Calcium binding to the subunit c ofE. coli ATP-synthase and possible functional implications in energy coupling

The 8-kDa subunit c of theE. coli F₀ ATP-synthase proton channel was tested for Ca⁺⁺ binding activity using a⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ ligand blot assay after transferring the protein from SDS-PAGE gels onto polyvinyl difluoride membranes. The purified subunit c binds⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ strongly with Ca⁺⁺ binding properties very similar to those of the 8-kDa CF₀ subunit III of choloroplast thylakoid membranes. The N-terminal f-Met carbonyl group seems necessary for Ca⁺⁺ binding capacity, shown by loss of Ca⁺⁺ binding following removal of the formyl group by mild acid treatment. The dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-reactive Asp-61 is not involved in the Ca⁺⁺ binding, shown by Ca⁺⁺ binding being retained in twoE. coli mutants, Asp61Asn and Asp61Gly. The Ca⁺⁺ binding is pH dependent in both theE. coli and thylakoid 8-kDa proteins, being absent at pH 5.0 and rising to a maximum near pH 9.0. A treatment predicted to increase the Ca⁺⁺ binding affinity to its F₀ binding site (chlorpromazine photoaffinity attachment) caused an inhibition of ATP formation driven by a base-to-acid pH jump in whole cells. Inhibition was not observed when the Ca⁺⁺ chelator EGTA was present with the cells during the chlorpromazine photoaffinity treatment. An apparent Ca⁺⁺ binding constant on the site responsible for the UV plus chlorpromazine effect of near 80–100 nM was obtained using an EGTA-Ca⁺⁺ buffer system to control free Ca⁺⁺ concentration during the UV plus chlorpromazine treatment. The data are consistent with the notion that Ca⁺⁺ bound to the periplasimic side of theE. coli F₀ proton channel can block H⁺ entry into the channel. A similar effect occurs in thylakoid membranes, but the Ca⁺⁺ binding site is on the lumen side of the thylakoid, where Ca⁺⁺ binding can modulate acid-base jump ATP formation. The Ca⁺⁺ binding to the F₀ and CF₀ complexes is consistent with a pH-dependent gating mechanism for control of H⁺ ion flux across the opening of the H⁺ channel.This work was supported in part by grants from the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.On leave from the Institute of Soil Science and Photosynthesis, Russian Academy of Science, Pushchino, Russia.     

The scl gene product is required for the generation of all hematopoietic lineages in the adult mouse.

Homozygosity for a null mutation in the scl gene causes mid-gestational embryonic lethality in the mouse due to failure of development of primitive hematopoiesis. Whilst this observation established the role of the scl gene product in primitive hematopoiesis, the death of the scl null embryos precluded analysis of the role of scl in later hematopoietic development. To address this question, we created embryonic stem cell lines with a homozygous null mutation of the scl gene (scl-/-) and used these lines to derive chimeric mice. Analysis of the chimeric mice demonstrates that the scl-/- embryonic stem cells make a substantial contribution to all non-hematopoietic tissues but do not contribute to any hematopoietic lineage. These observations reveal a crucial role for the scl gene product in definitive hematopoiesis. In addition, in vitro differentiation assays with scl-/- embryonic stem cells showed that the scl gene product was also required for formation of hematopoietic cells in this system.     

Cornucoryphe schirmi n. gen. n. sp., an unusual conocoryphid trilobite from the Middle Cambrian of Spain

Cornucoryphe n. gen. from the Middle Cambrian of the Cantabrian Mountains and Aragón is a unicornianConocoryphe with pronounced alae.     

Immunolocalization of extensin and potato tuber lectin in carrot, tomato and potato

Tissue-specific expression of two members of the cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) family, extensin and potato tuber lectin, was examined by immunolocalization at the light microscope level in various organs (leaves, stems, roots, fruit, tuber) of carrot ( Daucus carota cv. Thumbelina), tomato ( Lycopersicon esclentum cv. Pixie Hybrid II), and potato ( Solanum tuberosum cv. Kennebec). Extensin was prominently expressed in vascular tissue, particularly xylem and also phloem, although virtually all cells displayed some degree of staining which varied as a function of the tissue, organ, and plant under study. Antibodies against potato tuber lectin (PTL) displayed a localization pattern similar to that observed for extensin; notably PTL did not stain cambium but did stain epithelial cells lining secretory cavities. These distribution patterns are consistent with a role for extensin, and possibly PTL, in providing mechanical support in tissues subjected to compression or torsional stress imparted by vascular growth, or by similar stress brought about by transport of vascular fluids.     

