Conformation and activity ofPhaseolus coccineus var. rubronanus lectin

The conformation of native and denaturedPhaseolus coccineus var. rubronanus lectin was studied by circular dichroism (CD) and correlated to the hemagglutinating activity. The far-UV CD spectrum at 25°C showed a broad, negative band around 223 nm and a positive one at 196 nm. CD data analysis of the lectin indicated a -sheet-rich protein. At high temperatures, the spectrum was blue-shifted with increasing magnitude; these changes correlated well with the loss of the activity. The conformation of lectin betweenpH 2 and 10 remained essentially unchanged. AtpH 13 the CD spectrum resembled that of unordered form with a negative band near 200 nm and the activity was completely lost. The denatured lectin in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride would be renatured upon diluting the denaturant to 0.75 M; the changes in CD spectrum again correlated well with the loss of the activity. The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate on the lectin was drastic; it sharply increased thea-helix at the expense of the -sheet and reduced the activity; the changes reached a plateau above 20 mM surfactant.     

Further investigation on nuclear transplantation in different orders of teleost: the combination of the nucleus of Tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica) and the cytoplasm of Loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus).

The nucleus of a blastula cell from Tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica, family Cichlidae, order Perciformes) was transplanted into an enucleated egg of Loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus, family Cobitidae, order Cypriniformes). From among 3747 nucleo-cytoplasmic hybrid (NCH) eggs two NCH larval fish (0.05%) were obtained; one died on the 6th day and the other died on the 12th day after the operation. Morphological examinations showed that both NCH larval fish had developed normally with an opened mouth except they could not take food after complete utilization of their egg yolk on the 5th day of development. The possible mechanisms for obtaining such inter-order NCH larval fish are discussed. This is the first report indicating that inter-order NCH larval fish can be obtained in spite of their evolutionary divergence.     

Dopamine Involved in the Nociceptive Modulation in the Parafascicular Nucleus of Morphine-Dependent Rat

Dopamine regulates pain perception in some areas of the central nervous system. Previously, we have confirmed that dopamine potentiated the electric activities of the evoked discharges of pain-excited neurons (PENs) and inhibited those of pain-inhibited neurons (PINs) in the parafascicular nucleus (Pfn) of normal rats. The mechanism of action of dopamine on pain-related neurons in the Pfn of morphine-dependent rat is still unknown. The present study aimed to determine the effects of dopamine and its receptor antagonist droperidol on the pain-evoked responses of the PEN and PIN in the Pfn of morphine-dependent rats, and to compare the effects between the morphine-dependent rat and the normal rat. The trains of electric impulses applied to the sciatic nerve were used as noxious stimulation. The discharges of PEN or PIN in the Pfn were recorded by using a glass microelectrode. The results showed that intra-Pfn microinjection of dopamine decreased the frequency of noxious stimulation-induced discharges of PEN and increased the frequency of PIN. The intra-Pfn administration of droperidol produced an opposite effect. These results demonstrated that dopamine is involved in nociceptive modulation in the morphine-dependent rat, the responses to noxious stimulation between normal rat and morphine-dependent rat are completely opposite. The effect of dopamine is through the dopamine D₂ receptor of PENs and PINs in Pfn. The results suggest that the dopamine system of the Pfn may become a therapeutic target for analgesia and the treatment of morphine dependence.     

ROCK1 induces ERK nuclear translocation in PDGF-BB-stimulated migration of rat vascular smooth muscle cells

It has been known that Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) signaling regulates the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, the isoform-specific roles of ROCK and its underlying mechanism in VSMC migration are not well understood. The current study thus aimed to investigate the roles of ROCK1/2 and their relationship to the MAPK signaling pathway in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced rat aorta VSMC migration by manipulating ROCK gene expression. The results revealed that ROCK1 small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) rather than ROCK2 siRNA decreased PDGF-BB-generated VSMC migration, and upregulation of ROCK1 expression via transfection of constructed pEGFP-C1/ROCK1 plasmid further increased the migration of PDGF-BB-treated VSMCs. In PDGF-treated VSMCs, ROCK1 siRNA did not affect the phosphorylation levels of ERK and p38 in the cytoplasm, but decreased the level of ERK phosphorylation in the nucleus. These findings demonstrate that activated ROCK1 can promote VSMC migration through facilitating phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of ERK protein.     

Multiple adaptive losses of alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase mitochondrial targeting in fruit-eating bats

The enzyme alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase 1 (AGT) functions to detoxify glyoxylate before it is converted into harmful oxalate. In mammals, mitochondrial targeting of AGT in carnivorous species versus peroxisomal targeting in herbivores is controlled by two signal peptides that correspond to these respective organelles. Differential expression of the mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) is considered an adaptation to diet-specific subcellular localization of glyoxylate precursors. Bats are an excellent group in which to study adaptive changes in dietary enzymes; they show unparalleled mammalian dietary diversification as well as independent origins of carnivory, frugivory, and nectarivory. We studied the AGT gene in bats and other mammals with diverse diets and found that the MTS has been lost in unrelated lineages of frugivorous bats. Conversely, species exhibiting piscivory, carnivory, insectivory, and sanguinivory possessed intact MTSs. Detected positive selection in the AGT of ancestral fruit bats further supports adaptations related to evolutionary changes in diet.     

