Les affinites du genre Apringia(Brachiopodes Rhynchonellacea du Toarcien)

In view of its internal caracters (no septalium and prefalcifer type crura) Apringia sp. from the upperToarcian of Morocco (oriental Hight Atlas) shows more affinities for the family Pugnacidae than for the Rhynchonellidae one.     

Lipid phase transitions in cytoplasmic and outer membranes of Escherichia coli

The cytoplasmic and outer membranes containing either trans-Δ⁹-octadecenoate, trans-Δ⁹-hexadecenoate or cis-Δ⁹-octadecenoate as predominant unsaturated fatty acid residues in the phospholipids were prepared from a fatty acid auxotroph, Escherichia coli strain K1062. Order-disorder transitions of the phospholipids were revealed in both fractions of the cell envelope by fluorescent probing or wide angle X-ray diffraction. The mid-transition temperatures, $\text{T}\text{t}$, and the range of the transition, $\text{ΔT}$, are similar in the outer and cytoplasmic membrane. Relative to the corresponding extracted lipids, 60–80% of the hydrocarbon chains take part in the transition in the cytoplasmic membrane whereas in the outer membrane only 25–40% of the chains become ordered. The results suggest that in the outer membrane part of the lipids form fluid domains in the form of mono- and/or bilayers.     

Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants acquire sensitivity to the lectin after fusion with liposomes containing PHA receptor glycoproteins

Phytohemagglutinin receptor glycoproteins have been inserted into phospholipid vesicles and these have been fused with phytohemagglutinin-resistant chinese hamster ovary cells. Our results show that the fused cells acquire "neoreceptors" for the lectin phytohemagglutinin. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analyses show that approximately 40% of the cells fused with the receptor-containing vesicles. Studies with 125I-labelled lectin showed that fused cells bound three times more ligand than untreated mutant cells. Furthermore, lectin receptors were functionally inserted in the mutant cell plasma membrane. Fused cells cultured in the presence of lectin (200 micrograms ml-1) lost rapidly (8 hours or less) their ability to incorporate [3H] thymidine. Whereas mutant cells cultured for 16 hours in the presence of 50-400 micrograms ml-1 of lectin remained viable, fused cells showed a 45% decrease in 3H-labelled nucleotide incorporation. The method described here should be of general applicability for the study of lectin-dependent cytotoxicity in chinese hamster ovary cell lines.     

Cyanine dye as monitor of membrane potentials in Escherichia coli cells and membrane vesicles.

The fluorescence response of a positively charged cyanine dye: 3,3'-dimethylindodicarbocyanine iodide can be specifically related to the generation in Escherichia coli cells and E. coli membrane vesicles of an electrical membrane potential induced either by substrate oxidation or by an artificially imposed potassium diffusion gradient. The energy-dependent quenching of the dye fluorescence correlates well with the known effect on delta phi of: oxidation of various energy sources, external pH and solute accumulation. Thus, in the vesicles, the fluorescence quenching of the dye increases from succinate to D-lactate, to ascorbate/phenazine methosulfate and parallels the increasing ability of these electron donors to generate a delta phi. In the vesicles, delta phi is only weakly dependent on external pH, whereas in the cells, delta phi increases with increasing external pH. Lactose accumulation in the vesicles results in the partial utilization of delta phi. A calibration of the dye fluorescence in terms of delta phi has been determined using valinomycin-induced potassium diffusion potential.     

Ouabain binding and coupled sodium, potassium, and chloride transport in isolated transverse tubules of skeletal muscle

The affinity and number of binding sites of [3H]ouabain to isolated transverse (T) tubules were determined in the absence and presence of deoxycholate. In both conditions the KD was approximately 53 nM while deoxycholate increased the number of binding sites from 3.5 to 37 pmol/mg protein. We concluded that the ouabain binding sites were located primarily on the inside of the isolated vesicle and that the vesicles were impermeable to ouabain. ATP induced a highly active Na+ accumulation by the T tubules which increased Na+ in the T tubular lumen by almost 200 nmol/mg protein. The accumulation had an initial fast phase lasting 2-3 min and a subsequent slow phase which continued for at least 40 min. The rate of the initial fast phase indicated a turnover number of 20 Na+/s. The Na+ accumulation was prevented by monensin but was unaffected by valinomycin. Ouabain did not influence Na+ uptake, but digitoxin inhibited it. At low K+ the accumulation of Na+ was reduced 3.7-fold below the value at 50 mM K+. 86Rb, employed as a tracer to detect K+, showed a first phase of K+ release while Na+ was accumulated. After 2-3 min, K+ was reaccumulated while Na+ continued to increase in the lumen. T tubules accumulated Cl- on addition of ATP. This suggested that ATP initiated an exchange of Na+ for K+ followed by uptake of Na+ and K+ accompanied by Cl-.     