On the existence of stable pairing distributions

We formulate and analyze pair-formation models for multiple groups with general pairing rates and arbitrary mixing probabilities. Under the assumption of constant recruitment rates and equal average duration of all types of partnerships, we have shown that the dynamics are relatively simple because of the monotonicity properties of the dynamical system associated with the pairing/mixing of heterogeneous populations of male and female individuals. In fact, we have shown that the corresponding asymptotic stable paired distribution is given precisely by the asymptotic values of the matrices that prescribe the mixing/contact structure. In other words, if the sizes of the mixing subpopulations of males and females are asymptotically constant and if the average durations of partnerships are about the same regardless of type, then the matrices that describe the mixing between subpopulations also characterize the distribution of paired types. Alternatively, if the distribution of the average duration of relationships between individuals has a large variance then it may be impossible to detect any relationship between the mixing/contact structure and the observed distribution of paired types. The study of models with constant per-capita recruitment rates give rise to homogeneous systems of degree one. The analysis of the dynamics of pairs for models with exponentially growing populations of singles is complicated. So far, we are only able to classify the stability of all non-strictly positive boundary exponential solutions. From our incomplete analysis, it is not possible to detect necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and stability of strictly interior exponential solutions. We cannot rule out the possibility of oscillations. The mathematical problems associated with the stability of exponential solutions of dynamical systems of degree one are of relevance in demography, epidemiology, and population dynamics.On leave from University of Alabama in Huntsville     

自养黄杆菌合成羟基丁酸和羟基戊酸共聚体的发酵研究

采用本实验室从土壤中分离到的一株自养黄杆菌进行了羟基丁酸和羟基戊酸共聚体〔P(HB-co-HV)〕的发酵试验。实验结果表明,该菌株是自养黄杆菌葡萄糖运输突变株,可以葡萄糖、果糖、蔗糖、麦芽糖、乙酸盐、乳酸盐和苹果酸盐作为唯一碳源,尤以葡萄糖和果糖效果最佳。硫酸铵、氯化铵和蛋白胨等不同氮源不影响其生长,却影响细胞中P(HB-co-HV)的含量和P(HB-co-HV)中HV/HB的比例。应用两阶段控制方式,经42h的补料分批发酵,细胞浓度达34.9g·L~(-1),P(HB-co-HV)浓度达25.28g·L~(-1)。细胞和P(HB-co-HV)生产速率系数分别为0.83g·L~(-1)”·h~(-1)和0.61g·L~(-1)·h~(-1)。以基质为基准的细胞得率系数(Yx/s)、产物得率系数(Yp/s)和以干细胞为基准的产物得率系数(Yp/x)分别为0.283(g/g)、0.174(g/g)和0.73(g/g)。改变培养基中碳氮源组分可将P(HB-co-HV)中HB的含量调节在24％～78％之间。     

Cloning and Characterization of the Murine GPI Anchor Synthesis GenePigf,a Homologue of the HumanPIGFGene

Many eukaryotic proteins are bound to the plasma membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Its core backbone, which is conserved in different organisms, is synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum by the sequential addition of glycan components to phosphatidylinositol. One of the human GPI synthesis genes,PIGF(phosphatidylinositol glycan complementation class F), which is involved late in the synthesis pathway, has been cloned. In this study, we isolated complementary and genomic clones ofPigf,a murine counterpart ofPIGF. Pigfencodes a 219 amino acid protein that complements a class F mutation. ThePigfgene consists of six exons spanning 30 kb and was mapped to chromosome 17 at 17E4–E5. These features are very similar toPIGF,thus demonstrating the interspecies conservation of structure, function, gene organization, and genetic locus between these GPI synthesis genes. The results also extend a region in murine distal chromosome 17 that is syntenic to human chromosome 2p16–p22.     

15N resonance assignments of oxidized and reducedChromatium vinosum high-potential iron protein

The¹⁵N resonances in reduced and oxidizedChromatium vinosum high-potential iron protein have been assigned by use of¹H-¹H COSY spectra and¹H-¹⁵N HMQC, HMQC-COSY, and HMQC-NOESY spectra. Unambiguous assignment of 70 of 85 backbone¹⁵N resonances in the reduced protein and 62 of 85 resonances in the oxidized protein are made, as are 12 of 21 side-chain¹⁵N resonances.     

植物血细胞凝集素对小鼠脾脏淋巴细胞γ－谷氨酰基转肽酶活性的影响

本文就植物血细胞凝集素（ＰＨＡ）作用的不同时间对小鼠脾脏淋巴细胞γ－谷氨酰基转肽酶（γ－ＧＴ）活性的影响进行了观察。结果表明,脾脏淋巴细胞转化率随给予ＰＨＡ时间的延长而上升,对照组＜２４ｈ组＜４８ｈ组＜７２ｈ组;淋巴细胞γ－ＧＴ活性于２４ｈ明显强于对照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）,随着ＰＨＡ作用时间的延长其γ－ＧＴ活性逐渐下降,即４８ｈ组与对照组已无显著差异,而７２ｈ组却低于对照组（Ｐ＜０．００１）。可见ＰＨＡ在小鼠体内对γ－ＧＴ活性有很大影响。     

猴B病毒相关抗体及B病毒抗体检测的比较研究

本文比较了用ＨＳＶ－１（ＩＥＡ）和Ｂ病毒（ＩＦＡ）的方法检查猴Ｂ病毒相关抗体和Ｂ病毒抗体的结果：ＩＥＡ检查出的Ｂ病毒相关抗体阴性猴,经ＩＦＡ检查,全部为Ｂ病毒抗体阴性。用ＩＦＡ检查了Ｂ病毒相关抗体阴性的恒河猴,在单笼隔离饲养六个月后,有９８．３％的动物Ｂ病毒相关抗体仍为阴性,表明ＩＲＡ的阴性结果有较好的一致性。本文讨论了建立无Ｂ病毒感染猴群的可行性。