地高辛精标记酪氨酸羟化酶RNA探针的制备研究

为制备用地高辛精（Ｄｉｇｏｘｉｇｅｎｉｎ,Ｄｉｇ）标记的酶氨酸羟化酶（ＴｙｒｏｓｉｎｅＨｙｄｒｏｘｙｌａｓｅ,ＴＨ）ＲＮＡ探针,本研究用分子生物学技术重组质粒ＰＧＥＭＴＨＩ,即分别将携带Ｔ７和Ｓｐ６启动子的ＰＧＥＭ－３ｚｆ质粒和携带ＴＨ基因的ＰＫＳＴＨ质粒用限制性内切酶消化并行分离纯化,得到带Ｔ７和ｓｐ６启动子的ＤＮＡ片段和ＴＨ基因片段;经Ｔ４ＤＮＡ连接酶连接后转入大肠杆菌,得到ｐＧＥＭＴＨ１重组克隆。经小量提取质粒井用酶切分析检测,证实其确有ＴＨ基因且方向正确。将此质粒再经限制性内切酶消化则得到线状ＤＮＡ片段,用Ｔ７ＲＮＡ聚合酶转录合成带有Ｄｉｇ标记的高比活度的单链ＲＮＡ探针;经斑点杂交试验证实该探针具有较高的可靠性。这将为基因治疗帕金森氏病动物模型的疗效检测提供有效手段。     

云南8种树蛙的染色体组型比较研究

本文报道了云南８种树桂的染色体组型,并对目前所已知的树蛙种类的染色体组型进行了比较。锯腿小树蛙Ｐｈｉｌａｕｔｕｓｃａｖｉｒｏｓｔｒｉｓ（Ｇｕｅｎｔｈｅｒ）的２ｎ＝２６,５对大染色体和８对小染色体,９Ｍ＋４ＳＭ,ＮＦ＝５２,Ｎｏ．７长臂近着丝粒处和Ｎｏ．８短臂端部备有一个次缢痕;白颊小树蛙Ｐｈｉ．ｐａｌｐｅｂｒａｌｉｓＳｍｉｔｈ的２ｎ＝２６,５对人染色体和８对小染色体,８Ｍ＋５ＳＭ,ＮＦ＝５２,Ｎｏ．６短臂近着丝粒处有一个次缢痕。白颌大树蛙Ｒｈａ．ｍａｘｉｍｕｓＧｕｅｎｔｈｅｒ的２ｎ＝２６,５对大染色体和８对小染色体,９Ｍ＋４ＳＭ,ＮＦ＝５２;棕褶树蛙Ｒｈａ．ｆｅａｅＢｏｕｌｅｎｇｅｒ的２ｎ＝２６,５对大染色体和８对小染色体,９Ｍ＋４ＳＭ,ＮＦ＝５２;黑蹼树蛙Ｒｈａ．ｒｅｉｎｗａｒｄｔｉｉ（Ｂｏｉｅ）的２ｎ＝２６,５对大染色体和８对小染色体,９Ｍ＋４ＳＭ,ＮＦ＝５２,Ｍｏ．１短臂近着丝粒处有一个次缢痕;红蹼树蛙Ｒｈａ．ｒｈｏｄｏｐｕｓＬｉｕｅｔＨｕ的２ｎ＝２６,５对大染色体,１对中染色体和７对小染色体,９Ｍ＋４ＳＭ,ＮＦ＝５２;斑腿泛树蛙Ｐｏｌｙｐｅｄａｔｅｓｍｅｇａｃｅｐｈａｌｕｓ的２ｎ＝２６,５对大染色体     

Two Phenol Sulfotransferase Species from One cDNA: Nature of the Differences

A phenol sulfotransferase from rat liver (EC 2.8.2.9), expressed inEscherichia colifrom a single cDNA, was purified as two separable but catalytically active proteins. The proteins appeared to be identical to each other and to the natural liver sulfotransferase by comparison of their amino acid constitution, amino-terminal end group, and interaction with a polyclonal antibody raised against the liver enzyme. Each of the recombinant forms, α and β, catalyzed the sulfuryl group transfer from 4-nitrophenylsulfate to an acceptor phenol, a reaction in which 3′-phospho-adenosine 5′-phosphate (PAP) is a necessary intermediate. Only form β, however, catalyzes the physiological transfer of a sulfuryl group from 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to the free phenol. Evidence is presented that sulfotransferase α, but not β, has 1 mol of PAP tightly bound per enzyme dimer. The ability to utilize PAPS as a sulfate donor could be altered: form α could be treated and purified as form β to acquire the ability to use PAPS, whereas form β was treated by extended incubation with PAP, lost its ability to use PAPS, and was purified as form α.