Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization and Growth Suppression on Pitch Canker Development on Loblolly Pine Seedlings

One-yr-old loblolly pine seedlings of two half-sib families, grown in sand, were fertilized three times per week with nutrient solution containing 20 μg/ml (low) or 80 μg/ml (high) nitrogen. Nitrogen concentration in the nutrient solution was either constant throughout the experiment, or interehanged after the inoculation of stems or shoots with Fusarium subglutinans, 55 days after initiation of fertilization. Growth was suppressed by a weekly excision of shoots branching from the stem apex. Either high nitrogen nutrition or shoot excision generally enhanced canker elongation on stem inoculated plants; the combination of both was extremely conducive for disease development. With intact plants of family 8–68, interchange of pre-inoculation low nitrogen nutrition with high nitrogen after inoculation enhanced canker elongation and rate of wilt. Nitrogen content varied in wood, bark and needles, as well as with time intervals, but was consistently in accordance with nitrogen level in the nutrient solution. In shoot excised plants, nitrogen content was higher than in the respective treatment without shoot excision. The higher nitrogen nutrient accelerated disease development on inoculated shoots, compared to low nitrogen, on both pine families. With respective treatments, stem cankers were larger and rates of shoots exhibiting lesions or wilt were higher on plants of family 8–68 than on 8–61. It is postulated that the disease enhancing effect associated with higher nitrogen content in stem tissues results from an increased nitrogen availability to the pathogen.     

Estrogens induce malpighian metaplasia of the endocervical junction in female rats immunohistochemistry study

Immature female Wistar rats were treated with 1 mg of estradiol benzoate for 6 days. The injections were started on the 20th day of age; the animals were autopsied every 3 days after the last injection until the age of 45 days. Islets of hyperplastic cells and metaplasia area were seen in the endocervix in the majority of the animals autopsied. We have the expression of cytokeratin polypeptides in reserve cells, in areas exhibiting reserve cell hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia, using a panel of monoclonal cytokeratin antibodies. The reserve cells were positive for antibodies directed against stratified squamous epithelia, type cytokeratins No. 5, 13 and 17. In addition, hyperplastic cells revealed the presence of cytokeratins No. 7, 8, 18 and 19, specific for simple epithelia, but in a variable manner. The Squamous metaplasia cells exhibited cytokeratins No. 13, 18 and 19, but only weakly reactive. Our observations indicate that estrogen-induced endocervix metaplasia results from a transformation of reserve cells towards an epidermoid type epithelium. Hyperplasia would be the intermediate step in the mechanism of induced cervical metaplasia. This transformation is accompanied by the loss of cytoplasmic keratin proteins and the acquisition of new high molecular weight keratin proteins, specific for stratified squamous epithelia. The basal or reserve cells of the cervix can proliferate to produce regions of squamous cell metaplasia. It appears to be a direct effect of estrogen stimulation. Immunohistochemical staining for different molecular weight keratin proteins may be helpful in the evaluation of reserve cell differentiation.     

Characterization of the D-allose-mediated regulation of sugar transport in Chinese hamster fibroblasts

Exposure to D-allose has been demonstrated to lead to decreased 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and 3-0-methyl-D-glucose transport in the V79 Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line. The effect of D-allose 1) was maximal after 4 hours exposure to the cells; 2) was optimal between 2.77 and 5.55 mM D-allose; and 3) led to a decreased Vmax for 2-DG transport with no change in the transport Km value. The decrease in 2-DG transport induced by D-allose was reversible and the reversal was differentially affected by cycloheximide, being blocked by a low concentration of cycloheximide (0.05 micrograms/ml) but not a high concentration of the inhibitor (5 micrograms/ml). D-allose did not competitively inhibit the transport of 2-DG while D-glucose under similar conditions yielded a Kl for 2-DG transport inhibition of 1.7 mM. Additionally, D-allose did not affect the phosphorylation of 2-DG by hexokinase in cell-free cytosol. The data indicate that D-allose has significant lowering effects on sugar transport activity. Additionally, while the sugar itself may be the active component in sugar transport regulation, the effect is not blocked by inhibition of protein synthesis but the synthesis of a regulatory protein(s) may be involved in the return of sugar transport following D-allose removal.     

