Identification of the peptide bond cleaved during activation of human Clr

CNBr cleavage of unreduced proenzyme Clr yielded fragment CP2b, isolated by gel filtration and highpressure gel permeation chromatography. This fragment (˜ M_τ 55000) comprised at least 4 disulphidelinked peptides, which were separated by gel filtration after reduction and alkylation. Peptide CP2bRA4, overlapping the A- and B-chain regions in proenzyme Clr was digested by V8 staphylococcal protease, and the digest separated by reversed-phase HPLC. N-terminal sequence analysis of peptide CP2bRA4SP9 established that Clr activation involves the cleavage of a single Arg-Ile bond, located in the sequence: Gln-Arg-Gln-Arg-Ile-Ile-Gly-Gly     

Révision d'?Orthis? berthoisiRouault, 1849Orthida (Brachiopoda) de l'Ordovicien du Massif Armoricain

Since it is impossible to state about any genericassignment for Orthis berthoisiRouault, 1849the species name is herein restricted to original specimens figured by the author. The study of the Brachiopods from the St-Germain-sur-Ille Formation allows to confirm the first determination by De Tromelin &Lebesconte (1875)and to establish their conspecificity with Orthis berthoisi var. erratica described in 1869 by Davidson from the Budleigh-Salterton pebbles. The successive assignment of the species erratica to the genus Svobodaina(Cocks, 1978) then to Corineorthis(Cocks & Lockley, 1981) is discussed. The attribution to the genus DrabovinellaHavlicek, 1951appears most likely.     

Huntington's disease. Contribution of clinical and epidemiological data to genetic counseling

From a regional survey (northwestern part of France 3,9 millions population) and from recent publications, the authors described clinical and epidemiologic aspects useful for genetic counselling. Besides the chronic chorea, the other clinical features justified the denomination "Huntington's disease". Misdiagnosis is frequent especially if the familial disorder is unknown. A prevalence of 50 X 10(-6) corresponds to 2750 choreics and 14.000 at risk descendants in France. Interfamilial heterogeneity is described from mean age of death which is 54.2 for the whole study: one third of families of late onset, around fifty (mean age of death: 64.6), one third of early onset, around thirty (mean age of death: 44.6). The 17 juvenile and infantile cases of the survey belong to this last group. The influence of gene-transmitters sex is more obvious if two generations are taken in account with a preponderance of fathers and grand-fathers in the early onset group and, to a lesser degree, of mothers and grand-mothers in the late onset group. The authors criticize the preclinical detection tests and, from attitudes of families, underline the ethical problems for the future predictive tests by genetic markers. The role of lay organisations is all the more important.     

Comparison of Three 18F-Labeled Butyrophenone Neuroleptic Drugs in the Baboon Using Positron Emission Tomography

The butyrophenone neuroleptics spiroperidol, benperidol, and haloperidol were radiolabeled with fluorine-18 and studied in baboon brain using positron emission transaxial tomography (PETT). Pretreatment of the baboon with a high pharmacological dose of (+)-butaclamol reduced the specifically bound component of radioactivity distribution in the striatum to approximately the radioactivity distribution found in the cerebellum. Comparative studies of brain distribution kinetics over a 4-h period indicated that either [18F]spiroperidol or [18F]benperidol may be suitable for specific labeling of neuroleptic receptors. In an 8-h study with [18F]spiroperidol, striatal radioactivity did not decline, suggesting that spiroperidol either has a very slow dissociation rate or that it binds irreversibly to these receptors in vivo. [18F]Haloperidol may not be suitable for in vivo PETT studies, because of a relatively high component of nonspecific distribution and a faster dissociation from the receptor. Analysis of 18F in plasma after injection of [18F]spiroperidol indicated rapid metabolism to polar and acidic metabolites, with only 40% of the total radioactivity being present as unchanged drug after 30 min. Analysis of the metabolic stability of the radioactively labeled compound in rat striatum indicated that greater than 95% of [18F]spiroperidol remains unchanged after 4 h.     

