An essential role for putrescine biosynthesis during meiotic maturation of amphibian oocytes

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of polyamines during meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes. The results indicate a rapid and significant increase in the activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway, during the meiotic maturation induced by either progesterone or human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). This increase in the enzyme activity was followed by an accumulation of putrescine without any effect on the levels of spermidine or spermine. The inhibition of ODC activity and the accumulation of putrescine levels by α-difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO), a catalytic irreversible inhibitor of ODC, also resulted in the inhibition of maturation mediated by progesterone in Xenopus oocytes. DFMO caused an inhibition of both maturation and ovulation induced by HCG in ovarian fragments. This inhibition was readily reversible by exogenous supply of putrescine to the medium. These observations suggest that putrescine plays an important role during the meiotic maturation of amphibian oocytes.     

Searching for amino acid sequence motifs among enzymes: the Enzyme-Reaction Database

Recently we have constructed a database—the Enzyme–ReactionDatabase–which links a chemical structure to amino acidsequences of enzymes that recognize the chemical structure astheir ligand. The total number of enzymes registered in thedatabase is 1103 with 6668 NBRF–PIR entry codes and 1756chemical compounds. The chemical structures and chemical namesfor 842 compounds are registered in the Chemical–StructureDatabase on the MACCS system. For each enzyme, the sequenceswere divided into clusters, and multiply aligned in each clusterto extract a conserved sequence. A total of 158 781 five–residue–longfragments were constructed from 433 conserved sequences andcompared among different clusters of different enzymes. Oneof these motifs shared by different enzymes S–G–G–L–D.The motif was conserved in both argininosuccinate synthase (EC6.3.4.5 [EC] ) and asparagine synthase (glutamine–hydrolysing)(EC 6.3.5.4 [EC] ). This result showed that the database was usefulfor the analysis of the relationship between chemical structuresand amino acid sequence motifs.     

Inhibition of factor VIII-associated platelet aggregation by heparin and dextran sulfate,and its mechanism

Both ristocetin-induced aggregation in the presence of human factor VIII and bovine factor VII-induced aggregation of washed normal human platelets were inhibited or reversed by the addition of heparin or dextran sulfate. These actions of dextran sulfate were stronger than those of heparin, and dependent on the sulfur content sulfate. In order to study the mechanism of actions of dextran sulfate and heparin, the affinity chromatographic experiment of factor VIII in human and bovine plasma, respectively, was carried out by using a dextran sulfate- and a heparin-Agarose column. Both human and bovine factor VIII have a strong affinity for dextran sulfate with high sulfur content and a weak affinity for heparin, but no affinity for dextran sulfate with low sulfur content. From these results, it is suggested that dextran sulfate or heparin binds directly the human and bovine factor VIII, which is an essential factor for the maintenance of the weak interplatelet bonds, and either inhibits or reverses the platelet aggregation.     

Changes in lactic acid bacteria and components of Awa-bancha by anaerobic fermentation

ABSTRACT

Awa-bancha is a post-fermented tea produced in Naka and Kamikatsu, Tokushima, Japan. We investigated the lactic acid bacteria in each stage of production of Awa-bancha and evaluated the relationships with the components. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from tea leaves cultured with de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) agar plates, and the species were identified by homology of the 16 S rRNA gene and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the recA gene to distinguish the Lactobacillus plantarum group. As a result, a variety of species were isolated from the raw tea leaves, and Lactobacillus pentosus was isolated most frequently after anaerobic fermentation. Regarding the tea leaf components, organic acids, such as lactic acid, increased, free amino acids decreased, and catechins changed owing to anaerobic fermentation. Our results suggest that the microbial flora mainly composed of L. pentosus is important in the anaerobic fermentation process for flavor formation of Awa-bancha.     

Alterations in the protein synthetic apparatus of Friend erythroleukemia cells during their erythroid differentiation

The changes in rate of protein synthesis and cell division and the distribution of polyribosomes and globin mRNA on the polyribosomes of Friend erythroleukemia (FL) cells exposed to 2% DMSO and maintained at low cell density, were examined at different times after exposure to DMSO. The rate of protein synthesis and the capacity of cells to divide declined in concert to 50% of the level found in untreated cell cultures at 24 hours after exposure. Thereafter these rates recovered to 70% of the rate found in untreated control cultures until 96 hours post-exposure and then irreversibly declined as the cells lost the capacity to divide. The proportion of ribosomes present as polyribosomes in cells exposed to DMSO paralleled the capacity of these cells to synthesize protein. The distribution of polyribosomes analyzed by sedimentation in sucrose gradients demonstrated that a discrete, abundant class of polyribosomes composed of pentamers to heptamers appeared as early as 48 hours after exposure to DMSO. The appearance of an abundant class of polyribosomes was correlated with globin synthesis by demonstrating that a discrete class of polyribosomes arises in cells treated with the inducers hexamethylene bisacetamide and hemin.     

Cloning and sequencing of the cDNA encoding tyrosinase of the Japanese pond frog, Rana nigromaculata.

We cloned and sequenced the cDNA encoding tyrosinase (TYN) of the Japanese pond frog, Rana nigromaculata. The 3511-bp cDNA contained a 54-bp 5'-noncoding region, a 1596-bp open reading frame encoding TYN of 532 amino acids (aa), and a 1861-bp 3'-noncoding region. The aa sequence of frog TYN predicted from the cDNA sequence was homologous to that of mouse and human TYNs. The aa sequence including the copper-binding domain, which is likely the active center of TYN, was highly conserved among these three species and Neurospora crassa, Streptomyces antibioticus, and S. glaucescens. The frog TYN also contains possible glycosylation sites and conserved Cys at sites similar to those in the mouse and human TYNs. There are two hydrophobic regions at the N-terminus and near the C-terminus, which are likely the signal (leader) peptide and a transmembrane domain, respectively.