The receptor tyrosine kinase ARK mediates cell aggregation by homophilic binding.

The ARK (AXL, UFO) receptor is a member of a new family of receptor tyrosine kinases whose extracellular domain contains a combination of fibronectin type III and immunoglobulin motifs similar to those found in many cell adhesion molecules. ARK mRNA is expressed at high levels in the mouse brain, prevalently in the hippocampus and cerebellum, and this pattern of expression resembles that of adhesion molecules that are capable of promoting cell aggregation through homophilic or heterophilic binding. We report here the ability of the murine ARK receptor to mediate homophilic binding. Expression of the ARK protein in Drosophila S2 cells induces formation of cell aggregates consisting of ARK-expressing cells, and aggregation leads to receptor activation, with an increase in receptor phosphorylation. Homophilic binding does not require ARK tyrosine kinase activity, since S2 cells expressing a receptor in which the intracellular domain was deleted were able to undergo aggregation as well as cells expressing the wild-type ARK receptor. Similar results were obtained with NIH 3T3 and CHO cells expressing high levels of ARK, although in this case ARK expression appeared to be accompanied by constitutive activation. The purified recombinant extracellular domain of ARK can induce homotypic aggregation of coated fluorescent beads (Covaspheres), and this protein can also function as a substrate for adhesion by S2 and NIH 3T3 cells expressing ARK. These results suggest that ARK represents a new cell adhesion molecule that through its homophilic interaction may regulate cellular functions during cell recognition.     

Inversions produced during V(D)J rearrangement at IgH, the immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus.

Diversity in immunoglobulin antigen receptors is generated in part by V(D)J recombination. In this process, different combinations of gene elements are joined in various configurations. Products of V(D)J recombination are coding joints, signal joints, and hybrid junctions, which are generated by deletion or inversion. To determine their role in the generation of diversity, we have examined two sorts of recombination products, coding joints and hybrid junctions, that have formed by inversion at the mouse immunoglobulin heavy-chain locus. We developed a PCR assay for quantification and characterization of inverted rearrangements of DH and JH gene elements. In primary cells from adult mice, inverted DJH rearrangements are detectable but they are rare. There were approximately 1,100 to 2,200 inverted DJH coding joints and inverted DJH hybrid junctions in the marrow of one adult mouse femur. On day 16 of gestation, inverted DJH rearrangements are more abundant. There are approximately 20,000 inverted DJH coding joints and inverted DJH hybrid junctions per day 16 fetal liver. In fetal liver cells, the number of inverted DJH rearrangements remains relatively constant from day 14 to day 16 of gestation. Inverted DJH rearrangements to JH4, the most 3' JH element, are more frequently detected than inverted DJH rearrangements to other JH elements. We compare the frequencies of inverted DJH rearrangements to previously determined frequencies of uninverted DJH rearrangements (DJH rearrangements formed by deletion). We suggest that inverted DJH rearrangements are influenced by V(D)J recombination mechanistic constraints and cellular selection.     

Ribosomal proteins ofThermomyces lanuginosus — characterisation by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and differential disassembly

One- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis were employed to characterise the proteins derived from the ribosomes of the thermophilic fungusThermomyces lanuginosus. Approximately 32 (29 basic and 3 acidic) and 45 (43 basic and 2 acidic) protein spots were resolved fromTh. lanuginosus small and large ribosomal subunits, respectively. The molecular weight of the small subunit proteins ranged from 9,800–36,000 Da with a number average molecular weight of 20,300 Da. The molecular weight range for the large subunit proteins was 12,000–48,500 Da with a number average molecular weight of 25,900 Da. Most proteins appeared to be present in unimolar amounts. These data are comparable with but not identical to those from other eukaryotic ribosomes. The sensitivities of the ribosomal proteins to increasing concentrations of NH₄Cl were also evaluated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Most ribosomal proteins were gradually released over a wide range of salt concentrations but some were preferentially enriched in one or two salt conditions.     

Evaluation of the serum-free medium MDSS2 for the production of poliovirus on vero cells in bioreactors

The serum-free medium MDSS2 (Merten et al., 1994), was used for cultivating Vero cells as well as for producing poliovirus (Sabin type 1) in static and in perfused micro-carrier cultures. At slightly different growth rates of 0.0120/h and 0.0106/h, respectively, static cultures in serum-containing (SCM) and serum-free (SFM) medium produced titers of ^106.75 and 10^6.67 TCID50 per 50 μl; signifying a specific productivity of 0.89 and 1.07 TCID50/c. Serum-free bioreactor cultures of Vero cells on DEAE-dextran microcarriers at 6.25 g/l produced cell densities of about 1.5×10⁶c/ml. After infection with virus (multiplicity of infection (MOI) 0.1–0.3) titers of about 6.3×10⁸ TCID50/ml were obtained, signifying an average specific productivity of 7.1 TCID50/c.h. Although these values were 4 and 2 fold, respectively, higher than in classical resum-based production processes (Montagnon et al. Dev. biol. Stand. 1981, 47, 55), a reference culture, for which cell growth was done in SCM and only virus production was done in SFM, produced 2×10⁹ TCID/ml with an average specific virus production rate of 18.9 TCID50/c.h. The differences between the fully serum-free and our reference process were mainly due to physiological differences of cells grown in SCM and SFM and also due to strongly modified consumption kinetics after virus infection leading to limitations of one or several essential medium compounds, like glucose and amino acids. Avoiding these limitations by increasing the residual concentration of glucose, glutamine, histidine, and SH-amino acids, led to specific virus production rates (of about 17.9 TCID59/c.h.) comparable to those found in the reference virus production process. The optimisation of the production of the poliovirus (Sabin 1) will be described with respect to the modification of the medium composition. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A novel rectangular airlift reactor with mesh baffle-plates

