PI LBEI and PI JHOU: two new alpha-1-antitrypsin alleles

Summary Two new variants of alpha-1-antitrypsin were found in a Chinese population by isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel. They have been named Lbeijing (PI^*LBEI) and Jhouyao (PI^*JHOU) respectively. With the samples reduced and alkylated, both the variants were anodal to M1 and cathodal to L. Omitting the alkylation step, however, the relative mobilities of L and Jhouyao were altered. Under this condition, a characteristic of Jhouyao was revealed by isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradient 4.4–4.9, i.e., while its band 6 became anodal to L, band 4 was still cathodal to L.     

Murine leukemia cell hybrids: The quantity of TL antigens expressed by parental and hybrid cells fails to correlate with their sensitivity to TL antibody and complement

The quantity of thymus-leukemia (TL) antigens expressed by murine leukemia cells is significantly greater than that expressed by somatic hybrids of such cells. Based upon the results of ¹²⁵I-lactoperoxidase labeling and antibody absorption procedures, and corrected for size differences between the two cell types, the quantity of TL antigens expressed by RADA-1 cells, a radiation-induced murine leukemia cell line of strain A/J mice, is approximately 5.0 times greater than that of somatic hybrids of RADA-1 and LM(TK)^? cells. LM(TK)^? cells are a thymidine kinase-deficient TL(-) mouse fibroblast cell line. The quantity of TL antigens expressed is related only in part to their susceptibility to lysis by TL antibodies and guinea pig complement (GPC). RADA-1 cells resist lysis. The quantity of TL antigens expressed by RADA-1 cells is analogous to that formed by nonneoplastic thymocytes obtained from F₁ hybrids of two strains of TL(+) and TL(-) mice; cells from both strains are sensitive to TL antiserum and GPC. ASL-1 cells, a spontaneously occurring leukemia cell line of A/J mice, express TL antigens in significantly higher quantities than any of the cell types examined. Exposed to TL antisera, the quantity of TL antigens of ASL-1 cells, but not that of hybrid cells, gradually diminishes. ASL-1 cells convert over a 6-h period of exposure to antibody and guinea pig complement (GPC) resistance; hybrid cells remain sensitive. However, ASL-1 cells converted to TL antibody and GPC resistance continue for a time to express TL antigens in quantities similar to that of sensitive F₁ thymocytes and resistant RADA-1 cells. RADA-1 X LM(TK)^? hybrid cells, which are sensitive to TL antibodies and GPC, express the lowest quantities of TL antigens of any of the cell types examined. It is likely that differences in the quantities of TL antigens expressed by different cell lines reflect genetic mechanisms controlling TL antigen expression. The failure of TL antisera to affect the quantities of TL antigens expressed by hybrid cells is taken as an indication that genetic controls governing antigen expression may be distinguished from those involved in regulating responsiveness to specific antiserum.     

黑胸大蠊（Periplaneta fuliginosa）病毒的分离及某些特性

从黑胸大蠊(Periplaneta fuliginosa)自然罹病的虫尸中分离得到一株非包涵体病毒。将病毒悬液均匀拌入无菌饲料并供食154～169日龄黑胸大蠊健康若虫时,能使其感染、发病,死亡率可达98％以上。在电子显微镜下观察时,病毒为球形二十面体颗粒,直径约23nm。病毒悬液具有典型核蛋白紫外吸收光谱。病毒用DNase和RNase处理并经吖啶橙染色、二苯胺和苔黑酚试验及甲醛反应证明:该病毒含有单链DNA。以上特性与细小病毒科的特征有点类似。     

四种中草药对大鼠半乳糖性白内障氧化还原物质及糖类含量的影响

对正常和半乳糖性白内障及给中草药的大鼠晶状体中某些吡啶核苷酸成分、糖类、非蛋白质巯基的含量进行了比较。结果表明,在白内障晶状体中,NADPH及非蛋白质巯基的含量明显低于正常晶状体的,而NADP、半乳糖及半乳糖醇的含量明显高于正常晶状体的;当注射半乳糖的同时分别用黄岑、石斛、菟丝子及玉蝴蝶四种中草药水煎剂灌胃,上述变化为基本恢复至正常晶状体的水平。表明四种中草药对晶状体中的异常生化变化具有阻止及纠正作用。     

