Effect of intracellular alkalinization on pancreatic islet calcium uptake and insulin secretion.

Microdissected beta-cell-rich pancreatic islets of ob/ob mice were used in studies of the relationship between intracellular pH (pHi) and 45Ca2+ uptake and insulin release. Stepwise increases in extracellular pH (pHo) from 6.80 to 8.00 resulted in a parallel, although less pronounced, elevation of pHi from 7.24 to 7.69. Experimental conditions that alkalinize the islet cell interior, i.e. addition of 5 mM-NH4+, sudden withdrawal of extracellular bicarbonate buffer or increase in pHo, induced insulin secretion in the absence of other types of secretory stimulation (1 mM-D-glucose). Intracellular acidification by lowering pHo below 7.40 or sudden addition of bicarbonate buffer did not induce insulin secretion. The removal of extracellular bicarbonate buffer, increase in pHo from 7.40 to 8.00, or the addition of 5 mM-L-5-hydroxytryptophan or 5 mM-NH4+, which all alkalinize the islet cells and induce insulin secretion, also increased the La3+-non-displaceable 45Ca2+ uptake in the presence of 1 mM-D-glucose. The results suggest that intracellular alkalinization in beta-cells can trigger insulin secretion. Taken together with the fact that D-glucose increases pHi in the islet cells, the results also point to the possibility that alkalinization may be a link in the stimulus-secretion coupling sequence in beta-cells.     

Enhanced photosynthesis at low oxygen concentrations: Differential response of temperate and tropical grasses

Summary When leaves of grasses of the tribes Oryzeae, Festuceae, Hordeae, Aveneae, Phalarideae, Agrostideae and Stipeae were exposed to air containing a low oxygen concentration, photosynthesis was enhanced between 23 and 60%. No such increase was observed in grasses of the tribes Paniceae, Andropogoneae, Maydeae, Zoisieae, Chlorideae and Eragrosteae which are known (Hatch et al., 1967) to possess the C₄ carbon pathway of photosynthesis. The latter group consists of tropical grasses and the former, except for the Oryzeae, are grasses of temperate regions.     

Dehydrogenase activity and toxinogenesis of a production strain ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae during submerged cultivation

A simple biochemical procedure was obtained for studying metabolism ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae during submerged cultivation based on the modification of the assay of dehydrogenase activity using 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride as redox indicator. Results obtained by the estimation of the dehydrogenase activity using TTC are in a good accordance with oxygen consumption assayed manometrically. By following dehydrogenase activity in submerged cultivations of a production strain ofCorynebacterium diphtheriae PW8-Weissensee we found that a massive toxin production is connected with the decrease of the activity of cells. This fall of activity occurs yet during the exponential phase of growth. Especially a sudden fall of succindehydrogenase activity exactly indicates the beginning of a considerable toxin accumulation in the medium. The presence of inhibitory concentrations of iron ions in the medium not only increases the level of dehydrogenase activity but changes its whole kinetics. A retarded and irregular fall of the activity occurs instead of a sharp one typical for good toxin production.     

Modification of AlF-4- and receptor-stimulated phospholipase C activity by G-protein beta gamma subunits

Turkey erythrocyte membranes possess a phospholipase C that is markedly activated by P2Y-purinergic receptor agonists and guanine nucleotides. Reconstitution of [3H]inositol-labeled turkey erythrocyte membranes with guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (G-protein) beta gamma subunits resulted in inhibition of both AlF-4-stimulated adenylate cyclase and AlF-4-stimulated phospholipase C activities. The apparent potency (K0.5 approximately 1 microgram or 20 pmol of beta gamma/mg of membrane protein) of beta gamma subunits for inhibition of each enzyme activity was similar and occurred with beta gamma purified by different methodologies from turkey erythrocyte, bovine brain, or human placenta membranes. In contrast to the effect on AlF-4-stimulated activity, the stimulatory effect on phospholipase C of the P2Y-purinergic receptor agonist 2-methylthioadenosine 5'-triphosphate in the presence of guanine nucleotides was potentiated by 50-100% in a concentration-dependent manner by reconstitution of beta gamma subunits. beta gamma subunits did not affect the K0.5 value of 2-methylthioadenosine 5'-triphosphate for the stimulation of phospholipase C activity. These results indicate that beta gamma subunits influence phospholipase C activity in a concentration range similar to that necessary for regulation of adenylate cyclase activity and suggest the involvement of a G-protein possessing an alpha beta gamma heterotrimeric structure in coupling hormone receptors to phospholipase C.     

Product-precursor relationships amongst inositol polyphosphates. Incorporation of [32P]Pi into myo-inositol 1,3,4,6-tetrakisphosphate, myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, myo-inositol 3,4,5,6-tetrakisphosphate and myo-inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate in intact avian erythrocytes.

