Uptake by central nervous tissues as a mechanism for the regulation of extracellular adenosine concentrations

The various facets of the uptake of adenosine by central nervous tissues are described. The uptake process includes the transport of nucleoside across neuronal and glial plasma membranes and its metabolism within the cell. Much of the transported adenosine is phosphorylated into adenosine nucleotides. Inhibitors of adenosine uptake increase extracellular levels of adenosine and can thus potentiate its pharmacological actions. This may be an important component in the actions of various groups of psychoactive drugs.     

The shape of myosin subfragment-1. A equivalent oblate ellipsoid model based on hydrodynamic properties

The molecular weights of the two heads of myosin subfragment-1, S-1(A1) and S-1(A2), based on sedimentation equilibrium are 120 000 and 110 000. Hydrodynamically, the two heads are indistinguishable, with intrinsic viscosity, [eta], of 0.064-0.065 dL/g and sedimentation coefficient, s(0)20,w, of 5.8 S.Together with the rotational correlation time taken from the literature (235 ns), all three hydrodynamic properties can be better fitted with an equivalent oblate ellipsoid of revolution than a prolate model. The width of the equatorial axis of the ellipsoid is about 135 A (the axial ratio is about 6). Probably, the S-1(A1) and S-1(A2) molecules have a half-doughnutlike or a flattened pearlike shape rather than an elongated one.     

Hyphal anastomosis inPyricularia oryzae cav.

Summary Hyphal anastomosis inPyricularia oryzae occurs naturally in the lower epidermal cells and in the vascular bundles of young lesions on rice. In those cells the invading blast fungus are active. Two hyphal cells lying side by side start an anastomosis by forming two, one from each, very short penetration pegs which are opposite to each other. The cell wall of the pegs and the wall in the vicinity of them are then gradually eliminated and thus form a fusion aperture of 0.2–0.6 m in diameter that is big enough for the migration or exchange of nucleus and cytoplasm between two hyphal cells. The explanation of genetical variation inP. oryzae may be sought on the basis of the ultrastructural evidence of hyphal anastomoses presented in this paper.     

Glutamine synthetase. IX. Purification and characterization of the enzyme from sheep spleen.

Glutamine synthetase (L-glutamate: ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2) has been purified about 550-fold from sheep spleen. The subunit weight of the enzyme is estimated to be 48 000. Sedimentation coefficient determination by density gradient centrifugation gives a value of 15.0 S. The approximate molecular weight calculated from the S value is 378500. In addition, electron micrographs of the enzyme show an "H" shape. Hence, the protein appears to have eight subunits. In sheep spleen, the enzyme resides chiefly in the soluble fraction of the cell. The amino acid composition of the enzyme from spleen shows similarity to that from other sources. The enzyme activity is nearly five times as high in Mg2+ as in Mn2+. ATP inhibits the enzyme; the inhibition is competitive with respect to Mg2+ATP. A number of compounds, such as D-alanine, AMP, creatine phosphate, arsenite in combination with 2,3-dimercaptopropanol, and 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate, also inhibit the enzyme. The inhibition by the last compound is competitive with respect to glutamate. D-Glutamate and alpha-methyl-DL-glutamate can serve as substrates in the synthesis reaction, but N-methyl-DL-glutamate cannot. On the other hand, neither D-glutamine nor N-acetyl-L-glutamine can replace L-glutamine as a substrate in the gamma-glutamyl transfer reaction of the enzyme. Inhibition of Mn2+ and ATP and its reversal by Mg2+ have been discussed as a means of regulating the enzyme activity in mammalian tissues.     

稀土元素Pr~(3+)、Nd~(3+)对蚕豆(Vicia feba)叶片原生质膜上Ca~(2+)·Mg~(2+)-ATPase活性的影响

本文介绍用二相分配法制备蚕豆叶片原生质膜上的Ca~(2+)·Mg~(2+)-ATPase,用以研究镧系,稀土离子对此酶活性的影响。初步证实Pr~(3+)、Nd~(3+)对依赖于CaM的以及不依赖于CaM的蚕豆叶片原生质膜上Ca~(2+)·Mg~(2+)-ATPase活性的抑制不是CaM专一的。     

Fusion of sphingomyelin vesicles induced by proteins from Taiwan cobra (Naja naja atra) venom. Interactions of zwitterionic phospholipids with cardiotoxin analogues

Egg sphingomyelin vesicles were used to assay aggregation/fusion activities of proteins from Taiwan (Naja naja atra) venom to avoid the problem of phospholipase A2 contamination during protein purification. It led to the identification of a new cardiotoxin (CTX) analogue protein (CTX V) with major aggregation/fusion, but few hemolysis, activities. On the contrary, cardiotoxin (CTX III) induced significant hemolysis of human red blood cells but exhibited few aggregation/fusion activities. To study the structure/activity relationship of these CTX-induced processes, the amino acid sequence of CTX V was determined and its aggregation/fusion activity was compared with that of CTX III by transmission electron microscopy, quasielastic laser light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results show that the CTX-induced fusion process at temperatures slightly above that of the gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition of sphingomyelin vesicles can ultimately convert small sonicated vesicles into large fused vesicles with sizes of 1-2 microns. The abilities of CTX V to induce the leakage of sphingomyelin vesicles content and to cause the fusion of vesicles are approximately 10-fold higher than those of CTX III. Based on the CTX structures determined in the present and other studies, it is suggested that the amino acid residue X within the well conserved sequence of -Cys-Pro-X-Gly-Lys-Gln-Leu-Cys- plays a role in the interaction of CTX with lipid molecules. The lipid phase transition could further enhance the protein-lipid interaction in the process leading to the fusion of vesicles.     

The use of tryptophan mutants in identifying the 296 nm transient absorbing species during the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin

The transient absorption at 296 nm was part of the spectroscopic evidence that initiated the proposal that tyrosinate (Tyr-) is formed during, and important to, the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin (bR). Recent evidence against such a proposal comes from the results of NMR, UV Raman as well as electron cryo-microscopic structural studies. This makes it credible to assign this absorption to a charge perturbation of the lowest energy absorption of one of the tryptophan (Trp) residues in bR. The transient absorption at 296 nm is examined for each of 8 tryptophan mutants in which Trp is substituted by phenylalanine or cysteine, which absorb at shorter wavelength. It is shown that while all go through the photocycle, all but Trp-182 mutant show this transient absorption. This strongly suggests the assignment of this absorption to a charge perturbaton of the lowest energy absorption of Trp-182 during the photocycle. The chemical identity of the perturbing charge(s) is briefly discussed.     

与胎儿珠蛋白基因持续表达有关的(A_γδβ)°—地贫纯合子及杂合子的分子鉴别

我们分子鉴别了一个缺失型中国(A_γδβ)°-地贫家系。先证者为这一缺失的纯合子,具有中度贫血症状。家系的另五个成员均为这一缺失的杂合子,其胎儿血红蛋白(HbF)为16—21％,接近或达到HPFH杂合子的HbF水平,并且几乎不表现贫血症状。限制性内切酶图谱分析证明了β-珠蛋白基因簇内的DNA顺序缺失,缺失的5′端点位于Aγ基因IVSⅡ内,3′端点在β-珠蛋白基因下游区远端,距HPFH-2的3′缺失端点上游区约11kb。缺失的总长度约为80kb。本文讨论了这一缺失导致胎儿血红蛋白在成人中持续活跃表达的可能机制。