Immunocytochemical detection of the growth-associated protein B-50 by newly characterized monoclonal antibodies in human brain and muscle

The growth-associated protein B-50 also termed GAP-43, F1, pp46, P-57 and neuromodulin is a nervous tissuespecific protein kinase C (PKC) substrate that is considered to play a major role in neurite formation, regeneration, and neuroplasticity. We describe the isolation of seven mouse monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) directed against B-50. The Mabs are produced against the bovine B-50, selected by ELISA for cross-reactivity with its human counterpart, and evaluated on Western blots in comparison with the well-characterized affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibodies to rat-B-50. The Western blots show that the Mabs NM1, NM4, and NM6 recognize specifically the B-50 of bovine, human, and rat brain extract and the purified PKC phosphorylated and unphosphorylated rat B-50 isoforms. The Mabs NM2 and NM3 cross-react with bovine B-50 immunoreactive c-kinase substrate (BICKS), a protein sharing a 17 amino acid sequence homology with B-50. Two Mabs are useful for the detection of B-50 immunoreactivity in formalin-fixed human and rat brain tissues. In human specimen of the hippocampus, a characteristic neuropil distribution of B-50 is detected by the Mabs. In human muscle, Mabs reveal B-50 in nerve bundles and in axons at motor end plates. Thus, these Mabs are useful in investigating the function and localization of the B-50 protein.     

Genetische Aspekte bei Spermatogenesestörungen

The cause for infertility which affects about 10–15% of all couples may be found in approximately half of the cases in the male partners who usually exhibit reduced sperm counts in the ejaculate (i.e. oligozoospermia or azoospermia). The clinically most relevant genetic causes of spermatogenic failure are chromosomal aberrations including Klinefelter’s syndrome and Y chromosomal microdeletions of the AZF loci. Aside from the full clinical picture of cystic fibrosis, mutations in the CFTR gene can cause an isolated obstructive azoospermia without spermatogenic impairment. Genetic investigations should depend on the results of andrological examinations. Chromosomal aberrations are detected more frequently with decreasing sperm counts, where autosomes (e.g. translocations) are predominantly involved in men with oligozoospermia whereas in 10–15% azoospermia is caused by Klinefelter’s syndrome. Classical AZF deletions are found only in men with severe oligospermia or azoospermia and have a prognostic value. In contrast to men with AZFc deletions, carriers of complete AZFa and AZFb deletions have virtually no chance for testicular sperm extraction and a testicular biopsy is not advised. Rare cases of male infertility may be caused by specific syndromes or sperm defects (e.g. globozoospermia and disorders of ciliary structure).     

Bemerkungen über einige Saxifrageen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

N alpha-arylsulfonyl-omega-amidinophenyl-alpha-aminoalkyl-carboxylic acid amides as specific thrombin inhibitors

Structure-activity relationships for the inhibition of thrombin and trypsin by N alpha-substituted amidinophenyl-alpha-aminoalkylcarboxylic acid amides are presented. Secondary cyclic amides of N alpha-substituted 4-amidinophenylalanine and 2-amino-5-(4-amidinophenyl)valeric acid were found to be potent and specific inhibitors of thrombin, whereas trypsin was inhibited strongly by primary amides of 2-amino-4-(4-amidinophenyl) butyric acid. For this type of inhibitor the carbon amide structure seems to play a decisive role in the enzyme-inhibitor interaction.     

Bombyxin exhibits an insulin-like response to modification in the N-terminal region of the A chain.

Bombyxin is an insect neurohormone with an insulin-like structure. The N-terminal A chain helix, a region which is considered part of the active site in insulin, is almost identical between the two hormones. Bombyxin analogues with modifications at the N-terminus of the A-chain were synthesized and investigated for their ability to bind to bombyxin-specific receptors. While N-acetylation reduced the affinity to the bombyxin receptor to 18% the removal of glycine (A1) inactivated the hormone completely. Replacement of glycine (A1) by L-amino acids caused a significant loss in activity (11%) while its replacement by D-amino acid resulted in active bombyxin analogues (55%). Comparative CD spectroscopy indicated a change in structure for desGly(A1)bombyxin. Although the insect hormone does not have an insulin-like function it exhibits mammalian insulin-like structural sensitivity for A chain modifications.     

Autumnal moth – why autumnal?

1. As for some other spring‐feeding moths, adult flight of Epirrita autumnata (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) occurs in late autumn. Late‐season flight is a result of a prolonged pupal period. Potential evolutionary explanations for this phenological pattern are evaluated. 2. In a laboratory rearing, there was a weak correlation between pupation date and the time of adult emergence. A substantial genetic difference in pupal period was found between two geographic populations. Adaptive evolution of eclosion time can thus be expected. 3. Metabolic costs of a prolonged pupal period were found to be moderate but still of some ecological significance. Pupal mortality is likely to form the main cost of the prolonged pupal period. 4. Mortality rates of adults, exposed in the field, showed a declining temporal trend from late summer to normal eclosion time in autumn. Lower predation pressure on adults may constitute the decisive selective advantage of late‐season flight. It is suggested that ants, not birds, were the main predators responsible for the temporal trend. 5. Egg mortality was estimated to be low; it is thus unlikely that the late adult period is selected for to reduce the time during which eggs are exposed to predators. 6. In a laboratory experiment, oviposition success was maximal at the time of actual flight peak of E. autumnata, however penalties resulting from sub‐optimal timing of oviposition remained limited.     

Archaeal complex II: 'classical' and 'non-classical' succinate:quinone reductases with unusual features.

Reversible succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activities have been ubiquitously detected in organisms from the three domains of life. They represent constituents either of respiratory complexes II in aerobes, or of fumarate dehydrogenase complexes in anaerobes. The present review gives a survey on archaeal succinate:quinone oxidoreductases (SQRs) analyzed so far. Though some of these could be studied in detail enzymologically and spectroscopically, the existence of others has been deduced only from published genome sequences. Interestingly, two groups of enzyme complexes can be distinguished in Archaea. One group resembles the properties of SDHs known from bacteria and mitochondria. The other represents a novel class with an unusual iron-sulfur cluster in subunit B and atypical sequence motifs in subunit C which may influence electron transport mechanisms and pathways. This novel class of SQRs is discussed in comparison to the so-called 'classical' complexes. A phylogenetic analysis is presented suggesting a co-evolution of the flavoprotein-binding subunit A and subunit B containing the three iron-sulfur clusters.     

Interaction of the organic anion 1-aniline 8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) with isolated rat hepatocytes

The interaction of ANS with rat hepatocytes in time was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. The intercept of the first linear portion of the time curve of interaction showed a positive value over all the ANS concentration range employed. This value was maintained after cellular disruption by homogenization. It was affected by ionic strength, pH, and divalent cation in the incubation medium, all conditions affecting the cellular surface. These data suggest that this phenomenon might be a binding of the compound to the hepatocytes surface. Due to the time constant and its disappearance after cellular disruption the other slower component of the curve seems to correspond to a process of translocation across the membrane.