Antisera Against the Indolealkylamines: Tryptophan, 5-Hydroxytryptophan, 5-Hydroxytryptamine, 5-Methoxytryptophan, and 5-Methoxytryptamine Tested by an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Method

Antisera were raised against tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-methoxytryptophan, and 5-methoxytryptamine, by conjugating each molecule to bovine serum albumin and to human serum albumin via glutaraldehyde, in such a way as to preserve the original part. Antibody specificity was tested with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The specificity of each anti-indolealkylamine-glutaraldehyde antibody was established with competition experiments by using an adsorbed immunogenic conjugate and indolealkylamines either free or conjugated with poly-L-lysine. The nonconjugated compounds were poorly recognized. In the same way, the nonreduced conjugates always appeared less immunoreactive than the reduced ones. Calculated from the specificity study of each antiserum, the cross-reactivity ratios were found to be smallest for the most immunoreactive conjugates. Thus, a specific immune response was defined for each compound belonging to the same metabolic pathway.     

Some aspects of the natural history and food selection ofAvahi laniger

Two groups ofAvahi laniger were studied in the Forêt de Analamozoatra near Perinet in the eastern rainforest of Madagascar from August to October 1984. Overlap between the home ranges of neighbouring groups ofA. laniger was minimal. Group size ranged from one to four individuals with a median group size of two. In four out of ten groups a baby was born between August and September.A. laniger were most active after dusk and before dawn. They had an extended resting period around midnight. Their diet consisted mostly of leaves from at least 17 different plant species. They also ate flowers. Fruit eating was recorded twice. Leaves eaten had high contents of protein and sugar but did not contain alkaloids. The concentration of condensed tannins did not differ between food items and non-food items. There was no indication of competition with other prosimians that might explain their nocturnality.     

Study of stereoisomers of N6-phenylisopropyladenosine on the secretion of pancreatic glucagon

This work was designed to characterize the adenosine receptor (A1 or A2) involved in glucagon secretion. The most potent adenosine analogues on A1 receptors are the N6 substituted compounds, among them N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA); furthermore L-PIA is 50 to 100 times more potent than D-PIA on the A1 receptor, whereas it is 3 to 5 times more potent on the A2 receptor; thus the A1 receptor shows a much higher stereoselectivity. The effects of L-PIA and D-PIA were studied on glucagon secretion from the isolated perfused rat pancreas. 1) L-PIA at 1.65 microM induced a transient glucagon secretion which was not greater than that induced by the same concentration of adenosine. 2) D-PIA at a 3 fold higher concentration (4.95 microM) elicited a secretion of glucagon comparable to that induced by L-PIA 1.65 microM; thus the involved receptor does not present a high stereoselectivity for L-PIA. These results support the fact that the receptor involved in glucagon secretion is not of the A1 type.     

Use of purified antipeptide sera of selected specificity for the detection of the simian virus 40 large T antigen by western blotting

Western blotting was used as a powerful alternative to immunoprecipitation for the detection of the simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor (T) antigen. After resolution by electrophoresis on a SDS-polyacrylamide gel of a [¹⁵S]methionine labeled crude extract from SV40 infected monkey kidney cells, the separated proteins were transferred electrophoretically on nitrocellulose paper. T antigen was detected on nitrocellulose strips by using for the first time, specific, purified antipeptide monoclonal antibodies directed against the N- and C-terminal portions of the molecule, and¹²⁵I-labeled Protein A.     

Total biodegradation of 4-chlorobiphenyl (4 CB) by a two-membered bacterial culture

Summary Several bacterial strains that can oxidize mono- and dichlorinated biphenyls with one unsubstituted ring have already been described. The major route for this biodegradation leads ultimately to the corresponding chlorobenzoic acid, but several other minor chlorinated metabolites that might possibly be of concern for the environment have also been described previously. Since none of the bacterial strains that are able to oxidize these chlorinated biphenyls in pure culture are known to degrade chlorobenzoic acid, the oxidation of these substrates by axenic cultures always generates chlorobenzoates plus several other metabolites. In the present study, we have estimated the biodegradation of 4-chlorobiphenyl (4CB) by a two-membered bacterial culture containing one strain able to grow on 4CB and to transform it into 4-chlorobenzoate (4CBA) and one strain able to degrade 4CBA. The results were encouraging, since it was shown that the degradation of 4CB was more rapid and complete with the double bacterial culture.