delta-transaminase.

The enzyme that catalyzes the reversible conversion of N-acetylglutamic γ-semialdehyde and l-glutamate to α-N-acetyl-l-ornithine and α-ketoglutarate, acetylornithine δ-transaminase, has been isolated in homogeneous form and crystallized from both the wild-type and the arginine-inducible strains of Escherichia coli W. The molecular weight of the wild-type transaminase is 119,000 while the molecular weight of the arginine-inducible enzyme is 61,000. However, the arginine-inducible acetylornithine δ-transaminase is not a breakdown product of the wild-type, arginine-repressible transaminase. Analysis of crude extracts of the wild-type and arginine-inducible strains by varying the acrylamide concentration in polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis showed that arginine-inducible and wild-type transaminases differed in ionic charge. Immunochemical analysis of the two transaminases showed that neither enzyme would cross-react with antibodies prepared against its counterpart. Treatment of the two enzymes with sodium dodecyl sulfate, followed by disc gel electrophoresis revealed that both transaminases were composed of 31,000-dalton subunits. Tryptic digestion of the two transaminases showed that nearly identical peptides were present. The overall data suggest that the wild-type and inducible transaminases were products of two different structural genes. The two transaminases have different molecular weights, ionic charges, and antigenic determinants, but both are composed of similar molecular weight subunits and show a high degree of similarity in amino acid content and peptide composition.     

Intracellular pH controls the development of new potassium conductance after fertilization of the sea urchin egg

Fertilization of the sea urchin egg leads to a sequence of changes at the egg surface and the interior cytoplasm. Among these changes are the transient elevation of internal calcium levels, alkalization of the cytoplasm and development of new K⁺-conductance. In the series of experiments reported here, we separate the effects on potassium activation of the calcium release and the rise in the intracellular pH. The development of new K⁺-conductance was dependent on alkalization of the egg cytoplasm, and not on a rise of internal calcium levels. The effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol, N-ethylmalemide, antimycin A and oligomycin suggest that the maintenance of the alkaline internal pH of fertilized eggs appears to be dependent on membrane ATPase activity.     

Insulin-like,and insulin-antagonistic,carbohydrate derivatives. The synthesis of aryl and aralkyl d-mannopyranosides and 1-thio-d-mannopyranosides

A number of novel, aryl and aralkyl d-mannopyranosides and 1-thio-d-mannopyranosides were synthesized for evaluation of insulin-like and insulin-antagonistic properties. The substituted-phenyl α-d-mannopyranosides were prepared by the general procedure of Helferich and Schmitz-Hillebrecht, the substituted-phenyl 1-thio-α-d-mannopyranosides by a method corresponding to the Michael synthesis of aromatic glycosides, and the aralkyl 1-thio-α-d-mannopyranosides by aralkylation of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-α-d-mannopyranose (15) and subsequent O-deacetylation. Compound 15 was obtained by basic cleavage of the amidino group in 2-S-(tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-mannopyranosyl)-2-thiopseudourea hydrobromide, the product of the reaction of tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-mannosyl bromide with thiourea. Benzyl 1-thio-β-d-mannopyranoside, obtained by reaction of the sodium salt of 1-thio-β-d-mannopyranose with α-bromotoluene, and benzyl 1-thio-α-l-mannopyranoside were also synthesized, in order to assess the stereospecificity of the biological activities measured.     

Effect of a peri fluoro substituent on the conformation of dihydrodiol derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

$\text{Trans}$-3,4-, 5,6-, 8,9-, and 10,11-dihydrodiols formed from the metabolism of 7-fluorobenz[a]anthracene by rat liver microsomes were isolated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Ultraviolet absorption, mass, and NMR spectral analyses indicated that the 5,6- and 8,9-dihydrodiols were preferentially in quasi-diaxial conformations, whereas the 3,4- and 10,11-dihydrodiols were preferentially in quasi-diequatorial conformations. CPK space-filling models suggest that the quasi-diaxial conformation is primarily the result of electronic repulsion between the fluorine and the $\text{peri}$ hydroxyl oxygen. These findings provide a structural basis in the interpretation of the carcinogenic potencies of some fluorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.     

Sequential changes of thymocyte surface antigens with presence or absence of graft-vs-host reaction following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Lethally irradiated AKR mice were reconstituted with C57BL/6 bone marrow cells. Though the allogeneic marrow transplantation protected AKR recipients from acute irradiation deaths, the mice given unmanipulated marrow developed severe GVHR disease, and 80% died within 50 days. The thymus and spleen from the recipient mice, following recovery of body weight between the 10th and 20th days, gradually involuted and became miniscule after Day 30. Thymocytes from recipients were found to be entirely of donor cell type by Day 15. Thereafter, however, as the graft versus host reaction (GVHR) developed, changes in sensitivity of the thymocytes to four different alloantisera directed toward donor histocompatibility antigens (H-2^b, Thy 1.2, Lyt 1.2, and Lyt 2.2) were observed and these changes were associated with changes in antigen expression or quantity of Thy 1 antigens on the thymocytes. A different pattern of changes was observed in antigen expression on thymocytes in mice given B6 marrow cells that had been pretreated with anti-Thy 1 serum which prevented initiation of graft-vs-host disease and in the mice which received marrow not so treated and which regularly led to graft-vs-host disease. By contrast, the amount of H-2 antigen on the thymocytes from chimeras with or without GVHR was elevated equally. The mechanisms of these changes are discussed.     

沿海岛屿与内陆藓类植物遗传多样性和分化的比较研究——以真藓(Bryum argenteum Hedw.)为例

基于11个内陆居群和32个岛屿居群的252份标本,采用ISSR分子标记技术对真藓（Bryum argenteum Hedw.）的遗传多样性进行了研究。结果显示：岛屿与内陆居群间的遗传多样性差异显著,岛屿居群间的分化程度（G_st=0.453）大于内陆居群（G_st=0.387）,岛屿居群的遗传分化与地理来源间存在极显著相关性（r=0.478,n=175,P<0.001）。地理隔离效应是导致岛屿居群间遗传分化的重要因素。岛内居群间的遗传分化水平较低,仅有29.4%~29.7%的遗传多样性存在于居群间。聚类分析表明,43个居群可划分为10大类群,真藓遗传关系受地理因素和生境异质性的影响,水域隔离影响了真藓繁殖体在岛屿间的传播。     

胆红素自由基对人红细胞的损伤作用

为了进一步证明胆红素自由基对细胞造成的直接损伤,探讨胆红素对细胞表现毒性的机理以及在色素类结石形成中所起的作用,我们以胆红素自由基作用于人红细胞,用TBA法研究了完整人红细胞的脂质过氧化,用SDS-PAGE法研究了红细胞膜的损伤以及用荧光法研究了膜损伤后某些性质的改变。结果表明:胆红素自由基能引起人红细胞膜脂质过氧化,使膜蛋白发生降解,从而直接可测氨基减少,而溶液中游离氨基的含量却相应增加。根据以上事实,重点讨论了胆红素对细胞表现毒性的可能原因以及与色素类结石形成的关系。