A TEA-insensitive flickering potassium channel active around the resting potential in myelinated nerve

A novel potassium-selective channel which is active at membrane potentials between -100 mV and +40 mV has been identified in peripheral myelinated axons of Xenopus laevis using the patch-clamp technique. At negative potentials with 105 mM-K on both sides of the membrane, the channel at 1 kHz resolution showed a series of brief openings and closings interrupted by longer closings, resulting in a flickery bursting activity. Measurements with resolution up to 10 kHz revealed a single-channel conductance of 49 pS with 105 mM-K and 17 pS with 2.5 mM-K on the outer side of the membrane. The channel was selective for K ions over Na ions (PNa/PK = 0.033). The probability of being within a burst in outside-out patches varied from patch to patch (> 0.2, but often > 0.9), and was independent of membrane potential. Open-time histograms were satisfactorily described with a single exponential (tau o = 0.09 msec), closed times with the sum of three exponentials (tau c = 0.13, 5.9, and 36.6 msec). Sensitivity to external tetraethylammonium was comparatively low (IC50 = 19.0 mM). External Cs ions reduced the apparent unitary conductance for inward currents at Em = -90 mV (IC50 = 1.1 mM). Ba and, more potently, Zn ions lowered not only the apparent single-channel conductance but also open probability. The local anesthetic bupivacaine with high potency reduced probability of being within a burst (IC50 = 165 nM). The flickering K channel is clearly different from the other five types of K channels identified so far in the same preparation. We suggest that this channel may form the molecular basis of the resting potential in vertebrate myelinated axons.     

Tracheid production in response to indole-3-acetic acid varies with internode age in Pinus sylvestris stems

Summary Different concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in lanolin were applied to the cambial region of approximately 10- and 34-year-old internodes in the main stem of Pinus sylvestris (L.) trees during the tracheid production period. After 5 weeks of treatment, the radial width of xylem produced in both ages of internode was positively related to exogenous IAA concentration measured at 0, 1 and 3 cm directly below the application site. Tracheid production in response to exogenous IAA in the 34-year-old internode was approximately one-half of that in the 10-year-old internode. The endogenous IAA level in the 7-, 17- and approximately 34-year-old internodes of similar trees was measured by radioimmunoassay, using gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring-mass spectrometry for validation. No consistent relationship was found between xylem radial width and IAA concentration. The data indicate that the cambium's ability to respond to exogenous IAA is qualitatively the same in 1-year-old shoots and older internodes. However, as the internode ages, there is a decrease in the extent of the response and in the optimal IAA level for inducing tracheid production.     

Vegetation types and patterns in Senegal based on multivariate analysis of field and NOAA-AVHRR satellite data

Abstract. Woody vegetation was studied in 44 sites in Senegal. Species composition and density were analysed with TWINSPAN and Canonical Correspondence Analysis; 16 vegetation types were defined. A supervised, multispectral and multitemporal classification of day and night, dry season NOAA-AVHRR imagery was used to identify their distribution with a classification accuracy ranging from 60–100%.     

Effects of antibiotics on synthesis and persistence of sigma E in sporulating Bacillus subtilis.

A potential regulatory link between the activation of a sporulation-specific sigma factor (sigma E) and forespore septum formation was investigated by treating Bacillus subtilis with inhibitors of protein or peptidoglycan synthesis and monitoring the consequences of these treatments on sigma E activation and septation. Western blot (immunoblot) and electron microscopic analyses revealed that both the formation of sigma E and septation were inhibited to a similar degree when either rifampin or chloramphenicol was added at different times before the second hour into sporulation but that penicillin preferentially blocked septation. We interpret these results as indicating that the syntheses of the gene products for both septation and sigma E activation occur at approximately the same time in development but that synthesis of an intact septum is unlikely to be a prerequisite for the formation of sigma E. We observed that penicillin could not only block septation but, depending on the time of its addition, could also inhibit both the activation of sigma E and the synthesis of its precursor. The basis of this effect is unknown, but it is not due to an overall disruption of protein synthesis. The incorporation of [35S] methionine by the sporulating cultures was unaffected by penicillin treatment. A time course study of the effects of rifampin and chloramphenicol treatments on sigma E levels revealed that both the synthesis of sigma E and its disappearance from sporulating cultures is inhibited by these antibiotics. This suggests that ongoing macromolecular synthesis is required for the turnover of sigma E.     

