Relative phosphate contents of phosphofructokinase and other soluble phosphoproteins in skeletal muscle

In vivo phosphorylation of muscle proteins has been studied by incorporation of [³²P]phosphate with emphasis placed upon the phosphorylation of glycolytic enzymes. Of the approximately 25 soluble proteins resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis that contain significant ³²P, phosphofructokinase was the sole glycolytic enzyme identified as a phosphoprotein. The extent of phosphorylation found for this enzyme was the same as determined previously for purified phosphofructokinase and was about the same as the extent of phosphorylation of phosphorylase in resting muscle. Subsequent partial purification of several glycolytic enzymes confirmed the absence of significant amount of phosphate. However, phosphoglycerate mutase contained small amounts of covalently bound ³²P that was exchangeable with 3-phosphoglycerate and therefore, most likely was incorporated during the catalytic reaction cycle. Analogous results were obtained for phosphoglucomutase. Both mutases were also phosphorylated at the same sites by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Evidence for Neuronal Localization of Histamine-N-Methyltransferase in Rat Brain

Abstract: There is evidence that histamine may be a neurotransmitter in mammalian brain. Histamine in neurons of the central nervous system is easily released and rapidly turned over. The cellular localization of histamine- N -methyltransferase, the proposed histamine-inactivating enzyme, was investigated by measuring its activity in rat striatum after applying neurochemical or electrolytic lesions. The results indicate a major neuronal localization of the enzyme in this area.     

Circadian rhythms of urinary electrolyte excretion in freely moving rats

In 8 freely moving rats the circadian variation in the eletrolyte excretion was studied. Food was available during either the dark or the light period. The lights were on from 0800–2000 hr. Potassium, phosphate and magnesium showed peak excretion values during the dark period under both feeding conditions, although the maxima occurred 2.5 hr earlier when the rats were fed during the light period; minimum excretion was recorded just prior to feeding. Sodium excretion followed a different pattern; for animals fed during the night, maximum excretion occurred almost at the end of the dark period and minimum excretion at the start of the feeding period. For day-fed animals these values were recorded 5 and 4 hours earlier, respectively. Calcium excretion reached a maximum after the feeding period and a minimum shortly after the onset of feeding. From this study it can be concluded that the peak excretions of potassium, phosphate and magnesium are only slightly influenced by the feeding regimen, indicating that they depend mainly on an endogenous rhythm. In contrast, the minimum excretion of these ions is determined by feeding. For calcium maximum as well as minimum excretion is correlated with the feeding regimen. The excretion pattern of sodium differs from that of calcium, as well as potassium, phosphate and magnesium, indicating that it is controlled by a different mechanism.     

Ribosomal proteins: XLIII. In vivo assembly of Escherichia coli ribosomal proteins

Isolation of ribosomal precursors from Escherichia coli K12 is described. The RNA and protein content of the precursor particles was determined.One physiologically stable precursor was found for the 30 S subunit. The assembly scheme is as follows: p16 S RNA + 9 proteins → p30 S (“21 S” precursor) p30 S + 12 proteins → 30 S subunit where p is precursor.Each of the two precursors for the 50 S subunit, P₁50 S and p₂50 S (“32 S” and “43 S” precursors, respectively), contains p5 S + p23 S RNA's in a 1:1 molar ratio. The assembly scheme is as follows: p23 S RNA + p5 S RNA + 16 or 17 proteins → p₁50 S

In contrast to the p₂50 S precursor the p₁50 S precursor is not similar to any core particles, which were obtained by treating 50 S subunits with different concentrations of LiCl or CsCl.The precursors p30 S and p₂50 S can be converted into active 30 S and 50 S sub-units, respectively, by incubation at 42 °C in the presence of ribosomal proteins and under RNA methylating conditions.     

IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON A MEMBRANE PROTEIN (CHROMOMEMBRIN B) OF CATECHOLAMINE-STORING VESICLES

Abstract— Rabbits were immunized with chromomembrin B, i.e. a membrane protein isolated from chromaffin granules of bovine adrenal medulla. When the rabbit sera were tested by immunodiffusion in the presence of various detergents, only negative results were obtained, whereas with complement fixation antibodies could be demonstrated. With this method the subcellular distribution of chromomembrin B in bovine adrenal medulla was determined. The results demonstrate that this protein is specifically localized in the membranes of chromaffin granules. In the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions it is present only in small amounts which are attributable to a contamination of these fractions with chromaffin granules. The subcellular distribution of chromomembrin R in bovine splenic nerves indicates that this antigen is also found in the membranes of noradrenalinestoring vesicles of sympathetic nerve. Chromomembrin B or a related antigen was detected in chromaffin grades isolated from pig and rat adrenal and in those isolated from a human phaeochromocytoma. It is also present in total membranes obtained from posterior and anterior hypophysis, but it is absent from membranes isolated from parotid gland, liver and adrenal cortex. This paper illustrates how a membrane protein which requires detergents for its solubilization can be characterized and measured by immunological methods.     

