The nature of the neutral Na+−Cl−-coupled entry at the apical membrane of rabbit gallbladder epithelium: I. Na+/H+, Cl−/HCO 3 − double exchange and Na+−Cl− symport

Summary Cl^– influx at the luminal border of the epithelium of rabbit gallbladder was measured by 45-sec exposures to³⁶Cl^– and³H-sucrose (as extracellular marker). Its paracellular component was evaluated by the use of 25mm SCN^– which immediately and completely inhibits Cl^– entry into the cell. Cellular influx was equal to 16.7eq cm^–2 hr^–1 and decreased to 8.5eq cm^–2 hr^–1 upon removal of HCO ₃ ^– from the bathing media and by bubbling 100% O₂ for 45 min. When HCO ₃ ^– was present, cellular influx was again about halved by the action of 10^–4 m acetazolamide, 10^–5 to 10^–4 m furosemide, 10^–5 to 10^–4 m 4-acetamido-4-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2-disulfonate (SITS), 10^–3 m amiloride. The effects of furosemide and SITS were tested at different concentrations of the inhibitor and with different exposure times: they were maximal at the concentrations reported above and nonadditive. In turn, the effects of amiloride and SITS were not additive. Acetazolamide reached its maximal action after an exposure of about 2 min. When exogenous HCO ₃ ^– was absent, the residual cellular influx was insensitive to acetazolamide, furosemide and SITS. When exogenous HCO ₃ ^– was present in the salines, Na⁺ removal from the mucosal side caused a slow decline of cellular Cl^– influx; conversely, it immediately abolished cellular Cl^– influx in the absence of HCO ₃ ^– . In conclusion, about 50% of cellular influx is sensitive to HCO ₃ ^– , inhibitable by SCN^–, acetazolamide, furosemide, SITS and amiloride and furthermore slowly dependent on Na⁺. The residual cellular influx is insensitive to bicarbonate, inhibitable by SCN^–, resistant to acetazolamide, furosemide, SITS and amiloride, and immediately dependent on Na⁺. Thus, about 50% of apical membrane NaCl influx appears to result from a Na⁺/H⁺ and Cl^–/HCO ₃ ^– exchange, whereas the residual influx seems to be due to Na⁺–Cl^– contranport on a single carrier. Whether both components are simultaneously present or the latter represents a cellular homeostatic counterreaction to the inhibition of the former is not clear.     

High-Efficiency Conversion of Pyruvate to Acetoin by Lactobacillus plantarum during pH-Controlled and Fed-Batch Fermentations

The influence of pH on the type and concentration of metabolites produced from pyruvate by Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 was examined in pH-controlled fermentors at pH values of 4.5 to 6.5. Specific growth rates, cell dry weights, and diacetyl concentrations were highest at pH 5.5, with values of 0.78 h⁻¹, 190 mg/liter, and 1.2 mM, respectively. While the conversion efficiency (millimoles of acetoin formed per millimoles of pyruvate utilized) was highest (94.6%) at pH 4.5, acetoin levels were similar (20 mM) between pH 4.5 and 5.5. Feeding stationary-phase cells exogenous pyruvate increased acetoin levels to 78 mM.     

Isolation of apical plasma membrane in rabbit gallbladder epithelium by Percoll density gradient centrifugation

The apical membranes of rabbit gallbladder epithelial cells were isolated by treating the homogenate with Ca2+ or Mg2+ and centrifuging the suspension in Percoll gradient. In this way brush-border membranes were obtained with enrichment factors ranging between 10 and 20 and yields of 15-30%. A second method is described with which membranes were isolated, without any preliminary treatment, first by differential centrifugation, then with Percoll gradient; the final membrane enrichment was over 15, however the yield was very low (3%). Many possible enzymatic markers of the apical plasma membrane were investigated: L-gamma-glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, sucrase. The first appears to be that of choice. Apical membrane fraction could be also evidenced by autofluorescence or by labeling with Lotus tetragonolobus lectin. Preliminary experiments showed that apical plasma membranes isolated in this way form vesicles.     

