Nucleotide sequence of the R721 shufflon.

The shufflon is a DNA region that undergoes complex rearrangement mediated by the product of a putative site-specific recombinase gene, rci. The DNA sequences of the shufflon region and the rci gene of IncI2 plasmid R721 were determined. The R721 shufflon consists of three invertible DNA segments that are homologous to the shufflon segments found in IncI1 plasmid R64. Structural analysis of open reading frames indicated that the R721 shufflon possibly functions as a biological switch for selecting one of the six pilV genes in which the N-terminal region is constant and the C-terminal region is variable. The R721 rci gene was shown to encode a basic protein of 374 amino acid residues.     

Expression of dihydropyridine-sensitive brain calcium channels in the rat central nervous system.

We have localized dihydropyridine (DHP-sensitive calcium channels in rat brain by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA for the dihydropyridine-sensitive calcium channel alpha 1 subunit (DHPR-B) is prominently localized in neuronal cells in the olfactory bulb, dentate gyrus, hippocampus, arcuate nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial nucleus, cerebral cortex, superior colliculus and the cerebellar Purkinje cell layer. Strong expression of DHPR-B mRNA was also found in the pituitary and pineal glands. DHP-sensitive calcium channel alpha 1 subunit distribution has also been examined immunohistochemically with polyclonal antibodies raised against synthetic peptides specific for the DHPR-B alpha 1 subunit protein. The results from immunohistochemistry were in good agreement with those from in situ hybridization. Thus, regional distribution and localization of DHPR-B mRNA and alpha 1 subunit protein in rat brain suggest that this type of DHP-sensitive brain calcium channel may play an important role in excitation-secretion coupling functions in the neuroendocrine system.     

Xanthine oxidase/hydrogen peroxide generates sulfur trioxide anion radical (SO3.-) from sulfite (SO3(2-)).

In the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), xanthine oxidase has been found to catalyze sulfur trioxide anion radical (SO3.-) formation from sulfite anion (SO3(2-)). The SO3.- radical was identified by ESR (electron spin resonance) spin trapping, utilizing 5,5-dimethyl-l-pyrroline-l-oxide (DMPO) as the spin trap. Inactivated xanthine oxidase does not catalyze SO3.- radical formation, implying a specific role for this enzyme. The initial rate of SO3.- radical formation increases linearly with xanthine oxidase concentration. Together, these observations indicate that the SO3.- generation occurs enzymatically. These results suggest a new property of xanthine oxidase and perhaps also a significant step in the mechanism of sulfite toxicity in cellular systems.     

Analysis of nuclear 3,3',5-triiodothyronine receptor in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) of the postnatal lamb.

Postnatal thermogenesis in sheep is associated with increased sympathoadrenal activities, a T3 surge and an enhanced brown adipose tissue (BAT) type II 5'-monodeiodinating (5'-MDI) activity. The latter peaks 3-4 days after birth and is known to be important in generating intracellular T3 for nuclear receptor binding. In order to further investigate the mechanism(s) responsible for neonatal thermogenesis, thyroid hormone nuclear receptor (T3NR) binding characteristics were quantified in lamb BAT from newborn (NB) to 30d of postnatal age. Maximal binding capacities (MBC, mean +/- SEM fmoles T3/mg DNA) in BAT showed a decrease as studied by ANOVA during the first 11 days (NB to 1d, 148 +/- 24 [N = 5, p < 0.01, cf. 3-5d group]; 3-5 d, 61 +/- 5.5 [N = 5]; 10-11d, 72 +/- 9.1 [N = 4]). Afterwards, MBC increased at 30d (196 +/- 32, N = 4, p less than 0.01, cf. 3-5d group). BAT T3NR binding affinities (10(9) M-1) were comparable in all age groups studied (NB-1d, 2.8 +/- 0.3; 3-5d, 3.4 +/- 0.3; 10-11d, 4.0 +/- 1.1; 30d, 2.4 +/- 0.4). The data suggest that the postnatal surge in T3 and type II 5'-MDI is accompanied with a concurrent decrease in MBC of BAT T3NR. The latter may represent a down-regulation of T3NR presumably in an attempt to regulate the overall effect of thyroid hormone in neonatal thermogenesis.     