INFLORESCENCE DEVELOPMENT IN TWO ANNUAL TEOSINTES: ZEA MAYS SUBSP. MEXICANA AND Z. MAYS SUBSP. PARVIGLUMIS

The ontogeny of tassels and ears in two annual Mexican teosintes, Zea mays subsp. mexicana and Z. mays subsp. parviglumis, was examined using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Ear development in these annual teosintes follows a pattern previously described as leading to the bisexual mixed inflorescence in Z. diploperennis. Common bud primordia are initiated in the axils of distichously arranged bracts along the ear axis. These common primordia bifurcate to form paired sessile and pedicellate spikelet primordia. Development of pedicellate spikelets is arrested leaving the sessile spikelets, along with the adjoining rachis segment, to form solitary grains enclosed within cupulate fruitcases. Development of the central tassel spike is similar to that previously described in the Z. diploperennis tassel, except that the first formed axillary bud primordia form precocious tassel branches. The origin of these tassel branches suggests a possible mechanism for the transition from a distichous spike, characteristic of teosinte, to a polystichous spike, typical of maize.     

A simple,rapid assay for cysteamine and other thiols

Cysteamine is under investigation as an aid in radiation therapy and as a treatment for the inherited disorder cystinosis. An assay is presented for its measurement in biological fluids. The specific reaction of thiosulfonates with sulfhydryl compounds is employed to form a radiolabeled derivative of cysteamine which is then isolated by high-voltage electrophoresis on paper. Cysteamine can be measured in aqueous solutions, plasma, and urine with this method.     

The involvement of cyclic-3',5'-AMP in the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary in vitro.

DBcAMP significantly increased the release of GH but not of LH, FSH, TSH, or PRL, except in the presence of hypothalamic extract when it augmented the release of LH, FSH, and GH, reversed the inhibition of PRL, but did not further influence TSH release. Theophylline increased release of GH and PRL while inducing increased tissue content of cAMP without consistently increasing the release of TSH, LH, or FSH. Hypothalamic extractor K+-stimulated hormone rel-ase was consistently and significantly potentiated by theophylline. Neither hypothalamic extract, increased [K+], or synthetic TRH and LRH were able to raise tissue content of cAMP while producing their expected effects on hormone release. Cholera enterotoxin produced a highly significant increase in tissue content of the cyclic nucleotide but increased the release of GH only, and not that of LH, FSH, TSH, or PRL. DBcAMP was able to lower the threshold concentration of K+ required to stimulate release of GH, LH, and FSH and also to augment K+-stimulated release to the higher levels induced by the hypothalamic releasing hormones. It did not augment K+-induced release of TSH.     

Isolation and partial characterization of the major apolipoprotein component of bovine serum high density lipoprotein.

The delipidated protein component of bovine serum high density lipoprotein was fractionated by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-150 column (equilibrated with buffer containing 6 M urea) into three fractions: I, II and III. Fractions I and II together constitute 88% of all the protein weight of bovine high density lipoprotein, whereas fraction III accounts for the remaining 12%. Analysis of the fractions by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis reveals that fraction I consists mostly of aggregated forms of fraction II and some higher molecular weight species, probably irreversible aggregates of fraction II. The irreversible aggregates are apparently formed during the delipidation procedure or upon aging of the lipoprotein. The major protein component of the high density bovine lipoprotein is found in fraction II; it has a molecular weight of 27 000 plus or minus 1500 and appears to be homogeneous by several physicochemical criteria. The amino acid composition of fractions I and II are essentially identical; their spectral properties, including absorption, fluorescence, and circular dichroism spectra, are similar; however, fraction I appears to contain traces of oxidized lipid and more secondary alpha-helical organization than fraction II. By comparison with the intact lipoprotein, which contains about 65% of alpha-helical structure, fractions I and II have diminished alpha-helical organization, 55% and 43%, respectively. Fraction III, on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis, separates into two protein bands of equivalent intensity, having molecular weights around 13 000 and 11 000. Fraction III is markedly distinct from the other two, in amino acid composition and spectral properties, especially in its red-shifted fluorescence and very low content of alpha-helical structure. The protein composition of bovine serum high density lipoprotein is compared with recently published results for high density lipoprotein apoproteins of man, chimpanzee, rhesus monkey, pig and rat. Similarities and differences are discussed in terms of possible evolutionary and functional factors.     

ZAKβ antagonizes and ameliorates the cardiac hypertrophic and apoptotic effects induced by ZAKα

ZAK (sterile alpha motif and leucine zipper containing kinase AZK), a serine/threonine kinase with multiple biochemical functions, has been associated with various cell processes, including cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and cardiac hypertrophy. In our previous reports, we found that the activation of ZAKα signaling was critical for cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we show that the expression of ZAKα activated apoptosis through both a FAS‐dependent pathway and a mitochondria‐dependent pathway by subsequently inducing caspase‐3. ZAKβ, an isoform of ZAKα, is dramatically expressed during cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis. The interaction between ZAKα and ZAKβ was demonstrated here using immunoprecipitation. The results show that ZAKβ has the ability to diminish the expression level of ZAKα. These findings reveal an inherent regulatory role of ZAKβ to antagonize ZAKα and to subsequently downregulate the cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis induced by ZAKα.