Detection of a nerve-specific membrane protein on differentiating PCC3/A/1 cells

Attempts were made to prepare monoclonal antibodies specifically reactive with cell surface components of a murine neuroblastoma cell line, Neuro 2a. One of the antibodies (1c2) reacts with a varying proportion of in vitro cultivated Neuro 2a cells, but does not react with murine embryonal carcinoma cell lines (PCC3/A/1 and F9) or with a murine fibroblast line (LM). This antibody selectively stains a subpopulation of nerve cells in murine adult central nervous system, e.g. granular cells in cerebellar cortex. Immunoaffinity purification of adult brain and Neuro 2a plasma membrane fractions with the antibody resulted in an electrophoretically pure protein of approx. 28 kD molecular weight as estimated by SDS-PAGE. Although this antigen is absent from PCC3/A/1 embryonal carcinoma cells, it can be demonstrated after 9 days of growth and differentiation under low density conditions by indirect immunoperoxidase staining. This monoclonal antibody may prove useful in further analysis of neural tissue development.     

Effect of erythrocyte transfusion on the circulation of Guérin carcinoma-bearing rats

In Guérin carcinoma-bearing rats during tumour growth cardiac output and blood flow to several organs were increased whereas TPR, vascular resistance of some regions and haematocrit gradually decreased. In response to erythrocyte transfusion the anaemia of tumour-bearing rats was considerably improved or corrected, however, the parameters for systemic and regional circulation were only partially restored. We presume that the circulatory "hyperkinesis" of tumour-bearing rats is partly due to the anaemia but also an unknown factor must be considered. The blood perfusion of the Guérin carcinoma was not affected by the erythrocyte transfusion thus it is feasible that the tumour vasculature is maximally dilated even with a normal haematocrit of the host.     

Localization of mucidin-resistant locus muc3 on mitochondrial DNA with respect to ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase deficient box loci. Locus muc3 is allelic to box2

Summary Genetic relations between mitochondrial mucidin-resistant locus muc3 and ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase-deficient box loci have been studied by recombination and petite deletion analysis. It was found that the locus muc3 maps in the segment of mitochondrial DNA corresponding to the locus box2. The results suggest the participation of box2/muc3 locus in the sequences of the structural gene for cytochrome b.     

Induction by ouabain of hemoglobin synthesis in cultured friend erythroleukemic cells

Induction of erythroid differentiation in ouabain-resistant murine erythroleukemia cells by ouabain is reported. Ouabain induction results in the appearance of hemoglobin-containing cells 12–24 hr earlier than induction of the same clone by dimethyl sulfoxide. The levels of globin mRNA after ouabain induction are similar in amount to the globin mRNA levels observed after induction by dimethyl sulfoxide. The concentration of ouabain required to induce hemoglobin synthesis depends upon the K⁺ ion levels in the culture medium. Lowering the extracellular K⁺ ion concentration 2–4 fold reduced by 10–40 fold the ouabain concentration necessary for the induction of hemoglobin synthesis. In low K⁺ medium (1.8 mM), ouabain is an effective inducer of hemoglobin synthesis at a concentration of 0.02 mM. This K⁺ effect is specific for ouabain induction, since induction by other inducers, such as dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl acetamide, does not exhibit this marked sensitivity to the levels of K⁺ ions in the culture medium. These results suggest that the binding of ouabain to the plasma membrane enzyme, $\text{Na}\text{K}$ ATPase, is required for the induction of erythroid differentiation by ouabain. A small but significant proportion of wild-type, ouabain-sensitive cells also can be induced by ouabain, below ouabain concentrations that are toxic to these cells. The observation that the binding of ouabain to the $\text{Na}\text{K}$ ATPase induces hemoglobin synthesis suggests that changes in the intracellular concentration of K⁺ ions may be involved in the control of erythroid differentiation in Friend erythroleukemic cells.     

Effect of non-native species on taxonomic and functional diversity of fish communities in different river types

Recent researches suggest that functional diversity represents the response of communities to environmental alterations better than taxonomic diversity. However, there is scarce information about how the functional diversity of freshwater fishes is affected by habitat type and the dominance of non-native species. To address this question, we analysed a large database containing 15 morpho-functional traits of 61 fish species from the Pannon Biogeographic region (Hungary). Based on a fish faunistic list and relative abundance of taxa, we quantified the taxonomic and functional diversity of riverine communities for?>?700 sites of six habitat types. We asked how non-native fishes affected the taxonomic and functional diversity in different river types and at the local scale (i.e. at the site level), and how the diversity measures of native fauna elements changes along the invasion gradient. Our results showed that both functional and taxonomic richness increases with habitat complexity, from small headwater streams to large rivers. Therefore taxonomic diversity served as a good proxy for functional diversity along the environmental gradient of river types. Non-natives showed considerable functional diversity relative to their species number in each habitat type. Diversity values of native fauna elements initially increased, and then showed a major decrease along the invasion gradient. River type-specific evaluations highlighted the importance of considering the proliferation of invasive species based on both taxonomic and functional diversity indices. We argue that type-specific action plans are needed in conservation management to preserve the taxonomic and functional diversity of native fishes in Hungary, but also elsewhere.

     

A genetic model with specifically impaired autophagosome–lysosome fusion

Yeast studies identified the evolutionarily conserved core ATG genes responsible for autophagosome formation. However, the SNARE-dependent machinery involved in autophagosome fusion with the vacuole in yeast is not conserved. We recently reported that the SNARE complex consisting of Syx17 (Syntaxin 17), ubisnap (SNAP-29) and Vamp7 is required for the fusion of autophagosomes with late endosomes and lysosomes in Drosophila. Syx17 mutant flies are viable but exhibit neuronal dysfunction, locomotion defects and premature death. These data point to the critical role of autophagosome clearance in organismal homeodynamics.