A role of retinoic acid in the regulation of the morphology and the levels of intermediate filament proteins and mRNAs in PC12 cells.

An adrenal tumor-derived cell line (PC12W) cultured in the presence of nerve growth factor exhibited a spindle-shaped cell morphology resembling neuronal cells. The shape of these cells can be specifically changed in vitamin A-depleted medium supplemented with retinoic acid. Retinoic acid promoted an epithelial-like cell morphology except for occasional neuronal processes. These morphological results were correlated with differential expression of intermediate filaments at the mRNA and protein levels in these cells. Retinoic acid suppressed the synthesis of peripherin, an intermediate filament protein predominantly found in peripheral nerve cells, but a high level of simple keratins, normally found in simple epithelial cells, was present in retinoic acid-treated PC12 cells. The neurofilaments typically expressed in neurons remained virtually unaffected under the same conditions. In contrast, nerve growth factor induced the production of neurofilaments, but suppressed the synthesis of simple keratins. Since intermediate filament expression is known to be tissue-specific, these changes in expression together with the cell morphology changes are consistent with PC12 cells undergoing an epithelial-like differentiation in the presence of retinoic acid and a neuronal-like differentiation in the presence of nerve growth factor. These results suggest that retinoic acid and nerve growth factor are both effective regulators of PC12 cell differentiation but stimulate opposing pathways.     

Membrane interactions of mastoparan analogues related to their differential effects on protein kinase C, Na, K-ATPase and HL60 cells.

Membrane interactions of tetradecapeptide toxin mastoparan (MP) and analogues (MP-3, MP-X and polistes MP), as indicated by inhibition of various enzymatic and cellular activities, were investigated. MP-3 was found to be the least active in inhibiting protein kinase C (PKC; activated by phosphatidylserine vesicles, synaptosomal membranes or phorbol ester), synaptosomal membrane Na,K-ATPase and proliferation and viability of leukemia HL60 cells. MP-3, however, was as active as others in inhibiting PKC activated by arachidonate monomers and phorbol ester binding. The unique properties of MP-3, the [des-Ile1-Asn2]-analogue of MP, might be related to its low functional amphiphilicity compared to others and useful in further delineating biological activities associated with or regulated by membranes.     

Solid phase synthesis of the proteinase of bovine leukemia virus. Comparison of its specificity to that of HIV-2 proteinase.

The 126-residue proteinase (PR) of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) was synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis and its activity was shown using various oligopeptide substrates representing cleavage sites in BLV, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), murine leukemia virus (MuLV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The specificity of the BLV PR was also compared to that of chemically synthesized human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) PR. Many of the peptides were cleaved at the expected site, however, 6 out of 15 were hydrolyzed only by one of the PRs. Furthermore, one BLV peptide was processed differently by the two enzymes. These results, together with the relative activities and the lack of inhibition of BLV PR by two HIV-1 PR inhibitors, suggest that the BLV PR specificity is substantially different from that of HIV PRs.     

Characterization of a spinach psbS cDNA encoding the 22 kDa protein of photosystem II.

An intrinsic 22 kDa polypeptide is found associated with the oxygen-evolving photosystem II (PSII) core complex in all green plants and cyanobacteria so far examined, although it does not appear to be required for oxygen evolution. Amino acid sequence information obtained from the purified 22 kDa protein was used to construct a probe that was employed to isolate a full-length cDNA clone encoding the 274-residue precursor of the 22 kDa protein. Hydropathy plot analysis predicts the existence of four membrane-spanning helices in the mature protein. The two halves of the approximately 200-residue mature protein show high sequence similarity to each other, suggesting that the psbS gene arose from an internal gene duplication. The 22 kDa protein has some sequence similarity to chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel calcium channel from rabbit brain.

The complete amino acid sequence of a novel calcium channel (designated BII) from rabbit brain has been deduced by cloning and sequencing the cDNA. The BII calcium channel is structurally more closely related to the BI calcium channel than to the cardiac and skeletal muscle L-type calcium channels. Blot hybridization analysis of RNA from different tissues and from different regions of the brain shows that the BII calcium channel is distributed predominantly in the brain, being abundant in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and corpus striatum.