COMPARISON OF DNA RENEWAL IN GERM-FREE AND CONVENTIONAL MICE USING [125I]IODODEOXYURIDINE AND [3H]THYMIDINE

Germ-free (GF) and conventional (CV) C3H mice received a single injection of 1 μCi [³H]thymidine and 3 μCi [¹²⁵I]iododeoxyuridine to provide simultaneous labeling of DNA with the two precursors. Thymus, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, bone marrow (femora), small intestine, colon and skin were examined for total organ activity and rate of DNA renewal 1–8 days after injection. Precursor incorporation, assayed on day 1, was lower in the thymus, mesenteric lymph nodes and femora (and, to a lesser extent, in the spleen and colon) of GF mice as compared to CV animals. The opposite was observed in the small intestine and skin, i.e. total organ activity was higher in GF animals. Differences in precursor incorporation were partly due to differences in organ weights between the two groups of mice. In comparison to CV animals, DNA renewal rates were diminished in the mesenteric lymph nodes, bone marrow, colon (following a 3-day plateau) and spleen of GF mice. Little, if any, difference was observed between the two groups with respect to the rate of DNA turnover in the thymus and skin. Radioactivity of the small intestine remained constant for 2 days. Thereafter intestinal activity in GF mice declined at an initial slow rate between days 2 and 5 followed by a rapid decrease between days 5 and 8. In CV mice the first phase of activity loss was short with the rapid decline in intestinal activity beginning on day 3. From the slopes of the regression lines, the percentage thymidine reutilization was estimated. Reutilization varied from 0 to 63% in the various organs examined, with the greatest difference between GF and CV mice occurring in the mesenteric lymph nodes.     

Regulation of cardiac cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase

An assay method based on the ability of high concentrations of Mg²⁺ to stimulate phosphorylation of histone in the presence of low concentrations of ATP was developed for the measurement of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratios (activity -cyclic GMP/activity + cyclic GMP). In tissues which contain only trace amounts of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, the basal activity ratios were high due to interference from a cyclic nucleotide-independent protein kinase. In order to study the regulation of the cardica cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, factors affecting the equilibrium between the active and inactive forms of the enzyme were determined. Since the rate of dissociation of cyclic GMP from its binding site(s) was relatively slow at 0–4°C at pH 7.0, the amount of time required to process tissue samples was the major limiting factor for preserving the equilibrium between active and inactive forms of the enzyme. Dilution of heart tissue extracts at 0–4°C did not significantly alter the activity ratio of the enzyme under conditions of basal or elevated cyclic GMP levels. Experiments using charcoal or exogenous cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase in the homogenizing medium demonstrated that the release of sequestered cyclic GMP was not responsible for the elevation of the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratios by agents like acetylcholine. Therefore, the assay reflected in part, at least, the retention of kinase-bound cyclic GMP in the tissue extracts. The effects of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside on cyclic GMP levels, the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratios, and force of contraction were studied in the perfused rat heart. Both agents produced rapid, dose-dependent increases in cardiac cyclic GMP. Optimal concentrations of acetylcholine produced a 2–3-fold increase in the levels of cyclic GMP and an increase in the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratio. No significant effect of acetylcholine on cyclic nucleotide-independent protein kinase activity was observed. Associated witth the acetylcholine-induced protein kinase, factors affecting the equilibrium between the active and inactive forms of the enzyme were determined. Since the rate of dissociation of cyclic GMP from its binding site(s) was relatively slow at 0–4°C at pH 7.0, the amount of time required to process tissue samples was the major limiting factor for preserving the equilibrium between active and inactive forms of the enzyme. Dilution of heart tissue extracts at 0–4°C did not significantly alter the activity ratio of the enzyme under conditions of basal elevated cyclic GMP levels. Experiments using charcoal or exogenous cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase in the homogenizing medium demonstrated that the release of sequestered cyclic GMP was not responsible for the elevation of the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratios by agents like acetylcholine. Therefore, the assay reflected in part, at least, the retention of kinase-bound cyclic GMP in the tissue extracts. The effects of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside on cyclic GMP levels, the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratios, and force of contraction were studied in the perfused rat heart. Both agents produced rapid, dose-dependent increases in cardiac cyclic GMP. Optimal concentrations of acetylcholine produced a 2–3-fold increase in the levels of cyclic GMP and an increase in the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratio. No significant effect of acetylcholine on cyclic nucleotide-independent protein kinase activity was observed. Associated with the acetylcholine-induced increase in cyclic GMP and the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratio was a reduction in the force of contraction. In contrast, nitroprusside produced little or no increase in the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activity ratio despite increasing the level of cyclic GMP 8–10-fold. Nitroprusside also had no effect on contractile force. In combination, nitroprusside and acetylcholine produced additive effects on cyclic GMP levels, but protein kinase activation and force of contraction were similar to those seen with acetylcholine alone. The results suggest that the cyclic GMP produced by acetylcholine in the rat heart is coupled to activation of the cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase, while that produced by nitroprusside is not.     

