Antioxidant role and subcellular location of hypotaurine and taurine in human neutrophils.

The subcellular location of taurine, and its precursor, hypotaurine, within human neutrophils has been examined by nitrogen cavitation, Percoll-gradient centrifugation and HPLC analysis. Hypotaurine and taurine were found to reside within the cytosolic compartment of the cell. The ratio of taurine to hypotaurine is approx 50:1. The cytosolic concentration of taurine is approx. 50 mM. The concentration of hypotaurine decreased by 80% when resting neutrophils were converted into actively respiring cells by exposure to opsonized zymosan. These results prompted in vitro studies on the antioxidant properties of hypotaurine. We demonstrate by EPR spectroscopy that hypotaurine competes with 5,5'-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide) (DMPO) for hydroxyl radicals, and that it is the sulfinyl group which confers hydroxyl radical scavenging activity to it. Following its exposure to hydroxyl radicals, two oxidation products were isolated by HPLC, one of which has been identified as taurine. The biological roles of hypotaurine and taurine in the neutrophil are discussed with respect to their antioxidant properties and subcellular location within the cell.     

Two Types of Genetic Interaction Implicate the Whirligig Gene of Drosophila Melanogaster in Microtubule Organization in the Flagellar Axoneme

The mutant nc4 allele of whirligig (3-54.4) of Drosophila melanogaster fails to complement mutations in an alpha-tubulin locus, alpha 1t, mutations in a beta-tubulin locus, B2t, or a mutation in the haywire locus. However, wrl fails to map to any of the known alpha- or beta-tubulin genes. The extragenic failure to complement could indicate that the wrl product participates in structural interactions with microtubule proteins. The whirligig locus appears to be haploinsufficient for male fertility. Both a deficiency of wrl and possible loss of function alleles obtained by reverting the failure to complement between wrlnc4 and B2tn are dominant male sterile in a genetic background wild type for tubulin. The dominant male sterility of the revertant alleles is suppressed if the flies are also heterozygous for B2tn, for a deficiency of alpha 1t, or for the haync2 allele. These results suggest that it is not the absolute level of wrl gene product but its level relative to tubulin or microtubule function that is important for normal spermatogenesis. The phenotype of homozygous wrl mutants suggests that the whirligig product plays a role in postmeiotic spermatid differentiation, possibly in organizing the microtubules of the sperm flagellar axoneme. Flies homozygous for either wrlnc4 or revertant alleles are viable and female fertile but male sterile. Premeiotic and meiotic stages of spermatogenesis appear normal. However, in post-meiotic stages, flagellar axonemes show loss of the accessory microtubule on the B-subfiber of outer doublet microtubules, outer triplet instead of outer doublet microtubules, and missing central pair microtubules.     

The involucrin gene of the galago. Existence of a correction process acting on its segment of repeats

The involucrin gene of the galago, a prosimian, has been cloned and sequenced. The coding region contains a segment of repeats homologous to the segment of repeats in the gene of another prosimian, the lemur, and different from the segments of repeats in the genes of higher primates. The repeats lengths in the two prosimians are similar; and except for a single duplication of a block of repeats in the lemur alone, the number of repeats is the same. However, the nucleotide consensus sequences of the repeats differ between the two species at 3 out of 39 nucleotide positions. The repeats therefore appear to have been modified by a correction process that led toward homogeneity in the repeats of each species while permitting divergence between the two species. The correction process, an example of concerted evolution, has taken place preferentially between adjacent repeats. The numerous differences between the segments of repeats of higher primates and the segments of repeats of lower animals reveal a discontinuity in the evolutionary processes acting on the gene.     

Specificity and pH dependence for acylproline cleavage by prolidase

Catalytic pH dependence for the hydrolytic activity of the enzyme prolidase with a series of dipeptide substrates is found to be generally bell-shaped (kcat/Km) or simple sigmoidal (kcat). An enzymic residue with a pKa value of 6.6 is found to be critically involved in the catalytic mechanism, as is the substrate amino group. Significant catalysis at a pH of 6.6 is also observed for prolidase with (alkylthio)acetylprolines and with haloacetylprolines. A reverse-protonation state mechanism for substrate binding and activation is postulated, involving a chelative interaction of the aminoacylamide portion of substrate with a strongly Lewis-acidic active site metal ion.     

