Analyses of beta-1 syntrophin, syndecan 2 and gem GTPase as candidates for chicken muscular dystrophy.

Despite intensive studies of muscular dystrophy of chicken, the responsible gene has not yet been identified. Our recent studies mapped the genetic locus for abnormal muscle (AM) of chicken with muscular dystrophy to chromosome 2q using the Kobe University (KU) resource family, and revealed the chromosome region where the AM gene is located has conserved synteny to human chromosome 8q11-24.3, where the beta-1 syntrophin (SNTB1), syndecan 2 (SDC2) and Gem GTPase (GEM) genes are located. It is reasonable to assume those genes might be candidates for the AM gene. In this study, we cloned and sequenced the chicken SNTB1, SDC2 and GEM genes, and identified sequence polymorphisms between parents of the resource family. The polymorphisms were genotyped to place these genes on the chicken linkage map. The AM gene of chromosome 2q was mapped 130 cM from the distal end, and closely linked to calbindin 1 (CALB1). SNTB1 and SDC2 genes were mapped 88.5 cM distal and 27.6 cM distal from the AM gene, while the GEM gene was mapped 18.5 cM distal from the AM gene and 9.1 cM proximal from SDC2. Orthologues of SNTB1, SDC2 and GEM were syntenic to human chromosome 8q. SNTB1, SDC2 and GEM did not correspond to the AM gene locus, suggesting it is unlikely they are related to chicken muscular dystrophy. However, this result also suggests that the genes located in the proximal region of the CALB1 gene on human chromosome 8q are possible candidates for this disease.     

Identification and characterization of ispA, a Shigella flexneri chromosomal gene essential for normal in vivo cell division and intercellular spreading

The virulent phenotype of Shigella requires loci on the chromosome as well as on the large virulence plasmid, and is regulated via a complex web of interactions amongst various chromosomal and large plasmid genes. To further investigate the role of chromosomal loci in virulence, we performed random Tn 10 mutagenesis in Shigella flexneri YSH6000T, and isolated an avirulent mutant (V3404) incapable of spreading throughout an epithelial cell monolayer. Although V3404 initially spread intercellularly at the same rate as the wild-type, it gradually slowed down and ceased spreading as a result of increasing defects in cell division, leading to the formation of long filamentous bacteria lacking septa, trapped within cells. In addition, the mutation affected the ability of V3404 to polymerize actin, a prerequisite for intra- and inter-cellular spreading ability. Sequencing of Tn 10 -flanking DNA revealed that the mutated gene, designated ispA (intracellular septation), was equivalent to a previously sequenced but uncharacterised gene of Escherichia coli located between trp and tonB . Using E. coli sequence data, we cloned the ispA gene from the YSH6000T chromosome and found that it complemented the V3404 mutation. Nucleotide sequencing and in vitro expression experiments revealed that ispA coded for a small (21 kDa), very hydrophobic protein. These results thus show that ispA is an essential virulence gene affecting several functions of the virulence process.     

Purification and immunological properties of cathepsin B in carpCyprinus carpio

Cathepsin B was purified from the crude extract of carp (Cyprinus carpio) hepato-pancreas by the method involving ammonium sulfate fractionation and five sequential chromatographies monitored the activity with Z-Arg-Arg-MCA as a substrate, and the specific activity increased about 11,400 fold with a 2% recovery. Although the homogeneity of the purified cathepsin B was established on Native-PAGE, it migrated as two bands of 29,000 and 25,000 molecular weights by the single and heavy chains on SDS-PAGE, respectively. The monospecific antibody against the homogeneous cathepsin B was purified by the affinity chromatography on cathepsin B-Sepharose 4B, and did not immunologically react with rat cathepsin B, carp cathepsins H and L but only with carp cathepsin B by immunoelectrophoretic blot analysis. As the result of the tissue and liver distributions of cathepsin B, the remarkable immunological reactivities in the extracts of spleen, kidney and hepato-pancreas in carp and those of pacific cod, yellow fin tuna, skip jack tuna and common mackerel in pisces were detected with the anti-carp hepato-pancreas cathepsin B at molecular weight of nearby 29,000 or 25,000.     