Biosynthesis and in vitro translation of the major surfactant-associated protein from human lung

We have characterized a 32,000-36,000-dalton sialoglycoprotein group that is an integral component of the lipoprotein complex called pulmonary surfactant. Our results from the cell-free translation of human lung RNA show that this protein consists of two similarly-sized precursor components of about 29,000-31,000 daltons. Tunicamycin treatment of the lung tissue prevents formation of the normal protein and results in the accumulation of these precursor components which are also seen under normal conditions in very small amounts. Although in vitro translation in the presence of dog pancreatic microsomes suggests that a cleavable signal peptide sequence is present in these precursor molecules, it does not appear that this cleavage occurs in vivo.     

Functional outline of the epidemic process

The present study has shown that on the level of the parasitic system the epidemic process is a biological system, wherein the host population serves as the internal regulator, the mechanism of transmission serves as the external regulator and the parasite population, as the regulated object. The biological regulating mechanisms of the epidemic process have fundamental differences in the groups of infectious with various mechanisms of transmission, and the specific nature of the mechanism of transmission determines the peculiar features of the biological mechanism which governs the self-regulation of the epidemic process. In contrast, on a higher level of the organization of the epidemic process, i. e. on the level of the socio-ecological system, the epidemic process is a biosocial system, wherein the human society serves as the regulator, the parasitic system serves as the regulated object and the mechanism of transmission plays the role of the filter which determines the scope of social factors, most important in the regulation of the epidemic process in a given infection. The spontaneous regulation of the epidemic process is the freed forward channel from the regulator to the regulated object, and the controlled regulation is the feedback channel.     

Post-translational heterogeneity of the human vitamin D-binding protein (group-specific component)

The vitamin D-binding protein in human serum (the group-specific component) is an alpha 2-globulin which is genetically polymorphic in all populations studied. Previous work (J. Svasti and B. H. Bowman (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253, 5188-5194, and J. Svasti, A. Kurosky, A. Bennett, and B. H. Bowman (1979) Biochemistry 18, 1611-1617) has shown that the electrophoretic variations of the proteins controlled by two allelic genes, Gc1 and Gc2, are due to at least three amino acid substitutions between Gc1 and Gc2 (Svasti et al. (1979] and to heterogeneity in the Gc1 phenotype arising from carbohydrate dissimilarities. Gc1 migrates electrophoretically as two protein bands, while Gc2 migrates cathodally as a single band. This study demonstrates a post-translational glycosylation difference occurring in a single area of the Gc1 sequence which accounts for the heterogeneity observed previously. The glycosylation site, a threonine residue, appears to be in a sequence which differs between Gc1 and Gc2. The O-glycosidic bond, which is typical of mucins, is rare in plasma proteins. The cyanogen bromide fragment containing the galactosamine-containing carbohydrate in Gc1 was partially sequenced through 20 residues from the amino terminus. No detectable galactosamine could be found in the homologous cyanogen bromide fragment in Gc2. A new purification procedure for the vitamin D-binding protein in human plasma has been developed. Three chromatographic steps provide purified protein.     

Population dynamics ofGlaux maritima (L.) along a distributional cline

Population fluctuations ofGlaux maritima, along a transect on a Baltle sea shore meadow, were recorded between 1979 and 1983. A bimodal distribution in numbers along the transect reflects the variation in factors regulating numbers: The two maintenance systems of the species, vegetative propagation and sexual reproduction play different roles. Vegetative propagation is fast and responds quickly to variations in the environment. The seeds germinate in strongly fluctuating temperatures which are triggered by disturbances such as flooding, damaging the vegetation.     

Separation of peptides by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using propyl- and cyanopropylsilyl supports

The separation of peptides and proteins by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with cyanopropylsilyl and large-pore propylsilyl supports, together with aqueous trifluoroacetic acid/acetonitrile gradients, was studied. Operating parameters (trifluoroacetic acid concentration, flow rate, and gradient slope) were evaluated using different enzymatic digests of horse cytochrome c and bovine serum albumin. Peptides ranging in size from five amino acids to 68 kDa could be separated on the propylsilyl column in a single chromatographic run. The cyanopropylsilyl column is suitable as a supplement to the use of the large-pore column for medium size (5-20 amino acids) peptides. The chromatographic supports and conditions presented here offer a simple, sensitive, and rapid separation system for a wide size range of peptides and proteins. They extend the versatility of separation methodology for these molecules.     

Rare syndromes. The Kaufman-McKusick syndrome. A review of the 44 cases reported in the literature

The Kaufman-McKusick syndrome (MK 23670) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the triad of hydrometrocolpos, postaxial polydactyly, and congenital heart disease. Multiple other anomalies have been ascribed to this syndrome. Hydrometrocolpos, especially if unrecognized, may be a serious, life-threatening condition in the newborn girl. Forty-four cases have been so far reported in the literature. A great phenotypic variability occurs in this syndrome, therefore making it very difficult to identify the disorder at its presentation and classify it correctly. We shall hereafter review current data regarding the prominent clinical features, the diagnosis and treatment of this syndrome. Problems in genetic counseling will be discussed.