Avian erythrocytes were incubated with myo-[3H]inositol for 6-7 h and with [32P]Pi for the final 50-90 min of this period. An acid extract was prepared from the prelabelled erythrocytes, and the specific radioactivities of the gamma-phosphate of ATP and of both the myo-inositol moieties (3H, d.p.m./nmol) and the individual phosphate groups (32P, d.p.m./nmol) of [3H]Ins[32P](1,3,4,6)P4,[3H]Ins[32P](1,3,4,5)P4, [3H]Ins[32P](3,4,5,6)P4 and [3H]Ins[32P](1,3,4,5,6)P5 were determined. The results provide direct confirmation that one of the cellular InsP4 isomers is Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 which is synthesized by sequential phosphorylation of the 1,4,5 and 3 substitution sites of the myo-Ins moiety, precisely as previously deduced [Batty, Nahorski & Irvine (1985) Biochem. J. 232, 211-215; Irvine, Letcher, Heslop & Berridge (1986) Nature (London) 320, 631-634]. This is compatible with the proposed synthetic route from PtdIns via PtdIns4P, PtdIns(4,5)P2 and Ins(1,4,5)P3. The data also suggest that, in avian erythrocytes, the principle precursor of Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5 is Ins(3,4,5,6)P4. Furthermore, if the gamma- (and/or beta-) phosphate of ATP is the precursor of the phosphate moieties of Ins(3,4,5,6)P4, then this isomer must be derived from the phosphorylation of Ins(3,4,6)P3. If the gamma- (and/or beta-) phosphate of ATP similarly acts as the ultimate precursor to all of the phosphates of Ins(1,3,4,6)P4, then, in intact avian erythrocytes, the main precursor of Ins(1,3,4,6)P4 is Ins(1,4,6)P3. This contrasts with the expectation, based on results with cell-free systems, that Ins(1,3,4,6)P4 is synthesized by the direct phosphorylation of Ins(1,3,4)P3.     

A Protein Kinase-Dependent Block to Reinitiation of DNA Replication in G2 Phase in Mammalian Cells

Eukaryotic cells normally replicate their DNA only once between mitoses. Unlike G1 nuclei, intact G2 nuclei do not replicate during incubation inXenopusegg extract. However, artificial permeabilization of the nuclear membrane of G2 nuclei allows induction of new initiations byXenopusegg extract. This is consistent with the action of a replication licensing factor which is believed to enter the nucleus when the nuclear membrane breaks down at mitosis. Here, we show that G2 nuclei will initiate a new round of replication in the absence of nuclear membrane permeabilization, if they are preexposed to protein kinase inhibitorsin vivo.Competence to rereplicate is generated within 30 min of drug treatment, well before the scheduled onset of mitosis. This demonstrates that a protein kinase-dependent mechanism is continually active in G2 phase to actively prevent regeneration of replication capacity in mammalian cells. Kinase inhibition in G2 cells causes nuclear accumulation of replication protein A. Rereplication of kinase-inhibited G2 nuclei also depends on factors supplied byXenopusegg extract, which are distinct from those required for replication licensing.     

Development ofgusA reporter gene constructs for cereal transformation: Availability of plant transformation vectors from the CAMBIA Molecular Genetic Resource Service

The use of reporter genes to characterise sequence elements that act to regulate gene expression in transgenic plants has been vital to the development of foreign gene expression strategies for use in cereal transformation. ThegusA locus ofEscherichia coli, which encodes the enzyme-glucuronidase (GUS), is by far the most popular reporter gene used in plant transformation. In this paper we extend the utility of the GUS reporter gene system in cereal transformation by describing and evaluating a number of novel constructs suitable for use in direct gene transfer experiments. These plasmids are all available from the Molecular Genetic Resource Service of the Center for the Application of Molecular Biology to International Agriculture.     

Evaluation of mass spectrometric techniques for charaterization of engineered proteins

A simple and versatile method of in vitro site-specific mutagenesis based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is described. The complete method required the use of three oligonucleotide primers and two PCRs. The product of the first PCR was used as one of the primers (megaprimer) in the second PCR. Essentially 100% of the final product incorporated the desired mutation. The various aspects of the procedure and its application is described in detail.     

Locus Heterogeneity for Waardenburg Syndrome is Predictive of Clinical Subtypes

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a dominantly inherited and clinically variable syndrome of deafness, pigmentary changes, and distinctive facial features. Clinically, WS type I (WS1) is differentiated from WS type II (WS2) by the high frequency of dystopia canthorum in the family. In some families, WS is caused by mutations in the PAX3 gene on chromosome 2q. We have typed microsatellite markers within and flanking PAX3 in 41 WS1 kindreds and 26 WS2 kindreds in order to estimate the proportion of families with probable mutations in PAX3 and to study the relationship between phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity. Evaluation of heterogeneity in location scores obtained by multilocus analysis indicated that WS is linked to PAX3 in 60% of all WS families and in 100% of WS1 families. None of the WS2 families were linked. In those families in which equivocal lod scores (between −2 and +1) were found, PAX3 mutations have been identified in 5 of the 15 WS1 families but in none of the 4 WS2 families. Although preliminary studies do not suggest any association between the phenotype and the molecular pathology in 20 families with known PAX3 mutations and in four patients with chromosomal abnormalities in the vicinity of PAX3, the presence of dystopia in multiple family members is a reliable indicator for identifying families likely to have a defect in PAX3.     

Chloroplast targeting of spectinomycin adenyltransferase provides a cell-autonomous marker for monitoring transposon excision in tomato and tobacco

Antibiotic resistance genes can act as either cell autonomous or non-cell autonomous genetic markers with which to monitor the excision of plant transposons. To convert spectinomycin resistance from a noncell autonomous resistance to cell autonomous resistance, a transit peptide for chloroplast localization from a petunia ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcS) gene was fused in-frame to the aadA gene, which confers spectinomycin and streptomycin resistance. Constructs were generated in which the expression of this chimeric gene was prevented by the presence, in the 5 untranslated leader, of the maize transposons Activator (Ac) or Dissociation (Ds). When progeny of tobacco or tomato plants transformed with these constructs were germinated on spectinomycin-containing medium, germinally revertant and somatically variegated individuals could be distinguished.