Correlation between redistribution of a 26 kDa protein and development of chronic thermotolerance in various mammalian cell lines

Previous studies suggested that a 26 kDa protein might play an important role in protein synthesis-independent thermotolerance development in CHO cells. To determine if this phenomenon was universal, four mammalian cell lines, viz., CHO, HA-1, murine Swiss 3T3, and human HeLa, were studied. Cells were heated at 42 degrees C, and the level of 26 kDa protein in the nucleus was measured, together with clonogenic survival and protein synthesis. The results demonstrated that 1) the 26-kDa protein was present in the four different cell lines, and 2) the level of the 26 kDa protein in their nuclei was decreased by 30-70% after heating at 42 degrees C for 1 hr. However, restoration of this protein occurred along with development of chronic thermotolerance. The protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (10 micrograms/ml) neither inhibited the development of chronic thermotolerance nor affected the restoration of the 26 kDa protein in the nucleus. In fact, this drug protected cells from hyperthermic killing and heat-induced reduction of 26 kDa protein in the nucleus. Heat sensitizers, quercetin (0.1 mM), 3,3'-dipentyloxacarbocyanine iodide (DiOC5[3]: 5 micrograms/ml), and stepdown heating (45 degrees C-10 min----42 degrees C), potentiated hyperthermic killing and inhibited or delayed the restoration of the 26 kDa protein to the nucleus. These results support a correlated, perhaps causal relationship between the restoration of the 26 kDa protein and chronic thermotolerance development in four different mammalian cell lines.     

Improved developmental potential of rabbit oocytes fertilized by sperm microinjection into the perivitelline space enlarged by hypertonic media

The objectives of the present study were: 1) to develop a simple and more efficient technique for sperm microinjection than is currently available, using the rabbit as a model, and 2) to evaluate the development of rabbit oocytes fertilized by single or multiple sperm microinjection. Hyperosmotic sucrose in phosphate-buffered saline (SPBS) was employed to dehydrate oocytes to increase the perivitelline space for sperm microinjection and prevent possible injury to the vitellus. In the first experiment, 58% (n = 29) oocytes treated with 0.5 M SPBS developed to morulae following multiple sperm microinjection compared, respectively, to 47% (n = 34) and 60% (n = 15) for control IVF with or without sucrose exposure (P greater than 0.05). Blastocyst development from microinjected oocytes, however, was much lower (P less than 0.05) than that of controls (14% vs. 42% and 40%, respectively). Sham operation by puncturing the zona pellucida of the sucrose-treated oocytes with the microinjection pipette did not increase parthenogenesis (P greater than 0.05). In Experiment 2 a smaller-size injection pipette and shorter sucrose exposure time after sperm microinjection resulted in 41% (n = 42) of the oocytes developing into blastocysts for the microinjection group, whereas only 21% (n = 24) developed to blastocysts in the control IVF group (P less than 0.05). When relatively older oocytes (17 hr post ovulation injection) were used to test if microinjection could reduce the time to fertilization and cleavage (Expt. 3), an average of 27% (n = 63) blastocysts resulted from microinjection vs. 0% (n = 28) for the control IVF group.     

Photo-inhibition and the Effects of Protein Phosphorylation on Electron Transport in Wheat Thylakoids

The kinetics of changes in photosystem I (PSI), photosystemII (PSII), and whole chain (PSII and PSI) electron transport,chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, the capacity to bind atrazineand the polypeptide profiles of thylakoids isolated from wheatleaves on exposure to a photon flux density of 2000 µmolm^–2 s^–1 were determined. Severe and similar levelsof photo-inhibitory damage to both PSII and whole chain electrontransport occurred and were correlated with decreases in theratio of variable to maximal fluorescence, the proportionalcontribution of the rapid a phase of the fluorescence kineticsand the capacity to bind atrazine. Severe photo-inhibition ofelectron transport was not associated with a major loss of chlorophyllor total thylakoid protein. However, a small decrease in a 70kDa polypeptide together with increases in a number of low molecularmass polypeptides (8–24 kDa) occurred. Phosphorylation of thylakoid polypeptides alleviated photo-inhibitionof PSII electron transport but stimulated photoinhibitory damageto whole chain electron transport. The consequences of suchphosphorylation-induced effects on photoinhibition in vivo areconsidered. Key words: Chlorophyll fluorescence, electron transport, photo-inhibition, protein phosphorylation, thylakoid membranes, wheat (Triticum aestivum)     

Genetic analysis of the relationship between interleukin production and worm rejection in Trichinella spiralis-infected inbred mice

