The phosphorylation of adrenal proteins in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone

The phosphorylation of rat adrenal protein components in response to adrenocorticotropin has been studied in adrenal quarters, isolated cells, and in vivo. In adrenal quarters, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-stimulated phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of proteins was not affected by the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors despite a total inhibition of steroidogenesis. (The term dephosphorylation refers to an apparent decrease in the labeling of a particular protein with 32P at various times after the addition of ACTH. This may be due to enzymatic removal of phosphate or protein degradation or complexation of this protein with another cellular component.) Studies with isolated cell preparations identified several proteins that are phosphorylated or dephosphorylated in response to hormone. These changes in phosphorylation were also observed in adrenal quarters and correlated well with ACTH-stimulated steroidogenesis as determined by temporal analysis and dose-response studies of corticosterone production. In vivo injection of male hypophysectomized rats with [32P]phosphate and ACTH demonstrated changes in the labeling of six adrenal proteins. Many of the proteins phosphorylated in vivo were also demonstrated to be phosphorylated in both in vitro systems. Finally, the injection of a physiological dose of ACTH appeared to selectively activate the type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase within the microsomal fraction as determined by the binding of a photoaffinity-labeled reagent. These results suggest that alterations in phosphorylation of adrenal proteins in response to ACTH is proximal to or independent of the obligatory role of protein synthesis in acute steroidogenesis.     

Absorption of light in photoreceptors: Effect of waveguiding property

The effect of waveguiding property (i.e., the intensity distribution) of the photoreceptor on the number of photons absorbed in a photoreceptor has been studied. It has been found that the effect is significant only for large values of the exposure and the maximum effect is less than 11% in the case of human rod photoreceptor. In the analysis, the funnelling effect, which follows from the coupling between the interior and exterior fields, has not been considered.Work partially supported by the Department of Science and Technology (India)B. D. Gupta is associated with the School of Bioscience Studies     

Widespread occurrence of AP in amyloidotic tissues. An immunohistochemical observation

Plasma (P)-component of amyloid (AP or SAP), while not an integral part of the amyloid fibril, has been considered to be intimately associated with virtually every different type of amyloid. In the present study, we evaluated the distribution of AP in the organs frequently involved in two forms of human systemic amyloidosis (AA and AF) and in mouse AA amyloidosis, by use of immunohistochemistry with anti-AP. Although the amyloid deposits generally showed moderate reactions with anti-AP, they were not always clearly distinguished from the surrounding non-amyloid tissue elements which often stained as well. The basement membrane often showed even stronger reaction to anti-AP than the adjacent amyloid deposits, and liver sections demonstrated such a high overall reaction to anti-AP that the anti-AP reaction on the amyloid deposits was often obscurred. The present results suggest that the binding between AP and the amyloid fibril may not be monospecific, that AP by this technique occurs rather widely throughout the body, and therefore that anti-AP may not be considered as specific a marker for amyloid deposits in immunohistochemical and perhaps other studies as well.     

In vivo experimental modelling of the infectious process caused by stable L forms of the causative agent of typhoid

To simulate the infectious process and to study the persistence of L-forms, rabbits and guinea pigs were infected with S. typhi stable L-forms. The materials presented in this work indicate that both subconjunctival and intraperitoneal infection led to the development of the clinically indistinct, but morphologically pronounced pathological process with characteristic localization and typical changes in the gastrointestinal tract. The typical features of the process were the generalized immunomorphological reaction of the lymphoid apparatus with the appearance of light-colored reticulomacrophagal elements, the signs of the activation of humoral and cell-mediated immunity and the formation of small epitheloidocellular granulomas. The results of the investigation indicate that the stable cultures of S. typhi L-forms are highly pathogenic and capable of inducing the infectious process in experimental animals.     

Effect of temperature on growth of guanidine-resistant mutants of poliovirus

Guanidine-resistant (gr) mutants of poliovirus were previously categorized into four groups by electrophoretic properties and peptide maps of nonstructural virus protein 2C. Growth of mutants in the presence of guanidine depends upon temperature of incubation. The four groups of gr variants respond differently to temperature when guanidine is included in the culture medium. The data suggest clustering of gr mutations at several sites in the guanidine locus.     

Porcine high molecular weight kininogen: its purification and properties as a thiol proteinase inhibitor as compared to human high molecular weight kininogen

1. High mol. wt kininogen (HMW kininogen) was purified to a homogeneous state from porcine plasma. 2. The protein exhibited a strong inhibitory activity for thiol proteinases such as ficin, papain and calpain I, whereas it did not inhibit serine proteinases, trypsin and chymotrypsin. 3. The mol. wt, isoelectric point, amino acid and carbohydrate compositions, stabilities to temperature and pH, kinetic constants, and immunological properties of the porcine HMW kininogen were determined and compared with those of human HMW kininogen.     

Comparative study of the effect of L-lysine-L-oxidase from Trichoderma harzianum Rifai and Trichoderma viride on nucleic acid synthesis in human tumor cells in vitro

L-lysine-alpha-oxidase, a new fungal enzyme catalyzing oxidative deamination of L-lysine, exerts an inhibitory effect on DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in human cells of carcinoma ovarius (CaOv) in vitro.     

Solid-phase synthesis of polymyxin B1 and analogues via a safety-catch approach.

As part of a program towards the development of novel antibiotics, a convenient method for solid-phase synthesis of the cyclic cationic peptide polymyxin B1 and analogues thereof is described. The methodology, based on cleavage-by-cyclization using Kenner's safety-catch linker, yields crude products with purities ranging from 37-67%. Antibacterial assays revealed that analogues 23-26, in which the (S)-6-methyloctanoic acid moiety is replaced with shorter acyl chains, exhibit distinct antimicrobial activity. The results suggest that the length of the acyl chain is rather critical for antimicrobial activity. On the other hand, substitution of the hydrophobic ring-segment D-Phe-6/Leu-7 in polymyxin B1 with dipeptide mimics (i.e. analogues 27-33) resulted in almost complete loss of antimicrobial activity.