Cascade of autophosphorylation in the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor

Insulin stimulated autophosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor purified from Fao hepatoma cells or purified from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO/HIRC) or Swiss 3T3 (3T3/HIRC) cells transfected with the wild-type human insulin receptor cDNA. Autophosphorylation of the purified receptor occurred in at least two regions of the beta-subunit: the regulatory region containing Tyr-1146, Tyr-1150, and Tyr-1151, and the C-terminus containing Tyr-1316 and Tyr-1322. In the presence of antiphosphotyrosine antibody (alpha-PY), autophosphorylation of the purified receptor was inhibited nearly 80% during insulin stimulation. Tryptic peptide mapping showed that alpha-PY inhibited autophosphorylation of both tyrosyl residues in the C-terminus and one tyrosyl residue in the regulatory region, either Tyr-1150 or Tyr-1151. Thus, a bis-phosphorylated form of the regulatory region accumulated in the presence of alpha-PY, which contained Tyr(P)-1146 and either Tyr(P)-1150 or 1151. In intact Fao, CHO/HIRC, and 3T3/HIRC cells, insulin stimulated tyrosyl phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor. Tryptic peptide mapping indicated that the regulatory region of the beta-subunit was mainly (greater than 80%) bis-phosphorylated; however, all three tyrosyl residues of the regulatory region were phosphorylated in about 20% of the receptors. As the phosphotransferase was activated by tris-phosphorylation but not bis-phosphorylation of the regulatory region of the beta-subunit (White et al.: Journal of Biological Chemistry 263:2969-2980, 1988), the extent of autophosphorylation in the regulatory region may play an important regulatory role during signal transmission in the intact cell.     

Chemical modification of spinach plastocyanin using 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid: characterization of four singly-modified forms

Chemical modification of plastocyanin was carried out using 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid, which has the effect of replacing positive charges on amino groups with negatively charged carboxyl groups. Four singly-modified forms were obtained which were separated using anion exchange FPLC. The four forms were modified at the N-terminal valine and at lysines 54, 71 and 77. The rates of reaction with mammalian cytochrome c were increased for all four modified plastocyanins. In contrast, the rates of reaction with cytochrome f were inhibited for the forms modified at residues 1, 54 and 77, whereas no effect was observed for the form modified at residue 71. Modification had no effect on either the midpoint redox potential or the reaction with K3Fe(CN)6. These results are consistent with a model in which charged residues on plastocyanin located at or near the binding site for cytochrome f recognize the positively-charged binding site on cytochrome f. In contrast, charged residues located at points on plastocyanin distant from the cytochrome f binding site recognize the net negative charge on the cytochrome f molecule. Based on these considerations, Glu-68 may be within the interaction sphere of cytochrome f, suggesting that cytochrome f may donate electrons to plastocyanin at either Tyr-83 or His-87.     

Restriction sites containing CpG show a higher frequency of polymorphism in human DNA

Unique loci in the human genome were examined with restriction enzymes in order to detect restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). Of 31 arbitrary loci, nine were detectably polymorphic, reflecting ten polymorphic restriction sites. Nine of the ten polymorphic sites were revealed with two restriction enzymes, Msp I and Taq I, whose recognition sequences have in common the dimer sequence CpG. The cytosines in the CpG sequence are known to be frequently methylated in mammals, and the occurrence of significant variation in Msp I and Taq I sites supports the view that methylated cytosine residues are hotspots for mutation in mammalian DNA.     

Cytokeratin provides a specific marker for human arachnoid cells grown in vitro

Cells from cranial and spinal arachnoid membranes of humans were grown in culture. Their growth characteristics, morphology and details of their cytoskeletal composition are described. Arachnoid membranes, obtained at autopsy, were finely minced and incubated in tissue culture medium. Monolayers of cells of homogeneous morphology grew from these tissue fragments. The cells were flat and polygonal. They divided slowly to form non-overlapping monolayers of low cell density. Electron microscopic examination of cultured arachnoid cells revealed numerous desmosome-like tight junctions and abundant intermediate filaments (tonofilaments). Both morphological features are characteristic of arachnoid cells in situ, but not of cells in the fibroblast-rich dura mater. Immunofluorescence microscopy with monoclonal antibodies demonstrated cytokeratin in the cytoplasm of primary cultures of arachnoid cells. Thus we demonstrated that these cultured cells retained certain of the specific differentiated properties of arachnoid cells in situ and that they are not fibroblasts (which lack tight junctions and cytokeratins). To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of in vitro growth of arachnoid cells. This in vitro model should be useful in studying the response of arachnoid cells to a variety of substances thought to be involved in the chronic inflammatory condition of the meninges known as arachnoiditis.     

Thrombolytic Therapy in Haemolytic-Uraemic Syndrome

The treatment of five children with the haemolytic-uraemic syndrome using streptokinase is described to illustrate the difficulties and limitations of thrombolytic therapy in this disease. This experience is germane to the design of multicentre clinical trials.A multivariate analysis relating clinical outcome to the data obtained at the time of admission was also carried out for 31 children with the disease treated in four centres. The results suggest that this technique may help to identify those patients likely to have a fatal outcome. An expanded form of this type of analysis should be incorporated in future clinical trials.     

Prostaglandin I2 is less relaxant than prostaglandin E2 on the lamb ductus arteriosus.

Prostaglandin (PG) I2 and its stable metabolite, 6-keto-PGF1alpha, were tested on the isolated ductus arteriosus from mature fetal lambs. PGI2 relaxed the ductus in high doses (threshold 10(-6)M) and its activity disappeared on standing at room temperature for 30 minutes. 6-keto-PGF1alpha was inactive at all doses. By contrast, PGE2 produced a dose-dependent relaxation over a range between 10(-10) and 10(-6)M. These findings confirm that PGE2 is the most potent ductal relaxant among the known derivatives of arachidonic acid. PGE2 probably maintains ductus patency in the fetus and, together with PGE1, remains the compound of choice in the management of newborns requiring a viable ductus for survival.     

CYTOGENETICS OF SPECIATION

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The essence of speciation lies in the origin of genetic isolating mechanisms. Argument has raged as to whether the primary isolating mechanisms which initiate specific divergence operate at the pre-mating or post-mating level and whether complete geographic isolation necessarily precedes divergence. Speciation is essentially a cytogenetic process and the role of chromosomal rearrangements as primary isolating factors has probably been underestimated in the past. But speciation depends on many factors such as population size, vagility and type of life cycle, so it is unlikely that any universal model is applicable.