An experimental rectangular airlift reactor having mesh baffle-plates has been fabricated out of Perspex and compared with conventional airlift and bubble column in terms of gas holdup, volumetric mass transfer coefficient and mixing time. Mesh baffle-plates improved mass transfer and mixing with the mass transfer coefficient of the proposed reactor being up to 12% higher than that in a conventional airlift reactor under the same operating condition. The mixing time of the proposed reactor can be 95% lower than that of the airlift reactor.     

Expression of novel genes linked to the androgen-induced, proliferative shutoff in prostate cancer cells

Androgens control cell numbers in the prostate through three separate pathways: (a) inhibition of cell death, (b) induction of cell proliferation (Step-1) and (c) inhibition of cell proliferation (Step-2, proliferative shutoff). The mechanisms underlying these phenomena are incompletely understood. The human prostate carcinoma LNCaP variants express these pathways as follows: LNCaP-FGC express both steps, LNCaP-LNO expresses Step-2, LNCaP-TAC expresses Step-1, and LNCaP-TJA cells express neither step. These cells facilitated the search for mediators of the androgen-induced proliferative shutoff pathway. Androgen exposure for 24 h or longer induced an irreversible proliferative shutoff in LNCaP-FGC cells. The Wang and Brown approach for identifying differentially expressed mRNAs was used to search for mediators of Step-2. Ten unique inserts were identified and from those ten, three genes were further studied. The basal expression of these genes in shutoff-negative variants was not affected by androgen exposure. They were induced by androgens in shutoff-positive LNCaP variants and the androgen receptor-transfected, shutoff-positive, MCF7-AR1 cells. These genes were induced only in the range of androgen concentrations that elicited the shutoff response. Time course analysis showed that their induction precedes the commitment point by 12–18 h. In addition, they were expressed in the normal prostate during proliferative shutoff. These features suggest that the candidate genes have a role in the regulation cascade for proliferative shutoff.     

原生质体电融合酵母多倍体生理特性的研究

对原生质体电融合技术获得的11株酵母多倍体融合株,进行了一系列生理特性的分析比较．结果发现,在电融合过程中,融合株的细胞体积及DNA含量并不随着核倍性呈线性递增．而是有其特殊的变化规律。当糖化酵母sta1、sta2和sta3在细胞核中各自纯合时,明显表现出表达的剂量效应。其中sta1、sta2纯合的融合株．在YEPS培养中,GA分泌可被淀粉大量诱导,表现出一定的二次生长特性。从分析结果推测,在亲株5301-14D及HU-TY—1A中可能有对GA分泌不利的因素。     

重组人粒细胞-巨噬细胞集落刺激因子包涵体提取、复性和纯化的研究

由基因工程大肠杆菌表达的重组人粒细胞－巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（ｒｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ）以包涵体的形式存在于细胞中,通过破菌、洗涤获得包涵体,再经过溶解、凝胶过滤、复性、疏水和离子交换柱导析得到了均一的产品,经高压液相和ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ电泳测定纯度均大于９８％,ｒｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ的比活为３．２×１０＾７ＩＵ／ｍｇ,纯化获得的ｒｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ为一酸性蛋白,等电点约为５．２,ＮＨ２－末端有２０个氨基酸序列测定结果     

Incipient Speciation by Sexual Isolation in Drosophila Melanogaster: Extensive Genetic Divergence without Reinforcement

The collection of Drosophila melanogaster from Zimbabwe and nearby regions (the Z-type) yield females who would not mate with the cosmopolitan D. melanogaster males (the M-type). To dissect the genetic basis of this sexual isolation, we constructed 16 whole-chromosome substitution lines between two standard Z-and M-lines. The results were as follows: (1) All substitution lines appear normal in viability and fertility in both sexes, indicating no strong postmating isolation. (2) The genes for the behaviors are mapped to all three major chromosomes with the same ranking and comparable magnitude of effects for both sexes: III > II >> X >/= 0 (III, II and X designate the effects of the three chromosomes). The results suggest less evolution on the X than on autosomes at loci of sexual behavior. (3) The genes for ``Z-maleness' are many and somewhat redundant. Whole-chromosome effects for Z-maleness appear nearly additive and show little dominance. (4) In contrast, ``Z-femaleness' has less redundancy as partial genotypes never exhibit full phenotypic effects. Epistatic interactions and incomplete dominance can sometimes be detected. (5) The extensive genetic divergence underlying sexual isolation has evolved in the absence of detectable reduction in hybrid fitnesses. Sexual selection has apparently been a driving force of multiple facets of speciation at the nascent stage without reinforcement.