人嗜中性白细胞活化蛋白-1/白细胞介素-8合成基因的修正及修正基因在大肠杆菌中的表达

本文采用寡核苷酸介导的定位诱变技术修正了人嗜中性白细胞活化蛋白-1/白细胞介素-8合成基因中出现的合成错误,在该基因编码区的201位插入了原来缺失的G残基,从而使之恢复正确读框。经对修正基因进行DNA全序列测定,表明定位诱变的结果符合设计要求。在此基础上,利用原核高效表达载体pBV220在P_RP_L串联启动子的控制下在大肠杆菌中对该基因进行了表达,并测定了重组人嗜中性白细胞活化蛋白-1/白细胞介素-8的嗜中性白细胞趋化活性。本工作为开展人嗜中性白细胞活化蛋白-1/白细胞介素-8基因工程及蛋白质工程的研究奠定了基础。     

Micromanipulation of mitotic chromosomes in PTK2 cells using laser-induced optical forces ("optical tweezers")

To study the potential use of optical forces to manipulate chromosome movement, we have used a Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 1.06 microns focused into a phase contrast microscope. Metaphase and anaphase chromosomes were exposed while being monitored by video microscopy. The results indicated that when optical forces were applied to late-moving metaphase chromosomes on the side closest to the nearest spindle pole, the trapped chromosomes initiated movement to the metaphase plate. The chromosome velocities were two to eight times the normal rate depending on the chromosome size, geometry, and trapping site. At the initiation of anaphase, a pair of chromatids could be held by the optical trap and kept motionless throughout anaphase while the other pairs of chromatids separated and moved to opposite spindle poles. As a result, the trapped chromosome either was incorporated into one of the daughter cells or was lost in the cleavage furrow, or the two chromatids eventually separated and moved to their respective daughter cells. If the trap was removed at the beginning of anaphase B, the chromosome moved back to the poles. Our experiments demonstrate that the laser-induced optical force trap is a potential new technique to study noninvasively the mitotic spindle of living cells.     

七坪林场常绿阔叶林凋落物研究初报

凋落物即来自林冠的落叶、落枝和落花果等有机残体。既是林木自身的代谢产物,又是森林土壤养分的重要来源,在森林生态系统养分循环中发挥重要的作用。有关天然林凋落物的研究,国内已有一些     

显微高速摄影技术及其在血液微流变学研究中的应用

本文选用金黄地鼠的微血管,利用显微高速摄影技术,放大微观流场和血细胞,连续地“冻结”短瞬间的变化状态,把物理图象呈现在胶片上,经图像分析和数据处理,从定性及定量方面研究血液微流变学,为生命科学和医学研究提供了又一种新的方法。     

Metal thiolate coordination in the E7 proteins of human papilloma virus 16 and cottontail rabbit papilloma virus as expressed in Escherichia coli.

The oncogenic E7 proteins of human papilloma virus (HPV 16) and of cottontail rabbit papilloma virus (CRPV) have been purified from an expression system in Escherichia coli. The proteins as purified from E. coli contain one tightly bound Zn(II) ion per molecule. The metal site shows facile exchange with either Cd(II) or Cu(I). The HPV 16 E7 maximally bound one Cd(II) or two Cu(I) ions, while the CRPV E7 bound two Cd(II) or three Cu(I) ions. The Cd(II) and Cu(I) E7 molecules exhibited optical transitions in the ultraviolet suggestive of metal:thiolate coordination. E7 proteins from HPV 16 and CRPV contain 7 and 8 cysteines/molecule, respectively. Reaction of the E7 proteins with the sulfhydryl reagent, dithiodipyridine, revealed that all the cysteinyl sulfurs are present in the reduced thiol state. Cu(I)-E7 molecules are luminescent with maximal emission at 570 nm. The observed emission at room temperature is indicative of metal coordination within a compact protein environment shielded from solvent interactions. The emission maxima occurs at the same wavelength (570 nm) as Cu(I)-cysteinyl sulfur clusters in Cu(I)-metallothioneins. The single Zn(II) atom in each protein can be removed from E7 in the presence of EDTA. The resulting apoE7 molecules remain soluble and can be partially reconstituted with Cd(II) to regain the ultraviolet charge transfer transitions.