Fate of salmonellas and competing flora in meat sample enrichments in buffered peptone water and in Muller-Kauffmann's tetrathionate medium

Studies have been carried out in which growth patterns of a Salmonella sp. and competing micro-organisms, especially other Enterobacteriaceae, were followed during pre-enrichment in buffered peptone water (BPw) and subsequent selective enrichment in tetrathionate broth (TBB). Pre-enrichment cultures were inoculated with minced meat and three reference samples containing nalidixic acid-resistant salmonellas. Irrespective of their initial numbers in BPw, Enterobacteriaceae increased to 10⁸/ml or more. During incubation in TBB at 43C, numbers of lactose-positive Enterobacteriaceae decreased in most enrichments which resulted in a positive salmonella isolation, but remained constant in the majority of those that did not. Levels of lactose-negative Enterobacteriaceae did not decrease in most salmonella-positive tests, but did so in half of the salmonella-negative ones. In the salmonella-positive tests the numbers of salmonellas had increased to 10³–10⁷/ml in BPw and after transfer to TBB slowly reached 10⁴/ml or more. In all cases the numbers of salmonellas exceeded those of the competing flora on brilliant green agar (BGA). In the salmonella-negative tests the numbers of salmonellas had increased less in BPw and decreased in most of the TBB enrichments. In none of these negative tests did the numbers of salmonellas exceed those of the competing flora on BGA. Escherichia coli dominated in most of the salmonella-negative tests. The results suggest more influence of lactose-positive than lactose-negative Enterobacteriaceae on the detection of salmonellas. The effect of competing microorganisms seems to depend not only upon their initial numbers, but also upon the types that can interact with salmonellas during selective enrichment.     

Comparison of two sampling methods for biomonitoring using aquatic macroinvertebrates in the Dos Novillos River, Costa Rica

Benthic macroinvertebrates are the most commonly suggested group of organisms for freshwater biomonitoring and have been extensively studied in temperate areas. On the other hand, the methodology and theoretical background of biomonitoring have not yet been sufficiently adapted to tropical aquatic environments. The main focus of this study was the testing and comparison of two different collection methods in order to determine water quality and possible anthropogenic influences on the river Dos Novillos, Limón, Costa Rica. For the first method, aquatic invertebrates were collected for 120 min with a strainer, from different microhabitats, picked from the substrate and preserved directly in the field with 70% alcohol. For the second method, organic and inorganic materials, including benthic organisms, were gathered from different microhabitats with a D-shaped net for 10 min, with separation and sorting done in the laboratory. Results from five sampling campaigns showed that each sampling method differed in the composition of the fauna collected (Sørensen similarity index = 80%), although water quality categories obtained from the BMWP-CR index showed no differences between the two methods. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed, and according to the results obtained from this study, further testing for an adequate methodology in tropical rivers is still necessary.     

Expression of myoblast and myocyte antigens in relation to differentiation and the cell cycle

Cell cycle parameters and expression of myoblast and myocyte antigens were investigated during exponential growth and during the differentiation phase of rat L8( E63 ) myoblasts by an integrated approach involving microspectrophotometry with DNA fluorochromes, [3H]thymidine autoradiography, and immunofluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies. In addition to the majority of cells which are recruited into myotubes, two distinct populations of mononucleate cells were resolved in cultures of rat myoblasts undergoing differentiation. These mononucleate cells consist of (1) a population of proliferating cells with a prolonged G1 transit time; (2) a population of non-proliferating cells which remain arrested in G1 for more than 72 h. The latter group was examined with respect to the expression of two marker antigens recognized by two monoclonal antibodies: antibody B58 reacts with a macromolecular component present in undifferentiated myoblasts but not in mature myotubes, and antibody XMlb reacts with a muscle-specific isoform of myosin. All four possible combinations of expression of these antigens by single cells were found: B58 +XM1b -, B58 +XM1b +, B58 - XM1b -, and B58 - XMlb +. The implication of these findings with respect to the transition from the proliferative to the differentiative phase of myogenesis is discussed.     

RNA-binding properties of hnRNP proteins

The RNA-binding properties of the hnRNP monoparticle proteins were examined using a renaturing blotting procedure. All 'core' proteins are able to bind single-stranded nucleic acids, probably not sequence-specific. The core proteins C1 and, in one case A2 and B2, are able to bind nucleic acids which are double-stranded or which show a high degree of base-paired regions, among them U1 snRNA, whereas A1, B1 and C2 are unable to bind base-paired nucleic acids. The characteristics of C1 in binding base-paired nucleic acids are especially interesting, since the involvement of C1 in the splicing process has been described.     

In vitro reconstitution of hnRNP particles

The assembly of hnRNP-like particles was studied by in vitro reconstitution, UV-crosslinking and CsCl-equilibrium centrifugation. Using total nuclear protein and RNA extracts from HeLa cells for RNP reconstitution, RNP particles sedimenting with the same buoyant density of p = 1.4 g/cm3 as 'native' 40 S core hnRNPs were obtained. Under the stringent reconstitution conditions used, hnRNP complexes containing only the Cl-core hnRNP protein could be identified.