Structural elements of bactopterin from Pseudomonas carboxydoflava carbon monoxide dehydrogenase

Bactopterin is a novel pterin occurring in bacterial molybdoenzymes as the organic portion of the molybdenum cofactor. Its structure is investigated here. The compound contains a single pterin ring and carries a side chain at carbon atom 6 of the pterin nucleus as indicated by the formation of pterin-6-carboxylic acid upon alkaline permanganate oxidation. Studies with phosphate-cleaving enzymes revealed the presence of two monophosphoric acid monoesters. The affinity of reduced bactopterin for thiol-Sepharose points to the presence of thiol(s) in active bactopterin.     

A process for protein enrichment of cassava by solid substrate fermentation in rural conditions

An artisanal static process for protein enrichment of cassava by solid-state fermentation, developed in laboratory and tested on pilot units in Burundi (Central Africa), provides enriched cassava containing 10.7% of dry matter protein versus 1% before fermentation. Cassava chips, processed into granules of 2-4-mm diameter, are moistened (40% water content) and steamed. After cooling to 40 degrees C, cassava is mixed with a nutritive solution containing the inoculum (Rhizopus oryzae, strain MUCL 28627) and providing the following per 100 g dry matter: 3.4 g urea, 1.5 g KH(2)PO(4), 0.8 g MgSO(4).7H(2)O, and 22.7 g citric acid. For the fermentation, cassava, with ca. 60% moisture content, is spread in a thin layer (2-3 cm thick) on perforated trays and slid into an aerated humidified enclosure. The incubation lasts +/- 65 h. The production of protein enriched cassava is 3.26 kg dry matter/m(2) tray. The effects of the variation of the nutritive solution composition and the inoculum conservation period on the protein production are equally discussed.     

Binding of the Bacillus sphaericus mosquito larvicidal toxin to cultured insect cells

Using both fluorescent labelled toxin and antibody--secondary antibody techniques, the Bacillus sphaericus toxin was found to bind strongly to susceptible Culex quinquefasciatus cells, but far less strongly to cells of insensitive insects. An insensitive clone of the C. quinquefasciatus cell line was discovered which bound toxin efficiently. The toxin was bound in the cold to sensitive cells and these cells could be rescued from cytotoxicity for ca. 15 min after warming, by which time toxin appeared to be internalized. Binding was saturable. This toxin is apparently internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis, probably involving a glycoprotein receptor containing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Evidence for toxin binding to lipids was not found. Antibody appeared to detect internalized toxin, and high concentrations of sugars inhibited cytotoxicity; these results along with evidence from a recent ultrastructural study suggest that this toxin may form pores in the cell membrane.     

Functional Changes Associated with Structural Alterations Induced by Mobilization of a P Element Inserted in the Sex-lethal Gene of Drosophila

Genetic analysis of rearrangements within the multifunctional sex determining gene Sex-lethal has allowed correlation of changes in specific functions with DNA alterations. Rearrangements were isolated by mobilization of a P element which is on the 5' side of the gene, at coordinate 0. Previous work has shown that rearrangements associated with alterations in Sxl gene function are found within an 11-kb region between coordinates-11 and 0. Here it is shown that insertion of foreign DNA, per se, at coordinate 0 is compatible with wild-type gene function. However, deletion of sequences on either side of this point generates a mutant phenotype. Deletions extending distally beyond coordinate -6.5 kb result in a null phenotype, whereas smaller distal deletions or proximal deletions eliminate only some Sxl functions.     

Dinucleoside tetraphosphate variations in cultured tumor cells during their cell cycle and growth

Asynchronous and synchronized cultures of A549 and HTC cells were used to detect possible, cell cycle or cell density specific variations in the intracellular pools of dinucleoside tetraphosphates (Ap4X). No important variations of the nucleotide pools were observed during cell growth. When HTC cells were released from mitotic arrest, a decrease by a factor of N3 Ap4X and ATP levels was observed when the cells entered the G1 phase. This decrease is essentially due to cell doubling. When A549 cells were released from an arrest at the G1/S boundary, the nucleotide pool size increased slightly during the G2 phase just before mitosis. This result is in agreement with both earlier data from our laboratory and the observed decrease in Ap4X pool after release from mitotic-arrested HTC cells. These results suggest that the Ap4X and ATP pools are only subjected to very small variations during the cell cycle, essentially in the G2 phase and after mitosis.