Gradual Alteration of Mitochondrial Structure and Function by β-Amyloids: Importance of Membrane Viscosity Changes,Energy Deprivation,Reactive Oxygen Species Production,and Cytochrome <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> Release

Intracellular amyloid beta-peptide (Aβ) accumulation is considered to be a key pathogenic factor in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the mechanisms by which it triggers neuronal dysfunction remain unclear. We hypothesized that gradual mitochondrial dysfunction could play a central role in both initiation and progression of sporadic AD. Thus, we analyzed changes in mitochondrial structure and function following direct exposure to increasing concentrations of Aβ₁₋₄₂ and Aβ₂₅₋₃₅ in order to look more closely at the relationships between mitochondrial membrane viscosity, ATP synthesis, ROS production, and cytochrome c release. Our results show the accumulation of monomeric Aβ within rat brain and muscle mitochondria. Subsequently, we observed four different and additive modes of action of Aβ, which were concentration dependent: (i) an increase in mitochondrial membrane viscosity with a concomitant decrease in ATP/O, (ii) respiratory chain complexes inhibition, (iii) a potentialization of ROS production, and (iv) cytochrome c release.     

Herpes simplex virus type 1 capsids transit by the trans-Golgi network, where viral glycoproteins accumulate independently of capsid egress

Egress of herpes capsids from the nucleus to the plasma membrane is a complex multistep transport event that is poorly understood. The current model proposes an initial envelopment at the inner nuclear membrane of capsids newly assembled in the nucleus. The capsids are then released in cytosol by fusion with the outer nuclear membrane. They are finally reenveloped at a downstream organelle before traveling to the plasma membrane for their extracellular release. Although the trans-Golgi network (TGN) is often cited as a potential site of reenvelopment, other organelles have also been proposed, including the Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment, aggresomes, tegusomes, and early or late endosomes. To clarify this important issue, we followed herpes simplex virus type 1 egress by immunofluorescence under conditions that slowed intracellular transport and promoted the accumulation of the otherwise transient reenvelopment intermediate. The data show that the capsids transit by the TGN and point to this compartment as the main reenvelopment site, although a contribution by endosomes cannot formally be excluded. Given that viral glycoproteins are expected to accumulate where capsids acquire their envelope, we examined this prediction and found that all tested could indeed be detected at the TGN. Moreover, this accumulation occurred independently of capsid egress. Surprisingly, capsids were often found immediately adjacent to the viral glycoproteins at the TGN.     

Energy requirement for pullulanase secretion by the main terminal branch of the general secretory pathway

The energy requirement for the second step in pullulanase secretion by the general secretory pathway was studied in Escherichia coli . In order to uncouple the two steps in the secretion pathway (across the cytoplasmic and outer membranes, respectively) and to facilitate kinetic analysis of secretion, a variant form of pullulanase lacking its N-terminal fatty acid membrane anchor was used. The transport of the periplasmic secretion intermediate form of this protein across the outer membrane was not inhibited by concentrations of sodium arsenate in excess of those required to reduce ATP levels to ≤10% of their normal value. Pullulanase secretion was inhibited by the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m -chlorophenyl hydrazone at concentrations which were similar to those reported by others to be required to prevent solute uptake or the export and processing of preproteins across the cytoplasmic membrane, but which were in excess of those required to fully dissipate the proton-motive force and to reduce lactose uptake to a significant extent.     

FhuA, a transporter of the Escherichia coli outer membrane, is converted into a channel upon binding of bacteriophage T5.

The Escherichia coli outer membrane protein FhuA catalyzes the transport of Fe3+(-)ferrichrome and is the receptor of phage T5 and phi 80. The purified protein inserted into planar lipid bilayers showed no channel activity. Binding of phage T5 and FhuA resulted in the appearance of high conductance ion channels. The electrophysiological characteristics of the channels (conductance, kinetic behavior, substates, ion selectivity including the effect of ferrichrome) showed similarities with those of the channel formed by a FhuA derivative from which the 'gating loop' (delta 322-355) had been removed. binding of phage T5 to FhuA in E.coli cells conferred SDS sensitivity to the bacteria, suggesting that such channels also exist in vivo. These data suggest that binding of T5 to loop 322-355 of FhuA, which constitutes the T5 binding site, unmasks an inner channel in FhuA. Both T5 and ferrichrome bind to the closed state of the channel but only T5 can trigger its opening.