Over-production of Thermus protease in dense culture of Escherichia coli using two carbon sources

Escherichia coli JM109(DE3) harboring expression plasmid pkAQNÆC30, which carries the Thermus protease aqualysin I (AQI) gene, was cultivated with glucose as a sole carbon source. The final cell concentration was over 15 g dry weight/l and the amount of AQI produced reached approximately 130 kU/ml broth. Moreover, by using two carbon sources, glucose and glycerol, the production yield was increased to over 200 kU AQI/ml, while suppressing the formation of inhibitory acetic acid.     

Mouse {beta}-galactoside {alpha}2,3-sialyltransferases: comparison of in vitro substrate specificities and tissue specific expression

Four types of ß-galactoside     

Some properties of β-1,3-glucan hydrolyzing enzymes from the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

We examined some characteristics of hydrolyticenzymes, especially -1,3-glucanase, to obtain theinformation of cell wall lytic enzymes forrotifers.Crude enzyme (ammonium sulfate fraction) of rotifershydrolyzed starch, -1,3-glucan, glycol chitinand CM-cellulose. Optimum pH for hydrolysis ofstarch and CM-cellulose was 6.5, and that for -1,3glucan and glycol chitin was pH 6.0. Pectic acid,xylan and agarose were not hydrolyzed at pH 3–10.-1,3 glucanase was purified about 73-fold from crudeenzyme by ion-exchange chromatography and gelfiltration. Optimum pH and temperature of the enzymewere 6 and 60 °C, respectively. The molecular weight ofthe enzyme was estimated about 260 kDa by gelfiltration. The enzyme was inhibited byHgCl₂ and MnCl_{_2}.     

Optimal strategy of plant antiherbivore defense: Implications for apparency and resource-availability theories

Plants produce chemicals as methods against animal herbivory. Such chemical defenses are classified into two major categories: (i) quantitative defenses with massive production of indigestible substances; and (ii) qualitative defenses with production of poisonous substances. A mathematical model was developed that identified factors that favored the evolution of quantitative defenses. Selecting an annual plant for simplicity, the allocation of photosynthetic production between growth substances and defense substances was considered. If the plant invests more in defense substances, it can protect itself more efficiently from herbivory but with a reduced growth rate. If it invests more in growth substances, the contrary holds. Using Pontoryagin's maximum principle, the following results were obtained: (i) the plant should conduct quantitative defenses when the growth rate (G), reflecting resource-availability, is low and the growth period (T) is long as well; (ii) if the plant invests in quantitative defenses, the optimal proportion of defense substances (χ^*) should be higher asG is smaller, but it is independent ofT; and (iii) the value of χ^* is not monotone for the effectiveness of defense substance (A), but has a maximum at an intermediate value ofA. Predictions of the model partly supported both Feeny's apparency theory, claiming that apparent plants or their parts for herbivores should quantitatively defend themselves, and Coley's resource-availability theory, claiming that plants with rich resources should invest in growth rather than defense.     

Electron-microscope cytochemistry of acetylcholine-like cation by means of low-temperature "ionic fixation"

A fresh preparation of frog neuromuscle was fixed at low temperatures (0 degree-4 degrees C) by means of an "ionic-fixation" procedure which is based on the precipitation of quaternary ammonium cations, such as choline and acetylcholine, with molybdic or tungstic heteropolyanions. A low temperature was used to slow down drastically the biological processus of vesicular exocytosis so that ionic fixation, the speed of which is only slightly influenced by temperature variation, could be performed efficiently. In addition to the conventional point-like precipitate in the synaptic vesicle which is considered to be vesicular acetylcholine, numerous spot-like precipitates were observed in the synaptic cleft. Most of these were contiguous to the active zone, and some were in a paired form and corresponded to the double rows of the synaptic vesicles in contact with active zones. It is concluded that these spot-like precipitates were acetylcholine-like cations of the synaptic vesicles which had been discharged into the synaptic cleft by exocytosis and captured by the ionic fixation procedure. The results are discussed in relation to the vesicular and non-vesicular hypothesis of acetylcholine release.