The production of interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-2, and IL-3 by peritoneal macrophages, mesenteric lymph node (MLN), or spleen cells from inbred strains of mice infected with Trichinella spiralis was examined. The mice belonged to the worm rejection phenotypes previously characterized as strong (NFS), intermediate (C3H, BUB, DBA/1, SWR, CBA, etc.), or weak (B10.Q, B10.BR, etc.). Strong responder NFS mice produced approximately twice as much IL-1 as intermediate responder C3Heb/Fe or weak responder B10.BR mice. IL-3 production varied slightly among strains but did not show any relationship to the phenotype of rejection (highest: C3Heb/Fe, B10.BR; lowest: B10.Q). Of 16 strains of inbred mice and 6 F1 hybrid crosses assessed, marked variations occurred in IL-2 production from MLN cells in response to T. spiralis antigen challenge in vitro. When 16 mouse strains were compared IL-2 production ranged from 5.1 units/ml (A/J) to 29.8 (NFS). Variations in IL-2 production among mouse strains did not relate directly to MHC haplotype, and the capacity of an individual strain to release IL-2 or IL-3 did not correlate with adult worm rejection phenotype. Genetic linkage studies proved that the gene(s) regulating IL-2 production in T. spiralis infection were not linked to the gene(s) regulating adult worm rejection. Regression analysis showed a weak correlation of high IL-2 production with weak worm rejection suggesting that IL-2 production or an associated process is a negative factor in primary worm rejection.     

Expression and biochemical characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nef gene product.

nef genes from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolates BH10 and LAV1 (lymphadenopathy-associated virus type 1) were expressed in Escherichia coli under the deo operon promoter. The two proteins found in the soluble compartment of the bacterial lysate were purified by ion-exchange column chromatography to apparent homogeneity. Determination of the amino-terminal sequence revealed glycine as the first amino acid in the Nef protein, indicating removal of the initiator methionine during expression in E. coli. Under native conditions, the recombinant Nef protein is a monomer of 23 kilodaltons. In denaturing polyacrylamide gels, however, BH10 and LAV1 Nef proteins migrate as 28 and 26 kilodaltons, respectively. GTP binding and GTPase activity were monitored during Nef protein purification. These activities did not copurify with the recombinant Nef protein from either the BH10 or the LAV1 isolate. Purified recombinant BH10 Nef protein was used as an immunogen to elicit mouse monoclonal antibodies. A series of monoclonal antibodies were obtained which reacted with sequences at either the amino or carboxy terminus of Nef. In addition, a conformational epitope reacting with native BH10, but not LAV1, Nef was isolated.     

Mapping of B-cell epitopes of the human hepatitis B virus X protein.

The immune response to the X protein of human hepatitis B virus (HBV) was studied by epitope mapping by using a set of MS2-HBx fusion proteins and synthetic peptides. Antibodies in sera of patients with acute and chronic HBV infection showed a multispecific immune response. Each serum contained antibodies to a different set of epitopes, which taken together cover most of the HBx sequence. Some of the epitopes were detectable only by immunoblotting with fusion proteins; others were detectable only by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with synthetic peptides. The carboxy-terminal half of the HBx protein was preferentially recognized by antibodies from patients with chronic hepatitis and contained a short immunodominant antigenic region with at least two major nonoverlapping epitopes. Anti-HBx antibody titers as revealed by peptide ELISAs were highest and most frequent in patients with chronic hepatitis and usually low in acutely infected patients and asymptomatic carriers. The data demonstrate a remarkable qualitative and quantitative heterogeneity of the humoral HBx immune response which can be monitored by HBx-specific peptide ELISAs. Such tests may become useful diagnostic tools.     

The viral envelope gene is involved in macrophage tropism of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 strain isolated from brain tissue.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains isolated from the central nervous system (CNS) may represent a subgroup that displays a host cell tropism different from those isolated from peripheral blood and lymph nodes. One CNS-derived isolate, HIV-1SF128A, which can be propagated efficiently in primary macrophage culture but not in any T-cell lines, was molecularly cloned and characterized. Recombinant viruses between HIV-1SF128A and the peripheral blood isolate HIV-1SF2 were generated in order to map the viral gene(s) responsible for the macrophage tropism. The env gene sequences of the two isolates are about 91.1% homologous, with variations scattered mainly in the hypervariable regions of gp120. Recombinant viruses that have acquired the HIV-1SF128A env gene display HIV-1SF128A tropism for macrophages. Furthermore, the gp120 variable domains, V1, V2, V4, and V5, the CD4-binding domain, and the gp41 fusion domain are not directly involved in determining macrophage tropism.