Isolation and structure elucidation of a novel 5-kDa peptide from neurohaemal lobes of the corpora cardiaca of Locusta migratoria (Insecta, Orthoptera)

Two predominant peptides have been isolated from neurohaemal lobes of corpora cardiaca of 8000 adults of Locusta migratoria. Both peptides have been unambiguously characterized by automated peptide microsequencing and liquid secondary-ion mass spectrometry as a 50-residue peptide (5K peptide) and a 48-residue isologue (5K' peptide). Computer search of sequence data banks did not reveal any significant similarity with other identified proteins. The 5K peptides are remarkably rich in alanine residues (25%) and contain a stretch of five consecutive alanines. This structure suggests that these molecules could correspond to spacer peptides. This assumption is corroborated in the accompanying paper [Lagueux et al. (1990) Eur. J. Biochem. 187, 249-254] on the molecular cloning of the precursor protein which attributes to the 5K peptides a role analogous to that of the C peptides of insulins.     

Genetic analysis of X-linked mutagen-sensitive mutants of Drosophila melanogaster

Mutants at 2 new loci which control mutagen-sensitivity are described. Mutants at both loci are female-sterile and are hypersensitive to killing by MMS; neither increases the frequency of sex-linked recessive lethals. A screen of previously described female-sterile and meotic mutants has revealed that a number of these are also sensitive to mutagens. In addition, several new mutants have been identified on the basis of sensitivity to either HN2 or MMS. An anlysis of complementation data suggests that all of the X-linked genes controlling sensitivity to MMS may now have been identified. Among the new mei-41 alleles are mutants which show verly little meiotic nondisjunction or loss. Cytogenetic mapping of previously known mutants is also described. The mutants mus(1)104^D1 and mei-41^D5 are located in th eregion 14B13±?14D1,2 on the polytene chromosome map, and they map very close to each other genetically. Cytogenetically mus(1)101^D1 is between salivary chromosome bands 12A6,7 and 12D3, mus(1)103^D1 is between bands 12A1,2 and 12A6,7, and mus(1)-109^A1 is in section 8F3-9A2.     

Depsidone constituents from the quintaria group of Nephroma species

A new lichen depsidone was isolated, in the form of its triacetate derivative from the acetylated extracts of Nephroma antarcticum and has been demonstrated to be hypoconstictic acid-triacetate. Two related depsidones, hypostictic acid hyposalazinic acid, were isolated from N. australe.     

A variation of the smooth septate junction in sea spiders (Pycnogonida)

A new type of septate junction considered to be a variation of the arthropod smooth septate junction is described in pycnogonid (sea spider) endothermal tissue based on the use of conventional thin-section, lanthanum tracer and freeze-fracture techniques. This new type of septate junction is apparently unique to the Pycnogonida but closely resembles septate junctions previously described in the Merostomata and Collembola. This work in conjunction with previous work suggests that the septa of smooth septate junctions may not be as ‘smooth’ as generally thought and probably have a complex substructure.     

Cyclic AMP-mediated control of lipogenic enzyme synthesis during adipose differentiation of 3T3 cells

During the adipose differentiation of 3T3-F442A cells, there is an increase in the synthesis of numerous proteins, including the lipogenic enzymes glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, fatty acid synthetase and malic enzyme. Agents that increase cAMP content (Dibutyryl cAMP, theophylline, and isoproterenol) are known to induce lipolysis in fat cells; but the same agents are shown here to reduce the synthesis of the lipogenic enzymes during adipose differentiation. The extent of reduction depends on the agent used and differs for the three enzymes; fatty acid synthetase is most sensitive and its synthesis can be suppressed completely. In contrast to their effects on lipogenic enzyme synthesis, these agents do not affect morphological changes or the synthesis of several other proteins, of which some increase and others (such as actin) decrease during the differentiation. The effects of the agents on the synthesis of lipogenic enzymes are not dependent on lipolysis, since they take place to the same degree in cells not permitted to accumulate triglyceride. Translation in vitro of mRNA isolated from cells treated with the agents promoting cAMP accumulation indicates that the levels of functional mRNA for lipogenic enzymes are reduced. We conclude that, in addition to its activation of lipolysis, cAMP reduces specifically mRNA accumulation for lipogenic enzymes. These results also demonstrate the independent control of morphological change and enzyme synthesis during adipose differentiation.